u.s. officials speeches U.S. Seeks Stabilization in Najaf Without Involving Shrine August 13, 2004

Powell says Iraqi authorities are having discussions with al-Sadr Secretary of State Colin Powell says coalition and Iraqi forces are trying to stabilize and end the fighting in Najaf, Iraq, without involving the Imam Ali shrine, one of the holiest sites in Shiite Islam. In a joint appearance with Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew at the State Department on August 13, Powell told reporters that U.S. forces are "squeezing the city" of Najaf to deal with the Mahdi army led by Shiite leader Muqtada al-Sadr. He also said the Iraqi interim government is leading discussions with al-Sadr in an effort to end the violence. The secretary said he could not confirm press reports saying al-Sadr had been injured, but said the Shiite leader has to face charges brought against him by Iraqi authorities. "[W]e hope that a solution will be found in the very near future, but it has to be a solution that ends this kind of outlaw activity on the part of the Mahdi army and similar organizations," he said. Asked why U.S. forces are not observing a ceasefire during the 2004 Olympic Games, Powell said the violence in Najaf is being perpetrated by "outlaws and by former regime elements and by terrorists who respect no truce [and] respect nothing except force." "The Olympic Truce is a noble effort at the time of the Olympics to avoid violence but, unfortunately, the world does not stop entirely for the Olympics," he said. For his part, Pettigrew said Canada is committed to being a U.S. partner in the reconstruction of Iraq, and noted that his government has already disbursed $215 million of the $300 million of aid it has pledged. "[W]e really want to cooperate and help in the rebuilding of that country," he said. Pettigrew also said his government is "not pleased at all" with Iran's apparent efforts to continue its nuclear program, adding that Canada is "very preoccupied" by the issue of nuclear proliferation. He furthermore accused Iran's justice system of treating the murder of Zahra Kazemi, a Canadian reporter of Iranian background, as "a farce," and said Tehran has not given Ottawa any cooperation on the matter. Canada and the United States "will continue to work as partners on Iran and it is something that I intend to raise at the United Nations General Assembly as well," he said. Following is a transcript of the August 13 remarks by Powell and Pettigrew: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE Office of the Spokesman August 13, 2004 Remarks Secretary of State Colin L. Powell And Canadian Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew After Their Meeting August 13, 2004 C Street Entrance Washington, D.C. (1:13 p.m. EDT) SECRETARY POWELL: Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It's been my great privilege to receive and have a very good meeting with my new Canadian Foreign Minister colleague, Minister Pierre Pettigrew. He is no stranger to the United States and certainly no stranger to me. I have worked closely with Pierre in his capacity as Ministry of Trade for the last three and a half years as he worked even more closely with Bob Zoellick and with Secretary Evans. And he has a long and distinguished career in international affairs and I am sure that we will be doing much together to strengthen the U.S.-Canadian partnership in the months and years ahead. Canada and the United States have a proud history of partnership, alliance and cooperation. When differences coming along, we know how to resolve those differences as befits two great democracies and two friends. In our conversation today we walked about trade issues, we talked about regional issues here in our own hemisphere, we talked about the transatlantic relationship. I discussed with the Foreign Minister our situation in Iraq right now. We talked about concerns over Iranian nuclear activities. And so it was a full, comprehensive exchange of views and I look forward to meeting with the Minister on a very, very regular basis and, of course, staying in close touch by telephone as well. So, Pierre, congratulations again. It's a great pleasure to welcome the Foreign Minister of our great northern friend, Canada. FOREIGN MINISTER PETTIGREW: Well, thank you very much. Thank you very much. I am, of course, very pleased to meet with the Secretary of State, Colin Powell, as my first international visit as Canada's Foreign Minister. I thought it was absolutely appropriate that I have my first international visit here in Washington with the Secretary of State. We've had, as he mentioned, a very good tour d'horizon, a very good tour d'horizon, because our interests and the complicity between Canada and the United States is extremely important, not only in this hemisphere but everywhere around the world. And it is true that after my five years as International Trade Minister I have developed strong friendships in the administration and I do hope very much that with Colin Powell I will be working on the same basis. I have no doubt we will because we have known one another for a number of years and have already established a good rapport that will allow us to build a better Canada-U.S. relationship, continue to as well do good things around the world where we can help one another build a better and stronger planet. So we covered all of the bases, as the Secretary mentioned. Certainly, on the trade, front I expressed to the Secretary the importance for us as foreign ministers that the trade issues get the best attention because in Canada they are, of course, very important and it is, of course, always the 5 percent that works less well that catches the attention, not the 95 percent of the most vibrant and the best trade relationship around the world. But, of course, we talked about Iraq, Iran, Haiti. We talked about NATO. I'm very pleased with the NORAD amendment which we succeeded in doing last week. (In French.) SECRETARY POWELL: The Minister said in French exactly what he said in English, so I don't think we need a translation here. (Laughter.) Barry. QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, in English, may I ask you if there's a real ceasefire taking hold in Iraq? What is the condition of al-Sadr? Does the U.S. want him arrested? Could you please elaborate on a rather murky, tenuous situation? SECRETARY POWELL: You said ceasefire in Iraq but I think you're referring to Najaf. Our forces -- QUESTION: I meant Najaf, I'm sorry. SECRETARY POWELL: Yeah. Our forces in Najaf are squeezing the city, frankly, to help stabilize the situation and deal with the Mahdi army. There are also conversations that are taking place between representatives of Muqtada al-Sadr and the Iraqi interim government. It's the Iraqi interim government that is in the lead with respect to any such discussions. What we want is an end to this kind of outlaw activity on the part of the Mahdi army and on the part of Mr. al-Sadr. I cannot confirm whether or not he has been injured. I have seen those reports, but as of an hour and a half ago, when last I checked, I had no confirmation of his injuries or the extent of those injuries or where he is. As you know, there is a paper out on him, there are charges that have been placed against him by Iraqi authorities, and I hope that in due course he will be available to answer those charges. But that, once again, is a matter between him and the Iraqi interim government, not the United States. What we are trying to do is to stabilize the situation, end the fighting there, deal with those who try to continue fighting. We do not, in any way, wish to get involved with the mosque. It's a very holy place for all Shia, and we hope that a solution will be found in the very near future, but it has to be a solution that ends this kind of outlaw activity on the part of the Mahdi army and similar organizations. QUESTION: Mr. Minister -- QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -- QUESTION: On Iraq. On Iraq, how concerned -- QUESTION: Mr. Secretary -- SECRETARY POWELL: The Minister will pick a questioner. Anybody? No Canadian press? QUESTION: Mr. Minister, en français? QUESTION: Excuse me, when you were -- Minister, when you were discussing Iran, I wonder if the two or you are now -- have an accord or an agreement or a similar mind as to what the next step should be, given Iran's apparent continued efforts to have a clandestine nuclear program. FOREIGN MINISTER PETTIGREW: Well, we are very preoccupied by the nuclear proliferation and we are not pleased at all with the way the Iranians are conducting this particular question of nuclear proliferation. So this is something on which we need to cooperate and make sure that Iran respects international obligations and absolutely limits that. We also discussed the abuse of human rights. As you know, there is the assassination, the murder of Madame Kazemi, a Canadian reporter of Iranian background, origin, who was killed in a prison there, and we have no cooperation from the Iranian Government. We've asked for the body to be sent back to Canada. We have realized that the whole justice system has been treating this as a farce, unfortunately, and we will continue to work as partners on Iran and it is something that I intend to raise at the United Nations General Assembly as well. SECRETARY POWELL: We also agreed that there is an IAEA meeting coming up in September where we will have a chance to review Iranian behavior. QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, is Sistani involved in the talks between both the government -- SECRETARY POWELL: I'm sorry? QUESTION: Is Sistani -- Sistani involved in talks between the Iraqi government and Muqtada al-Sadr? And also, the United States has been criticized for not respecting the so-called Olympic Truce. How do you respond? SECRETARY POWELL: I am not aware of his involvement, but that's, perhaps, a question you should put to the Iraqi interim government, or its authorities, who are leading these discussions. The Olympic Truce is a noble effort at the time of the Olympics to avoid violence but, unfortunately, the world does not stop entirely for the Olympics. In this case, the violence is being perpetrated by outlaws and by former regime elements and by terrorists who respect no truce, respect nothing except force. And as long as those individuals don't understand the spirit of peace and reconciliation, are not willing to work for democratic, free Iraq, they have to be dealt with. And so your question really should not be addressed to us. It should be addressed to those who are causing the violence, who are setting off the bombs, who are destroying the hopes of the Iraqi people. Do we have another Canadian? QUESTION: I have a question. En français? FOREIGN MINISTER PETTIGREW: En français, s'il vous plait. QUESTION (via interpreter): Could you please give us a little more details about what you said about Iraq? Did the Secretary make requests, specific requests, to you about Iraq? FOREIGN MINISTER PETTIGREW: No. We exchanged views about the challenge -- (In French.) QUESTION: In English, please. FOREIGN MINISTER PETTIGREW: Yes, I was -- I'll do it in English as well, so it might be useful. (Laughter.) And en español, tambien? (In Spanish.) (Laughter.) No, the -- we -- the Secretary did not address any particular request to Canada, but we have exchanged our respective viewpoints on the present situation in Iraq and I have certainly reiterated Canada's commitment to the reconstruction of Iraq, that we want to be there, we want to be a partner. We've pledged $300 million in favor of that reconstruction. As I was calling the Secretary's attention, we've already disbursed $215 million -- isn't it? You know, some tend to pledge, but not necessarily disburse. We've already disbursed $215 million, so we really want to cooperate and help in the rebuilding of that country. QUESTION: Mr. Minister, how concerned are you about the recent uprising in Najaf on, you know, tensions, religious tensions, in the Middle East? FOREIGN MINISTER PETTIGREW: Well, we -- we, of course, regret that very much and we've discussed the situation in Najaf in further details, obviously, and I know that it is -- the Secretary's attention is very much focused on that triangle. SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you. FOREIGN MINISTER PETTIGREW: Thank you very much.

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