State Department Noon Briefing, October 18, 2000
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18, 2000 1:45 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: It looks like Sharm el-Sheikh summit didn't have a great effect on
stopping the violence. Can you tell us what diplomatic moves you are
planning next to hold the leaders to the agreements they made in Sharm
el-Sheikh?
MR. REEKER: I have seen a number of press reports, some of them from
your agency, and some of them from others, indicating a variety of
situations in the Middle East. I think there were some indicating that
violence was diminishing in the West Bank.
I think what I should go back to is obviously what the President said
yesterday at Sharm el-Sheikh, that the parties had agreed to three
basic objectives and the steps to realize them. First, both sides have
agreed to issue public statements unequivocally calling for an end to
the violence, and to take concrete steps to end the confrontations.
That objective must be to return the situation to that which existed
prior to the current crisis.
Second, the United States is going to be developing with the parties,
and in consultation with the UN Secretary General, Kofi Annan, a
committee of fact-finding on the events of the recent crisis and how
to prevent their recurrence.
And, third, the President noted that there must be a pathway back to
negotiations and a resumption of efforts to reach a permanent status
agreement based on the UN Security Council Resolutions 242 and 338 and
subsequent understandings. Towards this end, as we discussed
yesterday, as officials discussed in Sharm el-Sheikh, the leaders have
agreed that the United States will consult with the parties within the
next few weeks about how to move forward.
I think the President underscored it best by noting that we made
important commitments at Sharm el-Sheikh yesterday against this very
tragic backdrop, the crisis and the violence in the region. We
certainly have no illusions about the difficulties that lie ahead, but
if we are going to rebuild confidence and trust, we all have to do our
part, avoid recrimination, and work on moving forward.
I think, to follow on from that, in the last 24 hours, since those
statements, as you know, Secretary Albright has been traveling to
Saudi Arabia -- we can talk about that in more detail, if you wish --
but both sides have issued statements that call for an end to the
violence. As I understand it, Israel has agreed to open the Gaza
airport, to lift the internal closure in the West Bank, and to open
international passages. So, as I say, we have no illusions but those
are steps in the right direction in the spirit of the agreement at
Sharm yesterday.
And, also, I think what is very important about Sharm el-Sheikh was
that, despite the anger and the frustration that's very clear about
what is happening on the ground, there was recognition from both sides
that a negotiated solution is the only way to end this confrontation.
And both sides seemed to recognize that a negotiated solution, however
difficult it may be to achieve, is immensely preferable to the
continued violence. So we continue to have hope because the leaders
themselves have shown that they, in fact, have hope.
Q: Can you tell us whether any -- Mr. Ross or anyone else has stayed
in the region to follow up on this?
MR. REEKER: I believe Ambassador Ross is returning to Washington.
Q: And Mr. Miller?
MR. REEKER: And Mr. Miller accompanying him, yes.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:35 p.m.)
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