Mrs. Marie-Helene Aubert, a member of the Green Party (RCV), strongly criticized the government for hosting the president of a country where human rights are being violated flagrantly.
Mrs. Aubert also stated her opposition to the detention of dissidents and Iranian refugees by the French Police and rejected the absurd claims about threats to security by Iranian refugees. She described recent remarks by the French Interior Minister about the threats posed by Iranian dissidents against Khatami's life as "confused ideas."
Claude Goasguen, deputy from the Democratic Liberal Party (DL) also criticized the French government's policy toward Khatami's visit. He said: I am opposed to the visit to France by the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran because Iran has given no assurances that it will respect human rights. Despite remarks that Mr. Khatami's government is reformist, this is not enough and I do not believe France will gain any concessions by expanding our ties with Iran.
On the eve of Khatami's visit to France, it was announced that 150 deputies in France's National Assembly had written to the French President and declared their vehement opposition to this trip.
Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
October 29, 1999
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