Statement Prior to Discussions With Israeli PM
Ariel Sharon
(February 7, 2002)
President Bush. I'm going to make a statement; the
Prime Minister will make a statement. We both have agreed we'll answer
two questions from both sides. I'll call on somebody; the Prime Minister's
press aide will call on somebody; and that's the way we're going to
do it.
So it's my honor to welcome a good friend, the Prime
Minister of Israel, back to the Oval Office. Mr. Prime Minister, I'm
so glad you're here. Welcome back.
We just had an extensive discussion, first about our
mutual desire to rid the world of terror. I assured him that our Nation
is just beginning in a great objective, which is to eliminate those
terrorist organizations of global reach. And by doing so, I firmly believe
that the world will be a more peaceful place. My most important objective
is to protect our homeland. The best way to do so is to rout terrorist
organizations where they try to hide and bring them to justice.
Secondly, I assured the Prime Minister that we will
continue to keep pressure on Mr. Arafat to convince him that he must
take serious, concrete, real steps to reduce terrorist activity in the
Middle East.
We had an interesting discussion about how we can help
the Palestinian--those who aren't involved with terror. I'm deeply concerned
about the plight of the average Palestinian, the moms and dads who are
trying to raise their children, to educate their children. My government
is--I've got $300 million in the budget to go through NGOs to help Palestinians
be able to realize a better life.
And finally, we had a good discussion about how best
to work together to get the Mitchell process started, to get into Tenet
and then in Mitchell. In other words, that we had wide-ranging discussions
not only about international terror but security, about economic development
for the Palestinians, as well as for the desire to achieve--to get into
Mitchell so that there can be some long-lasting peace in the region.
And so, Mr. Prime Minister, I appreciate the candid
discussion. I appreciate your friendship, and I want to welcome you
back.
Prime Minister Sharon. Thank you, Mr. President. I
was very glad to be again at the White House. We had discussions about
strategic issues in the region. We talked about the need to fight terror
and not to get into compromise with terror--one cannot get into compromise
with terror. At the same time, we discussed steps that should be taken
in order to improve the life conditions of those Palestinians that are
not involved in terror. That's my intention. It was always my intention.
And of course, we'll try and see what can be done.
And altogether, I think that we can look forward with
optimism, though it's not going to be a short struggle against terror.
It's a long struggle. But I'm sure that we will win, as I have a real
admiration, Mr. President, for the steps that you have been taking against
terror in order to defend our values.
Q. Mr. President----
President Bush. Hold on a second. And I'm going to
do the calling on who gets the question. He's not through yet.
Are you through?
Prime Minister Sharon. Is there any questions?
President Bush. Yes, there's going to be. [Laughter]
Barry Schweid [Associated Press]. [Laughter] I'm the
control guy. [Laughter]
Q. I'm new at this.
President Bush. Welcome. [Laughter] You don't look
that new to me, Barry. But anyway, please.
Q. I did your dad.
President Bush. That's right. Situation in the Middle
East
Q. At this point, sir, is there a point for the U.S.
to talk to Mr. Arafat? Is there a point for Israel to talk to Arafat?
President Bush. Well, Mr. Arafat has heard from us.
I can't be any more clear in my position, and that is that he must do
everything in his power to fight terror.
Obviously, we were at first surprised and then extremely
disappointed when the Karine A showed up loaded with weapons, weapons
that could have only been intended for one thing, which was to terrorize.
And I made our Government's position about as clear as I could. I couldn't
say it any more plainly, and I haven't changed my position.
And as to what the Prime Minister's position is, he
can answer that.
Prime Minister Sharon. I personally, myself and my
government, regard Arafat as an obstacle to peace. Arafat has chosen
a strategy of terror and formed a coalition of terror. Therefore, we
believe that pressure should be put on Arafat in order, maybe, I hope,
to have an authoritative leadership in the future.
Q. Mr. President, the Israeli Defense Minister said
today that Ms. Condoleezza Rice and also your Vice President Cheney
said that they don't trust Arafat, they don't believe any words coming
out of his mouth, and there's no point keeping talking to him. Do you
think, as those officials, that there is a point to keep talking to
him, to be in contact with him? Or do you think it is time to change
the phase in the pressure on Arafat?
President Bush. Mr. Arafat has heard my message. I
can't be any more clear about it, that he must do everything in his
power to reduce terrorist attacks on Israel. And that--at one point
in time he was indicating to us that he was going to do so, and then
all of a sudden a ship loaded with explosives show up that most of the
world believes he was involved with.
And I think it's very important that people realize
that this great Nation wants us to get into Mitchell as quickly as possible,
but we fully understand that it's difficult to have peace during terrorist
times, and that our campaign against global terror should help the region.
And I am absolutely committed to fighting terror wherever
terror exists. And I would hope other leaders do so. And Mr. Arafat
has a chance to do so, and my hope is, is that he responds in a positive
way.
At the same time, I am deeply concerned about the plight
of the average Palestinian. I worry about stories and pictures I see
of people going hungry and children not being educated and deep concerns
etched on the faces of moms and dads who happen to be Palestinian. And
my government--we've discussed this openly with the Prime Minister,
and as I said, we budgeted money to go through nongovernmental organizations
to help. And I think the world understands that there's a lot of folks
over there who suffer because of the terrorist activities of a few.
Vice President's Upcoming Visit to the Middle East
Q. Mr. President, did Iran and Iraq figure in your
conversations today with the Prime Minister? And why are you sending
Vice President Cheney to the region next month, and particularly the
four countries that directly border on Iraq?
President Bush. I'm sending the Vice President because,
one, he is a key player in our administration, and I want to get feedback
from the world, from the world leaders. I want them to see firsthand,
as well, our strong intent to fight terror.
There's nothing like looking somebody in the eye and
letting them know that when we say we're going to fight terror, we mean
it. And there's nothing like people getting a sense of the determination
of this Government. There's a lot of folks who might have predicted
that over time we would grow weary, and we'd get tired, and we'd kind
of get faint of heart. The Vice President can deliver the message to
many important world leaders that our Government is absolutely committed
to fighting terror, and we expect people to join us in doing so.
As I said, either you're with or you're against us.
And we fully understand that in order to be effective in our fight against
terror, that we need others to join us. And so the Vice President, I
think, is going to be very effective at convincing--at convincing our
friends we mean business. And we would hope that they would do everything
in their power to shut off money, to deny haven, and to join this grand
coalition dedicated to one thing, freedom and peace.
As to whether or not we discussed other countries in
the region: You bet. We discussed a lot of countries in the region,
and we've had a very frank and open discussion. Palestinian State
Q. President Bush, the Government of Israel decided
not to let Chairman Arafat move--[inaudible]. Do you think this decision
serves the goal of stability in the Middle East?
And one question for you, Prime Minister Sharon. You
said a couple of months ago that you want to give the Palestinians a
Palestinian state, for the first time. Do you still support the same----
President Bush. Do you want to go first?
Prime Minister Sharon. Yes. I believe that the end
of the process first should be the perfect right to be a full cessation
of terror and violence and incitement. And then several steps will be
taken by the Palestinians, like arresting--serious arrest of the terrorists,
dismantling terrorist organizations and their infrastructure, collecting
their weapons that should be handed to American representatives and
destroyed out of the area. Once they would take serious preventive steps
and stop completely incitement, then we'll start negotiations.
I believe that one day we'll be reaching a peace. Israel
is committed to peace. And at the end of the process, I believe that
the Palestinian state, of course, will be--we'll see a Palestinian state,
but only at the end. And the final steps that should be taken in order
to start negotiations--they cannot be done under terror. We are--my
role and my government's role is to defend our citizens against acts
of terror.
President Bush. We, too, of course, support a Palestinian
state, one that's been negotiated by the parties, one that recognizes
that Israel has got a right to exist. And Israel will be supportive
of their right to self-govern. I think that's an ultimate aim that we
all have got to work hard to get to. The problem is, there are some
that don't want to get there and, therefore, terrorize.
My position on Mr. Arafat is clear as of today. I can't
be any more clear about what I think he ought to do. And I'm confident
if he were to make these strong steps toward reducing terror, it would
help the world--it would help tell the world that he is fully dedicated
toward achieving the objectives that we both described.
And it's going to be hard to have a peace process if--so
long as there's terrorist activity. But we believe strongly that Chairman
Arafat needs to put a 100 percent effort to achieve a peaceful--some
peace, so that we can then get to a political process. And that's very
important for us.
Listen, thank you all for coming.
Sources: Public Papers of the President |