News From Washington

U.S. Calls on Belarus To Respect Citizens' Rights as Vote Nears

Two days before the presidential election in Belarus, the United States urges the Belarusian government to respect the rights of its citizens and warns that “any use of force or violence against peaceful demonstrators will be met with a strong response.” State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli condemns statements by Belarusian security chief Stepan Sukhorenko equating street protests to terrorism, saying,  "These comments are outrageous and suggest that Belarusian authorities are intent on unjustified use of force and violence against their own people,” Ereli said.

Representative Pelosi Praises Bush for Forthright Stand on Darfur

House of Representatives Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi praises the Bush administration for its stand against genocide in Darfur and criticizes the Sudanese government for its continued support of the Jingaweit militias, which are responsible for violence that she says has killed almost 200,000 people in the past three years. "Genocide is not the domestic affair of any nation -- it concerns the world," Pelosi says.

U.S. Willing To Talk to Iran About Situation in Iraq, Rice Says

The United States is willing to talk to the Iranian government about the situation in Iraq but not about Iran's nuclear program, says Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.  She tells reporters in Australia that Iran's only option is to meet “the just demands of the international community that Iran pursue its civil nuclear power program” in a manner consistent with its Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty obligations.

Bush Administration Encouraged About India Civil Nuclear Deal

The Bush administration is encouraged by the initial response it has received from members of Congress on the proposed U.S.-India civil nuclear cooperation agreement, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs R. Nicholas Burns says. He has heard support, Burns says, for the administration's efforts to address “how to have a functioning and effective nonproliferation system, and include in that this very large country that has a nuclear power industry and wants to expand the nuclear power industry.”

Coalition Forces Committed to Iraq, Bolton Says

Insurgents and terrorists are attacking Iraqi civilians, officials and security forces in hopes of destabilizing the government and disrupting the fledgling democracy, U.S. Ambassador John Bolton says. Reporting to the U.N. Security Council on behalf of the Multi-National Force in Iraq, Bolton says foreign countries, especially Syria and Iran, must do more to stop foreign fighters from entering Iraq and to end material and financial support for opponents of the new Iraqi government.