U.S. Relations With the People's Republic of China (2008)

U.S. Department of State

Roundtable With Associated Press

Secretary Condoleezza Rice
Washington, DC
December 15, 2008

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QUESTION: The P-5+1?

SECRETARY RICE: Yes, yes.

QUESTION: But you --

SECRETARY RICE: Well, not only do I think it's worth continuing, I think the P-5+1 thinks it's worth continuing. Because this really is – the strategy here is not an American strategy; it's a strategy that Europe, Russia, China, and the United States are all signed onto. And you know, we have to remember that the Iranian refusal to stop their enrichment and reprocessing predates even the P-5+1. That's why the Europeans left the negotiations – or called off the negotiations to begin with was because the Iranians insisted on reprocessing and enrichment.

But at the same time that that – that they're doing that, we have, of course – they're in a much more difficult situation in terms of Iraq. They did everything that they could to stop the strategic forces arrangements. They couldn't do it. Their allies lost in Basra, flat out lost. The Iranians find themselves, I think, unable to operate as effectively in Iraq because we've been very aggressive against their agents.

And finally, the Iranians find themselves with significantly improved defensive capabilities all around them in the Gulf, as we have helped countries from UAE to Saudi Arabia to Bahrain improve their defensive capabilities, and by the way, Israel as well.

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