Belgian MP meets with Iran’s religious minorities MPs
IRNA
May 17, 2005
President of the External Relations Commission of the Belgian House
of Representative Karel Pinxten met here Monday with four majlis
deputies of religious minorities.
In the meeting, majlis representatives of northern and southern Iran’s
Armenians, representative of Iran’s Jewish community and representative
of Iranian Assyrians and Chaldeans were present.
Morris Motamed, Jews’ representative in majlis, condemned exaggeration
on religious minorities’ problems in Iran and said, “We do not deny
problems, but the problems belong to our society and to solve them
we do not need others help”.
He added, ” According to our legal power and authority, which is
based on country’s constitution, we have a good interaction with our
country’s officials and we inform them about possible problems and
deficiencies and then all together we try to solve them”.
Assyrian and Chaldean representative in majlis said, the followers of
divine monotheist faiths in the Islamic Republic of Iran live with
their fellow citizens peacefully and practice their religious rites
in full freedom.
He added, “We have our own churches, as well as our economic, cultural
and social associations and in our special schools we teach our own
traditions and language”.
The representative of Iran’s Southern Armenians in the majlis also
said, “In spite of ups and downs in historical life of every nation,
divine faiths believers in Iran have always lived peacefully with
their compatriots”.
According to the country’s constitution, majlis deputies from
religious minorities have the same power and authority as their Muslim
colleagues, said northern Armenian deputy in majlis.
The four deputies reminded an article in the year 1384 (Iranian
calender) budget for government financial support of religious
minorities and the recent judicial reforms indicating country’s
officials’ efforts for the minorities.
The deputies condemned malicious and negative behaviors with Muslims
in the Western countries.
Pinxten expressed happiness over being in Iran and said he was
satisfied with his talks with Iranian officials.
He said the aim of his 4-day visit to Iran at the head of a 4-member
delegation is mutual understanding and discussing the practical ways
of boosting bilateral parliamentary cooperation.