Remarks With Italian Deputy Prime Minister Gianfranco Fini

(1:30 p.m. EDT)

SECRETARY RICE: Good afternoon. I'm delighted to welcome to the United States and to the State Department the Deputy Prime Minister of Italy and the Foreign Minister as well, all in one person, Mr. Fini. We have had a very good discussion. Italy, of course, and the United States have the closest possible relations. We are united by our common values, united by our long history, united by kinship and ties of blood; there are so many Americans who trace their heritage to Italy.

We are united, of course, in the cause of the promotion of freedom and democracy around the world. We had a chance today to talk about the Middle East in some detail about Prime Minister Sharon's meeting with President Bush and about the way forward for the disengagement of Israel from the Gaza so that we can accelerate progress on the roadmap.

We had an opportunity also to talk about Iraq, about the work that we are doing together in the Broader Middle East and a number of other subjects. We have no better friend than Italy and it is a great pleasure, Gianfranco, to have you here.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FINI: I would like to add that it is a pleasure to meet again Secretary of State Mrs. Rice after having seen her just recently due to the sad event of the passing of John Paul II and the funeral held in Rome.

As Mrs. Rice has just said the topics we have mentioned, underlying that there is a true shared opinion and the opinions that lead to excellent bilateral relations between the two governments, perhaps the best we have ever had.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, I wonder if you can talk about dissent in the State Department, whether you welcomed people arguing, at least privately, debating various policy moves, various analyses. Is there room for dissent here? Is it welcomed or do people run a risk if they contradict senior officials?

SECRETARY RICE: Barry, I'm an academic and as someone with an academic temperament, I believe strongly in the role of debate, the role of the open and free exchange of ideas. When I was at Stanford I would very often tell the Stanford freshmen in my opening address as provost that if you're in the company of people who always say that you are right, then you are in the wrong company; you should find other company.

And so, of course, we welcome and I welcome dissent and debate. I welcome it privately. The United States Government is, of course, a single entity and when decisions are made I fully expect that people will support those decisions because there is only one President of the United States, and that's President Bush. The American people elected him to direct the course of the country. But prior to decision and when we're trying to come to a conclusion and trying to come to policy, I think that debate is enormously important.

QUESTION: Do you believe there is an any American responsibility in the death of Nicola Calipari, an official of our secret services in Baghdad, on March the 4th?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, let me say first that this was a tragic event and that it is one that we all view with great sorrow. There is an investigation underway. The Foreign Minister and I have talked about the need for this to be an investigation that is thorough, that is careful and that is right. I would also carry it out in a way that we can get a clear view of what happened, if that is possible.

The Italian Government and the United States Government have established excellent cooperation in dealing with this matter and in the investigation, and I'm certain that when it is completed we will be able to report on its findings.

DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER FINI: As far as I am concerned, I must say that I'm very happy with the type of cooperation which has been established ever since the beginning, ever since the start between Italian and North American officers that are trying to reach a conclusion regarding the reconstruction of the tragic event.

And as Mrs. Secretary of State has just said, to do things well and adequately, what we need is an accurate investigation and time is required. And I would like to add at this instance that any hasty assessment or declaration before the outcome of the investigation is reached belong only to political polemics.

QUESTION: Mr. Foreign Minister, Madame Secretary, thank you very much, as always. I know my colleagues are eager to ask about a different subject so perhaps you can be persuaded to take one more question each.

My question, however, having done my part for my colleagues, my question is that Under Secretary Bolton yesterday in congressional testimony was described to be a screamer, a serial abuser of his power and authority over little people, a bully. Is that the Secretary Bolton that you know?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, it's certainly not the John Bolton that I know or that a lot of other people know. John Bolton has been a very effective manager, diplomat. He has had numerous roles in the U.S. Government and numerous roles in the private sector. I expect that John is going to be a strong advocate for the United States and our interests at the United Nations. He will be someone who is very good for this time when, indeed, we do need reform in the United Nations, as the United Nations itself has recognized.

I expect that John is going to be a very good leader of the people who are diplomats at the United States UN Mission and he has a lot of people who have worked for him who are loyal to him and where he has brought out the best in his people, and that's the management that I expect from John and I fully expect to see.

It would be very useful if we can get this appointment done. We need the confirmation. Understanding that there is a deliberate process in the Senate, we do need a Permanent Representative to the United Nations as soon as possible.

QUESTION: Just a follow-up on the investigation about Calipari again. I remember that General Casey at that time spoke about a timeframe of three, four weeks, so actually we are in delaying having the result of this commission. Does it means that we do have any kind of disagreement between your governments?

SECRETARY RICE: I believe that we are proceeding, first of all, cooperatively and in a spirit of friendship and in a spirit of trying to understand what happened. The most important thing is not that this be done fast but that it be done right because we all want to have confidence in the findings of the investigation once it is done. And I just want to underscore what the Foreign Minister said, which is that any early -- or attempts early on to try and prejudge or guess about what is going to come of this investigation is simply not helpful. What will be helpful is to let it be completed and then we will deal with the outcome.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary --

SECRETARY RICE: You have one less the next time.

(Laughter.)

QUESTION: Okay. All right. We'll take that on the future account.

Madame Secretary, there's -- another American has been taken hostage in Iraq. Can you update us on what the government knows and can you comment on whether or not you would accede to the wishes that the hostage expressed on the tape?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, you know, that these are always very difficult and tragic circumstances. It is our great hope that working with those who may have information, that we can resolve this in a way that is successful, and that means in protecting the life of a hostage. We are thoroughly engaged with the Iraqis and with others in trying to do this.

Obviously, the United States continues to hold to a policy that we do not negotiate with terrorists. It only encourages them. But we are working very, very hard to try and secure the safety of the American there and we are unable to confirm anything past that because, obviously, it's an ongoing situation.

Thank you very much.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FINI: Madame Secretary, if you will permit me.

SECRETARY RICE: Oh, I'm sorry.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER FINI: I expressed my thanks to the posture taken by the United States regarding the reform of the United Nations, a reform which is absolutely needed within the United Nations, but it must not be divisive of the international community. It must not be a hasty reform unless a total consensus is reached.

SECRETARY RICE: Thank you. Thank you very much.
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