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| Syria-Lebanon-Iran |
| US may deny visa for Iran leader's UN address |
| 2005-08-05 |
| The Bush administration is considering taking the unprecedented step of preventing a visting head of state from addressing the United Nations in New York by denying a visa to Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad, Iran's new elected conservative president. Officials said a decision rested on investigations into whether Mr Ahmadi-Nejad was involved in the 1979 US embassy hostage crisis and the killing of an Iranian-Kurdish dissident leader in Vienna in 1989. Iran denies his involvement in either event. A top Iranian official confirmed Thursday that Mr Ahmadi-Nejad, who took office on Wednesday, planned to address the UN Millennium Summit and its annual General Assembly next month. Ahmadi-Nejad’s visa application was submitted on Thursday, the Iranian official said. The trip would be “mutually beneficial to the US and Iran�, the official added. A White House official said that visa applications were confidential under US law and therefore he could not comment on the outcome. Asked if the president’s alleged involvement in the 444-day-long embassy hostage crisis, if proven, would be sufficient reason to deny him a visa, the US official replied: “That is something we are looking at.� A US official who asked to remain anonymous said agencies were examining whether there was sufficient evidence to deny a visa and how this would be justified under international law. Stephane Dujarric, UN spokesman, said: “The host country agreement calls on the US not to impose any impediment to the travel to the UN of any representative of a member state on official business.� Yasser Arafat, Palestine Liberation Organisation chairman, was denied entry in 1988. He addressed the UN in Geneva. Mohammad Khatami, Iran's previous president, spoke at the UN several times, most notably just weeks after the September 2001 attacks, which he condemned. Former US diplomats allege they recognise Mr Ahmadi-Nejad as one of their captors, but the Central Intelligence Agency has found no confirmation of this. |
| Posted by:Mrs. Davis |
| #5 The hell with arrest, shoot the damn plane down. After all, a known terrorist is on an airliner headed to NYC. Iran can always declare war if they don't like it. |
| Posted by: Laurence of the Rats 2005-08-05 23:07 |
| #4 Nah! Have some of our 'students' take him and his party hostage.... I suppose there would be a lot of places in NY to hide them.... |
| Posted by: CrazyFool 2005-08-05 22:23 |
| #3 No, no, no.... Lose the visa application! Tell him, "We're SO sorry, but the paperwork has been misplaced. Sorry! SOOOO sorry!" No tickie, no speachie! |
| Posted by: Bobby 2005-08-05 22:03 |
| #2 Excellent idea. |
| Posted by: phil_b 2005-08-05 21:04 |
| #1 OH, Please do, Or better Yet, arrest him when he steps foot on the tar-mac. |
| Posted by: SCPatriot 2005-08-05 21:02 |