USIA - Transcript: Secretary Of State Intv With Reuter News Service, 97-02-13
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TRANSCRIPT: SECRETARY OF STATE INTV WITH REUTER NEWS SERVICE
(Albright urges Russians to drop "old think" on NATO) (2190)
Washington -- Secretary of State Albright has called on Russians still
opposed to expanding NATO not to be victims of "old think."
"It's very important for people not to have 'old think' about NATO and
about the direction in which we want to go," Albright told Reuter News
Service reporters Carol Giacomo and Patrick Worsnip during an exclusive
interview February 13.
"Generally, people need to not see NATO as an adversarial alliance against
Russia, but, basically, a way that the institutions of Europe can be
strengthened in a security system that is not opposed to somebody but is a
way of stabilizing an area out of which two world wars started."
The NATO-Russian Charter which is being negotiated would set up a
consultative mechanism which would give Russia a voice in NATO activities,
Albright said. She noted that the Russians have already played a cooperative
role with NATO in Bosnia, where they have been part of the NATO structure
and have been "a part of a responsible approach to dealing with a dangerous
situation."
Albright will be visiting Moscow February 19-21, during her first overseas
trip as Secretary of State.
Following is the interview transcript provided by the State Department:
(begin transcript)
Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright Interview with Carol Giacomo
and Patrick Worsnip of Reuters, Washington, D.C.
February 13, 1997
As released by the Office of the Spokesman U.S. Department of State
MS. GIACOMO: As you head on this trip, I understand that NATO -- and
enlargement -- is one of the big issues that you'll be dealing with. There
are some very -- increasingly vituperative rhetoric coming out of Moscow
about this issue. I wonder how you read that, and how you plan when you are
there to try to make a difference? Are you carrying a CFE proposal with
you? Do you have any other new ideas or perhaps a package of ideas that's
now firm to present to the Russians?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Let me put this into some context. First of all, the
President has made very clear that one of his highest priorities in the
second term is to have an undivided free Europe, a democratic Europe; that
that's very important, and to try to get away from artificial dividing
lines.
It's very important for people not to have "old think" about NATO and about
the direction in which we want to go. Generally, people need to not see
NATO as an adversarial alliance against Russia but, basically, a way that
the institutions of Europe can be strengthened in a security system that is
not opposed to somebody but is a way of stabilizing an area out of which
two world wars started.
The Russians and those who are speaking against it are basically also the
victims of this "old think," of seeing NATO in an adversarial way.
What I am going to be doing as a lead-in to a lot of the things that the
President is going to be doing later is to explain that we see them as
being in two kinds of relationships: one with NATO and the other with us.
One of the things we're going to be looking at is the NATO-Russian Charter
which will help set up a consultative mechanism, a council -- a joint
council -- that will deal with methods whereby they can have a voice -- not
a veto but a voice -- in some of the activities that NATO will be
undertaking.
So it's an issue here of making them see that this is not against them;
that it is important for them to work with NATO to deal with -- well, a
perfect example is the cooperation that we've all had on Bosnia, where they
have been part of the structure and have been a part of a responsible
approach to dealing with a dangerous situation.
MS. GIACOMO: But the United States has been at this for a while and there's
been an intensive effort by the Americans and the Europeans to convince
them of exactly all that you said, and yet the rhetoric seems to be getting
worse and then there's talk about possibly using nuclear weapons in
retaliation of conventional attack if that were to come.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I don't buy into that. I think that the important part
here is, from what we know, that the people of Russia don't see it that way
nor does the responsible leadership. It's very important not to get into
that kind of approach to it because that's not where we see it happening. I
hope that one of the things that I can do, when I'm there, is to make them
understand this is a period when they can be with us; where we also
understand with them the importance -- the overriding importance of a good
U.S.-Russian relationship, where we will be doing everything we can in
order to make them understand that there is an overriding aspect to that
bilateral relationship.
MR. WORSNIP: Can I ask about Northern Ireland? There's been reports that
you've called off a meeting with the British Northern Ireland Secretary,
supposedly because of disagreements over policy. I wonder if you could
address that. Also, could you say whether you feel that U.S. policy
hitherto has been too favorable to Sinn Fein?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Let me say, first of all, this is how misunderstandings
begin. As you start a trip, you try to sort out what potential appointments
work and what doesn't work in terms of the schedule of the person that
you're visiting and how meetings jive with each other and whether you can
get everything in. So there has been absolutely -- and I underline
absolutely -- no attempt to do anything but arrange meetings and no
intention at all of not having a meeting. My staff was basically looking at
ways of trying to deal with a lot of different issues when I'm in London.
I'll meet next time.
MR. WORSNIP: What about the other part of the question?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I'm sorry. I think that what's been very important here
-- I think the American role has been important -- the President and then
Senator Mitchell -- in terms of trying to get the peace process going,
these talks going. We have tried very hard to have a balanced approach in
order to get the parties to the table because we think that the only
solution to the Northern Ireland problem is through negotiations and
through dialogue -- peaceful dialogue.
MS. GIACOMO: Is a balanced approach still appropriate, though, or is it
time -- in fact the rhetoric coming out of the State Department and
elsewhere lately seems to be a little tougher on Sinn Fein.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think we're concerned about violence always and any
escalation and have made it clear that violent action is not the way to
resolve this issue.
MS. GIACOMO: Would you say your approach is tougher than in the past?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I don't want to characterize it. I think it's just
important -- here we have an issue that we have to deal with. We believe
fully that it's important for there to be talks; that violence is not the
answer to the Northern Ireland problem.
MS. GIACOMO: As you go to China, have you made a decision on the U.N.
resolution -- whether to go forward with that or not?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: We are in the process of -- I'll have an answer for you
before I go.
MS. GIACOMO: Before you go to China?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well, as --
STAFF: We have 12 days.
MS. GIACOMO: Are you expecting some sort of gesture from the Chinese? Has
there been any hint that they will ratify the two conventions?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Don't overestimate this. My trip is the following --
and maybe we should put that into context a little bit. There obviously is
the first trip that the Secretary of State takes -- as I said, my maiden
voyage, but I'm too old to be a maiden. But basically I had wanted to go to
the countries that are the power centers and countries that we're going to
be dealing with as we move forward on our agenda, looking for a common
agenda.
What I decided to do, a little bit different from my predecessors, is to go
to Asia at the same time as I'm going to Europe in order to signal the
importance of the Asian relationship. In that context, it was very
important that I go to China, along with the Republic of Korea and Japan.
So this is a way for me to renew some acquaintances; a way to put some
agenda items on the table and look for ways that the countries that I'm
seeing can be talking about what our common responsibilities are. I am
looking for what anybody would look for in an initial trip, which is to
have a good exchange of views.
MS. GIACOMO: How much importance to you ascribe to the fact that China has
indicated that it's willing to make some of the sessions on the WTO
membership that the United States has been looking for?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I think that it's always a good sign when there is some
adjustment in views that have been held by a country that are moving closer
to the kinds of things that we're interested in. But I want to make that
judgment after I have had a full chance to talk to them about it.
MR. WORSNIP: You've said several times in your Senate testimony that you'd
like to do something about Cyprus, but many experts on Cyprus think that
this is not a good time; that the situation got worse rather than better,
and that the parties are not really in a mood to deal. How do you propose
to move that forward?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Obviously, we are all concerned about the increase in
tensions on the island of Cyprus, and I think we want to make sure that the
situation does not worsen in any way. But I do think also that, as we've
talked about before, the 1997/1998 period is a very important one in terms
of their desire to accede to the EU and their elections in '98. I think
that we need to assess the situation where it is now and see what the
opportunities are, keeping in mind the calendar that's taking place on the
island itself.
MS. GIACOMO: Do you have a strategy for dealing with Cyprus yet? I know
you've only been in office a couple of weeks, but have people put together
a plan?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: There have been a number of ways of looking at it, but
I can't say yes, that there is a -- I do not have a piece of paper with a
strategy on it yet. But I do know that it's very important to defuse the
tensions and try to use this period in a way that can help us use the
advantage of the calendar, if I might put it that way.
MS. GIACOMO: Have you talked to Dagmar since all this information
(inaudible)?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: No, I have not.
MS. GIACOMO: Are you seeking to talk to her or will you talk a little bit
about how you plan to pursue this further?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: This is a very personal issue, and I am dealing with it
in a personal way. I think that what is most important here now is that I
roll up my sleeves and be Secretary of State. That is what I was hired to
do, and I am dealing with this issue in what I think is an appropriate way,
which is my family and I are dealing with it as a personal issue.
MR. WORSNIP: Do you think all this media hullabaloo about it is preventing
you from doing that, from rolling up your sleeves and (inaudible).
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: No. I think that I have dealt with it, and I have given
a number of interviews about it or made comments about it, but I think that
I need to get on with the trip and do what I need to do. I don't think it
has stood in my way. I think we're all able to deal with personal issues
and professional issues. I truly do think that what is important to think
about here is that this is an incredible country where people came and come
in order to have the possibility of following one's personal life where
there is tolerance, optimism and generosity. I would hope that I would be
given the chance to pursue my job in the way that I think is best. What I
would like to do is repay this country for the generosity that it has shown
to me and my family. So I would like to be given that opportunity, and when
I have more to say on this subject, I will. But in the meantime, we're
dealing with this in a personal way.
MS. GIACOMO: Thank you.
(end transcript)
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