Daily Press Briefing - U.S. Department of State
Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman
Washington, DC
September 27, 2004
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2004/36525.htm

TRANSCRIPT:
1:10 p.m. EDT

MR. ERELI: Welcome back, everyone. Glad you're safe and sound with us at the
State Department. I don't have any announcements today to start the week, so
we'll open it to the first questions.

....

QUESTION: How do you feel about Hamas operatives operating in Syria? Israel
has not claimed responsibility for the dispatch of a top Hamas person. I
don't know if you know who finished him off, but I wonder what you think
about others doing the kind of things you and Pakistan do.

MR. ERELI: As you say, there is -- there's no claim for responsibility of
this act. I would simply note that, you know, in our meetings with the --
recent meetings with the Syrian Government, both the Secretary Powell and
Foreign Minister Shara in New York, as well as Assistant Secretary Burns and
the Syrian leadership in Damascus, we made it clear to Syria that the United
States and President Bush remains committed to a comprehensive and lasting
peace in the Middle East. That is what we are working toward.

We also made clear that such a peace cannot be achieved against the backdrop
of violence and we urge Syria to take steps to halt the activities of
individuals and organizations that facilitate and direct violence and terror
and that operate from Syrian territory.

QUESTION: The Secretary seemed pleased, on the whole, with his meeting with
the foreign minister. Again, we don't know who did the deed, but is the
timing unfortunate for you guys or -- you're in the midst of praising Syria.
You're getting at least the bobbing of heads about taking actions that you
would like seen taken. Does this run against that development?

MR. ERELI: I don't have any comment on the timing of this. It's -- you know,
as we've always said, terrorism begets -- terrorism begets a cycle of
violence that can be dealt with through ending support of terrorist
organizations.

QUESTION: I just want to ask you about one line in there. You said that such
a peace cannot take place against a backdrop of violence. Presumably, you
would exclude the blowing up of this car with someone in it, or is that
violence, too?

MR. ERELI: As I said, terrorists and their supporters beget a cycle of
violence that is best addressed through the end of support of terror.

QUESTION: Is it your position that this person was a terrorist or a begetter
of violence?

MR. ERELI: My understanding is he's a member of Hamas.

QUESTION: Okay. So his killing and the violent nature of his killing isn't
part of the violence against which a Middle East peace cannot take place?

MR. ERELI: I'm not -- I think that, in our view, the best way to address the
longstanding violence in the region is through ending support of terror.

QUESTION: Well, wait -- is --

QUESTION: So the crux of what you're saying is that -- I don't want to go
where you don't want to go, and it's ticklish, I know, for you because it's
always special when it comes to Israel attack -- going after terrorists,
but -- if Israel did the deed -- but you would have left it to the Syrians
to take care of Hamas in Damascus rather than go after Hamas leaders; is
that correct?

MR. ERELI: We have made it clear that in numerous meetings with the Syrians
that we think it's in their interests, in the interests of the region, to
end support for terrorist organizations and terrorist individuals operating
from their territory.

QUESTION: It's been going on a lot of years. So you would still, you know,
hold back and wait for them to do that; is that the idea?

MR. ERELI: That is --

QUESTION: That's the --

MR. ERELI: That is what our policy is based on, the need for Syria to take
actions against these organizations.

Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry. Go ahead.

QUESTION: Hamas already accuse Israel being behind the attack.

MR. ERELI: Pardon?

QUESTION: Hamas already accuse Israel of being behind the attack. Israelis
officially denied that but privately admitted to Israel Channel 2. Whoever
did this attack, do you think it is a legitimate way of eliminating people,
leadership from Hamas, rather than arresting them and trying them? Does the
U.S. agree to this method of killing?

MR. ERELI: You know, our position on targeted killings, I think, is well
known. I don't have anything new to add to what we've said to this in the
past.

QUESTION: What, you regard this as a targeted killing?

MR. ERELI: She -- the way the question came -- the way the question was
presented, I'm not commenting on this specific act. As a general policy --

QUESTION: I understand. But can you -- do you regard this as a targeted
killing, or just an unfortunate, or perhaps fortunate, act of violence?

MR. ERELI: I don't think I have enough information to give you an informed
answer.

QUESTION: You do agree that it was violence?

MR. ERELI: Yeah, I think a car bomb --

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. ERELI: -- blowing somebody up is violent.

QUESTION: Is the U.S. asking Israel or Syria to provide any additional
information?

MR. ERELI: Not that I'm aware.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: I wonder why you can't see it in the terms of state terrorism,
when a country is conducting what its officials are saying or describing its
policy as "long-arm policy of Israel," killing other people in other
people's country, or other countries who are conducting, with the United
States, very serious kind of discussion that has to do with the arrangements
of security and peace in the area. Why can't you go beyond talking about it
as a targeted killing and admit that it is actually a state terrorism,
because this is a conduct of a country against another neighboring country?

MR. ERELI: I don't know that -- everything you suggest is a supposition. I
don't have the facts to be able to conclude that what you said is actually
true. So, you know, you're asking me to say something, to comment on
something that you purport to be true that we don't know to be true.

I think what we do know is that there are terrorist organizations and
terrorist individuals operating out of Syria with the support and connivance
of the Government of Syria, and that this is not in the interests of peace,
and not in the interests -- and not consistent with those -- not consistent
with statements in favor of peace.

So our view is that the best way to resolve this scourge or this problem is
to provide no haven and no support for individuals who believe that
violence, as opposed to negotiation, is the way to solve the problems -- is
the way to achieve peace, or to achieve an end to the conflict between
Israelis and Arabs.

QUESTION: Yeah, if I may. Do you see that yourself objecting to any violent
acts by -- or solving problems, for countries to solve their problems with
other countries is through violent acts and state terrorism, or you just
insist that, well, one country should do this and this and that for the
other country to meet the demands of Israel?

MR. ERELI: We think that if a country is committed to negotiated -- peaceful
settlement of disputes through negotiation, then it is inconsistent to
support organizations, terrorist organizations whose purpose is to use
violence to settle those disputes.

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