3/8/96: Summit of the Peacemakers

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Secretary Christopher and Crown Prince Sheikh Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa

President Clinton and I greatly appreciated the statement of the Amir earlier this week concerning the terrorist bombings in Israel and reaffirming Bahrain's support for the peace process. It's essential to have all of those who are committed to peace in the Middle East to come forward now when the enemies of peace are trying to disrupt, distort, and overturn the peace process.

Today, we'll be discussing the further steps that the United States, Bahrain, and our partners can take to defeat terrorism and to regain momentum for the peace process. Bahrain, of course, is among the nations that are being invited to participate in the "Summit of Peacemakers," which has just been announced from Air Force One to take place next Wednesday in Sharm-al-Sheik in Egypt. The United States and Bahrain are determined to work together to confront the threats to peace and security in the region. Our two nations will continue our consultations on the situation in the Gulf and on our efforts to intensify the fight against terrorism directed at Israel and the Middle East peace process.

Your Excellency, Mr. Minister: You're both very welcome here. I look forward to our conversations.

BAHRAINI FOREIGN MINISTER AL-KHALIFA: His Highness, the Crown Prince and I are very happy today to have this opportunity to exchange views, Secretary Christopher. As you know, the relations between the United States and Bahrain are long standing. We've been cooperating for many years in many fields, political and strategic and military cooperation.

As you know, the peace process is very important. I came with an agenda, and we believe in Bahrain that this process must go forward and we shouldn't allow any group to stop this process. In Bahrain, we endorse and support President Clinton's initiative for a meeting which is going to take place in Sharm-al-Sheik on Wednesday. We support this move and we think we should all cooperate to condemn and fight terrorism everywhere. So here we are with the United States in the same attitude to deal with those acts.

Also, I would like to thank the United States for its cooperation with us for keeping peace and security in our region. I'd like to assure you that those ties will remain strong, certainly after this visit of His Highness, the Crown Prince. Thank you very much.

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: The focus of the Cairo conference will be on restoring the peace process, condemning the terrorism, and organizing an international effort to deal with the terrorism. I think the United States will stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel and the other peacemakers in the region to ensure that terrorism is not permitted to defeat the peace process. I believe that some concrete steps will come out of the conference. But, fundamentally, this will be an opportunity for the United States to stand shoulder to shoulder with Israel and with its friends in the region who have committed so deeply and firmly to the peace process.

QUESTION: Are you satisfied, sir, with what Mr. Arafat and his government have done so far against the suicide bombers?

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: We think they're taking more intensive and increased steps. We're encouraging them to deal very firmly with the infrastructure of Hamas within the West Bank and Gaza. I've been talking with Chairman Arafat, urging him to do that, and it's clear that he has intensified his actions. I was very pleased to see him working in close coordination with the Israeli Defense Forces to deal with the terrorists.

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: We're going to invite all of those who have been involved in the peace process; Syria is one of those. Invitations are just now going out. Syria has indicated that it has made a strategic commitment to peace. But, at the present time, the invitations are just in the process of going out. They will be among those invited.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, concerning China and Taiwan. Is the United States planning on moving any military assets to that area to help protect Taiwan?

SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: George, as we've said, we think that the missile firings have been irresponsible and unwisely provocative. We feel that they create a risk there that's been unnecessary to take. I'm not going to get into any troop movements, I don't believe you'd expect me to do so, or ship movements. But we really feel that these missile tests involve a risk that should not be taken.

BAHRAINI CROWN PRINCE HAMAD BIN ISA: Can I say a few words? I'd like to take this opportunity to thank America as a whole -- the President, the Vice President, Mr. Secretary, Secretary Perry -- for their support and cooperation with Bahrain and the region of the Gulf in maintaining its security and stability and ensuring its development. We assure you, them as well, that we will cooperate fully in this regard for more peace in the region and we really do condemn what happened lately in Israel. We do hope that these things don't occur in our region because they are not part of our values. Thank you very much.