U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing #201, 96-12-13
From: The Department of State Foreign Affairs Network (DOSFAN) at <http://www.state.gov>
U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
Office of the Spokesman
Briefer: Nicholas Burns
I N D E X
DEPARTMENT
1 Welcome to Newport Academy Students
1 Inauguration of Exhibit on History of American Diplomacy
1 Statement on Indo-Bangladesh Water Sharing Agreement
1-2 Statement on UNGA Support for Promotion & Protection
of HR in Cuba
2,7 Statement on U.S.-EU Summit on December 16
--Fact Sheets: The New Transatlantic Agenda/
NTA Accomplishments under the Irish Presidency
FORMER YUGOSLAVIA
2-6 Serbia: Annulment of Municipal Election Results
--Letter to Secretary Christopher from President Milosevic
4 Radio B-92 Contract w/State Television/Radio Boom-93
4 Christopher/Talbott Mtg. w/Democratic League of Kosovo President
4 Tarnoff/ Mtg. w/Together Coalition Representative
MIDDLE EAST
6-7,15 Lebanon--Friends of Lebanon Mtg.
10-11 --Travel Ban
7 Israel--Gov't. Statement re: Settlements
16-17 --Palestinian-Americans w/Dual Citizenship
12 Iraq-Movement of NGO Employees
--Reports of Attacks on Uday Hussein
NATO
7-8 Proposal for Dispute Resolution Mechanism
LATIN AMERICA
8-9 Cuba-M.V. Limerick Case
9-10 --Helms Burton Law
8-9 Colombia--Seizure of Drug Smugglers/Property
UNITED NATIONS
11 Selection of Secretary General
AFRICA
11-12 Tanzania-Refugee Camp Exodus
CHINA
13-14 Report of Liu Huaqui Visit to U.S.
NORTH KOREA
13-14 Meetings in New York
MISCELLANEOUS
14-15 Mtg. of NTSB/TWA 800 Families
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #201
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 13, 1996, 1:00 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. BURNS: Good afternoon. I want to welcome 13 students from the
advanced government class at Newport Academy in Kensington, Maryland.
Welcome. Glad you came. On this side of the room as well. Glad to have
you with us, and I'm hoping to give some time after the briefing and
talk.
A couple of things - actually a number of interesting things that happened
here this morning. First, as you know, we are trying to talk more about
the history of American diplomacy, and, if you will walk down the corridor
from the C Street elevators - first floor corridor - to the cafeteria,
you'll see today on both sides of that corridor 40 to 50 photographs from
the 19th and 20th centuries, portraying American diplomacy in its finest
hours.
This is part of our attempt to try to bring some sense of pride to the
building about the history of our diplomacy. On Tuesday, all of you are
invited to the inauguration of our permanent exhibit on the history of
American diplomacy. That will be at 4:00 o'clock in the Exhibition Hall,
which, as you know, is just on the way from here down to the cafeteria.
Secretary Christopher will make a speech and will inaugurate it.
We'd like all of you to come. We already have a lot of interest from
various parts of the media in this event. Former Secretary William Rogers
will be attending, as well as a number of other retired diplomats and
several hundred people from the current rank of diplomats. You are welcome
to come to that.
Before I get to the big news, which is Serbia, let me also say what you
have waiting for you in the Press Office by way of announcements.
First, there is a statement that we're issuing today on the Indo-
Bangladesh water sharing agreement. If you're interested in that, we have
lots of information for you on it. It's a very positive development,
signed December 12, an agreement on sharing the Ganges River water between
India and Bangladesh.
Second, I have a statement today congratulating the United Nations General
Assembly in agreeing to support the promotion and protection of human
rights in Cuba. They did this by adopting a resolution strongly condemning
human rights abuses in Cuba. This was a record 36 nations that co-
sponsored the resolution -- of course, including the United States - and
this puts the proper spotlight on Fidel Castro's abuse of his own
population. That's a formal statement that we're issuing that's available
to you in the Press Office.
Next, we also have a statement on the U.S.-EU summit, which takes place on
Monday, December 16, at the White House and at the State Department.
President Clinton will host Irish Prime Minister John Bruton, the current
President of the European Council, and the European Commission President,
Jacques Santer, of Luxembourg and will welcome them at the White House for
the annual U.S.-EU summit. Secretary Christopher and Under Secretary Spero,
other officials at the State Department will be at those meetings.
President Clinton values this opportunity to meet with the top officials of
the European Union every six months. It continues the steady improvement
in our relations, and at the President's initiative the United States and
the 15-member EU have intensified our discussions on a variety of issues.
The major issue here will be a review of progress in implementing the new
transatlantic agenda, which the President and his European counterparts
signed in Madrid a year ago - December 1995. That is the foundation
for the new era of cooperation between the United States and the European
Union.
Some of the specific issues will involve global trade issues, which, of
course, are very active these days; looking at the Singapore meeting; our
collaboration in the fight against drugs; the means to improve the
effectiveness of our economic assistance programs in Central and Eastern
Europe and Africa and elsewhere; economic reconstruction in Bosnia; the
growth of democracy in Central and Eastern Europe. Also Cuba will be a big
issue. As you know, the United States has congratulated the European Union
on its new focus on human rights in Cuba.
This meeting, of course, builds on the President's European policy, broadly
defined, which, since Brussels in January 1994, has had as its fundamental
objective the design of a unified Europe. So there's a long statement that
we've issued today.
I'm also providing you with two fact sheets that will outline the major
issues in the transatlantic agenda between the United States and the EU and
the major accomplishments under the Irish Presidency and our relations with
it from the period June to December - December of 1996. I wanted to focus
you on that.
The big news that we have today is rather an extraordinary event.
President Milosevic - Slobodan Milosevic - has published a letter today in
Belgrade that he sent to Secretary Christopher that we received this
morning. I wanted to make a few comments about this letter. President
Milosevic in his letter fails to address in any serious and committed way
the substantive concerns that the United States has raised over the last
several weeks concerning the annulment of the municipal elections and the
subsequent abuse by the Serbian police of many of the demonstrators.
The United States rejects President Milosevic's legalistic arguments in
this letter that try to whitewash the simple truth. There has been a
blatant disregard of the democratic will of the Serbian people, and the
Serbian Government has annulled elections which now should be restored,
which the opposition clearly won in 15 of 18 constituencies.
Immediately after the November 17th elections, when it was apparent that
there was a major problem of abuse by the Serbian Government, the United
States Government recommended privately to the Serbians that the Serbians
invite the OSCE - the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe -
to send a delegation to Serbia to make an independent assessment of what
had happened.
The Serbian Government had rejected that plea until today's letter.
In the letter today it appears that President Milosevic may be willing to
agree to our proposal, but we're going to judge him by his actions and by
the degree of cooperation that he shows the OSCE, when the OSCE delegation
arrives in Belgrade at the invitation of the Serbian Government.
Obviously, in the view of the United States, the terms for any such
delegation by the OSCE must be acceptable to the OSCE, and we are examining
Mr. Milosevic's letter quite carefully on that question. Our next step
will be to work closely with the OSCE in Vienna to determine the parameters
of an OSCE mission to Belgrade and to expedite this process, so that this
mission may be sent as soon as possible. It's necessary for the mission,
we think, to be undertaken quickly, because again today we've seen one
of the largest demonstrations of the last three weeks of people taking
to the streets in Belgrade.
We believe that the mission of the OSCE should be led by a prominent and
eminent international figure, and its mandate should be both to look at the
elections of November 17th and also look at the issue of freedom of the
media. It remains very clear to us that much needs to be done to dispel
the brutal image that the Serbian Government has given itself in its
treatment of its own people over the last three weeks.
Some further information - and since Mr. Milosevic has made this letter
public, I'll be glad to give you copies of the letter, if you haven't seen
it, after this briefing - some further information.
You know that the Italian Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Dini, has
visited Belgrade over the last couple of days. Secretary Christopher and
Minister Dini had a long talk last night about Minister Dini's mission, and
they had agreed in Brussels before the mission on the need for Minister
Dini to send a very tough and unambiguous message to Mr. Milosevic, and
that is exactly what Minister Dini has done.
Minister Dini has made clear to President Milosevic that he risks his
complete isolation from Europe and North America if he does not reverse the
annulment of the election results. This view is shared by all the members
of the international community with which we are working in Western Europe
and in North America. You know we're calling for a direct dialogue between
the opposition and the government.
Some further information for you, just to complete this story - at least
what we have on this story - we're very pleased to note that Radio B-92
signed today a multi-year contract with state television for broadcasting
authority. It appears that Mr. Milosevic has completely reconsidered his
decision to stifle Radio B-92.
Again, the United States Government is very grateful to RFE/RL and to the
VOA for helping Radio B-92.
Nevertheless, the media freedom in Serbia fails to come close to even
minimally acceptable international standards. Radio Boom-93 remains closed
down by the Serbian authorities, and we call on the Serbian authorities to
allow Radio Boom-93 to operate.
In addition, Secretary Christopher and Deputy Secretary Strobe Talbott met
late yesterday afternoon with Dr. Ibrahim Rugova, President of the
Democratic League of Kosovo, and they reaffirmed the very strong United
States' support for the restoration of full human and political rights in
Kosovo. The current lack of these rights is unacceptable, and the United
States supports Dr. Rugova's efforts to change the situation through
peaceful and democratic means.
Secretary Christopher emphasized strong U.S. support for democratization
and respect for human rights outside of Serbia, including Kosovo.
(Drilling noise) That's security organs of the Serbian government trying
to disrupt our briefing. (Laughter)
The United States calls upon the Serbian Government to work closely with
the Kosovar authorities on these issues. Thank you, Allison.
Furthermore, Under Secretary Tarnoff met yesterday with Miodrag Perisic,
who, as you know, is a representative of the Together Coalition. Under
Secretary Tarnoff reaffirmed our support for the opposition's call to
respect the November 17th election. I understand that Mr. Perisic and his
colleagues testified before a congressional commission yesterday.
I wanted you to have all the information that we have on Serbia.
It's a rather lengthy story, but I think a rather important one.
George.
QUESTION: Do you have any recommendations as to who this permanent figure
should be to lead the mission?
MR. BURNS: We don't have a candidate now, but certainly there are many
eminent people, both in Europe and North America whose countries are
members of the OSCE who could lead this delegation - experienced diplomats,
experienced jurists, people who have experience in this business of trying
to go into a country like this and determine whether or not an election has
been free and fair. Clearly, the elections were not free and fair on
November 17th.
We're a little bit skeptical and will remain skeptical of Mr. Milosevic's
offer in his open public letter to the Secretary today, and we'll judge him
by his actions and how he cooperates with the OSCE, rather than these nice
words that he's offered you and us today.
QUESTION: Nick, why has the Administration chosen to emphasize the
negative in this story? I mean, Milosevic appears to be doing at least
some of what you all have wanted him to do, and you seem to be taking a
half-empty cup approach rather than a full cup approach.
MR. BURNS: I think you probably would have made the same calculation if
you could see the letter - and I'm going to give it to you after the
briefing - that we just received this morning.
This is a rather tendentious letter, which in a very legalistic and
formalistic way attempts to excuse the behavior of the Serbian Government
and to depict the Serbian Government as some kind of beautiful democracy.
We're not naïve. We have a lot of experience in this part of the
world, and we remember the changes of 1989 and 1991. We're going to keep
the pressure on. We want to see some actions rather than these beautiful
words which do not appear at first glance to bear much resemblance to the
reality of the last several weeks.
David.
QUESTION: There are reports that Milosevic's government is busy right
now stripping various powers away from local government entities for which
these elections were held: among other things, taking away the control of
television and radio stations from municipal authorities. First of all,
what's your comment on that?
And, secondly, does it suggest to you that he is about to reverse himself
and accept the results of the elections after first removing all the power
that's worth having from the jobs that the people ran for?
MR. BURNS: We've seen these reports, David. I cannot confirm them in
all respects, but they are troubling, and they are further indication of
why it is probably in our best interest to be somewhat skeptical and to
judge his government by actions rather than words. These are time-honored,
but obviously undemocratic methods used by other authoritarian governments
in the same region in the past.
QUESTION: From the letter, do you think he's beginning to get, in your
terms?
MR. BURNS: It's hard to know. We now have an offer by the Serbian
Government to let the OSCE come in and take a look at the November 17th
elections. That is positive - the offer is positive. But the offer was
couched in such negative and legalistic terms that it is prudent for us to
be skeptical, Jim, and reserve judgment. That's, I think, the tone that
I'm trying to strike today.
QUESTION: There are various parts. Do you believe this change of heart
of Milosevic could be linked to Mr. Dini's mission in Belgrade? Two, when
Mr. Dini came back in his press conference, he also seemed to be taking
some distance from the opposition, too. He had a very evenhanded--he said
that he's not totally pessimistic; that each side showed room for - what
role do you think Italy could play in this initiative?
The last part is only partly connected to this issue: What will be
discussed Tuesday in the meeting between Mr. Dini and Mr. Christopher?
MR. BURNS: I think, first of all -
QUESTION: Guess where I come from?
MR. BURNS: I thought you might be Italian. Secretary Christopher has a
lot of respect for Mr. Dini. They talked in Brussels about Mr. Dini's
mission. Secretary Christopher gave him his full support. They talked
last night and had a long conversation about the results of the mission.
QUESTION: How long?
MR. BURNS: They talked for about 15 minutes. Secretary Christopher
believes that this has been a very successful mission.
Minister Dini went with a tough message, delivered that tough message.
Perhaps Minister Dini deserves some credit for having moved Mr. Milosevic a
certain way towards this proposal. That would be a very good thing. So
we're very supportive of him.
He will be coming - Minister Dini is coming -- to the Friends of
Lebanon meeting which the Secretary of State is hosting on Monday here at
the Department, along with a number of other European Foreign Ministers; in
fact, some close friends of the United States from Western Europe.
Secretary Christopher and Minister Dini will have a bilateral meeting on
Tuesday morning. They really have, personally, an excellent relationship,
and there is a lot of mutual respect there.
Howard?
QUESTION: Are bilaterals planned with certain other Western European
representatives?
MR. BURNS: I'm not aware of any other bilaterals planned with other West
European representatives. There will be a lot of Foreign Ministers in town,
so it won't be possible to have a bilateral with all of them. But all of
them are welcome. We do want to put a positive focus on the issue of
economic reconstruction in Lebanon.
Prime Minister Rafiq al-Hariri will be here who is a good friend of the
United States. I think you should treat this as a serious event, and an
event I think the press corps will have a lot of interest in, in terms of
some of the announcements we'll be making on Monday.
QUESTION: On another subject?
MR. BURNS: Yes.
QUESTION: Have you seen the Cabinet statement by the Israeli Government
declaring that the settlements in the occupied territories are now a
national priority, which will be followed?
MR. BURNS: We've seen the statement. Frankly, it's troubling.
As I said before many times, settlement activity is unhelpful.
Settlement activity clearly complicates the peace process.
Let me make a general point, that we haven't always made before.
There is no doubt that when either side says or does things that are seen
to pre-empt the outcome of a negotiation, it makes it that much more
difficult to achieve progress in those negotiations.
QUESTION: Does this statement appear to do that?
MR. BURNS: I think I've said what I wanted to say. I thought very
carefully about what I wanted to say on this issue.
My statement -- at least, I intended to be all-encompassing on this issue
today.
Yes, Dimitri?
QUESTION: On the EU-U.S. summit, one of the items of the transatlantic
agenda was Cyprus. At the summit, there will be a discussion on Cyprus and
the efforts both of the U.S. and the EU on the Cyprus solution?
MR. BURNS: I would expect Cyprus to be an issue because I think the
United States and the European Union both want to be helpful in finding a
resolution of that dispute. We normally do have a conversation with the
Europeans on Cyprus, yes.
QUESTION: Also in the same area. I asked you yesterday about a proposal
by Foreign Minister Pangalos for the creation inside NATO for some kind of
a mediation organization?
MR. BURNS: Yes, and I have an answer. Savas is here and Ugur. Good.
At the NATO Ministerial, Greek Foreign Minister Pangalos proposed that NATO
adopt a dispute resolution mechanism, modeled after Article X of the
Western European Union's Brussels Treaty.
NATO took no official action on this proposal. Let me tell you that
all NATO allies share a common interest to preserve the cohesion and
effectiveness of the NATO alliance. The record of the past 50 years is
testament to that.
While the United States welcomes new thinking on adapting NATO to the
new Europe, we do not believe the formal dispute resolution mechanism
proposed by Greece is feasible at this time.
QUESTION: You're supportive in the future on the creation of -
MR. BURNS: I want to restrict my comments to our present policy and our
present thinking. We don't think this is a feasible proposal.
QUESTION: Why?
MR. BURNS: George, our view is that it's important to maintain stability
and cohesion within the alliance; that alliance members have their own
responsibility to do that. We continue to believe, in most respects, that
Greece and Turkey ought to resolve these disputes that are quite apparent
between them on their own.
The United States and other NATO allies are quite willing to be helpful
on the margins, behind the scenes, and we have done so. We continue to
believe that's the best way to proceed.
Steve.
QUESTION: A couple of Latin American questions, if it's okay. Our Miami
folks are asking if you, at the State Department, draw any larger
conclusions from the fact that the Cubans have been very cooperative,
apparently, in turning over the Captain and crew and cocaine discovered on
board a freighter, Limerick, that was bound from Colombia to Freeport in
the Bahamas. That's one.
The other has to deal with a Colombian law that was recently passed on
the seizure of drug smugglers or drug-baron property.
The United States apparently had been pushing the Colombians to pass such
a law and they did?
MR. BURNS: On the second question, I did see the publishing of a law
today and Foreign Minister Mejia's statement, and Foreign Minister Mejia's
hope that the United States would react favorably.
I think we need to take a look at this law; we'll look at it with a great
deal of equanimity and objectivity.
We want to encourage the Colombian Government to be tougher on the drug
kingpins than it has been so far. If, in fact, this law does that, the
Colombian Government will find the support of the United States. I think
our experts need to take a look at it.
On the first question, Steve, the Cuban Government, as you know, agreed
to turn over to the United States all of the cocaine seized as evidence for
the trial - this is on the case of the M.V. Limerick - and to share other
evidence. It's true that a small team of law enforcement personnel
traveled to Cuba that was able to gather some evidence and was able to
transport the cocaine on the ship back to the United States.
This is a positive development, and we're pleased that the Cuban
authorities chose to cooperate with the United States on a case of
international narcotics trafficking, which should be of interest to both
countries.
It's difficult for me, after 36 years of antagonism between the United
States and Cuba to say that this one issue represents some kind of
fundamental turning point in Cuban-American relations.
The embargo still stands. The Cuban Democracy Act still applies.
The Helms-Burton legislation still applies.
We retain, as Cuba's closest neighbor, a fundamental concern about the
authoritarian policies of the Castro government - economic, political, and
its fundamental disregard for the human rights of its own people. Those
things have not changed.
QUESTION: To follow up. The Miami Bureau is also asking, is it the
State Department's considered opinion that the Cubans do participate, or at
least turn a blind eye to drug smuggling through their waters/air
space/ports?
MR. BURNS: In the past, the United States had a great number of concerns
about the lack of resolve of the Cuban Government on the international
narcotics issue. Here, we have a positive example, and we hope that this
positive example becomes the trend rather than the exception.
QUESTION: Is there any indication from the Cubans that it will?
MR. BURNS: We'll judge the Cubans as we judge Mr. Milosevic:
by actions, not by words.
QUESTION: What's the history? Have there been other cases of cooperation
with cocaine?
MR. BURNS: From time to time, there has been some cooperation on certain
cases. But I can't say that it establishes any kind of irreversible trend
in a positive direction. We'll just have to - we'll remain watchful.
QUESTION: Wednesday, Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen, from Florida, issued a
statement and wrote a letter to President Clinton about your statements in
Brussels concerning the Helms-Burton law and that the European position -
the same things that you have been saying here - that the European position
probably will be an element to decide - an element to be taken into
account for deciding and complaining that this cannot be this way,
because the Helms-Burton law cannot be influenced by Europe. It's
an American law. Is there a problem with Congress on this approach?
MR. BURNS: I don't think we'll have a problem. There are a lot of views
in Congress -- a lot of different views.
I think Mike McCurry and I have both been very careful since last
summer to note that one of the factors in the President's decision that he
must make by January 16th on Title III will be what kind of cooperation
we're getting from our European partners. It's indisputably true that the
European Union's statement of several weeks ago is positive.
It's a step in the right direction, and it's a new step by the European
Union to focus international attention on the problems of human rights in
Cuba. That's indisputable. But it's one of many factors that the
President must take into consideration as he makes his decision. I can't
anticipate what decision he will make.
QUESTION: Was there anything in Dublin, in the European Conference,
about Helms-Burton that you know?
MR. BURNS: I have not seen any statements from Dublin, but there may
have been. I just haven't looked at all the wires from Dublin.
David.
QUESTION: Looking at Monday, does the United States believe that it's
appropriate for there to be a restriction on flights to Lebanon?
MR. BURNS: You're referring to the travel ban?
QUESTION: The travel ban. Yes.
MR. BURNS: This has, as you know, been a very complicated, complex issue
for the United States and for many citizens here, particularly those people
who want to travel to Lebanon or American citizens of Lebanese ancestry.
We have had a clear view on this for some time but we've always kept it
under review, and I know that's an issue that has been looked at this
week. I don't want to anticipate what decisions may or may not be made on
it, but it's certainly an issue that I think Prime Minister Hariri will
bring to the table on Monday at the Friends of Lebanon meeting and we'll be
prepared to discuss it with him.
QUESTION: Has the situation shifted since the last time it was looked
at? Has it become more of an open question than it was then?
MR. BURNS: I have to tell you, I have not been personally involved in
the review of the security situation which is at the heart of the question
of whether or not there should be free and unfettered American passport
travel to Lebanon. It's a very complex issue.
Assistant Secretary Pelletreau and his staff in the Bureau of Near
Eastern Affairs have taken a very close look at this.
They always do. I would prefer to wait until Monday. Obviously that's a
legitimate question for all of you to ask on Monday.
Yes, Charlie.
QUESTION: In the world of modern communications, I've just gotten beeped
with a message that says Kofi Annan has been selected as the next Secretary
General. Have you gotten word of that? Do you have a reaction to
it?
MR. BURNS: First, just on a factual basis, I'm not aware -- I spoke with
one of my colleagues at the U.S. Mission to the United Nations just before
coming out here. I'm not aware that there has been any formal selection on
a factual basis. I don't think there has been in the last half hour since
we came out here.
I will say this. As you know, some important straw votes were taken --
held yesterday at the Security Council. You know the balloting is
confidential.
I would say that we are encouraged that there seems to be a narrowing
of differences, and there seems to be a growing consensus on a viable
candidate. I think that's where things stand right now. The Security
Council is meeting right now. I'll just have to defer to my colleagues up
at the U.N. who are on the spot.
If anything changes this afternoon, we'll be glad to tell you about
that.
QUESTION: Nick, on Africa. Have you seen what the Tanzanian troops are
apparently doing?
MR. BURNS: Yes.
QUESTION: In other words, in essence, expelling the refugees?
MR. BURNS: Yes.
QUESTION: Is there anything that the United States or its partners in
this affair are prepared to do to ameliorate the situation?
MR. BURNS: As you know, as a general principle, the United States
believes -- in line with U.N. guidelines -- that refugee return must never
be forced. It should always be voluntary, and that's a very important
principle to which we adhere.
It's a very confused situation. I saw a wire report just before coming
out here which says that the refugees are heading back to their camps. Let
me tell you what I have.
As of this morning, nearly all of the approximately 500,000 Rwandan
refugees in Tanzania were reported to be leaving their camps and moving
away from Rwanda. This exodus appears to have been well organized and
coordinated by camp leaders to avoid repatriation to Rwanda.
The refugees were reported to be moving in a huge stream in a
southeasterly direction away from the Rwandan border. We believe they have
a two-week supply of food which was distributed to them on December 12 by
relief agencies.
The UNHCR has asked the Government of Tanzania to try to persuade the
refugees to return to their camps but without using force.
The Government of Tanzania, as you know, has called for the repatriation
of all of these refugees by the end of this month.
We will keep very closely in touch with the UNHCR which has the lead
here. But I just want to caution you, there's a lot of conflicting
information about what is or is not happening with those refugees.
Savas.
QUESTION: What is the latest phase of the Iraqis which you are transporting
to Guam?
MR. BURNS: The situation in Iraq is quite interesting with the attack on
Uday Hussein and also interesting on the refugee situation.
The movement of the non-governmental office employees and their family
members from northern Iraq across the border into Turkey was completed
today, December 13, at 12:20 local time.
The United States would like to express its appreciation to the Turkish
Government for its support for allowing the refugees to come across the
border and to harbor them, on a transitional basis, until their flights
left for Guam.
Three thousand seven hundred and seventy-nine people crossed into
Turkey since the operation began on December 4; 3, 464 passengers on 10
flights have already departed Batman Airport for Guam, and the first nine
flights have arrived in Guam. We anticipate that the last flight will
depart tomorrow, Saturday, December 14, with the remaining people.
We're very pleased that this operation was carried out in such an
orderly and safe manner. There were very few problems, and we're pleased
by the cooperation of the Turks.
QUESTION: Do you have more information about the Iraqi leader's son --
Uday's shoot-out?
MR. BURNS: I don't have any specific information. It's always hard to
tell what's going on inside Baghdad - the government there. We've seen the
reports of the attacks.
Uday Hussein is a member of a very violent regime. We are not
surprised to see that violence spawns violence; that violence begets
violence. He's a violent person. He's been involved in attacks on his own
family members. So it's not surprising to see these kinds of attacks.
QUESTION: : Nick, has there been reaction from Saddam Hussein? His
military?
MR. BURNS: We don't have an embassy there. I'm not aware of any phone
calls or letters from Saddam this morning about this or any other matters.
So your guess is as good as mine.
QUESTION: : We're not seeing any troop movements or -
MR. BURNS: I haven't seen any indication of troop movements, no. The
"no-fly" zones are both in operation in the North and South.
QUESTION: So no condolences from this building?
MR. BURNS: I think I've said what I wanted to say on this issue.
QUESTION: There are reports that he may be moved to another country for
treatment; that he might have been injured more severely than the TV
station is reporting. Do you know anything about that?
MR. BURNS: We don't. We don't have any independent information on his
condition.
David. Nothing? Yes.
QUESTION: : :Do you have anything on Liu Huaqiu, the counterpart of
Anthony Lake in the PRC Government -- his visit to the U.S.?
MR. BURNS: No, I do not.
QUESTION: Any meeting?
MR. BURNS: No, I'll be glad to take that question and look into it for
you.
QUESTION: North Korea. The U.S. had a meeting with North Korea
yesterday in New York, or U.S. is having meeting today?
MR. BURNS: We had a meeting two days ago with the North Koreans, with
Mr. Li Hyong Chol, and we do have regular meetings with the North Koreans.
I don't have anything on a meeting today in New York. I'll be glad to take
that question.
QUESTION: Are you still planning on having meeting with Mr. Li, who is
visiting New York now?
MR. BURNS: I'll be glad to look into that for you. I have nothing to
report on that meeting.
QUESTION: Is this the Chinese Vice -
MR. BURNS: No, this is the North Korean Minister who is in charge of
North American Affairs at the Ministry in Pyongyang.
He's been visiting New York and some of our diplomats have been up there
meeting with him. The question was, are they meeting today? I don't know
if they are, but I'll be glad to look into it.
QUESTION: On another meeting, I didn't hear the first name. Maybe that
was what he asked about. The Chinese are urging the National Security
Adviser, Liu Huaqiu --
MR. BURNS: Liu Huaqiu, yes.
QUESTION: Is that his first question?
MR. BURNS: Yes, it was. I don't have any information on that.
QUESTION: The White House has announced the President is meeting with
him on Thursday. If you all aren't going to be meeting with him, you don't
know what their -
MR. BURNS: I just am not aware of his schedule, so I'll be glad to look
into that.
Andre. Bienvenue. I'll be glad to look into that and get back to you
on it. There's just one more. We should probably finish up in a couple of
minutes because the President's coming on in 25 minutes. One more bit of
information. There's going to be a very important meeting here at the
Department tomorrow of the TWA 800 families with the National Transportation
Safety Board. The NTSB asked the State Department if they could use
our building, and we're very pleased to provide our facilities for the
family members.
As you know, the President has encouraged all of our government
agencies to cooperate on this tragedy and we're doing so. The State
Department's role since the crash of TWA 800 has been to try to be an
intermediary between the foreign governments involved - particularly the
French Government because there were so many French citizens on board the
plane; it was headed for Paris - and the NTSB and the FBI. We have
done that.
We do not here in the State Department have a responsibility to work
with the families. That is the responsibility of the Department of
Transportation. We're very glad to make our building available to them
tomorrow. This is not going to be a press event.
The families and I think the NTSB do not wish it to be a press event, but
I thought I'd just mention it because I know there's a lot of interest in
TWA 800.
QUESTION: One more question. I apologize if this was asked; I was out
of the room. Will the Secretary be meeting with Foreign Minister de
Charette when he's in town next week?
MR. BURNS: I believe Foreign Minister Herve de Charette will be in
Washington on Monday morning. He'll be attending - and we're very pleased
he'll be coming - the Friends of Lebanon meeting, along with a number of
other Foreign Ministers. I'm not aware of a bilateral meeting. They just
saw each other in Brussels a couple of days ago --
QUESTION: (Inaudible)
MR. BURNS: More to the point, Mr. Pemstein -- I'm sure they'll have a
discussion. They'll have a chance to talk. They'll have a discussion on
the margins of the Friends of Lebanon meeting.
The Secretary will be meeting Mr. Dini on Tuesday morning for a bilateral
meeting. A lot to talk about with the Italians these days.
QUESTION: Do you have anything on the agenda of that meeting?
MR. BURNS: The agenda of that meeting, I think, will be heavily focused
on Serbia, on NATO issues and also on bilateral issues between the United
States and Italy. We have an excellent relationship with Italy, and, as I
said before, an excellent relationship between Minister Dini and Secretary
Christopher -- a lot of mutual respect.
QUESTION: Nick, before we leave -
MR. BURNS: Mr. Dini gave a beautiful tribute to the Secretary the other
day at the Brussels meeting. (Laughter)
John.
QUESTION: As long as you've come back to the tributes to the Secretary --
MR. BURNS: No, I just am volunteering information. A very nice woman
has asked a question. I tried to be helpful to her.
QUESTION: and earlier having mentioned --
MR. BURNS: You've got to be polite in representing the government up
here.
QUESTION: a number of other people by their actions and not their words.
Will you be judging Mr. De Charette by his actions or his words?
(Laughter)
MR. BURNS: We always judge every government by their actions.
I must say one word. France and the United States go back to 1781 at
Yorktown, October of that year. France and the U.S. will continue to be
allies. No question about it.
QUESTION: Nick, the last question about the Palestine citizens in East
Jerusalem. Have you got anything further on what the attitude of the
Israeli Government is on those hundreds if not thousands of Americans who
have dual citizenship?
MR. BURNS: Gene, it's nice to see you back here. I know that there are
a great number of people living in East Jerusalem and living in the West
Bank and some in the Gaza Strip who are American citizens. I'm not aware
of any particular issues that you might have in mind concerning their
status.
QUESTION: AP reported yesterday that both Ambassador Indyk and Abington
have met with the Interior - or, I'm sorry, Indyk met with the Interior
Minister, I think, and he's not accredited to the Israeli Government, of
course -
MR. BURNS: He's not, by the choice of the Israeli Government, by the
way.
QUESTION: Abington -
MR. BURNS: No American diplomats have since in a very long time.
QUESTION: Right. Abington said that Israeli citizens have dual
citizenship and live here and there, and Palestinian-Americans have the
same rights in Israel as residents of East Jerusalem.
What they're trying to do is take up - is threaten their citizenship.
If they want to retain residency in Jerusalem, they have to take up
Israeli citizenship. You haven't heard about this?
MR. BURNS: I heard a lot about it ten years ago when I lived there, but
I'm going to have to update myself on this. Take your question and see if --
QUESTION: AP had a story yesterday.
MR. BURNS: -- our Near East specialists can give you some information on
it.
QUESTION: Come back to us early Monday?
MR. BURNS: I'll be glad to come back to you on Monday on this issue.
QUESTION: Great.
MR. BURNS: Thank you.
(The briefing concluded at 1:39 p.m.)
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