The
Library
3:39 P.M. EDT
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Q
Mr. President, thank you very much for this interview.
I much appreciate it.
THE
PRESIDENT: Thank you.
Q
Let me start after the -- Mehlis report. You described
the report as deeply disturbing. Does the United States,
your administration, support imposing sanctions on Syria?
THE
PRESIDENT: Here's what we support. We support
that the world take this report very seriously, that there
were some very strong implications in the report, that
it be fully aired, and that the United Nations start to
take action. Tomorrow there's a meeting of the perm reps,
permanent representatives, and I've instructed Secretary
Rice to call upon the United Nations to host a foreign
ministers meeting as quickly as possible.
Q
Are we heading into a confrontation with Syria?
THE
PRESIDENT: I certainly hope not. I mean, I think
one of the things that Syria has learned is that non-compliance
with international demands will yield to isolation. 1559
was a very serious statement by the free world and the
United Nations to say to Syria, get out of Lebanon, leave
Lebanon alone, let the Lebanon democracy flourish and
function. She saw -- she, being Syria
-- saw that the world spoke in voice, one voice.
And nobody wants there to be a confrontation. On the other
hand, there must be serious pressure applied so that the
leader understands that, one, they can't house terrorist
groups that will destroy the peace process with Israel
and Palestine, for example; two, they should stop meddling
in Lebanon; three, that they should stop allowing transit
of bombers and killers into Iraq that are killing people
that want there to be a democracy. In other words, there
are some clear demands by the world. And this Mehlis report,
as I say, had serious implications for Syria, and the
Syrian government must take the demands of the free world
very seriously.
Q
The French -- as you know, the French Prime Minister wants
to introduce a resolution for Syria to cooperate with
the investigation. Would you support that?
THE
PRESIDENT: The French foreign minister --
Q
They want to introduce a resolution in the United
Nations, in the Security Council, basically calling on
Syria to cooperate further in the investigation into the
killing --
THE
PRESIDENT: Oh, I see. Sure. Well, listen, we're
working very closely with the French. We did on 1559,
and there was a clear message as a result of the cooperation
between the U.S. government, the French, and many other
governments -- and Condi Rice, who I spoke to today, is
still in consultations with the French to make sure we
have a common message.
Q
I know you said before that you're focusing on diplomatic
options, but the military one is still on the table. Would
you resort to that?
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, listen, nobody wants to use
the military. A military is always the last choice of
a President. I understand the use of military and I know
how hard it can be, and I'm -- any time anybody loses
their life in our military, I weep for the families. And
I know innocent people can sometimes be in harm's way,
so the military is always the last option. And this is
a chance for the world to work together to achieve a diplomatic
solution.
And our diplomats, starting with Secretary Rice, are working
very hard to come up with a common position to make it
clear to Syria that there are clear and understandable
demands. And I've just listed some of them earlier. Listen,
as you know, you and I have worked together and you've
seen the emergence of a potential Palestinian state that
I strongly embrace, but we must not allow terrorists to
operate out of Syria that would derail the peace process.
It's not fair to the people of Gaza; it's not fair to
the people of the West Bank. And so that is one clear
demand, that Syria must shut down these camps and not
allow terrorists groups to have safe haven in Syria.
We want the Lebanese democracy to flourish. And so Syria
should not be -- should no longer be involved in Lebanon.
They removed their troops, like was told to them in 1559,
but it also was clear it said, get rid of all your intelligence
services and your -- and your operations out of there.
And the Mehlis report implicates Syria's involvement in
the death of Mr. Hariri, who was a fine man.
And, of course, one of the concerns I have and that other
countries have, as well, is Syria becoming a transit place
for these killers that are going into Iraq and killing
Muslims, killing innocent women and children. And it's
just -- they got to -- they got to understand there is
a -- there's a worldwide concern about their failure to
act.
Q
If they don't cooperate, what would you do?
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, I'm hoping that they will. They
did on 1559 in terms of getting their troops out. In other
words, there's a diplomatic -- you're trying to get me
to say something, I'm going to use our military. It is
the last -- very last option. And no Commander-in-Chief
likes to commit the military, and I don't. But on the
other hand, you know -- and I've worked hard for diplomacy
and will continue to work the diplomatic angle on this
issue.
Q
We've seen similar models before. Some people talk about
the Libyan model, i.e. sanction, long-term, and then the
Libyans will hand over the suspects
-- or the Iraqi one --
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, I think each country is different.
Saddam Hussein had, gosh, a lot of resolutions out of
the United Nations. Year after year after year after year,
the United Nations said, do this, and he never complied.
And so it's -- he was -- diplomacy wasn't working. And
my attitude is, let's give diplomacy a chance to work.
Obviously, we'd like to resolve any issue in a peaceful
way. And that's the main goal of the United States.
Q
Obviously, you have the French and the British on board,
but what about the Chinese and the Russians? Who will
support -- will you get their support?
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, that's an interesting question.
I think it's too early to tell. I certainly hope that
people take a good look at the Mehlis report. Mr. Mehlis
did a very thorough job, and it speaks -- there's clear
implications about Syrians involvement in the death of
a foreign leader. And the United States was willing to
help, work with other countries, and we will, to make
sure that out of the United Nations comes a clear message.
Q
As you know, Saad Hariri, who's the son of the slain President,
Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri, is asking for an international
court. Would the United States support the trial in an
international court for the suspects?
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, we want people to be held to
account. And I'd be glad to talk to other leaders to determine
whether or not that's the best course of action. But certainly,
people do need to be held to account. And the first course
of action is to go the United Nations.
Q
But further, would you --
THE
PRESIDENT: Well, we'll have to see --
Q
-- support that or not?
THE
PRESIDENT: We'll have to see.
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