During a debate on July 23, 2007 Clinton was asked if she would "be willing to meet separately, without precondition, during the first year of your administration, with the leaders of Iran, Syria, Venezuela, Cuba and North Korea".

Clinton explained that she would not meet without preconditions stating "we are not going to have our president meet with Fidel Castro and Hugo Chavez and the presidents of North Korea, Iran and Syria until we know better what the way forward would be."

After the debate Clinton's campaign issued a statement that Clinton believes it is "a mistake to commit the power and prestige of America's presidency years ahead of time by making such a blanket commitment [talks without preconditions],"

There's more...

The following is just a small example of Clinton's involvement in foreign policy related events as First Lady:

China

· Sept. 5, 1995: HRC traveled to Beijing and spoke out for women's rights and human rights despite efforts by the Chinese government to discourage her visit and pull the plug on her speech.

Macedonia

· May 14, 1999: Hillary traveled to the Balkans while the NATO-led air war against the former Yugoslavia was still under way as part of a broader U.S. effort that led to the reopening of the border with the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, permitting thousands of Kosovar refugees to flee to safety. She met separately with Prime Minister Georgievski and President Gligorov, accompanied by U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Christopher Hill, to emphasize America's support for the stability and security of Macedonia.

Northern Ireland

· Nov. 30 - Dec. 1, 1995; Oct. 31, 1997; Sept. 2 - 3, 1998; May 12 - 13, 1999; Dec. 12 - 13, 2000. Hillary traveled to Northern Ireland five times as First Lady and gave what Northern Irish leader and Nobel Laureate John Hume recently described as "decisive support" to the peace process in Northern Ireland. She focused especially on encouraging the emergence of women in the political process. In addition, Hillary's work at the grass roots and behind-the-scenes helped cultivate the conditions necessary for the peace to take hold and last.

Africa

· March 17, 1997: HRC traveled to Senegal and met with Senegalese President Abdou Diouf. As she recounts in Living History, Hillary lobbied President Diouf to support legislation banning female genital mutilation and lent assistance to a grassroots campaign against the practice. Soon after that meeting, a law banning the practice was passed. [Living History, p. 400-01].

· March 27, 1997: Hillary also traveled to Tanzania and met with President Benjamin Mkapa. As she recounts in Living History, Hillary encouraged the president to eliminate laws that limited women from owning and inheriting property, restrictions that not only were unfair but hobbled the economic potential of half the country's population. In 1999, Tanzania passed the Land Law Act and the Village Act, repealing and replacing the laws that had previously discriminated against women. [Living History, p. 403]

· March 23 - April 2, 1998: After her 1997 trip to Africa, Hillary lobbied President Clinton to go to Africa. They traveled to Ghana, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa, Botswana, and Senegal.