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Iran President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
(AP)
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World powers condemn Ahmadinejad for calling Holocaust 'a lie'
By Haaretz Service and Agencies
Tags: Israel News, Iran, Holocaust 
 

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad continued on Saturday to draw international condemnation for calling the Holocaust "a lie" on the previous day, his latest outburst of Holocaust denial.

The United States, Britain, France, Germany and Russia all issued statements denouncing the remarks in the harshest terms.

On Sunday the European Union added its condemnation, saying it encourages anti-Semitism and hatred.
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The Swedish EU presidency on Sunday urged Iranian leaders to contribute constructively to peace and security in the Middle East. It also condemned Ahmadinejad's attacks on the state of Israel's right to exist.

The Russian foreign ministry said Ahmadinejad's comments were "totally unacceptable."

"Such statements, wherever they come from, contradict the truth and are totally unacceptable," AFP quoted ministry spokesman Andrei Nesterenko as saying in a statement.

"Attempts to rewrite history, especially as the 70th anniversary of the start of World War II is being marked this year, are an offence to the memory of all victims and all those who fought fascism."

Nesterenko was further quoted as saying that Ahmadinejad's comment "does not contribute to creating an international atmosphere that would foster a fruitful dialogue on issues concerning Iran."

Iran and six powers - Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States - are to meet again on October 1 on Iran's nuclear program amid fears that Tehran is planning to build an atomic bomb.

French foreign ministry spokesman Bernard Valero called the remarks "unacceptable and shocking. We resolutely condemn them," AFP reported.

German FM calls Ahmadinejad 'a disgrace' for denying Holocaust

In a statement unprecedented in its tone, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier called Ahmadinejad a "disgrace" to his country.

"Today's statements by the Iranian President are unacceptable. With his intolerable tirades he is a disgrace to his country," Steinmeier said in a statement. "This sheer anti-Semitism demands our collective condemnation. We will continue to confront it decisively in the future."

Ahmadinejad said at a Quds (Jerusalem) Day rally in Tehran earlier Friday that, "The pretext [Holocaust] for the creation of the Zionist regime [Israel] is false ... It is a lie based on an unprovable and mythical claim."

Denying the Holocaust - carried out by Nazi Germany in World War Two - is a crime in Germany, punishable by up to five years in prison.

Susan Rice, the U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, called Ahmadinejad's comments "hateful;" White House spokesman Robert Gibbs told reporters: "Obviously we condemn what he said."

Gibbs added that Ahmadinejad's Holocaust denial, "only serves to isolate Iran further from the world."

British Foreign Secretary David Miliband, meanwhile, said: "President Ahmadinejad's repeated denials of the Holocaust are abhorrent as well as ignorant. It is very important that the world community stands up against this tide of abuse. This outburst is not worthy of the leader of Iran."

Miliband went on to praise the great history and culture of the Iranian people.

"I cannot believe that the vast majority of them want to rewrite this chapter of history rather than focus on the future," he added. "The coincidence of today's comments with the start of Jewish New Year only adds to the insult."

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      1.   Ahmi`s a disgrace for a lot more than that Frankie! 22:28  |  4:20 18/09/09
      2.   Hooray for civilized leaders 22:42  |  judith 18/09/09
      3.   Germany 22:47  |  EZ 18/09/09
      4.   German FM calls Ahmadinejad `a disgrace` for denying Holocaust 00:41  |  R C 19/09/09
      5.   Trade with Iran? 02:15  |  Andreas 19/09/09
      6.   And what you do about? Words alone won`t help 03:05  |  Paul 19/09/09
      7.   Jail-time for questioning the accuracy of the Shoah? 03:20  |  Lou Medel 19/09/09
      8.   Ahmadinejat knows very well that the Holocaust happened, 05:03  |  Theresa U.S.A. 19/09/09
      9.   Seducing the world with bigotry 05:05  |  allang 19/09/09
      10.   ahmanutjob 05:43  |  rambo 19/09/09
      11.   Ahmadenejad 05:55  |  Alfredo 19/09/09
      12.   "pretext" means "Holocaust" ? 06:33  |  Jan D. 19/09/09
      13.   Maybe Hugo Chavez should have a little "chat" with his buddy.... 06:39  |  Swiss (Dino) 19/09/09
      14.   Thank you Germany 06:58  |  Viewer 19/09/09
      15.   Holocaust denial is reality denial 07:37  |  Mark Lincoln 19/09/09
      16.   bring back the mongol hoards 07:52  |  yakov 19/09/09
      17.   No you Didnt Yes, Yes I did so 08:10  |  judynz 19/09/09
      18.   Mark Lincon 09:24  |  Brad 19/09/09
      19.   Yakov, No 13 10:54  |  Donatus 19/09/09
      20.   #12 Marc Lincoln 11:09  |  H 19/09/09
      21.   Slight correction, Lou (No. 7) 12:00  |  Jackie 19/09/09
      22.   Lou Medel # 7. 12:57  |  David Nigel Braham 19/09/09
      23.   Let`s make it a crime world-wide to deny.. 13:40  |  Lese Majeste 19/09/09
      24.   Problems 13:53  |  Therzal 19/09/09
      25.   Lou the Prescott MEDDLER 14:08  |  #52759 19/09/09
      26.   Germ. For. Min., Iran Pres., Holocaust 15:00  |  Ricardo Kolbe 19/09/09
      27.   Germany a true friend, but cease trade with Iran NOW! 16:18  |  michelle 19/09/09
      28.   Insecure Iran Dragging Noble Persia`s Name In The Mud 18:02  |  Lavi 19/09/09
      29.   denying the Holocaust 20:53  |  Dik 19/09/09
      30.   Current regime`s days are numbered 22:24  |  BDF 19/09/09
      31.   condemn Ahmadinejad 22:45  |  coro 19/09/09
      32.   Iranians rewrite a lot of history 22:46  |  Anonymous 19/09/09
      33.   has anyone prayed for our enemies lately? 22:51  |  Karoon 19/09/09
      34.   No matter what they believe in Private 22:51  |  H 19/09/09
      35.   world powers 23:10  |  farrokh 19/09/09
      36.   re 12 shame shame 23:14  |  alan the real one 19/09/09
      37.   no, Mr. Miliband, it is worthy of the iranian leader - 23:27  |  ivo 19/09/09
      38.   H in london--are you sure you want to venture 00:02  |  Labhras 20/09/09
      39.   Censorship 01:48  |  Joshua Weiss 20/09/09
      40.   Bullshit! 02:09  |  Joshua Weiss 20/09/09
      41.   No brains; no guts 02:13  |  Joshua Weiss 20/09/09
      42.   Deny Him Entry To the USA! 02:18  |  Bill Foonman 20/09/09
      43.   Gooses and Ganders 02:32  |  Joshua Weiss 20/09/09
      44.   #25 Labhras. Do I want to venture? Of course. 02:34  |  H 20/09/09
      45.   Typical Idiot 02:39  |  Joshua Weiss 20/09/09
      46.   Labhras (#25), give it up already 02:39  |  Morris Valentine 20/09/09
      47.   Ahmadinejad is a bore 03:39  |  Chaim Ben Kahan 20/09/09
      48.   HE HAS AN AGENDA 05:20  |  joe 20/09/09
      49.   Nothing to say, Johnboy, BBS, Labhras etc etc ??? 06:37  |  The Prophet 20/09/09
      50.   What is a jewish population? 08:08  |  Marilyn 20/09/09
      51.   Marilyn wakes up 08:32  |  Oddvark 20/09/09
      52.   Marilyn and Labhras = same ignorance 08:58  |  Israeli citizen 20/09/09
      53.   #28 The prophet. It`s Jewish holiday time, perhaps Haaretz ... 09:03  |  Maureen Ann 20/09/09
      54.   H - you prove my point 09:11  |  Mark Lincoln 20/09/09
      55.   Iranian People also were chanting "death to dictator" 10:38  |  Masoud 20/09/09
      56.   Ku Klux Klan leader Ahmedinejad 11:48  |  Conroy 20/09/09
      57.   The evil empire 11:57  |  Sarah 20/09/09
      58.   mauren anne your reading comprehension 12:11  |  dafna 20/09/09
      59.   NO 27. 12:20  |  DANNY 20/09/09
      60.   #12 Mark Lincoln 12:30  |  Sarah 20/09/09
      61.   Joshua Weiss from hicktown Australia 12:53  |  Sarah 20/09/09
      62.   #58 dafna. Iranian Jewish Committee in Iran. 13:09  |  Maureen Ann 20/09/09
      63.   What lunacy in Israel 13:11  |  Marilyn 20/09/09
      64.   #54 Mark Lincoln 13:14  |  H 20/09/09
      65.   #45 Joshua Weiss 13:18  |  H 20/09/09
      66.   Let us be fare 13:24  |  peter vojta 20/09/09
      67.   #7 13:40  |  BTR 20/09/09
      68.   #62 14:01  |  Rab Burns 20/09/09
      69.   Maureen Anne 15:05  |  dafna 20/09/09
      70.   the lunacy is you Marilynn and ahmdinajad, mark lincoln , labrhas 15:17  |  james 20/09/09
      71.   H re Mark Lincoln`s Post - Part II 15:46  |  Persian Kitty 20/09/09
      72.   #62 Err Maureen Ann 16:33  |  The Prophet 20/09/09
      73.   H re Mark Lincoln`s Post - Part I (2nd Try) 16:34  |  Persian Kitty 20/09/09
      74.   H re Mark Lincoln`s Post - Part I (3rd Try) 17:30  |  Persian Kitty 20/09/09
      75.   joshua weiss 18:42  |  The Teacher/Instruct 20/09/09
      76.   To my fellow Australians, The Prophet, Dafna and Rab Burns. 20:13  |  Maureen Ann 20/09/09
      77.   #75 The Teacher about Jewboy Weiss 20:41  |  Sarah 20/09/09
      78.   The Teacher/Instruct 21:07  |  Persian Kitty 20/09/09
      79.   Joshua Weiss 21:33  |  Asher 20/09/09
      80.   H # 44 more double talk from you 22:50  |  American in NY 20/09/09
      81.   Maureen Anne keep your congratulations 07:16  |  dafna 21/09/09
      82.   #81 dafna . Iran was thrown into turmoil by imperialist powers. 13:10  |  Maureen Ann 21/09/09
      83.   right 19:39  |  jay 21/09/09
      84.   "Joshua Weiss" who are you fooling with that name choice 00:34  |  Alan 22/09/09
      85.   # 78 Persian Kitty 2nd atmt. 10:24  |  The Teacher/Instruct 22/09/09
      86.   President Ahmadinejad 06:15  |  khalid 07/10/09
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