U.S. Under Secretary of State Burns: Iran Needs to Respect the Will of the International

January 21st 2007

U.S. Under Secretary of State Burns: “Iran Needs to Respect the Will of the International Community”

Speaking today at the 7th annual Herzliya Conference on the "Balance of Israel's National Security,” U.S. Under Secretary of State, Ambassador Nicholas Burns reviewed Washington’s Global leadership role, focusing on the Middle East.

Ambassador Burns focused on Iran as the most important challenge facing the region today. “The Iranians have played a negative role in all the recent conflicts. We have to confront Iran and Iran needs to respect the will of the international community and stop developing nuclear capabilities.” Burns emphasized that the U.S. is not seeking a confrontation with Iran and that the Bush Administration still believes that diplomacy can resolve the issue.

Deputy Israeli Prime Minister, Lt. Gen (res.) Shaul Mofaz took the Iranian issue one step further. “2007 is a fateful year. Will the Mideast become a region bogged down in a nuclear arms race? The threat is real and Israel and the West can not afford to allow Iran to get nuclear weapons. Words are not enough. Actions must be taken and this can be done.”

At a press conference following his speech, Ambassador Burns addressed the Syrian issue and said that the U.S. and Israel see eye to eye in this matter: “the Syrians are a problem in Iraq and in Lebanon, where they are undercutting the democratic regime”.

Ambassador Burns commended Prof. Uzi Arad’s efforts in bringing Israel closer to NATO. “Israel should continue its partnership program with NATO. NATO is not global but it has a global vision”. Prof. Arad is the chairman of the Herzliya Conference and has been a long time proponent of Israeli involvement in NATO.

As for the U.S./Israeli relations, Ambassador Burns - who served as a diplomat in Jerusalem some 2 decades ago - said he can’t remember a time where the relations between the two countries were ever so strong.

For more on the conference, including complete recordings of these speakers log onto: www.herzliyaconference.org/eng

The Herzliya Conference, headed by Prof. Uzi Arad, is the flagship of the Institute of Policy and Strategy (IPS) of IDC Herzliya. The Herzliya Conference addresses Israel’s national agenda by encouraging public debate and influencing the country’s public policy planning. This is achieved through convening Israeli and international elite policy makers, conducting cutting edge research, fostering a global network of contacts in a public forum by attracting the best and the brightest to take part in the conference and its discussions.

For further information contact: Jeremy Ruden – IDC Deputy Spokesman – 052-407-0775 Yonatan Beker – IPS Foreign Press Liaison – 054-640-4225