Ex-US Diplomats Urge Iran Talks
Source: Alalam.ir, 16-9-2008
WASHINGTON--Five former US secretaries of state say the next American administration should talk to Iran.
The diplomats, who worked for Republican and Democratic administrations, said "engaging Iran is important because Washington's military options against Tehran are unsatisfactory".
The five -- Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Warren Christopher, James Baker and Henry Kissinger -- all said they favored talking to Iran to defuse tension between the two nations.
"Frankly the military options here are very poor. We don't want to go down that route," said Christopher, who worked for former President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997.
Powell, who worked for Bush from 2001 to 2005, said US officials in Bush's first term had held low-level talks with the Iranians until 2003 "and then it was stopped."
"I agree with Madeleine, and I suspect my other colleagues, that we should try to talk to them," Powell said during a forum hosted by The George Washington University.
Albright, who was secretary of state in the second Clinton administration, had just told the group: "I believe we need to engage with Iran. I think the whole point is you try to engage and deal with countries that you have problems with."
Dealing with Iran has become an issue in the November US presidential election campaign, with Democrat Barak Obama and Republican John McCain sparring over Obama's stated readiness to talk to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The United States cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980, a year after an Islamic revolution toppled US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
WASHINGTON--Five former US secretaries of state say the next American administration should talk to Iran.
The diplomats, who worked for Republican and Democratic administrations, said "engaging Iran is important because Washington's military options against Tehran are unsatisfactory".
The five -- Colin Powell, Madeleine Albright, Warren Christopher, James Baker and Henry Kissinger -- all said they favored talking to Iran to defuse tension between the two nations.
"Frankly the military options here are very poor. We don't want to go down that route," said Christopher, who worked for former President Bill Clinton from 1993 to 1997.
Powell, who worked for Bush from 2001 to 2005, said US officials in Bush's first term had held low-level talks with the Iranians until 2003 "and then it was stopped."
"I agree with Madeleine, and I suspect my other colleagues, that we should try to talk to them," Powell said during a forum hosted by The George Washington University.
Albright, who was secretary of state in the second Clinton administration, had just told the group: "I believe we need to engage with Iran. I think the whole point is you try to engage and deal with countries that you have problems with."
Dealing with Iran has become an issue in the November US presidential election campaign, with Democrat Barak Obama and Republican John McCain sparring over Obama's stated readiness to talk to Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.
The United States cut diplomatic ties with Iran in 1980, a year after an Islamic revolution toppled US-backed Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi.
Comments
- Related News
Raisi: Palestinian Resistance Astonished The World
4 months ago
