ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:96012507.LAR
DATE:01/25/96
TITLE:25-01-96 CHRISTOPHER HAILS ARGENTINE WORK FOR HEMISPHERE
TEXT:
TR96012507 (Transcript: Christopher, di Tella, McLarty) bc (1250)
WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Christopher says that the United
States will continue to work with Argentina in pursuing the goals of
the Summit of the Americas.
Argentine Foreign Minister Guido di Tella visited Christopher and
counselor to the president Thomas McLarty at the State Department
January 25. Christopher said afterward that Argentina has helped to
achieve the goals of the Miami Summit, "an integrated, prosperous and
democratic Western Hemisphere."
The United States looks forward to further cooperation with Argentina
"as we work toward Miami's goal of free trade of the Americas" by the
year 2005, he said.
The foreign minister responded with optimism about accomplishing that
objective. "There are many problems but they're encouraging problems;
and by the year 2005, 1 think, we'll be either on target or before
that we will be arriving at the free trade zone over the whole of
Americas."
Alluding to Argentina's support for the NATO peacekeeping mission in
Bosnia, McLarty said: "Argentina has been a close and a trusted friend
and I think the recent actions here in support of our peace efforts in
Bosnia ... is just yet another example of that."
Following is the transcript of the statements from the officials,
followed by questions and answers.
(Begin transcript)
SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Good morning. I'm very glad to welcome Foreign
Minister Di Tella to the State Department, and I'm very pleased to be
joined by the President's Counselor Mack McLarty for our meeting
today.
I think it is fair to say that during his years in the office -- Mr.
Minister, you've brought the U.S.-Argentine relationship to the
highest and the strongest level that they've been, at least in the
memory of anyone here. I really congratulate you for the effort that
you've put in to achieving that.
We've worked together on so many matters. I think the Minister has
just come from New York, where he's been discussing with the Secretary
General of the United Nations Argentina's participation in the U.N.
force in Eastern Slavonia, and that's an activity that we very much
appreciate. Of course, their assistance in leading the South American
contingent in Haiti, as well as their diplomacy in Peru and Ecuador,
have been really a hallmark of the last several months of their
leadership.
They've also shown leadership on nonproliferation and adhering to the
MTCR, the Missile Technology Control Regime, as well as helping very
significantly in the indefinite extension of the Nonproliferation
Treaty.
I also want to thank the Minister for assistance as well in carrying
out the Miami Summit and helping us achieve the goals of the Miami
Summit: an integrated, prosperous and democratic Western Hemisphere.
Argentina hosted 33 Ministers as we adopted important new rules on
money-laundering. We'll continue to work together on drugs and crime,
in many ways trying to make the hemisphere's environment in every
sense more attractive and more palatable.
We have a number of things, of course, to work together in the trade
area. We have areas of momentary difference of opinion, but I'm sure
we can work them through because of the excellent overall relationship
we have. We are looking forward to the Argentine presence in the
Cartagena trade ministerial later this year as we work toward Miami's
goal of free trade of the Americas.
So, all in all, it's a very, very happy and pleasant relationship. I'm
glad to say that I'm going to be able to carry out a goal that I've
had for some time of making a trip in the hemisphere to visit
Argentina and other hemispheric countries sometime later in the winter
-- a way to underscore the importance that we attach to our
relationships in the hemisphere as well as the desire to carry out the
new spirit generated by the Summit of the Americas.
Mr. Minister, I'm very pleased and delighted to have you here and
welcome.
FOREIGN MINISTER DI TELLA: Thank you very much. Actually, I would like
to stress what Secretary Christopher has said about the very good,
exceptional relations we have between our two countries. I think that
is a great achievement. We consider ourselves allied with United
States, allied with the Western world, with the Western alliance. We
have taken a very outspoken internationalist attitude. We want to play
a role, a reasonable role proportionate to our stand in international
matters. Our participation in the Eastern Slavonia effort, I think, is
something that symbolizes this participation in multilateral efforts
that the Western alliance has been indulging in as of late.
Regarding the economic matters, the Summit has been very fruitful; it
will continue to be fruitful if we follow what his been signed. There
are many problems but they're encouraging problems; and by the year
2005, I think, we'll be either on target or before that we will be
arriving at the free trade zone over the whole of Americas.
This conversation that we are going to have, I am sure, will enhance
what I'm saying and what the Secretary has been saying before.
SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. McLarty, would you
like to say a word?
COUNSELOR MCLARTY: Mr. Secretary, very briefly. I am delighted and
very honored to serve at the pleasure of the President and the
Secretary in the Summit of Americas follow-up that both Secretary of
State Christopher and Minister Di Tella spoke of.
And I would only reinforce that Argentina has been a close and a
trusted friend and I think the recent actions here in support of our
peace efforts in Bosnia that Secretary Christopher and, of course,
President Clinton have been so deeply involved in is just yet another
example of that.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, in another area, if possible -- maybe one not
as serene. Are you concerned about the military exercises China is
conducting off of Taiwan? Do you find them provocative?
ANSWER: Well, we've made clear to the Chinese frequently in recently
that we expect the differences that they have over Taiwan to be
settled peacefully. We don't see any imminent threat coming from the
activities of the Chinese at the present time, but we've urged them to
conduct themselves in a way that is consistent with what we understand
to be the goal of both countries and that is to settle whatever
differences they have in a peaceful way.
Q: Mr. Secretary, how are the peace talks going at Wye Plantation?
A: Well, I had a report from our coordinator Dennis Ross last night.
They've gotten off to a good start yesterday. There was a focus on
security issues, as, of course, we knew there would be since their
military officers joined with them. There will be three days of
intensive talks followed by a weekend recess, and then more talks,
then I'll be going to the region. So, I guess, my counsel would be to
not expect anything on a day-to-day basis, and the pattern here is for
there to be very wide-ranging discussions, some tentative approaches
made, and then when I go to the region, I'm able to confirm the
approach or maybe move them ahead.
So I would counsel not expecting any dramatic results from Wye
Plantation and look toward my trip in the hope that I can at that time
indicate some progress has been made.
Thank you very much.
(End transcript)
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