State Department Spokesman on Mideast Summit Stakes
RICHARD BOUCHER IS INTERVIEWED REGARDING THE SHARM EL-SHEIKH TALKS
OCTOBER 16, 2000
SPEAKERS: RICHARD BOUCHER, STATE DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN
QUESTION: Secretary Boucher, how big are the stakes at a summit such
as this?
BOUCHER: They're big in terms of everybody wants to stop the violence.
The United States, in particular, has a lot invested in the peace
process over the decades. It's important to stop the violence, find a
way back to that peace process. We've seen now, in the last two weeks,
the alternative to peace, and it's not good for Israelis, it's not
good for Palestinians. And I think, for everybody in the region, and
for the United States, who've had a long interest here, it's important
that we really calm the situation and find a path back to making
peace.
QUESTION: There's been so much bloodshed, so much animosity. How
bitter is the relationship between these leaders?
BOUCHER: They're leaders who have dealt with each other before.
They're leaders who have been able to reach agreements, despite some
really serious disagreements in the past. They address each other
directly and frankly at oftentimes, it gets heated at times. But in
the end they're destined to live together. History and geography have
thrown them together and they have to make peace for the sake of their
people.
QUESTION: In the last 16 days, the level of violence and the degree of
anger seems so much worse than anything we've seen in decades. Has it
gone past the point of no return?
BOUCHER: I don't think there is -- there can be a point of no return.
We have to find a way back to the peace process. There are really deep
grievances on both sides; some of them recent, some of them go back a
long time.
The Israelis feel betrayed. They have had their army people taken.
They've had holy sites desecrated. They've had guns turned on them.
The Palestinians feel victimized. They've had 100 people killed,
victims and wounded, including children.
There's really serious sense of grievance and hurt on both sides. You
need to somehow deal with that, and that's what we're trying to do
here: calm the situation, find a way to make it last, look at the kind
of fact-finding, let them look at the causes of the violence and how
to avoid repeating them, and then see if we can build a path back to
peace. It's not a simple resumption. It's sort of rebuilding the path
and going back to that track.
QUESTION: Time is running out for Bill Clinton. He looked so beaten
down today. How disappointed is he when it's come to this pass?
BOUCHER: I think every American president has devoted a lot of time
and effort to the peace process, and President Clinton is no
exception. He's spent a lot of time and energy that's been put into
this. He's built a strong relationship with the Arabs and the
Palestinians and maintained that sort of indissoluble relationship
that we have with Israel.
So he's worked very, very hard on this, and I'm sure he'll continue to
work hard on it. But it's a process that continues because it has to
continue.
And the deadlines in the peace process have not really been American
ones, not dictated by our elections and our term of office. They've
been set by the parties themselves and it's the parties themselves who
have wanted to try to reach peace -- to go to Camp David to reach
peace -- and who still need to go back to that sooner or later.
QUESTION: Thank you very much.
BOUCHER: Thank you.
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