U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Daily Press Briefing
Monday, May 15, 2000


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QUESTION: The disorders in Israel. There are several things but, first, the routine question. Any Americans hurt? Any American property damaged, that you know of?

MR. BOUCHER: The disorders in the West Bank, right?

QUESTION: (Inaudible) yes.

MR. BOUCHER: No, not that we're aware of, I guess I'd have to say at this point. I don't have any information on that.

QUESTION: They seem to be rather large scale. Does this  say anything to the US about an impact on the negotiations  you're supervising, and does it say anything about -- because it seems to be coincident with Israel's independence, does it suggest anything about the  Palestinians being unwilling to accept Israel, even after all your hard work?

MR. BOUCHER: I think, first of all, we are concerned about the violence, and particularly regret the loss of life, but the parties themselves are committed to a serious effort at the negotiating table. We're talking to both sides about the importance of doing everything they can to create the right environment for negotiations, but it's clear the people of Israel want peace. There's a strong basis of
support to pursue the peace. Prime Minister Barak has made clear that there is a historic opportunity now, and it's clear that he's prepared to make the tough decisions.
Similarly, Yasser Arafat has obviously faced some difficulties, but it's our view that he is also prepared to pursue peace and take the historic decisions necessary to end the conflict.
So you have the leadership on both sides clearly committed to this, and we look to them to build the peace and change the environment.

QUESTION: Are these events saying anything to the State Department and their optimism about Arafat's ability or willingness to control Palestinian disorders?

MR. BOUCHER: Again, there is obviously difficulties in doing that, but the commitment to peace we think is clear and that they're making a serious effort. And we need to pursue the peace and not be swayed or deterred by violence.

QUESTION: The deadlines passed this weekend - the 13th?

MR. BOUCHER: One of the non-deadlines.

QUESTION: Yeah, well, tell me what is the significance of that?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, this was not seen as a deadline. You know, there was a desire to get a framework agreement by May 13th, but clearly it was not a hard and fast deadline, and
certainly not a moment to stop negotiating because a date passes. So the interest that we have is in continuing to work with the parties and to make -- in their serious effort to try to get the peace and we will continue to do that.

QUESTION: What is the deadline, goal, whatever now? And what are the Secretary's travel plans?

MR. BOUCHER: The deadline, goal, whatever now is to get a final status agreement by September 13th. And along the way to that, there were certain ideas and dates and prospects of doing things, certain things by certain dates. But in the end, the point is to get to that final status agreement.

QUESTION: Is the Secretary planning any personal engagement in this issue?

MR. BOUCHER: Still, as we've reported before, she's considering the possibility of a trip out there, probably will make a trip, but there's no date set.

QUESTION: Yes, does the United States take a position on the Lebanese claim to the Shebaa farms?

MR. BOUCHER: I think I have to say that's an issue that's  under -- has to be under discussion by the parties. Let me double check and see if there's anything additional to say on that. I'm not going to take a position on the particular farms.

QUESTION: What are we talking about?

MR. BOUCHER: Is that it?

QUESTION: I don't know. I'm just a little surprised because it's been quite an issue in the last few days.

MR. BOUCHER: Yes, it has. Let me double check and get you  something more definitive. But it may be a definitive, no, I don't have anything to say on that.

QUESTION: Let's do another territorial question. The Israelis apparently have decided to yield these three villages near Jerusalem. Does that please the State Department, which seems to want Israel to give up territory? And do you think it's sufficient to deal with the Jerusalem issue, which you probably don't think it is?

MR. BOUCHER: As you know, Barry, Jerusalem is a final status issue and that's an issue to be handled in the negotiations. As for this particular step, we of course welcome it as part of the implementation, the understandings and the agreements between the Israelis and the Palestinians. I think Prime Minister Barak has also described it as a downpayment on the third tranche, the
third set of redeployments. So that's welcome in that regard.

QUESTION: When you speak favorably of Barak and our decisions, have you -- has the State Department said anything about the way he's addressing these pieces of land now being more inclined to surrender contiguous pieces, parcels of land, and more resembling an entity than was
originally the case?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I want to make broad characterizations of individual leaders.
QUESTION: Not him, his --

MR. BOUCHER: No, his government. But, I mean, obviously, we welcome steps to implement agreements, we welcome the serious efforts that he's putting forward and the serious effort that is being put forward on both sides.

QUESTION: Does the United States have a position on the fate of the SLA and their families in the face of the Israeli withdrawal?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't - I think that's the kind of detail we really can't get into at this stage. We support the idea of withdrawal consistent with United Nations resolutions. We think all parties should work with the United Nations.

QUESTION: I want to follow on that. You're doing more than that. I mean, you're offering all sorts of tangible and intangible assistance and you could say it's hypothetical because they haven't withdrawn yet. But these people who have helped to maintain the security zone for Israel inside
Lebanon are being threatened with treason trials, and whether or not there would be a trial. Is there anything that the US Government thinks ought to be done by outsiders to protect these people?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't -- Barry, I'm afraid at this point I'm not able to get into specific aspects of the Israeli withdrawal. The point is that Israel has announced this, has agreed to do this consistent with the UN resolutions. We've urged the United Nations and others to work closely -- well, the Israelis to work closely with the United Nations, and others to do so as well.

QUESTION: Has she the phones on this latest burst of the disorder -- the Secretary - that you know of?

MR. BOUCHER: I'll have to double check that, if I can. I know she has been in touch with our Middle East negotiators, obviously.

QUESTION: Excuse me, I mean, it's so hard to keep track of  the Dennis Ross peace bandwagon. Is he back there now?

MR. BOUCHER: The Dennis Ross report.

QUESTION: It's a separate section.

MR. BOUCHER: Dennis left Washington yesterday and arrives in Israel today, Special Middle East negotiator. He'll be meeting there with Israeli and Palestinian officials and returning to Washington at the end of the week.

QUESTION: It appears that both Beijing and the new  government in Taipei would like to US to play --

QUESTION: Is this on the Middle East still?

MR. BOUCHER: Let's finish with --okay, we'll finish with  the Middle East and come back.

QUESTION: Several news services are quoting the chief Palestinian negotiator as quitting because of the secret back channel going on in Stockholm, which is undermining him. What can you say about that?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, we've seen these reports. We do have a great deal of respect for Yasser Abd Rabbo, and we hope that he'll continue to be part of the negotiations.

QUESTION: Well, leave Stockholm out if that is a problem for you. There has never been any reluctance that I know of to use every effort, every channel, every means at your disposal, to get something done that you think is worth doing. Are you willing to exclude or confirm that other
channels are being used to try to get this problem resolved?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I'm not willing to exclude or confirm, but I would say that over the last several years we have been involved in helping the Israelis and Palestinians work through a variety of interim and permanent status issues. We've been involved in a variety of ways in helping the parties do that, and we'll continue to meet with both sides in order to move the process forward.

QUESTION: Have you heard anything new from the FBI on the allegations of the other day at the House hearing?

MR. BOUCHER: No. Now, we had another other question.