The following is the text of a statement issued after a press conference today in Brussels by Rep. Lode Vanoost, from Greens Party (AGALEV), Sentor Anne Marie Lizin, from the Socialist Party (PS), Senator Jose Daras, from the Greens Party (ECOLO), Rep. Jo seph Arens, from Christian Democratic Party (PSC), and Senator Nelis Van Liedekerke, from the Flemish Liberal Party (VLD), and is being forwarded for your attention.

In his remarks at the press conference, Mr. Vanoost said: "As a Belgian Parliament deputy, I am here today on behalf of the members of Parliament and the Senate who signed this statement, to express their solidarity with the people of Iran and condemn the violations of human rights in that country. We declare that human rights abuses continue in Iran. Khatami has always been a member of this regime and in the past he has emphasized that torture and stoning must continue."

Secretariat of the National Council of Resistance of Iran
March 5, 1999

Majority in Belgian Parliament and Senate condemn human rights abuses, terrorism under Khatami, support NCR as a democratic alternative
- 76 MPs and 36 senators sign a "statement on Iran"

In a press conference in Brussels on Friday, March 5, it was announced that a majority in the Parliament of Belgium has condemned the human rights violations in Iran and expressed support for the Iranian Resistance.

Mr. Lode Vanoost, member of parliament from the Greens Party (AGALEV), and Mr. Behzad Naziri, a member of Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Council of Resistance of Iran, attended the press conference in which a statement signed by 76 MPs and 36 senators was made public.

In this statement, the parliament majority condemned the flagrant violations of human rights, unbridled terrorism and efforts to obtain weapons of mass destruction by the Iranian regime under Khatami's presidency. While calling on the Belgian government t o adopt a resolute policy vis-a-vis the Tehran regime, the statement supported the Mojahedin organization as a resistance movement against the suppressive regime in Iran.

The elected representatives of the people of Belgium denounced appeasement of the Tehran regime, adding: "We are deeply concerned about what is happening under Khatami's government and the silence maintained over the atrocities of this regime against the Iranian people and Resistance."

Censuring the continuing human rights abuses during Khatami's tenure, including the increase in executions and systematic violations of the rights of women and religious minorities, the statement read: "Western countries must not repeat the same political mistake they committed under the shah's monarchy. The only means with which one can promote democracy in Iran and peace and tranquility in the region is to adopt a firm policy towards this dictatorship and recognize the Iranian people's right to resist a gainst that regime."

Mr. Behzad Naziri reiterated: "While suppression persists and only a week has passed since the bloody crackdown of the uprising by the people of Iranian Kurdistan, any rapprochement with, and leniency towards, this regime runs counter to the highest inter ests of the Iranian people and only encourages the mullahs to further repress the Iranian people and to export their terrorism abroad." He urged the European Union to review its economic and political ties with the clerical regime and not allow it to expl oit these relations for pursuing its suppressive and terrorist policies.

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