Mercredi 17 février 2021 ((rezonodwes.com))–
In an interview Tuesday with NPR’s Mary Louise Kelly, Blinken said that « there is no doubt » that the ability of American diplomats to promote democracy and human rights has been « tarnished by recent events. »
If the U.S. and Iran are to reenter a nuclear deal, he said, « we need to work on an agreement that’s longer and stronger than the original one. » Time has passed, and Blinken says Iran’s nuclear capabilities are « heading in the wrong direction. »
« Our hope is that every single day the work we’re doing is helping to make the American people just a little bit safer, a little bit more prosperous, a little bit healthier, » Blinken said. « And if we’re doing that and we accumulate enough steps, we’ll be in a better place in a few years. »
With those values under assault in the U.S., Blinken said that makes diplomacy a bit more tricky.
« There is no doubt that our ability to wave the banner of democracy and human rights to some extent has been tarnished by recent events, especially the egregious attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, » he said.
But American democracy is resilient, he says — and that is itself a model for the world.
« Even as we’re grappling with this ongoing problem, we’re doing it in a way that is transparent, that is out there for the entire world to see. And unlike in some other places, we’re not trying to sweep it under the rug, » he said. « We’re confronting it. And sometimes it’s ugly, sometimes it’s painful, but it’s also incredibly powerful. »
He says he tells his counterparts around that world « that our democracy is strong, it’s resilient. And the very fact that we’re constantly trying to build that more perfect union is an acknowledgement of our imperfection. But also, it’s in the striving that you really make progress. And I think there’s a model there for others. »
