Israeli FM Lieberman - Not what you thought

Where, oh where, is the ultranationalist racist we read about in the Associated Press and Reuters dispatches?

 

FM Liberman interview with Radio Reka

 

FM Liberman says of his first comprehensive official visit in Europe, the US and Canada that the results greatly exceeded expectations.

 

Interview with Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman
on his visits to Europe and the United States
Radio Reka, June 25, 2009
[Translated from Russian]

 

Q: Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman is here today participating in the afternoon edition of the "News Today" magazine on Radio Reka. How would you sum up your comprehensive official visit in the countries of Europe, the United States and Canada?

 

FM Liberman: The results greatly exceeded our expectations. The EU-Israel Association Council is held once a year, when Israel meets with the 27 member states of the European Union. Most of the foreign ministers of the European Union's member states hold personal meetings every morning. Meetings of the Troika and the External Relations commission take place in the afternoons, and a press conference is given at the end. Many critical decisions are made in an informal atmosphere over dinner. We were in many senses apprehensive of a tough European stance towards us. Israel is one of three states, besides Switzerland and Norway, which are not members of the European Union and have very close ties to it. We had quite a few worries about the political developments, but it turned out that the situation is fine, and our friends are numerous than we imagined. Only two countries and one foreign minister demonstrated a hostile, incomprehensible attitude towards us.

 

Q: Whom are we talking about?

 

FM Liberman: Belgium, Luxembourg and the French foreign minister. In the case of France, we're probably talking more about a personal attitude than an official French one. We were attacked from these quarters with reproaches and criticism.

 

Q: Mainly for the known reasons?

 

FM Liberman: However, I must mention that at the end of the evening, after the meal, all the participants were in high spirits, including Benita Ferrero-Waldner, Javier Solana and the Czech foreign minister. It's important to emphasize that the Czech Republic, a country with a very constructive attitude, is one of the European states that is friendliest to Israel. We succeeded in maintaining our position and preserving the level of good relations. We signed an action plan until the end of 2009. The meeting ended with a much better feeling than expected.

 

Q: You expected less favorable results. What do you think affected this development you mentioned?

 

FM Liberman: We have many friends in Europe; we underestimate our status; and do not devote attention to the countries that we consider allies. We assume there's no need to invest in relations with countries such as the Czech Republic, Poland and Romania. The countries new to the European Union – the states of central and eastern Europe – are actually the ones that understand us and the problems we face better than the prosperous western states that have been living under optimal conditions for many years. Countries such as Holland and Denmark encounter quite a few internal problems, so their attitude toward Israel has become better and more positive. The same holds true for Italy. That is to say, Israel is no longer an isolated country. Not everyone is against us. We have many allies and we must devote attention to them, invest time, effort and money in developing relations with them; otherwise, we won't achieve good results.

 

Q: As foreign minister, do you intend to invest time, effort and attention in this regard?

 

FM Liberman: Of course. Yesterday, I returned to Israel from a trip that lasted ten days, during which I visited Brussels, Luxembourg, the United States and Canada. Yesterday I had three meetings – with the Hungarian prime minister, the Dutch foreign minister and the Czech foreign minister, who is serving as the rotating president of the European Union. There is no alternative to good public relations work, a personal approach and attention, plain and simple. That's what we are trying to do.

 

Q: Please briefly explain the new European position. What are its principles, and what demands is the EU making?

 

FM Liberman: As of now, the European Union has decided in many senses to adopt the United State's position for itself, and is not presenting any independent stance on the Israel-Palestinian conflict. The union has accepted the American approach in its entirety. On different subjects, however, such as the Iranian one and the whole connection to the crisis that occurred as a result of the recent elections there, the union has surprisingly taken a much tougher stance than the new American administration. Yet on the subject of the Israel-Palestinian conflict, the Europeans have adopted the American position as a whole. So the situation is not so simple. It must be understood that in Israel's view, the European Union is the most important market – this is our number one import and export market. Even the American market comes in second after the EU market.

 

Q: The meetings you held in the United States were not easy, for example, your meeting with the US secretary of state.

 

FM Liberman: I would like to add something about Europe. At the NATO headquarters in Brussels, I met with the organization's secretary-general. In my estimation, NATO today has become an important factor, a very important ally for us. This organization participates in discussions on many strategic world problems and takes part in a long list of military maneuvers. These days, warm, friendly ties are being forged between the organization and us, even closer ones than the ties between its member states. As far as everything connected with the United States is concerned, it's true that the meeting was not easy. I don't understand their obsession with the settlements. We had many subjects on the agenda and managed to come up with a joint position on all of them. We reached an agreement on all the main clauses, except for the one point related, of course, to building settlements in Judah and Samaria.

 

Q: And expanding existing settlements to provide housing.

 

FM Liberman: But also in everything related to the United States, the position is much more positive than what might have been anticipated. The meetings in the State Department and the White House naturally reflect the administration's position. The meetings in the Senate and Congress were fascinating. I met with more than 40 congressional representatives and senators, including key figures. I got together with Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee John Kerry and many others. Many people there understand all the problems of the Middle East very well, know how to assess the risks we are undertaking, and are aware of the true state of affairs here. In conclusion, I will say that the visit to the United States was extremely successful. Now efforts are being made to reach an agreement on the last point on the agenda. I assume that we will reach an agreement and a reasonable compromise on this topic as well.

 

Q: You are optimistic, and have summed up the trip positively. Please tell us about the visit to Canada.

 

FM Liberman: Canada is definitely an ally. Today it's hard to point out our most loyal ally, but Canada is undoubtedly an exception, in the positive sense. Canada was the first to boycott the Durban II conference that was held in Switzerland. In Canada I met with the head of the opposition and of course with my colleague, the foreign minister. I also had meetings with four other ministers, including the minister of finance and the minister entrusted with matters of international trade. It's hard to find a country friendlier to Israel than Canada these days. Members both of the coalition and the opposition are loyal friends to us, both with regard to their worldview and their estimation of the situation in everything related to the Middle East, North Korea, Iran, Sudan and Somalia. No other country in the world has demonstrated such full understanding of us. The Jewish community in Canada is very united, unlike the communities in most countries, and it maintains solid contacts both in the government and in Parliament. I got the impression of a whole, harmonious picture of great support for Israel.

 

Q: The Canadian option might be the best one?

 

FM Liberman: Canada is so friendly that there was no need to convince or explain anything to anyone. We had amiable talks in a supportive atmosphere; we seriously discussed the problems existing in the world. We need allies like this in the international arena.

 

Q: Foreign Minister Avigdor Liberman, thank you very much for this full review of your visits and your hard work, which is so important to Israel. All the best to you.

 

FM Liberman: Thank you.