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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

INDEX
WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1999
Briefer: James P. Rubin

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

DPB # 94

WEDNESDAY, JULY 21, 1999 12:40 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

.................

QUESTION: The Washington Times is reporting this morning that the Administration is considering a cut-off or a slow-down of military sales to Taiwan as an expression of displeasure with what the Taiwanese have done over the past couple of weeks.

MR. RUBIN: Well, that report is inaccurate. There has been no change in our policy. We remain firmly committed to fulfilling the security and arms transfer provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act. Under that act, we provide Taiwan with defense articles and services to enable Taiwan to maintain a sufficient self-defense.

We do not comment publicly, as a normal matter, on our internal review of particular arms sales. The review process is ongoing; it's on a case-by-case basis. When it's appropriate, we do make the necessary notifications to Congress. We do notify Congress of our intent, from time to time, to sell defensive systems. A public announcement is made at the time of the required notification period. We have no announcement to make on any intended sale of defense items at this time.

With respect to the delay of the visit, which is the second piece of the puzzle, as you know, the Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan, Richard Bush, will be arriving in Taiwan on Thursday for discussions with Taiwan authorities on a wide range of issues, including cross-Strait matters and Taiwan's cross-Strait policy. In the meantime, in accordance with our policy, we have periodic consultations with Taiwan military representatives. It's my understanding that the sequence was simply switched to have Chairman Bush go first, and there's nothing more to it than that. We haven't made any decision not to provide items that we were previously intending to provide. Any suggestion that we have is simply inaccurate.

QUESTION: So you're saying that the defense officials -- just the sequence between the Defense officials going and Mr. Bush going were switched; that, in fact, Defense officials will be going later on?

MR. RUBIN: You know, he's 50-50. Yesterday he had a good story, today it was less good.

(Laughter.)

That's a good batting average.

QUESTION: That is good.

MR. RUBIN: Five hundred.

QUESTION: When you say that report is incorrect and then you talk about there should be no change in policy -- well, I don't know that the assertion wasn't that there was a change of policy. It was just that there was a consideration of slowing down arms sales. I mean, does the United States feel that it would be prudent at this time, when there are enhanced tensions in the Straits, that arms sales go forward?

MR. RUBIN: What was incorrect and inaccurate is the suggestion that a scheduling adjustment indicates a broad policy adjustment, tactical adjustment, or anything of any broad significance. That's what was inaccurate.

The fact is that the meetings will take place later, rather than this week. That's not a big delay in the scheme of an ongoing process where you have an ongoing set of discussions about needs. This wasn't a decisive meeting of any kind. So the suggestion that because one delays by a week a meeting that there's some dramatic signal being sent or some significant adjustment in our intentions is what's inaccurate.

As far as your question is concerned, we make our judgments about what is necessary based on a variety of factors. That process is ongoing; we work on it; we consult with Taiwan; we consult with others; and we make our decisions. Others in this case -- I mean the Congress. So to suggest that because the dialogue has gone through what it's gone through over the last couple of weeks, that we would not provide something we thought was necessary for the defense of Taiwan is simply not based in fact or in our policy contemplations. That's what's wrong with the story.

QUESTION: First, I know that Mr. Bush is the unofficial sort of representative. Did the Secretary -- she made the announcement yesterday -- did she personally or did she ask that Mr. Bush go to have these discussions now?

MR. RUBIN: Well, we made a series of decisions as to how to conduct our discussions in the coming weeks. I think it's no secret that we said we were talking to the Taiwan officials to seek clarification from them on what their intentions are, what the meaning of these words are that apparently, in Chinese, do have some translation issues. I'm sure you'll be writing all about that today because of your demonstrated, repeated and insistent interest in the translation of Taiwan words and their different characters in China. I'd welcome the opportunity to read that copy.

QUESTION: I'll fax it over.

MR. RUBIN: Yes, please do. We have sought clarifications and we do think it's important to discuss these issues on an unofficial basis through unofficial dialogue. The Secretary also thought it would be a good idea to have Assistant Secretary Roth go to China at this time to discuss this issue as well as the other issues that the Secretary is likely to discuss with the Chinese Foreign Minister in Singapore.

So we made the decisions about what we thought the best set of meetings and interlocutors ought to be in the coming weeks; that's what we do around here.

QUESTION: And any date set for her meeting with the Chinese Foreign Minister?

MR. RUBIN: I don't have the date for you, but it should be around the meeting, early next week.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) -- Secretary with Senator Helms now. He had a very strong statement opposed to the one-China policy this morning. Is Taiwan on their agenda, do you know?

MR. RUBIN: I do know that Secretary Albright meets regularly with Senator Helms from time to time to go over issues between the Administration and the Senate -- nominations, business, legislation that needs to be pursued. You know the President made a strong pitch for the Comprehensive Test Ban. So we have a lot of business to do with the Hill. That is the purpose of this long-scheduled meeting, not -- to my knowledge -- an intensive discussion on one particular -- I mean, it's no secret to Senator Helms or to the world that there are many issues in which we and the Chairman have different approaches. Taiwan is certainly one of them; but there are many, many others.

Nevertheless, the Secretary and the Chairman are committed to disagreeing agreeably as much as possible and working together to conduct the business of the country, and these are regularly scheduled meetings. They happen every couple of months. I've been aware of several of them in the last several months. I'm not aware that any one was put on urgently on this.

Will Senator Helms choose to raise this issue? You'd have to ask him.

.................

QUESTION: I do. If you'll forgive me for going back to China-Taiwan. The US has come out with a very strong warning that if the Chinese use force against Taiwan to settle the whole matter, the US would see that as a grave threat. I mean, would the US take any action, or what action would the US take if Taiwan continues to make statements that threaten the cross-Strait dialogue?

MR. RUBIN: Well, we've been in touch with the government of China on a number of occasions. Secretary Albright will have an opportunity to review this in great detail at her meeting with Foreign Minister Tang. As I indicated to you, the Chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan will be in Taipei, having discussions with Taiwan officials. We certainly think that the situation that has made it harder to have a successful cross-Strait dialogue is unhelpful. We will continue to reiterate our view; and our strong view is that we believe in a one-China policy. I've articulated that on many occasions for you.

I don't have any intention of specifying what a specific response of the United States would be to a hypothetical future response by someone else.

QUESTION: Do you know if it's US policy that Taiwan should have the weapons it needs to be able to defend itself?

MR. RUBIN: Yes. I think before you came in we went into this in great detail about the Taiwan Relations Act, how we're continuing to work with them in ensuring they have that.

QUESTION: Oh, okay.

QUESTION: The Secretary won't talk -- (inaudible) -- so Chinese Embassy in Belgrade. Any more on this proposal?

MR. RUBIN: Well, I wouldn't be surprised if that came up. Look, the reality is that US-China relations have been through a rough patch following the tragic accident; that we haven't been able to resume all the aspects of our relationship the way we would like to. We've apologized; we've expressed our regret; we have offered compensation; we're talking about compensation; we've provided a report. So we would like to move on, but it's up to China to make that decision. That ball is in their court to decide whether the various aspects of our relationship, which we believe are beneficial to both sides should be resumed -- whether that's the WTO. As you know, David Aaron, an Undersecretary for Commerce is traveling, I just saw him, I guess he's leaving tomorrow. We would like to pursue continued discussions on that. There are important non-proliferation issues, human rights issues, other trade matters. So we would like to resume a full breadth of the relationship, which we think is in China's interest, as well as the United States' interest. But they have to make that decision.

QUESTION: Have they ever said we accept your explanation? The best you had to offer, I mean the State Department had to offer, with the Pickering transcript, was that they had at least disseminated in the media.

MR. RUBIN: I'm not aware there's been any change in anything in any formal sense.

QUESTION: No change, okay.

QUESTION: In your understanding, the issue of compensation -- (inaudible) -- with China?

MR. RUBIN: Settled? No. There were initial discussions between the lawyers.

QUESTION: Has there been any progress that you can report with regard to the compensation negotiations regarding the embassy damage? Was that already done?

MR. RUBIN: I think that was just done in the last two seconds. That is, we've had discussions -- the lawyers have been discussing this issue. We've offered compensation, the details of which have been discussed over the last week. I believe I read to you David Andrews', our legal advisor's, statement. I can certainly get you a copy of that. The discussions have begun. I don't believe they've reached a conclusion yet.

QUESTION: Okay, that's what I wanted to know.

.................

(The briefing concluded at 1:10 P.M.)

[end of document]