PRESS STAKEOUT WITH PRIME MINISTER SHIMON PERES
FOLLOWING THEIR MEETING
Jerusalem, 21 April 1996, 12:30
PRIME MINISTER PERES: Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to welcome
full-heartedly the Secretary of State of the United States, who came over
here at the very crucial moment, and is again trying to bring things
together, so we shall be able to proceed with the peace process and avoid
dangerous exchanges of fire.
May I say on the Israeli part, just one or two remarks. People are asking
what is the purpose of the Israeli operation? We didn't go to any
operation because we had a purpose, but because we didn't have a choice
but to do it. We were forced in it, in our eyes. It is an act of
self-defense. The Hizbullah has opened fire without any provocation at our
forces and our civilian life. And I believe that their purpose was to
break the peace process and to prevent the continuation of the peace
negotiations. For that reason, what we are trying to make real is that, a:
the peace process will be continued on all fronts in order to reach a
comprehensive peace. And then again, we would like until we should reach a
peace agreement, to bring tranquility to civilian life on both sides of
the frontier and avoid the exchange of fire on the front or the security
zone.
May I also say that all the agreements that were reached until now
beginning with Camp David, going through Oslo, bridging the agreement with
Jordan, continuing with the negotiations with Syria and Lebanon,
were done through the good offices of the United States of America. We
have full trust in the nature and capacity of the United States diplomacy
to bring a real peace to all parties in the Middle East. And we think that
the attempt to negotiate must be organized: it cannot be chaotic; it
cannot be done through channels. And I am noticing, with satisfaction,
that both the other sides, Syria, the Lebanese, and ourselves, are having
full trust and confidence in the American attempt to bring tranquility for
the time being and peace in the future to the Middle East.
We have heard from the Secretary a report about his meeting yesterday in
Damascus. We have provided him with our position. We are trying to reach a
common ground and understanding. We are in the middle of the doing and
making of such an understanding, and I think all of us will continue to
work very hard and very seriously to prevent bloodshed and bring peace to
this region. For this reason again, Mr. Secretary, I welcome you
full-heartedly here to the region.
SEC'Y CHRISTOPHER: Good afternoon. President Clinton has sent me back to
the region to try to seek a ceasefire and achieve an enduring set of
understandings that will prevent an escalation of fighting, and most of
all to protect and preserve the lives of civilians on both sides of the
border.
I just had an excellent meeting with the Prime Minister. We have some
difficult questions to work through, but I feel confident that with his
help and the assistance of other people in the region, we will ultimately
achieve our goals. I emphasize that the resolution of the crisis must be
followed by a resumption of the negotiations, because these events only
make it even more clear that a comprehensive peace in the region is the
only form of resolution to the problems.
I will returning early this evening to meet with President Assad of Syria,
part of an intensive effort to achieve, as I say, a ceasefire and an
enduring set of understandings to restore calm and protect the civilians
on both sides of the border.
Thank you very much, Mr. Prime Minister. As always, it's really an
inspiration to work with you and your colleagues in addressing problems of
this difficulty in character, but we shall persist.
Q: Mr. Secretary, I would like to know, do you see any chance that the
ceasefire will be including the security zone in South Lebanon? And the
other question is, do you intend to have an international mechanism that
will help both sides prevent an escalation?
SEC'Y CHRISTOPHER: I am just at my second stop in this most recent effort.
I think it would not be useful for me to try to get into the precise
details. Negotiations are now proceeding for a ceasefire and for an
enduring set of understandings. At the right moment we will certainly let
you know how those negotiations are going, but I think it's too early for
me to define or try to give you any precise indication as to the nature of
the understandings we're working on.
(translated from Hebrew)
Q: Mr. Prime Minister, I would like to know whether you have decided on a
ceasefire in some format with Secretary of State Warren Christopher, and
when it will enter into effect, and what will its scope be?
PM PERES: We are in the middle of our work. When we finish, we will
clarify its lines.
Q: Can you state a date when the ceasefire will enter into force?
PM PERES: No, I can't. I think that it would be wrong to cite a date. We
have to deal with these matters with patience, not haste. It may take a
little longer. I my opinion, it is more important to reach a good
agreement than, in the name of haste, to reach a bad agreement.
Q: The criteria which you set in the past, that we want a ceasefire but
that firing will continue in Lebanon if Katyushas continue to be fired
do they remain valid? Namely, is Operation "Grapes of Wrath" continuing?
PM PERES: Just as we cannot applaud with one hand, it is impossible to
achieve a ceasefire without two hands. Firing must cease on both sides.
Q: There have been confirmed reports in the past week that arms have been
shipped through Syria to Lebanon. Is one of the conditions for a ceasefire
that Syria will guarantee that future supplies of weapons will not be sent
through its territory to Hibullah?
PM PERES: I would rather not go into details about the negotiations ahead
of time. I think we have to be patient yet for another period of time
hopefully some days and then we shall make clear what are the necessary
conditions of the two parties to reach a cease-fire.
Q: In the framework of a ceasefire, will Israel be prepared to accept
certain restrictions on its ability to act and react against Hizbullah
activity?
PM PERES: Israel will defend its security. The right to self-defense is
not open to question or to compromise.
Q: Namely the security zone will not be included in the general ceasefire?
PM PERES: I see no need to add to what I said. What I said is clear.
(end of translation)
Q: Mr. Secretary and Mr. Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister of Russia,
Mr. Primakov, is apparently in Beirut and is then coming here. Do you
think it is a good idea to have diplomacy working on at least two fronts
this way three if you include the French; or is this getting in the
way, is it giving too many parties the options to make too many
arrangements to get a cease-fire and a following of understanding?
PM PERES: I made it clear. We can have many fronts, but one channel. If
there will be more than one channel, there will be total confusion. The
responsible channel that has both the experience and the mechanism to do
so is the United States of America, and we think all parties will continue
to work through this channel. We shall not reject to see anybody, whoever
wants to come in is welcome. But we cannot have three agreements on the
same issue, because this will mean no agreement at all. Many agreements
will mean no agreement at all.
SEC'Y CHRISTOPHER: One comment I've made is, I have either met with or
talked with the other foreign ministers who are in the region French,
Italian and Russian. It is common ground between us that we believe that
there should be an early ceasefire and an enduring set of understandings.
We're all urging the parties to move in that direction, but I also would
add that the United States feels a special responsibility in view of our
history and in view of our responsibilities to lead in this situation, and
we will continue to do so, and I very much appreciate the confidence
expressed in the United States by the Prime Minister.
Q: Mr. Christopher, as we saw in this crisis, President Assad supports the
Hizbullah terror organization. Don't you think that Israel and maybe the
United States should draw the conclusion that Assad plays a double
meaning?
SEC'Y CHRISTOPHER: I think we should try to not only get a cease-fire but
an enduring set of understandings which permits the parties in the region
to prevent the recurrence of this kind of event. That's what we're working
for not just for a cease-fire but an enduring set of understandings
that prevents a recurrence of this. In doing so we have to work with the
parties in the region and we'll continue to do so.
Q: Can you possibly define what are the biggest gaps between the Israeli
position and the Syrian position on reaching some kind of agreement?
Second, has President Assad accepted Israel's position that he has some
form of responsibility in all of this?
SEC'Y CHRISTOPHER: I'm sorry that I don't believe I should try to define
the gaps. I'm just launching on this process. I'm headed to some difficult
problems and difficult terrain all over. As I go through it I think the
gaps will diminish and then disappear. I do think that all the parties
need to be involved in this situation and to accept responsibility, and I
hope that they will do so. My meeting with President Assad last night is a
reflection of the fact that Syria is a very important, vital, crucial
player in this particular dialogue, and I will be focusing my attention
there, and I'm sure he wouldn't be taking the time if he didn't agree with
that.