16 December 1997
(Special Summit to be held in the U.S. in Spring 1999) (2720) By Wendy S. Ross USIA White House Correspondent Washington -- The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will celebrate its 50th anniversary by meeting in Washington in the Spring of 1999, President Clinton announced at a wide ranging press conference December 16. The NATO alliance "has accepted my invitation to come to Washington for that special summit," the President said in an opening statement. "Together we will strengthen NATO for the next 50 years, and I hope we will be welcoming its newest members." "Earlier today with the simple stroke of a pen we helped to make European history," Clinton noted, describing the signing in Brussels by U.S. Secretary of State Albright and her NATO counterparts of protocols of accession for Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic -- welcoming these nations as NATO's newest members. "The entry of Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic into the alliance will make America safer, NATO stronger, and Europe more stable and united," Clinton said. The press conference was held in the Dean Acheson Auditorium at the State Department, due to Christmas decorations precluding the press conference from taking place in its usual setting in the East Room of the White House. It is "fitting" that the press conference be held in the auditorium named after President Truman's Secretary of State, Clinton said. As Acheson "was in his time, we truly are present at the creation; the creation of an era after the Cold War that might be unrecognizable to the wise men of Acheson's time; a new era of promise and peril, being defined by men and women determined that the 21st century be known as a New American Century." Clinton discussed a wide range of foreign and domestic issues as he reflected on the first five years of his administration and looked ahead to the next three years. "We made the world safer" by ratifying the Chemical Weapons Convention, he said. And, with the leadership of Vice President Al Gore, "we took an important step toward protecting the environment even as we promote global economic growth," at the United Nations conference in Kyoto on global climate change. "We renewed the consensus for honest engagement with China. We stood strong against a rogue regime in Iraq. We made real progress toward lasting peace in Bosnia. Next week I will personally thank our troops there and talk to the Bosnian people about their responsibilities for the future," the President said. "Of course, even as we reflect on how far we've come in our mandate to carry our enduring American values into the new century, we realize we have far to go. Nineteen ninety-eight will be a year of vigorous action on vital issues that will shape the century to come. From education to the environment, from health care to child care, from expanding trade to improving skills, from fighting new security threats to promoting peace, we have much to do both here at home and abroad." Clinton commented on a wide variety of foreign policy issues, including the following: -- BOSNIA: The President said that despite "the continuing difficulties, there has been, in my view, a significant amount of progress in the last 23 months, of which the American people can be justly proud," as can the other countries participating in the peacemaking effort. Clinton said: "We are discussing now actively, both within the administration, with our allies in NATO and our other allies, and with Congress, what should be done after the June date for the expiration of SFOR (Stabilization Force)." He reminded his audience that he will leave for Bosnia the night of December 21 and said "I will have an announcement about what I expect should be done thereafter before I go." -- IRAQ: Clinton said he and his administration are following events involving the Iraqi government and U.N. inspection teams "on a daily basis." Saddam Hussein, Clinton said, "has been in defiance of the United Nations since the end of the Gulf War. That's why we have a system of sanctions on him. And I am willing to maintain the sanctions as long as he does not comply with the resolutions. "If you're asking me, are there other options that I might consider taking under certain circumstances, I wouldn't rule out anything. I never have, and I won't." According to Clinton, since the end of the Gulf War, the world community has known that Sadaam "was interested in not only rebuilding his conventional military authority, but that he was interested in weapons of mass destruction, and a set of sanctions was imposed on him. "There are those that would like to lift the sanctions. I am not among them. I am not in favor of lifting sanctions until he complies." If there is further obstruction from the Iraqis that hinder the U.N. mission in its efforts to do its job, "we have to consider other options." But, Clinton said, "Sadaam has not come out ... ahead on this last confrontation, because now the world community is much less likely to vote to lift any sanctions on him that will enable him to rebuild his military apparatus and continue to oppress his people and threaten his neighbors and others in the world." The President said "we have to be very firm. It is clear to me that he has still not come to terms with his obligations to the international community to open all sites to inspections. We need to wait until Mr. Butler (chief United Nations weapons inspector) gets back (from Iraq), makes a full report, see where we are and where we go." Asked to assess the Sadaam's stability, and whether Clinton thinks he is crazy, the President responded: "Well, if he is, he's clever crazy, on occasion, and then sometimes he does something that seems maddeningly stupid." -- IRAN: Clinton said the current U.S. embargo against Iran "is the right thing to do." But, he added, "I think that the voters in Iran, when they made the selection of the current President, seemed to be sending a signal that they wanted a more open society." The President said he was "quite encouraged" by the Iranian President's recent remarks expressing respect for the people of the United States. Clinton said he always felt "it was tragic that the United States was separated from the people of Iran. It's a country with a great history that at various times has been quite close to the United States. We have had the privilege of educating a number of people from Iran over several decades. Indeed, some people in the present government were able to get some of their education in the United States. And Americans have been greatly enriched by Iranian, by Persian culture, from the beginning of our country." The President said there are three issues which have to be discussed in the context of any comprehensive discussion: -- Iranian support of terrorist activities, "with which we strongly disagree." -- Iranian opposition to the peace process in the Middle East, "with which we disagree," and -- "policies involving the development of weapons of mass destruction." Clinton said the United States and Iran "have to be able to discuss those things in order to have an honest dialogue, just like we have an honest dialogue with China now. "We don't have to agree on everything," he said, but people have to be able to have an honest discussion even when the disagree. "Do I hope that there'll be some conditions under which this dialogue can resume?" he asked. "I certainly do." Asked if Iran might be involved with the June 1996 bombing of the Khobar Towers building in Saudia Arabia in which 18 U.S. service personnel lost their lives, Clinton said: "All I can tell you is the investigation is ongoing, and we are not in a position at this time to answer definitively your question, which is: Who was behind this?" Clinton said he shares the frustration of the families of the victims, and he expressed the belief that the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and its director, Louis Freeh, have "worked hard to try to get an answer." He said U.S. authorities "have tried to work in -- in cooperation with the Saudis, as we had to, since the crime occurred, the murder occurred in their country." -- ISRAEL: Clinton denied he deliberately snubbed Benjamin Netanyahu recently by not meeting with the Israeli Prime Minister when both men were in Los Angeles at the same time. "Let's put the record straight here," said Clinton. "Mr. Netanyahu has been in office only a year and a half, and we have had five meetings. I don't believe I have ever met with any other world leader five times within an 18-month period." He said he expects to meet with Netanyahu early in 1998 "to discuss where we are and where we're going." Clinton noted that Secretary of State Albright recently met with Netanyahu to discuss what the next steps would be in the Middle East peace process. "I think it is important when the President meets on the peace process that it be a real meeting and that there be some understanding of where we are and where we're going and what we're doing together. And I have always taken that position." -- SOUTH ASIA: Clinton said he "absolutely" intends to proceed with his planned trip to India and Pakistan. "The United States," he said, "has an enormous national interest in having greater positive involvement with all of South Asia, with India, with Pakistan, with Bangladesh, the other countries in the region. India already has the world's biggest middle class. Pakistan has had historic alliances with the United States. "There are difficulties in each country which make it difficult for us to resolve everything and to have every kind of relationship we'd like to have. But I still intend to go there next year." The President noted that both India and Pakistan "are now celebrating their 50th anniversary of independence, and I think that it's quite appropriate for the President of the United States to be there". -- MEXICO: Clinton said he expects "to have a name quite soon" as nominee for the post of Ambassador to Mexico, "but I don't want to say the people I'm considering." The post has been vacant since the Republican-controlled Senate blocked approval of his original nominee, former Massachusetts governor William Weld. -- RUSSIA: Clinton said that he and President Yeltsin have agreed to meet again in Russia. "We think it would be better for me to go to Russia after the Duma ratifies START II because then we can work on START III," he said. "I'm glad to see that the President apparently is getting over his little illness, and I expect to see him back to work soon. And I hope and believe the Duma will ratify START II, and when they do, I'd like to go there and talk about START III." He said "it's very important" that Russia ratify the arms reduction pact so that the Russians "not be in an unfair either security or economic position." -- GUYANA: Asked if he had "any words of wisdom" to offer 77-year old Janet Jagan, the American-born widow of the late President Cheddi Jagan, who appears to have won Guyana's presidential election, Clinton said "I think anybody with enough energy to get elected President at that age probably knows what to do. And I'm very impressed. But I'll try to be a good ally, and I hope we can work together. Yes." -- TURKEY/GREECE: Clinton, who is scheduled to meet December 19 with Turkey's Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz, said he believes "it is very important that we do everything reasonable to anchor Turkey to the West." The Turks, he said, have "a secular Islamic government that has been a dependable ally in NATO; they have also supported a lot of our operations in and around Iraq since the Gulf War, and they have been a good ally of ours. I think that is terribly important. If you look at the size of the country, if you look at its geostrategic significance, where it is, what it could block and what it could open the doors to, it is terribly important." However, he continued, he also thinks "it is terribly important for us to do everything we can to resolve the differences between Turkey and Greece. "They are deeply held," said Clinton, "historic, and I am convinced at bottom, ultimately irrational -- to allow the potential that Greece and Turkey both have for future economic growth and cooperation, for political cooperation, for security cooperation, to be broken on the rocks of their differences over Cyprus and other territorial differences in the Aegean, is in my view a grave error. And so I will be talking to Prime Minister Yilmaz about this. I want a resolution of the Cyprus issue very badly. "And, you know, our long friendship, our long alliance with Greece, the role that many Greek- Americans have in our national life would, if nothing else, impose on us a heavy responsibility for trying to work out the problems on Cyprus. But the truth is this is a case where not only does the United States need to be on good terms with Greece and Cyprus, they need to be on good terms with other. If they could sort of take off their blinders about each other and look at what they're really up against for the next 30 or 40 years in their neighborhood in terms of opportunities and threats, this world would be in considerably better shape moving into a new century." -- ASIAN ECONOMIES: Clinton said it is very much in the interests of the United States to support the Asian countries now trying to control their region-wide economic crisis. He said he remains convinced that these countries need strong economic policies. "When you have a problem at home," he said, "you have to address it at home. That's what we did in 1993 in addressing our deficit." He also said he believes the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the other international institutions "should play the leading role, and there is a framework within which they can do that. And we know they can do it successfully, when you look at what happened with Mexico." In addition, he said, "we should be there, along with Japan and other countries, in a supporting capacity when necessary. That is the policy that will work." Clinton said he was "very encouraged" by the steps South Korea is taking to implement the IMF plan. "Now, do I think we may need to do more? I think we may need to do more within the framework that has been established. But that needs to be a judgment made on a case by case basis," he said. -- TAIWAN: Clinton reiterated the nations longstanding One China policy. "The whole framework of America's relations with China embodied in the three communiques is that while we recognize one China, China makes a commitment to a peaceful resolution of the issues between itself and Taiwan. And we have always said that we would view a departure from that with the gravest possible concern." -- TERRORISM: The President said he was responsible for Secretary of Defense William Cohen's order to vaccinate members of the U.S. armed forces against anthrax, a deadly disease that could be used as a biological weapon. "I gave a directive to the Pentagon on force protection," Clinton said, "because I felt that it was more likely that over the next 20 to 30 years we might be in settings with our forces in other countries where they might be exposed to chemical or biological weapons. This instruction grows out of that directive I gave to the Pentagon. I think it is appropriate, and I will support it." However, he said he would not recommend vaccinating U.S. civilians against anthrax. "At this time I know of no expert opinion that would say that those of us that are essentially in the civilian population of the United States should be vaccinated. I don't think the evidence is there that would support that kind of recommendation."