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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPC #42
FRIDAY, MARCH 19, 1993, 1:15 P. M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. SNYDER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I'd like to
make one announcement and I've got several statements, and then I'll be
very happy to take your questions.
As you know, on Monday, March 22, Secretary Christopher will be
delivering a major foreign policy address sponsored by the Chicago
Council on Foreign Relations, the Executives' Club and the Mid-America
Committee. His speech will be followed by a question-and-answer
session.
The speech is scheduled for 12:00 o'clock noon Central Standard
Time, which is 1:00 o'clock our time. Barring technical difficulties,
we will be able to pipe the speech and question-and-answer into the
briefing room here for listening purposes only -- that is, there will be
no feeds for broadcast out of here. That will have to be arranged at
the actual address.
As for an advance text, we still don't have definitive word on
when it will be available. We will do our best to get it to you as
quickly as we can.
And, finally, because of the speech we will not have a regular
press briefing on Monday.
An announcement on some patrol boats: As part of the effort to
strengthen the enforcement of sanctions against Serbia and Montenegro,
the United States is providing six 27-foot Boston Whaler patrol boats to
Bulgaria and Romania to bolster their sanctions enforcement capabilities
on the Danube.
Each country will receive three boats. They are equipped with
the latest electronics equipment to permit all-weather operation. The
boats are part of a larger effort, of course, to provide technical
assistance to the states bordering Serbia-Montenegro. These states carry
a double burden. They're on the front-line of sanctions enforcement,
but they also suffer from the inevitable economic dislocation caused by
the disruption of normal trade.
Q Are they armed?
MR. SNYDER: No, they're not armed.
Q The boats will leave Charleston, South Carolina, aboard
the S.S. Stella Lykes on March 19 -- that is today -- and should be
delivered to Constanta, Romania, on April 9. Representatives from the
Romanian and Bulgarian Governments will receive the boats at Constanta.
The U.S. Coast Guard is also sending a team to provide training
on the operation of the boats and river patrol techniques to officials
of both countries.
We commend the Governments of Romania and Bulgaria for their
ongoing efforts to enforce the sanctions in very difficult economic
circumstances. The six patrol boats are intended to increase the
capability of both countries to enforce the sanctions.
Q Who's paying for them?
Q How much do they cost, Joe?
MR. SNYDER: We're paying for them, and I don't have the cost.
Q Can you get that?
Q When do you expect those boats to be operational?
MR. SNYDER: There's a training period. I don't know when
they'll be operational, but the Coast Guard is going to be there about
the time of their arrival. I don't know how long the training is.
Q How many U.S. personnel will be on board those boats while
they're in the Danube?
MR. SNYDER: I don't believe there are going to be U.S.
personnel while they're actually being used. During the training phase,
which will take place on the Danube, there presumably will be Coast
Guard people. And I'll try to find out what the cost is.
Q Also on the subject of sanctions and sanctions busting, do
you have any confirmation of a story about a tanker filled with gasoline
running the blockade?
MR. SNYDER: Sure. Is there anything more on the boats before
we move on to that?
Q What is the purpose of sending patrol boats that are not
armed? What are they supposed to do -- just run circles around the
boats that are --
MR. SNYDER: The purpose is to enable them to patrol the river,
to know better what is going on, to perform normal customs functions, to
do a better job of patrolling their borders.
Q But not necessarily to stop anything, just to sort of
look?
MR. SNYDER: They've go an obligation, as we've talked about.
The Security Council has authorized them to do what's necessary to stop
the people, and this is going to give them a greater capability for
doing that.
Q I'm confused, though. If they're not armed, how are they
supposed to stop anything?
MR. SNYDER: Well, I'm not an expert on how patrol boats
operate, and I'm not sure whether or not they're going to be armed after
they get there. They're not going with armaments.
Q Well, that was the question I was going to ask, whether
the Bulgarian and Romanian operators of the boats -- whether the U.S. is
going to permit Bulgarian and Romanian sailors to be armed or to bring
aboard weapons onto the U.S. boats in use for their patrolling
functions.
MR. SNYDER: I don't know the answer to that. I mean, we're
giving them the boats for them to use as they see fit. Specifically, I
don't know the answer to the question about whether even there's a -- we
have a right to tell them whether they can be armed or not.
Q So we're giving them, not lending them?
MR. SNYDER: That's my understanding, yes.
Q Who do those boats belong to now?
MR. SNYDER: They may be new. I don't know. I really don't
know. They're all identical. They may be newly constructed. I'll see
if I can find out.
Q How big are they?
MR. SNYDER: 27 feet.
Q 27?
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
Q Could we go to the question about the delivery of gas to
Serbia?
MR. SNYDER: We understand that this delivery of gasoline took
place as reported in today's New York Times. The Penelope/East River was
challenged by a frigate participating in the NATO/Western European Union
Interdiction Force. The Penelope was dead in the water, claiming engine
trouble and an injured crew member.
The Penelope/East River refused the frigate's offer of
assistance and was not boarded for inspection. The frigate then moved
off to engage in other sanctions-related activities. The Penelope
proceeded to Bar rather than the Albanian port of Durres, where the
captain said he was bound.
Q How much gas did he have on board?
MR. SNYDER: I don't know, and I gather from the article there
was some question about that. Of course, you know, the amount was
determined when it was unloaded, and it happened in Bar. I don't know.
Q When did this happen? When was it?
MR. SNYDER: Let me get the dates. They're not on here.
Q Is there any follow-up action of any kind?
MR. SNYDER: Yes. We consider this to be a serious violation.
It must be viewed in the context of the overall successful efforts of
the NATO/WEU force to inhibit sanctions violations.
We believe that the Penelope, which is a 1965-vintage oil
tanker, was sacrificed intentionally to make the petroleum delivery.
This demonstrates the drastic measures and high premium price that
Serbia must take to acquire such essential items. The already severely
stressed Serbian economy can ill afford such expensive actions.
The Liberian and Greek Governments have responded quickly to
the violation. The Liberians have issued an order requiring that the
ship remain in the port of Bar until further notice. Its registry
documents are suspended. The Greek Government is actively investigating
this situation. The Greeks are prosecuting captains of ships that have
engaged in similar violations.
Q What do you mean "sacrificed," Joe?
MR. SNYDER: "Sacrificed," meaning this was a one-way trip
basically and they expected there would be trouble, and there has been
trouble. It got in, but it's not a ship that's going to be used again.
Q Suppose it does try to leave?
MR. SNYDER: Well, that's a hypothetical question, but we're
patrolling the Adriatic, and we on similar occasions in the past, the
Dimitrakis was picked up after it had unloaded its cargo. So I would
suspect we would do the same.
Q Did you say that the crew was taken into custody?
MR. SNYDER: No, I didn't. But it's in the port of Bar, which
I guess is in Montenegro. It would be for the Montenegrin authorities
to take the crew into custody. It seems unlikely to me, given the
circumstances.
Q What country challenged the vessel but refused to board
it? Which ship from what country?
MR. SNYDER: It was one of the ships in the international force
-- the NATO/WEU force.
Q The Times says it's a Spanish ship.
MR. SNYDER: The paper said it was a Spanish ship. I don't
have confirmation of that.
Q Joe, where did the gasoline come from, and do you think
that the supplier had reason to know that in fact it was going to break
the blockade?
MR. SNYDER: I don't know where the gasoline came from, but
information we have indicates that the registered owner of the ship is
presently Bellingham Navigation of Monrovia, Liberia. Bellingham
recently purchased the vessel from Horafa Shipping, also of Monrovia.
Horafa is a subsidiary of Tsakos Group of Piraeus, Greece. Bellingham
is a front company for presumed Serbian interests in Greece which are
under investigation.
Q Any port calls prior to going --
MR. SNYDER: I don't know.
Q What's your understanding of the amount of enforcement
that can be used against such a vessel? Could it have been boarded?
MR. SNYDER: Yes. In fact, the NATO and WEU ships have
challenged at least 7,462 suspicious vessels since the blockade began in
December. 420 ships have been boarded and 105 inspected and diverted to
ports in the region because they carried suspicious cargo.
This is the only incident -- well, it's not the only one, but
it's one of a very small number of instances where ships got through
that we're aware of. It has been a large-scale operation. A lot of
ships have been stopped and boarded and inspected and diverted.
Q So are you assigning any blame to authorities on the
scene?
MR. SNYDER: Well, what this suggests is that the system isn't
foolproof. But what we are saying is that it has been a very successful
operation, and there has been one -- this is one instance where it
wasn't successful. But I wouldn't want to draw a conclusion that
because we have this one instance the operation isn't a very good one,
which we think it is.
Q Go now to your other announcement?
MR. SNYDER: Yes. This one concerns Iraq. Today the United
States conveyed to the United Nations a U.S. Government report on
substantiated Iraqi war crimes. We submitted this report in accordance
with United Nations Security Council Resolution 674, which invites
member states to collate substantiated information in their possession
on Iraqi war crimes and to make this information available to the
Security Council.
The report documents the outrageous behavior of Iraqi units and
individuals during the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait between August 1990
and February 1991. The transmission of this report reflects the firm
resolve of the United States Government to ensure that Iraq fully
complies with all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions.
Q Is this the first report of its kind?
MR. SNYDER: No. We provided an interim report on Iraqi war
crimes to the Council in November of 1990. Since that the time, the
Defense Department has done a much more extensive report, which is the
one we're sending in now.
Q Is that available to reporters?
MR. SNYDER: Yes, it will be available. It may take a little
while. We're having some technical problems getting a readable copy.
Q What's going to happen now to the report and to the whole
prospect of war crimes prosecution in Iraq's case?
MR. SNYDER: Well, again we were doing this in response to a
Security Council resolution. The question of an Iraqi war crimes
tribunal is a matter that's under consideration at the moment. I've got
nothing further.
Q Is it under active discussion, though? I mean, it's been
under consideration for a while.
MR. SNYDER: At the U.N., I don't know. Let me check.
Q The Secretary this morning sounded encouraged about the
prospects for an enforcement resolution concerning the "no-fly" zone.
Could you flesh that out a little bit?
MR. SNYDER: Yes, a little bit. Support for a "no-fly" zone
enforcement resolution, which we have consistently supported, has
increased significantly in recent days. An informal Security Council
meeting is being held this morning in New York to discuss a draft
resolution for enforcing the "no-fly" zone over Bosnia-Herzegovina --
enforcing the "no-fly" zone which was created by the Council in October
through Resolution 781. The draft that's circulating is essentially the
same draft that was under discussion two months ago.
The draft resolution as it now stands authorizes member states,
acting nationally or through regional organizations, to take "all
necessary measures" to ensure compliance with the ban on military
flights in the airspace of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The draft resolution
requires that enforcement action be taken under the authority of the
Security Council and subject to close coordination with the Secretary
General.
I would note that this is not yet in its final form -- the
draft resolution. There are several outstanding issues, such as a
waiting period between resolution adoption and any enforcement action.
We anticipate a vote on this enforcement resolution in the near future.
Q How about who would control these aircraft? Is that still
a debatable point?
MR. SNYDER: I'm not sure. My understanding is that the
language says "under the authority of the Security Council and subject
to close coordination with the Secretary General."
Q Which doesn't answer the question of who --
MR. SNYDER: Whose control?
Q Yes -- who is in command. Would it be the United States
that's in command of the aircraft under the umbrella of the U.N., or
would it be NATO?
MR. SNYDER: John, I don't know. That's not one of the items
that I have here. As I say, the resolution is not in its final form,
and that may well be one of the questions that's going to be worked out
as the resolution is completed).
Q The Bosnian Muslims said there was an additional incident
of a violation of the "no-fly" zone on Wednesday evening, I believe. Do
you have anything on that?
MR. SNYDER: I understand there was a letter that was sent by
the Bosnian Government to the Secretary General. We haven't seen a
letter yet. The policy is to circulate such letters to the Security
Council members after they're received.
We have, of course, seen the press reports of bombing attacks
on Wednesday, but we have no independent confirmation of these reports.
Such an attack would fit a pattern of Serb behavior established
when the Secretary General documented Saturday's Serb bombing attack.
Such attacks, of course, are outrageous; and we're taking firm steps in
the Security Council, as I just said, to see that they do not continue.
We repeat our resolve to push for adoption of a "no-fly" zone
enforcement resolution.
Q Will U.S. pilots participate in this enforcement?
MR. SNYDER: If the resolution is adopted by the Council, the
U.S. will do its share in enforcing the "no-fly" zone. For further
details on U.S. military involvement, I'd suggest that you ask the
Pentagon.
Q And what's the Clinton Administration position on the
issue of a waiting period?
MR. SNYDER: I don't want to get into the details of the
positions. That's one of the things that we're negotiating up in New
York right now.
Q Does the U.S. think that enforcement should begin
immediately?
MR. SNYDER: Well, that's the same question. It's one of the
subjects that's still being negotiated, and I don't want to get into it.
Q Is that a change of policy, then? As of last October the
U.S. policy was that enforcement should occur promptly -- I think even
"as soon as possible" was the phrase used then. But as of this moment,
that's no longer the U.S. position?
MR. SNYDER: As of this moment, that's a subject of discussion
in New York right now.
Q Joe, can you indicate more what "near future" means?
Before the end of the day, before the end of next week?
MR. SNYDER: Not likely to be before the end of the day. I can
say that, but nothing more specific.
Q Do you have any further information on whether or not the
U.S. is interested in stepping up its aid to different enclaves, as
requested by the U.N. earlier today?
MR. SNYDER: Of course the Secretary addressed it.
Q He addressed the issue of helicopters.
MR. SNYDER: He addressed the issue of helicopters, that's
right. And let me repeat what he said. We have received a request from
the U.N. for heavy helicopters; and, as the Secretary said, "We will
study a request very carefully, and we'll give careful consideration to
humanitarian measures of that kind."
The other request was for doubling the amount of aid for
Srebrenica. Mrs. Ogata, the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees, sent a
formal request to us, asking us to increase airdrops to Srebrenica to 60
metric tons a day. Mrs. Ogata cited conditions in the city as becoming
increasingly desperate as more refugees continue to flow into the area
and as Bosnian Serbs continue to block UNHCR convoys from reaching the
city.
While the UNHCR would continue to try to get land convoys
through to Srebrenica, Mrs. Ogata sees no current alternative to
increasing the airdrops; and we plan to airdrop more than 60 tons of
relief supplies tonight.
Q Would you say that again?
Q So you are going to dump --
MR. SNYDER: We plan to airdrop more than 60 tons of relief
supplies tonight.
Q That's doubling?
MR. SNYDER: That's doubling, yes. The latest one was 32.7
tons last night -- 32.7 tons of food and 1.4 tons of medical supplies.
Q Also in the request supposedly was a request to have you
make some of the drops in daylight, because that would reduce the
difficulty of these people getting their hands on this stuff. Is that
something the U.S. will consider?
MR. SNYDER: Bob Hall discussed that yesterday in the DoD
briefing, and I don't really have anything further on that.
Q Is this the beginning of an increase, or is it a one-shot
increase?
MR. SNYDER: It's not firmly decided what our rate is going to
be in the future. I wouldn't characterize it as "one shot." I tried to
clarify that, and basically it's future operations. I couldn't get
basically a specific answer on that, but again I think you should check
with DoD. But it's certainly not a "one-shot" deal.
Q Do you know what the purpose of the helicopters would be?
Why do they want those?
MR. SNYDER: I haven't seen the letter or the request that came
in. I can only tell you what I saw on the wires which talked about for
evacuation and for bringing in humanitarian supplies.
Q Do you know how many helicopters are being requested?
MR. SNYDER: No, I don't.
Q Could you find that out?
MR. SNYDER: I'll see if I can find out. I'm not sure the
number was cited, but let me see if one was.
Q Joe, is there any link, in a sense, between the passage of
the "no-fly" resolution and American willingness to use helicopters?
MR. SNYDER: Again, I think that was discussed at the Pentagon
yesterday.
Q It would certainly make it safer for these helicopters,
would it not?
MR. SNYDER: It would, but the purpose of the "no-fly" zone is
to make it safer for all of the U.N. operations. And, of course, the
convoys are by far a much larger operation involving a lot more people
and involving a lot more assistance. That's one of the purposes for --
Q I didn't read the Pentagon briefing, but wouldn't it be
easier for the United States to comply with that request if there were a
"no-fly" zones?
MR. SNYDER: I suppose from a logical point of view, yes.
Q Joe, this may seem like a silly question, but if -- the
thing that's under consideration on helicopters, that would be
helicopters flown by U.S. pilots, is that correct?
MR. SNYDER: I don't know the details. We've got a request
that American helicopters come in. I'll try to get more details on what
the request was. All I can say is that the request is under serious
consideration.
Q If such a request were complied with, or if the U.S.
contributed those helicopters, U.S. helicopter operations of that sort
requires some ground support, do they not?
MR. SNYDER: I think there were about three "if's" in the
question. Let's find out what the request was and what we might have to
say about what we'll do. I don't know. It depends on a lot of "if's;"
it depends on a lot of conditions that certainly aren't clear at this
point.
Q The bottom line question is whether additional U.S. ground
troops, in addition to the ones who are already on the ground in Bosnia,
would be required in eastern Bosnia where the fighting is going on in
order to support U.S. helicopter operations.
MR. SNYDER: That's a question for the Pentagon.
Q Joe, are any helicopters armed?
MR. SNDYER: Why don't you ask the Pentagon? I don't know.
Q And is it your understanding that all the Permanent Five
members are in support of the "no-fly" zone enforcement at this point?
MR. SNDYER: I really don't want to go beyond the
characterization I gave. I don't know the details of how it's working
out on the ground, but we do expect to see a resolution in the near
future. So that would certainly suggest that all Permanent Five members
--
Q A question on the "no-fly" zone, please, if I may.
Earlier this week Iranian jets attacked Kurdish positions in the
northern "no-fly" zone in Iraq. Any new incidents of that, or further
incidents?
MR. SNYDER: Not that I'm aware of.
Q On another front, and also staying with the former
Yugoslavia. In spite of Ambassador Bartholomew's lecturing of the
Serbian leader, and in spite of Security Council warnings and the
resolution, the Serbs have gone on with their offensive, stepping up the
bombardment of Sarajevo, stepping up the ethnic cleansing in eastern
Bosnia. Is there anything further that -- and not only that, but there
are apparently decent reports that these folks are being supplied
directly from Serbia and that some of the troops have come from Serbia
as well as some of those planes maybe.
Is there anything more that we're doing to sort of put a stop
to what's happening on the ground?
MR. SNYDER: Saul, yes. First of all, the "no-fly" zone
enforcement resolution -- we're moving on that and hopeful that we're
going to be getting that soon.
We're stepping up the sanctions, as we've described many times.
We're putting pressure on Serbia to realize that there's going to be a
very heavy price for continued behavior this way.
I would note that we understand from the U.N. that the convoy
to Srebrenica has moved. I saw a wire report just before I came in
suggesting that it had arrived in Srebrenica, which is progress. So
there is a lot going on.
The New York negotiations continue. We are pushing those
negotiations, and we think they're going to be successful.
Let me tell you what I have the negotiations. Ambassador
Bartholomew met twice yesterday with President Izetbegovic. We
certainly understand President Izetbegovic's concern and reason for
suspending his participation in the talks.
We strongly condemn the bombardment of Sarajevo and the Bosnian
Serb military offensive in eastern Bosnia.
During the afternoon meeting, Ambassador Bartholomew and
President Izetbegovic discussed his decision not to participate in the
talks at this time. We continue to believe, and Ambassador Bartholomew
discussed this with President Izetbegovic yesterday, that the best
prospect for a solution remains a negotiated settlement agreed to by all
of the parties.
Ambassador Bartholomew also met yesterday with Serbian-
Montenegrin Foreign Minister Jovanovic and pressed him hard on Serbia's
role in prosecuting the war. He urged an immediate end to the fighting,
recognition of Bosnia-Herzegovina by Serbia, and full access for relief
convoys. He also urged Jovanovic to support and press the Bosnian Serbs
to support serious negotiation and agreement on the basis of the Vance-
Owen plan.
President Izetbegovic has decided not to participate in the
talks at this time, but I would note that he and his delegation remain
in New York. The other delegations also remain in New York.
Q Was there a phrase, in that language you just used, to say
that you condemn what's going on? I would think the State Department
would be outraged as peace talks are beginning and they are dropping a
shell every second on Srebrenica and pounding the daylights out of the
capital city.
MR. SNYDER: John, I said we strongly condemn the bombardment
of Sarajevo and the offensive. It is an outrage. You're absolutely
right.
Q The bottom line, in answer to Saul's question, is the
negotiations are not going on?
MR. SNYDER: The negotiators remain in New York. President
Izetbegovic has suspended his participation. But I would note that one
of the convoys appears to have gotten through in Srebrenica, so that's
--
Q Is the Foreign Minister standing in for him?
MR. SNYDER: Pardon me?
Q Is Silajdzic standing in for Izetbegovic in these
negotiations?
MR. SNDYER: I don't know specifically who exactly is talking
to whom. It was the President who said that he was going to suspend his
participation, but the delegations all remain and he himself remains
there.
Q How does the "no-fly" zone help stop the offensive and the
ethnic cleansing in eastern Bosnia?
MR. SNYDER: Well, part of the offensive apparently was bombing
that we noted over the weekend --
Q Most --
MR. SNYDER: -- and possibly more recently. I think an
enforceable "no-fly" zone would certainly have an impact there. I think
it would also have a strong psychological impact to see aircraft in the
area actively ensuring that violations do not occur.
Q By the way, you mentioned much earlier that support -- and
I think the Secretary said, too -- that support for the "no-fly"
enforcement resolution had increased in recent days. Why has that
happened? Does the U.S. know?
MR. SNYDER: My guess would be that we had these bombing
attacks. You know we've said, and certainly the French and British
Governments have expressed their own reservations about the possibility
of a "no-fly" zone enforcement, and they're now very much actively
involved in it. You should talk to them for a characterization of their
reasons for doing what they're doing.
Q Do you have some details of the Peking working-level
meeting between the United States and North Korea?
MR. SNYDER: Yes. A meeting took place in Beijing yesterday,
March 18, between the two political counselors -- the North Korean and
the American political counselors. The meeting was requested by the
North Koreans to continue our discussions from March 16, and I have no
further details.
Q That is a consecutive meeting, following the `one on the:
17th that was requested by the United States side?
MR. SNYDER: This was a meeting to continue the discussions
that had begun earlier, yes; and it was requested by the North Koreans.
Q Anything from North Korea concerning the IAEA NPT
activity?
MR. SNYDER: I've really got nothing else to say about the
content of the meetings.
Q How many hours did the meeting last?
MR. SNYDER: I don't have any more information on the meetings.
Q (inaudible) expected to the meeting?
MR. SNYDER: Pardon me?
Q Just one day, it is --
MR. SNYDER: There are no additional meetings planned at this
time.
Q Is this the first time that there's been a consecutive set
of meetings between the U.S. and North Korea in the series of 30 that
have happened?
MR. SNYDER: I don't know, Ralph. Let me check and find out.
There may have been a similar kind of arrangement, but I'm not sure.
Q How about Mr. Gallucci's activities?
MR. SNYDER: Yes?
Q With whom, or what kind of discussion he discussed?
MR. SNYDER: Well, on the IAEA meeting, Carlucci's* discussions
were the day before yesterday. The IAEA -- the International Atomic
Energy Agency -- meeting was yesterday in Vienna.
At that meeting, the Board of Governors of the IAEA approved a
resolution that reaffirmed the February 25 resolution that called on
North Korea to comply with its obligations under the NPT -- the Non-
Proliferation Treaty.
The Board scheduled its next meeting for March 31, where the
IAEA Director General will report on North Korea's response to the
February 25 resolution.
We welcome the IAEA Board of Governors' reaffirmation
* See correction on next page of North Korea's obligation to fulfill
its commitments under the NPT and the IAEA safeguards agreement, and we
continue to strongly support these efforts. We look forward to the
Director General's report at the March 31 meeting.
Q You mean Gallucci, not Carlucci; right? You said
Carlucci.
MR. SNYDER: Did I say Carlucci? I meant Gallucci, yes.
Sorry.
Q And did Gallucci suggest any possible next step to take
action for the preparation if North Korea rejects to accept the IAEA
inspection team until the end of the month?
MR. SNYDER: That's going to be for the Board of Governors of
the IAEA to discuss at the next meeting.
Q New subject?
MR. SNYDER: Sure.
Q Can you tell us any more details about the Kozyrev
schedule for next week? When will he be meeting with the Secretary?
Will he be meeting with the President?
MR. SNDYER: No, I don't have anything more on his schedule, to
tell you the truth. He will be here next week. I don't have any more
details.
Q Another subject?
MR. SNYDER: Except what I have in the week ahead, actually.
That's something else.
Q A new subject? Do you have anything more to say today
about Angola and U.S. efforts to bring those parties back together?
MR. SNYDER: There was a report in one of the papers today
about a letter sent by the Secretary to Savimbi. I can confirm
Secretary Christopher sent a letter to Dr. Savimbi and Savimbi has
replied. However, I'm not going to get into discussing the contents of
this particular diplomatic exchange.
That's all I've got. I don't have anything on the fighting.
Q And what about -- there had been reports suggesting that
the United States was trying to have a meeting with Savimbi?
MR. SNYDER: In his radio broadcast on March 9, Savimbi
indicated his intention to send a delegation abroad in the near future
to discuss prospects for renewed dialogue with the government. We
expect such a delegation to leave Angola in the next few days. We're
attempting to arrange a meeting with this delegation at the earliest
opportunity.
Q Where is it going to be?
MR. SNYDER: I'll try to find out. I don't have that.
Q And who is going to meet -- at what level?
MR. SNYDER: I'll try to find that out as well.
Q How far or how close are we or the U.S. Government to
recognize the Government of Angola?
MR. SNYDER: Jacques, the focus of our diplomatic efforts right
now is to get the parties back to the negotiating table.
The question of recognition, of course, is one that's out
there. It has been for some time, but our efforts now are directed to
getting the parties back to the table.
Q Still on southern Africa. Can I ask you for any kind of a
readout on the meeting with Pic Botha this morning? For example, on the
issue of South Africa's compliance with IAEA nuclear safeguard
requirements?
MR. SNYDER: Ralph, I don't have anything. Let me try to get
something for you.
Q I realize that comparisons aren't done, but I imagine that
the U.S. is keeping as close tabs on South Africa's compliance as it
does on North Korea's. It would be interesting to know whether the
United States feels things are moving enough in the right direction to
perhaps justify a movement toward lifting of sanctions.
Q Does the State Department -- back one more question on
Bosnia -- does the State Department have any further comment on the
American soldiers who are in Srebrenica who are spotting the airdrops?
Yesterday there was a denial of that.
MR. SNYDER: Well, today here's what we're going to say about
it. The soldiers with General Morillon are assisting with the airdrop
effort by identifying humanitarian assistance needs in Srebrenica and
relaying this information. They're also forwarding information to the
airdrop command regarding how much of the aid is actually reaching its
intended recipients.
John, these two gentlemen are with General Morillon on his
staff. That's the reason why they're there.
One of the things -- we're working closely with the U.N. on the
whole airdrop effort, and one of the things that General Morillon is
doing to help get supplies through to Srebrenica -- obviously, since
he's there -- is to examine the needs on the ground and to see how
successful the airdrop has been. These Americans are on his staff. In
that capacity, yes, they're doing these things.
I think that's the reason why we had a little confusion
yesterday. They haven't been sent by us to do the airdrops.
Q But they are doing what the government denied they were
doing yesterday?
MR. SNYDER: They are doing what I said they're doing today,
yes.
Q Can you give us their rank and their speciality? Are they
dropmasters or loadmasters, or --
MR. SNYDER: I'm sorry, I don't have the details. You could
check with the Pentagon on that.
Q May I ask you another question about Pentagon action, a
reversal to an older question?
The Pentagon has repeatedly said that the U.S. and its
coalition allies will enforce the "no-fly" zones in Iraq --
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
Q -- including the northern "no-fly" zone. There's been an
incursion four days ago by Iranian aircraft.
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
Q Will the enforcement include the shooting down of Iranian
aircraft if they fly again and invade the northern "no-fly" zone?
MR. SNYDER: Well, again, it's a hypothetical question. Also,
again, I would suggest that you check with the Pentagon because the same
question was asked and dealt with by the Pentagon briefer yesterday.
They're much better at answering questions like that than I am.
Q Joe, coming back to the two soldiers, information about
whom you had a moment ago, are they the only two who are on General
Morillon's staff?
MR. SNYDER: No. There are others. As Richard mentioned the
other day, we have -- what was the number? About 20, as I recall?
Q Yes. He said "20-some."
MR. SNYDER: Twenty-some --
Q Does the United States Government know how many are there?
MR. SNYDER: -- on the UNPROFOR staff; some of whom are with
General Morillon in his headquarters, when he's in his headquarters; and
some of whom, of course, have traveled with him here. Others are
stationed in, I believe, Zagreb and Belgrade.
Q Belgrade is where they --
MR. SNYDER: Kiseljak is their headquarters.
Q Do you have the actual amount, actual information, on how
many there are and where they are?
MR. SNYDER: I don't have the exact number, no.
Q Could you take that question, please?
MR. SNYDER: I'll see if we can do it. It may be that they're
not answering it because it's fluid, because people are rotated in and
out.
Q Yes.
MR. SNYDER: There are a lot of different nationalities
involved, but let me see if I can get something.
Q But there are only two in Srebrenica?
MR. SNYDER: As far as I know, there are only two in
Srebrenica, yes.
Q Other subject?
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
Q Anything on the Middle East invitations? Anything new?
Nothing new there?
MR. SNYDER: Nothing new.
Q There's also a report on AFP this morning quoting Dr.
Haider Abdel-Shafi as saying that Israeli soldiers attempted to
assassinate him by shooting at him in the Gaza.
Q Do you have any comment on that report?
MR. SNYDER: Well, there are varying accounts of the incident,
and we don't have any independent information to confirm any one account
of exactly what happened and who shot whom -- well, we know who was
shot. Unfortunately there was one Palestinian who was killed, but it's
unclear as to who was doing the shooting.
What is clear, however, is that the rising violence in the
Occupied Territories on both sides profoundly endangers the lives of
many innocent people and hope for a just and lasting peace.
Yesterday's incident threatened the life of a courageous man,
Dr. Abdel-Shafi, who has taken personal risks to pursue peace.
Violence and threats must not be allowed to deter his efforts
and those of all the parties to achieve a just, lasting, and
comprehensive peace in the Arab-Israeli dispute.
Q Does the U.S. think that the violence, the rising
violence, also profoundly threatens the future of the Middle East peace
negotiations -- the mere conduct of them? Never mind the settlement.
MR. SNYDER: We think that the violence and threats must not be
allowed to deter efforts at getting a just and lasting peace, and we
think that the talks should go on. It's in the interest of all the
parties for the talks to go on.
Q The PLO yesterday said something about -- called on the
United Nations for protection. Did you ever get a response to that?
MR. SNYDER: Carol, I was out yesterday afternoon. I'm sorry;
I don't know exactly what happened on that. Let me see what I can find
out.
Q There's a report in New York that Josie Hadas, who was the
woman friend of Sallameh and was the apartment leasor that he gave the
telephone number of when he got the van, has fled the country. Have we
asked for any government to trace her down and return her?
MR. SNYDER: That is a question that's directly related to the
investigation that's going on. And as we have consistently refused to
do from the beginning of this incident, we're not going to get into
anything which may impact on the investigation.
Q Has the Justice Department approached the State Department
on this at all?
MR. SNYDER: Just check with the Joint Task Force in New York,
if you've got any questions on the investigation.
Q Thank you.
(The briefing concluded at l:53 p.m.) (###)
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