DATE=9/14/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-219853
TITLE=ALBRIGHT / IRAN (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=DOUGLAS ROBERTS
DATELINE=JEDDAH, SAUDI ARABIA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: ALTHOUGH THE ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE PROCESS HAS DOMINATED
SECRETARY OF STATE ALBRIGHT'S MIDDLE EAST TOUR, THE CHANGE OF
GOVERNMENT IN IRAN ALSO HAS BEEN DISCUSSED. THE SECRETARY AND
ARAB LEADERS COMPARED NOTES ON THE POTENTIAL SIGNIFICANCE OF
PRESIDENT MOHAMMED KHATTAMI'S ACCESSION TO POWER IN TEHRAN.
V-O-A'S DOUGLAS ROBERTS FILED THIS REPORT FROM THE SAUDI ARABIAN
RED SEA PORT OF JEDDAH.
TEXT: ALMOST FROM THE MOMENT OF PRESIDENT KHATTAMI'S ELECTION
VICTORY LAST MAY, ARAB AND IRANIAN ENVOYS HAVE BEEN
CRISS-CROSSING THE PERSIAN GULF IN A FLURRY OF NEW DIPLOMATIC
CONTACTS.
THE GOVERNMENT OF SAUDI ARABIA, LONG AT ODDS WITH TEHRAN'S
REVOLUTIONARY REGIME, WAS THE FIRST TO CONGRATULATE MR. KHATTAMI.
IN JULY, A SENIOR SAUDI OFFICIAL WAS DISPATCHED TO TEHRAN WITH A
MESSAGE SIGNALING THE KINGDOM'S INTEREST IN IMPROVED TIES.
COMMERCIAL AIR LINKS HAVE BEEN RESTORED, AND IRAN HAS CONFIRMED
IT WILL PARTICIPATE IN AN UPCOMING TRADE FAIR IN JEDDAH.
OTHER GULF STATES HAVE ALSO RENEWED CONTACTS WITH TEHRAN. AND
IRANIAN ENVOYS HAVE MADE STOPS IN VIRTUALLY ALL ARAB CAPITALS,
DELIVERING INVITATIONS TO NEXT DECEMBER'S ISLAMIC SUMMIT
CONFERENCE IN TEHRAN.
MANY ARAB ANALYSTS SAY THEY EXPECT THE GRADUAL RAPPROCHEMENT
BETWEEN IRAN AND THE ARABS TO CONTINUE. BUT OTHERS SAY KEY ARAB
LEADERS, ESPECIALLY IN THE GULF, REMAIN CAUTIOUS.
U-S OFFICIALS TRAVELING WITH SECRETARY ALBRIGHT SAY THE GULF
STATES AND WASHINGTON SHARE SIMILAR ASSESSMENTS OF THE SITUATION.
IN A SPEECH TO GULF FOREIGN MINISTERS IN THE SAUDI MOUNTAIN
RESORT OF ABHA SUNDAY, MS. ALBRIGHT REITERATED THE U-S VIEW;
THAT THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT KHATTAMI IS AN INTRIGUING AND
POSSIBLY HOPEFUL DEVELOPMENT.
THE PEOPLE OF IRAN HAVE MADE CLEAR THEIR DESIRE FOR CHANGE, SHE
SAID. BUT WHAT IS STILL NOT CLEAR, SHE ADDED, IS WHETHER AND TO
WHAT EXTENT CHANGES WILL ACTUALLY OCCUR.
SHE REPEATED U-S CONCERNS OVER IRAN'S PAST SUPPORT FOR
INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM AND VIOLENT OPPOSITION TO THE MIDDLE EAST
PEACE PROCESS, ALONG WITH ITS EFFORTS TO ACQUIRE WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION AND TO DESTABILIZE NEIGHBORING STATES.
ALTHOUGH WE HOPE FOR POSITIVE CHANGE IN IRAN, SHE SAID, WE CANNOT
COUNT ON IT. AND SHE REITERATED THE U-S COMMITMENT TO OPPOSE ANY
EFFORT FROM ANY SOURCE TO COERCE OR INTIMIDATE U-S ALLIES IN THE
GULF OR TO INTERFERE WITH THE FREEDOM OF NAVIGATION THROUGH'S ITS
INTERNATIONAL WATERWAYS.
OFFICIALS TRAVELING WITH THE SECRETARY SAY WASHINGTON AND THE
GULF STATES REMAIN CONCERNED ABOUT IRAN AS A POTENTIAL LONG-TERM
THREAT. WE AGREE THAT THE ELECTION OF MR. KHATTAMI IS A
SIGNIFICANT DEVELOPMENT, SAID ONE AMERICAN OFFICIAL, BUT WE
STILL DO NOT KNOW FOR SURE WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE FUTURE. (SIGNED)
NEB/DBR/DW/RRM
14-Sep-97 12:34 PM EDT (1634 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.