USA: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW SAYS EUROPE AND USA ARE UNITED IN RESTORING STABILITY FOR IRAQ
Record ID:
223010
USA: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW SAYS EUROPE AND USA ARE UNITED IN RESTORING STABILITY FOR IRAQ
- Title: USA: BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW SAYS EUROPE AND USA ARE UNITED IN RESTORING STABILITY FOR IRAQ
- Date: 13th November 2003
- Summary: (W7) WASHINGTON, .D.C, UNITED STATES (NOVEMBER 13, 2003) (REUTERS) 1. U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL AND BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW ENTERING THE BEN FRANKLIN ROOM IN THE STATE DEPARTMENT 0.06 2. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) BRITISH FOREIGN SECRETARY JACK STRAW, SAYING: "Iraq did not produce a rift between Europe and the United States. The Iraq debate produced, sadly, divisions within Europe between those who took the view that we did and Italy did and Spain did and going over half the E.U. accession states did and those who took a different view. And that was reflected in the arguments inside the Security Council earlier this year. But there is -- my view -- unanimity within Europe and across the Atlantic about what needs to be done for the future. Everyone in the international community has the same common interest in ensuring that these terrorists are defeated, that the coalition is able to help create conditions of security, and that we advance as quickly as is possible to ensure that the Iraqi people are the ones who assume sovereignty and responsibility for their own lives. So that's the position. The other thing, if I may just offer this piece of advice to President Bush, what certainly I've been doing is to gently to remind European audiences about the critical role that the United States of America played not once, but twice in securing liberties and freedoms in Europe. We don't forget that." 1.30 3. WIDE VIEW POWELL AND STRAW 1.35 4. SCU (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE COLIN POWELL, SAYING: "We believe that the plan we had put forward with respect to getting a legitimacy base for a new government is the right way to go it. And Ambassador Bremer's consultations with the governing council and then here in Washington and now again with the governing council when he goes back I believe will lead to a plan that will accelerate the process, but it will be along the basic, fundamental lines that we have laid out from the beginning and we were looking to see if there were any modifications to that basic line that might allow the process to move even faster." 2.19 5. WIDE VIEW POWELL AND STRAW 2.25 Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 28th November 2003 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: WASHINGTON, .D.C, UNITED STATES
- City:
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA668CJGQ3XBMUYQO3UAWL8SB2T
- Story Text: British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw says Europe
and the United States are now united in restoring stability to Iraq.
In an effort to ease U.S.-European tension over Iraq
British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw said on Thursday
(November 13) that US President George W. Bush should use his state visit to Britain next week to remind Europe of American sacrifices on the continent during World War I and II.
"If I may just offer this piece of advice to President
Bush, ... gently to remind European audiences about the
critical role that the United States of America played,
not once, but twice in securing liberties and freedoms in Europe," Straw said.
"We don't forget that," Straw told reporters in a
press conference at the State Department after meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell in advance of Bush's visit to Britain that begins on Tuesday (November 18).
Straw added the war in Iraq had not created divisions
between the United States and Europe but had rather
resulted in deep divisions between European nations
themselves.
"Iraq did not produce a rift between Europe and the United States," he said. "The Iraq debate produced, sadly, divisions within Europe between those who took the view that we did and Italy did and Spain did and going over half the EU accession states did and those who took a different view," Straw said He referenced the vocal opposition to the war from France, Germany and Belgium, which mired the continent in controversy in the lead-up to the US-led invasion, paralysing the UN Security Council and wreaking havoc at NATO.
Despite the lingering effects of those differences,
Straw said he believed that all of Europe and the United States were now united in restoring stability to Iraq and returning sovereignty to the Iraqi people as soon as possible.
"There is unanimity within Europe and across the
Atlantic about what needs to be done for the future," he said. "Everybody in the international community has the
same common interest."
Powell echoed Straw's comments saying Washington was
eager to restore Iraq to self-rule, reiterating comments
from US officials over the past two days that new ideas for speeding up that process are under consideration.
"We believe that the plan we had put forward with
respect to getting a legitimacy base for a new government is the right way to go," Powell said referring to the accelerated transfer of power plan the U.S is hoping to institute in Iraq.
The US-appointed interim Iraqi Governing Council has
until December 15 to produce a timeline for writing a
constitution and holding democratic elections.
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