04 March 2003
White House Report, March 4: No. Korea, Philippines, India, Egypt, Pope, UN
(Press Secretary Ari Fleischer briefed) (870)
NORTH KOREA'S "RECKLESS BEHAVIOR" DENOUNCED
White House Spokesman Ari Fleischer March 4 denounced the March 2
interception by four North Korean fighter jets of a U.S. surveillance
plane said by defense officials to be 150 miles off the North Korean
coast. "This kind of reckless behavior by North Korea will only lead
to further isolation," Fleischer told reporters.
"As North Korea continues to push the envelope, they also continue to
push the willingness and the tolerance of regional relations," he
said. "Reckless actions like the actions North Korea took in
intercepting an American aircraft only drive greater wedges between
these regional nations and North Korea."
President Bush, however, "continues to believe that this matter can be
handled through diplomacy" and multilaterally, Fleischer said. "We are
in consultation as we speak with the Republic of Korea and our other
allies about this incident, and we are consulting with them on how we
will protest this incident in the most appropriate way to lodge the
protest."
WHITE HOUSE CONDEMNS BOMBING IN PHILIPPINES
Addressing the March 4 bombing in the southern Philippines that killed
at least 19 people, including an American missionary, and wounded
nearly 150, Fleischer said it has "all the earmarkings of terrorism."
He offered condolences to the people of the Philippines.
"The president condemns the bombing in the Philippines this morning,"
he told reporters. "We are working closely with the Philippine
government, who has fought valiantly in the war on terror. The
immediate concern is to provide assistance to the injured. The United
States will work shoulder to shoulder with the Philippine government
to make certain that those responsible are brought to justice. We do
not yet have any reliable indications of who was behind it."
BUSH SPEAKS BY PHONE WITH LEADERS OF INDIA, EGYPT
Bush began his day with a call to Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee
of India, Fleischer reported. "They spoke and agreed about the need
for Iraq to fully disarm and comply with United Nations Security
Council Resolution 1441. They also discussed the need for calm along
the Line of Control [in Kashmir], and decided to remain in close
consultation," he said.
Bush also spoke the morning of March 4 with President Hosni Mubarak of
Egypt, Fleischer said.
"They talked about the recent Arab League Summit in Cairo and the
forthcoming Islamic Conference Summit in Doha. They also discussed the
situation regarding Iraq. Finally, the president told President
Mubarak about his recent speech (at the American Enterprise Institute
in Washington) where he reiterated his commitment to move forward on
seeking peace between Israelis and Palestinians. President Bush told
President Mubarak of his personal commitment to dedicated time and
energy to this goal as they discussed developments in that area,"
Fleischer said.
VATICAN REPRESENTATIVE TO MEET WITH BUSH MARCH 5
Pope John Paul is sending a representative from the Vatican to talk to
President Bush in advance of a possible war with Iraq, Fleischer told
reporters. The president "looks forward to greeting and receiving the
papal emissary tomorrow," the press secretary said, adding that the
president will listen carefully but in the end he "will make the
judgment that he thinks is best needed to protect our country."
The pope has said there is no moral or legal justification for war
with Iraq. Asked about that contention, Fleischer said: "Clearly, the
fact that Saddam Hussein has violated the United Nations Security
Council resolutions means he is not following the legal path that the
world has set out to preserve peace.
"And the president thinks the most immoral act of all would be if
Saddam Hussein would somehow transfer his weapons to terrorists who
could use them against us.
"So, the president does view the use of force as a matter of legality,
as a matter of morality, and as a matter of protecting the American
people."
BUSH CONTINUES CONFIDENT ON U.N. VOTE ON IRAQ
Fleischer denied the validity of a report that the United States would
withdraw its latest resolution on Iraq from consideration by the U.N.
Security Council if it perceived that there would be insufficient
votes cast in support.
"Shortly after Mr. Blix's report the member states will have their
opportunity to vote," Fleischer said. Blix is scheduled to report on
Iraq to the Security Council March 7.
Administration officials, Fleischer said, are "continuing to talk to
our allies in advance of the second vote. And I see nothing that has
changed the president's confidence in the ultimate outcome of the
second vote, which is the 18th vote [on resolutions concerning Iraq]."
The president continues to believe that this resolution is "desirable
but not necessary," Fleischer said.
AID PACKAGE FOR TURKEY CONTINGENT UPON COOPERATION
As Turkey's parliament contemplates a second vote to allow the United
States' use of its bases for a northern invasion route into Iraq,
Fleischer made clear that the assistance package the United States had
been talking to Turkey about "was predicated on assistance and
cooperation" by that country "in any plan for the use of force against
Iraq."
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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