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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Interactive Battle For Iraq The government, the insurgency, key players, background and photos.
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Photo Essay Iraq In Pictures A daily diary with scenes of the latest attacks and snapshots from the effort to rebuild a nation.
"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.
Best-selling author Mitch Albom on his first nonfiction work since "Tuesdays with Morrie."
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See all 340 CommentsPosted by mudrose at 11:57 AM : May 04, 2007
????? Freud wore a slip?
sssshhhhheeeeesssshhhhhhh
and he called us 'crazy'
.. 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...
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.
Posted by j-whitman at 07:27 PM : May 05, 2007
Require them to take their shoes off before they enter the garden.
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.
... But you cannot ignore it's rapid decline, especially during this republican administration & continued outsoutsourcing, & trade policiees that fill thier pockets & hurt America.
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
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.
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.
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.
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