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NBC "TODAY" INTERVIEW WITH NEW MEXICO GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON (D), FORMER U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE U.N. INTERVIEWER: MATT LAUER TIME: 7:10 A.M. EST DATE: MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2006(Federal News Service (Middle East) Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) MR. LAUER: New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson is the former ambassador to the United Nations. Governor Richardson, good morning to you. GOV. RICHARDSON: Good morning, Matt. MR. LAUER: Let me ask you about this. We're seeing these protests in many parts of the world right now. These cartoons first ran back in September. So the question is, why now for these protests? And do you think this is really about a cartoon? GOV. RICHARDSON: Well, it just shows the enormous tension, the powder keg in the Muslim world, in the Middle East. I've never seen the situation so dire with the threats from Iran, the victory of Hamas, the escape of Badawi in Lebanon. This is -- in Yemen. This is a very, very dangerous situation, not just for America but for the entire world. It seems that the Muslim world, it's exploding. And I believe that our obsession with Iraq has caused us to neglect these huge other trouble spots. MR. LAUER: You know, clearly, as you say, it does show a huge rift between the West and the Muslim world. But if you listened over the weekend, Governor, you hear a lot of people saying, "Why aren't these people taking to the streets when hostages are beheaded on videotape in the name of Allah, or when planes are flown into buildings in the name of Allah?" How would you explain that? GOV. RICHARDSON: Well, it is a bit of a double standard, because what we're talking about is respect for human rights, for religious tolerance. But it's of an endemic situation where it seems that because of not just the disruption in the Hamas victory, the situation in Iraq, the threats by Iran -- I think what caused America to say -- if I were the administration, I would take two steps. One, I would call a summit of NATO, U.N. Security Council members, Russia and China, to deal with Iran right now. This is a huge threat for America. MR. LAUER: Well, let me ask you this. If you were the United States, talked face to face with Iran, the Iranians say they are going to resume their nuclear program. They also say they're willing to negotiate. We don't have diplomatic relations with them; haven't since the late 1970s. Is it time to change that? GOV. RICHARDSON: I would talk directly to them, but I would do what we are doing, I believe, following a correct policy, getting the Europeans out front, the International Atomic Energy Agency; 27-3 votes shows international support for our position to not allow them to have nuclear weapons. But also, use diplomacy. Don't talk about the axis of evil. Also in America, a huge, huge program of energy independence, because Iran may use the oil weapon. We don't want $100 barrel oil and huge disruption to our economy. MR. LAUER: Right. Quickly, though -- GOV. RICHARDSON: So I would take those steps. MR. LAUER: Quickly, though, Governor, it is striking. Four years ago we were talking about Iraq, saying they may have been trying to seek nuclear weapons. We thought they were sponsoring terrorism. So we went to war. Here we've got a country that's saying right to our face they are going forward with a nuclear program. We've proven that they've sponsored terrorism, and they have a president who says he wants to wipe one of our key allies off the map. And we're treating them differently, aren't we? GOV. RICHARDSON: We are. But diplomacy really is our only option. And what we need to do is continue pursuing the U.N. Security Council potential sanctions, but use diplomacy. Use the International Atomic Energy Agency. Get Russia and China. Especially a potential solution is Russia processing the uranium outside of Iran, making sure that it's for peaceful purposes. But it's a real powder keg out there. And our obsession with Iraq and not concentrating on these other parts of the world, dealing with Hamas, which could disrupt the Middle East peace process -- right now I think we have to engage substantially than we have. MR. LAUER: Governor Bill Richardson of New Mexico. Governor, thanks; always nice to talk to you. GOV. RICHARDSON: Thank you. |