UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has sent a letter to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, which has stirred up diplomatic controversy.
The Mehr News Agency Persian Service and other Iranian news outlets are apparently reporting that the UN boss sent the letter to congratulate Ahmadinejad on his recent win in the Iranian elections.
US and other Western leaders have not congratulated the Iranian leader on his inauguration because of concern that the recent election may have been rigged and dismay over Tehran's violent response to public protests over the election outcome.
UN spokeswoman, Marie Okabe, tells Fox News that the letter was not an endorsement of Mr. Ahmadinejad, but "takes advantage of the occasion of the inauguration to express the hope that Iran and the United Nations will continue to cooperate closely in addressing regional and global issues."
Here is the translation of the Mehr News Agency's write-up about the letter
(Farsi-English translation by an organization called Payvand News):
"UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon congratulated and invited Ahmadinejad to UN assembly on Sept. 22
UN Secretary-General congratulated the re-election of Dr. Ahmadinejad. United Nations likes to strengthen interaction with the president and government of Islamic Republic of Iran in different regional and international issues.
Mehr News reports, in his message Ban mentioned Iran's role in an effective drug war, help for refugees, promotion of social and economical development in the world, and confronting terrorism. I hope Iran and the United Nations closely examine regional and international issues including Iraq and Afghanistan.
United Nations Secretary General also expressed interest to meet with Ahmadinejad and discuss various issues. Ban invited the president for the opening of sixty fourth general assembly, climate change summit, on Sept. 22nd 2009 at UN."
http://liveshots.blogs.foxnews.com/2009/08/12/un-congratulates-ahmadinejad/
Topic: UN Congratulates Ahmadinejad? (Read 750 times)