Friends Of Simon Wiesenthal Center Urge Canadian Parties To Bar Any Meetings With Iranian Regime

January 4, 2006

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center
FOR HOLOCAUST STUDIES
          

NEWS RELEASE

Contact:   
David Eisenstadt  
The Communications Group Inc.  
 1-800-267-4476 x 36   
  deisenstadt@tcgpr.com

FRIENDS OF SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER URGES FEDERAL LEADERS TO CEASE MEETINGS WITH IRAN

AWAITING RESPONSE FROM MARTIN, HARPER, LAYTON AND DUCEPPE

TORONTO - January 3, 2006 - The following letter has been sent by the Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center to Prime Minister Paul Martin, Stephen Harper, Jack Layton and Gilles Duceppe, demanding there be no meetings between Canadian and Iranian politicians or bureaucrats until Iran reverses its position on the Holocaust and the State of Israel.
 
Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center's Director of National Affairs Leo Adler is available for comment on this issue.

"I would like to reiterate our appreciation for the stance taken in denouncing the Holocaust denial and genocidal anti-Israel comments made by Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

"Unfortunately, it has now become clear that Canada’s condemnation, even in concert with similar declarations from the U.N. Security Council, the European Union and countless other countries, have had absolutely no effect upon Iran's leadership. In fact, the strident hatred and vitriolic speeches have only escalated.
 
“As a consequence, and bearing in mind that Iran is about to become a nuclear menace, it is time for Canada to increase the pressure upon Iran to not only abide by international rules of civility, but also to stop demonizing the Jewish people and threatening Israel.

“Canadians know, because of the Zahra Kazemi affair, that Iran cannot be persuaded to change its policies as long as their leaders and officials continue to be accepted within diplomatic circles. We are therefore calling upon you to openly and publicly declare that your party will ensure that there will be no meetings with President Ahmadinejad or any senior Iranians or Ministers by any Canadian Parliamentarians, Cabinet members or bureaucrats until Iran publicly renounces their policies of Holocaust denial and the wiping of Israel off the map of the world in Canada and by Canadians until such a retraction takes place.
 
“Such a statement would resonate strongly throughout the world that, in the midst of a democratic election, Canadians are nevertheless firm in their view that the sentiments of Iran's president cannot go unchallenged and must be refuted by all means possible.
Time is short and I urge you to make such a public announcement now, while the campaign has the eyes and ears of the world focused on Canada.

I wish you all the best for the New Year."

Leo Adler
Director of National Affairs 
                                                              

 ABOUT FRIENDS OF SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER FOR HOLOCAUST STUDIES 

Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center for Holocaust Studies is a Canadian human rights organization dedicated to fostering tolerance and understanding through community involvement, educational outreach and social action. With over 40,000 members of all faiths, it confronts important contemporary issues including racism, antisemitism, terrorism and genocide. Friends is affiliated with the world-wide, Los Angeles-based Simon Wiesenthal Center, an accredited Non-Government Organization with status at international agencies, including the United Nations, UNESCO, OSCE and the Council of Europe, with offices in New York, Miami, Paris, Jerusalem, Buenos Aires and Toronto.

Simon Wiesenthal died in 2005 after devoting his life to preserving the memories of the victims of the Holocaust, while simultaneously seeking justice for the war criminals.