Posted by student TODD MOORE – Former UN Inspector Hans Blix gave President Barack Obama’s international diplomacy a vote of confidence in a speech Thursday at the Clinton School.
A Swedish diplomat and former minister of foreign affairs, Blix was head of the UN Monitoring, Verification and Inspection Commission (UNMOVIC) from 2001 to 2003 and led the 2002 search for Weapons of Mass Destruction in Iraq.
“Obama cut through the ice and his administration is ready to talk,” Blix said. “In the short time Obama has been in office, he has not only come out with speeches and policy, but also thorough diplomatic action coordinated by him.”
The Obama administration has actively pursued diplomatic non-proliferation and arms reduction treaties with former cold war opponents, Blix said.
For instance, the START-1 (Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty) is a bilateral agreement between the United States and the Soviet Union in which each country agreed to reduce and limit its strategic offensive arms.
The current START-1 is set to expire on December 5, 2009.
Obama recently met with Russian President Dmitri Medvedev in London, putting the mentality of the cold war behind them to negotiate a new treaty, Blix said.
“These are difficult negotiations but [Obama’s administration] is pursuing them with full vigor,” Blix said. “He has been very imaginative and knows there are lots of things to do with diplomacy.”
Blix lauded the diplomatic ability of the White House staff and State department team, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, whom Blix complimented as “extremely intelligent and capable.”
“Obama has put together a great team in the White House and State Department,” Blix said. “They are not peaceniks but they are prudent and constructive people.”
As threat of Iran developing nuclear weapon capability continues to raise tensions in the Middle East, the United States should continue to exhaust all diplomatic efforts to persuade Tehran not to go forward with nuclear enrichment, Blix said.
“Using weapons against Iran is a terrible mistake,” Blix said. “Diplomacy is not exhausted in Iran. Only direct talks can probe whether agreement is at all possible.”
Blix was introduced by Clinton School student Ratnasari Dewi of Indonesia.
Prior to his lecture, Blix spent an hour discussing international public service and diplomacy in a formal session with Clinton School students.
Former UN weapons inspector Hans Blix speaks at the Clinton School.