US Department of State Daily Briefing,#60:
Thursday,4/12/91
Boucher
Source: State Department Deputy Spokesman Richard
Boucher
Description: 12:14 PM, Washington, DC
Date: Apr 11, 19914/11/91
Region: MidEast/North Africa, Central America
Country: Iraq, Kuwait, Panama, USSR (former), China
Subject: Regional/Civil Unrest, Development/Relief Aid,
Refugees, Arms Control, United Nations,
International Law
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. BOUCHER: Good afternoon everyone. I apologize for
being late today. I'll try to make it up to you by going
through a whole number of things right on top. I'll read you a
couple of statements that we'll issue. I'll give you the answer
on Turkish troops. We'll talk about contacts with Iraqis;
messages with the Iranians, and then I'll give you the rundown
on what the United States is doing as far as the aid effort. I
think I know almost all of it, if all of it, at this point.
[UN Annual Report on Voting Practices]
The first thing to note is that we have the Annual
Report on Voting Practices in the United Nations which is coming
out today; about 50 copies. It's an annual report. We announce
it every year. There's about 50 copies, I think, in the Press
Office. We're asking people to just take one per organization,
please.
[US/Panama Sign Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty]
Second is that we're signing today at a ceremony in the
Panamanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Panama City a Mutual
Legal Assistance Treaty between the United States and Panama.
This treaty provides for mechanisms for sharing evidence in
criminal cases. It also provides for assistance.
Ambassador Deane Hinton is signing for the United
States and the Acting Foreign Minister is signing for Panama.
We'll give you a more complete statement on that right after the
briefing unless there are questions about that now.
Q When you say "providing assistance," what are the
kinds of assistance?
MR. BOUCHER: It's assistance, in accordance with the
laws of the assisting country, for investigations of serious
offenses -- let me try again. The treaty will provide for
assistance, in accordance with the laws of the assisting
country, in investigating many serious offenses, including
narcotics offenses, violent crimes and fraud.
Q Isn't this aimed mostly at money laundering?
MR. BOUCHER: It provides for the sharing of
information and evidence on things like government records,
records of large currency transactions and other bank documents,
in forms that will be admissible in each state's legal
proceedings. Statements of witnesses, physical evidence and
information about the proceeds of criminal activities may also
be shared.
It deals primarily with money laundering and other
crimes.
Q Do we do this with other countries, too?
MR. BOUCHER: We do this with many other countries,
yes.
Q Has the signing ceremony in Panama already taken
place?
MR. BOUCHER: I'm sorry, but they didn't give me the
time of day. Maybe we can have somebody check that and tell us
right after the briefing.
Q Does this include technical assistance, Richard --
helping them set up labs or other kinds --
MR. BOUCHER: My understanding is that this one
provides for assistance and sharing of information in
investigations primarily related to money laundering, tax
offenses that are linked to other crimes covered by the treaty.
We have other agreements with Panama that allow
Panamanian anti-drug organizations to receive drug-controlled
goods and services; agreements controlling the movement of
chemicals used in narcotics production; agreements allowing the
U.S. Coast Guard to board Panamanian-flagged vessels suspected
of carrying illegal substances; and agreements providing for
joint anti-drug control within Panamanian territorial waters.
So this is a supplement to the rather extensive anti-drug
cooperation that we already have with Panama.
[Iraq: Presence of Turkish Troops]
Yesterday I was asked about Turkish troops in Iraq. I
think the best information is what we have from the Turkish
Foreign Ministry Spokesman. We've checked on that. He
announced yesterday that Turkish soldiers have moved a few miles
inside Iraqi territory to patrol the border strip where some
300,000 displaced Iraqis have massed.
We have no hard information at this time about the
numbers of soldiers involved. We'd note that the spokesman
yesterday said he wouldn't use the word "troops" lest he give
the impression that some large force had been deployed in Iraq.
Our understanding is that the soldiers are there essentially on
a humanitarian mission to protect the displaced persons,
maintain order, and assist in the relief effort.
Q They are military troops, however?
MR. BOUCHER: They are soldiers.
Q They have arms? They have guns?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't know. Some of the details, you'd
have to ask the Turks.
Q But you wouldn't describe this as an enclave?
MR. BOUCHER: No, I wouldn't.
Q How many?
MR. BOUCHER: Again, I don't have any hard evidence of
the numbers.
Q One report said that they were something like 25
kilometers inside. Have you got anything on that?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't have the exact information. That
information really has to come from the Turks. Our
understanding is that they said yesterday it was a few miles
inside Iraqi territory.
Q Are they trying to keep order or are they guarding
the Kurds against a possible incursion by the Iraqis?
MR. BOUCHER: I think I just said they're trying to
protect the displaced persons, maintain order, and assist with
the relief effort.
Q Would you like them to stay there, Richard?
MR. BOUCHER: Some of these details, you really have to
ask the Turks.
Q Do we care about this?
MR. BOUCHER: Would they stay there?
Q Do we have a position on that? Should they stay
there --
MR. BOUCHER: Our position has been that the
international relief effort should take place on both sides of
the border; that humanitarian assistance should be provided to
people on both sides of the border.
We have our airplanes flying into northern Iraq and
dropping supplies. All this effort is solely directed at the
humanitarian needs of the populations that are there. We don't
give it any different significance than that.
Q Do you know -- is it known whether the Iranians
have done the same thing? Has Iran moved any soldiers across
its border?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't know.
Q Richard, do you have any comment on reports that
Iraq is now attacking Kurds as they leave?
MR. BOUCHER: Let's do that a little later, if I can go
through some of the other stuff.
[Iraq: US Warning sto Iraq on Refugee Interference]
First, to review the whole issue of warnings to Iraq.
On Saturday, the Iraqi U.N. Ambassador al-Anbari met with the
United States' U.N. Ambassador Pickering. The same day the
senior Iraqi representative in Washington, Khalid Shewayish, was
called to the State Department where he met with NEA Deputy
Assistant Secretary David Mack.
Both envoys were informed at the time that, with the
beginning of humanitarian relief operations, Iraqi forces should
take no actions in any part of the country which might interfere
with the provision of emergency humanitarian services to Iraqi
civilians. Yesterday, those envoys were convoked again in
Washington and New York to re-emphasize our position.
It was made clear to both that the displacement of
hundreds of thousands of Iraqis had created a need for
international organizations and international volunteers to
operate in various parts of Iraq to care for the refugees. They
were again told that Iraqi forces should take no actions in any
part of the country, including southern or northern Iraq, which
might interfere with the provision of humanitarian services.
Q What were their responses?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't think there was any particular
response, meaning consent or disagreement at that point.
Q Richard, since that first warning, there seems to
be an expansion of the warning. The Administration official
aboard the plane said that there should be no air activity above
the 36th parallel.
In the warnings that came out yesterday and previously
from the White House, ground troop activity is included. Is
that the operative formula that there will be no Iraqi military
activity permitted north of the 36th parallel at all?
MR. BOUCHER: Jim, I'm not in a position to go into
specific details, specific locations, and things like that. The
overall thing that we've said to the Iraqis is that Iraqi forces
should take no actions in any part of the country, including
southern or northern Iraq, which might interfere with the
provision of humanitarian services.
Q That does include ground troops?
MR. BOUCHER: No actions. As Marlin (Fitzwater) said
yesterday, that would include any kind of action -- air or
ground.
Q But would you agree that is an expansion from the
original warning given on Saturday?
MR. BOUCHER: No. I described what we said on Saturday
as being that both envoys were informed that Iraqi forces should
take no actions in any part of the country which might interfere
with the provision of emergency humanitarian services.
Q Any part of the country was included -- Saturday
as well?
MR. BOUCHER: That's what I said.
Q Richard, are you aware whether there was any
response to the Saturday deliverance of these messages?
MR. BOUCHER: I'll check and see if we can characterize
the Iraqi response. I know there's been some discussion but
nothing that I could easily characterize for you.
Q Richard, yesterday, you said that there had been
helicopter gunship activity in the south and the center of Iraq.
Can that in any way be construed as hindering anything?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, why don't we take a jump here
before we go onto all the other things we have about messages
with Iran and the overall U.S. relief effort.
Let me go through the unrest and the situation inside
Iraq.
In response to your direct question, we cannot confirm
any activity on the part of the Iraqi military of fixed-wing
aircraft or helicopters today.
Q But yesterday you could?
MR. BOUCHER: Yesterday there was some activity in
central Iraq. I think some very limited activity. Once again,
I state that what I've just said about the warnings to Iraq,
they are stated in terms of interference with the international
relief effort. I don't think we have any evidence that
something specific like that has occurred. We're not intending
to interfere in the internal unrest in Iraq.
[Iraq: Iranian Response and Asssistance Request]
The question of Iran, we've discussed before. I also
have a more comprehensive view of that.
The Iranian response to the crisis: First of all, I
think we've characterized it as very good and very active. I
told you before about what the Iranian Red Crescent was doing
and some of the activities of international organizations.
In public statements, Iran has now made clear their
willingness to accept international assistance for refugees
located inside Iran.
Iran has also announced that their air space will be
open to relief flights, bringing humanitarian assistance to the
refugees. Their interest in receiving international assistance
was also passed to the office of the U.N. High Commissioner for
Refugees. We understand that the U.N. High Commissioner for
Refugees will be travelling shortly to Iran to assess the urgent
humanitarian needs there. We, of course, welcome that visit,
and we hope that it will lead to redoubled international efforts
to address this deepening problem.
Iran's willingness to see the U.S. included in
humanitarian relief efforts was also passed to the Swiss who
passed that onto us yesterday.
We hope that the Government of Iran will soon issue a
detailed assessment of specific relief needs. As we've said
before, we're willing, in concert with other relief donors, to
work through appropriate international organizations to help
meet those needs.
Q Richard, there's something that just doesn't add
up in this. This is this effusive praise that you and,
yesterday, Mr. Natsios have for the Iranian Red Crescent.
If they're as good as you say they are, why did they
need international help when they had an earthquake?
MR. BOUCHER: I guess the only thing I can say is that
some problems transcend the ability of the local authorities to
deal with them. Whether it's the hurricane in South Carolina or
whether it's an earthquake in Iran, or refugee flows out of
Iraq, people with these societies and organizations, however
capable they may be, can be overwhelmed. This is clearly a
massive situation. And, as the Secretary said, overall, it
needs massive relief.
Q I believe yesterday you and Mr. Natsios said that
an offer of U.S. aid --
MR. BOUCHER: I wasn't there with Natsios.
Q No, a separate thing you both said that an offer
to Iran by the United States had gone through diplomatic
channels for assistance but that no reply had come back. Now
you say a reply has come back.
MR. BOUCHER: That's right.
Q Was that an offer of U.S. bilateral assistance or
simply more contributions to international organizations?
MR. BOUCHER: I think the way I've described it in the
past few days has been exactly the way I described it today,
that we are willing, in concert with other relief donors, to
work through appropriate international organizations to help
meet those needs. That's what we've stated. We've stated our
willingness to work with international organizations. But, in
the end, we'll have to see what the needs are and how best to
meet them.
Q Was there a concern that if international
organizations used American assistance to go into Iran that Iran
might not take it because it had come from the United States.
MR. BOUCHER: All I can tell you is that Iran has
stated its willingness to receive international assistance at
this time and conveyed to us, through the Swiss, the idea that
that specifically includes the United States.
[Iraq: US Relief Efforts]
We, I think, have a pretty comprehensive rundown of the
U.S. commitments to the relief effort. First of all, let me
update you on the size of the problem and tell you that the U.S.
effort is on-going. I'm sure new commitments will be made.
Marlin indicated yesterday that we will go for a supplemental to
obtain any other funds that we need. I told you that we were
still looking for other kinds of assistance that we could
provide.
Some indication of the scope of the effort is that we
understand the U.N. will be launching an emergency appeal for
between $450 and $500 million to address the needs of the
estimated 1.7 million Iraqi displaced persons and refugees in
Iran, Turkey, and then Syria and Jordan as well.
The International Committee of the Red Cross has issued
a new appeal for $73 million to finance its programs in the
areas of health, water, sanitation, protection and tracing, and
basic relief assistance throughout the region. The League of
the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies has an appeal for $8.5
million for Iraqi refugees in Turkey, $21.5 million for
displaced persons in Iraq, $23 million for refugees in Iran.
Some of these figures, and what I'm about to say about
U.S. assistance, is also detailed in an update on the disaster
assistance effort done by the Office of Foreign Disaster
Assistance. If we haven't put out copies of that, we should be
able to get you enough copies of that shortly.
As far as the overall U.S. effort, let me go through
some numbers with some caveats. The first is sort of a backward
caveat. Included in some of these lists are supplies that were
sent into the region in January for the needs that were expected
during the war. Since much of those supplies in that
infrastructure is being used now, it's being counted here, being
cited as part of the effort. Second of all, this sort of
forward caveat that I issued before, this is by no means the end
of the U.S. effort. This will be a continuing effort by the
United States and other countries to assist these people.
The items I would cite as sort of a rundown of the
effort are $25 million in 506(a)2 Defense Department funds.
This is Defense Department goods and services that are being
used for supplies and transportation for the U.S. air drops.
The number I think I had was 214 tons, total, air drops so far.
There's probably additional expenses for the air drops that
aren't counted in this.
There was $424,500 in Defense Department plastic
sheeting that was sent to the area in January that is now being
made available in Turkey as refugee shelter.
There's $10 million that the President announced last
Friday. These are funds from the Emergency Refugee Migration
Assistance Account. Six million of this is going to the U.N.
High Commissioner for Refugees, $2 million to Turkish
organizations, and $2 million to the International Red Cross.
There was a $3 million January contribution to U.N.
programs. This is the whole series of U.N. organizations that
set up the infrastructure in January. There's the additional $1
million that the President announced last Friday that goes to
the International Red Cross and to UNICEF for use inside Iraq as
well as another thousand tons of food.
There's $275,000 in disaster funds that I think we've
cited before. This is for local purchases in Turkey. It is
being used to buy blankets, water, baby food, and clothing.
There was another $136,860 of supplies for the International Red
Cross. There is $855,752 of stockpiled commodities from the
Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance. This includes tents,
blankets, water containers, plastic sheeting. This is the stuff
coming out of the stockpiles in Italy and Panama.
I'd also cite $12.1 million in food assistance. This
is Food for Peace Assistance. It includes 17,000 metric tons of
rice, vegetable oil, and flour that are already in the region
and available now for distribution, as well as the 12,000 metric
tons of wheat and rice that we spoke of the other day. That's
due to arrive in Turkey in the next few days.
There are various ways of doing the total so I'll do
them in various ways. I think we've spoken before about $28
million that was contributed by the United States to the initial
effort for displaced persons. That's back in the
August-to-October period of last year.
Counting since January, the total comes to something
like $52.8 million. That includes $7.6 million that was in
response to the January appeals and therefore you could count
also $45 million since the beginning of April. So there are
different ways of counting it.
That's a pretty good picture of the scope of the U.S.
relief effort right now. As I said, in addition, there are
assessments and teams and a lot of other work being done that
will produce other results in the coming days, I'm sure.
Q Do you have anything in response to that earlier
question about the Kurdish spokesman saying that the Iraqis had
launched attacks on them?
MR. BOUCHER: There was one report in the media of
Iraqi helicopter gunship attacks on dissidents or refugees in
the Halabja area in northern Iraq. We have no confirmation of
those reports. Overall, I'd say there's been heavy fighting
today between dissidents and Iraqi government forces in the
vicinity of Kirkuk. There's also been some fighting yesterday
west of Sulaymaniya, and there continue to be some scattered,
small-scale clashes between government forces and dissidents in
southern Iraq.
Q Richard, on the helicopter question, when a
helicopter takes off, it is not possible to see from a distance
whether it is going to attack the refugees or what. So the U.S.
response to a helicopter taking off is what? That it would
shoot it on sight?
MR. BOUCHER: That kind of operational detail is
something I'm not prepared to go into, so I'm afraid I just
can't help you with that question.
Q Well then, let me just put it broader in policy
terms. Has the U.S. warning about fixed-wing aircraft now been
expanded to include all helicopter flights inside Iraq?
MR. BOUCHER: Jim, I'm not prepared to go to that level
of detail, but I think I told you that the warnings that we had
issued were in terms of no interference of any kind with the
international relief effort.
In these discussions, we also noted to the Iraqis that
the U.S. would respond to any efforts to disrupt these
operations. But I'm not in a position here to go into the
details of some of the specific things you're asking.
Q Have there been helicopter flights over Kirkuk in
the past 24 hours?
MR. BOUCHER: I just said that we have not seen any air
activity.
Q Oh, you did. I'm sorry.
Q Can you draw the distinction between a willingness
to protect people in northern Iraq on the Turkish and Iranian
borders but not people in Kirkuk who are being attacked by the
Iraqi government?
MR. BOUCHER: I think I said before that our warnings
to Iraq have been issued in terms of no interference with the
international relief efforts. Of course, we said before that we
will defend any coalition forces if there's an attack or threat
to them, but we've also said very clearly that we're not
intending to intervene in the internal conflict inside Iraq.
Q So what is the message to the Kurdish people from
the United States Government about how it is handling this
different or this balancing act? That if they flee --
MR. BOUCHER: The message to the Kurdish people is that
we are mounting a major effort on our part and on the part of
the international community to take care of their needs, that we
have made very clear that that assistance should and must go
safely to them inside northern Iraq, and that we will make sure
that the international community is able to help them.
Q So that you can guarantee their safety on the
border but you can't guarantee it in Kirkuk, basically; is that
fair?
MR. BOUCHER: No.
Q Is there any time limit on these warnings to Iraq
not to interfere?
MR. BOUCHER: As I stated, we said that they shouldn't
interfere in any international relief operation --
Q As long as they're going on for two or three
years?
MR. BOUCHER: I'm not aware of any time limit.
Q Four years?
MR. BOUCHER: I'm not aware of any time limit.
Q Richard, clearly, you do not want to tell us the
details of the precise warnings that the Iraqis were given --
MR. BOUCHER: That's right.
Q Is it fair to say that the message that they were
given yesterday in both places was more precise or different, in
its operational details, than what they were told on Saturday?
MR. BOUCHER: No. I don't think I would state that.
What I did say was that we gave them the message again yesterday
to reemphasize the message, first of all, and second, of course,
because now we do have relief operations and it's become all the
more important that they understand clearly the message.
Q Was it the same message or just underlining the
earlier one?
MR. BOUCHER: I, again, am not in a position to get
into detail. I said it reemphasized the earlier one, and I
think I described those messages in very similar terms.
Q Was there a change in the rules of engagement by
U.S. forces?
MR. BOUCHER: I won't touch a rules-of-engagement
question over here; and I don't think the Pentagon will touch it
over there, but you can ask them.
Q Richard, is the U.S. Government now satisfied that
the Iraqi government has accepted without reservation U.N.
Security Council Resolution 687?
MR. BOUCHER: Jim, that matter is still under
discussion up at the United Nations. I understand there will be
some meetings this afternoon on the subject by Security Council
members.
We have received a letter at the United Nations. It
contains what is said to be the text of the National Assembly
decision. And once our examination is complete and our
discussion with those members is complete, the Security Council
will take action. But, really, the best I can do for you at
this moment is to say it's still under discussion in New York.
Q If there is a safety area or a sanctuary that's
been created de facto -- sanctuary created by these warnings --
why can't most of the refugees return to their homes and then be
protected from there? It would be easier to provide for them.
They'd have shelter rather than plastic sheeting and tents. Has
there been thinking about that, consideration of that?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, there certainly has, and the
President and the Secretary have both said that the goal of our
efforts should be to permit these people to return to their home
in safety and with all their rights.
But at this point, in terms of the international
effort, you've got to deal with people where they are and take
care of what they need; and that's what we're really trying to
do.
Q But the warning talks about "in any part of the
country."
MR. BOUCHER: They shouldn't interfere with the relief
efforts.
Q They shouldn't interfere --
MR. BOUCHER: Yes.
Q -- with relief efforts. So if these people went
back to their homes and the relief efforts continued --
MR. BOUCHER: I don't know how to answer your question
because the fact is that these people are still where they are
and we're not going to say: "We won't take care of you here.
You go over there." We're going to take care of them where they
have their needs. We are taking care of them where they have
their needs, and that's the focus of the international effort
right now.
Q Yes, but they can be -- I don't want to belabor
this, but they can be told. Announcements could be made that --
"Well, go home and we'll take care of you at home." And then
people won't have to walk around -- kids won't have to walk
around barefoot in the rain.
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I think its fairly obvious that
kids don't like to walk around barefoot in the rain and that
it's not a happy thing to be displaced from your house and to be
in some very mountainous part of the country, and I'm sure
people would rather be at home. But the fact is we'll take them
wherever we can.
Q Richard, does it appear to you that the Iraqis,
anyway, in light of no helicopter flights, no noticeable air
activity -- that the Iraqis, anyway, interpret your reemphasized
warning as a warning not to fly helicopters any more?
MR. BOUCHER: Jim, I'm sorry. I'm not going to go into
details. I'll report to you the facts as we see them on Iraqi
military activity. I'll tell you about our warnings to Iraq and
the way they were phrased, but there's a certain level of detail
I'm afraid I'm just not in a position to go into.
Q If, if -- the hypothetical -- (laughter) --
MR. BOUCHER: It's hypothetical. You want to ask the
question anyway, Richard? I'm sorry.
Q It's wrong. (Laughter.)
MR. BOUCHER: Go for it! (Laughter.)
Q It started with if, O.K.
Q A big mistake.
MR. BOUCHER: Chris, you had something?
Q Yes. I just wanted to clarify what you've
observed the last couple of days. Yesterday you saw almost no
air activity -- some in the central part of Iraq, which wouldn't
be interfering with the relief efforts because there aren't any
there anyway. And in the last 24-hour period from today, you've
seen no activity in the entire country?
MR. BOUCHER: I think we can go back a little farther
than that. I think I said on Monday that for two days or so
we'd seen virtually none. Yesterday I said we saw some limited
activity in central and southern Iraq, and today I say we cannot
confirm any activity on the part of the Iraqi military --
fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters today.
Q So what would you say their reaction to these
warnings has been?
MR. BOUCHER: I would just conclude what I've been
saying. That's the objective observation that for several days
there's been virtually no Iraqi air activity. And what has
occurred, what we've noted, has been limited activity in central
and southern areas.
Q Well, Richard, if a helicopter attacks some
civilians in Kirkuk who are not fleeing from anyone but are
there, is that interfering with the relief operations?
MR. BOUCHER: Jim, definitely that's a hypothetical
because today I reported on heavy fighting between dissidents
and Iraqi government forces in the vicinity of Kirkuk, but I
said that we can't confirm any air activity --
Q Right.
MR. BOUCHER: -- on the part of helicopters. So -- ?
Q But at what point does a civilian become a refugee
or eligible for relief?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't understand your question.
Q Well, what I'm saying is that a civilian fighter
today can turn into a refugee if he starts walking north; right?
MR. BOUCHER: Yes.
Q But you're saying that if a helicopter of the
Iraqi armed forces attacks him, then he will be subject to
retaliation from the coalition air forces; am I right?
MR. BOUCHER: Jim, what we're saying is that Iraq
shouldn't interfere with the relief operation. The details of
that I said I wouldn't go into; but I don't quite see the
distinction you're making. At this point I said that I don't
think we have evidence that Iraq has tried to interfere with the
relief operations.
Q Does, for example, a Shiite living in southern
Iraq receiving some form of international aid -- come under the
protection of this warning?
MR. BOUCHER: Again, I think I said very clearly that
we've told Iraq that it's forces should not interfere with the
relief operations anywhere in the country, whether that's
northern or southern Iraq.
Q Do you plan to move the relief operations anywhere
near Kirkuk in the near future? (Laughter.)
MR. BOUCHER: You know, that's a real question for the
air-drop people, for the Defense Department people, and for what
the U.N. is able to set up in terms of its international relief
operations. I think we've described their efforts to carry out
relief in various parts of the country. The International Red
Cross is operating in various parts of the country already, and
there are relief operations in a lot of places.
Q Some private organizations.
Q I'd like to ask about something else if -- are
there more questions?
MR. BOUCHER: Yes, O.K.
[USSR: Diplomatic Notes re Release of Cuban Missle Crisis
Correspondence]
Q About Cuba, Richard, what's the U.S. position on
releasing the Kennedy-Khrushchev correspondence, now that the
Soviets say it's O.K. with them? (Laughter.)
MR. BOUCHER: First, to confirm that we did get a
diplomatic note from the Soviets on this subject. I think the
note also was made part of the court case somehow.
I think the first thing to note is we have released and
we have published several letters between President Kennedy and
former Soviet leader Khrushchev. In fact, I understand that
we've released at least a thousand documents relating to the
Cuban missile crisis which includes correspondence, cables, and
there are a variety of other things.
Some of the specific letters between Kennedy and
Khrushchev have not been released because of concerns that they
contain information still relevant to current policy questions,
but we are continuing to review the matter. There continue to
be some requests that we will review.
[China: Report of Nuclear-Related Assistance to
Algeria]
Q Richard, do you have any comment on the piece in
today's Washington Times about the Algerian-Chinese nuclear
program?
MR. BOUCHER: Yes. We have indications that China is
providing nuclear-related assistance to Algeria. I want to make
clear, however, that we have no reason to conclude that China
has agreed to provide any assistance to Algeria for nuclear
weapons development.
As far as non-proliferation goes, China has publicly
and privately pledged on a number of occasions that it does not
engage in nuclear proliferation and that it will not help other
countries develop nuclear weapons. It has also said that it
will require safeguards on its nuclear exports.
We have stressed our concerns about nuclear
proliferation to the Chinese on many occasions. We've told them
that we expect China to abide by its public commitments on
non-proliferation as well as the private assurances to us. And,
of course, this is an issue that we continue to discuss with the
Chinese; and we will continue to review China's non-
proliferation practices to determine whether they are consistent
with its pronouncements in this area.
Q What sort of assistance then?
MR. BOUCHER: I'm afraid I'm not able to go into any
specifics nor the specific allegations that were in the article.
Q I'm on something completely different. Does the
United States have any position on the position of Albanian Jews
moving to Israel? Have the Israelis given the United States any
assurances that Albanian Jews won't be settled in the Occupied
Territories? (Laughter.)
MR. BOUCHER: I really hadn't thought of that angle,
Jan.
Q Aa-h-h-h! (Laughter.)
MR. BOUCHER: I think I'll leave the issue of
settlements to what the Secretary has said during the course of
his trip.
Q Thank you.
(The briefing concluded at l:43 p.m.)