17 October 2001
Transcript: Powell Hopes Pressure Will Produce Results Soon in Afghanistan
(Press Briefing Aboard Aircraft en route Shanghai) (2670)
Secretary of State Colin Powell says the U.S. military campaign in
Afghanistan will continue and "we hope that all the pressure that is
being brought to bear on the Taliban will produce results as soon as
possible."
Powell spoke to reporters October 17 in a question and answer session
with them as he and the accompanying press traveled by plane from
India, where he had just concluded a visit, to Shanghai to take part
in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit there.
"We are working on the military campaign. I'm continuing to work with
coalition members to see if there are more things that they can do and
to encourage them to remain steadfast, and they are doing so," Powell
said.
He added that he will also be working with the United Nations on ways
to create a representative and unified grouping to lead Afghanistan in
the postwar era.
"This isn't the United States going in and nation building with
troops," Powell said. "This is helping the international community
helping the people of Afghanistan to create hopeful conditions within
the country so that they are not vulnerable to this kind of a threat
again in the future."
Powell also responded to questions on APEC, Russia, China, North
Korea, Iran, Chechnya and the October 17 assassination of an Israeli
cabinet minister.
Following is the transcript:
(begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OP STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(Aboard the Secretary's Aircraft)
October 18, 2001
Press Briefing by Secretary of State Colin L. Powell Aboard Aircraft
en route Shanghai
October 17, 2001
SECRETARY POWELL: Who wants first?
QUESTION: Inaudible.
SECRETARY: I have been talking with my staff back in Washington and
they have been in touch with both sides. The Palestinian Authority put
out a strong statement condemning the assassination. At the time they
put it out it was still an assassination attempt because the minister
hadn't died but he has subsequently died. So, it is a very serious
situation and I'll make additional calls when I land. Our Consul
General in Jerusalem is in direct touch as well as Ambassador Kurtzer.
My staff is following it in Washington. I have been in touch with some
foreign leaders already -- Minister Fischer, I'11 be doing more calls
when I get on the ground.
QUESTION: Inaudible
SECRETARY: Well, I'll wait and see. I'll get on the ground and get
recommendations from my staff, get the state of play and then I'll
make my judgments.
QUESTION: Are you hoping to close a deal with the Russians on this
trip on ABM amendments so that it can get done before the two
presidents meet?
SECRETARY: I think we're going to have good discussions and a number
of things have been teed up for my conversations with Igor Ivanov
tomorrow night and for the president's conversations with Mr. Putin on
Sunday but I would not expect that we would arrive at closure on the
strategic framework issues on this trip. But, certainly, we'll be
moving the ball quite a bit further down the field before approaching
Crawford in about three weeks time, I guess or almost a month later.
QUESTION: Could you say anything about what is teed up? What do you
mean by...
SECRETARY: We have had a number of meetings and exchanges with the
Russians on the strategic framework and the issues within the
strategic framework. I don't have anything that I want to announce
tonight or say tonight with respect to what they may be talking about
on Sunday which you will hear from them.
QUESTION: We know that the last meeting with the Chinese was
disappointing on proliferation issues. Are you going to be talking
with them on this? And, how do you expect to push them on this issue
without their going to be a little bit more productive on this ahead
of the president's visit there?
SECRETARY: Her question has to do principally with the November
agreement of last year and we have been in discussions with the
Chinese ever since my visit -- now what needs to be done to satisfy
that agreement, the grandfathering issue, the issue of export
controls, and the issue having to do with our ability to wave certain
sanctions in order for them to go forward with the satellite
purchases. We have not received satisfaction and, in fact, as a result
of that we imposed sanctions on one of their companies, as you recall,
SEMAC, a few weeks back. There has been no additional progress and I
am sure it's something that I will find time to discuss with my
Chinese colleagues.
QUESTION: Inaudible.
SECRETARY: We talked about it before and sometimes you just keep
working on a problem, keep chipping away and ultimately you hope that
you arrive at a solution. So, we'll keep working on it but we have not
abandoned the position that we have taken because we think that the
elements in an agreement are important. If they want to move forward
with respect to that kind of technology from us those conditions have
to be met.
QUESTION: What concrete steps do you hope will come out of tomorrow's
terrorism roundtable among APEC FM's?
SECRETARY: I think we will have a good breakfast discussion and then
as you know statements are being prepared for the leaders. I think
we'll come out with a pretty strong joint statement that will reflect
the cohesion of the coalition, that it is standing together in this
time of crisis. I have detected no weakening in the political
commitment that leaders have made. I think that the discussions at
APEC both at ministerial and at leaders' level will reflect that and
will be reflected in the statements that will come out.
QUESTION: Just to follow up, what will you be looking for in terms of
contributions to the campaign against terrorism and also toward a
future in Afghanistan?
SECRETARY: As you know, every nation is making a contribution in a way
that is appropriate for them. In some cases it is just diplomatic and
political support and in other cases it's a contribution of military
forces. The Australians made a very strong statement by their
commitment of military forces which Prime Minister Howard, I think it
was yesterday or today, I can't recall, I'm losing what day we are in.
Most of the arrangements that we make like that are bilateral or
within the NATO context. I don't know that we have any specific
requests to put before any of the nations that will be here that we
have not already put before them. I'm not expecting any significant
additional announcements of troop contributions or other elements of
support that we are not already aware of but my Pentagon colleagues
are hard at work while I have been traveling through South Asia. If
something comes up I will be sure to let you know.
QUESTION: Aren't these statements already done? So what do you talk
about? Similar to OAS and UN, etc?
SECRETARY: No, you would be surprised. You can get very intense
discussions on the statement and whether or not someone wants to make
a modification or a change to the statement. Most of the diplomatic
conferences I've gone to involve, not the whole statement, but a
sentence in the statement or a word in the statement or the shaping of
a statement. I think we'll have a chance to talk.
QUESTION: So you're heading to East Asia. Months ago you were very
confident that North Korea would come around, that you would open
discussions with them. That was more than four months ago. Do you
expect that the issue will come up? And, what do you suppose is going
through the North Korean minds these days in four months without a
response.
SECRETARY: I think eventually the North Koreans will respond in a way
that will allow us to go forward because I don't think they have any
other choice or future. Their economy doesn't get any better. Their
agricultural situation doesn't get any better. I cannot predict when
they will make that decision and I cannot pretend to get inside the
mind of the leadership circle or the mind of Kim Jong Il. So we will
have to wait and see. I think perhaps the events of the 11th of
September have caused them to slow down their decision process. As you
know, they are on a list of states that sponsor terrorism and I think
things were slowed down by the events of the 11th of September. I will
look forward to the discussions that the president will have with
President Kim Dae Jung. Maybe we will get some better insight into
North Korean thinking. As you know, they have also pulled back on some
of the commitments they have made to the South Koreans with respect to
travel back and forth. There is something churning - going on. In
dealing with the North Koreans it's going to be a long-term, slow
process but I think it has to move in a positive direction because of
the severe needs that exist within that country.
QUESTION: On a step from A to Z, if A in Afghanistan is this political
vacuum that you fear and Z is some sort of functioning parliament,
whatever broad-based government you form, I'd like to know what you're
thinking about how you get from A to Z.
SECRETARY: We may see a political vacuum immediately or sort of a
deteriorating situation that leads to a political vacuum and I think
what you are going to need, as I said before, is some sort of
broad-based assemblage of individuals and leaders representing all
aspects of Afghan society who will come together with a common purpose
and perhaps using the position of the king as a rallying point and,
from that, let them come up with some ideas of how they wish to be
governed in the future. Then use the United Nations as the
facilitating body that will help them go back into the country.
Provide a sense of order and have the UN perhaps perform some interim
role as they are organizing themselves and gathering their strength
and developing the capability they need to govern themselves. It's not
something that the United States or any other nation is going to be
able to dictate. I think it's something that we have to help them
with, something that we have to help them get organized, support, and
use international bodies as has been used in the past in other
situations, Cambodia, East Timor, not that those are models. This one
is rather unique. The UN has experience in doing this kind of thing
and Mr. Brahimi is quite experienced in this regard as well.
QUESTION: On Chechnya, there have been a number of interesting
statements, ambivalent developments in the past few weeks. What do you
expect you will be saying to Igor Ivanov tomorrow evening about
Chechnya?
SECRETARY: I think we will be encouraging them as we have in the past
to seek a political solution, to move aggressively toward a political
solution and to not think that it can be solved militarily. Once again
to recognize that even though we are anxious to work with them and we
recognize that they have to fight terrorist activities in Chechnya
they have to do it in a way that reflects a solid consideration of
human rights and accountability for past atrocities that we know took
place. Not every Chechen who is in a resistance mode is necessarily a
terrorist. We have to make some distinctions and judgments and
ultimately the only way it can be sorted out and brought to ground is
with a political solution.
QUESTION: You leave South Asia having wrapped up the framework for
opposed help on government. What happens next in specific terms? And,
secondly, now can you reflect a little bit on Iran and say that they
will be part of the coalition or help you and the fact that you know
have all the countries around Afghanistan playing a set role?
SECRETARY: What was the first question? You know, the military
campaign will continue and we hope that all the pressure that is being
brought to bear on the Taliban will produce results as soon as
possible.
QUESTION: What's next for you to do?
SECRETARY: For me to do? We are pushing in on all fronts. We are
working on the military campaign. I'm continuing to work with
coalition members to see if there are more things that they can do and
to encourage them to remain steadfast and they are doing so. I will be
also working with the United Nations with respect to the question
asked earlier about how we create a grouping that can come together. I
will be spending time on the humanitarian issue because winter is
approaching. Ramadan is approaching. Also, thinking not just about
humanitarian relief but beyond that, the rebuilding of Afghanistan.
Helping these people to reconstruct a life for themselves. This isn't
the United States going in and nation building with troops. This is
helping the international community helping the people of Afghanistan
to create hopeful conditions within the country so that they are not
vulnerable to this kind of a threat again in the future.
QUESTION: What about Iran?
SECRETARY: Iran has always been hostile toward the Taliban and as you
know we have been in touch with them through various channels and we
are exchanging some ideas and information. I think you saw an
administration spokesman indicate that they have even indicated to us
that they would be willing to perform and ready to perform search and
rescue missions. I don't think that will become necessary because I
can't envision us needing it in that part of the theater but that was
an interesting statement on their part. When you go from Iran and
clockwise around Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Pakistan and
come all the way around, they are surrounded with no friends in that
surrounding neighborhood as my Indian colleague liked to call it. I
think this has been putting incredible pressure on this regime. We are
going after their money. It will be hard to find it all but I'm sure
that's having an effect already. They are being subjected to a
military campaign and we'll just keep squeezing.
QUESTION: Are there examples of what the UN has been able to do in the
past?
SECRETARY: East Timor and Cambodia are examples of what the UN has
done in the past but I would not say that is a model that you would
say, I would use the Cambodian model or the East Timoran model in
Afghanistan. I think it is quite different. It shows, East Timor,
Cambodia, or you can go to Bosnia or Kosovo, you can look at all of
the previous examples. The UN has quite a great deal of experience in
going in and helping with this kind of a situation. Cambodia, they
went into absolute chaos. They had a king. I don't want to give you
the impression that we are going to take the Cambodian model because
there was a king there and there is a king here and therefore that's
the model. I'm just saying there are examples of the UN having
successfully done this kind of thing in the past and therefore they
bring qualifications to this kind of situation to do it again in the
future. I'm not suggesting that any one of the countries I mentioned
is a model for Afghanistan. Once again I'm not suggesting that any one
of the countries ...
QUESTION: Inaudible
SECRETARY: I think there probably will be a role for peacekeepers of
some kind and that is part of our discussions.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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