US Department of State Daily Briefing #61:
Thursday, 4/23/92
Tutwiler
Source: State Department Spokesman Margaret Tutwiler
Description: Washington, DC
Date: Apr, 23 19924/23/92
Category: Briefings
Region: MidEast/North Africa, Eurasia, Subsaharan Africa,
North America, Southeast Asia, E/C Europe
Country: Israel, USSR (former), Georgia, Afghanistan, Mexico,
South Africa, Lebanon, Thailand, Bosnia-Herzegovina,
Serbia-Montenegro, Iraq
Subject: Mideast Peace Process, Development/Relief Aid,
Arms Control, Military Affairs, CSCE,
Security Assistance and Sales, Nuclear Nonproliferation
12:05 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
[Georgia: Opening of US Embassy in Tbilisi]
MS. TUTWILER: I have one announcement I'd like to make. It
concerns the opening of our Embassy in Tbilisi. The United States
Government is pleased to announce the formal opening of its Embassy
in Tbilisi, Georgia. State Department personnel have been in Tbilisi
since April 15, as we had announced they would be.
Embassy Charge d'Affaires Mr. Cavanaugh raised the United States
flag at a ceremony today that marked the formal opening of our
Embassy in Tbilisi. Attending the formal opening were the Chairman
of the Georgian State Council, Eduard Shevardnadze, and other leaders
of the Georgian Government, members of the American community in
Georgia, and visiting Senator Alan Cranston.
The United States Embassy currently occupies offices at a local
hotel, the spelling of which I can give you after the briefing, if
you want to know. The establishment of a U.S. Embassy in Tbilisi is
an historic event for both nations. It is a key step in the
continuing development of strong ties between Georgia and the United
States.
With the opening of the Embassy in Tbilisi, the United States
Government has now established embassies in each of the capitals of
the new states of the former Soviet Union.
I would also like to let you know, we had mentioned several weeks
ago that we were sending humanitarian aid, assistance into Georgia.
That is supposed to arrive in Georgia next week. Those flights are
being staged through Turkey. The shipments will come to about
150,000 pounds and will include vaccines and other medical supplies
for the largest women's and children's hospital in Georgia. American
doctors and nurses will be travelling with the shipments.
State Council Chairman Shevardnadze has been personally involved
in helping arrange these shipments. On the United States side, we
are working with a private voluntary organization: The Sovereign
Military Order of Malta. Additional humanitarian assistance will
arrive in the weeks ahead.
And, as you know, Georgia has been the only one of the
newly independent states which has not, to date, received such
shipments or supplies, and we're very glad to open our Embassy
in Tbilisi and at the same time be able to take humanitarian
assistance to the people of Georgia.
Q Is this a single airplane --
MS. TUTWILER: A single airplane? To be honest with
you, I didn't check with Rich Armitage.
Q (Inaudible) airport mined?
MS. TUTWILER: Apparently not, or we wouldn't be going.
Q Has Secretary Baker been in touch with his old
friend, Mr. Shevardnadze, about all of this?
MS. TUTWILER: About this?
Q Yeah.
MS. TUTWILER: Not that I know of, no.
Q Margaret --
MS. TUTWILER: Excuse me. Just so I'm totally accurate
with you, the last time we saw him in Moscow, we had dinner with
him. The Secretary explained the runway situation to him in
person. He explained why at that time we were not able to make
Georgia part of our operation Provide Hope. He also at that
time said that depending on how things evolved in Georgia he
hoped that the United States would, indeed, be able to open and
establish an embassy. So they have had a conversation on it
before.
Q When you say Shevardnadze was personally involved
in this supplying of food and so forth, what do you mean?
MS. TUTWILER: What do I mean? I'm sure it's similar,
Don, to other efforts he's been involved in. He works with
private American groups here in the United States. They get in
contact with him. I don't have the literal details on this one.
But he was -- about two months ago, we announced a
Project Hope shipment that was not going to Georgia. It was
when he was still in Moscow that he personally was involved with
the Project Hope people in San Francisco.
Q When does Secretary Baker plan to visit Georgia
for the first time?
MS. TUTWILER: I have no idea. He certainly wants to
go there, as he's told you many times, but there are no
scheduled plans right now.
Q Margaret, can we ask about Afghanistan?
MS. TUTWILER: Sure.
Q The guerrillas are poised, ready to move into the
city. Does the State Department have a position on whether they
should enter Kabul or whether they should hold back? What is
your position on the march to Kabul?
MS. TUTWILER: It's my understanding -- you describe it
as a "march to Kabul." That's not exactly how we would describe
it.
Our understanding is that Kabul remains calm.
Resistance leaders outside the city and the ruling council
remain in contact. Discussions are continuing among resistance
groups on forming a new government.
The U.N. Secretary General's Special Representative for
Afghanistan continues to assist in these negotiations.
We are very encouraged by calls from Commander Masood
for broad representation within a new ruling body. In our view,
this is the path to resolution of the Afghan conflict.
We regret the tragic death of an International
Committee of the Red Cross worker who was shot outside of Kabul
yesterday, and we repeat our call for all sides to exercise
restraint and to respect the safety of international
representatives. We continue to urge all Afghan factions to
cooperate with the United Nations representative, Mr. Sevan. We
support his efforts to assist in finding a way for a peaceful
and orderly transfer of power to a new government that enjoys
broad support.
Q Margaret, that's a prepared statement.
MS. TUTWILER: That's correct.
Q I'm trying to get an answer to a live question.
The question --
MS. TUTWILER: I'm trying to answer it.
Q I know you were going to read that no matter what
anybody asked on Afghanistan.
MS. TUTWILER: That's right.
Q But I'm trying to address the instant situation.
You addressed a couple of the items there. The question before
the House, which you may or may not want to answer, is whether
the rebels -- you call them "resistance." Well, there's nothing
to resist against anymore. The government has fallen.
Should these folks move into Kabul, is that what --
you've been calling for an end to fighting. Now their path has
been rather easy, but I'm not sure that it will be that easy
getting into Kabul. Do you think they should keep marching into
Kabul?
MS. TUTWILER: I will continue to characterize my
answer as you continue to pose the question to me as "march into
Kabul." We do not have any evidence --
Q Should they enter Kabul.
MS. TUTWILER: Do you want me to answer?
Q Leave the verb out. Should they enter Kabul?
MS. TUTWILER: What we are for, Barry, which we have
been consistent in every day, is for the Afghan people to work
this out peacefully.
I just told you that we are very encouraged that the
factions are continuing to talk. We are very encouraged that
everyone so far to date has acted responsibly. They have not
taken arms into their hands and gone and just blatantly killed
people.
We are very much supportive, strongly supporting the
efforts of the U.N. Special Representative who is there, who is
working untold hours, talking to all the factions, all the
elements to try to resolve this transition in a peaceful manner.
I am not aware and have no independent knowledge that
they are marching to Kabul, as you've characterized it. Maybe
there's something that's happened since I left my office.
Q Where are these meetings taking place? Are you
talking about the Masood people talking to the
arch-fundamentalists? Are they in touch with each other to form
some sort of a coalition; is that what you're saying?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know who -- I can't give you a
readout. This is a fluid situation, as you know. It's still
sorting itself out there not only in Kabul but outside of Kabul.
I reported to you yesterday that the U.N. Special
Representative had had meetings with groups outside of the city.
I don't know if he has today, and I do not have a literal
readout of who all he is meeting with. But we personally, right
now, are encouraged by -- to date, as I said -- the responsible,
so far, positions that everyone so far has taken. It is our
hope and prayer that this will be -- this transition will evolve
in a peaceful manner. That is what we're supporting -- this
gentleman's efforts, and what he is continuing to do.
Q In your statement, you spoke about the resistance
leaders being in contact. You meant among themselves -- between
each other; right? You don't mean with the U.S., do you? There
was a thought there that wasn't clear to me. It said the
resistance leaders are in contact, but we're in -- I don't know.
Is the U.S. in contact with these leaders, or are you
talking about them talking to themselves -- to each other?
MS. TUTWILER: I think that we ourselves -- as I've
said before, we have talked to people; other nations are talking
to people; they're talking to each other on the ground.
Overall, we view there has been a commendable restraint by the
elements that are there on the ground.
Q There are two major groups: The Masood group and
--
MS. TUTWILER: I'm aware of that.
Q -- an arch fundamentalist group. Is the U.S.
talking to those two groups?
MS. TUTWILER: I'll ask your literal question. I did
not ask it this morning. I don't know if a specific U.S.
official has spoken in the last, let's say, 24 hours to
representatives of those two groups. I didn't ask that
question.
Q Even 77 hours. I don't care.
MS. TUTWILER: All right, 77. I haven't asked.
Q You're saying we're in contact with groups, and
I'm trying to bring this down to reality and ask you if you are
talking to the leading groups -- these being the two leading
groups. One is fundamentalist much more than the other; there's
some friction. They have opposite aims.
The question is: is the U.S. working both sides of the
street? Who are you talking to?
MS. TUTWILER: That's a very valid question. It is one
that I will ask Ambassador Djerejian as soon as we finish the
briefing. I literally don't know.
Q And do you have any answer to yesterday's
question, whether the arms that the United States provided
covertly to all these people that you've asked them to lay down
-- have these arms been returned; are any of them coming back?
Are they getting out of the hands of the guerrillas?
MS. TUTWILER: I got it. I can go one sentence
further for you today. Let me repeat what I said yesterday,
which is that we undertook in our September 13, 1991 agreement
with the Soviets to work toward the withdrawal of major weapons
systems from Afghanistan. That's what I stated yesterday.
We are actively working on this.
Q You're working on it?
MS. TUTWILER: Correct.
Q You're not telling me that you succeeded; you're
working on it?
MS. TUTWILER: Right.
Q Now, what about Boutros Ghali going there.
MS. TUTWILER: Who?
Q The U.N. Secretary General. Does the United
States support his effort? He's leaving from India for
Afghanistan.
MS. TUTWILER: My understanding is that, as we do in
all cases, we refer you to his office for his onward travel. We
don't discuss his future travel.
Q I know where he's going. I'm asking you if you're
supporting his mission?
MS. TUTWILER: His office has asked us not to discuss
it here at this podium.
Q Have you had any success in actively working on
this, meaning getting back any of the Stinger missiles which the
U.S. has been trying to get back?
MS. TUTWILER: Beyond the additional sentence that I
was able to give you today, I will be unable to give you any
further details concerning this matter.
Q Margaret, coming back for just a second to the
political situation. Does the U.S. definition of "peaceful
transition" in Afghanistan include a peaceful departure or an
orderly departure or safe departure of Najibullah?
MS. TUTWILER: That's something, Ralph, that we have
refrained form discussing. It is something, obviously, that is
extremely sensitive and that the United Nations Special
Representative there on the ground is working on. It is
something that we're going to honor, as I have seen that others
have, a request that we not discuss that.
The only thing I can tell you is that he remains in
Kabul.
Q When you call for restraint and responsible
positions -- but you use the word "restraint." When you call
for that, does that apply not only to attacks on Kabul and
militant movements and military activities in Kabul, but is it
also meant to apply to the fate of Najibullah?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know of anyone that the United
States Government supports being killed, if that's what you're
asking me, even no matter how radically we disagree with him or
have disagreed with him in the past.
Q That's true, although there are some people the
United States would shed no tears over if they disappeared.
MS. TUTWILER: That's correct.
Q I'm trying to get a characterization of that sort,
to get a feel for how the U.S. feels about Najibullah's fate.
The U.S. would shed no tears over him also?
MS. TUTWILER: This is a person, Ralph, who has
voluntarily stepped aside in his government. It's my
understanding that he has a wife, he has children. This is a
very sensitive situation. The U.N. Special Representative is
personally involved and is working there on the ground with the
parties.
He has respectfully asked our Government and other
governments that we not discuss the specifics that he is sharing
with us, and I'm going to honor that request.
Q Margaret, all the factions are calling for
Najibullah to be put on trial. Does the United States have a
position? You and the previous Administration berated him for
six long years as being a despot.
Now, all the factions that have succeeded in
overthrowing him, or forcing him to withdraw, want him to be put
on trial. Does the U.S. think he should be put on trial?
MS. TUTWILER: That's honestly the first I've heard of
that. I have not heard it either verbally or read it in any of
my own reading here at the Department, so I've never had to seek
a characterization of that.
Again, I go back to Ralph's question. This is someone
who has stepped aside, who has resigned, who is not in power. I
don't know, to be honest with you, what all the factions there
want done. I just have not heard that.
Q I just want to know if the U.S. thinks he ought to
be tried. Could you try to get an answer, if you don't have it
off the top of your head?
MS. TUTWILER: Yes, I'll be happy to.
Q Does the United States have any evidence that
Stinger missiles have been used in the last ten days?
MS. TUTWILER: Not to my knowledge, but I'll be
perfectly honest with you and tell you it's something I haven't
asked.
Q Could you?
MS. TUTWILER: I'll look into it.
Q Margaret, the U.N. Special Envoy, Benon Sevan, had
public remarks this morning -- very pessimistic. He said nobody
was ready to compromise and that Afghanistan was a powder keg.
I wonder if those remarks about you being encouraged by some
statements by Commander Masood were prepared before Sevan made
his public remarks?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know where these two things
crossed in the daylight. As you know, in this age of
information, it's next to humanly impossible to stay up on every
single thing.
I have talked myself personally with Ambassador
Djerejian about this situation this morning. I've talked to the
expert who is the expert for this building. Your statement
which you've just read to me, to my knowledge, he hasn't seen.
I know I had not, so they must have passed. I don't know.
Q You said you have another statement?
MS. TUTWILER: No. My only one was on Tbilisi.
Q Just sort of an update for a moment on -- where do
we stand on the invitations to the regional -- Middle East
regional talks?
MS. TUTWILER: They were supposed to go out yesterday,
and I forgot to ask this morning if they did. I told you
yesterday I thought they were going out. I'm sorry. I'll check
with Djerejian. I don't know.
Q Has Mr. Johnson given a report to the Secretary or
Deputy Secretary?
MS. TUTWILER: Excuse me. I might know the answer to
that. I don't think they went out yesterday. So they'll
probably be going out today.
Q Has Ralph Johnson given a report to the Secretary
or Deputy Secretary, and do you have anything?
MS. TUTWILER: First thing this morning, to both
gentlemen. He gave them a full debrief of his trip.
In general, Mr. Johnson stressed, while there, to all
of his interlocutors, particularly Serbian President Milosevic,
and the JNA leadership, that the quality of their future
relationship with the United States will depend on how they
conduct themselves in the on-going conflict in the former
Yugoslav republics.
He underscored that those leaders and governments who
support violence will find that their actions will have a direct
and negative effect on our relationship with them.
The pursuit of policies of violence and disruption will
inevitably lead to their isolation from the international
community, is what Ralph told them. As you know, he went to a
number of republics and met with a wide range of people. He
went through each stop that he made, or each meeting this
morning, with the Secretary.
He also said, or left a message that we will be judging
the results of what all Mr. Johnson had to say to them on the
basis of actions of the parties with whom he spoke, not words.
Q Did he offer any kind of his own -- assessment or
prognosis of what's going to happen there, and a recommendation
of what the United States should do?
MS. TUTWILER: I couldn't characterize it in those
terms. He obviously gave the Secretary an overall assessment --
that was part of the debrief -- and went into quite some detail
of the discussions that he had had with the various different
leaders.
This meeting wasn't designed -- it was a debrief -- to
discuss next steps. As you know, we have called for the special
meeting on April 29. That is the next step. So there was
nothing that was intended in this particular meeting to discuss
what kind of thing next. We know what we're doing next. It's
next Wednesday, I believe -- on April 29.
I believe Assistant Secretary Niles did a briefing at
the White House -- I believe yesterday -- on this subject also
where he discussed this.
Q Was there any consideration in the interim --
between the time Ralph Johnson got back and the time the April
29 meeting convenes -- of the U.S. taking action on recognition
-- I'll call it "recognition" -- of the Serbian leaders,
Milosevic ∧ Co., in Belgrade?
MS. TUTWILER: Of us doing what?
Q Of changing the state of U.S. recognition of that?
MS. TUTWILER: Not that I'm aware of. I hadn't heard
anybody talk about that.
Q You use the phrase "isolation from the
international community." Could you be more specific?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know what will happen. As you
know, on April 29, we have said that if behaviors do not change
we would be prepared -- as you know, all nations who were there
voted, too -- to seriously consider and discuss suspension from
the CSCE. That is a form of isolation. There's nothing further
that I have that's a specific on that for you.
Q Did he -- or would you characterize Milosevic at
this point as unbudging?
MS. TUTWIL0ER: I don't want to do that. Ralph
[Johnson] left a strong message with him. It is no different
than the message that Deputy Secretary of State Eagleburger has
continued to give those people who are here. The President has,
the Secretary of State has. It was the same message. I will
leave it to the President to characterize what his reaction was
to the visit. Again, we said that what we're looking for are
actions, not words.
[Bosnia: Situation Update]
Q Margaret, do you have an update on the situation
in Bosnia?
MS. TUTWILER: Yes. Last night and this morning,
Serbian forces launched heavy attacks against Sarajevo,
including intensive shelling. Damage to the old section of the
city is severe. Shells hit, among other structures, a Mosque, a
Muslim library and the oldest Muslim cemetery in the city. We
do not have any estimates of civilian casualties.
For the moment, the shelling has stopped. Sarajevo is
fairly quiet, but sniper fire continues.
The Government of Bosnia-Hercegovina's defense forces,
mainly composed of Muslim soldiers but also including Serbians
and Croats, continue to defend Sarajevo. We commend the
Government of Bosnia for its efforts to maintain unity among its
ethnic groups and to avoid turning the battle of Sarajevo into a
purely ethnic conflict.
Militant Serbian forces are maintaining a virtual
blockade around Sarajevo. Their leaders are explicitly
demanding a partition of the city along ethnic lines.
Normal commerce remains impossible. The food situation
in Sarajevo is very serious and worsening. Because of the
fighting, Western relief workers are unable to distribute aid.
They report that food shortages will soon become critical,
especially for children and the elderly.
We are aware of reports of significant numbers of
Croatian troops in western Hercegovina. It is a matter we are
looking into. If the reports are true, obviously we will
condemn this action also.
We are also concerned about reports that Croatian
officials in the town of Capljina are refusing to allow the
withdrawal of JNA troops from their local base. We have raised
this issue with the Croatian authorities.
We categorically reject all efforts to use force and
intimidation to divide Bosnia-Hercegovina or challenge its
legitimate government.
It's my understanding -- I did see one wire copy before
I came down here -- that the Foreign Minister of Portugal who is
-- Portugal, as you know, is the Presidency of the EC right now
-- is on the wires as saying -- as you know, he is in Sarajevo
-- I'm quoting a wire copy: "That the three sides have agreed
to sign a declaration to respect the April 12 cease-fire and to
do the utmost to make it a reality immediately." That's the
three sides in Bosnia.
Q Is Sarajevo cut off from the outside world at this
point? If we wanted to send in further aid flights, could we?
MS. TUTWILER: They -- it's my understanding, this
flight, with -- I believe Lord Carrington is with them, and
other EC officials -- landed there. It's my understanding they
met at the airport, because it is not safe for them to go into
town.
Former Secretary of State Vance landed and took off
from there recently. I don't know how to exactly -- I mean,
obviously, some things are cut off -- it's not working normally
-- and it's a very serious situation.
Q Have you figured out what the Croats are up to?
You -- in one section you compliment them for defending the
capital, and in the next section you accuse them again -- as you
did last week -- of launching attacks. Is there some pattern to
this, or is it just coincidence, or what?
MS. TUTWILER: Well, as you know, we --
Q I mean, there are irregulars, and there are, you
know --
MS. TUTWILER: There are Croatians --
Q -- who knows -- you know, they're --
MS. TUTWILER: -- from Croatia. There are Croatian
irregulars. There are Serbians. There are Serbian irregulars.
There's the JNA. Yesterday we said the Muslims that live in
Bosnia. So there are -- as we said, no one's blameless here.
And so --
Q No, no. I know. But you had a little --
MS. TUTWILER: I did.
Q -- compliment for them for defending the --
MS. TUTWILER: The Croatians that live in Bosnia.
Q Oh. They're locals.
MS. TUTWILER: Right.
Q Do you have any update on the situation in
Guadalajara and whether any Americans or other -- the tabulation
of other foreigners that might be killed?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't have an update, Connie, and
there were no Americans that were either hurt or casualties.
Q Are you sending any aid?
MS. TUTWILER: Not at this moment, no. We haven't been
requested, and our Ambassador has not authorized the $25,000.
I'm sorry. You had a question on Yugoslavia.
Q Yes. Back to Yugoslavia. Since no one's asked
you today, has anyone -- has Johnson or anyone in the U.S.
Government, in part of those discussions with the Serbian
Government or leaders, included a specific warning that the U.S.
might break whatever kind of diplomatic ties it has with the
Serbian/Yugoslavian Government?
MS. TUTWILER: Not that I'm aware of, and Ralph
[Johnson] did not mention that in his debrief to the Secretary
and Deputy Secretary this morning that that was part of his
message.
Q On Yugoslavia again: Germany and The Netherlands
called for an urgent meeting of the U.N. Security Council. Do
you support that call?
MS. TUTWILER: I haven't heard about that. I don't
know what our position would be, but I don't know why we would
object to it. But I haven't heard about that yet this morning.
Q Again on the Afghan refugees, remember yesterday
the question, whether the U.S. is doing anything to help them
get home?
MS. TUTWILER: Right. And we gave you the answer
yesterday afternoon.
Q I didn't notice it.
MS. TUTWILER: Yes, we did. I read it this morning
around 7:00. I'm sorry. I forgot to bring it with me. I don't
remember what it was.
Q O.K. Thank you.
MS. TUTWILER: And also Jim Anderson, who's not here
today, yesterday said we had published a figure of seven million
for the refugees. We explained that in the same answer
yesterday. The figures have changed, and he was correct about
the two million that are in Iran, and there are other
international organizations that helped them.
MR. GEDDA: I asked that.
MS. TUTWILER: George is correct.
Q We went with George.
MS. TUTWILER: George was correct.
Q We went with George even though he's (inaudible)
--
MS. TUTWILER: George was correct.
Q We had a wire report and went with it. (Laughter)
MS. TUTWILER: Then it must be accurate.
Q Well, you're always careful about wire reports.
The Mideast situation. I think you volunteered to offer some
assistance as to giving us the arrivals, even though you don't
have any --
MS. TUTWILER: Yes, I did, and we don't have any. None
of them have told us. We're assuming they're coming some time
over the weekend. Someone asked me yesterday what time we
thought they would begin on Monday. It's true that they will
decide that. We suggested in our proposal, maybe 9:00 a.m., but
we don't know if that's acceptable to all of them, and we don't
know when any of them are arriving yet. When we get it, we'll
give it to you.
Q No planned Baker action at the outset, seeing
heads of delegations and --
MS. TUTWILER: No. So far it hasn't come up.
Q Do you have anything on proposals for an election
for an interim government in South Africa? De Klerk made the
proposal today.
MS. TUTWILER: No. That's something else I don't know
about.
Q Want to look into it, please?
MS. TUTWILER: I'll look into it.
Q Margaret, on Lebanon, it's been reported that
Defense Minister Michel Murr asked Ryan Crocker whether the
United States would lift the arms embargo against Lebanon, and
Crocker promised to reply within a few days. Do you have
anything on that?
MS. TUTWILER: I haven't heard of that either. Sorry.
Q One more question on Stinger missiles. Why is it
the U.S. wants to get these missiles back?
MS. TUTWILER: I would assume that the United States
would think that would be a prudent and responsible thing to do.
But I have just said that it's something we're working towards,
and today I was able to go a little bit further and say that
we're actively working on this.
Q By next week we'll actually know what's going on,
maybe.
MS. TUTWILER: (inaudible)
(Laughter)
Q Why is it prudent to get them back, and what
difference does it make?
MS. TUTWILER: Well, someone obviously thinks it does
make a difference, and it's something that we have addressed,
and that we have addressed -- as far back as September, it's my
understanding -- with the Russians who also said they were going
to work towards what they could possibly do. And so we, it's my
understanding, are actively working on this.
Q Is there some concern that these weapons might
fall into the hands of the Iranians?
MS. TUTWILER: I think that I -- obviously, just to be
totally honest, I do not have a very good answer for you, and
I'm not going to sit here and wing it. It's been very difficult
to get even what we've been able to say about this subject in
the last two days, to be able to say it, and I certainly don't
want to go further than I feel comfortable going, to be honest.
Q Margaret, another question on the Mideast, please.
MS. TUTWILER: Sure.
Q There are reports that Israeli military commanders
in the West Bank are going throughout the municipalities there,
suggesting to Arab leaders that municipal elections might be a
possibility in the future, and that in fact the Israelis plan to
propose municipal elections at the peace talks here in
Washington.
Does the United States feel that municipal elections
would be a good idea?
MS. TUTWILER: We're not going to take a position,
John, to be honest with you. We have seen any number of named
and unnamed officials from the entire region discussing
different things they are or are not coming to the fifth round
with. And we think that it would be, to be honest with you,
irresponsible to give an opinion in advance, since we can't
judge yet until they get here exactly which one of these
proposals, if any, that we have been reading are indeed what
they will be tabling.
The question of the nature and timing of elections is a
matter for the parties to discuss at the negotiating table. We
look to the parties themselves to resolve any differences in
their positions. And I noticed on a wire copy this morning,
Israeli officials who are negotiators are on the record saying
they are not going to discuss any of these rumors or proposals
that are floating around in the press. So it would be hard for
me to give an opinion on something when I don't even know what
they're going to actually put on the table or what they're
coming with.
Q Is it the U.S. position that we don't know what
the Israelis plan to propose here? Is that what you're saying?
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know whether an expert here or
not has in-depth knowledge of exactly what any delegation is
coming with. We obviously stay in constant communication with
them, but that is their perogative and their business. But what
I am saying is that I acknowledge and am aware of the various
press reports of what the -- particularly you've suggested --
Israeli delegation is coming with.
I'm equally aware of, for instance, Yosi Ben-Aharon
who's on the record this morning refusing to discuss any of
this. And he is, as you know, a leading negotiator who's coming
to town. So it would be, in my opinion, extremely irresponsible
for me to start freelancing on, well, maybe they're coming with
this or that.
Q I can understand your unwillingness to discuss it
in a public forum, but it strains credulity to believe that the
United States does not know what the Israelis plan to put on the
table at these talks.
MS. TUTWILER: Not in my mind. The United States goes
to many meetings, and we do not tell in advance of them every
single solitary thing that we plan to discuss with the parties
we're going to meet with. I guess we could have shared before
we met with Tariq Aziz Secretary Baker's brief -- we didn't --
nor did he share with us his. So do we have discussions,
obviously, with the Israelis and with others -- yes. But do I
know of my own knowledge that one of our experts or one of our
officials knows exactly, verbatim, what the Israeli delegation
is coming here with -- I can't tell you that I do know that. I
really don't.
Q As a matter of policy, aren't you in favor -- for
years haven't you been in favor of elections on the West Bank to
implement an autonomy plan?
MS. TUTWILER: What I don't want to get drawn --
Q That's how this all began, didn't it --
MS. TUTWILER: I understand.
Q -- with a proposal for elections.
MS. TUTWILER: What I really want to avoid being drawn
into here -- as you know, right now because the fifth round is
beginning on Monday, there's a lot of speculation, there's a lot
in the press, about what different people are coming with. I'm
going to stick exactly where I am, which is, the question of the
nature and timing of elections is a matter for the parties to
discuss at the negotiating table.
Q All right. Because you were asked about --
specifically about municipal elections. That's a specific form
of election.
MS. TUTWILER: I understand that.
Q But on the principle of elections, when we left
the last round, the U.S. State Department was unhappy and
accused the Palestinians of playing to the media and posturing
and not negotiating autonomy, which is the business at hand.
Now, in a general sense, doesn't the U.S. support
elections as a means of furthering an autonomy plan --
MS. TUTWILER: As a general --
Q Without getting into what kind of elections or
when they should be held.
MS. TUTWILER: Which I will not do.
Q Right. I understand.
MS. TUTWILER: As a matter of general principle, the
United States, of course, supports the principle of elections,
just as we do everywhere throughout the world.
Q Does the U.S. still think the target set in the
original invitation to the Madrid Conference -- the target of
beginning the interim period in the Occupied Territories
approximately one month from the Madrid date -- is that still in
the U.S. view a target?
Q One year.
Q One year, I'm sorry. What did I say? One week?
I'm sorry.
MS. TUTWILER: You said one month. It doesn't matter.
Q One year.
MS. TUTWILER: As far as I know, yes.
Q Margaret, on the multilaterals, can we expect a
formal announcement that the invitations have indeed been sent,
and will you publish the text of the invitations as you did for
the Madrid talks?
MS. TUTWILER: We did for Madrid, but for our various
proposals for the bilaterals, we did not. I haven't asked about
multilaterals. Let me ask. I don't know.
Q Margaret, can we have a list of the people to whom
the invitations will be sent?
MS. TUTWILER: We put that out yesterday.
Q You did?
MS. TUTWILER: Yes. We don't send them to individuals.
It's going to be handled in the same way that the Madrid
invitations were handled, the bilaterals have been handled.
It's the exact same mechanism.
Q (Inaudible) -- Secretary Baker and others in the
Department have put on a successful conclusion of the GATT --
long-going GATT round. Is there disappointment, or what is the
feeling about the fact that they did not seem to have gotten
anywhere yesterday, which was again one of the big days in which
it had been hoped that movement was going to occur?
MS. TUTWILER: I'm going to duck that, Don, and let
Marlin [Fitzwater] handle that question today, which I believe
is what he's doing.
Q Margaret, on Thailand, did --
MS. TUTWILER: Thailand?
Q Release of assistance.
MS. TUTWILER: Excuse me. (TO STAFF) We were supposed
to ask this yesterday. Have we got an answer?
Q And the day before. Is there some message here --
MS. TUTWILER: No.
Q -- that it has taken -- it's been asked four times
over a week and a half?
MS. TUTWILER: Sloppy staff work. We'll get you an
answer. Sorry.
(Laughter)
Q Coming back to the Middle East for a second, on
Iraq: Is there a new U.S. interest in using Iraqi assets to
fund the dismantling operation inside Iraq?
MS. TUTWILER: No. It's my understanding that that
consideration is one of the options that is still being reviewed
and discussed.
Q Is it -- to borrow a phrase from your dealings
with Afghanistan, is it under "active consideration" right now?
Are you actively working on that?
MS. TUTWILER: I think we've been actively working on
what to do about this particular situation, Ralph, for quite
some time, to be honest with you. I don't know that there's any
more urgency to it right now. But I have always characterized
it, to be honest, as active. I mean, it's something that we're
seriously looking at.
Q Margaret, has there been any progress on START?
MS. TUTWILER: Overnight? No.
Q Has there been any further -- did Baker ever talk
with Kozyrev yesterday, as you indicated he might?
MS. TUTWILER: No.
Q How about today?
MS. TUTWILER: He hasn't yet today.
Q Margaret, do you have confirmation of a new Iraqi
assault on Shi'ites in southern Iraq?
MS. TUTWILER: No. We knew about that this morning
through press reports. We are unable to confirm them
independently ourselves.
Q Does the Secretary think that the next contact
with Kozyrev will somehow -- I mean, is he expecting an answer
of some sort that might put this START ratification procedure to
bed?
MS. TUTWILER: That would be a level of detail that
would be unfair for me to characterize for the Secretary. This
is something that he is going to continue to work, and hopefully
he will be able to help, as he's been trying to. It's not only
with the Foreign Minister of Russia, as I've expressed. He is
also dealing with the leadership of the other three countries,
and he will continue to do so.
Q Has he had recent conversations with Foreign
Ministers or perhaps other officials of those other governments?
MS. TUTWILER: Yes, he has.
Q Can you be more specific?
MS. TUTWILER: Yes. He spoke over the weekend to
President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan. He spoke at the end of last
week to President Kravchuk of Ukraine, and around the same time
at the end of last week he spoke -- I believe I'm correct --
with the President of Byelarus.
Q Is he expecting to be speaking with those again as
well?
MS. TUTWILER: Could be. There's nothing set.
Q Thank you.
Q Wait. We have two more here, please.
MS. TUTWILER: No. This gentleman has waited for a
while.
Q He was first, and then I'll go.
Q O.K. Margaret, there was a very detailed report
in the Israeli press that you're setting up a super-economic
cabinet with a $1.5 billion fund to change the nature of the
economy of Israel with George Shultz as its head. Would you
care to comment on that, or could you take --
MS. TUTWILER: First I've heard of it. We're setting
up a super-cabinet here in our government?
Q No. It's a joint --
MS. TUTWILER: I haven't heard about that.
Q -- super-economic cabinet.
MS. TUTWILER: I don't know.
Q A fairly detailed report from a good source in
Israel.
MS. TUTWILER: Really? I don't know. I hadn't heard
about it.
Q Would you look into that one too?
Q Would you look into that?
MS. TUTWILER: We'll be happy to.
Q And on Mexico, do you have any expressions of
sympathy or anything? Any statement you can make on this
Mexican gas explosion? A lot of people died in that.
MS. TUTWILER: Well, yes. Your question to me, though,
was about Americans. But, of course, we are very saddened by
the events that happened in Guadalajara. There are no Americans
that were there which -- maybe I misunderstood you -- I thought
was your question that you asked me. And so, of course, we are.
Q And has the United States formally done anything
with the Government of Mexico?
MS. TUTWILER: No. That was Jan's question, and I said
specifically that on the $25,000 an Ambassador has at his
discretion in emergencies, we have not been asked, and to my
knowledge as of yet, we had not offered that. But my
understanding is a Consular Officer is there, is on the ground,
and is being of whatever assistance he can be.
Q Margaret, just one last question: Do you have any
detail on this Red Cross worker who was killed in Afghanistan?
Any more than you said?
MS. TUTWILER: No, other than he was a male.
Q Who he was killed by? How he was killed?
MS. TUTWILER: Not yet.
Q Thank you.
MS. TUTWILER: Thank you all.
(The briefing concluded at 12:42 p.m.)