Secretary of State Colin Powell praised Libyan leader Muammar Qadhafi for making what Powell called "a bold decision" to improve relations with the United States.

In a January 9 interview with Abu Dhabi television, the secretary said once Libya has provided verification that it has eliminated its programs for weapons of mass destruction, the United States will be prepared to enter a political dialogue "on all of matters of interest to Libya."

Powell also addressed the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the interview, affirming that the two-state solution involving an independent state of Palestine existing in peace and security alongside Israel is the only way to solve the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.

Powell said the United States has made it clear to the Israeli side that the United States has problems with Israel's construction of a security fence.

"[W]e are in discussions with the Israelis as to the route that the fence will be taking over time because we understand the concerns that have been expressed by the Palestinian side," Powell said.

With regard to Iraq, Powell said the United States supports the territorial integrity of the country and is working with the different Iraqi groups to develop a political system that will address their needs.

"Ambassador Bremer is in conversation with Kurdish leaders and Sunni leaders, Shia leaders and other leaders. But we believe it's important that the country remain together," Powell said.

Commenting on U.S. relations with Iran, Powell said there are serious political differences between Teheran and Washington, but the "humanitarian rapprochement" that recently occurred following the earthquake that devastated the Iranian city of Bam has opened up opportunities for dialogue.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
January 9, 2004

INTERVIEW

Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
By Jasim Alazawi of Abu Dhabi TV

January 9, 2004
Washington, D.C.

(10:18 a.m. EST)

MR. ALAZAWI: (Via interpreter). Good afternoon, Mr. Secretary. I'm the interpreter from Abu Dhabi TV. Do you hear me, sir?

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you. I hear you fine.

MR. ALAZAWI: (Via interpreter). It is our pleasure to welcome Mr. Secretary Powell, who granted Abu Dhabi TV this interview.

Mr. Powell, many solutions toward the Palestinian issue have risen recently. Sharon wants to implement unilateral disengagement, Ahmed Qureia calls for a bi-national state. The American Administration refused both proposals. Meanwhile, the security wall will grab 65 percent of the Palestinian land. Why don't we see a strong U.S. condemnation of this security wall?

SECRETARY POWELL: The United States continues to believe strongly that a two-state solution is the only solution that will work: a Palestinian state for the Palestinian people, called Palestine, and the state of Israel living side by side in peace and security.

We believe it's important for the Palestinians to do more on the security side so that we can get moving on the roadmap. The President remains committed to this two-state vision that he laid out in his speech of June of 2002.

We have made it clear to the Israeli side that we have problems with the fence, with the wall, or whatever one chooses to call it. And we are in discussions with the Israelis as to the route that the fence will be taking over time because we understand the concerns that have been expressed by the Palestinian side.

MR. ALAZAWI: (Via interpreter). The opponents of the U.S. policy regarding Iraq are seeing some chaos taking root in Iraq. The Federation Project, the Kurds claim, in Kirkuk, will put an end to the consensus within the Iraqi Governing Council. How do you see the American project? Do you think that it will succeed in Iraq?

SECRETARY POWELL: Yes, I think we'll succeed. The President's made it clear from the very beginning that we don't want to see Iraq break up into its constituent parts. It has to be one nation. And so there will be some very difficult discussions among the Iraqis as they determine how this one nation will be formed, how it will be organized, what the nature of the political system will be, what the authorities will be in the different parts of the country.

We want to help them with this discussion and dialogue. We have some views about it, and Ambassador Bremer is in conversation with Kurdish leaders and Sunni leaders, Shia leaders and other leaders. But we believe it's important that the country remain together.

But you know, what we have done over the last several months is put in place a group of individuals in the Iraqi Governing Council that are now speaking for the Iraqi people; give them a forum to discuss these issues.

And we have a plan called, "The November 15th Plan," which will lead to a transitional assembly and a transitional government by the middle of next year. What we want is Iraqis to take responsibility for their own future, to determine how they will be organized and governed.

But we knew it would be a difficult task because of the different points of view that exist within the country. That's what democracy is all about -- reconciling these different points of view to come up with a common approach to the problem.

MR. ALAZAWI: (Via interpreter). Iraq -- Libyan President Qadhafi is confused. He doesn't know how to please President Bush. He settled the issues of Lockerbie, of weapons of mass destruction. He put an end to supporting movements of liberation, even though the U.S. sanctions are persisting.

What does -- what has Qadhafi to do in order to please the U.S. Administration?

SECRETARY POWELL: I think President Qadhafi has done a great deal. It was important to get the Pan Am 103 matter behind us. We've done that. And now, in the last few weeks, we have announced -- the United States, the United Kingdom and Libya -- that Libya is going to give up all of its weapons of mass destruction programs, programs they denied having earlier.

We had meetings with the Libyans this week to discuss how we would verify that they have eliminated those programs. And once we have verified that those programs have been eliminated, the United States is prepared to enter into a political dialogue with Libya about all of the matters of interest to Libya, whether it has to do with sanctions, investment in Libya, a variety of things that we can do to improve the lives of the Libyan people and to put relations with Libya on a more normal track.

So things will happen in the future in the political sphere, but we have to get the verification problem dealt with, the verification challenge resolved. And I think people should be patient. President Qadhafi has made the right decision, a bold decision, and the Libyan people and the people of the region will see how it will benefit the Libyan people.

MR. ALAZAWI: (Via interpreter). Last question, regarding Iran. We saw a kind of rapprochement between the U.S. Administration and Tehran. Is there any indication or willingness to send a delegation from the State Department or Congress to Iran, and how do you see what's going in Iran now?

SECRETARY POWELL: Iran has taken some decisions recently, which we found encouraging. Their agreement to enter into an additional protocol of the Nonproliferation Treaty, the work they did with the European Union foreign ministers in resolving concerns about their nuclear weapons program.

I think there is more that they have to do with respect to their nuclear weapons program to satisfy the international community, and we think there is more that they can do with respect to terrorism and other activities.

So there are still serious political differences between the United States and Iran, but we couldn't help but note that when the Iranian people, as a result of the earthquake, were in such desperate need, the United States felt obliged to offer support to the Iranian people, and the Government of Iran accepted that support.

So it showed that in a crisis like that we could cooperate, and maybe that will lead to other areas of cooperation. But we should not think that just because of this humanitarian rapprochement it immediately leads to a political rapprochement. But I think it has opened up some opportunities for dialogue with Iran.

MR. ALAZAWI: (Via interpreter). Secretary of State Powell, thank you for granting this interview to Abu Dhabi TV.

SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you.