(Says talks focus on peace negotiations guidelines) January 2, 2001 President Bill Clinton and Palestinian Chairman Yasser Arafat will meet on January 2 at the White House to try to reach a "common understanding" about getting Mideast peace negotiations restarted, said Jake Siewert, White House press secretary, prior to the meeting of the two leaders. "We have heard from the Israelis that they think that such a negotiation is worthwhile, and they think that they would be happy to sit down. But we're waiting to hear back on a final answer from the Palestinians," he said while briefing reporters in Washington January 2. Siewert said that Clinton spoke with Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Barak last weekend. As a result of the telephone calls, it was decided that Arafat should come to Washington, Siewert said. "They agreed that it would be useful to meet today and try to see whether we could come up with the general parameters, whether we could have a common understanding of the parameters that would guide such a negotiation," he said. Clinton will use the time remaining in his administration to continue to work on the Mideast peace process, said Siewert. "But ultimately, it's up to the parties to decide whether they want to sit down and talk." Following are excerpts from the January 2 Siewert briefing: (Begin excerpts) MR. SIEWERT: I have no announcements for you. I'll preempt the most obvious question by saying that we will have some sort of informal readout of the meeting with Chairman Arafat afterwards. I don't think, unfortunately, it will be for camera, but we'll try to make someone available to give you a rundown on what happened in the meeting afterwards. Q: Do you expect that he'll go to the stakeout position? MR. SIEWERT: He usually does, so I don't see any reason why he wouldn't, but we, obviously, you know, have let him know that that is an option that's available to him. Yes, sir? Q: Given the fact that Mr. Barak has said there's really little likelihood of getting a peace treaty before the election, what's your feeling about the success, the possibilities of this meeting today? MR. SIEWERT: Well, obviously the president and Chairman Arafat decided that this was a meeting that was worthwhile to have. And the chairman agreed to come here in the hopes that we could reach some sort of common understanding about the parameters of a negotiation if that were to take place. We have heard from the Israelis that they think that such a negotiation is worthwhile, and they think that they would be happy to sit down. But we're waiting to hear back on a final answer from the Palestinians. In the interim, the president talked to both Chairman Arafat and the prime minister over the weekend, and as a result of that call with Chairman Arafat, they agreed that it would be useful to meet today and try to see whether we could come up with the general parameters, whether we could have a common understanding of the parameters that would guide such a negotiation. The president told you all last week that he's had a chance to share some ideas about how we could have a fruitful negotiation, and we will obviously use the time remaining for us here to stress the importance of doing that. But ultimately, it's up to the parties to decide whether they want to sit down and talk. Q: What's the level of urgency? MR. SIEWERT: Well, there's a -- you know, time is of the essence here. We have a relatively narrow window of opportunity. But the president has promised to work up to the last day, and there's no reason why these negotiations, if they commence, could not be successful. But ultimately it's up to the parties to decide to sit down and to make the hard choices that are involved. Q: Is the president saying, "Take it or leave it"? MR. SIEWERT: Well, the president told you last week that he didn't see any point in sitting down and having negotiations between the parties unless there was some understanding of what parameters of such a discussion would be. And so he laid out his idea of what those guidelines should be. Q: (Off mike) -- accept his territorial parameter? MR. SIEWERT: Well, there is -- look, there's a lot of negotiation to be done if they actually sit down. But the president has shared some ideas, along with his team, with the Israelis and Palestinians, and he thinks that that lays the groundwork for a discussion about how best to move forward. And both sides obviously, in any negotiation, have to give a little bit. But there's more to be discussed. What we're talking about today is whether we can come up with an understanding about the guidelines that would govern any such negotiation. Q: Has the White House seen the Palestinian critique of the peace plan, as they understand it? And what do you think of it? MR. SIEWERT: I don't know that we've seen anything particular. Q: It's on their website. MR. SIEWERT: Obviously, we're in regular contact with the Palestinians. We know pretty well where they see things today, and that's part of what's going to govern this discussion today. Q: Jake, is there any input from the incoming administration, either Colin Powell, Condaleezza Rice, or George W. about, you know, the whole -- you know, about their input to this? MR. SIEWERT: Input, I don't know. I mean, we have been consulting with them on a pretty regular basis. And we appreciated the president-elect's support -- expressed support last week for the way in which we've conducted these discussions. The president appreciates that kind of support. And we have been sharing with them the progress of the discussions and what our own plans are. But I don't know that we're in the business here of getting input from them. The president's obviously worked very hard on this. His advisors and team have spent a lot of time on the details of this negotiation, and I think we'll make our own decisions about how to proceed. But we appreciate the support that they expressed for the president's work on this and effort on this. Q: Is the president optimistic? MR. SIEWERT: I keep getting that question for some reason. The president is determined to work hard on this and work up until the last day to make this -- to give it his best shot and to do everything we can with the window we have left to try to get these two sides back to the table. But ultimately it is up to the parties to decide and to make the hard choices. Q: Jake, with that, some of the Palestinian negotiators are offering rhetoric in support of -- or encouraging the intifada. Do you think it's still possible for the Israelis to be able to trust that they're going to have a deal that the Palestinians will keep? MR. SIEWERT: Negotiations are very hard and there's always a lot of heated rhetoric around them. The Israelis have indicated that they want to sit down and try to hammer out some of these hard issues. These problems don't get any easier with time, and the president has said that they have never been closer to getting a final agreement on some of the toughest issues -- some of the ones that involve compromise and involve tough choices. So, the Israelis want to sit down and try to work these difficult issues through and we are going to do everything we can to try to encourage both sides to sit down and resolve those issues. But ultimately they have to make those decisions, but they want to sit down and talk and the president thinks both sides ought to seize this window of opportunity now to sit down and hammer out some of the hardest issues. Q: Does the president really think the Palestinians should compromise that no refugees can return to their homes? MR. SIEWERT: We are not going to get into the substance of the negotiations. What we think is that they ought to sit down and have an opportunity to talk through some of those differences. Q: Did the president relate to the Palestinians and the Israelis the idea that if they don't act before he leaves office, it may be a while before anything can happen? MR. SIEWERT: Well, I think everyone's aware of the calendar and that there's a pretty narrow window in which to continue the work that we've undertaken with both parties over the last eight years. So I don't think that anyone's under any illusion that we have about 18 days and counting to work through these tough issues. So I don't even know that that's a message that needs to be conveyed. But everyone understands that there's a certain urgency to working these issues out. But at the same time, the president said that he only thinks we should talk if we can agree on guidelines that would guide such a -- guidelines that would govern such a discussion. Q: I don't -- Q: Just to be -- sorry. Just to be clear about today's session, is the president looking for a yes from Chairman Arafat today? MR. SIEWERT: I -- Q: And if not, is the game up? MR. SIEWERT: I don't think that we necessarily expect a final answer on whether he wants to sit down and discuss the -- negotiate with the U.S. and the Israelis the final status issues. What we are expecting is that we -- both sides are going to make a good-faith effort to understand what such a discussion would entail. And I think there's no doubt that he may need to take a little time to consult before he makes a final decision. And we'll be obviously in touch, as we have been throughout the process, with other leaders in the region, stressing the importance, stressing the narrow window of opportunity here. Q: Jake, the 18-day deadline sort of implies that the occupant of the White House is a critical function of whether or not a peace deal is struck in the Mideast. Doesn't that imply that you're concerned that on January 21st the peace talks stop because of the new presidential -- MR. SIEWERT: No, I think both sides have indicated an interest in working with the president. That's why Chairman Arafat is coming to town today -- because he wants to talk to President Clinton about the work that they've done. They've obviously developed relationships, working relationships, over the last several years. And so I think the parties ultimately have to make these decisions about whether they want to negotiate, whether they want to work through these issues. And they have indicated that they would like to work with President Clinton and try to resolve some of the hardest, toughest issues which remain at the end. And so ultimately -- obviously, the president has spent a lot of time on this, has worked very hard on it. He wants to try to make as much progress on this before he leaves office as he can. But ultimately the parties are going to have to make decisions about whether they want to sit down and hammer out the hardest and final issues. Q: Jake, has the framework of these discussions changed really any -- dramatically at all since the Camp David proposals? MR. SIEWERT: Well, I think that we left Camp David with a pretty solid understanding of what divided the parties. And what's happened in the interim is that we have shared some ideas about how to narrow the differences, how to bridge some of the differences between the two parties. And as the president said, that effort has brought the parties closer than they've ever been before to at least understanding what the toughest issues are, where the compromise lies. But there are issues to be negotiated still. That's why we've encouraged both sides to sit down and discuss them. But there's no doubt that we've come some way since Camp David and that we have a firmer understanding of what a final compromise might look like. But it's up to the parties to make those final decisions and that's why we've encouraged both of them to seize this opportunity and try to work through those difficult issues. Q: If I may follow-up for a second. And I guess the undercurrent of my question is, could this kind of deal possibly have been struck back then? MR. SIEWERT: Well, I don't know that there's much point in going through the whole history here. I mean, you heard from the president right after Camp David. He felt that they'd achieved a great deal of progress in working through those issues and thought that they were very close then and possibly could have done a little bit more. But we're focused on the here and now and this is not a time to think back on what could have been. We're focused on trying to use the next several weeks to do what we can to try to encourage the parties to make those tough choices. Q: Should something not come by the time the president leaves office, how confident is President Clinton in President-elect Bush's ability to continue these negotiations? MR. SIEWERT: Well, we're focused on today's meeting, not a meeting -- not the next several weeks. We're focused on what we can do today. And after today we'll let you know what next steps we'll take, if any. But our focus is, as it always has been, on the work that's right in front of us. Thanks. Q: This meeting is not a negotiating meeting, right? MR. SIEWERT: No, this is not a meeting to negotiate. I mean, we need both parties to negotiate. This is to try to reach an understanding of what such a negotiation would look like; what the boundaries of such a negotiation would be and how we would move forward if we were to sit down. As I've said this morning -- Q: (Off mike) -- the president's framework? MR. SIEWERT: We think that any negotiation should take place within the framework that the president outlined, because that's where the really tough issues need to be decided, and that sitting down with a common set of understandings is the most -- is the best way to move forward. And the president's told both sides what he thinks -- where that framework is; where the sidelines are, if you were. But we understand that there's more negotiating to be done and that's why we're encouraging them both to agree to sit down. Q: There has been a criticism in the Arab world about the way -- how President Clinton is dealing with this and trying to achieve a deal before he leaves office, and that is by pressuring the Palestinian side to agree on his proposal. Is this true? MR. SIEWERT: Well, I don't want to get into the substance of the discussions, but I don't think that -- look, ultimately the parties have to make decisions about whether they want to negotiate, whether they want to make the hardest, toughest decisions. No one can force them to do that. We're not trying to force them to do that. They have to make a decision about whether they want to confront these decisions now or they want to confront tomorrow. We think that there is an opportunity now to do it, and we've encouraged both sides to do it. But we're not in a position to tell anyone what they can or can't do. What we're trying to do is encourage them to make the tough decisions, to take the risks for peace. But no one thinks these decisions are easy. The president's made clear that he thinks that these are the hardest issues but that they've been closer and that there's a window now in which both sides can act. And he's encouraged them to do so. But ultimately, that's a decision for the parties to each make on their own. Q: Is the president putting his parameters on paper? And if not today, is he planning to do that sometime? MR. SIEWERT: I don't know that we've put anything on paper, but we have shared ideas with both sides. And in his discussions with Prime Minister Barak and Chairman Arafat over the weekend, he made clear, obviously, where we think the parameters are. I think they understand pretty well where they are, but we're going to sit down today and discuss that probably in a little bit more detail with Chairman Arafat. And we'll hear from him after that meeting, at some point. Q: Jake, does the president still believe that land concession, including holy sites in East Jerusalem -- MR. SIEWERT: I'm not going to -- Ken, I'd love to go through each issue one by one, but if I start down that road, we'll never end. So we'll leave the substance of these negotiations to the negotiators. But what I can tell you is that the president thinks that the toughest issues remain, and he's offered some ideas about how to -- to both sides about how to resolve them. But that still leaves a fair amount of negotiating for both sides to do. Q: The president's aware there's been a lot of conflicting -- Q: (Off mike.) MR. SIEWERT: We've scheduled an hour and a half for it. But that's really just a loose construct on the president's time. Ultimately, the meeting will last as long as it takes, and -- Q: Jake, can I come back to that? MR. SIEWERT: Yeah. Q: The president believes -- there's been, obviously, a lot of conflicting comments on both sides regarding specifically land, but as well -- other issues as well. Is the president at least aware of this? And does he have an -- has he moved his position? MR. SIEWERT: Oh -- no, I think the president has recognized all along that the parties have to make the decisions about what they are going to do. What he's offered is some guidelines about how to try to hammer out those decisions, how to reach those decisions. What -- look, every negotiation involves a lot of give-and-take, and both sides are going to have to decide ultimately what their bottom line is. What we're trying to do is offer them some ideas on how to do that -- some constructive ideas on how to do that. Q: (Off mike) -- some consideration of the plight of refugees in Lebanon, and there isn't any preparation for the countries -- Syria and Lebanon -- for the comprehensive peace that we seek? MR. SIEWERT: Again, that goes into the substance of some of the issues that are best really left for the negotiators and for the parties themselves to discuss. But we've obviously been consulting with other -- some of the other Arab leaders in the region, and we'll continue to do that, and we'll continue to discuss how they can be helpful. All of them indicated an interest last week, President Mubarak and others, in helping do what they could to resolve the toughest issues, and they lent their support to the president's efforts to try to bring this to a close. And we'll wait and hear from them, consult with them further about how we move forward after today's meeting. Q: (Off mike) -- the president, is he willing to accept the possibility of changing these guidelines at all, or are they fixed? MR. SIEWERT: I think -- look, there's obviously -- some of the meeting today is based on the idea of a more thorough understanding of what the guidelines are, but the president said last week very clearly that he thinks that there's not much point in having a discussion unless we agree on some basic parameters that he's shared with them about what those guidelines are and how we move forward. (End excerpts) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
|