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http://www.irna.com/en/tnews/020312042207.etn08.shtml
President Khatami denounces totalitarianism, despotism
Vienna, March 12, IRNA -- Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami gave
an address at the dinner ceremony thrown in his favor by Austria's
President Thomas Klestil here Monday night.
In his address President Khatami announced that a new type of
fundamentalism and bigotry is currently emerging at global level,
which relies on the logic of gun point and has seriously threatened
man's life on earth.
He added: 'such an expansionist version of fundamentalism relies
on such new world phenomena as accumulation of military power, wealth
and technology, coupled with extremism, seeking violence and trying
to sell it to the world nations as pure manifestation of justice.
The Iranian political leader said that such fundamentalists are
meanwhile extremely egocentric, assuming that the whole world with
the mere exception of themselves, are marginal inhabitants of the
earth and are seeking cure to all pains of the mankind resorting to
the logic of power.
'He who resorts to totalitarian methods in the name of religion
and observes harsh methods against nations, too, is an enemy of sound
wisdom, dialogue, lenience, freedom, man's independence, and his
right to choose his own fate and ruling system, freely' said
President Khatami.
He reiterated that the two symbols of aggression and destruction
are being displayed side by side of each other, posing an
unprecedented big threat for the whole mankind.
President Khatami emphasized, 'employing religion at the service
of the ruling power and resorting to it to justify aggression is the
biggest enemy of expansion of monotheism in modern world.
He said, 'expansionism and totalitarianism are both manifestations
of a faith and religion that relies on such foundations that are
beyond pure logic and dialogue, since the foundation of such beliefs
is based on full denial of the other party, particularly at the
political scene, the practical manifestation of them will be resorting
to harsh methods aimed at annihilation of the opponent.
The philosopher president of Iran added: 'exactly the same way
that the reactionary orthodox fundamentalists wish to exert their
hegemony over the whole mankind resorting to simple-minded and
illogical beliefs, the modern times fundamentalists, too, wish to
annihilate all those who are not exactly identical with them.
He said that the latter group divides the whole world into two
halves: one, that is with them and follows their orders, and the
other, that is against them and must be eliminated.
President Khatami said that the world today is passing through
one of its most sensitive passages of mankind's history, securing a
safe passage through which calls for collective wisdom of the whole
mankind.
He added: 'man is in pursuit of wisdom and pure logic in the
third millennium, and wishes to wipe off ignorance and violence
resorting to dialogue and lenience. The president added, 'man also
wishes today to replace forceful methods and totalitarianism with
liberty and justice.'
Khatami expressed deep sorrow over the fact that the ruling
international relations today do not match the real needs and wisdom
of the third millennium man, arguing that today the wretched
phenomenon of terrorism is a pending threat against stable policy
making and creating vague enemies in the hallucinations of some
politicians threaten peaceful coexistence of world nations and the
global peace.
The Iranian president emphasized: 'what has made life tough for
the mankind is beyond the barriers of sound logic and dialogue.'
He added that the modern world is entangled with the hegemony
of such thoughts that wish to replace dialogue with violence, war
with peace and despotism with democracy.
President Khatami pointed out that the said threats have
endangered man's life on earth, both at individual and at collective
and social levels and it is based on such a bare necessity that Iran
has extended a hand of friendship and cooperation towards all world
nations.
He once again denounced all types of terrorism, warmongering,
violence and despotism, asking for expansion of justice and global
understanding among mankind.
President Khatami reminded the audience of Iran's clear stand
against international terrorism and its constructive approach
towards the recent developments in Afghanistan, as a part of our
country's contribution to the cause of peace at global level.
He said that another aspect of such efforts is stressing on the
need for realization of the natural rights of the world nations,
including that of the Palestinian nation, under the umbrella of
elimination of poverty and warmongering at global level, resorting to
collective contributions and wisdom of the world nations.
Khatami said: 'the world is thirsty for justice, freedom,
spirituality, ethics, peace and peaceful coexistence of the whole
mankind today in all spheres of life, and my proposal on the global
need for formation of an International Peace Coalition was aimed at
opening the gates of a brighter life to the whole mankind so that all
nations would enjoy advancement and sovereignty thoroughly.'
Austria's President Klestil, too, praised President Khatami's
policy of international detente, which is a valuable approach
towrds solving crises, while also appreciating Iran's
idea of Dialogue Among Civilizationsa and its constructive approach
towards Afghanistan developments and the vast role Iran has agreed to
play in reconstruction of that war torn country.
The Austrian president meanwhile voiced his country's full support
for broader ties between Iran and the European Union, including
signing cooperation agreements.
A large number of high ranking Austrian politicians, as well as
Iranian and other countries' envoys to Vienna were present at the
ceremony.
President Khatami arrived in Vienna on March 11, at the
invitation of Austrian President Thomas Klestil, whose visit to Tehran
in September 1999 was the first by an EU president since Iran's
Islamic revolution in 1979.
Khatami will go on to Athens on March 15 for a three-day stay at
the invitation of President Costis Stephanopoulos, who visited Iran
a month after Klestil.
He visited three European countries during his first presidential
term, Italy in April 1999 where he also met with Pope Jean Paul II,
France in October 1999 and Germany in July 2000.
NA/AR
End
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