33 Press conference with Prime Ministers Netanyahu and Blair- 19 April 1998

Prime Minister Netanyahu: I think if we were able to impress anything on Prime Minister Blair, it is in our fervent desire to see this process go forward, and indeed conclude first with an interim settlement and then with a final settlement of peace between Israel and the Palestinians. I welcome the opportunity to meet a true friend of Israel and a true champion of peace who actually has a proven track record, and to receive some thoughtful advice from Tony Blair. I want to make it clear that I am prepared to go anywhere at any time and specifically in the next month to any location and possibly to London to try to advance the process. We are all aware of the fact that there are American proposals: they provide a framework for discussions on how to move the process forward. It is no secret to you that our number one consideration is security, and on this we cannot and we must not yield. But I believe if we have got good will on all sides, it is possible to advance the negotiations and to arrive at what I hope will be a breakthrough; to open up a broader peace and a better future for Palestinians, Israelis and our other neighbors as well.

Prime Minister Blair: Thank you very much, Prime Minister. Can I say that I welcome very much the chance to have what has been described as constructive discussions here, and also to realize and appreciate the enormous possibilities there are if we can only make progress on these peace negotiations. And I welcome very much indeed what has just been said by the Prime Minister and I think his offer to go within the next month and to have a serious process of negotiation is extremely important.

I believe that the American proposals do provide a constructive way forward and if we can have good negotiations then there is the chance that we can get the type of agreement that can get people peace with security for the long term.

I believe that what is tremendously important in a situation such as this is that people do see that progress is happening. I know there has been tremendous frustration - I am sure that frustration is felt everywhere within this region - and the best cure for that frustration is actually that progress can be seen and that people believe there are positive concrete steps being taken in order to bring about a negotiated settlement.

I welcome also the fact that the Prime Minister made it very clear that this agreement has to be one that deals with the interim issues and of course the Final Status Negotiations as well. I hope very much in this next period of time to have more discussions. I would very much like an opportunity to have a further meeting with the Prime Minister, and I thank him for the most cordial and constructive discussions this evening. I look forward to meeting him at the dinner again tonight, and then we will carry on with our journey tomorrow.

Question: Do you think you are going to achieve your goal of the opening of the airport or the Karni gate between the Palestinians and Israel?

Prime Minister Blair: In relation to the airport and the industrial park, I know that discussions have been going on intensively over a period of time on that. I hope that people can get close to an agreement on those issues. Of course, as ever, they are not a substitute for the settlement of the other interim issues. It is important that progress is made on all those questions, but of course, the greater degree of prosperity and the greater degree of trade and industry the better the prospects are - long term - to peace. So I think as part of the settlement of the interim issues, these things are tremendously important. I hope there is progress upon them.

Question: Prime Minister Blair, Prime Minister Netanyahu has spoken about traveling somewhere in the next month, possibly to London. Does that mean that you are thinking of holding a conference in London under your chairmanship? Who else would you invite? And if you talk about having interim and final settlement negotiations, would you see them going on simultaneously or sequentially, Mr. Netanyahu?

Prime Minister Blair: First of all, I'll answer on the first point. Certainly not. I don't know where the particular discussion of the American proposals will take place. That's obviously a matter for the parties concerned. I would be happy if they were in London but that, as I say, is a matter entirely for them. Where I believe we can play a role is obviously to try and help in resolving the issues that are outstanding and clearly the economic issues. The rest of the interim issues are an important part of the process, so anything we can do constructively we will. But I emphasize as I said when I was answering questions in Egypt and again in Saudi Arabia and Jordan, it is not our purpose to do anything in any way that cuts across the American effort. The American proposals are there, they are the proper basis for discussion.

Question: (Hebrew...)

Prime Minister Netanyahu: I would like to begin negotiations on the final settlement of peace as soon as possible. I made that offer to Mr. Arafat close to a year ago, but as it stands now I believe that if we are able to achieve progress and indeed seal an interim settlement then I would see as part of the package the immediate resumption or initiation of final settlement negotiations. That is, the resolution of the interim settlement between Israel and the Palestinians should pave the way for a permanent settlement of peace, negotiations for a permanent settlement between us.

Question: (Hebrew...)

Prime Minister Blair: Let me express my sympathy to the young man's family in respect of that terrorist act. And can I say in respect of the Palestinian Authority and security, I do believe they want very seriously to address this problem and that is precisely one of the reasons why we believe that we can do something to assist. If there is any assistance that we can give, we are delighted to do so and it's really a question of trying to make sure that the best available advice is there for security that is possible so that the Palestinian Authority can fulfill its duties to maintain security in a proper way.

Question: Having had, Prime Minister, your detailed talks with Mr. Netanyahu, can you now foresee the sort of breakthrough here that has taken place in Northern Ireland?

Prime Minister Blair: I would say it is far too early to say that. Let me say once again, as I've said continually over these past few days, there are always similarities, but there are also huge differences, different situations and different countries and in particular Britain's position is different in relation to this issue here.

However, I do believe that provided there is a genuine willingness to make progress, then progress can be made. What is important is again to emphasize that if progress is not made, with all these situations, if they don't move forward, they tend to move backwards. What is vital here is to try to make that progress. That's why I said I welcomed the fact that the Israeli Prime Minister said he was willing to go and discuss the proposals that the Americans made and I hope do so in a constructive way. I have made clear my own position that I agree the American proposals are the proper framework here.

But in the end, it depends on people being really determined to see this thing through and realize that we have got to devise a way in which the proper concerns that Israel has about security can lie alongside the proper concerns of the Palestinians; that they are able to develop in a way that they foresee for the future and in a way that guarantees their justice and integrity. So it is far too early to talk of a breakthrough, but I think what is important is that people want there to be a breakthrough. That is the first step.

I also believe here is a situation in which if that willingness really exists then progress can be made; people will want to see it backed up with concrete steps. It is not enough simply to talk the language of wanting to agree; there has to be concrete proposals that develop from that, otherwise it has no credibility. As I say, I welcome the fact that the Prime Minister has indicated his position in respect of that and I look forward to discussing these and other issues with him again now over these 24 or 36 hours.

Question: Mr. Blair, Yasser Arafat says if there is no final deal by next May, he is going to declare independence. Is it fair to say that you believe that this issue of independence can only be worked up by the parties and should not be subject to any unilateral action even if it's after next May? And what about what the Prime Minister said here, that he is willing to go anywhere: are you trying to create a dynamic to get Arafat to say the same thing tomorrow to break the logjam? And the last point, in the Northern Ireland situation, when it came to the infrastructure of Irish terrorists, you did not make that a precondition for talks. Mr. Netanyahu believes without rooting out the infrastructure, you can't have talks. Do you see a similarity on the issue of infrastructure as a precondition for progress?

Prime Minister Blair: it was actually very much a precondition of Sinn Fein being involved in the negotiating process in Northern Ireland that there would be a complete and absolute ceasefire and non-violence. So I want you to realize that the two things were connected. But in respect of other things, I would like to see the parties resume proper negotiations and make progress. Now, as I say, I'm willing to do anything I can to help that, but there are others involved in this, and it can only happen if people want it to happen.

But, you know, ultimately the price is too great to let it slip from our grasp and what I would say to you is that people will say all sorts of things which are really an expression of frustration at the fact that the process seems to be going nowhere at the moment. The best way to get people's confidence is to start the process rolling. If people think it is going somewhere, beginning to travel again, then their hopes begin to rise. So let us not exaggerate the significance of what we can achieve at this junction. I think that if there is a chance for parties to come together in really serious business, then it's got to be good. Everyone understands that it is far better that the process works as was envisaged.

Question: As I understand, Mr. Netanyahu has acknowledged his position which, as Mr. Blair has discovered, has provoked frustration amongst some of the other leaders he has been seeing, so is there anything emerging from tonight that Mr. Blair can say tomorrow to Mr. Arafat that won't provoke frustration in him as well? And can I ask you what the difference is between Tony Blair and Robin Cook?

Prime Minister Blair: He is one of our least helpful journalists.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: May I say, the British press often provokes frustration too, with Israeli prime ministers.

Prime Minister Blair: I would be very pleased if President Arafat was in a position of wanting to ensure that this process is moving forward. As I said, the American proposals are there so, of course, that would please me, and I suppose anyone who is watching this situation from afar, because people want to see movement and change. The Israeli Prime Minister, by indicating a willingness within literally the next few weeks to go and react constructively - that, I hope, counts for something and means something. Of course, he has made it clear that his primary concern is Israel's security and that is precisely the context within which discussions take place.

Prime Minister Netanyahu: The follow-up to your question before I respond to the second part of it. The follow-up to my response is this: we are just as frustrated as anyone else. We want to see peace. I have suffered wounds of war as every family in Israel. I have small children and I want to see peace for them. But peace must mean a real peace. It cannot be that Israel is the one that fulfils agreements and it is the only one that does so. And that the need to fight terrorism is left unattended, the need to abolish the covenant calling for Israel's destruction remains unfulfilled.

Progress means progress on all fronts and we're surely willing and able and ready to play our part. We are willing to enter serious negotiations and discuss the issues at hand, the interim settlement, the American proposals with a view, of course, of being flexible where we can and being firm where we must. We know exactly where this line is drawn because it is where the vital national interests of Israel stand and that's where we stand. I think with that attitude we can achieve progress, and we are certainly eager to achieve that progress because we believe that it would benefit us and everyone else.

What was your second question? Well, first of all, I am very happy to see Tony Blair here; this is not our first opportunity to meet and I think each one gets better, actually. It is a fact that Mr. Cook visited Israel before, and you see that he prepared an excellent visit. The proof is Mr. Blair's being here, and I am sure Mr. Cook will come here again and that we will have successful visits with him.

Question: Why are you not meeting the Mayor of our capital, Ehud Olmert? Is it not a breach of protocol? And may I ask you - some of your colleagues from the British Parliament think Israel should release Mordechai Va'anunu. Do you also think so?

Prime Minister Blair: In relation to the issue of protocol, what I find is that in any visit like this, people make all sorts of allegations about protocol from either side: which visits were supposed to be there and which were not. We have got a very packed program indeed, we have met as many people as we can and we are delighted to meet those...(broadcast cut).