03 October 2001
Transcript: Armitage Says "Clear, Compelling Evidence" Leads to Usama bin Laden
(Deputy Secretary of State interview Oct. 3 with ABC's Charlie Gibson)
(1270)
There is "clear and compelling" information that Usama bin Laden and
his al-Qaida network were involved in the September 11 terrorist
attacks on New York and Washington, Deputy Secretary of State Richard
Armitage says.
In an interview with Charlie Gibson broadcast October 3 on ABC's Good
Morning America, Armitage said the United States has "presented
through diplomatic channels much of the same evidence which we showed
to NATO yesterday, and NATO's comments, I think, will hold for most of
our friends and allies. It's clear and compelling information that
leads right to Usama bin Laden and al-Qaida."
Afghanistan's Taliban regime, he said, "will either give up Usama bin
Laden and al-Qaida, dismantle the camps, and give up the foreign
detainees, or else they'll suffer the fate of al-Qaida." President
Bush has been very clear on that point, said Armitage.
On the current trip of Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld to Saudia
Arabia, Oman, Egypt, and Uzbekistan, Armitage said that "because of
the importance of the endeavor on which we are about to embark,
Secretary Rumsfeld felt that face to face communications with the
leaders of those countries was called for. And he's engaging in it
now.
"It's important that we have the support of all of our friends in the
Gulf and beyond," Armitage said, "and that's the reason President Bush
has put together this mighty coalition."
Ask if he was concerned that U.S. visibility in Pakistan could
destabilize the country, the Assistant Secretary noted that, while
Pakistan has been responsive to U.S. requests in combating terrorism,
"Pakistan is a fragile political society, and we don't want to burden
Pakistan with more than we absolutely need."
"We'll be guided by President Musharraf and his views of the political
situation in his country," Richard Armitage told ABC.
Following is the transcript of the interview as released by the State
Department:
(begin State Department transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
October 3, 2001
INTERVIEW
Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage On ABC with Charlie Gibson
Broadcast October 3, 2001 Washington, D.C.
MR. GIBSON: We're going to turn now to the Deputy Secretary of State
of the United States, Richard Armitage. And he is joining us from the
State Department.
Good to have you with us again.
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Good morning, Mr. Gibson.
MR. GIBSON: Good to see you. All of a sudden, the Taliban says they
want to negotiate. Offer rejected. But what do you think they're up to
here?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: They're simply trying to buy time.
MR. GIBSON: For what?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: They think they can evade their fate. The
President has been very clear. They will either give up Usama bin
Laden and al-Qaida, dismantle the camps, and give up the foreign
detainees, or else they'll suffer the fate of al-Qaida.
MR. GIBSON: Secretary Rumsfeld goes now to the Middle East. Should we
take that as a sign that some countries in the region are reluctant in
cooperating in military arrangements with the United States?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Not at all. I think you should take it as a
sign that because of the importance of the endeavor on which we are
about to embark, Secretary Rumsfeld felt that face to face
communications with the leaders of those countries was called for. And
he's engaging in it now.
MR. GIBSON: Well, he starts in Saudi Arabia, and that country, for
instance, has not said yet that we can use air bases on their
territory for military operations.
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I don't think we found the Saudis lacking
in support for this endeavor. They share the same loathing for what's
occurred in New York and in the Pentagon on September 11th, and I
don't think they'll be found wanting.
MR. GIBSON: Is it important that we use those air bases, or be able to
use those air bases?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, it's important that we have the
support of all of our friends in the Gulf and beyond, and that's the
reason President Bush has put together this mighty coalition.
MR. GIBSON: He's not going to Pakistan. Are we trying to minimize
Pakistan as an avenue into Afghanistan, so as not to destabilize the
government there?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: I think it's been well reported that we had
a very blunt and frank talk with officials of Pakistan, and we were
able to get them to accede to our demands. I don't want to be public
about them, but it is recognized equally that Pakistan is a fragile
political society, and we don't want to burden Pakistan with more than
we absolutely need.
MR. GIBSON: So we are worried that perhaps to use Pakistan excessively
as an avenue into Afghanistan might provoke Islamic radicals in that
country?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: No, I didn't say that. I think we'll be
guided by President Musharraf and his views of the political situation
in his country. I think most of us have been quite heartened that the
anti-American activity in Pakistan has been relatively low.
MR. GIBSON: What is the best way, then, to get access into Afghanistan
if we have to launch operations in that direction?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I think I should refer you to the
Pentagon, but the best way for us to go about this mighty campaign is
to keep our coalition together; to make sure we are not only engaged
in military activities if the President so decides, but in law
enforcement, intelligence, financial activities; to constrict and
eventually strangle al-Qaida.
MR. GIBSON: Let me come back over to the Pakistani situation. How far
are we willing to go to ensure the stability of that country? If
Islamic radicals in Pakistan -- and there is considered to be a
significant number of them there -- were provoked, if the government
there were endangered, would we move to protect if? After all, it is a
nuclear nation.
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, I don't think I'd engage in
hypotheticals. I think that of the 140 million people of Pakistan, the
great majority see their future with the West and want their future to
be with the West. They realize that we respect the religion of Islam;
it's one of the great religions of the world. And I think at the end
of the day, with careful diplomacy and with good leadership in the
coalition and by President Musharraf, then Pakistan can have the
future that most of their citizens hope for.
MR. GIBSON: Secretary Rumsfeld, when he is in the region -- yesterday,
NATO said that they had seen clear and compelling proof that bin Laden
was involved in the attacks on September 11th -- is Secretary Rumsfeld
presenting that same evidence to countries in the region as he visits?
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Well, the Secretary of Defense will clearly
be prepared to discuss it, but we have presented through diplomatic
channels much of the same evidence which we showed to NATO yesterday,
and NATO's comments, I think, will hold for most of our friends and
allies. It's clear and compelling information that leads right to
Usama bin Laden and al-Qaida.
MR. GIBSON: Richard Armitage, good to have you with us again. Thanks
for being here.
DEPUTY SECRETARY ARMITAGE: Good morning, Mr. Gibson.
MR. GIBSON: Good to see you.
(end State Department transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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