[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 31, Number 39 (Monday, October 2, 1995)]
[Pages 1729-1730]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Exchange With Reporters Prior to Discussions With Prime Minister Yitzhak 
Rabin of Israel

September 28, 1995

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Mr. Prime Minister, do you think this agreement today will be a 
step toward a Palestinian state?
    Prime Minister Rabin. I'll answer questions later. I came--we came 
to visit with the President. After the signing he will be able to ask 
questions. I prefer not to answer--not to respond to them at this stage.
    Q. Maybe the President will be less shy. Mr. President, U.S. policy 
has been against Palestinian statehood. But you appear to be moving in 
that direction. Has U.S. policy shifted?
    The President. We're not moving anywhere. We're moving with the 
parties to help make a peace. The parties are making the peace. Every 
agreement along the way is an agreement between the parties. We are 
supporting the peace process, and that's all we're doing, and that's all 
we will continue to do.
    Q. [Inaudible]--need their own state, Mr. President?
    Prime Minister Rabin. Allow me not to answer you on specifics. I 
would like to thank the President for the way that he encouraged, 
assisted, and helped the peace process in the last almost 3 years. I 
believe that the approach that was taken by the President, the way that 
he just said so, is to encourage the parties to the conflict to be the 
parties for peace. The responsibility, the main responsibility of the 
peacemaking process lies with the parties to the conflict. We appreciate 
and are thankful to the President for his assistance and encouragement 
to reach agreements, the kind that we have reached--started 2 years ago 
almost in signing the DOP, then the Washington Declaration with Jordan, 
then the peace treaty with Jordan, hopefully today, the second phase of 
the implementation of the DOP after the Cairo agreement to the whole 
West Bank. And I believe what has happened in the last over 2 years is a 
remarkable progress with tranquility, stability, and peace in the 
region.
    Q. Mr. Rabin, progress on the Syrian front hasn't been very swift. 
Do you have any thoughts about whether this will provide impetus for 
agreement on another front?
    Prime Minister Rabin. Be patient.

[At this point, one group of reporters left the room, and another group 
entered.]

    Q. Mr. President, is there a chance to see President Asad sitting in 
this room next to you and the Prime Minister?
    The President. Well, we would like to see a peace, a comprehensive 
peace in the Mid- 

[[Page 1730]]

dle East, but that's up to the parties involved. We'll keep working, and 
we'll just keep working at it.
    Q. Mr. President, how do you see the chances of implementation, this 
current Oslo B agreement between Israel and the Palestinians? Do you 
perceive that this--that there are fair chances that it will be 
implemented correctly, positively?
    The President. Yes, I believe that if the parties make a good-faith 
effort, I will do what I can to see that it's properly implemented and 
to get the necessary support from around the world.
    You know, a lot of people have been cheering this process on, and 
those who cheer need to support it. And the United States will do what 
we can to support it. And I will encourage a bipartisan support within 
the United States and around the world. I think the parties will do 
their part. And those of us who support peace should do ours.
    Q. Do you mean political or economically?
    Q. Mr. President, do you think Israel should release all the 
Palestinian prisoners when the agreement is signed?
    The President. Excuse me?
    Q. Do you think Israel should release all the Palestinian prisoners 
now when the agreement is signed?
    The President. I think that the United States will take the position 
we have always taken. The parties are working these matters out, and the 
parties will continue to do it, and we will support the peace process.

Note: The exchange began at 9:28 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. A tape was not available for verification of the content of this 
exchange.