CASEY: Well, first of all, this is an Iraqi process
and it is governed by the Iraqi High Tribunal statute. We very much urge that
democratic elections be held as soon as possible, which is a commitment military
officials have made.
This deal is not at all with the Taliban, as I
said, this is against the Taliban, actually.
The propagandists are attempting to create
conditions where terror is justified. She's speaking with other leaders around the
region.
But again, our view of it is that this was done in
accordance with the law and we do want to see this process move forward. And that's
what we've continually discussed. And this is very important, which I explained to
the President.
I believe there are some other ones potentially out
there. What is important is that the coup leaders live up to their public commitment
to restore democracy rapidly. What is your reaction to the government's decision to
replace the judge? Could you ensure us that this discrimination will come to an end
after this great meeting with President Musharraf?
I think really the best place to have the specifics
of this decision explained are with Prime Minister Maliki's government and his
officials. There are issues that you can look at within that Religious Freedom
Report that talk about issues related to the Ecumenical Patriarch, but I don't have
anything new to add on that for you. And as I said, we reinforced our trust and
confidence in each other.
The first I heard of this was when I read it in the
newspaper today. You can't ask people to negotiate with people who say you shouldn't
exist. They are proud Americans and they're equal to me as a citizen. Wouldn't you
prefer that they just left the trial to unfold as it would? But again it is
something we're going to have to look at. He says that the United States was
threatening to bomb his country back into the stone age.
Do you regard it as a transparent and open process?
What is the status of the Prime Minister of Thailand who is in New York on American
soil?
And as I said, we reinforced our trust and
confidence in each other.
I can't think of anything more false.