Iranians ‘barbarians’

Press, 30 December 1980, Page 6

Iranians ‘barbarians’

NZPA-Reuter Washington;

President-elect Ronald Reagan described, the Iranians holding the/5.2- United States hostages as .barbarians while officials '/prepared for a third day <0? talks with Algerian intermediaries oh; Iran’s . terms for freeing the captives. ■ The discussions centred on Iran’s demand for the United States- to deposit. $24 billion in financial guarantees in Algerian banks pending resolution of disputed issues.': Mr Reagan, asked ip Los Angeles about the demand, said: "I don’t think you pay ransom for people kidnapped by barbarians.” ! Mr Reagan’s. remark was echoed by his top aide, the transition director, -Edwin Meese, who warned Iran that it , could not. expect a better 'deal on the hostages when the . new Administration takes office on January 20. “The Iranians ought to think over very carefully the fact that it will certainly be to their advantage in every

way to get' back now,” he said in; a television interview. ~. " ■ /.. ■ ; Reagan, asked if ' his comment was meant;to send a message, to Iran, sdid this was not his direct intention, “bjit-if .they got a message out of it that they shouldn’t be waiting „'for mail’d be Very happy.” The ■ Algerians, ’ acting as middlemen between Washington and Teheran, met officials from the White House and Departments of State and Treasury for 12 hours over the week-end to discuss a counterproposal to the demand for cash and gold guarantees. The talks are continuing this week.

Teheran has* set four conditions for freeing .the captives: a United States pledge of non-interference in Iranian internal affairs, the unfreezing of Iranian assets held in United States banks, the dropping of all legal claims against Iran, and the return of the late Shah’s wealth. . .

Ail' but the non-inter-ference pledge require assur-

- ’ '‘X -S ’’ S -b"-< ances beyond the power of the President, officials have said. ' ■ ■ • im Teheran, Ayatollah Ruholiah Khomejny, ijia sharp attack on Presideht/Carter, hast compared his -record on human* rights with that of the fp'rnief Soviet leader, Joseph Stalin. ’ *‘ \*, : ' ' ■ “Therp- are some' • Presidents in this 'World who claim to represent ''human rights . . , (but) once they are elected; they fail lt'o pass the test,” ■ Ayatollah Khomeiny told' a; group of Iranians visiting Teheran. “Stalin? too. claimed' that he wanted to work for people’ and lead them to freedom. However, once in office he destroyed them on a massive scale. The same claim is made by Carter.” Demonstrators* at a huge religious.rally in Teheran at the week-end read out a resolution which included'a call on the Iranian. Government and Parliament to fix a deadline for the ■ United States to accept Iran’s conditions for freeing the hostages.