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Vienna, March 12, IRNA -- Iran's President Seyed Mohammad Khatami gave an address at the dinner ceremony thrown in his favor by Austria's President Thomas Klestil here Monday night.
In his address President Khatami announced that a new type of fundamentalism and bigotry is currently emerging at global level, which relies on the logic of gun point and has seriously threatened man's life on earth.
He added: "such an expansionist version of fundamentalism relies on such new world phenomena as accumulation of military power, wealth and technology, coupled with extremism, seeking violence and trying to sell it to the world nations as pure manifestation of justice.
The President said that such fundamentalists are meanwhile extremely egocentric, assuming that the whole world with the mere exception of themselves, are marginal inhabitants of the earth and are seeking cure to all pains of the mankind resorting to the logic of power.
"He who resorts to totalitarian methods in the name of religion and observes harsh methods against nations, too, is an enemy of sound wisdom, dialogue, lenience, freedom, man's independence, and his right to choose his own fate and ruling system, freely" said President Khatami.
He reiterated that the two symbols of aggression and destruction are being displayed side by side of each other, posing an unprecedented big threat for the whole mankind.
President Khatami emphasized, "employing religion at the service of the ruling power and resorting to it to justify aggression is the biggest enemy of expansion of monotheism in modern world.
He said, "expansionism and totalitarianism are both manifestations of a faith and religion that relies on such foundations that are beyond pure logic and dialogue, since the foundation of such beliefs is based on full denial of the other party, particularly at the political scene, the practical manifestation of them will be resorting to harsh methods aimed at annihilation of the opponent.
The philosopher president of Iran added: "exactly the same way that the reactionary orthodox fundamentalists wish to exert their hegemony over the whole mankind resorting to simple-minded and illogical beliefs, the modern times fundamentalists, too, wish to annihilate all those who are not exactly identical with them.
He said that the latter group divides the whole world into two halves: one, that is with them and follows their orders, and the other, that is against them and must be eliminated.
President Khatami said that the world today is passing through one of its most sensitive passages of mankind's history, securing a safe passage through which calls for collective wisdom of the whole mankind.
He added: "man is in pursuit of wisdom and pure logic in the third millennium, and wishes to wipe off ignorance and violence resorting to dialogue and lenience. The president added, "man also wishes today to replace forceful methods and totalitarianism with liberty and justice."
Khatami expressed deep sorrow over the fact that the ruling international relations today do not match the real needs and wisdom of the third millennium man, arguing that today the wretched phenomenon of terrorism is a pending threat against stable policy making and creating vague enemies in the hallucinations of some politicians threaten peaceful coexistence of world nations and the global peace.
The Iranian president emphasized: "what has made life tough for the mankind is beyond the barriers of sound logic and dialogue."
He added that the modern world is entangled with the hegemony of such thoughts that wish to replace dialogue with violence, war with peace and despotism with democracy.
President Khatami pointed out that the said threats have endangered man's life on earth, both at individual and at collective and social levels and it is based on such a bare necessity that Iran has extended a hand of friendship and cooperation towards all world nations.
He once again denounced all types of terrorism, warmongering, violence and despotism, asking for expansion of justice and global understanding among mankind.
President Khatami reminded the audience of Iran's clear stand against international terrorism and its constructive approach towards the recent developments in Afghanistan, as a part of our country's contribution to the cause of peace at global level.
He said that another aspect of such efforts is stressing on the need for realization of the natural rights of the world nations, including that of the Palestinian nation, under the umbrella of elimination of poverty and warmongering at global level, resorting to collective contributions and wisdom of the world nations.
Khatami said: "the world is thirsty for justice, freedom, spirituality, ethics, peace and peaceful coexistence of the whole mankind today in all spheres of life, and my proposal on the global need for formation of an International Peace Coalition was aimed at opening the gates of a brighter life to the whole mankind so that all nations would enjoy advancement and sovereignty thoroughly."
Austria's President Klestil, too, praised President Khatami's policy of international detente, which is a valuable approach towrds solving crises, while also appreciating Iran's idea of Dialogue Among Civilizationsa and its constructive approach towards Afghanistan developments and the vast role Iran has agreed to play in reconstruction of that war torn country.
The Austrian president meanwhile voiced his country's full support for broader ties between Iran and the European Union, including signing cooperation agreements.
A large number of high ranking Austrian politicians, as well as Iranian and other countries' envoys to Vienna were present at the ceremony.
President Khatami arrived in Vienna on March 11, at the invitation of Austrian President Thomas Klestil, whose visit to Tehran in September 1999 was the first by an EU president since Iran's Islamic revolution in 1979.
Khatami will go on to Athens on March 15 for a three-day stay at the invitation of President Costis Stephanopoulos, who visited Iran a month after Klestil.
He visited three European countries during his first presidential term, Italy in April 1999 where he also met with Pope Jean Paul II, France in October 1999 and Germany in July 2000.
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