US Department of State Daily Briefing #28:
Friday, 2/21/92
tutwiler
Source: State Department Spokesman Margaret Tutwiler
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Feb, 28 19922/28/92
Category: Briefings
Region: East Asia, Europe, MidEast/North Africa
Country: North Korea, Israel, Lebanon
Subject: Security Assistance and Sales, State Department,
NATO, Military Affairs, Narcotics
12:03 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
[Announcement: Secretary to Testify and
Join President for Drug Summit]
MS. TUTWILER: Two announcements, both of which I think
you know: On Monday, February 24, at 10:00 a.m., Secretary
Baker will testify before the House Appropriations Committee,
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations. The subject will be the FY
'93 budget request. The room is 2360 Rayburn.
On Tuesday, February 25, at 10:00 a.m., the Secretary
will testify before the Senate Appropriations Committee,
Subcommittee on Foreign Operations, on the same subject. The
room is 106 Dirksen.
Obviously, as you know, on the days he testifies we do
not have a State Department briefing.
On Wednesday, the Secretary will join President Bush in
San Antonio for the Drug Summit, and the Secretary will return
to Washington, D.C. on Sunday.
That's it.
Q On Sunday. That's a long drug conference.
MS. TUTWILER: He will be having a private weekend in
Texas at the conclusion of the Drug Summit.
Yes, John.
[North Korea: Reported Shipment of Scud-Cs Bound for Syria]
Q Do you have anything on the North Korean ship
which is allegedly about to deliver, or is at least heading in
the direction of Syria with Scud missiles? Understanding that
you don't like to talk about intelligence matters, have you
filed a protest with the North Koreans who we have no relations
with? What are you doing about it?
MS. TUTWILER: On the literal part of your question
that you're asking me, you're correct: it's an intelligence
matter and I cannot address it.
I would remind you, though, that last year the
Secretary of State did address a similar report that was out
there by saying that we are aware that there was a shipment of
North Korean Scud-Cs to Syria. That was last spring, and we
told you about it in the form of the Secretary of State at the
time.
Syria, as you know very well, has had Scud missiles in
its arsenal for years, and we believe that they are still trying
to procure more, including from North Korea.
The United States feels very strongly about
proliferation of surface-to-surface missiles, particularly in
the Middle East. This is a subject that the Secretary has
discussed in his various trips to the region and one which we
continue to pursue as part of the President's five-power arms
control initiative.
As it happens, those experts at the expert level are
meeting here in Washington, D.C. today and, I believe, they met
yesterday. They are being headed on our side by Assistant
Secretary Clark.
We would view with great concern any transfer of this
type. The dangers of Scud missiles in the Middle East region
have been amply demonstrated during the past Gulf War.
We have made known our views on this subject to all
potential suppliers of such weapons, including the North
Koreans. We are following proliferation issues worldwide and
examining carefully all evidence regarding transfers of missile
technology from any source.
The United States will continue to convey its concerns
about such transfers to both suppliers and recipients when
possible. As with all such transfers that contribute to
proliferation, we would like to see these transfers stopped.
Q The last time the United States was concerned
about a shipment, it, indeed, focused the public spotlight on
the alleged shipment and the ship suddenly turned around and
went back. Is that what you are attempting to do this time --
to focus public attention on something like this and perhaps get
them to change their minds and some of our allies or friends to
put pressure on them?
MS. TUTWILER: Well, no. Since this is an intelligence
matter, the specific case I cannot discuss. We didn't attempt
to focus attention on this. The media -- our close friends --
did focus attention on it, so then we are forced to say that it
is an intelligence matter that we cannot discuss the specifics
of.
But it is something, having said all that -- without
commenting on the specific case -- it is something that I said
that we view with a great deal of concern. I have acknowledged
that we believe that Syria is trying to procure more, including
from North Korea.
I have said basically what I can say about this. I'll
remind you that last spring, when there was such a story that
surfaced, as I recall -- in the press first -- the Secretary of
State did go out and say that, yes, we are aware of this
shipment.
Q He's not out in the public today, so we obviously
can't ask him that question.
MS. TUTWILER: That's right. He didn't, as I recall --
the very first day this surfaced -- respond to it.
Q Without addressing intelligence matters, how would
the United States view an attempt by any other nation to keep
Scuds from falling into the wrong hands, or apply pressure so
that they didn't reach their destination, given the United
States attitude about proliferation?
MS. TUTWILER: I think I know what you're asking me,
but I'm not exactly positive. I think I do.
Q What view would you take of any attempt to stop
this transaction by one means or another?
MS. TUTWILER: That's what I thought you were trying to
ask me. We, the United States, view this seriously. We do not
believe that these transfers should take place. But I don't
want to speculate with you about what others may or may not
choose to do. I'm not encouraging, at all, anyone to do that.
That is not our intent.
But it is something that, as I just told you, we have
right now experts in this city who are meeting at the Assistant
Secretary level, discussing proliferation in this region, these
very types of matters.
Q Have the Israelis asked the U.S. to try and get
this shipment halted?
MS. TUTWILER: If they have, I don't have any knowledge
of that. I don't know.
Q Did they express any concern or angst about the
movement of such a shipment to the U.S. Government?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know. To be honest with you,
those are both very valid questions. They're two I did not
think of this morning to ask, so I just don't know.
Q How did you let the North Koreans know what you
feel about this?
MS. TUTWILER: That is, again, something that you're
familiar with that we cannot discuss.
Q Do they have a protecting power here -- third
party -- or not?
MS. TUTWILER: No.
Q Margaret, what have you said to the Syrians
recently about this issue?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know. I'll be happy to check
into that, also. Just as I did not ask the Israeli question
this morning, that's another one I didn't ask either.
Q Specifically, of course, if there's been any
communication in the last week, two weeks?
MS. TUTWILER: I will.
Q What might be the United States procedure to
intercede to halt the North Korean shipment?
MS. TUTWILER: That's terribly speculative for me. I
haven't even acknowledged the specifics, and so it would be
totally dealing in hypotheticals to say "what if" when I won't
acknowledge a specific, because it's an intelligence matter --
would or would not the President decide to do or to not do.
Q But there might be some international procedure to
intercept the North Korean shipment.
MS. TUTWILER: That's just something that would be
highly speculative for me to get into with you.
Q Margaret, the NATO General Secretary said about --
MS. TUTWILER: Who?
Q The NATO General Secretary, Mr. Woerner, said that
in March the former Soviet republics will be integrated into the
political structure of NATO, as I understood that. And do you
have anything on that?
MS. TUTWILER: I'm sorry --
Q Is it the first stage to full membership in the
organization?
MS. TUTWILER: That who would integrate into it?
Q Former Soviet republics.
MS. TUTWILER: Oh, I'm sorry. I haven't seen Secretary
General Woerner's statement. But, as you know, we have already
had -- I believe I'm correct -- in December a NATO meeting at
the Foreign Minister level where I believe six Foreign Ministers
of various republics of the former Soviet Union attended.
Q (Inaudible)
MS. TUTWILER: Yes, we did. Remember, when --
Q That was East Europeans who were attending. I
don't think any --
MS. TUTWILER: But wasn't Shevardnadze going to come,
and then he resigned, and then they sent a number of people.
That's what I recall. Am I wrong?
Q Yeltsin sent a letter, I think.
Q Yeah. There was a letter. There was no
representation by them.
MS. TUTWILER: O.K. Sorry. At one point there was
supposed to be. At one point we had been told six different
representatives would come. It's my understanding that there is
currently under discussion the possibility of having a meeting
with the Foreign Ministers of the former republics. That's
something that the Secretary General's office would be
announcing, not me.
And, as you know, the German Foreign Minister and the
Secretary of State announced -- and I cannot remember the date
-- the forming of what we call NACC -- the NATO group that meets
also with these Foreign Ministers.
But as far as some statement that Secretary General
Woerner has made today, I'm not aware of one. But our feelings
and our views and our policies towards having liaison offices --
we established, as I recall, almost a year ago of having
obviously a closer and different relationship -- has been out
there.
Q Margaret, do you have anything on the situation in
north Israel, south Lebanon? Have the Israelis withdrawn as far
as you know?
MS. TUTWILER: As far as I know, yes.
Q Everybody still coming to the peace talks, as far
as you know?
MS. TUTWILER: Yes. On Monday.
Q Margaret, the Secretary ended the last round of
talks with meetings with all of the parties. His schedule next
week doesn't seem to leave him much time to hold hands or twist
arms or otherwise be closely involved. Any change in attitude
or --
MS. TUTWILER: None. The Secretary's meetings at the
end of the last round came up the night before he was to leave
town on that Friday, as I recall. Something like that could
come up this time. It has not been, so far, suggested and to my
knowledge has not been asked by any of the parties.
I'm not aware, for instance, of how long the parties
are intending to stay here. The Secretary returns, as I said,
on Sunday night; but, no, you should not read anything into
that.
Q Margaret, Secretary Solomon --
MS. TUTWILER: Excuse me. And he is here all day
Monday and Tuesday.
Q Assistant Secretary Solomon was due to testify
this morning on East Timor, and the hearing was cancelled. Was
that their instigation or here?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know. I didn't know he was
scheduled to testify.
Q Thank you.
MS. TUTWILER: That's it?
Q Yes.
(The briefing concluded at 12:13 p.m.)