*EPF203 07/23/2002
White House Report, July 23: Mideast, South Asia, Indonesia, Congress
(Press Secretary Ari Fleischer briefed morning and afternoon) (900)

WHITE HOUSE CRITICIZES ISRAELI ATTACK ON GAZA APARTMENT BUILDING

President Bush sees "as heavy-handed" an Israeli warplane's missile attack on a Gaza City apartment building that killed a leader of Hamas who was at the top of Israel's most-wanted list and at least 14 other Palestinians, including nine children.

"The President views this as a heavy-handed action that is not consistent with dedication to peace in the Middle East," White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer told reporters July 23.

This message, he said, was conveyed to Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office this morning through the U.S. Embassy in Israel.

The message, Fleischer said, included the President's regret about the loss of innocent lives, including those of the children.

Fleischer rejected comparisons between the Israeli missile strike and American attacks in Afghanistan that have killed civilians.

In times of war, there are going to be losses of innocents, but in this case, what happened in Gaza "was a deliberate attack on the site, knowing that innocents would be lost in the consequences of the attack," said Fleischer.

Bush "has been and will continue to be a leading defender of Israel around the world and will speak out about Israel's right to self defense," Fleischer said, but added: "This is an instance in which the United States and Israel do not see eye to eye."

SITUATION BETWEEN INDIA-PAKISTAN IMPROVED, FLEISCHER SAYS

Discussing the situation between India and Pakistan, Fleischer said "as a result of a lot of intervention and diplomacy by the President, by the State Department, by Secretary Powell, the travels to the region, that situation has been managed to the point now where the situation is much more defused, the risk of violence is defused. And that's going to be an ongoing part of America's diplomacy in the region. It's an area of the world the United States is going to continue to actively work," Fleischer said.

Asked what message Secretary Powell will be taking about the policies of Pakistan's government on his upcoming trip to the region, Fleischer said that Pakistan's President Pervez Musharraf "has taken strong action in the war against terror. And that includes against al Qaeda or the Taliban, as well as taking steps to diminish the cross-border incursions into Kashmir. And the President is pleased with the actions that President Musharraf has taken."

BUSH THANKS INDONESIAN GOVERNMENT FOR ITS HELP IN FIGHT AGAINST TERROR

President Bush thanked the government of Indonesia for its efforts to combat extremism and terrorism at home, and to work with other leaders in the region who are similarly committed to the fight against terror, in a July 23 phone conversation with Indonesia's President Sukarnoputri Megawati, White House Press Secretary Ari Fleischer said.

The two leaders also "discussed strengthening cooperation between the United States and Indonesia," and the upcoming trip to the region of U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, Fleischer said.

BUSH WANTS CONGRESS TO PASS TRADE PROMOTION AUTHORITY NOW

President Bush has called on the U.S. Congress to approve three main areas of legislation before it adjourns for the summer recess, Fleischer said.

"One is on trade promotion authority, which can, the President believes, be resolved this week in a conference committee, so final action can be taken and then a bill can be signed this August.

"The second issue is corporate corruption... And the President again sees the House bill and the Senate bill, both of which are tough, which can easily be brought together and presented to the President for signature.

"The third issue in which the Congress has been moving forward at a strong pace is legislation to create a Cabinet-level department of homeland security. All three of those, the President is looking for action this week. On trade promotion authority and on corporate corruption, final action, sending a bill to the President. On homeland security, House passage and then, next week, Senate passage," said Fleischer.

The House of Representatives "is leaving at the end of this week and won't be back until the end of September," and the Senate is scheduled to leave a week from Friday, Fleischer pointed out.

When Congress returns, he said, it has "a very abbreviated session this fall" before its members leave to campaign for reelection.

"So time is running out on this Congress, and there are three major issues that are pending in the Congress where the President wants to work with the Congress to help them complete action this week.

"The other items that are pending in Congress that they hope to come back to when they return in September are a patients bill of rights, which is still stuck in the House-Senate conference committee; legislation to make America more energy-independent, which is still stuck in the House-Senate conference committee; faith-based legislation; welfare reform; a ban on cloning. The Senate has yet to even pass a budget. And of course, they also have all 13 appropriation bills to get through.

"So from a very practical point of view, if the Congress is not able to get it done this week, it does endanger the possibility of getting it done at all because the roads will be too crowded and clogged to get anything to its final destination," Fleischer said.

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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