March, 1991
US Department of State Daily Briefing #34:
Monday, 3/4/91
Tutwiler
Source: State Department Spokesman Margaret Tutwiler
Description: 12:00 PM, Washington, DC
Date: Mar 4, 19913/4/91
Category: Briefings
Region: MidEast/North Africa, East Asia, Eurasia,
Europe, North America
Country: France, Israel, Iraq, Kuwait, South Africa,
Philippines, Jordan, Albania, Cyprus, Italy,
Canada
Subject: Terrorism, Regional/Civil Unrest,
Military Affairs, United Nations, State Department,
Human Rights, Democratization
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
[Announcement: Departure of Correspondent Jim Anderson]
MS. TUTWILER: I have a number of little items I'd like
to go over, with your indulgence, the first of which is that
Friday, as you know, we did not have a briefing because the
President had a press conference. And I would like for the
record to note that Jim Anderson, who is the senior
correspondent at the State Department, representing UPI -- his
last day was Friday. We all wish him well and am sorry that we
were not here in person on Friday to wish him the very best.
[Announcement: Resignation of Deputy Assistant Secretary
Hoggard]
Two, along those lines: Two years ago when Kim Hoggard
agreed to come back from Australia and help Secretary Baker, she
agreed to two years. Those two years have been exceeded now by
three months, and she will be leaving in April. And it goes
without saying that the Secretary of State deeply appreciates
the enormous contribution that she has made here to the State
Department.
Three, a reminder --
Q Two, two. Still two.
MS. TUTWILER: No. One was Jim Anderson. Two is Kim
Hoggard.
Q Well, I want to say we certainly appreciate what
Kim has done for us.
MS. TUTWILER: Oh, I'm sorry.
Q Shorter stakeouts and all sorts of terrific logistics on
these trips, and we're all very grateful.
Q And the buses.
Q And the buses! Sometimes actually they're
livable. No. We're going to miss her terribly.
Q She has gotten us through more gun-toting guards
than you can shake a stick at.
MS. TUTWILER: I know. She's going to be terribly
missed.
Q I hope she has a twin sister you're going to bring
here.
Q We know it will be hard to do, but we hope you'll
try to find somebody who's her equal to take the job.
MS. TUTWILER: I will, but it will be hard to do. And
we will all -- it goes without saying, especially I -- will miss
her deeply.
Q (Inaudible) -- any plans?
MS. TUTWILER: She goes back to Australia. Lucky girl,
huh? The real world. (Laughter)
Q Duck-billed platypuses and all that.
MS. TUTWILER: That's right.
[Announcement: Briefing on the Annual Narcotics Strategy
Report]
Three, just a reminder that there will be a 3:00 p.m.
briefing today by Ambassador Mel Levitsky. I believe this has
already been posted. This is just a reminder for you.
Four, which I know many of you are interested in -- I
have more details concerning the Secretary's trip. I don't want
to give them out here. I will give them out at the conclusion
of the briefing, if that's agreeable with everyone, because they
are still so tentative.
[Terrorism: Update]
I have -- and I hope you'll bear with me -- a rather
lengthy statement that the Department would like to make
concerning terrorism. I will try to read it fast for you, and I
just ask your indulgence.
In the months following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, the
Department issued a number of public statements, warning
Americans of the possibility of Iraqi-sponsored terrorism in
various regions of the world.
Since January 16, we recorded approximately 160
terrorist incidents, about half of which were directed at U.S.
targets. One American died and three were wounded in these
attacks. The vast majority of the incidents were uncoordinated,
low-level bombings that caused no injuries and only slight
property damage. They were largely concentrated in southeastern
Europe and in the Andean region of South America. Few incidents
can be linked directly to Iraq. Many areas, including the
United States, experienced no terrorism.
With the cessation of hostilities, we believe the
threat from the Iraqi-sponsored terrorism has lessened.
However, terrorism remains a serious concern in the post-war
period. Previous wars in the Middle East have frequently been
followed by a terrorist aftermath.
In view of the long-term threat of terrorism, we are
working with other governments to ensure that security measures
that were implemented at airports and other facilities around
the world will remain in place. We will also use this enhanced
cooperation to further narrow the field for terrorists.
The Department of State continues to urge travelers to
refer to all travel advisories that the Department has issued
for the countries or regions to which they plan to travel. This
information is available by calling 202-647-5225. There is
currently no specific and credible information on a terrorist
threat to the American public. While terrorist events may occur
for which we may have no forewarning, should specific and
credible information on a threat to the American public be
received, the Department of State will provide information for
travelers and other concerned parties.
This statement supersedes the previous ones concerning
the potential for Iraqi-sponsored terrorist attacks.
[US Embassy in Kuwait Reopened and Kuwait Update]
Then if I can keep going, I would like to do two other
quick things. Our Embassy in Kuwait: Ambassador Gnehm is now
running the Embassy operations out of the Ambassador's
residence. As you know, there was damage done to the Embassy.
The Ambassador and his staff are living on military rations and
bottled water. Generators provide electricity. The well that
was dug by Ambassador Howell and his staff has been revived.
Water from this well is being pumped to a tank on top of the
residence to provide washing water.
Q Are they washing their cars?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know if they're washing their
cars or not.
Most of the Embassy staff is living temporarily in an
adjacent hotel where there is still no water or electricity.
And concerning the return of the Kuwaiti government, I believe
most of you know and have seen that the Crown Prince is back.
As we said on Friday, there are any number of Kuwaiti ministers
that had preceded his trip back. And the decision on when the
Amir returns is, obviously, up to the Kuwaiti government.
On Kuwait City, I believe most of you all know what the
situation is there from your reporting, and I don't think that I
have anything that I can add to that for you.
One other thing that I wanted to give you our update on
this morning is unrest in southern Iraq. We have received
numerous media reports of civil unrest in southern Iraq: Crowds
in the street, demonstrations and lack of civil control.
There are approximately seven cities and towns which
are mentioned in these reports, and I will be happy to post the
names of these places for you after the briefing. Information
available to us on the situation in southern Iraq is still quite
limited, but we believe there has been unrest in several of
these locations, including Basra, and it may be continuing even
today.
Q Margaret, on something else, does the State
Department have anything on the situation in Bolivia so far as
the narcotics program and whether there's a need now to review
aid to Bolivia?
MS. TUTWILER: Mel's going to address himself to that
for you this afternoon in quite some detail.
Q Can you -- going back to the terrorism business,
it's not clear to me what you are recommending the American
public do with their vacations, with their business plans, with
everything else. The threat has lessened, but they can or
cannot travel?
MS. TUTWILER: We have never dictated whether Americans
can or cannot travel, but we are making them aware that the
travel advisories that exist for almost all the countries in
this region and the region as a whole have not been lifted yet.
We are pointing out that, as in the past, in a post-war
situation, terrorism incidents have occurred, and we are giving
you a final update of 160 basic activities. We are saying at
the same time to be cautious and to call and find out what these
travel advisories are; that there is as of this briefing no
specific and credible threat against Americans.
Q And on that same subject, Margaret, you are asking
that other countries maintain the same level of airline security
which they have instituted during this crisis?
MS. TUTWILER: Yes. And we are also continuing our
program, our counter-terrorism program, of staying in contact
with the enormous number of countries that participated in
trying to thwart any terrorist activities, and those programs
will continue.
Q Are you making the same request of the U.S.
aviation authorities?
MS. TUTWILER: As far as I know, Bill, yes.
Q Margaret, you mentioned enhanced cooperation with
other governments in counter-terrorism efforts. Can you say
whether any of that enhanced cooperation occurred with either
the Government of Iran or the Government of Syria?
MS. TUTWILER: I'm not aware of any enhanced
cooperation with the Government of Iran, Ralph, and the
Secretary addressed himself yesterday about his thoughts on what
Syria may or may not have been doing concerning terrorism during
this time.
But on Iran, I'm not familiar with anything along those
lines. As you know, what we did have enhanced cooperation on
was: Many countries expelled Iraqis; many countries dealt very,
very closely with their own aviation people; many countries had
increased security at military installations, at airports --
those types of things -- reductions of staffs in many of these
countries. Those are the things I'm talking about on
cooperation.
Q Margaret, is the Department taking Syria off the
terrorist list?
MS. TUTWILER: I haven't heard that brought up. No.
Not that I know of.
Q In a number of countries there were non-essential
diplomats and their families brought out, and I was wondering if
all that still stands?
MS. TUTWILER: That's all under review and, obviously,
as each country was put on the list, each country's situation
will be looked at with the same criteria to determine when we
will be sending them back in. It's not only non-essential
staff, as you know, and dependents, in many places it was
actually drawdowns of Embassy staffs. But no decisions on any
country as of today have been made to start sending them back.
Q Margaret, what about building security here?
Since the crisis began, you've had streets blocked off around
the State Department, and driveway entrances also blocked.
MS. TUTWILER: Right.
Q Is that going to continue that way? Are you going
to make that a permanent fixture?
MS. TUTWILER: That will be just like any other measure
that was -- extraordinary measures that were taken. They are
going to be reviewed, and I am sure the authorities that look at
that type of thing will be looking at it no differently than
sending personnel back to Embassies.
Q Margaret, do you have anything on further release
of POWs by Iraq? Do we have a time schedule, or have any more
been released since those released this morning?
MS. TUTWILER: Not that I personally have any knowledge
of.
Q And there is no time schedule, as far as you know,
for the rest?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't have any more on that.
Q What's being done to work out a time schedule?
MS. TUTWILER: As of today, the ICRC has not even been
given the names yet by the Iraqi government of the remaining
POWs, John. And, to be honest with you, CENTCOM, DOD and the
ICRC are all working on this. I just don't have any additional
detail for you.
Q You sound a little irritated. Has there been some
slow down? Things were swell six hours ago.
MS. TUTWILER: I'm not irritated.
Q No, no. I mean, the government. We woke up to,
you know, Schwarzkopf glowing about cooperation and now is there
any hitch in sight or --
MS. TUTWILER: Not that I'm aware of. I certainly
don't mean or intend to be giving that signal.
Q Margaret, anything about Baghdad? Is there any
unrest that you can detect there?
MS. TUTWILER: There's nothing that I have to report,
Connie.
Q Anything new about the fate of Saddam?
MS. TUTWILER: Nothing.
Q Margaret, there is a group of Iraqi dissidents
called the United Front and some of its leadership is here in
Washington right now. The U.S. Government has not seen them.
They apparently are not going to see the U.S. Government.
I would think that the State Department in particular
would be interested in talking to some of the dissident groups
that are wandering around, especially those that represent the
Kurds, the Shi'ites and the Iraqi Sunnis.
MS. TUTWILER: Number one, I'm not aware that there is
a dissident group that's here in town; and, number two, not
knowing that they're here, I'm not aware if they have made a
formal request to either see someone here or at the White House.
I'll be happy to see that if they did make a request, why we
are not seeing the people or, indeed, if someone here -- a State
Department official -- is meeting with them. I'm just not
familiar with the situation.
Q Margaret, you haven't been asked this one. They
appear to claim that indeed they sought an appointment with
people in the Near East Bureau, and they were turned down.
After the intervention of Senator Pell, a meeting was arranged
for them with Assistant Secretary Schifter.
However, they make the point they want to talk about
political rights, not human rights. The Near East Bureau says
that the policy of this Department is not to speak to the Kurds
about political rights, because all Kurdish problems have to be
solved within the context of the existing boundaries.
However, what they said on Friday was that they want
their problems to be solved within the existing boundaries, and,
therefore, they don't understand why no one would speak to them
in this Administration.
MS. TUTWILER: That is the same question that Mr.
McWethy just asked me. I'm unaware that they're even in town.
You, obviously, have a great deal of knowledge about who all
they've asked to see. I just can't answer something that I
personally know nothing about. I said I'd be happy to check
with our Bureau and see, (1) if there is such a request; (2) if
someone is seeing them; if so, who, or if there's not such
a request. I know nothing about it.
Q Margaret, on the dissidents for just a second:
Has the United States Government met with any of those who have
been living and working in Saudi Arabia and have become
particularly active in recent weeks during the war? Has the
U.S. Government met with them in Saudi Arabia, for example?
MS. TUTWILER: Not to my knowledge, Ralph. I was asked
this question, I believe, on Thursday, and at that time no one
had. I did not recheck that specific thing this morning. I'll
be happy to recheck for you. I have not heard of any United
States officials meeting with any groups in Saudi Arabia.
Q Margaret, you know there were reports that there
were dissidents from Basra wandering around trying to present a
letter to the friendly forces to come help them, so that they
could be just like Iran.
Do you know if in fact these people made it to any
representatives of the allied coalition?
MS. TUTWILER: All we have on that is we've seen those
reports. We have no verification of it whatsoever.
Q I think the President at his news conference --
MS. TUTWILER: Excuse me. That it's even true that
they were trying to pass a letter. All we've seen are reports.
Q I think the President at his news conference, in
trying to show there is more than one dispute in the Middle
East, spoke of Lebanon. And then the Secretary yesterday spoke
of Syria as if the Syrians had progressed in some way from their
old positions on various issues. But I don't think anybody made
the link.
We could wait until the trip, or I could try you now
and ask you, what is it about Lebanon that the Secretary might
ask of the Syrians?
MS. TUTWILER: You will have to wait for the trip.
That's something I've not heard him address himself to, and I'd
prefer if you would just ask him if that is on his agenda and
something he's planning on making.
Q I don't even know what the identified problem is
according to the Administration. I mean, what it is about
Lebanon that they feel needs some American attention.
MS. TUTWILER: You'll just have to ask him.
Q Margaret, back to Saudi Arabia for a minute. There
are reports that up to 20,000 people have been detained as
political prisoners within Saudi Arabia because they didn't
agree with the war.
First of all, have you heard those reports?
MS. TUTWILER: No.
Q And, secondly, could you look into that, and
what's the position?
MS. TUTWILER: 20,000 Saudis?
Q 20,000 Saudis have been detained within Saudi
Arabia as political prisoners.
MS. TUTWILER: I'll be happy to ask the Bureau to take
a look at it. I've never heard of it.
Q Margaret, yesterday Secretary Baker said the
United States is willing to forgive and forget in Jordan. I'm
wondering if there is any update on the status of their foreign
aid.
MS. TUTWILER: No. Their foreign aid is still under
review.
Q Margaret, in an interview a couple of weeks ago
with CNN, the Secretary was asked whether April Glaspie, the
former Ambassador to Iraq, was available for interview, and he
said as far as he was concerned, that she was.
Since then, several news organizations have applied to
interview her, and none have been granted an interview. Are you
aware that the Secretary's wishes are being flouted in this way
and --
MS. TUTWILER: I believe you're a little bit behind the
curve here, and, if you call NEA, you will find that, as any
other official here at the Department, all media requests for
her are being forwarded to her. It's always up to an individual
to determine whether they will or will not talk to you all. And
I think that you will find that she is in the process of
accepting whichever interviews she so chooses to do.
Q Margaret, is there a chance we could have a news
conference by the Secretary before we take off?
MS. TUTWILER: Probably not. He is, as you know, got
three full days here. He normally, traditionally, does a news
conference for you enroute to the first destination. Since we
are traveling such a great distance on the plane, he will -- we
have to refuel in Shannon, and it has been my observation of
every trip he's taken, he normally does an ON-THE-RECORD
interview there on the plane.
Q It is easier to file from here than Shannon and --
MS. TUTWILER: I know.
Q -- and he does get up to a television studio now
and then. It takes less preparation, actually, to come down and
answer a few questions.
MS. TUTWILER: That's true.
Q But nothing for the writing press? He hasn't done
a thing on -- I can't remember his last news conference, unless
you call those, you know, photo ops that sometimes get expanded
to news conferences. He seems to be on the tube every weekend,
and yet we can't seem to get him for a half hour to take
questions from a whole range of reporters that write for a
living.
MS. TUTWILER: I think that you will, as you've
observed on other trips, that you will have him more than a half
hour over the next ten days.
Q (Inaudible)
MS. TUTWILER: You'll see an awful lot of him, and he
does a great job of spending a fair portion of his time and
percentage of his time talking with you all and spending time
with you on these trips, it's been my observation of his past
behavior.
Q Margaret, does the Department have any
observations on recent arrests in Albania?
MS. TUTWILER: No.
Q No?
MS. TUTWILER: None than what I had last week.
Q Any comment for the last Friday's meeting between
the Secretary of State, Mr. Baker, and the Cypriot Foreign
Minister, Mr. Iacovou?
MS. TUTWILER: The meeting that took place -- I believe
it was on Friday.
Q Yes.
MS. TUTWILER: I think that we posted a readout for
you. Beyond that, I really don't have anything.
Q Margaret, a few weeks ago you told us about a
study -- an interagency study -- that was undertaken about the
future of the region, in the Middle East and in the Gulf. Do
you happen to have any updating and, if Mr. Baker is going to
the area, having this study or the conclusions of the study in
his mind or in his portfolio?
MS. TUTWILER: I think, sir, that the Secretary of
State has laid out, as has the President, the four areas that
the Secretary is going to not only consult on but to listen on.
He has laid it out. He did twice in open testimony about ten
days ago. The President addressed himself to these areas on
Friday, and the Secretary again addressed himself to it
yesterday.
So those are the areas that they have been studying.
And, as you know, the Administration has said that the Secretary
is not going with a blueprint for how to solve all of these
issues, they are going to consult and are going to listen, and
foremost, the countries in the region must be the lead on all of
these issues.
Q Are studies still going on?
MS. TUTWILER: Sir, reviews and studies go on here on
subjects like this and in this region and other regions all the
time.
Q What's the agenda for, first of all, the
Secretary's meeting with the Philippine Prime Minister this
afternoon; and, secondly, the two meetings with De Michelis and
Clarke.
MS. TUTWILER: De Michelis and Clarke will be the same
agendas that were with Secretary Hurd, Foreign Minister Dumas
and -- who was on Friday? I can't remember --
Q Genscher.
MS. TUTWILER: Genscher -- that's right -- which
include the four areas, as you know, that everyone is discussing
in this post-crisis consultation period: security arrangements
in the region, arms control and proliferation, Arab-Israeli, and
economic cooperation in the region.
The second part of your question was what, John?
Q The Philippines.
MS. TUTWILER: Oh, the Philippines.
As you know, the Foreign Minister is here to continue
the base negotiation talks with our representative, Mr.
Armitage; and he will also take the occasion to discuss that
subject. As you know, as I remember, there are two outstanding
issues: duration and compensation. And he will be discussing
those with the Secretary too.
Q Margaret, the French --
Q Would the (inaudible).
MS. TUTWILER: Well, not until you close these other
two issues out.
Q Is it possible that a final agreement can be
reached at today's meeting?
MS. TUTWILER: Not that I've heard.
Q Margaret --
MS. TUTWILER: I mean anything's possible, Ralph, but I
haven't heard that. And I'm sure -- excuse me -- that the
Foreign Minister would have to go back and consult with his Head
of State and his government, so I don't envision that.
Q President Mitterrand suggested a Heads of State
meeting of the Permanent Five of the Security Council. He also
indicated that he had the agreement, or at least he had broached
the idea with all of the other four nations, and then nobody had
disagreed with that. Do you have a reaction to that?
MS. TUTWILER: What I would do is refer you to the
White House, and I believe that Marlin addressed himself to this
on behalf of the President this morning. At least I know he was
intending to. And that question is going to be answered over at
the White House.
Q Margaret, I'd just like to second what Barry said
about a request for a press conference with the Secretary.
There are those of us that cover this Department on a daily
basis who never get access to him -- he doesn't grant interviews
to the foreign press -- and we don't travel on his plane. So on
behalf of the foreign press, I would also like to make it known
that we'd like some opportunity to talk to him.
MS. TUTWILER: I'll let him know.
Q A question on the consultations about the future
of the region. Over the weekend, I think it was Secretary
Cheney, if I'm not mistaken, who floated the idea of having a
rotating force of an unspecified number of American troops in
the Gulf.
My question is: The Secretary first stated, and
President Bush has subsequently repeated, that the United States
has no desire to have any "permanently stationed" American
troops in the region. Does the Administration's definition of
"permanently stationed" mean that if a soldier is there for four
months and then is replaced by a different human being, that the
slot is filled by another soldier, that those are not
permanently stationed troops?
MS. TUTWILER: The definition -- it is my understanding
that the President clearly means permanent, as does the
Secretary of State.
As far as, Ralph, what type of regional security
measures are going to be worked out, as you know the Secretary
is getting ready to leave on a trip to the region and these
issues are being thought about and discussed right now by the
countries in the region.
As you know, there are many people who are speculating
that the Kuwaiti government itself will ask for some type of
peacekeeping force. Would that be a U.N. peacekeeping force
that they ask for? Would it be an Arab force? Would they ask
for American forces to be there? All of these questions are
right now being explored by, predominantly, the countries there
in the region. As you saw, President Mubarak spoke on this
subject yesterday.
And so I don't have an answer for you, but I know that
the clear policy of the President of the United States is no
permanent ground force, and we will just have to wait to see. If
the Arab nations, if the Kuwaiti government, come to us and ask
us to do X, Y, Z, that then becomes a Presidential decision for
him to make at that time.
Q Would rotating units of that sort be considered
permanent if they're there for a very long period of time?
MS. TUTWILER: Why don't we wait and see what it is
that the countries in the region -- if, indeed, they're
anticipating or deciding to ask the President for something, and
then maybe we could have a clearer definition for you of
"permanent" and "rotation."
Q Margaret --
Q (inaudible) if the countries in the region were by
any chance to ask for a permanent ground force that the Bush
Administration would consider that request seriously, and
perhaps consider changing its policy against having such a
permanent force?
MS. TUTWILER: It will be a Presidential decision if,
indeed, the countries of the region or Kuwait specifically ask
for United States troops as some type of peacekeeping force, as
some type of force on the border. All of this is in the total
speculative stage right now. To my knowledge, no government has
asked for such a thing. In fact, most governments are all
saying that they are meeting among themselves. They want to
meet with us. They want to meet with the British, with the
French, with others. And there are no specific requests that I
am aware of.
Q Margaret, Yasser Arafat gave an interview today in
which he predicted that there's about to be a massacre of
Palestinians in Kuwait along the lines of the massacre of
Palestinians in Sabra and Shatila. He said the responsibility
for the safety of the Palestinians in Kuwait lies with the West
and, in particular, lies with the United States of America.
What is the position of the State Department on the
status of Palestinians in Kuwait and whether or not the United
States Government is responsible for their safety and
well-being?
MS. TUTWILER: One, I haven't seen what Mr. Arafat had
to say today. And, as we said last week, we have a few reports
of mistreatment of Palestinians since the liberation of Kuwait.
We regard these as isolated incidents. Indications are that
they are not part of a systematic attempt to harass
Palestinians.
As I mentioned last week, we have raised the
possibility of this occurring and this subject many weeks ago
with the Kuwaiti government in exile, and they have assured us
that they -- the Kuwaiti government -- are taking steps to
prevent reprisals against any group of citizens living in
Kuwait. And the Kuwaiti Ministers with security
responsibilities -- Defense and Interior -- are back in Kuwait
City and are in place.
Q Does the U.S. Government feel in some way
responsible for the Palestinians in Kuwait?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know what you mean by "feel
responsible." What the United States Government is pleased to
see is that the legitimate Government of Kuwait is back, that
Kuwait has been liberated. These people have their freedom
back, which you have seen. All of us have seen and witnessed
this on our TV screens. As I have said, we've made it very
clear to the Government of Kuwait that all residents of Kuwait
should be afforded the fullest protection against individuals
taking the law into their own hands.
Q Margaret, is Kuwait now fully responsible for the
security in Kuwait?
MS. TUTWILER: Obviously not yet.
Q Who is in charge over there? Despite the fact
that the Crown Prince may have arrived, there are many, many
reports that the Kuwaiti government can't even pretend to be in
charge of the streets. Who does the U.S. Government think is
running things over there now?
MS. TUTWILER: The Kuwaiti government is obviously
running things. As we said, many, many ministers are there.
Obviously, their buildings are completely destroyed -- many of
them. Their files are gone. Their phones don't work. The
electricity doesn't work. So we are there assisting them in
many of these functions.
As you all have seen -- I think even today -- there
continues to be mass celebration in the streets by people who
are firing their weapons into the air -- people who have been
living in basements and underground for seven months who are,
obviously, still in a euphoric mood.
Yes, our military, as you know, went in there. I
believe we said it was the 352nd Civil Command. We said 50
individuals had gone in to help them restore many of these
functions as fast as they can, and the Crown Prince is back
today. They, obviously, are making the big decisions concerning
their country.
But, yes, we're there helping -- excuse me, John. It's
my understanding we're looking for mines on the beaches. You've
seen our military doing that. We obviously are helping with our
tractors, et cetera, to clear the streets.
So there are many functional things that, yes, we are
indeed helping them with.
Q I'm talking more about police functions because
the resistance is basically apparently stopping cars and there
is no coordination between the so-called official government and
the resistance.
What role does the U.S. Government see for the
resistance? Should they be a legitimate part to be taken into
concern by the Crown Prince? What sort of recommendations does
the U.S. pass on that?
MS. TUTWILER: I think that all those types of
decisions -- you somehow put the question as if the resistance
is divorced from the government. Yes, they were separated by
physical space and they stayed there and fought this out; but
I'm unaware that there's a deep divide and that they are not
supportive of their government. I am aware there are different
Kuwaitis in this situation, in this city, who have different
views about a future Kuwait.
The Crown Prince himself has said these are matters
they will be addressing, they will be discussing. So I think
it's premature for me to say what we are recommending. After
all, this would be a decision for the Kuwaiti people and the
Kuwaiti government to decide and discuss among themselves. And
I am aware, and don't want to seem to be misleading you, that,
yes, there is obvious confusion in the streets and a lot of
chaos still there.
Q Well, the United States Government is not under
the impression that the resistance is taking orders from the
legitimate government; is it?
MS. TUTWILER: I'm not sure, Bill, that anyone has
gotten enough communications, enough coordination and enough
order out of, obviously, a devastated city -- a city that is in
the throes of still massive celebrations -- to be in a mode to
function as we consider normally. Phones aren't even up, water,
electricity -- the basics.
Q So to get back to the point of Jack's question,
who's in charge? Nobody, really.
MS. TUTWILER: Obviously, the Kuwaiti government is in
charge. Many of their ministers -- I can't remember how many --
returned on Friday. We've said the Crown Prince has returned
today.
As you know, the United Nations called for the
restoration of the legitimate Government of Kuwait. That is the
legitimate Government of Kuwait.
Having said that, obviously the Minister of Interior,
if he goes to his building -- I'm just using this as one example
-- and the building is totally gutted, destroyed -- there are no
phones, he can't find his personnel -- it makes things doubly
tough. But that doesn't mean they're not trying to restore
order and to get things up and functioning.
Q But, Margaret, to link this question to one that
was asked earlier, the United States, you said a moment ago, had
made representations to the Kuwaiti government about
guaranteeing Palestinians their full protection and so on. You
don't want to see a massacre in Kuwait --
MS. TUTWILER: No.
Q -- and yet at the moment there doesn't seem to be
anyone who has the authority and power -- practical
on-the-ground power -- to prevent that from taking place.
MS. TUTWILER: I also said --
Q So I think the question here is: Is there anybody
there who could prevent that from occurring?
MS. TUTWILER: I also said that I am not aware that
this is taking place, that we have any reasons to believe it's
going to take place. I said that, yes, we have a few isolated
incidences of this; and I said that, yes, it is something that
was discussed with the Kuwaiti Government -- just as we had
discussed martial law. Several of you had asked the other day
about martial law. We had viewed, as had the Kuwaiti government
in exile, that there would be this chaos, that there would be
reports of a devastated city, and that there would be a need for
martial law -- some type of martial law.
So that is all that I'm saying concerning the
Palestinians.
Q Margaret, I'd like to just follow that up for a
minute. Are you saying that as far as you know there really
isn't a cause for concern about the well-being of Palestinians
because these incidents are isolated? As far as you know,
you're satisfied that we're not going to witness a replay of
Sabra and Shatila?
MS. TUTWILER: Actions on the ground are what I'm
referring to, which is what is the real world. Now, if right
now, Mary, a massacre is going on, I obviously don't know about
it nor do you.
Prior to the time of this briefing, there have been a
few isolated incidences, and I have said that the Kuwaiti
government had anticipated this.
In fact, I saw the Kuwaiti Minister of Information on
TV yesterday saying -- and you all should maybe get a transcript
of it; it was a very powerful interview -- you have to
understand that as desperately as we're trying to get order here
on the street, many of these individuals have been living less
than -- basically inhuman existences for the last seven months
and they are out in the streets and they are excitable. And so
they are well aware of this and had anticipated it.
Obviously, if such a thing went on, the United States
Government would condemn it; but that is speculative. It does
not exist right now.
Q Margaret, is the U.S. Government in the business
of recommending other governments as to accept or not accept
asylum requests from Saddam Hussein to their governments?
MS. TUTWILER: We're not in that business.
Q Is the State Department being given any
explanations as to why the Amir of Kuwait is not returning
immediately?
MS. TUTWILER: I do not know when the Amir is
returning. As we stated earlier, that is a decision for the
Amir and his government to make. I know that one of the
outstanding concerns all last week had been -- it's my
understanding -- that his palace and his home, et cetera, are
mined, have booby traps. And, obviously, they want to be able
to secure a building, an environment, for his return.
But you'd have to, you know, refer most of those
questions to the Kuwaiti government here.
Q Margaret, to another area, just briefly. Do you
have anything on supposed killings, or reported killings, of
civilians in Uganda?
MS. TUTWILER: No. I hadn't heard a thing about it.
Q A question on POWs, Margaret. Has the United
States interviewed enough Iraqi POWs at this point -- or perhaps
the ICRC -- to determine how many of them might not wish to
return to Iraq?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't have that figure, but I know if
there are POWs who do not wish to return, according to the
Geneva Third Accords, POWs or individuals who do not want to
return cannot be forced to do so; and that will be a subject
that will be then discussed with the Saudi Arabian government
and the International Committee of the Red Cross.
Q Thank you.
MS. TUTWILER: Thanks.
(Press briefing concluded at l2:35 p.m.)