Remarks on the Hariri Investigation

Reporter: (Inaudible)

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think it is important that the Security Council continue to support the work of the International Commission that we've established. I met this morning on certain parameters with the Commissioner to get his sense with just a few weeks on the job and to encourage him and his work with the full support of the Security Council and the United Nations. A lot of work remains to be done. But I was very impressed by him professionally and I think we can say clearly we have a lot of confidence in him and his work. I think it is very important to come to a conclusion on who is responsible for the assassination of Prime Minister Hariri.

Reporter: (Inaudible)

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I am not going to comment on the overall picture. Our concern is that the Syrian obstruction of the Commission's investigation remains. And that is going to be an issue we watch very closely.

Reporter: Did Mr. Brammertz reiterate that there is continued instruction? Did he specify where things stand in that regard?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I don't want to get into the specifics of conversation. We've said from the outset, we are not going to try and second-guess the work of the commission, we want to support it. And I have made it as clear as I could how strongly the United States feels about it.

Reporter: Mr. Ambassador, this is the end of the first week of the daily briefings and your punctuality test, how did the Council do on both fronts?

Ambassador Bolton: I am very pleased. I think this contributes to a more business-like Council, a more effective Council decision making process. It's an experiment, only one week has transpired, but some (inaudible) by it that I said we wouldn't need to meet on Monday.

Reporter: (Inaudible)& The White House on Monday, we expect perhaps, any US on Darfur or something to come out of this meeting?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, the Secretary General requested this meeting. So we will see what issues he brings up.

Reporter: (Inaudible) Does this reflect the warming of relations between the US and the UN?

Ambassador Bolton: I don't know that it reflects anything. I think the Secretary General said yesterday, that of course, he had met with the President when he was here in September, and so we will go from there.

Reporter: (Inaudible) How do you characterize your meeting with him (Brammertz)?

Ambassador Bolton: I did meet with Mr. Brammertz this morning. I found him to be very professional. I was quite impressed with his grasp of the course of the investigation and the outline of how he intends to proceed. I assured him the Security Council is fully behind him, and I assured him the United States was fully behind him.

Reporter: Do you have an indication of the timeline for him to produce a report?

Ambassador Bolton: We didn't really get into the timeline. He is aware of the urgency of the situation, the urgency that is in large measure occasioned by the deliberate obstruction of the crime scene of the Hariri assassination, and obstruction of justice that's going on. I think any prosecutor would tell you that each day that goes by in the effort to reach a conclusion on the crime, makes it more difficult. But I am convinced that adequate resources and close cooperation of the government of Lebanon, that they are continuing to make progress.

Reporter: Will there be a resolution on Myanmar now, introduced by the US this month, now that we have had words out of Washington? What's the latest? You said stay tuned a few days ago?

Ambassador Bolton: What word did you get out of Washington?

Reporter: Well, it looked like there was going to be some action, or production of something.

Ambassador Bolton: Well, the word has not trickled down to yours truly. I mean we got the issue of Burma before the Council in a briefing, some time ago. And we are going to continue to work on it.

Reporter: Getting back to Sudan, the UN spokesman just made clear, that in regards to your letter from February 8^th, that the Secretary General sees this as two distinct phases: the planning phase and the operational phase of Sudan, and suggested that while they are satisfied with US operative of the planning stage, he would still be looking for US commitments during the operational phase of the Sudan mission. Has the US prepared to make any offers for that?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I am glad that they are gratified for our assistance in the planning phase. I am sure they will let us know as soon as possible when they will accept our planners over here, to help do the work. With regards to what comes after that, that will be a decision that the US government will take as appropriate.

Reporter: (Inaudible)

Ambassador Bolton: The United States position, for as long as I can remember, and this goes back to Bush 41, is that we don't recognize that there is any principle of geographic rotation. So we have said, for decades, that we believe that the member governments should select the best-qualified person. If that person is an Asian, that will be fine for us, and if the best-qualified person is from another region that would be fine for us as well. So I have said before, I have known Prime Minister Ban for many years. I knew him when he was stationed in Washington, we had the highest regard for him and we are glad that people of his caliber are willing to put their name forward.

Reporter: Are you getting frustrated with the pace of the (inaudible) you said they have not accepted US help on the planning phase. Are you frustrated with the fact that the response has not come yet?

Ambassador Bolton: Our four planners will be here on Sunday night, and they will be ready to go to work on Monday morning.

Reporter: Human Rights Council? Reaction to the language that the Islamic Group has been introducing?

Ambassador Bolton: To tell you the truth, I have not seen the language. I know that they have proposed some additional language, but I have not seen that.

Reporter: There was a Palestinian meeting? Do you have any comment on that?

Ambassador Bolton: And when did that meeting take place?

Reporter: This morning.

Ambassador Bolton: No, I saw the notice on the board, but I haven't received a report. I've been in here working on Security Council business.

Reporter: Ambassador, now that the two-question rule has been violated several times. Ambassador, Mr. Guehenno outlined a whole series of events, including today, what are your thoughts? What are your thoughts expressed by the Council on how to deal with that?

Ambassador Bolton: The mandate for UNAMA, for example, is coming up shortly. We are going to take a careful look at that. We are going to be endorsing the compact agreed to in London, as I said previously. Obviously the security situation is an enormous concern to the United States, with the troops we have on the ground and the other coalition partners, and that's a matter of continuing concern.

Reporter: Back on Lebanon, did Mr. Brammertz give you any indication of an international tribunal or the nature of that tribunal?

Ambassador Bolton: We didn't really get into that discussion, that aspect of the case. We talked about how he is conducting the investigation and beginning the transition process, as any prosecutor would in working with the Lebanese government, thinking of bringing the evidence he has accumulated to trial. I found Mr. Brammertz to be very professional; I was quite impressed by him. Thank you very much.

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