"The meeting with the newly appointed US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, needs to be held, but after she is officially appointed to this post," said the minister. At the same time, he noted that he would be pleased to have the opportunity to meet Ms. Rice before then at some events.
As for Colin Powell's resignation, the minister said he hoped to have the chance to say kind words to him too.
The minister added that after the news about Colin Powell's departure came, people expressed their kind wishes to him and promised to continue co-operation, at all functions, at the meeting of the Middle East quartet and during meetings on Iraq in Egypt. Colin Powell in turn also expressed the hope that he would be equally involved in contacts with foreign partners in the future.
