USA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SEES LIMITS ON IRAQ SOVEREIGNTY POST-JUNE 30

Record ID: 222993

  • Title: USA: U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SEES LIMITS ON IRAQ SOVEREIGNTY POST-JUNE 30
  • Date: 26th April 2004
  • Summary: (W8) WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (APRIL 26, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SV UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL SPEAKING DURING INTERVIEW 0.09 2. MCU (English) POWELL SAYING "I haven't used the term "limited sovereignty" but it is clear that they will not yet have- others on my staff may have - but I've said it's sovereignty but part of that sovereignty is that they are going to allow us to exercise on their behalf with their permission. It is not as if we are seizing anything away from them. It is with the understanding that they need our help and for us to provide that help we have to be able to operate freely which in some ways infringes on what some would call full sovereignty." 0.37 3. SV POWELL SPEAKING DURING INTERVIEW 0.44 4. MCU (English) POWELL SAYING "We had been patient for the last couple of weeks while we have been trying to find a soft way to resolve this problem. But, at the end of the day it might be necessary to take rather direct military action." 0.58 5. CU OF POWELL'S HANDS 1.05 6. MCU (English) POWELL SAYING "There is no conflict in my mind. There's no basis for me to consider whether or not I had done my job or I should move on. We wanted to get rid of that regime. That regime is gone. I'm pleased that Saddam Hussein is gone. There are no more mass graves being filled. And once we defeat these thugs, I'm pleased that I will have a role to play in the rebuilding of an Iraq that is going to rest on the foundation of democracy. People people are missing the point with respect to providing all aspects of a problem and analyzing all aspects of a problem and somehow thinking that means that you are against the solution that's been decided upon, that was never my position." 1.45 7. SV POWELL SPEAKING DURING INTERVIEW 1.52 8. MCU (English) POWELL SAYING "First of all, let me say how disappointed I am that the Greek Cypriots did not vote favourably for this plan. It was a good plan it was a historic moment. I think this historic moment will be lost and will be seen as a lost opportunity in the future. The Turkish government displayed great courage, political courage, the Turkish Cypriots did as well and voted for it. And so I think there should be some benefits to the Turkish Cypriots for having voted yes for this plan." 2.26 9. SV POWELL SPEAKING DURING INTERVIEW 2.34 10. MCU (English) POWELL SAYING "The North Koreans have got to come to the realization that you are not going to go backwards on this one. I think the United States understands clearly. And here I broaden it out beyond my administration, our administration, President Bush and his team, this administration. I broaden it out that the American people understand that we can no longer be just a negotiation between the United States and North Korea where we reward them, compensate them. For what? For bad behaviour, for broken faith. So they can take their time and wait as long as they wish to. But, I think that they will discover that this six party system will stay intact I believe." 3.17 11. SV POWELL SPEAKING DURING INTERVIEW 3.25 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 11th May 2004 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
  • City:
  • Country: USA
  • Reuters ID: LVAF3545DK52XTKB9AFGIHYHXTMM
  • Story Text: Powell sees limits on Iraq sovereignty post-June 30.



    U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said on Monday
    (April 26) that the still undefined government due to take
    power in Iraq on July 1 would have to give back some of its
    sovereignty to U.S.-led military forces.

    "I haven't used the term "limited sovereignty" but it is
    clear that they will not yet have- others on my staff may
    have - but I've said it's sovereignty but part of that
    sovereignty is that they are going to allow us to exercise
    on their behalf with their permission. It is not as if we
    are seizing anything away from them. It is with the
    understanding that they need our help and for us to provide
    that help we have to be able to operate freely which in
    some ways infringes on what some would call full
    sovereignty," said Powell.

    Powell also told Reuters the United States would take a
    little time to see if joint U.S.-Iraqi patrols could work
    in Falluja before deciding whether to take military action
    there.

    With the clock ticking down to a formal handover of
    power to Iraqis on June 30, the U.S.-led occupation
    authority is racing to extinguish a challenge to its
    military control in Falluja while avoiding inflaming Iraqi
    public opinion.

    U.S. forces have encircled the city, where Sunni
    insurgents have fought a three-week battle with U.S.

    Marines.

    "We had been patient for the last couple of weeks while we
    have been trying to find a soft way to resolve this
    problem. But, at the end of the day it might be necessary
    to take rather direct military action," said Powell.

    U.S. officials said President George W. Bush had asked
    commanders to keep up talks to try to find a solution. But
    they may start sending joint U.S.-Iraqi patrols into the
    city as early as Tuesday, risking serious confrontations.

    When asked whether if he had misgivings about invading
    Iraq and whether he should resign because of them, Powell
    said no.

    "There is no conflict in my mind. There's no basis for me
    to consider whether or not I had done my job or I should
    move on. We wanted to get rid of that regime. That regime
    is gone. I'm pleased that Saddam Hussein is gone. There are
    no more mass graves being filled. And once we defeat these
    thugs, I'm pleased that I will have a role to play in the
    rebuilding of an Iraq that is going to rest on the
    foundation of democracy. People people are missing the
    point with respect to providing all aspects of a problem
    and analyzing all aspects of a problem and somehow thinking
    that means that you are against the solution that's been
    decided upon, that was never my position," said Powell.

    Powell also expressed his dissatisfaction with the
    decision by a majority of Greek Cypriot voters to reject
    the United Nations reunification plan for Cyprus.

    "Let me say how disappointed I am that the Greek
    Cypriots did not vote favourably for this plan. It was a
    good plan it was a historic moment. I think this historic
    moment will be lost and will be seen as a lost opportunity
    in the future. The Turkish government displayed great
    courage, political courage, the Turkish Cypriots did as
    well and voted for it. And so I think there should be some
    benefits to the Turkish Cypriots for having voted yes for
    this plan," said Powell.

    Powell told Reuters when asked that he did not believe
    North Korea was stalling negotiations until after the U.S.

    presidential elections but insisted that the country must
    come to the realization that the "six party system will
    stay intact."
    "The North Koreans have got to come to the realization
    that you are not going to go backwards on this one...the
    American people understand that we can no longer be just a
    negotiation between the United States and North Korea where
    we reward them, compensate them. For what? For bad
    behaviour, for broken faith," said Powell.


  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2015. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register