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US DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1993
BRIEFER: Christine Shelly
Subject Page
ANNOUNCEMENT
Special Briefing on Discussion Draft of New
Foreign Assistance Act Tomorrow ........................1
SOMALIA
Results of Humanitarian Talks ............................1-2
Political Dialogue under Ethiopian Auspices ..............1-3
-- General Aideed Flown to Addis Ababa on US
Aircraft ...............................................2-3
NORTH KOREA
Statement by IAEA Director General after
Today's Meeting in Vienna ................................3-6
Contacts with US
..........................................................5
CYPRUS
Reported Statement by Ambassador
Robert Lamb
..........................................................6
YEMEN
Release of Haynes Mahoney ................................6-7
HAITI
Prime Minister's Meetings in Washington ..................7-8
-- Meeting tomorrow with Acting Secretary ...............7
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
Secretary to Meet with PLO Chairman ......................8
FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
Discussions in Geneva and Brussels .......................9
US Proposal to Increase Humanitarian Flights .............8-9
TERRORISM
Reported Change in Policy Toward PKK by
European Governments
..........................................................9
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DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPC #156
THURSDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1993, 1:20 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MS. SHELLY: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I apologize
for the delay in getting out here. I was just trying to get you the
latest news.
First of all, I have a short announcement to make. I'm pleased
to announce, given the rather considerable interest that you showed on
Monday in the subject, that instead of our regular briefing tomorrow, at
1:00 o'clock we will have an ON-THE-RECORD briefing on the discussion
draft of the new Foreign Assistance Act.
Your briefers will be Brian Atwood, AID Administrator, and Lynn
Davis, the Under Secretary of State for International Security Affairs.
They will begin with statements and then will be happy to take your Q's
and A's after that.
As I mentioned, this will be an ON-THE-RECORD briefing. It
will start at 1:00 o'clock tomorrow.
I just wanted to take a minute to bring you up to date first,
before I take your questions, on the latest happenings in Addis Ababa.
As you know, the United Nations-sponsored humanitarian
conference for Somalia concluded yesterday, and the political
reconciliation talks under the sponsorship of Ethiopian President Meles
begin today.
We consider the humanitarian conference to have been successful
in coordinating the views of the United Nations and of the entire donor
community. It sent a clear message that aid will be targeted to those
regions that are maintaining a secure environment and have made progress
toward political reconciliation.
The Somali representatives present at the conference understood
that position and that development of their country ultimately depends
on their own efforts.
We were disappointed, however, that not all Somali factions
chose to participate in the humanitarian conference. The donor
community will concentrate on assisting Somalia communities to build a
local capacity to undertake rehabilitation on their own in order to
reduce eventually Somali dependence on foreign aid.
We are encouraged that the Somalis are attempting to
reinvigorate a political dialogue as a means of settling their
differences. This can lead to meaningful discussions on the full range
of important political issues.
As you may be aware, General Aideed arrived in Addis Ababa this
afternoon to participate in discussions among the Somali leaders under
the auspices of Ethiopian President Meles. We consider Aideed's
willingness to go to Addis Ababa to be a positive sign.
To sum up, the Somalis must take advantage of this opportunity.
They must realize that they are ultimately responsible for the future of
their country. They must also understand that the international
community's patience and resources are not inexhaustible.
I'd be pleased to take your questions on this or any other
subject.
Q What's the U.S. presence at this meeting in Addis?
MS. SHELLY: As I'm sure you're aware, the meetings are really
strictly a Somali affair. Ambassador Oakley and other members of the
U.S. delegation to the U.N.-sponsored humanitarian conference -- which,
as I mentioned, has now concluded -- are still in Addis Ababa; and they
will be there to provide any appropriate support for this process. But
the discussions are basically among the Somalis themselves.
Q Christine, could you confirm the reports that Mr. Aideed
arrived at an airport in Mogadishu under an escort of U.S. military;
that he flew to Addis in a U.S. military plane accompanied by U.S.
military people? And could you explain -- if indeed that is the case,
could you please explain the circumstances of how it came about and why?
MS. SHELLY: Yes. As to details on the motorcade and things
like that, I don't actually have precise details on that. I can confirm
to you that he did travel in a U.S. military aircraft. It was a C-12
Army aircraft.
As General Aideed continued to refuse to deal with the U.N. in
the context of the events transpiring this week in Addis, it was deemed
in this rather exceptional case that the use of the U.S. aircraft to
transport General Aideed would help to achieve the common U.S. and U.N.
objective, which of course is the launching of a political dialogue that
would include all of the Somali factions.
Q How high up did it have to go for the decision to be made
to allow him to fly in a U.S. plane or to provide him with transport?
MS. SHELLY: As this is a C-12 Army aircraft whose control
presumably belongs to the Pentagon, I would simply have to refer you to
them to answer that specific question.
Q Wouldn't that be a policy decision that would have to be
made rather than a military decision? Was there consultation with
Washington about it?
MS. SHELLY: I think we should all certainly presume there was
consultation with Washington. I simply don't have any further details
on that to share with you at this time.
Q You can't tell us that the President himself personally
said "Okay, let him go on one of our planes"?
MS. SHELLY: I just can't confirm that one way or the other.
You'd have to ask the White House on that.
Q Do you have anything on the meeting in Vienna, the IAEA
meeting on North Korea?
MS. SHELLY: Yes, I have a bit on that. As you know, the IAEA
Board of Governors was meeting in Vienna today and was discussing the
North Korean nuclear safeguards issue. There have been a few reports of
statements by the IAEA Director General. I haven't seen the full text
of those statements. I understand that he said that safeguards on North
Korea cannot be said to provide any meaningful assurances of peaceful
uses at this time.
We will obviously want to get the entire text of this statement
to be able to study it more closely. I can say that his statement
obviously reflects a judgment that the situation there is very serious,
and we certainly fully share this assessment.
I would also like to add that the U.S. IAEA Governor, Nelson
Sievering, is scheduled to make a statement in reply to this tomorrow.
I expect to have more information on that statement after it's
delivered.
Q Christine, is this the statement that was sort of long
expected from the IAEA, the sort of demarcation point at which the
United States and the international community would have to finally
decide whether it's going to go forward with some sort of tougher
measures against North Korea?
MS. SHELLY: The IAEA Board of Governors has a regularly
scheduled meeting, and there's absolutely nothing to prevent them from
having additional meetings in addition to those which are scheduled.
This was certainly a very important meeting that we knew was
coming up and would review the case. Certainly what might happen at
that meeting on Korea and whether or not there would be a kind of
definitive determination on safeguards and whether or not the Director
General would specifically state that they had been broken, this was
obviously a possibility.
But I would note from what I understand of the statement that
Blix did not specifically say that the continuity of safeguards had been
broken.
But, as I said, we've got to get the full text of this
statement and take a look at it. He did not make that determination,
and we'll have to get the rest of the statement and then also see what
the U.S. IAEA Governor has to say as well.
But the problem is that it's still -- since the discussions
were continuing until late in the day today, we don't really have the
complete picture yet.
Q But at least as far as you know this is not the definitive
determination on the safeguards having been broken?
MS. SHELLY: My understanding is that this is the subject which
has been on the agenda for some time. There was a meeting in November.
It was also discussed then. I think that as this is not a decision,
shall we say, for the Board of Governors itself to make -- the Board of
Governors doesn't decide. The Board of Governors, I understand, lays
down criteria, but it is actually the Director General himself who makes
the determination.
My understanding is that he certainly consults with the Board
of Governors and reviews all of the information at that time. But I
think he's free to make that kind of determination; since he makes it
himself personally, I think he's free to make that at any point in time.
Q All right, but that really wasn't my question. My
question was the expectation had been that there would be some point at
which the IAEA would say "All right, this is the cutoff point. We can
no longer guarantee the continuity of safeguards" -- period, end of
sentence -- thereby presumably precipitating some sort of tough
decisions by the United States and the international community on what
to do next.
Are we at that point? Is what Blix said today that definitive
kind of statement?
MS. SHELLY: It's difficult to answer your question because the
process is still unfolding and we've got to get the rest of the
statements from today. I just can't be very categoric, I think, in your
response. It was a very important meeting. The situation was reviewed,
and this is what has come out so far. But whether this was the
definitive moment at which a final determination had been made, I'm just
not in a position to say that and I really can't speculate on that.
Q Can you explain at all what the difference is, though?
You said he said the safeguards cannot provide assurances of peaceful
uses, but he didn't say the continuity of safeguards is broken. What's
the difference?
MS. SHELLY: I think the experts on this are probably very
finely tuned to the nuances in all these statements. As I say again,
I've seen some of what he has said in terms of what's been reported
already by the wires services. I don't have the full thing.
So I think it would just be inappropriate for me to get into
interpretations until our experts here in this building have seen the
whole text, and I hope that I can shed some additional light on this
fairly shortly. But again, unfortunately on this, I'm still working on
the basis of preliminary reports. We still don't have the complete
picture yet.
Q Have we had any indication from the North Koreans that
they are ready to talk again?
MS. SHELLY: There continue to be statements, as you are aware.
Our informal contacts continue. We still are waiting for the North
Korean response to our meeting with them of last Wednesday, but they
have not come back to us and said yet that they're ready to meet.
Q So did we meet as recently as yesterday or today in this
informal context?
MS. SHELLY: If I implied that, I didn't mean to do that. My
understanding is that there have been no further meetings of this kind
and that we're still waiting for them to get in touch with us through
the usual channels to indicate that they're ready to have a meeting.
Q But we're talking about two different kinds of meetings
here -- a formal meeting and an informal meeting. Have there been any
of these informal, in-the-corridor, U.N.-type meetings since the meeting
last Wednesday?
MS. SHELLY: I don't think that there have been any meetings
since last Wednesday.
Q Did I understand you to say that you would have something
more to say about Blix's statement after this briefing?
MS. SHELLY: I will try to get an updated guidance on this for
later this afternoon. As I said, with the reports coming across the
wire now, it wasn't possible for me to get a full readout on what our
position is and what all of that means. So I will certainly endeavor to
do that this afternoon.
Q I'm sure you have more than wire reports.
MS. SHELLY: This is also a very technical subject, and the
experts need a little bit of time before they pass judgments to me to
use from here.
Q What is it we're expecting the U.S. delegate to say in his
statement tomorrow? What is the framework for that statement?
MS. SHELLY: I don't have any information on that.
Q But he will be making some kind of a definitive statement
on the U.S. position vis-a-vis this issue tomorrow? Did I misunderstand
or correctly understand?
MS. SHELLY: The only thing that I know is that he is scheduled
to make his statement, and we're supposed to get that and be in a
position to share that with you and hopefully also provide you with some
additional insight as to exactly what all this means.
Q The Alpha 66 and the threats against tourists in Cuba, do
you have anything new or any information whether there are any meetings
scheduled or has been any meeting with the Alpha 66 by the State
Department?
MS. SHELLY: We issued a press release on that, as you know,
earlier in the week. We issued that because we felt that that was a
prudent thing to do. Obviously, when we ever get any kind of
information that might potentially relate to American citizens abroad,
we consider that it is our responsibility to pass that message on.
As to any kinds of exchanges or meetings on that, I don't have
any information on that.
Q The Alpha 66 is claiming today in Miami that the State
Department refuses to meet them.
MS. SHELLY: I don't have any information on that.
Q Another subject. Yesterday and today, in Nicosia, Cyprus,
Robert Lamb, the U.S. Coordinator for Cyprus, he met with the Turkish
and Greek-Cypriot leaders. Yesterday, he made a comment. He criticized
the Greek-Cypriot Defense Pact and said military power would not reunite
a divided island. Is that the official State Department or the U.S.
Government view about Papandreou and Clerides statement last week?
MS. SHELLY: I'm going to have to take your question. I don't
have any guidance on that. I'll just have to take it.
Q Is Mr. Mahoney back in U.S. hands?
MS. SHELLY: Yes. Good question. Yes, he is. Let me share
with you what I have on this.
We welcome the release of Mr. Mahoney. He arrived in Sanaa,
the capital of Yemen, at 8:30 this morning local time. I am pleased to
report that he is in good health and good spirits.
We are very grateful to the Government of Yemen for its efforts
which resulted in Mr. Mahoney's release.
I just would add on that, the Yemeni authorities, as you know,
carried out the negotiations leading to his release. Our Embassy was
closely monitoring these efforts but did not participate in them
directly.
Q Apparently they gave in to many of the demands made by the
kidnappers, and I just wonder whether you had any observations on that?
MS. SHELLY: We have been asked specifically at this point not
to respond to any of the statements that have been made about conditions
related to his release. As I said, since we were not involved at any
time in direct contact with his captors, I really can't shed any further
light on that.
Q You don't have a general statement on responding to ransom
demands quite apart from the Mahoney case?
MS. SHELLY: I think the U.S. position on this is very well
known, and it has certainly not changed.
Q Which is?
MS. SHELLY: I think you know quite well what that position is.
Q Is he going to stay in Yemen?
MS. SHELLY: I don't have any information right now about his
future plans. If there are any other details on this that I can
provide, I'll certainly try to post something later.
Q On another subject. Are senior officials meeting today on
Haiti?
MS. SHELLY: As you know, in the context of the visit here by
Prime Minister Malval, he arrived here last night; and as you know -- we
mentioned this yesterday -- he's having a series of meetings in
Washington today, including with President Aristide.
My understanding is that there are several meetings going on
today in preparation for the meetings with the U.S. which will begin
tomorrow morning with the Acting Secretary of State, Peter Tarnoff. My
understanding is there are several meetings that are going on on this
today to prepare the final input for what the U.S. would discuss with
him.
Q Has Pezzullo met with him or talked with him today,
though, specifically?
MS. SHELLY: Special Advisor Pezzullo is supposed to be
participating in the meetings tomorrow with Peter Tarnoff, the Acting
Secretary of State. I don't really have any information on whether or
not he has had any separate meetings or meetings prior to the meetings
scheduled for tomorrow. I'll be happy to see if there is anything; and,
if so, I'll be happy to post it.
Q Could you update the Secretary's trip to the Middle East?
MS. SHELLY: I don't have any recent information on that since
I provided a couple of days ago. I'll see if we have anything to let
you know later, but there haven't been any changes since a couple of
days ago.
Q Will he meet with Chairman Arafat on the 8th in Amman?
MS. SHELLY: We certainly expect him to meet with Chairman
Arafat, certainly at least once and possibly more than that. As to the
precise location and the date, I just am not in a position to confirm
that.
Betsy?
Q This morning, I think it was -- well, I can't remember
which party to the talks in Geneva on Bosnia were saying that Sarajevo
would be divided into a number of areas. Do you have anything on
whether this should happen?
MS. SHELLY: I hope we're going to have something for you
fairly shortly on what's happened in Geneva. I don't have anything on
that today.
As you know, there was not only the discussions going on in
Geneva but [also] in the context of the NATO meeting, which is taking
place in Brussels today, which involved all of the NATO Foreign
Ministers, and then of course the meeting of the North Atlantic
Cooperation Council tomorrow with Central and Eastern European partners,
again at Foreign Minister level. This subject is also under pretty
intensive discussion in Brussels as well. So I'm not in a position to
provide anymore details about either the outcome of Geneva or what's
going on in Brussels, but I hope we'll be able to bring you up to date
on that fairly shortly.
Q Is the U.S. going ahead with plans to up the number of
flights into Sarajevo even though this proposal may not have been
accepted yet by them?
MS. SHELLY: I think that the U.S. proposal is still in the
kind of "offer" phase. We still need to sit down with the UNHCR and
UNPROFOR and obviously any other potential countries that would be
involved. So I think it's still in its planning phase, and those
discussions are going on.
My understanding is that those contacts, if they haven't
started already, will be initiated fairly shortly.
Q Can I go back to the Middle East? The news account from
Cairo said Chairman Arafat and Prime Minister Rabin will meet on the
12th somewhere in the Middle East. So Secretary Christopher -- is there
a possibility Mr. Christopher will travel in the Middle East beyond the
12th of December?
MS. SHELLY: Not that I'm aware of. The program, as I
understand it, still has him returning to Washington on the evening of
the 11th.
Q Some of the Western European countries, they've changed
their position against the PKK terrorist organizations' activities in
their territories. Do you support their action, or do you have any
coordination with them about these activities?
MS. SHELLY: I'd have to check on that. I don't have any
information with me.
Q Can you take it?
MS. SHELLY: I'll take the question.
Q Thank you.
MS. SHELLY: Thank you.
(Press briefing concluded at 1:43 p.m.)
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