Interview on Abu Dhabi Television with Hany El-Konyessi

MR. EL-KONYESSI: Thank you very much for the time, Mr. Armitage, and let's start with -- ask about the Iraqi elections.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Yes.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: It seems that Mr. Bush, again and again, reaffirmed the date of the 30th, January 30th, as a deadline. How do you explain this persistence, the U.S. persistence on holding the elections at a time when the security is deteriorating and we heard about the Pentagon mission to Iraq to assist the situation there?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: First of all, I think the majority of Iraqis also want to hold the elections. They're excited about it. I've just returned from Baghdad and there's a lot of energy around these elections. So it's not just President Bush who wants to hold these elections.

The security situation is difficult. The multinational force and the Iraqi forces are doing all they can to make a better security situation for the elections and, particularly as we get closer and closer to the elections, to make sure that both procedures to allow votes and security are heightened.

The team from the Pentagon to which you refer, which, by the way, also has a State Department officer on it, will be going out to see if there are ways that we can better and more quickly and more expeditiously train Iraqi forces, both police and army. And they'll come back and report if we're doing things right or wrong, or should we do things differently?

MR. EL-KONYESSI: Now with the Sunni definitely boycotting the elections --

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: No, no, no, no, no. Some Sunni boycotting the election.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: Okay, some Sunni. But we've heard some reports about other voices; even from the Shia there was reports about even Ayatollah al-Sistani reconsidering, giving it second thoughts. If there are more voices that will boycott the elections, what will be your reaction?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, let me say, first of all, that I think my information is a little different from yours in that I've seen where Shia are concerned that more Sunnis aren't going to vote and they've actually reached out to try to encourage Sunni, to have dialogue with Sunni sheiks and tribal chiefs, tribal elders, to try to get them to participate.

It will all be a function of security. Our polling data shows that where Sunnis feel they will be secure, they want to vote in relatively high percentages; but where they're fearful for their lives, then they won't.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: And the legitimacy of the results, if there's no wide participation from the Sunnis?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, first of all, we've got to concentrate on getting as wide a participation as possible. Second of all, the legitimacy of the results will be determined, I think, in the first instance, by the people of Iraq. And if they, in the majority, determine that these things are legitimate -- this election -- then we ought to accept that.

Following an election, there are other ways to try to bring Sunni into the mainstream of political life, such as working on the constitution together, which is certainly something that can be done.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: Not far from Iraq, we've heard your friendly kind of comments on your last visit to Syria. However, it looks very contradicting with what we are hearing right now with some harsh messages, especially from the Congress. Some people are talking about extra or more sanctions against Syria.

How do you see this? What's behind this pressure on Syria now?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I went to deliver a message from President Bush. I felt no need to beat my chest or show that I'm a tough guy. I think a tough message can be delivered in a way that's respectful of a nation like Syria.

I gave a very straightforward message to President Assad. There's no question in my mind that he understood it because we engaged in discussion. And I think there's no reason to mistake a tough message with a rude message, and I certainly don't intend to be rude with our Syrian friends when I'm trying to encourage cooperation.

And regarding the Congress, as you know better than I, the Congress has their own independent voice about foreign policy and they will exercise it. We have sanctions on Syria. The President has the ability to place more sanctions on Syria. He's waiting to see how Syria acts before he makes that decision.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: And we also heard the State Department spokesman talking about terrorist attacks coming out of the Syrian territories. Does this justify U.S. counter-attacks on Syrian targets?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I don't think anybody's talking about counter-attacks or talking military attacks on Syrian targets. What we have had over the past year or so was a stream of foreign fighters going through Syria into Iraq. That situation is much better, I think, because the Syrian authorities are stopping foreign fighters from going to Iraq.

What we'd like to see is much more activity by the Syrian authority and special services in stopping former regime elements from Iraq in traveling back and forth.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: Moving to the Palestinian issue, what's after the elections? What kind of step we can expect the United States to take to push for the peace talks?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I think, first of all, there's a London conference coming up for the Palestinians to talk about continuing reform, et cetera. That will be good. The United States has already put money into the Palestinian coffers to help pay, particularly, energy bills. We'll continue to support them. We've also made representations in the Gulf and other areas, trying to get support for the Palestinians.

And we'll work rigorously to try to get the disengagement from Gaza into effect, which will be a first, and the first time the Palestinian people are reclaiming land that was occupied, taken from them.

So there's a lot of hope and there's a lot of energy, I think, awaiting the outcome of the Palestinian elections on Sunday, the 9th.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: Mr. Abu Mazen, who is the favorite for the candidacy, he said that he will put any possible or future peace plan, peace agreement with the Israeli, to a referendum on the Palestinians. Do you think this is the right approach? This is different from what Arafat used to do.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I can't say if it's the right approach or not. If Mr. Abu Mazen is elected, then he will make decisions that he thinks is best for his electorate, the Palestinian people. And it seems to me not a bad idea to have Palestinians finally able to vote on their future.

My own view is a reasonable process will lead to a reasonable solution which most Palestinians will endorse because they want to live in peace and security in their own state called Palestine, and it's about time they be allowed to do so.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: And my last question to you, since you are leaving the office. First of all, what are your plans? And how do you see the U.S. foreign policy, especially towards Middle East, in the coming phase, in the new phase?

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I'm going to go back to my international consulting business in Northern Virginia, but I'll be speaking out on foreign policy from time to time and still be active in Republican foreign policy circles.

And as we move forward, I think the President, Dr. Rice and others have said that we have been fighting three wars, actually -- Afghanistan, Iraq and the global war on terrorism. We'll continue to do that. But now is the time to have a little bit more rigorous diplomacy devoted toward things like the peace process, like reform in the Middle East, like our traditional relationships with Canada and our southern neighbors. So I think you can look for some muscular diplomacy and some energetic diplomacy.

MR. EL-KONYESSI: Thank you very much, Mr. Armitage.

DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Thank you.