Posted on 06/30/2006 5:26:07 PM PDT by blam
Condi and Sergei air differences over an open microphone
By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow
(Filed: 01/07/2006)
Condoleezza Rice, America's secretary of state, is famed for her sang froid but one person seems to be able to rattle her - Sergei Lavrov, the Russian foreign minister.
The pair are known to have goaded each other on several occasions, reflecting the souring relationship between Washington and Moscow.
However, a candid conversation between the pair was revealed to the world when a technician failed to switch off an audio feed during a closed-door lunch at a meeting of foreign ministers in Moscow.
For 20 minutes on Wednesday night, journalists were treated to often-tetchy exchanges about Iraq, interspersed with the tinkle of glasses and the scraping of cutlery.
Sometimes the tone smacked of the playground as the two bickered over a new US-backed aid programme for Iraq.
Mr Lavrov tried to explain that the international community should not become involved in Iraq's political process - something that Miss Rice opposes - but should be involved "in support of the political process".
"What does that mean?" Miss Rice demanded.
After a long pause, Mr Lavrov replied with a sneer: "I think you understand."
"No, I don't," she shot back. As Mr Lavrov refused to lend Russian support to the new aid programme, Miss Rice grew increasingly irritated.
"I just want to register that I think it's a pity that we can't endorse something that's been endorsed by the Iraqis and by the UN," she said. "But if that's how Russia sees it, that's fine."
There were other angry exchanges during the conversation, which was conducted in English because, although an experienced Sovietologist, Miss Rice's Russian is poor.
Perhaps wisely, the other ministers - including Margaret Beckett, Britain's Foreign Secretary - barely spoke during the dinner.
Kind of surprising she can't speak Russian, given her background.
20 minutes and no one thought about turning off the mic?
This occurred Wednesday, I wonder why it's not been splayed on all the news networks? Or maybe I just missed it. It would be kinda fun to hear it. hehe
You think the journalists are on Sec. Rice's side?
She speaks Russian, French, and Spanish.
Its not Miss Rice, it's DOCTOR RICE to you!
Don't be fooled by the lie contained in this article, Secretary of State Rice is fluent in the Russian language.
Well, I kind of thought she might have at least have had a body guard around.
I personally would not want to get into an argument with Secretary Rice.[I think she would intellectually kick my butt]
GO IRISH!!!
Well this puts to bed all my worries that Condi lacks the brass ones needed to be an effective Secretary of State.
Weird. I wonder which one is true.
It would be very interesting to hear what their conversations are like. A fly on the wall type thing.
Quick! Someone post the photo of Condi's boot. I'm cubicle bound!
I agree...but I would want to hear the whole thing.....I am afraid the media would dice and splice it to fit whatever agenda they would want us to hear. ;(
The opposite of what has been said for some years...?
Here's one testimony on her expertise in speaking the language = FROM a Russian:
(excerpt from...http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/6729551/site/newsweek/
in a story by Eleanor Clift!
"Maltsev [a professor of economics at Carthage College in Wisconsin...one of the last defectors from the Soviet Union before it collapsed. He was an adviser to President Mikhail Gorbachev...] has met with Condoleezza Rice, whom he believes brings a more realistic assessment than Bush to what Putin is all about. “She speaks Russian as well as myself, maybe better,” he says. Rice studied Russia during the height of the cold war,"
So either this reporter is ill informed, making up as he/she went along or deliberately lying to make Condi less that she is - hmm, could be the green eyed monster too.
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