Austrian minister to visit Iran for economic and human rights talks

She will have political talks in Teheran with Foreign Minister Kamal Kharrazi on Tuesday, and meet with President of the Iranian economics chamber, Seyed Alinaghi Kahmoushi, and Mining and Energy Minister Eshaq Jahangiri. On Wednesday she will travel on to the city of Kerman for a meeting with President Mohammed Khatami.

Further talks will be with Vice-President and Environment Minister Masoumeh Ebtekar, where a "memorandum of understanding" will be signed on environmental cooperation. She will also meet with President of the Iranian Majlis (parliament) Mehdi Karoubi before returning to Vienna on Friday.

In a comment on Monday, Ferrero-Waldner said that "despite contrasting views in some areas, we should move towards each other and seek an approach in areas where our opinions differ." Her ministry said the talks would include the Middle East situation and the present stand of the dialogue between Iran and the European Union.

Ferrero-Waldner would also touch on themes such as "a dialogue of the civilizations", human and minority rights, freedom of the press, the situation of women in society, regional security, and trade and investment.

The Austrian minister's visit comes at a time of turbulance in Iran. Last Friday, police and Revolutionary Guards broke up a demonstration of about 3,000 people in a park in the north of Teheran who had shouted slogans for freedom of opinion, and against the Islamic regime.

Reports said 20 mostly young demonstrators were injured, and 100 arrested. The protest was amid official celebrations of the 22nd anniversary of the overthrow of the Shah's regime and victory of the Islamic Revolution.

Since last year, the Iranian courts have clamped down on the liberal press. About 20 publications have been banned, and a large number of journalists jailed or sentenced to fines. dpa qu ms

(bb/sda)