USIA - State Department Report, 97-08-01

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

STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, FRIDAY, AUGUST 1, 1997

(Middle East, Colombia, Northern Iraq, Dolphins, Burundi, Sierra Leone) (710)

Deputy State Department spokesman Jim Foley conducted an informal briefing. No transcript is available.

MIDDLE EAST -- Foley said that Secretary Albright "will likely travel" to the Middle East, after the visit to Israel of Dennis Ross, the U.S. envoy for Middle East peace negotiations. Ross is going to Israel after the mourning period for those killed in the July 30 terrorist bombing in Jerusalem. Foley said that Albright would make a decision on her trip after Ross returns. Her trip "will depend in part on the results of the Ross mission," the deputy spokesman added.

The United States has been in "intense consultations and talks" with Israeli and Palestinian officials ever since the bombings, Foley said. "We believe now that the overriding focus has to be on creating an environment of security, and indeed, I believe that will be the focus of Ambassador Ross's trip to the region."

Foley told questioners that "we believe that it is imperative that the Palestinians do all that is possible within the areas that they control to eliminate terrorism."

Also on security, he emphasized that cooperation between the two security authorities -- Israeli and Palestinian -- "needs to thorough and systematic." He said that it is beneficial to both parties for the security issue to be addressed.

He noted that legislation for assistance to the Palestinian authority expires August 13. The administration has sought to extend the legislation, but with Congress in recess, the legislative authority would lapse. This will affect direct U.S. assistance to the Palestinian authority, some for administrative needs, and allowing a PLO office in Washington, which would have to suspend operations on August 13. When Congress returns, he said the administration will work for an extension of the legislation.

Other Developments:

COLOMBIA -- In a posted statement, the State Department announced that the United States and Colombia August 1 signed an agreement which will allow the United States to continue counter narcotics assistance to units of the Colombian armed forces. "We are please that we were able to conclude this agreement, and believe it will strongly promote both our counter narcotics and human rights objectives in Colombia," the statement said.

NORTHERN IRAQ -- Foley in a posted statement said that the United States, as part of its continuing commitment to northern Iraq, has decided to provide $4 million for humanitarian relief projects in that area. The funds are intended to ameliorate the exceptionally difficult humanitarian problems that exist in and around the northern governorate of Sulaymaniyah. "As with all its efforts concerning northern Iraq," the statement continued, "the United States will continue to respect the unity and territorial integrity of Iraq."

DOLPHIN PROTECTION -- The deputy spokesman in a posted statement noted that "in a victory for dolphin protection," the House passed July 31 the International Dolphin Conservation Program Act by unanimous consent." The bill was passed by the Senate on July 30 by a vote of 99-0.

He said the "legislation benefits the marine ecosystem as a whole by relieving the pressure to fish by methods that produce high catch levels of immature tuna and bycatch of other marine species."

BURUNDI -- In a posted statement, Foley said the United States condemns the July 31 executions of six people by the government of Burundi. "These executions are particularly disturbing as Burundians are prepared to meet in late August for all-party peace talks." The U.S. government is "concerned that the executions will further polarize Burundian public opinion and make the achievement of peace and the ending of 'impunity' more difficult," Foley said.

SIERRA LEONE -- Foley in a statement said the United States is "deeply concerned" by the July 30 announcement of the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and Revolutionary United Front (RUF) of Sierra Leone that it will attempt to hold power until 2001 and by its refusal to follow through on commitments made to The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) during July 19 discussions to negotiate restoration of the democratically-elected government of President Tejan Kabbah.

Foley said the "continuing actions of the AFRC/RUF contradict the will of the people of Sierra Leone as expressed in the free and fair elections of 1996."

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