Joint Statement by President Clinton and Prime Minister
Barak
(July 19, 1999)
During several days of close consultations, the President
and the Prime Minister conducted a comprehensive review of the US-Israel
bilateral relations, the peace process, Israeli as well as regional
security, economic and scientific development and cooperation. These
fruitful discussions have produced important agreements and understandings
in all of these areas.
Prime Minister
Barak expressed his deep appreciation of President Clinton's special
efforts to enhance the US-Israeli relationship and advance the cause of peace in the Middle East.
President Clinton and Prime Minister Barak have reached a broad new
understanding that significantly enhances the already unique bilateral
relations between the United States and Israel, and raises their friendship
and cooperation to an even higher level of strategic partnership. This
new partnership is designed to underpin their joint effort to put an
end to the Arab-Israeli conflict and achieve a comprehensive peace in
the Middle East.
The President and the Prime Minister have agreed on the need to assign
a top priority to the pursuit of peace in the Middle East. They have
also reached a meeting of minds on the desirability of making an intensive
effort to move ahead simultaneously on all tracks of the peace process,
bilateral and multilateral, as well as on the important role that would
be played by the United States in support of the process.
President Clinton assured Prime Minister Barak that the United States
would be ready to assist and contribute in any way it can to achieving
an historical reconciliation that will usher in a new era of peace,
security, prosperity and cooperation in the Middle East. In this context,
he reiterated the US commitment to help Israel minimize the risks and
costs it incurs as it pursues peace and affirmed the broad US backing
that would be accorded to Israel, to facilitate the pursuit of peace.
Recognizing that the US-Israel relationship serves as a cornerstone
for pursuing peace, they vowed to strengthen and deepen this unique
relationship, which is based on shared democratic values, bonds of friendship,
common interests and joint cooperation in so many areas of human endeavor.
President Clinton reiterated the steadfast commitment of the United
States to Israel's security, to maintain its qualitative edge, and to
strengthen Israel's ability to deter and defend itself, by itself, against
any threat or a possible combination of threats.
The United States and Israel will sign a Memorandum of Understanding
(MOU) which will express their joint intention to restructure US bilateral
assistance to Israel. The MOU will state the United States' intention
to sustain its annual military assistance to Israel, and incrementally
increase its level by one-third over the next decade to a level of $2.4
billion subject to Congressional consultations and approval. At the
same time, the MOU will provide for a gradual phase-out of US economic
aid to Israel, over a comparable period, as the Israeli economy grows
more robust, less dependent on foreign aid, and more integrated in world
markets.
The two leaders also reviewed the status of the US-Israeli defense
relationship and agreed that existing defense channels of coordination
and cooperation work effectively. These would have to be further consolidated
and strengthened under a Defense Policy Advisory Group (DPAG) to meet
the new challenges of WMD, counter proliferation (CP) and theater missile
defense (TMD). The Group will coordinate and plan the cooperation between
the US Department of Defense and the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
In addition, the two leaders agreed on the components of the $1.2 billion
military aid package for Israel that the administration has already
requested from Congress. The President assured the Prime Minister of
his intention to work closely with the Congress to seek expedited action
for funding, starting in fiscal year 1999, for this package to support
Israel as it implements the Wye River Memorandum. The package will have
three components:
- Assistance to the Israeli Defense Forces as they carry out further
redeployments, including projects which will be managed by the US
Army Corps of Engineers.
- Assistance in meeting Israel's broader strategic requirements, including
Theater Missile Defense (TMD), helicopters, and communications equipment
and munitions.
- Assistance in meeting the increased cost of Israeli counter-terrorism
efforts.
The two leaders also agreed on the importance of spreading the benefits
of peace to all those who participate in the process. In that context,
they expressed support for the $400 million in assistance to the Palestinian
people and $300 million for Jordan that is part of the Administration's
request to Congress to support implementation of the Wye River Memorandum.
President Clinton and Prime Minister Barak agreed that Israel faces
new challenges in the strategic arena, particularly the proliferation
of weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles that threaten
to undermine Israel's security. In this context, the two leaders agreed
to step up the overall bilateral cooperation and coordination, as well
as to implement a number of measures designed to help Israel meet these
emerging threats:
- The United States will provide funding for Israel's acquisition
of a Third Arrow battery that will enhance the protection of Israel's
citizens from ballistic missile attacks.
- The United States and Israel will expand their collaborative efforts
to develop new technologies and systems designed to deal with ballistic
missiles.
- The two leaders will establish a Strategic Policy Planning Group
(SPPG), composed of senior representatives of the relevant national
security entities of both countries. It will be tasked to develop
and submit recommendations on measures to bolster Israel's indigenous
defense and deterrent capabilities, as well as the bilateral cooperation
to meet the strategic threats Israel faces. The SPPG will also consider
ways to minimize risks and costs, to enhance Israel's security, and
address its other needs related to national security which arise in
the context of steps Israel might take to achieve a comprehensive
peace. The SPPG will report to the President and the Prime Minister
at four-month intervals. The two leaders agreed to meet in joint session
at regular intervals.
Another area of mutual concern that was discussed between the two leaders
was the growing threat of WMD terrorism. This was acknowledged to be
an area in which both countries stood much to gain from each others
knowledge and experience. In order to enhance their capability to deal
effectively with this threat, it was agreed to sign a new MOU between
their respective national security institutions. It would facilitate
broad cooperation between the various government agencies in both countries
in all areas associated with preparing and responding to WMD terrorism.
One specific area of economic cooperation discussed between the two
leaders pertains to water resources. They have noted the growing scarcity
of water in the Middle East, and also recognized the potential inherent
in bilateral, as well as regional, cooperation to turn water from a
potential source of conflict into a force of regional stability and
prosperity in the region. Toward that end, the United States has pledged
to work with Israel, both bilaterally and with other regional partners
and their private sectors, to promote the development of new and additional
sources of water, including desalination, and to examine ways to transfer
water to arid lands, and to manage existing water resources more efficiently.
A joint task force will explore specific measures that could be carried
out in this domain, and will submit its recommendations to President
Clinton and Prime Minister Barak by the end of 1999.
The President and the Prime Minister have also agreed that promoting
tourism to Israel and the entire region presents a unique opportunity
to promote cooperation and spread economic benefits to the peoples of
the Middle East. Both sides agreed to explore specific steps to develop
this unique potential together, and with other interested regional partners
and their private sectors, beginning in the fall of 1999.
Finally, President Clinton and Prime Minister Barak agreed that scientific
cooperation between Israel and the United States will benefit the peoples
of both countries, as they enter the 2lst century. In this context,
they agreed to enhance cooperation in the peaceful uses of space. A
joint working group of NASA and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) will be
established to develop new areas of joint cooperation, including educational
activities, scientific research and the development of practical applications
in the peaceful use of space for the benefit of people around the world.
The President also informed the Prime Minister that an Israeli astronaut
and payload of Israeli experiments would fly on a shuttle mission in
the year 2000.
Upon concluding the Prime Minister's visit, the two
leaders expressed their shared conviction that these meetings have laid
the foundations for a vigorous effort to bring an end to the Arab-Israeli
conflict, as well as for even closer American-Israeli ties based on
the US ironclad commitment to Israel's security. The two leaders called
upon the other leaders of the region to lend their support to this effort
to bring comprehensive peace, security, and prosperity to the peoples
of the Middle East.
Sources: Israel Ministry
of Foreign Affairs |