SWC Expresses Satisfaction With Dr. Kohl's Immediate Refutation Of Iran's Misuse Of His Name

April 3, 2006

CENTRE SIMON WIESENTHAL - SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTRE
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Wiesenthal Centre Expresses Satisfaction at Dr. Helmut Kohl's Immediate Response to Serve Antisemitic Agenda of Iranian Regime

Paris

Today, the Simon Wiesenthal Centre urged action on the part of former German Chancellor, Helmut Kohl, to repudiate a statement denying the Holocaust attributed to him by Iranian Government-controlled media.

Lutz Stroppe, head of Mr. Kohl's office, has responded to the Centre, stressing that "former Chancellor Dr. Helmut Kohl regrets firmly the insinuated quotes published in 'Iran Focus'.  The quotations are completely fictitious and the story are [sic] without any basis."

Furthermore, Javid Akbari of "Iran Focus" has noted "the official repudiation from Dr. Kohl over the comments attributed to him by the Jomhouri Islami daily."

The Wiesenthal Centre's Director for International Relations, Dr Shimon Samuels, expressed satisfaction at Dr. Kohl's immediate response and "deplores the manner in which his good name has been exploited to serve the antisemitic agenda of the Iranian regime."

For further information, please contact Shimon Samuels at +33 6 09 77 01 58