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Press Briefing by Jake Siewert (10/6/00)

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                              THE WHITE HOUSE

                       Office of the Press Secretary

                                                                  For
Immediate Release                   October 6, 2000


                              PRESS BRIEFING
                                    BY
                               JAKE SIEWERT

                     The James S. Brady Briefing Room


11:45 A.M. EDT


     MR. SIEWERT:  Today, thanks to our economic strategy and the hard work
of the American people, we've reached another dramatic milestone in our
unprecedented economic expansion.  The unemployment rate has fallen to 3.9
percent, matching the lowest level in 30 years.  Unemployment for African
Americans fell to the lowest level ever recorded.  And for Hispanics, it
remains at historic lows.  This is more good news for the American people,
another reminder that those who advocate irresponsible tax plans that would
jeopardize our fiscal progress are taking America down the wrong economic
path.

     Q    Who would that be?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I don't know, but I've noticed a lot of talk out there
about big, big tax cuts that would threaten our fiscal discipline.  And a
lot of it seems to be coming from the Republican presidential candidate and
his running mate.

     Anyway, moving on.  We've got some travel announcements -- we can save
those for the end -- and the week ahead, if that makes sense.

     Q    Yes.

     MR. SIEWERT:  Okay.

     Q    Jake, does the United States government now recognize Kostunica
as the President of Yugoslavia?

     MR. SIEWERT:  We have said for some time that he is the democratically
elected leader of Serbia.  He is the President, and we look forward to
working with him and his government.

     Q    What about sanctions, Jake?  Are they going to be dropped this
weekend, very soon?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Once it's clear that Milosevic is gone and that the
democratic transition is complete, we'll move quickly with our European
allies to begin to take the steps that are necessary to remove those
sanctions.

     I'll remind you that there are some sanctions that are directed
particularly at Mr. Milosevic and his allies, his cronies.  And those may
need to remain in place so that he is not rewarded in some way for his own
misbehavior.  But, generally, we'll work with the European allies, the
Secretary of State said this morning, to review the sanctions that are in
place and to take some steps to remove those as quickly as we can.

     Q    Does the new government have to do anything to get these
sanctions removed, or just simply come to power?  I mean, do they have to
meet any --

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, that's what we'll be working with our allies to
review.  It's clear that we have -- we've been saying for some time now
that if a democratically elected government assumed power in Serbia, that
we would move quickly to ease sanctions.  We'll do that.  But we'll be
working with our European allies to review our commitments.  And we expect
them to obey the rule of law, to honor the rule of law, and we'll take
those as we come.

     Right now our focus in on ensuring that the transition remains
peaceful.  So far, the security forces in Serbia have shown a great deal of
restraint.  We urge them to continue to do that, and we urge Milosevic to
recognize that the people have spoken and that it's time for him to give up
whatever reins of power he still has and to step down.

     Q    Has the United States had any kind of a readout on the Russian
Foreign Minister Ivanov's meeting with Milosevic?  What did he tell him?
What did Milosevic say?

     MR. SIEWERT:  We have not gotten a readout yet.  I expect the
Secretary of State will be in touch with her counterpart and get a fuller
briefing from him about that meeting.  Obviously, we've seen the media
reports.  We're pleased that Russia has acknowledged that Milosevic was
defeated at the polls and that the Serbian people have elected a new
President, that that President is the rightful leader of Serbia.

     Q    There's a Reuter's bulletin that just moved that the Russian
Foreign Minister says that Milosevic told him that he plans to continue a
political role through his party in Yugoslavia.  Would that be acceptable
to the United States?

     MR. SIEWERT:  We would not support any continued role for Milosevic in
Yugoslavia.

     Q    Would it threaten the easing of sanctions?

     MR. SIEWERT:  That's something we'd have to review.  But we would not
support any continued role for Milosevic in Russia.

     Q    Is it still the U.S. position that it wants to see Milosevic on
trial in the Hague?

     MR. SIEWERT:  We believe that, obviously, Mr. Milosevic has been
indicted and we believe in the work that the Tribunal is doing there.  Our
step right now -- he needs to be held accountable for his crimes.  Our
first step right now is to remove him from power.

     Q    Does that mean the U.S. is ruling out any support for any kind of
asylum deal?

     MR. SIEWERT:  We are not proposing a deal; we are not encouraging a
deal; and we would not endorse or support any such deal.

     Q    Jake, has there been any contact with Mr. Kostunica?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Not that I'm aware of.  Obviously, at the appropriate
time and place we may reach out to him.  I expect that won't be in the too
distant future, but I don't have anything new for you on that now.

     Q    And have we been in contact with governments, countries close to
Yugoslavia on, for instance, asking them not to allow Yugoslav planes to
fly over them?

     MR. SIEWERT:  There has been some contact, but I don't want to detail
that here from the podium.  But we can give you an update on that.  I don't
have a full accounting of that.

     In any case, the President, I should say, has been fully briefed by
his National Security Advisor this morning.  I expect that he'll return
some of the calls and reach out to some of his allies in the region during
the day, in Europe, and we'll let you know how those calls go.  I know that
he had received a call from the German government.  We expect at some point
that he'll return that.

     Q    Are we likely to see the President today?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I think it's likely.  I would expect that we'll see him
around 2:45 p.m., and we'll let you know about an exact time and place.

     Q    Could it be here?

     Q    On sanctions, do you plan to coordinate the lifting of sanctions
with the Europeans --

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, we'll work closely with the Europeans on that.  As
I said, we have some sanctions in place that the U.S. imposed unilaterally.
But we'll work closely with the Europeans on the exact timing and shape of
any lifting of sanctions.

     Q    Jake, what about U.S. contributions to reconstruction aid?  In
the past, you guys said not while Milosevic is in power.

     MR. SIEWERT:  We are ready to provide humanitarian assistance and to
aid the process of economic reform and democratization there.  But it's
important now that we move -- we'll be moving quickly to reach out and
engage the government, but we will need to do a little more work to ensure
that Milosevic has relinquished power and that the democratically elected
leader of Serbia has assumed all the reins of the government there before
we begin that.

     Q    Jake, as part of reaching out to Yugoslavia, will -- Yugoslavia
was removed from the IMF and the World Bank after the dissolution of the
country because it refused to pay debts accrued prior to the breakup of
broader Yugoslavia.  Will the United States push for it be reintegrated
into those international financial institutions as a way of bringing it
back into the world economy?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, obviously, bringing it into the multilateral
institutions is one of the steps that would be necessary to rejoin it to
the family of nations.  And that's something that we would review with our
allies in Europe.

     Q    Does the United States now know exactly where Milosevic is?

     MR. SIEWERT:  No.  We have no reason to believe that he is
-- obviously, he's met with Foreign Minister Ivanov.  We have no reason to
believe that he's not where that meeting was held, in Belgrade.

     Q    How concerned is the U.S. that this is not over and that he may
try to make a last stand, last attempt to reconstitute his power?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I think it's important that he makes clear -- it's
becoming increasingly clear that the Serbian people in the military and the
security forces and the church, are united against Milosevic.  But there
are pockets of resistance, I'm sure, to change in Yugoslavia.  And we're
going to continue to urge restraint on behalf of the security forces there,
on behalf of the army.  They've shown an admirable restraint so far, and
there has been relatively little bloodshed.  And we think that's important
that we continue to do that.  And we'll continue to urge restraint and urge
all parties to accept the verdict of the Serbian people.

     Q    Can I follow just on that?  How concerned is the U.S., though,
that the opposition won't be able to get the majority in Parliament to
present a new government?

     MR. SIEWERT:  That's something we'll keep on top of and monitor.

     Q    Jake, other than the restraint that the military and the security
forces have shown, does the United States have any explicit acknowledgement
from those forces that they do, indeed, now have allegiance to Kostunica?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I don't believe we've been in touch with the Yugoslavian
army.

     Q    Jake, is it too early to ask whether the Middle East process is
dead, or do you still want to stay with Yugoslavia?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, I thought that was up to you.  (Laughter.)

     Q    Actually, I have a Yugoslavia question.  Does the Clinton
administration take credit for what happened in Serbia yesterday, or is
this purely a Serbian effort?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, I think it's important to recognize that we're in
the midst of an historical transition in the Balkans, and that the
President has been involved since he took office in trying to devise and
develop a strategy to bring a united, peaceful and democratic Europe
together.

     What's happening in the streets in Belgrade and around Serbia is a
victory for the Serbian people, but it's certainly a victory for the
international community, as well, and a policy that stood firmly against
Milosevic.  Frankly, our abilities to bring stability and peace to the
Balkans over the last decade have been stymied in some sense by Milosevic's
intransigence, his violence, his war against his own people.  And removing
him from power will pave the way for a more integrated, peaceful and united
Europe.  And in that sense, that's a victory, clear victory, for a policy
that the President put in place to bring stability there.

     Q    But, Jake, does the President feel that Milosevic, having lost
the war in Kosovo, largely due to American actions along with NATO, and
with the sanctions which were pushed by the United States in concert with
the allies, these tipped over the balance of the scales against Milosevic,
convincing the Serbian people to rise up against him?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, the Serbian people have taken action, and they're
clearly fed up with his leadership, of a decade of despotic rule.  On the
other hand, the United States has been at the forefront of international
efforts to remove Milosevic from power, to stop his aggression against his
neighbors, to stop his aggression against his own people.  In that sense,
the United States, the President has won a victory here.  The President
been forceful from the very beginning in standing up to Milosevic's efforts
to destabilize the Balkans, and if we can remove him from power and stop
the aggression and bring stability, reduce tensions in that area, that's a
clear victory for the Serbian people, but also for the international
community.

     Q    Were they motivated at least in part to go to the streets because
of American actions including sanctions?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I don't know.  You'd have to ask them.  But like any
historical transition, there are a number of forces at play, but I think
the President has clearly played a role in standing up to Milosevic and
encouraging people to stand up to his aggression, his despotism.

     Q    But it looks now as though the United States government is wary
of embracing Kostunica too warmly, possibly for his own sake.  Is that
right?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Boy.  (Laughter.)  Kostunica has pledged to reduce
tensions in the Balkans.  He's pledged to restore some stability and peace
in the Balkans, and he's promised to create a democratic Serbia.  Those are
all goals that we support, and we support him wholeheartedly in those
efforts.

     Q    Are we done with the Middle East now?  Can we go to --

     MR. SIEWERT:  I don't know.  It's really up to you.  I don't ask the
questions.

     Q    What kind of contact did the U.S. have with the Russians before
today's meeting?  Did the President -- we know he talked to President
Putin.  Did he also send a letter to the Russian President?  And how much
did these contacts did the Vice President know before his debate Tuesday
night?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, actually, I think there's been some very -- the
President has been engaged in talking, obviously, to President Putin over
the weekend.  There may have been some correspondence, I can check on that.
And Secretary Albright, obviously, and Sandy Berger have been in touch with
their counterparts as well throughout this process.

     What the Vice President said is something the President fully agrees
with, which is that the United States did not support any role in which
Russia would mediate between Milosevic and Kostunica.  The election results
were clear.  And what we have said all along in our communications with the
Russian government is that it is important that we recognize that the
Serbian people spoke and that it's time for Milosevic to step down.  That
is clearly what the Vice President said the other night, which is that he
didn't see any role to mediate in this dispute for Russia, and that's
absolutely clear.

     At the same time, we've always said that Russia can play an important
role in speaking to the Serbian people and helping the government of
Serbia, and Milosevic himself, recognize that it's time to step down and
the Serbian people have spoken.  But there was no need to mediate the
results of this election; Kostunica won it fair and square.

     Q    Jake, there's an agreement by negotiators on the Ag bill on the
drug reimport legislation.  Have you all seen that now and do you like it
any better than yesterday?

     MR. SIEWERT:  We have not seen all the details of that bill yet.
There were some disturbing developments in two areas in that bill in that
we seem to have moved away from a bipartisan compromise on drug
reimportation and gone to a Republican effort that is riddled with
loopholes that would mean that this provision is worth very little to the
people it's designed to help.

     What they've done is, they've sunsetted the provision, so that it's
not permanent.  There are some provisions that we've singled out that would
make it less meaningful -- provisions on labeling and on contracting that
would mean essentially that the pharmaceutical companies could thwart any
efforts to reimport the drugs.  And it's not altogether clear whether the
money they've given to the FDA doesn't come out of the FDA's money budget
elsewhere.

     So we're going to take a close look at those provisions and see
whether this is meaningless or whether it actually does some harm, and
we'll let you know as we take a closer look at that what we think of it.

     Q    What about Cuba sanctions?  Have you now got a position on that?

     MR. SIEWERT:  The Cuba sanctions language is something that we haven't
had a full chance to review.  But it's clear that -- again, we're going to
have to examine it in more detail, but it's going to have to strike the
right balance between actually doing what it's says it's going to do in
terms of helping American farmers export to Cuba, a goal that we've
supported.  There are financing provisions in there that might make it very
difficult, particularly for smaller farmers to actually export their goods
and that it prohibits them from working with domestic lenders.

     There are also provisions in there, frankly, that undermine the
President's authority to conduct diplomacy in this area and the
people-to-people contact we think has been very helpful in giving the --
creating the kind of people-to-people contact that we think is important
and there are some provisions in there that would limit that
people-to-people contact.  And we're going to have to take a closer look
and see how those work before we make a final decision on the overall bill.

     Q    Okay, the Middle East now.  Is the Middle East process completely
dead?

     MR. SIEWERT:  We don't think so.  We think that we have spent the last
several days urging all parties to stop the violence, to restore calm in
the area.  Secretary Albright was able to work with the parties in Paris
toward some understandings that would allow -- and they made an effort with
her to reach out to their security forces and their police to urge them to
restrain -- urge restraint and try to stop the violence there.  We're going
to keep monitoring that situation and working with the parties.

     The situation there, obviously, remains tense and difficult and we're
going to expect both leaders to do what they can to restore calm.

     Ultimately, as I've said before, we think that these are --
differences need to be resolved at the negotiating table, not in the
streets.  Right now, our focus is on restoring calm in the streets, but
sooner or later, both parties are going to need to sit down and decide the
tough issues and decide them at a negotiating table.

     Q    In retrospect, does the President feel that the failure of the
Camp David talks this summer was tragic because it could have prevented or
would have prevented what's going on now, the violence?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, there's no doubt that we would like to resolve
some of the final status issues.  We believe the Camp David process was
important at helping narrow some of those differences.  But we didn't
finish up the work and that's something that, ultimately, is incumbent upon
both countries* to recognize that they have serious differences, those
differences remain -- but they need to be resolved at the negotiating
table.  But we believe that the Camp David process was critical in
identifying those issues, and that's something that needed to be done
before they could move on to resolving the most final and most difficult
issues.

     Q    Is there any sense, Jake, that this happened because the outside
world tried to force a peace agreement on the Israelis and Palestinians?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I don't think so.  I don't think anyone would say that
the efforts to restore peace and try to bring calm to that region and try
to resolve some of the differences between the parties is not a worthwhile
one.  What the President said from the beginning is that there are
longstanding historical tensions there that need to be resolved, and we're
going to do everything we can to resolve them.

     Q    On the drug reimport bill, could I just be clear -- if the money
comes out of the FDA budget, that's not a good thing, it should be separate
money?

     MR. SIEWERT:  This is money that obviously was not anticipated earlier
this year and it needs to be provided so that these provisions can actually
work.  If they don't have the money to work them -- if they don't have the
money they need to actually enforce this bill, and if it comes out of the
rest of their budget, then that's going to undermine their efforts in other
areas.

     Q    Okay.  You don't seem to like that legislation, but it's
something.  Even if you don't like it --

     *  both parties



     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, I said we'll have to examine it more closely to
see whether it's meaningless or whether it's actually counterproductive.

     Q    Well, it sounds like you have a pretty detailed knowledge of it.
Could this bill --

     MR. SIEWERT:  Based on -- we are able to read reporting in Congress
Daily and the like -- (laughter) -- that provide us with some knowledge,
and we're waiting to see the actual legislative language.

     Q    We made most of that up, so don't -- (laughter.)

     MR. SIEWERT:  Okay.  Well, we do here, too.  (Laughter.)

     Q    We know.  (Laughter.)

     MR. SIEWERT:  I'm sure you do.

     Q    But could that legislation cause you to veto the entire Ag bill
if you determine you don't like it?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, I say we look at every bill in its entirety.
There are some parts here that we have to take a closer look at, the
language, the reimportation language, and, frankly, just the core
agricultural issues, and we'll take a look at those and make a final
judgment.  We'll let you know when we do.

     Q    On the Ag bill, what is the administration's view on the Byrd
amendment?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I'm not familiar with that, but I can get back to you on
that.

     Q    Jake, let me ask you about Asia.  The President is going to meet
with a top North Korean official next week.  Are you looking for any
concrete progress in improving the relations with North Korea?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Well, this is -- it's on the 10th, PJ?  The 10th.  This
is an historic meeting, the highest level contact between the President and
a North Korean official in decades.  And we expect that we'll be able to
discuss some of the issues that are confronting our countries.  We want to
lower tensions on the peninsula, and obviously take stock of where we are
in the missile talks.  There have been some talks in the region and we're
going to do everything we can to try to get a better understanding of the
North Korean proposal on missiles, and we'll see what we can do.

     But we'll wait for those meetings to actually happen, and then let you
know, but we obviously see this as an opportunity to follow up on the
historic summit that was held this spring between the two leaders, and
we'll be -- the President will be meeting with him on the 10th.

     Q    Is there any consideration being given to adding Korea as a stop
on the Asian trip?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Not that I'm aware of.

     Q    Is there a real possibility of the President meeting with Mr. Kim
Jung-il at some point while the President is in office?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Not that I'm aware of.  I don't know of any such plans.

     Q    There was a sighting of Jesse Ventura, I think, out back.

     MR. SIEWERT:  I believe he was a guest of the President this evening
-- last evening, at the White House.  He was in town, and the President
invited him to spend the night.  So he was staying over.  I think he left,
and has some business in Washington today.

     Q    Did he give money to the First Lady's campaign?  (Laughter.)

     MR. SIEWERT:  Not that I'm aware of, but you could ask him, or check
with the FEC.

     Q    Does the President plan to be in attendance for the debate on
Sunday, the First Lady's debate, or will he watch that from Chappaqua?

     MR. SIEWERT:  I don't know.  I think he's watching it from the home.

     Week ahead, travel.  By the way, we'll have digital photos to release
from some signing ceremonies today.  We're signing an executive order on
disadvantaged businesses.  We'll put that out.  I think they'll be a
stakeout afterwards.  That's at 2:35 p.m.  At 4:55 p.m., a small business
export task force executive order will also be signed, and we'll have a
presidential statement on that.  And then he'll also sign the Intercountry
Adoption Act at 5:05 p.m.

     Travel.  The President will travel to Missouri, Arkansas, Colorado,
Washington, Oregon and California, from October 13th to October 16th.
That's next week.  On the 13th he'll go to Kansas City, Missouri, where
he'll make remarks at a New York Senate 2000 reception.  That evening he
will go to Little Rock, where he'll make remarks at a reception for Mike
Ross for Congress, who is our Democratic candidate in a race down there.

     He'll spend the night in Little Rock, traveling the next day to
Denver, Colorado, where he'll make remarks at the reception for the
Colorado Democratic Party and the Democratic Senate Campaign Fund.  He'll
then travel to Washington, where he'll make remarks at a reception for
Governor Gary Locke, a dinner for Governor Gary Locke and Representative
Jay Insley, and a New York Senate 2000 dinner.  He'll spend the night in
Seattle -- that's the evening of the 14th.

     On the 15th, he'll travel to Portland, Oregon, where he'll make
remarks at a reception for Representative Darleen Hooley, then travel to
Los Angeles, where he'll speak at the Rainbow Push Coalition's third annual
awards dinner.  He'll spend the night in Los Angeles.

     On the 16th, he will speak at a brunch for the California Democratic
Party, and a lunch for Jerry Schipske for Congress.  He will return to
Washington D.C. that day.

     Q    Jake, what about the 2:45 p.m. event with the President?  Do you
have any other --

     MR. SIEWERT:  No, I think we'll just put a -- I've told you what it
is.  We're going to put a statement out, and we'll put a photo out as well.
This is this executive order on increasing opportunities and access for
disadvantaged businesses.

     Q    So we won't see the President in person?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Oh, I'm sorry.  You'll see the President at some time.
We'll give you more details on that when we have them.  We haven't set a
place, but that's the only thing, I think, outstanding.

     Q    But it is at 2:45 p.m.?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Roughly 2:45 p.m.

     Q    Is that likely to be open, or is that a pool situation?

     MR. SIEWERT:  It depends where we do it, but we'll try to provide as
much access as we can.

     Q    What's the President's radio address on tomorrow, Jake?

     MR. SIEWERT:  The radio address is on a health care issue, cancer.

     Q    Is it live?

     Q    Jake, would he be meeting with us primarily to talk about
Yugoslavia?

     MR. SIEWERT:  Primarily, although I expect today we'll sign the
continuing resolution, and he may talk a little bit about what's going on
or what's not going on in Congress these days.

     The radio address will be broadcast tomorrow, I believe it's being
taped today.  The President will go to Ohio tomorrow and Indiana, and spend
the night in Chappaqua.  On Sunday, he will return to Washington D.C. from
Chappaqua.  He has no other public schedule.  No public schedule on Monday.
On Tuesday, he will make remarks at a reception for Representative Bob Wise
at a private residence in Washington D.C.  He will also attend a reception
for Representative Joseph Crowley.

     No relation?

     MR. CROWLEY:  No relation.

     MR. SIEWERT:  Okay.  On Wednesday he will travel to Pittsburgh and
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Chappaqua, New York.  In Pittsburgh he'll
be speaking at an event for Ron Klink for Senate, and the Pennsylvania Fund
2000.  He will also make remarks at a reception for Pennsylvania Victory
2000, spend the night in Chappaqua, return on Thursday the 12th.

     On Thursday he'll speak to the United States Hispanic Chamber of
Commerce Annual Convention at the Grand Hyatt Hotel, and make remarks at
receptions for Representative John Conyers, Representative Xavier Becerra
and the New York Senate 2000.  And on Friday he'll leave on that trip I
told you about.

     Thank you.

                           END         12:10 P.M. EDT


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