TEHRAN –– UN chief Kofi Annan on Sunday raised concerns with Iranian leaders over a Tehran exhibition of cartoons on the Holocaust as he told the Islamic republic the genocide was an undeniable historical fact.

Annan expressed his worries as he met with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, saying the right to freedom of speech had to be exercised with "sensitivity" and that the Holocaust was an "undeniable historical fact".

But Iran's foreign ministry spokesman, who said he had visited several former concentration camps in eastern Europe, said the scale of the Holocaust had been "greatly exaggerated" and that all points of view could be expressed.

"We all remember the uproar after the publication of the Danish cartoons," Annan said, referring to deadly protests that took place across the Islamic world following the publication of cartoons deemed insulting to the Prophet Mohammed.

"The tragedy of the Holocaust is undeniable historical fact. We have to teach our children over World War II and we have to be careful that words can hurt," Anann told a news conference after his meeting with the president.

However Iran's foreign ministry spokesman said the country had every right to hold the exhibition in the name of freedom of speech and also cast doubt on the magnitude of the Holocaust.

"We said that organising an exhibition is a right of freedom of expression and the Holocaust is not a sacred question that cannot be approached," said Hamid Reza Asefi.

"Annan expressed his point of view and we expressed ours." "When I was ambassador I saw several of these camps in (the former) East Germany and Poland. In my opinion it has been greatly exaggerated. It is far from what is being publicised," Asefi told reporters.

"Different opinions which affirm and reject the Holocaust can attend the conference. The Holocaust is not something that cannot be discussed," he added.

On Saturday Annan told Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki that the exhibition on display in Tehran of cartoons depicting the Holocaust was "distasteful", the UN chief's spokesman said. "Just as he condemned the cartoons of the Prophet Mohammed in Denmark he condemns these ... He condemns anything that is inciteful to hatred," spokesman Ahmad Fawzi said.

Iran's fiercely anti-Israeli regime is supportive of so-called Holocaust revisionists, who maintain the systematic slaughter by the Nazis of European Jews and other groups during World War II was either invented or exaggerated. –– AFP

www.timesofoman.com (http://www.timesofoman.com/)
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I don't think denying the holocaust is a good thing

What is your opinion about what Iran is doing?

Denying that the holocaust ever happened won't add a shred or take away a shred to any of the events that are going on now. Why would it matter if it happened or not? It makes absolutely no sense whatsoever, and this looks like people are literally digging for something to fight about.

exactly as fatamoo said... & besides, the holocaust did happen... so wut's all this abt?! y make a big deal out of it?! sure it's tragic & embarressing 4 the jews 2 have something like tht down in history, but it did happen, every1 knows it did, & it WAS as bad as ppl say it was.... denying it is just poor stubborn ignorance.... i mean wut else would u say 2 a person who argues abt the sky being blue?!

So Annan did come all the way from his so called "UN Hqs" only to tell Iran that an old 'excrement' doesn't smell ?

Why should we non-European jews concern ourselves with what was done by european gentiles ?

Europeans sold my ancestors like they now do to other commodities. We Afros have asked those euro-American to compensate us as they have done to the Zionists but they are yet to answer ?

As an Afro- (? !) I think first what europe MUST do is to appologize to Africa and that should be 'real-appology' and not otherwise.

OOooops. What is this helllocoast anyway ?



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Is helllocoast a fact or a made up fact, that is the question?

IceChai,


Hellowcost, is a fact.

I remember Jennin, Qana, Sabra and Shattila, Derr ya`Sin, Qana2, Jennin, Ghazza, Ghazza 1, Ghazza 2, Ghazza 3, Ghazza 4, Ghazza 5, Ghazza 6, Ghazza 7, Ghazza 8, Ghazza 9, Ghazza 10, Ghazza 11, Ghazza 12, Ghazza 13 and I am tired. Tell me what shall I do IceTea; these so called Arab are maintaining Summun, Bukmmun, Ummiyun !





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IceChai,


Hellowcost, is a fact.

I remember Jennin, Qana, Sabra and Shattila, Derr ya`Sin, Qana2, Jennin, Ghazza, Ghazza 1, Ghazza 2, Ghazza 3, Ghazza 4, Ghazza 5, Ghazza 6, Ghazza 7, Ghazza 8, Ghazza 9, Ghazza 10, Ghazza 11, Ghazza 12, Ghazza 13 and I am tired. Tell me what shall I do IceTea; these so called Arab are maintaining Summun, Bukmmun, Ummiyun !





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They say ( The West and USA ) self defense .. And the Arabs seem to agree and still want peace ...

The matter of fact Holocaust DID NOT happend... I should admit they were handful killings of Jews in EUROPE Not Even more than Million.... let alone lying to the world Killings of 6million Jews that was a Myth.... jews were so clever to use that small figure to manipulate the world to believe that 6million Jews were killed so The world can feel Sorry for them and to welcome them for whatever they wished to do and that was a success story see they Rule America and Europe indirect and direct in certain countries!!!!

WHY Dont we also call Holocaust in Iraq since 1991 GulfWar How many Iraqs were killed by Criminal Americans and British till to date through Wars and Sanctions...

The state of Israel was a result of the Holocaust and till date the Zionists use this historic fiction to justify the existence of their illegal state.

I think it is important that the whole world knows the truth. Anhd the truth is that Holocaust is a myth. We can't simply add zeroes. We can't turn 600 or 600 into 6,000,000! Atleast not in this world.

Sting,

It is quite clear that you know nothing about history:

1) Re the Holocaust myth: - prove it

2) Re your assertion that the State of Israel was a result of the Holocaust: - prove it

(If it helps, look up when the Zionist movement started, when the 5 periods of Jewish mass immigration (or Aliyahs) happened - and then look up when the Balfour Declaration happened)

The state of Israel was a result of the Holocaust and till date the Zionists use this historic fiction to justify the existence of their illegal state.

I think it is important that the whole world knows the truth. Anhd the truth is that Holocaust is a myth. We can't simply add zeroes. We can't turn 600 or 600 into 6,000,000! Atleast not in this world.

you know, sometimes i think it would be nice to live in total ignorance. life would be blissfull and calm. nothing would bother me or matter. i'd live in my own little world looking out not knowing how ignorant i really was.

Alright zionists,

Prove that Holocaust existed. Prove why else was Israel gifted to the zionists?

Am I supposed to believe that crap because the Western media says so. I need prove because I am a logical person.

I will never believe 6,000,000 Jews = 60 Jews. If that is the casem please explain :D

you know, sometimes i think it would be nice to live in total ignorance. life would be blissfull and calm. nothing would bother me or matter. i'd live in my own little world looking out not knowing how ignorant i really was.

I think you are living it now ;)

I dunno if there really were six million jews who died, but the point is that it definitely happened. And anyways, I don't think we should have to try and defend the Arian nation and save their face. Let them try and deny it, they're the ones implicated.