Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs William Burns, speaking with reporters December 9 in Rabat, said the Bush administration is determined to see Iraq comply with U.N. resolutions about weapons of mass destruction and supports U.N. inspection efforts, led by chief inspector Hans Blix.

"We are fully supportive of Mr. Blix's efforts and it will remain absolutely essential for all of us to hold the Iraqi regime to the strictest possible standards as they were laid out in that resolution," Burns said.

Burns said President Bush has made no decision whether to use force against Iraq. Burns refused to address what he called "hypothetical questions" concerning how the United States might react to the 12,000-page Iraqi report to the U.N. inspectors.

Burns underscored U.S. appreciation for the assistance of Morocco, Algeria and Tunisia in combating international terrorist activities.

"The reality that all of us face threats from violent extremist groups. And all of us have suffered from them. And so we are ready to strengthen cooperation in any way that we can working through our bilateral relationships, through international institutions and agreements, through regional cooperation and understandings," he said.

Briefing on the latest developments in Middle East negotiations, Burns said the administration remains committed to the emergence of a Palestinian state by 2005, if Palestinians can develop the responsible institutions of statehood. Over the past two months, the United States and the other Quartet partners - the U.N., European Union and Russia - have focused on creating the road map to achieving this objective.

Burns said Secretary Powell looks forward "with a real sense of urgency" to meeting with his counterparts in the Quartet later this month "because the conditions that both Israelis and Palestinians face today are extremely difficult, and getting worse."

The assistant secretary expressed U.S. support for Morocco's "ambitious and courageous program of economic and political reforms" and congratulated Morocco for its recent parliamentary elections. He said the United States and Morocco will start negotiations soon on a Free Trade Agreement that he said will benefit both countries.

Burns praised Morocco for its tradition of tolerance and understanding, which he said "is especially important in the region these days."

Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Ambassador William Burns
Residence of the U.S. Ambassador
Rabat, Morocco
December 9, 2002

A/S Burns: Eid Mubarak. It is a pleasure to meet with all of you and to be back in Morocco. I would like to express again, on behalf of President Bush and Secretary Powell, the condolences of the United States for the victims of the recent flooding. I would like to make a few brief opening comments, and then I would be glad to turn to your questions.

I had the pleasure of an audience with His Majesty. We had an excellent discussion on a broad range of issues, both bilateral and regional. I was also pleased to have a chance to meet with the Speaker of Parliament and I look forward to seeing the Prime Minister later today. With His Majesty, I stressed first the appreciation of the United States for Morocco's superb cooperation in the campaign against terrorism, a campaign in which Morocco remains an extraordinary ally. I also expressed our strong support for the ambitious and courageous program of economic and political reforms on which Morocco is embarked. And, in particular, I expressed our congratulations for the recent parliamentary elections held in Morocco.

The United States remains committed to helping support these efforts, particularly economic reform, in every way that we can. One excellent example of a way in which we can work together will be the beginning of formal negotiations of a bilateral Free Trade Agreement. I believe that a Free Trade Agreement can offer significant benefits to both of our countries. And finally, I had a chance to emphasize to His Majesty the appreciation of the United States over a very long period of time for Morocco's tradition of tolerance. That model of tolerance and of understanding is especially important in the region these days. And it is a reminder to us, as Americans, of the importance of our partnership with Morocco. We also, obviously, had an opportunity to discuss the most critical issues in the region today, in particular the Palestinian issue and the question of Iraq, but why don't I turn to your questions at this point and try to respond to them.

Q: Two questions. The first part is on Iraq. What does the U.S. administration think of the report that was just submitted by Iraq, and why is part of it not open to the public?

A/S Burns: First, let me say with regard to the issue of Iraq, as President Bush has emphasized before, the United States is determined to hold the Iraqi regime to its obligation to comply fully with UN Security Council resolutions, especially the new resolution 1441. We will hold the Iraqi regime to the very strict standards laid out in that resolution, which was approved unanimously by the UN Security Council. And that is the spirit in which we are going to very carefully and thoroughly and comprehensively study the declaration provided by the Iraqi government.

We have just received this declaration. We are fully supportive of Mr. Blix's efforts and it will remain absolutely essential for all of us to hold the Iraqi regime to the strictest possible standards as they were laid out in that resolution. Your second question?

Q: Following 9/11 the United States in its global campaign against terrorism started a dialogue with countries in the region including Morocco. You were recently in Algeria and you are going next to Tunis, where the issue of cooperation against terrorism will be raised. The Europeans maintain that there are dormant cells of Al-Qaeda in North Africa. Could you tell us whether the campaign against terrorism has remained bilateral between the United States and each individual country in the Maghreb or is it regional?

A/S Burns: We have been very appreciative of the cooperation of our friends in the region in the campaign against terrorism. Much of that cooperation has been bilateral and our relationships with Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia reflect that fact, and the reality that all of us face threats from violent extremist groups. And all of us have suffered from them. And so we are ready to strengthen cooperation in any way that we can working through our bilateral relationships, through international institutions and agreements, through regional cooperation and understandings, and we certainly welcome efforts in whatever region of the world for countries to pool their resources and to work together on these threats.

Q: While you are talking of the U.N. process, the U.S. appears to be preparing for war. How can you explain that contradiction?

A/S Burns: Well, let me take a step back because no one has made any decisions, certainly not President Bush, about resorting to the use of force. President Bush has made it absolutely clear, as I emphasized before, that Iraq must comply fully with its obligations to the United Nations Security Council. But the issue here is full Iraqi compliance and that's what resolution 1441 lays out. The President has not said that war was imminent or inevitable.

Q: What if you are not happy with the report (inaudible)?

A/S Burns: One thing I have learned as a government official is not to address hypothetical questions. All I would say is that we had what I thought was an excellent, comprehensive discussion of the issue of Iraq and a number of other important regional issues when I met with His Majesty. I think the question of full Iraqi compliance with resolution 1441 and Iraq's other obligations to the Security Council is a question on which we and Morocco and our other friends in the region fully agree.

Q: In 1982 Alexander Haig came to Morocco and signed an agreement which allows United States forces to use Moroccan bases. Are you planning to use Morocco for operations in Iraq or Afghanistan?

A/S Burns: I don't have an answer to offer you today on that question. Let me just stress that the cooperation between the United States and Morocco in the campaign against terrorism has been exceptional, and it is something on which we will both look forward to continuing to build.

Q: Do you believe Sharon's charge that Al-Qaeda has cells in the occupied territories?

A/S Burns: I don't have a particular comment on those reports. All I would say is that the position of the United States with regard to fighting Al-Qaeda is very well known, and we will continue to root out the threat posed by Al-Qaeda wherever we find it.

Q: Could you provide details of U.S.-Moroccan cooperation in the campaign against terrorism?

A/S Burns: Well, I guess what I would do is refer you to several areas in which we work together with Morocco as well as with a number of other countries around the world. These areas include information sharing in our mutual interest in fighting against violent extremist and terrorist groups, in the area of law enforcement cooperation, and in the area of cooperation in stopping the financing of terrorist groups. Those are just several examples of the kind of cooperation which we enjoy with Morocco and with other countries in the region. And I think again that is something which is based on our mutual interests because we are both threatened by these kinds of groups.

Q: MINURSO expires at the end of the month. Does the U.S. have new ideas for resolving the Western Sahara issue?

A/S Burns: On the question of the Western Sahara, the United States remains committed, as we have been for many years, to a peaceful resolution of the problem. We are fully aware of its complexity and of the difficulty of resolving it. But, we do believe that there ought to be a peaceful resolution which takes into account the interests and concerns of all the parties. And, towards that end we remain strongly supportive of the efforts of Mr. James Baker, the special envoy of the UN Secretary General.

Q: What are the latest developments on a peace plan for the Middle East?

A/S Burns: The situation is extremely difficult right now particularly for Palestinians living under Israeli occupation. The situation is also extremely difficult for many Israelis who have to live every day with security threats. And the United States, as President Bush and Secretary of State Powell have made clear, remains firmly committed to trying to find a pathway that brings both peoples back to a political process. President Bush has made very clear his vision of a two-state solution in which two states, Israel and Palestine, can live side-by-side in peace, security, and dignity. We have been working in recent months very actively with our partners in the international Quartet, meaning the United States, the United Nations, the European Union, and Russia to develop a practical pathway, a roadmap, to move in the direction of the vision that President Bush has outlined. And, to make a reality of that vision by the year 2005. The difficulties in the path of that undertaking are enormous. I don't need to tell any of you that. But, what I would emphasize again is President Bush's determination to move ahead. He has asked Secretary Powell to meet with his counterparts in the Quartet later this month to try and move ahead on the road map I described and we look forward to moving in that direction with a real sense of urgency because the conditions that both Israelis and Palestinians face today are extremely difficult, and getting worse. And it is in all of our interests to try to move away from terror and violence, and to resume a political process that holds the real prospect of an end of occupation and an end of conflict.

Q: My first question: When will President Bush meet with President Arafat? Second, it seems to us that the U.S. is determined to fight Saddam, regardless of what the U.N. says. Your comment?

A/S Burns: In response to your second question, I think that the United States has made very clear when President Bush went to New York, and spoke to the UN General Assembly in September of his determination to work to the maximum extent possible, through the United Nations, to ensure full Iraqi compliance with its obligations. The President has made very clear, and he has said publicly, that he doesn't consider war to be imminent, nor inevitable. It has to be seen as a last resort, but the President has also emphasized, as did the members of the Security Council who voted unanimously in support of resolution 1441, that Iraq has to be held to the strictest possible standards in meeting its obligations.

As for your first question, what the United States has tried to emphasize is not to focus on any one individual on the Palestinian side but to focus on the value for Palestinians themselves of creating strong political institutions in preparation for statehood, institutions which don't depend on any one individual. Palestinians are as capable as any people in this region of building those institutions. What they need more than anything, it seems to me, is a sense of hope. What they need is support from the United States and others in the international community for an approach that makes clear that it is possible through political means to reach a negotiated settlement that results in a creation of a real and viable and democratic Palestinian state and an end to occupation, and that also makes clear that a pathway of violence and terror can never produce that outcome.

Q: How many Moroccan prisoners have returned from Guantanamo to Morocco?

A/S Burns: I don't have a specific answer for you on that. All I can say is, with regards to those who have been detained in Guantanamo, the United States has ensured, through visits by the International Committee of the Red Cross and others, that proper international standards are being adhered to there. Second, we have offered to all governments who may have citizens being held in Guantanamo the opportunity for access for interviews, to meet with their citizens, but beyond that I don't have any specifics to offer you.

Q: Given the fact that most people in the Maghreb countries, and most governments are opposed to an attack on Iraq, do you think that the international coalition against terrorism will survive a strike against Iraq?

A/S Burns: Well, as I said, at this stage, President Bush has certainly not made any decisions with regard to a resort to force. Our focus now is on compliance with the UN Security Council resolution and Iraq's obligation to comply.

Q: What did you discuss in your meeting with the King today? Did you discuss the presence of any terrorists in the country?

A/S Burns: As I said, we had a very good and very useful conversation about a range of issues on which we work together including the campaign against terrorism but I can't go into specific details.

Q: How long was your meeting with the King?

A/S Burns: I think it was about 45-50 minutes. Last question please.

Q: If you are not declaring war on Iraq, then why all the ongoing preparations as if you were going to war tomorrow?

A: As I said, we are determined to ensure full compliance with the Security Council resolution. There is a pathway that doesn't involve the resort to the use of force, and that pathway is full Iraqi compliance with the resolution that all 15 members of the Security Council voted for. That pathway does exist. And that, it seems to me, is the issue before us today. Thank you.