For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 14, 2003
Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer
The James S. Brady Briefing Room
12:35 P.M. EST
MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. Let me give you a report on how
the President spent his day.
The President has already this morning spoken with President
Mubarak of Egypt, King Abdullah of Jordan, and Crown Prince Abdallah of
Saudi Arabia. The President discussed with each of those three Arab
leaders the road map that the President discussed in the Rose Garden at
10:00 a.m., and reiterated the importance of pursuing the path to peace
in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinians.
The President also this morning spoke on the phone with the Prime
Minister of Denmark about the need to disarm Saddam Hussein.
The President also today had his intelligence briefing, FBI
briefing. He made the remarks in the Rose Garden, as you know.
And at 3:00 p.m. this afternoon the President is going to have a
rather unusual meeting here at the White House. This weekend is the
15th anniversary of Halabjah. This is a chemical attack -- an attack
on the people of Iraq with chemical weapons by Saddam Hussein. The
President will meet with three people who were affected, either they
directly or their families, as a result of Saddam Hussein's use of
chemical weapons.
In that single order that Saddam Hussein gave to use chemical
weapons, the Iraqi regime killed thousands of Iraq's own citizens.
Whole families died while trying to flee clouds of nerve and mustard
agents descending from the sky. Many who managed to survive still
suffer from cancer, from blindness and respiratory diseases,
miscarriages and severe birth defects as a result of Saddam Hussein's
use of chemical weapons.
The President will meet with these three individuals. They will be
available to talk to the press at the stake-out afterwards, to discuss
what a brutal dictator Saddam Hussein is and how, if force is used, the
people of Iraq, will for the first time in decades be able to live in
freedom and security with Saddam Hussein no longer engaging his
torture.
Two announcements for you. The President will meet with Prime
Minister of Pakistan on Monday, I'm sorry, on March 28th. The leaders
will discuss bilateral, regional, international issues, as well as our
close cooperation between the United States and Pakistan on the war on
terror.
One final announcement. The President will travel to the Azores on
Sunday to meet with Prime Minister Blair, Prime Minister Aznar, Prime
Minister Barroso, to discuss how best to proceed to make it
unequivocally clear to Saddam Hussein that there will be serious
consequences if he fails to disarm. The President has said all along
that he will exhaust every option. He is travelling to meet with
leaders, to share his assessment of the threat to peace posed by Saddam
Hussein's defiance. The leaders will discuss all final diplomatic
options.
And with that, I'm happy to take your questions.
Q Ari, what is it that the President thinks can be done, and
what is he prepared to do to revive what appears to be a failing second
U.N. resolution? What is this supposed to accomplish?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, this meeting will discuss all final
diplomatic options. I think you can see this meeting as a sign of the
determination of the President to go the last mile. And meeting with
these leaders affords the President the opportunity and the chance to
review this diplomacy as it's brought to its conclusion.
Q What signs does this administration have that there is any
reason to believe that a second resolution can win approval at this
point?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, we shall see. This remains an important
issue for the future, it's one of the purposes of the meeting. And we
shall see, ultimately, what role the United Nations will play. We
shall see.
Q But, again, Ari, there are no --
MR. FLEISCHER: David, we're going to -- I want to keep moving.
Q Wait a second, but the question still stands.
MR. FLEISCHER: Last question, David.
Q Doesn't the American public have a right to know what signs
of any progress there is? Because there are plenty of signs of
failure?
MR. FLEISCHER: Sure, we'll see if there are, indeed, signs of
progress to the point where the United Nations will bring it upon
itself to act. As you know, all along I've not made any predictions
about it. Conversations are continuing, and we shall see, ultimately,
what role the United Nations plays. The President continues to hope and
work and go the last mile so that the United Nations will play a role.
Ron.
Q Just a housekeeping matter. Yesterday when you said that
there was no plans for a Presidential trip, have you been able to
confirm that, indeed, plans were underway and you were misled?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, I accurately related to you everything that I
was informed of by the Chief of Staff, as you know.
Q Do you believe that there was no plans underway, at the time,
yesterday?
MR. FLEISCHER: I wouldn't have said what I said if I didn't think
it was accurate.
Q I thought maybe in hindsight you found out something
different.
MR. FLEISCHER: No. And I think as you indicated yesterday, Ron,
you said something about a trip to England, and obviously this is a
trip to the Azores, when I indicated yesterday --
Q I did not say -- wait, excuse me --
MR. FLEISCHER: When I indicated yesterday --
Q I asked -- you can check the transcript, I asked if the
President was going to be meeting with the Prime Minister. I didn't
say in England.
MR. FLEISCHER: It's exactly as I outlined to you --
Q I actually said outside of London. And as you know, AP
reported --
MR. FLEISCHER: It's exactly as I outlined to you yesterday, that
when I asked the question to the Chief of Staff, and I faithfully
related to you, and accurately related to you, the answer that I was
given.
Q And I accept that. I was just wondering if it had changed,
if you found out afterwards that, indeed, planning was underway.
MR. FLEISCHER: What happened was last night, as the discussions
continued about whether or not the President would travel, a decision
was made, and then the final piece of it came together this morning.
Q The President and you, in his stead, have repeatedly said he
doesn't need this resolution. So why should we not be skeptical of his
apparent attempt to bend over backward to get the resolution? Why is
this anything more than a last minute attempt to look good for the
benefit of Tony Blair, primarily, and to look like he's trying to make
peace? He's said he's going to go to war if he doesn't get it. What's
the difference?
MR. FLEISCHER: Because the President does think it's important to
go the last mile for diplomacy. And this is important to our friends
and our allies, and if it's important to our friends and our allies,
it's important to President Bush.
Q But it's not as important to us, obviously, because we keep
saying he doesn't need it.
MR. FLEISCHER: And that's a statement of fact. The United States
-- and the President has said it repeatedly -- does not need a
second resolution or an 18th resolution, based on legality and based on
the fact that it's important to disarm Saddam Hussein. But because it
is important to our friends and allies, it's important for President
Bush.
Q So this trip is for the benefit of our allies?
MR. FLEISCHER: And if it's for the benefit of our allies, it is,
by virtue, therefore, beneficial to the United States. We are in this
together.
Helen.
Q Will you ask -- Ari, will you ask the President for me and
for many, many others, has he really weighed the human cost on both
sides, starting a war to go after one man?
MR. FLEISCHER: Helen, this is not a war to go after one man. This
is a war, if there is a war, to go after one regime led by Saddam
Hussein that possesses weapons of mass destruction that can take the
lives of millions. That's why the United Nations called on Saddam
Hussein to disarm. It is because Iran
-- Iraq possesses weapons of mass destruction and that is the core
of the issue. They have not disarmed.
Q How do you know they do, when they haven't been discovered?
We've had inspections, and so forth -- and many other countries have
weapons of mass destruction, including us.
MR. FLEISCHER: And under Resolution 1441, Saddam Hussein was
compelled by the United Nations Security Council to immediately,
without condition and without restriction disarm. He has not done so.
Q You haven't found anything yet in the --
MR. FLEISCHER: That doesn't prove that he doesn't have it, Helen,
it just proves that he's able to hide it.
Q But that doesn't prove they are either.
MR. FLEISCHER: And the inspectors will also be the first tell you
that during the '90s they missed of what he had, too, if they hadn't
been told about it from defectors.
Q Ari, you said there's a little more diplomacy, a little more
time left. Chile today, on behalf -- apparently -- of the
undecided nations has proposed adopting five of the British benchmarks,
the strict tests for Iraqi compliance, and extending the deadline three
or four weeks. Is that too much diplomacy, too much time? Or would the
President be open to three to four weeks to test these benchmarks?
MR. FLEISCHER: And, of course, I was asked several days ago about
whether or not the President would be open to extending the deadline 30
to 45 days -- now you could say that's 26 to 41 days. If it was a
non-starter then, it's a non-starter now.
Q Wait, wait, wait. You said 30 days was a non-starter. Now
you're saying that 24 --
MR. FLEISCHER: Four weeks, obviously, is 28 days. Four days ago I
was asked about 30 days. That makes it 26. No, that's a non-starter.
Q How about three weeks? (Laughter.)
MR. FLEISCHER: Are you negotiating for someone? (Laughter.)
Q Can we talk? (Laughter.)
Q All right, let me just ask you one broader question here. In
the past several weeks we've seen the administration go from
discouraging a second resolution to desperately seeking the vote of
nations like Guinea. We've seen the President go from saying, put the
cards on the table, there will be a vote -- to Secretary Powell
saying, maybe not. We've seen European officials say the
administration told them the road map for peace in the Middle East
would not be published until after any war with Iraq -- to the
President walking out into the Rose Garden doing it today. And we had
you yesterday saying there's no travel, and now he's going to the
Azores.
It looks like an administration in chaos.
MR. FLEISCHER: Let me begin with your first erroneous statement.
As you said, a nation "like Guinea." I don't know what that means.
Guinea is a sovereign nation and a proud member of the Security
Council. And if you believe in the United Nations and believe in
multi-lateralism, then nations like Guinea deserve their place on the
Security Council with an opportunity to say how they think. That's how
the President approaches, with respect, each of these nations.
On the rest of your statements, you have seen a continuation of the
diplomacy. And what you have seen as the diplomacy reaches its final
path, there are multiple options to reach that final path. The one
area that unites all those options is the President's determination to
go the last mile on behalf of diplomacy
Q And he's willing to flip-flop several times to get there?
MR. FLEISCHER: I disagree with your characterization of it.
Q Ari, would an Iraq war slow down this Middle East road map?
MR. FLEISCHER: In fact, the question that said something about
there will be no road map until the end of the war, I'm not aware of
anybody who has made such a statement. The President --
Q Chris Patton.
MR. FLEISCHER: Do you have anybody in the United States government
who has made such a statement?
Q He said that he was told by officials in the United States
government.
MR. FLEISCHER: I can't speak to that. I'm not aware of any United
States official who would have said that there will be no road map.
The President has always said -- if you go back to the June 24th
speech -- that what we needed to have was an environment in which both
Israel and Palestinians can have confidence, until they're side-by-side
in peace.
As the Palestinians reformed and as the security situation got
better on the ground, the President has observed there was a change in
events in the Middle East, with the naming of a Palestinian prime
minister. The President hopes that this will be a key moment in which
the Palestinians, themselves, are showing more signs of serious,
meaningful reform. And if that is the case, the President has said he
will send a road map forward, exactly in keeping with what he said on
June 24th.
Q You said the new prime minister should have real authority.
Are you worried that Yasser Arafat would have too much authority or too
much influence over the new prime minister?
MR. FLEISCHER: It's a question mark. And it's an important
question mark to resolve. Yasser Arafat has not shown a history of
being willing to relinquish power in reality. And so it is an
important issue to determine whether or not the Palestinians are,
indeed, engaging in meaningful reforms. The President hopes so. If
they are, this President is prepared to take action.
Q We're very possibly just days away from going to war. Yet,
the President has yet to share with the American public in any detailed
way his best assessments of what military and civilian casualties might
look like, what the terrorist threat reprisal possibilities are, what
the costs of this war might be, what the burdens of occupation and
rebuilding might be.
If a determination is made to go to war, is the President going to
share his best thinking on this with the American people before the
shooting starts?
MR. FLEISCHER: We are rapidly approaching the final diplomatic
moments. And in the event the President makes the determination that
he must go beyond diplomacy and that force must be used, he will,
indeed, have much information to share with the American people.
Q Including addressing those specific questions?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not going to predict every --
Q Before or after the shooting starts?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not going to predict every eventuality of
remarks the President will make. But I think the American people will
hear what they're expecting to hear from the President at a serious
time like this.
Q Beforehand?
MR. FLEISCHER: Mike.
Q Following up on your respect for Guinea, what would be the
harm, and would there be any benefit, to having a representative or
some representatives of the six middle, undecided Security Council
nations in the Azores?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the meeting is a chance for the co-sponsors
of this resolution to speak and to meet. It's for those nations that
are standing by 1441 as the sponsors of this resolution to meet. So
that's the purpose of the meeting. And that's why they're getting
together.
Q The purpose of the meeting is to get a resolution, what would
be the harm?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not aware that it's even an eventuality or a
circumstance that anybody else has suggested, let alone the leaders of
those nations. So this is a meeting of the leaders that I've
mentioned.
Q British Prime Minister Tony Blair said, in part, the reason
for recommitting to the Middle East peace process is to show a sense of
even-handedness -- the suffering of the Iraqi people, the war on
terror, as well as the suffering of the Palestinians and the Israelis.
Is there any recognition from this administration that those two
conflicts have not been treated even-handedly? And I have a
follow-up.
MR. FLEISCHER: The President's approach has been one that all
parties have responsibilities. And that's what he said on June 24th
when he cited specifically the responsibilities of Israel to peace, the
Palestinians to peace, and the Arab nations to peace.
Q And how do you respond to the suspicions that the
administration is talking about this recommitment to this road map --
released road map, as a part of the strategy to win support in the
U.N. Security Council on the second resolution?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think you could easily ask the question, if the
President didn't go today, you could say, now that the Palestinians
have appointed a Prime Minister, or are on the verge, perhaps, of
appointing a Prime Minister with real authority, why isn't the
President saying anything? Is it not important enough for the
President?
The point is, action is taking place on the ground in the Middle
East in accordance what the President called for on June 24th. Failing
to note what took place by the Palestinians would be an omission of the
President's duties to work toward peace between Israel and the
Palestinians. I think it would be surprising if the President did not
speak out at a time like this.
Q But, Ari, is there no recognition that might even look
suspicious at this time, the timing of this to talk about recommitting
to the Middle East road map at the same time they need the votes for
the --
MR. FLEISCHER: If you're suggesting that the Palestinians have
chosen this moment to appoint a Prime Minister as suspicious, I think
that's something you need to take up with the Palestinians.
Q -- the administration's reaction, its recommitment to the
road map?
MR. FLEISCHER: Again, if you're suggesting that it's appropriate
for the President to stay silent as the Palestinians are on the verge
of, perhaps, appointing a powerful or independent Prime Minister, I
think that's a rather unusual statement to make that the President
should remain silent at time like this.
Q Ari, you are tying the release of the road map -- which the
Russians, at least, say has been held up only by the United States
among those in the Quartet -- to your acceptance of the power of the
Prime Minister the Palestinians have chosen. And you're announcing a
summit on Sunday that doesn't involve any of the half dozen members of
the Security Council whose votes you need to get the resolution passed
that you want. Where is the substance in either of these diplomatic
gestures?
MR. FLEISCHER: It'll be in the conversations that are held among
these leaders. And, you know, I think this notion that somehow these
undecided nations want to attend the summit is something that's not
borne out by anything that I have seen. I'm not aware that any of them
are saying they wanted to go.
But the purpose of this is to give diplomacy this last final
chance. And that's important for these leaders to pursue.
Q Ari, why do they need to do this in person? Why do you need
a summit meeting? What needs to be accomplished that can't be
accomplished in a conference call?
MR. FLEISCHER: Because it was the determination of the three
leaders that as it reached the point of finality, from a diplomatic
point of view, where the best course to proceed is to meet with each
other, to talk in person.
These leaders have been talking repeatedly on the telephone -- in
fact, I should have mentioned, the President also spoke to Prime
Minister Blair on the phone today -- and they've been talking
repeatedly. They've reached the judgment that the best process now is
to meet in person.
Q But, I mean, clearly, the President has been doing a lot of
telephone diplomacy because it's effective. So why do they -- I
mean, it looks like it's just a --
MR. FLEISCHER: Because they reached a conclusion that it's also
effective to meet in person and to speak on the phone. I was asked
before this trip, how come he's not traveling? Now he's traveling.
Q Ari, can you talk a little bit about how the trip came about,
what the decision -- how it was initiated and when it started?
MR. FLEISCHER: Last night, probably around 6:00 p.m, 6:30 p.m., is
when people decided they really wanted to take a look and see if this
could happen. There was one piece that was missing, and that was a
final conversation that needed to take place today, this morning. That
conversation did take place.
Q Blair?
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm sorry?
Q With Blair?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, it was a conversation between Europeans. That
conversation took place, and that allowed it to proceed.
Q And was it initiated -- the trip initiated by the U.S.?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think it was a result of mutual conversations
among the various leaders. That's how the information has been relayed
to me.
Jacobo.
Q Ari, we're not going in order?
MR. FLEISCHER: Jacobo.
Q We're not going in order.
MR. FLEISCHER: Jacobo.
Q Ari, you speak of a summit of three leaders. But the Prime
Minister of Portugal, Manuel Barroso, who is a host, is going to
participate in the meeting with the other three leaders.
MR. FLEISCHER: We'll be publishing the exact schedule, but of
course the Prime Minister of Portugal will be there. He is the host of
this meeting. The three co-sponsors, the three members of the Security
Council are the United States, Spain and the United Kingdom.
Q And the duration. Do you have a -- how many hours the
summit will take place? Is it only on Sunday?
MR. FLEISCHER: It's a day trip. We will be providing to all the
press, as usual, the exact itinerary.
Q Ari, Tony Blair seems be fighting for his political life
right now. He was here more than a month ago, supporting President
Bush. Why is the President not thinking of traveling to England to
help him, his friend, who is in trouble primarily because of his
actions with the President?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, the Azores was chosen as a logical meeting
spot that is roughly in between all three nations. It's, from a
logistical point of view, the easiest place for all three to go.
Q But when Tony Blair was here, he and President Bush spoke to
the nation from the Cross Hall. Why not do that for Tony Blair? Why
not President Bush go to London?
MR. FLEISCHER: For the exact reason I gave, because this is a
meeting among three leaders, not just two.
Q Ari, the six uncommitted nations on the Security Council have
some commonality in views, and that's, in general, that they seek more
time, perhaps a specific list of objectives that Saddam Hussein has to
meet.
You've fairly clearly ruled out, for now anyway, the possibility
the 30 to 45-day extension is acceptable. But the British -- but
there's a lot of overlap between what the British have put forward as a
compromise, and what some of these uncommitted nations are seeking.
The differences would seem to be in the amount of time involved.
Is it fair to say that this will be a topic of discussion on
Sunday? And, more broadly, is the President open to the possibility,
anyway, the possibility of some additional time? Not 30 or 45 days,
necessarily, but some additional period of time in keeping with the
request from the six uncommitted nations and Britain, if he thinks
it'll get him the nine votes?
MR. FLEISCHER: The meeting will take place on Sunday. I'm not
going to predict every eventuality of the meeting, or every possibility
of the meeting. But, suffice it to say, they will, of course, be
discussing how to get the U.N. to act, and to disarm Saddam Hussein.
Q Ari, in discussing the objectives of this meeting this
morning, you indicated that the main hope at this point for avoiding
war is a statement from the United Nations so clear, that from the
world community so clear, that it would basically compel Saddam Hussein
to go into exile. Is that the only hope at this point of avoiding war?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think there -- I think there are still two
issues that remain at play that have been at the core of this from the
very beginning. One is the complete total and immediate disarmament of
Saddam Hussein, exactly as called for in Resolution 1441. And the
other is for Saddam Hussein and all his top leaders to leave the
country.
Q But realistically, at this point, at this late date, do you
hold out any hope that Saddam Hussein is going to disarm in a fashion
that would --
MR. FLEISCHER: The only person who can answer that question
accurately is Saddam Hussein. The President hopes so. I think
realistically, the chances are slim.
Q But he sees something that would happen at the Azores over
the weekend as causing Saddam Hussein to suddenly --
MR. FLEISCHER: Clearly, the more unity there is in the world, the
more the ability of the United Nations Security Council to act
meaningfully to enforce 1441, the more pressure there is on Saddam
Hussein.
Q Ari, the President often when he remarks often talks about
several topics. Why didn't he talk about the summit in his remarks
this morning? Secondly, you just explained a more --
MR. FLEISCHER: He wanted to give me the pleasure of doing that.
His remarks were focused on the Middle East. He did not think it would
be an issue that you would fail to note.
Q He often talks about several issues. And, secondly, on --
specifically on France, could you --
MR. FLEISCHER: June 24th, he spoke about just peace in the Middle
East, so I really am not sure there is a basis to that -- spoke today
about the Middle East.
Q Explicitly, why do you think that France shouldn't be
invited? And, thirdly, could you just answer Dick's question about
whether the information will come before the shooting starts?
MR. FLEISCHER: I make no predictions. I can't say anything about
when military action will begin.
Q I know, but the information about him telling about the
costs, is that going to come beforehand? And, also, about France, why,
explicitly, shouldn't France be --
MR. FLEISCHER: I've always said that in the event the President
makes a decision to use force, he will discuss that with the American
people prior to that taking place. But this is a meeting for those who
are standing by Resolution 1441, and seeking the disarmament of Saddam
Hussein under 1441. This is a meeting for the co-sponsors of that
resolution.
Lester.
Q World Net Daily reports, under President Bush, the Justice
Department now admits its predecessors, the Clinton Justice Department,
conspired to print factually false information in a Justice Department
letter to deprive James Sanders of his civil rights in connection with
his investigation of the crash of TWA Flight 800. This is case
#EDMY01CB5447JS.
MR. FLEISCHER: Lester, what's your question?
Q Does the President -- is the President glad that his
Justice Department has so exposed the Clinton Justice Department?
MR. FLEISCHER: I have not boned up today on KD34963421. Lester,
you need to address that, as you well know, to the Justice Department,
not to the White House.
Q Ari, 182 days ago, the President told the United Nations: we
expect quick resolution to the issue of Iraq disarmament. And he set a
deadline of days and weeks, not months and years. Six months later,
he's still waiting. On January the 15th, he announced, time is running
out. On February the 22nd, he announced, time is short. My question
is, since it is now March the 14th, with no resolution in sight, how
can you deny that the President has created a serious credibility gap?
MR. FLEISCHER: Number one, I think you need to be precise in what
you say the President said, and apply it to the events the President
said need to take place. On September 12th, the President said that it
should be weeks not months for the United Nations Security Council to
act by passage of a resolution based on his September 12th speech.
That, indeed, happened when the Security Council, within weeks, not
months, passed the resolution the President asked them to pass. On
January 30th, when the President was asked how much longer will the
current stage last, he said, weeks not months. I think what you've
seen in both cases is the President is speaking precisely.
Q Ari, I just wanted to ask you why the President thinks now is
an appropriate time to open the diplomatic window for Saddam to get out
of town? And whether you'd like to see that language reflected in
something the U.N. does, or whether it's just something that should be
reflected by what the coalition leaders do in the --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm not going to get into any speculation about
individual wording of any resolutions, or do any public negotiating,
other than to say that the world would be very well served if Saddam
Hussein were to leave.
Q But do you foresee the coalition leaders in the Azores
addressing the issue of exile and how to achieve that?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think you have to allow the meeting to take place
on Sunday.
Q What's the coverage plan for Sunday?
MR. FLEISCHER: We're still working on that detail. I'm aware of
several of the conversations that have been underway. I'm trying to
work through some of the logistical issues that I've been told are
present. I want to dig deeply into this. And my approach is always to
have the Washington White House press corps travel with the President.
Q Ari, do we have any assurances from Tony Blair that if we
don't get this second resolution that he is with us? And is this
meeting on Sunday, is it any part of it for the President to sort of
relay to Blair that it's no time to go wobbly if we, in fact, don't get
a second resolution?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think Prime Minister Blair has shown nothing but
strength and leadership in the cause of disarming Saddam Hussein so
peace can be maintained. So I don't think that's even -- that's not
an issue.
Q But when you say it's -- that the second resolution is more
for our allies. I mean, that's about Tony Blair. And I guess I'm
saying if we're willing to go without a second resolution, can Tony
Blair go without a second resolution?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think that's a question you need to address to
the United Kingdom, not to me -- I don't speak for Tony Blair. The
President
has been abundantly plain on this issue and he has said the United
States does not need a second resolution. But because it's important
to our allies, that makes it important to him.
Sarah.
Q Thank you. I have two questions, if I may. If the United
States gets reliable intelligence that Saddam Hussein plans to strike
first, has the President given the Pentagon permission to attack before
Saddam does?
MR. FLEISCHER: I do not discuss operational issues.
Q I have one more. On Miguel Estrada, two failed crucial
votes, and another scheduled for next Tuesday. How long is the
President going to continue this stalemate, when it is now obvious
Democrats won't budge on the nomination?
MR. FLEISCHER: I think the issue is how long will the liberal
Democrats choose to pursue obstruction. The President has already
answered his part of that question, and he says he will continue to
fight of Miguel Estrada until the day he is sworn-in.
Connie.
Q Thank you. On the Middle East road map, which party do you
expect to move first, or they move simultaneously? And is there a
deadline, a timetable?
MR. FLEISCHER: Well, what the President has said is he will --
what we hope to have happen next is that the Prime Minister will,
indeed, have the authority and the power to be a reformer and to make
progress on behalf of the Palestinian people in the cause for peace.
And if that happens, the road map will be shared, and that we will
welcome contributions and suggestions from the Palestinians and the
Israelis. That can happen simultaneously.
Q What ends first, the terrorism or the settlements?
MR. FLEISCHER: What the President said has to happen is progress
needs to be made toward peace and the settlements must be --
settlement policy must end -- settlements must end.
Q Ari, what's the status of Monday's deadline, now that the
resolution remains on the table at the United Nations?
MR. FLEISCHER: No change in that status, no change in the
deadline. That remains the resolution that's on the table.
Q Do you still hope for a vote early next week? Is that still
the administration's hope?
MR. FLEISCHER: No change from what I said yesterday. The
President continues to push forward on that.
Q Ari, does the President support NASA's plans for another
shuttle flight as early as this fall?
MR. FLEISCHER: The President will be guided by the independent and
the judgment of the experts at NASA. They are conducting their
independent review of what has taken place. The President is not the
scientist who makes these determinations, but he will be guided by the
judgment of the scientists at NASA who are in charge of making these
judgments.
Q So if those officials tell the President that it's not too
early to do that, he would accept that?
MR. FLEISCHER: You know, I do not even know if this rises to the
level of the President having to make a decision about space shuttle
flights. The President clearly, in the past, did not author -- make
the decision that a space shuttle would fly. Those are decisions that
are made by other officials, not the President.
Q Ari, how does the President define the progress of diplomacy
so far with Iraq? Is he disappointed?
MR. FLEISCHER: With the diplomacy toward Iraq?
Q Yes.
MR. FLEISCHER: I think it remains to be seen. The President is
going to discuss all final diplomatic options now with our allies. And
we will see whether or not the President will end up, because of the
United Nations Security Council's actions, as either disappointed or
pleased. That is up to the United Nations Security Council.
Q Ari, the President said in his press conference it's
important for countries to show their cards and show the world where
they stand on Iraq. Is that still important to the President, or have
events changed sufficient to make him reconsider that?
MR. FLEISCHER: No, it is important. The President is continuing,
as I indicated, to push forward. As Secretary Powell said, there are
options, and we will pursue these various options as the President
pushes forward.
Q Ari, the Congressional Black Caucus Chair and other members
are complaining that the President is ignoring their frequent requests
to meet with them. They say that they represent 20 million people and
those people have concerns which they would like the President to
address, concerning war and domestic policies. Is the President
snubbing the Congressional Black Caucus?
MR. FLEISCHER: We'll, of course, always keep you informed about
any presidential meetings. The President meets with members of
Congress all the time, including all representatives in various
committees in their duties. And so if there are any meetings to
announce, we'll keep you posted.
Q Ari, the President said in his State of the Union address,
the British government has learned that Saddam Hussein recently sought
significant quantities of uranium from Africa. And since then, the
IAEA said that those were forged documents --
MR. FLEISCHER: I'm sorry, whose statement was that?
Q The President, in his State of the Union address. Since
then, the IAEA has said those were forged documents. Was the
administration aware of any doubts about these documents, the
authenticity of the documents, from any government agency or department
before it was submitted to the IAEA?
MR. FLEISCHER: These are matters that are always reviewed with an
eye toward the various information that comes in and is analyzed by a
variety of different people. The President's concerns about Iraq stem
from multiple places, involving multiple threats that Iraq can possess,
and these are matters that remain discussed.
Q Thank you.
MR. FLEISCHER: Thank you.
END 1:06 P.M. EST
|