Press Availability With Ban Ki-moon

Press Availability With United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon; Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov; High Representative for European Foreign and Security Policy Javier Solana; European Commissioner for External Relations Benita Ferrero-Waldner; Foreign Minister of Portugal Luis Amado; Envoy of the Quartet of the Middle East Tony Blair

Secretary Condoleezza Rice Lisbon, Portugal July 19, 2007

(3:35 p.m. EDT)

FOREIGN MINISTER AMADO: (Via interpreter) Ladies and gentlemen of the press, many thanks for coming. My first remark is addressed to you. I'd like to welcome you to Lisbon. I'd like to welcome all foreign journalists who have come here. (Inaudible) which concerns Israel and Palestine or Israel and the Arab world. It's a problem which concerns the whole of the international community because of the scale that it has taken on and the implications that it has had and has for the international system, the international community must pay great attention to this conflict. The Quartet (inaudible) the international community has adopted to monitor this process. It brings together the United Nations through the presence of the Secretary General, Russia, the European Union and the United States. It's against this backdrop that (inaudible).

(Inaudible) he has come here in this capacity to the Quartet meeting. We have also just heard a very important statement from the U.S. President concerning the developments of this process. Also, President Putin has also made certain proposals in the past (inaudible). With this in mind, we've been working over the past few hours so that we can take steps which will allow us, as swiftly as possible, to restore trust in this process. This is vital not just for the peace and stability of that region, but also for the whole of the international community.

It's with this in mind that I would like to give the floor to the United Nations Secretary General, who will present the results of our meeting. Thank you.

SECRETARY GENERAL BAN: Thank you, Mr. Minister. Good evening, ladies and gentlemen of the media. I'm going to pronounce the joint Quartet statement.

The Quartet principals met now and were joined by former United Kingdom Prime Minister Mr. Tony Blair. The Quartet reaffirmed its commitment to bring about an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and to work to lay the foundation of the establishment of an independent, democratic, and viable Palestinian state, living side by side with Israel in peace and security, as a step towards a comprehensive, just, and lasting peace in the Middle East consistent with the roadmap and the United Nations Security Council resolutions.

The Quartet welcomed President Bush's July 16th statement renewing U.S. commitment to a negotiated two-state solution and supported President Bush's call for an international meeting in the fall. The Quartet looks forward to consultations as the meeting is prepared. The Quartet agreed that such a meeting should provide diplomatic support for the parties in the bilateral discussions and negotiations in order to move forward on a successful path to a Palestinian state.

The Quartet welcomed the agreement by Mr. Tony Blair to be the Quartet representative and discussed with him the urgent work that lies ahead. Noting the centrality of reform, economic development, and institutional capacity-building to the establishment of this stable and prosperous Palestinian state in the Western Bank and Gaza that will unite more Palestinians and live in peace and security with Israel and its other neighbors, the Quartet urged the parties and all states in the region to work closely with Mr. Blair and encouraged robust international support for his efforts including the convening of an ad hoc liaison committee meeting in the fall.

The Quartet expressed support for the Palestinian Authority Government headed by Salam Fayyad, which is committed to the political platform of President Abbas that reflects the January 13th, 2006 Quartet principles. The Quartet encouraged the direct and rapid financial assistance and other aid to the Palestinian Authority Government to help reform, preserve, and strengthen vital Palestinian institutions and infrastructure and to support the rule of law.

The Quartet welcomed the resumption of bilateral talks between Prime Minister Olmert and President Abbas and expressed support for steps taken by the Israeli Government, including the resumption of tax and customs revenue transfers and the decision to release Palestinian prisoners. The Quartet encouraged continued bilateral dialogue and further cooperation, including on the political horizon as a necessary framework to move forward. It urged both parties to work without delay to fulfill their previous commitments and to build confidence.

Recognizing the continuing importance of the Arab Peace Initiative, the Quartet looked forward to the planned visit to Israel by representatives of the Arab League to discuss the initiative. The Quartet expressed the support for continued and expanded dialogue between Israel and the Arab states. It looked forward to an early meeting with the Arab states to follow up on their May meeting in Sharm el-Sheikh.

The Quartet emphasized the need to find ways to sustain Palestinian economic activity and the importance of creating circumstances that would allow for full implementation of the agreement on movement and access, particularly in view of the impact of crossings on the Palestinian economy and daily life. The Quartet encouraged both parties to address their roadmap obligations, including an end to settlement expansion and the removal of unauthorized outposts and an end to violence and terror.

The Quartet expressed its deep concern over the humanitarian conditions in Gaza and agreed on the importance of continued emergency and humanitarian assistance. The Quartet agreed to continue to consult regularly on developments and to meet again in September to take stock of developments, hear from Mr. Blair on his strategy for the economic and institutional agenda, and discuss the way ahead. Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER AMADO: Thank you, Mr. Secretary-General. I open the floor now for some questions.

Please.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) but I have two questions, one for Mr. Blair, another for Mr. Solana. Mr. Blair, after this meeting, are you more comfortable with your mandate and what will be your next steps in the region? Mr. Solana has just come from Ramallah. Do you see -- might things move in the right direction in the territories? It's possible just to ignore Hamas and the situation in the Gaza Strip? Thank you.

MR. BLAIR: Well, first of all, I'm, of course, very content to take on the responsibilities that have been offered to me by my Quartet colleagues and this is something that's an issue that I have been passionate about for many years and I want to devote real attention to it now, now that I'm freed from the responsibility of being prime minister. I think and hope I can offer something in trying to bring about a solution to this issue, which is of such fundamental importance to the world.

And the first steps for me are -- familiar as I am with this situation, nonetheless to go and to listen to absorb and to reflect and then after an initial visit which will take place shortly, I will then go back again for significant periods of time in order to make sure that the intensity and focus is there and to try and create the conditions in which this two-state solution can become a reality. So at the present time, I'm very much going to listen to people, that is the sensible thing to do at the outset, and then at a later stage put forward proposals.

MR. SOLANA: Thank you. Thank you very much for the question. I will tell you, as I told to the members of the Quartet (inaudible), I spent meetings with the Palestinians, with Israelis, I'd like to convey to you the same sentiment that I returned with more optimism and that is not a minor thing. And when you see what have been the latest events in the period of time that we have lived in relation with the Palestinian process (inaudible).

Now, you ask about Gaza. I want to say that very clearly that we will continue to help the Palestinian people which are in Gaza. We are going to continue committed to that. That's what I would like to say at this point in time.

FOREIGN MINISTER AMADO: More questions, please. Go ahead.

QUESTION: Hi. I'm Matthew Lee with the Associated Press. I'd like to ask Special Envoy Blair, first of all, if he has adjusted to his new title and second of all, to follow up on the earlier question. If you're not at all concerned that the -- that you are constrained, your work will be virtually confined to the West Bank and not to Gaza and if that is really the way to go about building the national political institutions that the Palestinians need to become a sovereign state?

MR. BLAIR: Well, first of all, the only thing that's difficult is it's a full three weeks since I've done a press conference, so I'm a little out of practice, to be honest about it. (Laughter.) So it's kind of -- I'm trying to work myself back into the necessary psychology for it. In relation to my mandate, let me make one thing very clear to you. If how effective I can be in the situation depends on some textual analysis of the precise words that are set out then frankly, it's not going to work anyway. This is a very clear situation to me.

There is a vision that has been set out, again, by President Bush this week, but is shared by the whole of the international community and that is for two states: Israel confident of its security and a viable Palestinian state. But that state will not come about unless the conditions for it are present and those conditions are that the Palestinian state is viable, not just in terms of its territory, but also in terms of its institutions, in terms of its capability for statehood. And no political negotiation will ever work unless those conditions are present. So the important thing for me to do is to work with the Palestinians, with the international community to try to make sure that the circumstances are brought about in which Palestinian statehood can be achieved.

Now, at the moment, it's probably not sensible for me to go into all sorts of detail about the strategies that could be developed. There's a later time for that and no doubt when we have a further press conference some time towards the end of September, there are questions that I can answer better then. The most important thing for the moment is to say this, as Javier Solana has just said to you, there is a sense that we can regain momentum. That is the crucial thing. And if we are able to regain that momentum, then a whole lot of things become possible, not least the fact that those people of peace can then feel that the force is with them and not with those who want conflict.

FOREIGN MINISTER AMADO: Okay, another question?

QUESTION: I have a question to Minister Lavrov. To what extent do you believe the Russian-British diplomatic row might a lasting one and would you comment in Portuguese? And in his capacity as President (inaudible) Russian lack of cooperation with London on the Litvinenko affair. Don't you consider that's interference with Russian affairs?

FOREIGN MINISTER LAVROV: (Inaudible) this is not up to Russia. This is up to our British colleagues. We are -- well, this is quite odd for us to hear that Russia is not right in terms of its cooperation on the Litvinenko affair. I want to remind you, that on the day in December last year when the UK asked Russia to receive its investigators, the answer was given immediately and very shortly – within one day, the British investigators arrived in Moscow and also our prosecutors met some earlier requests 100 percent.

At the same time, Russian prosecutors, since Russia also instigated a criminal case, also made a similar (inaudible). And there wasn’t a single day; they had to wait for three months. After three months, they were in a position to arrive in London but all of their requests were met by (inaudible.)

Now, with this request specifically to extradite Mr. Lugovoy, we as yet have not seen the actual document, the actual (inaudible) were still unclear as to what led the British investigators to determine that he is guilty and we can't have -- we can't provide them -- we can't violate our laws just as the UK can't violate their own laws.

But Russia (inaudible) if its citizens are -- if they are persecuted in these countries and if there's enough evidence. There has been quite a number of cases in Russia, whereby these individuals were tried in Russia consisting of a couple of dozen cases, such as (inaudible). So we don't have any particular obstacles in terms of justice. But I reiterate the on the Mr. Lugovoy affair we haven't received a single paper which would explain to us why the British investigators arrived at this conclusion.

Twenty one requests to extradite Russian citizens have been sent to London (inaudible). In the case of a well-known figure Boris Berezovsky, five times we sent our request and each time the British side explains that it wants materials submitted to in order to justify accusations because the charges against Mr. Berezovsky are not enough. And so each time the UK demands some new evidence (inaudible.) So this is how it is. We (inaudible) today that he hopes that common sense will win out particularly since the British have always been (inaudible.)

So in this particular case (inaudible.) We are aware that every time a new government comes into power in any country, it tries to find its own line. It's obviously bothersome in its relations with the European Union. We know that the UK and the European Union are not -- they don’t have absolute meeting of minds. There is a package of reforms that the EU is put forward and not all of them are to the liking of London. So I can also see here the factor of the new government in the UK, I'm quite sure that the government will settle down, will find its line (inaudible) will work for the benefit of the people and Russian-British relations (inaudible.)

QUESTION: Mr. Blair, congratulations, first of all, on your appointment to your new job. Can I venture – conveying my sense of skepticism you get living and working in the Middle East. The history of the Middle East is littered with the careers of envoys who have failed to bring peace. What makes you different, do you think?

MR. BLAIR: Well, thank you, first of all, for that. (Laughter.) I knew it had been three weeks since we'd been in conversation. Look, the view I have is very, very simple: There is no more important issue for peace and security in the world. It is imperative that we succeed and I'm prepared to try to help in whatever way I can. And I think that in the end, that is the most important attitude for me to carry into this job and I also think that there is a real will and desire, if people can find the right way forward, to get to that two-state solution that people want.

And you know, just imagine for a moment if this process were moving forward again. Just think how much hope there would be, how much there would be a sense of people coming together, how much there would be a falling away of the hatred and the division that this particular complaint often brings not just to those most intimately affected by it, but to the wider world.

So it's an important task and -- you know, as you all know from your experience of me over the 10 years, I'm nothing if not an optimistic. And I will probably have need of all that quality of optimism in this task ahead, but I'm determined to try, because I think it is important, because I'm passionate about it, I believe in it, and I think that the vision of a state of Israel that can really, for the first time in its existence, be confident of its security and a Palestinian people given the justice of a Palestinian state, I think that vision is something that's worth striving for.

So you know, you can ask me whether I'm still as optimistic in a few months time, but at the present time, I'm determined to try and I think the situation calls for that.

FOREIGN MINISTER AMADO: Okay. Just to finish, two more questions, okay?

QUESTION: Secretary of State, my questions to you are from Gaza and Ramallah. I've been asked to ask you personally by two people you spoke to there. Essentially, they're saying, what new policy is coming out of the Quartet? We've seen what's happened before. What new policies can you promise the people in the Gaza city and in Ramallah on the West Bank?

And my second question is from Israel for Tony Blair and congratulations too on your new job. Our question from Israel is, how can you reestablish some sort of contact with the ordinary people in West Bank, Gaza, and in Israel in the peace process itself, because they have been such victims of the cycle of terror? How are you going to do that? What new are you bringing to it? Those are the two questions. Thank you.

SECRETARY RICE: Well, thank you very much. And as to the matter of what policies the Quartet is pursuing, they are policies that are aimed at what has actually been a long-held dream, which is that there would be two states, one for Israelis and one for Palestinians. And I have said in the past that the Palestinian people have waited long enough to have their state and the Israelis have waited long enough to have the security that will come from having a secure and democratic neighbor.

Now I think what you've heard today is a recommitment of the international community to rapidly pursue policies that can lead to that outcome. First and foremost, we have to recognize that there have been changes in the Palestinian territories. There is an elected President of the Palestinian people, Mahmoud Abbas, who is devoted to that vision of two states. And there is a prime minister, Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, who is trying on the ground, working with the international community and working with Israelis and working for Palestinians to bring about the conditions that will allow the Palestinian people to have a better life.

And there are several things that we can do and that we committed to. The President, when he spoke the other day, talked about our financial commitment to the Palestinian people. That has to be a commitment to the building of political and economic institutions that Mr. Blair will be involved in. It has to be a commitment to direct assistance to the Palestinian Government. This will be a new phase for the United States, in particular, in that direct assistance.

But I want to say something in particular to the people of Gaza, which is that that commitment goes to them, too. The United States is very concerned and the Quartet expressed its concern about the humanitarian conditions in Gaza. And we are going to continue to support UN efforts to make certain that the people of Gaza have the humanitarian assistance that they need.

All of that, the work on movement and access, the work on improving the economic situation, the work on improving political institutions, all of that is very important. But ultimately, it has to be bolstered by a commitment to a political future for a Palestinian state. And when we met today, one of the points that my colleagues made is that the were welcoming President Bush's recommitment to that part of the equation on Monday.

We talk about a political horizon. What do we mean? We mean that the Palestinian people need to be able to see that there is, indeed, a concrete reality, a concrete possibility of a Palestinian state, a viable, contiguous Palestinian state that will be able to be a homeland for the Palestinian people and that we are fundamentally committed to achieving that goal.

I want to just say that in working with Tony Blair, who I've gotten to know over the last several years, I know of his passion for this issue. And I know too that we all understand that there has been -- there have been many, many attempts to get to the two-state solution, many attempts to get to an end to this conflict. And perhaps there are lots of reasons that it has not succeeded in the past. I don't think it has not succeeded because people want it to fail. There have been many dedicated people who want it to succeed. But we need from the Palestinian people a commitment to building the institutions, the democratic governance, democratic institutions that will not be corrupt and that will deliver for their people.

We need for the Israelis a recognition, and policies based on a recognition, that the future of Israel lies in places like Negev and Galilei, not in the continued occupation of the West Bank. And we need support for this new government. We need from the Arab states a commitment to the end of the conflict and to support the Palestinian people in this cause and we need from the international community the kind of focus that I think the Quartet has brought to this meeting.

We also need a good bit of good luck and optimism. But I think you would have been pleased to see that the optimism and the commitment were in no short supply in today's meeting.

MR. BLAIR: David, I don't think it's surprising at all that there, of course, will be a lot of skepticism amongst people on the ground who are facing situations of real difficulty. And you know, for us, the most important thing is -- not, as it were, just to offer them fresh words of hope, but to translate that into concrete actions. And you know, ten years ago -- and I know the situations are very different, but sometimes there are similarities. Ten years ago, people would have been very cynical on the island of Ireland that Martin McGuinness and Ian Paisley would sit down in government together. In fact, they wouldn't have been merely cynical, they would have been completely unbelieving.

And things can change. What is necessary to change this situation is two things. First, there has to be a strong, clear political perspective of two states. And when President Bush reaffirmed the importance of that this week, he did so in the context of a whole series of moves that are now happening to try to make that a reality. So that political perspective has got to be there and that's the first thing. But the second thing is that it's got to be then translated into practical actions so that the Palestinian state can come into being because the conditions, the real conditions for statehood that aren't just about negotiations and territory, but are actually about the institutions of the state. So that those come into being and they come into being in a way that means that Israel is still confident of its security.

Now that is the only solution in this situation. There will be no solution if it does not accept the reality that Israel has to be confident of its security and the other reality, which is the Palestinians aren't going to go away. They want their own state. It's right that they have it. And we've got to help them prepare the conditions for that statehood.

And those two things move, then, together; a clear political perspective of a two-state solution and the preparations for statehood necessary to make that work. Now the rest of it is the really hard, difficult, detailed, intensive, determined draft that gets those things into place. And that's -- in a way, what has happened in the last few days, despite all the obvious problems which people can draw attention to, what has happened is there is, I think a sense of renewed determination and renewed momentum.

Now these are very early days, so it's important not to start offering false hopes to people, but the fact is there is a determination. We know how important this issue is and the rest of it is up to the hard work to get there. And also, to convince people, both in Israel and in Palestine, that it's worth doing, which it is. Because otherwise, there is no future for the people of the region and this is, then, something that has an impact right across the world. So of course, people -- you know, when we start something like this, people will be -- you know, they will be questioning, but it's our task, then, to prove that progress can indeed be made and I believe it can be.

FOREIGN MINISTER AMADO: On behalf of all of us, thank you for your presence

ENDS

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