Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

I’d ask unanimous consent that my entire statement be placed in

the record, as if read.

And let me just say that, to state the obvious,

Iran’s failed to comply. This is a very important moment for a real

test for our diplomacy,...

Mr. Chairman, thank you very much for the invitation

to be with you. And Senator Biden, other members of the committee,

thank you very much...

Mr. Chairman, thank you. I think you’ve asked a

central question. What are the objectives of the Iranian Government?

What type of world...

Thank you, Mr. Chairman.

Let me say, at the outset, I don’t have a question.

Nick, I’m more encouraged by what you said today than anything

I’ve...

Mr. Chairman, thank you. Secretary Burns, welcome.

I would like to follow along the comments of Chairman Lugar

and Senator Biden, Mr. Secretary,...

Well, actually, you’ve not. If I—I know you wanted

to keep a tight rein on this, Mr. Chairman, but I asked the

question, Under what condition...

Thank you.

It will be made a part of the record.

[The information previously referred to follows:]

NOMINATION HEARING OF DR. CONDOLEEZZA RICE TO BE...

The goal of the administration is to have a regime in Iran that is responsive

to concerns that we have about Iran’s policies, which are 180 degrees...

Well, it’s hard to—I really don’t want to speculate. I think it’s the kind

of thing that we’ve—we don’t know. I do think that we’re sending a...

Whatever regime there is in——

Iran.

Well, we do have a number of other problems with Iran, not just the

nuclear problem. And I think that the future of Iranian relations—United States/

Iranian...

Well, I think we would have to say that the relationship with Iran has

more components than the nuclear side, but let’s see how far the Europeans...

Take a look at——

Where we are.

Thank you, Senator Hagel.

Senator Feingold.

Senator, I’m happy to answer that question, if you’d

like me to.

The Indians—India was the first of the nonaligned countries to

vote...

Well, you know, lots of countries have different relations

with Iran. Some of our best allies in NATO—the European

countries—have multibillion-dollar...

Yeah.

There have been stories for the past year and a half

that that pipeline is under consideration. In our conversations with

the Pakistani...

It may be currently being discussed, but

I’m not sure there have been any significant agreements that

would, you know, put it into motion....

Senator, we’re grateful for the funding by the Congress

for our democracy programs. Our democracy programs have

no other purpose than to...

North America——

I think it’s——

To be honest, I think it’s too early to answer that

question. You’ve—you asked a good question, because you gave us

VerDate 11-MAY-2000...

Starting those efforts over the last——

Couple of——

In everything we do, we try to learn from past experience.

We try to be good at what we do, and effective. And, obviously,

if we—if there...

I just wanted to say, I think we have an obligation

to come forward, maybe after a few more months have passed, and

give you an accounting...

Thank you very much, Senator Feingold.

Senator Allen.

Senator Allen, thank you very much. And may I just

take this moment—forgive me for doing it—by thanking all of you

for your support for...

Thank you, Senator.

Thank you.

Senator Voinovich, thank you.

I think you’re right to start with President Ahmadinejad. He’s

addressing the U.N. General Assembly later...

Senator, I—I’m not in a position to speak for each

of the Arab governments, but I can say, in general, there is a great

deal of concern—in...

The Iranian Government. In many

ways, yes. In many ways, yes.

And you asked a very important question about the coalition that

we...

Right. I believe that the coalition against Iran will

stay together. And, should the Iranians, within the next week or

so, not suspend—agree...

That’s a different question. We hope the sanctions

will make a difference. The agreement we have in the Perm-5,

among all the countries,...

I can’t—I can’t testify to you that I’m 100 percent

sure that any sanctions regime will have an absolute effect that

you want on the Iranian...

If what happened——

First and foremost, these sanctions would be designed

to have an impact on their nuclear policy and on their

present disinclination to abide...

If I could just say—I don’t know if time is up, Mr.

Chairman—but I think you’ve asked, you know, a central question,

Senator, and that’s...

Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I apologize for being

late. I had a conflict.

Secretary Burns, I missed much of your testimony, so forgive me

if...

I recognize that.

But you feel confident that—should the Iranians

not take advantage of the opportunity to work something out here

in the final hours—you...

Give me a sense of the differences in terms of

how—without getting into every last detail—United States and

Russian and Chinese perceptions...

Last question, I’m running short on time here,

and this goes to a broader issue. And that is, our posture toward

Iran regarding their own...

Thank you very much, Senator Obama. Senator

Dodd has asked to raise one question, and of course we will assent

to the Senator.

Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I apologize

to my colleagues here and the witnesses and Under Secretary, to

you, for being late getting...

Well, it would be very, very helpful to all of us

here, because we rely—we like to rely—we get that much contradiction

from responsible...

Well, the language was pretty strong, so if you’d

get back to us on that, I’d appreciate it very much.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you.

Thank you, Mr. Chairman, for inviting me back to

the committee, I’ll stay well within my 10-minute limitation, I have

submitted my full...

Mr. Chairman and members, thank you for inviting

me to be here today to discuss the alternative courses of action if

the diplomatic course...

I will try to summarize it very quickly.

Mr. Chairman, you pointed out that I had tried to deal with the

Iranian issues when I was Assistant...

That’s a risky proposition, leaving me

in charge, but we will proceed in spite of that. It will not be voted

on. Thank you, Senator Dodd....

Thank you.

Ash.

Thank you.

Martin.

Thank you.

Senator Biden.

I think we’re all in agreement that there is sort of

a sanctions regime that is contemplated. For it to be effective multilateral

is unlikely...

I just, very briefly, I agree with your contention,

Senator Biden, with my two colleagues. There is a sense, however,

and I noted this earlier,...

I’m sorry, then, that I also agree with the sanctions

we can get will not be effective, and the sanctions you can imagine

being effective,...

Well, first of all, on the timeline, Senator Biden, I

think it’s important to bear in mind that while you and Ash are

correct at this time...

Well, we’re left with the choice between bad options.

Well, no, I wouldn’t go that far, I mean——

Ash should answer that, but I mean, we should not

abandon the diplomatic option just at the moment when it’s going

to be really tested,...

We have to pursue that first and foremost.

And there is a military option. Ash has laid out a lot of problems

with that, but I think, ultimately,...

I’m not an expert, Senator, on oil markets, but my

understanding is that we would just end up buying oil from Venezuela,

and somebody whose...

It would have no effect on Iran or on us, for that

matter. May I touch on this question of the Israelis and the knowl-

VerDate 11-MAY-2000...

Well, thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank all

three of you for your continuing help and support and trying to

shed some light on a very,...

It’s an excellent question—it’s the key question—

what would we be satisfied with? Ray’s given a version of it that

I think is quite cogent,...

The result I described, which was purely a nuclear

result, is unlikely—in my judgment—to be attained in isolation. It

will be part of some...

And the larger package will cut both ways for the

Iranian leadership. To some extent it will legitimize them and reward

the roll they’re...

And, I’m sure there’s some who want to have the

bomb, and nothing can turn them around, others who want to have

VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:50...

I don’t think I spoke to that same high-level leader,

but I did hear one of them here just recently speak in what I would

assume would be...

And that’s a very real fear that they have in the region.

But I just want to come back to what I thought was very useful

explanation on...

We would love to do that, the Bush administration

would love to do that, the Iranians have never been prepared to

allow us.

They have...

Well, our interests are represented by the Swiss—I

forget who represents their interests, Pakistan—but in terms of actually

being able to,...

It will be placed in the record.

[The prepared statement of Senator Dodd follows:]

PREPARED STATEMENT OF SENATOR CHRISTOPHER J. DODD, U.S....

Before my Security Officer has a stroke, I would say

that I would have to ask, and I would probably not be allowed to

go.

Simon and I went through months of negotiations

to go and they never, ultimately their final response was a no re-

VerDate 11-MAY-2000 13:50...

Just two observations here, both excellent questions,

and Ray has given excellent answers to them.

On the question of the troops in the...

Well, there is lots of optimism. That’s a lot of

wisdom, and we appreciate it very much—your thoughtfulness,

your patience, your stamina,...