UN
Headquarters New York City
October 31, 2005
(1:20 p.m. EST)
SECRETARY
RICE: Good afternoon. I'll make a very brief
statement and then take a couple of questions.
The
Security Council has just passed unanimously a very good
resolution concerning the Mehlis report and the importance
of continuing that investigation so that truth and justice
can be done for the Lebanese people in bringing the perpetrators
to justice of the intolerable assassination of Prime Minister
Rafik Hariri.
The
resolution is a very good resolution that first and foremost
compels Syrian cooperation with the Mehlis Commission,
cooperation that to this date has not been forthcoming.
The Mehlis interim report made very clear that the Syrians
have not been cooperating.
Secondly, the resolution tells the Syrians in no uncertain
terms -- very strong language -- that they should not
interfere in Lebanese affairs in any way. That is a warning
to Syria about interference in Lebanese affairs.
And
third, it allows the Council to come back to consider
further action should that be necessary, should Syria
not comply.
We were very pleased that this resolution could be adopted
unanimously. It sends a very strong signal to Syria of
its isolation, but of course that signal was simply reinforced
by the really unbelievable tirade of Syria's Foreign Minister,
Mr. al-Shara, which showed that the Syrians were intent
on going to some length to try and discredit the Mehlis
investigation after there had been a vote which clearly
welcomed the Mehlis investigation, an independent investigation.
It was a tirade that made the most bizarre connection
of what had happened to Rafik Hariri with somehow the
U.S. Government position on 9/11, the British position
at the time of the July 7 bombings, and the Spanish position
at the time of the March 3rd bombings. At one point, Mr.
-- Dr. Shara said that there had been a kind of strange
presentation. Well, this was a truly strange presentation.
And
finally, I would just note that Dr. Shara himself has
been noted by the Mehlis Commission of not having cooperated
and, in fact, having provided false statements through
his ministry's letter to the Commission. So obviously,
there is work to be done, but this is a very clear signal
to the Syrian Government that their activities are being
noted and that they really must now give full cooperation
to the Lebanese Government -- to the Mehlis Commission.
QUESTION: Madame Secretary.
SECRETARY
RICE: Yes.
QUESTION:
You focused today on the resolution and the Mehlis investigation,
but you've also been talking about Syrian noncompliance
with 1559, and you have the Terje Roed-Larsen report.
Is the U.S. prepared to put forth any further measures
to hold Syria accountable for some of the other things
that you've been criticizing it for lately?
SECRETARY
RICE: Well, we wanted to concentrate on the Mehlis
report because Mehlis has until December 15th to complete
his investigation and we wanted to make certain that that
work could get done and so it made sense to work on the
Mehlis investigation. But I am certain that there will
be consideration of Terje Roed-Larsen's report and the
lack of progress that has been noted there on several
aspects of 1559.
I
would also note that the Quartet, just a couple of days
ago, took a statement that told the Syrians to take all
measures so that their territory could not be used for
terrorist activities and told them to shut down the offices
of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad.
So
Syria's destabilizing behavior in the region is being
noted in many ways and I am certain that if it is necessary
for the Council to get back together, we will do so.
QUESTION:
You weren't Secretary about three years ago. About three
years ago, the divorce between the French Government and
your government in the Security Council could not have
been more complete. Beyond letting justice be done in
Lebanon now, how far do you expect this alliance with
the French to go now?
SECRETARY
RICE: Well, we and the French have had excellent
cooperation on this matter and many others, including
work that we have done together in Afghanistan. I might
note, too, that on this particular matter, which is 1559
and Mehlis, we've had the closest possible cooperation.
We
had a disagreement about whether or not it was time to
hold Saddam Hussein accountable for his acts and for his
failure to carry out his obligations under the multiple
resolutions that had been passed by the Security Council.
But when I talk to my French colleagues, they recognize
the importance of a stable and democratic Iraq. They want
to contribute to that stable and democratic Iraq, and
I am sure we will cooperate on that and many other measures
as well.
Last one.
QUESTION:
What do you say to Arab public opinion, who see this latest
UN report as yet another attempt by the UN Security Council,
notably the U.S., to tighten the noose on another sovereign
Arab country? And do you consider that the passage of
this resolution under Chapter 7 gives the U.S. the authority
to use force unilaterally, as was the case in Iraq?
SECRETARY
RICE: What Chapter 7 -- this Chapter 7 resolution
is very explicit in what it means, which is that Syria
must cooperate with the Mehlis report and then, if necessary,
the Council can come back and consider other measures
or other action, I think is the way that it's phrased.
That is what we take from this report and that is what
we intend to live by.
In
terms of your first question, I would just note that what
the Mehlis report is talking about is what potentially
-- and I want to emphasize potentially because this is
an interim report -- but potentially the security forces
of one state participated in the assassination of a prime
minister of another state. And I might just note, Lebanon,
of course, is a state with a mixed population but, of
course, a part of the Arab world traditionally. So this
is not against Arabs.
I
would also note that Syria's activities have been noted
in the Quartet's statement for the difficulty that it
is causing for the Palestinian Authority, as the Palestinians
try and build an independent state to live side by side
with Israel.
And of course, it has been noted that there are problems
on the Syrian-Iraqi border that are allowing the ingress
of terrorists who are killing Iraqi people.
So
this is not anyone against Arab states. This is holding
Syria accountable for activities that are indeed frustrating
the aspirations, not to mention the safety, of the Lebanese
people, the Iraqi people, and the Palestinian people.
Thank you very much.
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