Source: http://www.un.int/usa/06_174.htm http://www.un.int/usa/06_174.htm
Date: July 17, 2006

USUN PRESS RELEASE # 174 (06)   
July 17, 2006 
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE  
Remarks by Ambassador John R. Bolton, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, on the situation in the Middle East, at the Security Council Stakeout, July 17, 2006 
Ambassador Bolton: Hello, we had I think 2 very good briefings this morning from the Secretariat concerning the situation on the ground in Lebanon, had a discussion of the G8 statement from yesterday and the Arab League statement over the weekend. Discussed the Secretariat Mission that’s in the region now and the way ahead. I would have to say, the view of the United States is essentially exactly the same as Ambassador de la Sablière said was the position of France. The real solution here is the implementation of Resolution 1559 and the full extension of its authority by the government of Lebanon over all of Lebanese territory. If that in fact were able to be done, then not only would Israel not be subject to terrorist attacks such as rockets and kidnappings by Hezbollah, but the people of Lebanon wouldn’t be subject to the reign of terror that Hezbollah inflicts as well. So, I think this is an emerging common position and I think that’s really what the leaders of the G8 gave as their desire that the Security Council would see the way ahead hear and find ways to implement 1559 more effectively. For us, of course, that means other aspects of the disentanglement of Syria from Lebanon, the full cooperation of the Brammertz investigation under Resolution 1595, and the cutting off of financial assistance to terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah by countries like Syria and Iran. So I think it will be an important week for us here in New York and with a lot of work to do.

Reporter: Mr. Ambassador, you just made it sound like you’re more interested in focusing on implementation of 1559 than in perhaps taking up the possibility of an either broadened mandate for UNOFIL or some kind of a new international force? Or does the U.S. still have an open mind on this?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think I described to you earlier some of the questions that we had been considering about the possibility of a new international force which the G8 leaders said that they wanted to examine in the Security Council and I think one broad area of those questions is how and in what respect such a force might contribute to the implementation of 1559. The Lebanese armed forces to date, unfortunately have not been able to exercise full control over their territory. First, because of the presence of Syrian troops, now the continued presence of Syrian intelligence services, and because of the presence of armed militia groups, both Lebanese and non-Lebanese that are funded and supplied by Syria, Iran and other outsiders. So, the question for southern Lebanon, or indeed all of Lebanese territory is how can we assist the people and the government of Lebanon to take full control over their territory and I think it would be a mistake to avoid the work that could be done to strengthen the Lebanese armed forces and other security forces consistent with 1559. There may be many ways of providing assistance to the Lebanese armed forces. There may be kinds of international forces that could be considered more along the lines of the multinational force and observers in the Sinai rather than a UN Peacekeeping force. These are all questions we’re asking and I think we should ask, we have to ask, to follow through on what the G8 leaders told us. 

Reporter: There is finger pointing in the Middle East on a wide scale to the United States that’s opposing, and may be the only country opposing the Security Council’s call for a ceasefire. They say why we waiting for the nanoseconds for the release of the three soldiers, tens and maybe hundreds of the civilians are loosing their lives. Is there any chance that the United States supports a ceasefire? There’s no international force that can be deployed without a ceasefire to start with anyway. Is there a chance of you supporting that?

Ambassador Bolton: I think the quickest way to bring an end to the armed conflict in the region is for Hezbollah to release the two Israeli soldiers that it has kidnapped and for Hamas to release the Israeli soldier that it has kidnapped. I think that it stands to reason that until that initial act of terrorism is reversed, that Israel’s acting within its legitimate right of self-defense. This is something that, I think, that any democracy would feel this way, and the targeting that the Israelis are trying to do is to go after the terrorist groups, not against the government or the people of Lebanon. 

Reporter: Would the United States, if it happens that it is decided very soon that there will be an international force, to go there as an immediate solution, would Washington support this idea? And what’s your answer also to the Arab League meeting in Cairo a couple of days ago saying basically, the peace process quartet is dead?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, I think there are too many hypotheticals to get to the point whether there would be a U.S. presence but I do, again, direct your attention to the example, the successful example I would argue, of the multinational force and observers in the Sinai, which has had U.S. participation from the beginning, a non-UN force. I think there was much in the Arab League summit document that was consistent with what the G8 said, particularly about the extraordinarily unhelpful role of terrorists and extremists in the region who have precipitated this crisis. So, we were quite gratified at the analysis that came out of the Arab League meeting, and I think it shows that there is a lot of productive ground to work together and to focus on what the problem is, which is the states that support terrorists and the terrorists who are operating in the region.

Reporter: Over the weekend, a Canadian family was killed on vacation in southern Lebanon by the Israeli air campaign. I’m wondering how concerned you are about the civilian deaths?

Ambassador Bolton: Well, it is a matter of great concern to us, to the President in particular, that these civilian deaths are occurring and it’s a tragedy. There’s simply no other way to describe it. But I think it would be a mistake to ascribe a moral equivalence to civilians who die as the direct result of malicious terrorist acts, the very purpose of which terrorist acts are to kill civilians, and the tragic and unfortunate consequence of civilian deaths as a result of military action taken in self-defense. Our moral and legal systems make all the difference in the world between acts based on what their intention is and it’s simply not the same thing to say that it’s the same act to deliberately target innocent civilians, to desire their death, to fire rockets and use explosive devices and examples like kidnapping versus the sad and highly unfortunate consequences of self-defense. But there’s no doubt that all of these civilian deaths are tragic and that’s why if Hezbollah would release the two soldiers it’s kidnapped, then I think we’d have a quick way to get back to a peaceful situation.

Reporter: Ambassador, President Bush at the Stakeout at the G8 seemed to suggest that besides Resolution 1559, the international community should step back and look for an overall comprehensive solution of the Middle East problem, including the problem of Palestine, where this whole thing stemmed from? So basically, what is it that the Security Council can do? (Inaudible) 

Ambassador Bolton: I think the direction of the G8 leaders was with respect to Lebanon but the President and Secretary Rice have been very active in their diplomacy concerning the overall situation. I think you should expect that that level of high activity will continue over the next days and that we’ll have more announcements here shortly. 

Reporter: Are you worried that the UN mediation team, this three-man team, is working cross-purposes with the Security Council?

Ambassador Bolton: I don’t see any evidence of that. In fact, we have asked and others have asked that the team report back to the Security Council just as soon as possible. It’s possible that could be as early as Wednesday afternoon. I think it would be very helpful to the Council to hear the conclusions of the team and factor that in to whatever our next steps might be. 

Reporter: The United States and perhaps other Council members feel that the current Israeli Military Operation can disarm Hezbollah and in effect implement 1559.

Ambassador Bolton: Well I think the approach that we’re taking in the short term is to try to address the immediate hostilities by eliminating the proximate cause of those hostilities which is the kidnapping of the Israeli soldiers and that then we would, as the G8 has asked us to do, take a look at the larger problem. But I don’t think until terrorism is eliminated in the form of Hezbollah and the rejectionist Palestinian armed militias in Lebanon in the form of Hamas and the occupied territories. Until everyone renounces terrorism, these problems are going to continue. And that’s a sad fact, not just for Israel but for the people of the occupied territories in Lebanon who deserve a chance to have real legitimate democratic governments. One more.

Reporter: So your strategy, then, is to allow Israel to continue its military campaign as is? Until the Israeli soldiers have been released.

Ambassador Bolton: My strategy, our strategy, is to have the kidnapped Israelis released and to end that particular act of terrorism. Okay, thanks very much.