USIA - State Department Report, 97-06-19

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From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at <http://www.usia.gov>

REPORT ON STATE DEPARTMENT NOON BRIEFING, JUNE 19, 1997

(Cambodia, Congo/Kabila/investigations, Pacific Salmon talks, Iraq)(900)

CAMBODIA -- Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, scheduled to visit Cambodia June 28, is eager to "show United States government support for the efforts of the people of Cambodia to bring full democracy and stability and prosperity to that country," Dinger said. But he said that desire is tempered with concerns regarding the fighting going on there between troops loyal to the two co-prime ministers.

Dinger said the United States strongly supports the commitment to democracy and development expressed by the Cambodian people just four years ago during the UN-sponsored elections in 1993. "We urge all sides to take immediate steps to prevent further violence; we call on Cambodia's leaders to resolve their political differences peacefully and to abide by the principles of the Paris peace accords," Dinger said. "In the long term, the best way for us to protect our interests in Cambodia and to support the efforts of the Cambodian people is to remain engaged and to try to continue to help them strengthen democracy."

Dinger could not confirm reports that Pol Pot, leader of the Khmer Rouge, has been captured. But he noted that the United States strongly supports the 1994 Cambodian Genocide Justice Act, which aims at bringing to justice those Khmer Rouge responsible for genocide and crimes against humanity committed under their rule from 1975-1979. "It is up to Cambodia to determine if it wants to request an international tribunal, establish a domestic tribunal, or pursue some other option," Dinger said.

"We expect to support any decision that the Royal Government of Cambodia makes on that issue," Dinger said. He noted that the United States has been "deeply involved" in trying to supply to the government of Cambodia the information it needs to address the crimes, and that has been mostly through the Yale Cambodia Genocide program.

CONGO/KABILA/INVESTIGATIONS -- Dinger was asked to respond to press reports that say Laurent Kabila, the new President of the Republic of Congo (formerly Zaire), has instructed local officials to do as little as possible to help U.N. investigations into alleged refugee massacres by his troops. (The Washington Post, June 19, "Congo Leader Bars Helping U.N. Probers," by John Pomfret)

"Those are reports in the press; what we know is quite a bit different," Dinger said. According to Dinger, Kabila, during talks with U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson, "agreed to U.N. investigation of reported massacres of refugees."

"We expect him to keep his word," Dinger said, "and we expect him to cooperate fully with the U.N. investigation." He added that the United States has no reason to believe Kabila will not live up to his promises.

Dinger said U.S. criteria for "full cooperation" includes: full cooperation by local Congolese officials; unfettered access to all witnesses and alleged massacre sites; and, no hindrance by Congolese security forces.

It is in Kabila's interest to allow the investigation to be freely conducted, Dinger pointed out. The investigations "can dispel the rumors of atrocities," he said. "If that's not the outcome, then it can uncover facts, and hopefully lead to bring the people responsible for the atrocities to justice. Either way, we need to resolve it; and it's in the interest of Mr. Kabila and the country of Congo to do that."

An advance team, led by Georg Mautner-Markoff of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva, will arrive in Kinshasa June 20, Dinger reported. A full team of eight investigators, including two forensic specialists, is expected to begin investigations around July 7.

Dinger noted that John Shattuck, Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, met in Rwanda June 10 with Vice President Paul Kagame, who also promised full cooperation with U.N. investigations. Uganda, as well, has been approached by the United Nations to cooperate with investigations, Dinger said, but the focus of U.N. investigations will be in the eastern portion of the Republic of Congo.

PACIFIC SALMON TALKS -- U.S.-Canada talks on Pacific Salmon resumed June 18 and will continue through June 20, Dinger said.

IRAQ -- The U.N. Security Council was called upon chief weapons inspector Rolf Ekeus to send a "strong message" to Iraq regarding its unwillingness to allow the U.N. special commission (UNSCOM) to inspect suspected weapons cites. Ekeus briefed the Security Council yesterday on Iraq's latest efforts to block UNSCOM's work. UNSCOM must certify that Iraq has no weapons of mass destruction before the United Nations will lift trade sanctions imposed on Iraq for its 1990 invasion of Kuwait.

Dinger said that in response to Chairman Ekeus' briefing, the United States and United Kingdom are jointly circulating a draft resolution to members of the Security Council which "would take appropriately tough steps to show the Council's full support of UNSCOM and to demonstrate to Iraq in no uncertain terms that it simply cannot defy the will of the Council without penalty." But Dinger declined to discuss what those penalties might be.

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