USIA: State Department Report 96-05-17

From: The U.S. Information Agency (USIA) Gopher <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>

U.S. State Department Directory

STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FRIDAY, MAY 17, 1996

(Middle East, Korea, Bosnia, Colombia) (600)

MIDDLE EAST -- The Monitoring Group meeting at the State Department concluded May 16. A "draft text" was completed concerning the modalities for the operation of the group (Israel, Lebanon, Syria, United States, France) for enforcing the ceasefire between the Hezbollah in southern Lebanon and Israel. Burns said the text was sent to the respective governments for approval. But he added that "the most difficult issues have been resolved," and he expected that a final agreement would be made some time next week. Responding to questions about Israel's right to self defense, Burns said: "Israel is responsible for making its own decisions about how it protects its people, and we have never questioned Israel's right to defend its own people." But he refused to discuss whether Israel's right to self defense included preemptive attacks.

KOREA -- The recent incursion by North Korean soldiers into the demilitarized zone (DMZ) was "a minor incident," Burns said. During the evening of May 17, some five North Korean soldiers entered the DMZ and approached the demarcation line. South Korean soldiers, thinking the North Korean soldiers had crossed the line, fired about 14 warning shots into the air. The North Korean soldiers then returned to their side of the demarcation line. The incursion was a violation of the Armistice Agreement, and U.S. officials and the U.N. Command is still investigating the circumstances. "This incident, as well as the previous incidents of a couple of weeks back, remind us of the importance of all sides, including North Korea, abiding by the Military Armistice Agreement," Burns said. The Armistice Agreement, he noted, has kept the peace for over 40 years and must be maintained. "All the rules and regulations of the Armistice must be adhered to," Burns said.

BOSNIA -- Preparations for the September elections are going "reasonably well with some difficulties," according to Burns. He said that "the Dayton Accords really hinge on the local populations taking under their own control the affairs of that country in that region; and the only way that can be done is if there are elections to bring those people to power." Burns emphasized the importance of the influential Bosnian Serbs in Banja Luka having rejected the attempts of indicted war criminal Radovan Karadzic to dismiss Bosnia Serb Prime Minister Rajko Kasagic, who has refused to step down. The United States is supporting the Republika Srpska elected officials who are rejecting the efforts of Karadzic. The actions of the Banja Luka people should strengthen the election process, Burns said. The United States is "determined that Karadzic not run in the elections. He cannot; it's not permitted under the Dayton accords," Burns said. "Our strategy would be to isolate him and to marginalize him." Burns added that he thought the elections would proceed even if Karadzic is not brought to justice at the Hague. But he added that he thought the Dayton compliance issues would be enhanced if Karadzic, General Ratko Mladic, and 51 other indicted war criminals were apprehended and brought to trial at the Hague.

COLOMBIA -- Burns said that the Colombian media is incorrectly reporting that the United States has decided to revoke the visas of 36 prominent Colombians. "We have made no such decisions," Burns said. The United States did, however, revoke the visa of David Turbay, the comptroller general of Colombia because of information regarding his relationship with narcotics traffickers.

No transcript is available of this informal, walk-thru briefing.