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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPC #81
FRIDAY, JUNE 4, 1993, 1:16 P. M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. SNYDER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I
apologize for the lateness of the hour. I've got no announcements, and
I'd be happy to take whatever questions you have.
Q Joe, do you have any response yet to the remarks that
Premier Kuchma said in Ukraine about his vision of what Ukraine should
do with nuclear weapons?
MR. SNYDER: Carol, I don't have a specific reaction. Prime
Minister Kuchma's statements, I take it, were made to a closed session
of the Ukrainian Parliament; and we haven't had any independent
confirmation of what he said, and I can't comment directly. I'm not
sure exactly what it was he said.
But, as you know, Minister of Defense Morozov, Minister of
Foreign Affairs Zlenko and President Kravchuk, most recently in
conversations with Ambassador Talbott, have repeatedly assured us that
Ukraine does not intend to seek operational control of nuclear weapons
on its territory.
The Government of Ukraine has pledged to ratify START and to
adhere to the Non-Proliferation Treaty as a non-nuclear weapons state.
We expect that the Ukrainian Parliament will give these treaties full
and expeditious consideration, following through on the commitments made
in Lisbon in 1992.
I should say in this connection, we welcome Foreign Minister
Zlenko's strong statements before Parliament in which he recommended
fulfilling Ukraine's commitments to ratify START quickly and adhere to
the NPT.
Q But, I mean, why haven't you been able to confirm what
his remarks were? Apparently he spoke in that closed session and
deputies seemed to have no problem repeating his remarks to reporters.
Don't we still have an Embassy in Kiev?
MR. SNYDER: Well, my understanding is that they've had no
problem in paraphrasing his remarks. What we haven't seen is exactly
what he said. We've seen secondhand accounts of what he said, and
without knowing exactly what it was -- unlike, I gather, the Foreign
Minister's remarks, which were made in an open session and which were
available.
Q But isn't it possible for the United States officials to
talk with Kuchma himself and verify --
MR. SNYDER: I suppose it is, and I don't know whether they
have or not.
Q Does it concern you at all that he's being quoted as
saying this even though he's given you assurances that he supported
START and NPT and all the rest?
MR. SNYDER: We've gotten assurances which certainly sound
different from what he apparently did say, and those are the ones that
we are listening to and the ones that we have confidence in.
Q But given the political volatility in Ukraine, doesn't
this raise some concern about where the political trend is going?
MR. SNYDER: We've expressed our concerns many times about
remarks we've heard from one group or another in the Ukrainian
Parliament and other Ukrainians from this podium at times in the past.
Of course, we're concerned about remarks which seem to run counter to
the assurances. But we have received assurances from the Defense
Minister and from the Foreign Minister and, of course, from President
Kravchuk quite recently.
Q The U.N. Security Council has apparently voted to
authorize the safe havens situation over the protests of the Bosnian
Ambassador. Do you have any comment, reaction or statement?
MR. SNYDER: Well, literally just before I walked in, I saw
that the resolution had passed. I haven't seen a text of the final
resolution. As we said in our joint statement, we believe the safe
areas can be a positive step that will save lives in the tormented
Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina and will help meet the humanitarian needs
of the Bosnian people.
We are committed to working with the international community
to end this terrible war and to achieve a lasting and equitable
settlement. The current resolution, of course, is only part of the
process.
I would point out the governments that agreed to the Joint
Action Program have warned the Bosnian-Serbs that all options for the
new and tougher measures remain open if the violence does not stop.
The U.N. Secretariat will now take the practical steps
necessary to implement the resolution.
Q Joe, does the U.S. Government have any idea of when the
resolution will be implemented? I've heard different estimates from
weeks to months to get people there to do it. Do we have any idea?
MR. SNYDER: I don't have a prediction or an estimate, no.
The resolution was literally just passed in the last few minutes, and I
haven't seen the results. We haven't had a chance to --
Q Well, does the U.S. have a --
MR. SNYDER: I certainly haven't been briefed on the exact
nuances.
Q Does the U.S. have a view on how promptly it ought to be
implemented?
MR. SNYDER: We think it ought to be implemented as promptly
as possible.
Q What steps is the U.S. going to take, now that the
implementation is up to the Secretary General to offer concrete steps to
get the implementation promptly?
MR. SNYDER: We'll obviously be working very closely with him.
This is going to be a subject that's clearly going to be on the agenda
next week in Europe -- the Secretary's meetings with NATO, and so forth.
But, again, in terms of the details of what we'll be doing, I really
hesitate to talk about those, not having seen the resolution.
Q At least another week, then, if that's what they're going
to be discussing next week?
MR. SNYDER: I really don't know how long it's going to take.
Q Would the Secretary be seeking to convince the Europeans
to send more ground troops to implement this?
MR. SNYDER: We certainly will be seeking the rapid
implementation. I don't know specifically what recommendations he's
going to be making.
Q Joe, in this context can you give us an update on just
fighting related to these areas and other places in Bosnia?
MR. SNYDER: I've got a little bit on it. Sarajevo apparently
remained relatively quiet, with only sporadic small arms fire reported
in Dobrinja and Stup districts. Maglaj in north-central Bosnia suffered
intensive shelling from Bosnian-Serb guns. Fighting continued around
Olovo and Gradacac and Lukavac in northeastern Bosnia. Fighting was
also reported in the area of Brcko in northeastern Bosnia. Fighting
between Bosnian Croat and Bosnian government forces was reported around
Visoko in central Bosnia.
We've seen reports that Karadzic has ordered a cease-fire for
the area around Gorazde and that U.N. officials will be allowed into the
town. However, we don't have independent confirmation that either of
these two situations have occurred. Actually on the contrary, our
information is that heavy fighting is continuing around Gorazde and that
UNPROFOR and other United Nations officials have not been able to get
into the town.
Q Most of those towns you mention are towns that aren't
covered in the safe areas resolution. Does the U.S. Government believe
that more towns should be included in safe areas resolutions? Is there
any movement afoot to --
MR. SNYDER: I'm not aware of any movement afoot for a new
resolution, no.
Q Is the airport still closed in Sarajevo?
MR. SNYDER: The airport -- yes. The airport has been
inactive since June 1 because of the security situation, and it remains
closed.
Q So the airport in the safe haven of Sarajevo is closed.
Is the water purification plant and the safe haven of Srebrenica also
closed?
MR. SNYDER: I don't have an update on that.
Q So we can assume it's the same as it was yesterday?
MR. SNYDER: One presumes it is, yes.
Q In the safe haven of Gorazde the Serbs have apparently
"liberated" two villages on the outskirts. Do you know anything about
that?
MR. SNYDER: I don't know specifically about that. I've seen
reports of lots of villages being under attack in the Gorazde area.
Q Joe, what does the ignoring of UNPROFOR by the Serbs and
the killing of foreign nationals involved in relief convoys -- what does
that bode for the implementation of the safe havens?
MR. SNYDER: Well, it speaks for the need for stronger action
by UNPROFOR. That's exactly what this resolution has done, and the next
step is to implement the new and stronger resolution.
Q Joe, forgive me. I came in a minute late. Maybe I
missed -- maybe you did make a comment of this sort, but in your answer
to questions about this U.N. Security Council vote on the resolution --
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
Q -- you read from the Joint Statement issued a couple
weeks ago. You talked about this resolution being part of the process
and so on. I didn't hear any indication that the U.S. thinks this
resolution is a firm step that the Serbs ought to pay attention to or
that it's a warning to anybody or that it will lead to any kind of
positive conclusion. It almost didn't sound like the U.S. is really
particularly strongly endorsing the passage or --
MR. SNYDER: We --
Q -- feeling encouraged about the passage of it.
MR. SNYDER: We strongly supported it. We believe the
resolution should be implemented, and we'll be doing our part to
implement the resolution. We want to see the Joint Action Program
carried out. This resolution does implement a part of the Joint Action
Program, as the War Crimes Tribunal Resolution last week did.
We want to see these things moving forward; we want to see the
fighting stopped; we want to see the conflict contained; and we want to
keep up the pressure, increase the pressure, to come to an agreement
that all the parties can live with.
Q And whatever happened to the language proposed by the
non-aligned dealing with the other issue the U.S. strongly supports --
namely, the lifting of the arms embargo?
MR. SNYDER: Ralph, my understanding was that that language
was never actively included in a non-aligned draft. The non-aligned did
work, as I understand, to have some language put into this draft; but
the lifting of the arms embargo was never an active proposal for this
particular resolution.
Q Did --
MR. SNYDER: They are, however, I think as Richard reported
earlier in the week -- or perhaps last week -- I understand the non-
aligned do have an idea for a resolution on lifting the arms embargo.
Q Does the U.S. strongly support that idea, and did the
U.S. strongly support the non-aligned working to have some language on
this issue dealt with in the Security Council during the course of the
past week -- two weeks of discussion?
MR. SNYDER: We certainly would like to see the arms embargo
lifted. That's clearly one of the best paths we see for moving forward
in this conflict.
Q And will the Secretary be taking that approach next week
when he talks with the Europeans about Bosnia, that the U.S. would
certainly like to see the arms embargo lifted?
MR. SNYDER: The Secretary will be promoting what we think is
the best way to deal with the Bosnian conflict.
Q Which is the lift-and-strike option still?
MR. SNYDER: Which is the Joint Action Program; and in the
Joint Action Program, as you know, the Point l3 is that other options
remain possible, if necessary.
Q (inaudible) have said today that the Serbs would be wrong
to assume that they can keep the land that they have gained by force.
Do you back that statement, sir?
MR. SNYDER: Again, to go back to the Joint Action Program,
one of the points in the Joint Action Program says that land taken by
force will not be allowed, that will not be allowed to stand. That is a
goal. That is a goal of the settlement which is acceptable to all the
parties.
Q Has Secretary General Boutros-Ghali had any -- made any
informal requests of the U.S. Government to participate on the ground in
the implementation of the Safe Areas Resolution?
MR. SNYDER: That just passed in the last half hour.
Q Yes. I mean --
MR. SNYDER: I don't know.
Q Well, I mean he's going to make his formal presentation
about how to best implement it; but, presumably, if he would like U.S.
participation, he would have been discussing that --
MR. SNYDER: We certainly --
Q -- already.
MR. SNYDER : -- are discussing the whole notion with the
Secretary; and whether he has specifically come to us with
recommendations, I just don't know.
Q And do you have any comment on Lord Owen's attempts to
resuscitate the Vance-Owen Plan? Is the U.S. actively participating in
those diplomatic efforts? Is Ambassador Bartholomew involved with their
efforts in Bosnia right now?
MR. SNYDER: Ambassador Bartholomew is in Washington, I
believe. The last time I checked he was in Washington. So he's not
with Lord Owen and Mr. Stoltenberg, who are in the region right now, I
understand.
Q On other U.N.-related action --
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
Q -- the meeting with the North Koreans ended after several
hours of talks this morning. Will there be another session of the U.S.
and North Korea?
MR. SNYDER: Ralph, I don't know. I didn't expect that that
was going to be finished this morning, and I must say I didn't look into
it and nobody called.
Q Would you --
MR. SNYDER: I'll see if I can get something for you.
Q Would you look into that? The last -- at the end of the
last session you said that there would be -- you announced there would
be another session, and it occurred this morning. I'd be interested to
know whether the talks will continue; and, if so, for what purpose.
MR. SNYDER: I'll see if I can get something for you.
Yes?
Q On Guatemala, Secretary Christopher yesterday told the
United Nations that -- pardon me, the Organization of American States
that the U.S. was weighing trade sanctions. Can you tell us more about
that? What's the process, and what the effect might be?
MR. SNYDER: Not in any specific detail. No, I don't have
anything to add to what the Secretary said. Right now we are looking at
the situation on the ground in Guatemala carefully. The Secretary was
quite clear that we continue to urge a return to full constitutional
democracy for the peaceful, legal and constitutional processes. The
situation remains confused, and we're continuing to watch it.
So I really don't have anything on where we might go.
Q Has the Secretary been in touch -- again, forgive me if
you've dealt with this at the beginning --
MR. SNYDER: Yes.
Q Has the Secretary been in touch at all with either the
Foreign Minister or other Ukrainian leaders regarding that issue of the
apparent dispute within the Ukrainian government over how to deal with
their nuclear weapons?
MR. SNYDER: Ralph, I don't know. I didn't ask him. But, as
you know, Secretary Aspin is leaving this weekend with Strobe Talbott to
meet with Ukrainian officials in Kiev, and they certainly will be
discussing this whole issue.
Q Is some concrete agreement expected as a result of this
meeting this weekend -- an agreement between Ukraine and the United
States?
MR. SNYDER: You may have seen in one of the papers this
morning there was a discussion of the new defense partnership. We plan
to take a number of steps towards creating a defense partnership with
Ukraine, but because Secretary Aspin and Ambassador Talbott are
traveling there this weekend I'd like to leave the details of exactly
what they will be doing and what this partnership might look like to
them.
We are doing this, however, as part of our effort to develop a
partnership with Ukraine on a broad range of economic, political and
security issues; and we look forward to their fulfilling their Lisbon
commitments promptly as part of the natural development of this
partnership.
Q The U.S. Government has previously said that all of the
assurances it has given Ukraine are about as far as the U.S. can go on
the question of defense -- mutual defense. Is the new defense
partnership going to contain assurances of the U.S. coming to Ukraine's
defense should it be attacked?
MR. SNYDER: Ralph, as I said, I'd like to leave the details
of what this will involve to Secretary Aspin and Ambassador Talbott.
Q At the moment, does U.S. policy remain where it has been
on that subject or is it under review?
MR. SNYDER: It remains where it has been. Strobe Talbott
himself has discussed our approach towards Ukraine after his last visit
there, and that remains our policy.
Q The Lebanese Foreign Minister called upon the United
States to review its airline policy. Do you have anything on that?
MR. SNYDER: No. I'm afraid I don't.
Q Thank you very much.
(The briefing concluded at l:32 p.m.)
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