10 January 2002
Transcript: Bush Says Iran Must Contribute to War Against Terror
(Expresses hope Iran will help stabilize Afghanistan) (850)
President Bush said Iran must contribute to the war against terror and
the United States will uphold the doctrine of "either you're with us
or against us."
"[A]ny nation that thwarts our ability to rout terror out where it
exists will be held to account, one way or the other," Bush said in
remarks with his economic team in Washington January 10.
Bush expressed the hope that Iran would continue to be a positive
force in helping bring terrorists to justice. He added that the United
States hopes to work with Iran to help stabilize the Afghan interim
government.
The president said also he was beginning to suspect that an arms
shipment captured by Israeli forces aboard a cargo ship was intended
to arm terrorists, but said it was important to reserve judgment until
the evidence is definitive.
Bush said Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat must renounce terrorism
and added that the United States will remain engaged with both parties
of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Following is an excerpt with Bush's remarks about Iran and the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict:
(begin transcript)
[THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
January 10, 2002
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT IN MEETING WITH HIS ECONOMIC TEAM
The Oval Office]
Q: Mr. President, does it appear that Iran is flexing its muscles in
Western Afghanistan, and does that threaten the U.S. war on terrorism
in that region?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, first of all, Iran must be a contributor in the
war against terror; that our nation and our fight against terror will
uphold the doctrine, either you're with us or against us; and any
nation that thwarts our ability to rout terror out where it exists
will be held to account, one way or the other.
I hope -- we had some positive signals early -- early in this war from
the Iranians. We would hope that they would continue to be a positive
force in helping us bring people to justice. We would hope, for
example, they wouldn't allow al Qaeda murderers to hide in their
country. We would hope that if that be the case, if someone tries to
flee into Iran, that they would hand them over to us, that they're a
part of -- if they're a part of the coalition, then they need to be an
active part of the coalition.
In terms of Afghanistan, we are -- we would like to work with the
Iranians, as well as other neighboring countries, to bring a stable
interim government to stabilize the interim government. And to the
extent that they're involved, we would hope that they would
participate, if they are trying -- if they in any way, shape, or form
try to destabilize the government, the coalition will be -- we'll deal
with them, in diplomatic ways, initially. And we would like very much
for them to be active participants in a stable Afghanistan. It's to
their advantage, by the way, that Afghanistan be stable.
Q: Mr. President, based on the evidence the Israeli delegation
presented at the State Department yesterday, about this arms shipment,
do you believe that it's time for the United States to either break or
suspend relations with Mr. Arafat and the Palestinian Authority?
THE PRESIDENT: John, I think it's very important for our
administration to remain engaged with both parties. Obviously, I want
to make sure that the evidence is definitive. But I'm, like many,
beginning to suspect that those arms were headed in the wrong -- to
promote terror. And terror will never enable us to achieve peace in
the Middle East. So long as there's terrorists trying to disrupt the
peace process, there won't be peace.
I do believe that, once the evidence is in, that those responsible
need to be held to account. On the other hand, I also believe that our
country must stay engaged in the process. I intend to ask Zinni
[retired General Anthony Zinni, who is trying to negotiate a
cease-fire] to go back to the region at the appropriate time, to keep
pushing for a dialogue, to keep pushing for the process to go forward.
Mr. Arafat must renounce terror, must reject those who would disrupt
the peace process through terror, and must work hard to get to the
peace table. It seems like it's up to him to make these decisions.
Q: But has he been less that truthful in speaking to Secretary Powell,
General Zinni and others, in saying he had nothing to do with this and
no knowledge of it?
THE PRESIDENT: We will find out the facts, John. But he is -- you
asked a question, should we basically disengage? And the answer is no,
we won't disengage from the Middle East. We will stay involved in the
Middle East peace process -- or trying to get to the peace process.
And it starts with making the region more secure.
Mr. Arafat must renounce terror, and must reject those in the region
that would disrupt the peace process by the use of terrorist means.
(end excerpt)
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
