11 June 1998
Source: http://www.pub.whitehouse.gov/uri-res/I2R?urn:pdi://oma.eop.gov.us/1998/6/9/6.text.1

                                THE WHITE HOUSE

                         Office of the Press Secretary
                             (New York, New York)
    ________________________________________________________________________
    For Immediate Release                                       June 8, 1998

                               PRESS BRIEFING BY
                                 MIKE MCCURRY
                          AND AMBASSADOR JAMES DOBBINS,
                    SENIOR DIRECTOR, NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL
                          FOR INTER-AMERICAN AFFAIRS

                                Waldorf Astoria
                               New York, New York

    6:05 P.M. EDT

      MR. MCCURRY:  This is your briefing.  We are passing out to you right
    now a joint communique that the two Presidents authorized be issued on
    their behalf, because they continue to meet at this moment.  President
    Zedillo, President Clinton began their bilateral meeting at about 5:00
    p.m.  and concluded the formal part of their dialogue at 5:40 p.m.  And
    then they both agreed they wanted to spend some time together, and when
    Ambassador Dobbins and I left, they were still at it.

      They met in the Presidential Suite here at the Waldorf Astoria for
    what I would describe as an excellent meeting, the summary of which
    you're being given in the joint communique.  I think there are a few
    points in that that we would like to highlight, and I've asked
    Ambassador Jim Dobbins, who is our NSC head for Inter-American Affairs,
    who participated in the bilateral to give you a briefing.

      AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I think the joint statement covers most of it.
    They began with a brief discussion of the U.N. Special Session, noted
    with pleasure the number of heads of state that have attended, discussed
    a bit about the anticipated results of the session.

      There was discussion of U.S.-Mexican narcotics trafficking.  The
    President congratulated President Zedillo for the recent arrest of two
    major kingpins -- the Amezcua brothers.  A third one of these brothers
    had been arrested several months ago.  President Zedillo talked a bit
    about several other operations which are underway.

          They discussed the Casablanca issue and I think the terms of that
    discussion are covered in the statement that you've got.  It was a
    discussion focused on looking forward, on improving mechanisms for
    cooperation, as is indicated there.  President Zedillo made clear that
    he thought that the focus for the two Presidents should be in dealing in
    issues of principle, looking forward and finding ways of improving
    cooperation, and endorsing the efforts of the two Attorneys General to
    improve mechanisms and processes for collaboration and communication on
    law enforcement operations and other areas of counternarcotics
    cooperation.

          They also discussed the recent forest fires in Mexico.  Again,
    this is covered in the communique.  The President noted that these kinds
    of events -- he had similar discussions with President Cardoso yesterday
    evening at Camp David.  Brazil, too, has had a very serious set of
    forest fires this year, both linked to climate change, to El Nino, to
    unanticipated long, dry, hot spells.  This was a natural lead-in to the
    issue of climate change.

          President Clinton made his usual eloquent case for cooperation and
    participation by developing countries in a process of reducing
    emissions, his absolute confidence that this would not inhibit growth,
    and suggests that the officials on both sides in whom the President's
    had confidence should sit down, try to work together on plans which
    would allow developing countries, including, in particular, Mexico, to
    participate in the process of reducing emissions and said that he would
    never propose something that in his judgment would reduce or inhibit
    Mexico's development and growth.  And President Zedillo said he was more
    than ready to enter into those discussions.

          Q This communique reports to continuing all drug trafficking and
    conforming to the laws of the land and respect each other's sovereignty.
    So the United States won't do it again?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  The communique is intended to be a forward
    looking document on ways to improve our cooperation.

          Q   Won't do it again --

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I wouldn't characterize it beyond what it
    says.

          Q   That's what it says.

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  That's what it says.

          Q Did President Zedillo say he was going to seek extradition of
    those agents involved in Casablanca?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  There was no discussion of extradition or
    prosecution.  President Zedillo did make clear that under Mexican law,
    there was a requirement that they inquire as to whether Mexican law had
    been violated.  He made clear that they had come to no conclusions in
    this regard and he also indicated that he thought that this was not an
    issue for the two Presidents to deal with; the two Presidents needed to
    deal at the level of principle and means of improving our cooperation in
    the future.

          Q   Did he express any dismay about --

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I don't think I want to characterize it
    beyond what's in the communique and what I've said.  President Zedillo
    has spoken on the record on several occasions; he said nothing new.

          Q Well, in principle then, did the U.S. make any commitment or any
    guarantee?  Can the U.S. government guarantee that in any further
    operation of this nature there will be full communications and
    notification to the Mexican authorities?  Is there a guarantee that
    was --

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I think the joint statement is pretty clear,
    that the intention is that the two Attorneys General should work out
    processes to improve communication and collaboration on law enforcement
    operations in the future.  And that's a work in progress, it's a work
    just begun.

          Q   But there was no promise that this --

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  There was no discussion beyond what's
    reflected in the joint statement in that regard.

          Q Ambassador, who was at the meeting from each side?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  Let's see, on the U.S. side it was the
    President; the Secretary of State; Secretary of the Treasury; Barry
    McCaffrey; Mack McLarty; Bill Richardson; Sandy Berger; Jeff Davidow,
    Assistant Secretary for Inter-American Affairs; Mike and myself.

          On the Mexican side, Rosario Green, the Foreign Minister; Jose
    Gurria, the Finance Minister; Mr. Madrazo, the Attorney General; and
    Juan Rabieato (phonetic) the Deputy Foreign Minister.  I think Mr.
    Burros (phonetic), who's an advisor to the President in Los Pinos -- I
    think that's it.

          Q This statement says that they're striving for improved
    cooperation and mutual trust with full respect for the sovereignty of
    both nations.  Does President Clinton think that the sovereignty of
    Mexico was respected in Casablanca?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  The issue wasn't addressed in those terms.

          Q What was the President's reaction overall to the speech that
    President Zedillo gave at the U.N.?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  He congratulated him for -- I can't remember
    whether he specified the speech or for the conference as a whole.  He
    did listen to the speech and he thought it went well.  I don't recall he
    got into more detail on the specifics of it.  But he clearly was happy
    with it.

          Q Ambassador Dobbins, the Attorney General said that given the
    fact that you have to conduct these operations and protect lives of
    agents, she acted like there is no guarantee in the future.  And
    improving communications doesn't mean it won't happen again, correct?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I really don't want to be drawn in and I'm
    sure the Attorney General doesn't want to be drawn in and wasn't drawn
    beyond what's in the joint statement.

          Q She made it pretty clear that weighing agents' lives versus
    communication, she was going to err on the side of agents' lives.

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I heard exactly what the Attorney General
    said, and you're free to quote her, but that's not what she said.

          Q Some of the points that are being discussed in the conference is
    spending about a billion dollars a year on eradication of opium,
    cocaine, marijuana, et cetera.  Did President Zedillo and President
    Clinton talk about whether the United States is going to contribute to
    these efforts in terms of financial assistance to eradicate this
    so-called problem?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  They didn't discuss eradication, per se.
    The United States of, course, is the major contributor to eradication
    around the world already.  I think some of the debate is how much of it
    should be channeled in addition to what we're already doing through the
    U.N.  My impression from what Barry McCaffrey said earlier today to
    another press briefing was that we haven't made a decision on that, we
    haven't yet seen the U.N. numbers, and when we do we'll make some
    decision about how much we're going to contribute.  But the United
    States already is the largest contributor to eradication.

          Q On the forest fires issue, did the President offer any further
    assistance?  And also, aren't some Mexican Cabinet officers meeting with
    U.S. officials this week in Washington?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I'm not sure of the timing.  I know both
    Bruce Babbitt who -- no, I'm sorry, the Secretary of Agriculture
    Glickman and Brian Atwood, the head of AID, have been meeting with their
    Mexican counterparts.  They went to Mexico, and I just don't know what
    their schedule is and whether there's a meeting.

          Now, there's a meeting of what's called the Binational Commission
    on Thursday, which brings together virtually the entire Mexican and U.S.
    Cabinets.  It's an annual meeting and I'm sure that those Cabinet
    participants will participate, along with the Attorney General, with
    Barry McCaffrey, with Madeleine Albright.

          Q There was nothing said in this meeting about further assistance
    either of personnel or financial --

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  No, nothing specific.

          Q I wonder if the President of Mexico or President Clinton
    mentioned anything about the possibility to persecute American agents
    that were involved in Casablanca, the covert operation.

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  As I said, President Zedillo made clear that
    his Attorney General had an obligation to determine whether there had
    been any violations of Mexican law.  That process wasn't completed.
    They weren't presuming that -- they had come to no conclusion.  There
    was no discussion of what would happen thereafter.  President Zedillo
    made clear that wasn't an issue for the two Presidents to discuss.  The
    two Presidents should discuss the principles of their cooperation and
    encourage their Attorneys General and other officials to improve
    processes for coordination and collaboration and communication.

          Q Did President Zedillo ask for any further information on this
    Casablanca to be able to determine whether any laws were violated?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  No, but I don't know that he needed to.  Our
    officials were down in Mexico City late last week for the first
    exchange, where we provided information on the case, and we agreed that
    we would continue to meet with the Mexicans.  So I assume he didn't ask
    because he felt that they were getting full information from us.

          Q If it's a question of Mexico's sovereignty being violated, why
    is there any question of U.S. agents being extradited as individuals
    instead of --

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I don't know that there is a question of U.S.
    agents being extradited.

          Q   Well, there clearly in -- political circles.

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I mean, I can't speak for the Mexican
    President.

          Q   The Foreign Minister -- extradition publicly.

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  It didn't come up in the meeting.  I mean,
    what the issue was -- there's no point in my repeating it.  He said they
    needed to review whether there had been a violation of Mexican law.
    They haven't come to any conclusions, and there was no discussion beyond
    that.

          Q As a generic matter then can you rule out extraditing U.S.
    citizens or law enforcement --

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  That's a hypothetical question, which is well
    in advance of where we are at the moment.

          Q Was Casablanca the main -- would you say that the Casablanca
    operation was the major subject discussed by the President?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I would think they spent as much time on
    climate change as Casablanca.  They probably -- those two occupied the
    biggest chunks of what was about a 40-minute meeting.  But there were
    several other things and then they've gone on to talk privately for 25
    minutes and I don't know what was in the 25 minutes.

          Q Can you characterize the tone of Zedillo's comments on the
    Casablanca issue?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  The meeting was a very positive meeting.
    These are good friends, they know each other well.  There was no
    negative tone in the meeting.  The issue is clearly one that is a
    serious one for the Mexicans, but there was nothing in the tone of the
    meeting which suggested anything other than that the United States and
    Mexico were going to continue to move forward in intensifying an already
    uniquely collaborative relationship.

          Q Would you try to dispel the impression that Mexico was really
    very angry at the U.S. over this episode?

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  I'm trying to characterize a meeting between
    the two Presidents.  I'm not trying to characterize a relationship
    between two countries.  And when you talk about Mexico, are you talking
    about the press, are you talking about the Cabinet, are you talking
    about the Congress, Mexican Congress?

          Q -- had an adverse effect on U.S.-Mexican relations.

          AMBASSADOR DOBBINS:  All I can tell you is that this was a
    positive, forward-looking meeting, the results of which are in the joint
    statement.

          MR. MCCURRY:  Any last thing for Jim?  Other subjects?

          Q Ms. Reno said today that by way of saying that Mexican officials
    weren't the only ones -- saying there are officials in this country left
    out as well.  Can you say who didn't know?

          MR. MCCURRY:  Other Cabinet officials have addressed that,
    including the Secretary of State.  But the point the Attorney General
    made today is that in sensitive law enforcement operations that involve
    undercover work, for the protection of courageous and heroic law
    enforcement officials, information is very closely held.  And she made
    the point of saying it's very closely held within our government.  There
    were a number of senior ranking officials, and I can't quantify it
    precisely, but many high ranking officials in the U.S. government who
    are unaware of Operation Casablanca until it is formally announced by
    our government.

          Thank you.  Other subjects at all?

          Q   Abacha's death?

          MR. MCCURRY:  Have we put out any formal statement?  I'm asking
    you.  (Laughter.)  I haven't had a chance to -- let me say the United
    States government acknowledges the death of General Sani Abacha.  The
    United States government is interested in what type of opportunities
    exist for transition to civilian rule in Nigeria.  A long-sought goal of
    U.S. policy has been to restore to the people of Nigeria a
    freely-elected democratic government that is consistent with the great
    aspirations of the Nigerian people and reflective of the great potential
    Nigeria has in the world community.

          Our hope, among others, would be at this moment of transition that
    an accountable civilian government that is able to lead the Nigerian
    people will emerge from what has been a very horrific episode in which
    basic fundamental rights have been suspended, in which rule of law has
    not applied, in which the results of elections have been set aside in
    the name of authoritarianism.

          Q Is the United States still open to the idea of any military
    ruler seeking election as a civilian?

          MR. MCCURRY:  The United States government is interested in seeing
    a freely and democratically elected civilian government that can help
    make the orderly transition away from authoritarianism and back to
    democracy that the people of Nigeria deserve.  I'm not going to
    speculate on who that might involve, and I don't think anyone is in a
    position to speculate at this point.

          Q Regardless of whether or not that candidate is out of the
    Nigerian military?

          MR. MCCURRY:  Well, there have been freely and democratically
    elected figures throughout Africa that formerly were involved in the
    military.  I'm not going to speculate about what might emerge at this
    moment in the history of Nigeria.  Our interest is in a government that
    will reflect what we believe is the desire and will of the people of
    Nigeria to see themselves freely governed by a democratically elected
    president who wants to restore prosperity and opportunity for the people
    of Nigeria -- opportunity and prosperity that they once enjoyed.

          Q Did the President talk to the Secretary of State today about
    Kosovo and what's the message that we're going to have on Friday?

          MR. MCCURRY:  The President did receive a briefing today from his
    National Security Advisor, since they happened to be here, and both Mr.
    Berger and Secretary Albright participated from here in New York in a
    meeting of the President's advisors today.

          I think when you recall when the Contact Group met in early May,
    we agreed to impose an assets freeze and investment ban unless President
    Milosevic agreed to talks and to take other measures to avoid violence
    in Kosovo, directed to the Kosovo Albanians.  President Milosevic did
    agree to those talks, but in the last two weeks we have seen instances
    of indiscriminate violence that has undermined the basic value and
    premise of the talks that President Milosevic engaged in with the
    leadership with the ethnic Kosovo Albanians.

          Therefore, the United States is going to move forward to implement
    the assets ban and the investment ban that we suggested that we would
    pursue.  We expect the Former Republic of Yugoslavia to live up to its
    pledge this past weekend to allow access by international observers and
    humanitarian organizations in Kosovo.  We call on both sides to resume
    their dialogue, to urge all parties to avoid actions that would
    undermine peaceful negotiations.

          We're also concerned about the refugee flows that have occurred as
    a result of this violence.  There are a substantial number of Kosovo
    Albanians that have fled their homes a result of these attacks, and we
    and others in the international community are now mobilizing resources
    that will deal with what is clearly a very pressing need for the people
    who are now in refugee status.

          We're also simultaneously working with our allies, working closely
    with our allies, other partners in the international community as well
    -- both through NATO, through the United Nations, and through the
    Contact Group that has been established to work together on problems in
    the Balkans.  We're looking for measures that will help end the violence
    and promote a peaceful resolution of the conflict between the Kosovo
    Albanians and the Serbian populations in Kosovo.  We're conducting
    accelerated contingency planning at NATO, and there have been a variety
    of steps there authorized, as some of you may know, as a result of the
    recent meeting at the ministerial level of the North Atlantic Council.
    The Pentagon and others have briefed on some of the things that are
    underway in the region and in and around Kosovo that involved deployment
    of NATO resources.

          I'll spare you some of that.  I will say that we and our partners
    have a variety of options available to us, and no decisions have been
    made on that score, but again, nothing should be ruled out either.

          Q Are you going to be backing a U.N. resolution that will allow
    for the use of force?

          MR. MCCURRY:  We are going to be in very close contact with our
    allies, particularly with those that we have cooperated with closely on
    in matters related to the Balkans.  And I expect that as this week
    unfolds there will be further discussions underway about how best to
    press the arguments that we want to make.  I would hesitate to say at
    this point that we concluded that a single resolution or a single course
    of action suggests itself, but we are consulting with other governments
    even as we speak.

          Q Is there any concern -- did the President hear about the reports
    that the U.S. used seran gas in Laos against American --

          MR. MCCURRY:  He did hear about those reports.  The President
    expressed interest in them, although they clearly involve allegations
    about behavior for administrations that are long gone.  The President's
    understanding is that the Pentagon is reviewing the historical record,
    and my understanding is that the Pentagon was briefed extensively on
    that today.  Other than to say the President was interested in and aware
    of the reports and assured that other parts of our government were
    looking into it.  We're not in a position to take further action on it
    here today.

          Q On Korea -- what are you planning to highlight tomorrow?  Will
    the President -- has there been any consideration of the South Korean
    request that the U.S. consider lifting sanctions?

          MR. MCCURRY:  Well, there has not been a request by the Republic
    of Korea to lift sanctions on North Korea.  There have been some
    suggestions that President Kim Dae Jung has an interest in raising that
    issue and exploring it with President Clinton during their state visit
    tomorrow.  We look forward to that opportunity because the future of the
    Korean Peninsula is of keen interest to the people of the United States
    of America, in having fought for peace there and having followed very
    closely the efforts to bring about reconciliation between North and
    South.

          We have other interests that we certainly will be exploring with
    the Republic of Korea as well -- our work together to contain the
    nuclear program of the North, the DPRK; our common efforts with respect
    to economic issues; what we do together on a range of regional security
    issues.  There's an extensive bilateral agenda that we'll explore as
    well.  But clearly, because we cooperate so closely with our close
    friend and ally, the Republic of Korea, we will be very interested in
    what this new government and this new President suggest with respect to
    the future of diplomatic efforts to bring about reconciliation on the
    Korean Peninsula.

          Q Mike, on that point, in the view of the U.S.  government, has
    North Korea's conduct been such that it would warrant the lifting of
    sanctions at this time?

          MR. MCCURRY:  North Korea's conduct has been consistent with the
    October 1994 agreed framework, which is right now the most important
    document with respect to the containment of a program that once posed
    such great danger to the peoples on both sides the divide.

          At the same time, we still consider this a regime that has not
    fully committed itself to a peaceful resolution of the disagreements
    that exist on the Korean Peninsula.  That is why we have encouraged the
    government in the North to pursue in the four-party talks framework a
    discussion of the issues that we hope could bring about exactly that
    kind of peaceful reconciliation.  We need to see a lot more before we
    think of setting aside those implements and tools available to help
    bring about the type of peaceful reconciliation we seek, but clearly
    among those at those point, dialogue is chief and foremost.

          Q Sorry to be thick about this, but I don't see the statement, the
    joint communique really speaking for itself.  I just would like to ask,
    if you had the same situation, weighing the risks that you had this time
    for the agents involved, in the future, with this improved
    communications, would you communicate the information about this raid --
    the exact same situation?

          MR. MCCURRY:  I think that that discussion of a hypothetical was
    not the way the two Presidents spent their energies in their discussion
    today.  They reviewed how they're going to go about creating a dialogue,
    starting with the work their two chief law enforcement officers, their
    Attorneys General do together to devise a procedure that will allow the
    mutual interests that both countries have in avoided undesirable effects
    to take place -- exactly as the communique suggests.

          There's no way to predict the future and neither is there any
    particular reason to dwell unnecessarily on the past.  I think the tone
    and content of this meeting was one that suggested the two Presidents
    would best spend their time reviewing the principles that ought to
    underpin the close cooperation Mexico and the United States have when it
    comes to fighting drugs.  And that's -- reaffirmation of those important
    principles is what the two Presidents concentrated their time on.

          That's a wrap for today.  There's nothing more, I think, on the
    evening event tonight.  I don't anticipate any particular fireworks and
    we're out of here at 8:30 p.m.

          Q Got any guidance on whether there's any line item veto in store
    on --

          MR. MCCURRY:  I do not, Mark.  I haven't heard any discussion of
    that.  Barry, anything?  Okay.

          That's it.  I didn't even have anything here you didn't ask about
    -- on the foreign policy side.

                END                        6:32 P.M. EDT