Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage said he is angered and saddened by recently released photos of U.S. servicemen and women abusing Iraqi prisoners.

"[T]hose photos show despicable acts. I couldn't be angrier about them. I couldn't be sadder about them. And, frankly, I couldn't be sorrier that some Iraqi prisoners had to suffer from this humiliation," Armitage said in an interview with Al Hurra television May 4.

Armitage said it will be important for the U.S. military to undertake a thorough criminal investigation of the problem and to punish people if they are found guilty of committing abuses.

The deputy secretary said the United States is engaged in discussions with others among the five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council about a new Security Council resolution for Iraq. He said he could not predict a date for the new resolution but said it would outline a potential role for the United Nations.

Regarding the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, Armitage said Secretary of State Colin Powell is meeting with representatives from the United Nations, the European Union and Russia in an effort to generate movement toward peace within the framework of the document known as the Roadmap. The four are known as the Quartet when dealing with the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Armitage said Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's plan to evacuate Israeli settlers from Gaza provides a basis to pursue peace.

Armitage said the United States will discuss reforms for the Middle East at the G-8 summit of the major industrial democracies and Russia, which will take place in the U.S. state of Georgia in June.

Responding to a question about U.S. concerns over Al-Jazeera television, Armitage said the Qatar-based broadcaster incites violence and broadcasts inaccurate information.

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
May 4, 2004

INTERVIEW

Deputy Secretary of State Richard L. Armitage
With Michel Ghandour of Al Hurra Television
May 4, 2004
Washington, D.C.
(10:15 a.m. EDT)

MR. GHANDOUR: Mr. Armitage, thank you for taking the time to speak to you.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Thank you for asking me.

MR. GHANDOUR: Thank you. Mr. Armitage, how do you assess the damages from the release of the photos of abused Iraqi prisoners by U.S. soldiers? What would you like to tell our audiences on it?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I think those photos show despicable acts. I couldn't be angrier about them. I couldn't be sadder about them. And, frankly, I couldn't be sorrier that some Iraqi prisoners had to suffer from this humiliation.

Having said that, this is not who American servicemen are. This is a great betrayal, I think, to the thousands and thousands of acts of kindness which American servicemen have taken part in in Iraq, and I hope that those who are found guilty will be punished. And it will take a long time, however, I think, for us to recover.

MR. GHANDOUR: The photos did a lot of damage to America's image in the world. What are you going to do to improve the legitimate image of the U.S. after this setback, especially since the U.S. went to Iraq to remove Saddam because of his crimes against his people?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: First of all, we made mistakes in this case, clearly. But the importance in protecting human rights comes from the ability of people to see that these human rights are protected in a transparent way. So I think it will be very important for the U.S. military to have a very thorough criminal investigation, which I am sure they will have, and for, if people are found guilty, that they're punished appropriately and correctly, and that we're seen as being people who take the view that no one's above the law.

MR. GHANDOUR: Mr. Armitage, some analysts consider that entrusting by the CPA of a former Iraqi general with the security in Fallujah as a weakness and also as a victory for the opponents of America. How do you see this?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I think that the situation in Fallujah has been handled with wisdom yet determination. You'll notice our U.S. Marine Corps units are still there. Should it be necessary to go into Fallujah to root out insurgents, they are willing and ready to do so.

This is an opportunity for the notables in Fallujah to actually stand up for their town and stand up for their peoples and make the point that they'd rather live in security than live out of the barrel -- under the barrel of a gun, and we'll give them time to make that decision.

MR. GHANDOUR: When do you plan to ask for a new Security Council resolution for Iraq? To what extent is the UN going to play a viable role in the new Iraq?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I won't be able to answer you specifically on what date. It will depend, to some extent, on developments in Iraq; and, of course, the very able envoy Lakhdar Brahimi is in Iraq now discussing these matters with Iraqis, which is most appropriate.

But the UN Security Council resolution itself will outline a potential role for the UN. It will also make it clear that occupation is over and that sovereignty passes to a sovereign Iraqi government, things of that nature. And we're discussing this with some of our Permanent 5 members of the Security Council now.

MR. GHANDOUR: Some press reports said that Washington favors or supports the Iraqi Minister of Planning, Mr. Mahdi Hafiz, to be the Prime Minister for the interim government. How do you respond to this?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: It's not about what Washington wants; it's what the people of Iraq want. And I'm sure that Mr. Brahimi will go around and talk to all segments of Iraqi political society and he'll put forward a very good and solid list. So it's what the people of Iraq want, not what Washington wants that's important.

MR. GHANDOUR: But do you support Mr. --

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: We will not put our finger on the scale for anyone.

MR. GHANDOUR: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad described recently the insurgents fighting U.S. troops in Fallujah as popular resistance. How do you react to this?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I don't know how President Assad would know whether they were popular resistance or not. They don't seem extraordinarily popular in Fallujah. Notice that the town notables came out and are looking to have them leave the area. So I think that President Assad probably wishes he had those words back.

MR. GHANDOUR: Is Syria showing any new cooperation with the U.S. regarding the control of its border with Iraq and returning Iraqi assets?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I believe there's been one relatively low-level meeting on this matter, particularly the question of the border. It's very much in Syria's interest to control that border. But we'll see if the cooperation extends beyond mere talk. But there are some beginning signs, and it's welcome.

MR. GHANDOUR: And when do you expect the Administration will implement the Syria Accountability Act? Last month, you declared before Congress that it's going to be very soon.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Yes, the President has signed the Act and we've met interagency to discuss the various aspects of it. And it will come in the not too distant future. It's inevitable.

MR. GHANDOUR: Do you expect it will be in this month?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Probably in this month, yeah.

MR. GHANDOUR: Last month, you made an important visit to the Middle East. What did you achieve?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I'm not sure I achieved anything. First of all, I was in Baghdad, of course, to begin to arrange for the turnover from CPA to an American ambassador, and I wanted to make sure that the State Department had their hands around the whole problem.

But I also had the opportunity to go to Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Saudi and Bahrain to discuss the question of Iraq, our ideas about a UN Security Council resolution, and to discuss the fact that Sunnis in Iraq would be part of the political, cultural, social and economic life of the new Iraq and they would have appropriate positions in the new Iraq. And I wanted to assure all the countries in the area of this fact.

MR. GHANDOUR: How did you see the rejection of the Likud Party to Sharon's plan to pull out of Gaza? Did you consider this development as a setback to the Administration's credibility?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I actually consider it a setback to the Palestinians' ability to immediately, or relatively immediately, take possession of settlements in Gaza and the four settlements in the West Bank. I see that Prime Minister Sharon says he's going to press on with his plan.

Secretary Powell is meeting with the Quartet in New York and he'll be discussing and they'll be issuing a statement on this. And I think you'll see that we'll all together try to find a way forward.

MR. GHANDOUR: What does the U.S. expect to achieve in the Quartet meeting in New York today?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, we want to exchange views with the other Quartet members on just where they think we should go next. We want a reaffirmation that the roadmap is the only map out there and the only road out there and that we still have the goal of two states living side by side.

We will want to discuss all the aspects of the plan of Mr. Sharon. And we have not seen what he plans to do now, but we'll sort of get ready for it.

MR. GHANDOUR: And the Palestinians refused the Sharon's plan, Mr. Armitage.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, it strikes me as very difficult to refuse when someone is handing back settlements for the first time since 1967, when someone is allowing Palestinians to have -- or finally giving the Palestinians the opportunity to have a common border with an Arab state for the first time since 1967. It's significant.

And we'll see where we go. As we've made it quite clear, final status negotiations still have to be mutually agreed upon by the two parties, but we think that the Gaza plan was a basis on which to work.

MR. GHANDOUR: Lots of press reports noted that King Abdallah of Jordan is going to ask President Bush, when he visits the White House on Thursday, for guarantees about the peace process. What is the Administration going to offer him?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, of course, some of King Abdallah's colleagues are here now discussing with my colleagues and with Dr. Rice various aspects of the Sharon plan and the roadmap, and I'm sure that on Thursday King Abdallah and the President will probably both have the opportunity to make statements on this. We'll let those statements speak for themselves.

MR. GHANDOUR: Do you expect to meet with any Palestinian officials, especially after the Palestinian Foreign Minister Nabil Shaath cancellation of his visit to Washington last month?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Oh, I suspect that sooner or later our Palestinian friends will come to Washington, and I'll be delighted to meet with them.

MR. GHANDOUR: Are you planning to resume contacts between Israelis and Palestinians soon?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, that's a question to ask in Israel, I think, whether Israel and Palestinians will be able to resume the contacts. We have never broken contact with either side. We continue to have discussion with the Palestinians. Assistant Secretary Burns was recently in the area and, of course, saw our Palestinian friends, is on the telephone with them all of the time.

MR. GHANDOUR: Mr. Armitage, there are 50 American diplomats who sent a message to President Bush today or yesterday to criticize his politics in the Middle East and Iraq. What can you comment on this?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, we right now in this Administration have the responsibility for the politics in the Middle East, and we're trying as hard as we can. The beauty of a democracy is people can speak out, even against the President, without fear of any retribution. They are able to do so and they did so. But I don't think it's particularly significant, one way or the other. It's a demonstration of democracy at work.

MR. GHANDOUR: There are reports about Libya inviting an Israeli chess team to visit Tripoli as part of an effort of public diplomacy. How do you assess such news?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, if that's what Colonel Qadhafi wants to do, that would be a fine, fine gesture.

MR. GHANDOUR: Does the U.S. still plan to present the Greater Middle East Initiative in the G-8 Summit in June, or did you change your plans?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: We're still interested in the Greater Middle East Initiative. But I thank you for raising it because it gives me the opportunity to make it clear that the Middle East Initiative is not something that's forced from above down on the various Arab states without respect to their culture or respect to their unique situation.

It's simply an acknowledgement that in almost every state in the Middle East there is some winds of change, whether it's in civil society or in education or in governance; and where countries want to develop NGOs, for instance, or transparency, then we think the G-8 should support that, but certainly not force our way into anything.

But, yes, we'll discuss this at the G-8, and hopefully we'll be able to come forward with something.

MR. GHANDOUR: The Arab League Summit is going to be held in Tunisia this month. What does the U.S. wish to come out of it?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I certainly hope the summit will be held. Foreign Ministers are meeting laterally; hopefully, there will be a summit in Tunis. And I would like to see, but it's not my call, some embracing of the idea of reform, reforms in education and reforms in civil society, and not in a way that's threatening to any particular state, but in a way that raises the level of all of the population of all the states in the region.

MR. GHANDOUR: But some Arab countries refuse American reforms in the Middle East.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Fine, we're not saying American reforms are necessarily the answer. Each state has its own cultural attributes, and I think that the reforms have to be in line with the unique cultures of these states. So, fine, they're welcome to do it on their own, and that's a good thing.

MR. GHANDOUR: Mr. Armitage, did you get any cooperation from the Qatari Foreign Minister regarding your concern about Al-Jazeera TV coverage of Iraq?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I'm quite sure that our good friend, Hamad bin Jasim, understood clearly the feelings of the United States about Al-Jazeera, and that is that we have a real problem. Al-Jazeera is welcome to put anything on which is not a lie, and welcome to put anything on which is not inciteful to violence, but Al-Jazeera incites violence and puts things on that are untrue. And we made this very clear to the Foreign Minister, but I should let him speak for himself.

MR. GHANDOUR: Last thing. Anti-Americanism in the Arab world is on the rise because of events in Iraq, the abuse of Iraqi prisoners and the complete support for Sharon. How are you going to bring back some balance to the U.S. relations with the Arab world?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: As I say, we work every day trying to develop in a positive way relations with the Arab world and the Muslim world, in general, far beyond the Middle East. It's not something that can be fixed in a day or a month. It's going to be a long process and we just dedicate ourselves to the effort.

MR. GHANDOUR: Thank you, Mr. Armitage, to joining us.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Thank you.

MR. GHANDOUR: Thank you.