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| Sunday, 21 November 2004 |
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Rice the rising star in Washington Globescan by M.P.Muttiah There is a change of guard at White House following the re-election of President George W. Bush. The exit of Secretary of State Colin Powell and the entry of Condoleezza Rice is perceived as the most important change the President has made. The new appointments have also proved that the present administration had been divided on foreign policy matters. National Security Advisor Rice, a confidante of President Bush, has always been at odds with outgoing Secretary of State Colin Powell and Defence Secretary Rumsfeld. Rice once said: "The world may have liked dealing with Colin, but it was never clear that he was speaking for the President. He knew it and they knew it." Rice also openly clashed with Rumsfeld. According to Rice, Rumsfeld had failed to devote enough planning and attention to resources to make the Iraqi occupation a success. According to officials, the relationship between the two worsened after the abuse of detainees at Abu Gherib, the US run prison in Baghdad, came to light. The exit of Colin Powell paves way for the shedding of slim multilateral approaches to the world over the present administration. But Rice seems to have no foreign policy agenda of her own. Washington reports say Rice would be closer to the President than any Secretary of State since Henry Kissinger under President Nixon and closer than any Cabinet member since Robert Kennedy as Attorney General under his brother President John Kennedy. As, Ivo Daadler, a foreign policy expert at the Brooking's Institute, said, "Rice's appointment means that the President wants to surround himself with the people he is more comfortable with them, and are very loyal to his views on foreign policy". The hand-picked officials who are more conservative, would decide the future foreign policy, the road map of the United States for another four years. Nuclear programs of Iran and North Korea, the strained relations with European countries, the fear of China's growing position in the world economy, and President Bush's vow to establish a Palestinian State before his second term ends are the problems that haunt the new US administration. Menawhile, world attention has been drawn to the visit of Chinese President Hu Jintao to Cuba this week. His first visit to Cuba as the Chinese leader tomorrow would have more significance as the Caribbean nation faces the economic blockade from the United States could be tightened following the re-election of George W. Bush. Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Kashmir visit paved the way for a new road map for the valley. During his two-day visit to Kashmir he invited all political parties to start a process of dialogue. He said that peace is a pre-requisite for development of the State. According to reports,this visit could become the basis for a new approach to the Kashmir problem. Singh's visit to Assam and Manipur, the crisis-ridden states in the Northeast is considered significant as both States would get considerable financial assistance from New Delhi. Peace process with Pakistan would take a new turn when Pakistani Prime Minister Saukat Aziz visits New Delhi this week. External Affairs Minister Natwar Singh has said that India would have substantial talks with the Pakistani Prime Minister. India has also extended its hand of friendship to China. Natwar Singh had said that India wanted a strong and enduring friendship with China on the basis of mutual respect and sincerity to each others' concerns and aspirations, on the basis of Panchseela. |
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