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

    • 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.

      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)

    • 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.

      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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Rice replied to him in English, "Hello," then added: "Your English is better than my Arabic," according to the Iraqi official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because the lunch was private.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Aboul Gheit then piped in, telling Mottaki, "We want to warm the atmosphere some."

Mottaki smiled and replied in English with a saying: "In Russia, they eat ice cream in winter because it's warmer than the weather" — more or less meaning, "You take whatever atmosphere-warming you can get."

"That's true," Rice replied, according to the Iraqi official.

After lunch, Egypt's Aboul Gheit told the Associated Press he would try to arrange a further informal meeting between Rice and Mottaki at a gala dinner being thrown by the Egyptians Thursday night on the beach of a nearby resort hotel.

"Why not?" Aboul Gheit said. "It is only one table." But asked if he would seat Rice and Mottaki next to each other, he said, "No, no."

As it turned out, Mottaki's place was set directly across the table from Rice. When Mottaki entered the dinner and saw the arrangement, he immediately told his hosts that he had to excuse himself and leave, said a U.S. official who accompanied Rice.

Mottaki complained that the Egyptian female violinist playing nearby was too revealingly dressed, the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity, also because the dinner was a closed affair.

The Iraqi government and some Arab countries had hoped for a real one-on-one meeting between Rice and Mottaki, saying that the two countries' conflict is only fueling Iraq's chaos. Ahead of the two day conference in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheik, Rice had expressed a willingness to meet, and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmedinejad said he would welcome talks.

But on Thursday, Rice said the American side was not asking for a meeting, and the Iranians appeared reluctant to be the ones to make the first move.

The U.S. accuses Iran of increasing Iraq's violence by backing militants there, as well as accusing Tehran of aiming to build a nuclear weapons program. The Bush administration has rejected direct talks with Iran despite growing calls for contacts.

Iran denies the U.S. accusations and is calling for U.S. troops to leave neighboring Iraq, blaming Washington's policies for the country's bloodshed.

Separately Thursday, summit participants agreed on the International Compact with Iraq — an ambitious blueprint to stabilize the nation.

The plan sets benchmarks to achieve a stable, united, democratic Iraq within five years. It defines international help for Iraq — including debt relief — but also sets tough commitments on the Baghdad government, particularly carrying out reforms aimed at giving Iraq's Sunni Arabs a greater role in the political process.

The Iraqi government, the United Nations and many of the more than 60 countries and international organizations gathered here hailed the launch of the blueprint as a milestone.


© 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
by zootallures2 May 6, 2007 2:04 AM EDT
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.
Reply to this comment
by toolmangler-2009 May 6, 2007 1:29 AM EDT
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
by cfin5 May 5, 2007 11:22 PM EDT
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.
Reply to this comment
by cfin5 May 5, 2007 11:12 PM EDT
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.
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 May 5, 2007 11:07 PM EDT
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.
Reply to this comment
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 11:01 PM EDT
Dinner time
Reply to this comment
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 10:42 PM EDT
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
by tuckerndfw May 5, 2007 10:39 PM EDT
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
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 10:34 PM EDT
tuckerndfw,,,, Thanks alot
Reply to this comment
by tuckerndfw May 5, 2007 10:31 PM EDT
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
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 10:27 PM EDT
I planted melon this year,, Anyone know how to get rid of terrorist birds in a backyard garden ???
Reply to this comment
by tuckerndfw May 5, 2007 10:27 PM EDT
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
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 10:24 PM EDT
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
by tuckerndfw May 5, 2007 10:20 PM EDT
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
by cfin5 May 5, 2007 10:17 PM EDT
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!
Reply to this comment
by radiob-2009 May 5, 2007 10:13 PM EDT
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.
Reply to this comment
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 10:11 PM EDT
See ya later,, things to do.
Reply to this comment
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 10:07 PM EDT
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
by radiob-2009 May 5, 2007 10:03 PM EDT
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
by j-whitman May 5, 2007 9:53 PM EDT
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.
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