[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 33, Number 14 (Monday, April 7, 1997)]
[Pages 433-436]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Remarks Prior to Discussions With King Hussein I of Jordan and an 
Exchange With Reporters

April 1, 1997

    The President. Let me say, it's always an honor to have His Majesty 
King Hussein back in the White House. I believe this is our 15th meeting 
since I became President. I want to have the chance to thank him for his 
continuing devotion to peace, the particularly courageous trip he 
recently took to Israel. And I want to discuss with him what our next 
steps are.
    I think it's clear that we would not have gotten the agreement in 
Hebron had it not been for his leadership, and his leadership is 
essential as we go forward. So this is a difficult time for the peace 
process, and we have a lot to talk about. We also have a lot to talk 
about in terms of the relationships between the United States and 
Jordan, and I'm looking forward to that.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Mr. President, I think you would agree that----
    Q. Mr. President----
    The President. One at a time, one at a time.
    Q. I think that you would agree that the establishment of the--or 
attempt to establish a settlement in East Jerusalem, with soldiers and 
bulldozers, is the real cause of violence, in contradiction to the Oslo 
agreements. So what are you going to do to restore that faith, that 
confidence in the agreements?
    The President. Well, that's what we're going to discuss here today, 
and we'll have a----
    Q. I mean, this is not--I think you'd agree it wasn't----
    The President. As you know, I just sent Dennis Ross out to the 
region. We've just--we've had two meetings, one yesterday--an extended 
meeting yesterday and an extended meeting this morning about it. What I 
think we have to do is to restore the environment of security and of 
confidence so we can go forward with the negotiating process. And we've 
got some ideas about it, but I want to talk to the King about it first.
    And you may be sure we're working on it. It's an urgent thing for me 
and for the whole peace process.
    Q. Mr. President, there was an incident in Gaza today, and the U.S. 
line--I don't mean that in an unfavorable way--last week was that you 
needed a clear signal from Yasser Arafat that he disapproves of 
violence, terrorism as an instrument. Did you get that

[[Page 434]]

clear signal? Because there has been no public statement.
    The President. He's made several moves in the last few days which 
are encouraging in that regard. But let me say that unambiguously a 
precondition of going forward is a commitment to zero tolerance for 
terrorism, for making the best effort.
    All the parties have acknowledged that no one can promise that there 
will never be a violent incident, that you could control every last 
thing that every person does. But there has to be an attitude of zero 
tolerance, a determination to do all that can reasonably be done to 
maintain the peace so that then negotiated progress can be made. And 
that's what the United States expects, and that's what we will continue 
to press for.
    Q. Do you think the Palestinians have no right to defend their land?
    The President. I think that the subjects that are clearly identified 
as to be negotiated in the final status should be negotiated in that 
way. And I've made that clear whether any side likes it or not. But I 
don't believe there is an excuse for terrorism in any case. I believe 
terrorism is always wrong.
    Q. Can we ask the King a question? Sir, Your Majesty, what more do 
you think the United States can do to try to get the peace process back 
on track?
    King Hussein. I think the United States has taken the lead over many 
years, and I've had the privilege of working with the President for the 
establishment of peace, not only between Jordan and Israel but a 
comprehensive peace in the region. And I hope to have the chance to 
discuss with the President what further steps all of us can take----
    Q. Would you like to see the Secretary of State go to the region? Do 
you think that would help at this point?
    King Hussein. I suppose at some point in the future at an 
appropriate moment that, sure, the Secretary of State could probably 
visit the area, and she'd be most welcome.
    Q. [Inaudible]--to support Israel as it seeks peace? Is it time to 
ask Israel to do certain gestures or to support them or to press them to 
make issues?
    Q. Are you sending Albright to the Middle East?
    The President. At the right time. I certainly want her to go, but I 
want it to be part of a clear strategy designed to produce progress. And 
I will make the decision in consultation with--obviously with Secretary 
Albright and my entire team but also with King Hussein and our other 
friends in the region. We want it to--I couldn't say it better than His 
Majesty did, that we want it to be a trip that will actually be part of 
a strategy designed to move the process forward.
    Thank you.

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

    Q. The Jordanian press would like to share with you our wishes for a 
speedy recovery.
    The President. Oh, thank you so much. Well, it's just an unfortunate 
accident, but I'm making good progress.
    Let me make a statement first, if I might. I believe this is my 15th 
visit with His Majesty, King Hussein, and I welcome him back to the 
White House. I am eager to have this opportunity to discuss the peace 
process, as well as issues relating to our bilateral relations. And I 
cannot express how much I continue to admire the role he has played and 
the courage he has displayed consistently, in very personal terms, 
including after the unfortunate incident recently along the border and 
his trip to Israel.
    I do not believe we can have a comprehensive peace in the Middle 
East without the powerful influence of King Hussein. The United States 
believes that we have more to do now. We've been talking about some 
other steps we could take, and that's what I want to visit with the King 
about. So I'm looking forward to it.
    Q. Mr. President, you just mentioned the role that His Majesty has 
played, and he has invested all of his personal credibility and prestige 
to bring the parties together and rescue the peace process. But 
recently, the U.S. veto of two U.N. resolutions on settlement was seen 
by many Arab countries as a departure from long-standing policy. What 
are you, Mr. President, willing to do to change that image and to help 
His Majesty put the peace process back on track without seeing any more 
of the violence we've seen in the past few weeks?

[[Page 435]]

    The President. Well, first of all, let me say that the vetoes did 
not evidence support in the United States for the decision for the 
building to go forward at Har Homa. And I made that clear at the time. 
We were very clear about our position on that.
    We vetoed the resolutions for two reasons. One is, we don't think 
that they're very helpful to the peace process. And second is, there 
were other--there was language in both resolutions which we believe 
prejudiced the final status negotiations against the Israelis in the 
same way that we favor--we felt that some of the actions prejudiced 
final status negotiations in their favor. We don't want to do either 
one.
    What we want to do is to see these final status issues, as 
envisioned by the Oslo agreement, actually and honestly negotiated 
without prejudice. I think that is the clear thing that I want to drive 
home here.
    And I want to discuss with His Majesty what are the next steps we 
can do. How can we create a sense of both security and confidence in the 
Middle East, that is, that the Israelis will believe there is a 
commitment on the part of the Palestinians to security and the 
Palestinians will have confidence that the Israelis will not attempt to 
prejudge the issues that should be negotiated in good faith between 
them? And we have some ideas. We'll be discussing them. And perhaps 
together we can get this peace process back on track. We'll do our best.
    Q. Mr. President, how do you envisage--cooperation and support 
Jordan in your second term, please?
    The President. Well, I'd like to do more. I think that Jordan has 
done as much to keep the Middle East peace process alive and moving 
forward as any nation, without much--frankly, without much assistance 
from the outside for doing it. And I believe that we should do more, and 
that's another thing I want to discuss with His Majesty, what other 
steps we can take and how we might go about getting that done. But I 
think that's something that ought to be a part of our private 
discussions until I have more to say on it.

Iraq

    Q. Is the Iraqi situation going to be one of the issues discussed 
with His Majesty? And what can be done to alleviate the Iraqi suffering, 
of the Iraqi people?
    The President. Well, the reason we supported the U.N. Resolution 986 
is so that the oil could be sold to alleviate the suffering of the Iraqi 
people. So Saddam Hussein can use that money now to alleviate that 
suffering. And we certainly hope that he will. That's why we supported 
the United Nations resolution all along. So I think that's the first 
time that needs to be said.
    However, from my point of view, we still see no evidence that he has 
changed his fundamental attitude toward his neighbors or his fundamental 
way of operating. And so I still believe that our position is right on 
that. But we supported 986 in the hope that the suffering of the Iraqi 
people, and especially children, could be alleviated by that income 
coming in for that purpose.

Middle East Peace Process

    Q. Your Majesty, how could Jordan and the United States of America 
work together to advance the peace process and build confidence again 
between the Arab partners and Israelis?
    King Hussein. I believe that we are working together. We have worked 
together as partners and friends totally committed to the cause of 
peace, and I certainly hope this will be another opportunity for me to 
speak with the President and our friends here and to discuss what needs 
to be done beyond this point.
    Q. President Mubarak said this morning that the peace process 
reached its low point--that the peace process reached its low point in 
20 years, is what President Mubarak said this morning.
    King Hussein. Well, we are certainly passing through a difficult 
stage, but I would like to say that all the ground we have covered right 
now shouldn't be considered as nothing. I think we have come a long way, 
and certainly conditions today are not what they were 20 years ago.

[[Page 436]]

Note: The President spoke at 11:55 a.m. in the Oval Office at the White 
House. In his remarks, he referred to Ambassador Dennis B. Ross, Special 
Middle East Coordinator; Chairman Yasser Arafat of the Palestinian 
Authority; President Saddam Hussein of Iraq; and President Hosni Mubarak 
of Egypt.