Hall of Fame
Colin Powell: The greatest compliment that can be paid to diplomats is that their work has helped to prevent war. For this reason and many others, Powell has demonstrated yet again why he is the most thoughtful member of President George W. Bush's foreign policy team. He achieved what many said was impossible by bringing France and Russia--not to mention Syria--to the American side on the question of Iraqi inspections. The 15-0 vote on the final resolution in November was a huge diplomatic triumph, and while military action is still a possibility, Powell's efforts ensured that Saddam will bear the sole responsibility for any future confrontation. When not putting together a coalition at the U.N., Powell found time to advance the Middle East peace process and strengthen transatlantic relations. It was an amazing year for a remarkable statesman.
Anders Rasmussen: The Danish presidency of the European Union in the second half of the year, led by the prime minister, was one of the most productive in recent memory. The highlight was the completion of accession negotiations with 10 mostly East European countries. The importance of this enlargement program for the E.U. should not be underestimated. Unlike NATO, which seems to be pursuing expansion for the sake of expansion, enlarging the E.U. will bring tangible economic and political benefits for both current and future members.
Jack Straw: As William Raspberry has noted in early 2002, the U.K. Foreign Office continues to act as the public relations firm for the Bush administration. That's not exactly its job, but someone's got to do this. Under the leadership of Straw, it issued two scathing dossiers on Saddam's fixation with gaining weapons of mass destruction and the reign of terror in Iraqi prisons. While neither of the reports were surprising, both provided conclusive evidence for what the White House has argued all along. As Straw has said, the reports were essential so that "people understand the comprehensive evil that is Saddam Hussein."
Kofi Annan: The most protracted and serious international dispute in Europe today is the question of Cyprus, which has been divided for over two decades between two rival governments, one backed by Greece and one by Turkey. Annan put forth a complete plan for reuniting the island with a federal "indissoluble union" of the two states. Cyprus would then be demilitarized and could join the E.U. This seems to be an equitable solution to a problem that has been a serious impediment to stability in the Mediterranean region.
Ranil Wickramasinghe: Though he is not someone well known outside South Asia, the Sri Lankan prime minister has been a powerful impetus for reaching an accord with the Tamil Tigers, a rebel group that has sought a separate Tamil state since 1983. The prime minister has agreed to grant autonomy to the Tamil region, while the rebels declared a ceasefire and set aside their demand for independence. A conflict that has killed over 60,000 people has finally reached an end.
Hall of Shame
Tariq Aziz: In the West, the Iraqi deputy prime minister is often seen as the paragon of sophistication. With his crisp Oxford English and tailored suits, he may not look like the right-hand man of the world's most brutal dictator. He is, however, an unabashed apologist for Saddam, asserting (among other things) that the UN inspections regime is a plot cooked up by the U.S. and Britain to take over Iraq's oilfields. Never mind the fact that the Security Council voted unanimously to demand Iraq's compliance. Ultimately, of course, the regime's actions will speak louder than Aziz's deceitful rhetoric.
Ana Palacio: When a few Moroccan soldiers visited the disputed island of Perejil, which is no bigger than a soccer field, one might think that the Spanish foreign minister would brush the matter aside, or at most file a diplomatic protest. Alas, the country that so often joins its E.U. partners in criticizing America as a warmonger decided to itself occupy the island and then sent about half its fleet to the Moroccan coast as a show of force. It took the personal intervention of Colin Powell to defuse the crisis. Granted, Morocco acted somewhat provocatively, but the hypocrisy of Spain's actions did not go unnoticed.
Helen Clark: Bad manners are the best way to describe the New Zealand prime minister's attitude when her country's head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, paid a visit to the islands in February. A staunch republican, Clark decided to attend a conference abroad rather than meet the queen. That wasn't enough of a snub for her, however. Right after the visit, she asserted that "New Zealand, Australia and Canada should take a reality check and become republics." If that's her opinion, she should call a referendum on the monarchy. Until such time, Her Majesty's Government in Wellington needs to show proper respect for the head of state.
Robert Mugabe: His government in Zimbabwe has been the most repressive regime in southern Africa since at least 2000. In November, it reached a new low by accusing the United States--one of the biggest donors of food to the country--of plotting an invasion. This theory is beyond ludicrous, as the U.S. government obviously has neither the motive nor the desire to attack Zimbabwe. On the other hand, the extremist economic policies of Mugabe's regime are directly responsible for Zimbabwe's approaching famine. The U.S., Europe and the Commonwealth have already imposed sanctions against Mugabe's cabinet, which impoverished a formerly prosperous nation in an effort to stay in power.
Valery Giscard d'Estaing: The former French president currently leads the convention that is developing a constitution for the E.U. While this is a mostly ceremonial post, Giscard's personal opinions are often interpreted as official policy. For this reason, his statement that Turkey's entry into the union would be "the end of Europe" was irresponsible. It was also utterly wrong. Once Turkey completes its internal reform process, especially in the area of human rights, it will be a very strong candidate for E.U. accession.
Pavel Molchanov is a Trinity senior. His column appears regularly.
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