State Department Noon Briefing
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2000 - 12:35 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: Does the United States oppose the call by Yasser Arafat for an
international force to separate the Palestinians and the Israelis? And
will the United States veto a call for such an international force in
the Security Council?
BOUCHER: I think we have made quite clear we do not think that this is
the moment for more UN resolutions. We have kept the focus, and we
continue to make the focus, on implementing the Sharm el-Sheikh
commitments as quickly as possible. The immediate priority is to end
the violence and to restore calm to the region, and we believe the
best way to do that is to implement the Sharm el-Sheikh commitments.
Q: Will the United States veto a proposal for such an international
force?
BOUCHER: I don't think there is any UN resolution out there right now.
But, once again, we have not supported any additional UN resolutions
and we do think that the way to restore the calm is for both parties
to implement completely the agreements at Sharm el-Sheikh, the
commitments that they made there.
Q: It's my understanding that there is a working draft floating around
the Security Council. Has the U.S. seen the draft? And, again, what
are its --
BOUCHER: I'll have to look into seeing whether we have seen a draft or
not. But I think I have stated our position. The focus is on Sharm
el-Sheikh and implementing the commitments there.
Q: Why are you opposed to an international force? I understand what
you said that you want Sharm to be implemented, but you've been saying
that for quite a while, and it hasn't happened.
BOUCHER: But that doesn't detract from the fact that the steps that
were agreed at Sharm el-Sheikh are the ones that we think are
necessary to restore calm to the region. I think before we go looking
for new ideas, it is important to implement the steps at Sharm
el-Sheikh and to carry out the commitments that the parties have made
already.
Q: There seems to be a bit of a discrepancy, the White House saying
this morning that it never - and on Friday - that it never called on
the leaders to make any public, on-television announcements denouncing
the violence and calling for an end to the violence. What is - in
terms of the Sharm agreement, wasn't there some kind of call for both
leaders to publicly call for an end to the violence? And have you seen
that done yet?
Q: That it had to be on CNN.
Q: Yeah. Did it have to be on CNN?
BOUCHER: I'm not aware that any individuals or networks were
specified. There was an understanding, and I would have to go back to
what the President said at Sharm, and I think that's where you have to
refer to; that the parties would make statements and take steps to end
the violence. But the important thing is people take steps on the
ground and actually do what they can to end the violence, and that
remains our focus.
Q: Have you seen that happen? What more needs to be done in terms of
--
BOUCHER: Again, we're not into scorecards. And I said the most
important thing is not the statements; the most important thing is
what people actually do in terms of restraining the violence,
restraining the people with guns, and taking steps to reduce the
violence.
Q: There seems to be a rising anti-Americanism in the Middle East, in
the Arab countries. It seems to be spreading. And I'm just wondering,
what can you say to Arabs and Muslims to assure them that you are
still not entirely in the Israeli camp, as many of them say the United
States is?
BOUCHER: Well, I think the role that the United States has played is
one that we continue to play, that we continue to look for peace, that
we continue to look for fulfillment of legitimate interests of both
the parties - all the parties when it comes to the broader peace
process - and that we continue to support the parties in their
efforts to reach agreement. The United States role in this process is
based on the desire of the parties to have someone, meaning us, who
can help them achieve their goals. And that remains the role of the
United States, and that is what we continue to do.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:10 P.M.)
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