Bolton Briefing on Iran and Other Matters

Briefing on Iran and Other Matters

Ambassador John R. Bolton, U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations
Remarks to the media following a Security Council Stakeout
New York City
November 8, 2006

USUN PRESS RELEASE #320

Reporter: Ambassador, what do you think the election results last night -- particularly the Senate -- say about your confirmation prospects?

Ambassador Bolton: You know, I don't comment on political developments and I've said repeatedly I don't comment on my own situation. I've got my mind focused on Iran and other things.

Reporter: Where are we on Iran after yesterday's meeting? I know you escaped without talking to us.

Ambassador Bolton: There'll be another Perm 5 meeting later in the week; I'm not sure it's been scheduled exactly, but obviously we've got to get some direction from capitals given the disparity and understanding what happened among the foreign ministers and the political directors. So we'll be talking about it but I think we're going to meet later in the week.

Reporter: (inaudible) but there's still such a wide difference of opinions exactly --

Ambassador Bolton: There's a wide difference of opinions about what the foreign ministers agreed to and I'm not sure that's something we can remedy here although we're going to keep talking about it.

Reporter: (inaudible) difference of opinion extend to the issue of whether the travel ban and, for example, and the acid freeze are, you know, called for by the ministers and their media are not --

Ambassador Bolton: I'd rather not get into the specifics, but there are a lot of differences. There's no doubt about it.

Reporter: Could you foresee -- what this all seems to mean to me is that there probably needs to be another foreign ministers meeting to iron this out.

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I don't do scheduling for the foreign ministers but we've certainly referred this back to capitals and referred yesterdays meeting back, but I think we will meet later in the week. We'll see where it goes there.

Reporter: Qatar asked for a session to be held in response to the developments in Gaza. Will there -- is there an American objection to the --

Ambassador Bolton: There wasn't. It was raised in the consultations yesterday. There was no support for it. Okay, see you later.

Released on November 8, 2006

ENDS

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