SHARM EL-SHEIK, Egypt, May 4, 2007
Iranian Walks Out Of Dinner With Condi
Claims Female Violinist Was Dressed Too Revealingly; Also Blames U.S. For Iraq Turmoil
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Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice attends the second day of the Expanded Ministerial Conference for the Neighbors of Iraq in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, May 4, 2007. (AP)
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Iranian Foreign Minister Manoucherh Mottaki attends the second day of the Iraq Conference for the countries neighboring Iraq, in Sharm El-Sheik, Egypt, May 4, 2007. (AP)
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"I don't know which woman he was afraid of, the woman in the red dress or the secretary of state," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said Friday, regarding the actions of Iran's Manouchehr Mottaki.
Rice herself was questioned by reporters about the lack of a direct conversation with Mottaki, even though it appeared she was "chasing" him.
"Uh, well, you could ask him why he didn't make an effort," she replied. Then she laughed. "Look, I'm not given to chasing anyone."
So the face to face between Rice and Mottaki never happened, reports CBS News correspondent Charlie D'Agata. Instead, U.S. and Iranian delegations met at a lower, "expert" level, which while significant, is not a first.
"Our officials did, as they did in Baghdad, have an opportunity to exchange views about the substance of this meeting," Rice said.
So much of this Iraq summit has been about the U.S. and Iran, but with good reason, reports D'Agata. America blames Iran for violence in Iraq, Iran blames America, and the Iraqis have been urging both countries to put their differences aside and put Iraq first.
The dinner episode Thursday night amid a major regional conference on Iraq perfectly revealed how hard it was to bring together the top diplomats of the two rival nations.
In other developments:
Meanwhile, Iraq's neighbors on Friday negotiated a declaration that would pledge support for Iraq's embattled Shiite-led government in return for more inclusion of Sunni Arabs in the political process.
A draft copy of the six-page declaration said the summit participants would agree to support Iraq's government as long as it ensured the "basic right of all Iraqi citizens to participate peacefully in the political process through the country's political system."
Also Friday at the conference, Mottaki delivered a tough speech, blaming the U.S. military presence for Iraq's turmoil and demanding the release of five Iranians detained by U.S. forces in Iraq.
"There should be no doubt that the continuation of and increase in terrorist acts in Iraq originates from the flawed approaches adopted by the foreign troops," Mottaki said. "The United States must accept the responsibilities arising from the occupation of Iraq."
Later, he emphasized his points to reporters.
"The polices of the occupation forces in Iraq are basically flawed, and the policies have failed, and we must try to correct these policies," Mottaki said.
On the conference's other main front, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki on Friday pushed Arab governments to stop foreign fighters from crossing their territory to join Iraq's insurgency, while trying to convince the Arabs that his Shiite-led government was serious about reconciling with Iraq's Sunnis.
Going into the summit, the Iraqi government had hoped for a breakthrough meeting between Rice and Mottaki. Instead, their only direct contact was a wary exchange of pleasantries over lunch Thursday, punctuated by a wry, somewhat mysterious comment by Mottaki.
Mottaki walked out of the diplomats' dinner on the pretext that the female violinist entertaining the gathering was dressed too revealingly.
The Iranian entered the lunch, greeting the gathered diplomats with the Arabic phrase, "As-salama aleikum," or "Peace be upon you," according to an Iraqi official who was present.
© MMVII, CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Add a Comment See all 340 Comments
- So would I. She'd spoil my appetite if I didn't barf look at her and food together. That'd be like trying to eat dinner in a public toilet at Woodstock.
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- Oh, it's definitelhy Freudian.
Posted by mudrose at 11:57 AM : May 04, 2007
????? Freud wore a slip?
sssshhhhheeeeesssshhhhhhh
and he called us 'crazy' - Reply to this comment
- radiob: That seems to be an unpopular subject "Alternative fuel". One of my first posts was the good news of the farmers finally going to make a buck growing more corn. Then two guys jumped my blank with smack about how the world was gonna starve, God ordained me to take all their money plus it was all my fault.
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- tuckerndfw: I almost got it. Please comment about the buying oil with euro's instead of dollars. When I heard about that, my thinking bell tripped about half way.
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- The amount of money spent waging this war itself would probaly provide the world with a alternative source of energy. If you want to help lower prices on fuel conserve energy and join the boycott on purchasing fuel from 5-5 till 5-8. Another boycott is planned later this month.
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- Dinner time
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- radio,,, I understand, but Iran isn't the same Iran as it was in the 50's, 60's, 70's or 80's... Hell, it's grown more like us even in the last 2 decades.
.. What did Reagan teach us Trust but verify ?,,, Now we do neither, we just keep making dangerous blind baseless acqusations & once again fail to understand the people or thier culture... - Reply to this comment
- Not to overthrow the government, but boycot their oil!
Posted by ozilot at 07:26 PM : May 05, 2007
After the oil crisis in the mid-1970's, politicians promised to promote developing alternate energy sources.
Reagan cut funding for that effort, so it went nowhere.
I promoted the idea that gasoline should be taxed so that it was $5 a gallon (at the time, it was less than a dollar in most of the US). And the money be used to fund a "Manhattan Project" to develop alternate energy.
My fellow citizens nearly lynched me several times, so I gave up that idea.
Too bad we don't consider energy development worthy of the same kind of effort we give to developing increasingly destructive military hardware.
That misplaced priority will lead to the collapse of the US as we know it. - Reply to this comment
- tuckerndfw,,,, Thanks alot
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- Anyone know how to get rid of terrorist birds in a backyard garden ???
Posted by j-whitman at 07:27 PM : May 05, 2007
Require them to take their shoes off before they enter the garden. - Reply to this comment
- I planted melon this year,, Anyone know how to get rid of terrorist birds in a backyard garden ???
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- Yet another GOPer...go GOP go...far far away!
Posted by ozilot at 07:23 PM : May 05, 2007
George Bush is just another in a long line of Republicans who have been trying to steal Middle Eastern oil. Eisenhower (Operation Ajax) began a process that continues to this day.
The Bush administration is setting the stage for the next "Operation Ajax" by constantly demonizing Iran's current government. - Reply to this comment
- Radio,, I contribute it to the massive industrialization of our fathers generation,, A World War where every American sacrificed & many advancements since..
... But you cannot ignore it's rapid decline, especially during this republican administration & continued outsoutsourcing, & trade policiees that fill thier pockets & hurt America. - Reply to this comment
- Thanks Carter! Look at all the things you planted that we're reaping now.
Posted by cfin5 at 07:17 PM : May 05, 2007
Actually, Dwight Eisenhower planted the seeds when he authorized "Operation Ajax" in 1953.
Operation Ajax:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Ajax - Reply to this comment
- Thanks Carter! Look at all the things you planted that we're reaping now. I gotta hand it to you though. You can out grow your fellow peanut farmers without your seed even touching the dirt!
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- J besides corporate outsourcing to other nations how do you think that the US has become what it is today? Did we not play a part in it by not speaking up, by not joining unions(just because I work now in management I have not forgotten my blue collar roots)by ignoring the problems leaving them for someone else to solve? The outsourcing of our economy started in the mid seventies and accelerated in the eighties. Where were the voices of protest? Purchasing goods made in China and complaining about the economy is like complaining about abortion and supporting China as a trading partner.
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- See ya later,, things to do.
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- ozilot,,, Don't you think we should be paying more attention to the 3rd World Country we are rapidly becoming ???
Our educational system is failing, our industries outsourced, more reliance on food & other imports & Health Care & insurance costs skyrocketing - Even our military's capabilities are reduced. - Reply to this comment
- I don't like hearing what the wing-nuts of the world have to say about us and our values anymore than you...
But to be frank I'm not going to let the likes of Ahmenidjad or whatever get my goat either and strike out at alot of innocent Iranians - of which a few are very close friends of mine and are suffering horribly at the hands of the Islamic Republic because they served in the Shah's navy!
The point is the Islamic Republic is just another dictatorship and its days are numbered!
Posted by ozilot at
I am not nor never had called for a attack on Iran. The Chathman House did a report on a possible attack by the US or Israel on Iraq and the consequences of such a attack. The report was paid for by the British, its conclusion is that supporting moderates in Iran and sanctions are the best strategy.I have friends that are from Iran, India, and various parts of N. Africa and would not wish any harm to their nations.They are good people wanting the same things that most people want.As far as Iran rhetoric goes one should never close ones eyes to anyone making such statements. - Reply to this comment
- ozilot,,
Quite a quagmier isn't it ?? -- So far there is absoultly no verifiable intell of Iran having a nuc weapons program -- They have said time & time again that they want to get away from fossil fuels, and have a growing need for clean energy... As you mentioned, industrial safety is lacking.. Why ?? Sanctions worked.
Haliburton & thier subs would lose if Iran stopped pumping & refining oil.... Bush won't even tell you that Corn Ethanol means large profits for big oil --- It's far from the cleanest, economical (MPEG), or cheapest to refine ---- It's now increased world food prices & is hurting America's farmers. - Reply to this comment
The road ahead in Afghanistan, and the crucial decision Obama faces.
