La crise iranienne : pourquoi pas Carter sur le sentier de la paix ?

La politique iranienne (doto, “non-politique”) de l’Amérique représente un tel vide conceptuel qu’elle attire les initiatives. Comme chacun sait, la politique a horreur du vide. Voici donc Jimmy Carter.

Homme de toutes les occasions, l’ancien président, bien plus efficace et imaginatif comme ex-président que comme président, serait sur le point de partir sur le sentier de la paix. Son entourage dit que ce serait l’occasion d’enterrer la hache de guerre qui, depuis 1979-81 (prise des otages US par les Iraniens, libération de ces otages le jour même de l’investiture de Ronald Reagan) est brandie dans ses relations avec les Iraniens.

Comme d’habitude, le but de Carter sera de débloquer la situation que la politique de sécurité nationale des USA s’évertue à bloquer. Carter est tellement haï dans les milieux extrémistes bushistes, neocons et républicains, que l’on doit regarder comme une évidence que son pire ennemi dans cette partie sera évidemment américain. Mais Carter, avec son sourire angélique et sa foi évangélique, a l’habitude de ces attaques “compatriotiques ”. On croirait même que cela le stimule.

Première étape pour Carter : rencontrer l’ancien président Khatami en visite (ô miracle) aux USA et qui a le profil idéal (réformateur, adepte du “dialogue des civilisations”, etc.). Le principe de la rencontre serait fixé.

Des précisions de The Independent de :

« It is a meeting that could avert a clash of civilisations — conflict between Iran and America. If it goes ahead in the coming days, it would be a momentous and poignant encounter between two former presidents which could help Iran and the US overcome three decades of mutual hostility.

» The former American president Jimmy Carter has agreed in principle to meet the former Iranian president Mohamed Khatami who arrives in the United States today.

(…)

» The Washington Post quoted a former Carter aide as saying: “Carter, who has every reason to be angry about the way in which the Iranian revolution undid his presidency over the hostage affair, is willing to meet, with no hesitation, a person who was president of the Islamic republic and who has never disavowed Ayatollah Khomeini's actions when he was supreme leader.”

» The Carter Center, which focuses on human rights and building democracy, could not confirm that the meeting between the two former leaders had definitely been scheduled. The White House said Mr Khatami had been invited by private organisations and is not part of the Iranian government, which has been led by hardline President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad since last summer.

(…)

» The possible meeting between Mr Carter and Mr Khatami, during his two-week visit, could open an unofficial channel. While in the US, Mr Khatami is to speak at Washington's National Cathedral on 7 September. Before that, he will attend a closed-door UN conference on the “dialogue of civilisations” on 5 and 6 September, during which a high-level panel reviews a draft report for the UN secretary general. (…)

» President Khatami, a reformer, sought to repair relations with the US and end Iran's isolation during his eight years in office. He called for a “dialogue of civilisations” in a speech to the UN General Assembly in September 1998.

» During his trip, Mr Khatami may address the University of Virginia and an Islamic group in Chicago. He may also pay a private visit to Thomas Jefferson's home at Monticello, Virginia. »

Mis en ligne le 31 août 2006 à 11H29