The White House Briefing Room
June 17, 1999
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT CLINTON AND PRESIDENT CHIRAC IN JOINT PRESS AVAILABILITY
11:24 A.M. (L)
THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(Paris, France)
______________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 17, 1999
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT CLINTON
AND PRESIDENT CHIRAC
IN JOINT PRESS AVAILABILITY
Elysee Palace
Paris, France
11:24 A.M. (L)
Q Mr. President, is there still a strong disagreement
with the United States as to how to get out of the crisis with Iraq
-- accept the principle of the French proposals on Iraq concerning
the 100-day suspension of embargo on Iraq?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Well, as you know, there is some
difference here. I think largely it's a difference over what is
likely to be more effective. The United States supports the efforts
of the British and the Dutch and the Security Council because we
believe that without the strongest possible inspection mechanism,
Saddam Hussein will attempt to rebuild weapons of mass destruction
stocks -- particularly in the chemical and biological areas, and
perhaps missile technology, as well.
President Chirac can speak for himself, but he believes
that if the French-Dutch resolution were -- I mean, the British-Dutch
resolution were to pass, that it would simply be not accepted by
Saddam Hussein, and so we would still be at an impasse. So there is
a difference of opinion there. We agreed that we would discuss it
further at the G-8, and we would try to come to a conclusion on it.
This is not an easy issue, and I respect the efforts
that the French are making, that the President is making. I can tell
you generally what my concern is. It is not so much Saddam Hussein
himself as my belief that 10 years from now the person who is
standing here as President, and the person who is standing there as
the President of France, will be -- and all of you, those of you who
will be here asking questions -- one of the things that you will be
really worried about is the spread of biological and chemical
weapons, probably high-tech, small-scale weapons, into the hands of
international terrorist groups and organized crime groups that have
loose relationships with irresponsible countries that give them these
things. And I think it will be a substantial problem for the first
couple of decades of the next century. And I just think we ought to
do everything we possibly can to minimize that problem.
But I think I have fairly stated the practical
difference between our two positions, and I think the President
should speak for himself.
PRESIDENT CHIRAC: Well, obviously, I have the same
concerns as President Clinton. But I think that the most important
is today to once again reestablish inspections on Iraq's weapons,
international verification. And to do so, what we need, at the very
least, is to reexamine the conditions of the embargo -- what is
necessary, in any case, it seems to me, for reasons that have to do
with the very serious degradation of living conditions of the Iraqi
people, who are the victims of the situation. So we shall discuss a
way of synthesizing, bring together these concerns.
But let us not challenge the solidarity and the unity of
the Security Council. If we are not convinced that we're going to
reach a result and the present state of affairs, as President Clinton
was saying a moment ago, that in any case Iraq will refuse the
resolution which is, at present being drafted, and, therefore, it
would be a somewhat pointless gesture which would not lead to any
concrete results, but might strain the solidarity of the Security
Council. And you know how very deeply France is attached to the
U.N., in general, and the Security Council, in particular. Thank you
very much.
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Thank you.
Q Mr. President, do you believe the Russians lied to
you, sir?
Q -- (inaudible.)
PRESIDENT CLINTON: We're going to be out there some
more tomorrow.
Q -- NRA may win with the --
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I know. I got up at 5:00 a.m. and
started making calls this morning. I'm doing my best.
Q What's your view?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: I don't know yet. I'm not close
enough to have a good count.
Q How do you think Al Gore did yesterday?
PRESIDENT CLINTON: Wonderful. I thought he was
terrific.
END 11:52 A.M. (L)
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