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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPC #68
MONDAY, MAY 10, 1993, 12:37 P. M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. BOUCHER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. One
administrative announcement. Secretary Christopher will be appearing
before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee tomorrow morning at 10:00
o'clock to testify on START II. The room is 419 Dirksen Senate Office
Building. Given this appearance, we won't be doing a briefing in the
briefing room tomorrow.
Q Ten o'clock, Richard?
MR. BOUCHER: Ten o'clock. 419 Dirksen. START II.
Q What's the alleged subject?
MR. BOUCHER: START II.
Q What's the reason for this hearing?
MR. BOUCHER: Because the Senate has to provide its advice and
consent, and the Secretary is testifying on the treaty.
Q Oh, on the Treaty. So it's just START.
Q Richard, is the United States planning to move forward
with this, even though Russia hasn't acted?
MR. BOUCHER: Carol, I think I'll leave the exciting details
of this to the Secretary's testimony tomorrow.
Q Is Strobe Talbott back from his trip?
MR. BOUCHER: No. He's continuing his trip.
Q When is he due back?
Q Is McCaffrey still out there with him?
MR. BOUCHER: Hang on. Let's see, Strobe -- Ambassador
Talbott is in Kiev May 9-10. He will also visit Yerevan, Baku, Moscow,
Yekaterinburg and Tallinn. I don't think I have the exact dates, but
he's got a few more stops to make before he comes back.
Q He went to Moscow first.
MR. BOUCHER: He went to Moscow first.
Q From Bonn.
MR. BOUCHER: That's right.
Q With General McCaffrey.
MR. BOUCHER: That's right. I don't know if General
McCaffrey's still with him or not.
Q Did any of the Ukrainian high-level officials ever see
him?
MR. BOUCHER: My understanding is he met with senior leaders
of the Ukrainian Government, including President Kravchuk, the Deputy
Prime Minister, the Deputy Foreign Minister and parliamentary leaders.
Q When is he due back?
MR. BOUCHER: I don't have the exact date. I'll get it for
you.
Q As long as we're asking schedule information, is the
Secretary of State going to New York on Wednesday to meet with Boutros-
Ghali?
MR. BOUCHER: John, the Secretary's been looking for an
opportunity to go over a number of issues with the Secretary General of
the United Nations. But at this point whether that takes place in
person and whether it occurs this week are both not firmly set.
Q You know the U.N. announced it today at their mid-day
briefing.
MR. BOUCHER: No, I didn't.
Q No. Well, they did. (Laughter) So --
MR. BOUCHER: I'll see. As soon as something is set from our
side, we'll give you something definitive.
Q Perhaps a fast-moving organization can be matched by the
U.S. Government.
MR. BOUCHER: As I said, it's not certain that it will take
place this week.
Q Any other travel plans for the Secretary?
MR. BOUCHER: Not at this point, Sid.
Q Richard, do you have anything on the diplomatic
activities taking place to forge a united front or united position
concerning the Bosnia situation?
MR. BOUCHER: Yes. We've continued to discuss the Bosnia
question with friends and allies in a variety of ways, both here in
Washington, at the U.N., and in capitals. The Secretary himself over
the weekend spoke with Foreign Secretary Hurd, with Foreign Minister
Juppe, with Foreign Minister Kozyrev, with Belgian Foreign Minister
Claes and with Danish Foreign Minister Petersen.
We continue to discuss with our allies further steps that we
can take together. We're watching very carefully what's going on on the
ground, both in terms of the respect for the cease-fire and in terms of
the cut-off that the Serbian leadership, President Milosevic, announced,
cutting off the supplies to Bosnian Serbs.
As you know, some in Europe have said they want to await the
outcome of the referendum among Bosnian Serbs. And you know as well
that we don't place any particular legitimacy on that referendum, but
certainly the Europeans' desire to see the outcome has to be taken into
account in our calculations.
So we are continuing our consultations. We're continuing our
efforts to define the further steps that the international community can
take together.
Q So, Richard, European allies' hesitancy to go forward
with discussions on military action, where we are agreeing to abide by
that until the referendum -- we are backing off -- we are not going to
continue with action over the next seven days.
MR. BOUCHER: Sid, I guess what I would say is we certainly
don't want to see this time wasted, and we're continuing our discussions
with our European allies. But, as you note, their desire to see the
outcome of the referendum will indeed affect our ability to finalize the
decisions on further steps or they may indeed affect our ability to
finalize the further steps.
During the Secretary's trip, there was clear agreement on the
need for stronger measures should the Bosnian Serb side reject any
prospects of reaching peace under the Vance-Owen plan or reaching a
negotiated settlement. We've been consulting on just exactly what steps
we should take, what steps we can take, in concert with our allies. So
we're continuing those consultations.
Q But certainly in marked contrast to the mood on the
aircraft on the way home from Europe last week, where it was anticipated
-- and, in fact, a senior Administration official said that it was most
likely that some sort of very definitive action, either going to the
U.N. or whatever, would happen in the next few days. And now there's
this radical mood swing on the part of the Administration. Is that
because the Europeans have just resisted mightily over the weekend, or
what's happened here?
MR. BOUCHER: John, as I said, the Europeans, you know, do
have this referendum in mind. And while we certainly continue to press,
we continue to want to move forward to decisions on just what exactly
the steps are that we could take together, we do indeed want to take
these actions in concert with our allies. They have agreed on further
measures. Should the Bosnian Serbs reject the prospect of reaching a
negotiated settlement, then we will continue to pursue this.
Q They've agreed on further measures or the need for
further measures?
MR. BOUCHER: They've agreed on the need for further measures,
and we have to define just what those measures should be.
Q Since you're watching it so closely, what is your
assessment at the moment of the Belgrade Serb cut-off of the Bosnian
Serb supply line?
MR. BOUCHER: O.K. Let's see what we know there. As you
know, President Milosevic, the Serbian President, has said that the
border between Serbia and Bosnia will be closed. The results at this
point are mixed. We understand yesterday that an official of the
Bosnian Serb government apparently was able to enter Serbia after some
delay at the border.
The responsibility for ensuring that there is no transit of
goods across this border, no support for the Bosnian Serb side, lies
with the Serbian leadership and lies with Milosevic.
Ambassador Bartholomew talked to President Milosevic, I think
it was on Friday, to make clear our view that this responsibility lies
in President Milosevic's hands, and that we expect to see it carried
out. So I don't have a definitive judgment at this point, Ralph.
Q I apologize, but who did Bartholomew speak with on Friday
about that?
MR. BOUCHER: Milosevic.
Q With Milosevic.
MR. BOUCHER: Right.
Q There must be some read on the traffic across the bridges
or something. I mean, that's fairly observable activity.
MR. BOUCHER: As I said, we don't have a definitive read one
way or the other. There are some reports of things being held up.
There are other -- and slower traffic. There are other indications of
some people who were -- who they originally said would not be allowed to
cross have indeed crossed, so there's no judgment --
Q People. You mentioned just this one official.
MR. BOUCHER: Yes.
Q That's one person, but what about goods? Are those --
MR. BOUCHER: Again, at this point I really don't have a
definitive read on it.
Q Would it help if there were independent international
observers allowed at that boundary to observe the crossing situation?
MR. BOUCHER: Certainly it would, and I think you've seen the
European Community came out today with a statement or decision to try to
do that; and that's certainly something that could be useful.
Q Did Ambassador Bartholomew talk with President Milosevic
about that? Did he urge Milosevic to allow observers to be deployed
along that border?
MR. BOUCHER: They talked on Friday, so it was before the EC
decision.
Q Well, but is it the U.S. view that those observers would
be a good idea, and did the U.S. convey that view to Milosevic on
Friday?
MR. BOUCHER: Let me double-check and see if I can get that
for you.
Q Richard, what's the purpose of the Secretary's trip to
the Hill this afternoon?
MR. BOUCHER: He's going up to meet with members of the
Senate, and I can't remember if it's the House as well, but to discuss
Bosnia.
Q He's meeting with the Intelligence Committee, isn't he?
MR. BOUCHER: Let me double-check. I didn't bring my
schedule. I don't think they identified who it is.
Q Is it a report on his trip or looking forward to further
steps?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I think any conversation at this point
would involve both.
Q Richard, back on the sequencing of this referendum that's
suddenly holding things up. Thursday morning in Brussels, Secretary
Christopher says the thing has no legitimacy -- the referendum.
MR. BOUCHER: That continues to be our view.
Q And then he has rounds of meetings there, and then he
goes on to Bonn, and he has rounds of meetings there; he talks by phone
with the French Foreign Minister, and then on Thursday night we talked
to a senior official who says, "We're close to closure." And then, all
of a sudden, people come back here over the weekend and this referendum
-- which everybody in the State Department was aware of when this senior
official was saying we're close to closure -- is now all of a sudden a
milestone that has to be passed before you can get to any further
action. And I just don't quite understand the sequence.
MR. BOUCHER: Well, David, without trying to comment on senior
officials, I think the point I'm making today is we want to continue to
press forward, and we have indeed continued our consultations with
allies, knowing the views that they all expressed during the course of
last week, their understanding and indeed agreement that should the
Bosnian Serbs reject a negotiated settlement that stronger measures were
indeed required. We have been trying to move with them towards
agreement on the stronger -- on the further steps that we can take
together.
We have made very clear all along that we think that this
policy -- these steps have to be multilateral ones, and that's what
we're trying to reach closure on -- an understanding with our allies.
Now, as a practical matter, they are making clear in our
consultations that some of them wish to await the results of this
referendum before they reach closure with us, before they agree with us
on the specific further steps that we can take. So we've set up the
situation, but as a practical matter it appears that they will want to
await the results of the referendum before we can agree on final steps.
Q But that was all on the table Thursday night. What
happened to change things? I mean --
MR. BOUCHER: Well, we've had further -- I think I've
recounted to you that we've had a number of discussions since Thursday.
We've continued our consultations with the allies. We've continued to
try to move forward. But at this point, I think, given that some of
them want to await the results of the referendum, I can't predict
exactly when we might be able to reach agreement with them.
Q So you met new resistance that you had not met before?
That's what you appear to be saying. In the course of these
consultations over the weekend, there was a new wave of resistance by
the allies to moving forward?
MR. BOUCHER: John, again, I think -- you know, I've tried to
characterize the situation for you as we stand today in a fairly upfront
and honest fashion. We stand today with the United States trying to
continue our discussions -- or continuing our discussions with other
governments, but with the full knowledge that some of those governments
want to wait until after the referendum.
Q So you didn't answer my question. Over the weekend did
you encounter a new wave of unhappiness on the part of the allies about
the direction that things have been going? That's apparent.
MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I want to try to characterize the
views of our allies. This is something that we've continued to raise
and will continue to raise in our consultations.
Q But your feeling is that there's something internal
within the U.S. Government here other than the allies' feelings about
the referendum, since the allies' feelings about the referendum could
have been expressed before this weekend, and I'm sure were.
Yet you hear the sound of brakes going on all over town on
this thing. Has something changed about the U.S. Government's attitude
toward these stronger steps, including military action?
MR. BOUCHER: David, I think the best I can do for you on that
is to describe the U.S. Government's attitude, which I think you'll find
remarkably similar to our attitude before. We believe that with the
Bosnian Serbs rejecting -- with the Bosnian Serbs rejecting the
prospects for a negotiated solution, rejecting the Vance-Owen plan, that
further steps are required; that stronger measures are necessary.
Q Including military action?
MR. BOUCHER: Including military action. We have discussed
possible steps with our allies. We are looking to reach agreement with
our allies on the steps that we can take together. We've made clear all
along that we want to take these steps together. That is the
environment that we're operating in, and part of that environment at
this point is the allies' desire -- the desire on the part of some of
our allies to await the results of the referendum.
Q Richard, might this breather have something to do with
the President's meeting on Saturday with the Secretary of State? Having
heard a report from the Secretary, perhaps the President decided that a
breather was in order?
MR. BOUCHER: You'll have to ask the White House about the
President's decisions. But, yes, there was a meeting Saturday to review
where we are. There were a number of further consultations with allies,
and these will continue.
Q Can you tell us whether as a result of that meeting it
was decided -- I know you aren't going to say whether the President
decided or not, but as a result -- that was one of the events you didn't
mention in your summary of the Secretary's consultations over the
weekend. Is it possible that --
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I'll leave it to the White House to
mention those sorts of meetings which you're all familiar with.
Q Is it possible that after the consultation with the
President, it was decided by the U.S. Government that there was no point
in pushing -- pressing harder or pressing forward until after the
referendum?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, Ralph, I guess what I'd point out to you
is the Secretary, as I described it, made a number of phone calls over
the weekend. They were all made, as far as I know, after the meeting
with the President.
Q And is there any -- they were all made after the meeting
with the President. Is there any relationship of this attitude today
versus the attitude last week? Is there any relationship to that and
the President's decision, apparent decision and an announced decision to
"refocus" his attentions on U.S. domestic matters?
MR. BOUCHER: I hadn't seen that announcement, Ralph, but I
would just say that, you know, we've laid out what the policy is. The
Secretary pursued this last week. The Secretary pursued this over the
weekend, and we'll continue to pursue it.
Q Well, just to go back a little bit in history one more
time. The Secretary said while standing in front of NATO that what
happened -- the rejection by the Bosnian Serb parliament -- would cause
the United States to refocus its energy, intensify its efforts to bring
about the policy which the President has not yet announced, but which
would bring further pressure on the Bosnian Serbs. So that statement is
now null and void?
MR. BOUCHER: No, I wouldn't say that statement's null and
void, John. Last week you saw the Secretary talk to over half of the
NATO Foreign Ministers last week. Over the weekend he talked to many of
them again -- four, five or six of them. We've continued our discussions
with other governments.
As I said, we're directing our focus at trying to reach
closure with these other governments on steps that we can take together,
on specific steps that we can take together. As a practical matter, the
environment that we're operating in involves the desire on the part of
some of the Europeans to await the results of the referendum.
Q Well, Richard, does the Secretary still feel that the
results of the Serb parliament decision are going to bring about a
dramatic shift in opinion in Europe, as he said last week?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, I guess, John, you know -- certainly the
understanding with other governments that stronger measures are
necessary has been -- was made clear by the trip last week. The
decisions on exactly what steps we can take have not been taken, because
we're still in discussions with our allies. We want to do this
multilaterally.
I guess at this point it's clear that awaiting the results of
the referendum is in one way a desire on the part of our allies to await
a determination on the final rejection of that. We think that the
rejection of the political process, the rejection of the negotiated
process, indeed should and will, when that determination is made, lead
to a different change in the climate.
Q Would you agree that a decision to put off a decision is
hardly a dramatic shift in opinion?
MR. BOUCHER: John, I think I would tend to agree that at this
point it seems that those who want to wait for the referendum have not
made the determination that the Bosnian Serbs have indeed rejected the
negotiating track. We think that that rejection to us at least is
clear; that that determination can and should be made at this point.
We understand that they want to wait, I guess, to make that
determination until after they see the results of the referendum. But
it was clear in the consultations we had last week and in the statements
we made last week that the other governments to which we talked were
clear in their understanding that should the Bosnian Serbs reject the
negotiating track, that stronger measures would be necessary.
Q Just to follow up on Jack's question, at that same stake-
out, the Secretary also said that since Karadzic had conditioned his
signature to the Vance-Owen plan with acceptance of it by the
parliament, legally speaking the initial signature was now no good.
Therefore, can the United States -- based on that statement,
can the United States accept the results of this referendum, even if
they are positive, as being binding on any of the parties?
MR. BOUCHER: We don't see those results as legitimate. We
don't see that referendum as legitimate in a whole variety of ways. We
have made clear our view, as the Secretary did last week, that that
referendum has no legitimacy; that the outcome in the Bosnian Serb
parliament made null and void the signature on the Athens documents, and
that remains our view. As I said very frankly to you earlier, that does
not appear to be the view of some of our friends and allies.
Q And we may be forced to bless something that we think is
not a binding document, because of --
MR. BOUCHER: Sid, it's not really for us a question of
legalisms, as much as it is a question of the actual circumstances on
the ground. If the Serbs stop the aggression, if the Serbs stop the
shelling, if the Serbian Government does indeed cut off supplies to the
Bosnian Serbs, then we would expect to see a change in the situation.
That, in the end, is what this is all about.
Q Richard, what kind of message do you suppose the
Administration's current vacillation sends to the Bosnian Serbs? Would
you think they would be shaking in their boots and more likely to want
to end this war when they watch the vacillation of the allies and the
U.S. Government on this issue?
MR. BOUCHER: First of all, John, I can't agree with your use
of -- your characterization of our situation right now. It is clear
from the Secretary's consultations last week that the allies agreed with
us that should the Bosnian Serbs reject a peaceful course, that stronger
measures would be necessary and indeed would be taken.
We have not yet agreed on precisely what measures those should
be, but that is something that emerged from the consultations as being
clear. It is clear that we in the international community expect the
Serbian leadership to live up to its pledges of cutting off support for
the Bosnian Serbs, and it is clear from the position of the
international community that we expect the cease-fire to be respected.
We're watching very carefully all those things, and we are
indeed continuing our discussions with allies.
Q Richard, on that cease-fire document, some of the reports
in the last 24 hours say that new fighting, which has broken out in
parts, involves the Croats. Do you now think that it was a mistake not
to have included Croatia in the cease-fire agreement?
MR. BOUCHER: Jim, as you point out, my understanding is the
cease-fire is one between the Bosnian Government and the Bosnian Serbs.
That cease-fire appears to be holding. Sarajevo was relatively quiet
last night. There was only sporadic small arms fire reported and little
shelling.
The Bosnian Serbs reportedly did attack Doboj in northern
Bosnia, Tuzla in northeastern Bosnia, Gorazde in eastern Bosnia, and the
area around Bihac in northwestern Bosnia on Sunday. There are no
reports that these attacks are continuing today. So, therefore, today
we conclude that it generally appears to be holding.
Now, the fighting between the Bosnian Croat and the Bosnian
Government forces in Mostar started on Sunday morning and continues.
There are strong indications that ethnic cleansing by the Bosnian Croats
is taking place. Bosnian President Izetbegovic has called upon Croatian
President Tudjman to do what he can to stop the fighting.
As you know, we've earlier expressed our concern about
fighting between the Bosnian Croats and the Bosnian Government directly
to President Tudjman. We've urged him to exercise his influence with
the Bosnian Croats to stop it. We will continue to raise this issue
with President Tudjman. We're also in direct contact with Mr. Boban,
the Bosnian Croat leader, about this situation.
The United Nations is on the ground there working to try to
bring this fighting to an end, and we certainly think it's important
that they succeed in their efforts.
Q Well, is there any thought of expanding the existing
sanctions which apply to Serbia and Bosnian Serbs to the Croats in light
of these events?
MR. BOUCHER: At this point I haven't heard of any new
proposals in front of the United Nations.
Q Richard, coming back for just a second to the Secretary's
anticipated consultations with Boutros-Ghali, which I realize you aren't
confirming at the moment, but you said, I think, that he has wanted to
talk with Boutros-Ghali about a number of things for some time.
Is it the State Department's position that the Secretary would
meet with him on a wide variety of issues, or is this a consultation on
Bosnia? Is Bosnia the headline, and then other things fall under it?
MR. BOUCHER: You can decide what the headlines are, but
there's a whole series of issues that have to do with the United Nations
that the Secretary and the Secretary General would be expected to talk
about when they next talk, whether it's in person or whether it's on the
phone or whether it's this week or some other time: Haiti, Somalia, the
issue of peacekeeping, as well as Bosnia all come to mind.
Q The reason I ask is I was trying to get an idea. You've
been pretty careful to outline what the Secretary has done in the last
couple days, three/four days of consultations. Does he have plans for
this week? And, if so, can you be any more specific about other
consultations he intends to pursue this week on the subject of Bosnia,
either with the allies or with other members of the U.N., perhaps other
parties around the world on this subject?
MR. BOUCHER: Ralph, we've been keeping in touch in a variety
of ways, both at the Secretary's level, Ambassador Bartholomew, and
through our embassies with other governments, and continue to discuss
these issues. So those consultations will continue. I can't predict
exactly what will take place at his level, what will be in the form of
phone calls or messages.
Q But there isn't anything formal laid on at this point for
him to either hold meetings or have phone conversations with anyone
specific on this subject?
MR. BOUCHER: I'd have to look back at his schedule to see if
there are any specific meetings scheduled.
Q The reason I ask is that falls in the category with the
Boutros-Ghali meeting of putting Bosnia in a bag with a lot of other
things that need to be discussed at the moment, as distinct from the
situation it was in last week when the Secretary was clearly devoting
probably 95 percent of his time to that issue.
MR. BOUCHER: Ralph, it continues to be an important issue
that's before us, that's before the international community, and we're
continuing to work with other governments in a whole variety of ways.
Q The EC invited the U.S. and Russia to send troops to safe
havens. What is the U.S. --
MR. BOUCHER: Was that in the statement today?
Q Yes.
Q It was certainly in the wire stories.
MR. BOUCHER: I haven't seen those stories. I don't have
anything for you at this point.
Q Give us the U.S. position on sending troops to protect
safe havens.
MR. BOUCHER: At this point, David, I don't think I want to go
into any more detail on our views of any particular option. As you
know, we carried out some consultations last week with the Europeans on
the direction that the President has set. At this point, we haven't
tried to get too detailed in the pros and cons of individual options.
Q Do safe havens -- does sending troops to protect safe
havens fall within the blanket prohibition that the President has laid
down against sending U.S. combat troops?
MR. BOUCHER: David, it's very enticing to try to apply those
rules in specific situations, but I think I have to stay away from
specific options at this point.
Q But has there been any change in that prohibition?
MR. BOUCHER: No.
Q What do you know about the situation in Zepa? Anything
left there to protect?
MR. BOUCHER: I think we really don't have much more than the
press reports at this point. The city has apparently sustained serious
damage. There are some Muslim inhabitants that remain in the city. I
think we've seen press reports that put those at small numbers.
The French and Ukrainian troops should arrive in Zepa today to
begin implementing Security Council Resolution 824 in regard to that
city. So we may see more information from them fairly shortly.
Q Didn't the discussions over the weekend -- the Secretary
spoke to Kozyrev. Did the Russians -- you said the Europeans want to
wait for the referendum. Do the Russians feel the same way?
MR. BOUCHER: I'll leave it to individual governments to
characterize their views.
Q The Greek TV, MEGA, and the Greek daily newspaper,
Kathimerimi, in Athens, reported over the weekend that the U.S.
Government, in retaliation for the Lalas espionage case, is going to
expel a number of Greek diplomats from the Greek Embassy here in
Washington, D.C.
Can you confirm this? And as a matter of record, could you
please, once again, clarify the U.S. position for any political
implication of this matter at this stage in the relations between Greece
and the United States of America?
MR. BOUCHER: As far as the U.S. position on this matter, I
think that was characterized last week, and I won't bother repeating
that.
As far as the question of whether we intend to expel any Greek
diplomats, I'll check and see if there's anything I can say on that.
Q I don't recall the U.S. position being expressed. There
were some comments made about his activities -- some limited comments --
and then there was a blanket refusal to comment on the case because of
it being in judicial status, none of which has anything to do with the
relationship between Greece and the United States. I may have missed
something, but is there --
MR. BOUCHER: I may have missed something, too, Ralph. I'll
see if there's anything further we can say about it.
Q Maybe you can look and see whether there's anything to be
said about the relationship between Greece and the U.S. following this
incident?
Q Richard, could I ask about Haiti, please. Richard,
Richard --
Q Can I just get my question in on the discussion with
Kozyrev? Can you tell us anything further about that? Was it confined
only to Bosnia issues?
MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't have anything further about that.
Q Assistant Secretary Winston Lord was announced to travel
to East Asian countries -- Singapore, (inaudible), Japan, Thailand,
Cambodia, and China where he will discuss non-proliferation matter, that
presumably should have included North Korean nuclear matters.
But in his long schedule, Seoul is dropped in the travel
schedule. So do you know why Seoul is dropped from his long travel
schedule? It seems quite natural that for discussing the North Korean
matter, he should have stop in Seoul, Korea.
MR. BOUCHER: I don't know that Seoul was ever on the travel
schedule. I'll try to get you his schedule. I would point out that
Under Secretary Tarnoff was just in Seoul not too long ago. So we've
had very close contacts with our Korean allies on all these issues.
I think he just arrived in Beijing and has meetings there
starting tomorrow.
Q Do you have any developments concerning U.S.-North Korean
high-level talks? They have offered that kind of --
MR. BOUCHER: At this point, I have nothing new on the
question of higher level discussions. We are willing to meet with North
Korea to help resolve the current situation that results from the
actions that North Korea has taken in the nuclear area. As you know,
it's our intention to support the international community's call for
North Korea to abide by their obligations.
We've had a 33rd meeting of the political counselors in
Beijing. That meeting took place on May 10.
Q And just one more, please. Do you have any discrepancy
of policy attitude toward North Korea, between the Korean Government and
the United States?
MR. BOUCHER: We coordinate very closely with our South Korean
allies, and I'm not aware of any differences of opinion in that regard.
Q The other day the Korean Government announced that the
United States and North Korea would have a high-level talk headed by
Secretary Tarnoff, and you did not confirm that matter. Did the Korean
Government give some explanation for that matter to your government?
MR. BOUCHER: At this point, I just have to tell you that I
really don't have anything further for you on any meetings. There's no
meeting that's been scheduled. But, as I said, we're willing to have
such a meeting.
Q There's a report that the United States and some allies
are interested in going to the Security Council with a proposal for a
500-member international police force for Haiti. Do you have anything?
MR. BOUCHER: George, at this point, there's nothing formal
before the Security Council. There's no resolution that's been
introduced or much less passed.
We see the U.N. and OAS presence in Haiti as having a positive
role in promoting respect for human rights and deterring political
violence. At the U.N., a number of members have been consulting
recently on ways to strengthen the international presence. One of these
options under discussion would entail the deployment of international
police monitors. These police could be helpful in efforts to
professionalize the Haitian police and would, by their presence, promote
security and confidence. This would reinforce and be helpful to any
future political settlement.
The deployment of international police monitors under U.N.
auspices would require U.N. Security Council approval. At this point,
the size of the force is not set, or the size of the police monitors is
not set. This is an idea that we've been discussing with others that we
would certainly support, although there's been no decision made about
how the United States might participate.
Q Can you say (inaudible) to a U.N. resolution?
MR. BOUCHER: It would have to come through a U.N. resolution;
yes.
Q We would support, including manpower?
MR. BOUCHER: We would support the deployment of international
police monitors for the reasons that I gave you, but no decisions have
been made about whether or how the United States might participate.
Q Is that "whether" or "how"? Because earlier you just
said on "how."
MR. BOUCHER: It's "whether or how."
Q Returning to Bosnia for one second: Can one presume if
there is a rejection by the plebiscite or the referendum by the Bosnian
Serbs, that after next weekend the U.S. Government will come back to
life again and start pushing in a public and intense way on the measures
which the Secretary was pushing last week and which now have sort of
been held in abeyance? Is that the strategy?
MR. BOUCHER: John, I don't think you've characterized my
remarks today quite accurately. But, nonetheless --
Q Be that as it may.
MR. BOUCHER: Be that as it may, between us. We continue to
believe that rejection by the Bosnian Serbs of the negotiated path
should, can, will indeed lead the international community to move
forward on further steps. There was agreement in the Secretary's
consultations last week that a rejection like that would indeed cause
the international community to agree on further steps. We made some
progress in discussing that during the course of last week's
consultations.
At this point, we are still discussing what specific further
steps can be taken. Certainly we would expect that should others reach
the same conclusion as we have, that that would galvanize the
international community to further action. But it's something that we
continue to pursue, that we will continue to discuss this week.
As the Secretary -- I think we made clear during the course of
our discussions last week, we don't wish to see this time wasted. We
don't wish just to wait for the referendum. Indeed, we don't see any
purpose in waiting for a referendum that we see as illegitimate.
We do want to move forward with this. We do want to try to
reach agreement with the allies on the specific steps we can take, and
we'll continue those efforts.
Q Wait a minute. You are wasting time, though. By your
own admission, until the referendum is history, you are forced into
wasting time, aren't you?
MR. BOUCHER: As a practical matter, we do see a number of
governments that want to await the results of the referendum. That's
the environment that we're operating under.
Q How can this time be used? In what way could this time
be used and not wasted? Should the decisions be made before the
referendum?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, as we've said before, Ralph, we think the
decision should be made, indeed, without waiting for the referendum, and
that's the course that we'll continue to pursue.
Q Is the U.S. taking any steps to make that happen, or
calling a meeting, or anything like that?
MR. BOUCHER: We're continuing our discussions. We continue
discussions with allies in a whole variety of levels.
Q Richard, you said you haven't seen the EC statement
today, so let me ask this question in terms of the way Europeans have
put it, even before that. Do you agree with the point that some
Europeans have made, that the United States really would have moral and
political authority in this matter if the United States had troops
participating along with European troops on the ground?
MR. BOUCHER: Doyle, I think the United States, first of all,
has some personnel on the ground; small numbers compared to the
deployments that others have in UNPROFOR. We have a role in virtually
everything that's going on in Bosnia, whether it's delivering
humanitarian supplies or enforcing the "no-fly" zone. We've made clear
that we're prepared to engage in the implementation of a Vance-Owen
plan, including with military forces. So I think the United States has
made clear that it's willing to participate in these steps.
Q Richard, on another subject: Has the State Department
been informed that the Palestinians are going to cut back the size of
their delegation to the Washington talks?
MR. BOUCHER: We've been in touch with the Palestinians and,
of course, the other delegations involved in the talks. I leave it to
them to describe their delegations. We understand that the meetings are
still scheduled; that the Palestinian side is expected to meet with the
Israelis this afternoon.
Q Would you find it objectionable if the Palestinians were
to cut from 14 to, say, three?
MR. BOUCHER: That's what I would call a hypothetical, Jim.
I'm not going to try to address that at this point.
Q Because that's what they've announced in Tunis.
MR. BOUCHER: The meetings are still scheduled this afternoon,
and we certainly encourage the parties to continue to make progress.
They've been discussing some of the difficult -- some of the core issues
involved in these talks, and that's something we continue to encourage,
promote, and hope they continue at.
Q On the plot to kill former President Bush: Just about
ten days ago, the Secretary indicated that he hadn't even heard of it or
barely heard of it. From the podium, there was expressed a need to
investigate. Where do things stand now?
MR. BOUCHER: The Secretary, I think at that point, didn't
have any information other than what had appeared in press reports. We
got more information from the Kuwaiti authorities. I think it was April
27th. We've been evaluating that information. The investigation is
ongoing. The Secret Service and the FBI are working with the Kuwaiti
authorities on the investigation, but the investigation is continuing.
Q The U.S. has strongly-held and expressed views on Iraq's
role in terrorism and, in fact, just issued a report on terrorism only a
few weeks ago -- a report issued after this incident took place,
incidentally.
What is the U.S. view of what the international community
ought to do, or more directly, what the U.S. ought to do in light of
such a plot being disclosed?
MR. BOUCHER: At this point, Ralph, since the investigation is
continuing, I don't think it would be appropriate for me to speculate on
what we might do depending on the conclusions that are reached.
Obviously, we'll determine what the proper course of action is
to take once the investigation is complete.
Q Is there some doubt -- is there any doubt in the U.S.
Government's mind at this point, at this stage in the investigation,
that there's a concrete attempt to assassinate President Bush?
MR. BOUCHER: Ralph, the investigation is ongoing. It just
wouldn't be appropriate for me to try to draw conclusions one way or the
other at this point.
Q Well, you wouldn't have draw conclusions to go that far.
Conclusions about who did it and who is responsible for it is one thing.
The issue of whether one existed is something that you ought to be able
to answer at this point.
MR. BOUCHER: Ralph, as you know, we have a very strong policy
of not trying to interfere in any way in investigations or drawing any
premature conclusions, and I just can't do that for you today.
Q What about the American held in Iraq? Anything new on
that case?
MR. BOUCHER: He is still being held in Iraq. There have been
really no new developments.
We understand our Polish protecting power was to have seen him
yesterday. We're not sure if that took place. They last saw him on May
3.
Since his detention, we've made demarches to the Iraqis
through the Poles, through our Mission to the United Nations, through
the Iraqi Interests Section in Washington, all pressing for the release
of Mr. Beaty immediately.
We remain in touch with Iraqi authorities with the aim of
getting him released. The International Committee of the Red Cross has
also requested that Mr. Beaty be released on humanitarian grounds, and
we understand the appeal of his sentence for illegal entry is still
pending.
Q Which leads me to ask, has the United States been in
touch with the Government of Iraq concerning the plot to assassinate
President Bush in any way? Have you made any demarches on that score,
discussed it at all?
MR. BOUCHER: Once again, Ralph, I think that's a matter that
does involve something under ongoing investigation, and I really can't
get into it at this point.
Q Well, you've said publicly that the Kuwaiti Government
informed you about this matter on April 27. Since April 27, has the
U.S. Government talked with the Government of Iraq about the information
it received from the Kuwaiti Government on April 27?
MR. BOUCHER: I'll see if we can get you an answer on that.
Q Any development on the Cambodian situation?
MR. BOUCHER: Overall, I think I have a little bit of new
information. I think Joe Snyder, last week, went into some of the
incidents that we're aware of.
In the past week, there were a number of cease-fire violations
and attacks on U.N. personnel in Cambodia. Most recent was on May 7
when a group of armed men attacked the U.N. Transition Authorities
office in Kompong Speu Province. The group fired mortars, rockets, and
small arms towards the compound. Four Bulgarian soldiers were injured,
as were a Columbian U.N. civilian policeman and a Cambodian guard.
During the attack a Filipino civilian policeman died of a heart attack.
According to the U.N. Transition Authority, the Khmer Rouge
were responsible for last week's attack near Angkor Wat. They're
strongly believed to be responsible for a number of other attacks in the
past week. The U.N. is still investigating some of the other incidents,
including the May 7 attacks.
We condemn in the strongest possible terms these direct
attacks by the Khmer Rouge against U.N. personnel. There have also been
a number of other incidents of political intimidation, including
killings of party workers since the election campaign began on April 7.
The Phnom Penh authorities appear to be responsible for many of these
incidents. We issued a statement on April 30 deploring these types of
incidents and calling on all parties to take steps to punish any who
engage in these illegal activities.
Our policy remains the same. We believe that elections can
and should go forward. The Secretary General has indicated the United
Nations will move ahead with election as scheduled, and we continue to
fully support the U.N.'s efforts to hold the elections.
Q And Japan is reported to consider a possible withdrawal
from UNTAC command in Cambodia because of the recent violations of the
Khmer Rouge. Have you had any discussion of that matter with the
Japanese Government?
MR. BOUCHER: We have been in touch with a number of
governments on the issue. We're aware, certainly, and regret the recent
death of a Japanese civilian policeman, but we understand that Japan
remains fully committed to supporting the effort in Cambodia.
Q So you do not expect any possible withdrawal -- Japanese
withdrawal -- from the U.N. --
MR. BOUCHER: As I said, we understand the Japanese Government
remains fully committed to supporting that effort.
Q One more little tidying up on the Iraq communications
matter. Lest the question be rewritten in such a way as to produce a
very narrow answer, you provided extensive details on the channels for
communication with the Iraqi Government and, in some cases, the number
of communications on the issue of the U.S. citizen who is being held
there. I would like to know not only whether the U.S. has communicated
with Iraq on the subject of the plot to assassinate a former U.S.
President, but also through what channels and to what extent the effort
has taken place?
I realize you haven't promised an answer, but I'd like to
phrase the --
MR. BOUCHER: If we can get you an answer, we'll try to get
you those elements of detail as well.
Q Thank you.
(Press briefing concluded at 1:23 p.m.)
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