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Ambassador Edward S. Walker, Jr., Assistant Secretary Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs Press Conference, Middle East Summit at Camp David With Questions and Answers, Hilton Borg el Arab Cairo, Egypt, July 31, 2000

Ambassador Walker: I had a discussion with the foreign minister. The President asked me to come here because we made very strong progress at Camp David and we want to build on that progress now, and he asked me to make sure that we could consult with our friends--that have been our partners in the peace process for so long--and particularly with President Mubarak and the Foreign Minister to seek their counsel, their advice on how to proceed and their imagination and good will, and that's what I was doing and of course, as always, the foreign minister has been very responsible. Question: Do you have any new proposal for Jerusalem? Ambassador Walker: At this point we're beginning, we're just starting to think about the various ways we can deal with this problem, that was one of the things we discussed. Question: Mr. Walker, why did Mr. Clinton come up with this very strange remark on the U.S. contemplating over taking its embassy to Jerusalem, at this particular thorny time? How do you explain the U.S. stance on this one? Ambassador Walker: I learned a long time ago that when the President says something, one lets the President speak and one doesn't comment on the President's speech. I'll let his remarks stand. Question: Were you asked by the Egyptian Government side in these talks to offer explanation? Ambassador Walker: I have had a full discussion with my colleagues, my colleagues in the Egyptian Government and will continue that with President Mubarak. I'm prepared to answer any of their questions. Question: On the future move, I mean, what do you think is going to happen next based on the contemplation? Ambassador Walker: Well, I think that it is very useful that everyone has a chance to think through what went on in Camp David, what was accomplished and those few things that haven't been accomplished yet and how to approach them. That process is taking place now, there are negotiations going on between the Israelis and the Palestinians, even now as we speak, and at the appropriate time we will continue the process. Question: At this stage, do you think there is a fifty-fifty chance that a deal will be sealed or do you think-- Ambassador Walker: I'll leave it up to Las Vegas to do the estimating? Question: What about the Palestinians announcing their state by next September? Ambassador Walker: We are having an agreement on the whole process before that, that's the major objective, that's what we want to do, that's what we're engaged in doing, that's where our focus is. That's enough. Thank you very much.   [Ambassador Walker answers to news agents and reporters at the Borg El Arab Airport:] Question: Did you run into any resistance given President Clinton's recent comments? Ambassador Walker: I had extremely good conversations with President Mubarak and the foreign minister, the President of the United States sent here to seek their advice, their counsel, their best efforts to help, they'll do that and we'll see where we go from there. Question: But you came here at a time when the Arab World is a little upset with the President's comment and did you discuss that here with-- Ambassador Walker: The focus, the focus of this visit, the focus of all our efforts is to get agreement, to get an agreement that all sides can live with and can respect and that's what we're doing. Question: The Arab leaders have been very unified though in their stance that Jerusalem should remain, East Jerusalem should have sovereignty, Palestinian sovereignty-- Ambassador Walker: I'm not going to go into the details of how we might deal with this issue, but we need to deal with it, you're quite right and we will have the help of our friends and our colleagues in Egypt. Question: What is the message that you're holding from Mr. Clinton to the Arab Leaders? That's enough-- [end of document] Remarks Index | Peace Process | Near Eastern Affairs | Department of State | Secretary of State