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As the General Secretary of the UNPO (Unrepresented Nations and Peoples Organisation), I would like to convey to you the salutations of the 57 Members of the organization and their messages of solidarity with the struggles and endeavours that many share with you. I also want to express my gratitude to Mr. Graham Watson, President of the ALDE Group at the European Parliament, the liberal group that have supported this event and have allowed it to be held at the European Parliament. Special thanks also go to the Leader of the Nonviolent Radical Party, Mr. Marco Pannella MEP, and to Mr. Marco Cappato MEP for their support that has made it possible to hold this Conference at the European Parliament today. UNPO must thank the Congress of Nationalities for a Federal Iran for their full partnership in organizing this event, and in particular Mr. Nasser Boladai.

We thank Angelika Beer, President of the EP delegation for Iran and Baroness Nicholson both of whom initially accepted our invitation but who couldn’t be here today due to last minute commitments.

I would also like to note that pressure appears to have been placed on several speakers to not to attend today’s event. The aims and objectives of this conference have always been to provide a productive, collaborative and respectful environment whereby dialogue allows problems to be raised and approached in a non‐confrontational manner.

It is for this reason we have invited speakers who represent many religions, ethnicities and political backgrounds.

It is for this reason that the Iranian Embassy were invited to participate.

It is for this reason that we are all here today.

And despite the pressure we in this room are still here today! Perhaps with fewer panellists, but more convinced and determined as a result. And we will continue to uphold the values of collaboration, respect and productive partnership.

We are holding this Conference at the end of this European Parliament legislature ‐ a new Parliament will be elected in June. We want to start preparing for a new event on Iran for next year ‐ with major support and even greater participation. It is a promise.

Let me begin by saying that this conference is not focusing on the matter of independence, secession or disruption of the state of Iran. This Conference aims to present a totally different picture of Iran today: the Islamic Republic Government and the rich and multifaceted civil society of the people of Iran. This Conference could be a humble little step forward in disseminating information and outlining problems that are frequently unknown. First and foremost it is important to understand that the centralist Islamic Republic does not recognize or admit that around half of its own population if not more is composed of diverse nationalities, ethnic groups, religions and minorities that are not Persian.

The Ahwazi Arabs, the Kurds and Baluchi, the Azerbaijani and Turkmen, just to acknowledge some of the nationalities that are present here today, represent nations existing within a nation that does not acknowledge their identity, culture or language. In Iran, there is no respect for human, civil or political rights.

Iran has one of the worst records in the world on human rights, use of death penalty, protection of minorities, transparency, good governance, corruption, elementary freedom and justice. This is the state of affairs for the entire population, but the situation for ethnic groups, religious groups and minorities are even worse. At best, they are considered third class citizens. Lack of linguistic or cultural rights, absolute poverty and corruption are annihilating the non Persian people.

In Tibet, His Holiness the Dalai Lama has used a simple and terrible word to describe similar policies: cultural genocide.

Why should 60% of a population in a country as rich in oil as is Iran, live in poverty?

I quote Reza Hossein Borr when I say:

“The reliance of the government on oil income has destroyed the culture of manufacturing others goods and therefore, the Iranian people have modelled the government and followed easy trading instead of producing. The result is that as the government waits for the income from oil to flow in the country, the people take advantage of easy contracts on projects which are either not completed on time or not completed at all.”

In Italy this is the way that the “mafia” works. I don’t know how it is known in Iran.

According to Transparency International Iran is among the World’s most corrupt countries. In fact we have a situation in which the Islamic Republic of Iran aspires to be a moderate nation theoretically but instead encourages progressive decay and decline of Iranian society.

The world is becoming more and more interdependent in the last 20 years. No one can seriously think that a country can survive in isolation. So, how change can become a little more then a hope?

I believe that the Iranian people are tired. They are tired of martyrdom. They are tired of policies of aggression. They are tired of poverty and injustice. And I also believe that everywhere, people, reasonable good people are more forward thinking than their own government.

Yesterday I was reading the Manifesto of the Congress of Nationalities for a Federal Iran that is composed of 16 organizations that represent millions of people in Iran. I hope that this Manifesto can be distributed around this room. The Manifesto is a model for a democratic multinational modern state. I believe that the nonviolent methodology of political struggle is finding a possible strategy. It could take 5, 10 or even many more years but I believe that one dayteh iranian people will be free at last.