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THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
A p r i l 13, 1994
STATEMENT. BY THE PRESIDENT
Bombing i n Hadera
The United States s t r o n g l y condemns t h i s t e r r o r i s t act; On
behalf of the American people, I want t o express my condolences
to the f a m i l i e s of the innocent v i c t i m s k i l l e d on I s r a e l ' s day of
remembrance f o r those who f e l l i n war. This a c t i o n , l i k e those
before i t , i s a f u r t h e r attempt by extremists t o d e r a i l the peace
process. They must not be allowed t o succeed.
We s t r o n g l y support Prime M i n i s t e r Rabin's pledge t h a t he
w i l l continue the peace n e g o t i a t i o n s regardless of such t e r r o r i s t
acts. We also welcome Chairman Arafat's r e j e c t i o n of attacks on
innocent I s r a e l i c i v i l i a n s intended, t o s t r i k e a t the peace
process. We believe the best response t o the enemies o f peace i s
to demonstrate t h a t n e g o t i a t i o n s can change r e a l i t i e s on the
ground and give'hope t o I s r a e l i s and P a l e s t i n i a n s f o r a peaceful
future.
# # ft
�THE WHITE H U E
OS
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
May 4, 1994
• STATEMENT B THE PRESIDENT .
Y
O THE SIGNING IN CAIRO OF THE AGREEMENT T IMPLEMENT
N
O
THE ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN DECLARATION OF PRINCIPLES
The signing today i n Cairo of the agreement to implement the
Israel-Palestinian Declaration of Principles marks another
milestone i n progress toward a lasting peace i n the Middle East.
On behalf of a l l Americans, I have-called Prime Minister Rabin
and Chairman Arafat to congratulate them for this accomplishment.
I expressed my high regard for Prime Minister Rabin's courageous
leadership and stressed to Chairman Arafat the importance of
moving without hesitation to make this agreement a r e a l i t y . I
also telephoned yesterday and again today President Mubarak to
underscore our gratitude and appreciation for the key role he
played in making this h i s t o r i c step forward possible.
Now the focus must be on implementing the Declaration of
Principles in'as rapid and successful a manner as possible. The
process of transforming, the situation on the ground for the
better must begin. The promise of a new future of hope for
I s r a e l i s and Palestinians alike must now be realized. I assured
Prime Minister Rabin and Chairman Arafat that the. United States
would do everything possible to help make t h i s happen.
Building on the progress achieved today and our ongoing
discussions with parties i n the region, I am hopeful that this
can be the year of breakthrough to a lasting and comprehensive
peace for a l l the peoples of the Middle East.
# # #
�PRESIDENT CLINTON ATTENDS MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE
SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ
April 25, 1994
The President today will attend the memorial service for the soldiers killed on
April 14, 1994 in Iraq. Upon arrival at Fort Myer, the President will be greeted by the
Army Chief of Chaplains, Major General Matthew Zimmerman, and proceed to
Fellowship Hall to join the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John
Shalikashvili and Defense Secretary Admiral William Perry for a private meeting with
the family members of the victims. Following the private meeting, the President along
with the Chief of Chaplains for the four branches of service, will proceed to Memorial
Chapel.
The service will begin with an invocation by the Air Force Chief of Chaplains
Major General Donald Harlin. The Old Testament reading will be given by Army
Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brigadier General Donald Shea.. The New Testament will
be read by the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brigadier General Arthur Thomas.
Following a memorial homily by the Army Chief of Chaplains - General John
Shalikashvili, Secretary William Perry and the President will give remarks. Following
the President's remarks, the Army Chorus will sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic
and the Army Chief of Chaplains will give the Benediction.
Also expected to attend the service are His Excellency Nuzhet Kandemir,
Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey; Counselor Namik Tan, First Secretary of the
Republic of Turkey; Brigadier General Seyfettin Seymen, Turkish Defense Air
Attache; Brigadier General Guy L. Pouliquen, the French Defense Air Attache; His
Excellency Hushyar Zibari of the Kurdish Democratic Party; Ambassador Richard
Bogosian, the American Ambassador to Somalia; General Sir Charles Guthrie, Chief of
Staff of the British Army; Brigadier General Ian B R. Fowler, Military Attache for the
British Embassy.
Also attending will be National Security Advisor Anthony Lake, Deputy
Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, Secretary of the Army Togo West, Chief of Staff of
the Army General Gordon Sullivan, Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall, Chief
of Staff of the Air Force General Merrill McPeak, Commandant of the Coast Guard
Admiral J. William Kime, Commandant of the Marine Corps General Carl Mundy and
Chief of Naval Operations Designate Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda.
-30-30-30-
�PRESIDENT CLINTON ATTENDS MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE
SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ
April 25, 1994
The President today will attend the memorial service for the soldiers killed on
April 14, 1994 in Iraq. Upon arrival at Fort Myer, the President will be greeted by the
Army Chief of Chaplains, Major General Matthew Zimmerman, and proceed to
Fellowship Hall to join the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John
Shalikashvili and Defense Secretary Admiral William Perry for a private meeting with
the family members of the victims. Following the private meeting, the President along
with the Chief of Chaplains for the four branches of service, will proceed to Memorial
Chapel.
The service will begin with an invocation by the Air Force Chief of Chaplains
Major General Donald Harlin. The Old Testament reading will be given by Army
Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brigadier General Donald Shea. The New Testament will
be read by the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brigadier General Arthur Thomas.
Following a memorial homily by the Army Chief of Chaplains - General John
Shalikashvili, Secretary William Perry and the President will give remarks. Following
the President's remarks, the Army Chorus will sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic
and the Army Chief of Chaplains will give the Benediction.
Also expected to attend the service are His Excellency Nuzhet Kandemir,
Ambassador to the Republic of Turkey; Counselor Namik Tan, First Secretary of the
Republic of Turkey; Brigadier General Seyfettin Seymen, Turkish Defense Air
Attache; Brigadier General Guy L. Pouliquen, the French Defense Air Attache; His
Excellency Hushyar Zibari of the Kurdish Democratic Party; Ambassador Richard
Bogosian, the American Ambassador to Somalia; General Sir Charles Guthrie, Chief of
Staff of the British Army; Brigadier General Ian B R. Fowler, Military Attache for the
British Embassy.
Also attending will be National Security Advisor Anthony Lake, Deputy
Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, Secretary of the Army Togo West, Chief of Staff of
the Army General Gordon Sullivan, Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall, Chief
of Staff of the Air Force General Merrill McPeak, Commandant of the Coast Guard
Admiral J. William Kime, Commandant of the Marine Corps General Carl Mundy and
Chief of Naval Operations Designate Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda.
-30-30-30-
�PRESIDENT CLINTON ATTENDS MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR THE
SOLDIERS KILLED IN IRAQ
April 25, 1994
The President today will attend the memorial service for the soldiers killed on
April 14, 1994 in Iraq. Upon arrival at Fort Myer, the President will be greeted by the
Army Chief of Chaplains, Major General Matthew Zimmerman, and proceed to
Fellowship Hall to join the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General John
Shalikashvili and Defense Secretary Admiral William Perry for a private meeting with
the family members of the victims. Following the private meeting, the President along
with the Chief of Chaplains for the four branches of service, will proceed to Memorial
Chapel.
The service will begin with an invocation by the Air Force Chief of Chaplains
Major General Donald Harlin. The Old Testament reading will be given by Army
Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brigadier General Donald Shea. The New Testament will
be read by the Air Force Deputy Chief of Chaplains Brigadier General Arthur Thomas.
Following a memorial homily by the Army Chief of Chaplains - General John
Shalikashvili, Secretary William Peny and the President will give remarks. Following
the President's remarks, the Army Chorus will sing the Battle Hymn of the Republic
and the Army Chief of Chaplains will give the Benediction.
Also expected to attend the service are His Excellency Nuzhet Kandemir,
Ambassador to the Republic~of Turkey; Counselor Namik Tan, First Secretary of the
Republic of Turkey; Brigadier General Seyfettin Seymen, Turkish Defense Air
Attache; Brigadier General Guy L. Pouliquen, the French Defense Air Attache; His
Excellency Hushyar Zibari of the Kurdish Democratic Party; Ambassador Richard
Bogosian, the American Ambassador to Somalia; General Sir Charles Guthrie, Chief of
Staff of the British Army; Brigadier General Ian B R. Fowler, Military Attache for the
British Embassy.
Also attending will be National Security Advisor Anthony Lake, Deputy
Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, Secretary of the Army Togo West, Chief of Staff of
the Army General Gordon Sullivan, Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall, Chief
of Staff of the Air Force General Merrill McPeak, Commandant of the Coast Guard
Admiral J. William Kime, Commandant of the Marine Corps General Carl Mundy and
Chief of Naval Operations Designate Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda.
-30-30-30-
�3088
THE
WHITE HOUSE
WASHI NGTON
A p r i l 23, 1994
U.S.
MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR
AND ALLIED HELICOPTER CASUALTIES
DATE: A p r i l 25, 1994
LOCATION: Ft. Myer Chapel
TIME: 10:30 a.m.
FROM:
I.
ANTHONY L A K E * ^ ^
PURPOSE
To r e c o g n i z e those who d i e d i n t h e downing o f U.S.
h e l i c o p t e r s i n n o r t h e r n I r a q and t o express condolences t o
the f a m i l i e s i n a t t e n d a n c e .
II.
BACKGROUND
Twenty-six people were k i l l e d when two U.S. F-15 f i g h t e r
planes a c c i d e n t a l l y shot down two U.S. Blackhawk h e l i c o p t e r s
i n n o r t h e r n I r a q on A p r i l 14:
f i f t e e n Americans, t h r e e
T u r k i s h o f f i c e r s , two B r i t i s h o f f i c e r s , one French o f f i c e r
and f i v e Kurds. The Defense Department's i n v e s t i g a t i o n o f
t h i s t r a g i c accident i s continuing.
I l l . PARTICIPANTS
F a m i l i e s o f the deceased
Embassy r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s
W i l l i a m Perry, S e c r e t a r y o f Defense
John S h a l i k a s h v i l i , Chairman, J o i n t C h i e f s o f S t a f f
Anthony Lake, A s s i s t a n t t o the P r e s i d e n t f o r N a t i o n a l
Security A f f a i r s
IV.
PRESS PLAN
Pool press coverage.
V.
SEQUENCE
The s e r v i c e w i l l open w i t h music and S c r i p t u r e r e a d i n g .
A f t e r a homily by t h e Chief o f C h a p l a i n s , U n i t e d S t a t e s
Army, General S h a l i k a s h v i l i and S e c r e t a r y Perry w i l l make
remarks. A f t e r t h e y conclude you w i l l make remarks. The
s e r v i c e w i l l then c l o s e w i t h an anthem, a b e n e d i c t i o n and
taps.
Tab B i s the program o f the ceremony, p r i n t e d p r i o r
t o your d e c i s i o n t o a t t e n d . We w i l l p r o v i d e you remarks
separately.
Attachments
Tab A
Remarks
Tab B
Memorial S e r v i c e Program
Tab C
A p r i l 21 New York Times A r t i c l e on American V i c t i m s
Tab D
Names o f Deceased
�REMARKS OF PRESIDENT WILLIAM J. CLINTON
Memorial S e r v i c e f o r V i c t i m s of H e l i c o p t e r Downing
A p r i l 25, 1994
We come t o g e t h e r today i n a chapel b u i l t f o r heroes, t o remember
t h e men and women who l o s t t h e i r l i v e s i n I r a q on A p r i l 14.
Three years ago, America j o i n e d w i t h B r i t a i n , France and Turkey
t o p r o t e c t t h e Kurds o f n o r t h e r n I r a q from t h e b r u t a l i t y of
Saddam Hussein. We s h e l t e r e d them from I r a q i a i r a t t a c k s by
c r e a t i n g a n o - f l y zone. Our t r o o p s helped s u s t a i n them w i t h
h u m a n i t a r i a n a i d -- shoes, c o a t s , food, f u e l and medicine f o r t h e
tens o f thousands s c a t t e r e d across t h a t hard l a n d .
The 26 i n d i v i d u a l s who d i e d n i n e days ago -- a c c i d e n t a l l y ,
t r a g i c a l l y -- were p a r t o f t h i s m i s s i o n o f mercy - - a m i s s i o n t o
p r o v i d e c o m f o r t . Among them were 15 o u t s t a n d i n g Americans. They
honored us w i t h t h e i r compassion and courage. Today we r e s o l v e
t o honor them, i n p a r t by e n s u r i n g t h a t t h e i m p o r t a n t work they
were d o i n g c o n t i n u e s .
Here a t F o r t Myer, we are reminded t h a t a l l those who serve our
n a t i o n i n u n i f o r m assume g r e a t r i s k s .
Each o f them bears the
burden o f p r o t e c t i n g each o f us.
Today, though t h e w o r l d has
changed so much, though t h e s p e c t e r of S o v i e t communism has
s l i p p e d i n t o h i s t o r y , t h e way of l i f e we c h e r i s h as Americans
s t i l l depends on t h e i r s k i l l s and t h e i r s a c r i f i c e .
We w i l l remember those who d i e d over I r a q n o t m e r e l y f o r t h e i r
s e r v i c e t o c o u n t r y . For they have l e f t many h o l e s i n our l i v e s ,
and we w i l l remember them i n many ways.
We w i l l remember a husband and a f a t h e r , whose c h i l d w i l l know
him m o s t l y t h r o u g h photographs and s t o r i e s .
We w i l l remember an
a m b i t i o u s son who was p l a n n i n g t o go t o c o l l e g e and become an
a r t i s t ; a v e t e r a n of many b a t t l e s whose t r o o p s r e v e r e d him f o r
h i s h e a r t as w e l l as h i s s t e e l ; a daughter and s i s t e r who l i f t e d
those around her w i t h her v i g o r and her promise; a young p i l o t
who grew up w i t h h i s h e a r t s e t on s e r v i c e and h i s s i g h t s s e t on
the s k i e s .
T h e i r l i v e s , so suddenly, were s t o l e n from you and from us. When
you c l o s e your eyes or pause f o r a moment, you w i l l want t o s t e a l
them back -- t h e i r v o i c e s , t h e i r l a u g h t e r , t h e i r c o m f o r t i n g
touch.
Nothing can erase t h a t sorrow o r f i l l t h a t h o l e . I pray
t h a t as t h e days pass, your g r i e f w i l l ease and g i v e way t o
faith.
I can t e l l you t h i s :
The Americans who
r e p r e s e n t e d the v e r y b e s t our n a t i o n has
a b l e and brave, ready f o r any c h a l l e n g e .
t h e i r communities. L i k e you, they came
l a n d . And t o t h i s l a n d they now r e t u r n ,
d i e d on A p r i l 14
to offer.
They were
They were t h e p r i d e of
from a l l across t h i s
remembered i n reverence.
The f a t h e r of one of those whose who d i e d , h i m s e l f an A i r Force
c o l o n e l , s a i d of h i s daughter:
" I t h i n k she's a hero."
He was
right.
They are a l l heroes. As we mourn t h e i r t e r r i b l e l o s s ,
l e t us a l s o draw i n s p i r a t i o n from t h e i r memorable l i v e s .
For as
t h e s c r i p t u r e says: " T h e i r bodies are b u r i e d i n peace, but t h e i r
name l i v e t h f o r e v e r more."
�Mmr l S r i e
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Memorial Homily
Chief of Chaplains United Sae Amy
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General JohnttShalikashvili
Chairmo, Joint Chiefs of Staff
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our kelp in ages past,
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Remain osir guard wbtieUfe sbaU last.
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Postlude
' CajjfflptiM stand
�THURSDAY. April 21 1994
Apr. 21, 1994
N W YORK TIMES
E
Pg. 1
To Many, Role Models Died Over Iraq
young people with just a high school
difflomi. But (hey clearly shared a
sease of mission and obligation and
an:unabashed patriotism.
They were some of the military's
io|>-notch talent, taking part In a United-Nations mission to create a safe
ha^en for Kurds from aggression by
tha Iraqi forces of Sadaam Hussein.
Arthe lime of the accident, the heliBy DIRK JOHNSON
copter crews, which Included five
JprCKl 10 T V Nnr Yort Tinwl
SAN ANTONIO, April 20 - Sec- Kurts, were carrying the leadership
of ihe Western military field operaond Lieut Laura Ashley Piper tion thai had worked as liaison to the
could have been a walking bill- Irafli Kurds since the end of the Perboard for military recruitment. sian Gulf war. They were on their
Fluent in Russian and German, a waf to the northern Iraq town of
champiori rugby player, she was a Salahuddin to meet with Kurdish
25-year-old Air Force officer on the leaflers.
fast track who jumped at a chalWhen Allen Hall learned that his
lenge the way children jump at ice son, Michael, a 28-year-old Air Force
cream.
warrant officer, had been among
Col. Jerald L Thompson. 48, ol these killed, "I just put myself In my
the Army spoke 10 dialects of Ara- wife's arms for about IS minutes."
He said he has gone through waves
bic and had received dozens of
of grief, then anger and. finally, formedals for battlefield heroics in a giveness.
career dating from the Vlemam
•Jl really thought about the two
War. But most of all, friends re- piWts that shot him down," he said.
called his stoutness of heart, like "Can you Imagine what they are gothe compassion he showed to a ing through? I'm mad at the whole
young American soldier to the Per- thing. Someday I'd like to meet them.
sian Gulf war whose gun acciden- Not to get mad at them. Just to talk to
tally discharged and killed a fellow them. I don't want them to feel
there's hard feelings. There's anger
soldier.
and ire and all thai, but you have to
Warrant Officer Erik Mounsey, a forgive. You can t carry grudges.
28-year-old Army pilot who liked to Some people question mat. how can
dress as Santa for children at you forgive someone who killed your
Christmas, had grown up In a sub- son. But Michael would have wanted
urt> near Los Angeles IntemationaJ me to forgive."
Airport, where he would spend
The last lime Mr. Hall heard from
hours gazing at the jets roaring his son was six weeks ago. He was
overhead and dreaming about one awakened in the middle of the night
day sitting in the cockpit At his by his son, who wanted to chat.
"I wasn't feeling good, so I cut him
wedding, tbe aole' of his left shoe
read, "Top," and the sole of the off," the father said. "1 feel bad about
lhat now."
right shoe read. "Gun."
•I'm Totally Washed OutThese three were among the 26
Some fathers and mothers, brothpeopte. Including IS Americans, ers and sisters and friends, virtually
who died tn one horrifying accident paralyzed by crashing grief, have
over Iraq last Tboraday rooming, spent hours on living room couches,
when two United Slates Jet fighters still as stone, exhausted by weeping,
mistakenly fired on two helicopters barelv able to speak. Others have
carrying • United Nations relief pulled out every picture they could
misskn.
find, rvery letter, every packed-away
"People are always wondering. memento, cherishing the past, damn'Where are our role models to- ing the present.
"I am totally washed out, losing my
day?'".said Laura Piper's mother,
Joan, her voice quavering. "Well, Johnny, my only son, in a situation
like this." said John Garreu Sr, the
here they are."
In the aftermath of that tragic father of one of the victims, Warrant
error, some families have ex- Officer John Garrett Jr.. U , of the
Army, who was married with an 8pressed anger at the military.
vear-old daughter. "But I fault no
"I'm totally enraged," Cornelia one. It could be nothing else but an
Bass, whose son. Anthony, 22, was accident"
among the victims, told a television
And in some cases, they groped for
station here. "He served his coun- explanations for frightened little chiltry well, honorably, loyally. It dren who had been promised that
shouldn't have happened."
daddy would soon be back home.
But others. Including the Piper
•We've got a very great loss here,"
family, said It was worthless to try to s p ; e j ° J a c k Or'riT, the stepfather
point fingers. "Laura would have
^ i ,
Specialist Mlbeen the first lo blast the notion of
| binson of the Army, who had
blame." said Ms. Piper's father, Dan, 3 .
, | j ^ Christopher. "It's a
a retired Air Force colonel. She
e ihat this boy will not know his
knew what she was doing. She knew
..
the danger. She was there to protect
the Kurds. And I think she's a hero."
Specialist Robinson. 23, grew up
The victims came from nearly ev- Godfrey, 1 1 a factory town near St.
1,
ery avenue of American life: affluent Louis, where his five brothers and
and working-class, urban, suburban sisters tried to cope with grief by
and rural, top collegiate scholars and writing a poem as a tribute. "We are
Families and Friends
Share Grief, Anger
and Forgiveness
whi
o f
r
o n e
c h a e
a
o f
V
Ro
ycarK
$ h a m
f a l h e r
(
C
j m S i
still very proud of you, for all that you
did give, when you chose to serve
your country, making It a safer place
to live."
One of the sisters, Candy Robinson
Spencer, asked plaintively, "How
could this happen?"
Until that fateful morning, the future had sparkled with promise for
these people in uniform. Some were
anticipating soaring higher in rank:
others were looking forward lo a returning to civilian life to build new
careers and strengthen family ties.
Colonel Thompson was nearing the
end of his assignment in Iraq and
would have soon rejoined his wife and
two children in Fort Bragg, N.C.
Specialist Cornelius bass oi ine
Army, a 22-year-old from San Antonio, had hoped to attend college after
his stint in the military and become
an artist.
Specialist Ricky Robinson of the
Army, a 33-year-old medic from Rifle, Colo., who was married with two
young sons, had told friends he joined
the mission for humanitarian reasons.
Pfc. Mark Ellner, 22, of the Army,
who graduated from a suburban Denver high school in 1990 with a perfect
grade point, had told friends he wanted to join the military "and come out
a belter person."
Capt. Patrick McKenna, a 27-yearold pilot who graduated from The
Citadel in South Carolina, volunteered for the hazardous duty, friends
said, because he was single and others in his crew had wives and children.
Fourth-Grade Foresight
Lieutenant Piper was only in the
fourth grade when she picked up the
newspaper one day and exclaimed
with delight: "Mom. you'll never
guess what — they're going to let
women into the Air Force Academy.
That's where I'm going."
"She didn't say 'I'll try.' or 'I'd like
to." her mother recalled. "She said.
I'm going.' "
She was bom at the academy in
Colorado Springs. She had watched
her parents renew their wedding
vows In a chapel at the academy. Two
years ago she earned her diploma In
political science from the academy.
On Saturday, she will be buried there.
Among those who considered Laura Piper a hero, perhaps no one stood
in awe so much as her 10-year-old
brother, Sean. The refrigerator at the
family's home was pasted with dozens of post cards to the boy, all of
them signed, "Love, Laura."
As a girl, she had talked often about
helping the powerless of society. At
16. she was elected to the Board of
Education in Fairfax County In Virginia, and promptly argued lhat the
affluent school district should raise
money for the homeless.
An outstanding athlete, she starred
on the rugby team at the Air Force
Academy and was a champion shotputter on the schools track and field
MODELS...Pg. 4
MODELS.. .from Pg. 3
squad. She was engaged to be married to Lieut. Dan Murray, who also
served in the Air Force.
"She was even a role model for
mc," said her mother. "She was taking advantage of the opportunities
that hadn't been there for me, for her
grandmother, for women of earlier
generations."
Inspiration for Mother
It was Laura who tried to persuade
her mother lo return lo college. Mrs.
Piper, then past 40. was having serious doubis. Bul then daughter came
home with a gift for her mother: a
briefcase stuffed with pencils, paper
and erasers.
Mrs Piper earned her degree, and
this year became a schoolteacher.
When she had a section on the Middle
East, Laura sent home artifacts from
Egypt for her mother's fourth-graders
"She was a fantastic person, but
not perfect." said her mother, managing a chuckle through the tears.
"She had a passion for life, for living
right now in this moment. And if you
didn't share that passion, well, she
didn't have much patience. People
have often accused me of living vicariously through Laura. But I wasn't
the only one."
�TO BE PROVIDED
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For
Immediate Release
April 25, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT MEMORIAL SERVICE FOR VICTIMS OF HELICOPTER DOWNING
Memorial Chapel
Fort Myer, Virginia
10:56 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Today i n t h i s chapel b u i l t for heroes,
we come to mourn the l i v e s and to celebrate the l i v e s of those who
died on April 14th. To a l l the families who are here present and the
families who are not here, I think i t should be clear that i n
addition to the distinguished leaders of our military, the clergy and
the friends, the s p i r i t of a l l Americans i s i n t h i s chapel today.
The hearts of a l l Americans have gone out to these families.
When we joined three years ago with B r i t a i n and France
and Turkey to protect the Kurds of Northern Iraq, to shelter them
from a i r attacks, to sustain them with shoes and coats and food and
fuel and medicine, the world took note of something continually
special about our great nation and what drives us.
The l i v e s of the Americans and t h e i r 11 compatriots who
were l o s t reflected that s p i r i t , those values, that heart, that hope
that brought us to protect the Kurds i n the f i r s t place. They were
l i t e r a l l y part of a mission to provide comfort. They have honored us
a l l with t h e i r compassion and courage and, ultimately, with t h e i r
sacrifice.
W know, as has already been said, that those who enter
e
the military understand c l e a r l y that they assume great r i s k s ; that
even though the world has changed, that the specter of the Cold War
i s fading, the way of l i f e we cherish as Americans and our hopes for
the rest of the world s t i l l depends upon t h e i r s k i l l s , t h e i r
s a c r i f i c e , t h e i r courage and t h e i r clear willingness to undertake
those r i s k s .
And yet I have to say that as President and as an
American, when i t becomes the job of those of us i n positions of
responsibility, to explain loss to these wonderful families, that
came about through about through a t e r r i b l e accident, the burden of
reminding a l l of us that a l l who served undertook those r i s k s i s
s t i l l very great.
W must remember not only those who died for t h e i r
e
service to t h e i r country but for how they were loved. W must a l l
e
rest of us in America pray for these families — for the husband and
the father whose young child w i l l now have to learn about him through
photographs and s t o r i e s ; for the family of an ambitious young man who
wished to go to college and become an a r t i s t ; for a distinguished
American veteran of more than two decades whose soldiers loved him
for h i s s t e e l and h i s heart; for the wonderful daughter and s i s t e r
who l i f t e d those around her with her vigor and promise; or the young
p i l o t who grew up with h i s heart set on the skies, and for a l l the
others.
Their l i v e s were suddenly taken from t h e i r beloved
families and from our nation and our service and t h e i r important
mission. No one's words can wipe away the grief, the pain, the
MORE
�- 2-
questions. I t i s our duty f i r s t to continue the mission for which
they gave t h e i r l i v e s . Second, to find the answers which they
r i g h t f u l l y seek. And third, to pray that together they w i l l find the
strength as the days go forward to ease t h e i r grief and lean on their
faiths.
The Americans we honor today represented the best i n our
country. In a tragic irony, a l l who were involved i n t h i s accident,
including the p i l o t s of the two j e t s , were there on a common mission:
to save the l i v e s of innocent people. We know that j u s t as we are
a l l proud of t h e i r a b i l i t y and their bravery, t h e i r readiness for any
challenge, their devotion to their families, we a l l understand that
they, l i k e we — none of us are immune from error, from tragic
circumstance.
One of the fathers, himself an Air Force colonel, said
that he thought h i s daughter was a hero. Well, they're a l l heroes.
And we owe i t to them to honor their l i v e s and their service, and to
the questions of their families; but more than anything else, to
remember when words f a i l that we are taught over and over again i n
the Scriptures things w i l l always happen that we can never f u l l y
understand.
And as President Lincoln said, "The Almighty has h i s own
purposes," that the f a i t h which sustains us, according to the
Scripture i s the assurance of things hoped for, the convictions of
things unseen.
As I look out into the faces of mothers and fathers and
wives and sons and daughters and brothers and s i s t e r s , I say on
behalf of a grateful nation, we honor your s a c r i f i c e . And we w i l l do
our best to l i v e every day with the memory of your s a c r i f i c e . And we
pray for you that time w i l l give you the strength and the f a i t h to
remember the very best and finest of the l i v e s of your loved ones; to
be always grateful for what they did, and never cynical — even i n
the face of t h i s tragedy, for there are things that happen to us a l l
which can never be f u l l y understood. What i s clear, and beyond any
doubt, i s that they loved their country and they swore an oath
including a willingness to give their l i v e s for t h e i r country. They
did i t i n a very noble cause.
We share your grief.
you and for t h e i r souls.
We honor t h e i r l i v e s .
END
We pray for
11:04 A.M. EDT
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e o f the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
A p r i l 14, 1994
PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE PRESIDENT
The B r i e f i n g Room
11:15 A.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: On behalf o f the American people, I want
to begin by expressing my deep sorrow at the tragedy t h i s morning i n
I r a q , and t o extend my personal condolences t o the f a m i l i e s and the
loved ones o f a l l those who l o s t t h e i r l i v e s .
Three years ago, our Armed Forces j o i n e d i n a
m u l t i n a t i o n a l mission t o provide humanitarian r e l i e f t o the oppressed
Kurdish m i n o r i t y c i v i l i a n s i n northern I r a q . Those who died today
were a p a r t o f t h a t mission of mercy. They served w i t h courage and
p r o f e s s i o n a l i s m , and they l o s t t h e i r l i v e s w h i l e t r y i n g t o save the
l i v e s o f o t h e r s . The important work they were doing must, and w i l l ,
continue.
According t o i n i t i a l r e p o r t s , two American h e l i c o p t e r s
were m i s t a k e n l y i d e n t i f i e d as I r a q i h e l i c o p t e r s and shot down by
United S t a t e s a i r c r a f t . I have met w i t h Secretary Perry t h i s
morning; I have t a l k e d w i t h him and w i t h General S h a l i k a s h v i l i , and I
have i n s t r u c t e d him t o lead a f u l l i n q u i r y i n t o the circumstances of
t h i s t e r r i b l e i n c i d e n t . We w i l l get the f a c t s . And when we get the
f a c t s , we w i l l make them a v a i l a b l e t o the American people and t o the
people o f B r i t a i n , France, and Turkey, our p a r t n e r s i n Operation
Provide Comfort.
Later today, Secretary Perry and General S h a l i k a s h v i l i
w i l l be p r o v i d i n g f u r t h e r b r i e f i n g s t o you as we know more and more
f a c t s . The f a c t s are s t i l l coming i n and we w i l l give them t o you
j u s t as soon as we have v e r i f i e d e x a c t l y what occurred.
At t h i s moment, l e t me close by saying t h a t we should
j o i n t o g e t h e r i n t e r r i b l e sorrow, and also i n honoring the h i g h
purpose f o r which these i n d i v i d u a l s served and i n which they l o s t
t h e i r l i v e s . The nation and the world should remember them i n
g r a t i t u d e . Thank you.
Q
Mr. President, what's your p r e l i m i n a r y assessment,
though? What are you being t o l d of how t h i s could have happened?
And i s t h e r e any suggestion t h a t the troops t h e r e are on too f i n e o f
a hair trigger?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, a l l t h a t w i l l have t o be,
o b v i o u s l y , evaluated i n l i g h t of the r e a l f a c t s here. There are a t
l e a s t t h r e e p o i n t s of i n q u i r y i n v o l v i n g , f i r s t , the actions o f the
American j e t s ; second, the AWACS and t h e i r a c t i o n s and, t h i r d , t h e
a c t i o n s c f t h e h e l i c o p t e r s themselves.
And, again, I w i l l t e l l you
we w i l l g i v e you as much i n f o r m a t i o n as we can. I j u s t am very
r e l u c t a n t t o say anything u n t i l we're a b s o l u t e l y sure. I want you t o
have good i n f o r m a t i o n , and we w i l l be doing continuous b r i e f i n g s and
updates aJLi day long as we know more.
Q
Do you know anything, Mr. President, about the
numbers c f people t h a t might be involved, and whether they were a l l
American?
MR
OE
�- 2-
THE PRESIDENT: W know that there were probably more
e
than 2 0 people involved and that they were not a l l American. We do
not believe they were a l l American; we believe there were some other
people on the helicopters.
Q
And, j u s t to follow, you seem to be indicating —
THE PRESIDENT: We do not have — l e t me say, as of the
moment I walked out here, we do not have an absolute roster of the
people on the helicopters. I would t e l l you i f I knew. But we think
there were approximately 12 total crew members, and we know there
were some other people on the helicopters, and we know there were
some other member countries i n the operations. We do not know any
more than that. When we know who was on there, we w i l l t e l l you.
As you know, we've dispatched an American team to the
s i t e to get a l l the f a c t s .
Q
Do you know, s i r , how high up the chain of command
the decision had to be made to go ahead and take these helicopters
out; what the process was, and whether i t was followed?
THE PRESIDENT:
I have been briefed on that, but I
believe, to make absolutely sure that no error i s made i n answering
that question, that i s a question you should direct to Secretary
Perry and General S h a l i k a s h v i l i , because they w i l l be b r i e f i n g
shortly.
Q
Mr. President, i n the wake of the decision by the
U.N. and NATO to bomb i n Bosnia, you're now confronted with a
developing hostage c r i s i s , i t appears there, where French troops are
the l a t e s t to be encircled by Serbs. What i s your message to the
Bosnian Serbs as this appears to be moving toward c r i s i s proportions?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, of course, t h i s was a concern in
the beginning of a l l our a l l i e s who had troops on the ground there.
But I would remind the Serbs that we have taken no action — none —
through NATO and with the support of the U.N. to t r y to win a
m i l i t a r y v i c t o r y for t h e i r adversaries. What we have done i s taken
m i l i t a r y action i n Bosnia through NATO, with the approval of the
United Nations, to get them to honor the U.N. rules and to encourage
them to do what they say they wish to do, which i s to engage i n
negotiations.
There was a hopeful report i n t h i s morning's press about
the ongoing e f f o r t s of the Russians through Mr. Churkin to get the
Serbs to stop the aggression and to return to the negotiations. W
e
are i n touch with a l l of the events in Bosnia today; there are lots
of things going on there. I think the Serbs would be making a
mistake t o s t a r t treating the United Nations and NATO forces as
adverse combatants. That i s not what we are doing. We are trying to
get them t o honor their word, and they would be making a mistake to
do that.
Q
S i r , i f I could follow, how would you get them to
make the d i s t i n c t i o n that you're making? They don't seem to be
picking up on that.
on.
THE PRESIDENT:
I think they know quite well what went
I t h i n k they're j u s t trying to leverage t h e i r position.
Q
Mr. President, Singapore seems intent on caning
t h i s American teenager who was convicted of vandalism. Do you think
American companies that operate in Singapore should exercise t h e i r
economic clout to try and stop this? And, also, former President
Bush i s i n Singapore today. Should he — would you l i k e to see him
intercede on behalf of the young man?
MORE
�- 3-
THE PRESIDENT: I've not thought through your f i r s t
question; I don't know the answer t o t h a t . We have g e n e r a l l y q u i t e
good r e l a t i o n s w i t h Singapore. They have a d i f f e r e n t c u l t u r e , a
d i f f e r e n t view, a d i f f e r e n t set of laws.
As you know, I have not objected t o the young man's
being punished. I have not even objected t o the young man's being
i n c a r c e r a t e d . I have objected t o t h i s caning. I t h i n k many
Americans who have expressed sympathy w i t h i t do not understand
e x a c t l y what i t involves, how i t i s going t o be administered, and
t h a t he i s going t o bleed considerably and may have permanent scars.
And I t h i n k i t i s a mistake.
President Bush w i l l have t o decide f o r h i m s e l f what he
wishes t o say, but I would — i f he decides t o say something
supportive o f the absence o f caning, I would c e r t a i n l y be g r a t e f u l
f o r t h a t But t h a t — i t w i l l be a decision f o r him t o decide what he
wants t o say.
Thank you.
END
11:23 A.M. EDT
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
April 7,
1994
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
On behalf of the American people, I condemn in the strongest
possible terms the murders of I s r a e l i c i t i z e n s on April 6 and 7
and offer condolences to their families. These brutal slayings
of innocent c i v i l i a n s are — l i k e the massacre in Hebron — acts
of terrorism aimed at stopping the peace negotiations now
underway. The enemies of peace have not hesitated to use
violence to achieve their goal. They must not be allowed to
succeed.
I c a l l upon a l l those committed to the cause of peace to
redouble their efforts and to condemn unequivocally these crimes.
The negotiating process holds the promise of a better future for
I s r a e l i s and Arabs a l i k e . Prompt agreement and early
implementation of the Israel-Palestinian Declaration of
Principles and progress on the b i l a t e r a l negotiating tracks are
the best means to r e a l i z e t h i s goal.
# #
#
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(San Diego, California)
For
immediate Release
March 30, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE POOL
Lawrence Residence
san Diego, California
5:55 P.M. PST
Q
Mr. President, we understand you talked to the
Korean President. What did you t e l l him?
THE PRESIDENT: First of a l l , I'd like to make a
statement about the Middle East, and then I ' l l answer the Korean
question.
The announcement today that Israel and the PLO have
reached accord on security measures in Hebron i s very/ very
important. I t opens the way to now resume the Israel-PLO
dialogue on Gaza and Jericho and to complete i t successfully.
And this, plus the announcement that the negotiations with regard
to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon will a l l resume in April, means that
the Middle East peace process is back on track, i t ' s very
encouraging to me, and I hope i t would be to a l l the American
people.
Now, I just completed -- l i t e r a l l y , just a few
minutes ago, 10, 15 minutes ago
a conversation with President
Kim of South Korea about the whole Korean situation, and about
his recent trip to Japan and to China. He and I reaffirmed our
common intention to continue to work together for a peaceful but
firm resolution of this problem with North Korea.
The North Koreans themselves have committed to a
nuclear-free Korean peninsula. They have committed to the IAEA
inspection process. All we want is for them to keep that
commitment, as well as their commitment to resume their dialogue
with South Korea. And we're going to work very closely together
in the U.N. and in other ways to try to pursue this. W hope
e
that we will be able to do i t in strong cooperation with the
Japanese, who have helped us every step of the way; and with the
Chinese, who have played a very constructive role in this. And I
would also hope that Russia will be able to help in this process.
I f i r s t raised this whole issue -- Korean issue —
with President Yeltsin sometime ago. And so we and the south
Koreans are working to try to get the cooperation of a l l these
parties and others. But in the end, the North Koreans will have
to decide whether they wish to be completely isolated or not, or
whether they w i l l just keep their commitments; and tn return for
simply keeping commitments they've already made, have the
opportunity to integrate their nation into a broader and far more
prosperous world.
Q
They use very hostile language sometimes.
They've implied that sanctions might be, in their mind, a
declaration of war. How do you respond to that?
THE PRESIDENT: Nothing could be further from the
truth. W have done nothing offensive to North Korea. A l l of
e
our military moves -- indeed, the Patriot Missile
has been
entirely defensive. And any actions that we would support in
that regard would be actions to which we have been forced by the
MR
OE
�- 2 -
North Koreans simply because they have declined to Keep
commitments that they themselves have made.
I f we're going to do business in this world, people
have got to be able to rely on the commitments that countries
freely undertake. And, again, I would say the way i s s t i l l open
to North Korea simply to follow the commitments they've already
made. There are ways they can do that. We are going work very
c l o s e l y with the South Koreans, but I think we have to be firm
and persistent and just keep working at i t ; and we intend to do
that.
Q
Mr. President?
How optimistic are you about a U.N.
resolution,
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I don't want to characterize
i t in that way. I ' l l just say that we and the South Koreans are
exploring, with a l l the relevant parties, what our options are,
and we'll see what develops over the next few days.
Q
S i r , how big of an Impediment i s the Chinese to
try to reach an international agreement on this issue? Tonight,
the nonaligned nations said they would support China. I s this
hurting the chances for an international agreement because of
China's problem?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we'll have to see where China
cornea down on i t In the end. The Chinese have always been
somewhat more cautious because of their long-standing
relationship with North Korea. And also they have — I think
they are genuine in not wanting to do anything which provokes
some sort of c r i s i s .
On the other hand, I would remind you that the
Chinese c e r t a i n l y don't want North Korea to become a clear
nuclear power because of the consequences that might have for
them, as well as for Japan. And the Chinese are now doing eight
or ten times as much business with South Korea as with North
Korea. So, t h e i r long-term economic interests c l e a r l y are in
pursuing a nuclear-free Korean peninsula in which North and South
Korea are ultimately partners and both trading with a more
prosperous China.
So I think their long-term objectives
security
and economic -- are consistent with what our long-term objectives
are.
So I hope that we can work through this c r i s i s . But in the
end, I w i l l say again, the Chinese -- no different from any other
country — should want a l l nations who give their word to keep
it.
Q
S i r , i s this in r e t a l i a t i o n against the U.S.
because of our trade problems, our trade differences?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I r e a l l y don't think so.
don't think that has anything to do with this whatever.
I
Thank you.
Q
Are you going to
Mr. Arafat or anyone?
about the Middle East --
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I•m in contact with the Middle
East parties a l l the time. To date, this has required quite a
lot of effort and personal time and believe me, from here on i n ,
i t w i l l require much more; time on the part of the Secretary of
State, the President, and a l l of our resources, so, I think you
can say, over the next couple of months, this w i l l require a
s i g n i f i c a n t commitment and investment on the part of t.he United
States; and we intend to do that. I t ' s worth i t .
Thank you.
END
6:05 P.M.
PST
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
(San Diego, California)
For
immediate Release
March 30, 19$4
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
TO THE POOL
Lawrence Residence
San Diego, California
5:55 P.M. PST
Q
Mr. President, we understand you talked to the
Korean President. What did you t e l l him?
THE PRESIDENT: First of a l l , I'd like to make a
statement about the Middle East, and then I ' l l answer the Korean
question.
The announcement today that Israel and the PLO have
reached accord on security measures in Hebron i s very, very
important. I t opens the way to now resume the Israel-PLO
dialogue on Gaza and Jericho and to complete i t successfully.
And this, plus the announcement that the negotiations with regard
to Syria, Jordan and Lebanon will a l l resume in April, means that
the Middle East peace process is back on track, i t ' s very
encouraging to me, and I hope i t would be to a l l the American
people.
Now, I just completed
l i t e r a l l y , Just a few
minutes ago, 10, 15 minutes ago -- a conversation with President
Kim of South Korea about the whole Korean situation, and about
his recent trip to Japan and to China. He and I reaffirmed our
common intention to continue to work together for a peaceful but
firm resolution of this problem with North Korea.
The North Koreans themselves have committed to a
nuclear-free Korean peninsula. They have committed to the IAEA
inspection process. All we want is for them to keep that
commitment, as well as their commitment to resume their dialogue
with South Korea. And we're going to work very closely together
in the U.N. and in other ways to try to pursue this, we hope
that we will be able to do i t in strong cooperation with the
Japanese, who have helped us every step of the way; and with the
Chinese, who have played a very constructive, role in this. And I
would also hope that Russia will be able to help in this process.
I f i r s t raised this whole issue -- Korean issue —
with president Yeltsin sometime ago. And so we and the South
Koreans are working to try to get the cooperation of a l l these
parties and others. But in the end, the North Koreans will have
to decide whether they wish to be completely isolated or not, or
whether they w i l l just keep their commitments; and in return for
simply keeping commitments they've already made, have the
opportunity to integrate their nation into a broader and far more
prosperous world.
Q
They use very hostile language sometimes.
They've implied that sanctions might be, in their mind, a
declaration of war. How do you respond to that?
THE PRESIDENT: Nothing could be further from the
truth. W have done nothing offensive to North Korea. A l l of
e
our military moves -- indeed, the Patriot Missile
has been
entirely defensive. And any actions that we would support in
that regard would be actions to which we have been forced by the
MR
OE
�- 2 -
North Koreans simply because they have declined to Keep
commitments that they themselves have made.
I f we're going to do business in this world, people
have got to be able to rely on the commitments that countries
freely undertake. And, again, I would say the way i s s t i l l open
to North Korea simply to follow the commitments they've already
made. There are ways they can do that, we are going work very
c l o s e l y with the South Koreans, but I think we have to be firm
and p e r s i s t e n t and just keep working at i t ; and we intend to do
that.
Q
Mr. President?
How optimistic are you about a U.N.
resolution,
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I don't want to characterize
i t i n that way. I ' l l just say that we and the South Koreans are
exploring, with a l l the relevant parties, what our options are,
and we'll see what develops over the next few days.
Q
s i r , how big of an impediment i s the Chinese to
try to reach an international agreement on this issue? Tonight,
the nonaligned nations said they would support China. I s t h i s
hurting the chances for an international agreement because of
China's problem?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we'll have to see where China
comes down on i t in the end. The Chinese have always been
somewhat more cautious because of their long-standing
relationship with North Korea. And also they have
I think
they are genuine in not wanting tc do anything which provokes
some sort of c r i s i s .
On the other hand, I would remind you that the
Chinese c e r t a i n l y don't want North Korea to become a clear
nuclear power because of the consequences that might have for
them, as well as for Japan. And the Chinese are now doing eight
or ten times as much business with South Korea as with North
Korea. So, t h e i r long-term economic interests c l e a r l y are in
pursuing a nuclear-free Korean peninsula in which North and South
Korea are ultimately partners and both trading with a more
prosperous China.
so I think their long-term objectives -- security
and economic -- are consistent with what our long-term objectives
are.
So I hope that we can work through this c r i s i s . But in the
end, I w i l l say again, the Chinese — no different from any other
country — should want a l l nations who give their word to keep
it.
Q
S i r , i s this in r e t a l i a t i o n against the U.S.
because of our trade problems, our trade differences?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I r e a l l y don't think so.
don't think that has anything to do with this whatever.
I
Thank you.
Q
Are you going to -- about the Middle East -Mr. Arafat or anyone?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I•m in contact with the Middle
East parties a l l the time. To date, this has required quite a
lot of effort and personal time and believe me, from here on i n ,
i t w i l l require much more; time on the part of the Secretary of
State, the President, and a l l of our resources, so, I think you
can say, over the next couple of months, this w i l l require a
s i g n i f i c a n t commitment and investment on the part of t.he United
states; and we intend to do that. I t ' s worth i t .
Thank you.
END
6:05 P.M.
PST
�The White House
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release:
March 25,
1994
The President signed the following Passover message today.
�THE
W H I T E HOUSE
WASHINGTON
PASSOVER, 19 94
Heartfelt greetings to a l l who are gathered to celebrate
Passover.
This joyous f e s t i v a l of liberation reminds a l l of us
of the importance of freedom. The Passover seder, f i l l e d
with i t s symbols of confinement and liberty, of pain and
joy, has served as a means of teaching each new generation
the story of the Jews' liberation from slavery i n Egypt.
As children learn the ancient account, they understand that
freedom i s something for which we must continuously struggle
and that we must always cherish.
Human history i s f i l l e d with chronicles of peoples
throwing off the shackles of their oppressors to embrace
the causes of j u s t i c e and equality. As new nations begin
t h e i r journeys to a "promised land," the lessons of Passover
echo in every corner of the Earth. They teach us that while
we must be thankful for the freedom we have, we must also
remember a l l those in the world who s t i l l yearn to know
i t s many g i f t s . This year, l e t us rededicate ourselves
to extending the blessings of liberty to a l l who seek i t .
During this h i s t o r i c season of renewal and peace,
H i l l a r y and I extend warm wishes for a memorable and
meaningful Passover.
�THE WHITE
HOUSE
WASHINGTON
March 23, 1994
MEETING WITH THE CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR AMERICAN
JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
DATE:
LOCATION:
TIME:
FROM:
I.
March 24, 1994
Diplomatic Reception Room
10:00 a.m.
^72^7
A l e x i s Herman and Anthony Lake-
PURPOSE
To maintain contact w i t h the organized Jewish community by
meeting w i t h Presidents of major Jewish o r g a n i z a t i o n s .
II.
BACKGROUND
The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish
Organizations i s composed of 50 n a t i o n a l Jewish
organizations whose members represent the m a j o r i t y of the
United States Jewish community.
This o r g a n i z a t i o n emerged out of a growing awareness t h a t
u n i f i e d a c t i o n by major American Jewish organizations was
e s s e n t i a l t o help strengthen peace and s t a b i l i t y i n the
Middle East. They f i r s t came together i n 1955 as the
leaders o f these organizations began t o meet on a r e g u l a r
basis c r e a t i n g the foundation f o r the formal establishment
of t h i s group i n 1959.
The Conference provides the forum a t which t h e leadership o f
American Jewry meets t o share i n f o r m a t i o n , d e l i b e r a t e on
important issues, exchange views and pursue cooperative
a c t i o n t o insure the s e c u r i t y of the Jewish people i n I s r a e l
and the world over.
This i s your f i r s t formal meeting w i t h t h i s o r g a n i z a t i o n as
President, although most of the i n d i v i d u a l organizations
have p a r t i c i p a t e d i n meetings and p o l i c y discussions on a
wide range of issues. The delegation you w i l l be speaking
to i s the most senior ever assembled by the Conference. An
umbrella o r g a n i z a t i o n , the Conference o f Presidents does not
have a constituency. The s t r e n g t h of the Jewish community
comes from the i n d i v i d u a l o r g a n i z a t i o n s , as w e l l as the
synagogues and temples throughout the United States.
�Their membership ( i n c l u d i n g the p a r t i c i p a n t s i n t h i s
meeting) runs the gamut from the very r i g h t - w i n g Z i o n i s t
Organization of America, t o the mainstream Haddassah, t o the
l e f t of center, Americans f o r Peace NOW.
Before going i n t o the Diplomatic Reception Room you w i l l
meet the Conference Chairman Lester Pollack and Executive
Vice Chairman Malcolm Hoenlein. They w i l l express support
for your personal leadership i n b u i l d i n g strong r e l a t i o n s
w i t h I s r a e l and f o r your decision regarding the Hebron
r e s o l u t i o n vote. Pollack and Hoenlein w i l l ask t h a t you
keep l i n e s of communication open w i t h the Conference and
agree t o stay i n contact.
In the l a r g e r meeting, you w i l l be asked about your p o s i t i o n
on Jerusalem. We recommend t h a t you r e a f f i r m t h a t your
p o s i t i o n on Jerusalem has not changed, but note t h a t the
p a r t i e s have agreed t h a t t h i s i s an issue t o be resolved i n
f i n a l status discussions. We also a n t i c i p a t e questions on
our support f o r I s r a e l ' s q u a l i t a t i v e edge and on our e f f o r t s
to combat p r o l i f e r a t i o n of weapons of mass d e s t r u c t i o n .
Talking points f o r your use are attached. Your decision t o
deny the P o l l a r d appeal f o r clemency many also be r a i s e d .
The P o l l a r d case has not been an issue f o r the Conference
leadership but has been pursued by some of the c o n s t i t u e n t
groups present a t your meeting.
Last Friday, immediately before the vote on the U.N.
Resolution, the Vice President b r i e f e d the group by
conference c a l l and was w e l l received. We are dismayed,
however, a t r e p o r t s t h a t some of the organizations, while
expressing support f o r the a d m i n i s t r a t i o n t o us, were
q u i e t l y lobbying f o r a veto of the r e s o l u t i o n .
As you know, you received 85% of the. Jewish vote i n the .1992
e l e c t i o n . The s t r e n g t h of t h a t support was b u i l t from the
grass-roots by i n d i v i d u a l s w i t h some o r g a n i z a t i o n a l support/
but not r e l i a n t on i t .
I t i s important t h a t you remind them of the September 13th
White House Ceremony and the courage t h a t Prime M i n i s t e r
Rabin has shown on behalf of the I s r a e l i people who have a
r e a l desire t o end the c o n f l i c t between the I s r a e l i s and the
Palestinians and a l l the Arab nations.
In terms of domestic issues, the Jewish Community
t r a d i t i o n a l l y has been concerned about the a v a i l a b i l i t y and
q u a l i t y of h e a l t h care f o r t h e i r parents and grandparents as
w e l l as t h e i r i n f a n t s . Most of the Jewish organizations
support ( i n p r i n c i p a l ) your h e a l t h care plan -- u n i v e r s a l
coverage, long-term care, and p r e s c r i p t i o n drug b e n e f i t s
being among the most important components.
�Sara Ehrman i s on vacation i n Santa Fe, New Mexico and
apologizes f o r not being here but c o l l a b o r a t e d on t h i s
b r i e f i n g paper.
I I I . PARTICIPANTS
The Vice President
Tony Lake
Sandy Berger
A l e x i s Herman
Rahm Emanuel
Amy Zisook
David S a t t e r f i e l d
53 p a r t i c i p a n t s ( l i s t attached)
IV.
PRESS PLAN
Closed Press
V.
SEQUENCE
Tony Lake, Sandy Berger, A l e x i s Herman, Amy Zisook and
David S a t t e r f i e l d w i l l b r i e f you and the Vice President
i n the Oval O f f i c e and escort you t o the Diplomatic
Reception Room.
Before you enter the Diplomatic Reception Room Tony
Lake and A l e x i s Herman w i l l introduce you t o Lester
Pollack, President of the Conference of Presidents, and
Malcolm Hoenlein, Executive Vice Chairman o f the
Conference of Presidents.
You enter the Diplomatic Reception Room. (The
p a r t i c i p a n t s w i l l be seated ( t h e a t e r s t y l e ) f a c i n g the
f i r e p l a c e . There w i l l be a t o a s t l e c t e r n i n f r o n t o f
the group.)
The Vice President w i l l make b r i e f remarks and
introduce you.
You make remarks.
Lester Pollack makes very b r i e f remarks o f
appreciation.
You greet the p a r t i c i p a n t s i n the f r o n t row and depart.
FYI, Since we want t o keep the event t o a h a l f an hour, you
should o f f e r t o have Tony Lake e t a l . stay and take any
f u r t h e r questions i f needed.
�VI.
REMARKS
Talking Points attached.
Attachments
Tab A
Tab B
Tab C
Foreign Policy Talking Points
Domestic Policy Talking Points
L i s t of Conference P a r t i c i p a n t s
�FOREIGN POLICY TALKING POINTS FOR USE WITH THE
CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
The Hebron massacre was a t r a g i c crime and a s t a r k reminder
t h a t the cycle of violence i n the Middle East claims both
I s r a e l i and P a l e s t i n i a n l i v e s .
Our goal has been t o put the process back on t r a c k . We have
succeeded. Talks between I s r a e l and Jordan, Lebanon and
Syria w i l l resume i n A p r i l . Formal n e g o t i a t i o n s between
I s r a e l and the Palestinians are resuming today i n Cairo.
The UN Security Council r e s o l u t i o n condemning the Hebron
massacre was designed t o enable the PLO and the Arab states
to r e t u r n t o the n e g o t i a t i o n s .
Many of you have concerns about language i n the
r e s o l u t i o n t h a t r e f e r r e d t o "the t e r r i t o r i e s occupied
by I s r a e l i n June 1967, i n c l u d i n g Jerusalem." I want
to say unambiguously: I opposed t h i s language.
At our u r g i n g , the Security Council voted on t h i s
r e s o l u t i o n paragraph by paragraph, so a vote on the
o v e r a l l r e s o l u t i o n would be unnecessary. When the
paragraph making reference t o Jerusalem came up, I
i n s t r u c t e d Ambassador A l b r i g h t t o abstain.
An o u t r i g h t veto would have e f f e c t i v e l y prevented the
adoption of any r e s o l u t i o n . This would have damaged
our chances of p u t t i n g the peace n e g o t i a t i o n s back on
track -- and t h a t would have been a dangerous
development f o r I s r a e l .
But I made c l e a r then and I w i l l repeat today: i f the
language on Jerusalem had been i n the o p e r a t i o n a l t e x t
r a t h e r than i n the preamble of the r e s o l u t i o n , we.would
have exercised our veto i n the Security Council.
I can assure you t h a t my p o s i t i o n on Jerusalem has not
changed. But the p a r t i e s have agreed the f i n a l d i s p o s i t i o n
of Jerusalem w i l l be decided i n f i n a l status n e g o t i a t i o n s .
That agreement should be respected.
Let me also be c l e a r : I am committed t o helping achieve a
comprehensive and l a s t i n g peace t h a t w i l l enhance I s r a e l ' s
s e c u r i t y and improve prospects f o r a normal l i f e , so long
denied t o I s r a e l ' s c i t i z e n s .
�We want t o make t h i s a year o f f u r t h e r breakthroughs t o
peace. The f i r s t and fundamental p i l l a r of our approach i s
strengthening the r e l a t i o n s h i p between the U.S. and I s r a e l .
The personal r e l a t i o n s h i p and mutual t r u s t which the Prime
M i n i s t e r and I have developed i s e x t r a o r d i n a r y and i s
symbolic of the t i e s between our c o u n t r i e s .
I t o l d Prime M i n i s t e r Rabin when we f i r s t met t h a t I was
committed t o maintain and enhance I s r a e l ' s s e c u r i t y as i t
took r i s k s f o r peace.
Prime M i n i s t e r Rabin has taken bold steps, and I have kept
my promise. Among the concrete steps we have taken t o
demonstrate our commitment are:
Maintenance of the present $3 b i l l i o n i n assistance t o
Israel;
Decision t o s e l l our most advanced a i r c r a f t , t h e F-15,
to I s r a e l on the most favorable terms possible and t o
t r a n s f e r F-16s;
Decision t o permit I s r a e l t o p a r t i c i p a t e i n U.S.
commercial space launch v e h i c l e (SLV) ventures;
Approval f o r export o f advanced computers;
The establishment of t h e U.S.-Israel Science and
Technology Commission, which has the capacity t o
advance our dynamic p a r t n e r s h i p i n science and high
technology t o the b e n e f i t of both our c o u n t r i e s ; and
We are also committed t o reducing the t h r e a t . posed.to .
I s r a e l and i t s neighbors by the p r o l i f e r a t i o n o f
weapons o f mass d e s t r u c t i o n . We are working w i t h the .
Europeans, Japan and our other partners t o ensure t h a t
there i s a coordinated approach-to denying-states such
as I r a n and I r a q the c a p a b i l i t y t o threaten the .peace
we are working t o e s t a b l i s h .
The second p i l l a r of our approach i s t o ensure t h e
successful implementation o f t h e I s r a e l - P a l e s t i n i a n
Declaration o f P r i n c i p l e s . I t i s e s s e n t i a l t h a t t h e l i v e s
of P a l e s t i n i a n s and I s r a e l i s be changed f o r the b e t t e r .
Implementation o f the DoP i s the best way t o b r i n g t h i s
about. We have hosted an i n t e r n a t i o n a l donor conference t o
help support the agreement. As you know w e l l , we are
promoting the involvement of the Jewish and Arab-American
p r i v a t e sectors. The r e s u l t s have been very encouraging.
You have my thanks f o r your support.
�The t h i r d p i l l a r of our approach i s t o b u i l d on t h e momentum
created by the September 13 agreement. The biggest
challenge we face i s making peace between I s r a e l and Syria.
To help advance progress toward t h i s goal, I met i n January
w i t h Syrian President Asad i n Geneva.
He t o l d me during our meeting, and l a t e r a f f i r m e d
p u b l i c l y , t h a t Syria has made a s t r a t e g i c d e c i s i o n f o r
peace and wants t o have normal peaceful r e l a t i o n s w i t h
I s r a e l . We welcome these statements. But Syria must
demonstrate through actions as w e l l as words t h a t i t
wants a f u l l and meaningful peace.
F i n a l l y , as the region turns t o the business of e s t a b l i s h i n g
peace, the Arab boycott of I s r a e l must end. There must be
an Arab commitment t o b u i l d a new era of peace and
p r o s p e r i t y w i t h I s r a e l as partner, not pariah.
( I f P o l l a r d decision i s r a i s e d ) : I personally reviewed the
Jonathan P o l l a r d matter. I decided t o deny h i s appeal f o r
clemency a f t e r t a k i n g i n t o account the recommendation of the
Attorney General and the unanimous view of t h e law
enforcement and n a t i o n a l s e c u r i t y agencies. My d e c i s i o n was
based upon the grave nature of the offense and t h e damage
his actions caused our country.
( I f asked on moving embassy): I have said we" would not do
anything t h a t would d i s r u p t the peace process.
( I f asked why you won't support earmarks i n Congress f o r a i d
to I s r a e l ) : I am committed t o maintaining c u r r e n t l e v e l s of
aid t o I s r a e l [$3 b i l l i o n ] . We oppose earmarks i n general
but r e s t assured t h a t you have my commitment t o work w i t h
Congress t o ensure f u l l funding f o r a i d t o I s r a e l and Egypt.
�Talking Points
Introduction and Domestic Issues
Opening
o
I t ' s great
friendship
throughout
t h i s great
t o have you here.
I w i l l never f o r g e t the
and support t h a t I received i n the e l e c t i o n and
my campaign from the Jewish community a l l over
country.
o
And t o Lester P o l l a c k and Malcolm Hoenlein, thank you f o r
b r i n g i n g the Conference of Presidents here t o meet w i t h me
today. There are a l o t of f r i e n d s here today, so I b e t t e r
not s t a r t acknowledging you. We met e a r l y on i n my
campaign, a t a time when most people were s t i l l saying
" B i l l , who?" We've come a long way from t h a t f a l l of 1991.
o
The t i m i n g couldn't be b e t t e r f o r t h i s meeting. Not only
are we two days away from the c e l e b r a t i o n of Passover, but
the triumph of Steven Spielberg a t the Oscars f o r b r i n g i n g
the s t o r y o f t h e Holocaust through h i s moving, wonderful
motion p i c t u r e , Schindler's l i s t , teaches us t h a t Hollywood
can serve us by c r e a t i n g works l i k e t h i s t h a t a c t as a
reminder and more importantly an educator t o people around
the world about t h a t h o r r i b l e time i n t h i s world's h i s t o r y .
I n t e r n a t i o n a l Issues
o
See NSC T a l k i n g P o i n t s .
o
You a l l care very deeply about t h e safety and s e c u r i t y of
I s r a e l , but you have also made tremendous c o n t r i b u t i o n s t o
our country and her domestic needs f o r generations, i n
a d d i t i o n t o a l l t h a t you have done t o help t h i s
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n shape p o l i c y and pass l e g i s l a t i o n . I am
counting on your continued commitment t o improving our
h e a l t h care system f o r a l l Americans.
Health Care
o
I am happy t o know t h a t Alex Schindler i s here from t h e
UAHC. YOU a l l have been so h e l p f u l t o us i n t h i s h e a l t h
care debate. You know David Saperstein i s a f r i e n d of
H i l l a r y ' s and mine. H i l l a r y i n p a r t i c u l a r has worked w i t h
him on so many good causes.
o
I have also been t o l d t h a t Hadassah has made t h e p r i n c i p l e s
of our p l a n t h e theme of i t s annual conference i n J u l y . I
can't t e l l you how much we a l l appreciate t h a t .
�o
Our plan i s r e a l l y not so complicated.
following:
I t provides f o r t h e
Guaranteed p r i v a t e insurance. We want t o guarantee p r i v a t e
insurance coverage t o every American. Comprehensive
coverage t h a t can never be taken away.
Choice. We want everyone t o have the r i g h t t o choose t h e i r
own doctor and t h e i r own h e a l t h p l a n . We want t o make sure
you get h i g h - q u a l i t y care by g i v i n g you the choice, not your
boss or insurance company.
Outlaw u n f a i r insurance p r a c t i c e s . We want t o make i t
i l l e g a l f o r insurance companies t o : drop coverage o r c u t
b e n e f i t s ; j a c k up your r a t e s i f you get s i c k ; use l i f e t i m e
l i m i t s t o cut o f f your b e n e f i t s ; o r charge o l d e r people more
than younger. That's how y o u ' l l g e t a f f o r d a b l e insurance
you can depend on.
Preserve Medicare. We w i l l p r o t e c t and strengthen Medicare.
Older American have a r i g h t t o count on Medicare and choose
t h e i r doctor. We also want t o cover p r e s c r i p t i o n drugs
under Medicare, and give new options f o r long-term care i n
the home and community.
Health b e n e f i t s guaranteed a t work. Every j o b should come
w i t h h e a l t h b e n e f i t s . Most jobs do today. And y e t 8 out of
10 Americans who have no insurance are i n working f a m i l i e s .
We want everyone t o have h e a l t h b e n e f i t s guaranteed a t work.
The government w i l l provide discounts f o r small businesses
and help cover the unemployed.
N a t i o n a l Service
o
N a t i o n a l Service i s a program t h a t I am so p r o u d - o f — a .
concept t h a t the Jewish community has always endorsed and
supported i n every way. I know t h a t Lynn Lyss, who sat w i t h
me a t lunch one day, has been very a c t i v e i n h e l p i n g t h e
National Service Corps g e t o f f t h e ground.
Education
o
Goals 2000 passed i n the House and i s now being considered
f o r f i n a l passage i n the Senate.
Welfare Reform
o
Regarding w e l f a r e reform: the American Jewish Committee, t h e
Council o f Jewish Federations and the N a t i o n a l Jewish
Community R e l a t i o n s Advisory Council have j o i n e d a c o a l i t i o n
( w i t h N a t i o n a l Council o f La Raza, Japanese American
�Citizens League, Organization of Chinese Americans, Catholic
Charities, United States Catholic Conference, and others) i n
opposition of financing welfare reform by cutting the
a v a i l a b i l i t y of SSI and e s s e n t i a l benefits to immigrants
l e g a l l y i n the United States.
This c o a l i t i o n has threatened to oppose the Administration's
Welfare Reform l e g i s l a t i o n i f t h i s method of financing i s a
part of i t .
This method of financing i s something that the Welfare
Reform Working Group i s very strongly considering.
We have
met with several of the groups who are part of t h i s
c o a l i t i o n to reassure them that we w i l l work with them, but
have made no signals to support t h i s claim.
Questions that may a r i s e
o
What i s the federal government doing i n the Crown Heights
incident?
A: We have convened a federal grand jury that i s currently
investigating the incident.
o
Why did i t take the federal government so long to convene
the grand jury?
A:
We were careful not to i n t e r f e r e with the l o c a l
prosecution. However, once the l o c a l prosecutor turned over
the case to the J u s t i c e Department, we convened a federal
grand jury investigation.
o
What i s the federal government doing i n response to the
shootings on the Brooklyn bridge?
A:
We are working with the state investigation and i f any
federal laws have been violated we w i l l take appropriate
action.
�CONFERENCE OF PRESIDENTS
OF MAJOR AMERICAN JEWISH ORGANIZATIONS
Alan Ades
President, United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Investor, Ades Associates
Julius Berman
President, American Zionist Youth Foundation
Partner, Kaye, Scholer, Fierman, Haye & Handler
Edward Blatt
National Commander, Jewish War Veterans
Director, Haym Solomon Memorial Park
Samuel Bloch
President, American Gathering/Federation of Holocaust Survivors
Shoshana Cardin
Past Chairman, Conference of Presidents
Marcia Cayne
President, Association of Reform Zionists of America
Audrey Citak
President, Women's League for Conservative Judaism
Roy Clements
President, Mercaz USA
Roy Clements, Office Furnishings
Ted Dinerstein
President, Jewish Institute for National Security Affairs
Real Estate Developer
Sondra Fisch
President, Emunah of America
Max Fisher
Israel Friedman
Executive Vice President, Religious Zionists of America
Moshe Gorelik
President, Rabbinical Council of America
Carolyn Greene
Associate Director, Conference of Presidents
�Steven Grossman
President, America Israel Public Affairs Committe
Chairman, Massachusetts Envelope Co.
Malcolm Hoenlein
Executive Vice Chairman, Conference of Presidents
Norma Holzer
President, AMTT Women
Sandra Isenstein
President, Women's American ORT
Chaim Kaminetsky
President, National Council of Young Israel
CEO, Highland Care Center
Linda Heller Kamm
President, Americans for Peace Now
Deborah Kaplan
President, Hadassah, Women's Zionist Organization of America
Valerie Kaplan
President, Federation of Reconstructionist Congregations & Havurot
Reuben Katz
President, B'nai Zion
Susan Katz
President, National Council of Jewish Women
Martin Kesselhaut..:
President, Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society
Morton Klein
President, Zionist Organization of America
Joan Kort
President, B'nai B'rith
Martin Kraar
Executive Vice President, Council of Jewish Federations
Marvin Lender
Chairman, United Jewish Appeal
Mark Levin
Executive Director, National Conference on Soviet Jewry
�Sylvia Lewis
President, Na'amat USA
Robert Lifton
President, American Jewish Congress
Chairman, Medis Inc.
Lynn Lyss
Chairman, National Jewish Community Relations Advisory Council
Israel Miller
Past Chairman, Conference of Presidents
Alfred Moses
President, American Jewish Committee
Partner, Covington & Burling
Michael Perry
Executive Director, Jewish Labor Committee
Lester Pollack
Chairman, Conference of Presidents
General Partner, Lazard Freres
C.E.O. Centre Partners
Ruth Popkin
National Youth Aliyah Chairman, Hadassah
Seymour Reich
President, American Zionist Movement
Senior Partner, Dreyer & Traub
Ellen Rosenberg
Executive Director, Women of Reform Judaism
Sheldon Rudoff
President, Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America
Partner, Goodking, Labaton, Rudoff
Melvin Salberg
Chairman, Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith
Alexander Schindler
President, Union of American Hebrew Congregations
Kent Schiner
President, B'nai B'rith
Fabian Schonfeld
President, Poala Agudath Israel
�Milton Shapiro
President, Jewish National Fund
Evelyn Sommer
President, Women's International Zionist International
Jack Stein
Past Chairman, Conference of Presidents
President, Jacob Stein Realty, Inc.
Kalman Sultanik
Chairman, World Zionist Organization
Joel Tauber
Chairman, United Jewish Appeal
MUton Wolf
President, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee
Chairman, Milton A. Wolf Investors
Gerald Zelizer
President, Rabbinical Assembly
Sheldon Zimmerman
President, Central Conference of American Rabbis
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
March 24, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
UPON DEPARTURE
(The South Lawn)
12:06 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Hello. I j u s t wanted to make a brief
statement. This morning, I called General Shelton at Fort Bragg and
General Floyd at Pope Air Force Base to personally express my sorrow
and condolences because of the tragedy yesterday, and to thank them,
and through them, the members of our armed services who do the work
that they do.
As I said i n my statement yesterday, i t ' s sometimes easy
for those of us who enjoy the protection of the United States
military to forget that i t i s a dangerous business, even i n peace
time, because of the training which must be carried out. And I think
the hearts and thoughts and prayers of a l l Americans go out to the
families of those who were k i l l e d yesterday, those who were injured,
and a l l of those who were involved i n t h i s tragedy. We wish them
only the best, and we are a l l thinking of them.
I'd also l i k e to say a b r i e f word about the tragic
murder of Mr. Colosio i n Mexico yesterday. As you know, I called
President Salinas l a s t night, and we had a conversation about i t
which was e n t i r e l y personal. And, again, the United States, a l l of
us, p a r t i c u l a r l y the Vice President and I and Secretary Cisneros and
others who had met Mr. Colosio, feel a great sense of loss and feel
the pain of the Mexican people and the pain of h i s family.
The United States has done what we could do today to t r y
to support the people of Mexico and the government by making i t clear
that we think that the country's i n s t i t u t i o n s are fundamentally
strong. There was a brief delay i n the trading of Mexican s e c u r i t i e s
today to give the investors the opportunity to find out the facts i n
the hope that we would avoid any undue movement there. That delay
lasted somewhere around 3 0 minutes or an hour. And I think i t did
have a good salutary effect to make, j u s t to make sure that the
investors has a l l the facts and were not under any misapprehension
about what had occurred. And i t appears that things are proceeding
normally there. So our best wishes go out to the Mexican people, and
our grief and our condolence and our prayers to them i n t h i s t e r r i b l e
time of l o s s .
Q
Mr. President, are there steps the United States
government can or should take to t r y to make sure that there's
s t a b i l i t y i n Mexico?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, what we can do, and what I think
we should have done, f i r s t of a l l , i s to take the steps we took on
the trading. Secondly, I did t a l k to Secretary Bentsen l a s t night to
make sure that i f there was serious trading i n Mexican currencies,
that we could t r y to help to s t a b i l i z e that.
But, as you know, t h e i r f i n a n c i a l i n s t i t u t i o n s were a l l
close down today. So they took that step, and we'll j u s t have to see
whether anything else happens on that regard tomorrow. But I think
things w i l l s e t t l e down here. And I think fundamentally they are i n
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�- 2-
sound shape. And I hope that w i l l be the case.
and see what happens tomorrow.
We'll have to wait
Q
Mr. President, what did you t e l l the American
Jewish leaders today about a status of a united Jerusalem?
THE PRESIDENT: I told them that the position — I told
them what I've always told you i n public. I ' l l t e l l you the exact
words I" used: I said, my position has not changed on that issue.
But my position i s also that the United States and other countries
should r e f r a i n from intervening i n these peace t a l k s between the
parties themselves. And part of the Declaration of Principles
between I s r a e l and the PLO was that the disposition of that issue
would be a so-called f i n a l status issue to be resolved at the end of
the t a l k s . And I have respected that process. So I have made i t
clear that the United States has not changed i t ' s position. The way
we handled the resolution on the Hebron massacre i n the U.N. gave us
the opportunity to make that clear again. But we are trying to get
these peace t a l k s going, and we are going to l e t the parties make
t h e i r decisions for the future of the Middle East on t h e i r own, and
we are going to do everything we can to f a c i l i t a t e i t .
Q
What do you hope to accomplish i n your press
conference tonight?
THE PRESIDENT: Basically, I'm going to make a report to
the American people about what we're trying to do up here; about the
work we're doing on the crime b i l l , on health care, on a number of
other important issues. And i f I don't get to the H i l l now, I ' l l be
behind the curve on health care. So I've got to go.
THE PRESS:
Thank you.
END
12:10 P.M. EST
�Foreign Press
Center
National Press Building
Room 898
Washington, D.C. 20045
USIA
DATE:
February 4,
1994
M M TO:
EO
P h i l i p C. Brown, Director Foreign Press Centers
FROM:
David M. Park, P/FW,
SUBJECT:
F a c i l a s s i s t for Maen Areikat
Project Officer for NEA
P/FW responded to a request from USIS-Jerusalem PAO Lea Perez for
f a c i l i t a t i v e assistance for Maen Areikat, the Director of Media
A f f a i r s of "Orient House," the u n o f f i c i a l Palestinian government
headquarters in Jerusalem. With only a week's notice, P/FW was
able to arrange for Mr. Areikat to v i s i t the White House, State
Department, and USIA, and hold substantive discussions with a
wide range of o f f i c i a l s . In a future Palestinian government Mr.
Areikat w i l l probably become the spokesperson, and i s l i k e l y to
play a significant role in regional developments.
The U.S. side was interested in Mr. Areikat's views on the
current p o l i t i c a l situation in Jerusalem and the status of the
Peace Talks. Mr. Areikat had the opportunity to pursue in depth
his questions about how each i n s t i t u t i o n handles press
accreditation and press access for briefings and other events,
and to learn how press guidances are created and cleared.
P/FW Program Officer David Park accompanied Mr. Areikat to the
following:
—USIA/NEA: Mr. Areikat spent one hour with NEA Director Kent
Obee and Country Affairs Officer Donna Winton, followed by a
meeting with NEA staff representing policy, VOA, and the Wireless
F i l e . That meeting was cut short by a change in the White House
schedule.
—White House: After attending the noon briefing in the White
House Press Room conducted by Secretary of Labor Reich, and
Spokesperson Dee Dee Myers, Mr. Areikat spent 15 minutes talking
about press matters with Dee Dee Myers, and 30 minutes with
Calvin Mitchell, Press Spokesman for the National Security
Council, who described in d e t a i l every aspect of the White House
press operation.
—USIA/Washington Foreign Press Center: Mr. Areikat toured the
f a c i l i t y and met with Director Phil Brown and Deputy Director
Arthur Green.
—USIA/Wireless F i l e : In a meeting with Adnan Siddiqi, Chief of
the Near Eastern and South Asian Branch, and George Shehadeh,
Chief of the Arabic Section, Mr. Areikat had the opportunity to
United States Information Agency
�learn about the technical and policy aspects involved i n
producing the Arabic F i l e .
— S t a t e Department: After meeting with NEA Public A f f a i r s
Officer Richard LeBaron and h i s staff for a complete review of
that office's operations, Mr. Areikat had a useful discussion
with Marc Sievers, a P o l i t i c a l Officer, who has r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s
in the area of Arab-Israeli Relations. Mr. Areikat was allowed
to attend the State "noon" briefing which led off with a
statement by SecState Christopher, who was followed by USAID
Director Brian Atwood, Undersecretary Dick Moose, and State
Spokesman Mike McCurry. After the briefing, Mr. Areikat had the
opportunity to get answers to s p e c i f i c questions he had about the
conduct of photo opportunities, the issuance of ID cards, and the
recording and transcribing of briefings and news programs.
— A proposed meeting with USIA/VOA's Arabic Branch Chief Mahmoud
Zawawi had to be cancelled due to Mr. Areikat's other commitments
in Washington.
Mr. Areikat appeared to be very pleased with the r e s u l t s of h i s
two days i n Washington, and there i s no doubt that USIA, White
House, and State o f f i c i a l s were glad that they had the chance to
meet with him. Mr. Areikat's intelligence, charm, and
willingness to share h i s encyclopedic knowledge of the
Palestinian situation with h i s interlocutors made a positive
impression on a l l those with whom he met.
cc:
Natalie Wozniak, White House, Public A f f a i r s
Richard LeBaron, State/NEA/PA
Michael Anderson, USIA/NEA Policy Officer
�THE
WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of t h e Press
For Immediate Release
Secretary
March 9,
1994
Message by t h e P r e s i d e n t
on the Occasion of t h e I s l a m i c Holiday o f I d a l - F i t r
My f a m i l y and I wish t o extend our p e r s o n a l g r e e t i n g s t o a l l
i n t h e Muslim Community c e l e b r a t i n g the I d a l - F i t r .
This week marks t h e end of t h e h o l y month o f Ramadan f o r
Muslims i n the U n i t e d S t a t e s and around the w o r l d . A time f o r
r e j o i c i n g and c e l e b r a t i o n , t h i s I d i n p a r t i c u l a r a l s o reminds us
of our shared r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o work f o r a b e t t e r f u t u r e f o r a l l
the w o r l d ' s people -- e s p e c i a l l y i n t h e wake o f t h e Hebron
massacre. Let us a l l r e d e d i c a t e o u r s e l v e s t o r e a l i z i n g t h i s g o a l
i n t h e Middle East and around t h e w o r l d .
I n t h e U n i t e d S t a t e s , t h i s i s an o c c a s i o n f o r us t o r e f l e c t
w i t h p r i d e on t h e achievements of Muslim Americans and t o take
s a t i s f a c t i o n i n t h e h i s t o r i c and c o n s t r u c t i v e r e l a t i o n s which we
have had w i t h Muslim c o u n t r i e s around t h e w o r l d . C e n t r a l t e n e t s
of t h e Ramadan f a s t t h a t i s now ending are r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r
those l e s s f o r t u n a t e and r e d e d i c a t i o n -- i n d i v i d u a l by i n d i v i d u a l
- - t o t h e c r e a t i o n of a b e t t e r community and a b e t t e r w o r l d .
These are i d e a l s t h a t s t a n d as beacons f o r people o f a l l f a i t h s
everywhere.
On t h i s occasion, l e t me convey t o you my v e r y b e s t wishes
w i t h the t r a d i t i o n a l g r e e t i n g : May peace be w i t h you and may
God
g r a n t you h e a l t h and p r o s p e r i t y now and i n t h e years ahead.
#
#
#
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
March 9,
1994
Message by the President
on the Occasion of the Islamic Holiday of I d a l - F i t r
My f a m i l y and I wish t o extend our personal greetings to a l l
i n the Muslim Community c e l e b r a t i n g the I d a l - F i t r .
This week marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan f o r
Muslims i n the United States and around the world. A time f o r
r e j o i c i n g and c e l e b r a t i o n , t h i s I d i n p a r t i c u l a r also reminds us
of our shared r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o work f o r a b e t t e r f u t u r e f o r a l l
the world's people -- e s p e c i a l l y i n the wake of the Hebron
massacre. Let us a l l rededicate ourselves t o r e a l i z i n g t h i s goal
i n the Middle East and around the world.
In the United States, t h i s i s an occasion f o r us t o r e f l e c t
w i t h p r i d e on the achievements of Muslim Americans and t o take
s a t i s f a c t i o n i n the h i s t o r i c and c o n s t r u c t i v e r e l a t i o n s which we
have had w i t h Muslim countries around the world. Central tenets
of the Ramadan f a s t t h a t i s now ending are r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r
those less f o r t u n a t e and rededication -- i n d i v i d u a l by i n d i v i d u a l
- - t o the c r e a t i o n of a b e t t e r community and a b e t t e r world.
These are i d e a l s t h a t stand as beacons f o r people of a l l f a i t h s
everywhere.
On t h i s occasion, l e t me convey to you my very best wishes
w i t h the t r a d i t i o n a l g r e e t i n g : May peace be w i t h you and may God
grant you h e a l t h and p r o s p e r i t y now and i n the years ahead.
#
#
#
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
March 9,
1994
Message by the President
on the Occasion of the Islamic Holiday of I d a l - F i t r
My f a m i l y and I wish t o extend our personal greetings t o a l l
i n the Muslim Community c e l e b r a t i n g the I d a l - F i t r .
This week marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan f o r
Muslims i n the United States and around the world. A time f o r
r e j o i c i n g and c e l e b r a t i o n , t h i s I d i n p a r t i c u l a r also reminds us
of our shared r e s p o n s i b i l i t y t o work f o r a b e t t e r f u t u r e f o r a l l
the world's people -- e s p e c i a l l y i n the wake of the Hebron
massacre. Let us a l l rededicate ourselves t o r e a l i z i n g t h i s goal
i n the Middle East and around the world.
I n the United States, t h i s i s an occasion f o r us t o r e f l e c t
w i t h p r i d e on the achievements of Muslim Americans and t o take
s a t i s f a c t i o n i n the h i s t o r i c and c o n s t r u c t i v e r e l a t i o n s which we
have had w i t h Muslim countries around the world. Central tenets
of the Ramadan f a s t that i s now ending are r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r
those less f o r t u n a t e and rededication -- i n d i v i d u a l by i n d i v i d u a l
-- to the c r e a t i o n of a b e t t e r community and a b e t t e r world.
These are i d e a l s that stand as beacons f o r people of a l l f a i t h s
everywhere.
On t h i s occasion, l e t me convey to you my very best wishes
w i t h the t r a d i t i o n a l g r e e t i n g : May peace be w i t h you and may God
grant you h e a l t h and p r o s p e r i t y now and i n the years ahead.
#
#
#
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 27, 1994
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT ON THE CHURCH BOMBING IN LEBANON
The killing of people at prayer is an outrage against faith and humanity. On behalf of
the American people, I condemn in the strongest possible terms this latest incident in which
innocent Lebanese at communion on Sunday morning were killed by bombs planted in a
church. I extend my deepest sympathy to the bereaved.
Just as Friday's massacre in a Hebron mosque was aimed at the peace process, this
bomb attack seems clearly aimed at Lebanon's reconciliation process. The extremists have a
common purpose -- to promote division, strife and war. They must and will not be allowed
to succeed.
I call on men and women of all faiths to unite in opposition to the forces of dark
hatred. The people of the Middle East deserve a peaceful future. They deserve the right to
pray in peace, as we join them in praying for it.
-30-30-30-
�02/28/94
13; 53
©202 647 0244
PA/PRS
-»•»•» WHITE HSE
U.S. DEPAK.TMENT OF STATE
O f f i c e o f t h e Spokesman
For Immediate Release
February 27, 1994
STATEMENT BY MICHAEL MCCURRY, SPOKESMAN
Recant. Violence I n the Occupied T e r i t o r j ^
The I s r a e l i cabinet issuad a statement today addreeeing the
maegacre of P a l e s t i n i a n s i n Hebron. We consider the measures
o u t l i n e d i n the etateraent an important atep toward asouring the
s e c u r i t y of P a l e s t i n i a n s and i n p r e v e n t i n g the recurrence o f
such h o r r i f i c acts o f violence i n the f u t u r e . Through the
c r e a t i o n of a board of i n q u i r y w i t h a broad mandate and through
the other meaaures i t has announced, the Government o f I s r a e l
haa expressed i t s determination t o i n v e s t i g a t e t h i s tragedy and
the f a c t o r s t h a t l e d t o i t , and t o c o n t r o l and disarm I s r a e l i
s e t t l e r e x t r e m i s t s . We f u l l y expect t h a t the Government of
I s r a e l w i l l a c t on a l l these measures q u i c k l y and e f f e c t i v e l y .
While recognizing t h e depths o f emotion on both sides, we c a l l
upon I s r a e l i s and P a l e s t i n i a n s t c exercise maximum r e s t r a i n t
and t o avoid any a c t i o n o r response t h a t would f u r t h e r inflame
the s i t u a t i o n .
F i n a l l y , we c a l l upon I s r a e l i s and P a l e s t i n i a n s t o resume
n e g o t i a t i o n s as soon as possible so t h a t t h e D e c l a r a t i o n of
P r i n c i p l e s can be implemented and the r e a l i t i e s on the ground
can be changed.
©001
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 25,
1994
PRESS CONFERENCE BY THE PRESIDENT
The Briefing Room
11:55 A.M.
EST
THE PRESIDENT: Good morning. I want to speak b r i e f l y
about events in the Middle East and in Russia.
Early t h i s morning, Palestinian Muslim worshipers at
prayer in the Mosque of Abraham in Hebron were brutally gunned down
by a lone I s r a e l i s e t t l e r . I t can be no coincidence that the
murderer struck during the holy month of Ramadan and chose a s i t e
sacred to Muslims and to Jews. His l i k e l y purpose was to ruin the
h i s t o r i c r e c o n c i l i a t i o n now underway between the Palestinians and the
Israelis.
On behalf of the American people I condemn t h i s crime in
the strongest possible terms. I am outraged and saddened that such a
gross act of murder could be perpetrated. And I extend my deepest
sympathies to the families of those who have been k i l l e d and wounded.
I also c a l l on a l l the parties to exercise maximum
r e s t r a i n t in what we a l l understand i s a t e r r i b l y emotional
situation. Extremists on both sides are determined to drag Arabs and
I s r a e l i s back into the darkness of unending c o n f l i c t and bloodshed.
We must prevent them from extinguishing the hopes and the v i s i o n s and
the aspirations of ordinary people for a l i f e of peaceful existence.
The answer now i s to redouble our e f f o r t s to conclude
the t a l k s between I s r a e l and the PLO, and begin the implementation of
the agreement they have made as rapidly as possible.
Accordingly,
t h i s morning I asked the Secretary of state to contact Prime Minister
Rabin and Chairman Arafat and to invite them to send a l l t h e i r
negotiators involved i n the Israel-PLO t a l k s to Washington as soon as
possible, and to stay here in continuous session u n t i l t h e i r work i s
completed. They have both agreed to do that.
Our purpose i s to accelerate the negotiations on the
Declaration of P r i n c i p l e s and to t r y to bring them to a successful
conclusion in the shortest possible time. Those negotiations have
already made considerable progress as marked by the Cairo Agreement.
I t i s my hope that the parties can turn today's t r a g i c event into a
c a t a l y s t for further progress and r e c o n c i l i a t i o n .
I'd also l i k e to say a word about the Ames espionage
case, and our broader i n t e r e s t s regarding Russia. Three days ago, an
employee of the CIA, Aldrich Ames, and his wife were arrested for
spying, f i r s t for the Soviet Union and then for Russia, over a period
dating back to the mid-1980s. I f the charges are true, the Ames
couple caused s i g n i f i c a n t damage to our national security and
betrayed t h e i r country.
This i s a serious case and we've made that c r y s t a l clear
to the Russian government. The CIA i s working to assess the damage
to our intelligence operation. The J u s t i c e Department i s vigorously
pursuing the court case. The FBI i s continuing to pursue i t s
investigations.
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I t i s important that we not say anything at t h i s point
that could jeopardize the prosecution. We need to be firm as we
pursue both t h i s case and our national interest i n democratic reform
in Russia.
Support of the United States for reform i n Russia does
not flow from a sense of charity or blind f a i t h . Our policy i s based
on our c l e a r American interests c l e a r l y pursued. I t i s i n our
national interest to continue working with Russia to lower the
nuclear threshold; to support the development of Russia as a peaceful
democracy, stable and at peace with i t s neighbors; to be a
constructive partner with the United States i n international
diplomacy; and to develope a flourishing market economy that can
benefit both their people and ours. I t i s , therefore, i n our
interest to make every effort to help the long-term struggle for
reform i n Russia succeed.
That's why I've worked with members of both parties i n
Congress to secure assistance for reform i n Russia, Ukraine, Armenia,
and other new states; why I went to Moscow i n January, to urge the
Russian people to stay the course of reform, to j o i n us i n building a
more positive partnership, and to advance the process of democracy
and market reform.
E a r l i e r today, I met with members of Congress from both
parties to discuss these issues; to s t r e s s the need for continuing
our long-term and bipartisan approach to dealing with Russia. And I
urged them to r e s i s t c a l l s to reduce or suspend our assistance for
reform i n Russia and the other new states of the Soviet Union —
former Soviet Union. After a l l , a great portion of our aid i s to
f a c i l i t a t e the dismantlement of nuclear weapons that were aimed at
the United States for over four decades. I t i s i n our i n t e r e s t ,
p l a i n l y , to continue t h i s policy.
The majority of our economic assistance i s flowing not
to government but to reformers outside Moscow, mostly i n the
nongovernmental sector to help them s t a r t business and p r i v a t i z e
existing businesses, to help private farmers and to help support
exchange programs.
Throughout the Cold War, our nation acted with a
steadiness of purpose i n overcoming the challenge of Soviet
communism. Today, whether i t i s i n our p o l i c i e s toward Russia or
toward the Middle East, we need that same steadiness of purpose. Our
p o l i c i e s must be designed for the long-term and for the American
national interests.
Q
Mr. President, Russia seems to be taking the view
that the spy case i s no big deal. Are you s a t i s f i e d with Russia's
response and cooperation to t h i s ? And i f they don't withdraw
individuals from t h e i r embassy here, w i l l you expel them?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, l e t me try to c l a r i f y , f i r s t of
a l l , what we have sought and why we have sought i t . We have not
sought Russian cooperation i n any damage assessment. That was
simply, I think, an erroneous report. We have sought Russian
cooperation, i f you w i l l , i n terms of taking what we believe i s
appropriate action i n t h i s case; and we think i t ' s appropriate action
be taken.
We have expressed our views i n what we hoped the
Russians would do. I f they do not do that, then we w i l l take action
and we w i l l take i t quickly, and then i t w i l l be apparent what we
have done.
Q
Mr. President, has there been any formal response?
Out of Moscow today they said they think they can have a dignified
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resolution. Has anything been offered? And, also, are you looking
for a second possible double agent i n the CIA?
THE PRESIDENT: We are — we have made our position
clear. We have been i n contact with the Russians. We think
appropriate action w i l l be taken one way or the other very soon.
Q
Mr. President, you referred to the perpetrator of
the massacre today as a lone s e t t l e r , and the evidence so far
suggests that he did act alone. But there have been repeated reports
over the years of Americans providing aid, both fundraising and other
sorts of aid to extremist groups on both sides. And I wonder
whether, i n l i g h t of today's massacre, whether there i s more that .
needs to be done here to try to prevent Americans from providing aid
and other forms of support to Jewish extremist groups that may be
involved i n these sorts of actions.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, l e t me say, based on what we now
know, we have no reason to believe that t h i s k i l l e r was involved with
any group. I f we find out differently, we w i l l assess our position
at that time.
I can say t h i s : that Prime Minister Rabin, himself, has
recognized the need to strengthen the security provided by I s r a e l i
forces against extremists, including I s r a e l i extremists. But as far
as we know, t h i s was the action of one individual.
Q
Mr. President, what i s i t about t h i s massacre as
opposed to other setbacks that have occurred i n the Middle East that
has brought you to t h i s podium today, that makes you feel i t ' s
necessary to make a strong statement?
THE PRESIDENT: F i r s t of a l l , i t s scope and setting i s
horrible from a purely human point of view. Secondly, i t comes at a
time when i t appears to be c l e a r l y designed to affect the l i v e s of
hundreds of thousands of others by derailing the peace process. And
I am hoping that the statesmanship of the leaders i n the region and
the attention that t h i s w i l l bring to the t e r r i b l e problem w i l l not
only diffuse what could become a much worse round of k i l l i n g s and
counterattacks, but w i l l actually be used to thwart the purpose of
the murder and to reinvigorate the peace process.
Q
Mr. President, j u s t to follow up on the e a r l i e r
guestion. There have been reports from the scene that the I s r a e l i
army stood by and allowed t h i s massacre to go on. What kind of
recommendation would you make to I s r a e l to try to do an investigation
to see what happened and change the perception maybe of that?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we have no reason — we do not
know that to be true. I can say that at t h i s time. And we have —
the Secretary of State has talked with Prime Minister Rabin. I was
not able to t a l k with him myself yet because of the other meetings I
had t h i s morning. I believe the I s r a e l i s are committed to increasing
security where they can do so. And I don't want to comment on that
without some evidence or reason to believe i t s true.
Q
Mr. President, there's a G-7 meeting on Saturday in
Frankfort. I t ' s supposed to focus on Russian aid. Do we go to that
meeting with any particular proposition on the speed of aid, or the
conditionality of aid to Russia? And also, at that meeting, Bentsen
w i l l be meeting with Japanese Finance Minister F u j i i regarding the
f a i l e d trade t a l k s , framework t a l k s . Do you see the Gephardt and
Rockefeller open markets s t i l l being helpful to your mission to open
markets i n Japan? Do you support that?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we've taken no position on any
particular l e g i s l a t i o n . I think that i t shows the determination of
the American people to improve our trade and open the markets;
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especially the involvement of Senator Rockefeller, who's actually
lived in Japan and I think i s thought of genuinely as a friend of
Japan, but someone who understands what i s at stake here.
With regard to the other question, I think we're where
we always have been. The kind of aid and the amount of aid which
w i l l flow to Russia, and the sources from which i t flows I think w i l l
be a function of the p o l i c i e s and conduct of the Russians.
Q
Are you concerned now, s i r , apart from the Ames
case, about other developments in Russia that might make your policy
there appear almost to be in denial, based on what you and others
wish were happening or hope w i l l happen, rather than what r e a l l y i s
happening there?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I mean, t h i s has — my policy has
nothing to do with what I wish or hope w i l l happen. Our response
w i l l be dictated by t h e i r behavior. But I think the — what I think
i s naive in t h i s whole element i s the suggestion that we should have
ever believed for a moment that every event in Russia and every
speech made by every Russian p o l i t i c i a n in every election of every
member of Parliament would somehow be i n a constant straight l i n e
toward a goal that we wanted to predetermine. They have to make
t h e i r own future. That's what I said there over and over again.
This i s not black and white; t h i s i s grey. There w i l l
be developments over the course of our relationship with Russia which
— as there are over the course of our relationship with every other
country — where we won't l i k e everything that happens. We should do
things based on a clear-headed appreciation of what i s in our
national i n t e r e s t .
No one has made a compelling case to me, publicly or
privately, that i t i s not in our national i n t e r e s t s to continue to
work with the President of Russia and the government of Russia on
denuclearization, on cooperation and respect for neighbors and on
economic reform where we can support i t . That i s , the privatization
movement, for example, I would j u s t remind you, i s s t i l l going on in
Russia and has b a s i c a l l y occurred more rapidly there than in other
former Soviet countries.
So I don't believe the fact that a few speeches are made
that we don't agree with, or that p o l i c i e s are pursued based on an
election they had for a Parliament that we don't agree with should
force us to abandon what i s in our national i n t e r e s t . When i t i s no
longer in our national interest to do these things, then we should
stop i t . But we cannot be allowed — deluded into thinking that our
national i n t e r e s t can be defined by every election and every speech
in Russia; that can't be.
Q
Mr. President, i n i n v i t i n g the parties to come here
to Washington, do you also anticipate that you or the Secretary of
State w i l l adopt a different posture toward these negotiations? Up
to now, we've kind of l e t them handle i t and keep a hands-off
approach — wisely. But do you see, in fact, now that they're going
to be here and given the urgency you've assigned to i t , do you see
yourself or the Secretary taking a different posture toward the
talks?
THE PRESIDENT: I think, f i r s t of a l l , the very act of
inviting them here indicates some sense of urgency on our part. What
we have done to date, as you know, i s largely to t r y to give both
sides the security they needed to proceed, and the assurances that we
would support i t , but that they would have to freely make the
agreement. We s t i l l believe they w i l l have to freely agree.
We believe they are close to agreement. We want to do
things that w i l l prevent t h i s l a s t t e r r i b l e incident from derailing
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that, and to t r y to send a signal to the peoples in the region to not
overreact to t h i s horrible act, that the path of peace i s s t i l l the
right path. Whether that w i l l require us to do more in particular
meetings, I can't say, because we have discussed t h i s with Chairman
Arafat, with Prime Minister Rabin because we wanted to move quickly
and they did, too, and we'll j u s t have to wait for that to unfold.
Q
Mr. President, Senator Nunn has j u s t said that we
should not be asking Russia to voluntarily bring back t h e i r
diplomats, but we should have simply expelled them the way we would
have during the Cold War and after the Cold War; that t h i s i s too
serious a case. Why didn't we j u s t expel the diplomats s t i l l working
here?
THE PRESIDENT: I think that the judgment of the
security services was — and the national security team — was that
the Russians ought to be at least told what we know — not negotiated
with, there was no negotiation — told what we know and given an
opportunity to take whatever action they wanted to take. And i f they
don't, then we w i l l do what we should do. And we w i l l take
appropriate action. We w i l l do that soon.
Q
Mr. President, does that also mean, as Senator
Leahy and Senator Mitchell and others are suggesting following your
meeting t h i s morning, that you, the United States government, w i l l
also expose Russian diplomats who are, in effect, who are r e a l l y
intelligence o f f i c e r s who are not declared to the U. S. government as
intelligence o f f i c e r s ? Will you take that step and, i f you do, don't
you i n v i t e r e t a l i a t i o n , counterexpulsions, counterdeclarations,
exposures on the part of the Russian government against U.S.
o f f i c i a l s in Moscow?
THE PRESIDENT: We intend to take the action that we
think i s appropriate and you won't have to wait long to find out what
that i s .
Q
Mr. President, are you in any way interfering with
the j u d i c i a l process in appearing with Congressman Rostenkowski in
I l l i n o i s on Monday? There have been suggestions
THE PRESIDENT:
Absolutely not.
Q
— that Attorney General Reno had concerns that you
would be appearing with someone under investigation?
THE PRESIDENT: F i r s t of a l l — l e t me make a couple of
comments about that. F i r s t of a l l , I have had no conversations to
that effect with anyone in the Justice Department. Secondly, there
i s no way in the world we would do anything l i k e that. Thirdly, this
investigation has been going on for months. I have been in Chicago
before with Congressman Rostenkowski.
I am going there and w i l l be
with other members of Congress, at l e a s t one other I know and perhaps
more, to t a l k about issues that d i r e c t l y relate to t h i s
administration's work that he i s a c r i t i c a l part of: health care and
crime. And f i n a l l y , there i s s t i l l a presumption of innocence in
t h i s country. He has not yet been charged with anything.
But I can t e l l you, there has been absolutely no contact
of any nature about t h i s case with the J u s t i c e Department and the
White House that anyone could draw any inference of impropriety on.
And I have received nothing back the other way that I shouldn't go to
Chicago. I am going there to fight for things I believe in that he
has played a c r i t i c a l role i n . I am going to be with at l e a s t one
other, perhaps more members of Congress — I don't know yet — and
I'm going to be doing something that I have already done while t h i s
investigation has been going on. No one ever said anything about i t
before.
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Q
You said that the Ames case had caused s i g n i f i c a n t
damage to the national security. Can you be more s p e c i f i c , s i r ? And
secondly, you've said the FBI investigation i s ongoing. Are you
s a t i s f i e d that we know the f u l l extent of the penetration of the CIA
at t h i s point?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I can say very l i t t l e about that
except to assure you — I talked with Director Freeh t h i s morning
myself — I am confident that the FBI, working with the CIA, i s doing
everything that i s humanly possible to f u l l y investigate t h i s case.
I do not want to r a i s e red herrings or other p o s s i b i l i t i e s , only to
say t h i s : that i t i s not unusual, as the FBI Director said t h i s
morning. Sometimes i t happens that when you're i n a criminal
investigation and you're on to something, the investigation turns up
information that could not have been anticipated i n the beginning. I
am not trying to say that has occurred. I'm not trying to r a i s e any
false hopes. A l l I'm t e l l i n g you i s , I have directed the FBI and the
CIA and everybody else to do everything they can to get to the f u l l
bottom of t h i s . And I have nothing else to say about i t .
And, again, I'm not trying to r a i s e some t a n t a l i z i n g
inference, I'm j u s t saying that we have to keep going and t r y to root
i t out. After a l l , t h i s i s fundamentally a problem within America,
about whether people here who are Americans are spying, and that's
our r e s p o n s i b i l i t y to t r y to find i t out.
Thank you.
THE PRESS:
Thank you.
END
12:16 P.M. EST
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of t h e Press Secretary
BACKGROUND BRIEFING
BY
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL
February 25, 1994
The B r i e f i n g Room
12:59 P.M. EDT
MS. MYERS: The f o l l o w i n g w i l l be a BACKGROUND b r i e f i n g .
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
questions, no contact statements.
Q
When are they coming?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Q
We'll j u s t take
Beginning of next week.
Wednesday?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
up w i t h them and work out the precise times.
Well, we have t o f o l l o w
Q
What do you t h i n k the e f f e c t on t h e conference w i l l
be, t h e d e t a i l s o f the conference on P a l e s t i n i a n s concerned about
t h e i r own s e c u r i t y ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, obviously I t h i n k
t h a t ' s going t o be an issue t h a t ' s going t o be prominent i n t h e i r
eyes and t h e y ' l l be r a i s i n g i t . There have been d e t a i l e d discussions
already on a l l t h e issues, i n c l u d i n g s e c u r i t y issues as they apply t o
the Declaration o f P r i n c i p l e s , and they have made very good progress.
As you heard t h e President say, t h e reason we chose t o do t h i s i s
t h a t w h i l e very good progress had been made, t h i s k i n d of event, as
emotionally charged as i t i s , r e a l l y created a p o t e n t i a l t o unravel,
or undo the progress t h a t had been made. And one of t h e t h i n g s t h a t
was c r i t i c a l was t o maintain t h e focus, make i t c l e a r t h a t t h e
process should n o t be d e r a i l e d , make i t clear we're committed t o
doing what we could t o ensure t h a t was the case and helping them have
a s o l i d reason and explanation t o proceed.
Q
Yassir A r a f a t has been c a l l i n g on President C l i n t o n
d i r e c t l y , and on t h e world community t o provide some p r o t e c t i o n f o r
the P a l e s t i n i a n s t h e r e . I s there any r e a c t i o n o f f i c i a l l y now from
the White House?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k our focus
r i g h t now i s t o g e t these n e g o t i a t i o n s resumed as q u i c k l y as
p o s s i b l e , and g e t them t o come t o an agreement as q u i c k l y as possible
so t h a t implementation can take place and t h a t t h a t w i l l change t h e
r e a l i t i e s on t h e ground.
Q
Did you have t o do any convincing i n your phone
c a l l s t h i s morning, or was there immediate agreement t h a t the only
way t o save t h i s t h i n g was f o r everybody t o come t o Washington as
soon as possible?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k t h e
Secretary made t h e c a l l s , and t h e r e a c t i o n was immediate on t h e p a r t
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of both t h e Prime M i n i s t e r and on the p a r t of Chairman A r a f a t . He
suggested t h a t he thought given t h i s event and given what was
happening and the importance of a c c e l e r a t i n g t h e process t h a t i s was
important t o come t o Washington and they both agreed.
Q
The h i s t o r y of the Middle East has been an eye f o r
an eye. What gives you any reason t o hope t h a t t h i s won't be
followed by more r e t a l i a t i o n and more f i g h t i n g and i n t e r f e r e w i t h the
talks?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The o b j e c t i v e i n the
peace process i s t o end t h a t kind of a h i s t o r y and t o create a
d i f f e r e n t k i n d of f u t u r e . And what we have t o press f o r and what we
have t o hope f o r i s t h a t t h e pays o f f s o f peace can be c l e a r enough
t h a t they w i l l d i s c r e d i t those who are determined t o t r y t o subvert
it.
The f a c t of the matter i s , t h i s was an a c t whose purpose c l e a r l y
was designed t o t r y t o k i l l peace. And t h e f a c t i s , t h a t everything
has t o be done t o do as much as we can not only t o p r o t e c t t h e
promotion o f peace, but also t o p r o t e c t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of achieving
it.
And i f , i n f a c t , we can move as quickly as possible t o
an agreement and implementation, t h a t ' s the best way t o change the
r e a l i t i e s on t h e ground i n a way t h a t w i l l also d i s c r e d i t those who
are determined t o t r y t o do i t i n .
Q
Well, what are your expectations? What do you
t h i n k i s going t o happen i n t h e next few days or weeks over i n the
Middle East?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k i t ' s —
you're i n a very emotionally charged environment r i g h t now and we're
a l l going t o have t o do everything we can t o calm i t .
Q
I n t h i s c a l l t o A r a f a t , d i d the Secretary ask f o r
or receive any assurances t h a t A r a f a t reads t h e s i t u a t i o n t h e same
way, t h a t he w i l l t r y t o r e s t r a i n h i s people w i t h an eye towards the
longer view?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: He c e r t a i n l y made i t
c l e a r t h a t i t ' s , from h i s own standpoint, i t ' s very important t o calm
the s i t u a t i o n , ad he would do what he could. But he also expressed
his concerns about what was happening on the ground.
Q
Are t h e r e any l e g a l ways t h a t the U.S. can curb
American f i n a n c i a l a i d t o the Arab and Jewish extremist *? What are
the l e g a l i t i e s of that?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: You know, I'm not the
person t o ask. I don't know t h e answer t o t h a t . I can check and see
of there's anything being done, but I j u s t don't know t h e answer t o
t h a t . I don't —
Q
Was A r a f a t concerned about t h e l e v e l o f s e c u r i t y .
When yo say he's concerned about what's happening on t h e ground —
concerned about the r i o t i n g , concerned about the p o l i c e r e a c t i o n —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, he c e r t a i n l y
hopes t h a t — he i s concerned t h a t the IDF operate i n a way t h a t from
his standpoint, obviously, doesn't increase the r i s k t o the
Palestinians.
Q
And how have they been operating as f a r as he i s
concerned?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
W e l l , I t h i n k he's
concerned about the nature of t h i s i n c i d e n t . He and Rabin have
spoken today, and he's expressed h i s concerns t o Rabin and Rabin has
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�- 3 -
expressed h i s shock over t h e i n c i d e n t and t h a t t h e y w i l l do
e v e r y t h i n g t h e y can t o t r y t o r e s t o r e calm. You've seen, you may
have seen t h e I s r a e l i c a b i n e t statement, and they've made i t v e r y
c l e a r t h a t t h e y a r e g o i n g t o be e x p l o r i n g a s e r i e s o f d i f f e r e n t k i n d s
o f p r o p o s a l s t o curb, as t h e y p u t i t , some o f t h e I s r a e l i e x t r e m i s t s .
And t h e prime m i n i s t e r w i l l be r e p o r t i n g back on Sunday on what steps
they i n t e n d t o take.
J u s t one o t h e r p a r t t o t h a t — t h a t t h e y were informed
t h a t Rabin t o l d A r a f a t t h a t he would be i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e i n c i d e n t
and he would be g i v i n g A r a f a t t h e d e t a i l s o f h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n .
Q
Can you l a y o u t f o r us what e x a c t l y t h e phone
c o n v e r s a t i o n s , phone c o n t a c t s were today and t h e S e c r e t a r y *, d i d t h e
P r e s i d e n t a l s o have c o n v e r s a t i o n s ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, t h e P r e s i d e n t
i n s t r u c t e d t h e S e c r e t a r y t o c o n t a c t b o t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r and t h e
Chairman and see — b a s i c a l l y w i t h our p r o p o s a l , and as I s a i d , t h e
c o n v e r s a t i o n s were n o t l o n g c o n v e r s a t i o n s because t h e r e was an
immediate acceptance.
Q
What t i m e d i d those happen?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t was d u r i n g t h e
meeting t h a t t h e P r e s i d e n t had w i t h t h e l a d i e s o f Congress, I
b e l i e v e , t h a t he had t h e phone c a l l w i t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r — t h e
S e c r e t a r y walked o u t and had t h e phone c a l l w i t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r .
So t h a t would have been around 9:30 a.m. o r so, and t h e n about 2 0
minutes l a t e r he managed t o g e t Chairman A r a f a t on t h e l i n e .
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
He had spoken ~
he had
Q
You mean t h e S e c r e t a r y was i n t h e m e e t i n g w i t h t h e
members o f Congress when he l e f t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
t o make t h e phone c a l l .
Q
Went o u t o f t h e meeting
Where was A r a f a t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
I t h i n k he was i n —
The S e c r e t a r y had c a l l e d t h e Chairman e a r l i e r t h i s
morning, he made two phone c a l l s t o him t o d a y .
The f i r s t one was t o
convey o u r concern, our shock and a l s o t o emphasize t h e importance o f
n o t l o s i n g t h e focus on what has t o be done, u r g i n g him t o do a l l he
c o u l d t o r e s t r a i n t h e s i t u a t i o n ; and t h e n t h e r e was a subsequent
call.
Q
When was t h e d e c i s i o n made t o i n v i t e them? What
was t h e process t h i s morning by which he came t o t h a t d e c i s i o n ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , t h e r e were
d i s c u s s i o n s t h a t s t a r t e d p r e t t y e a r l y i n t h e morning. I c a n ' t
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Q
—
3:30 a.m.
T h i s morning, when d i d t h e P r e s i d e n t know?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The P r e s i d e n t was
i n f o r m e d when he g o t up t h i s morning by h i s m i l i t a r y a i d e .
Q
He wasn't awakened?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
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He was n o t awakened.
�- 4 -
Q
You say you s t a r t e d w i t h the State Department
around 3:30 a.m.?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, there were c a l l s
t h a t began. But t h e question was on the d e c i s i o n . I t h i n k the
discussions began a f t e r t h e President was up, and I would say
probably — I can't give you a precise time — b u t I t h i n k probably
somewhere between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. the d e c i s i o n was made t o go
ahead and not only have a p r e s i d e n t i a l statement, b u t have the
President come out and s p e c i f i c a l l y propose t h i s ; and so he asked the
Secretary t o go ahead and i n i t i a t e the c a l l s .
Q
The President was awake and he was presented w i t h
these options or w i t h these suggestions?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
discussion came l a t e r .
No, I t h i n k t h a t
Q
Was t h i s the President's idea, or i s t h i s an
expansion or a c c e l e r a t i o n of something already under consideration?
To move t h e t a l k s here.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The President has been
p a r t i c u l a r l y concerned from September 13th on — i f you could go back
t o h i s statement on t h e White House South Lawn a t t h a t time — t h a t
we would do e v e r y t h i n g possible t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s and
b r i n g them t o a prompt and successful conclusion. I t h i n k i t was
v e r y much i n t h a t context t h a t we have been f u n c t i o n i n g and t h a t he
has been engaged i n t h e t a l k s o f course; not j u s t on t h i s t r a c k , but
on t h e other t r a c k s w i t h the other leaders, p a r t i c u l a r l y on the
Syrian t r a c k since January 16th.
I t h i n k t h a t w i t h i n t h a t context, t h e r e was a f e e l i n g
t h a t t h e p a r t i e s , as t h i s p o i n t , were very close t o an agreement
a f t e r t h e Cairo Accord a couple o f weeks ago, t h a t A r a f a t and Peres
signed — Foreign M i n i s t e r Peres — there was a sense t h a t t h i n g s
were moving forward. And t h i s morning when we conferred, there was a
general concern t h a t t h i s event could swamp t h e progress t h a t had
been made j u s t a t t h e moment when they were very close t o agreement.
So t h a t i s the context i n which i t was f e l t t h a t — and
t h e r e was general agreement? t h e President and t h e Secretary of State
and Tony Lake, t h a t i s was not enough simply t o express our h o r r o r
and condolence and sorrow, t h a t we had t o do something more t o make
sure t h a t the peace process was brought t o a successful conclusion
because as the President said t o you j u s t a l i t t l e w h i l e ago, t h a t i n
h i s view i t was t h e only answer t o the violence — i t ' s the only way
t o end t h e v i o l e n c e .
Q
To j u s t make sure t h a t I understand what you a l l
are — t h e b e n e f i t you're d e r i v i n g from moving the t a l k s i n t o
Washington i s what? Just the e f f e c t of a s p o t l i g h t , more emphasis,
greater —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t ' s not so much t h e
s p o t l i g h t . The issue was, i f you d i d n ' t have a c l e a r focus
immediately, also showing a l e v e l of American concern and w i l l i n g n e s s
t o be very a c t i v e i n support of b r i n g i n g the process t o a conclusion,
t h a t , given how emotional the environment was and was bound t o be,
t h a t i t could e a s i l y have been — you could have e a s i l y have had a
s i t u a t i o n where t h i n g s could have begun t o unravel, where you needed
t o have a k i n d of f o c a l p o i n t f o r these n e g o t i a t i o n s t h a t both t h e
Prime M i n i s t e r and t h e Chairman could respond t o so t h a t the focus
could again be on n e g o t i a t i o n s and not j u s t on t h e consequences of
t h i s event.
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Q
What l e v e l do you expect t h e delegations t o be next
week, and w i l l A r a f a t and Rabin a t some p o i n t enter t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s
t o seal the deal?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k t h e y ' l l be
sending the people who have been n e g o t i a t i n g , and w e ' l l have t o see
exactly how i t unfolds i n terms of who w i l l a c t u a l l y be here?
Q
Are you c o n f i d e n t t h a t they are close enough, the
p a r t i e s are close enough t o agreement, t h a t by pledging them t o come
here and negotiate u n t i l t h e end you won't g e t i n t o a s i t u a t i o n where
i t s t a l l s , i t begins t o drag on and look bad and maybe i t breaks up
without an agreement?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, I wouldn't say —
they had made progress. They were c l e a r l y g e t t i n g close. But I
don't t h i n k you could say t h a t they were close enough t o agreement
t h a t a l l I have t o do i s show up and you're going t o have an
agreement. The f a c t i s , our concern was t h a t progress was being made
and we were concerned t h a t , i n f a c t , i t might get l o s t , i t might be
undone. And we wanted t o keep the focus. And t h e reason f o r having
them stay u n t i l they get i t done i s t o show, A, t h e commitment t o
a c c e l e r a t i n g the process; B, t o h i g h l i g h t t h e importance o f intensive
work so t h a t time i s not l o s t .
Q
Can I ask another quagmire question? I s t h e r e any
thoughts t o p u t t i n g troops i n the Golan Heights?
I s there ever the
p o s s i b i l i t y U.S. troops would go t o help enforce the s e c u r i t y i n the
region?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
I wouldn't t h i n k t h a t ' s
too l i k e l y .
Q
The gunman was an American immigrant. I s there
concerns t h a t t h e U.S. might a c t u a l l y be a t a r g e t of some s o r t of
r e t a l i a t o r y act? I s there any heightened sense of a l e r t anywhere?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, the State
Department has put out t r a v e l advisories.
But I t h i n k — t h i s i s an
event t h a t by d e f i n i t i o n i s bound t o produce among those who are
extremist t o begin w i t h an i n t e r e s t i n t h e i r kinds of r e t r i b u t i o n .
You have t o take a l l possible t h r e a t s s e r i o u s l y .
Q
How close — when you say they were close — can
you j u s t review what you t h i n k were the major outstanding issues?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, on February 9th
they had overcome most of what had separated them on three key
issues, which was on the crossings on Jericho and on the s e c u r i t y
zone w i t h i n Gaza. They then — i n a d d i t i o n t o those areas, they had
t o deal w i t h questions of t r a n s f e r of a u t h o r i t y i n as many as 45 or
46 d i f f e r e n t areas. They had t o deal w i t h more d e t a i l e d questions on
s e c u r i t y t h a t were not addressed i n these three broad areas. They
had t o deal w i t h what t h e i r economic r e l a t i o n s are going t o be. They
had t o put a l l t h i s i n t e x t u a l form.
Anybody who has negotiated any kind of t r e a t y
understands t h a t when you have t o put what are o f t e n times broad
concepts i n t o a kind of t e x t u a l form, t h a t takes some time. So they,
i n t h e l a s t — since the February 9 t h agreement, when they began the
t a l k s i n Taba and then when they moved them t o Cairo, they were
proceeding and making good progress i n a l l these areas. They had not
resolved a l l t h e i r problems. They s t i l l had a l o t of t e x t u a l work t o
do, but they were making good progress. Both sides were, i n f a c t ,
very encouraged by the kind o f progress t h a t they were making.
Q
What remained t o be resolved on s e c u r i t y
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issues?
�- 6 -
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, t h e r e are a
v a r i e t y of t e c h n i c a l questions which I r e a l l y don't want t o get i n t o ,
but a l o t of i t had t o do w i t h —
Q
But i n general are —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, i t ' s t h e ~ i n
the economic area, they had t o work out what t h e i r economic r e l a t i o n s
were going t o be. I n t h e s e c u r i t y area they had t o deal w i t h
questions r e l a t i n g t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i c e . And so they'd had
discussions on t h a t .
Q
As a p r a c t i c a l matter, won't s e c u r i t y now be given
a much g r e a t e r focus i n t h e t a l k s ? And do you see t h a t t h e past
s e c u r i t y agreements w i l l have t o be reopened and renegotiated?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k t h a t , i n f a c t ,
what they had been d e a l i n g w i t h i n s e c u r i t y obviously was an attempt
to a n t i c i p a t e t h e kinds of problems t h a t they might face. I t h i n k
t h a t they have held very d e t a i l e d kinds o f discussions t h a t also
r e f l e c t e d t h e complexity of the subject. I am not c e r t a i n t h a t
you're going t o see them reopen agreements because I t h i n k t h a t would
not be t h e way t o proceed. Obviously, s e c u r i t y questions are bound
to come up i n t h e aftermath of an incidence l i k e t h i s .
Q
So you would expect t h a t t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s would now
want b e t t e r guarantees on s e c u r i t y and on what the P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i c e
w i l l be i n —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k they obviously,
as I s a i d , w i l l look a t s e c u r i t y questions, but the f a c t i s they had
made a l o t of headway on t h a t .
Q
How w i l l the U.S. r o l e now change w i t h t h e t a l k s
being here, or w i l l be there be a change?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
W e l l , the" f a c t o f
b r i n g i n g them here creates a d i f f e r e n c e i n and of i t s e l f . The
essence o f our r o l e i s going t o be supportive. I t i s s t i l l e s s e n t i a l
t h a t what they do, they do i n terms o f coming t o agreements on t h e i r
own. And we w i l l be h e l p f u l , we w i l l be supportive, we w i l l
c e r t a i n l y be a c t i v e , but —
Q
How?
How w i l l you be active?
How do you be
active?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I can t e l l you, the way
we're a c t i v e , t h e way we've been a c t i v e a l l along even when they've
held t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s out there — i s t o be t a l k i n g t o both sides;
g e t t i n g t h e impressions from each side not only on where they are b u t
what t h e y ' r e d i f f e r e n c e s are; e s t a b l i s h i n g our understanding of what
seems t o be most important t o each o f them and then conveying t o each
of them what seems t o be c r i t i c a l i n terms of the assessment.
Sometimes t h e i r assessments of each other are not n e c e s s a r i l y r i g h t
on t h e mark. Sometimes we can be h e l p f u l i n terms o f c l a r i f y i n g .
Sometimes we're h e l p f u l i n terms of assuring.
At t h i s p o i n t , I t h i n k t h a t as we've s a i d , they've made
progress. I t ' s very important t h a t they i n v e s t i n t h e agreements
t h a t they reach. Having invested i n t h e agreements t h a t they reach,
they assume a commitment t o i t , a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r i t and i t ' s
important t h a t they be able t o defend these agreements based on what
they themselves have done. So t h i s i s s t i l l going t o be a b i l a t e r a l
n e g o t i a t i o n , but we are going t o be t h e r e t o help. At times, i f they
come t o us an they want us t o do more, w e ' l l be a v a i l a b l e t o do t h a t .
Q
You said t h a t the normal people w i l l be coming t o
n e g o t i a t e , but A r a f a t and Peres have been involved i n various p o i n t s .
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Would you expect them a t any point?
so, would you give A r a f a t a visa?
Would they be welcome and, i f
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, he was here a t
the White House on September 13. We c e r t a i n l y — we wouldn't —
Q
Would you g i v e him a White House pass?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
(Laughter.)
I don't have one.
Q
Thomason's i s a v a i l a b l e .
(Laughter.)
Q
Would you expect them a t any p o i n t i n t h i s process?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k t h a t —
wouldn't want t o p r e d i c t i t , b u t I wouldn't exclude i t .
I
Q
Before the Secretary c a l l e d over t o the two
p a r t i e s , had t h e r e been contacts e a r l i e r i n t h e day on the question
t h a t they've been f i g h t i n g over?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, there had n o t . The
f i r s t time i t was raised was by t h e Secretary.
Q
The PLO has made another c a l l f o r some k i n d of U.N.
p r o t e c t i o n i n t h e occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . Are you going t o have more
d i f f i c u l t y fending t h a t o f f t o t h e United Nations?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Well, I think our
concern and our focus i s going t o be on g e t t i n g t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s done
and not l o o k i n g a t steps t h a t might make t h a t more d i f f i c u l t t o get
done.
Thank you.
END
1:16 P.M. EST
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of t h e Press Secretary
BACKGROUND BRIEFING
BY
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL
February 25, 1994
The B r i e f i n g Room
12:59 P.M. EDT
MS. MYERS: The f o l l o w i n g w i l l be a BACKGROUND b r i e f i n g .
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
questions, no contact statements.
Q
When are they coming?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Q
We'll j u s t take
Beginning of next week.
Wednesday?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
up w i t h them and work out the precise times.
Well, we have t o f o l l o w
Q
What do you t h i n k t h e e f f e c t on t h e conference w i l l
be, t h e d e t a i l s o f t h e conference on P a l e s t i n i a n s concerned about
t h e i r own s e c u r i t y ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, obviously I t h i n k
t h a t ' s going t o be an issue t h a t ' s going t o be prominent i n t h e i r
eyes and t h e y ' l l be r a i s i n g i t . There have been d e t a i l e d discussions
already on a l l t h e issues, i n c l u d i n g s e c u r i t y issues as they apply t o
the Declaration of P r i n c i p l e s , and they have made very good progress.
As you heard t h e President say, t h e reason we chose t o do t h i s i s
t h a t w h i l e very good progress had been made, t h i s k i n d of event, as
emotionally charged as i t i s , r e a l l y created a p o t e n t i a l t o unravel,
or undo the progress t h a t had been made. And one o f t h e t h i n g s t h a t
was c r i t i c a l was t o maintain the focus, make i t c l e a r t h a t the
process should not be d e r a i l e d , make i t c l e a r we're committed t o
doing what we could t o ensure t h a t was the case and helping them have
a s o l i d reason and explanation t o proceed.
Q
Yassir Arafat has been c a l l i n g on President C l i n t o n
d i r e c t l y , and on t h e world community t o provide some p r o t e c t i o n f o r
the P a l e s t i n i a n s t h e r e . I s there any r e a c t i o n o f f i c i a l l y now from
the White House?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k our focus
r i g h t now i s t o get these n e g o t i a t i o n s resumed as q u i c k l y as
p o s s i b l e , and g e t them t o come t o an agreement as q u i c k l y as possible
so t h a t implementation can take place and t h a t t h a t w i l l change t h e
r e a l i t i e s on t h e ground.
Q
Did you have t o do any convincing i n your phone
c a l l s t h i s morning, or was there immediate agreement t h a t the only
way t o save t h i s t h i n g was f o r everybody t o come t o Washington as
soon as possible?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k the
Secretary made t h e c a l l s , and t h e r e a c t i o n was immediate on t h e p a r t
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of b o t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r and on t h e p a r t o f Chairman A r a f a t . He
suggested t h a t he t h o u g h t g i v e n t h i s e v e n t and g i v e n what was
happening and t h e importance o f a c c e l e r a t i n g t h e process t h a t i s was
i m p o r t a n t t o come t o Washington and t h e y b o t h agreed.
Q
The h i s t o r y o f t h e M i d d l e East has been an eye f o r
an eye. What g i v e s you any reason t o hope t h a t t h i s won't be
f o l l o w e d by more r e t a l i a t i o n and more f i g h t i n g and i n t e r f e r e w i t h t h e
talks?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The o b j e c t i v e i n t h e
peace p r o c e s s i s t o end t h a t k i n d o f a h i s t o r y and t o c r e a t e a
d i f f e r e n t k i n d o f f u t u r e . And what we have t o p r e s s f o r and what we
have t o hope f o r i s t h a t t h e pays o f f s o f peace can be c l e a r enough
t h a t t h e y w i l l d i s c r e d i t t h o s e who a r e d e t e r m i n e d t o t r y t o s u b v e r t
it.
The f a c t o f t h e m a t t e r i s , t h i s was an a c t whose purpose c l e a r l y
was d e s i g n e d t o t r y t o k i l l peace. And t h e f a c t i s , t h a t e v e r y t h i n g
has t o be done t o do as much as we can n o t o n l y t o p r o t e c t t h e
p r o m o t i o n o f peace, b u t a l s o t o p r o t e c t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y o f a c h i e v i n g
it.
And i f , i n f a c t , we can move as q u i c k l y as p o s s i b l e t o
an agreement and i m p l e m e n t a t i o n , t h a t ' s t h e b e s t way t o change t h e
r e a l i t i e s on t h e ground i n a way t h a t w i l l a l s o d i s c r e d i t t h o s e who
are d e t e r m i n e d t o t r y t o do i t i n .
Q
W e l l , what a r e your e x p e c t a t i o n s ? What do you
t h i n k i s g o i n g t o happen i n t h e n e x t few days o r weeks over i n t h e
M i d d l e East?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , I t h i n k i t ' s ~
you're i n a v e r y e m o t i o n a l l y charged environment r i g h t now and we're
a l l g o i n g t o have t o do e v e r y t h i n g we can t o calm i t .
Q
I n t h i s c a l l t o A r a f a t , d i d t h e S e c r e t a r y ask f o r
or r e c e i v e any assurances t h a t A r a f a t reads t h e s i t u a t i o n t h e same
way, t h a t he w i l l t r y t o r e s t r a i n h i s p e o p l e w i t h an eye towards t h e
longer view?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: He c e r t a i n l y made i t
c l e a r t h a t i t ' s , from h i s own s t a n d p o i n t , i t ' s v e r y i m p o r t a n t t o calm
the s i t u a t i o n , ad he would do what he c o u l d . But he a l s o expressed
h i s concerns about what was happening on t h e ground.
Q
Are t h e r e any l e g a l ways t h a t t h e U.S. can curb
American f i n a n c i a l a i d t o t h e Arab and J e w i s h e x t r e m i s t *? What are
the l e g a l i t i e s o f t h a t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: You know, I'm n o t t h e
person t o ask. I don't know t h e answer t o t h a t .
I can check and see
of t h e r e ' s a n y t h i n g b e i n g done, b u t I j u s t don't know t h e answer t o
that.
I don't ~
Q
Was A r a f a t concerned about t h e l e v e l o f s e c u r i t y .
When yo say he's concerned about what's happening on t h e ground —
concerned about t h e r i o t i n g , concerned about t h e p o l i c e r e a c t i o n —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , he c e r t a i n l y
hopes t h a t — he i s concerned t h a t t h e IDF o p e r a t e i n a way t h a t from
h i s s t a n d p o i n t , o b v i o u s l y , doesn't i n c r e a s e t h e r i s k t o t h e
Palestinians.
Q
And how have t h e y been o p e r a t i n g as f a r as he i s
concerned?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , I t h i n k he's
concerned about t h e n a t u r e o f t h i s i n c i d e n t . He and Rabin have
spoken t o d a y , and he's expressed h i s concerns t o Rabin and Rabin has
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expressed h i s shock over t h e i n c i d e n t and t h a t t h e y w i l l do
e v e r y t h i n g t h e y can t o t r y t o r e s t o r e calm. You've seen, you may
have seen t h e I s r a e l i c a b i n e t s t a t e m e n t , and t h e y ' v e made i t v e r y
c l e a r t h a t t h e y a r e g o i n g t o be e x p l o r i n g a s e r i e s o f d i f f e r e n t k i n d s
o f p r o p o s a l s t o c u r b , as t h e y p u t i t , some o f t h e I s r a e l i e x t r e m i s t s .
And t h e prime m i n i s t e r w i l l be r e p o r t i n g back on Sunday on what s t e p s
they i n t e n d t o t a k e .
J u s t one o t h e r p a r t t o t h a t — t h a t t h e y were i n f o r m e d
t h a t Rabin t o l d A r a f a t t h a t he would be i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e i n c i d e n t
and he would be g i v i n g A r a f a t t h e d e t a i l s o f h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n .
Q
Can you l a y o u t f o r us what e x a c t l y t h e phone
c o n v e r s a t i o n s , phone c o n t a c t s were t o d a y and t h e S e c r e t a r y *, d i d t h e
P r e s i d e n t a l s o have c o n v e r s a t i o n s ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, t h e P r e s i d e n t
i n s t r u c t e d t h e S e c r e t a r y t o c o n t a c t b o t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r and t h e
Chairman and see — b a s i c a l l y w i t h o u r p r o p o s a l , and as I s a i d , t h e
c o n v e r s a t i o n s were n o t l o n g c o n v e r s a t i o n s because t h e r e was an
immediate acceptance.
Q
What t i m e d i d t h o s e happen?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t was d u r i n g t h e
m e e t i n g t h a t t h e P r e s i d e n t had w i t h t h e l a d i e s o f Congress, I
b e l i e v e , t h a t he had t h e phone c a l l w i t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r — t h e
S e c r e t a r y walked o u t and had t h e phone c a l l w i t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r .
So t h a t would have been around 9:30 a.m. o r so, and t h e n about 2 0
m i n u t e s l a t e r he managed t o g e t Chairman A r a f a t on t h e l i n e .
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
He had spoken —
he had
Q
You mean t h e S e c r e t a r y was i n t h e m e e t i n g w i t h t h e
members o f Congress when he l e f t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
t o make t h e phone c a l l .
Q
Went o u t o f t h e meeting
Where was A r a f a t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
I t h i n k he was i n ~
The S e c r e t a r y had c a l l e d t h e Chairman e a r l i e r t h i s
morning, he made two phone c a l l s t o him today.
The f i r s t one was t o
convey our concern, o u r shock and a l s o t o emphasize t h e importance o f
not l o s i n g t h e focus on what has t o be done, u r g i n g him t o do a l l he
c o u l d t o r e s t r a i n t h e s i t u a t i o n ; and t h e n t h e r e was a subsequent
call.
Q
When was t h e d e c i s i o n made t o i n v i t e them? What
was t h e process t h i s morning by w h i c h he came t o t h a t d e c i s i o n ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , t h e r e were
d i s c u s s i o n s t h a t s t a r t e d p r e t t y e a r l y i n t h e morning. I c a n ' t
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Q
—
3:30 a.m.
T h i s morning, when d i d t h e P r e s i d e n t know?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The P r e s i d e n t was
i n f o r m e d when he g o t up t h i s morning by h i s m i l i t a r y a i d e .
Q
He wasn't awakened?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
MORE
He was n o t awakened.
�- 4-
Q
You say you s t a r t e d w i t h t h e State Department
around 3:30 a.m.?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, there were c a l l s
t h a t began. But t h e question was on the d e c i s i o n . I t h i n k t h e
discussions began a f t e r t h e President was up, and I would say
probably — I can't give you a precise time — but I t h i n k probably
somewhere between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. t h e decision was made t o go
ahead and not only have a p r e s i d e n t i a l statement, but have t h e
President come out and s p e c i f i c a l l y propose t h i s ; and so he asked the
Secretary t o go ahead and i n i t i a t e the c a l l s .
Q
The President was awake and he was presented w i t h
these options or w i t h these suggestions?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
discussion came l a t e r .
No, I t h i n k t h a t
Q
Was t h i s t h e President's idea, or i s t h i s an
expansion or a c c e l e r a t i o n of something already under consideration?
To move the t a l k s here.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The President has been
p a r t i c u l a r l y concerned from September 13th on — i f you could go back
t o h i s statement on the White House South Lawn a t t h a t time — t h a t
we would do e v e r y t h i n g p o s s i b l e t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s and
b r i n g them t o a prompt and successful conclusion. I t h i n k i t was
very much i n t h a t context t h a t we have been f u n c t i o n i n g and t h a t he
has been engaged i n the t a l k s o f course; not j u s t on t h i s t r a c k , but
on t h e other t r a c k s w i t h t h e other leaders, p a r t i c u l a r l y on t h e
Syrian t r a c k since January 16th.
I t h i n k t h a t w i t h i n t h a t context, there was a f e e l i n g
t h a t t h e p a r t i e s , as t h i s p o i n t , were very close t o an agreement
a f t e r the Cairo Accord a couple of weeks ago, t h a t A r a f a t and Peres
signed — Foreign M i n i s t e r Peres — there was a sense t h a t t h i n g s
were moving forward. And t h i s morning when we conferred, there was a
general concern t h a t t h i s event could swamp t h e progress t h a t had
been made j u s t a t t h e moment when they were very close t o agreement.
So t h a t i s t h e context i n which i t was f e l t t h a t — and
there was general agreement; t h e President and t h e Secretary of State
and Tony Lake, t h a t i s was not enough simply t o express our h o r r o r
and condolence and sorrow, t h a t we had t o do something more t o make
sure t h a t t h e peace process was brought t o a successful conclusion
because as t h e President s a i d t o you j u s t a l i t t l e while ago, t h a t i n
h i s view i t was t h e only answer t o the v i o l e n c e — i t ' s t h e only way
t o end the v i o l e n c e .
Q
To j u s t make sure t h a t I understand what you a l l
are — the b e n e f i t you're d e r i v i n g from moving t h e t a l k s i n t o
Washington i s what? Just t h e e f f e c t of a s p o t l i g h t , more emphasis,
greater —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t ' s not so much the
s p o t l i g h t . The issue was, i f you d i d n ' t have a c l e a r focus
immediately, also showing a l e v e l of American concern and w i l l i n g n e s s
t o be very a c t i v e i n support o f b r i n g i n g t h e process t o a conclusion,
t h a t , given how emotional t h e environment was and was bound t o be,
t h a t i t could e a s i l y have been — you could have e a s i l y have had a
s i t u a t i o n where t h i n g s could have begun t o unravel, where you needed
t o have a k i n d of f o c a l p o i n t f o r these n e g o t i a t i o n s t h a t both t h e
Prime M i n i s t e r and the Chairman could respond t o so t h a t t h e focus
could again be on n e g o t i a t i o n s and not j u s t on t h e consequences of
t h i s event.
MORE
�- 5 -
Q
What l e v e l do you expect t h e d e l e g a t i o n s t o be n e x t
week, and w i l l A r a f a t and Rabin a t some p o i n t e n t e r t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s
t o seal t h e deal?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k t h e y ' l l be
sending t h e p e o p l e who have been n e g o t i a t i n g , and w e ' l l have t o see
e x a c t l y how i t u n f o l d s i n terms o f who w i l l a c t u a l l y be here?
Q
Are you c o n f i d e n t t h a t t h e y a r e c l o s e enough, t h e
p a r t i e s a r e c l o s e enough t o agreement, t h a t by p l e d g i n g them t o come
here and n e g o t i a t e u n t i l t h e end you won't g e t i n t o a s i t u a t i o n where
i t s t a l l s , i t b e g i n s t o drag on and l o o k bad and maybe i t b r e a k s up
w i t h o u t an agreement?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, I wouldn't say ~
t h e y had made p r o g r e s s .
They were c l e a r l y g e t t i n g c l o s e . But I
don't t h i n k y o u c o u l d say t h a t t h e y were c l o s e enough t o agreement
t h a t a l l I have t o do i s show up and you're g o i n g t o have an
agreement. The f a c t i s , o u r concern was t h a t p r o g r e s s was b e i n g made
and we were concerned t h a t , i n f a c t , i t might g e t l o s t , i t m i g h t be
undone. And we wanted t o keep t h e focus. And t h e reason f o r h a v i n g
them s t a y u n t i l t h e y g e t i t done i s t o show, A, t h e commitment t o
a c c e l e r a t i n g t h e process; B, t o h i g h l i g h t t h e importance o f i n t e n s i v e
work so t h a t t i m e i s n o t l o s t .
Q
Can I ask another quagmire q u e s t i o n ?
I s t h e r e any
t h o u g h t s t o p u t t i n g t r o o p s i n t h e Golan Heights?
I s there ever t h e
p o s s i b i l i t y U.S. t r o o p s would go t o h e l p e n f o r c e t h e s e c u r i t y i n t h e
region?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
too
I wouldn't t h i n k
that's
likely.
Q
The gunman was an American i m m i g r a n t .
I s there
concerns t h a t t h e U.S. might a c t u a l l y be a t a r g e t o f some s o r t o f
r e t a l i a t o r y a c t ? I s t h e r e any heightened sense o f a l e r t anywhere?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , t h e S t a t e
Department has p u t o u t t r a v e l a d v i s o r i e s .
But I t h i n k — t h i s i s an
event t h a t by d e f i n i t i o n i s bound t o produce among those who a r e
e x t r e m i s t t o b e g i n w i t h an i n t e r e s t i n t h e i r k i n d s o f r e t r i b u t i o n .
You have t o t a k e a l l p o s s i b l e t h r e a t s s e r i o u s l y .
Q
How c l o s e — when you say t h e y were c l o s e — can
you j u s t r e v i e w what you t h i n k were t h e major o u t s t a n d i n g issues?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , on February 9 t h
t h e y had overcome most o f what had separated them on t h r e e key
i s s u e s , which was on t h e c r o s s i n g s on J e r i c h o and on t h e s e c u r i t y
zone w i t h i n Gaza. They t h e n — i n a d d i t i o n t o t h o s e areas, t h e y had
t o d e a l w i t h q u e s t i o n s o f t r a n s f e r o f a u t h o r i t y i n as many as 45 o r
46 d i f f e r e n t areas.
They had t o d e a l w i t h more d e t a i l e d q u e s t i o n s on
s e c u r i t y t h a t were n o t addressed i n these t h r e e broad areas.
They
had t o deal w i t h what t h e i r economic r e l a t i o n s a r e g o i n g t o be. They
had t o p u t a l l t h i s i n t e x t u a l form.
Anybody who has n e g o t i a t e d any k i n d o f t r e a t y
understands t h a t when you have t o p u t what a r e o f t e n times broad
concepts i n t o a k i n d o f t e x t u a l form, t h a t t a k e s some t i m e . So t h e y ,
i n t h e l a s t — s i n c e t h e February 9 t h agreement, when they began t h e
t a l k s i n Taba and t h e n when t h e y moved them t o C a i r o , they were
proceeding and making good p r o g r e s s i n a l l t h e s e areas. They had n o t
r e s o l v e d a l l t h e i r problems. They s t i l l had a l o t o f t e x t u a l work t o
do, b u t t h e y were making good p r o g r e s s .
Both s i d e s were, i n f a c t ,
v e r y encouraged by t h e k i n d o f p r o g r e s s t h a t t h e y were making.
Q
What remained t o be r e s o l v e d on s e c u r i t y
MORE
issues?
�- 6-
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, t h e r e are a
v a r i e t y of t e c h n i c a l questions which I r e a l l y don't want t o get i n t o ,
but a l o t of i t had t o do w i t h —
Q
But i n general are —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, i t ' s the — i n
the economic area, they had t o work out what t h e i r economic r e l a t i o n s
were going t o be. I n t h e s e c u r i t y area they had t o deal w i t h
questions r e l a t i n g t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i c e . And so they'd had
discussions on t h a t .
Q
As a p r a c t i c a l matter, won't s e c u r i t y now be given
a much g r e a t e r focus i n the t a l k s ? And do you see t h a t t h e past
s e c u r i t y agreements w i l l have t o be reopened and renegotiated?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
I think that,
i n fact,
what they had been d e a l i n g w i t h i n s e c u r i t y obviously was an attempt
to a n t i c i p a t e the kinds of problems t h a t they might face. I t h i n k
t h a t they have held very d e t a i l e d kinds o f discussions t h a t also
r e f l e c t e d t h e complexity of t h e subject. I am not c e r t a i n t h a t
you're going t o see them reopen agreements because I t h i n k t h a t would
not be t h e way t o proceed. Obviously, s e c u r i t y questions are bound
to come up i n the aftermath of an incidence l i k e t h i s .
Q
So you would expect t h a t t h e P a l e s t i n i a n s would now
want b e t t e r guarantees on s e c u r i t y and on what the P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i c e
w i l l be i n —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k they obviously,
as I s a i d , w i l l look a t s e c u r i t y questions, but the f a c t i s they had
made a l o t o f headway on t h a t .
Q
How w i l l t h e U.S. r o l e now change w i t h t h e t a l k s
being here, or w i l l be there be a change?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, the" f a c t of
b r i n g i n g them here creates a d i f f e r e n c e i n and of i t s e l f . The
essence o f our r o l e i s going t o be supportive. I t i s s t i l l e s s e n t i a l
t h a t what they do, they do i n terms of coming t o agreements on t h e i r
own. And we w i l l be h e l p f u l , we w i l l be supportive, we w i l l
c e r t a i n l y be a c t i v e , b u t —
Q
How?
How w i l l you be active?
How do you be
active?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I can t e l l you, the way
we're a c t i v e , t h e way we've been a c t i v e a l l along even when they've
held t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s out there — i s t o be t a l k i n g t o both sides;
g e t t i n g t h e impressions from each side not only on where they are but
what they're d i f f e r e n c e s are; e s t a b l i s h i n g our understanding of what
seems t o be most important t o each of them and then conveying t o each
of them what seems t o be c r i t i c a l i n terms o f the assessment.
Sometimes t h e i r assessments of each other are not n e c e s s a r i l y r i g h t
on t h e mark. Sometimes we can be h e l p f u l i n terms o f c l a r i f y i n g .
Sometimes we're h e l p f u l i n terms of assuring.
At t h i s p o i n t , I t h i n k t h a t as we've s a i d , they've made
progress. I t ' s very important t h a t they i n v e s t i n t h e agreements
t h a t they reach. Having invested i n t h e agreements t h a t they reach,
they assume a commitment t o i t , a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r i t and i t ' s
important t h a t they be able t o defend these agreements based on what
they themselves have done. So t h i s i s s t i l l going t o be a b i l a t e r a l
n e g o t i a t i o n , but we are going t o be t h e r e t o help. A t times, i f they
come t o us an they want us t o do more, w e ' l l be a v a i l a b l e t o do t h a t .
Q
You said t h a t the normal people w i l l be coming t o
n e g o t i a t e , b u t A r a f a t and Peres have been involved i n various p o i n t s .
MR
OE
�- 7 -
Would you expect them a t any point?
so, would you g i v e A r a f a t a visa?
Would they be welcome and, i f
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, he was here a t
the White House on September 13. We c e r t a i n l y — we wouldn't —
Q
Would you give him a White House pass?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
(Laughter.)
I don't have one.
Q
Thomason's i s a v a i l a b l e .
(Laughter.)
Q
Would you expect them a t any p o i n t i n t h i s process?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k t h a t ~ I
wouldn't want t o p r e d i c t i t , b u t I wouldn't exclude i t .
Q
Before the Secretary c a l l e d over t o t h e two
p a r t i e s , had t h e r e been contacts e a r l i e r i n t h e day on the guestion
t h a t they've been f i g h t i n g over?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, there had not.
f i r s t time i t was raised was by t h e Secretary.
The
Q
The PLO has made another c a l l f o r some kind of U.N.
p r o t e c t i o n i n t h e occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . Are you going t o have more
d i f f i c u l t y fending t h a t o f f t o t h e United Nations?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Well, I think our
concern and our focus i s going t o be on g e t t i n g t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s done
and n o t looking a t steps t h a t might make t h a t more d i f f i c u l t t o get
done.
Thank you.
END
1:16 P.M. EST
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of t h e Press Secretary
BACKGROUND BRIEFING
BY
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL
February 25, 1994
The B r i e f i n g Room
12:59 P.M. EDT
MS. MYERS: The f o l l o w i n g w i l l be a BACKGROUND b r i e f i n g .
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
questions, no contact statements.
Q
When are they coming?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Q
We'll j u s t take
Beginning of next week.
Wednesday?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
up w i t h them and work out the precise times.
Well, we have t o f o l l o w
Q
What do you t h i n k the e f f e c t on the conference w i l l
be, t h e d e t a i l s of t h e conference on P a l e s t i n i a n s concerned about
t h e i r own s e c u r i t y ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, obviously I t h i n k
t h a t ' s going t o be an issue t h a t ' s going t o be prominent i n t h e i r
eyes and t h e y ' l l be r a i s i n g i t . There have been d e t a i l e d discussions
already on a l l t h e issues, i n c l u d i n g s e c u r i t y issues as they apply t o
the Declaration of P r i n c i p l e s , and they have made very good progress.
As you heard t h e President say, the reason we chose t o do t h i s i s
t h a t while very good progress had been made, t h i s kind of event, as
emotionally charged as i t i s , r e a l l y created a p o t e n t i a l t o unravel,
or undo the progress t h a t had been made. And one of t h e t h i n g s t h a t
was c r i t i c a l was t o maintain t h e focus, make i t c l e a r t h a t t h e
process should not be d e r a i l e d , make i t c l e a r we're committed t o
doing what we could t o ensure t h a t was the case and helping them have
a s o l i d reason and explanation t o proceed.
Q
Yassir A r a f a t has been c a l l i n g on President C l i n t o n
d i r e c t l y , and on the world community t o provide some p r o t e c t i o n f o r
the P a l e s t i n i a n s there. I s t h e r e any r e a c t i o n o f f i c i a l l y now from
the White House?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k our focus
r i g h t now i s t o get these n e g o t i a t i o n s resumed as q u i c k l y as
possible, and g e t them t o come t o an agreement as q u i c k l y as possible
so t h a t implementation can take place and t h a t t h a t w i l l change the
r e a l i t i e s on t h e ground.
Q
Did you have t o do any convincing i n your phone
c a l l s t h i s morning, or was t h e r e immediate agreement t h a t t h e only
way t o save t h i s t h i n g was f o r everybody t o come t o Washington as
soon as possible?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k t h e
Secretary made the c a l l s , and t h e r e a c t i o n was immediate on t h e p a r t
MR
OE
�- 2-
of both t h e Prime M i n i s t e r and on the p a r t o f Chairman A r a f a t . He
suggested t h a t he thought given t h i s event and given what was
happening and the importance of a c c e l e r a t i n g t h e process t h a t i s was
important t o come t o Washington and they both agreed.
Q
The h i s t o r y of the Middle East has been an eye f o r
an eye. What gives you any reason t o hope t h a t t h i s won't be
followed by more r e t a l i a t i o n and more f i g h t i n g and i n t e r f e r e w i t h the
talks?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The o b j e c t i v e i n the
peace process i s t o end t h a t kind of a h i s t o r y and t o create a
d i f f e r e n t kind of f u t u r e . And what we have t o press f o r and what we
have t o hope f o r i s t h a t the pays o f f s o f peace can be c l e a r enough
t h a t they w i l l d i s c r e d i t those who are determined t o t r y t o subvert
it.
The f a c t of t h e matter i s , t h i s was an act whose purpose c l e a r l y
was designed t o t r y t o k i l l peace. And t h e f a c t i s , t h a t everything
has t o be done t o do as much as we can not only t o p r o t e c t the
promotion of peace, b u t also t o p r o t e c t t h e p o s s i b i l i t y of achieving
it.
And i f , i n f a c t , we can move as quickly as possible t o
an agreement and implementation, t h a t ' s t h e best way t o change the
r e a l i t i e s on t h e ground i n a way t h a t w i l l also d i s c r e d i t those who
are determined t o t r y t o do i t i n .
Q
Well, what are your expectations? What do you
t h i n k i s going t o happen i n the next few days or weeks over i n the
Middle East?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k i t ' s —
you're i n a very emotionally charged environment r i g h t now and we're
a l l going t o have t o do everything we can t o calm i t .
Q
I n t h i s c a l l t o A r a f a t , d i d the Secretary ask f o r
or receive any assurances t h a t Arafat reads t h e s i t u a t i o n the same
way, t h a t he w i l l t r y t o r e s t r a i n h i s people w i t h an eye towards the
longer view?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: He c e r t a i n l y made i t
clear t h a t i t ' s , from h i s own standpoint, i t ' s very important t o calm
the s i t u a t i o n , ad he would do what he could. But he also expressed
his concerns about what was happening on t h e ground.
Q
Are there any l e g a l ways t h a t the U.S. can curb
American f i n a n c i a l a i d t o the Arab and Jewish extremist *? What are
the l e g a l i t i e s of t h a t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: You know, I'm not the
person t o ask. I don't know t h e answer t o t h a t . I can check and see
of there's anything being done, but I j u s t don't know t h e answer t o
t h a t . I don't —
Q
Was A r a f a t concerned about the l e v e l o f s e c u r i t y .
When yo say he•s concerned about what's happening on t h e ground —
concerned about the r i o t i n g , concerned about the p o l i c e r e a c t i o n —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, he c e r t a i n l y
hopes t h a t — he i s concerned t h a t t h e IDF operate i n a way t h a t from
his standpoint, obviously, doesn't increase t h e r i s k t o the
Palestinians.
Q
And how have they been operating as f a r as he i s
concerned?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, I t h i n k he's
concerned about the nature of t h i s i n c i d e n t . He and Rabin have
spoken today, and he's expressed h i s concerns t o Rabin and Rabin has
MR
OE
�- 3 -
expressed h i s shock over t h e i n c i d e n t and t h a t t h e y w i l l do
e v e r y t h i n g t h e y can t o t r y t o r e s t o r e calm. You've seen, you may
have seen t h e I s r a e l i c a b i n e t statement, and they've made i t v e r y
c l e a r t h a t t h e y a r e g o i n g t o be e x p l o r i n g a s e r i e s o f d i f f e r e n t k i n d s
of p r o p o s a l s t o curb, as t h e y p u t i t , some o f t h e I s r a e l i e x t r e m i s t s .
And t h e p r i m e m i n i s t e r w i l l be r e p o r t i n g back on Sunday on what steps
they i n t e n d t o t a k e .
J u s t one o t h e r p a r t t o t h a t — t h a t t h e y were i n f o r m e d
t h a t Rabin t o l d A r a f a t t h a t he would be i n v e s t i g a t i n g t h e i n c i d e n t
and he w o u l d be g i v i n g A r a f a t t h e d e t a i l s o f h i s i n v e s t i g a t i o n .
Q
Can you l a y o u t f o r us what e x a c t l y t h e phone
c o n v e r s a t i o n s , phone c o n t a c t s were today and t h e S e c r e t a r y *, d i d t h e
P r e s i d e n t a l s o have c o n v e r s a t i o n s ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, t h e P r e s i d e n t
i n s t r u c t e d t h e S e c r e t a r y t o c o n t a c t b o t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r and t h e
Chairman and see — b a s i c a l l y w i t h our p r o p o s a l , and as I s a i d , t h e
c o n v e r s a t i o n s were n o t l o n g c o n v e r s a t i o n s because t h e r e was an
immediate acceptance.
Q
What t i m e d i d those happen?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t was d u r i n g t h e
meeting t h a t t h e P r e s i d e n t had w i t h t h e l a d i e s o f Congress, I
b e l i e v e , t h a t he had t h e phone c a l l w i t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r — t h e
S e c r e t a r y walked o u t and had t h e phone c a l l w i t h t h e Prime M i n i s t e r .
So t h a t would have been around 9:30 a.m. o r so, and t h e n about 2 0
minutes l a t e r he managed t o g e t Chairman A r a f a t on t h e l i n e .
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
He had spoken ~
he had
Q
You mean t h e S e c r e t a r y was i n t h e m e e t i n g w i t h t h e
members o f Congress when he l e f t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
t o make t h e phone c a l l .
Q
Went o u t o f t h e meeting
Where was A r a f a t ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
I t h i n k he was i n —
The S e c r e t a r y had c a l l e d t h e Chairman e a r l i e r t h i s
morning, he made two phone c a l l s t o him today.
The f i r s t one was t o
convey o u r concern, o u r shock and a l s o t o emphasize t h e importance o f
not l o s i n g t h e focus on what has t o be done, u r g i n g h i m t o do a l l he
c o u l d t o r e s t r a i n t h e s i t u a t i o n ; and t h e n t h e r e was a subsequent
call.
Q
When was t h e d e c i s i o n made t o i n v i t e them? What
was t h e p r o c e s s t h i s morning by which he came t o t h a t d e c i s i o n ?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , t h e r e were
d i s c u s s i o n s t h a t s t a r t e d p r e t t y e a r l y i n t h e morning. I c a n ' t
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Q
—
3:30 a.m.
T h i s morning, when d i d t h e P r e s i d e n t know?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The P r e s i d e n t was
i n f o r m e d when he g o t up t h i s morning by h i s m i l i t a r y a i d e .
Q
He wasn't awakened?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
MORE
He was n o t awakened.
�- 4 -
Q
You say you s t a r t e d w i t h t h e S t a t e Department
around 3:30 a.m.?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: W e l l , t h e r e were c a l l s
t h a t began. B u t t h e q u e s t i o n was on t h e d e c i s i o n . I t h i n k t h e
d i s c u s s i o n s began a f t e r t h e P r e s i d e n t was up, and I would say
p r o b a b l y — I c a n ' t g i v e you a p r e c i s e t i m e — b u t I t h i n k p r o b a b l y
somewhere between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 a.m. t h e d e c i s i o n was made t o go
ahead and n o t o n l y have a p r e s i d e n t i a l s t a t e m e n t , b u t have t h e
P r e s i d e n t come o u t and s p e c i f i c a l l y propose t h i s ; and so he asked t h e
S e c r e t a r y t o go ahead and i n i t i a t e t h e c a l l s .
Q
The P r e s i d e n t was awake and he was p r e s e n t e d w i t h
t h e s e o p t i o n s o r w i t h these suggestions?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
d i s c u s s i o n came l a t e r .
No, I t h i n k t h a t
Q
Was t h i s t h e P r e s i d e n t ' s i d e a , o r i s t h i s an
expansion o r a c c e l e r a t i o n o f something a l r e a d y under c o n s i d e r a t i o n ?
To move t h e t a l k s here.
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: The P r e s i d e n t has been
p a r t i c u l a r l y concerned from September 1 3 t h on — i f you c o u l d go back
t o h i s statement on t h e White House South Lawn a t t h a t t i m e — t h a t
we would do e v e r y t h i n g p o s s i b l e t o f a c i l i t a t e t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s and
b r i n g them t o a prompt and s u c c e s s f u l c o n c l u s i o n . I t h i n k i t was
v e r y much i n t h a t c o n t e x t t h a t we have been f u n c t i o n i n g and t h a t he
has been engaged i n t h e t a l k s o f course; n o t j u s t on t h i s t r a c k , b u t
on t h e o t h e r t r a c k s w i t h t h e o t h e r l e a d e r s , p a r t i c u l a r l y on t h e
S y r i a n t r a c k s i n c e January 1 6 t h .
I t h i n k t h a t w i t h i n t h a t c o n t e x t , t h e r e was a f e e l i n g
t h a t t h e p a r t i e s , as t h i s p o i n t , were v e r y c l o s e t o an agreement
a f t e r t h e C a i r o Accord a couple o f weeks ago, t h a t A r a f a t and Peres
s i g n e d — F o r e i g n M i n i s t e r Peres — t h e r e was a sense t h a t t h i n g s
were moving f o r w a r d . And t h i s morning when we c o n f e r r e d , t h e r e was a
g e n e r a l concern t h a t t h i s event c o u l d swamp t h e p r o g r e s s t h a t had
been made j u s t a t t h e moment when t h e y were v e r y c l o s e t o agreement.
So t h a t i s t h e c o n t e x t i n which i t was f e l t t h a t — and
t h e r e was g e n e r a l agreement; t h e P r e s i d e n t and t h e S e c r e t a r y o f S t a t e
and Tony Lake, t h a t i s was n o t enough s i m p l y t o express our h o r r o r
and condolence and sorrow, t h a t we had t o do something more t o make
sure t h a t t h e peace process was b r o u g h t t o a s u c c e s s f u l c o n c l u s i o n
because as t h e P r e s i d e n t s a i d t o you j u s t a l i t t l e w h i l e ago, t h a t i n
h i s v i e w i t was t h e o n l y answer t o t h e v i o l e n c e — i t ' s t h e o n l y way
t o end t h e v i o l e n c e .
Q
To j u s t make sure t h a t I u n d e r s t a n d what you a l l
a r e — t h e b e n e f i t you're d e r i v i n g from moving t h e t a l k s i n t o
Washington i s what? J u s t t h e e f f e c t o f a s p o t l i g h t , more emphasis,
greater —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t ' s n o t so much t h e
s p o t l i g h t . The i s s u e was, i f you d i d n ' t have a c l e a r focus
i m m e d i a t e l y , a l s o showing a l e v e l o f American concern and w i l l i n g n e s s
t o be v e r y a c t i v e i n s u p p o r t o f b r i n g i n g t h e p r o c e s s t o a c o n c l u s i o n ,
t h a t , g i v e n how e m o t i o n a l t h e environment was and was bound t o be,
t h a t i t c o u l d e a s i l y have been — you c o u l d have e a s i l y have had a
s i t u a t i o n where t h i n g s c o u l d have begun t o u n r a v e l , where you needed
t o have a k i n d o f f o c a l p o i n t f o r these n e g o t i a t i o n s t h a t b o t h t h e
Prime M i n i s t e r and t h e Chairman c o u l d respond t o so t h a t t h e focus
c o u l d again be on n e g o t i a t i o n s and n o t j u s t on t h e consequences o f
t h i s event.
MORE
�- 5-
Q
What l e v e l do you expect t h e delegations t o be next
week, and w i l l A r a f a t and Rabin a t some p o i n t enter t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s
t o seal t h e deal?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k t h e y ' l l be
sending t h e people who have been n e g o t i a t i n g , and w e ' l l have t o see
exactly how i t unfolds i n terms of who w i l l a c t u a l l y be here?
Q
Are you confident t h a t they are close enough, the
p a r t i e s are close enough t o agreement, t h a t by pledging them t o come
here and n e g o t i a t e u n t i l t h e end you won't get i n t o a s i t u a t i o n where
i t s t a l l s , i t begins t o drag on and look bad and maybe i t breaks up
without an agreement?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, I wouldn't say —
they had made progress. They were c l e a r l y g e t t i n g close. But I
don't t h i n k you could say t h a t they were close enough t o agreement
t h a t a l l I have t o do i s show up and you're going t o have an
agreement. The f a c t i s , our concern was t h a t progress was being made
and we were concerned t h a t , i n f a c t , i t might get l o s t , i t might be
undone. And we wanted t o keep t h e focus. And t h e reason f o r having
them stay u n t i l they get i t done i s t o show, A, t h e commitment t o
a c c e l e r a t i n g t h e process; B, t o h i g h l i g h t t h e importance o f intensive
work so t h a t time i s not l o s t .
Q
Can I ask another quagmire question? I s t h e r e any
thoughts t o p u t t i n g troops i n t h e Golan Heights?
I s t h e r e ever the
p o s s i b i l i t y U.S. troops would go t o help enforce the s e c u r i t y i n the
region?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
I wouldn't
think
that's
too l i k e l y .
Q
The gunman was an American immigrant.
I s there
concerns t h a t t h e U.S. might a c t u a l l y be a t a r g e t of some s o r t of
r e t a l i a t o r y act? I s there any heightened sense of a l e r t anywhere?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Well, the State
Department has p u t out t r a v e l advisories.
But I t h i n k — t h i s i s an
event t h a t by d e f i n i t i o n i s bound t o produce among those who are
extremist t o begin w i t h an i n t e r e s t i n t h e i r kinds of r e t r i b u t i o n .
You have t o take a l l possible t h r e a t s s e r i o u s l y .
Q
How close — when you say they were close — can
you j u s t review what you t h i n k were the major outstanding issues?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, on February 9th
they had overcome most of what had separated them on t h r e e key
issues, which was on the crossings on J e r i c h o and on t h e s e c u r i t y
zone w i t h i n Gaza. They then — i n a d d i t i o n t o those areas, they had
t o deal w i t h questions o f t r a n s f e r of a u t h o r i t y i n as many as 45 or
46 d i f f e r e n t areas. They had t o deal w i t h more d e t a i l e d questions on
s e c u r i t y t h a t were not addressed i n these three broad areas. They
had t o deal w i t h what t h e i r economic r e l a t i o n s are going t o be. They
had t o put a l l t h i s i n t e x t u a l form.
Anybody who has negotiated any kind of t r e a t y
understands t h a t when you have t o put what are o f t e n times broad
concepts i n t o a kind of t e x t u a l form, t h a t takes some time. So they,
i n the l a s t — since the February 9th agreement, when they began the
t a l k s i n Taba and then when they moved them t o Cairo, they were
proceeding and making good progress i n a l l these areas. They had not
resolved a l l t h e i r problems. They s t i l l had a l o t of t e x t u a l work t o
do, but they were making good progress. Both sides were, i n f a c t ,
very encouraged by the k i n d of progress t h a t they were making.
Q
What remained t o be resolved on s e c u r i t y
MR
OE
issues?
�- 6 -
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, t h e r e are a
v a r i e t y o f t e c h n i c a l questions which I r e a l l y don't want t o get i n t o ,
but a l o t of i t had t o do w i t h —
Q
But i n general are —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, i t ' s the — i n
the economic area, they had t o work out what t h e i r economic r e l a t i o n s
were going t o be. I n t h e s e c u r i t y area they had t o deal w i t h
questions r e l a t i n g t o t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i c e . And so they'd had
discussions on t h a t .
Q
As a p r a c t i c a l matter, won't s e c u r i t y now be given
a much g r e a t e r focus i n t h e t a l k s ? And do you see t h a t t h e past
s e c u r i t y agreements w i l l have t o be reopened and renegotiated?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
I think that,
i n fact,
what they had been d e a l i n g w i t h i n s e c u r i t y obviously was an attempt
to a n t i c i p a t e the kinds of problems t h a t they might face. I t h i n k
t h a t they have held very d e t a i l e d kinds of discussions t h a t also
r e f l e c t e d t h e complexity o f the subject. I am not c e r t a i n t h a t
you're going t o see them reopen agreements because I t h i n k t h a t would
not be t h e way t o proceed. Obviously, s e c u r i t y questions are bound
to come up i n the aftermath of an incidence l i k e t h i s .
Q
So you would expect t h a t the P a l e s t i n i a n s would now
want b e t t e r guarantees on s e c u r i t y and on what t h e P a l e s t i n i a n p o l i c e
w i l l be i n —
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k they obviously,
as I s a i d , w i l l look a t s e c u r i t y questions, but t h e f a c t i s they had
made a l o t of headway on t h a t .
Q
How w i l l the U.S. r o l e now change w i t h the t a l k s
being here, or w i l l be there be a change?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, the" f a c t of
b r i n g i n g them here creates a d i f f e r e n c e i n and of i t s e l f . The
essence o f our r o l e i s going t o be supportive. I t i s s t i l l e s s e n t i a l
t h a t what they do, they do i n terms of coming t o agreements on t h e i r
own. And we w i l l be h e l p f u l , we w i l l be supportive, we w i l l
c e r t a i n l y be a c t i v e , but —
Q
How?
How w i l l you be active?
How do you be
active?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I can t e l l you, the way
we're a c t i v e , t h e way we've been a c t i v e a l l along even when they've
h e l d t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s out there — i s t o be t a l k i n g t o both sides;
g e t t i n g t h e impressions from each side not only on where they are but
what they're d i f f e r e n c e s are; e s t a b l i s h i n g our understanding of what
seems t o be most important t o each of them and then conveying t o each
of them what seems t o be c r i t i c a l i n terms of the assessment.
Sometimes t h e i r assessments of each other are not necessarily r i g h t
on t h e mark. Sometimes we can be h e l p f u l i n terms of c l a r i f y i n g .
Sometimes we're h e l p f u l i n terms of assuring.
At t h i s p o i n t , I t h i n k t h a t as we've s a i d , they've made
progress. I t ' s very important t h a t they invest i n t h e agreements
t h a t they reach. Having invested i n t h e agreements t h a t they reach,
they assume a commitment t o i t , a r e s p o n s i b i l i t y f o r i t and i t ' s
important t h a t they be able t o defend these agreements based on what
they themselves have done. So t h i s i s s t i l l going t o be a b i l a t e r a l
n e g o t i a t i o n , but we are going t o be there t o help. At times, i f they
come t o us an they want us t o do more, w e ' l l be a v a i l a b l e t o do t h a t .
Q
You said t h a t t h e normal people w i l l be coming t o
n e g o t i a t e , but A r a f a t and Peres have been involved i n various p o i n t s .
MORE
�- 7 -
Would you expect them a t any p o i n t ?
so, would you g i v e A r a f a t a visa?
Would they be welcome and, i f
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: Well, he was here a t
the White House on September 13. We c e r t a i n l y — we wouldn't —
Q
Would you g i v e him a White House pass?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
(Laughter.)
I don't have one.
Q
Thomason's i s a v a i l a b l e .
(Laughter.)
Q
Would you expect them a t any p o i n t i n t h i s process?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: I t h i n k t h a t — I
wouldn't want t o p r e d i c t i t , b u t I wouldn't exclude i t .
Q
Before the Secretary c a l l e d over t o the two
p a r t i e s , had t h e r e been contacts e a r l i e r i n t h e day on the question
t h a t they've been f i g h t i n g over?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL: No, there had not. The
f i r s t time i t was raised was by t h e Secretary.
Q
The PLO has made another c a l l f o r some k i n d of U.N.
p r o t e c t i o n i n t h e occupied t e r r i t o r i e s . Are you going t o have more
d i f f i c u l t y fending t h a t o f f t o t h e United Nations?
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Well, I think our
concern and our focus i s going t o be on g e t t i n g t h e n e g o t i a t i o n s done
and not l o o k i n g a t steps t h a t might make t h a t more d i f f i c u l t t o get
done.
Thank you.
END
1:16 P.M. EST
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 9, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN MEETING WITH WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
Room 450
Old Executive O f f i c e B u i l d i n g
4:07 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Edgar Bronfman and
Mr. Vice President, l a d i e s and gentlemen, I'm d e l i g h t e d t o be here
w i t h you today. I t ' s a great honor f o r us t o have you here a t the
White House. For 55 years, you have struggled i n behalf of the
Jewish people, but also i n behalf of a l l humanity. I thank you f o r
t h a t , and I thank you f o r your presence.
I'd also l i k e t o say a special word of a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r
the example, f o r the v i s i o n and the leadership of Edgar Bronfman.
(Applause.) I know you know t h i s , but I would also l i k e t o p o i n t out
i n t h i s crowd t h a t I am e s p e c i a l l y proud of the p a r t n e r s h i p I have
enjoyed w i t h the Vice President who has spoken out against b i g o t r y
and anti-semitism not only i n the United States, but a l l over the
world i n the l a s t year.
(Applause.)
For a l l the good t h i n g s t h a t have happened i n the l a s t
10 years t h a t the Vice President mentioned, we know a l o t of very
p a i n f u l t h i n g s have occurred also. We are everywhere reminded of the
f r a g i l i t y of c i v i l i z e d l i f e ; of how e a s i l y people can f a l l back i n t o
the kinds of hatreds t h a t lead t o the b l i n d actions t h a t dehumanize
a l l of us. That was brought home t o me on my t r i p t o Europe l a s t
month i n many ways — perhaps most poignantly when I v i s i t e d the
Jewish cemetery i n Prague.
I wish t h a t b i g o t r y were not a l l around us. I wish
people s t i l l d i d not p r e f e r k i l l i n g and h a t i n g each other based on
r e l i g i o u s and ethnic d i f f e r e n c e s anywhere, but i t i s a f a c t . I t i s
also a f a c t t h a t the i n s e c u r i t y and i n t o l e r a n c e t h a t we see tends t o
feed on i t s e l f so t h a t a f t e r a w h i l e we look a t places of c o n f l i c t i n
the world and we wonder why people are s t i l l k i l l i n g each other over
what may seem t o be a very small piece of ground, or a p r i n c i p l e not
worth the l i f e of a s i n g l e c h i l d . I t h i n k i t i s c l e a r i t i s because
of the accumulated impact of i n t o l e r a n c e and hatred.
Somehow a l l of us have t o f i n d a way i n t h i s world,
a f t e r the Cold War, when we are not burdened by but also not as
d i s c i p l i n e d by c o n f l i c t i n g idealogies, t o get people t o r e a l i z e t h a t
they must move beyond these ancient, indeed antiquated, intolerances.
The Vice President t o l d me a f a s c i n a t i n g s t o r y today.
We rode out t o a place t o announce the new drug p o l i c y of the
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and we were t a l k i n g about a l o t of s c i e n t i f i c
subjects, which means t h a t he mostly t a l k e d and I mostly l i s t e n e d
since he knows so much more about i t than I do. But we s t a r t e d
t a l k i n g about the disappearance of Neanderthals and the various
t h e o r i e s t h a t e x i s t about how Neanderthals disappeared and Homo
sapiens emerged. And there are some who b e l i e v e t h a t , according t o
the Vice President, t h a t the Neanderthals disappeared i n what may be
h i s t o r y ' s f i r s t instance of genocide.
MORE
�- 2 -
There i s something about human nature which causes us t o
hold f a s t t o people we t h i n k are l i k e us and sometimes be a f r a i d or
and what t o be separate from people who are not. I f i t means a
r e l i g i o u s community l i v i n g together i n harmony w i t h one another and
respect f o r our neighbors, then i t i s a very p o s i t i v e and good and
wholesome t h i n g . I f i t gives c u l t u r e s the chance t o keep t h e i r
f a m i l i e s together and r a i s e t h e i r c h i l d r e n w i t h strong values and
w i t h the opportunity t o be what God meant them t o be, then i t i s a
good and strong t h i n g . But how e a s i l y these d i f f e r e n c e s s p i l l over
i n t o hatreds t h a t lead t o bloodshed, and how d i f f i c u l t i t i s t o put
the world back together again once these t h i n g s begin.
Since I have been President, we have t r i e d t o do what we
could, consistent w i t h our f i r s t o b l i g a t i o n , t o r e b u i l d the f a b r i c of
l i f e i n t h i s country and the sense of harmony and community and
respect f o r d i v e r s i t y i n t h i s country t o also deal w i t h those
problems around the world.
We have worked very hard t o achieve a j u s t and l a s t i n g
peace i n the Middle East — one t h a t enhances I s r a e l ' s s e c u r i t y and
o f f e r s the acceptance of normal l i f e which has been too long denied
to the c i t i z e n s of t h a t t r o u b l e d region.
The f i r s t p i l l a r of t h a t approach i s strengthening the
r e l a t i o n s h i p between the United States and I s r a e l . When I f i r s t met
Prime M i n i s t e r Rabin l a s t year, almost a year ago t h i s week, he said
t h a t he would be w i l l i n g t o take r i s k s f o r peace, and c e r t a i n l y , he
has been. Sometimes the opposition t h a t he faces a t home reminds me
of the opposition I face from time t o time. (Laughter.) But
c l e a r l y , he has been w i l l i n g t o take r i s k s f o r peace. I t o l d him i f
he should be w i l l i n g t o take those r i s k s , then i t was my
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y as the President of the United States t o minimize
those r i s k s . And I have t r i e d t o do t h a t .
The Prime M i n i s t e r i s f u l f i l l i n g h i s commitment, and we
are keeping ours — our commitment t o m a i n t a i n i n g and enhancing the
s e c u r i t y of I s r a e l i s i r o n c l a d . And i t i s a p r e c o n d i t i o n of a j u s t
and l a s t i n g peace i n the Middle East.
(Applause.)
The second p i l l a r of our approach i s t o ensure the
successful implementation of the I s r a e l - P a l e s t i n i a n Declaration of
P r i n c i p l e s . Both sides now have t o begin t o implement the agreement
on the ground. And we are working hard t o support t h a t w i t h o u t
i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h i t . Implementing the agreement on the ground i s the
only way t o show the I s r a e l i s the agreement can enhance t h e i r
s e c u r i t y w h i l e p r o v i d i n g a more normal l i f e of more self-government
for t h e i r P a l e s t i n i a n neighbors.
The t h i r d p i l l a r of our approach i s t o get other
n e g o t i a t i o n s back on t r a c k . The biggest challenge t h i s year i s t o
help I s r a e l and Syria make peace. My meeting i n Geneva w i t h
President Assad was designed t o help t o achieve t h a t goal. As he
said a f t e r the meeting, Syria has made a s t r a t e g i c d e c i s i o n f o r peace
and wants now, f o r the f i r s t time, normal, peaceful r e l a t i o n s w i t h
Israel.
We have welcomed these statements, f o r they break new
ground. We've also welcomed the Syrian decision t o grant e x i t
permits t o a l l Syrian Jews who wish t o leave. I understand the
process of i s s u i n g v i s a s i s now v i r t u a l l y completed. But more w i l l
be r e q u i r e d . Syria must demonstrate t h a t i t wants a f u l l and
meaningful peace t o achieve the confidence of the people of I s r a e l t o
make such a peace possible.
F i n a l l y , t o achieve our goal of a comprehensive
settlement, we are i n s i s t i n g t h a t the Arab boycott of I s r a e l end now.
(Applause.) There must be a commitment t o a new era of peace and
p r o s p e r i t y which sees i n the Middle East p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h I s r a e l .
MORE
�- 3-
I s r a e l must be the partner of these nations — no longer a pariah.
And we are making progress on t h a t .
Let me, i f I might, speak b r i e f l y about the tragedy i n
Bosnia. I have been meeting w i t h my n a t i o n a l s e c u r i t y team and, as I
am sure most of you know, we have had urgent c o n s u l t a t i o n s which
continue at t h i s moment w i t h our NATO a l l i e s i n the wake of the
a t r o c i t i e s l a s t Saturday i n Sarajevo.
Before I go forward, l e t me, as the Vice President d i d ,
note the presence of the president of the Jewish community o f
Sarajevo, Mr. Ivan Ceresnjes, w i t h whom I had a b r i e f moment of
conversation. We're glad t o have you here, s i r .
I expect t h a t today, momentarily, NATO w i l l agree on a
f i r m response t o the s h e l l i n g of Sarajevo by the Serbs. But I also
t h i n k t h a t today we w i l l begin t o r e i n v i g o r a t e the n e g o t i a t i o n s t o
t r y t o help t o b r i n g a permanent end t o the bloodshed and aggression.
Somehow the people of Bosnia must decide t h a t i t i s not worth the
c o n t i n u a t i o n of k i l l i n g each other. We are q u i t e close — i f you
l i s t e n t o what the p a r t i e s say they want — t o an agreement t h a t a l l
might be able t o l i v e w i t h . Surely, surely i n the wake of the horror
l a s t weekend, the p a r t i e s w i l l be able t o — w i t h a l i t t l e support
from the r e s t of us — reach an agreement t h a t a l l can l i v e w i t h and
honor.
F i n a l l y , l e t me say t h a t here a t home we need t o r e t a i n
our r e l i g i o u s f a i t h and our r e l i g i o u s freedom as a source o f our
common community and s t r e n g t h , and not as a source o f d i v i s i o n . The
s p i r i t u a l richness of our society was v i s i b l e t o many Americans and
perhaps some of you i n t h i s room who attended a ceremony a t the White
House i n November i n which I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration
Act. I t was a very important b i l l f o r Americans because i t restored
what the law was i n our country before a decision o f the Supreme
Court. The law now says t h a t i n our country, the presumption i s t h a t
people of any r e l i g i o u s f a i t h should be able t o p r a c t i c e t h e i r f a i t h
and t h a t the law should bend over backwards t o l e t them do i t , unless
there i s some serious and s u b s t a n t i a l damage t o the p u b l i c i n t e r e s t
i n so doing.
We had Jewish leaders here, the U.S. Catholic
Conference, the National Association of Evangelicals, the National
Islamic Prison Foundation.
You wouldn't have believed a l l these
people would stand together, arm i n arm, t o support a law. I hope
t h a t those groups i n our country w i l l not only support t h a t law, but
w i l l support i t s s p i r i t .
That i s , we can't bend over backwards t o
respect each other's r e l i g i o u s p r a c t i c e s unless we a c t u a l l y do i t i n
f a c t as w e l l as i n law. And we cannot use t h i s power of p o l i t i c a l
argument t o beat down other people's r e l i g i o u s c o n v i c t i o n s j u s t
because on occasion they c o n f l i c t w i t h our own.
We are t r y i n g t o do
t h a t i n t h i s country. I hope you w i l l wish us w e l l .
One o f our counties, j u s t one o f our counties, Los
Angeles County, has people from 150 d i f f e r e n t r a c i a l and e t h n i c
groups. We b e l i e v e t h i s d i v e r s i t y can make America the greatest
country i n the world i n t o the 21st century. But we have t o f i n d a
way t o take the guns out of the hands o f our c h i l d r e n , t o r e s t o r e
peace and s e c u r i t y t o our s t r e e t s and t o our schools, t o meet the
basic needs of our people so t h a t they w i l l be able t o l i v e w i t h
s e c u r i t y and i n comfort — not p h y s i c a l comfort, but emotional
comfort — the comfort t h a t comes from b e l i e v i n g you l i v e i n a j u s t
society, where you are respected not only f o r your shared values but
f o r the d i f f e r e n c e s you have embraced.
That i s the world we are working f o r . I t may be t h a t we
w i l l never achieve i t , but i t i s c e r t a i n t h a t i f we work together we
w i l l get much closer t o our common goal.
MR
OE
�- 4 -
Thank you very much.
the
Serbs?
Q
(Applause.)
Mr. President, w i l l there be a i r s t r i k e s against
THE PRESIDENT: Just a moment, I have an announcement.
I j u s t was informed — I was hoping t o announce t h i s
before we t a l k e d t h a t , as I was speaking, i n Cairo, Foreign M i n i s t e r
Peres and Yasser A r a f a t announced an agreement on s e l f - r u l e and on
the terms of withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho. So I t h i n k another
big milestone has been achieved today. (Applause.) Thank you.
And from the questions i n the back and the — on Bosnia,
we simply have not completed the NATO meeting y e t . I thought we
would have by now but as soon as we have, I w i l l be glad t o comment
on t h a t also. But the meeting i s not over.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
END
4:22 P.M. EST
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 9, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN MEETING WITH WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
Room 450
Old Executive O f f i c e B u i l d i n g
4:07 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Edgar Bronfman and
Mr. Vice President, l a d i e s and gentlemen, I'm d e l i g h t e d t o be here
w i t h you today. I t ' s a great honor f o r us t o have you here at the
White House. For 55 years, you have struggled i n behalf of the
Jewish people, but also i n behalf of a l l humanity. I thank you f o r
t h a t , and I thank you f o r your presence.
I'd also l i k e t o say a special word of a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r
the example, f o r the v i s i o n and the leadership of Edgar Bronfman.
(Applause.) I know you know t h i s , but I would also l i k e t o p o i n t out
i n t h i s crowd t h a t I am e s p e c i a l l y proud of the p a r t n e r s h i p I have
enjoyed w i t h the Vice President who has spoken out against b i g o t r y
and anti-semitism not only i n the United States, but a l l over the
world i n the l a s t year.
(Applause.)
For a l l the good t h i n g s t h a t have happened i n the l a s t
10 years t h a t the Vice President mentioned, we know a l o t of very
p a i n f u l t h i n g s have occurred also. We are everywhere reminded of the
f r a g i l i t y of c i v i l i z e d l i f e ; of how e a s i l y people can f a l l back i n t o
the kinds of hatreds t h a t lead t o the b l i n d actions t h a t dehumanize
a l l of us. That was brought home t o me on my t r i p t o Europe l a s t
month i n many ways — perhaps most poignantly when I v i s i t e d the
Jewish cemetery i n Prague.
I wish t h a t b i g o t r y were not a l l around us. I wish
people s t i l l d i d not p r e f e r k i l l i n g and h a t i n g each other based on
r e l i g i o u s and ethnic d i f f e r e n c e s anywhere, but i t i s a f a c t . I t i s
also a f a c t t h a t the i n s e c u r i t y and i n t o l e r a n c e t h a t we see tends t o
feed on i t s e l f so t h a t a f t e r a w h i l e we look a t places of c o n f l i c t i n
the world and we wonder why people are s t i l l k i l l i n g each other over
what may seem t o be a very small piece of ground, or a p r i n c i p l e not
worth the l i f e of a s i n g l e c h i l d . I t h i n k i t i s c l e a r i t i s because
of the accumulated impact of i n t o l e r a n c e and hatred.
Somehow a l l of us have t o f i n d a way i n t h i s world,
a f t e r the Cold War, when we are not burdened by but also not as
d i s c i p l i n e d by c o n f l i c t i n g idealogies, t o get people t o r e a l i z e t h a t
they must move beyond these ancient, indeed antiquated, intolerances.
The Vice President t o l d me a f a s c i n a t i n g s t o r y today.
We rode out t o a place t o announce the new drug p o l i c y of the
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and we were t a l k i n g about a l o t of s c i e n t i f i c
subjects, which means t h a t he mostly t a l k e d and I mostly l i s t e n e d
since he knows so much more about i t than I do. But we s t a r t e d
t a l k i n g about the disappearance of Neanderthals and the various
t h e o r i e s t h a t e x i s t about how Neanderthals disappeared and Homo
sapiens emerged. And there are some who b e l i e v e t h a t , according t o
the Vice President, t h a t the Neanderthals disappeared i n what may be
h i s t o r y ' s f i r s t instance of genocide.
MR
OE
�- 2 -
There i s something about human nature which causes us t o
hold f a s t t o people we t h i n k are l i k e us and sometimes be a f r a i d or
and what t o be separate from people who are not. I f i t means a
r e l i g i o u s community l i v i n g together i n harmony w i t h one another and
respect f o r our neighbors, then i t i s a very p o s i t i v e and good and
wholesome t h i n g . I f i t gives c u l t u r e s the chance t o keep t h e i r
f a m i l i e s together and r a i s e t h e i r c h i l d r e n w i t h strong values and
w i t h the opportunity t o be what God meant them t o be, then i t i s a
good and strong t h i n g . But how e a s i l y these d i f f e r e n c e s s p i l l over
i n t o hatreds t h a t lead t o bloodshed, and how d i f f i c u l t i t i s t o put
the world back together again once these t h i n g s begin.
Since I have been President, we have t r i e d t o do what we
could, consistent w i t h our f i r s t o b l i g a t i o n , t o r e b u i l d the f a b r i c of
l i f e i n t h i s country and the sense of harmony and community and
respect f o r d i v e r s i t y i n t h i s country t o also deal w i t h those
problems around the world.
We have worked very hard t o achieve a j u s t and l a s t i n g
peace i n the Middle East — one t h a t enhances I s r a e l ' s s e c u r i t y and
o f f e r s the acceptance of normal l i f e which has been too long denied
to the c i t i z e n s of t h a t troubled region.
The f i r s t p i l l a r of t h a t approach i s strengthening the
r e l a t i o n s h i p between the United States and I s r a e l . When I f i r s t met
Prime M i n i s t e r Rabin l a s t year, almost a year ago t h i s week, he said
t h a t he would be w i l l i n g t o take r i s k s f o r peace, and c e r t a i n l y , he
has been. Sometimes the opposition t h a t he faces a t home reminds me
of the o p p o s i t i o n I face from time t o time. (Laughter.) But
c l e a r l y , he has been w i l l i n g t o take r i s k s f o r peace. I t o l d him i f
he should be w i l l i n g t o take those r i s k s , then i t was my
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y as the President of the United States t o minimize
those r i s k s . And I have t r i e d t o do t h a t .
The Prime M i n i s t e r i s f u l f i l l i n g h i s commitment, and we
are keeping ours — our commitment t o maintaining and enhancing the
s e c u r i t y of I s r a e l i s i r o n c l a d . And i t i s a p r e c o n d i t i o n of a j u s t
and l a s t i n g peace i n the Middle East.
(Applause.)
The second p i l l a r of our approach i s t o ensure the
successful implementation of the I s r a e l - P a l e s t i n i a n Declaration of
P r i n c i p l e s . Both sides now have t o begin t o implement the agreement
on the ground. And we are working hard t o support t h a t w i t h o u t
i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h i t . Implementing the agreement on the ground i s the
only way t o show the I s r a e l i s the agreement can enhance t h e i r
s e c u r i t y w h i l e p r o v i d i n g a more normal l i f e of more self-government
for t h e i r P a l e s t i n i a n neighbors.
The t h i r d p i l l a r of our approach i s t o get other
n e g o t i a t i o n s back on t r a c k . The biggest challenge t h i s year i s t o
help I s r a e l and Syria make peace. My meeting i n Geneva w i t h
President Assad was designed t o help t o achieve t h a t goal. As he
said a f t e r the meeting, Syria has made a s t r a t e g i c decision f o r peace
and wants now, f o r the f i r s t time, normal, peaceful r e l a t i o n s w i t h
Israel.
We have welcomed these statements, f o r they break new
ground. We've also welcomed the Syrian decision t o grant e x i t
permits t o a l l Syrian Jews who wish t o leave. I understand the
process of i s s u i n g v i s a s i s now v i r t u a l l y completed. But more w i l l
be required. Syria must demonstrate t h a t i t wants a f u l l and
meaningful peace t o achieve the confidence of the people of I s r a e l t o
make such a peace possible.
F i n a l l y , t o achieve our goal of a comprehensive
settlement, we are i n s i s t i n g t h a t the Arab boycott of I s r a e l end now.
(Applause.) There must be a commitment t o a new era of peace and
p r o s p e r i t y which sees i n the Middle East partnership w i t h I s r a e l .
MORE
�- 3-
I s r a e l must be the partner of these nations — no longer a pariah.
And we are making progress on t h a t .
Let me, i f I might, speak b r i e f l y about the tragedy i n
Bosnia. I have been meeting w i t h my n a t i o n a l s e c u r i t y team and, as I
am sure most of you know, we have had urgent c o n s u l t a t i o n s which
continue at t h i s moment w i t h our NATO a l l i e s i n the wake of the
a t r o c i t i e s l a s t Saturday i n Sarajevo.
Before I go forward, l e t me, as the Vice President d i d ,
note the presence of the president of the Jewish community o f
Sarajevo, Mr. Ivan Ceresnjes, w i t h whom I had a b r i e f moment of
conversation. We're glad t o have you here, s i r .
I expect t h a t today, momentarily, NATO w i l l agree on a
f i r m response t o the s h e l l i n g of Sarajevo by the Serbs. But I also
t h i n k t h a t today we w i l l begin t o r e i n v i g o r a t e the n e g o t i a t i o n s t o
t r y t o help t o b r i n g a permanent end t o the bloodshed and aggression.
Somehow the people of Bosnia must decide t h a t i t i s not worth the
c o n t i n u a t i o n of k i l l i n g each other. We are q u i t e close — i f you
l i s t e n t o what the p a r t i e s say they want — t o an agreement t h a t a l l
might be able t o l i v e w i t h . Surely, surely i n the wake of the horror
l a s t weekend, the p a r t i e s w i l l be able t o — w i t h a l i t t l e support
from the r e s t of us — reach an agreement t h a t a l l can l i v e w i t h and
honor.
F i n a l l y , l e t me say t h a t here a t home we need t o r e t a i n
our r e l i g i o u s f a i t h and our r e l i g i o u s freedom as a source o f our
common community and s t r e n g t h , and not as a source o f d i v i s i o n . The
s p i r i t u a l richness of our society was v i s i b l e t o many Americans and
perhaps some of you i n t h i s room who attended a ceremony a t the White
House i n November i n which I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration
Act. I t was a very important b i l l f o r Americans because i t restored
what the law was i n our country before a decision o f the Supreme
Court. The law now says t h a t i n our country, the presumption i s t h a t
people o f any r e l i g i o u s f a i t h should be able t o p r a c t i c e t h e i r f a i t h
and t h a t the law should bend over backwards t o l e t them do i t , unless
there i s some serious and s u b s t a n t i a l damage t o the p u b l i c i n t e r e s t
i n so doing.
We had Jewish leaders here, the U.S. Catholic
Conference, the National Association of Evangelicals, the National
Islamic Prison Foundation.
You wouldn't have believed a l l these
people would stand together, arm i n arm, t o support a law. I hope
t h a t those groups i n our country w i l l not only support t h a t law, but
w i l l support i t s s p i r i t . That i s , we can't bend over backwards t o
respect each other's r e l i g i o u s p r a c t i c e s unless we a c t u a l l y do i t i n
f a c t as w e l l as i n law. And we cannot use t h i s power of p o l i t i c a l
argument t o beat down other people's r e l i g i o u s c o n v i c t i o n s j u s t
because on occasion they c o n f l i c t w i t h our own.
We are t r y i n g t o do
t h a t i n t h i s country. I hope you w i l l wish us w e l l .
One o f our counties, j u s t one o f our counties, Los
Angeles County, has people from 150 d i f f e r e n t r a c i a l and ethnic
groups. We believe t h i s d i v e r s i t y can make America the greatest
country i n the world i n t o the 21st century. But we have t o f i n d a
way t o take the guns out of the hands of our c h i l d r e n , t o r e s t o r e
peace and s e c u r i t y t o our s t r e e t s and t o our schools, t o meet the
basic needs of our people so t h a t they w i l l be able t o l i v e w i t h
s e c u r i t y and i n comfort — not p h y s i c a l comfort, but emotional
comfort — the comfort t h a t comes from b e l i e v i n g you l i v e i n a j u s t
society, where you are respected not only f o r your shared values but
for the d i f f e r e n c e s you have embraced.
That i s the world we are working f o r . I t may be t h a t we
w i l l never achieve i t , but i t i s c e r t a i n t h a t i f we work together we
w i l l get much closer t o our common goal.
MORE
�_ 4_
Thank you very much.
the
Serbs?
Q
(Applause.)
Mr. President, w i l l there be a i r s t r i k e s against
THE PRESIDENT: Just a moment, I have an announcement.
I j u s t was informed — I was hoping t o announce t h i s
before we t a l k e d t h a t , as I was speaking, i n Cairo, Foreign M i n i s t e r
Peres and Yasser Arafat announced an agreement on s e l f - r u l e and on
the terms of withdrawal from Gaza and J e r i c h o . So I t h i n k another
big milestone has been achieved today. (Applause.) Thank you.
And from the questions i n the back and the — on Bosnia,
we simply have not completed the NATO meeting y e t . I thought we
would have by now but as soon as we have, I w i l l be glad t o comment
on t h a t also. But the meeting i s not over.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
END
4:22 P.M. EST
�THE WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
February 9, 1994
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
IN MEETING WITH WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS
Room 4 50
Old Executive O f f i c e B u i l d i n g
4:07 P.M. EST
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Edgar Bronfman and
Mr. Vice President, ladies and gentlemen, I'm d e l i g h t e d t o be here
w i t h you today. I t ' s a great honor f o r us t o have you here at the
White House. For 55 years, you have struggled i n behalf of the
Jewish people, but also i n behalf of a l l humanity. I thank you f o r
t h a t , and I thank you f o r your presence.
I'd also l i k e t o say a s p e c i a l word of a p p r e c i a t i o n f o r
the example, f o r the v i s i o n and the leadership of Edgar Bronfman.
(Applause.) I know you know t h i s , but I would also l i k e t o p o i n t out
i n t h i s crowd t h a t I am e s p e c i a l l y proud of the p a r t n e r s h i p I have
enjoyed w i t h the Vice President who has spoken out against b i g o t r y
and anti-semitism not only i n the United States, but a l l over the
world i n the l a s t year.
(Applause.)
For a l l the good t h i n g s t h a t have happened i n the l a s t
10 years t h a t the Vice President mentioned, we know a l o t of very
p a i n f u l t h i n g s have occurred also. We are everywhere reminded of the
f r a g i l i t y of c i v i l i z e d l i f e ; of how e a s i l y people can f a l l back i n t o
the kinds of hatreds t h a t lead t o the b l i n d actions t h a t dehumanize
a l l of us. That was brought home t o me on my t r i p t o Europe l a s t
month i n many ways — perhaps most poignantly when I v i s i t e d the
Jewish cemetery i n Prague.
I wish t h a t b i g o t r y were not a l l around us. I wish
people s t i l l d i d not p r e f e r k i l l i n g and h a t i n g each other based on
r e l i g i o u s and ethnic d i f f e r e n c e s anywhere, but i t i s a f a c t . I t i s
also a f a c t t h a t the i n s e c u r i t y and i n t o l e r a n c e t h a t we see tends t o
feed on i t s e l f so t h a t a f t e r a w h i l e we look a t places of c o n f l i c t i n
the world and we wonder why people are s t i l l k i l l i n g each other over
what may seem t o be a very small piece of ground, or a p r i n c i p l e not
worth the l i f e of a s i n g l e c h i l d . I t h i n k i t i s c l e a r i t i s because
of the accumulated impact of i n t o l e r a n c e and hatred.
Somehow a l l of us have t o f i n d a way i n t h i s w o r l d ,
a f t e r the Cold War, when we are not burdened by but also not as
d i s c i p l i n e d by c o n f l i c t i n g idealogies, t o get people t o r e a l i z e t h a t
they must move beyond these ancient, indeed antiquated, i n t o l e r a n c e s .
The Vice President t o l d me a f a s c i n a t i n g s t o r y today.
We rode out t o a place t o announce the new drug p o l i c y of the
a d m i n i s t r a t i o n and we were t a l k i n g about a l o t of s c i e n t i f i c
subjects, which means t h a t he mostly t a l k e d and I mostly l i s t e n e d
since he knows so much more about i t than I do. But we s t a r t e d
t a l k i n g about the disappearance of Neanderthals and the v a r i o u s
t h e o r i e s t h a t e x i s t about how Neanderthals disappeared and Homo
sapiens emerged. And there are some who b e l i e v e t h a t , according t o
the Vice President, t h a t the Neanderthals disappeared i n what may be
h i s t o r y ' s f i r s t instance of genocide.
MR
OE
�- 2 -
There i s something about human nature which causes us t o
hold f a s t t o people we t h i n k are l i k e us and sometimes be a f r a i d or
and what t o be separate from people who are not. I f i t means a
r e l i g i o u s community l i v i n g together i n harmony w i t h one another and
respect f o r our neighbors, then i t i s a very p o s i t i v e and good and
wholesome t h i n g . I f i t gives c u l t u r e s the chance t o keep t h e i r
f a m i l i e s together and r a i s e t h e i r c h i l d r e n w i t h strong values and
w i t h the opportunity t o be what God meant them t o be, then i t i s a
good and strong t h i n g . But how e a s i l y these d i f f e r e n c e s s p i l l over
i n t o hatreds t h a t lead t o bloodshed, and how d i f f i c u l t i t i s t o put
the world back together again once these t h i n g s begin.
Since I have been President, we have t r i e d t o do what we
could, consistent w i t h our f i r s t o b l i g a t i o n , t o r e b u i l d the f a b r i c of
l i f e i n t h i s country and the sense of harmony and community and
respect f o r d i v e r s i t y i n t h i s country t o also deal w i t h those
problems around the world.
We have worked very hard t o achieve a j u s t and l a s t i n g
peace i n the Middle East — one t h a t enhances I s r a e l ' s s e c u r i t y and
o f f e r s the acceptance of normal l i f e which has been too long denied
to the c i t i z e n s of t h a t t r o u b l e d region.
The f i r s t p i l l a r of t h a t approach i s strengthening the
r e l a t i o n s h i p between the United States and I s r a e l . When I f i r s t met
Prime M i n i s t e r Rabin l a s t year, almost a year ago t h i s week, he said
t h a t he would be w i l l i n g t o take r i s k s f o r peace, and c e r t a i n l y , he
has been. Sometimes the opposition t h a t he faces a t home reminds me
of the o p p o s i t i o n I face from time t o time. (Laughter.) But
c l e a r l y , he has been w i l l i n g t o take r i s k s f o r peace. I t o l d him i f
he should be w i l l i n g t o take those r i s k s , then i t was my
r e s p o n s i b i l i t y as the President of the United States t o minimize
those r i s k s . And I have t r i e d t o do t h a t .
The Prime M i n i s t e r i s f u l f i l l i n g h i s commitment, and we
are keeping ours — our commitment t o m a i n t a i n i n g and enhancing the
s e c u r i t y of I s r a e l i s i r o n c l a d . And i t i s a p r e c o n d i t i o n of a j u s t
and l a s t i n g peace i n the Middle East.
(Applause.)
The second p i l l a r of our approach i s t o ensure the
successful implementation of the I s r a e l - P a l e s t i n i a n Declaration of
P r i n c i p l e s . Both sides now have t o begin t o implement the agreement
on the ground. And we are working hard t o support t h a t w i t h o u t
i n t e r f e r i n g w i t h i t . Implementing the agreement on the ground i s the
only way t o show the I s r a e l i s the agreement can enhance t h e i r
s e c u r i t y w h i l e p r o v i d i n g a more normal l i f e of more self-government
for t h e i r P a l e s t i n i a n neighbors.
The t h i r d p i l l a r of our approach i s t o get other
n e g o t i a t i o n s back on t r a c k . The biggest challenge t h i s year i s t o
help I s r a e l and Syria make peace. My meeting i n Geneva w i t h
President Assad was designed t o help t o achieve t h a t goal. As he
said a f t e r the meeting, Syria has made a s t r a t e g i c d e c i s i o n f o r peace
and wants now, f o r the f i r s t time, normal, peaceful r e l a t i o n s w i t h
Israel.
We have welcomed these statements, f o r they break new
ground. We've also welcomed the Syrian decision t o grant e x i t
permits t o a l l Syrian Jews who wish t o leave. I understand the
process of i s s u i n g visas i s now v i r t u a l l y completed. But more w i l l
be r e q u i r e d . Syria must demonstrate t h a t i t wants a f u l l and
meaningful peace t o achieve the confidence of the people of I s r a e l t o
make such a peace possible.
F i n a l l y , t o achieve our goal of a comprehensive
settlement, we are i n s i s t i n g t h a t the Arab boycott of I s r a e l end now.
(Applause.) There must be a commitment t o a new era of peace and
p r o s p e r i t y which sees i n the Middle East p a r t n e r s h i p w i t h I s r a e l .
MR
OE
�- 3-
I s r a e l must be the partner of these nations — no longer a pariah.
And we are making progress on t h a t .
Let me, i f I might, speak b r i e f l y about the tragedy i n
Bosnia. I have been meeting w i t h my n a t i o n a l s e c u r i t y team and, as I
am sure most of you know, we have had urgent c o n s u l t a t i o n s which
continue a t t h i s moment w i t h our NATO a l l i e s i n the wake o f the
a t r o c i t i e s l a s t Saturday i n Sarajevo.
Before I go forward, l e t me, as the Vice President d i d ,
note the presence of the president of the Jewish community of
Sarajevo, Mr. Ivan Ceresnjes, w i t h whom I had a b r i e f moment of
conversation. We're glad t o have you here, s i r .
I expect t h a t today, momentarily, NATO w i l l agree on a
f i r m response t o the s h e l l i n g of Sarajevo by the Serbs. But I also
t h i n k t h a t today we w i l l begin t o r e i n v i g o r a t e the n e g o t i a t i o n s t o
t r y t o help t o b r i n g a permanent end t o the bloodshed and aggression.
Somehow the people of Bosnia must decide t h a t i t i s not worth the
c o n t i n u a t i o n of k i l l i n g each other. We are q u i t e close — i f you
l i s t e n t o what the p a r t i e s say they want — t o an agreement t h a t a l l
might be able t o l i v e w i t h . Surely, surely i n the wake o f the horror
l a s t weekend, the p a r t i e s w i l l be able t o — w i t h a l i t t l e support
from the r e s t of us — reach an agreement t h a t a l l can l i v e w i t h and
honor.
F i n a l l y , l e t me say t h a t here at home we need t o r e t a i n
our r e l i g i o u s f a i t h and our r e l i g i o u s freedom as a source o f our
common community and s t r e n g t h , and not as a source o f d i v i s i o n . The
s p i r i t u a l richness o f our society was v i s i b l e t o many Americans and
perhaps some of you i n t h i s room who attended a ceremony a t the White
House i n November i n which I signed the Religious Freedom Restoration
Act. I t was a very important b i l l f o r Americans because i t restored
what the law was i n our country before a decision o f the Supreme
Court. The law now says t h a t i n our country, the presumption i s t h a t
people of any r e l i g i o u s f a i t h should be able t o p r a c t i c e t h e i r f a i t h
and t h a t the law should bend over backwards t o l e t them do i t , unless
there i s some serious and s u b s t a n t i a l damage t o the p u b l i c i n t e r e s t
i n so doing.
We had Jewish leaders here, the U.S. C a t h o l i c
Conference, the National Association of Evangelicals, the National
I s l a m i c Prison Foundation.
You wouldn't have believed a l l these
people would stand together, arm i n arm, t o support a law. I hope
t h a t those groups i n our country w i l l not only support t h a t law, but
w i l l support i t s s p i r i t . That i s , we can't bend over backwards t o
respect each other's r e l i g i o u s p r a c t i c e s unless we a c t u a l l y do i t i n
f a c t as w e l l as i n law. And we cannot use t h i s power o f p o l i t i c a l
argument t o beat down other people's r e l i g i o u s c o n v i c t i o n s j u s t
because on occasion they c o n f l i c t w i t h our own.
We are t r y i n g to do
t h a t i n t h i s country. I hope you w i l l wish us w e l l .
One of our counties, j u s t one of our counties, Los
Angeles County, has people from 150 d i f f e r e n t r a c i a l and e t h n i c
groups. We believe t h i s d i v e r s i t y can make America the g r e a t e s t
country i n the world i n t o the 21st century. But we have t o f i n d a
way t o take the guns out of the hands o f our c h i l d r e n , t o restore
peace and s e c u r i t y t o our s t r e e t s and t o our schools, t o meet the
basic needs of our people so t h a t they w i l l be able t o l i v e w i t h
s e c u r i t y and i n comfort — not physical comfort, but emotional
comfort — the comfort t h a t comes from b e l i e v i n g you l i v e i n a j u s t
s o c i e t y , where you are respected not only f o r your shared values but
f o r the d i f f e r e n c e s you have embraced.
That i s the world we are working f o r . I t may be t h a t we
w i l l never achieve i t , but i t i s c e r t a i n t h a t i f we work together we
w i l l get much closer t o our common goal.
MR
OE
�- 4-
Thank you very much.
the
Serbs?
Q
(Applause.)
Mr. President, w i l l there be a i r s t r i k e s against
THE PRESIDENT: Just a moment, I have an announcement.
I j u s t was informed — I was hoping t o announce t h i s
before we t a l k e d t h a t , as I was speaking, i n Cairo, Foreign M i n i s t e r
Peres and Yasser Arafat announced an agreement on s e l f - r u l e and on
the terms of withdrawal from Gaza and Jericho. So I t h i n k another
big milestone has been achieved today. (Applause.) Thank you.
And from the questions i n the back and t h e — on Bosnia,
we simply have not completed the NATO meeting y e t . I thought we
would have by now but as soon as we have, I w i l l be glad t o comment
on t h a t also. But the meeting i s not over.
Thank you.
(Applause.)
END
4:22 P.M. EST
�THE
WHITE HOUSE
O f f i c e of the Press
For Immediate Release
Secretary
December 30,
Statement by the Press
1993
Secretary
The P r e s i d e n t warmly welcomes the announcement by the
I s r a e l i Government and t h e Holy See of t h e e s t a b l i s h m e n t of
o f f i c i a l relations.
The U n i t e d States has long supported
e s t a b l i s h m e n t of d i p l o m a t i c t i e s between t h e Holy See and I s r a e l .
We c o n g r a t u l a t e b o t h p a r t i e s on t h i s h i s t o r i c r e c o n c i l i a t i o n
and
urge them t o proceed f o r w a r d t o f u l l d i p l o m a t i c r e l a t i o n s a t t h e
e a r l i e s t p o s s i b l e moment. We t r u s t t h a t t h i s r e l a t i o n s h i p
will
c o n t r i b u t e t o t h e movement f o r w a r d on a number of i n t e r n a t i o n a l
i s s u e s , i n c l u d i n g m a i n t a i n i n g the momentum f o r peace i n t h e
Middle East.
#
# #
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
For Immediate Release
September 13, 1993
REMARKS BY PRESIDENT CLINTON,
FOREIGN MINISTER SHIMON PERES,
PLO EXECUTIVE COUNCIL MEMBER MR. M H U ABBAS,
AMD
SECRETARY OF STATE WARREN CHRISTOPHER,
FOREIGN MINISTER KOZYREV,
PRIME MINISTER YITZHAK RABIN,
CHAIRMAN YASSER ARAFAT
IN CEREMONY FOR THE SIGNING OF
THE ISRAEL-PALESTINIAN AGREEMENT
The South Lawn
11:15 A.M.
EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Prime Minister Rabin, Chairman Arafat,
Foreign Minister Peres, Mr. Abbas, President Carter, President Bush,
distinguished guests.
On behalf of the United States and Russia, cosponsors of
the Middle East peace process, welcome to t h i s great occasion of
history and hope.
Today, we bear witness to an extraordinary act in one of
history's defining dramas, a drama that began in the time of our
ancestors when the word went forth from a s l i v e r of land between the
r i v e r Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea. That hallowed piece of
earth, that land of l i g h t and revelation i s the home to the memories
and dreams of Jews, Muslims and Christians throughout the world.
As we a l l know, devotion to that land has also been the
source of c o n f l i c t and bloodshed for too long. Throughout t h i s
century, bitterness between the Palestinian and Jewish people has
robbed the entire region of i t s resources, i t s potential, and too
many of i t s sons and daughters. The land has been so drenched in
warfare and hatred, the conflicting claims of history etched so
deeply in the souls of the combatants there, that many believe the
past would always have the upper hand.
Then, 14 years ago, the past began to give way when, at
t h i s place and upon t h i s desk, three men of great v i s i o n signed their
names to the Camp David Accords. Today we honor the memories of
Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat.
(Applause.) And we salute the wise
leadership of President Jimmy Carter.
(Applause.)
Then, as now, we heard from those who said that conflict
would come again soon. But the peace between Egypt and I s r a e l has
endured, j u s t so t h i s bold new venture today, t h i s brave gamble that
the future can be better than the past must endure.
(Applause.)
Two years ago in Madrid, another president took a major
step on the road to peace by bringing I s r a e l and a l l her neighbors
together to launch direct negotiations. And today we also express
our deep thanks for the s k i l l f u l leadership of President George Bush.
(Applause.)
Ever since Harry Truman f i r s t recognized I s r a e l , every
American President — Democrat and Republican — has worked for peace
between I s r a e l and her neighbors. Now the efforts of a l l who have
MORE
�- 2 -
labored before us bring us to t h i s moment — a moment when
pledge what for so long seemed d i f f i c u l t even to imagine:
security of the I s r a e l i people w i l l be reconciled with the
the Palestinian people and there w i l l be more security and
for a l l . (Applause.)
we dare to
that the
hopes of
more hope
Today, the leadership of I s r a e l and the Palestine
Liberation Organization w i l l sign a declaration of principles on
interim Palestinian self-government. I t charts a course toward
reconciliation between two peoples who have both known the bitterness
of e x i l e . Now both pledge to put old sorrows and antagonisms behind
them and to work for a shared future, shaped by the values of the
Torah, the Koran, and the Bible.
Let us salute, also, today the government of Norway for
i t s remarkable role i n nurturing t h i s agreement.
(Applause.) But of
a l l — above a l l , l e t us today pay tribute to the leaders who had the
courage to lead t h e i r people toward peace, away from the scars of
battle, the wounds and the losses of the past toward a brighter
tomorrow. The world today thanks Prime Minister Rabin, Foreign
Minister Peres and Chairman Arafat. (Applause.)
Their tenacity and vision has given us the promise of a
new beginning. What these leaders have done now must be done by
others. Their achievement must be a catalyst for progress i n a l l
aspects of the peace process. And those of us who support them must
be there to help i n a l l aspects. For the peace must render the
people who make i t more secure. A peace of the brave i s within our
reach. Throughout the Middle East, there i s a great yearning for the
quiet miracle of a normal l i f e .
We know a d i f f i c u l t road l i e s ahead. Every peace has
i t s enemies — those who s t i l l prefer the easy habits of hatred to
the hard labors of reconciliation. But Prime Minister Rabin has
reminded us that you do not have to make peace with your friends.
And the Koran teaches that i f the enemy inclines toward peace, do
thou also i n c l i n e toward peace.
Therefore, l e t us resolve that t h i s new mutual
recognition w i l l be a continuing process i n which the parties
transform the very way they see and understand each other. Let the
skeptics of t h i s peace r e c a l l what once existed among these people.
There was a time when the t r a f f i c of ideas i n commerce and pilgrims
flowed uninterrupted among the c i t i e s of the f e r t i l e crescent. In
Spain and the Middle East, Muslims and Jews once worked together to
write b r i l l i a n t chapters in the history of l i t e r a t u r e and science.
A l l t h i s can come to pass again.
Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Chairman: I pledge the active
support of the United States of America to the d i f f i c u l t work that
l i e s ahead. (Applause.)
The United States i s committed to
people who are affected by t h i s agreement w i l l
i t and to leading the world in marshalling the
implement the d i f f i c u l t details that w i l l make
which you commit yourselves today.
ensuring that the
be made more secure by
sources necessary to
r e a l the principles to
Together l e t us imagine what can be accomplished i f a l l
the energy and a b i l i t y the I s r a e l i s and the Palestinians have
invested into your struggle can now be can now be channelled into
cultivating the land and freshening the waters, into ending the
boycotts and creating new industry, into building a land as bountiful
and peaceful as i t i s holy. Above a l l , l e t us dedicate ourselves
today to your region's next generation. I n t h i s entire assembly, no
one i s more important than the group of I s r a e l i and Arab children who
are seated here with us today. (Applause.)
you.
^
Mr. Prime Minister, Mr. Chairman: t h i s day belongs to
And because of what you have done, tomorrow belongs to them.
MORE
�- 3-
We must not leave them prey to the p o l i t i c s of extremism and despair,
to those who would d e r a i l t h i s process because they cannot overcome
the fears and hatreds of the past. We must not betray t h e i r future.
For too long, the young of the Middle East have been caught i n a web
of hatred, not of t h e i r own making. For too long they have been
taught from the chronicles of war. Now, we can give them the chance
to know the season of peace. For them we must r e a l i z e the prophecy
of Isaiah, that the cry of violence s h a l l no more be heard i n your
land, nor wrack nor ruin within your borders. The children of
Abraham, the descendants of Isaac and Ishmael, have embarked together
on a bold journey. Together, today, with a l l our hearts and a l l our
souls, we bid them shalom, salaam, peace.
(Applause.)
FOREIGN MINISTER PERES: Mr. President, Your
Excellencies, ladies and gentlemen. Mr. President, I would l i k e to
thank you and the great American people for peace and support.
Indeed, I would l i k e to thank a l l those who have made t h i s day
possible. What we are doing today i s more than signing an agreement,
i t i s a revolution. Yesterday a dream, today a commitment.
The I s r a e l i and the Palestinian people who fought each
other for almost a century have agreed to move d e c i s i v e l y on the path
of dialogue, understanding, and cooperation.
We l i v e i n an ancient land. And as our land i s
small, so must our reconciliation be great. As our wars have been
long, so must our healing be swift. Deep gaps c a l l for lofty
bridges. I want to t e l l the Palestinian delegation that we are
sincere, that we mean business. We do not seek to shape your l i f e or
determine your destiny. Let a l l of us turn from bullets to ballots,
from guns to shovels. We s h a l l pray with you. We s h a l l offer you
our help i n making Gaza prosper and Jericho blossom again.
(Applause.) Gaza prosper and Jericho blossom again. (Applause.)
As we have promised, we s h a l l negotiate with you a
permanent settlement, and with a l l our neighbors a comprehensive
peace — peace for a l l . (Applause.)
We s h a l l support the agreement
with an economic structure. We s h a l l convert the b i t t e r triangle of
Jordanians, Palestinians and I s r a e l i s into a triangle of p o l i t i c a l
triumph and economic prosperity. We s h a l l lower our barriers and
widen our roads so goods and guests w i l l be able to move freely a l l
over the places, holy and other places.
This should be another genesis. We have to build a new
commonwealth on our old s o i l — a Middle East of the people and a
Middle East for the children. For t h e i r sake, we must put an end to
the waste of arms race and invest our resources i n education.
(Applause.)
Ladies and gentlemen, two p a r a l l e l tragedies have
unfolded. Let us become a c i v i c community. Let us bid once and for
a l l farewell to wars, to threats, to human misery. Let us bid
farewell to enmity, and may there be no more victims on either side.
(Applause.)
Let us build a Middle East of hope, where
i s produced and tomorrow's prosperity i s guaranteed —
a common market, a Near East with a long-range agenda.
our f a l l e n soldiers, to the memories of the victims of
today's food
a region with
We owe i t to
the Holocaust.
Our hearts today grieve for the l o s t l i f e of young and
innocent people yesterday i n our own country. Let t h e i r memory be
our foundation we are establishing today a memory of peace on fresh
and old pomp. (Applause.) Suffering i s , f i r s t of a l l , human. We
also feel for the innocent loss of Palestinian l i f e . We begin a new
day. The day may be long and the challenges enormous. Our calendar
must meet an intensive schedule. Mr. President, h i s t o r i c a l l y , you
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are presiding over a most promising day in the very long history of
our region, of our people.
I thank a l l of you, ladies and gentlemen, and let's pray
together. Let's add hope to determination as a l l of us since Abraham
believe in freedom, in peace, in the blessing of our great land and
great s p i r i t . (JEWISH PRAYER OFFERED.)
From the eternal city of Jerusalem, from this green,
promising lawn of the White House, let's say together in the language
of our Bible: peace, peace to him that i s far off and to him that i s
near saith the Lord, and I w i l l heal him. Thank you. (Applause.)
MR. ABBAS: Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, in
these historic moments, with feelings of joy that are mixed with a
maximum sense of responsibility regarding events that are affecting
our entire region, I greet you and I greet this distinguished
gathering. I hope that this meeting in Washington w i l l prove to be
the onset of a positive and constructive change that w i l l serve the
interests of the Palestinian and the I s r a e l i peoples.
We have come to this point because we believe that
peaceful coexistence and cooperation are the only means for reaching
understanding and for realizing the hopes of the Palestinians and the
I s r a e l i s . The agreement we w i l l sign reflects the decision we made
in the Palestine Liberation Organization to turn a new page in our
relationship with Israel. (Applause.)
We know quite well that this i s merely the beginning of
a journey that i s surrounded by numerous dangers and difficulties.
And yet, our mutual determination to overcome everything that stands
in the way of the cause for peace — our common belief that peace i s
the only means to security and stability, and our mutual aspiration
for a secure peace characterized by cooperation — a l l this w i l l
enable us to overcome a l l obstacles with the support of the
international community. And here, I would like to mention in
particular the United States government, which w i l l shoulder the
responsibility of continuing to play an effective and a distinct role
in the next.stage, so that this great achievement may be completed.
And here I would like to mention in particular the United States
government, which will shoulder the responsibility of continuing to
play an effective and a distinct role in the next stage so that this
great achievement may be completed.
In this regard, i t i s important to me to affirm that we
are looking forward with a great deal of hope and optimism to a date
that i s two years from today when negotiations over the final status
of our country are set to begin. We will then settle the remaining
fundamental issues, especially those of Jerusalem, the refugees and
the settlements. At that time, we will be laying the last brick in
the edifice of peace whose foundation has been established today.
(Applause.)
Economic development i s the principal challenge facing
the Palestinian people after years of struggle during which our
national infrastructure and institutions were overburdened and
drained. We are looking to the world for i t s support and
encouragement in our struggle for growth and development which begins
today.
I thank the government of the United States of America
and the government of the Russian Federation for the part they played
and for their efforts and their sponsorship of the peace process. I
also appreciate the role played by the government of Norway in
bringing about this agreement, and I look forward to seeing positive
results soon on the remaining Arab-Israeli track so we can proceed
together with our Arab brothers on this comprehensive quest for
peace. Thank you. (Applause.)
MR
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(Foreign Minister Peres signs the agreement.)
(Mr. Abbas signs the agreement.)
(Secretary Christopher Signs the agreement as witness.)
(Foreign Minister Kozyrev signs the agreement as
witness.)
SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Mr. President, Mr. Prime
Minister, Chairman Arafat, members of Congress, distinguished
v i s i t o r s , guests, friends and colleagues, I'm honored to have
witnessed the signing of t h i s agreement on behalf of the United
States.
Millions of people have dreamed of t h i s moment — this
moment for t h i s very region. The I s r a e l i s and the Palestinians have
taken a dramatic step toward a j u s t , lasting and comprehensive peace
that can l i f t the l i v e s of the people of the Middle East. They
overcame seemingly insurmountable obstacles i n framing the
Declaration of Principles and the terms for a mutual recognition.
They've broken through the b a r r i e r s of hatred and fear. Throughout
the process, they've demonstrated extraordinary courage and
statesmanship.
This gives genuine hope that they w i l l complete the
journey that has been begun today.
This achievement was the product of a sustained effort,
international i n scope, and thoroughly bipartisan here i n the United
States. The foundation for the breakthrough, as the President said,
was l a i d at the Madrid Conference of October 1991, which overcame the
impediments to direct Arab-Israeli t a l k s and launched a r e a l peace
process. The Madrid success, i n turn, could not have been realized
without i t s own foundation, the 1978 Camp David Accords, and the 1974
and '75 disengagement agreements involving I s r a e l , Egypt and Syria.
In the distinguished group here assembled today seated
down here i n the front rows, I see those responsible not only for
today's breakthrough, but also men and women who have t o i l e d for
decades i n the search for peace i n the Middle East. I salute and
congratulate each one of you.
(Applause.)
I also salute and congratulate those who have helped at
particular times. I n particular, I express appreciation to Foreign
Minister Hoist and h i s Norwegian colleagues who worked under very
d i f f i c u l t circumstances — (applause) — and made i t possible to
f a c i l i t a t e the negotiation of the Declaration of Principles. We also
owe a debt of gratitude to Foreign Minister Moussa and h i s Egyptian
colleagues, and many many others who gave unstinting help to the
peace process.
(Applause.)
We are a l l proud of t h i s remarkable achievement. But we
also understand that much more remains to be done i f t h i s newly
planted tree i s to bear f r u i t .
The United States i s committed to a comprehensive peace
between I s r a e l and a l l of i t s Arab neighbors. We hope and believe
that t h i s agreement w i l l spur progress in the t a l k s between I s r a e l
and Syria, Jordan and Lebanon. The United States i s prepared to do
i t s part i n the negotiations that l i e ahead. We w i l l spare no effort
in helping the parties turn the agreements at the table into
r e a l i t i e s on the ground. We w i l l remain a f u l l partner i n the search
for peace.
But, certainly, we are not the sole partner. We need
the entire international community to j o i n us i n t h i s work and to
oppose any effort to subvert the peace. This I s r a e l i - P a l e s t i n i a n
agreement cannot be permitted to f a i l .
(Applause.) Many, many
problems remain to be solved. Today's h i s t o r i c agreement
demonstrates that the Middle East does not need to be a cauldron of
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hostility, i t can instead be a cradle of hope. Thank you.
(Applause.)
FOREIGN MINISTER KOZYREV: Mr. President, Mr. Prime
Minister, the Chairman: On behalf of President Yeltsin, I would like
to congratulate you and other colleagues and friends here who made
possible, through their committed effort and goodwill, this major
step on the long road to comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
I think i t ' s really time to rejoice, but no time for
euphoria. Unfortunately, this i s only f i r s t step — major, but f i r s t
step — on the long, long road. And I would like to assure you that
Russia i s one of the cosponsors, not only witnesses, but cosponsors.
So the peace process w i l l spare no effort together with the United
States, with the United Nations and other interested parties to go
on, on this road and not l e t this major event to f a i l . I t i s —
(applause) — i t i s only ironic that in time when Middle Eastern
peace process seems to be on track — and I'm sure i t w i l l move
towards lasting peace — there are other forces which threaten
security in the region.
Three days ago I was in Kabul, Afghanistan and on the
Tajik-Afghan border. And even there we can see those forces of
subversion, terrorism and extremism — religious, and not only
religious, political extremism — doing their destructive job. I
know that in other parts of this region, there are also signs of this
new danger, and I hope that we w i l l not limit our joint effort only
to the peace between Israel and i t s neighbors, not only for the cause
of Palestinians to gain their legitimate rights, but also to see for
stability in the whole region. And in this, Russia will be also true
and determined cosponsor. (Applause.)
Once again, thank you for the effort done by a l l of the
distinguished presidents, foreign ministers, actual and former. And
I hope that further generations of politicians w i l l be not so much
doing with the peace, but rather with a peace dividend in the Middle
East. I t ' s high time for that. Thank you. (Applause.)
PRIME MINISTER RABIN: President Clinton, the President
of the United States; your excellencies; ladies and gentlemen.
This signing of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of
Principle here today, i t ' s not so easy — neither for myself, as a
soldier in Israel's war, nor for the people of Israel, not to the
Jewish people in the diaspora, who are watching us now with great
hope mixed with apprehension. I t i s certainly not easy for the
families of the victims of the wars, violence, terror whose pain will
never heal, for the many thousands who defended our lives in their
own, and have even sacrificed their lives for our own. For them,
this ceremony has come too late. Today, on the eve of an opportunity
— opportunity for peace — and perhaps end of violence and wars, we
remember each and every one of them with everlasting love.
W have come from Jerusalem, the ancient and eternal
e
capital of the Jewish people; we have come from an anguished an
grieving land; we have come from a people, a home, a family, that
does not know a single year — not a single month — in which mothers
have not wept for their sons. W have come to try and put an end to
e
the hostilities so that our children, our children's children, will
no longer experience the painful cost of war, violence and terror.
(Applause.)
W have come to secure their lives and to ease the soul
e
and the painful memories of the past, to hope and pray for peace.
Let me say to you, the Palestinians, we are destined to
live together on the same soil, in the same land. We, the soldiers
who have returned from battles stained with blood, we who have seen
our relatives and friends killed before our eyes, we who have
attended their funerals and cannot look into the eyes of their
MR
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parents, we who have come from a land where parents bury their
children, we who have fought against you, the Palestinians, we say to
you today in a loud and a clear voice: enough of blood and tears.
Enough. (Applause.)
W have no desire for revenge. W harbor no hatred
e
e
towards you. W , like you, are people. People who want to build a
e
home, to plant a tree, to love, live side by side with you in
dignity, in empathy, as human beings, as free men, we are today
giving peace a chance and saying to you — (applause) — and saying
again to you: Enough. Let us pray that a day w i l l come when we a l l
w i l l say farewell to the arms. W wish to open a new chapter in the
e
sad book of our lives together, a chapter of mutual recognition, of
good neighborliness, of mutual respect, of understanding. W hope to
e
embark on a new era in the history of the Middle East.
Today here in Washington, at the White House, we w i l l
begin a new reckoning in the relations between peoples, between
parents tired of war, between children who w i l l not know war.
President of the United States, ladies and gentlemen, our inner
strength, our higher moral values, have been derived for thousands of
years from the Book of the Books, in one of which correlate, we read:
To everything there i s a season, and a time to every purpose under
Heaven; a time to be born and a time to die; a time-to k i l l and a
time to heal; a time to weep and a time to love; a time to love and a
time to hate; a time for war and a time of peace. Ladies and
gentlemen, the time for peace has come. (Applause.)
In two days, the Jewish people w i l l celebrate the
beginning of a new year. I believe, I hope, I pray that the new year
w i l l bring a message of redemption for a l l peoples; a good year for
you, for a l l of you; a good year for Israelis and Palestinians; a
good year for a l l the peoples of the Middle East; a good year for our
American friends who so want peace and are helping to achieve i t .
For presidents and members of previous administrations, especially
for you. President Clinton, and your staff, for a l l citizens of the
world, may peace come to a l l your homes.
In the Jewish tradition i t i s customary to conclude our
prayers with the word Amen — as you said, Amen. With your
permission, men of peace, I shall conclude with words taken from the
prayer recited by Jews daily and whoever of you volunteer, I would
ask the entire audience to join me in saying Amen. (JEWISH PRAYER
OFFERED.) (Applause.)
CHAIRMAN ARAFAT: In the name of God, the most merciful,
the passionate, Mr. President, ladies and gentlemen, I would like to
express our tremendous appreciation to President Clinton and to his
administration for sponsoring this historic event which the entire
world has been waiting for. Mr. President, I am taking this
opportunity to assure you and to assure the great American people
that we share your values for freedom, justice and human rights —
values for which my people have been striving. (Applause.)
M people are hoping that this agreement, which we are
y
signing today, marks the beginning of the end of a chapter of pain
and suffering which has lasted throughout this century. My people
are hoping that this agreement which we are signing today w i l l usher
in an age of peace, coexistence and equal rights. W are relying on
e
your role, Mr. President, and on the role of a l l the countries which
believe that, without peace in the Middle East, peace in the world
w i l l not be complete.
Enforcing the agreement and moving toward the final
settlement after two years to implement a l l aspects of U.N.
Resolutions 242 and 338 in a l l of their aspects and resolve a l l the
issues of Jerusalem, the settlement, the refugees and the boundaries
w i l l be a Palestinian and an I s r a e l i responsibility. I t i s also the
MR
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responsibility of the international community i n i t s entirety to help
the parties overcome the tremendous d i f f i c u l t i e s which are s t i l l
standing i n the way of reaching a f i n a l and comprehensive settlement.
Now as we stand on the threshold of t h i s new h i s t o r i c
era, l e t me address the people of I s r a e l and t h e i r leaders with whom
we are meeting today for the f i r s t time. And l e t me assure them that
the d i f f i c u l t decision we reached together was one that required
great and exceptional courage.
(Applause.)
We w i l l need more courage and determination to continue
the course of building coexistence and peace between us. This i s
possible. And i t w i l l happen with mutual determination and with the
effort that w i l l be made with a l l parties on a l l the tracks to
establish the foundations of a j u s t and comprehensive peace. Our
people do not consider that exercising the right to s e l f determination could violate the rights of t h e i r neighbors or infringe
on t h e i r security. Rather, putting an end to t h e i r feelings of being
wronged and of having suffered an h i s t o r i c i n j u s t i c e i s the strongest
guarantee to achieve coexistence and openness between our two peoples
and future generations. (Applause.)
Our two peoples are awaiting today t h i s h i s t o r i c hope,
and they want to give peace a real chance. (Applause.) Such a s h i f t
w i l l give us an opportunity to embark upon the process of economic,
s o c i a l and c u l t u r a l growth and development, and we hope that
international participation in that process w i l l be as extensive as
i t can be. This s h i f t w i l l also provide an opportunity for a l l forms
of cooperation on a broad scale and i n a l l f i e l d s .
I thank you, Mr. President. We hope that our meeting
w i l l be a new beginning for f r u i t f u l and e f f e c t i v e relations between
the American people and the Palestinian people.
(Applause.)
I wish to thank the Russian Federation and President
Boris Y e l t s i n . Our thanks also go to Secretary Christopher and
Foreign Minister Kozyrev, to the government of Norway, and to the
Foreign Minister of Norway for the positive part they played i n
bringing about t h i s major achievement.
I extend greetings to a l l the Arab leaders, our
brothers, and to a l l the world leaders who contributed to t h i s
achievement. Ladies and gentlemen, the battle for peace i s the most
d i f f i c u l t battle of our l i v e s . I t deserves our utmost efforts,
because the land of peace, the land of peace yearns for a j u s t and
comprehensive peace. Thank you.
(Applause.)
Mr. President, thank you, thank you, thank you.
(Applause.)
PRESIDENT CLINTON: W have been granted the great
e
privilege of witnessing t h i s victory for peace. Just as the Jewish
people t h i s week celebrate the dawn of a new year, l e t us a l l go from
t h i s place to celebrate the dawn of a new era not only for the Middle
East, but for the entire world.
The sound we heard today, once again, as i n ancient
Jericho, was the trumpets toppling walls. The walls of anger and
suspicion between I s r a e l i and Palestinian, between Arab and Jew.
This time, praise God, the trumpets herald not the destruction of
that c i t y , but i t s new beginning.
Now l e t each of us here today return to our portion of
that effort, uplifted by the s p i r i t of the moment, refreshed i n our
hopes and guided by the wisdom of the Almighty, who has brought us to
t h i s joyous day.
Go i n peace.
^
—
E
Go as peacemakers.
N
D
(Applause.)
12:20 P.M. EDT
�THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
October 21, 1993
For Immediate Release
REMARKS BY THE PRESIDENT
AT DNC FUNDRAISER
National Museum of Women i n the Arts
Washington, D.C.
8:30 P.M. EDT
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. David, I was
hoping you'd talk a l i t t l e longer; I didn't even get to f i n i s h my
salad. (Laughter.)
Ladies and gentlemen, I'm delighted to be here tonight.
I've already had a chance to say hello to almost a l l of you, except
the members of the Senate who see me a l l the time. I thanked Senator
Metzenbaum and Senator Levin. They came upstairs to see me, Senator
Kennedy. (Laughter.) W even had our picture taken. I came a l l the
e
way to Boston to see you, and you didn't do that. (Laughter and
applause.)
I want to thank Norman Brownstein for the wonderful work
he did tonight i n getting you a l l here. Let's give him a hand.
(Applause.)
I'd also l i k e to say a b r i e f word i f I might about this
wonderful f a c i l i t y we are i n . W have some people here who are s t i l l
e
associated with i t . The Holidays, who helped to found t h i s , were
good enough to support me early i n my presidential campaign. And a
lot of our friends have been active i n t h i s wonderful place. This
once a c t u a l l y had a fine showing of a r t i s t s — women a r t i s t s from my
home state here. So I have been delighted to have f i n a l l y the chance
to come here and see t h i s and I — Mr. Chairman, I don't know who
picked t h i s place, but whoever did i s a near genius i n my estimation,
because I love i t .
I t was j u s t about a month and a week ago when we had the
remarkable signing of the Israel-PLO Peace Accord on the grounds of
the White House. Many of you were there. I imagine a l l of you saw
i t . Hundreds of millions, perhaps over a b i l l i o n people around the
world saw i t occur.
I would l i k e to begin my remarks by making two
observations, i f I might. F i r s t of a l l , about the peace process
i t s e l f . When I traveled across t h i s country l a s t year and asked
many, i f not a l l of you, to support my campaign, I said that I
believed the time was ripe for peace i n the Middle East, but that i t
could not be achieved unless the President of the United States
understood that in the end the United States could never impose a
peace on the Middle East, but could only guarantee i t i f i t were to
occur. After I was elected, I met with Yitzhak Rabin i n the White
House, and we sat for a long time alone. And he looked a t me with
those soulful eyes of h i s and said that he was prepared to take real
r i s k s for peace, that he thought the . time had come to t r y to make i t .
And I told him, i f he would take the r i s k s , we would do our best to
minimize those r i s k s .
The rest i s history. I t was a peace made d i r e c t l y
between I s r a e l and the PLO, as a l l the best agreements are. I t was a
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d i f f i c u l t thing, as we saw during the signing — sometimes from the
language, sometimes from the body language. But as the Prime
Minister said, one never makes peace with one's friends. You have to
make peace with your enemies.
I want a l l of you to know that since that day I think
that we have gone forward together to try to make the peace stick, to
try to make i t work, and to t r y to expand on i t . We've had a donors
conference of representatives from 43 nations r a i s e several b i l l i o n
dollars i n commitments from people to make t h i s peace agreement work.
W have seen now the f i r s t public meeting of leaders from Jordan and
e
I s r a e l . We've seen the states of Morocco and Tunisia welcome I s r a e l i
o f f i c i a l s for the f i r s t time. W have seen r e a l progress.
e
There i s s t i l l a l o t to do. I have urged the Arab states to
recognize I s r a e l , to drop the boycott, to get r i d of the hostile
United Nations resolutions. And I have done what I could to keep
t h i s process going.
An especially remarkable part of i t has been the unity I
have seen emerging between leaders of the American Jewish community
and Arab Americans, a couple of hundred of whom met at the White
House for several hours after the signing ceremony and began to
explore what they can do together to try to help to bring opportunity
and peace and harmony i n the areas where the peace accord had
been — where the peace accord covered.
I believe we're moving i n the right direction. I also
have to t e l l you I don't think that we w i l l have a complete peace
u n t i l we have j u s t that — a complete peace. One that involves Syria
and Lebanon, as well as the PLO and Jordan; one that enables the
people of the Middle East to l i v e together i n true security and to
give the children of that area a normal l i f e .
I want to ask you tonight to help me to stay with our
present policy, to be aggressive i n pushing the process forward, but
to recognize always that i n the end, there i s no peace that the
parties do not themselves voluntarily undertake.
When we had that signing ceremony, I wanted so much for
the Prime Minister and Mr. Arafat to come, but they couldn't make up
t h e i r minds whether they wanted to come for a while, for reasons that
I'm sure a l l of you appreciate, many of you more deeply than I . I n
the end they decided to come because since they had agreed to i t they
might as well make the most of i t . (Laughter.) And when they did,
and when they reached out across decades of d i v i s i o n and shook hands
in that e l e c t r i c moment that was f e l t around the world, I think that
people had a sense of p o s s i b i l i t y i n so many areas that they had not
had for a long time.
That's the second thing I want to say to you tonight, as
I ask you on behalf of your country, on behalf of I s r a e l , on behalf
of a l l the peace-loving peoples of the world, to continue to help me
to implement t h i s peace process and push i t forward, respecting that
in the end a l l the parties themselves w i l l have to voluntarily decide
on the next steps. I ask you also to help me to give that sense of
p o s s i b i l i t y back to the American people.
For there so many days when I think that the biggest
obstacle to the dreams I brought with me to the presidency, the
biggest obstacle i s the sense that maybe we r e a l l y can't change
things; the sense of hopelessness so many people f e e l ; the sense of
mistrust i n i n s t i t u t i o n s and leaders. I t i s , I think, almost a
truism that no great democracy can change profoundly u n t i l things are
in pretty rough shape. And yet, when things get i n pretty rough
shape, there are so many people who have been so disappointed, who
feel so injured, who feel so insecure that i t i s d i f f i c u l t to make
the changes that need to be made. And so today, America, every day,
gets up and presents to me a complex picture of hope and fear, a
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complex picture of eagerness to embrace the future, to compete and to
win, and to promote the things we a l l believe in and a sense of
insecurity that makes people sort of draw inward.
I think for the l a s t year, hope has been winning. A
sense of p o s s i b i l i t y and movement has been happening. Thanks to the
people in the Congress who have supported the i n i t i a t i v e s of t h i s
administration, including those in t h i s audience, we have moved to
r e a l l y bring down the d e f i c i t . We've got the lowest interest rates
in 3 0 years, business investments back up, consumer spending i s back
up on important, big products.
We've got some real sense of movement in t h i s economy,
thanks to t h i s group of Congress members who have been w i l l i n g to
support t h i s administration we signed, a week after the Middle East
Peace Accord, the national service b i l l that E l i Segal did so much to
shepherd through the Congress, which l i t e r a l l y has the potential to
revolutionize the way young people a l l across America look at t h e i r
country and f e e l about themselves, which ask young people to give
something back to their nation and in return, offers them a chance to
go to college, no matter how meager t h e i r own income.
We have begun to face the health care c r i s i s . We have
begun to deal with so many issues that have been too long ignored in
t h i s struggle to find our way in the world. There are those who have
said, well, I haven't done everything right. For that, I plead
guilty. But I ' l l t e l l you one thing: in t h i s administration, we
show up for work every day with our sleeves rolled up and a
determination to face the challenges before us. And, tonight — and
I was thinking about the history of our relationships with I s r a e l —
I'm reminded that when Harry Truman recognized I s r a e l , a long time
ago, now — he was s t i l l i n the process of making the post-Cold War
world — post-World War I I world with our a l l i e s . We had moved into
the Cold War, but now we a l l look back on that era as i f i t were
self-evident what our domestic p o l i c i e s ought to be and what our
foreign p o l i c i e s ought to be.
But in truth, those of you who lived through that,
p a r t i c u l a r l y those of you who were adults or nearly so, then, w i l l
remember c l e a r l y that there were a couple of years after World War I I
when we had to work out what our foreign policy was going to be, when
we had to develop the institutions necessary to carry that foreign
policy out, when we had to work through in our own minds what
America's r e s p o n s i b i l i t i e s at home were. And we are going through
the same period now.
We know that we are the only superpower. We know we
can't solve every problem i n the world, but we know there are a l o t
of people suffering and misery that we can a l l e v i a t e . And i f we
believe in democracy and freedom, i f we don't want to see the
p r o l i f e r a t i o n of terrorism and weapons of mass destruction, then we
have to t r y .
We know that we have an interest in Russia maintaining
i t s democratic bent and continuing to reduce i t s nuclear arsenal. We
know — c l e a r l y , we know i f we could bring peace to the Middle East,
i t might revolutionize the range of options we have with the Muslims
a l l over the world and give us the opportunity to beat back the
forces of radicalism and terrorism that u n f a i r l y have been identified
with Islam by so many people.
We know some things for sure. But we also know that we
are s t i l l working t h i s out. Here at home, i t i s the same thing. But
I can t e l l you t h i s : I am convinced that i f we w i l l continue to
honestly speak with one another about these issues, we'll find a way
to do i t .
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I believe we have to find a balance between the securitypeople need to change, and the changes we need to make. I believe we
w i l l never make America what i t ought to be u n t i l we provide health
care security to a l l of our c i t i z e n s . I believe we w i l l never have
an America that i s strong u n t i l we t e l l the American people, you can
be a successful parent and a successful worker. That's what that
family leave b i l l was a l l about. That's what our budget b i l l was a l l
about, which l i f t e d the working poor out of poverty when they have
children at home.
I believe we w i l l never be able to do what we need to do
as a people u n t i l we say, okay, i f we can't guarantee you a job
anymore, we can at l e a s t guarantee you employability. I f the average
person has to change jobs eight times i n a lifetime, how can we not
have a program worthy of the capacities of a l l Americans, i t gives
them a chance for lifetime education and training.
And f i n a l l y , l e t me say, I believe we w i l l never meet
our challenges at home and abroad u n t i l the American people are more
secure on t h e i r own s t r e e t s again. For a l l the violence i n the
Middle East, my friends, we can read s t o r i e s every day on every
street i n America that r i v a l s anything you can read about i n the Gaza
in the toughest times.
I f you look at what has happened, 90,000 murders in four
years i n America, more i n any given year than ever happened at the
height of the war i n Vietnam. You look at the fact that t h i s i s the
only advanced country i n the world, the only one where we don't even
check your criminal record, or your mental health history i n some
states to see i f you can get a gun, and where people seriously argue
that that infringes on constitutional rights. This i s the only
country i n the world where police go to work on mean streets every
day and confront young people who grew up in chaotic circumstances
who are often better armed than they are.
So, I say to you, we have some things to do here at
home. We are breeding generation after generation of people who have
no claim to the mainstream of t h i s society and on whom the future has
no claim. We are breeding so many people who are so alienated and
who have no sense of a l l these things that you and I came here to
celebrate tonight.
Just three weeks ago, a l i t t l e named Launice Smith was
shot and k i l l e d in t h i s c i t y . She was on a playground three and a
half miles from t h i s wonderful building. She was four years old, one
of 1,500 people who are shot i n t h i s town every year — our Nation's
Capital. Her father could not go to her funereal because he's in
prison for shooting another four-year-old on another playground
several years ago when he was 19 and got i n an argument over hair
barrettes. He got angry and another kid handed him a gun and he used
it.
The point of a l l that I am saying i s t h i s : We've got to
change i n t h i s country. And we've got to have the security — (break
in tape) — have to f i r s t recognize that the great power of America
i s the power of our ideals, our values, our i n s t i t u t i o n s , and our
example. And that we cannot do what we're supposed to do unless, as
a nation we are both for united and more s e l f confident than millions
of our fellow c i t i z e n s are as we enjoy t h i s great dinner tonight.
So, I ask you to remember that, and to renew your
commitment, not only to peace i n the Middle East and t o American's
continuing role i n the world, and I thank the many of you who said as
we walked through the l i n e tonight, that you believed we did have a
role of leadership i n the world, to a l l e v i a t e suffering and to do
what we can to promote freedom and democracy. But also, to rebuild
t h i s country here at home.
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Most people i n t h i s country, whatever t h e i r incomes,
whatever t h e i r race, whatever t h e i r walk of l i f e , and wherever they
l i v e , are wonderful people. They get up every day, they go t o work,
they never break the law, they do t h e best they can by t h e i r k i d s ,
and they're a b s o l u t e l y determined t o make the most they can o f t h e i r
l i v e s . But they are l i v i n g i n a country t h a t has not y e t made t h e
decisions necessary t o organize i t s e l f i n a way t h a t permits a l l o f
us t o l i v e up t o the f u l l e s t o f our God-given c a p a c i t i e s .
And u n t i l we make t h e decision t o have an economic
program, an education program, a h e a l t h care program, a f a m i l y
p o l i c y , and a law enforcement p o l i c y , and a commitment t o rescuing
our kids t h a t w i l l permit us t o do t h a t , we w i l l not have t h e
s e c u r i t y we need t o lead the world and t o face t h e f u t u r e . I b e l i e v e
t h a t we are on t h e road t o changing t h i s country. I know what I saw
on September t h e 13th, when A r a f a t and Rabin shook hands, was an
i n s t a n t , shocking r e a l i z a t i o n a l l across the world t h a t t h i n g s we
never thought p o s s i b l e were, i n f a c t , possible.
And I ask you t o help me now l i b e r a t e t h e imagination,
and the s p i r i t , and t h e energy o f t h e American people f o r the jobs
t h a t we have y e t t o do a t home and abroad, because those t h i n g s can
also be done.
Thank you and God bless you a l l .
END
(Applause.)
9:00 P.M. EDT
�
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Office of Press and Communications - Philip J. “P.J.” Crowley
Creator
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National Security Council
Is Part Of
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<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36076">Collection Finding Aid</a>
Identifier
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2011-0516-S
Description
An account of the resource
This collection consists of White House press releases from the files of P.J. Crowley. Crowley served as Special Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and Senior Director of Public Affairs the National Security Council from 1997–1999. The press releases are arranged by subject or, as in the case of the Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents, by date.
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: White House Staff and Office Files
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Extent
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370 folders in 33 boxes
Text
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Original Format
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Paper
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
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Middle East - General [1]
Creator
An entity primarily responsible for making the resource
National Security Council
Office of Press and Communications
Philip "PJ" Crowley
Identifier
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2011-0516-S
Is Part Of
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Box 10
<a href="http://catalog.archives.gov/id/7585702"></a>
<a href="http://clinton.presidentiallibraries.us/items/show/36076">Collection Finding Aid</a>
Source
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7585702
42-t-7585702-20110516s-010-013-2015
Provenance
A statement of any changes in ownership and custody of the resource since its creation that are significant for its authenticity, integrity, and interpretation. The statement may include a description of any changes successive custodians made to the resource.
Clinton Presidential Records: NSC Cable, Email, and Records Management System
Publisher
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William J. Clinton Presidential Library & Museum
Format
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Adobe Acrobat Document
Medium
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Preservation-Reproduction-Reference