*EPF207 04/24/01
White House Report, Tuesday, April 24, 2001
(Taiwan arms, Japan, Lebanon) (800)
FLEISCHER DISCUSSES PROPOSED ANNUAL DEFENSE PACKAGE FOR TAIWAN
The United States will make available to Taiwan "up to eight diesel submarines, four Kidd-class destroyers, 12 P-3s," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters April 24. "There's a series of other items, (but) that's the heart of the package," he said.
"Taiwan now must make its own determinations about which of these items they want to proceed with and purchase. And that will be an ongoing unofficial dialogue," he said.
Fleischer said President Bush "made his decisions based on what he viewed as Taiwan's legitimate defense needs."
"It was based on his assessment and the assessment of his national security team about the threat that is posed to Taiwan by China. And that includes all the military operations of China, including the missiles that are located across the strait."
The United States, Fleischer explained, "has a long-standing commitment to Taiwan under the Taiwan Relations Act to help provide it with the means necessary to defend itself."
Asked where the United States would get the eight diesel electric submarines included in the proposed package to Taiwan, Fleischer said: "This is the beginning of the process... and the United States would not have indicated they would be available to provide to Taiwan if we didn't believe that we had the means to secure their production."
"We need to first hear back from the Taiwanese about which items they're prepared to buy," and then the question of the submarines "becomes a production and procurement issue," he said.
Asked if the Germans or the Dutch, who produce diesel electric submarines, were consulted on the Taiwan arms sale, Fleischer said that "On the question of, again, who was going to be building submarines, or providing plans for submarines, those are part of procurement decisions, contracting decisions, that will get made down the road. It would not be appropriate to make those decisions or consultations prior to the announcement to the Taiwanese of the weapons that we were prepared to sell to them."
Asked why the United States deferred a decision on including in the package Navy ships equipped with the advanced Aegis radar system, Fleischer said "the way the process works is Taiwan always has the right to come back and request and suggest."
But he told reporters "My advice to you is to focus on the announcement as it's been made, and that's the course of action that the President anticipates will be pursued."
Asked whether China had been informed about the U.S. decision, Fleischer said "This decision is informed to Taiwan, and that's the level of communication."
But he added that he thinks "they've heard about it."
U.S.-JAPAN
Asked to comment on the resounding victory in Japan's primary election of Junichiro Koizumi to lead Japan's governing Liberal Democratic Party, Fleischer said: "Of course he has been elected the leader of his party. There remains another step until he becomes the Prime Minister. The United States will, at all times, look forward to working closely with Japan. Japan is a very important ally to this country, and whoever the Japanese select to lead the government the President will look forward to working closely with."
On another topic, a reporter asked whether U.S.-Japan relations would be damaged by the decision by the U.S. Navy to let the commander of the U.S. submarine that accidentally hit a Japanese fishing boat off the coast of Hawaii retire with full pay, Fleischer responded that "The President remains very, very interested in making sure that relations with Japan remain strong. As you know, he has expressed his condolences to the families who were affected by the accident involving the Greeneville. And he believes that relations will remain strong with Japan."
BUSH MEETS AT WHITE HOUSE WITH LEBANON'S PRIME MINISTER
President Bush welcomed Lebanon's Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri to the White House April 24, Fleischer reported. They met for about 30 minutes in the Oval Office.
"They had a very constructive meeting, reflecting the close bilateral relationships that exist between our two countries," he said.
"They discussed the Prime Minister's efforts to address Lebanon's economic situation. The President emphasized his support for the Prime Minister's reform efforts, for an economically strong Lebanon. The President believes that an economically strong Lebanon will be a force for stability and peace in the Middle East, and they're going to stay in close contact on that," Fleischer said.
"They also agreed on the need for all parties in the region to avoid escalation of the violence and to work to end the violence and restore calm," the Press Secretary said.
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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