John Kerry Visits Jerusalem and West Bank City of Jericho

[kerrygoddess]

John Kerry Visits Jerusalem and West Bank City of Jericho
January 17, 2006

We’ve been following the news reports on John Kerry’s trip to the Middle East for the past week. Today Kerry visited West Bank City of Jericho and Jerusalem, where he held a press conference.



At the press conference in Jerusalem today, John Kerry said that next week’s election for a new Palestinian parliament could mark a turning point, but he warned that participation by the militant Hamas could cause complications.

“The Palestinian Authority has an opportunity, hopefully, to set a new course for itself,” he said. “All of us are going to look forward to the results of these elections and pursue with interest the opportunities they may or may not provide.”

The first 10 years of Palestinian rule have been marked by inefficiency, corruption and disorder, worsened by the last five years of violence with Israel. As a result, many Palestinian voters are turning away from the Fatah party of leader Mahmoud Abbas and switching to Hamas, the Islamic movement responsible for dozens of suicide bombings that have killed hundreds of Israelis.

MORE & LOTS OF PHOTOS - http://blog.thedemocraticdaily.com/?p=1675

[karynnj]

1. That is such a weird picture

The juxtaposition of the flag and the city in the background and Kerry almost look fake. Kerry looks great though. His comments that Hamas has to abandon violence if its part of the government make sense. This trip has to have been a sobering look at how dangerous that whole area is.

[wisteria]

2. Thanks for posting! Nice pictures on the Democratic Daily too.

This picture here does look like there is a fake back drop though.Still good of Kerry though.

[Mass]

3. It is strange how the part on Russia is different in the press conference

and in the interview on CNN.

I wonder if this is another misinterpretation of what Kerry said by AP.

[karynnj]

4. In both cases, he is purposely vague on what Russia's

role should or could be. One conjecture is that it might be that Russia, a neighboring country, is key to a real deterent in the form of sanctions (like those in Soth Africa - in Kerry's words). It might be that they need Russia to tell Iran that they are on board for that threat to have the effect they want.

So, it may be that Russia holds a key to possibly moving Iran from the path it is on. The danger for Russia of having a war on their border should be reason enough for them to get involved.

[ProSense]

5. Good points.

It's about bringing the right countries on board and that requires careful statements and tact.

[Mass]

7. It also requires consistency.

There is a substantial difference between what Kerry SAID on CNN (Russia having to play a role to diffuse the problem), and what AP REPORTS (Russia having to come aboard for the sanctions and may be needing to be pressured). I suspect that what AP reports on the issue are not complete and I also suspect that this is not innocent. The AP report makes Kerry sound like Rice.

[karynnj]

8. Good point

Without the CNN interview, I would as you suggest, read the AP comments very differently. After the way they distorted Kerry's statements throughout the campaign and since, I agree it's probably not innocent.

It also seemed that Kerry was very very carefully measuring his words on Russia in the CNN interview - there's a shoe that hasn't fallen yet. It may be that there are delicate negotiations going on that Kerry is aware of, but that he couldn't say more about. The AP article had none of that feel.

[ProSense]

9. I see it this way

Kerry is laying out a range of options---from diffusing the situation to the next steps. And in all these scenarios, he's saying Russia is a key player: to help diffuse the situation and for sanctions, if necessary, to have the maximum impact.

That's what I discerned from this:

KERRY: Well, first of all, you never take a military option off the table anywhere, under any circumstances. So it's on the table.

But I think anybody who studied the situation understands, as I think John McCain said in the comment that he's making, it is an option that requires an extraordinary level of commitment with long- term repercussions. And it is truly an option of last resort, and I think people understand that.

Look, the more important thing is that, you know, Ahmadinejad's the Iranian president's comments are absolutely stunning in the 21st Century, and almost equally as stunning, in my mind, was the lack of universal condemnation across the globe. There were people who commented, but -- but it is really shocking to have a leader of any country under any circumstances in the 21st Century after all that we've been through and learned, to have them talking about wiping an entire people off the face of the earth.

So through those statements and through their own actions, Iran has taken its own steps to make itself a significant renegade, outlaw nation at this particular moment of time.

The question for all of us is how to diffuse and deal with the situation that you don't want to have to get to the last resort about. I think there are number of options available us to.

In each country that I visited, the leaders, from Prime Minister Singh in India to President Musharraf in Pakistan, President Karzai in Afghanistan, the acting prime minister here, all of them have said how unacceptable it is for Iran to behave the way it is and to move in the direction it is.

But I do think that Russia, at this point, could play a critical roll. And my hope is that before we get to the United Nations, before we reach the point of sanctions, which they must understand, that we are going to be united on and they are going to be serious, sanctions of real consequence, to have the kind of effect that we had on South Africa, if that is what it comes to.

But before that, I think there are still possibilities that Russia might be able to play a very important role here. And my hope is that President Putin and Russia will step up and do that.

http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0601/17/sitroom.01.html

[Mass]

6. I agree, but, in the CNN interview, he is focused on the possibility

to solve the problem before we arrive to the UN,

But I do think that Russia, at this point, could play a critical role, and my hope is that before we get to the United Nations, before we reach the point of sanctions — which they must understand that we are going to be united on and they are going to be serious sanctions with real consequences, to have the kind of effect that we had on South Africa if that is what it comes to.

while AP only refers to sanctions (of course, I have no idea what Kerry said in the press conference, he could have added the part about solving the problem before that) and eventually the need to pressure Russia.

What I find important to note is that, if he can speak his mind rather than having to answer to tilted questions, Kerry does not go to war, he does not go to UN sanctions, he goes to negotiations and involving other people. Now, this is the Kerry I like, and the best of him was in the CNN interview.

[karynnj]

10. I think that is the essence of the Kerry we all support to be President

This may be what he meant when he talked about war being the very last resort.

[wisteria]

11. Russia offers nuclear proposal to Iran!

This could possibly be what Kerry is alluding to.

Iran ambassador to Moscow welcomes Putin nuclear proposal


MOSCOW (AFP) -- Iran's ambassador in Moscow late Monday welcomed an offer by Russian President Vladimir Putin to enrich uranium for Iran in Russia, an initiative that could allay international concern over Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

"This is a good initiative to find a way out of this situation. We think that Iran and Russia should find a way out together," the ITAR-TASS news agency quoted Gholam-Reza Ansari as saying in comments broadcast on Russia's state-owned Channel One television.

Ansari was reacting to remarks by Putin, who said that a Russian compromise deal with Tehran, which stipulates uranium enrichment could be carried out on Russian territory for Iran, was still in play.

"We have heard various points of view from our Iranian partners. The Iranian foreign ministry, notably, has said that it does not rule out accepting our proposal," Putin said earlier Monday at the close of talks with German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Moscow.

"Russia will continue cooperating with our European and American colleagues to resolve the Iranian problem," he added.

"Concerning the Iranian nuclear problem, it's necessary to work very carefully, without allowing abrupt, mistaken steps," Putin said.

The Russian proposal to enrich uranium on Iran's behalf has been welcomed by the West as a possible way out of the Iranian nuclear row.

Putin's comments came as high-level international talks were under way in London on a possible referral of Iran to the United Nations Security Council over its nuclear plans.


http://www.tehrantimes.com/Description.asp?Da=1/18/2006&Cat=2&Num=12

"Everything is now in the hands of the Iranian authorities, who still have a chance to agree to Russia's suggestion that they moderate their nuclear appetites and enrich uranium on our territory. If Tehran refuses, it risks losing its last defender - with unpredictable consequences for itself and the rest of the world."

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4620668.stm

[ProSense]

12. Interesting. Great find. Thanks.

These statements by Putin show that diplomacy is at work:

"Russia will continue cooperating with our European and American colleagues to resolve the Iranian problem."

"Concerning the Iranian nuclear problem, it's necessary to work very carefully, without allowing abrupt, mistaken steps."