USA: SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE SAYS SYRIA IS "OUT OF STEP" WITH THE REST OF THE MIDDLE EAST
Record ID:
223008
USA: SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE SAYS SYRIA IS "OUT OF STEP" WITH THE REST OF THE MIDDLE EAST
- Title: USA: SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE SAYS SYRIA IS "OUT OF STEP" WITH THE REST OF THE MIDDLE EAST
- Date: 21st May 2005
- Summary: (AMREP) WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES (MAY 20, 2005) (REUTERS) 1. UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE AND IRAQI PLANNING MINISTER BARHAM SALIH WALK TOWARDS MICROPHONES 2. (SOUNDBITE) (English) IRAQI PLANNING MINISTER BARHAM SALIH SAYING: "I saw the pictures today and I think we need to look into those and the situation of how these pictures came out. We are bound by the rule of law and Saddam Hussein is accused of serious war crimes but he will be judged in court at the end of the day. He has to be treated in accordance with what the law requires." 3. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICE SAYING: "I can add nothing to that. I have confidence in the Iraqi government's desire and ability to live up to its obligations for international standards concerning the treatment of Saddam Hussein. " 4. JOURNALISTS LISTENING 5. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RICE SAYING: "We are concerned in particular about Syrian behaviour on its own border, about support for terrorists that appears to be taking place from Syrian territory, about perhaps financial support that is coming from Syrian territory. And its really time for Syria to realize that it's out of step with where the region is going. his is a power Syria which has begun to move its forces from Lebanon, which was standing in the way of a free Lebanon, a Syria that is supporting Palestinian rejectionists at a time when the Palestinians and Israelis are trying to find their way to a two-state solution that would clearly serve the interest of the Palestinian people and a Syria that is allowing its territory to be used to organize terrorist attacks against innocent Iraqis. This is a Syria that needs to understand that it should not think itself immune from the way that the region is going." 6. WIDESHOT; RICE AND SHAKE HANDS, WALK AWAY 2.13 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 5th June 2005 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, D.C., UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVACWSQUFATWX695CA6NPEFCWZ6G
- Story Text: Rice says Syria is "out of step" with the rest of
the Middle East.
United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice
met with Iraqi Planning Minister Barham Salih at the State
Department on Friday (May 20, 2005). After the meeting, the pair
held a brief news conference where they where asked about
the recently published photographs of Saddam Hussein in his
underwear.
"I saw the pictures today and I think we need to look
into those and the situation of how these pictures came
out. We are bound by the rule of law and Saddam Hussein is
accused of serious war crimes but he will be judged in
court at the end of the day. He has to be treated in
accordance with what the law requires," said Salih.
The release of the photos, which the Pentagon believed
were taken more than a year ago, may have violated the
Geneva Conventions, which prohibit prisoners of war from
being subjected to "insult and public curiosity", the U.S.
military said.
The photos of the former Iraqi president, toppled in a
2003 invasion and held by U.S. forces outside Baghdad,
appeared in The Sun, Britain's biggest-selling daily
newspaper, and The New York Post, both owned by media baron
Rupert Murdoch.
One picture showed Saddam wearing nothing but a pair of white
briefs and holding a pair of trousers in his hand.
Others showed Saddam, with short, black hair and a
moustache, washing clothes by hand and asleep on his bed.
The Sun said it would publish more pictures on Saturday.
The newspapers did not identify who provided the
pictures other than to say it was a U.S. military source
interested in hurting the Iraqi insurgency. The Pentagon
has said many members of the insurgency are Saddam
loyalists or members of his Baath Party.
Rice had little to add to Salih's statement. "I have
confidence in the Iraqi government's desire and ability to
live up to its obligations for international standards
concerning the treatment of Saddam Hussein," said Rice.
Rice also told reporters that Syria continues to be a
threat to stability in the region.
"We are concerned in particular about Syrian behaviour
on its own border, about support for terrorists that
appears to be taking place from Syrian territory, about
perhaps financial support that is coming from Syrian
territory. And its really time for Syria to realize that
it's out of step with where the region is going," said Rice.
"This is a Syria that needs to understand that it should
not think itself immune from the way that the region is
going," said Rice.
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