U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Daily Press Briefing
Monday, June 5, 2000

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Question Can you go over her schedule with us, just to confirm Syrian Foreign Minister al-Shara in Cairo?

MR. REEKER: Most of that, I need to refer you to the traveling party. As you know, the Secretary is in
Jerusalem. I think you probably all saw her participating in the joint press availability with Prime Minister Barak
following their meeting in Jerusalem. The Secretary does plan to travel to Egypt on Wednesday to meet with President Mubarak. I understand there are some other meetings also but I would refer you to the party for specifics of those. Tonight, she remains overnight in Jerusalem. I believe she is having a working dinner, as we speak, with the Prime Minister and tomorrow she will meet with Chairman Arafat and also have a short press availability tomorrow and I believe meet with Foreign Minister Levy before then on Wednesday departing for Egypt.

Question In a general sense -- and I realize you don't want to talk too much in specifics about this report, but the  concept of the military, the United States military taking a lead role in the functioning of the country in the event of a catastrophic terrorism event, is State philosophically likely to support that kind of a concept?

MR. REEKER: I am just not in a position, without having looked at it. I think it's only fair to let folks here in the building look at that and make some broader observations about it. And so I am sure we will continue to discuss that throughout the week, but at this point I think I've said all I can. I was able to come up with some of the general responses from some of the things that leaked out most, but we will have to defer that until they've had a chance to look at it more.
Still on this terrorism --

Question On Rebecca --

MR. REEKER: On Rebecca?

Question No. Excuse me, Rebecca.
Question No information here. (Laughter.)
Question On the subject she raised, if I may at this point? Is this summit that has been talked about of Israel and the Palestinians getting together with US help here in the Washington area somewhere, is this still on? Is this something that is being planned as Ms. Albright continues her work in Israel presently? What's the status?

MR. REEKER: I think we've long said -- and there's no change to that -- that the President is prepared to host a
summit with the leaders if there is a proper basis for such a meeting. For any details on that, I need to refer you to
the traveling party where the Secretary is in Israel right now meeting with the Prime Minister, and that's where you
need to get your news on that.

Question So that's what Ms. Albright is doing, basically. One of the things she's doing is trying to nail this down.

MR. REEKER: What I told you, Bill --

Question What?

MR. REEKER: Do you want to listen to it one more time? Is we've always said that the President is prepared to host a
summit -- that's been a long-standing position -- with those leaders, if there is a proper basis for such a meeting. In
terms of what the Secretary is doing in the region, I would refer you to the party. I think she's meeting with Israeli and Palestinian leaders to help narrow gaps -- we've said that repeatedly; move the process forward. But, really, for details of that you need to refer to the traveling party. Many of your colleagues are with them.

Question Do you have any comment on a suit filed today by two Americans against Yasser Arafat and one of his colleagues on
the Achille Lauro?

MR. REEKER: No, I don't. Sorry, I don't have any information on that at all.
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