The White House Briefing Room
June 26, 1998
PRESS BRIEFING BY MIKE MCCURRY AND NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER
4:08 P.M. (L)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Xian, People's Republic of China)
______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 26, 1998
PRESS BRIEFING BY
MIKE MCCURRY AND
NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR SANDY BERGER
Shangri-la Hotel
Xian, People's Republic of China
4:08 P.M. (L)
MR. MCCURRY: Good afternoon. One program note before I bring
Sandy up. During the course of the tour, the very interesting tour the
President had of the Terra Cotta Warriors, your print pooler was with him and
had an opportunity to talk to the President afterwards, so you're going to get
a pool report that has him commenting with some color on his tour. I won't
attempt to do that now.
Q All color, no substance?
MR. MCCURRY: All color, no substantive comments. Mostly just
about the tour itself.
Sandy, very graciously, will do a little preview of tomorrow
and discussion today.
MR. BERGER: There are a few comments in the pool report about
the construction of the Terra Cotta Warriors, the President's perspective on
that. So it is substantive. I was kidding. (Laughter.) Mistake.
(Laughter.)
Let me talk briefly about today, a little bit about tomorrow,
and then if there are any questions I will be happy to try to answer them.
I think in day one here in China we have seen that China has
many faces, and we have seen several of them over the past 24 hours. In the
village this morning that we visited, both in the roundtable with the
villagers and then just generally, listening to the Mayor, this is one of a
half a million villages
in China that have had multicandidate, genuine elections. About
500,000 of China's one million villages have gone through this
process. And these have generally been real elections,
Incumbents have often been defeated, and the Carter Center, for
example, has a project here in China that both assists in this
process and observes it and has generally found the process to be
quite a good one.
I thought it was particularly noteworthy, the
President's comments at the end of the remarks to the village --
and I think, obviously, deliberately so, that "I have run in
elections, I have won, and I have lost, I prefer winning, but
when there is a democratic process, then everybody is a winner."
And I think you'll see in all of the President's statements an
effort to draw from the specific to make the general point of
encouraging and reinforcing the processes of change that are
taking place.
I thought it was also particularly interesting in
terms of this morning, the question, the one question from I
believe the teacher, the gentleman, to the President's -- sitting
to the President's left, when the First Lady asked if there were
any questions -- he said, why are you here, why did you come to
our village? This is obviously not a general practice of Chinese
officials, just as we found when we went to South America, that
the President doing this has been quite a dramatic difference
from the way in which they're used to relating to their national
officials.
The President's answer, as you know, was because he
thinks it's important for people who run countries to understand
how what they do affects the average people in those countries
and because he wants the American people to see various aspects
of Chinese life.
This afternoon the President saw what is clearly one
of the most extraordinary archaeological sites in the world, and
an enormous statement about China's past. The President's
comment to me was that he was impressed by the awesome nature of
the site, but equally impressed by the care and meticulousness
with which the Chinese people are reconstructing what they have
found and what they have been working on now for about 25 years.
Before Emperor Qin, whose tombs those were of
course, the soldiers were buried alive. Qin instituted the
policy apparently of having them simply replicate themselves, I
think thus being the first "third way" emperor in history.
China is changing. There are still forces that are
pulling the other direction, that are resisting. That change
--we've seen that in the episodes over the last day of dissidents
who have been detained, obviously, the Chinese apparatus, Chinese
security apparatus doing what comes naturally for them. People
are not debris to be swept up for a visitor, and we have
expressed our concern about this to the Chinese government.
Their response so far has not been terribly
satisfactory. They dispute the facts or otherwise explain these
incidents away. But we will continue to make clear, and the
President will make clear in his meetings tomorrow, that this is
simply, as he said today, China looking backward, quite at odds
with the China that we see all around us here in the last 24
hours; a China that is moving in leaps and bounds into the 21st
century.
Let me talk a little bit about tomorrow. After the
arrival ceremony, the President will meet with President Jiang.
There will be, the first day, a larger meeting and then a smaller
meeting. There then will be a press availability , joint
press availability, between President Jiang and President Clinton
with a -- a brief press availability -- they will each make a
statement and take a few questions. And then there will be a
lunch with Premier Zhu Rongji.
In terms of the substance, we've obviously been
working on this over some time. There are some matters that are
still under discussion, the outcome of which, I think at this
point, unclear and obviously will not materialize unless it is
satisfactory to us.
On the issue of detargeting, for example, the
Chinese traditionally have linked that issue to our unwillingness
to accept a doctrine of no first use of nuclear weapons. That is
not something that we're prepared to do. And we continue to
discuss this with them.
With respect to other security areas, we will be
talking to them, we have been talking to them since the
Secretary's trip, my trip, Sandy Kristoff's trip, discussions
over the last few days in Beijing with Jim Steinberg and Sandy
Kristoff -- a number of issues, missile issues in particular,
where we would hope that we would make some progress.
On human rights, this is something we've talked
about very extensively with the Chinese. We have made a number
of suggestions relating to dissidents, relating to Tibet. I
would not anticipate that we would see the fruits of those
discussions while we're here. As you'll recall, when President
Jiang came to Washington and we had very extensive discussions
with him on a number of human rights topics, it was not until he
returned to China, until some weeks or even months later that
they announced the release of Wei Jingsheng and Wang Dan and
Bishop Jin and intention to sign the U.N. Covenant of Political
Civil Rights. I would anticipate the same pattern in this case.
On rule of law, an area that we are placing
increasing importance on, I believe we will be able to conclude
an agreement to intensify a process that's begun over the last
year of training Chinese judges and lawyers, of working with
Chinese jurists and judicial, legal officials on legal assistance
to the poor, working with the Chinese on making sure that the
process of rule of law includes personal rights as well as
property rights -- human rights as well as intellectual property
rights.
On energy and the environment, a process begun well
over a year ago by the Vice President, it is moving along very
nicely. We will be undertaking a number of projects with the
Chinese as we help them move away from a heavy coal-based economy
to a clean energy economy. When you get to Beijing tomorrow, if
you haven't been there recently, look up in the sky, and you
will, simply looking up in the sky, believe that you were in Los
Angeles 10 years ago. It is a rather dramatically polluted city,
and obviously extraordinarily important to them and to us, since
they will become the largest emitter of greenhouse gases in the
next 10 years.
We will be undertaking with them specific projects
on coal gassification, involving American technology and we'll be
working with them on a nationwide air quality monitoring network
with the help of EPA.
Finally, in the science and technology area, an area
where we have been working with the Chinese for 20 years and
which has produced some extraordinary developments, including
breakthroughs in the treatment of spina bifida, including
cooperative projects in detecting natural disasters before they
occur, we will be undertaking some collective projects in the
health area, particularly concentrating on the area of birth
defects, polio, and the effects of tobacco use.
There are other areas, but that reflects the broad
range of issues that this relationship now embraces, and we will
be, hopefully, making progress on a number of them while we're
here.
Q Sandy, you said that in their response the
Chinese government was disputing the facts on the dissident
arrests. Can you tell us what the facts are as you know them?
It's very hard to get a handle on what's going on.
MR. BERGER: I can't give you a definitive version
of the facts. We have heard the reports from you folks and in
some cases the Chinese have had a different version of facts; in
some cases -- their response has not been satisfactory, let me
just leave it at that.
Q Sandy, what have the Chinese been saying? What
is their version of the facts?
MR. BERGER: As I say, I don't want to get into
enormous specifics here. They have basically not adequately
explained the situation, as far as we're --
Q Well, how hard have you been protesting? And I
mean by that, with Ambassador Sasser -- he's the one?
MR. BERGER: Among others.
Q Well, he has presented these protests. What
has he said to the Chinese?
MR. BERGER: He has said to the Chinese, this is
thoroughly unacceptable, as the President will say to the Chinese
tomorrow, as I have said to the Chinese today, as I expect my
deputy, Mr. Steinberg, will say to the Chinese today. So this is
not in China's interest. The fact that we're obviously focused
on this as opposed to the other things that are happening in
China. We've made this point to the Chinese. It's not in their
interests. But --
Q What does "unacceptable" mean? That's a strong
word. What's behind it?
MR. BERGER: It's unacceptable, in my judgment, for
people to be detained in connection with an event like this --
this is not surprising, but it's not unacceptable. Those of you
who have been here before, that have traveled with President Bush
or traveled with Secretary Christopher or others, know that the
security apparatus often undertakes these kinds of steps. They
see a trip like this with a combination of, I think, anticipation
and some fear. But if China is going to make that next step into
really being a nation whose practices are fully acceptable to the
international community, then this is a step -- this is not a
step in that direction.
Q Sandy, on that point, are you trying to
separate the security apparatus from the folks you will see in
Beijing tomorrow? They're all the same thing, aren't they?
MR. BERGER: I'm not trying to make any -- I can't
tell you where these decisions are made. I know in the planning
of this trip there have been very large decisions that have been
made at a local level and sometimes very small decisions that
have been pushed to Beijing. So it's hard to know exactly what
the line of responsibility is here. It really doesn't matter.
As I say, people are not debris to be swept up for visitors.
Q Do the Ambassador's comments to the Chinese
represent a formal objection?
MR. BERGER: Certainly.
Q Are we suggesting that there is something that
the United States will withhold in terms of cooperation as a
result of this?
MR. BERGER: I think it is just as effective for the
President to speak about it forthrightly and directly today, for
us to speak to them about it directly. I think -- we will
certainly not accept this, but as I say, this is a not unusual
pattern, although not an acceptable pattern. And as China
increasingly moves into the international community, it has to be
less fearful of its own people.
Q Yeah, but, Sandy, what's the "or else"? What
are we going to do except stomp our feet?
MR. BERGER: I think there has already been -- you
speak almost as loudly as Sam does, Bill. Not quite, but almost.
I think there has been change in China over the last five to 10
years, even in the area of the options that people have in their
lives and the general freedom of expression that they have
overall. And many of your correspondents have written about it.
So the movement is in the right direction. And I think part of
the reason for that has been the presence and pressure of the
international community. I think that's effective.
Q Sandy, the Chinese in Beijing are indicating
that the President will not have an opportunity to speak at large
by television to the Chinese people. Is that your understanding?
MR. BERGER: I have not heard one way or the other
on that.
Q So you think it's still an open question?
MR. BERGER: It was open as far as I know.
Q And what does the United States want? Is it
tomorrow's event, Monday's speech? What are you seeking?
MR. BERGER: Well, we'd like the most exposure for
the President as we can. Tomorrow, I think you know the
logistics. The President arrives in front of the Great Hall of
the People adjacent to Tiananmen Square, and there will be a
brief arrival ceremony, which I understand will last about 15
minutes. He will then go in for the meetings. There then will
be a brief press availability after that meeting. He will speak
on Monday at Beijing University . He will
speak in Shanghai. There are a number of opportunities for the
President to speak.
Q To follow on that point, Sandy, it seems that
in the summit preparations, all the flexibility has been on the
U.S. side regarding the arrival ceremony in Tiananmen Square,
where the U.S. delegation stays, the guest house versus the China
--- all the flexibility on the U.S. side, none on the Chinese
side. Are you getting anything?
MR. BERGER: I think that's just wrong, John. I
think if you --
Q What are you getting, can you give me an
example?
MR. BERGER: Can I answer?
Q Yes. I was wondering if you can give me an
example of the Chinese flexibility --
MR. BERGER: Anything else? Okay. First of all, I
think it's hard to make a judgment about what is the net result
of the summit on day one. So for starters, I think the premise
here is a little difficult. Second of all, I think all of the
things that I have indicated are areas that we have wanted to see
progress on from China. I think that with respect to a hundred
issues involving logistics, involving Secret Service, involving
other issues, the Chinese have done things that they have not
done before -- even, in fact, ironically, in terms of visas.
Except for the foolishness of the Radio Free Asia, they have
allowed people into China that have never been permitted into
China before.
Again, even with respect to the actions they've
taken on dissidents, which I think, as I say, are thoroughly
unacceptable, I think that they probably are not of the scale
that has happened before.
So I think that there is an effort on the part of
the Chinese to make this successful, and I think that in the end,
if our objective is to advance America's national interest across
a range of issues and to make sure the President has an
opportunity with the Chinese officials to raise very directly his
concerns, I think that will happen. And the last thing I would
say is, if you just look over the last year or two, the things
that have been accomplished, I think you have to say that by and
large China has moved in our direction, whether it has been
giving up nuclear testing, signing the Comprehensive Test Ban
Treaty, giving up their nuclear cooperation with Iran, giving up
their nuclear cooperation with Pakistan -- those are big deals.
And I think signing the Chemical Weapons Convention and all of
those things -- they have not done it for us, but they've done
what we have asked them to do.
With respect to South Asia, an area of enormous risk
and danger at this point, China has played a very constructive
role since the tests. So I think you have to look at the overall
picture and I think if you simply look at where the President
stays or take one fact out of it, I think that's a snapshot.
Q What are the prospects of a detargeting
agreement?
MR. BERGER: I don't know the answer, Wolf. We
certainly -- we would like such an agreement. I think such an
agreement would be useful in two respects. Number one, it would
be a commitment by the Chinese to us that they would not target
our cities and, therefore, would preclude the danger of an
accidental launch, which is not insubstantial. There was a time
when entire movies were based on swans going across radar
screens.
And second of all, I think it would be an important
statement about -- a confidence-building measure and a statement
about the evolution of our relationship since adversaries point
their missiles against each other and not countries that are
working to build a better relationship.
Q Where does it stand right now --
MR. BERGER: I cannot tell you that we will have
--we are unwilling to, and have been, to change our doctrine on
no first use, and that's a bottom red line for us.
Q Is that what you meant when you were talking
about you were looking for progress on missile issues, the
detargeting thing? Or what are you talking about?
MR. BERGER: No, I think beyond detargeting --
divide the nonproliferation world into two areas, nuclear and
delivery systems. On the nuclear side we've made a lot of
progress. As I said, on Iran, in connection with Jiang's
meeting, they agreed they had no plans to assist the Iranian
nuclear program. They've said that they would not assist
unsafeguarded nuclear facilities -- read that Pakistan. And they
have recently adopted in their law most of the nuclear export
controls of the so-called Zanger Committee, which are kind of the
internationally recognized nuclear technology no-nos. That's a
technical term. (Laughter.) So that's the nuclear side.
On the missile side their commitments have been more
ambiguous and more subject to differing interpretations. They
have said that they would adhere to the MTCR guidelines. They
have not talked about looking ahead towards a day when they might
join the MTCR itself, where they would actually undertake not
just the principles of restraint, but also the obligations of
restraint. If we could make some progress in moving them in that
direction I think that would be a plus.
Q Sandy, you've said that the Chinese are
generally moving in the right direction on the issue of human
rights and that these dissident roundups, such as they are, are
probably not on the scale that we've seen before. Are you
concerned that your comments might be interpreted by the Chinese
as sort of a tacit approval of what they're doing, despite what
the U.S. saying --
MR. BERGER: No.
Q -- and, Sandy, if not, if you don't believe
that, then why do you think that the Chinese would do this if
they're not afraid of our response?
MR. BERGER: Well, first of all, I think China's
human rights record is terrible. I think China is an
authoritarian nation, as I've said before. I think there's been
some progress in human rights, but it has been not nearly enough.
So I, by no means -- I think that what I said, or at least
intended to say was that the choices the Chinese people have in
their lives today were unimaginable 10 years ago, 20 years ago.
You saw those people out there today -- where to work, where to
live, where to travel. Two and a half million Chinese went
abroad last year. The choices that come from the cable
television -- I love the fact that the income that they derive
from the community companies was plowed back into that village
into cable television. I think that's a step in the right
direction.
So, in that sense, when I say -- I think that the
degree of options that the Chinese people have today are greater
than they were. I think in the area of public dissent, they are
still totally unacceptable. And I don't think this is directed
-- the implication is that this directed at President Clinton.
This is -- the fact that this happens generally in connection
with these kinds of visits does not make it acceptable. It is
not appropriate. It's not necessary. It is also not the first
time it's happened.
Q How does this roundup affect the chemistry of
the summit? How does it push up the issue of human rights above
other issues that you intended to put forward?
MR. BERGER: I think human rights -- I think human
rights was, is, and will be a very high priority for the
President in his conversations with President Jiang. I think --
that these episodes I think simply reinforce that priority.
Q So will the President specifically raise the
detaining of those dissidents when he is talking with Jiang
Zemin?
MR. BERGER: I expect that they will be raised in
connection with that meeting. I'll give you a readout after the
meeting rather than --
Q Sandy, by staging this roundup now, on the
occasion of the President's visit, doesn't it show that the
Chinese authorities, or at least some of them, just don't care
what the American President thinks about these matters?
MR. BERGER: No, I think -- I don't think that's the
case. I think they have anticipated this visit with great
excitement. I think they -- look at the number of people who
have been here in Xian. I'm not a great crowd counter, but there
have been certainly hundreds of thousands of people, if not more.
There is enormous excitement here, as I saw when I came twice in
the last two months, about the President's visit. As I said
before, I think the Chinese face these things with the
combination of excitement, anticipation, and fear. And their
instinct -- the instinct of some at least -- is to let their
desire for order overwhelm their ability to permit expression.
And that is something that has to change.
Q A question on the Zhu Rongji meeting. What are
you expecting to get out of the Zhu Rongji meeting, and will
there be any announcements coming out of that?
MR. BERGER: The Zhu Rongji meeting I think will be
largely about the economy, both the Chinese economy, the Asian
economy. I expect we'll have some discussion of trade, although
I don't expect anything concrete to come out of that. There are
a number of larger issues the President wants to raise, the trade
deficit being one; a number of specific sectoral issues the
President wants to raise. But I think the President wants to
hear about Jiang's sweeping economic reform program, what he sees
the consequences of it being. And also how he sees the Asian
financial situation and the impact that that will have on China.
Q Sandy, is the idea of lifting sanctions, even
relatively minor ones like trade and development assistance, now
off the tables for the summit?
MR. BERGER: Well, we have always said that that
would happen only in the context of the fundamental requirements
and the national interests being served by doing that.
Q Mr. Berger, can you clarify a couple of points
about an issue in Taiwan? This morning the President was asked
about whether or not he's going to reinterpret, reinstate the
three nos of the one China policy. Based on his answer I get the
impression he's not going to do so. Can you tell us --
MR. BERGER: What he said was our policy will not be
changed here. I'd refer you to Secretary Albright's comments
when she was here. Our policy has been that we support the one
China policy and that we don't support the independence of Taiwan
or one China, one Taiwan, or Taiwan's admission into
international organizations that depend on statehood. But we
believe there ought to be a peaceful resolution of the Taiwan
issue and we will encourage the Chinese towards that end.
Q But, Mr. Berger, my question to you is really
whether the President will restate the policy in his meetings
with Jiang Zemin?
MR. BERGER: Well, I just stated the policy.
Secretary Albright has stated the policy. The President may
state the policy.
Q Arms sales -- they don't want arm sales to
Taiwan.
MR. MCCURRY: This is the last chance on any other
subjects. Hearing none, thank you.
Q Can you explain why the President didn't
express these outrages publicly in his remarks to the Chinese
people? He has said that he wants to speak with them directly.
Why didn't he ask them if they'd ever been harassed by police or
has anyone ever experienced these types --
MR. MCCURRY: The President, speaking both to U.S.
press members and Chinese press members very directly, addressed
the situation this morning. Maybe you haven't seen the
transcript.
Q What, if anything, is the President planning on
doing on the line item veto now that it's unconstitutional?
MR. MCCURRY: The White House Legal Counsel's Office
is reviewing the opinion, but, clearly, the President believes
this authority is important to protect taxpayers in the United
States. It's an authority that he believes he has used correctly
and constitutionally to protect the American people from wasteful
spending. We will clearly work with those who believe that the
President needs this authority to find some constitutional way in
which the President can use the same tool available to governors
around the United States to protect taxpayers.
Q But he won't defy the court, will he? The
court --
MR. MCCURRY: Clearly, we're not going to defy the
court or the ruling of the court. But there are many who believe
there ought to be an effort to continue to find some
constitutional way to make this authority available to the
President, and that's why the White House Legal Counsel's Office
is examining the opinion very carefully at this point.
Q Mike, is HHS looking into possibly suing the
tobacco companies?
MR. MCCURRY: I'd have to check into that. If
that's happening, that's happening a long ways away from here.
I'll see if I can find out anything about that.
Q Can you add anything to what Sandy said about
the possibility of a live address by the President? What is the
hang-up there?
MR. MCCURRY: No, I can't.
Anything else?
Q What about on the Supreme Court decision on the
Vince Foster attorney-client privilege? Does that suggest that
the other attorney-client privilege involving Bruce LIndsey might
move in the right direction?
MR. MCCURRY: I think you know that White House
Legal Counsel Chuck Ruff has been quoted saying that they'll have
to see how the court considers the arguments that will be made
with respect to the other attorney-client privilege issues that
have arisen. Clearly, the court's reaffirmation of the
importance of that principle yesterday was something that was
welcomed by Mr. Ruff. Whether or not it has a bearing on the
case that's pending with respect to Mr. Lindsey remains to be
seen. Certainly the White House would hope so, given the
argument that we'd make, but we'll have to see. We were not a
party to the litigation over the notes involving Mr. Foster, but
we are a party to the litigation that's pending and that will be
argued, I believe, next week.
Q Mike, do you know what at point of the visit
the President will give the American flag and the American
historical documents to Chinese leaders? And will it be to
President Jiang himself?
MR. MCCURRY: I believe that will be presented as
the official presentation of gifts as made through our protocol
channels when we arrive in Beijing, either tonight or tomorrow.
But it's not customary in any state visit for the heads of state
to directly exchange gifts; it's done through their protocol
departments.
Q Did you have to clear that the Chinese would
accept these gifts?
MR. MCCURRY: It's not necessary as far as I know.
We can present any gift we so choose, and it will be a part of
the gift presented by the President to the people of China.
Q Mike, can you talk about his schedule tonight
when he arrives in Beijing? Can you rule out any impromptu visit
to Tiananmen or anything like that?
MR. MCCURRY: I haven't heard of any consideration
of that type of visit.
Q Any reaction to the recently announced merger
of -- Trust and the deeply troubled -- Credit Bank?
MR. MCCURRY: No.
Anything else?
Q Mike, what are the logistics for the ceremony
tomorrow in the square. Will he review troops? Are there
national anthems? What are the two or three elements?
MR. MCCURRY: I'm not sure exactly -- let me consult
are handy-dandy book. The way I have it listed currently -- but
these things have been on a number of issues, a number of matters
pending and subject to change right down to the last minute -- it
is currently listed as: The President is introduced by President
Jiang Zemin to the Chinese delegation. President Clinton
introduces President Jiang Zemin to the American delegation. The
two anthems are played. The two Presidents proceed to the dais.
They review the troops. They march and review the Honor Guard.
Then they bid farewell and go into the Great Hall of the People
for the meeting.
Q All of these are comments just between the two
leaders. They're not public comments, right?
MR. MCCURRY: That's correct. And a way of thinking
of it is, it's more similar to the way state arrivals are done in
most of the places in the world. We have a rather unique element
in our state arrivals which includes speaking points. But as you
know if you've seen the President arrive elsewhere, that's not
the custom in most countries.
Q When the President arrives at Tiananmen Square,
is he expected to talk about --
MR. MCCURRY: He will address the events of June
1989 at some appropriate point, but, as I just indicated, it
won't be during the course of the arrival ceremony because there
are no speeches given during the arrival ceremony.
Q Would you say, Mike, that the speech on Monday
at Beijing University will not be carried live by Chinese
television?
MR. MCCURRY: Twice now in response to questions, I
don't have any further information on that.
Q Mike, just let me follow up on that. If the
President's comments either in Beijing on Monday or in Shanghai
aren't televised, isn't he just here in a bubble, in a vacuum, if
the Chinese people never hear him --
MR. MCCURRY: No, of course not. We have -- number
one of the changes occurring throughout China is the way that
information is disseminated and information proliferates --
through the Internet, through a variety of sources. This is
becoming a complex culture in part because of all the influences
that are beginning to penetrate through what in the past has been
a great wall of disinformation.
So I think the President's remarks will certainly be
distributed widely through a variety of news sources represented
here in this room, and obviously our embassy will make a great
effort to translate them and distribute them appropriately. And
the best of all worlds would be to have the address carried live
so that the people of China can hear it, and I think there is
sufficient demand in China here for it if anyone is going to make
the judgment based on news value.
Q What are the expectations that the talks
between President and Jiang Zemin extend beyond the rather small
window tomorrow?
MR. MCCURRY: Well, they have a private dinner. I
mean, they will see each other again on Sunday and have a private
dinner. And I suspect, just as when Jiang Zemin visited the
United States and a very substantial part of the conversations
between the two Presidents occurred privately in the White House
residence, I suspect that the private dinner that they have
Sunday night will be important and be a continuing part of the
effort to deepen and nurture the relations between both
countries.
Q Mike, regardless of the Chinese plans whether
they broadcast the President's speech at Beijing University, will
VOA carry that live and broadcast it on Radio Free Asia?
MR. MCCURRY: That's a good question. Well, VOA and
Radio Free are separate, but there will be a variety of ways in
which we could try to get broader interest in coverage of the
speech.
Q But there's not a plan that you're aware at
this point?
MR. MCCURRY: Both of those organizations may have
plans for coverage. You should ask them -- they make their
decisions independently.
Q What's the briefing time tomorrow? Will you do
a feedback --
MR. MCCURRY: I think that everyone -- just in terms
of logistics needs to understand, particularly print people, that
you're in a real crunch deadline because the two Presidents are
going to come out, they will presumably say something. There's
some interest in having at least a few questions taken by both
sides. That's all going to happen presumably right around
midnight Eastern Time. So, for print people, you have to be
conscious of the fact you're going to be on deadline trying to
cover the results of the initial rounds of meetings.
We will tip as much as we can in advance what we
know about the substantive outcome of the discussions and some of
the negotiations occurring up in Beijing now, as we get into the
morning hours tomorrow, so we can protect those of you who would
be right on deadline tomorrow.
Q Mike, you had mentioned that the President is
still intending to receive a 21-gun salute from the PLA. Is that
correct?
MR. MCCURRY: I don't see that listed in my book.
I'd have to check further and see. I don't know whether that's
part of their custom or not.
Q You say you're going to give us a tip some time
during the morning, but when are the formal agreements announced
or whatever happens at this summit -- when does that happen?
MR. MCCURRY: Right on deadline tomorrow.
Q Does that all happen -- everything happens in
the --
MR. MCCURRY: Whatever happens, happens. That's
what I'm trying to convey to you, that you need to be alert to
that, and we're obviously conscious of that. And we're going to
try to begin reading out substantively whatever we can as soon as
we can even if there's going to be any delay before the two
Presidents come out and make their joint statements, particularly
for print folks who are right up against their deadline at that
point.
Q So, are you going to be doing that in the
filing center or to the pool or --
MR. MCCURRY: We're figuring out how to do that --
probably have to be a phone call into a filing center where you
all are is my guess. I don't know. I mean, we're open to
suggestions on that because some of you presumably will want to
be there and be wherever the two Presidents are going to come
out. But others of you are going to need be writing on deadline.
Q -- give it to us tonight?
MR. MCCURRY: We don't have it, as you just heard.
Q -- from dissident groups indicated that if
there's an opportunity they might -- and under those
circumstances, how would the President --
MR. MCCURRY: They may do what? I'm sorry, I
missed the question.
Q They might try to take an opportunity that they
can find in order to see the President.
MR. MCCURRY: I'm not aware of any plans for a
meeting.
THE PRESS: Thank you.
END 4:52 P.M. (L)
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