Brussels, 06/04/2006 (Agence Europe) - Belgian Socialist MEP Véronique de Keyser, who led EU observers at the Palestinian elections on 25 January, has turned down an invitation from the Iranian government to attend an “International Conference on Palestine” in Tehran on 14 April, saying that she was shocked by the Iranian attitude to the Holocaust. In her reply to the invitation from the Iranian ambassador in Brussels, she once again questioned this attitude, after the somewhat sharp exchange she had had with the Iranian Foreign Minister on the same subject when they met at the European Parliament on 20 February (see EUROPE 9136). Manouchehr Mottaki had, she pointed out, said that a scientific committee should be set up to determine the truth and the scale of the Holocaust and that any discussion of the Holocaust should be based on scientific fact. Ms de Keyser told the minister that these statements which came close to revisionist theories were unacceptable. The Iranian ambassador in his letter of invitation criticised Ms de Keyser for her lack of tolerance and dialogue, which, he said, betrayed her political persuasions. As for the Holocaust, he wrote, “I stress that the Islamic Republic of Iran, while paying tribute to the victims of fascist crimes” considers that “the Israeli regime does not have the right to monopolise the material and spiritual rights” of these victims. Moreover, he said, drawing a line under a historic tragedy, and not allowing any comment or research on it would only call into question fundamental principles, such as freedom of expression. Ms de Keyser pointed out to the ambassador that “revisionist” statements were punishable in European courts and, given this, dialogue with Iran was becoming difficult. She said that the ambassador was well aware of how moderate the PES had been about Iran, and its right to develop nuclear energy for civil use, but she did not have to listen to obsolete and reprehensible revisionist theories in the European Parliament. Her message was clear: do not try to re-write our history.