Merkel rejects Iranian leader's letter
(Reuters)
Updated: 2006-07-22 11:51
BERLIN, July 21 - German Chancellor Angela Merkel on Friday forcefully
rejected a letter from Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad seeking cooperation
with Germany, saying it did not even deserve an answer.
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki delivered the letter to the
German embassy in Tehran earlier this week. A German government official who saw
the letter told Reuters it criticised Israel and said Germany and Iran should
cooperate in dealing with Zionism and solving the Palestinian problem.
"He's repeating the old thinking, which is totally unacceptable to us,"
Merkel told ZDF state television.
"Israel's right to exist is a key part of our state policy and he calls this
into question time and again; and at the same time our offer -- an offer which
really gives the Iranian people hope for the future -- is not mentioned once,"
she added.
"That's not in order and thus does not need to be answered."
Germany and the five permanent members of the United Nations Security Council
offered Iran a package of incentives in June to end Tehran's stand-off with the
West over its nuclear programme.
Government spokesman Ulrich Wilhelm said earlier on Friday the letter did not
mention Tehran's nuclear standoff with the West, or the current fighting in
Lebanon and Israel.
Berlin's relations with Ahmadinejad have been soured by his repeated denial
of the Holocaust, the Nazi massacre of 6 million Jews, and his call for Israel
to be wiped off the map.
Holocaust denial is a crime in Germany punishable by up to five years in
prison.
A spokesman for the Israeli embassy declined to comment, saying the letter
was an issue between Iran and Germany.
DESIRE FOR COOPERATION
Wilhelm said Ahmadinejad expressed a desire for cooperation with Germany in
his letter to the chancellor, but noted that this was already envisioned in the
June 6 incentives offer.
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