(23 Apr 2007)
++QUALITY AS INCOMING++
1. Medium shot Manouchehr Mottaki Foreign Minister of Iran and Felipe Perez Roque Foreign Minister of Cuba shaking hands
2. Cutaway photographers
3. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Felipe Perez Roque, Foreign Minister, Cuba
"Cuba once again calls upon the countries that have greatest arsenals, in particular the government of the United States, to set the example and begin the dismantling and the total elimination of all nuclear weapons."
4. Cutaway Cuban and Iranian delegation
5. SOUNDBITE: (Spanish) Felipe Perez Roque, Foreign Minister, Cuba
"We firmly oppose the pressures and blackmailing against the Islamic Republic of Islam, the threatening language, and we express the firm solidarity of our people for the people of Iran."
6. Cutaway photographers
7. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Manouchehr Mottaki, Foreign Minister, Iran
"The terrorist responsible for blowing up the airliner has now been freed. A new phase has begun among the countries who proclaim to be defenders of human rights."
8. Medium of Manouchehr Mottaki and Felipe Perez Roque
9. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Manouchehr Mottaki, Foreign Minister, Iran
"The right of Iran to use nuclear energy originates with its membership of the Non-Proliferation Treaty."
10. Cutaway photographer
11. SOUNDBITE: (Farsi) Manouchehr Mottaki, Foreign Minister, Iran
"We thank the position of the Non-Aligned Movement countries, in particular its presidency."
12. Wide of Mottaki, Perez Roque, and delegations taking seats at a conference table
13. Wide of conference table
14. Mottaki (second right) at table
15. Wide of conference table
STORYLINE:
Iran and Cuba voiced messages of mutual support on Monday following talks between Iran's Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki and his counterpart Felipe Perez Roque in Havana.
Perez Roque defended Iran's right to develop nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and criticised those including the US who have been urging sanctions against Tehran for refusing to dismantle its nuclear capability.
"We firmly oppose the pressures and blackmailing against the Islamic Republic of Islam, the threatening language, and we express the firm solidarity of our people for the people of Iran," he said.
He went even further by suggesting that the US should do away with its nuclear weapons.
"Cuba once again calls upon the countries that have the greatest arsenals, in particular the government of the United States, to set the example and begin the dismantling and the total elimination of all nuclear weapons", said Perez Roque.
Mottaki responded by condemning the US government's recent decision to release Luis Posada Carriles, a Cuban-born anti-communist militant who had been awaiting trial on immigration fraud charges.
Cuba and Venezuela accuse Carriles of violent acts against the island, including the 1976 bombing of a Cubana de Aviacion airliner that killed 73 people. Carriles has denied involvement.
"The terrorist responsible for blowing up the airliner has now been freed. A new phase has begun among the countries who proclaim to be defenders of Human Rights," he said.
Mottaki is on a 48-hour official visit to Cuba after arriving in Havana on Sunday night.
The island's official newspaper, Granma, stated that Mottaki was expected to meet with other Cuban officials during his visit which runs through Tuesday night.
Find out more about AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
Twitter: [ Ссылка ]
Facebook: [ Ссылка ]
Instagram: [ Ссылка ]
You can license this story through AP Archive: [ Ссылка ]
