Tracking Number: 137976
Title: "Next Step in Hostage Situation Depends on Iran." (900501)
Author: SULLIVAN, ALEXANDER M (USIA STAFF WRITER)
Date: 19900501
Text:
*POL207
05/01/90 1Me Re HNEXT STEP IN HOSTAGE SITUATION DEPENDS ON IRAN SH(White House wants all hostages released) (700) BYAlexander M. Sullivan BIUSIA White House Correspondent
TWashington -- The White House insisted May 1 that the next step in the hostage situation depends upon Iran.
Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater, reminded that Tehran is saying that the ball is now in the U.S. court, rejected that view, insisting that "the ball has always been in their court and will be as long as there are hostages yet to be released."
Fitzwater told questioners the Bush administration has made "small gestures" toward Iran and Syria, thanking each country for its role in release of Robert Polhill and Frank Reed, held for years by terrorists in Beirut. While neither Syria nor Iran holds hostages directly, the fundamentalist groups who kidnapped Westerners are thought to be influenced by Damascus and especially Tehran.
Fitzwater told questioners "the guiding influence over us" remains the president's rejection of a piecemeal approach to hostage release. "There really can be no change," he added, "until the hostages are released."
Asked whether the administration might take some step short of normalizing relations with Iran, Fitzwater said he would not "speculate." He reminded reporters the administration undertook a continuing review of policy toward Tehran when Bush took office. "There are people within the government who continually consider policies or relationships or approaches that might be appropriate at some future point," he explained. "Between now and then," he said, "we are not going to speculate on specific actions that may or may not be taken," beyond repeating Bush's conviction that "this hostage situation must be dealt with before we have any real change in relations."
Pressed on whether Washington might undertake some "small gestures" short of normalization, Fitzwater replied, "Well, there have been small gestures," specifying that Bush had thanked Iran for its efforts and had "used language that made clear that we were respectful of their independence and the integrity of their revolution. We have used language to indicate our interest in having better relations and being willing to talk and so forth."
GE 2 POL207 Told that Iran seems "to want something more," Fitzwater retorted, "So do we."
Fitzwater again refused to define what the administration means by hostages, declining to say whether Bush considers some 400 Shias held by Israel as hostages or prisoners of war, and declining to say if Bush considers Sheik Obeid a hostage. The sheik was a prominent Muslim cleric in Beirut before Israeli agents kidnapped him.
Fitzwater noted that Israel "is a sovereign nation and we will not attempt to pass judgment on any specific act, or to give a definition to this situation except to say that our policy is that all hostages should be released."
He recalled that Bush had told a questioner April 30 he would have no objection if Israel should decide, as a sovereign nation, to make a deal for hostages.
When a reporter suggested that Washington appeared to be following a double standard -- asking Syria and Iran to use their influence with Muslim groups while not pursuing a similar course with Israel -- Fitzwater repeated the point that Washington does not believe in hostage-taking.
Reminded that the administration does sometimes comment on Israel's internal affairs, as with Tel Aviv's approach to settlements in Israeli-occupied territory or to the peace process, Fitzwater said, "That's the way it is."
Asked if Bush believes a new Israeli government under acting Prime Minister Shamir would mean the end of the peace process, as a State Department statement seemed to imply, Fitzwater said, "We will work with whoever emerges" as Tel Aviv's new leader "and will continue to press for the peace process, and it is not the end of anything."
He said Bush will "work with any government of Israel. We are a long and old friend of Israel. We have a very special relationship. We have more funding that goes to Israel than any other country... We will work with whoever the leadership is that emerges" from Tel Aviv's current struggle to form a new government. NNNN
File Identification: 05/01/90, PO-207; 05/01/90, AE-209; 05/01/90, EP-214; 05/01/90, EU-205; 05/01/90, NE-204; 05/01/90, NA-207
Product Name: Wireless File
Product Code: WF
Languages: Arabic
Keywords: IRAN-US RELATIONS/Policy; SYRIA-US RELATIONS/Policy; HOSTAGES/Policy; DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS/Policy; ISRAEL-US RELATIONS/Policy; OBEID, ABDUL KARIM; ABDUCTION
Thematic
Codes: 160; 2TE
Target Areas: AF; AR; EA; EU; NE
PDQ Text Link: 137976
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