13 January 2002
Transcript: Burn Press Conference in Bahrain
(Cites cooperation in defeating Al-Qaeda and rebuilding Afghanistan)
(2,800)
Assistant Secretary William Burns, speaking at a press conference in
Manama, Bahrain, on January 12, said that the solidarity shown in the
campaign against Al-Qaeda can now be used "to create a better future
for the people of Afghanistan."
Burns reiterated America's appreciation for Bahrain's support and
expressed admiration for the economic and political reforms that the
Amir and the Bahraini leadership are undertaking. "I think it's a
demonstration of real vision and courageous leadership," Burns said,
"and we will continue to encourage that."
Burns said that he had noted a recent shift toward greater
understanding of U.S. purposes and actions in the war against terror.
"We tried very hard from the beginning of this campaign to emphasize
that what happened was an attack not just on the United States, but on
civilized people around the world," he said. "It has taken some time
for that point to become clear. At the same time we stressed that the
campaign is not about the United States or the West against Islam or
against the people of this region or any region. It really is a
struggle between small groups of extremists who practice violent
means, whose agenda is essentially a destructive one, and the vast
majority of people and leaderships in the world who have a much more
positive agenda."
On the Palestinian-Israeli issue, Burns emphasized that the United
States, most recently in speeches by President Bush and Secretary
Powell, has tried to outline "what we believe is a fair, honest vision
in which two states, Israel and Palestine, can live side by side."
Burns said, "We believe that as difficult as that will be to achieve,
it's by far the best way for the peoples of Israel and Palestine to
live in security and to have a chance for prosperity. We're also
convinced that that vision can only be achieved through diplomatic
means, through a political process. It cannot be achieved through
violence or terror or the use of force."
Burns said that Iraq remains a serious and continuing threat to the
region. With regard to diversion of funds from charitable
organizations, Burns said that countries around the world would
benefit from greater transparency and oversight to ensure that
charitable donations reach the needy and are not diverted to
organizations with ties to terrorists.
Following is a transcript of the press conference held by Assistant
Secretary William Burns in Bahrain on January 12:
(begin transcript)
Press Conference
William Burns
Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs
U.S. Ambassador Ronald Neumann's Residence
Manama, Bahrain
January 12, 2002
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: I'd just like to say at the start that this
is my second visit to Bahrain as the Assistant Secretary for Near East
Affairs in the last four or five months, and I'm delighted to have the
opportunity. Ours is a very strong partnership, and that's been
demonstrated even more clearly since the events of the 11th of
September.
I conveyed to His Highness the Amir the appreciation, not just of the
leadership of the United States but of the people of the United States
for the solidarity that has been shown to us by the Bahraini people. I
think there's a great deal we can accomplish together. We remain
admirers, as I said before, of many of the changes that His Highness
the Amir, and the Bahraini leadership are undertaking in your country,
in the political realm, the economic realm. And I think it's a
demonstration of real vision and courageous leadership, and we will
continue to encourage that.
There are many things that we are working on together, not just with
regard to the campaign in Afghanistan against the Al-Qaeda terrorist
network and the Taliban, but also to create a better future for the
people of Afghanistan, because one thing that I believe that you will
find, and I know President Bush is very determined on this score, is
that we will finish what we've started in Afghanistan. And by that I
don't just mean a military campaign, I'm also talking about trying to
do everything that we can, working with friends around the world, to
create a better future for the people of Afghanistan. They've had an
extraordinarily difficult last quarter of a century, dominated by
violence and strife, and this is an opportunity to improve the
situation economically, socially, politically. It's not going to be
easy. We don't have any illusions about that. But I think, working
with our friends in Bahrain and many other parts of the world, we can
contribute to that. And we obviously have many other issues to discuss
while I'm here, whether it's the Arab-Israeli peace process, whether
it's with regard to other issues. So I'd be delighted to try to
respond to any question you may have.
QUESTION: How far do you see the changes in the atmosphere in
accepting the American campaign against terrorism in Afghanistan? If
you compare the atmosphere now to that in the early days, we feel that
there is a change, that there is more understanding of the facts and
more understanding of the situation, especially after these events. So
do you feel that that atmosphere is there, and how do you see the
impressions of His Highness the Amir and other leaders?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: Yes sir, it's a very good question. I think
we've sensed that as well, and I think there are probably many
different factors that contribute to that. One, to be honest, is the
quite visible reaction of the people of Afghanistan themselves. When
you see pictures of women and children and men who have been
repressed, who aren't able to live their lives as people around the
world should be able to live them, and when you see the relief and the
joy with which they've greeted their liberation, I think that's been
one positive factor. Second, we've demonstrated real seriousness of
purpose, not just the United States when I say that, but working with
other countries around the world. We've managed to help form a very
strong coalition of countries with a common purpose. Third, to get
back to what I said before about reconstruction in Afghanistan, I
think we've also been able to make clear to people that what this is
about is not just a military campaign, but also a determination to
create a better future and to help Afghans develop an economy that can
create opportunities for their children in the years ahead.
And the last point I would make is that we tried very hard from the
beginning of this campaign since the 11th of September, to emphasize
that what happened in New York and against the Pentagon was an attack
not just on the United States, but on civilized people around the
world. We've emphasized that that kind of thing cannot be tolerated
and that we all have an interest in combating that. It has taken some
time for that point to become clear. At the same time we stressed that
the campaign that's followed those attacks is not about the United
States or the West against Islam or against the people of this region
or any region. It really is a struggle between small groups of
extremists who practice violent means, whose agenda is essentially a
destructive one, and the vast majority of people and leaderships in
the world who have a much more positive agenda. So I'm sorry, it's a
longer answer than I intended to your question, but I think all of
those issues are important to focus on.
QUESTION: Do you plan to ask the leaders of the region here to
participate in the reconstruction of Afghanistan? Financially?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: It's something that we hope leaders from
this region and many parts of the world will seriously consider. As
you know there's an international conference on the reconstruction of
Afghanistan in Tokyo in about ten days time. Secretary Powell and the
American Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. O'Neal will be representing
the United States. And we will, first, certainly do our part in
contributing to Afghanistan's reconstruction. But we will also
continue to urge our friends in Bahrain and elsewhere in the Gulf and
in other parts of the world to contribute in any way in which they
can. Bahrain is contributing in many ways already, through
contributions to humanitarian operations in which the American
military is engaged along with other coalition partners. But we would
certainly welcome any further steps that could be taken.
QUESTION: How do you view the ongoing standoff between India and
Pakistan, and U.S. efforts to ease the tension, and the Secretary of
State is due there in two days time. How do you view this situation?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: Well first of all, I would say that it
doesn't fall directly within my area of responsibility, but I'll offer
an observation, and that is that I think all of us share an
appreciation of the complexity and the seriousness of the situation.
And I think the United States, like our friends in Bahrain, shares an
interest in a peaceful resolution of differences there, because it
would be in no one's interest for the situation to escalate further.
And so what Secretary Powell and President Bush have tried to do is to
encourage both parties to look at political means to address their
differences. It is clear that there is a problem of terrorists and
extremists who in a sense threaten both leaderships and both peoples,
and so our hope is that they'll find common ground in dealing with
that issue, and then looking at some very difficult political problems
diplomatically.
QUESTION: Mr. Burns, during your stay in this region, traveling to
these countries, have you been discussing the Middle East Peace
Process?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: Yes.
QUESTION: Today the Israeli government announced after the meeting
that there are zero chances of reaching any agreement with Yasser
Arafat. How do you view this situation?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: All I can do is speak for the United
States. As President Bush said again a couple of days ago, we're
determined to do our part, we're determined to stay engaged
diplomatically. We have no illusions about the difficulties that exist
right now between Palestinians and Israelis. But we also see no
alternative to a peaceful resolution of those differences. What
President Bush did in New York in the fall, and what Secretary Powell
did in his speech in Louisville, Kentucky in November, was to try and
outline what we believe is a fair, honest vision in which two states,
Israel and Palestine, can live side by side. And we believe that as
difficult as that will be to achieve, it's by far the best way for the
peoples of Israel and Palestine to live in security and to have a
chance for prosperity. We're also convinced that that vision can only
be achieved through diplomatic means, through a political process. It
cannot be achieved through violence or terror or the use of force.
And so our immediate challenge has been, and what General Zinni has
worked very hard on and will continue to work on, is to try and bring
about a ceasefire between the two sides, and improve the security
situation, not as an end in itself, but as a means of recreating a
serious political process. And then ultimately, as difficult as it
seems today, to realize that political vision. So again, I'm sorry
that's a long answer to a very good question, but I think that's what
our sense of purpose is.
QUESTION: Sir I think that the demolitions, the acts the Israelis are
displaying in demolishing many houses in Gaza, it's most unfortunate
that what we have heard from the public here, is that your country
rather than criticizing that, they are supporting it actually, and
saying that it is part of the defense against the shipment, something
like that. So why should Israel demolish houses for innocent people,
rather than for only two or three persons who have contributed on this
ship. You didn't condemn that.
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: We've said quite consistently that the
demolition of homes, of Palestinian homes, has not been helpful in
creating an atmosphere in which people can move toward ending violence
and restoring a political process. And it's very much in the interests
of both peoples to stabilize the security situation, to bring about a
ceasefire, and to fight terror and violence.
And that imposes obligations on both sides. For the Palestinians we've
been very clear in emphasizing the obligations the Palestinian
Authority has to make a maximum effort, a one hundred percent effort,
against violence and against terror. And that's the only way in which
the aspirations of the Palestinian people are going to be realized. On
the other hand, it is very important as we've said consistently in
public, for Israel to look at ways in which it can create an
atmosphere in which people can look seriously at reconciliation and at
resuming a political process, and to look for ways in which the
suffering of Palestinians, in which the difficulties under which they
live in the West Bank and Gaza can be eased. Especially the economic
pressures that they live under.
And so it's in that light that we've said, I think quite clearly and
consistently that home demolitions are not helpful in that process.
QUESTION: After your visit to Kuwait, certain reports and some
observers mentioned that there was some sort of pressure or pushing of
the government or the institutions there as regards to funding the
charities and some such things.....
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: Well I'm glad you asked that question,
because as I said publicly just as I was leaving Kuwait, our purpose
here is to help governments in the region develop systems and
regulations which ensure that charitable contributions go where they
are intended. When the U.S. government has identified concerns and
questions about individuals and organizations, it's directed at that
aim.
Charitable contributions, whether they come from people of this region
or people of the United States, are perfectly honorable things and
they are obviously an important part of any society. We've had
problems in the United States with charitable organizations which
misuse those funds and which cheat people and defraud them. And in the
course of the last several months, we have identified some of them. We
looked at ways of tightening our regulations. We are also determined
to work with our friends around the world to try and cut off the flow
of funding to terrorist groups. In the case that you mentioned in
Kuwait, we have evidence, we have concerns, that organizations and
individuals based in South Asia have cheated widows and orphans out of
money that was intended to go to them. And so what we've done is raise
some questions with the government of Kuwait and we look forward very
much to working with them in what is, again, a shared interest.
It seems to me that many governments around the world can benefit by
strengthening regulations and having a system of oversight and
transparency with regard to charitable organizations. As I said, we've
had our own experience with that in the United States. We don't have a
perfect system either, but we have tried to find ways in which we can
tighten up and I think we want to share the benefit of that
experience, provide whatever kind of technical expertise we can, to
our friends in the region. And so it's in that kind of practical,
quiet, cooperative spirit that we believe we can work together on
these issues.
QUESTION: . Do you feel, does America feel that Iraq is still a
potential threat to the peace of this region?
ASSISTANT SECRETARY BURNS: Yes. The United States certainly continues
to have serious concerns about the behavior of the Iraqi regime. I
don't think those concerns are unique to the United States. They are
shared by many people in the region and around the world. Obviously
Iraq has continued to refuse to comply with its obligations under U.N.
Security Council resolutions, both with regard to issues of
inspections and weapons of mass destruction, and with regard to issues
like the question of Kuwaiti prisoners. And so the United States for
its part is determined to hold the Iraqis to those obligations. As the
President and Secretary Powell said, we continue to watch the behavior
of that regime very, very carefully.
Thank you very much for your time.
(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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