An address 'Responsibilities of Freedom' by US National Security Advisor Dr Condoleezza Rice was made to the IISS at 12pm (GMT) on 26 June, 2003 at Arundel House, London
The IISS was delighted to welcome Dr Condoleezza Rice, US National Security Advisor, to Arundel House on 26 June 2003.
Sir Michael Howard, IISS President-Emeritus, chaired the event and a question and answer session was led by Dr Gary Samore, Director of Studies. The event, attended by a distinguished audience, received extensive media coverage and was broadcast live by C-SPAN and BBC News Online.
In London enroute to the Middle East, Dr Rice give her first public address in the UK since taking up her role as National Security Advisor. He speech, titled 'Responsibilities of Freedom', emphasised the need for the US and Europe to work together.
Dr Rice said the concept of 'multipolarity' could not, in today's society, effectively aid world cooperation of resolve conflicts.
'Today, it is the combined strength of Europe, the United States and other freedom-loving democracies that stands against the tyrants and the angry few seeking to impose their will on the many.' Coalitions, she said, had deposed cruel regimes in Afghanistan and Iraq.
Dr Rice emphasised the importance of nations coming together to create tougher measures to fight proliferation and address the challenges posed by North Korea and Iran.
Lingering conflicts in Europe, such as those in the Balkans, were being put to rest as a result of concerted international action.
She ended her speech by quoting German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder who said: 'Surely we are all agreed that we only want one pole in global politics around which we orientate ourselves, the pole of freedom, peace and justice'.
'I, for one, could not agree more,' Dr Rice said.
John Simpson, BBC World Affairs Editor, asked whether there was any truth in the suggestion that President Bush was taking a stronger line with Israeli Prime Minister Sharon and was therefore dispelling the perception that the US is more sympathetic to Israel than it is to the Palestinians.
Dr Rice responded that Israel had offered the Palestinians remarkable concessions at the Camp David summit in 2000 but that Yasser Arafat, the Palestinian leader, had chosen instead to launch the intifida. With the appointment of Mahmoud Abbas, the Palestinian Prime Minister, and the engagement of Arab states in the process, she said: 'It is now time for Israel to take the opportunity before it'.
David Fisher, previously of the Atomic Energy Association, questioned Dr Rice on the consistency of US nuclear policy with regard to North Korea and Iran.
She said that North Korea needed to be told that the world would not tolerate blackmail.Things were 'going relatively well for the North Koreans and then they decide that the best way to enter the international system is ... by blackmailing people'. The US was consulting with other countries including China which ahd been 'positive and constructive'. On Iran, the US was just beginning to build an international consensus. 'All non-proliferation efforts have to be international'.
