State Department Noon Briefing
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2000 12:40 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: What do you have to say about the killing of Fatah leader Hussein
Abayat?
MR. BOUCHER: I think the answer there is not a whole lot either. At
this stage, we are certainly aware of it. We have made clear that it
is important to end the violence, end the cycle of violence. That is
one of the things that we will be discussing with Chairman Arafat
today and with Prime Minister Barak on Sunday.
The incident today does raise serious issues. The reports indicate
that it was an attack by an Israeli helicopter that resulted also in
two civilian deaths in addition to the people being attacked. And we
will be looking into the matter further through our Consulate and
Embassy.
Q: What are the serious issues that it raises? Whether assassinating
people is a good idea? I mean, the Israelis have basically said that
they intended to kill this guy. I mean, is that something that you
wouldn't comment on?
MR. BOUCHER: No, I think the various issues that need to be considered
will be considered. I don't want to try to do a list at this point.
Q: What are the serious issues that it raises?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't want to try to do a list at this point.
Q: Well, can you give us an idea?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't want to try to do a list at this point.
Q: I'm not asking for a list but, you know, you say "serious issues."
MR. BOUCHER: Yes, you are.
Q: I don't know how you can get - I don't know why we should let you
get away with just saying "serious issues" and not explaining, you
know, what kind. Maybe not exactly what they are, but at least what
kinds of issues they are. Does it have to do with, you know, with
specific targeting of people or does it have to do --
MR. BOUCHER: What I would say is that the issues that we are concerned
about are the circumstances and the facts of the situation, first. And
obviously, if there are broader implications, those will result from a
better understanding of the facts, so we'll be looking into it more
through our Embassy and our Consulate in order to understand better
the circumstances of the attack.
Q: But on several occasions in the midst of saying - telling both
sides that you want the violence to stop, there have been quite direct
suggestions that Arafat needed to do more to stop the violence. Is
this an indication that Israel also - I mean, are you prepared to say
that Israel - to specifically say Israel needs to calm down?
MR. BOUCHER: I will say again today what I have said before: We think
it is incumbent on both sides to carry out their commitments; we think
it is incumbent on both sides to do everything they can to immediately
implement the understandings and commitments that were reached at
Sharm el Sheikh.
Q: Does targeting the Fatah leader constitute a violation or somehow
not living up to the Sharm el Sheikh agreement?
MR. BOUCHER: Once again, we have tried not to do a scorecard on a
daily basis on specific actions, so I'm not going to start today.
Q: Can we talk about overall trends in violence? Do you feel like the
violence has remained at the same level, or do you see that there may
be some increase in the methods, the type, the overall situation on
the ground?
MR. BOUCHER: It certainly varies from day to day. I suppose if you
compare it on an overall basis that there is a lower level of violence
now, and I think each of the parties has generally credited the other
side with trying to take some steps. At the same time, as long as the
violence continues, as long as the deaths of people continue, as long
as the fighting continues, we think both sides need to continue taking
steps and fully implement these commitments.
Q: Well, would you consider targeting specific leaders as a new - a
change in what we have seen --
Q: Does it help the process?
MR. BOUCHER: Again, you are asking me on a daily basis to sort of
condemn this, comment on that, give a grading on this and that. I'm
not going to take out one particular incident and highlight it. There
are clearly many things that people have to do in order to implement
the Sharm el Sheikh commitments.
Q: But, clearly, when two sides are looking at what the situation is,
we haven't asked you to comment on all 177 deaths or whatever it is
that we're at now. But when it's someone who is quite visible and
symbolic, you don't see any importance or significance in that?
MR. BOUCHER: Certainly we see some significance, and that is why I
said this is a serious matter and we want to look into it. We want to
know the facts. We want to understand the circumstances more.
Q: Have you examined the comments by Israeli military leaders on this
incident in which they basically say that this is a new tactic of
theirs? I mean, there doesn't seem to be much doubt about it. I don't
know why you're being so reluctant to --
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I would say, first of all, I am being consistent.
This was discussed a week or so ago, I think, when Deputy Defense
Minister Sneh had some comments. We are going to try not to - we have
not tried to comment on every development, statement or tactic that is
being used. We are trying to say that there is a lot more the parties
can do on both sides to implement Sharm.
Q: Do you have any comments on the decision of Qatar - or Qatar, as
it is said in some places - to close their Israeli trade office,
apparently under pressure from the upcoming Islamic summit?
MR. BOUCHER: I think in general we would say we think that those
relationships are important to maintain.
Q: Period?
MR. BOUCHER: Period.
....
Q: This is an easy one. It goes back to the Middle East. What are the
Secretary's hopes, what are the White House's hopes, to come out of
the meeting today with Arafat?
Q: Do you have a schedule for - a little bit firmer schedule on --
MR. BOUCHER: Well, let's take separate questions separately, if we
can.
In terms of the discussions, I think as have said before, first and
foremost, we want to look at the question of the implementation of the
Sharm el Sheikh commitments and the ways to end the violence and
restore calm. We need to discuss those issues. We need to try to get
clearer understandings and progress in that direction. Clearly, ending
the violence should be the first priority for all of us. There has
been too many lives lost and too many innocents killed.
Our goal is also to look at the broader aspects of Sharm el Sheikh, to
look at the ways of moving forward that were also discussed at Sharm
el Sheikh, and to see if we can find a pathway back to the peace
process.
Next question?
Q: When is he coming? Will he be meeting with the Secretary
separately? What is the schedule?
MR. BOUCHER: He will be meeting with the Secretary separately after
the meetings with the White House, but I don't have a final time for
that meeting. They will take place this afternoon.
Q: Well, are they meeting here or in the White House?
MR. BOUCHER: It was expected to be here, but if they - they may have
set it up at the White House in the time that I was out here
preparing. So we'll double check.
Q: Half an hour ago, then?
MR. BOUCHER: It was expected to be here, but the time might have been
moving; and given that the time might have been moving, that may have
led to a change of venue as well. So what you say is plausible, but I
can't confirm it yet.
Q: Has there been any softening on the US position to support an
international protection force for the Palestinians?
MR. BOUCHER: No.
Q: You are dead-set opposed to a UN - an international force under
the UN mandate, but this Department has in the past said that it would
be willing to listen to the Palestinians' demand for some kind of an
international force; is that not correct? I mean, you may not support
them, but you're not going to tell them, "Don't even bring it up,
because we're not going to listen to it," right?
MR. BOUCHER: Is that an assertion or a question?
Q: It's a question. I want to make - is it true?
MR. BOUCHER: Clearly this idea is going to be discussed. The meetings
are ongoing. I don't know if Chairman Arafat is raising it with the
President now. We expect that there will be some discussions up in New
York as well with the Security Council, probably tomorrow.
The point of view of the United States is that we don't believe - as
we have said before - we don't believe this is the time for UN
initiatives, UN resolutions. We don't think that's where the solution
lies. We think the immediate implementation of the commitments of
Sharm el Sheikh is first and foremost the item on the agenda, and the
best way to ensure that the violence subsides.
Q: Well, can you say anything about the possibility of a non-UN type
of international presence or something --
MR. BOUCHER: I don't want to get into speculation on varieties or
permutations. What is being discussed, requested and otherwise
proposed seems to be a UN force, and we are against that.
Q: Right. But you are very specific in saying that what you do not
believe it is time for is a UN resolution, not necessarily some other
type of move that might --
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I mean two things. This is what is being proposed,
and we are against it. Second of all, what we are for doesn't involve
these other speculative things that you are raising. It involves the
immediate and complete implementation of the Sharm el Sheikh
commitments.
Q: Can I just rephrase that? In your discussions on this, have people
-- have either you or the Palestinians or anyone else - made a
distinction between a UN force and a multinational force of some other
kind?
MR. BOUCHER: I think this is just leading us into sort of speculative
areas of permutations. I'm not opening the door to these things. I'm
telling you exactly what we're against and what we're for.
Q: No, I just asked you, in your discussions with either the
Palestinians or whatever, has anybody brought up the distinction
between --
MR. BOUCHER: I can't answer a question that says "has anybody brought
up." We have not been raising the idea of an international force. We
have made quite clear that this is not a US proposal. Clearly the
parties are expressing their views on this, we have expressed our
view, and that's where the matter rests.
Q: Given that we had our elections on Tuesday, and that it looks like
Dennis Ross and other members of the peace team will be moving on,
what does the United States at this point expect, or what does this
Administration expect to accomplish in the next ten weeks in terms of
the Middle East peace process? Do you have - I mean, can you give a
range of possibilities?
MR. BOUCHER: We expect to accomplish everything we can, and as much as
the parties are willing to do.
Q: Anything more on that? What is "everything we can" at this point?
What do you think --
MR. BOUCHER: That's period. Frankly, that would have to be the answer
if you were asking the question four years ago, eight years ago, or
two years ago. The fact is, the United States and the President and
the Secretary and Ambassador Ross, remain heavily engaged in this
process. We are talking to the parties but, in the end, as we have
pointed out again and again, only the leaders of the parties can take
this process forward. Only the leaders of the parties can make the
decisions that need to be made to reach peace. Only the leaders of the
parties can make the decisions and take the steps necessary to end the
violence.
So we continue to work with them. We will continue make every possible
effort to achieve the goals of ending the violence, stopping the loss
of life, and moving on back to a peace process and trying to attain
peace, if that's where the parties are willing to go.
....
Q: Can we return for a moment to Arafat's visit? Is Mitchell involved
at all, or is he expected? Mitchell and Rudman?
MR. BOUCHER: I am not aware that anything has been set up with them. I
guess I would have to check a little more. As you know, the committee
has just been established. We don't have any information at this point
on what their initial steps or initial meetings will be. I will double
check just to make sure.
Q: And Barak is coming on Sunday?
MR. BOUCHER: That's right.
Q: And Arafat is going to be gone by that time?
MR. BOUCHER: That is our understanding, yes. Our understanding is he
will be in New York tomorrow. I don't know where he is going after
that.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:20 P.M.)
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