PRESS CONFERENCE BY UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE

Press Briefing

PRESS CONFERENCE BY UNITED STATES SECRETARY OF STATE

The United States and its European allies were more effective in supporting United Nations peacekeeping operations when they worked together, United States Secretary of State Madeleine Albright told correspondents at a Headquarters press conference yesterday afternoon.

Ms. Albright said that the United States–European Union partnership was strong and growing stronger. The range of issues that had been discussed at a recent working lunch between representatives of the two sides underscored the depth and breadth of the relationship. The meetings were a part of an “almost continuous” conversation between the America and Europe.

During that meeting, a considerable amount of time had been devoted to southeastern Europe, she said. With a series of critical elections scheduled for the weeks ahead, the Secretary of State and her European counterparts had discussed ways to make clear their solidarity for free and fair elections in Serbia. With winter fast approaching, they had also discussed strategies for assisting Kosovo’s communities in meeting the needs of the most vulnerable.

The transatlantic partners had agreed that there was a need to reinforce their efforts under the Stability Pact, she said. The only way to ensure that important projects were carried out in a timely and tangible way was by backing up pledges with resources and by ensuring that Stability Pact obligations were met.

The Secretary of State said that European security and defence policy had also been addressed during the meeting. The two sides were working on the basis of a shared vision, one that strengthened both European capabilities and the transatlantic link. They would continue to work together closely to ensure that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)-European Union linkages enhanced both institutions. They would also continue to support the involvement of non- European Union NATO allies in Union security deliberations.

The United States was committed to making the “oil for food programme” in Iraq work, she went on to say. Despite Baghdad’s refusal to meet its Charter obligations and to abide by Security Council resolution 1284 (1999), the United States would continue to work to create a more sustainable foundation for all United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Ms. Albright said that without reform, the United Nations financial structure was unsustainable. There was now increased agreement that the United Nations scales of assessment, particularly for peacekeeping, needed to be revised.

She was gratified that Aung San Suu Kyi was now able to receive some people at her residence in Burma and that the National League for Democracy (NLD) offices had been reopened. Even though Aung San Suu Kyi was still not able to move freely around the country, the Secretary of State believed that the United Nations had made a concerted effort to state the international community’s disgust with what the Government authorities had done. She hoped

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that the international community would continue to voice very loudly their opposition to the decision of the Burmese authorities not to allow the democratically elected NLD to take their rightful place.

A correspondent noted that in a speech to the United States Congress today, India’s Prime Minister had called for an understanding regarding India’s need for a nuclear programme. What was the Secretary of State’s response to this proposition?

Ms. Albright replied that the United States was working very hard to build a qualitatively better relationship with this important country. Narrowing the differences on the nuclear non-proliferation issue was clearly an important part of this process and would remain on the agenda.

In a meeting earlier today with her Pakistani counterpart, she had asked that Pakistan sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty, she said. The United States was disappointed that neither Pakistan nor India had signed the Treaty. At this stage, it was important that a moratorium on testing continue. She was planning on discussing this issue with Prime Minister Vajpayee in Washington tomorrow.

There were reports coming out of Baghdad today that the Russian and Iraqi Governments had reached an agreement to resume civilian air flights out of Moscow possible as early as October, a correspondent stated. The French Government had also recently said that it would not stand in the way of humanitarian flights by French citizens to Baghdad. What was the American view on these decisions?

The Secretary of State replied that resolution 1284 (1999) had to be abided by. Foreign Minister Vedrine of France had made clear that the resolution had to be carried out. Resolution 1284 was the road map for President Saddam Hussein to get out of “the sanctions box”, she said. The United States disagreed with those who wished to fly into Iraq.

She noted that it was very hard to figure out what “humanitarian” meant. The Iraqis were pumping between $16 and $20 billion worth of oil this year. They were also importing 12,000 cases per month of scotch whiskey. She wasn’t sure if this was food or medicine, but it was proof that there was plenty of money for President Hussein to provide for his people. The elite was living very well. The United States would continue to abide by resolution 1284, and she expected other countries to do so as well.

What was the position of the United States regarding the Serbian opposition’s statement that if they won the election, they would apply for the Yugoslav seat at the United Nations? a correspondent asked.

Ms. Albright replied that the United States had always felt that the current occupant of the Yugoslav seat at the United Nations was not the

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Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which was what they theoretically represented. The other States that were a part of the former Yugoslavia had reapplied for membership. Hopefully a free and democratic Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, which would also include Montenegro, would reapply.

The United States supported the democratic forces of Montenegro, she said. If the opposition won in Serbia, the United States hoped that Montenegro would be able to operate within a more democratic Yugoslavia. It was important that the international community and the Serbian people remain vigilant throughout the process, especially the counting process, so that they could expose what happened and reject the results if the election were stolen.

What was the Secretary’s view of the Canadian initiative to strengthen international action vis-à-vis violation of human rights? a correspondent asked. She replied that she and Lloyd Axworthy, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Canada, had shared many theoretical discussions on the topic. The Brahimi report on United Nations peace operations included many suggestions on how to improve peacekeeping and how to improve the lot of peacekeepers.

In response to questions on the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, the Secretary said that Palestinian negotiators were currently meeting with Ambassador Ross in Washington. September 13 had passed without the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian State. She believed that this was a positive development and provided some breathing space for negotiations.

The issue of Jerusalem remained a delicate subject, she said. There were attempts being made to find a way so that both parties felt that their needs were met. Neither side could have 100 per cent of what it wanted. There was a great deal of imaginative work going on and she hoped that the questions would be resolved.

She said that the location of talks was movable. It was more a matter of where the critical mass was. The location was not the issue. It was necessary to have the flexibility, both of process and of thought, in trying to get these issues resolved. Camp David had been a watershed because issues were discussed that had never been approached before. The talks were one of her major priorities as they were for President William Clinton.

Asked how she interpreted the Iraqi accusation that Kuwait was stealing Iraqi oil, Ms. Albright said that after almost 10 years of dealing with that issue, she “genuinely had trouble believing one word out of the mouth of any Iraqi”. She also said that there had been some question as to whether the Saudi “over-flights” had been carefully orchestrated in order to create a confrontational atmosphere during the Millennium Summit and General Assembly.

The Secretary of State believed that the issue of Saddam Hussein was one of the more troubling ones that the international community had dealt with. Saddam Hussein was not invented. He had crossed an international boundary, invaded another country, raped and pillaged and helped to destroy the way that country operated. He had taken prisoners of war. He had lied about the fact that he had weapons of mass destruction. He had prevented United Nations

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inspectors from entering Iraq. He had refused to abide by the will of the international community. This was not an issue that was based on her tenure. It was one that was American policy.

The United States had made clear their “red lines”, she said. These included attacks or provocations against the Kurds in the North, threats against neighbors or against United States forces, or a reconstitution of weapons of mass destruction. The United States had a credible force in the region and were prepared to use it in an appropriate way. The bottom line was resolution 1284.

Asked whether the decline of the American contribution to the United Nations budget had been discussed at her meeting with the European Union, Ms. Albright replied that it had been a substantive subject of the lunch. Changing the scale of assessments was very much an American priority because the United States wanted to make the United Nations work. The United Nations could not depend on one single country for a large proportion of its contributions. Legislation had been passed which allowed the United States to pay the arrears but it required that there be a change in the scale of assessments.

Did Ms. Albright feel that the Secretary-General deserved a second term? a correspondent asked. It was her belief that the Secretary-General Kofi Annan had done a magnificent job. She was very proud of the fact that he had become Secretary-General while she was working at the United Nations. He was a pleasure to work with. She thought that he was an excellent Secretary-General. Fortunately, she did not have to worry about his re-election.

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