U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing #129, 97-09-08
From: The Department of State Foreign Affairs Network (DOSFAN) at <http://www.state.gov>
590
U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
I N D E X
Monday, September 8, 1997
Briefer: James B. Foley
MIDDLE EAST
1-2 Palestinian Arrests
1-2 Secretary's Schedule
NORTH KOREA
3 Kartman Trip to China to meet NK Vice FM
3-4 Four Party talks in NY
CUBA
4 Bombings; alleged US involvement
SAUDI ARABIA
4 Khobar Towers Suspect
CONGO
4-5 Death of Mobutu
CHINA/HONG KONG
5,9 Visit of C.H.. Tung
BOSNIA
6 Gelbard Contact Group Meetings
6 Election Observers
6 Gelbard's trip to Bosnia
7 Pale Serbs
7-8 Agreement on Transmitters
8 Banja Luka Protests
INDIA
8-9 Funeral of Mother Teresa
DEPARTMENT
9 Secretary's Activities Today
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
OFF-CAMERA PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #129
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 1997 2:40 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. FOLEY: On Friday, I said we had a quorum. I'm not sure that we do
have one today.
I don't have anything to announce, so I'd be happy to go right to your
questions.
QUESTION: Do you have anything on- the-record to say about the Secretary's
trip tomorrow, since this is the only opportunity, apparently, all day
long?
MR. FOLEY: I don't have anything to add to --
QUESTION: No, not add, to say.
MR. FOLEY: -- the background briefing.
QUESTION: Well, could you say --
QUESTION: What's your--
QUESTION: To coin a phrase, go "back to the basics" on this.
QUESTION: Could you tell us what your reaction is to the Palestinian wave
of arrests, for instance?
MR. FOLEY: Well, I haven't seen specifically how many were arrested. I've
heard that some arrests were made, I think overnight, and we think any step
in the direction of an active, relentless effort to dismantle the security
infrastructure in the territories under the Palestinian Authority's control
is a positive step in the right direction.
QUESTION: Is this a relentless effort? Would you consider part of a
relentless effort.?
MR. FOLEY: Carol, I think we've said many times that it would be
impossible to issue a scorecard, if you will, on a day-to-day basis. We
talked about a relentless effort; we also talked about a sustained effort.
And clearly, sustained efforts cannot be judged except in the fullness of
time. We think it's an encouraging step, and we welcome it.
QUESTION: What can you say about her itinerary?
MR. FOLEY: Well, I have nothing specific to announce. I think the final
details are still being worked on. I hope we'll be able to give that to you
before the end of the day. The exact stops were announced by Jamie Rubin
over a week ago, and that hasn't changed. As you know, she'll be flying
directly to Israel, and that's where the trip will begin.
QUESTION: On these arrests, do you have any reason to believe that they
are the beginning of a larger round-up? I mean, you're in contact with
those guys all the time, so is this a one-shot deal, or have you been told
it's part of a process?
MR. FOLEY: I don't have that information for you. I suspect that the
Secretary herself will be able to verify, very shortly, on the spot, on the
ground, just how sustained this effort is going to be. I'm prepared to
welcome moves of this nature which are geared towards eliminating the
terrorist infrastructure, but not in a position to tell you whether they
are going to be sustained or not. We certainly hope they will be.
QUESTION: Do you think the arrests are in a way a move to save face for
the Secretary's trip, to look like they are doing what they should have
maybe done before the second bomb, the Palestinians?
MR. FOLEY: Well, we made no secret of the fact that we felt that the
efforts on the part
of the Palestinian Authority were insufficient, insofar as unilateral steps
were concerned. We had noted and applauded the fact that, following
Ambassador Ross' last visit to the region, that a security mechanism was
established and that cooperation was occurring, and it was producing some
results, a security cooperation mechanism between the Palestinians and the
Israelis. But insofar as unilateral steps were concerned, we were looking
for more.
I'm not going to second guess the motivation. I think we should simply
welcome it and hope again that it is sustained.
QUESTION: So you have no speculation that this might be a ruse of sorts
to set up a sort of working partner environment for the Secretary's
visit?
MR. FOLEY: Well, I think my answer would have to be similar to the one I
gave to Carol - that you can't issue a scorecard on a one-day result. We
welcome it. We encourage it. And insofar as the terrorist infrastructure
remains in existence and remains a problem, I don't think anybody can
declare themselves satisfied or can rest on their laurels.
QUESTION: Have the Palestinians done anything to assure you that the
revolving door has been closed?
MR. FOLEY: I couldn't characterize the latest conversations we may or may
not have had with the Palestinians since the meeting that Dennis Ross had
last week. I'm just not in a position to do that.
QUESTION: Change the subject?
MR. FOLEY: Yes.
QUESTION: Is Chuck Kartman going to Beijing? Is he in Beijing? Is he en
route to Beijing for some meetings with the North Koreans?
MR. FOLEY: Yes, he is.
QUESTION: He's en route or there?
MR. FOLEY: Well, he's in Seoul now. He'll be going to Beijing tomorrow,
Asian time, and he'll be having a meeting there on Wednesday. It was agreed
he's going to be meeting with the North Korean Vice Foreign Minister, Kim
Gye Gwan. It had been agreed when Mr. Kartman last met bilaterally with Mr.
Kim on July 1 that they would meet again when convenient.
As I said, he's visiting the Republic of Korea and will travel to China
tomorrow to consult with Chinese officials. While he's there in Beijing, he
will have this meeting with the Korean Vice Foreign Minister.
QUESTION: Now, do you have a commitment from the North Koreans to go
forward with these talks - resume these talks on September 15, as was said
when they were last in New York? Or is that what Kartman is going to try to
--
MR. FOLEY: We have the commitment that was given by all four sides,
including ourselves, at the last time, as you say, when the four sides met
in the first preparatory talks which took place between August 5 and 7. All
four sides agreed that they would meet for the next round in New York the
week of September 15. We've not heard anything differently from any of the
sides, to include North Korea, on their willingness to continue with
that commitment.
Now, there have been questions raised in the wake of some recent events. I
can only say that we have not had any concrete news from the North Korean
side about any change of plans. We are continuing to hope that indeed they
will arrive and participate in the talks in New York next week, as has been
scheduled.
QUESTION: You say very carefully that you've not had any concrete news.
So I gather you're referring to the questions, the doubts that have been
raised elsewhere about whether they will participate because of a defector
and the US giving him asylum. So can you describe for us what exactly
Kartman is going there to try to do? Is he going there to try to get a firm
commitment? Is he going there to discuss agenda? What does he want to
come out of that meeting?
MR. FOLEY: We're not normally in the habit of discussing the details of
our diplomatic conversations, especially in advance of those conversations.
So I can't really forecast to you. I wasn't trying to be cute, though,
about saying that there was no concrete news. Truly, we have had no
indication of any change of plans on the North Korean Government's part in
relation to the four-party talks.
Yes, Betsy.
QUESTION: On the bombings in Cuba, can you confirm that, in fact, El
Bodeguita del Medio was bombed in Havana?
MR. FOLEY: Yes, it's my understanding that indeed there was a bombing, I
believe it was on Friday, that took place there. I don't have any new
information about that bombing, though, apart from what I had to say on
Friday, mostly in connection with the other bombings that had taken place
in the three hotels, I believe, on the previous day.
QUESTION: Have the Cubans shared any information about those bombings
with US authorities? They have said in the past that US groups were
responsible for these bombings.
MR. FOLEY: Absolutely not. The Cuban government has not responded to our
requests, our repeated requests, for information or evidence that
substantiates their government's allegations that US-based persons or
groups are responsible for the bombings. I'm not aware of any new
allegations in that regard, however.
QUESTION: Speaking of bombings, something just moved on the wires as we
came in here about Justice deciding not to press charges against the Khobar
Towers suspect. Do you have anything on that?
MR. FOLEY: I have nothing on that. I would refer you to the Justice
Department.
QUESTION: Comment on the timing, any coincidence in the fact that she's
going to Saudi Arabia in a few days?
MR. FOLEY: No, I really have nothing to say on it. It's news to me, if
there was any kind of an announcement. I don't know what you were referring
to. Maybe you could show me afterwards. But I'm not aware of any such
announcement.
QUESTION: A one-liner just had moved as we stepped in here.
QUESTION: Do you have anything to say about the passing of your old
friend Mr. Mobutu?
MR. FOLEY: Well, first, it was not, obviously, a surprise, given the fact
that he had suffered from cancer for some time now. He had been seriously
ill with prostate cancer, I believe, for more than a year. Our condolences
to his family, but I have no particular comment.
QUESTION: No praise for his past service to the United States?
MR. FOLEY: It's no secret that, during the era of the Cold War, we had
worked with him to a certain extent, and that in the wake of the Cold War,
when there was a movement worldwide towards democracy in many areas of the
world which had been ruled by authoritarian regimes, that he had resisted
those trends, and that, on our part, we had cut off aid and imposed visa
restrictions.
As a result of his intransigence, the situation, obviously, became
radicalized, and he was ousted by violent means. I think there are lessons
to be drawn from that, but I really have no other comment to make on his
passing.
QUESTION: C.H. Tung...Have you got anything on that as to is this just
another sort of courtesy call? Or is this designed to discuss something
specific?
MR. FOLEY: Well, we welcome his visit. I believe the President met during
this year with both former colonial Governor Patton and Democratic Party
leader Martin Lee. So this is in line with the contacts that we've always
maintained with leaders in Hong Kong, and especially since the reversion.
It's a particularly important event. It's a sign on his part of a desire to
maintain close relations with the United States. It's certainly a
sign on our part that we take seriously Hong Kong's status, autonomous
status, in the wake of reversion.
We've coordinated his meetings with US Government officials. He will be
meeting with the President on September 12, and he is meeting with Deputy
Secretary Talbott this afternoon.
QUESTION: Are there any issues that you want to bring up?
MR. FOLEY: Well, we have a wide range of issues to discuss in meetings
with him. I think that we will note, on our side, the satisfaction that we
felt since the hand-over in July with the fact that Hong Kong's autonomy
continues; that there's a vibrant political and media life in the area, in
Hong Kong; that the Hong Kong economic picture remains good, in spite of
some of the difficulties in the financial system in Asia over the last few
months.
We will want to stress our commitment to the maintenance of the way of life
that the people of Hong Kong have enjoyed; and to stress, insofar as
political issues are concerned, our interest in seeing that legislative
elections will be held as soon as possible and, in particular, our view
that Hong Kong ought to adopt election rules that are free, fair and fully
representative of the Hong Kong people.
QUESTION: Are you concerned that they might be in doubt, either of those
two points?
MR. FOLEY: I think it's too early to say on that. We're not going to give
a daily scorecard or try to micromanage the political process that's going
on over there. We're keeping an eye on it. I can only restate what I said,
which is we want to see elections that are free, fair and fully representative.
Yes.
QUESTION: On Bosnia, Ambassador Gelbard is back from his trip to Europe.
I understand that within a couple of days, he's going to head out to Bosnia
for the elections.
MR. FOLEY: Yes.
QUESTION: Is there any read-out of how the Europeans feel about the more
rigorous SFOR support on behalf of Mrs. Plavsic? I understand that was some
of what Ambassador Gelbard was hoping to get in his trip. And can you also
tell us who would be going with him when he goes to Bosnia? Is there going
to be a larger delegation of US officials to watch the elections?
MR. FOLEY: Well, we made an announcement last week about some 200-plus -
the first wave of observers who would be going to Bosnia to observe the
municipal elections. I don't have his delegation's composition. I suppose
we can get that later in the week, when he's about to go out.
But on the question, though, the substantive point about the attitude of
our European friends and allies on this issue. Ambassador Gelbard - maybe
you weren't here on Friday, I reported this - he chaired an important
meeting of the Contact Group in Brussels. I don't have the statement before
me, but it was a rather emphatic statement and expression of unanimity
within the Contact Group on what the international community wants to see
done, in terms of Dayton implementation in Bosnia, in connection with the
elections, the municipal elections, in connection with the elections which
Madam Plavsic has called in Republika Srpska, legislative elections.
There was a call in the Contact Group report for OSCE monitoring or an OSCE
role in those elections, the call for an end to misuse of media in Bosnia
and an affirmation of the High Representative's authority to act to ensure
free and democratic media in Bosnia - I don't have the whole list before
me. I spoke to Ambassador Gelbard after that meeting, and he was quite
pleased. We consider the consensus or the ability of the international
community in Bosnia to act together as one of the great achievements
since Dayton, and it's important in terms of what remains ahead, the
tough road ahead in Bosnia in the months to come, that we maintain
that.
QUESTION: Is it true that he's going, and if so, when?
MR. FOLEY: Yes, he is going. I think he's leaving on Thursday for
Bosnia.
Yes.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) -- office was saying over the weekend that they
felt the position of the Pale Serbs was actually much stronger than it had
been, because they had successfully resisted the implementation of the
Plavsic-supporting police, and they had also been able to resist efforts to
change their media activities. Would you agree that the Pale Serbs are
actually quite a bit stronger than they were a month ago?
MR. FOLEY: If Mr. Karadzic, in particular, is lulling himself to sleep
thinking that things are going his way, I think that, number one, he would
be mistaken, and number two, if he's letting his guard down, I think we
would be pleased.
But I don't share the assessment. If you look at where we were when the
President launched his review of our Bosnia policy back in April, some many
months ago, and where we are today, when in fact we're seeing an overall
trend towards the emergence in the Republika Srpska of support for, first,
an elected leader who supports Dayton implementation; second, support for
the reintegration of the Republika Srpska into the wider Bosnia, into the
wider Europe and the kind of connections and assistance that can come
from that; and thirdly, a growing realization on the part of the people of
the Republika Srpska that they have been led into this morass and into this
isolation on the part of leaders who exploited their fears -- I think we
can only be pleased. I would truly hesitate to draw any firm conclusions
about the tactical decisions that the international community has decided
to make over the last week to ten days in Bosnia in response to factors on
the ground.
We are confident that the trends are moving in the right direction and that
the international community has the resources and the will to make Dayton
stick in the weeks and months to come.
Yes, Judd..
QUESTION: Forgive me if I missed this because I came late, but can you
give us a further update or do you have more information on how the
agreement on the transmitter is holding up?
MR. FOLEY: I don't have new information today. My understanding is that -
and I hesitate to be categorical about this, because it's just one report -
but my understanding is that Madame Plavsic has not yet availed herself of
that opportunity; that the Office of the High Representative was about to -
whether it was today or tomorrow or early this week; and that overall, the
level of invective and vitriol coming out of those media organs had
diminished.
QUESTION: I want to be clear --
MR. FOLEY: Yes.
QUESTION: -- that Madame Plavsic hasn't availed herself puts the onus on
her. She just hasn't chosen to use the opportunity. The Pale Serbs haven't
blocked her.
MR. FOLEY: I'm not sure their willingness has been tested.
QUESTION: Okay. So, so far --
MR. FOLEY: I think the jury's still out altogether on this. Again, SFOR
has apparently made it very clear to the Pale Serbs that compliance is
required. So I would stay tuned in the days to come.
Crystal.
QUESTION: There was a report about the protest that Karadzic supporters
are mounting.
MR. FOLEY: Yeah.
QUESTION: They're planning for Banja Luka, I believe.
MR. FOLEY: Yes.
QUESTION: And I was just wondering if you could give us any kind of
update on that and what NATO might be doing just to ensure that it's
orderly, I guess.
MR. FOLEY: Well, SFOR is present and is extremely vigilant. It has been a
potentially dangerous situation there all day today.
What I can tell you is that President Plavsic met this morning with Mr.
Krajisnik and with the Patriarch of the Serbian Orthodox Church. Together
they agreed that a small rally in Banja Luka, in which Mr. Krajisnik would
be allowed to speak, could go forward today. That apparently is ongoing as
we speak. There's a rally or a political meeting involving several hundred
apparent supporters of the SDS party that are gathered or are meeting right
now in Banja Luka.
SFOR has maintained a robust presence and has exercised due vigilance. They
monitored the fact that quite a number of buses were arriving in Banja Luka
from areas outside of Banja Luka. They stopped those buses; they boarded
them, inspected them and in some cases found weapons which were not
permissible, some apparently obstructive behavior or hooligan-type
behavior. I would have to refer you ultimately to SFOR for the final
authority, but my information is that they allowed buses that were in order
to proceed and to go in and attend the rally, and sent others back to their
original points of departure.
QUESTION: Do you know who from the United States is going to attend the
funeral of Mother Teresa?
MR. FOLEY: I don't have that information yet. It's going to be a state
funeral, and we will respond officially. It's possible that it may be a
White House announcement.
QUESTION: They've announced it.
QUESTION: Yeah, I think they --
QUESTION: I'm sorry, I'm behind the times.
MR. FOLEY: You can tell me afterwards.
Yes, Carol.
QUESTION: On the Tung meetings, why is the Secretary not meeting with
him?
MR. FOLEY: She had planned to meet with him. In fact, it was scheduled at
some point. But her schedule has been driven mostly by the Middle East trip
and the fact that she just returned from her leave. Today is her only full
day in the office before departing, and she just wasn't able to maintain
that on the schedule. There was a possibility that she might be able to
stop in on Deputy Secretary Talbott's meeting. We'll have to see if that is
possible. She's had a very trying and intensive day of work, just thus
far.
QUESTION: Has she made any phone calls regarding the Mideast trip?
MR. FOLEY: I don't have any read-outs on her telephonic activity
today.
QUESTION: Any read-out on the meeting with the Italian that we didn't get
to attend the beginning of?
MR. FOLEY: It was still going on when I came out here.
QUESTION: Still going on?
MR. FOLEY: Yes.
QUESTION: Was she going to the White House? Are there meetings at the
White House today?
MR. FOLEY: She was there already, and I believe she's going back. I have
nothing to report on the nature of the meetings, though. As I said, she's
been extraordinarily busy today.
QUESTION: Can you confirm the earlier subject was Bosnia and the later
subject is Mideast?
MR. FOLEY: I have nothing for you on that.
QUESTION: Well, she's going with Dennis Ross later, so I assume that's
Middle East.
MR. FOLEY: Any other questions?
Thank you, George.
QUESTION: Thank you.
(The briefing concluded at 3:05 P.M.)
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