Paris, Thursday
AUTHOR Salman Rushdie visited France today for the first time since he
was sentenced to death by Iranian leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini
over his novel, The Satanic Verses.
Rushdie met Education and Culture Minister Jack Lang and leading
figures from the French cultural scene in Paris.
He had previously been denied entry to France since being sentenced to
death four years ago for allegedly blaspheming Islam in his book. He
appealed for France to join other Western countries in pressuring Iran,
which last month reconfirmed his sentence.
''I would like the Government of France to join the Governments of
Germany, Britain, and the United States . . . to present a united front
to Iran and exercise political pressure,'' he told French radio.
''We had waited for the Iranian regime to become more moderate, but
it's not happening.''
A Foreign Ministry spokesman said it had declared several weeks ago
that Rushdie was welcome to visit France.
Rushdie's trip, at Lang's invitation, took place only three days
before the General Election in France, which is expected to inflict a
heavy defeat on the Socialist-led Govermment.
But Lang denied it was political and two prominent members of the
conservative opposition, Jacques Toubon and Simone Veil, were among
those at the meeting in the Arche de la Defense complex.
A Culture Ministry spokesman said the visit had been kept very quiet
for security reasons.
A British embassy spokesman would neither confirm nor deny a radio
report that Rushdie was staying at the British ambassador's residence.
''We were made aware of arrangements for the visit. For security
reasons we cannot give information about it,'' he said.
''It is the right of any British citizen to travel anywhere he
wants.''
Rushdie had said in February that France turned down three requests
from him to visit France. They were made during or after the Gulf War in
1991, at the time when France was worriede that his presence could cause
tension with the Muslim community.
Meanwhile, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, appeared on
Iranian television today to urge Muslims to join anti-Israeli rallies
tomorrow.
His appearance followed Iran's denial of opposition reports that a
bomb had exploded in Khamenei's home in Tehran yesterday, possibly
injuring him.--Reuter.
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