Iranian Reformists

Mousavi-Lari stands firm behind reform plans - June 1998

FarsiNet News - News related to Iran, Iranians and Persians - June 1998: "Iranian government stands firm behind reform plans

TEHRAN, Iran (Reuters) -- Iranian President Mohammad Khatami's choice for interior minister has vowed to carry on the democratic reforms that cost his predecessor his job at the hands of the conservatives.

The daily Salam newspaper, close to the Khatami government, on Thursday published a four-point program from minister-designate Abdolvahed Mousavi-Lari spelling out his goals and policies if he is confirmed in his post next week by the Majlis, or parliament.

Top of the list is "political development," the potent slogan of democratic pluralism that helped the moderate Khatami overwhelm his mainstream conservative rival in general elections in May, 1997.

"The promotion of dialogue between different groups and political tendencies within the framework of the law is a necessity," the text of the program said.

Mousavi-Lari, a 44-year-old cleric and now Khatami's vice- president for legal and parliamentary affairs, also pledged to expand social rights, including those for women, and to promote pluralism within the existing Islamic system.

"The topics of these plans fit within the program of the esteemed president (Khatami) and seek to continue the services of the government during the past year," the program said.

The president's bid to establish what he calls the rule of law, or "civil society," has suffered a series of setbacks in recent weeks, including the impeachment of the progressive interior minister on June 21 by the conservative-led Majlis.

Deputies charged former Interior Minister Abdollah Nouri with aggravating social and political tensions by authorizing opposition rallies, one of which ended in clashes with hardliners.

They were also incensed that he used his powers to put Khatami loyalists in key provincial posts and unabashedly backed the mayor of Tehran, now on trial for corruption, as the innocent victim of a hardline witch hunt.

The Majlis forced out Nouri after an impeachment debate, setting the stage for next week's parliamentary showdown. In doing so, it also outraged pro-Khatami forces, including Iran's biggest student movement.

However, Mousavi-Lari's manifesto made it clear that neither he nor the president were prepared to back down. Nor was there any sign that Khatami had yielded to the conservatives and consulted Majlis leaders before naming his new candidate.

The new program also promised to implement a discarded article of the constitution requiring popular election of city and town councils, and to increase participation by women in social activities -- key planks in Khatami's campaign platform.

Prospects for Mousavi-Lari's confirmation were uncertain, with the innate conservativism of the majority of MPs balanced by respect for Khatami's 70 percent electoral mandate.

"Majlis experts believe that President Khatami might face an uphill task for getting approval of Mousavi-Lari because of existing tension between the two politically important factions," said the Tehran Times, adding the president would have been better served by consulting lawmakers in advance.

"Still there is time, a joint discussion between the president and leading Majlis deputies on the proposed interior minister can bring the two sides closer," it said."

posted by JBOC @ 1:30 PM