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From left, former secretaries of state Warren Christopher, Henry Kissinger, and Madeleine Albright. (AP)
Last update - 19:34 16/09/2008
Former U.S. secretaries of state say they support talks with Iran
By Natasha Mozgovaya, Haaretz Correspondent and Haaretz Service
Tags: Iran, United States 

Five former U.S. secretaries of state on Monday announced their support for talks with Iran, with all five saying the United States should not wait to launch diplomatic engagements with the Islamic Republic.

The former chief diplomats, Madeleine K. Albright; James A. Baker, III; Warren Christopher; Henry A. Kissinger; and Colin L. Powell issued their support for talks during a roundtable discussion entitled "The Next President: A World of Challenges," held at Washington D.C.'s George Washington University.
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Moderator Christiane Amanpour of CNN asked the diplomats how they would respond if Iran declared it was prepared to make a deal with the U.S. after the upcoming elections. Kissinger responded "I'm in favor of negotiating with Iran," noting that the main concern is whether a nuclear weapon could make its way into the hands of a non-state actor.

Albright also issued her support for talks, saying, "We need to engage with Iran. You have to deal with countries you have a problem with."

Albright added that the issue is more serious because the war in Iraq has strengthened Iran. She also said the U.S. has an inaccurate view of Iranian society, saying, "[Iranian President Mahmoud] Ahmadinejad is not particularly popular, and we don't understand Iranian society, it's not monolithic."

Powell issued a harsh rebuke to those who would stonewall the Islamic Republic, saying, "we should start to talk to them and not wait till later. What are we afraid of?"

The former head of the Joint Chiefs of Staff also said the U.S. could use economic aid as a means of thawing relations with Iran, saying, "I had one meeting with the Iranian Foreign Minister. I said to him: 'What's the major problem facing Iran today?' He said: 'We have a young population and we have to create jobs' - they have major economic problems, now that's something we can deal with."

Former Clinton administration secretary of state Warren Christopher highlighted U.S. military shortcomings in the need to pursue talks, saying, "We cannot afford not to have a dialogue, the military options are very poor."

The former secretaries of state also were asked who they endorsed for president, with James Baker III, secretary of state under George H.W. Bush's administration, issuing his support for John McCain and Albright saying "I'm supporting Senator Obama, it will send a message of diversity."

Powell said he hadn't yet decided who he's supporting because "there's too much talk about lipstick and pigs," adding, "we must move beyond issues of heroism or color, and ask, Who's going to have the best economic policy and bring the best judgment?
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  1.   Antisemites One and All 01:05  |  MaoSayTongue 16/09/08
  2.   Wisdom! 03:19  |  Persian Hero 16/09/08
  3.   NO, THEY ARE NOT ANTI-SEMITES 03:27  |  Brant 16/09/08
  4.   clinton coward supporters/obama/all of them are cowards who can`t 03:42  |  glenna 16/09/08
  5.   Not Until Bush is Out 05:07  |  Mark of Lewiston 16/09/08
  6.   Retired officials are not experts 05:23  |  Brod 16/09/08
  7.   Well of course 05:24  |  Bitin Dawg 16/09/08
  8.   US Sending Iran Million Tons of Wheat 05:43  |  Luigi Aronson 16/09/08
  9.   Will the world tolerate a nuclear Iran? 07:19  |  Jean Van Daem 16/09/08
  10.   Former U.S. secretaries know what is at stake 07:26  |  American 16/09/08
  11.   Talks with Iran??? 09:09  |  Stan Bigband 16/09/08
  12.   Again, we have the "bizarre" American phenomena..... 09:26  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/09/08
  13.   #9 Jean Van Daem. We have to tolerate a nuclear Israel! 09:27  |  Maureen Ann 16/09/08
  14.   If the west lets Iran get the bomb....WW3 will be a nuclear war! 09:29  |  Destroy Iran Now 16/09/08
  15.   When the dollar goes down the fawning goes up 09:46  |  no bower to tyrants 16/09/08
  16.   Will they "talk quietly but carry a big stick"? or will they just 10:05  |  PETER SM 16/09/08
  17.   EVEN KISSINGER IS SUPPORTING IT 10:07  |  indrajaya 16/09/08
  18.   collective wisdom of the State Department 10:08  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/09/08
  19.   HOW many of them get up to date security briefings? 10:41  |  PETER SM 16/09/08
  20.   INDRAJAYA re KISSINGER and bones.Your sources for that quote? 10:45  |  PETER SM 16/09/08
  21.   #9 I see an aweful lot of "maybes" in that call to arms, Jean. 10:49  |  Johnboy 16/09/08
  22.   Peace Talks 11:19  |  Frank 16/09/08
  23.   The former US secretaries of State are 11:27  |  A J Myers 16/09/08
  24.   Are we being hand fed on pro war propaganda.? 11:41  |  Stephen. 16/09/08
  25.   talk to iran? 11:47  |  andy daraabi 16/09/08
  26.   A good thing if all five of them would go and talk to Ahmadinejad 12:00  |  S 16/09/08
  27.   Engage IRAN ... War would only hurt the image of Israel ......... 12:25  |  whatever 16/09/08
  28.   #26, S 12:47  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 16/09/08
  29.   indrajaya 12:49  |  examiner 16/09/08
  30.   To "Destroy Iran Now" 12:52  |  American 16/09/08
  31.   Only a few months ago, it was considered to be an extreme..... 12:56  |  Swiss (Dino) 16/09/08
  32.   Of course there should be negotiations 13:00  |  Jonathan S 16/09/08
  33.   Clear-eyed, solid truth! Plus attacking Iran would be immoral. 13:21  |  Ivar 16/09/08
  34.   A MARK OF FAILURE IS TO TALK CRAP WHEN YOUR OLD 13:34  |  v.hardman 16/09/08
  35.   #9 Van Daem - the world has NO PROBLEM 14:23  |  spyguy 16/09/08
  36.   This is as interesting 14:33  |  Chris Linthwaite 16/09/08
  37.   #35 spyguy and dooms day- thought of it ? 15:37  |  v.hardman 16/09/08
  38.   #23 A J Myers 15:41  |  Boycott 16/09/08
  39.   Who cares? 16:03  |  Mark Lincoln 16/09/08
  40.   # 29, EXAMINER 16:05  |  indrajaya 16/09/08
  41.   It is strictly academic and will soon become moot 16:23  |  Natallie Durson 16/09/08
  42.   Why not talks with al Qaida too 17:05  |  Herbert Kaine 16/09/08
  43.   They are not pacifists 17:46  |  zaz 16/09/08
  44.   Five failed secretaries of state 17:48  |  Realist 16/09/08
  45.   #9 Jean van Daem 17:52  |  Harald 16/09/08
  46.   Talks with IIran 18:47  |  Steve Gure 16/09/08
  47.   #18 Say CJK---who "helped" you go nuclear? 18:57  |  ballistic 16/09/08
  48.   #41 NATALIE DURSON 19:07  |  Courcey 16/09/08
  49.   #41 NATALIE DURSON 19:10  |  Courcey 16/09/08
  50.   Look who`s advicing talking to deaf, terrorist, fanatics... 19:16  |  Asaf 16/09/08
  51.   Mark Lincoln How did you fare in the Hurricane? 19:19  |  American in NY 16/09/08
  52.   Logical answers anger extremists everywhere including here. 19:20  |  anti-racist 16/09/08
  53.   Israel doesn`t want anyone to talk to Iran, they only want war 21:53  |  American in NY 16/09/08
  54.   just a big hurricane 22:05  |  Mark Lincoln 16/09/08
  55.   Big Deal - The Iranians Will Never Give Up 22:25  |  Tod Zuckerman 16/09/08
  56.   Quite correct zaz 22:33  |  Mark Lincoln 16/09/08
  57.   It`s truly amazing what a check from the Saudis will buy today. 22:35  |  Alex 16/09/08
  58.   AM in NY.Does Ahmadinejad want to talk peace to Israel? 22:54  |  PETER SM 16/09/08
  59.   to #30 American 23:02  |  -From #10 American 16/09/08
  60.   #2, Big Joke, Persian Hero 23:14  |  Gary 16/09/08
  61.   #40, Indrajaya and Pasdaran 23:25  |  Gary 16/09/08
  62.   Peter SM # 58 Does Ahmadinejad want to talk peace to Israel? 23:34  |  American in NY 16/09/08
  63.   #23, Easier Said Than Done 23:38  |  Gary 16/09/08
  64.   Good, Talk to them say: "put your weapons down and your hands up! 23:57  |  Baruch Gold 16/09/08
  65.   Glad you came through Mark Lincoln 23:58  |  Labhras 16/09/08
  66.   Powell, "there`s too much talk about lipstick and pigs,"... 00:42  |  Akiva P 17/09/08
  67.   War Looks More Certain 02:01  |  Mark of Lewiston 17/09/08
  68.   #55 Say Zuckerman 04:22  |  ballistic 17/09/08
  69.   Anti Obama Ads 04:41  |  Cathy Lichtman 17/09/08
  70.   hands are tied 05:22  |  Capt Ahab 17/09/08
  71.   Why now? 05:26  |  Lizzy 17/09/08
  72.   BOYCOT@ 38 How about "nation of martyrs" "martyr army"? 05:28  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
  73.   Political giants do not have right food 06:25  |  Shimon Cleopas 17/09/08
  74.   Bunch of Jokers in Mullah`s deep Pockets 08:49  |  Yuri 17/09/08
  75.   Mao`s (#1) anti-semitic fantasy 08:54  |  davidk 17/09/08
  76.   AM in NY You claimed "Israel- only want war".When challenged 09:03  |  PETER SM 17/09/08
  77.   US already talking with Iran 09:18  |  MiddleStanian 17/09/08
  78.   who in their right mind wants war here? 10:34  |  riyad 17/09/08
  79.   Chamberlains in line 10:41  |  2 much pressure 17/09/08
  80.   It`s like letting Hitler get nukes while you talk telephone numbe 16:41  |  sickee secys 17/09/08
  81.   #4 Glenna, a Palin protege 00:59  |  mike 18/09/08
  82.   #19 Peter SM 01:05  |  mike 18/09/08
  83.   #75 davidk I`m Not A Jabotinskyite 11:37  |  MaoSayTongue 19/09/08
  84.   Strength through Peace 16:35  |  deflateyourego 20/09/08
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Hamas accuses Israel of back-pedaling in Shalit negotiations
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Yossi Sarid: Economic crisis forces us to rethink 'American dream'
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