28 August 2001

Excerpt: State Dept Urges Restraint in Middle East

(Says U.S. contacting Syria about protecting U.S. citizens)

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said the international community's role is to "consistently point the way towards implementation of the Mitchell committee recommendations."

He was responding to a question about the Belgian foreign minister's interest in a joint initiative to revitalize the peace efforts between the Israelis and the Palestinians.

Secretary of State Colin Powell, said Boucher, talks consistently with international community leaders about implementing the Mitchell Committee recommendations for peace in the Middle East.

In his August 28 briefing in the State Department in Washington, Boucher said that the U.S. government is contacting the Syrian government about regional peace issues and Syria's responsibilities to restrain groups on Syrian territory from possibly trying to harm U.S. citizens in the region.

On August 27 in Damascus, a spokesman for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine [PFLP] issued an appeal for attacks against U.S. interests after Israel assassinated PFLP leader Abu Ali Mustafa in the West Bank city of Ramallah earlier in the day.

Boucher added that the United States welcomes Syrian President Bashar Assad's reiteration of his support for a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East.

"A just and comprehensive peace based on U.N. Security Council Resolutions 242, 338, and the Madrid principles of land for peace cannot be obtained by military means, only through renewed negotiations. So we're raising this with the Syrian government through our embassy in Damascus," Boucher said.

Boucher reiterated U.S. opposition to Israeli targeted killings, and said the United States is monitoring whether Israel is using U.S. weapons according to the terms of the military transfer between the United States and Israel.

He said the United States opposes Israel's use of heavy weaponry, particularly in urban areas, because heavy weapons increase the risk of civilian casualties. Boucher said U.S. officials have been communicating these concerns to the Israeli government.

Regarding the aid workers detained by the Taliban in Afghanistan, Boucher said consular officials from the United States, Australia and Germany have met with Taliban officials in the foreign ministry in Kabul to discuss the legal process involved in these cases.

Following are excerpts from Boucher's August 28 briefing containing his comments about the Middle East and Afghanistan:
(begin excerpt)

QUESTION: The Belgian Foreign Minister, his country being the lead --

MR. BOUCHER: The European presidency, yes.

QUESTION: -- of the EU says that he is interested in some sort of joint initiative involving the EU, the United States and Russia to revitalize the peace effort between the Israelis and the Palestinians, and he said phone calls on this subject were to take place this afternoon. It's already evening in Belgian, Belgian-time. So maybe those calls already have taken place.

Do you have anything for us on that?

MR. BOUCHER: I would just say the Secretary has consistently been talking with a number of leaders about the situation in the Middle East. He has talked frequently with Kofi Annan; he has talked frequently with Joschka Fischer, the Foreign Minister of Germany; he has talked to Foreign Minister Michel of Belgium in the EU presidency capacity over the last several weeks. I think he talked yesterday to the Italian Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Ruggiero, who is heading out to the region, we understand. And I think he was going to talk to the Foreign Minister of Belgium again today. But I am not -- I don't think that call has actually taken place at this point.

I think the issue here is what can the international community do. And for us, and I think for many others, the role of the international community is to consistently point the way towards implementation of the Mitchell Committee recommendations. And there has been very strong international support for implementation of those recommendations in all their aspects. And that is what we continue to look to do. That is what we continue to urge, and that is what others continue to urge on the parties as well.

QUESTION: Given the anger in the Palestinian and Arab world over the use of American weapons in some recent attacks, does the United States believe that there is an increased threat to American interests or personnel overseas, and have any actions been taken, or will they be taken, to tighten up protections around US embassies or US personnel overseas?

MR. BOUCHER: As you know, we not only maintain a high level of security in our embassies, but we also maintain public advisories on travel and on dangers. We have existing Travel Advisories, Travel Warnings on the dangers of traveling in the Middle East. At this point, we stand on those. I am not aware of any new additions coming out. But if you look at them, you will find they are already pretty strong.

QUESTION: Related to that, yesterday, the PFLP said they (inaudible) said while they threatened attacks on Israeli and American interests, I'm wondering if you have -- and they said this in a news conference in Damascus -- I am wondering if there has been any contact between this building, or people attached to this building, maybe in Damascus, with Syrian authorities about them hosting such an --

MR. BOUCHER: There have been discussions over a long time about their hosting such people, but with regard to these specific statements, there have been contacts as well in recent days -- well, overnight -- with the Syrian Government.

We do take seriously the spokesman for the PFLP's plea for strikes against US interests. We are calling on the Syrian Government to exercise restraint over groups that it allows on Syrian territory. We are raising the spokesman's remarks with the Syrian Government, noting that we hold the Syrian Government responsible for the safety and security of Americans in Syria.

We do welcome President Asad's recent reiteration of Syria's support for a just and comprehensive peace. We think such a position conveys on him certain responsibilities to exercise restraint where he has influence to prevent any further escalatory violence. A just and comprehensive peace based on UN Security Council Resolutions 242, 338 and the Madrid principles of Land-for-Peace cannot be obtained by military means, only through renewed negotiations. So we are raising this with the Syrian Government through our Embassy in Damascus.

QUESTION: And one more on Syria. On Friday and again today, senior Israeli officials have said that they have asked the United States to pass a message on to President Asad about developments with Hezbollah and near the Lebanese-Syrian border. Do you know, was that raised in these latest conversations that you were just mentioning, or at any other point?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I am going to be able to go into any specific message or discussion in that regard, but I would just say that consistently the United States has raised our concerns about the Israeli-Lebanon border, about the situation there. We have called on all the parties who have influence in that area to exercise it, to make sure that violence in that place does not escalate. The Secretary has done this in his discussions with the Syrians. We have done this through our embassy and elsewhere.

QUESTION: Yes, just on the US arms. Can you -- I'm sure this has come up many times, but I don't recall what exactly your position is. Have you brought up with Israeli officials the use of US weapons in these targeted killings, as you call them?

MR. BOUCHER: We have made clear our opposition to targeted killings. It's not a question of the weapons so much as it is a question of the event. Obviously, they are aware and we are aware of the restrictions on the use of American weaponry. Obviously they are aware of that.

But I think our opposition to this is not, you can kill them with somebody else's weapons.

QUESTION: Yes, sure. Let me put it this way then. Have you discussed with Israeli officials the use of American-supplied weapons in trying to suppress the intifada?

MR. BOUCHER: Once again, I have to say that the Israelis are quite aware of the restrictions on the use of American weapons, but the discussions that we have with them -- well, I'm just going to leave it at that.

QUESTION: Well, so -- but that means that you are not going to say whether they have come up in recent discussions with senior Israeli officials who happen to be in town?

MR. BOUCHER: No.

QUESTION: They have not? This has not --

MR. BOUCHER: I am not going to say.

QUESTION: You're not going to say whether --

MR. BOUCHER: But the focus of our discussions with the Israelis is not weapons; the focus of our discussions with the Israelis is on calming the situation and ending the violence. That remains the subject of discussion, how to stop this terrorism and how to stop the threats, how to stop the retaliations and how to stop the violence.

QUESTION: Okay, can we move on to Beit Jala? Do you have anything to say about the reoccupation of Beit Jala, and what is your understanding about the time frame for this? Is this -- would you be very concerned if the Israelis stayed there indefinitely?

MR. BOUCHER: Let me do this in the context of the overall situation. I think we made quite clear yesterday we think the parties know what they have to do to deescalate the situation, to break the pattern of violence that has erupted. With regard to the situation in Gilo and Beit Jala, let me be clear. The Palestinians need to stop the shootings and attacks against Israelis in Gilo and elsewhere. The Palestinian Authority must exercise its authority if it is serious about ending the current crisis and moving to the implementation of the Mitchell Committee recommendations.

The Israelis need to understand that incursions like this will not solve the security problems; they only make matters worse. As a consequence, we believe the Israelis should withdraw their forces from this area.

We are troubled by reports that Israel has posted troops next to an orphanage that is affiliated with the Lutheran Church in Beit Jala. We want both sides to avoid any action that would jeopardize the safety of the children, and both sides need to avoid actions that continue to exacerbate the situation on the ground and that make it more difficult to find a way out of the current crisis.

QUESTION: Back to the targeted killings and the use of US weapons in Israel. Are they breaking any (inaudible) our supplying the weapons and planes to them, the Israelis?

MR. BOUCHER: The question of US weapons is a complicated one, legally, that we have discussed before. Under the Arms Export Control Act, recipients of defense articles and services agree to use them solely for specified purposes, including internal security and legitimate self-defense. The Act contains provisions on reporting to Congress in the event of substantial violations of those agreements. No decisions have been made that such a report would be required in the current circumstances.

We continue to monitor whether US weaponry is used according to the terms of the transfer. We would take appropriate steps to make sure it is.

QUESTION: And what steps would those be?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, we would follow our legal obligations.

QUESTION: Richard --

MR. BOUCHER: I would add one thing to this discussion that does relate to weaponry. We have made clear that we think the use of heavy weaponry, particularly in urban areas, is dangerous and risks civilian casualties, and so we have opposed that in terms of the kind of weaponry used.

QUESTION: If there is no report required, does that mean that the United States believes that the use of the F-16s and the missiles and helicopters is legitimate self-defense?

MR. BOUCHER: It means that we have not made any determinations or decisions that the provisions of the law might have been violated.

QUESTION: In June, in an interview, Secretary Powell said that -- it was a couple of weeks after the first F-16s being used -- and he said that it would be good if the United States did not see the use of these F-16s any more in this manner.

Now that we are seeing it much more regularly, why aren't we hearing anything like this in public that it would be better if they didn't use them?

MR. BOUCHER: I just reiterated, thinking of that, that we do think that the use of heavy weaponry in populated areas runs a high risk of civilian casualties, and we have been opposed to it.

QUESTION: Going back to Beit Jala, I assume that people in Israel have talked to -- US officials have talked to Israeli Government officials. And has there been any indication that the Israelis plan to pull out of Beit Jala anytime soon, or have we expressed our concern that they are still there?

MR. BOUCHER: We have expressed our view that they should withdraw. As for what the Israeli intentions are at this moment, you'll have to get that from them.

QUESTION: When you said earlier on the weaponry about the substantial violations, was that language from the law or is that language from -- just interpretive from the State Department of what the law actually says?

MR. BOUCHER: I assume that that is what the law says, but I would have to look it up. It's not in quotes in my guidance. I'm pretty sure that's the language. We follow the law.

QUESTION: There have been some reports in the American press that the State Department's position is slightly nuanced from -- different from the Bush position. I'm not sure you've gone over this today.

MR. BOUCHER: I told you yesterday it wasn't true, so I could tell you again today.

QUESTION: It's still not true?

MR. BOUCHER: It's still not true today. We work very closely with the White House on these subjects. What we say is worked out with them. We and the White House are of consistent mind that the Mitchell Committee Report and recommendations are the way to go forward. The President has said that, the Secretary of State has said that, other members of the international community have said that. And we have all urged the parties to take the necessary steps to make that possible.

QUESTION: Well, I recently spoke with a spokesman for the Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, who expressed the view that the United States should have -- its view should be closer to that of Israel, that when there is daylight between the US and the Israeli views, that it increases the violence in the area.

Could you respond to that?

MR. BOUCHER: No. I will speak for the United States, I will express the United States' view on things. Israeli is a close friend and ally, and we have many interests in common. In some cases our views are the same; in some cases they are not.

QUESTION: And one other question. On the policy in the Middle East, are other Arab governments, whether it be Egypt or Saudi Arabia, bringing pressure on the United States, or complaining diplomatically or urging the United States to change its policies?

MR. BOUCHER: I think you have seen statements from various governments in the region, various parties in the region all the time. We had close consultations with a number of governments in the region. The Egyptian Government sent a delegation last week. We have close and ongoing discussions with them. There are many people that are interested in this process. There are many people who believe that a way has to be found to end the violence.

I think not just the Europeans who we talk to, but other members of the international community, many of the people in the Arab world as well, agree that implementing the Mitchell recommendations is the way to end the violence, ease the restrictions, and get back to peace talks based on 242 and 338. That has been a very consistent theme from the members of the international community.

What people are looking for is how to get that process started. And what we have urged the parties to do consistently is to take the steps to get that process started, and I think you have seen others in the region do that as well.

So, yes, we discuss with other governments in the region, as well as friends around the world, how to get this process started. We exchange views on those issues, and all of us keep in touch with the parties as well.

QUESTION: What you said the other day was quite strong, urging the withdrawal. Does the United States intend to reinforce the strength of this message either by contacting the Israelis at the high level, or having some high-level official make this appeal in public? Apart from of course yourself. (Laughter.) Minimize your seniority, but is it possible that --

MR. BOUCHER: I think, first and foremost, our discussions with the parties are what matter. And we make this view known directly to the parties, normally before we actually say it in public. And this is the view that we will be expressing directly to the parties.

QUESTION: At what level?

MR. BOUCHER: Whatever level we happen to be meeting with them; I don't know what the meetings are that might be taking place, but I will check.

QUESTION: So you are ruling out the possibility that the Secretary might decide to call Prime Minister Sharon, for example? Or Foreign Minister Peres?

MR. BOUCHER: I am not ruling anything particularly in or out.

QUESTION: You don't know of any intention to --

MR. BOUCHER: We communicate -- whether it is through the spokesman for the State Department, or whether it is through the Ambassador of the United States or others, we communicate the view of the United States of America, not of any particular individual. This is the view of the United States of America.

QUESTION: On the safety of Americans in the region, with the call by the Palestinian faction for targeting American interests, and then after the targeting of a building yesterday by Israelis that had American citizens in it, as it turned out, was there any direct contact with Israeli officials on that point, that there was a building with Americans in it?

And how might -- the US position has been characterized by some as less than fully engaged recently, and with targeting of American citizens, how might that alter the way the US approaches the conflict?

MR. BOUCHER: I hesitate to go back through the last several months of our discussions here, but I will. First of all, the United States has been consistently involved and engaged in trying to end this conflict, in trying to find a way forward that ends the violence. From the beginning of this Administration, the Secretary has been involved, our representatives in the region have been involved, our representatives responsible for the area -- the bureau and assistant secretaries -- have been involved in trying to seek this way forward.

Early in the Administration, the Secretary laid out a path, a path of ending the violence, easing the restrictions, and getting on with peace talks. We supported the work of the Mitchell Committee, which gave us a mechanism for doing that. We supported the work that George Tenet did out there with the parties to establish the concrete steps that they could take to get that process started.

That is the way forward. We have consistently said that. We can urge the parties, we can talk to other members of the international community, we can talk to moderate Arab states, we can talk to everybody who has an interest in seeing that path taken. But the parties themselves have to start down that road, and the parties themselves have to take the steps necessary to get there.

And so we have been quite clear with the parties directly and in our public statements on the steps the parties need to take. The Palestinians need to take steps to curb the violence, to curb the attacks, to curb the shootings and to curb the terrorism. The Israelis need to act with restraint. The President said that again on Friday. And this has been the clear and consistent message from us and the message that we have delivered in private, the message that we have delivered in public.

So I think the United States has been very involved. Our representatives in the region, our diplomatic representatives, meet daily with senior leaders, other members of the Palestinian Authority and the Israeli Government and continue to talk to them in very specific terms about what they can do to head down that path towards peace. And that is consistently what we have worked on and we will consistently work on that.

In terms of the safety of American citizens in the region, let me just say we have had Travel Warnings out for American citizens that discuss the possible dangers in the region. We maintain those warnings, update those warnings, with the security situation as necessary.

QUESTION: Given this long period of intense engagement that you purport to have done, wouldn't you say that US policy -- given the fact that the whole nation, the whole problem in the Middle East is escalating -- that US policy has been a failure?

MR. BOUCHER: I would say that for the last 50 years, on almost every day, you can write, "The US Fails to Get Peace in the Middle East." There have been days when peace moved forward, and we are looking to make more of them.

QUESTION: I have a very easy one. You didn't mention in the list of phone calls the Secretary has made or was going to make Mr. Solana, who I understand is also going out to the region. Do you know if he is planning to speak to him?

MR. BOUCHER: I didn't know Solana was planning to travel so -

QUESTION: This came out of the Belgian Foreign Ministry.

MR. BOUCHER: I'll check. If he does, I am sure it is likely that they will talk. They talk frequently about Macedonia, the Middle East, any number of subjects. I am sure they will keep in touch if Mr. Solana is traveling.

QUESTION: If there's more you can say later on on the contact with the Belgians and the possibility of a US-Russian-EU initiative, could you get back to us?

MR. BOUCHER: I will be glad to, if there is anything I can say on that subject.

QUESTION: Change of subject? Afghanistan. Our diplomats have been allowed to see the detainees for a second time, and I wanted to know if you know anything more about how long their visas are -- how long they are expecting to stay this time.

MR. BOUCHER: My information as of this morning was that they had not had another visit, but I will have to double-check that. Maybe somewhere in the intervening hours it actually happened.

QUESTION: Maybe they've agreed that they --

MR. BOUCHER: The Taliban officials have indicated to us that further visits with the detainees will be allowed, but there has not yet been another one. As we said yesterday, we and the families and the other consuls were able to meet with the detained foreign workers in Kabul. They appeared to be in good health and relatively good spirits.

Today our consular officials met with officials from the Taliban Ministry of Foreign Affairs to discuss the legal process that is applicable to these cases. The details of the cases remain unclear. So we remain in Kabul for the time being. That's all I can say at that point on timing.

(end excerpt)