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White House Report, Monday, October 31

31 October 2005

United States raises concerns over recent Iranian and Syrian activities

U.S. CONDEMNS RECENT IRANIAN AND SYRIAN ACTIVITY

White House spokesman Scott McClellan said the United States and the international community are “concerned” over the Iranian government's recent threats against Israel and also with Syria's refusal to cooperate in the investigation of the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri.

The two regimes “have shown support for terrorism" and are “destabilizing forces in the region,” the spokesman said.  The United States, he added, regularly encourages both regimes to be good neighbors within the region, particularly to Iraqis who are working to build a “lasting democracy.”

McClellan noted the United Nations Security Council's passage earlier that day of a resolution demanding that Syria fully cooperate with the investigation into the Hariri assassination “once and for all.”

The Security Council on October 28 issued an official condemnation of the Iranian government's anti-Israel threats.

BUSH, ITALY'S BERLUSCONI DISCUSS BIRD FLU COOPERATION

President Bush met with Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi in the Oval Office to discuss “the importance of working together—the European Union and the United States” on stopping the spread of avian influenza, also known as bird flu, said McClellan. The two leaders addressed the threat of potential human-to-human transmission and the need to be able to quickly move and contain a possible outbreak should it occur.

“We have ongoing engagement with the international community on these issues,” McClellan said, noting that more than 80 nations have joined the International Partnership on Avian and Pandemic Influenza launched by President Bush at the United Nations September 14.

Bush is scheduled to discuss U.S. preparedness plans for a possible flu pandemic in a November 1 speech, McClellan said.  According to the spokesman, the plans will build on U.S. progress to date to address the possibility of a flu outbreak.

McClellan said the strategy involves “First, finding a flu outbreak as soon as it appears, then containing and treating it to the best extent possible; second, developing strong protections like vaccines and antivirals -Tamiful, for instance, is one that can be used to treat it; and responding quickly to save lives.”

BUSH CALLS BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT AHEAD OF SOUTH AMERICAN TRIP

McClellan said Bush had a “good conversation” on the telephone with Brazilian President Luiz Inacio "Lula" da Silva. The two discussed Bush’s upcoming visit to South America as well as U.S. efforts to move World Trade Organization (WTO) negotiations forward.

PRESIDENT BUSH MEETS WITH BURMESE ACTIVIST

Bush welcomed a Burmese activist, 23-year-old Charm Tong, to the White House October 31. Tong has dedicated her life to helping those who suffer under the military rule in Yangon, and to exposing the regime's abuses—particularly those against women. 

According to McClellan, the president had been looking forward to the meeting and “is pleased to welcome such a courageous and compassionate woman to the White House.”

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)