By David
Gollust, VOA, Washington
|
Hillary Clinton
Giant Awakened
By
Sousan Alemansour
The
most significant event of 2009 will be the administration's foreign
policies. Looming crisis in seven continents, six if you are
European, is demanding attention, now. Worldwide economic crisis,
food crisis, water crisis, energy crisis, drug wars, territorial
wars, religious wars and wars against terrorism are center stage.
The Obama administration will have to rebuild America's place in the
worlds of politics, economics, science and technology. (read
more) |
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said
Tuesday that Iran has a clear opportunity, with the new Obama administration now
in office, to engage meaningfully with the United States and others in the world
community. She added that the six powers trying to negotiate an end to Iran's
uranium enrichment program will meet next week.
Clinton reiterated interview
comments by President Obama that his administration is ready for direct dialogue
with Iran, but she suggested that it might be up to Tehran to make the first
move.
In an informal talk on Tuesday
with reporters at the State Department, Clinton said the Obama team is engaged
in a broad review of Bush administration policy toward Iran, which limited U.S.
contacts with that country to multi-lateral talks. She made clear that Iran
itself could influence the review's outcome.
"There is a clear opportunity
for the Iranians, as the President expresses in his [Al-Arabiya] interview, to
demonstrate some willingness to engage meaningfully with the international
community. Whether or not that hand becomes less clenched is really up to them,"
she said.
Clinton said the P5+1, the
five permanent U.N. Security Council member countries plus Germany, will
reconvene next week for the first time since President Obama took office to
assess nuclear negotiations with Iran.
The P5+1, which is expected to
meet next week at the political-director level in Germany, is one diplomatic
vehicle from the Bush administration that will remain active in the Obama
administration.
Clinton said other foreign
policy vehicles used by former President Bush will remain in force, despite
President Obama's commitment to change. She said the Chinese-sponsored six-party
talks with North Korea on its nuclear program is another forum the new
administration values.
The "Forever-Entitled-Ones"; The
Gatekeepers Between Obama and Tehran
By Kam Zarrabi
As I have pointed out in previous articles, Obama's
choices of the vocally convincing pro-Israel, Hillary
Clinton, as the Secretary of State, and the often talked
about Dennis Ross or some other staunch Israel-supporter
as his potential envoy to negotiate with the Iranians,
point to an understanding of how this diplomatic show
should be staged in order to satisfy the gatekeepers at
the bridge.
Various analysts and commentators have already started
criticizing the Obama administration for choosing known
foxes to guard the proverbial chicken coop. Their fear
is that the new American policies in the Middle East are
simply a continuation of the same unmeasured and
misguided approach as before. |
|
"I think the six-party talks
are essential. They've not only been a useful forum for the participants to deal
with the challenge of North Korea's nuclear program and the other issues that
are part of the North Korean agenda, but within the six-party talks, there have
been bilateral [U.S.-North Korean] meetings. And we are going to pursue steps
that we think are effective. And I think I'll leave it at that," she said.
The new Secretary of State
said possible new U.S. policy moves in the Middle East will await the return of
U.S. special envoy George Mitchell from his trip to the region. But she said
achieving a durable cease-fire between Israel and Hamas, and attending to
humanitarian needs in the Gaza Strip are the administration's near-term
objectives.
Clinton made clear that Hamas
bears most of the blame for the current situation for its rocket attacks on
Israel in violation of the previous truce.
"That's why we support
Israel's right to self-defense. The rocket barrages which were getting closer
and closer to populated areas cannot go unanswered. And it's regrettable that
the Hamas leadership apparently believes that it is in their interest to provoke
the right of self defense instead of building a better future for the people of
Gaza," she said.
Clinton said the Obama
administration will work with the Palestinian Authority of President Mahmoud
Abbas on Gaza relief efforts and that the United States, already the largest
single contributor of aid to the Palestinians, intends to do more.
