Speaker ousted for Iran support
2006-05-09 13:09
Antananarivo - Madagascar's parliament ousted its speaker from office on Monday, after legislators accused him of treason for declaring his support for Iran's nuclear programme.
An Iranian news agency reported that Madagascan speaker Jean Lahiniriko, on an April visit to the country, congratulated Tehran for "its recent scientific realisations and its access to the peaceful nuclear technology, which is a success not only for Iran but also for all the developing countries".
Iran's uranium enrichment programme has been condemned by the United States, which accuse it of having nuclear ambitions. Iran maintains its activities are legal and peaceful.
Madagascar's governing TIM party submitted a motion to impeach Lahiniriko last week, and 119 out of 160 members of parliament voted to evict him from office.
The TIM party said the motion was tabled because Lahiniriko committed high treason for approving Iran's nuclear programme.
They also accuse him of not fulfilling his responsibilities as speaker of parliament.
TIM head and deputy speaker, Solofonantenaina Razoarimihaja, said: "It is a victory not for our party TIM, but for the whole Malagasy people."
Madagascar enjoys close relations with the United States and France - two countries leading the global condemnation of Iran's uranium enrichment programme.
Last week, Lahiniriko told the Madagascan parliament that his comments were made unofficially.
They were his own personal views and not meant to represent Madagascar's official position on the nuclear programme, he said.