CFK defends AMIA deal with Iran

At the opening ceremony of the legislative year, President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner addressed the agreement signed with the Islamic Republic of Iran to probe the 1994 bombing of the AMIA Jewish community center and that the Lower House signed into law this week.

The head of state responded criticism by opposition leaders who accused her government of seeking trade prospects through the AMIA deal and denied nuclear material negotiations with Tehran saying Argentina is a leading example on “non-proliferation” matters. “We are part of the world’s exclusive club that can be proud of peaceful nuclear development”, she said.

When referring to the AMIA case and investigation, Fernandez de Kirchner pointed out that “no one, till today, knows what happened” with the bombing of the Jewish center that killed 85 people. In that sense, she ratified her commitment to the truth about the 1994 tragedy but targeted what she considered both foreign and domestic involvement in the attack.

“My commitment with this case is to know the truth, not only what happened abroad but what happened here too. I want to know who were the ones to cover-up, to hide evidence; I deserve to know it as an Argentinean and the victims and their families deserve it too”, Fernández de Kirchner insisted and condemned the “complicity” of Jewish community leaders in the AMIA attack.

As she had already warned when first announcing the deal with Iran on her official Twitter account a month ago, the president of Argentina ratified she will not allow the 1994 tragedy to be used for “international geopolitical purposes.”