| (WASHINGTON) – U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Ranking Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, today denounced the announcement that the U.S. is willing to engage in one-on-one dialogue with the Iranian and North Korean regimes. Statement by Ros-Lehtinen:
“Iran and North Korea are actively working against critical U.S. security interests and allies and endangering global peace and security. They are among the world’s worst human rights abusers. Yet, what is the U.S. response? Unconditional negotiations and unending offers of incentives.
“On the other hand, the U.S. has shut out the constitutional democratic government of Honduras because they chose to preserve liberty, democracy, and the rule of law rather than succumb to Zelaya’s tyrannical ambitions and ALBA-inspired destabilizing behavior.
“While taking a hard-line against Honduran democratic institutions and their representatives, the U.S. has rolled out the red-carpet for Manuel Zelaya by welcoming him to Washington and ignoring the constitutional violations that required his removal from office.
“Making unilateral overtures to the likes of Iran and North Korea, while simultaneously shunning the current democratic government of Honduras, sends a very troubling message that democracy and human rights are no longer at the forefront of the U.S. foreign policy agenda.”
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