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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
95/06/08 Remarks by PM Rabin & Sec. Christropher after meeting
Office of the Spokesman
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Office of the Spokesman
(Jerusalem)
___________________________________________________________________
For Immediate Release June 8, 1995
REMARKS BY PRIME MINISTER RABIN AND
SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER
FOLLOWING THEIR MEETING
AT THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE
June 8, 1995
PRIME MINISTER RABIN: Mr. Secretary, the peace team that came with you
are most welcome here in assisting us to move ahead with the peace
process. Tomorrow we will meet with President Mubarak, the leader of
the Arab country that started the peace process and signed a peace
treaty with Israel, and today we are engaged in a more meaningful peace
process that brought about the agreement with the Palestinians,
represented by the P.L.O. and signed a peace treaty with Jordan. I
believe that as a result of your visit we will find ways to improve the
overall atmosphere in the region by visiting Egypt, by your visit to
Damascus on Saturday, and hopefully, will bring about the resumption of
the talks with Syria. And, we see today, an improved mood, without
underestimating still the obstacles that we have to remove from the
road, to achieve a comprehensive peace.
Mr. Secretary, the President of the United States, President Clinton,
phoned yesterday before you came and described to me his talks with
President Assad and he conveyed to me his impressions of the improved
mood on the part of the Syrians. Let's hope that the good mood will be
translated to the practical negotiations that we have with the
Palestinians and, hopefully, when the negotiations with Syria will be
resumed. Again, Mr. Secretary, we appreciate your personal efforts to
serve the cause of peace in the region. Welcome to Israel.
SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Mr. Prime Minister, thank you. As always, I am
delighted to be back in Jerusalem. I come here at a time of renewed
opportunity to seek and achieve a comprehensive peace in the region.
The Prime Minister and I had a good opportunity to review the ways we
may take advantage of this moment when there is a renewed opportunity.
On the Palestinian track it is clear to me that the negotiations are
going forward in a very serious way with a sharpness of focus needed to
reach an agreement on phase two of the Declaration of Principles. The
negotiations are obviously very complicated and difficult with a lot
being at stake, but most of the parties know, I think, that these
negotiations can succeed. It will provide a critical path for moving
toward reconciliation between the Palestinians and the Israelis.
On the Syrian track I believe there is an opportunity now to move into a
new and important phase -- a commitment by the parties to hold senior
level military talks in Washington this month shows the seriousness of
the parties on one of the key issues, in many ways the most difficult
issue, an issue that I think is so critical to ensuring the future
security of Israel. This is a time of unusual opportunity for real
peace, for enduring security for Israel, with the United States, as
before, with a renewed commitment now to be steadfast in its support of
Israel as it takes risks for peace.
We talked about the determination that we have to try to move forward in
this process, and as the Prime Minister has said, the trip to Cairo
tomorrow will bring together two countries that have been the earliest
in this process and both have a very strong stake in its success. We
look forward to being with you tomorrow, Mr. Prime Minister, and to
talking with you throughout the course of this visit. Thank you so much
for welcoming me here, Mr. Prime Minister.
QUESTION (in Hebrew*): Mr. Prime Minister, with your permission, a
question in Hebrew live for Israel Radio. Both the head of the peace
team Dennis Ross and Ambassador Itamar Rabinowitz say that the substance
is beginning to be discussed. On which substantial issues are Israel
and Syria already talking on, everything connected with security
arrangements between both countries?
PRIME MINISTER RABIN (in Hebrew*): On the substance of the security
arrangements: the substance of the security arrangements is not just a
generalization. They need to respond to specific objectives that have
been agreed upon, through the United States, between Syria and Israel.
What are the objectives of the security arrangements: prevention of
border incidents, something that is easy to arrange with the Syrians --
for nineteen years there haven't been any border incidents. There have
been no penetrations along the borderline between Syria and us in the
Golan Heights. The second thing is obviously to prevent the possibility
of war, certainly a surprise attack. The third thing, obviously, to
define situations in which it will be possible for both sides to bring
to the attention of the other side things which could be misinterpreted,
as a result of exercises or training, or other similar things. In other
words, the objectives of the security arrangements are defined and
agreed upon between us and Syria. And now, how do you translate that:
demilitarized zones, reduced military personnel zones, warning stations
and means of warning, a monitoring system for a security annex, if one
will be reached along with the peace agreement, which of course will
have other components which are not discussed in connection with the
security arrangements.
QUESTION: Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Secretary, is the new and improved
mood an opportunity that you are both speaking of based entirely on the
willingness of the parties to speak directly again or is there any
substantive progress in their positions?
PRIME MINISTER RABIN: As you know, there is no need for direct talks
between us and the Palestinians--no problem of direct talks between the
Palestinians and us, between the Egyptians and us and between the
Jordanians and us. In the lack of readiness on the part of the Syrians
we are more than thankful to the United States, to the President, to the
Secretary of State, to bring about direct talks but, with the presence
of the American officials and the readiness of the Secretary of State to
move between Damascus and Jerusalem and to create conditions that these
kinds of talks will be resumed. Therefore, we appreciate the role that
the United States plays in every aspect of the peace process in all its
sectors, but especially vis-a-vis Syria.
SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: With respect to the new mood I think that there
are several elements that make me feel that we have a new and renewed
opportunity. First, the framework with respect to the security talks
that was agreed to between the Syrians and the Israelis, and the first
time they have reached such an agreement since the talks began in Madrid
and the fact that they are committed to having their military officials
meet before the end of this month to pursue the content of that
framework. Second, the commitment on the part of both the Israelis and
the Palestinians to try to conclude the second phase of the Declaration
of Principles by the first of July with the difficult issues of
elections, transfer of authority and re-deployment under heavy
discussion. And third, the fact that the discussions between Jordan and
Israel on economic aspects, on the tangible aspects of peace, seem so
promising. So, I think, those are the three elements that make me feel
that I come here in a new mood with great opportunities ahead.
QUESTION (in Hebrew*): Mr. Prime Minister, for IDF Radio, can you
explain how you go about holding practical discussions on security
arrangements when the withdrawal line has not been decided. Will this
subject not arise during the discussions between the senior military
officers, which Israel and Syria will conduct?
PRIME MINISTER RABIN (in Hebrew*): It is possible to discuss security
arrangements in a broad view, without knowing lines, or to prepare
several possible lines. That isn't necessarily what will happen, but
there is a possibility to discuss in a broad view, about a specific
area, even if there is no exact definition of the borderline.
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