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NEW YORK (WCBS 880) -- UPDATE: NYPD is rejecting the request from the President of Iran to visit Ground Zero.
NYPD is citing security reasons for the reason of rejecting President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's request to visit the old World Trade Center.
STATEMENT FROM NYPD:
A request earlier this month to permit a visit by Iranian President Ahmadinejad to Ground Zero during the United Nations General Assembly was rejected in a meeting which included NYPD, Secret Service, and Port Authority officials. The site is closed to visitors because of construction there. That was the only request. Requests for the Iranian president to visit the immediate area would also be opposed by the NYPD on security grounds.
The President of Iran Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is indicating that he would like to visit Ground Zero when he comes to New York next week to speak at the U.N.
Police Commissioner Kelly has just confirmed that the Iranian Mission to the UN has approached the NYPD about a request to have Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad visit Ground Zero when he visits the United Nations next week.
Currently, the NYPD, secret service and representatives of the Iranian UN Mission are all negotiating about the President's request to visit the old World Trade Center site.
'They have expressed an interest in having the president do that we're engaging in the conversation with them right now as to that possibility. If it does happen he would not be able to go down into the site,'
Right now it looks like President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's possible visit would come Monday or Tuesday. Commissioner Kelly says the secret service is also involved, he says he does not know what the Iranian President's motive for the visit might be.
'No,' says Kelly, 'I'm not certain that we have the rationale behind it but they have expressed interest.
Reporter Rich Lamb is getting details and stay with WCBS as we bring you the latest.
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