08/20/2001: Daily Press Briefing Excerpts

EXCERPTS FROM PRESS BRIEFING RELATING TO ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
Phillip T. Reeker, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
August 20, 2001

(On The Record Unless Otherwise Noted)
Complete Transcript of August 20, 200l Briefing

QUESTION: New subject? Can you give us some information on two American citizens who have been wounded in the Middle East over the weekend?

MR. REEKER: I can't give you really much information, but let me start by saying how deeply troubled we are by the violence over the past few days, and that includes the wounding of two American citizens in separate shooting incidents in the Middle East. As I said, there are two American citizens who have been wounded. They are both being treated. I understand their injuries are not life-threatening, but at this point I am not in a position to give any more details on those.

This reminds us yet again that the violence has got to stop, that the Palestinians need to do everything possible to bring that about, to preempt attacks by suicide bombers, to arrest those responsible for the violence. These are essential actions, and without such efforts, of course, as we have said before, it will be impossible to move through with the implementation of the Mitchell Committee recommendations.

And at the same time, while we recognize that Israel has a responsibility to maintain security in the face of violence and terror, we also note that they have a responsibility to avoid actions that result in the deaths and injuries of innocent people. These kinds of actions are tragic and only exacerbate the already volatile situation.

So both sides need to recognize that down this path of escalation and retaliation lies simply disaster.

QUESTION: Have you seen the draft resolution circulating in the United Nations by the OIC, and what do you think of it?

MR. REEKER: I don't know that I have seen anything specific in terms of draft resolutions; however, our Ambassador Cunningham, our Acting Permanent Rep at the UN, has already commented today on that situation, and that reflects what we have talked about from here certainly a number of times last week.

Our objective from the beginning in the Israeli-Palestinian crisis, of course, has been to end the violence, to restore trust and confidence and create the circumstances for resumption of a political process. And we continue to believe that action in the United Nations Security Council at this point will not contribute to these objectives. And we note that others, including Russia, our partner in the peace process since its beginning in 1991, share our view that now is not the time for UN action.

So we will continue to assist the parties in a continuing focus with the rest of the international community on the goal of moving in to implementing the Mitchell Committee recommendations. But at this point, we believe that while we work directly with the parties, attempts to force a solution by a third party will only frustrate efforts to move forward with the implementation of Mitchell. And I think as Ambassador Cunningham pointed out, we question the appropriateness and effectiveness of any action in New York to that end. What we need now is action on the ground, steps taken to reduce violence -- not rhetoric, not debate that polarizes an already volatile situation.

QUESTION: Are you pretty confident, then, that given the Russian position and those of others perhaps on the Council, that this won't come to a vote, and that if it does, that it will be defeated without you having to use your veto?

MR. REEKER: I can at this point only speak for what our position is. I refer you to the UN on the mechanics of the continuing discussion on that. I have made clear what our position is. I don't think, Matt, I am in a position to do that. We don't believe this is the action to take. We don't believe that such a proposed action from New York from the Security Council would contribute in any way to steps that need to be taken. So imposing unworkable ideas won't change any reality on the ground and is not what we think needs to be done now.

Jonathan, did you have a follow-up?

QUESTION: You seem to be saying you're against absolutely any Security Council resolution on this subject, whatever form it takes. Is that how I should read it?

MR. REEKER: Well, I think, again, I could just refer you to Ambassador Cunningham's statements and the same statements we have made all last week. I think I am saying pretty much the same thing: that we believe that action in the United Nations Security Council at this point will not contribute to these objectives.

QUESTION: Yeah, I know. I heard that. I'm just trying to clarify. You mean absolutely any action, regardless of what form it takes?

MR. REEKER: We think the parties have the structures to move forward in reducing the violence. The Tenet work plan, the Mitchell Committee recommendations.

QUESTION: Yes, yes, yes.

QUESTION: Well, can I --

MR. REEKER: You're the one that asked.

QUESTION: Yeah, because I wanted an answer. That's why.

MR. REEKER: I gave you one that's perfectly clear.

QUESTION: Well, how about going at it this way? You say you haven't seen a draft resolution and you're not aware of any --

MR. REEKER: I personally, Matt, have not reviewed the draft resolution.

QUESTION: Right, right. But I'm curious, then, if you can't say what -- if you don't know what the ideas are, how do you know they are unworkable? I mean, you just said "unworkable ideas."

MR. REEKER: I am quoting from Ambassador Cunningham's statement. He has been working on this issue, and so I am referring you to what he said in response to that specific draft and the discussion going on in New York. I am not in a position to try to parse it and go minute by minute with that.

The overriding position is what we talked about last week, and it remains our position, and I think is reflected again in Ambassador Cunningham's statement that we don't believe New York is where action needs to be taken on this. It is action on the ground that is what we're looking for that will actually make a difference in the process.

QUESTION: Phil, leaving aside the question of monitors for a minute --

MR. REEKER: Could Matt finish his question before -- because he was --

QUESTION: So it is, in fact, not any action by the UN Security Council; it's only on what ideas that you think are unworkable, or anything?

QUESTION: It seems to be anything. I don't know.

QUESTION: Because presumably it could come up --

MR. REEKER: Action. Action in the UN Security Council. I don't know how much clearer I can say it. We don't think any action in the UN Security Council is what will contribute to these objectives. And this is in the context of the discussion that is going on today in New York and that we have been reflecting on beforehand last week and again today in preparation for that discussion.

QUESTION: Okay, Phil. Leaving aside the question of monitors, where your objections are well known, what is your objection to a resolution that would demand Israel withdrawal from Orient House and the other institutions in East Jerusalem?

MR. REEKER: We understand the concerns about Orient House. We have talked about that many times. It has long symbolized the importance of political dialogue and reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians, and it is vital that both parties remain committed to these objectives and avoid the actions that threaten the fundamental belief in a negotiated settlement.

And so we are actively engaged with both sides. We stand ready to assist in security talks, the tripartite security talks, to let the two parties try to come up with steps to implement security, to get the violence down, urging the parties to move quickly in that direction, as we have done before.

But we don't believe that the solution is through steps taken in New York, through resolutions. We believe it is through the parties to work together to implement the Tenet work plan, to implement the Mitchell Committee recommendations, and that continues to be our position, just as it was last week.

QUESTION: Is there any sort of rationale for that position, or is it just sort of arbitrary decision?

MR. REEKER: No, and I would suggest that very few of our decisions are arbitrary.

QUESTION: So what is the rationale for it?

MR. REEKER: The rationale is that the two parties need to make the decision. By passing rhetorical statements in New York, by debating and polarizing an already volatile situation, by attempting to impose other ideas on the parties that aren't going to change reality on the ground -- that is not going to accomplish anything.

We need to work with both sides to end the violence and transform the environment in a way that will permit the resumption of the political process. They have the road maps. They have a structure to pursue security talks and dialogue that are vital to creating an environment in which they can then move into the Mitchell Committee recommendations, which is what both sides and the international community have endorsed as the path out of this crisis.

QUESTION: They may have this work plan, but they don't really seem to be following it very well. But one thing they do seem to be trying, and maybe you can brief us on what the State Department may know about Peres' efforts to contact Arafat or some of the Palestinians on this gradual cease-fire, or rolling cease-fire, and your views on that?

MR. REEKER: For any details on what I have seen as reports of a Peres-Arafat meeting, you would really need to talk to the parties themselves on that. We support direct contacts between the parties, as we have said many times before, and we will support both sides in these efforts as much as possible. We just again referred to the Tenet work plan and the structures in place, where we facilitate and do what we can to help them on this track, on this security track, because, as I said, it is developing the security situation that gets the violence down that can then lead the parties back into the path that is outlined by the Mitchell Committee Report.

QUESTION: Is there anything specifically that the US is doing to facilitate this new Peres initiative? I mean, are you --

MR. REEKER: No, as I said, anything on a "Peres initiative" you would need to talk to the parties specifically. We remain ready to facilitate any sort of talks. I don't have anything specific for you on reports -- the ones you are referring to -- of possible talks or meetings between Mr. Peres or Mr. Arafat, or anything else of that specific nature. But you are quite familiar with the Tenet work plan and the process that that tries to foster, and that is what we will continue to --

QUESTION: They are apparently not using those security meetings as the avenue to get these contacts. That's what I am trying to get at.

MR. REEKER: I just don't have details of those reports. What I am saying is we stand ready to help. We are deeply engaged in the process, as the Secretary of State indicated last week. We are trying to find bridges to cross the divides that have existed for so many years, and of course have become especially severe in recent months. We are working with both sides. We are talking to leaders, not just in the region, but leaders in the international community, trying to find ways to help restore the sense of trust and confidence.

You know we had senior officials in the region. Just to close out on that, Ambassador Satterfield, Deputy Assistant Secretary Satterfield, is back in Washington. Assistant Secretary Burns is also back at his desk here in Washington. The Secretary of State spoke with Foreign Minister Peres on Saturday. So we continue to have those contacts and continue to urge, in those private discussions, the same thing that we are urging publicly, and that is taking the steps necessary to reduce the violence.

QUESTION: Philip, on Friday, when Dr. Baz spoke to us, he said both sides wanted a couple of days to consider the ideas they had exchanged, and then they might speak to us about them.

MR. REEKER: I don't have anything new to talk about today, other than what we have already talked about in the last ten minutes or so.

QUESTION: In possibly a related story to the Middle East, as well as to Afghanistan, back on August the 7th, 250 Christians were arrested by the Lebanese Army, and also Pope John Paul II has been criticizing Syria because there may be some inter-linkage between what has gone on in Lebanon with the arrest of two journalists over the week.

And what is the United States doing with regard to this, and is it related to Afghanistan?

MR. REEKER: I am not aware of any connection with Afghanistan at all. I will have to look into the specifics of that situation. I think our broad position on encouraging religious freedom and speaking out against persecution of people on behalf of their beliefs is well known. Certainly the situation in Syria and Lebanon is one that is well documented in our Human Rights Reports, and our Reports on Religious Freedom. I would be happy to check in and see if there was any specific update. As you mentioned, some of these events occurred some weeks ago. So I would be happy to look into that.

QUESTION: You keep asking the Palestinians to do more, even though they are under occupation. And on the ground lately, all of the victims appear to be Palestinians. Most of them are children. Today, six Palestinians were killed. Two of them are very young children.

Why you don't show the same outrage when Palestinian kids are killed, just like you do when Israeli children are killed?

MR. REEKER: We do. We do show the same outrage. The killing of children, the injuring of children, the injuring of anyone -- any innocent civilian -- is absolutely unacceptable. It is a horrible human tragedy, and we have been quite clear about that in statements from the President, from the Secretary of State, and from their spokesmen.

The United States abhors the violence that is taking place there, and that is why both sides have to take steps. The Palestinians need to do everything possible to stop the violence. They need to take steps to preempt the attacks by suicide bombers, arrest those responsible for the violence.

These are essential actions that have to be taken. And, as I said just a few moments ago, we recognize Israel has a responsibility to maintain security in the face of that violence and terror, but we also note that they have a responsibility to avoid action that results in the deaths and injuries of innocent people. And these are tragedies, as I said, and they only serve to exacerbate an already volatile situation.

So it is up to both sides to take the steps necessary, to take the steps they have said they want to take to move forward in this.

QUESTION: Dr. Osama El-Baz before leaving back to Cairo told Al-Jazira Saturday that he expects the Americans to do more in the near future. Are you aware of any involvement different than we have seen before?

MR. REEKER: I think I have talked to you already again today, as the Secretary did last week after meeting with Dr. El-Baz, that we remain very much involved, in contact with all the parties. They have got to take steps and actions in line with what they have promised to do, in line with what they have outlined they want to do. And we are going to continue to press that point.

Anything else on the Middle East?