Daily
Press Briefing
Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
November 10, 2005
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MR. ERELI: Let's go to our friend from
France.
QUESTION:
Thank you. Do you have -- I would like to go to another
subject.
MR.
ERELI: Yes.
QUESTION:
Okay. Do you have any comment on the speech of President
Asad and his answer to the accusations on the Hariri murder?
MR.
ERELI: Well, we saw the speech. We think it is
appalling. Let's remember, first of all, that the international
community has made it clear to Syria that it must, first,
fully cooperate with the Mehlis investigation. And second,
cease all interference in Lebanese domestic affairs. That's
the clear and unmistakable message of three UN Security
Council resolutions: 1559, 1565 and 1636. Asad's remarks
today can only be seen as a defiance of those resolutions.
As the Secretary said, it doesn't constitute cooperation
by any stretch of the imagination. And I think it is something
that is just outrageous and appalling that he would threaten
Lebanon like that, especially in light of the three Security
Council resolutions and it shows that the regime of President
al-Asad just doesn't get it and doesn't understand where
the rest of the international community is on this very
important issue.
Yes.
QUESTION:
What is it that you perceive or where is it that you perceive
him threatening Lebanon?
MR.
ERELI: Well, I would refer you to the speech
where he says that Lebanon is a platform and a factory
for conspiracies, where he insults the Prime Minister
of Lebanon. These are not the remarks of a country and
a neighbor that is respectful of Lebanon and Lebanon's
sovereignty and Lebanon's independence.
QUESTION:
It's a pretty long way, isn't it, from not being respectful
towards a country to actually threatening them? I mean,
a threat normally involves -- if you don't do this or
-- and we're going to do that. It's something along those
lines rather than, wow, that's a really bad place with
lots of conspiracies and we don't like the Prime Minister
--
MR.
ERELI: Let me put it this way. The remarks of
President al-Asad are clearly inconsistent with the substance
and import of three UN Security Council resolutions.
QUESTION:
Could I try something else if we're --
QUESTION:
Would you (inaudible) on the threat with (inaudible) --
MR.
ERELI: I've said what I'm going to say.
QUESTION:
No, well, hold on, so -- hold on. Are you -- you can't
stop me asking a question when I'm just trying to elaborate
your own word. I wonder if your second answer means you're
now trying -- you know, you want to -- you could move
away from that word or it is that you do perceive that
he is saying, we will do something bad against Lebanon?
MR.
ERELI: I will say this. The remarks that -- President
Asad's speech -- that he made in his speech, and its implied
approval of interference in Lebanese affairs, is not consistent
with three UN Security Council resolutions that have all
demanded that Syria refrain from interfering in Lebanon's
affairs and have ordered Syria to respect Lebanese sovereignty.
And that's not what we heard in the speech and that should
be of concern to all of us.
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QUESTION: Can I try something else -
QUESTION:
(Inaudible).
MR.
ERELI: Sure.
QUESTION:
Or maybe two if (inaudible).
Syria seems to want to organize, negotiate some kind of
memorandum of understanding for the Mehlis investigation.
I think I can predict what your answer is, but I'd like
to hear it. Does Syria have any right to condition a UN
investigation? Shouldn't they just cooperate, cooperate
100 percent and that's it, and not actually put any conditions
on it?
MR.
ERELI: Well, I think you should look at what
1636 calls for. It calls for Syria to make individuals
requested by the commission fully available to the commission.
And it also gives the commission authority to determine
the location and modalities for the interviews. So it's
up to the commission to decide what it wants and it's
up to Syria to respond positively to the commission. It's
not up to Syria to negotiate terms.
So our view is that there shouldn't be anything that is
placed above the mandate of the Mehlis Commission. And
if Mehlis wants something, he should get it, and he should
get it without delay and without complication and without
obfuscation. And if Mehlis doesn't get it, the resolution
provides for him to report to the Security Council, certainly
no later than December 15th, but before that if he thinks
it's necessary.
QUESTION:
So if it's necessary, what do you think is the next step?
MR.
ERELI: Well, it is up to Mr. Mehlis to determine
whether the circumstances warrant a report to the Security
Council or not. I'm not going to prejudge that.
QUESTION:
Will you ask for sanctions?
MR.
ERELI: Let's see what the facts are first.
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