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from a CNN TRANSCRIPT of a brief conference with kindosleeazah lice and the egyptian foreign minister ahmed aboul gheit, in which he seems to be calling for a cease fire, while she is saying there will not be a ceasefire if it means that a ceasefire is going to maintain a status quo. she also is saying (contrary to what bush told blair with a mouthful of bread and shit words coming out of his mouth) that she will not go to the region until there is a ceasefire
(Moderators I have used 8 paragraphs of the CNN transcript of this press appeareance by rice and gheit. i hope this is acceptable.)
"CONDOLEEZZA RICE, SECRETARY OF STATE: ... the State Department to Washington, the foreign minister of Egypt and I are launching, today, the inaugural meeting of our U.S./Egyptian strategic dialogue. It is a dialogue that is devoted to the wide range of issues that arise in our relationship. It is devoted to a strengthening of our relationship (snip)
...We talk about internal political developments in Egypt and in the region, and it will not surprise you that, given the circumstances evolving in the Middle East today, that we have spent, already, a good deal of time talking about the challenging situation in the region. " (snip)
AHMED ABOUL GHEIT, EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINISTER: Thank you very much, Secretary. Yes, I'm pleased to initiate the strategic dialogue between the United States and Egypt. The relationship between both is a strategic relationship and it is a lasting -- long-lasting relationship.
We, of course, today, had the opportunity to engage in discussions on the situation in the Middle East and -- the Middle East, meaning the situation in Lebanon, the Palestinian problem, the situation in Gaza. We discussed ways and means to -- how to bring cessation of hostilities to an end, establish a cease-fire, how to create the conducive environment for that cease-fire, the implementation of 1559, the deployment of the Lebanese army to the borders, the introduction of a strong peacekeeping operation or at least the widening of the presence of UNIFIL in the -- in that region.
..............
RICE: Andrea, first of all, I think that the G-8 was very eloquent in speaking about the need to deal with creating conducive circumstances. We all want a cessation of violence. We all want a protection -- the protection of civilians. We have to make certain that anything that we do is going to be of lasting value.
QUESTION: Madam secretary, is it time now -- is it time now -- Madam Secretary, is it time for the United States to -- instead of relying on U.N. envoys and their reports, to become more immediately involved, become more engaged? And how long do you think Israel should have before it should consider a cease-fire?
The Middle East has been through too many spasms of violence, and we have to deal with underlying conditions so that we can create a sustainable conditions for -- so that we can create sustainable conditions for political progress there.
As to my own involvement, I am very deeply involved with my colleagues with the regional states, like Egypt, which is the leader, with my G-8 and P-5 colleagues. I talked today to Mr. Solana, and as I have said, when it is appropriate and when it is necessary and will be helpful to the situation, I am more than pleased to go to the region.
GHEIT: Andrea, a cease-fire is imperative. And we have to keep working to reach that objective. It is imperative. We have to bring it to an end as soon as possible ...
(CROSSTALK)
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