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Politics : Sioux Nation -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Suma who wrote (6635)	2/5/2005 3:38:55 PM
From: SiouxPal	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 361214

"The objective of democracy ... is one we share with the Americans. We have a different way of going about implementing our policy," she said. Rice's European trip clouded by Iran BERLIN (AFP) - US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is in Europe to promote American policies in Iraq and the Middle East, but the start of her first trip as chief diplomat has been dogged by the spectre of Iran. Two days into her week-long tour, Rice has been besieged by questions about US policy towards the Islamic Republic's suspected nuclear weapons program and bleak human rights record. She has tried to ease European fears the Americans might launch a pre-emptive military strike and has warded off queries on whether Washington was officially seeking regime change in Tehran. She has heard suggestions the United States is undermining the nuclear negotiatons by keeping quiet, or alternatively compromising the talks by speaking out too loudly on human rights. The persistent probing and inconclusive US response have forced Rice on the defensive, where she had hoped to put Tehran. "It is the Iranians that are isolated on this issue, not the United States," she pleaded Friday. This was not entirely the trip envisioned by one of US President George W. Bush's most trusted aides when she embarked on a tour of eight European capitals, Israel and the West Bank. The trip, a warm-up to Bush's own European swing later this month, was billed as a fence-mending mission aimed at capitalizing on the success of Iraq's national elections and new momentum in the Middle East peace process. But on the plane over, Rice turned the focus on Iran with unusually harsh criticism of the mullahs in Tehran, calling their treatment of their people "something to be loathed". She also raised eyebrows by ducking repeated questions on regime change -- even as her spokesman in Washington was telling reporters that officials "have been very clear that we do not have a policy of regime change toward Iran." Officials traveling with Rice would neither confirm nor deny whether a new, more muscular policy towards Iran was in the works. But they acknowledged at least a change in tone on the issue of democratic reforms. "The president and the secretary have made it more explicit that we support the aspirations of the Iranian people to control their own government," said a senior official, who asked not to be named. The United States has been sharpening its rhetoric against Iran for weeks. Bush, who famously lumped Tehran in his "axis of evil" three years ago, called it Wednesday "the world's primary state sponsor of terror". Vice President Dick Cheney said last month that Iran was "right at the top of the list" of global trouble spots and worried that Israel might launch its own strikes to shut down Tehran's nuclear program if nobody else does. With US officials refusing to take any option off the table, Rice sought Friday to allay fears among US allies of a strike against Iran, saying "the question is simply not on the agenda at this point". Initial reaction in Europe sounded unconvinced. Emma Udwin, spokeswoman for EU external relations commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, was worried by Rice's addendum "at this point" and said, "I don't know if that clarified matters." German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who had what he called "extensive discussions" with Rice on Iran, said the Europeans would do "everything and anything to come to a diplomatic and political solution." Germany, Britain and France have been trying to persuade Iran to renounce its suspected nuclear weapons ambitions. Rice said the United States was hoping for the best, but had yet to see any sign of real cooperation from Tehran. Rice said "we have many diplomatic tools still at our disposal" but the Americans readily concede they have little leverage with the Iranians. They speak about possible UN Security Council sanctions but without much conviction. But British Foreign Minister Jack Straw defended Washington against complaints by some Europeans that the Americans were staying aloof or, worse, waiting for the "EU-3" talks to fail. "This is a joint diplomatic effort, albeit that three countries are directly involved in the negotiation," Straw told a news conference after he and Prime Minister Tony Blair met with Rice early Friday. Schroeder and Straw both basically endorsed the United States' tough line on democratic reforms in Iran. But the EU's Udwin was less enthusiastic. "The objective of democracy ... is one we share with the Americans. We have a different way of going about implementing our policy," she said.