ACCESSION NUMBER:00000
FILE ID:97111409.txt
DATE:11/14/97
TITLE:14-11-97 STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 1997
TEXT:
(Iraq/second aircraft carrier, Iran, Burma) (520)
A State Department spokesman briefed. No transcript is available.
IRAQ -- The spokesman said it was his understanding that it would take
about one week for the U.S. aircraft carrier George Washington to
reach its operational station in the Persian Gulf. He also noted that
U.S. land-based combat aircraft are stationed at a number of bases in
the region, although he is not personally familiar with any
arrangements that exist with host countries regarding military
operations.
He said he understood from public sources that approximately 200 U.S.
combat aircraft are in the area, along with one squadron from a
European ally that could be augmented by a squadron of Harrier
jump-jets.
IRAN -- In response to a question regarding the decision by the
European Union (EU) to return ambassadors from its member countries to
Iran, the spokesman read a statement which noted that this was
essentially an issue between the EU and Iran. However, the statement
continued, the United States hopes the EU "does not forget what
prompted the withdrawal of the ambassadors," namely "Iran's
involvement in terrorism."
The statement expressed the hope that the EU's diplomats would tell
the Iranian government the "concerns that they share with us about
Iran's unacceptable behavior." It said these policies "are a threat to
EU interests as well as ours" and that such activities "should not be
tolerated by the international community." It also said that the
United States continues to be willing to conduct a dialogue "with an
authoritative representative of the Iranian government" during which
it would address such issues as Iran's "active support for terrorism,
its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and its violent opposition
to the (Mideast) peace process."
ALBRIGHT -- The spokesman said that Secretary of State Albright still
plans to visit Doha, Qatar November 15. Doha is the site of an
economic development conference which the United States considers to
be part of the overall Mideast peace process. He was not aware of any
changes in the plans for the meeting and that as far as the Secretary
was concerned, "we think it should go ahead."
BURMA -- The spokesman read a statement concerning reports that the
military regime running Burma, the State Law and Order Restoration
Council (SLORC) erected barbed wire barricades that blockaded Nobel
Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi's automobile outside her compound for more
than ten hours to keep her from attending a meeting of the National
League for Democracy (NLD) opposition party.
The statement called this action "the latest in a long line of
repressive measures taken by SLORC in an attempt to marginalize the
NLD, a legal political party which won overwhelming support in the
1990 elections." It urged the Burmese military authorities to allow
NLD activities to be held peacefully, without intervention.
"The United States," said the statement, "renews its call for a
meaningful political dialogue between the Burmese authorities and the
democratic opposition leaders, including Aung San Suu Kyi and
representatives of the ethnic groups as the only path to a solution to
Burma's political crisis."
NNNN
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