Former US secretary of state urges ceasefire talks
Ex US secretary of state Warren Christopher criticized US resistance to an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East conflict and urged prompt US involvement to end the bloodshed, in a letter to The Washington Post.
"It is time for the United States to step forward with the authority and balance that this moment requires," he said.
Drawing from his experience under former president Bill Clinton in resolving similar skirmishes between Israel and Hezbollah, in 1993 and 1996, Christopher, 80, said it was "my belief that in the short term we should focus our efforts on stopping the killing."
He said it was "disappointing" to see Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice making use of "wrongly focused diplomacy" tying any ceasefire to a permanent solution that addresses the root causes of the conflict.
"Such a solution is achievable, if at all, only after protracted negotiations involving multiple parties. In the meantime, civilians will continue to die, precious infrastructure will continue to be destroyed and the fragile Lebanese democracy will continue to erode," said Christopher, who served as top US diplomat from 1993-1997.
He recommended giving priority to an immediate ceasefire "without overloading the initial negotiations with a search for permanent solutions."
A US role in such talks, he added, is indispensible since "Israel plainly trusts no one else ... and will accept no settlement in which we are not deeply involved."
He also said that Europe would be reluctant to participate in an international peacekeeping force in the area "until the United States commits to putting its own troops on the ground."
Christopher also suggested that Syria could be play a critical role in stopping the violence because Hezbollah's supply routes pass through its territory and some of its leaders reside in Damascus.
Syria, he said, has "more leverage over Hezbollah's actions than any other country save Iran."
He suggested a diplomatic thaw between Washinton and Damascus, saying: "we do not have the luxury of continuing to treat (Syria) with diplomatic disdain.
"As the situations with North Korea and Iran confirm, refusing to speak with those we dislike is a recipe for frustration and failure."
Christopher further warned that as the underdog in the continuing strife, Hezbollah "continues burnishing its reputation within the Arab world," while every day the US supports further Israeli violence "our already tattered reputation sinks even lower."
AFP
