U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing #74, 00-07-31
From: The Department of State Foreign Affairs Network (DOSFAN) at <http://www.state.gov>
426
U.S. Department of State
Press Briefing
MONDAY, JULY 31, 2000
Briefer: Philip T. Reeker, Deputy Spokesman _
STATEMENTS
1 Special Briefing Scheduled at 11:00 a.m. in the State Department
Briefing Room on the Horn of Africa
1 Statement Announcing the Annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery
(DV 2002)
1 Statement on Opposition to the New Japanese Whaling in the North
Pacific
MIDDLE EAST PEACE PROCESS
1 Hezbollah Warning of Violence if the U.S. Moves Embassy to Jerusalem
2 Secretary Albright's Travel to the Vatican / Meeting with Vatican
Foreign Minister Archbishop Tauran
2 Review of U.S. Embassy Move to Jerusalem
3 Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Edward Walker
in Region to Brief Arab Countries on the Developments at Camp David
VENEZUELA
4,5 U.S. Congratulates Venezuelan People on Upholding the Tradition of
Free and Fair Elections
PERU
6 U.S. Deeply Regrets that Peaceful Demonstrations Turned Violent on
the Day of the Inauguration, Leading to the Loss of Lives
COLOMBIA
7,8 U.S. Calls Upon the FARC and all the Combatants in Colombia to
Immediately Abandon Attacks, Particularly in Areas Where Civilians
May be Killed or Injured.
ZIMBABWE
9 U.S. Calls on Upon the Government of Zimbabwe to Pursue Land Reform
in a Legal and Transparent Manner
RUSSIA
10,11 President Putin's Travel to Libya / U.S. Expects Russians to
Encourage Libyan Compliance with Relevant UN Security Council
Resolutions and Libyan Cooperation with the Pan Am 103 Trial
CHINA
11,12 Leader of Religious Group Seeks Asylum in U.S.
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #74
MONDAY, JULY 31, 2000, 1:40 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)_
MR. REEKER: Good afternoon. Welcome back to the State Department. I
hope everybody had a pleasant and rewarding weekend and everybody is
refreshed.
I would just like to begin today welcoming a few visitors to our briefing
room today. Brent Vanderbrook and Rhonda Horeida are two interns with the
State Department this summer who are visiting with us, and LaShandra
Sullivan is a Foreign Affairs Fellow going to Yale this Fall. So I commend
you on your choice of university and welcome you today
A couple of quick notices. You should all be aware that we announced on
Friday that tomorrow, Tuesday, August 1st, there will be a special briefing
at 11:00 a.m. here in the State Department briefing room. That is a
special briefing on the Horn of Africa, the humanitarian response of the US
Agency for International Development in that region. Leonard Rogers, the
Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Bureau of Humanitarian Response at
AID will be here to make comments and take your questions on that.
We also have released a statement today in the Press Office announcing the
annual Diversity Immigrant Visa Lottery, known as DV 2002. For those of
you that keep track, this is the eighth annual Diversity Visa Lottery, and
the registration period for that lottery begins at noon on Monday, October
the 2nd, this Fall and ends at noon on Wednesday, November the 1st.
Also this afternoon I'll release a statement on our opposition to the new
Japanese whaling in the North Pacific.
With that, I would be happy to turn to your questions. George.
QUESTION: Do you have any comment on the Hezbollah warning of violence
if the US moves the embassy to Jerusalem?
MR. REEKER: I saw those reports and I can certainly say that we find
these types of threats to be outrageous. Certainly it demonstrates
Hezbollah's continuing support for terrorism, and such violent threats
deserve the condemnation of the entire international community. This
illustrates once again why that organization is on our list of terrorist
organizations.
QUESTION: The Hezbollah also said, Phil, that they would like to see a -
not the Palestinian Authority have a stake in Jerusalem but the whole of
the Palestinian - excuse me, the whole of the Islamic peoples of the world.
How does the US respond to that particular point of view?
MR. REEKER: I don't think I have any particular response to statements
out of Hezbollah. As I indicated, the type of statement that they released
that we've read about include threats which are absolutely outrageous.
This type of terrorist nature, the support for terrorism, is something that
can't be tolerated, not in the peace process, not in any sort of communication.
And we've made our views very clear on that and this organization, as I
said, is an organization that we consider a terrorist organization.
QUESTION: What does Secretary of State Madeleine Albright hope to get -
rather, hope to learn from the Vatican with regards to Jerusalem given that
their policy since 1966 has been that Jerusalem be an international
city?
MR. REEKER: I think as you would have seen from Ambassador Boucher's
short briefing that he made when he announced that the Secretary would be
traveling to Rome - in fact, the party has arrived in Rome just a short
while ago - that the Secretary is traveling there to meet with Vatican
Foreign Minister Archbishop Tauran and they will be discussing the Middle
East peace process.
As Ambassador Boucher indicated, this has been an area of great interest to
the Vatican in the past and the Secretary has kept in touch with Vatican
officials and, in fact, from Camp David spoke with the Vatican Foreign
Minister. So, after Camp David, this is now a chance for us to help keep
them informed of where we stand and where the process stands, and that's
what she'll be doing when she meets with him tomorrow in Rome.
QUESTION: I'm basing this on a Reuters report, but is the internationalization
of Jerusalem a foreign policy option right now?
MR. REEKER: I don't have anything to add for you on where we stand with
the Middle East peace process. As you know, we continue to support that
process. The Secretary is simply using this opportunity to meet with the
Foreign Minister of the Vatican in Rome to bring him up to date, keep him
informed on that process and what happened at Camp David.
QUESTION: Is the review of the decision to move the embassy to Jerusalem,
or rather the review of the option of moving the embassy to Jerusalem, is
that linked to an agreement on the status of Jerusalem between the Israelis
and Palestinians, or is it - will it take place regardless of any
agreement?
MR. REEKER: I think you all saw the President's comments on that from
Friday saying that he is taking under - that this will be taken under
review before the end of the year the decision on moving the embassy. And
I really don't have anything to add to what the President has said on
that.
QUESTION: Do you have the text of Boucher's comments on the subject?
MR. REEKER: I do. In terms of announcing the trip to Rome?
QUESTION: Is it available in the Press Office?
MR. REEKER: Sure. There was a press briefing he gave in Tokyo on the
30th of July.
QUESTION: He had something to say in Russia on that?
MR. REEKER: I think they filed out of Russia since they stopped there to
refuel in Yekaterinburg. That may be why you saw that dateline on
that.
QUESTION: Change of subject?
MR. REEKER: Anything else Middle East?
QUESTION: Any readout on Ed Walker's trip so far? Who has he met with?
What's he trying to do?
MR. REEKER: As we discussed last week, Assistant Secretary of State for
Near Eastern Affairs Edward S. Walker is traveling in the region to brief
Arab countries on the developments of Camp David. I don't have any
readouts on his meetings so far. He departed on Saturday and is now in the
region, so I don't have anything specific to give you. He is going to
visit all the countries with which we have relations in the region and give
them those briefings in the coming days and weeks.
QUESTION: Has he met with Mubarak?
MR. REEKER: I don't have any readout on exactly with whom he has met so
far.
QUESTION: Where is he going next, by the way?
MR. REEKER: I don't have a specific readout on his exact itinerary but,
in addition to Egypt where he has been today, I expect him to visit Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab
Emirates, Yemen, Oman, Tunisia, Algeria and Morocco.
Anything else on the Middle East?
QUESTION: So anything forthcoming to brief the United States about what
happened in Jericho this weekend, the meeting in Jericho between the
Palestinians and the Israelis? And is there yet, Phil, a meeting set for
the United States to participate?
MR. REEKER: No. I saw the reports about the meeting there in the region.
I think you know, as we've said before, that important progress was made at
Camp David and we remain committed to moving the process forward in any way
possible. We keep in touch with the parties, but I don't have anything
further to add on it at this point.
QUESTION: There is talk of holding either an Arab summit or a meeting of
the Jerusalem committee of the Organization of Islamic Conference. Does
the United States think it would be useful to have such meetings? And if
such meetings took place, what outcome would you like to see from
them?
MR. REEKER: I don't have anything particular to add other than the fact
that we want to see the process move ahead overall. We keep in touch with
the parties, as I indicated. I don't have anything specific on those
reports, which I hadn't seen but would be happy to look into them. But I
really have nothing further to add today on the process.
QUESTION: Israeli newspapers are reporting that Madeleine Albright spoke
with David Levy. Did that happen, and what did she say?
MR. REEKER: I don't have any readouts on the Secretary's phone calls.
I'd be happy to check into that for you but, as you know, she's traveling
and currently in Rome.
QUESTION: Any comments on the political situation in Venezuela?
MR. REEKER: Let me just make sure - are we switching to Venezuela? Is
that all right? Okay, Venezuela. Did you want to finish your question?
I'm sorry.
QUESTION: Yes, Venezuela and Peru, please.
MR. REEKER: Two distinctly separate situations. First on Venezuela, the
United States would like to congratulate the Venezuelan people for once
again upholding the tradition of free and fair elections in that country
and we would like to congratulate President Hugo Chavez and the other
victors of yesterday's elections. They will be critically important in
terms of leading Venezuela through its ongoing political and economic
reforms.
Based on the information we've seen to date, it appears that the national
electoral council managed the electoral process professionally and very
successfully. This was an extremely complex set of elections - we had
talked a bit about that last week - in terms of the number of offices being
contested and the number of candidates. The new electoral council had a
very short period of time in which to prepare but did so, as I indicated,
very professionally and successfully.
We are awaiting reports from the two international election observation
missions, one from the Organization of American States, one from the Carter
Center. They were present during that process and we understand that the
Venezuelan Government and the electoral commission cooperated fully with
these observer missions. So we'll be looking forward to their reports.
QUESTION: Are there any worries about the close friendship between Mr.
Chavez and Mr. Castro?
MR. REEKER: I don't think I have any particular worries here. Our
position on Mr. Castro and his regime is extremely well known and, as I
said, we are congratulating President Chavez on his election and his
victory yesterday. He does have a tough job ahead of him in terms of the
political and economic problems that face Venezuela and the reforms that he
must undertake and pursue.
QUESTION: On Venezuela, the US has been skeptical about the so-called
Chavez revolution. Do you feel that now he has regained legitimacy and the
US will see the Chavez regime with new eyes?
MR. REEKER: I don't think I have anything further to add than what I just
said. We have congratulated President Chavez and the others that were
victorious in yesterday's elections. They have, as I indicated, some tough
things to do in the future in terms of political and economic reform in
that country, and right now we think that their victory and the strong
election results will be very crucial to helping them pursue those reforms.
As I said, the elections were well run and we're going to move ahead and
watch as events proceed there.
QUESTION: How does the US feel about the Zimbabwean Government's
decision to --
MR. REEKER: I think we're still on Latin America here. Is this more on
Venezuela? And I have Peru to go to as well.
QUESTION: About Venezuela, the United States has been insisting in using
the Venezuelan air space for the civilian flights in the fight against
drugs, and Chavez does not allow - is not allowing the United States do
these kind of operations. Is your government going to insist in the future
in using the Venezuelan air space in this particular matter?
MR. REEKER: I don't have anything particular on that. Anything that we
would do would be working with Venezuela to discuss that. I'd be happy to
look into the issue, but I don't have any specific answer at this
point.
QUESTION: As a follow-up to that, Tom Pickering said about three months
ago after a visit to Venezuela that significant progress had been made in
developing a cooperative relationship on counter-narcotics issues. And we
asked him could he be more specific, and he said no. And it would seem to
me the statute of limitations has taken effect and that perhaps some
elaboration could be made now as to what the significant progress
was.
MR. REEKER: Well, why don't I talk to Ambassador - Under Secretary
Pickering about that, and we'll see if it might be time to have a further
discussion in light of the elections which we're talking about here today.
Obviously this is another starting point for President Chavez and the other
leaders who were brought to office and, as we indicated, it's a critically
important time for leading Venezuela through the numerous problems that
face the country.
QUESTION: A follow-up. There are also reports of a Cuban defector who
was in Venezuela and claimed that there were something like 1,500 Cuban
agents influencing events there. Do you have anything on that?
MR. REEKER: I don't. I don't have any information on that, George.
Anything else on Venezuela? Then I promised to follow your question on
Peru. And did you have anything specific to ask?
QUESTION: Well, yes. On Friday was the swearing-in ceremony on
President Fujimori. There were demonstrations. At least six people died.
And there are comments from the opposition in Peru that they feel weakened
by the apparent lack of support of the US Government that at one point
seemed to be stronger than it is now.
MR. REEKER: Well, I think, first of all, we should note that we deeply
regret - and I indicated this to some of you that called on Friday. We
deeply regret that the peaceful demonstrations that had been held in days
prior to the inauguration turned violent on the day of the inauguration,
leading to the loss of innocent lives. And we condemn violence which has
no place in a democratic process and which is very regrettable. I do
understand that a public prosecutor has been appointed to conduct an
investigation into the violence, and I just don't have any further
information on it at this time.
I would like to note that President Fujimori stated in his inaugural speech
his commitment to democratic reform, including a proposal to introduce
legislation reforming the intelligence and security services. This is
recognition of one area that must be addressed in order to promote national
conciliation and to regain the support and confidence of the Peruvian
people in their government. But we hope that President Fujimori will take
all possible steps within the constitutional process, including use of his
executive powers, to move that reform process forward.
But we had hoped also to hear more details on President Fujimori's other
plans for strengthening democracy, particularly as related to the agenda
developed by the Organization of American States mission which we have
discussed previously. This agenda includes the reforms in the judicial
system, protection of human rights, freedom of expression and in the media.
We have stated previously, including last week from here, that we urge all
parties in the political process to work cooperatively with the OAS mission
on this national dialogue which is vital to helping Peru also move ahead to
meet the challenges it faces, and they need to have this dialogue for
effective democratic reform. And we'll be watching the developments there
very closely.
QUESTION: Colombia?
MR. REEKER: Anything else on Peru?
QUESTION: Yes. On Toledo, actually many news organizations or many
observers in Peru consider Toledo responsible for the violent situation
that was created on Friday because he basically called the campesinos to
show their demonstrations through violence; it was not peaceful at all.
And many firefighters in the country, many firefighters divisions, were
basically shut down by the opposition.
Any comments on this particular matter and Toledo's responsibility?
MR. REEKER: I would simply just note again, as I stated that I understand
that a public prosecutor has been named to conduct an investigation into
the violence that took place, the very regrettable violence that resulted
in loss of life, I don't have anything further to add at this time. We
would obviously like to see that investigation go forward because it's very
important that there not be violence in a democratic process, and we would
continue to condemn any violence that takes place.
QUESTION: Any particular words directed to Mr. Toledo in particular?
MR. REEKER: I have nothing further to add to what I've said here.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Do you have any new comments about the use of the helicopters,
the US helicopters which are in Colombia fighting against drugs that have
been allowed to be used in fighting with guerrillas?
MR. REEKER: Let me just say you're referring obviously to the bloody
attack by the FARC on the Colombian town of Arboleda over the weekend.
Again, once more we've seen that innocent civilians have been killed as a
result of these extremely irresponsible, brutal and senseless attacks by
the FARC. Their attack on this very remote town of Arboleda killed at
least eight police officers and two female civilians. It shows once again
the FARC's lack of interest in moving quickly to negotiate an end to the
decades long conflict that has plagued Colombia, despite many concessions
that have been made by the Government of Colombia.
So we continue to call upon the FARC and all the combatants in Colombia to
immediately abandon attacks, particularly in areas where civilians may be
killed or injured, and it's time to cease the inhumane practices of
kidnapping and recruiting child soldiers and this type of attack that
results in loss of innocent life and accomplishes absolutely nothing.
In terms of your specific question - and I know Ambassador Kamman has
discussed this already, I've seen it in the wires - Arboleda, the town, is
located in a major opium poppy growing zone, and anti-narcotics elements of
the Colombian National Police were the closest units to respond, to be able
to respond and assist the besieged town and their fellow police. Those
units were moved using all available assets, and that did include
helicopters supplied by the United States. The US-supplied aircraft are
generally permitted to conduct such rescue flights and search-and-rescue
missions in addition to their normal counter-narcotics responsibilities, so
that was very much in keeping with the standard practice.
QUESTION: But people in Colombia are asking, especially for the future
for the Plan Colombia, like what is the limit between urgent or not urgent.
I mean, if these helicopters are working against drugs, when they will know
when it's too urgent to get into a guerrillas fight.
MR. REEKER: I think in this case - and that's the only one I can look at
now because it's what happened over the weekend - those helicopters were in
the right location with the forces that were able to mobilize to come to
the aid of other forces in the town that was being attacked brutally by the
FARC guerrilla groups. And so that was perfectly in keeping with the
standard operation to go and come to the aid of them, and that's the only
situation I can address at this point.
QUESTION: To follow up, did those helicopters have American pilots?
MR. REEKER: I would have to check into that for you.
QUESTION: Would you please check that?
MR. REEKER: I don't believe so, but I'll check that.
QUESTION: Is there any kind of vetting process when these helicopters
are used? Who decides whether this is in keeping with standard operations?
Is it referred to any American for --
MR. REEKER: I'd have to check for you, Jonathan, all the details of that
program. I just didn't have time this morning and I didn't look into it
that greatly. I looked into the specific question of those helicopters'
use because it had come up, but I'd be happy to look into that for
you.
Other things on Colombia?
QUESTION: On Cuba?
QUESTION: One more on Colombia.
MR. REEKER: Yes.
QUESTION: Do you have any comment about the four generals that are
investigated by the Procuradoría in Colombia because of a massacre
in 1998?
MR. REEKER: I don't. That sounds like a Colombia issue.
QUESTION: Mr. Cheney, the Vice President candidate from the Republican
Party, said over the weekend that the Cuban embargo had failed in their
desired effects. So do you have any comments?
MR. REEKER: I think as you'll learn spending more time here and as we get
into the heightened season of political activity in terms of the US
domestic politics, that we refrain from commenting here on matters that
come up in terms of campaign platforms or commentary from the candidates.
So I have really nothing to add to that at all on our Cuba policy.
Anything else on Cuba or Latin America?
QUESTION: Zimbabwe.
MR. REEKER: Okay, Terri wants to go to Zimbabwe.
QUESTION: What about the announcement of new land seizures?
MR. REEKER: Well, this certainly continues the situation we've seen in
Zimbabwe. We continue to call upon the Government of Zimbabwe to pursue
land reform in a legal and transparent manner with respect to the
principles agreed to with donors at a September '98 land reform conference,
and that includes the basis of a willing seller and a willing buyer. There
are willing buyers for farms, commercial farms, in Zimbabwe. I understand
that the commercial farmers union there has identified over 600 farms for
sale. So we have urged the Government of Zimbabwe and the commercial
farmers union to work constructively together to find a peaceful, lasting
and equitable solution to land reform in this matter.
QUESTION: Yesterday's announcement considerably ratchets up the stakes
there and it's very shocking. You have nothing new?
MR. REEKER: It has increased the numbers. I don't have anything more to
add. I think our position is the same even with the increased numbers:
this is not the way to approach this matter. We've called for a legal and
orderly land reform. We've certainly condemned the illegal occupation of
farms and have called upon the government to implement the court orders
that have been placed there. A lot of this has involved violence which has
not resulted in any progress, and really the government should work
together with the farmers union to come up with solutions there.
QUESTION: You almost said but you didn't quite say that the new plan
does not meet your criteria of being done in an legal and transparent
manner.
MR. REEKER: I don't think we've had a chance to look closely at the new
plan. My understanding was that it resulted in the confiscation of
additional farms, and what we have been calling for is a legal and orderly
land reform. I don't have anything specific to tell you in terms of the
new plan there. Some people will have to take a look at that, obviously,
and review that in terms of the context that had been agreed upon in 1998
on how to go about land reform in Zimbabwe.
QUESTION: And in the meantime I assume that there is no question of
resuming financial support for land reform?
MR. REEKER: No. At this point, that project was suspended until such
time as we can have more positive progress.
QUESTION: Phil, I have a feeling this is going to be a needle in a
haystack. I don't know if you have anything in your book about it, but it
came from the Ottowa Citizen and it has to do with a dispute over a ship.
I believe it's a Maryland-based company that actually has the ship, and it
has military supplies and hardware on it and it's off the coast of Canada.
The reason I raise it is that it says the US State Department was now
involved in this. And it's the GTS Katie.
You don't know anything about it?
MR. REEKER: Not this State Department person. So I'd be happy to get a
copy of that report and look into it, wherever I may, those vague
references to the State Department being involved.
QUESTION: As you know, the next round of meetings for the international
criminal court are coming up in November. If everything went according to
the US plan, however, you know, if the United States accomplished
everything it wanted to accomplish in this meeting, what would that outcome
look like?
MR. REEKER: Well, let me check into that for you. November is down the
pike. As you know, Ambassador Scheffer, the Secretary's Special Representative
for War Crimes Initiatives, has been extremely busy and involved in those
negotiations and discussions, that have been held in New York. I just
don't have a particular readout on what we expect from the November session,
so we'll be happy to look into that or refer you to the correct people.
QUESTION: What do you think of President Putin's agreement to go to
Libya?
MR. REEKER: We had seen those reports that Russian President Putin is
going to visit Libya. Certainly what I can tell you is that in meetings
with Libyan officials we would expect Russians to encourage full Libyan
compliance with relevant UN Security Council resolutions and to encourage
full Libyan cooperation with the Pan Am 103 trial, as well as an end to
Libyan support for international terrorism and acknowledgement of
responsibility for the actions of Libyan officials and payment of
appropriate compensation, which are all the hallmarks of our position
towards Libya.
QUESTION: Okay. You'll tell the Russians that?
MR. REEKER: Well, Russia is a Security Council partner with whom we
maintain continuous discussion on all manner of issues internationally.
We'll certainly be interested in details that they can provide regarding
their talks there during their visit, so we'll be in touch.
QUESTION: So you actually welcome the opportunity for the Libyans to
hear these things from such a powerful nation?
MR. REEKER: I think if Russia is going to be there, they are a Security
Council partner of ours and they should certainly convey those messages.
That's what we hope the Libyans to hear from the Russians.
QUESTION: Are you concerned this is the third rogue state that Putin has
met with in the last month, I think?
QUESTION: Rogue state?
QUESTION: State of concern.
MR. REEKER: Am I concerned about that? I think the Russians need to
obviously make their own decisions. But as I indicated in discussing the
trip to Libya that we would expect them to have certain messages shared by
the United Nations and by the Security Council, particularly regarding
Security Council resolutions to deliver to the Libyans or to any other
states that may be involved in Security Council resolutions and issues.
QUESTION: So what happens if they don't?
MR. REEKER: I'm sorry?
QUESTION: What happens if they don't convey these --
MR. REEKER: That's one of those "if" questions that I don't have anything
particular to respond to. That's our position in terms of what we would
like to see relayed to the Libyans. It's the position we espouse often
from this position. And any other time anyone asks us about Libya, we'll
continue to do so.
QUESTION: Is it something that the US plans on communicating to the
Russians in a medium other than from the podium?
MR. REEKER: As I indicated just now, we discuss a lot of issues with the
Russians at all times on a very regular basis at a variety of levels, so I
would expect a continuous dialogue on that and many other issues to
continue.
QUESTION: Could I go to China?
MR. REEKER: If you wish.
QUESTION: The New York Times reported that the leader of another
religious group in China has sought political asylum in the United States.
Is that true? And if so, how would you respond to that?
MR. REEKER: I read that article, and as you probably know from other
situations, we don't comment on matters relating to possible requests for
asylum. These are under the purview of the Immigration and Naturalization
Service of the Department of Justice, and so I really am not in a position
to make any comment on that story.
QUESTION: Can you even say whether there was a court hearing in Guam on
Friday on this matter, presumably at which the State Department would be
represented in some way?
MR. REEKER: No. The Immigration and Naturalization Service is the
government agency that has purview of asylum cases, and our policy, as it
has been with all the other ones, is not to make any comment regarding
requests or non-requests for asylum.
QUESTION: Can you tell us whether or not the State Department views this
particular sect, this meditation group, to be a religion or how you
quantify this group?
MR. REEKER: I guess I'd have to check into that for you and find
out.
QUESTION: Could you?
MR. REEKER: That would be the Zhong Gong group as reported by The New
York Times, so I'd be happy to look into that with the appropriate
folks.
Thanks.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:10 p.m.)
|
