MTP Transcript for Mar. 11, 2007

MR. TIM RUSSERT: Our issues this Sunday: Yesterday, for the first time since the beginning of the Iraq war, diplomats from Iran, Syria, Iraq and the United States sat at the same table. What happened? Is there any hope for a diplomatic solution to the war? With us, an exclusive interview with the highest-ranking American in those meetings, the U.S. ambassador to Iraq, Zalmay Khalilzad.

Then: Congress debates resolutions to withdraw all American troops by next year; continued outrage over the treatment of our wounded soldiers; and the fallout of the “Scooter” Libby verdict and its impact on Vice President Cheney. Insights and analysis from NBC News presidential historian Michael Beschloss; the assistant managing editor of Time magazine, Michael Duffy; Ted Koppel, whose special report, “Our Children’s Children’s War,” will air tonight on the Discovery Channel; and Dana Priest of The Washington Post.

But first, after his meeting with Iranian, Syrian and Iraqi officials yesterday, the American ambassador to Iraq talked to MEET THE PRESS.

Mr. Ambassador, welcome. Immediately after the meeting, you said the talks were constructive and positive. Could we strip away that diplomatic speak and tell the American people exactly what happened in this meeting?

MR. ZALMAY KHALILZAD: Well, the meeting focused on how to help Iraq deal with the problems that, that emanate from the neighborhoods and also facilitate reconciliation in Iraq. The exchanges were good. There was agreement that there will be working groups formed involving Iraq and its neighbors to deal with security, to deal with the issue of oil and electricity, and also with the refugees. So there were agreement on practical steps to move forward. We will see what happens on the ground. But I think, as a meeting goes, as a first step, it was—it was a good meeting.

MR. RUSSERT: Will the United States be part of those working group meetings?

MR. KHALILZAD: Well, the, the working groups will be made up of the neighbors, but there is agreement that where we can play a positive role, where we can contribute, we’ll be invited to join and contribute.

MR. RUSSERT: Did you talk directly to the Iranians during the course of the day?

MR. KHALILZAD: I did talk to the Iranian across the table, and also I, I shook hands with them and talked for a couple—two minutes or so with him, but most of the exchanges were across the table dealing with Iraq issues.

MR. RUSSERT: The Iranian ambassador said, “There were no direct talks with the Americans.” Is he correct?

MR. KHALILZAD: I think he’s correct in the sense we did not have direct, bilateral, substantive talks other than shaking hands, saying some words about the, the—their interest in discussions with the United States, and—but no substantive, bilateral meeting. That is correct.

MR. RUSSERT: Our director of intelligence here in the United States, Mike McConnell, told Congress that the Iranians are providing roadside explosives and also training insurgents in Lebanon who are going into Iraq and killing American troops. Did you tell that to the Iranians? And did you tell them to stop?

MR. KHALILZAD: Well, yes, I did specifically mention the role that the neighbors have played, particularly those that have provided arms, that have been negative, money, weapons, and also provocative statements. I did raise that with them, and we will see the impact of this meeting and future engagements on what they do in terms of the Iranian policy. Will they stop supplying the E.F.P.’s to the Iraqis? Will they stop supplying arms and training and money to militias and other unauthorized groups? What happens to their statements and—that they broadcast into Iraq? So we’ll be monitoring their behavior. That’s what ultimately will count. But as a meeting, this meeting and exchanges today were, were constructive.

MR. RUSSERT: Did the Iranians deny providing arms and training?

MR. KHALILZAD: They did, and they also raised some issues of concern on their part—the, the arrest of some of their officials—and I responded to that.

MR. RUSSERT: We have in custody five Iranian officials. Will we release those Iranian officials as a sign of good faith to continue these discussions?

MR. KHALILZAD: I said that those officials—they were saying that they are diplomats, and I said that neither the Iraqis nor ourselves have established that they’re diplomats, that they, they, they are Iranian officials associated with the Revolutionary Guards of, of Iran, and the Quds force is part of the Revolutionary Guards, and the Quds force has been providing some of the weapons that we have talked about, E.F.P.’s, that come into, into Iraq. But I did say that the Iraqi government has asked us to expedite our investigation and to complete the process, and that—we’re doing that. But there was no statement made, no promises made about any—anything with regard to a timeline.

MR. RUSSERT: Many people here in the United States are confused about this meeting because, just three weeks ago, this is what the president said about Iran:

(Videotape, February 14, 2007)

PRES. GEORGE W. BUSH: We’ve made it very clear to the Iranians that if they would like to have a dialogue with the United States, there needs to be a verifiable suspension of their program.

(End of videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: The Iranians have not suspended their nuclear program, and yet, you’re sitting down in a dialogue with the Iranians. Why have we changed policy?

MR. KHALILZAD: Well, I think, as you have, have heard and as you know, that the president and the secretary of state have stated that a secretary of state level meeting with them and any discussion on nuclear issues will not take place until they verifiably suspend their enrichment and related nuclear programs. But I have had the authority for over a year from the president to talk to the Iranians about Iraq. We have waited to see if such an engagement and dialogue would be useful to have. So far we have not had a bilateral substantive meeting with them, although the authority has existed. But the meeting today was in a multilateral setting, and it was focused on Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government. So this is, in my view, not a change in policy, but something that we have said we would do, and we have stated that repeatedly for some time.

MR. RUSSERT: Do you believe that, ultimately, there must be a diplomatic, not a military solution to the war in Iraq?

MR. KHALILZAD: I believe that a solution to the problems of Iraq require a political settlement among Iraqis. But I also believe that success and stability in Iraq requires cooperation from the neighbors, that without that cooperation it would be harder and take longer to get Iraq to stand on its own feet and to be successful. But at the same time, Iraq’s success can be good for the region, and the region will not be stabilized without Iraq stabilizing. So I do think that a political settlement internally and a positive role from the regional players is important for Iraq’s success, yes.

MR. RUSSERT: We have been told by General Casey, who was the former commander on the ground there for the U.S., that we would know...

MR. KHALILZAD: Right.

MR. RUSSERT: ...by the end of the summer about the success of the so-called surge of more American troops. Now the new commander on the ground, General Petraeus...

MR. KHALILZAD: Right.

MR. RUSSERT: ...is saying it’s going to take more than the summer, that it’s open-ended.

MR. KHALILZAD: Right.

MR. TIM RUSSERT: Do you think the American people have the patience for that?

MR. KHALILZAD: Well, I’m not a—the right person to ask on the patience of the American people. I do think, and I have stated that to the Iraqi leaders, and that has been a useful message in part, that the patience of the American people is running out, and that they need to make the compromises, the decisions that they need to make for Iraq to succeed, the political settlement that we talked about. And it’s a very tricky balance, on the one hand, to incentivize Iraqis, we need to do indicate to them that the patience of the American people is running out. On the other hand, we want to make sure that we don’t do this in a way that undermines their confidence that they can count on us to, to help them as they make those decisions. So they understand, and I have communicated that repeatedly and clearly, that the patience of the American people is running out.

MR. RUSSERT: Are they aware that it appears a majority of both the Senate and the House of Representatives will vote to withdraw all American troops by August 31^st, 2008? Do the Iraqis understand that?

MR. KHALILZAD: Well, I think the Iraqis follow the news in the United States very closely. They understand what happens in America is important for them. But, at the same time, they understand our system and that the president is the commander in chief and that he has his prerogative. Sometimes it is confusing for them, and I do have to explain it to them, but they, they, they watch the situation in America very closely.

MR. RUSSERT: Richard Engel, our NBC News correspondent, was in the field when there was an attack made, and American troops went and talked to a Sunni man who was there and asked for his help. And this is what the Sunni responded:

(Videotape from Wednesday)

Unidentified Man: (Foreign language spoken)

RICHARD ENGEL reporting:

‘The Americans are part of the problem,’ he says. ‘In four years, they brought assassinations and civil war. And we still don’t have gas or electricity. Why should I help them?’

(End of videotape)

MR. RUSSERT: That is very telling, isn’t it?

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