Neither the US nor the parties concerned in Iraq have made any headway in resolving the Iraqi crisis, which remains a key deterrent in improving US-Middle East relations, according to Thomas Pickering, a well-known American diplomat.
"The US alone cannot solve the problem. A careful diplomacy is required which is also very difficult," he commented.
The Peninsula, Nation, October 25, 2007
DOHA • Neither the US nor the parties concerned in Iraq have made any headway in resolving the Iraqi crisis, which remains a key deterrent in improving US-Middle East relations, according to Thomas Pickering, a well-known American diplomat.
He said four countries in the region are to be taken in to account when considering any solution to the crisis -- Saudi Arabia, with its hold over the Sunni community in Iraq, Turkey, which does not want a separate Kurdish state, Iran, which has a strong influence on the Arab Shi'ite community in Iraq, and Syria, which has the capability to contribute towards a solution.
Along with the US and its close allies in the West, three other countries -- Germany, Japan and India -- must also be involved in the peace efforts.
"The US alone cannot solve the problem. A careful diplomacy is required which is also very difficult," he commented.
He was delivering the keynote address at a seminar on the US-Middle East relations at the Al Sharq Village yesterday.
Pickering, who held the personal rank of Career Ambassador, the highest in the US Foreign Service said, addressing the three key issues in the Middle East -- Iraq, Iran and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict -- is extremely important for the US in the current political scenario.
"The military operation in Iraq was well-conducted but the pre-military diplomacy was conducted in the opposite way," said Pickering. " If we are not moving forward, we will be falling down," he added.
On the Iranian issue, Pickering said, the US must start talks with Iran not only on the nuclear crisis, but also on other issues concerning bilateral relations. It is necessary to reach an agreement with Iran, with the support of the international community, to ensure that latter will not use its nuclear capability to develop nuclear weapons.
To resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict, the two-state solution must be pursued further even with limited right of return for Palestinian refugees, in a way that does not destabilise the demographic pattern of Israel, Pickering said.
He said it is not wise to isolate Hamas, since it enjoys the support of about half of the Palestinian population. The US should support a unity government in Palestine. The role of Syria is also important in resolving the issue, he added.