15 September 1999
Text: President Clinton's Sept. 15 Christchurch Press Conference
(Clinton proud to stand with New Zealand on East Timor) (3410)
The United States and New Zealand stand together in their efforts to
bring an end of violence to East Timor, says President Clinton.
The two allies, Clinton said in a September 15 press conference in
Christchurch, New Zealand, "are working together to address the urgent
and difficult tasks there."
The people of East Timor, Clinton warned, are "still vulnerable to
attack. Many have fled their homes; many are short of food -- not only
those who have left the country, but those who are displaced within
East Timor."
The United Nations Security Council, Clinton said, "is now moving on a
resolution that would provide a strong mandate for an effective
international security force. I expect it to be approved," he added.
Reports continue to come out of East Timor, Clinton said, "of violence
and intimidation, which Indonesia has a responsibility to prevent."
Indonesia, he stressed, "has a responsibility to allow relief
organizations access to the refugees now."
The international peacekeeping force will face some stiff challenges,
Clinton said, but American and New Zealand will work together to
ensure success.
Clinton said he and New Zealand Prime Minister Shipley want "to see
the first contingent of troops there in a matter of a couple of days,
as soon as the resolution passes."
The two leaders, he added, expect the resolution to pass "tomorrow,
New York time."
Following is the White House transcript of the press conference:
(begin transcript)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
Christchurch, New Zealand)
For Immediate Release
September 15, 1999
PRESS CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENT CLINTON
AND NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER SHIPLEY
Sign of the Takahe
Christchurch, New Zealand
PRIME MINISTER SHIPLEY: Ladies and gentlemen, I'm pleased to report
that we have held very successful talks this afternoon in
Christchurch. These talks have ranged over many issues, regional
issues -- urgent regional issues -- international issues and, of
course, bilateral issues. I view them as extraordinarily satisfactory
from New Zealand's point of view.
For me, President Clinton's visit to New Zealand has been an
opportunity for this region to make real progress on pressing
international issues. This afternoon, we were able to discuss the
matter of East Timor, and I was able to thank the President for his
leadership while in this country in helping to mobilize international
support and opinion for restoring order and relieving the humanitarian
crisis that exists in Timor. The plight of the displaced people in
Timor has and is at the uppermost part of our minds at this time.
New Zealand is making urgent preparations to contribute our defense
force capability and personnel to the U.N. force in East Timor. We
appreciated the opportunity this afternoon to review the most recent
developments in New York, and the President was able to give us his
most recent advice.
I would also like to take this opportunity while we're here to
publicly say how much we appreciate the leadership role that Australia
is playing at this present time in evacuating the refugees from East
Timor, and also for providing such a major contribution to the U.N.
force.
New Zealand's Navy and Air Force are already on hand, working with the
Australians. The New Zealand Cabinet will hold a special meeting
tomorrow afternoon to review the latest developments and also to
consider how and when we will deploy our troops to the area, if
requested by the U.N. I've also asked that Parliament be called
together on Friday, so that this important matter can be discussed.
In our discussions with the President we were able to consider where
our current position on defense force personnel and our defense
relationship was up to. I valued the opportunity for that discussion
to take place, and I believe that good progress has been made.
We reviewed the outlook for global trade. I think we felt that there
was a real satisfaction in the achievements that the APEC meeting this
week were able to make. There has been a clear sign that there is a
commitment from the APEC region to see the launch of a highly
successful WTO round and the Auckland challenge laid down the
challenge to the rest of the world to come to the talks in Seattle
with something decisive and clear to put on the table.
As you are aware, APEC represents half of the world's population and
half of the world's economy. New Zealand particularly values free and
open trade and we believe that strong markets are the most able way in
which we can deliver a social dividend to the people within our
respective economies.
Mr. President, we wish you well in the preparations for the WTO round.
It is a very important next step in achieving free and open trade
globally, and many people depend on success being achieved in these
talks.
Finally, on the bilateral issue, I believe that the relationship
between the New Zealand government and the U.S. is in very good heart.
There are so many shared values which see us working together across
such areas of the environment, world trade, peacekeeping and, of
course, the promotion of human rights.
We also remain committed to working closely together on any trade
matters between us that have some difficulties, such as the safeguard
action on our lamb exports to the U.S. via the mechanism that's
available to us through the WTO. That is, of course, how good friends
should work these things through, and that is how it will remain in
New Zealand.
Mr. President, it's been a real pleasure and a privilege to have you
in our country. Your own warmth has won the hearts of most New
Zealanders and we want to thank you for your leadership on policy
issues that have seen very effective steps forward this week on
pressing international issues of our time.
I now invite you to make some comments.
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Thank you, Prime Minister. Let me begin by thanking
you, your government and the people of New Zealand for the wonderful
welcome that I and my family and our entire delegation have received.
I also am very grateful for the tremendous leadership that you gave to
the APEC summit. It was quite a success and I think thanks in no small
measure to your efforts.
As you mentioned, we have a lot of shared values and I believe that
the world is moving toward a consensus around freer and more open
trade, but coupled with policies that leave no one behind; that invest
in the education and health care and empowerment of people; that
protect the economy while growing the environment; that promote
democracy and human rights.
As we see, however, in East Timor, there's one thing to say that there
is such consensus, and quite another to turn it into reality. We are
working together to address the urgent and difficult tasks there. The
people are still vulnerable to attack. Many have fled their homes;
many are short of food -- not only those who have left the country,
but those who are displaced within East Timor.
As all of you know, the Security Council is now moving on a resolution
that would provide a strong mandate for an effective international
security force. I expect it to be approved. Meanwhile, we continue to
receive reports of violence and intimidation, which Indonesia has a
responsibility to prevent. And also, Indonesia has a responsibility to
allow relief organizations access to the refugees now.
Now, we know that this international peacekeeping force will face some
stiff challenges. But we have affirmed together that we will meet
those challenges. With our support, the people of East Timor can have
the independence and the democracy they have voted for. By fostering
stability there, and in helping Indonesia to resume its progress in
undergoing the profound transitions at work there, we can make our
whole community of nations more secure.
Let me say I'm very proud that the United States and New Zealand will
be standing together to defend freedom and human rights once again. We
will participate together in the force. As I told the Prime Minister
earlier, based on our experience elsewhere, I think it is quite
important that Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the other
countries that will be participating prepare through joint exercises
that will help us to get ready to do what has to be done together in
East Timor.
On trade, in addition to what the Prime Minister has said about APEC,
which we have said over and over and over again, which is that we're
pleased with the agenda we embraced and we hope it will be embraced at
the WTO ministerial in Seattle, I also want to say that I'm very
excited that the whole world will soon benefit from the leadership of
New Zealand's Mike Moore at the WTO.
If we can keep pushing for freer and more open trade, if we can make
that embrace at the WTO ministerial, once again we will see in the
example of New Zealand how a small country can lead by the power of
its example.
Again, Madam Prime Minister, thank you for your hospitality, your
leadership, and for all that your country is doing to build a better
world. Thank you.
PRIME MINISTER SHIPLEY: There are to be a couple of questions either
side, and we'll take them side by side.
Q Mr. President, could I just ask you, is there any possibility of the
United States allowing the resumption of military exercises with New
Zealand, given that were currently barred from those? And if not,
isn't that an anomaly when New Zealand works so closely with the
United States in areas such as Iraq and the Gulf and also in East
Timor?
President Clinton: Well, I think we should do exercises in the
specific context of East Timor. That's what I just said. And we will
do -- if I have anything to say about it, we will, along with the
Australians and others have joint exercises as part of our preparation
for East Timor.
Q What about other military exercises?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I would deal with them on a case by case basis.
Terry?
Q Mr. President, you spoke earlier today about Floyd being one of the
most serious hurricanes ever to threaten the United States. You've
been briefed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Can you tell
us what they've told you and what everybody can expect? And, sir, are
you satisfied that federal and state agencies have done everything
possible in the way of mobilizing personnel and equipment?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, I think we've done everything we know to do.
Let me say, I just got off the phone with Dan Goldin, our NASA
Administrator, and we were going over all that has been done in the
event Floyd strikes Cape Canaveral. And as I'm sure you all know now,
there are essentially two problems that literally threaten our space
program. One is that we have our space shuttles in those big silos
that are protected, and they're built to withstand 125 miles an hour
winds. Right now, Floyd is coming in at about 145 miles an hour. Even
if they withstand, which I think there's a good chance they will --
the other thing we had to worry about is the flooding -- we can get
several feet of floodwaters in the Cape Canaveral area. And the NASA
people have been working furiously to lift everything they can
possibly lift as high as they can possibly lift it.
As you know, a lot of individual citizens have been boarding up their
homes. There have been a lot of relocation, a lot of evacuation. We
have granted preemptive emergency declarations, which is virtually
unheard of. I think it was absolutely the right thing to do. The
Governors of Florida and Georgia were strongly for it; I think South
Carolina will join.
All I can tell you now, Terry, is I think we have to wait and see what
happens. We have taken every step that I am aware of we can take. I
had a long talk with the Vice President and James Lee Witt today;
they're on top of it.
The key will be, I think, when this storm hits -- and it won't be long
now -- where does it come in? Will it come in as far south as Cape
Canaveral and move up, or will it hit further north? How long will it
last? And we'll just have to keep working, and things may occur as it
goes on. But I think there's been a truly extraordinary effort to
prepare for this by state and local and national officials. We've
worked together, we've done the best we could.
Q Mr. President, in relation to East Timor, in order to make sure this
is not another Rwanda, how can we shortcut negotiations in New York to
make sure humanitarian aid gets to East Timor immediately?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, let me say, I think we're moving as fast as
possible. And the Prime Minister and I talked -- we would like to see
the first contingent of troops there in a matter of a couple of days,
as soon as the resolution passes. And we think that will happen
tomorrow, New York time.
You know, we know the Australians are ready to go. We can be ready to
go and we have airlift and we can bring in others who have made their
commitments. So I don't think you have to worry about it. Also -- I
don't mean there won't be more people killed and more terrible things
happen, but what happened in Rwanda was -- first there won't be
another 100 days, and not everybody has a machete. So there may be
some terrible things happen, but we are moving as fast as we can.
Now, the other thing I would say, though, to make the point you made,
it's not just a question of stopping the violence -- we've got to get
the NGOs and the others in there who can provide humanitarian relief
to people who are within the country. There are a lot of displaced
persons who did not leave East Timor. And we know it, we know what we
have to do. All I can tell you is we'll do the best we can.
Lori.
Q Sir, you said that Indonesia had the responsibility to prevent the
systematic killing. What would you like to see them do and why haven't
they stepped up to the plate?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, the why -- frankly, I don't think we're going
to know that for a while, until we get the people on the ground and
people begin to talk. You know, it's not clear whether some elements
of the military were encouraging what has happened or whether they
felt they couldn't stop it. It's not clear what the designs were.
There are a lot of things about that we don't know. A few days ago I
stopped worrying about why and started worrying about how to change
it. So, I don't know.
What I would like them to do, now that they have asked the United
Nations to come in, is simply to stop the most egregious forms of
violence and let the NGOs in to provide humanitarian relief right now.
Within -- it may become a moot point within 72 to 96 hours. But in two
or three days, a lot of people could die. And they don't have to die
if they work with us.
PRIME MINISTER SHIPLEY: From the New Zealand side.
Q Mr. President, we know that the United States are the champions of
free trade, and yet, recently tariffs were put on our lamb imports to
the United States. How do you equate one with the other? And can you
give us your views on P5?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Yes. First, we are a champion of free trade. During
the recent Asian financial crisis, when we lost huge agricultural and
other markets, we kept our markets open and sustained the largest
trade deficits in our history, while we were running the largest
budget surpluses in our history -- two things which don't normally go
together. I said in the meeting that during this period we bought 10
times as much steel from Japan and Russia as all of Europe did.
Now, I think you understand in the American system, we have an
International Trade Commission. People can bring complaints before it.
The Commission makes a ruling. They made a recommendation. After they
made a recommendation for some action in the case of the lamb, the
Prime Minister called me; I called her back. She expressed some --
obviously, the concerns of New Zealand. I did as much as I could to
take those into account, including calling for a three rather than a
four-year period of action, and saying that I would review it in the
middle of the time frame. So I believe what I did was WTO-consistent,
and I believe that what I did was appropriate, given the
recommendation I was made under our laws -- just like I think you have
a perfect right to appeal the decision. And if I were in your
position, that's exactly what I'd do.
Q And your view on P5?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: On P5, I think it's a very interesting idea. I have
asked the Prime Minister to give me 10 to 14 days to go home, talk to
all of our people about it, have a chance to think it through. I had
hoped to have a well-formulated position by the time I got here, but
as you know, all of us have been completely swamped by developments in
East Timor, and we honestly haven't had the time to work it through.
So I told her I'd get back to her in a couple of weeks, and I will.
PRIME MINISTER SHIPLEY: Can I just comment on the issue of lamb,
briefly, before the next question? Perhaps the last question needs to
be taken. We have fed the President as much fine New Zealand lamb as
we could possibly fit in. And -- (laughter) --
PRESIDENT CLINTON: And I've eaten it all. Not so much as a scrap has
escaped my attention. (Laughter.)
PRIME MINISTER SHIPLEY: This is an issue that New Zealand felt keenly.
The WTO is the right forum. We will pursue that actively. But it does
not spill over into what we view as not only a very valuable market
for New Zealand agricultural exports, but also a very warm
relationship.
Q -- WTO, are the U.S.-China trade talks proving more difficult than
you had hoped? When and where will the next round of talks take place?
And are you disappointed that there hasn't been a breakthrough?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, first of all, I think, on balance, this has
been quite a good week for the United States in Asia, in the Asia
Pacific region. I did have a good meeting with President Jiang; we
talked about things other than trade. One of our common interests,
North Korea and avoiding the missile launch, appears to be headed in
the right direction. We had progress in East Timor, and, with the
Prime Minister's leadership, we made the right commitments here at
APEC. So I think this is good.
Now, on the Chinese-WTO talks, we have reengaged and each side will
now do whatever it thinks is right. You know, I don't totally control
the timetable there, but I'm neither optimistic, nor pessimistic about
it. I am satisfied that we have reengaged and we will do the best we
can to just deal with this on the merits. We only had one or two
issues before us when we couldn't quite get there in Washington. I
still think it would be a better thing for China and a better thing
for the world if they were in the WTO, but that is, of course,
ultimately a decision that they have to make, not me. But we're
talking, we're working, and I feel good about it.
PRIME MINISTER SHIPLEY: Thank you very much.
END 3:50 P.M. (L)
To comment on this service: feedback@www.whitehouse.gov
(end transcript)
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