
USUN PRESS RELEASE # 44B (02)
April 1, 2002
Remarks by Ambassador John D. Negroponte,
U.S. Permanent Representative to the United Nations, at the Security
Council Stakeout April 1, 2002
Ambassador Negroponte:
I don’t think I have much to add to what
Ambassador Lavrov had to say, other than we have had a couple of
discussions today about the situation in the Middle East. And the
decisions taken this afternoon in the consultations were to wait until
our meeting with the Secretary-General tomorrow at lunch where this
question will be explored further. I took the opportunity at our
consultations this morning to point out that terrorist attacks have
continued in the wake of the passage of the
resolution
on Saturday. There have been at least three suicide bombings in
Israel. I also pointed out that during the month of March alone, one
hundred and twenty-two Israelis were killed during the Intifada. I
think that one has to look seriously at the question of these
continuous acts of terrorism and call upon President Arafat and the
Liberation Organization to do more to bring these continue acts of
terror under control.
Reporter: Ambassador, there seems to be some confusion
about the message coming from the Bush Administration on the
implementation of
1402. In his briefing, today Phil Reeker said
“there needs to be a move towards immediate cease-fire as well as a
withdrawal of Israeli forces right now.” The White House seems to be
more focused on the cease-fire. Can you clarify what the U.S. position
is?
Ambassador Negroponte:
What the
president of the Security Council
said this morning was that we agreed that there should be a call for
an immediate cease-fire and an implementation of the rest of the
resolution; but the rest of the resolution, as you know, contains a
number of ingredients in the peace process. And the question of
precise sequencing is something that is yet to be determined. And I
think that is also incumbent on the parties on the ground and the
negotiators on the ground, General Zinni, the Quartet, and the parties
most immediately concerned in the region to be working on these
questions. So the resolution does not predetermine the exact timing of
that issue. But it does call for an immediate cease-fire and it calls
for work to begin immediately by the parties towards implementing both
1397 and
1402.
Reporter:
Does the Secretary-General and also
Ambassador Kolby -- introducing the resolution -- said that “there
should be no sequence in terms of the implementation of the two key
elements of the resolution, cease fire and withdrawal of Israeli
forces.” You seem to be suggesting that there is some sequencing.
Ambassador Negroponte:
What I am saying is that the call is
for an immediate cease-fire. In addition to that there are other
ingredients of this situation that are discussed in the resolution and
all of which need to be implemented; but obviously these things have
to be discussed in detail on the ground in the region. General Zinni
has been hard at work. Secretary Powell, the President -- all of them
-- have been involved in talking to the various parties concerned over
the weekend and today. I think that some of this has to be left -- a
lot of this has to be left to the players in the region, who are the
closest to the situation.
Reporter:
We heard you say that (inaudible). We don’t
hear you say clearly that Mr. Sharon has to also do what the Council
says.
Ambassador Negroponte:
Well, I think that we have repeatedly said
that the government of Israel has got to recall. That there is not
only a tomorrow but a day after tomorrow. And that ultimately there
is not military solution to this problem. That ultimately it is a
political solution that is going to have to be arrived at. So, yes, we
have frequently -- we have called these considerations to the
government of Israel’s attention. I think that there can be no doubt
as to what our position is in that regard.
Reporter:
Asked this morning about the possibility
third party intervention. Maybe some sort of observer, peace keeping
troops, some sort of intervention. The Secretary-General said that
“those discussions were very much at the forefront.” Is the US engaged
in those sessions? What position do you have on the possibility of
getting some sort of intervention in there to help them get a
cease-fire?
Ambassador Negroponte:
My understanding is the questions of
possible observer activity would have to be determined down the road.
To the best of my knowledge this is something that General Zinni and
others have only talked about in the context of an arrangement that
would be mutually agreed by the parties involved, that is to say the
Israelis and Palestinians. This again is not something that can be
imposed without consideration of the will of the parties from here in
New York.
Thank you very much.