[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 29, Number 41 (Monday, October 18, 1993)]
[Pages 2054-2055]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters at Yale University in New Haven

 October 9, 1993

Somalia

    Q. ----with General Aideed?
    Q. ----offering a cease-fire?
    The President. We haven't offered a cease-fire. I expect it, that 
there would be a cessation of violence against the United States and the 
U.N. forces when I made it clear what I said at the U.N., that we wanted 
to support a political process in Somalia that would permit the 
termination of our involvement and when I made it clear I was going to 
send stronger forces there to reinforce our position. But there's been 
no direct communication. In fact, Ambassador Oakley went there to meet 
with President Meles and other leaders of the African nations in the 
region and to try to work out a political process that they would 
manage. We believe that over the long run, the only way that Somalians 
can live in peace with one another is if their neighbors work out an 
African solution to an African problem. So, that's just not true. We 
didn't extend an offer of a cease-fire. And there's been no direct 
negotiations of any kind.
    Q. ----apparently he is offering one now.
    The President. Well, if he's offering one, that's fine. He ought to 
stop the violence, because that's a good thing. He ought to do it. But 
it's not accurate to say that we have initiated it. But I welcome it. I 
think that he should stop the violence. And I want Ambassador Oakley to 
have a chance to go over there and meet with President Meles and others. 
And let's see what kind of political process that the African leaders 
themselves can get going.

[[Page 2055]]

    Q. ----part of these negotiations, sir, or are you trying to cut 
them out of it?
    The President. No, I didn't say that. As a matter of fact, I think 
the Secretary-General is going to the region just in the next couple of 
days, which I would welcome. So that's up to him to decide. I wouldn't 
say that at all. But all the nations that are there on the humanitarian 
mission have supported in varying degrees the idea that we didn't want 
to go there for nothing. We didn't want to go there, pull out, and have 
chaos, anarchy, starvation return.
    But I think it's clear to all of us who have been involved in this 
that the greatest likelihood of a successful political resolution of 
this would be if the African leaders of the adjoining states took the 
initiative and they tried to work out a solution which reflected what is 
possible and what is desirable as they define it. And I don't think we 
ought to be defining it for them. I have never been for----
    Q. ----your instructions been to Oakley?
    The President. My instructions to Oakley were to go first to meet 
with President Meles, decide whether there are any other presidents of 
other countries in the region he needs to meet with, discuss what the 
role for the OAU or some other African role might be, and see what can 
best be done to start, really generate a lot of energy behind the 
political process. We think that ultimately whatever peace would be 
brokered, if it's brokered from forces outside Somalia, should come from 
the Africans. And we would hope the U.N. would be able to bless----
    Q. ----prospects for the release of Chief Warrant Officer Durant? Is 
there any report there?
    The President. Well, we're obviously encouraged by the fact that he 
seems to be in reasonably good shape. And we expect that he will be 
released. I can't give you any other specific comments now. I am very 
hopeful that there will be no Americans in captivity anytime soon.
    Q. ----make a deal for his release?
    The President. ----and I expect that that's what the rules will be. 
But there has been no negotiations over that at all, none.
    Q. ----can't say anything now--is there some sort of sensitive 
process ongoing now--the process----
    The President. No, I wouldn't characterize it in that way. It's just 
that I believe that I think that any Americans who are held captive must 
be released. I think they know the United States has no intention of 
leaving Somalia until that is done. We're going to have all of our 
people present and accounted for before we go home. And that's just 
going to be a part of whatever happens from now on in. It is the 
priority that we have to pursue and for our own people.
    But I'm encouraged that Mr. Oakley was welcomed there by President 
Meles. And I'm encouraged by President--I mean, by the Secretary-General 
wanting to go to the region. So I think that the peace process sort of 
got derailed over the last several months. I think it's going to get 
back in gear. And I think that's a good thing for everybody.

Note: The exchange began at 4:30 p.m. at the Rotunda in Woolsey Hall. In 
his remarks, the President referred to Ambassador Robert B. Oakley, 
special envoy to Somalia; President Zenawi Meles of Ethiopia; U.N. 
Secretary-General Boutros Boutros-Ghali; and captured U.S. Army pilot 
Michael Durant. A tape was not available for verification of the content 
of this exchange.