*EPF403 03/29/01
Bush Deeply Concerned About Escalating Violence in the Mideast
(He discusses foreign, domestic issues at his Press Conference) (1090)
By Wendy S. Ross
Washington File White House Correspondent

Washington -- President Bush says he is "deeply concerned" about the "escalating violence" between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the Middle East and is urging both sides to take "important steps to calm the situation now."

At an impromptu March 29 news conference in the White House Briefing Room, Bush said "the tragic cycle of incitement, provocation and violence has gone on far too long," claiming the lives of innocent civilians on both sides.

The President said his administration wants "to encourage a series of reciprocal and parallel steps by both sides that will halt the escalation of violence, provide safety and security for civilians on both sides, and restore normalcy to the lives of everyone in the region."

The Palestinian Authority, he said, "should speak out publicly and forcefully in the language of the Palestinian people to condemn violence and terrorism. It should arrest the perpetrators of terrorist acts and it should resume security cooperation with Israel."

And the government of Israel, for its part, "should exercise restraint in its military response. It should take steps to restore normalcy to the lives of the Palestinian people by easing closures and removing checkpoints."

Bush said that he had asked Secretary of State Colin Powell to call Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat later in the day. "I hope that Chairman Arafat hears" the message "loud and clear," he said.

In order for there to be a peace, said Bush, the United States "must develop ... a broad foundation for peace. That means we've got to have good, strong relations" with nations in the region.

The President said that he and U.S. diplomats in the region "are fully engaged in this effort." But he emphasized that his administration will not try to force peace on the parties. The United States "cannot impose a timetable nor a settlement on the parties if they're unwilling to accept it," he said.

"That's what the UN tried to do the other day; they tried to force a situation in the Middle East -- to which both parties did not agree. And that's why I vetoed their suggestion," he said.

Bush said that "a lasting peace in the region will come only when the parties agree directly on its terms."

Asked if the Bush administration was considering reducing U.S. aid to Russia to stop the spread of nuclear, biological and chemical weapons, Bush said that his administration is reviewing all programs related to de-escalating potential nuclear problems.

"We want to make sure that any money that is being spent is being spent in an effective way," he said.

"It's in our nation's best interest to work with Russia to dismantle its nuclear arsenal. I was pleased to see that Senator Nunn, one of the authors of the Nunn-Lugar bill, agreed with our approach to take a look to make sure the programs are efficient. And we will continue to do so."

On the administration's missile defense plans, Bush said he has assured allies of the United States "that we will consult with them. But we're moving forward to develop systems that reflect the threats of today.

"Who knows where the next terrorist attack is going to come from, but we'd better be ready for it," said the President. "And I believe I've got the opportunity to convince our friends and allies that our vision makes sense."

Discussing energy, Bush said it's important for the United States to encourage exploration for natural gas in the United States, and to work with the Canadians and Mexicans to that end. "There's going to be a lot of areas where we can find natural gas in America," he said, other than in the Arctic National Wildlife Reserve (ANWR). But, he added, "It would be helpful if we opened up ANWR. I think it's a mistake not to" explore there.

The President defended his administration's decision to abandon the Kyoto Treaty to combat global warming, saying that he "will not accept a plan that will harm our economy and hurt our American workers." But he said he would work with Germany and other U.S. allies to reduce greenhouse gases. He said he planned to discuss this with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder whom he met with at the White House later in the day.

Bush told reporters the reason he decided not to have mandatory caps on CO2 was that circumstances have changed since the Presidential Election Campaign.

"We're now in an energy crisis. And that's why I decided to not have mandatory caps on CO2 (carbon dioxide), because in order to meet those caps" the United States would have had to decrease its reliance on coal burning power plants and increase its use of the cleaner natural gas. Bush said to do that immediately "is impossible. We don't have the infrastructure able to move natural gas."

And the President defended his administration's review of "all the last-minute decisions" of President Clinton, including his rolling back of Clinton's decision to lower the level of arsenic in drinking water.

"We pulled back his decision so that we can make a decision based upon sound science and what's realistic," Bush said, adding that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is reviewing the matter.

Discussing trade, Bush said "the sooner we get a free trade agreement" in the Western Hemisphere "the better."

He noted that he meets at the White House March 30 with Brazil's President Fernando Henrique Cardoso, and said "we'll just have to see if we can't convince our friends in South America the wisdom of doing it as soon as possible."

Bush praised the U.S. House of Representatives for passing his proposed budget that calls for a $1.6 trillion tax cut over ten years. "They did the right thing," he said.

The Senate takes up the budget next week, and its fate is less certain there because of the 50-50 even split among Republicans and Democrats in that body.

Bush also discussed the McCain-Feingold campaign finance reform legislation now being debated on the floor of the Senate. He said he could not say whether he will sign or veto the bill until he sees what the final version of the legislation looks like.

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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