U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing #69, 97-05-06
From: The Department of State Foreign Affairs Network (DOSFAN) at <http://www.state.gov>
1335
U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
I N D E X
Tuesday, May 6, 1997
Briefer: John Dinger
ANNOUNCEMENTS
1-3 Public Service Recognition Week Awards
3 Introduction of Visitor from Ottawa
3-5 Release of Preliminary Interagency Study on Holocaust Assets,
May 7, 1997
5 Reaction to Cuban Accusation re: Release of Toxic Material
6-7 Deportation of Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook to Jordan
6 Dedication of Department of State Library in Honor of Dr. Ralph
Johnson Bunche
6 U.S. and Canada to Recommend International Joint Commission
Study of Flood Damage in North Basin
MIDDLE EAST
7-8 Israeli-Jordanian Negotiations re: Water
8-9 Statement by Palestinian Authority Justice Minister re: Sale of
Land to Israeli Citizens
9-10 Confiscation by Israeli Government of Residency Permits of
Palestinian Americans in Jerusalem
CUBA
11-13 Background of Department of State Narcotics Crop Eradication
Flight and Charge by Cuban Government of Efforts to Damage
Agriculture
NATO/RUSSIA
13-14 Secretary General Solana/Foreign Minister Primakov Discussions
re: NATO-Russia Charter
ZAIRE
12-15 Disposition of Presdident Mobutu's Overseas Assets/Application
of International and U.S. Law
15-16 Amb. Richardson Meetings and Travel to France
16-21 Advance of Rebel Alliance Forces/Need for Peaceful Transition
and Elections
MEXICO
21-23 Asylum Case of Pablo Chapa Bezanilla
IRAQ
21-22 Delay in Food Distribution Under UNSC Resolution 986
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #69
TUESDAY, MAY 6, 1997, 1:11 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. DINGER: Good afternoon. Welcome to the State Department briefing.
I want to take a moment today because I think you all know that this is
Public Service Recognition Week, and in the State Department - are you
taking up a collection for our award winners I hope?
QUESTION: [Laughter.] For all the people (inaudible)
MR. DINGER: Good, okay. This is Public Service Recognition Week, as
you all know. At the State Department we take time today to honor a small
number of our own for the work they have done over the last year. We have
a host of awards that we give each year, and we have today with us many of
the recipients of those awards.
Some of the recipients I think you may recognize their names.
Others, it is very possible you will recognize the embassies or the
offices in this building where they work. Still, others are more like me,
who work behind the scenes and perhaps would not leap out to you as someone
who is so vigorously pursuing American interests for all of us, but they do
all very much contribute to the American interest and to the interest of
all of us, the American people.
In thinking about today, I remembered how often when we do our press
guidance we try to ask the who, what, when, and where's - which I think
are the fundamentals of journalism. Who did it? When was it done? What
was done? Where did it take place?
In our process, there is one final thing that we add: And what is the
United States Government doing about it?
In most cases we are either expected to do something about it, and, or,
are, in fact, doing something about it, and the people that you see here
today are the ones who doing that. These are people who work for you every
day - day in and day out. We are very, very proud of them.
What I would just like to do very briefly is ask everyone to stand. It's
quite a few. Not everybody is with us, but I will just quickly run down
the names, because, as I say, these are our own of whom we are very
proud.
We have the Baker-Wilkins Award for Outstanding DCM, Mr. James Yellin,
from Bujumbura, our embassy in Bujumbura.
Not present, the winner of - or I should say, the recipient of the Chief
Financial Officer's Award, Mr. James Browning, in our International
Cooperative Administrative Support System -- actually well known to you all
as ICAS.
We have the Warren Christopher Award for Outstanding Achievement in Global
Affairs, that is Mr. Brian Hallman from our Bureau of Oceans and International
Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
We have the recipient of the Charles E. Cobb, Jr., Award for Initiative
and Success in Trade Development. That is Elizabeth Jones, our Chief of
Mission in Almaty, and Michael Delaney, our Economic Officer in Helsinki.
We have the Director General's Award for Excellence in Personnel
Management, Mary Martinez, who is our Personnel Officer in Canberra.
We have the Director General's Award for Reporting and Analysis -- co-
recipients - not present is Vincent Bennett, our Political Officer in
Moscow. Present with us today I believe is Alice Wells, Political Officer
in Riyadh. I'm sorry, neither are present today, they're too busy
reporting and analyzing.
The James Clement Dunn Award for Excellence Winner - not present I believe
- is Carey Cavanaugh, Office of Southern European Affairs.
We have the Equal Employment Opportunity Award. The recipient is Ruth
Whiteside, Deputy Director of the Foreign Service Institute.
The Robert C. Frasure Memorial Award: The recipient is Luigi Einaudi,
Special Envoy for the Ecuador-Peru Border Dispute.
We have the Leamon R. Hunt Award for Administrative Excellence.
The recipient is William Eaton, Administrative Officer, Ankara.
The Thomas Morrison Information Management Award - not present today -
Ronald Grider, Information Management Specialist in Baku.
The Arnold R. L. Raphel Memorial Award: The recipient is Pat Kennedy, our
Acting Under Secretary for Management.
The Luther I. Replogle Award for Management Improvement - not present
today - Michael McLaughlin, Administrative Officer in our Bureau of
Administration.
The Herbert Salzman Award for Excellence in International Economic
Performance - not present today - Mary Janice Fleck, our Economic Officer
in Kuala Lumpur.
The Secretary of the Year Award for the Foreign Service - not present -
Terri Lee Baker in Zagreb, and our Civil Service Recipient, Gale Gray,
Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs.
The Security Professional of the Year: George Lambert, Security Officer
in Sarajevo.
The Barbara Watson Award for Consular Excellence: Teddy Taylor, Consular
Officer in Budapest.
I'm just very pleased that so many of the recipients were able to join us
today. As I say, these are people that represent all of you and represent
the Department of State. We are very, very proud of them. Thank you very
much for taking time out to come down.
(Applause.)
MR. DINGER: Thank you. Just one other visitor to the briefing that I
would like to introduce, and that is a senior press foreign service
national from Ottawa, our embassy in Ottawa today, Victoria Terry, who is
seated there in the corner, who gets to see how we do this in Washington.
There are a host of announcements that I will try to go through in most
cases briefly, just to not take up too much more of your time. First, we
will have a statement on the release of the Preliminary Study on Holocaust
Assets, along with a notice to the press. I will give you just the details
and these announcements are available in the Press Office.
On Wednesday, May 7th, at 11:00 a.m., the U.S. Government Interagency Study
entitled: The U.S. and Allied Efforts to Recover and Restore Gold and Other
Assets Stolen or Hidden by Germany During World War II will be released.
Ambassador Stuart Eizenstat, who is the Special Envoy on Property
Restitution in Central and Eastern Europe, will be present in this room to
release the report along with our Chief Historian of the Department of
State, Dr. William Slany. They will present the report and be available
for questions.
QUESTION: That is at 11:00?
MR. DINGER: That is at 11:00. I'll just tell you the study is in two
parts. The first part contains a forward by Ambassador Eizenstat, a
preface detailing the methodology, an executive summary, and the main text.
The second part consists of an appendix giving detailed information about
materials available on the topic.
Importantly, copies of both parts of the study will be available in the
Press Office at 9:00 a.m., tomorrow, on Wednesday. They are embargoed
until the beginning of Ambassador Eizenstat's briefing at approximately
11:00 a.m. The reports are available on a first-come, first-serve basis,
only one set per media organization. They must be picked up in person at
the Press Office, Room 2109. They will not be faxed or mailed, no couriers,
please.
Additionally, the report will be placed in full on the Internet.
It should be available at approximately 11:00 a.m., on May 7th, from the
Department of State's web site, which as you all know is www.state.gov. It
will be at the Hot Topics site on our web page.
Additional hard copies of the full report will be available for a fee from
the Government Printing Office, approximately five days after the report is
released. There is a number for the GPO.
Next subject --
QUESTION: Quick question on this?
MR. DINGER: Yes.
QUESTION: When will the report be distributed to newspapers?
Because there's a problem with newspapers that always seem to get a head
start on such reports.
MR. DINGER: The report will be embargoed for publication until 11:00 on
that Wednesday. Reports will be available to the press at 11:00 a.m.
QUESTION: Will the reports be distributed to these newspapers before
tomorrow?
MR. DINGER: To the best of my knowledge, the reports will not be
distributed to newspapers before 9:00 a.m.
QUESTION: And there will be no briefings anywhere in this town prior to
the release, such as at the Commerce Department at 8:00 tomorrow morning?
QUESTION: There's a 8:00 briefing?
MR. DINGER: I don't have anything for you on --
QUESTION: I would be (inaudible).
MR. DINGER: I don't have anything for you on --
QUESTION: So this might be given to two or three special newspapers this
evening? (Inaudible.)
MR. DINGER: I'm not aware of a copy of the report being given to
anybody. I don't have anything for you on any special briefings that might
be taking place.
QUESTION: But are you aware of a briefing at 8:00 tomorrow morning?
MR. DINGER: I don't have anything for you a briefing tomorrow
morning.
QUESTION: Are there competing briefings though? If you are going to --
MR. DINGER: At 8 o'clock tomorrow morning?
QUESTION: Yeah.
MR. DINGER: No, I'm not aware of that.
QUESTION: All right.
QUESTION: It wasn't the same briefing.
QUESTION: Well, if there is a briefing then, the embargo doesn't
apply?
MR. DINGER: No, that's not --
QUESTION: Right, that's true.
MR. DINGER: Well, no, the embargo applies regardless.
QUESTION: No?
QUESTION: Not if you have a briefing at 8 o'clock.
QUESTION: No, way.
MR. DINGER: Well, I'm not sure what - well, first of all, I don't want
to speculate on an on-the-record briefing somewhere prior to the 11 o'clock
briefing. We really have gone to, I think, considerable effort to try to
ensure that embargoed copies will be available at 9:00 a.m., and that
nothing will be published on this before 11:00 a.m.
QUESTION: Well, it's the information, not the paper, that is embargoed.
So if it's released at 8:00 in the morning, then the embargo here won't
apply.
MR. DINGER: I do not expect to see any published report on this before
11:00 a.m.
QUESTION: We'll see.
MR. DINGER: Next issue, very briefly. We have sort of a statement with
attachments regarding an accusation by the Cuban Government that the United
States has engaged in a violation of our obligations under a 1972
Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling
of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons. This regards an allegation by the
Cuban Government that an aircraft of the Department of State used in crop
eradication deliberately released a biological agent over Cuba. That is
an outrageous charge that we categorically deny, and I have quite
an extensive, lengthy, statement and attachments available in the press
office that goes through that accusation and describes how baseless it
is.
Next, I have a brief statement on the release of Mousa Mohammed Abu
Marzook. The Immigration and Naturalization Service yesterday excluded and
deported Mousa Mohammed Abu Marzook to Jordan under agreement entered into
by Abu Marzook and the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
Under the terms of the agreement, Abu Marzook entered a plea of nolo
contendere and did not contest the exclusion charges under the appropriate
section of the Immigration and Nationality Act.
These charges state that Abu Marzook is an alien who is engaged in a
terrorist activity or, who a Consular Officer or the Attorney General knows
or has reasonable grounds to believe, is likely after entry to engage in
terrorist activity.
Mr. Marzook also waived all rights to file applications for relief from
deportation and relinquished his lawful permanent resident status. Most of
the details regarding this lie with the Department of Justice and its
Immigration and Naturalization Service.
QUESTION: Are you about to move on?
MR. DINGER: Pardon me?
QUESTION: Are you about to move on?
MR. DINGER: Yes. I have a brief statement noting that yesterday, as
part of Public Service Recognition Week, the U.S. Department of State was
very proud to dedicate its library to the memory of former United Nations
Under Secretary General, Doctor Ralph Johnson Bunche. I just refer you to
that.
Finally, a brief statement on noting that the U.S. and Canada have agreed
to ask the International Joint Commission to examine the Red River of the
North Basin to recommend ways to ameliorate future flood damage. So all of
that will be available in the press office.
QUESTION: A quick question on Marzook.
MR. DINGER: Yes.
QUESTION: Have people in this building or elsewhere in the government
seen his latest statements? He apparently hasn't changed his mind about
war against Israel. Is there anybody - is it actionable in any way or is
he out of now -- totally out of the machinery of the U.S. Government?
MR. DINGER: I haven't seen those statements. We excluded him under a
law, as I just described, that applies to an alien who is engaged in
terrorist activity, or we believe we have reasonable grounds, is likely
after entry to engage in terrorist activity.
So to the extent that that applies to your question, I guess that would be
my reaction to that.
QUESTION: I don't know the statement. It was fairly recent. You don't -
MR. DINGER: I haven't seen that statement.
QUESTION: But they haven't been noted here or noticed yet? Okay.
MR. DINGER: I would note that Mr. Marzook is inadmissible to the United
States under the same charges for which he was deported.
The only way he could return to the United States now is by obtaining
advance permission from the Attorney General, in other words, a waiver of
his excludability.
QUESTION: So the deal was that unless he signs this waiver he would stay
in jail where he was; is that about right?
MR. DINGER: I don't have any details for you on the arrangements.
As you know, Mr. Marzook, his attorneys, and the attorneys representing
the Immigration Service signed the agreement, so I would refer you, perhaps,
to those parties for any details on the specifics.
QUESTION: Is his family going to be extradited as well?
They live in Virginia?
MR. DINGER: For their immigration status, I think I would refer you to
the Department of Justice or the Immigration and Naturalization Service.
QUESTION: A number of them are American citizens.
MR. DINGER: Yes, I understand that to be the case. We do have privacy
concerns. As you state, some of them are American citizens. Also
regarding immigration status, that would clearly fall under the Immigration
and Naturalization Service.
QUESTION: You probably noticed, someone in the building must have
noticed, Israel and Jordan are having a problem now on water. Dennis Ross
has either left or is leaving. Israel is his first stop we understand. Is
there anything the U.S. will do in the way of assisting these otherwise
cooperative parties to get over this hurdle?
MR. DINGER: That is clearly an issue that the Jordanians and Israelis
have been working on. I don't have anything to add from the U.S.
perspective on that issue, or their attempts to resolve it.
QUESTION: When you say they've been working on it, they've been working
on water.
MR. DINGER: Right.
QUESTION: But their problem is that they're not working on it right now.
They've had a flare-up and it has caused a cancellation of a ceremony that
seemed innocuous enough, of a ceremony that both would have an interest in
staging. I was wondering if Dennis Ross, or the U.S. in any other way, was
going to try to help them get over this argument.
MR. DINGER: Dennis always has a flexible schedule and a flexible agenda
on his trips. I really don't have anything for you on whether this might
be an element of his agenda. Clearly, it's an issue that the two sides are
working on, and it is perhaps best left to them to give you a status report
on what their efforts might be to resolve it.
QUESTION: Is he still leaving today?
MR. DINGER: Yes, Ambassador Ross still plans to leave today.
QUESTION: Has left or is?
MR. DINGER: I don't believe he has left yet, but I believe he leaves
sometime this afternoon.
QUESTION: Has his office or any other part of the building noticed the
Justice Minister of the Palestinian Authority telling the Associated Press
that if anybody sells lands to Jews or Israelis
-- there were two different versions of what he said -- that they would
face the death penalty? Does anybody in the building find that jarring?
MR. DINGER: We have seen the reports of statements made by Palestinian
officials on that subject. We are looking into the matter. I can not
confirm it at the moment. If true, clearly that would be very disturbing.
QUESTION: It would be disturbing?
MR. DINGER: It would be very disturbing.
QUESTION: Would it be a form of terrorism that you wanted renounced; and
you keep thinking you hear renounced?
MR. DINGER: It would be very disturbing.
QUESTION: Would it cause any reevaluation by this building or Mr. Ross
and his office of the Palestinian Authority's interest in peace with
Israel?
MR. DINGER: I'm really not going to speculate on the issue beyond the
point that I've made; that it would be very disturbing to us if those
statement were true.
QUESTION: We could ask you every day whether you found - because usually
looking into something is usually the end of any public statement unless
the reporter keeps asking. Do you want us to ask, or should we assume that
when you - if this is - this whole event is now 48 hours old and,
presumably, you are in touch with the Palestinian Aauthority. The man has
a name.
There are real quotes there. He's an office-holder in a quasi-Palestinian
state. What were you looking into: whether he said it or not or whether
he means it, or what?
MR. DINGER: We are looking into all aspects of it and trying to
determine if it's true. If it is true, it would be very disturbing to
us.
QUESTION: How are you looking into it?
MR. DINGER: We, obviously, have many contacts with the Palestinian
Authority.
QUESTION: So you --
QUESTION: Will Dennis Ross look into it?
MR. DINGER: I don't have any details on his exact agenda.
He is very flexible in his travels, but I don't have any details on
exactly what --
QUESTION: (Inaudible) make a special trip to look into it if he is in
the area. I wondered if this would bear in any way on his mission?
MR. DINGER: Yes, I can't rule that in as a subject of conversation, and
I cannot rule it out.
QUESTION: The way you -- how do you raise it? I mean, can you demarche
the Palestinian Authority or does it have to be less formal than that?
MR. DINGER: Well, we have a lot of contact with the Palestinian
Authority, as you well know. It can be raised in any one of those manners.
I don't have any details for you on exactly how we are looking into it at
this point.
QUESTION: Let me just - this is a tiny, little question.
You can send a state-to-state sort of demarche to the Palestinian
Authority? Is that something you can do?
MR. DINGER: Well, divorcing it from this particular issue, I'm not sure
whether we exchange. I would doubt that we exchange formal correspondence
of that sort with the Palestinian Authority.
But, certainly, we have any number of means of contact with the Palestinian
Authority and, of course, we are in very, very frequent contact with
them.
QUESTION: Yesterday, the State Department was prepared to be concerned
about something it didn't even know was being practiced. If the reports
were true, you were very concerned.
You have had another day now. Has the Department come up with any numbers
as to how many Palestinians, particularly Palestinian Americans, which is I
guess, the nexus of your concern --
MR. DINGER: Yes.
QUESTION: -- are being so threatened?
MR. DINGER: Are you talking about the passport issue?
QUESTION: Uh-huh.
MR. DINGER: I can look into that. I have not looked into it t try to
get numbers for you. I am happy to do that.
QUESTION: You see, what I'm sort of asking is, I don't think - and if
I'm wrong, please, correct me -- that you or the State Department even
could verify that this was going on. But you went public yesterday saying,
you know, that this is awful.
MR. DINGER: Well, clearly, if we can provide you with anything, it's
going to be anecdotal to the degree that Palestinian Americans have
approached the consulate in Jerusalem.
QUESTION: That would be fine.
MR. DINGER: Right.
QUESTION: No, if somebody has brought you a complaint.
MR. DINGER: Right.
QUESTION: But yesterday the State Department didn't know if anybody -
how many, if any -- had brought a complaint. But you jumped on the Israeli
Government anyhow.
MR. DINGER: I would be a little surprised. I believe that we certainly
acknowledged that we have received these complaints.
QUESTION: You have received complaints?
MR. DINGER: Oh, yes, absolutely.
QUESTION: Oh, okay. From a U.S. citizen in Palestine?
MR. DINGER: That's correct.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR. DINGER: It is very common. American citizens, very rightfully,
turn to their representatives overseas in embassies or consulates when they
have an issue that concerns their well-being.
It is very natural that they have come to the American consulate in
Jerusalem when this issue arrived. It has happened. I just do not know in
what numbers. Certainly, I cannot state that all Americans who may have
confronted this problem have approached us, but we can look into trying to
find out some degree of --
QUESTION: -- proportion?
MR. DINGER: Right. Yes.
QUESTION: I would like to ask some questions about the Cuban accusation.
MR. DINGER: Yes.
QUESTION: The Cubans are saying that the U.S. has been perpetrating
biological aggression against the Cubans, and that on October 12th, I
believe it was of last year, that a plane, a small plane, sprayed some
province in Cuba with some substance. The State Department does not deny
that the plane was over-flying Cuba and that some sort of smoke was sent
out from the plane. Was this a government plane that did this, whatever it
did?
MR. DINGER: Okay, I will go through in a little more detail the
statement that we have prepared. First, we categorically deny the
outrageous charges made by the Cuban Government regarding the alleged
discharge of thrips palmi insects over Cuba to damage agriculture there.
The United States has not engaged in any act which would be a violation of
our obligations under the 1972 Convention on the Prohibition of the
Development, Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin
Weapons and on Their Destruction.
The accusations made by the Government of Cuba are clearly deliberate
disinformation. The Cuban Government has charged that an aircraft of the
Department of State used in narcotics crop eradication deliberately, on
October 21, 1996, released a biological agent, thrips palmi insects. This
aircraft on October 21 was, indeed, en route the Bogota, Colombia, via
Grand Cayman Island and had obtained clearance from Cuban authorities to
fly over Cuba en route to its destination.
The Cuban Government, in a note of December 26, 1996, which we will make
available to you, expressed concern that the aircraft had released some
unknown substance. In a note of February 2, 1997, which we also have
available for you in the press office, we informed the Cuban Government
that the aircraft's pilot observed a Cubana commercial aircraft flying
below him. The pilot marked his spot by using the aircraft's smoke
generator. The pilot was following prudent and safe aviation procedures by
marking his aircraft's location with smoke.
We note that all aircraft used for crop eradication by our Department of
State International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Bureau are
equipped to generate smoke. They are also equipped with an aerosol
sprinkling system. During long flights, the sprinkling systems are not
operational. Instead, the tanks which normally carry herbicides are
actually used to carry fuel.
At no time did our aircraft engage in contact which would violate U.S. or
any international law. We point out that the United States was among the
original parties to the Convention on the Prohibition of the Development,
Production, and Stockpiling of Bacteriological and Toxin Weapons and on
Their Destruction. The United States serves as one of three depositories.
We are in full compliance with the Convention's provisions. The United
States unilaterally destroyed all stockpiled biological agents prior to
entry into force of the Convention.
QUESTION: A toxic substance is a biological - are you using toxic and
biological interchangeably? Have they accused you of biological warfare or
trying to -- or toxicity?
MR. DINGER: They accused us of discharging an insect --
QUESTION: A chemical.
MR. DINGER: -- call the thrips - no, I don't believe it's a chemical.
In fact, let me --
QUESTION: I'm not familiar with it, but I wondered if toxic -- because
the toxic is included in the recitation of the various pollutants.
MR. DINGER: I believe the Convention covers both items.
QUESTION: We have (inaudible.)
MR. DINGER: Sure. Actually, I see that the note from the Cuban
Government is in Spanish. So I could try, but I don't think I will. The
events occurred as we said. This pilot, this plane, requested permission
from the Cuban Government, was granted it; was pursuing normal, safe,
aviation procedures.
QUESTION: He did not release it, then?
MR. DINGER: He did not release a thing. This is an outrageous charge
that is absolutely false.
QUESTION: Was it, in fact, a U.S. Government plane?
MR. DINGER: Yes.
QUESTION: It was?
QUESTION: But it did release smoke?
MR. DINGER: It did release smoke. My understanding is that the
American pilot was flying in Cuban airspace, per his permission. He
noticed a commercial airliner, a Cubana Airlines, relatively nearby. As a
safety precaution, because it is a relatively small plane -- unfortunately
I don't have the exact type of plane, but a relatively small plane. He had
the ability to mark his spot. The pilot released some smoke just to insure
that the commercial pilot - that he was clearly visible to the pilot. And
that happened.
The tanks that are used for the plane's other purposes were not carrying
anything except fuel, and nothing was released over Cuba.
It is simply not true.
QUESTION: Can you speculate on why you think these charges are being
made?
MR. DINGER: The Cuban Government, I think, has in the past engaged in
disinformation. I don't really want to speculate.
There are many who would speculate about Cuba's might be attempting to
divert attention from domestic difficulties by throwing up this outrageous
charge, but really that is not for me to speculate about. You might ask
the Cuban Government why they want to engage in this sort of activity.
QUESTION: Do the folks in State who follow such matters think that the
Solana/Primakov meeting can wrap it up? The NATO - the charter issue. Is
it that close to resolution?
MR. DINGER: As we know, NATO Secretary General Javier Solana and
Russian Foreign Minister Primakov are meeting in Luxembourg today. These
are the latest in a series of discussions that aim to define the arrangements
for a NATO-Russia relationship. We certainly hope that Secretary General
Solana and Foreign Minister Primakov will be able to build on the
constructive discussions that Secretary Albright and Foreign Minister
Primakov held last week.
We also certainly hope that Mr. Solana and Mr. Primakov can make progress
on their own discussions that they have held, that they have made in
earlier meetings. Clearly, much work remains to be done; nevertheless, we
would note that President Yeltsin's interest in completing negotiations by
May 27th appears to us to be a clear expression of the seriousness with
which Russia approaches these negotiations. That is the seriousness of
approach that we and NATO share. We are certain that this sense of purpose
will characterize the discussions today. We do need to point out, however,
that NATO has not set a deadline for completion of the NATO-Russia
document.
QUESTION: On NATO, the Slovenian Prime Minister, did you hear anything
from Mr. Talbott to encourage Slovenia's hope to join NATO?
MR. DINGER: As you know, the Madrid Summit will address the first
potential new members to NATO. We have not made a final decision of those
members. We have not ruled countries in or out.
That decision will be made in Madrid.
QUESTION: Well, when Slovakia was in here the briefer was - went public
with criticizing Slovakia, not on economic grounds but on the other
criteria: the way they are moving towards democracy, the U.S. didn't think
fast enough. Can you offer any appraisal of Slovenia's credentials?
MR. DINGER: I think that could conceivably send false signals, either
positive or negative, and I don't think it is productive for us to discuss
what the criteria are and how Slovenia may meet them or not meet them.
These decisions will be made in Madrid by NATO. We have not announced our
candidates that we support and it would be premature to do that today.
QUESTION: Different subject?
MR. DINGER: Sure.
QUESTION: Zaire. Does the U.S. Government have an opinion about what
should happen to Mobutu's overseas assets if he leaves as suspected?
MR. DINGER: There are a host of international laws and domestic laws
that undoubtedly would come into play on an issue like that. No, I don't
have anything to offer you or to speculate on what may happen to any assets
President Mobutu may have overseas.
QUESTION: The international laws, as I understand it, deal primarily
with ill-gotten gains. So are you saying that these are potentially ill-
gotten gains? If you are saying that international law applies to it,
because that is the only case in which international law applies to this
kind of case.
MR. DINGER: When you apply international law, some things fall outside
it; some things fall inside it. I'm not going to predict. One, I'm not
going to predict what assets President Mobutu may have overseas; and, two,
I'm not going to predict or speculate on whether they will fall into the
illegal aspects of the law or not. I'm just not going to speculate on that
because, undoubtedly, it will be a very complex issue, as we've seen
in past instances where these charges of ill-gotten gains or assets
stored or kept overseas have come up. So it is not fruitful to speculate
on that, I don't think.
QUESTION: Some of these gains were gotten from the CIA.
Whether that is legal or illegal I don't know, because the CIA has been on
both sides of that line. Does American law, having Swiss gold in mind,
does American law in any way cover any necessity for the dictator of Zaire
to return some of the money he was given by the U.S. Government when you
liked him?
MR. DINGER: I don't know. I certainly can't confirm anything about
intelligence activity at all.
QUESTION: Can American law be invoked?
MR. DINGER: All I can say is that if it turns out there is a need to
assess assets that President Mobutu may have in the United States - or,
conceivably, we may have an interest in assets that he may hold overseas --
if that happens, we will certainly apply our laws and we will look for the
correct application of international laws.
As I say, one, I don't want to speculate on what assets he may have
overseas; and, two, I don't want to speculate on whether they will be
termed in any way legal or illegal or ill-gotten or legitimately received.
QUESTION: With this issue sort of coming together with that of the Nazi
gold issue, I would expect the report to be released tomorrow has
something to say about lessons that could be learned and changes that could
be made in the international banking system to avoid this kind of -- that
kind of situation again. Would you like to see the Swiss, perhaps the
Portuguese maybe and the Americans, to apply some of the things they
learned in this process and relate it to the treatment of Mr. Mobutu's
assets that aren't entirely dissimilar from the other?
MR. DINGER: The study of the Holocaust assets, the preliminary study of
the Holocaust assets that will be released tomorrow, is in large part, if
not totally, an historical study looking at the facts. Our effort to try
to determine, based on an enormous number of documents that we have in our
files, in our archives, attempt to study it and decide what happened. If
there are lessons to be learned from that, hopefully, they will be learned.
But tomorrow's study, I don't believe, will address that aspect of
the issue.
QUESTION: But there will be follow-on -- "studies" may be the wrong word
-- looks at what can be done to reform the international banking system.
Is that not right?
MR. DINGER: I would not be at all surprised if people don't use this
report; perhaps historians or academics, perhaps government officials,
might want to use this report as a basis to study these sort of issues that
you bring up. I can just point out that eleven U.S. Government agencies
participated in this project. Some 15 million pages of documents were
identified relating to the issues involved.
In the largest undertaking of its kind, more than 800 thousand documents
in the National Archives were declassified and made available to the
researchers for the first time. This was a major effort to look at what
happened historically. If this is helpful to analysts from now on, that
certainly is proper and fine, but this was an effort to analyze what
happened.
QUESTION: Fresh from that experience though, would you like to see the
Swiss and others be more forthright about Mr. Mobutu's assets? Would you
like them to open up and take a real look at it rather than sort of
glossing it over and saying we don't have any?
MR. DINGER: As appropriate, depending on what develops in Zaire with
President Mobutu. Certainly, we hope everyone in the international
community to enforce both international and domestic laws. I can't go
beyond that.
QUESTION: John, the rebel army apparently, or elements of it, is within
50 miles of Kinshasa. Where do efforts stand at arranging a peaceful
transition?
MR. DINGER: First, let me bring you a little bit up to date on
Ambassador Richardson. Ambassador Richardson was in Botswana this morning.
He met there with the President of Uganda, Museveni, the President of
Tanzania Mkapa, and the President of Zimbabwe, Mr. Mugabe. He later
traveled to Cape Town, where he met with Deputy President Mbeki.
Ambassador Richardson expects to leave tomorrow for Paris, and in Paris he
will brief the French on his trip. Regarding the situation in Zaire, the
facts on the ground tell the best story about what is happening there. We
cannot say with certainty the exact status of the alliance forces, but
certainly there are many reports putting rebel forces somewhere between 50
to maybe 150 miles of Kinshasa.
It is increasingly apparent that President Mobutu or his representatives
need to urgently conduct negotiations with the rebel alliance.
We believe that the point of those negotiations, that the goal of those
negotiations, should be to arrange, ensure, a peaceful transfer of power;
that it should result in an inclusive transitional government; that the
transitional government should lead as soon as possible to elections; and,
that in those elections the people
of Zaire should be able to choose the people who govern them.
QUESTION: But he is apparently preparing to go to Gabon for a three-day
conference. Are you in touch with Mobutu or with his representatives, and
are you telling him not come back to Kinshasa afterwards?
MR. DINGER: Well, we are certainly in touch with President Mobutu and
certainly in touch with his close officials and, of course, Ambassador
Richardson saw President Mobutu just recently onboard the South African
ship.
The decision by President Mobutu, as to what he does and the decision by
the rebel alliance regarding President Mobutu's future status and, of
course, the decision by the people of Zaire regarding President Mobutu's
future there, are all decisions for them to make, not for us to make.
QUESTION: Does the U.S. Government have a position on whether the rebel
forces should take or hold back from taking - that's really the reverse.
Does the U.S. have a position on whether the capital should be taken by
force of arms or does the U.S. have a preference, perhaps that they should
resolve, reach some accord, before the capital itself becomes a battleground?
MR. DINGER: Our primary concern is a peaceful transfer of power.
QUESTION: Can there be a peaceful transfer of power if rebel forces move
into the capital?
MR. DINGER: It seems increasingly apparent that rebel forces will move
into the capital. They are very nearby. They are moving quickly.
QUESTION: In fact, if they hold back, there is a danger that the
remnants of the Zairian Army might plunder in the absence of any effective
force.
MR. DINGER: Well, certainly, there is speculation about what might
happen. I think we can say now when the rebel forces arrive in Kinshasa,
what we believe is necessary is for President Mobutu and the current
Government of Zaire to enter in negotiations immediately with the rebel
alliance to ensure that there is a peaceful transfer of power, and that we
see a nonviolent transfer of power, avoiding any bloodshed or any violence;
that that will lead to an inclusive transitional government; that that
government will then, as soon as possible, lead to elections where the
people of Zaire can decide who will govern them.
QUESTION: So you have no - it came back to my original question. You
have no preference as to his future travel plans?
MR. DINGER: That is not for us to decide. That is for the people of
Zaire and their representatives to decide.
QUESTION: Given the proximity of the rebels, though, is there time for
negotiations?
MR. DINGER: Oh, yes. Yes, we think there is definitely still time for
negotiations. The Government of Zaire and President Mobutu could certainly
enter into direct contact with the rebel alliance; or, the South Africans
obviously have played a very, very useful role and, I am certain, are still
very willing to play a useful role as an intermediary. Yes, we think there
is still time but it is obviously urgent. We believe it is in the
interest of everybody to ensure that there is a peaceful transfer of power
to an inclusive interim government.
QUESTION: Regardless of the U.S. druthers about Mobutu, what are the
U.S. expectations now that he is leaving the country:
that he will return or that he will leave behind somebody to negotiate and
not return?
MR. DINGER: The facts on the ground are beginning to indicate, as all
of you well know, that there may not be much time here until a transfer of
power takes place. It seems increasingly obvious that that is going to
happen. Our point is that it should be peaceful. Our next point is that
it should lead to an inclusive transition government. Our next point is
that that should lead to elections where the people of Zaire choose who
will govern them.
What the absolute aim here and what the fundamental goal of Zaire should
be, and all the parties involved here, is a democratic Zaire, and one that
represents the interests of the people of Zaire, and one that leads to
stability and increased prosperity for the people of Zaire.
QUESTION: But the question I was asking you is not what the United
States wants to happen philosophically, but what the United States'
expectations are, having had contact with Mr. Mobutu, now that he is
leaving the country? Does the United States expect that he will return?
MR. DINGER: Well, first of all, I can't confirm for you that President
Mobutu has plans to leave the country. Certainly, we see reports that he
intends to travel to Libreville for a conference there. I am not in
position to confirm that for you. That is a decision --
QUESTION: You can't personally, or is it that the United States just
doesn't know what his plans are?
MR. DINGER: We have seen reports that President Mobutu is going to
travel to Libreville. The United States Government cannot confirm those
reports for you. I would refer you to President Mobutu's circle of
advisors.
(Laughter.)
QUESTION: How concerned is the U.S. by reports that Kabila has taken
over the railroad, has nationalized the railroad; has, therefore, cut out
the South Africans, the French, the Belgians?
They have considerable stock in trade in this railroad.
MR. DINGER: Well, there is clearly another issue here.
There are two things that Zaire is going to need: One is a democratic
government, two is a market economy. We have seen the reports that the
rebel alliance has taken over the railway. We cannot confirm those. I
would point out that Rebel Alliance Leader Kabila has stated publicly that
he believes in the principles of a market economy.
We certainly hope that he not only truly believes what he has stated
publicly, but that he also follows those practices. There is simply no
question here that for Zaire to fulfill its potential - and that potential
is undeniably great - it does need a free market economy, and it does need
a stable government.
QUESTION: Do you think - did Mobutu believe in a free-market economy?
MR. DINGER: I believe there is certainly - I don't believe Zaire has a
command economy. I'm not sure that anything is a command economy.
QUESTION: No, it didn't have a command economy. I thought it had a rip-
roaring 1880's version of an American capitalistic economy.
MR. DINGER: Although I think you might --
QUESTION: So I don't know what you lose.
MR. DINGER: Well --
QUESTION: Number one, I don't know if that's a change and, number two,
you haven't mentioned about the other necessary ingredient, a commitment to
democracy. You feel Kabila is committed to democracy?
MR. DINGER: We believe that the future of Zaire depends on two points:
One, a democratic government and, two, a free market economy. That should
be clear to everybody. That is --
QUESTION: (Inaudible) in your direction on point two. Do
you have -
MR. DINGER: Point two was which, I'm sorry?
QUESTION: The market.
MR. DINGER: The market. Mr. Kabila has stated publicly that he
supports that. This is an issue that Ambassador Richardson has raised with
Alliance Leader Kabila, and we believe that everyone should see it being in
their interest that there be a democratic, market-oriented Zaire. That is
clearly the trend of history and it is difficult to perceive of anybody
being blind to that fact.
QUESTION: All right, but as things - without getting into it - as things
stand now, does Richardson or anybody else have the impression that this
fellow has an instinct for democracy?
MR. DINGER: Well, we note his public statements on both issues.
QUESTION: I just - you just - did note it on one issue, on the
economy.
MR. DINGER: Alliance Leader Kabila, I think, has made the same
assurances regarding a transition to elections.
QUESTION: Oh, I see.
QUESTION: So you believe that there will - that he would hold elections
or permit elections?
MR. DINGER: We believe it is clearly in his interest, and we certainly
call on him to create, or help create, a democratic Zaire based on the
principles of a market economy.
QUESTION: And democratic elections?
MR. DINGER: Correct.
QUESTION: Has he told Ambassador Richardson that?
MR. DINGER: I believe he stated it publicly.
QUESTION: Has he given you a firm time frame for holding those
elections?
MR. DINGER: I don't believe he has, and we believe it should come as
quickly as possible. Clearly, there will be a number of issues to address
once there is a peaceful transfer of power.
QUESTION: So if you want it quickly, you figure it is doable; right?
MR. DINGER: Oh, it is --
QUESTION: With government figures in Zaire, very quickly you could have
a democratic country?
MR. DINGER: I don't want to put some artificial deadline on these sorts
of things. We think it should be done as quickly as possible.
QUESTION: I'm just wondering how quickly it could be done in Zaire.
MR. DINGER: Frankly, I think the record shows that a country that
follows those two principles receives assistance from the international
community. It draws in private investment.
These are the keys to success. We have been calling for some time for a
transition to democracy. We certainly hope that the future leaders of
Zaire, whoever they may be, believe in those principles.
QUESTION: John, do you --
QUESTION: -- experience with (inaudible).
MR. DINGER: There have been many, many leaders in the world today who
previously held different views and have seen that it doesn't work.
QUESTION: Well, it worked for him for a long time.
MR. DINGER: There are many, many, many examples.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) have them handy. I assume there is no aid
going to Zaire now, but isn't there some sort of minor assistance under
some program or another? Do you know how many U.S. citizens? I think you
had the figure recently.
MR. DINGER: We believe there are approximately 400 U.S. citizens still
in Zaire, the vast majority in Kinshasa. I should point out, our reports
from Kinshasa today are that it remains calm. There is still commercial
transportation. Markets are open. We, of course, urge and have urged all
American citizens to depart Zaire, and we have ordered all of our
nonessential employees out as well.
QUESTION: Did they get any aid that you know of?
MR. DINGER: I don't know about any current aid. Certainly we provide
humanitarian assistance in Eastern Zaire. Of course, we've given over a
billion dollars to the Central Lakes Region of Africa in recent years.
QUESTION: John, are you all putting any stock in this rumor that is
floating around Zaire that Mobutu is going to explode a research reactor
after he leaves the country?
MR. DINGER: I've never heard that rumor.
QUESTION: There were publications today.
MR. DINGER: Sorry.
QUESTION: Do you have anything to say about the state that Mr. Mobutu
leaves his country in, if he leaves?
MR. DINGER: Clearly Zaire is a country in great distress and we think
there are two things that can help lead it out of that distress. They are
democratic elections and a market economy.
QUESTION: We (inaudible).
MR. DINGER: Good.
QUESTION: Call me in the morning, but not by the weekend.
QUESTION: You'd have to call Kabila.
QUESTION: On Mexico, can you confirm or deny that the United States
denied asylum to Pablo Chapa Bezanilla a former persecutor in the Salinas
de Gortari brother case?
MR. DINGER: I would refer you to the Department of Justice, which would
have received any application for asylum in the United States. I don't
have anything for you on it here.
QUESTION: Do you have anything on his case at all, John, like your view
of whether he's being treated fairly by the Mexican authorities?
MR. DINGER: I don't have anything for you. Of course, since there are
reports that he applied for political asylum, we, as a matter of course, do
not comment on applications for political asylum. I don't want to say
anything that might influence such an application, should it exist.
QUESTION: John, on Iraq, just yesterday at the U.N. Sanctions Committee,
the United States blocked, or blocked in full or put on hold, 108 contracts
to provide humanitarian aid to Iraq. Iraq, of course, is complaining that
the U.S. is holding up aid, and the U.S. has not said -- up at the U.N.
they referred us down here -- as to why the U.S. has been holding up these
contracts.
MR. DINGER: Well, I think there is --
QUESTION: The U.N. Sanctions Committee.
QUESTION: There is something to keep in mind about that report. The
principal thing is that it is not the issue of contracts being approved or
not approved that is in any way affecting the flow of food under
Resolution 986 to Iraq.
In fact, we have delivered - I don't have it in front of me today, but a
considerable amount of food under Resolution 986 has arrived in Iraq and
is waiting to be distributed. The Iraqi Government has not distributed it.
The focus here needs to be on Iraq. The United States was the sponsor of
Resolution 986.
We all know the goals of that Resolution. It was to allow food and
humanitarian assistance to reach people in need in Iraq.
We, very legitimately, insisted that strict controls be applied to that
food and that assistance to insure that it reached the people that needed
it. Iraq has virtually, from the beginning, made every effort, every
effort, to circumvent these rules that are aimed at insuring that the food
reaches the people who are in need. It is Iraq that is causing these
delays. It has nothing to do with the United States or the contracts. It
is Iraq that is responsible.
QUESTION: In this case it is not anything that Iraq has done; it is just
these contracts have been given by western companies to the U.N. Sanctions
Committee and the U.S. has vetoed 108. Do you know why?
MR. DINGER: There is no issue here about these contracts that involves
food reaching the people of Iraq. The issue is that there is food. Food
has reached Iraq. The Iraqi Government, through its consistent efforts and
continual efforts to try and circumvent the restrictions included in 986,
has resulted in any problems it is encountering. Let's keep the focus and
responsibility where it needs to be, and that is on Iraq, period.
QUESTION: So the food that is in port, or wherever it is, the food and
medicine needs to be delivered first before you will approve these new
contracts?
MR. DINGER: No. I'm just pointing out that if there - I really do not
know any of the specifics about contracts. But the point is that any
contracts that may be being delayed, for any reason, are not affecting the
delivery of food into Iraq at this moment. In fact, there is food that has
arrived in Iraq and it not being distributed because the Iraqi Government
is trying to circumvent the restrictions that are in place in order to
insure that the food reaches the people for whom it is intended.
QUESTION: Do you know how much food has been delivered
in the last past that hasn't been distributed?
MR. DINGER: We have it in the press office. I'm a little hesitant to
do it off the top of my head.
QUESTION: On the Bezanilla case on the asylum question, do you know if
the State Department weighed in with a recommendation?
MR. DINGER: You know, we don't comment on --
QUESTION: On whether you make a recommendation?
MR. DINGER: That's right. We don't comment on asylum cases.
QUESTION: How about generically? Does the State Department usually have
an opinion about asylum cases?
MR. DINGER: Generically speaking, the State Department is often asked
for advice on asylum cases, yes. We very, very rarely, if ever, comment on
those cases publicly. In this case, of course, it is alleged to be taking
place in the United States, so it is clearly the Department of Justice.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) country. Yesterday the Government of
Baghdad, they accused the northern part of the Kurdish section, because
they used water more than they needed, and for that reason the rest of the
country doesn't have enough water and blame that Saddam Hussein is blamed
to the United States give the order to do this. Do you have comment on
this subject?
MR. DINGER: I don't have anything for you on that issue.
I saw the report and certainly wouldn't give any credence to anything that
the Government of Iraq says in general. But I can't comment specifically
on that report for you.
Thank you.
(The briefing concluded at 2:05 p.m.)
(###)
|
