(On Serbia, Montenegro, Middle East peace, Korean peninsula) August 1, 2000 U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Italian Foreign Minister Lamberto Dini spoke with reporters in Rome August 1 following a meeting at which they discussed topics ranging from the Balkans, to the Middle East peace process, to the Korean peninsula. Dini praised the United States "for the relentless efforts President Clinton and the Secretary of State have made to try to bring to a conclusion the Middle East peace process.... The United States' role in this matter is of fundamental importance." Albright said the two discussed the upcoming elections in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia "and we see that as a meaningful test and the importance of providing timely backing to the democratic government of Montenegro." Asked whether she would "insist" during meetings with Montenegrin President Milo Djukanovic that Montenegro participate in Yugoslavia's elections, Albright said, "We obviously are going to be talking about the elections and I want to get his views and give him some of our ideas.... I think that we are all discussing what is appropriate in terms of participation." Dini said his government's view "is to encourage President Djukanovic and Montenegro not to boycott the elections." Concerning developments on the Korean Peninsula, Albright said, "This clearly is an important step forward ... but we have to look at it step-by step. We want to have our concerns met. Those have to do with nuclear issues and with missile issues. I found it heartening that the North and South Koreans were able to come to some agreement ... and we will continue to watch very carefully." Following is a transcript of the press conference: (Begin transcript)
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
JOINT PRESS AVAILABILITY WITH SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
FOREIGN MINISTER DINI: Well ladies and gentlemen, good morning. You are all
aware that the Secretary of State was coming to Rome and will have an important
meeting in the Vatican today, but I am particularly grateful to the Secretary of
State for having wanted to come to the Foreign Ministry today for a bilateral
meeting. I took that occasion, first of all, to tell the Secretary of State how
appreciative we are in Italy, our great appreciation, for the relentless efforts
President Clinton and the Secretary of State have made to try to bring to a
conclusion the Middle East peace process. It has been a most valiant effort and,
as I say, greatly appreciated, and I am sure it will continue to do so and
because the United States' role in this matter is of fundamental importance. No
other country can replace the United States in trying to help in welding an
agreement. This morning, of course, it had been now some time in our frequent meetings and conversations that we haven't had together and therefore the issues of common concern and interest on the international scene are quite a few and many I would say, and we went over recent developments, not only concerning the Middle East, but in particular the Balkans; and as you know, there is concern on our part on Mr. Milosevic's moves, including the changes in the constitution, the calling for elections, relations with Montenegro, and the question of Kosovo -- where, of course, things are quiet now but full security has not yet been re -established. We talked about these matters, we reviewed developments in Albania, and I took the occasion of indicating to the Secretary of State how concerned we are with the flow of illegal immigrants that are coming over from Albania as well as from further away in the Mediterranean east, from Turkey and others, which creates major political problems in our country. These and other matters we re discussed with the Secretary of State, and again I express our appreciation for having come very early this morning to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for this meeting. Thank you Madam.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Thank you. I am very pleased to be here in one of my
favorite cities, Rome, and to have the opportunity to meet with my good friend
the Foreign Minister. An awful lot has been happening around the world in the
last few days and weeks, so I think it's very important to have the possibility
to consult. Since I was nearby in Tokyo, I asked if I could drop in on my way
home. As the Foreign Minister indicated, we used our time well. I am very
appreciative of his kind words about the U.S. role in the Middle East and very
grateful for Italy's support in our efforts. I asked about Prime Minister
Amato's recent trip to Tirana and emphasized how vital we see Italy's aid to
Albania. We also reviewed other regional issues as the Foreign Minister just
mentioned, including elections in Serbia, and we see that as a meaningful test
and the importance of providing timely backing to the democratic government of
Montenegro. As allies we also discussed other areas of long-standing security
concern, including I always enjoy seeing the Foreign Minister and this morning was no exception, and I'm very grateful as always for his hospitality. As I said, it's a great place to come. Thank you very much Lamberto.
QUESTION: A question in two parts about the Yugoslav elections for the Secretary
of State. Are you going to insist with Mr. Djukanovic on the participation of
Montenegro in the Yugoslav Federal and Presidential elections; and the second
part, what is the position of the United States towards the participation of
Kosovo electors in the Yugoslav elections?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Let me say I am looking forward to meeting with [Montenegrin]
President Djukanovic. We have stayed in close touch. We obviously are going to
be talking about the elections, and I want to get his views and give him some of
our ideas. We think that these elections clearly are important and will provide
some kind of a meaningful test, as I said. I think that we are all discussing
what is appropriate in terms of participation.
Q: I would like to ask the Secretary of State, when you discussed about the
Korean Peninsula yesterday in Tokyo, you said we must be cautious about the
openings coming from North Korea. We know that Italy has been one of the
countries which has mostly pushed for these changes and for these openings. In
your discussions, what was the position that he mentioned. You are both
convinced that there can be a real change in North Korea?
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well, let me start. I think that I very much welcome Foreign
Minister Dini's views on changes in Korea because he and the Italian government
have taken such an interest in what is going on. We have both met with the
Foreign Minister, our counterpart, and we have traded views on that. I think
that we have to take this on a step-by-step basis, as I have said to some. I
think we ought to look at events between South and North Korea in a way of
balanced euphoria. This clearly is an important step forward that President Kim
Dae Jung and Kim Jong Il have taken, but we have to look at it step-by step. We
want to have our concerns met. Those have to do with nuclear issues and with
missile issues. I found it heartening that the North and South Koreans were able
to come to some agreement on liaison offices and are filling out some of the
detailed aspects of the agreements that were made when the two leaders met at
Pyongyang, and we will continue to watch very carefully.
FOREIGN MINISTER DINI: I would like to underline the fact that our views are
very close, I would say identical to those of the United States. There are no
differences. I think we are all satisfied that the process has been set in
motion, but we are all very fully aware that it is a long process, that we
cannot expect major changes rapidly. However, the process underway must be
encouraged, and I think we are providing encouragement on both sides. And on one
particular issue and that is the support for KEDO [Korean Peninsula Energy
Development Organization] on the part of the European Union. That support is not
up to Italy's expectations, and this is a matter that I would want to raise with
the European Union to see that Europe's participation in KEDO financially is
going to be raised, because that is an important issue, also for North Korea in
terms of energy. Thank you.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: And let me say that I am very grateful to the Foreign
Minister for his support on KEDO with the increase in oil prices and generally
our commitments on fuel deliveries. I think it is very important and I am very
grateful for the Foreign Minister saying that the EU needs to up its
contribution.
Q: I have a question for Foreign Minister Dini. What role can the Vatican play
in solving the issue of Jerusalem in the Middle East peace process? And I
wondered if you could also share your views with us on the best strategy for
President Djukanovic in fighting the elections. Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER DINI: Well, on the first question, clearly Italy's interest is
as much as other European countries in encouraging the parties to find an
equitable solution for the Jerusalem problem and that [it] is a solution that is
satisfactory to all the three religions that have holy sites in Jerusalem. So
it's not that Italy has any magic formula to solve the Jerusalem issue; it has
not been found; but I understand from the Secretary of State that progress has
been made on this issue. For the first time it has been discussed openly and
squarely by the two parties concerned, and the United States is also canvassing
the view of other countries, including our own, and we are supportive of their
effort. On the second question about President Djukanovic, the Italian government's view is to encourage President Djukanovic and Montenegro not to boycott the elections.
Q: Mr. Amato said on Saturday that there is no solution at the moment for the
Milosevic problem. I would like to know what could be your solution.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I didn't hear Mr. Amato say that, so I can't corroborate it.
I do think that it is very important for the democratic opposition in Serbia to
unite and to present a single slate and to participate in the elections. They
have an opportunity to do that, and they need to unite on a single candidate.
That is a solution.
Q: Do you think that the agreement signed last February between the Vatican and
the Palestinians which called for an international statute for Jerusalem was
contradicted by the Palestinians' insistence at Camp David that they would only
accept full sovereignty on eastern Jerusalem? Thank you.
SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well, they were not interested in having
internationalization, though they have called for an open city. I think that the
major issues here are, as the Foreign Minister said, that the question about
control over the holy sites and that the complications here are that Jerusalem
is holy to three religions, and how to handle this at the same time as the
issues of political sovereignty. That's why this gets so complicated. But nobody
wanted, at Camp David certainly, the issue of internationalization was not the
solution to it. (End transcript) (Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. )
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