Tehran, Jan 25, IRNA - Visiting Bundestag Vice President Claudia Roth hoped on Sunday that extremist lawmakers in the US Congress would stop opposing the current nuclear talks with Iran and try not to block negotiations between the Obama administration and Tehran.
Ms. Roth arrived here on a five-day visit on Thursday heading a German parliamentary delegation. She was invited by Majlis Speaker Ali Larijani.
The German parliamentarian made the remarks in an exclusive interview with IRNA while commenting on recent row between the US president and members of the Congress over bilateral nuclear talks between Iran and US.

Republican and Democratic lawmakers in the US Congress have completed a new bill to impose further sanctions on Iran despite White House warnings.

President Obama warned US lawmakers on January 16 not to trigger new sanctions against Iran over its nuclear program, saying such a move would upset diplomatic talks. He also said he would veto any bill calling for new sanctions on Iran.

Commenting on Iran’s nuclear talks with the Group 5+1 (US, Britain, France, Russia and China plus Germany), Roth said although she is not a member of the Federal Foreign Office (of Germany) and also not a fellow party member of the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier (The Social Democratic Party of Germany (SPD), she knew that the German Foreign Office is strongly trying for success of the nuclear talks.

Referring to the recent visit to Germany of Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif, which took place upon Berlin’s official invitation, she said it was considered a significant event as the Iranian minister was invited by the German foreign ministry and as an official guest of the German government.

Roth added that Zarif and Steinmeier will also meet soon in early February in Zurich where they are to attend an international security conference.

The German MP forecast that German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US Vice President Joe Biden as well as a number of senior leaders from other countries will take part in the security event which according to Roth will be another chance for holding more talks on the sidelines of the security gathering and close the ranks of all negotiating parties.

Referring to Iran’s major role in resolving regional problems including those in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the German parliamentarian said Tehran was also capable of continuing its leading part in restoration of peace and stability to Iraq.

As for the promotion of Tehran-Berlin relations, Roth said the two capitals enjoy good ties and that advancement of bilateral relations depends, to some extent, on the outcome of Iran’s nuclear talks with the Group 5+1.

However, Roth stressed that nothing should block the way of bilateral ties and the probable obstacles should be removed through negotiation and cooperation.

The German lawmaker also urged the need to upgrade bilateral cooperation in the fields of culture, energy, air pollution control and other issues of mutual interest.

Touching upon the political crisis in Syria, Roth said Iran’s absence in the Geneva II conference on Syria in 2014 was one of the big mistakes and a major reason for the failure of the gathering.

The Geneva II was a United Nations-backed international conference on the future of Syria with an aim of ending the Syrian crisis by bringing together the Syrian government and the opposition to discuss.

The gathering was meaningless without Iran, said the German parliamentarian.

She said the crisis of Syria could be settled through promotion of bilateral ties between Iran and the Saudi Arabia.

Closeness of Tehran and Riyadh positions on Syria could effectively influence regional issues, Roth stressed.

She stressed it is a duty of powerful countries in the region to find a common position on Syria and help with its reconstruction after the end of the political crisis in that Arab state.

Roth also noted that presence of foreign countries in the Middle East region would be of no help to end its problems.

Commenting on the emergence of Pegida in Germany, the vice president of Bundestag expressed regret over the phenomenon noting that Berlin is not underestimating the group.

Pegida is an acronym for the Patriotic Europeans Against the Islamization of the West (German: Patriotische Europäer gegen die Islamisierung des Abendlandes). It is an anti-immigrant German organization founded in Dresden. Since October 2014 it has been organizing public demonstrations, aimed at the German government, against what it claims to be the 'Islamization' of the Western world.

Roth added that in her recent comments on Pegida, Chancellor Merkel said Islam is a part of Germany.

Muslims are the second largest religious community in Germany after Christians, said the German MP noting Muslims are a real part of German society and Islam must be recognized in Germany.

She said that Islamophobia is one of the problems in Germany.

By IRNA

 

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