THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
________________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release October 17, 2000
PRESS BACKGROUND BRIEFING
BY SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL
Aboard Air Force One
En route from Sharm el-Sheikh to Andrews Air Force Base
2:00 P.M. (L)
Q So where did you wind up, as opposed to where you wanted
to get? Did you get what you wanted?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes, I think we accomplished
what we hoped to accomplish. We weren't sure whether we could. We've
had a very ugly and tragic and bitter two weeks out here. Feelings are
running very, very high. We came here with three objectives. One was
to get an agreement between the two parties to a series of concrete
steps that hopefully will lead to a de-escalation of the violence,
ultimately halting the violence. And we were able to do that; I can
talk more about that.
Second, both parties have wanted to have a fact-finding
commission that would look at how this happened, what lessons can be
learned and how to avoid it. They differed quite sharply on
constitution and composition of that. We were able to resolve that.
And, third, we wanted to create a path back to the negotiations. And
they both agreed over the next two weeks we're going to consult with a
view towards perhaps bringing them back together in some fashion.
Q After all of the -- a lot of people didn't want these two
leaders to come here. There has been a lot of ugly words on both sides.
Is there a realistic chance that this agreement is going to stick?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I think that both Prime
Minister Barak and Chairman Arafat have every intention of trying to
implement this agreement. Now, there is obviously a dynamic out here
that is not easy to reverse and is going to take some very strong
measures. But both parties -- particularly, Chairman Arafat has agreed
to a public statement renouncing the violence, which he's not made up
until now; to concrete steps on the ground, with respect to controlling
demonstrations; a whole series of other measures. And, in turn, the
Israelis have agreed to end the closure -- that's both the internal
closure between Gaza and the West Bank and also the external closure
between Gaza and Egypt and the West Bank and Jordan; and to, over a
period of the next several days, to redeploy forces back to their
pre-crisis levels. This will be difficult and we should have no
illusion that anybody can wave a magic wand.
But now there is a common commitment to a common set of steps.
And, therefore, I hope that over the next several days we'll see the
effects of this.
Q There are a lot of qualifiers in this summary.
Hopefully, they'll be able to reduce the violence. Maybe they'll get
back on a path to peace. Does the administration wish there was
something more concrete, something more specific, something harder?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: They've agreed to all the
things that we wanted them to agree to. They've agreed to all the steps
that we hoped that they would agree to.
Q So in no way did you fall short of your expectations?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No. Not in terms of what
they've agreed to do. Now, the question is, in the implementation of
this, how quickly does it take hold, how completely does it take hold,
does something happen that changes the dynamic? There are a lot of
uncertainties here. But the security steps that they agreed to were, I
would say, actually beyond what we thought we would be able to get. My
saying hopefully is simply a recognition that emotions are high here,
it's still a very volatile region, and implementation is not going to be
easy. I think they intend to implement this.
Q Is there an understood time table? What I mean is, if
something doesn't happen in 48 hours, can one side say, well, already
they're backing away from this so we're going to back away from our side
of it? Or is it understood that there is a rational process?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: There are some timing elements
in this -- we're not going to discuss the specifics of those.
Q What about the trade-offs?
Q Do you expect Arafat to make some further statement now
about renouncing violence?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes.
Q I mean, he did it indirectly through the President, but
he hasn't done it directly.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes.
Q (Inaudible.)
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I would hope he would do it
soon.
Q What were the trade-offs that each side made? I know,
for example, the Israelis did not want the U.N. to be involved in the
fact-finding commission, that was clearly a compromise on their behalf.
What are your --
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Actually, on the commission,
the Israelis were quite pleased with the way that that language came
out. What the Israelis did not want is an international commission,
that is, a commission that was under the auspices of the U.N. or was
seen as an international body. This is a commission appointed by the
President, under the auspices of the President. In selecting members,
he will consult with Barak, Arafat, Kofi Annan.
But the Israelis were very pleased with the way that came out.
They felt very strongly that they did not want an international
commission and Arafat agreed to that.
Q What happens if they don't meet these deadlines,
everything kind of falls apart?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I don't want to
speculate on what happens if things don't go well. Again, this remains
a very tense and dangerous area. I believe we will see a ratcheting
down of the violence over the next several days. But, you know, it only
takes one person to shoot a gun or throw a rock.
Q Any progress on any of the Israelis that have been
captured within the last week? Any sense that is a stumbling block or
is something that is on the minds of the Israelis, as this process moves
forward?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: It's certainly on the minds
not only of the Israelis, but on our minds, as well. Hezbollah -- we
have made it very clear to those who have influence on Hezbollah,
including the Syrians, that they need to do everything in their power to
see that these soldiers are returned. I think those issues were not
involved in these discussions because those are not issues that are
directly related to the Palestinians. But it is a dimension of the
situation out here which I think remains volatile.
Q How far removed are we from, let's just say, the spirit
of Camp David? I mean, how far are these two gentlemen who spent so
much time together in July, so many conversations about peace, how far
removed are we from that set of atmospherics?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, obviously there has been
a lot of ugly scenes in the last two weeks. And I think that has
affected perceptions on both sides, and it will take time for that to
heal. But I do think that both these leaders would like to get back
into some form of negotiation, because I think they recognize that we've
just seen over the last two weeks the alternative to a negotiated
solution.
Q What is the time table for the fact-finding commission,
itself?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I think the President will
select it in the next several weeks.
Q Would the report become due before he leaves office?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: That's not specified.
Q Is it assumed or understood?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, we actually didn't talk so
much about when it would be due. Obviously, it's a complicated
situation and we want them to do a thorough job. We will consult with
Barak and Arafat on that over the next few days.
Q So we consider that commission instead a Palestinian
compromise, where did the Israelis compromise in this?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I think by agreeing to
certain steps in the West Bank and in the territories that will return
things back to the pre-crisis levels.
Q Any troop withdrawals?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, there has been
substantial deployments of forces in the last two weeks, as well as
closures in the territories -- as I said, both internal and external.
And those will be reversed as this process unfolds.
Q Did the Palestinians commit to rearresting the militants
and/or terrorists, which the Israelis have complained about so
strenuously the last week or two?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes.
Q They did. Is that a part of the understanding? Is that
stipulated in the agreement? Or is that an understood?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The President talked about, I
believe, rearrest of prisoners.
Q Is that in the agreement, itself?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: That's an understanding that
was part of this.
Q Can you talk more about the joint security arrangements,
the new joint security arrangements? And is Tenet going to be even more
involved?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I think --
fundamentally, there is cooperation between the parties, which actually,
since Wye, one of the positive things to come out of Wye was a degree of
cooperation at the level of security forces to security forces dealing
with managing flash points, managing conflict that has atrophied a bit
in the past few weeks. Atrophy is, I guess, the wrong word; it's
eroded, I guess is a better word.
Q Collapsed?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Collapsed? No, it actually
hasn't collapsed. There is still some -- surprisingly, they're still
engaged in it, although not as extensively. And they've committed to
resume that and try to intensify that. Our role is a facilitator. Our
role is to help get them together and make sure that they are working
together.
Q Is there anything that you'll have to inform Congress
about, any understandings, agreements? Anything that you have to --
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No obligations or undertakings
the United States has made in this, except to oversee generally the
implementation of this. Obviously, if we don't see it being
implemented, we'll say so.
Q Does this reestablish the foundation, basically
reestablish the foundation of the Oslo --
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Actually, I didn't answer --
somebody asked about the peace process and I didn't answer that very
well, I answered half of it, but not the other half.
I would say that the third leg of this triangle, which was
their willingness -- well, not willingness, their desire to come back
together and discuss the resumption of a negotiating process suggests to
me that they both want to see negotiations resumed. And we will talk
with them over the next two weeks about the best way to do that.
Q Neither of them looked very happy today, and obviously if
no one wanted to answer questions there's --
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I think it has been a very
difficult time. I think it's very difficult for Prime Minister Barak to
see those two soldiers massacred by a mob. And I think that it has been
difficult for Arafat to see so many funerals. So I don't think it's a
-- I think it's a time for some gratification that they can hopefully
get back on a path to -- on the right path. But I don't think that, in
this context, triumphalism by either of them is the appropriate mood
they want to strike.
Q Let me ask you a hard ball question about politics on
both sides, the Israelis and the Palestinians. What position do you
think Arafat will find himself in when he goes back and his people who
most wanted this fact-finding commission find out it has an
indeterminate date, it's controlled by the President of the United
States, it may not even report before he leaves office? Also, what
position do you think Barak will be in when he comes back and the Likud
Party finds out that after the mob killing of two Israeli police
officers, or soldiers, they have to redeploy and pull back and do things
that they might perceive to be concessions to the Palestinians? I mean,
do these two men walk back home?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: These are mutual steps. And
both sides benefit if, instead of seeing 10 people killed a day, we see
that reversing and ending and coming back to normalcy. So I think both
will say this is a mutual process, we've undertaken concrete steps and
hopefully their people will see the consequences of that in a more
normal life.
Q Can you talk a little bit about what it was like inside
the room, if you would? It seemed like it started off really bad the
first couple of hours and then got better.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: If you look at the last two
days, sort of three circles of activity: Secretary Albright was chairing
a meeting of the foreign ministers from each of the countries over most
of yesterday, as they were drafting language. I think that was an
important part of this. There was a fair amount of venting in that
session -- not by Secretary Albright -- (laughter) -- and not against
her, either, contrary to something Reuters said today -- wrong, no one
called her --
Q It was a Palestinian stringer who reported it, so -- we
had a -- well, according to the Palestinian source who gave it --
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I'm just spinning you. In any
case, it was important. They were confronting each other for the first
time at the foreign minister level and grappling with the consequences
and, as I say, venting a bit -- and drafting some language.
Q Trying to blow off some steam?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Yes.
Q Did you see any warmth between the two leaders throughout
the whole --
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Let me finish. So that's sort
of one circle. The second circle is what the President was doing, which
was meeting with the leaders, particularly with Barak, Arafat, Mubarak,
but also with Kofi Annan and King Abdullah. I guess I was trying to
think how -- what the President was doing, creating space, creating
enough space, opening up the room so that if they -- for an agreement,
getting them, probing to see whether where they could give, how far they
could go; and, in a sense, making the room wider and higher.
And then in a third and very important circle is work that
George Tenet was doing with senior people from the security services,
more quietly. And they were basically hammering out the elements of
this security understanding, which they completed last night about 8:00
p.m. And that was then the kind of foundation -- although, then the
President went into a period of activity from 8:00 p.m. last night until
4:00 a.m. this morning, in which he was both trying to get the leaders
to agree to this -- there were some changes made; but also then this in
the context of the other two pieces, the commission and the peace
process. Although, that was actually the least controversial. They
both really wanted to find a way to see whether negotiations can be
restored, that was the least difficult. The other thing, the commission
and the steps, how they would be expressed. And we met with -- until,
as I say, about 4:00 a.m. Then the President, we came back this morning
at 8:00 a.m. The President met first with Mubarak, then with Arafat.
He met with Barak last night again, and then with Barak again, and then
with the Secretary General, King Abdullah.
So we really didn't know we had this nailed down until, I
would say -- what time was the press conference?
Q Noon.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Haven't been to sleep in about
two days. Noon? I was 90 percent sure we had this between 10:00 a.m.
and 11:00 a.m.; 95 percent sure of it when the leaders came out of the
room they were in together and the President was smiling; and 100
percent when the press conference started. (Laughter.)
Q It wasn't a press conference.
Q There were no questions.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Excuse me, I'm sorry.
Q The in-your-face announcement.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: That was a -- they had agreed
that, let the statements speak for themselves. Obviously, each would
have to speak to its own constituency. And they'll all go back and
speak to their own constituency. But I think it would not be
constructive to do that.
Q Is there anything you want to tell us about the
investigation into the Cole? Are you getting any hooks?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I've had an open line
conversation with Louis Freeh last night. It was not very informative,
except that -- and he's heading out there -- he said that the government
of Yemen is now cooperating fully and genuinely. He's very pleased with
their cooperation and he thought that the first few days had gone well.
END 2:25 P.M. (L)
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