State Department Noon Briefing, October 10, 2000
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10, 2000 1:15 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: Right. Amid all these meetings, has she found time for some Mideast
diplomacy? And is there a chance at least that she would host a
meeting -- it wouldn't be a summit, of course, but a high-level
meeting with the Arabs and Israelis?
MR. BOUCHER: I think it is fair to say the Secretary has been
virtually in the Middle East all weekend by telephone. I think those
of you that checked in with us over the weekend know that she has
talked to a number of leaders, foreign ministers in the Middle East.
The President himself has talked to Prime Minister Barak, Chairman
Arafat, President Mubarak and others repeatedly over the last few
days.
Yesterday, the Secretary was in touch with the Norwegian Foreign
Minister, with Foreign Minister Moussa, with the EU High
Representative Solana, with King Abdullah yesterday evening and with
Chairman Arafat yesterday evening. This morning, she talked to Foreign
Minister Shara of Syria; she talked to Foreign Minister Cook of the
UK; she talked to Foreign Minister Ben-Ami of Israel; and as I came
down, she was just beginning a phone call with Foreign Minister Ivanov
of Russia.
In addition, with Foreign Minister Ivanov and others, she has also
been partially in Yugoslavia, in the Balkans for the last few days.
Yesterday she talked to Prime Minister Racan of Croatia. She has
talked to the Bulgarian Foreign Minister over the weekend; she talked
to several others as well, and I am sure she will be talking to
Foreign Minister Ivanov about the situation in the Balkans as well as
the Middle East.
Q: Anything from Kofi Annan on the -- has she been on the phone with
him?
MR. BOUCHER: She has talked to Kofi Annan several times over the
weekend. I think yesterday would have been the last time. I think it
is fair to say there is very active diplomacy going on at the highest
levels, as well as with the Secretary and with other officials in
Washington. Our missions throughout the Middle East -- we have been in
very active communication with regional leaders and officials. We are
continuing to work on the ground with the Israelis and the
Palestinians to end the violence.
The first goal for everyone must be to find an end to the violence, to
break the cycle of violence and try to restore calm on an ongoing
basis. We do note from some of your press reports that we are watching
on the situation -- your reporters appear to be reporting that things
are a little bit calmer day by day, but what is most important to us
is to make that sort of a lasting condition, that we get away from
this cycle that could erupt at any moment. That remains our efforts --
remember the Secretary saying there have been too many funerals, too
many tears -- it remains our view that breaking the cycle of violence
is the most important thing. We have been looking for all these
parties to take whatever steps they can, and particularly for the
parties in the region to take immediate steps to try to calm the
situation and get back to the kind of effort that we talked about in
Paris, some of which is being implemented to calm the situation on a
more lasting basis.
Q: Might she go out there for a -- in lieu of a summit meeting?
MR. BOUCHER: At this point, there is really nothing planned in terms
of travel for her or others. We have said that one of the ideas is a
summit meeting, or some other kinds of meetings in the region. There
have been no decisions on that at this point. Certainly, anything that
can be done to calm the situation we are willing to do, but at this
point, no decisions on that specific idea.
Q: Let me monopolize the conversation just for a bit. You made some
reference to the Paris agreement being carried out, being implemented.
The Palestinians are saying that the Israelis haven't withdrawn their
armor or their troops, which was sort of given to us as one of the
accomplishments, the promise to withdraw from flash points on both
sides. They say they haven't. And except for the meeting of security
officials, what is it that happened in Paris that is being carried
out?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I don't want to lay claim to sort of full
implementation and peace, because it is obvious that is not the
situation. They did issue some instructions in Paris when they were
there; there was a basic commitment to try to work together with us in
terms of security people on the ground working to reduce tensions.
That process is ongoing, but I will be the first to say and the first
to agree with anybody who says that as long as the violence continues,
there is more that needs to be done, and we do look forward to the
implementation of all the commitments that were made in Paris.
Q: Given that she had been exploring -- the White House had been
exploring the possibility of Egypt, and since that time President
Mubarak has said that the only meeting apparently he is interested in
hosting in the near future might be an Arab League meeting on this
topic, has the White House, has Secretary Albright ruled out Egypt as
the possible mediation point? Or is that something -- are they hosting
-- does she plan to speak to Mubarak again and try and convince him to
change his mind?
MR. BOUCHER: We will have to see. We have kept in close touch with the
Egyptians throughout this period. I am sure we will remain in close
touch with the Egyptians. There have just been no decisions on this
idea; this is one of a variety of ideas out there about steps or
meetings or things that can be done to calm the situation. This one --
there is just no decision on this one way or the other, including the
location.
Q: Did you take it as a no from Mubarak, or did you all take it as a
maybe, or did you take it as a "Don't call us, we'll call you"?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I can characterize it that way, that there
are a lot of factors at play here. Clearly, the Egyptian government's
views on a particular meeting is important. But there are different
ideas floating out there; this is one of them. We will see which one
develops into a reality.
Q: Are all the embassies that have been closed over -- since Thursday
-- have they all reopened now, or have any of them decided to extend
their closures? They were supposed to either reopen yesterday or
today, depending on when they celebrated Columbus Day.
MR. BOUCHER: Yes. The final decision on that was left to the
discretion of the ambassador. My understanding is that almost all of
them have reopened. I'm not quite sure if I can say all. I will have
to check on that.
Q: Richard, one of the things that came up over the weekend was this
ultimatum -- this Israeli ultimatum, saying that if you don't do what
we want, then we will consider the peace process over. What does the
United States think of unilateral actions and statements of this kind?
Does this fall into the declaration of statehood category?
MR. BOUCHER: I think the Secretary addressed that several times over
the weekend. I really don't have anything to add at this point.
Q: You mentioned a few minutes ago about the parties, especially in
the region, the parties taking the steps that need to be taken. Would
you include among those steps a public call for calm by Chairman
Arafat?
MR. BOUCHER: We certainly look for anything the parties can do that
can help calm the situation. We would welcome any steps that are taken
that help calm the situation, and we think it is important for all the
parties to take those steps. But I am not here to start specifying
individual actions. I think it is important that everybody do whatever
they can to calm the situation.
Q: The Palestinians say that the Israelis have reacted with too much
violence, that the Israelis should stop shooting, that that is the
most important thing to be done right now? Do you agree with that
assessment?
MR. BOUCHER: Once again, I am not here to try to pin the blame or
start pointing fingers at one side or the other. We have said, I
think, quite clearly all along that both sides needed to take steps,
that there were certain points of friction and confrontation that
needed to be reduced. I think we pointed out that on the Israeli side
there is this feeling that they are frequently put under siege at
various locations; on the Palestinians' side, the feeling that live
fire was being used too readily. So those are the kinds of things that
we have been trying to deal with in our discussions with the parties,
both in Paris and in our discussions on the ground.
Q: You talk about contacts -- I mean, isn't there a flat ban on travel
by US government officials on the West Bank? Is that hampering --I
know that it is your interest in security and protecting official
Americans as well as civilians. Has that impacted, has that hampered
your discourses with the Palestinians?
MR. BOUCHER: Let me use that as the opportunity to go back a little
bit and give you the summary. I think those of you that followed this
over the weekend know that we put out two new travel advisories, one
relating to the Middle East as a whole that talks about the volatility
and the violent demonstrations in the region, that recommends that US
citizens in the region minimize non-essential activities, and says
that employees of our embassies and consulates in the region have been
told to do the same.
Second of all, there is a more specific advisory for Israel, the West
Bank and Gaza, that talks about the continuing tensions and the
violent demonstrations there. US citizens in these areas are
encouraged to avoid these areas. US Government employees have been
prohibited from traveling to the West Bank, Gaza, and have been urged
to avoid East Jerusalem, including the Old City.
Q: That's what I'm asking.
MR. BOUCHER: I guess what I have to say in the end is that I'm not
sure exactly where they manage to meet, but we do continue to have our
meetings with Palestinian and Israeli security officials. It is
obviously of overriding importance to us that people are able to work
with them to try to reduce the tensions and restore calm.
Q: But how can --
MR. BOUCHER: Whether they are able to meet somewhere else or whether
there are very, very limited exceptions to this ban, I don't know. But
I think it is important. I think everybody would recognize the need to
continue this work.
Q: I mean, not to quibble, but how could there be adequate reporting
if US officials don't go to these places? And CNN may not do it all,
or Fox.
MR. BOUCHER: We need the wires, Barry.
Q: No, I mean -- you need -- don't you need on-site reporting?
MR. BOUCHER: There is a lot of reporting on what is going on. We
obviously have a lot of contacts with people who are on-site. We are
in very close touch with security officials on both sides. I think we
are able to get adequate information on what is going on.
Q: Two questions. Question number one: Is the United States approving
or supportive -- I should say supportive -- of the deadline that
Israel has set and then let slide by a few days? They still have a
deadline for some kind of major military action. Do we approve of
that?
And the second question is: Does the United States agree with or
approve the fact that Arafat said that the PLO would only resume peace
negotiations after Israel agrees to the creation of an international
commission to study the events of these last 12 days or 13 days now?
Where do we stand on those major matters?
MR. BOUCHER: I think there are three things in there. One is the
deadline, or so-called ultimatum. I think I was asked about that a few
minutes ago, and I just referred you back to what the Secretary said
several times over the weekend on that subject.
Two is the decision last night to sort of let it slide. Obviously, we
appreciate anything the parties can do to reduce the tensions and to
help restore calm in the region.
And third was the one that I just forgot.
Q: Arafat says he won't return to any kind of peace negotiations.
MR. BOUCHER: I think you are all quite aware that one of the issues
that is under discussion with the parties is fact-finding. We do think
that can be useful. That was the subject of some discussion in Paris.
We think it can be useful if it is done in a way that contributes to
an understanding of the causes of violence and understanding of how to
reduce or eliminate those causes of violence, and if it is done in a
way that is acceptable to the parties so that we can have genuine
cooperation. So we continue to work on that idea. It hasn't been
brought to fruition yet, but certainly fact-finding is one of the
issues under discussion.
Q: The Secretary was asked about it over the weekend and she would not
say -- fair enough -- that the US supports the call for an
international commission. But since then, there has been word from
Israel, Israel would be satisfied if the US -- remember, the original
idea from Israel was that Israelis and Palestinians look into this.
Now they're saying US, Israelis and Palestinians. Does that satisfy
the US so far as a legitimate fact-finding operation?
MR. BOUCHER: As I said, this is an idea that has been under
discussion, that we have discussed with the parties. It remains under
discussion, and I don't think my characterization just now was any
different than what the Secretary did over the weekend.
Q: Over the weekend, I'm told that the Palestinian news agency
reported that at the Palestinian cabinet meeting members of Hamas and
Islamic Jihad were invited to attend that meeting. (A) do you have any
information about that and (b) do you see that as a positive
development?
MR. BOUCHER: It is not something I have anything for you on. I will
have to check on it and see.
Q: Has there been, in a sense, a damage assessment of the overall
peace process, and is there any thinking developing yet on whether a
summit, if it were to happen in the next couple of weeks, would get
back involved in the core issues? Or does the government feel that
there is really a long way to go before -- to get back to square one,
as it were? Or is there some sense that you could actually have a
summit in the middle of this crisis and get back to some of those core
issues that were being dealt with at Camp David?
MR. BOUCHER: These issues are all in play. Clearly, we want to get
back to the peace process. We believe the parties too want to get back
to the peace process. I think the Secretary has said over the last few
days that we are at key moments for the peace process, that we have
been continuing to work on a lot of the ideas in play and continuing
to try to move them forward. So we do very much want to get back to
the peace process and think that there is still an opportunity there
in terms of the negotiations. At the same time, we recognize that it
is pretty hard to negotiate peace when you are in the middle of a
violent confrontation, and therefore the overriding importance right
now is to get the parties and others that can help to take immediate
steps to calm the violence. And then as we move forward we would
certainly like to move into a situation where we can take up the peace
process issues again.
I know that doesn't answer the question completely in terms of what
will be done at a particular summit, but since there is no decision
made on a particular summit it is hard to describe what it will
discuss.
Q: Can I follow up on his question? If Yasser Arafat, as some people
claim, is able to turn this violence on and turn it off as he wishes,
what does that say about his commitment to peace? And if it is out of
his hands, and if he has no hand in this, what does it say about the
people on the Palestinian side, whether they're going to look at a
peace agreement as anything more than a piece of paper?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, there was two questions starting with "if," neither
of which I can --
Q: Well, one or the other is most likely the case.
MR. BOUCHER: No.
Q: Well, what would be the other option?
MR. BOUCHER: Something in between.
Q: Which is?
MR. BOUCHER: I think the answer --
Q: How do you see it?
MR. BOUCHER: The answer that I have to give you is that as long as the
violence continues it is the responsibility of leaders on both sides
to take whatever steps they can to try to calm the situation, and to
continue taking steps until we can restore some sort of lasting calm.
So one can do any kind of analysis, but the fact is anyone in a
leadership position should be doing everything they can in order to
keep working on restoring calm, and that is what we want people to do.
Q: Secretary Albright said on television that he could and should stop
the Palestinian confrontation. Now, you're speaking in generic,
general terms, which might include Norwegians, but she said that
Arafat has made hard decisions before, and he could and should stop
the violence. And if the violence is continuing, Robert Satloff,
writing in the Paris Tribune and in The Washington Post yesterday,
says he has sprung prisoners, that he has formed a new union with the
Hamas. Has he tried to stop the violence? It's been going on more than
a week now -- at his end, apart from what Israel is doing?
MR. BOUCHER: Once again, I will go back to what I said before, and
certainly with what the Secretary said, that he has made some hard
decisions over these years and he has taken some steps. We saw some
steps taken in Paris. Certainly, we do expect those steps to continue.
He can and he should do more to end the violence. I think that is
incumbent on both sides. As long as the violence continues, people
need to keep doing things to try to end it.
Q: I want to change the subject.
Q: Can I just --
MR. BOUCHER: A lot of people don't want to change the subject.
Q: The Palestinians have all week questioned whether the US could
continue to play the role that the President Clinton decides as being
an honest broker, and following the UN Security Council vote, there
were further questions about whether the US can be an honest broker.
And then today's Washington Post front page questions US neutrality
when a lot of people never felt that there was neutrality, that the US
was always the Israeli ally in this.
How do you respond to all these questions about whether, even if the
two sides are willing to go back to the peace process, whether Arafat
feels he can trust the White House to represent both sides fairly?
MR. BOUCHER: I would suppose in the end that is a question you are
going to have to ask him. I think we do believe we have a continuing
role in this process. We have been at the center of it all along, both
in terms of trying to advance the peace process, as you well know, but
also in terms of trying to end the violence. We have been very active
with people on both sides. We have been in close touch with people on
both sides, and we continue to work on the ground and diplomatically
with both Israelis and Palestinians. So, I think the central role of
the United States, both in the peace process and in trying to bring an
end to the violence, hasn't changed and, in fact, continues. And you
can see that from the facts of what is going on.
Q: One more.
MR. BOUCHER: One, two, three, four more.
Q: Subset to this question, the US role has changed a great deal in
the last two months, it seems to me. The President's statement
concerning Arafat and his failure at the summit; he blamed him rather
than blaming Clinton or Israel. And every time there is a serious
problem in the peace process, we seem to turn up at Sharm el Sheikh,
which is another way of saying that we seem to turn to Egypt. Is it
now time for Egypt to join these negotiations as a formal -- and make
it a quadripartide summit, rather than a tripartide. And I don't
really expect an answer, but I thought I'd like to get it on.
MR. BOUCHER: Well, we will take your suggestion on board. I think
Egypt has had a very important and continuing role on the peace
process, on the issues of violence. They have relations with all the
parties, and certainly we look to them as well as any others who are
in a position to do so to try to play a helpful role in calming the
situation and getting back to a peace process.
Q: But what I am saying is, isn't there a big change in the Egyptian
role now at this point?
MR. BOUCHER: I would describe the Egyptian role as long-standing and
continuing.
Q: Okay.
Q: Given that it looks like -- that we are hearing that the next Arab
summit, scheduled for the end of the month, is one forum that some of
our allies in the region would like to discuss this issue, what is the
US reaction to the fact that this year, an Iraqi -- for this meeting,
an Iraqi delegation has been invited, and in the last week, Saddam
Hussein has been pretty vocal in his position on this, he is making
some pretty charged statements about the situation.
MR. BOUCHER: Is that new?
Q: Well, it's not new, but I'm saying, do you invite them to invite
the Iraqis to an Arab League summit --
MR. BOUCHER: It may be new to invite them, and I will be glad to look
for something on that. I don't have an immediate reaction to it. I do
think that Iraq's opposition to the peace process has been very vocal
and very consistent, and hasn't seemed to garner a whole lot of
support.
Q: I mean, do you think that they could be signaling a change in the
perspective, in the region at this point, the fact that they would be
invited?
MR. BOUCHER: I do think that if you looked at the activity of people
in the region, that you do see an attempt by many to try to help calm
the situation. We have certainly looked to the people to play that
role. As far as Iraq's irrelevance to the process, I think that is
self-evident.
Q: Can we move on?
MR. BOUCHER: Can we move on? Not quite yet.
Q: In the last week, there has been a lot of outpourings in the
street, in places like Morocco, Egypt, Jordan, the UAE, Iran -- well,
we expect that in Iran, but some of these countries are countries that
have backed the peace process in the past, and have relations with
Israel in public. Were you surprised by this dichotomy between the
public willingness to negotiate with Israel, and suddenly the streets
sort of erupting in support of the Palestinians?
And secondly, do you think the leaders of these countries have -- I
mean they appear to have basically taken the Palestinian side in all
of these issues, claiming that Israel has used too much force, and
supporting the Palestinians. Are you disappointed in that?
MR. BOUCHER: I think I would just have to go back to what we have said
before. Clearly, we are quite aware of the emotion of these issues; we
are quite aware of the volatility of these issues, not only on the
ground in Israel, West Bank and Gaza, but also in terms of the region.
We have embassies in many places. We are quite careful about their
status and their security. We are aware of how emotional these issues
are, and how strongly people feel.
But in the end, I think you have to ask yourself, what are the
alternatives? We don't think there is any alternative to the United
States playing a key role in the process, and we don't think there is
any alternative to trying as hard as we can, and expecting others to
try as well to restore the calm and get back on a path of peace.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:25 p.m.)
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