17 December 1998
UNOFFICIAL TRANSCRIPT: SEN. SPECTER ON IRAQ, SYRIA
(I do not believe that the President acted because of the impeachment) (2010) Damascus -- Senator Arlen Specter briefed reporters in Damascus December 17, and told them: "I do not think that the President acted (in attacking Iraq) because of the impeachement." "I think the President acted because he had put Saddam Hussien on notice in advance and Ramadan is coming," the Pennsylvania Republican said. "I believe it is in the national interest of the United States to defer impeachment until after he leaves office," he added. Specter, who is a frequent visitor to the Middle East, said that he was carrying a message from Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to Syria's President Hafez Al Asad, to the effect that Netanyahu "wishes to proceed with the peace talks." Following is transcript of Spector's remarks, as prepared by USIS Damascus: (Begin transcript) DAMASCUS, SYRIA - DAMASCUS SHERATON HOTEL DECEMBER 17, 1998 Senator Specter: Yesterday President Asad and I had extended discussion that lasted two hours and fifteen minutes. I brought to President Asad greetings from President Clinton. I had just been with President Clinton when he visited Israel with his trips to Bethlehem, and Gaza, and I discussed with President Clinton my proposed visit to see President Asad. President Clinton asked me to give especially President Asad his warm greetings. President Asad and I discussed at some length the peace process, and it was a good frank, open and extensive discussion. I brought President Asad the information that President Clinton was anxious to see the peace process resumed, and that President Clinton was prepared to invest his personal time to try and facilitate an understanding between the parties. I gave President Asad some of the details of President Clinton's work on the Wye Accord where he spent many many hours and then made a special trip to Israel to try to facilitate areas of disagreement and to tried to move the peace process ahead. I thought that I expressed to President Asad my view that President Clinton worked very hard to try to broker an arrangement between Syrian and Israel. President Asad and I discussed world events. We discussed Iraq of course. We had no idea what was about to come, and we discussed the Iranian situation. He and I have met on many occasions in the past and it was a very warm and very friendly meeting. We spent some time reminiscing about our conversations in the past and it was a very warm and I think a productive meeting. I believe that there are many steps for peace. I continue to be optimistic on the peace process. I visited the Middle East many, many times. First I came here in 1964 to Israel. I first came to Syria in 1984, and I have been here many times since then. There is a slow process, but I continue to be optimistic. Question: Are you carrying any message from Netanyahu? Specter: Yes, I am carrying a message from Prime Minister Netanyahu that the Prime Minister wishes to proceed with the peace talks. The Prime Minister advised me of what is very obvious: that the Prime Minister is very busy at the moment, a vote coming up on December 21st on Monday, so that he has his hands full right now, but the Prime Minister wants to proceed with the peace process. In fact I carried messages soon after the Prime Minister was elected in August of 1996. Prime Minister Netanyahu was prepared to participate in the peace process. Question: How will the peace come between Syria and Israel? Why doesn't Israel try to change its mind to continue from the point where we have stopped in 1996? Specter: Well, it's well known that President Asad's position is that the discussions must begin where Mr. Rabin, Prime Minister Rabin and President Asad left off. And it is also well known that Prime Minister Netanyahu does not want to begin at that point, and I have not been able to reconcile the differences. Maybe President Clinton can. But those are very substantial differences and the parties themselves will have to deal with those substantive things. Question: Did you brief the President about the actions that happened in Iraq and did you have any idea before you came back that the possibility was there or did you inform him specifically of the strike in Iraq? Senator Specter: Did I inform President Asad of the strike in Iraq? No, no I did not, and the only reason was that I did not know it was coming. I had no idea it was coming. It was actually after I saw President Asad that I went to play squash, and when I came out of my squash game I heard that Butler had withdrawn the U.N. inspectors and then of course I became apprehensive. But I did not know when I talked to President Asad of the strikes. Question: Yes, but you have just said that you have discussed Iraq with President Asad. Senator Specter: Oh, I have discussed Iraq. Yes I did. We discussed the generalization as to the Iraqi problem and the issues and what might be done. One of the items which I discussed with President Asad, and this is my idea, this is not his idea, was whether the leaders of the Middle East might join together and try to persuade Saddam Hussein to open up the inspections and to cease the efforts to develop weapons of mass destruction. That is a subject which I have discussed with Chairman Arafat. Chairman Arafat was in Washington a couple of weeks ago and I took that up with the President as something likely to be done in the long range. President Asad and I discussed that and I do not wish to tell you what President Asad said. I think he has to speak for himself, but I am glad to tell you what I have said. Question: Last night Mr. Clinton said that for example there are Arab countries which are standing on the U.S. side regarding Iraq's behavior and he started with Egypt and the second country he mentioned was Syria. He said the expressed opinion that Syria supports or blames Iraq for the deterioration of the situation there. Do you share his view points or have you felt that President Asad is blaming Iraq for the complications, the latest complications in this regard? Senator Specter: Well, the situation last November may have been somewhat different from the situation yesterday. That was going to have be sorted out. My own sense is that ... Well I want to talk to President Mubarak before I make a comment on that. I am going to fly to Egypt this morning. But President Asad is going to have to speak for himself on his view about Iraq today contrasted with his view on Iraq in November. I think it is accurate to say that Syria sent a message to Saddam Hussein in November that Saddam Hussein should cooperate. But that is different from approving the airstrikes and I want to be very careful; I do not speak for President Asad. Question: OK. A member of ... The majority leader at the Senate last night said that he doesn't support the military action in Iraq especially with regards to the timing of this action. He supports the American troops. How do you comment personally on that? Senator Specter: My comment is somewhat complicated but it is this: I wrote to the President (to an aide: do you have a copy of the letter), I wrote to the President back on November 12, telling him that I strongly urge him not to order the use of U.S. force against Iraq without first obtaining congressional authorization as required by the United States Constitution. I believe that a missile strike is an act of war, and only the Congress of the United States under our constitution has the authority to declare a war. Had the President taken the matter to the Congress as the President did in 1991, I would have supported him. I believe that Saddam Hussein is a menace to the region and to the world. I believe it is true that he is developing weapons of mass destruction. I believe it is true that he has used chemical weapons in a number of ways and that some forceful international action has to be taken, but I repeat today what I wrote to the President on November 12, that it is a matter for the Congress of the United States. I do not believe that the President acted because of the impeachment. I do not think that this is true. I think the President acted because he had put Saddam Hussein on notice in advance and Ramadan is coming as the President explained, and I do not attribute the President's actions to the impeachment vote. Now the impeachment issue is a very complicated issue and let me tell you about that for just a minute. I have been on the record taking the position that President Clinton has to be held accountable for what he has done. There are serious matters involved, but that the accountability should be delayed until after he leaves office. He is subject after he leaves office to an indictment, a jury conviction. The judge could sentence him and the issues which he faces are very serious ones, but I believe that it is in the national interest of the United States to defer impeachment until after he leaves office and to let him concentrate... Question: As a person then ? Senator Specter: As a person, yes. Then he'd be treated like any other citizen. It is not definitive, but I do not believe the President may be prosecuted criminally while he's in office. I do not think that's going to happen. And that would leave the President free to worry about domestic problems. We have many: social security, health care, many international problems and I think he should be free to do that. I think that Congressman Hyde was wise to defer the vote on impeachment. It was supposed to be today and it's been postponed and that vote can be taken up next week, during the week of December 19, that vote can be taken up the week after, December 26, the vote can be taken up the week after on January 4. There is a certain --the Congress goes out of session on January 5th and there is a new Congress, and there are more Republicans now so there would be a natural interest in voting with this Congress. But that can be deferred. And two weeks is a lifetime in international affairs and I think it ought to be put off so the President can concentrate on international affairs. Question: What will you discuss with President Mubarek? Senator Specter: Everything. Question: Like? Senator Specter: Well, I will discuss, I wouldn't be surprised but that the first thing President Mubarek will say is why did the United States strike Iraq. I know President Mubarek very well, like I know President Asad very well. I've been a frequent flyer in this region. We'll talk about Iraq and we'll talk about the Palestinians and we'll talk about Iran and we'll talk about Russian missiles to Iran. We'll talk about the full gamut of international matters. Question: Are you planning to return to Damascus again? Senator Specter: Oh, yes. Question: When now? Senator Specter: I do not have a specific date. I have to return when the Senate goes in session, but I have been a frequent visitor to Damascus since 1984. I think that my visits here have stimulated the process. I will report back to Prime Minister Netanyahu what President Asad said and I intend press the President to keep the Syrian-Israeli peace track high on his agenda. He needs to be reminded because he is a very busy man. Question: Thanks. Senator Specter: O.K. Nice to see you. (END OF TRANSCRIPT)
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