09 February 2005
Negroponte Says U.S. to Work Constructively with Next Iraqi Government
Says U.S. supports federal, democratic, pluralistic, unified Iraq
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq John Negroponte says the U.S. government intends to work constructively with whatever government emerges in Iraq.
Negroponte made that point repeatedly in interviews with Al-Sharqiya television, and Radio Sawa, and at a luncheon with Iraqi and Pan-Arab journalists in Baghdad February 6.
"[T]he United States government intends to work constructively with whatever government emerges from this political process, and from our discussions with various political leaders we believe that all of them who are likely to be in positions of responsibility are committed to the unity of Iraq," the ambassador said in his interview with Radio Sawa.
Negroponte said the United States supports the principles of Iraq's Transitional Administrative Law and Security Council Resolution 1546 which call for a federal, democratic, pluralistic and unified Iraq.
"[W]e certainly think that any future democracy of Iraq, any future government, any future political system should strive as much as possible to be inclusive, and to avoid excluding any important political force that is willing to play by democratic rules," Negroponte said.
When asked about the timing of the departure of American troops from Iraq, the ambassador stated that it would not be determined by an "artificial timetable."
He said that as the Iraqi police and army gain more training, they will take the lead in assuring the security of the country and the United States will be able to play a supporting rather than a leading role.
With regard to the effort to reconstruct Iraq, Negroponte said that the United States is disbursing $100 million a week, but sabotage is hampering the process.
Negroponte praised the recent conference in Saudi Arabia to thwart terrorism.
"This conference in Saudi Arabia is an important step, one that will work to ensure that more effort is being made by Iraq's neighbors to stop the terrorists from entering your country," Negroponte said at his luncheon for Iraqi and Pan-Arab journalists.
Following are the three transcripts of Negroponte's interviews:
(begin transcript)
U.S. Embassy Baghdad
Public Affairs Office
TRANSCRIPT OF AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE'S INTERVIEW WITH AL-SHARQIYA TV
FEBRUARY 6, 2005
N = Ambassador Negroponte
Q = Question in Arabic without English translation
12-minute interview with Al-Sharqiya TV (highest-rated Iraqi satellite TV station)
N: First of all, let me say that all of the American people and the United States government congratulate the people of Iraq for the successful completion of the elections last Sunday. It was a momentous development in the political history of your country. The other thing I would like to say is that the final results are not yet known, nor do we know what government will emerge from this national assembly, but I would like to assure you that the United States government intends to work constructively with whatever government emerges from this political process.
Q: Don't you think that you are repeating the same mistake of helping religious extremist forces in Iraq, just as you did before the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, when you helped extremist forces there? How will you deal with the new elected political leadership?
N: This is a democratic process. We think that it was a highly successful election, and as a country which is committed to democracy, we intend to work with whatever government emerges.
Q: ???
N: We certainly support the principles of the Transitional Administrative Law, and Resolution 1546 of the Security Council, which talk about a federal, democratic, pluralistic and unified Iraq. We think those are very sound principles for the construction of a democracy. It is our understanding that all the political forces at work here in your electoral process are committed to furthering those principles.
Q: Do you think that now is the time to start a dialogue with the Iraqi resistance, and start dealing with them as actual forces? It affects your office, one way or another. Didn't you do the same thing before, when you recognized the resistance in Vietnam?
N: I am not sure I know exactly what you mean by dialogue with the opposition. Our embassy maintains contact with the entire spectrum of political forces that are represented in your society. This is a normal activity of an embassy that seeks to understand and work with a political system of another country. What I would say is this, we certainly think that any future democracy of Iraq, any future government, any future political system should strive as much as possible to be inclusive, and to avoid excluding any important political force that is willing to play by democratic rules.
Q: There are rumors and indicators about the departure of some U.S. forces from Iraq. When do you think you will leave? Usually your answer is 'we will leave when Iraqi forces are ready to take security responsibilities,' is that correct?
N: Yes, it is correct in the sense that we think that the question of reduction and eventual withdrawal of United States forces should not be determined by an artificial timetable. We think what is important is providing the Iraqi forces with the capacity to assume responsibility for the security of your own country. What we visualize is training of your army and police forces so that progressively they can take on the lead responsibility for security in Iraq, and more and more United States military forces can play a supporting rather than a leading role.
Q: What are your criteria for assessing the readiness of Iraqi security forces to assume security responsibilities? Especially given that General Richard Myers said that 'we spent decades evaluating our military abilities, and it looks even more difficult in Iraq'?
N: I think these are judgments that are going to have to be made as the situation evolves, but they will be judgments that will be made jointly between the Multi-national force and the appropriate authorities of the Iraqi government, the prime minister, the minister of defense, the minister of interior, and so forth. So I suspect what you will witness over the coming months is a dialogue between our two governments as the training, equipping, and motivation of the Iraqi security forces progresses.
Q: On Feb. 15, 2003, you a member of the American delegation at the United Nations Security Council, when Secretary Powell showed his irrefutable evidence that there were weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. Were you convinced about this evidence then? Do you feel guilty now that the evidence appeared to have been fabricated?
N: Well first of all, in all sincerity and honesty, at the time Sec. Powell presented his report to the Security Council, I think that most of us were convinced that that information was correct. I remember, personally, the very careful preparation that went into Sec. Powell's report. But now we're talking about that as history, and this is now the job of historians to analyze what happened at that time. We have to deal with the current situation as it is. Thankfully President Saddam Hussein has been removed from power, and the new government has taken over, and last week on Sunday your country experienced the first free elections that have taken place in this country in history. So I think that we can look back with satisfaction at what has happened since 2003. Our task now is to move forward, especially in improving and stabilizing the security situation, and in supporting the completion of the political timetable that has been laid out for this country.
Q: Do you think Iraq has political sovereignty?
N: Absolutely. The transition was made on the 28th of June, we recognized then and recognize now that there would be areas where assistance from the international community might be required, especially in the area of security, but the Multi-National Force, as you well know, was authorized unanimously by a Security Council resolution, so that the presence of the Multi-national Force in Iraq is here on entirely legitimate basis.
Q: So, here we sit in the garden of the American Embassy. This palace is the Iraqi Republican Palace. Don't you think that this gives clear indication that you still have control in Iraq?
N: I don't think I agree with that statement for a whole number of different reasons. The ultimate political authority is the government of Iraq, everything we do here is designed to support the people and government of Iraq in taking on full responsibility for the conduct of their affairs. That is the purpose of our military assistance programs, that is also the purpose of our economic reconstruction programs. We believe that is in our interests and in the interests of the people of Iraq that we help you establish a strong, free, sovereign and independent country as rapidly as possible.
(Comments in Arabic thanking Amb. Negroponte for meeting the press)
U.S. Embassy Baghdad
Public Affairs Office
TRANSCRIPT OF AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE'S INTERVIEW WITH RADIO SAWA
FEBRUARY 6, 2005
N = Ambassador Negroponte
Q = Question in Arabic without English translation
11-minute interview with Radio Sawa (popular U.S.-funded pan-Arab radio station)
N: First of all, I think last Sunday was a great success for the progress towards democracy here in Iraq and all of us were very impressed by the determination of the people of Iraq to get out and vote. There are literally hundreds if not thousands of examples of courage and heroism on the part of the people who made these elections possible and who went out to vote. Now we are awaiting the results, which we have not yet received officially, so I think it would be too early to judge the implications of the outcome. But what I would say is this, the United States government intends to work constructively with whatever government emerges from this political process, and from our discussions with various political leaders we believe that all of them who are likely to be in positions of responsibility are committed to the unity of Iraq.
Q: What do you say to the fact that some of the Iraqi leadership wants to force a vote on the independence of Kurdistan?
N: I think the people of Iraq have a position on this question. The Transitional Administrative Law talks about a federal, democratic, pluralistic, and unified Iraq, and these are principles that we understand will carry over into the new National Assembly. They are also principles that are supported by Security Council Resolution 1546 that was adopted unanimously by the Security Council. So we would expect that the way forward will reflect a commitment to these political principles that have already been adopted in the Transitional Administrative Law.
Q: These elections are already causing discussions and disagreements between certain factions. For instance, two days ago the Sunnis issued a statement urging people to regard these elections as illegitimate.
N: These are questions that will need to be addressed by the Iraqi political process itself, but I think that one of the ways that a number of leaders have mentioned to us is to adopt a posture of inclusiveness in the future and by that I mean an inclusiveness in the government, an inclusiveness in the drafting of the constitution, and eventually inclusiveness in greater participation in the elections, the next elections, which are scheduled for the end of this year.
Q: The Sunnis said they boycotted the elections because the U.S. refused to agree with a timetable for withdrawing its military forces from Iraq. What is your response to this?
N: First of all I'm not sure that all Sunnis boycotted the elections. I think there were many who couldn't vote simply because of intimidating security circumstances. Nor am I sure that all of them have rejected the results of these elections, and my understanding is a number of these same groups would be interested in participating in the drafting of the constitution. As far as the question of our troop presence is concerned, President Bush addressed this in his State of the Union message, and made it very clear that for us the most important factor is the ability of the Iraqi army and police forces to take over full responsibility for the security of your country. And we are working very hard to help train your forces so that they are able to do that. Once Iraqi forces are able to take responsibility for the security of your country, I think you will see a corresponding reduction in the forces of the United States. But we think it's important that this issue be determined by the capacity of the Iraq forces and not an artificial timetable.
Q: Does the U.S. administration have a plan to contain the growth of Sunni opposition?
N: I would say that we are supportive of efforts at national dialogue, but I would stress that in the end this is something that must be resolved between Iraqis themselves. An American administration can only be a supportive friend of a free and sovereign and democratic Iraq. But the whole purpose of elections and democracy is to enable the people of Iraq to take full responsibility for their own political process, and I think that last Sunday was a dramatic further illustration of that fact.
Q: Isn't the U.S. pushing for a secular constitution, against the inclusion of Islamic principles?
N: Well these are issues that are going to have to be debated in your National Assembly, and I think that's going to be part of the give and take of your own political process. Again, as I said earlier, we do support the principles of the TAL, the Transitional Administrative Law, and of Security Council Resolution 1546 and we are supportive of the concept of a federal, pluralistic, democratic and unified Iraq.
Q: So, if I understand you correctly, you said the U.S. will allow the dominance of Islam in the new government?
N: I don't think you should present it like that. I don't want to answer a hypothetical question. I think that these are outcomes and possibilities that have to be discussed between Iraqis themselves. Let us see what they decide. Last question.
N: Thank you very much ……
TRANSCRIPT OF AMBASSADOR NEGROPONTE'S LUNCHEON WITH IRAQI AND PAN-ARAB JOURNALISTS
FEBRUARY 6, 2005
N = Ambassador Negroponte
Q = Question in Arabic without English translation
Robert Callahan: Ambassador Negroponte is prepared to answer any of your questions. Before you ask the question please identify yourself if you would by your name and your organization.
N: First of all, I would like to welcome all of you here today and thank you for joining us at the American Embassy with my colleagues. We have just been through, all of us, I think, an experience that was a very dramatic development in the political life of your country, the carrying out of elections a week ago today. I think the entire world stands in admiration of the determination and courage of the people of Iraq in their participation in this election, which, as many of us have said all along, is a very important step in the process of implementing the political timetable that has been elaborated in the Transitional Administrative Law and which has also been endorsed in Security Council Resolution 1546.
But, as many people have observed, this is a step, an important step to be sure, but there are other steps to follow, the forming of a national assembly, the drafting of a constitution, the referendum that will take place later this year, and the elections of a definitive government in December. So last week's elections were a very important step toward the accomplishment of these political goals, and I can assure you that the United States and I believe that the other members of the international community stand behind the people of Iraq in their determination to carry out these important steps towards the realization of a complete Democracy in your country. I think we all recognize that this is a process, and, as in any democracy, there are opportunities for improvement, including greater inclusion and involvement of as wide as possible a part of your society.
So we look forward with interest to the weeks and months ahead, and I can assure you that in the US you have a committed and supportive friend of the people of Iraq. With those introductory comments, I am pleased to try and answer any questions you might have. Also, given that this is a luncheon setting, I would be interested in any views that you yourself might have with regards to the situation so that we might have in addition to a question and answer session we can also have something of a dialogue. I open the floor to your questions.
Negroponte: I think the lady in the corner has a question
Q: (Al-Iraq Al-Yoom Newspaper) When will the US forces set a timetable of withdrawal from Iraq?
Negroponte: Why we reject this is because the question of the presence of the multinational forces is covered in resolution 1546 of the Security Council, and we respect that resolution, and the mandate of the Multi-National Force is governed by that resolution. And if you have looked at Paragraph 12 of the Resolution it says that the mandate of the MNF will end upon the completion of the political process enumerated in Paragraph 4 of that resolution and it also says "unless requested earlier by the government of Iraq". We will certainly respect whatever the desires and wishes are of the government of Iraq. The way we normally like to discuss this issue is to say that we would like, and President Bush addressed this in his State of the Union message, we are embarked upon a program to train, equip, and motivate the army and police forces of Iraq, so that progressively they can take over greater and greater responsibility for the security of your country. So that we see this year as a year when we can begin to make the transition to the government of Iraq and the armed forces of Iraq, the security forces of Iraq, to have the lead in the counterinsurgency effort and the security effort and shifting more and more to us playing a supportive role. Of course as that process progresses I think it will put us in a better position to reduce the numbers of coalition forces in the country. But we are reluctant to put out a timetable because we think this should be a condition-based and results-based policy, not one based on a timetable.
Q: (Baghdad Newspaper) As we know, there has been allocated an amount of $18.4 billion to be spent on health, economy and security. So far the process is slow. Is there a way to speed up the process of reconstruction?
Negroponte: Thank you very much for your question. As you know we have an 18.4 billion dollar program for the reconstruction activities. When I arrived here we had only spent only about 4 or 5 million dollars from those monies. (Baghdad Newspaper interjected - 4.6 million.) This was as of June 28th. As of last week we had expended some 2.9-3 billion dollars on various projects under our current reconstruction program. So a lot of activity is being undertaken. We are disbursing assistance monies at a rate of more than a hundred million dollars a week, some on infrastructure projects which will have a longer term benefit, some of them are more in the area of short term, quick-acting money that can have an immediate impact. But here is the problem, and I think that you are as familiar with this as we are. As long as there are armed elements who sabotage electric towers, who blow up pipelines, who dig holes down 10 meters and blow up a pipe for the water system of Baghdad, one is going to take two steps forward and one step back, and one is constantly having to repair things that already exist. So I think that the security situation has added costs to the reconstruction program and has made it more difficult to reach maximum results. And that is why I think that establishing security and stabilizing the security situation really has to be the highest priority, because with better security all of the projects will be able to move more efficiently and more rapidly, and they will be less costly.
Q: (Radio Free Iraq) Sir, two questions. First, is the reconstruction process carried out in coordination with the government of Iraq? Second, about Secretary Rice's visit to Europe: are there any new objectives formed with the European countries, such as Turkey, and does she have a new vision for the Iraqi issue?
Negroponte: Well, on the first question if I understood it correctly, I think you were saying that our effort should be coordinated with the government agencies and the government of Iraq as it implements its programs. I can assure you that we have established mechanisms where, at least on a weekly basis, we review with the Government of Iraq Reconstruction Council, which is chaired by the deputy prime minister, the progress of our respective efforts. That is number one. Number two we recently have been given authority to do some direct contracting with our reconstruction funds through Iraq ministries. So that offers another opportunity to better coordinate our efforts. So we are seeking every possibility to coordinate our efforts with the government of Iraq, and over time I think it's also going to be important to coordinate with the international community, because we think that as the security conditions improve, and they will, then you will see that the World Bank, the IMF, and we hope of course the EU, and Japan will also make their contributions to the reconstruction of your country.
Now this leads me to Secretary Rice's trip to Europe. This is of course her first trip as Secretary of State. I think that the policies that we have toward Iraq were very clearly stated by the President in his State of the Union address. I think the purpose of her trip is to establish early communication with our traditional allies in Europe and to emphasize that we are not unilateralists in our approach, and we wish to work in harmony with some of our other democratic friends in the world, so I would say that that is the principle message of Ms. Rice's trip. The other message of course, as she is now arriving in the Middle East, is our commitment to reviving the Arab Israeli peace process so that we can hasten the day when the vision of a Palestinian state living side by side with Israel can be realized. We are very committed to that vision. We see an opportunity now to perhaps revive that peace process. Ms. Rice will be in the Middle East this weekend to show support for energizing the process.
Q. (Al Hurra) The elections came to fruition, and although we don't have the results yet, the preliminary results assure the dominance of one political faction while others are left behind. So there are now local, regional, and international fears of a significant change taking place in Iraq. Do you have such a fear? If so, how can you overcome it?
Negroponte: Well, thank you for your question. First of all, let me go back to my original statement. Last Sunday was a very important day in the political life of Iraq and its one that we believe rightly and correctly the people of Iraq and the world are celebrating, and secondly, we do not know the final results and there will be a process of learning the results. They will be certified and the assembly will meet and eventually it will select a presidency based on a 2/3 majority. After that it will choose a prime minister and the different ministers. You mentioned various changes or possible changes but I am not aware that any changes have yet taken place. We are simply observing the results of an election unfolding before our eyes. I would urge a bit of patience and also I wouldn't want to prejudge in any way what decisions the Iraqi National Assembly are going to make with respect to a government. It's part of a democracy - you have an election, you elect an assembly, and you have to wait to see what government it is that they choose. I think that we have a lot of faith in the democratic process.
Q. (Ashur TV) Allawi mentioned that in the coming period there will be a dialogue between the different factions. To what extent will the U.S. be able to influence Iraq's democratic process in the form of advice or suggestions?
Negroponte: Well, let me stress here something very diplomatically, and I say this as the ambassador who is accredited to the government of Iraq. We will work positively and constructively with any government that emerges from this political process. As far as how the national assembly of Iraq, and the parties which are members of that assembly, arrive at their decisions - this is going to be something that they themselves will decide, because after all it is going to be the decision of the national assembly by a 2/3 vote to choose the president. No one else can cast the votes for them. So I just want to stress that point. I believe that gentlemen here had a question.
Q. (Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed) The process of reconstruction is the front line, but the challenge is sabotage and corruption. Corruption even extends to the American companies. What are the steps that you will be following to put an end to these matters?
Negroponte: Well, obviously we want our reconstruction and assistance monies to be spent and used in a way that is in the greatest benefit to the people of Iraq. As far as our own monies are concerned, we have a quite elaborate system of accountability and transparency with respect to the use of those monies. We have Inspectors General, we have Congress, we have the press, all of which look over our shoulder as we carry out these activities, and we do not hide anything from them. Also, working with your government, even during the CPA there was established an Iraqi system of Inspectors General and we would hope that going forward that system would work effectively. I think the press can play a role, helping insure that there is proper accountability, and of course now there is going to be an elected congress that will be able to establish committees that will look into such questions. I am sure that there are problems of accountability. We are looking into such problems in our own system. But the important point is to have these various tools available to help both keep the amount of this kind of activity as low as possible and to identify people who are committing offenses and punished if they are discovered.
Q. (Al-Sharq Al-Awsat) What about the disappearance of 8 or 9 billion dollars?
Negroponte: These are matters that are under investigation of the Inspector General of the CPA, so I do not think I can comment on the details, but I would caution you about one thing. Very often, the word, when people say they cannot account properly for an amount of money does not necessarily mean that the money has been stolen. It may just mean that the books have not been very well prepared, if I explain myself. Is that clear? I have run into this experience myself in other parts of the world, where we could not account for something properly, and some people said that it meant that it had been stolen, when it simply meant that we had not done good bookwork. So I think it is better to wait and see, I don't know what the final result of the investigation will be, but I think it would be better to wait and see what the results are before drawing any conclusions.
Q. (Baghdad Newspaper) So far we have seen three phases of U.S. troop presence in Iraq: first liberation, second occupation, and now multi-national forces. But Mr. Bush said he there is no program currently for the withdrawal of the US forces. Do you have any idea now about the withdrawal of the US forces?
Negroponte: The plan is to continue training the Iraqi Army and Police forces so that they can assume greater and greater responsibility for providing security to your country. There is no timetable, as we discussed, but please understand that does not mean that we wish our forces to stay here indefinitely. That is not the case. Mr. Bush has stated emphatically, he has said that when the Iraqi forces are able to take full responsibility for your security, than American forces will be able to come home. Now I think that where American forces withdraw from in different parts of your country will depend on where Iraqi forces are able to handle that situation themselves. And I believe that that is a question that will be discussed on a constant basis between General Casey and the multinational force and the Iraqi government.
Q. (Al-Iraq Al-Yoom) Regarding the issue of Iraqi detainees in Abu Ghraib, Buka, and Umm Qasr, when will the file of these detainees be transferred to the Iraqi government? What is the process for this matter? Personally, I have two relatives who are being detained at Abu Ghraib, despite the fact that no charges have been brought against them.
Negroponte: This is a question that should be directed to the MNF-I, which is the authority that handles all military and Iraqi detainee issues. Generally speaking, I know that the Iraqi Criminal Court is dealing with these cases but the problem lies in the Court not being able to handle this great number of cases fast enough. The Embassy is working through our Justice Department to help strengthen the independent Iraqi judiciary as an institution and to make the legal process more effective. As for your relatives, you can obtain specific information regarding their situation from the MNF-I.
Q. (Al-Adalah newspaper) A conference will soon be held in Saudi Arabia that will focus on fighting terrorism. Because Iraq has become the focal point of most terrorist actions, would it be possible to utilize this conference as a means to send a message to the Iraqi people, informing them that terrorism has become an international problem, not one that is unique to their country? Also, will Iraq and the United States participate in this conference?
Negroponte: I think the upcoming conference in Riyadh is very important. In addition to Iraq and the United States, there will be a significant number of other countries from around the world that will attend. As time passes, there comes a greater recognition that terrorism has become an international problem that operates from one country to another. There is no border that the terrorists cannot infiltrate. Therefore, international cooperation is indispensable to dealing with this problem. This conference in Saudi Arabia is an important step, one that will work to ensure that more effort is being made by Iraq's neighbors to stop the terrorists from entering your country.
Q. (Al-Hurra TV) The Iraqi people voted despite many dangers. Yet, the subject of a national dialogue is of great concern. Before the elections you took the initiative in negotiating with the Board of Muslim Scholars. Now that the elections are over, do you feel satisfied with the ongoing dialogue? Also, are you engaging in other dialogues at the present time?
Negroponte: As is the case in other countries, our embassy in Baghdad has officers who maintain contact with individuals and entities across the broad political spectrum of Iraq. In fact, we try to meet with as many people as possible in order to get the broadest understanding of what is happening here. It is not for us to feel comfortable or satisfied with the situation here, but rather to understand it to the fullest extent possible. To that end, we intend to establish further dialogues and to work constructively and positively with whatever government is elected.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
This page printed from: http://usinfo.state.gov/xarchives/display.html?p=washfile-english&y=2005&m=February&x=20050209185209cpataruk0.7387964&t=livefeeds/wf-latest.html
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
