"I think we have to be careful not to say well, if there's a
Palestinian-Israeli breakthrough, that will help in Iraq. Iraq is involved
in its own struggles."

Briefing En Route Hanoi, Vietnam

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
En Route Hanoi, Vietnam
November 14, 2006
www.state.gov/secretary/rm/2006/76023.htm

...
QUESTION: Actually, I wanted to ask you about Iraq. You've had a couple of
days of meetings in Washington, and I guess some perhaps clarity on what the
Baker Commission may be looking at if not what they're going to recommend.
Have you heard anything in the last two days that sort of gives you any new
ideas of what you would like to see happen in Iraq and anything that changes
your mind about whether or not Iran could be helpful and U.S. direct talks
with Iran could be helpful in that regard?

SECRETARY RICE: ...

I don't think that there are any magic bullets about Iraq. This is a
complicated case -- or silver bullets, I guess, is the right phrase. But
this is a complicated place. They're in a very difficult time. It will take
some combination of Iraqi responsibility for their politics and also for
increased responsibility for their security as well as better help from the
neighbors in supporting Iraq as it makes its very difficult transition.

I can't say -- I don't want to try and prejudge what the Baker-Hamilton
Commission will do. ...obviously, we're not making the progress that we want
to make.

In terms of the Iranians, there are -- there have been multiple -- we have
made multiple overtures to the Iranians about talking to them first and
foremost through the nuclear file. If they would simply suspend their
enrichment program, which has been a demand of the international community
for more than two years, we could talk and we could talk not just about the
nuclear issue but also about other issues. We do have the channels that at
some point it could make sense to activate between Zal Khalilzad and the
Ambassador from Iran. So there are no -- there's no lack of opportunity to
talk to the Iranians. I think the question is, is there anything about
Iranian behavior that suggests that they are prepared to contribute to
stability in Iraq. And I have to say that at this point I don't see it.

In terms of the U.S. Government, there isn't any issue inside the U.S.
Government. There simply isn't.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, yesterday Tony Blair said that the solution in
Iraq had to -- would depend on progress between Israelis and Palestinians.
Would you be ready to go to Damascus if it's -- whether the conditions for
such progress?

SECRETARY RICE: I think what he said, Sylvie, was that Iraq had to be
understood in a broader context and that we needed a comprehensive approach
to the Middle East, of which I agree completely. And part of a comprehensive
approach would obviously be to deal with the Palestinian-Israeli issue. But
I think it would be -- I can't remember precisely his words, and I don't
want to put words in his mouth, but I think we have to be careful not to say
well, if there's a Palestinian-Israeli breakthrough, that will help in Iraq.
Iraq is involved in its own struggles. But a broader Middle East in which
there is greater movement forward for the moderate forces rather than the
extremist forces would certainly put Iraq in a context that I think would be
better for moderate Iraqis. So in that sense I think the notion of
comprehensive work in the Middle East is very important. And we are going to
engage in comprehensive work in the Middle East, including I would hope,
depending on what happens with the Palestinian Government formation, that we
can see early engagement and re-engagement of the Palestinians with the
Israelis. I think it's very important.

In terms of Damascus, Syria has demonstrated no -- there's no indication
that Syria wishes to be a stabilizing force. They are causing problems in
Lebanon of extraordinary proportions. They have been totally unhelpful to
Abu Mazen as he tries to get the release of Corporal Shalit so that he can
move forward on negotiations with the Israelis. They have stood side by side
with militant Palestinian factions that are opposed to Abu Mazen. And they
have insulted the moderate Arab states that are devoted to the roadmap,
Saudi Arabia and Egypt. That's not a very good record on which to suggest
that just going and talking to Syria is going to get a change in their
behavior.

So I think the question is what is it that Syria thinks that Syria is doing?
And right now, it appears to have aligned itself with the forces of
extremism. It is not an issue of whether you talk to somebody. I will talk
to anybody, anywhere, anytime under the right circumstances if I think we
can make progress. I'm not afraid to talk to anyone. But we have had, over
the course of this Administration, discusses with the Syrians, talks with
the Syrians, envoys to the Syrians and nothing has ever changed in their
behavior, and we simply have to keep that in mind.

Okay, thanks everybody.
2006/T25-1
Released on November 15, 2006