Yellowed faced Japanese better at diplomacy than blond, blue-eyed Westerners… according to Japanese diplomat

From CNN.com:

The headline reads “Japanese diplomat says “blonds” are no good in Mideast talks.”

WHAT?

Yup, Japanese Foreign minister Taro Aso says, “Blond, blue-eyed Westerners probably can’t be as successful at Middle East diplomacy as Japanese with their ‘yellow faces’. Japan is doing what Americans can’t do,” Aso went on, “Japanese are trusted. If (you have) blue eyes and blond hair, it’s probably no good. Luckily, we Japanese have yellow faces.”

Aso went on to elaborate by saying that the Japanese have never exploited the Middle East, started a war there or fired a shot.

Apparently foreign minister Aso has a history of such un-diplomatic statements. In the past he has insulted South Korea and said that he hoped Japan would become a place where “rich Jews” would want to live. Yikes!

maryt

He “misspoke”

It always makes me laugh when some official says something completely objectionable as far as the administration or a federal department is concerned, but then when called on it says “I misspoke,” as if all he/she did was use the wrong tense of a verb in a sentence. Check out this article from the BBC:

BBC News

US official retracts Iraq remarks
Monday, 23 October 2006, 04:57 GMT 05:57 UK

US Iraq policy is under intense scrutiny
The US state department official who said that the US had shown “arrogance and stupidity” in Iraq has apologised for his comments.

Alberto Fernandez, who made the remarks during an interview with Arabic TV station al-Jazeera, said he had “seriously misspoken”. His comments did not represent the views of the state department, he said. The BBC’s Sarah Morris in Washington says it is unclear if Mr Fernandez was told by his seniors to apologise.

His original remarks have resonated with many Democrats and some Republicans who have been urging the administration to shift their course in the conflict, she says. They came at a time of intense scrutiny of White House Iraq policy, with mid-term elections due next month.

Mr Fernandez is an Arabic speaker who is director of public diplomacy in the state department’s Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs. On Saturday, he told the Qatar-based broadcaster that the world was “witnessing failure in Iraq”.

“That’s not the failure of the United States alone, but it is a disaster for the region,” he said. “I think there is great room for strong criticism, because without doubt, there was arrogance and stupidity by the United States in Iraq.” State department spokesman Sean McCormack initially said that Mr Fernandez had been quoted incorrectly and rejected his comments.

[However] in a statement posted on the state department’s website, Mr Fernandez retracted his remarks. “Upon reading the transcript of my appearance on al-Jazeera, I realised that I seriously misspoke by using the phrase: ‘There has been arrogance and stupidity’ by the US in Iraq,” he said. “This represents neither my views nor those of the state department. I apologise.”

Now I have often complained in these and other (Work of the Poet) pages that officials who say objectionable things never apologize for their words but suggest that the offended party or parties “misinterpreted” what was said thus putting the onus on the offended group.

Now I must say here Fernandez DID apologize for what he said BUT he didn’t MISSPEAK. He didn’t make a Freudian slip (such slips don’t go on for a couple of sentences), he didn’t trip over his tongue (ditto). He said what he believed and felt and, unfortunately for him, it’s probably going to get him fired.

If he had stood by what he said I would have called him a HERO but he backed down as I suppose he had to.

Wait I just had a thought…Fernandez is an Arabic speaker and he was being interviewed by Al-Jazeera. Could he have said what he did because he figured the administration wouldn’t understand what he was saying? Nah…could he? maryt

More on Negotiations with Iran…

Well things aren’t looking as promising as they did yesterday…
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Mistrust set to scupper chance of US and Iran talks
FT.com

[no date] From MSNBC.co

By Guy Dinmore and Najmeh Bozorgmehr in Washington

The US and Iran appear to be on the brink of missing what analysts see as an historic opportunity to engage in comprehensive, high-level talks because of a complete lack of trust on both sides.

Javier Solana, the EU foreign policy chief who is trying to find conditions to bring the two sides together, warned on Wednesday that his mediation efforts could not go on forever.

He said he had so far failed to persuade Iran to suspend its uranium enrichment – the key pre-condition for the US to join negotiations over the future of Iran’s nuclear programme.

The US is set to resume its efforts this week to get a United Nations Security Council resolution that would impose limited sanctions against Iran for failing to heed an August 31 deadline set by the council to suspend enrichment.

However, the US still doubts that China and Russia will back such a measure. American hardliners are also voicing concerns that France is backing away because its forces in Lebanon are “hostage” to Iran.

read the full article

And Salon.com had this to say:
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Negotiator Says No Progress With Iran

By CONSTANT BRAND Associated Press Writer

October 04,2006 | BRUSSELS, Belgium –

A European negotiator said Wednesday that “endless hours” of talks with Iran about its nuclear program have failed to make any progress, and the Iranian president said sanctions would not stop Tehran from enriching uranium.

maryt

Negotiations with Iran

Foreign Policy In Focus www.fpif.org

Negotiating and Looking Tough: The Mirrored Policies of the U.S. and Iran
Farideh Farhi | October 3, 2006

Editor: Erik Leaver, IPS

September was a hopeful month for those interested in the de-escalation of tensions between the Unites States and Iran. The extension of a U.S. visa by the Bush Administration to the former Iranian president Mohammad Khatami despite vociferous conservative opposition was seen as a sign of possible change in U.S. foreign policy.

In addition, a mixture of softer words employed by Iran’s current president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the UN and in his many media appearances in the U.S. regarding Iran’s intentions in the region brought hope of possible movement in Tehran.

Meanwhile, since early September the prospects for jump-starting multilateral negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program have looked better. Iran’s chief negotiator, Ali Larijani, after meeting with the European Union foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, hinted at the possibility of temporary suspension of uranium enrichment while U.S. Secretary of State, Condolezza Rice, indicated that Iran’s temporary suspension might be enough for direct negotiation between the U.S. and Iran.

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Good for you Mr. Bush and Condoleeza. That’s what I say “Negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.” Diplomacy is the name of the game.

And cooperating with other nations? priceless.

maryt