Press Briefing by Ari Fleischer
Listen to the Briefing
- President's schedule
- Campaign finance reform/legislative change
- Meetings with congressional leadership
- Meeting with Secretary General Kofi Annan
- Pakistan/meeting with President Musharraf
- Daniel Pearl
- Osama bin Laden
- Education reform in Pakistan
- Kyoto Treaty/President's view
- Predator strike in Afghanistan
- Cross-border terrorism
The James S. Brady Briefing Room 2:30 P.M. EST MR. FLEISCHER: Good afternoon. I'd like togive you word on the
President's schedule. Then I have animportant announcement I'd like to make on campaign finance reform. The President this morning began his day with his usual briefingsfrom the CIA and the FBI. He then convened a meeting of theNational Security Council. The President met with PresidentMusharraf of Pakistan for approximately 45 minutes to an hour in theOval Office, and then had a one-hour lunch with President Musharrafback in the residence. During their time together, they discussed the war on terrorism,bilateral relations with India and Pakistan, and economic assistancefor Pakistan. The President views President Musharraf as astalwart ally in the war on terrorism and is very grateful to PresidentMusharraf for the strong actions that Pakistan has taken. Later today the President will meet United Nations SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan. And then the President will depart forthe State Department where he will make remarks to Cabinet andsub-Cabinet government employees about the importance of governmentservice. And the President will say that it's important toleave Washington better than we found it. It's a realmessage -- a team-building message from, in effect, the manager of thefederal government to many senior-level government employees. Q Open? MR. FLEISCHER: No, it is not. I was not ableto change that. Approximately one hour ago, the President was just informed about avery troubling development on
campaign finance reform, as aresult of a provision that is a multimillion-dollar soft money loopholethat was inserted in the Shays-Meehan substitute campaign financereform legislation in the middle of the night last night. This change, which was not in previous versions of the bill, isengineered to allow soft money to pay off existing hard-money debt forthe Republican National Committee and the Democratic NationalCommittee. The President views this as an unfair, unwise andunwarranted change that makes something that is currently illegal andtries to turn it into something that is legal. And thePresident believes that this should be removed from the version of thebill that is being considered on the floor. With that, I'm happy to take your questions. Q Will he veto? MR. FLEISCHER: The President, again, wants to signsomething that improves the system. That provision, thatmultimillion-dollar loophole is not in the Ney-Wynn bill; it is in theShays-Meehan bill. Q What's the answer to the question? MR. FLEISCHER: The President wants to sign somethingthat will improve the system. The President hopes that theHouse will take the appropriate action. Q This is the only time that you have spokenout one way or the other for the -- or against campaign finance reformon behalf of the President. Do you continue to assure ustoday that the President is doing nothing behind the scenes to help theRepublican Party in its interests defeat campaign finance -- MR. FLEISCHER: Actually, Bill, I've been talking on aregular basis about campaign finance reform and what the Presidentthinks. And the President wants to sign a bill that improvesthe system. The reason nobody could talk about this beforewas it didn't exist until midnight last night. Q But is he doing anything behind thescenes, as has been suggested, to help defeat it for the RepublicanParty? MR. FLEISCHER: The President would like to see somethingpass. But, no, the President has not made any phone calls ordone anything of that nature. Q Was the President aware, when he announcedsupport earlier today for having -- that it ought to take effectimmediately, was he aware of that amendment as seen by supporters as away to kill the bill? MR. FLEISCHER: No, the President -- this change was madein the middle of the night; it's on page 79 of the Shayssubstitute. And the President was not aware of that untilafter his meeting with President Musharraf. Q No, I'm asking -- MR. FLEISCHER: No, the President's statement about animmediate effective date still applies. Q Did he know when he said that, did youguys understand that the supporters of the bill see that amendment as away to kill the bill? In effect, he's speaking out to killthe bill. MR. FLEISCHER: Why would that kill a bill? Ifit's a good reform, then shouldn't it go into law? And, ofcourse, Shays-Meehan always had an immediate effective date, they onlychanged it recently. So that was part of the Shays-Meehanbill previously. I think that doesn't make sense, that thatwould kill the bill. I don't know how it would do that. Q Is this multimillion-dollar loophole theonly deal-breaker in the Shays-Meehan substitute? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, I described it on behalf ofthe President as unfair, unwarranted and unwise. ThePresident still wants to sign something that improves thesystem. The House has its opportunity to work its will andto remove this provision. Q Is this the only deal-breaker, though -- MR. FLEISCHER: I haven't used that word,Ann. I've described it as I've described it. Q Are the other 78 pages okay? MR. FLEISCHER: Shays-Meehan makes several improvementsto the current system. There are some things in there thatthe President does not see as improving the system. The samecould be said about the other legislation that's pending, as well, inNey-Wynn. Q So he supported -- today the Presidentsupported an amendment that supporters of campaign finance reform saywill kill the bill, and you've come out against an amendment that hasbeen attached to the bill. Is there any reason we should really thinkthat you're for this bill? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I'm not really sure why a supporterof reform would say this is a good bill, these changes need to be made,but we don't want to make them right now. I mean, I don'tsee why that would kill a bill. Q You know why. Q Come on, you were on the Hill longenough. Q You know, Ari, they're concerned that itwill play a role in the 2002 election, so that you might get moresupport if it takes effect after 2002, because some Republicans areconcerned that it would alter the balance in the House ofRepresentatives leading up to November elections. MR. FLEISCHER: I think, frankly, if it's a good reform,the reform should go into effect. That's what the Presidentbelieves. I think that to make that argument means perhapsthat the reformers aren't as dedicated to reform as they wouldindicate. Q So how can we take the President'scomments today about how he would like to see something that takeseffect immediately? If a bill comes to his desk and takeseffect after the November elections, would he sign it? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, as I indicated this morning, if yourecall, that if it has a later effective date the President has saidthat it's not the end of the world. But the President doesbelieve that it should take place immediately. And I thinkhe has a lot of support for that on Capitol Hill. But in termsof -- well, go ahead. Q So it's not the end of the world, meaninghe would sign it? MR. FLEISCHER: The President has indicated he will signsomething that improves the system. Q Could you describe what exactly is wrongwith the soft-money loophole? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, first of all, it is currentlyillegal to use soft money to pay off hard money debts. So itjust seems like an odd so-called reform to take something that'scurrently illegal and legalize a million-dollar, multimillion-dollarinfusion of soft money into the system. If campaign reform is designedto get soft money out of the system, then why are they changingsomething that is currently illegal about using the soft money andinviting more millions of dollars of soft money to pay off debts? The other interesting issue about it, Steve, is if you take a lookat the debts of the Republican National Committee and the DemocraticNational Committee, the Republican National Committee does not have anyhard-money debt; the Democratic National Committee has approximately$10.8 million in debt, much of it hard, much of it soft. Q Might that be why you're opposed to theloophole? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, I think that's also one of theissues why this midnight change was put in there. No changeshould be designed to help one party or another party, it should be afair reform to all. Q Ari, you said this morning that theregular meeting with the
Congress leadership is going to be now everytwo weeks, instead of every week. Any particular reason forthat? MR. FLEISCHER: The President said that, himself, acouple of weeks ago at a press event. I think it's justscheduling logistics. They continue to like each other alot, but biweekly meetings worked, as well -- or semi-weekly -- Q The meeting today with the
SecretaryGeneral was not on the schedule. Is this something that cameup -- MR. FLEISCHER: I think that was called out lastnight. The Secretary General was in town; he sought ameeting with the President and the President was able to accommodate. Q And how much time has been allowed -- MR. FLEISCHER: For that meeting? Q What time did it start? MR. FLEISCHER: It starts now. I guess I won'tbe going to it. And I think it's a 20-minutemeeting. A 20-minute meeting. Q What's on the table for that meeting? MR. FLEISCHER: I think they'll talk about any number ofitems around the world, and certainly including Afghanistan. Q A couple questions aboutPakistan. Did the President make any assurances to
PresidentMusharraf about the $3 billion in debt forgiveness that Pakistanwants? In the issues of being able to sell textiles, wasthere anything given by the U.S. on that? And the same withtheir ability to buy military goods from the U.S. MR. FLEISCHER: On the question of textiles, discussionsare ongoing. That's an important topic. There are manypeople on the Hill who have strong opinions about thatissue. So those discussions are ongoing. On the question of economic assistance, the President has committedto $200 million worth of economic assistance to Pakistan, which willresult in a paying down of approximately $1 billion worth of Pakistanidebt. That's for the '03 budget. Q Is that new money, or is that the old -- MR. FLEISCHER: That's for the '03 budget, newmoney. In addition, they did talk about additional fundingthis year, to help Pakistan with education assistance, law enforcementassistance and economic development. No dollar amount. Q How about military? Well, firstof all, let's go back to $200 million. That will -- how doesthat help pay down $1 billion in debt? MR. FLEISCHER: Ron, that is a great question, and I haveasked it to the people who do work in the realm of internationaldebt. And I have been advised that if you give $200 millionof assistance, it pays down $1 billion of debt. I can onlyrepeat it. I can't understand it. (Laughter.) Mr. Sanger, perhaps you can explain it. Q I'll read it in the papertomorrow. How about the military goods? Are theygoing to be able the F-16s, any of the military goods they need? MR. FLEISCHER: On military matters, they did discuss,and we will have a program of military cooperation in exchange with thePakistani government. That has been suspended for anapproximately 10-year period. And the President views that as a veryconstructive change in the relationship, showing the long-termcommitment of the United States and Pakistan. Q But no immediate progress -- MR. FLEISCHER: Keep going. Q Okay, is there any immediate progress --oh, you're -- MR. FLEISCHER: I guess you're keepinggoing. On other issues involving themilitary. The President is meeting with Secretary Rumsfeldthis afternoon. You may want to get updates from thePentagon about any other discussions about anything involving weaponsor weapons systems. On the question of the F-16s, no changein the status from what the President said in New York City on thattopic. Q Ari, Musharraf said, regarding
DanielPearl, that he is reasonably sure that he is alive. Did heoffer the President any more reassurance or explain how or why -- MR. FLEISCHER: The President brought up the question ofMr. Pearl in the Oval Office during their discussions. And Iwon't speak for President Musharraf, but the President is pleased withthe actions the Pakistani government has beentaking. They've been very earnest in their efforts to helpus to have Mr. Pearl come back to the United States. But westill do not know exactly where he is. Q But did you get the impression, based onwhat he said today, that there was anything new or any progress, Iguess, in the last 24 hours? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, certainly, Pakistan has been veryaggressive in making arrests, which have been helpful in leading toinformation. It just hasn't gotten all the way there yet,unfortunately, in terms of allowing the release of Mr. Pearl. Q Did they discuss in particular the arrestyesterday of the man believed to be a chief suspect in this, SheikhOmar? MR. FLEISCHER: I was at the lunch portion in the Ovaland I have not heard that level of detail about that. Q Ari, do you believe this is payback forMusharraf because he's taking a hard stand against Islamic militants? MR. FLEISCHER: I can't begin to guess at the motivationof kidnappers. What they've done is justwrong. It's terrorist, it's kidnapping, and the UnitedStates simply says, again, he's a journalist and he should bereleased. Q One more on Pakistan? MR. FLEISCHER: We're coming to the back. I'mworking my way forward -- backward. Q Ari, were there discussions of
Osama binLaden, where he may be? And President Musharraf made a point of sayingthat tensions with India seem to be declining a bit, so will that allow-- did Musharraf give any indication that he would use his forces toactively search within his own country for bin Laden? MR. FLEISCHER: They did discuss Osama bin Laden, andobviously, neither one of us -- neither the President, nor PresidentMusharraf knows exactly where he is. But we are working verycooperatively with Pakistan in trying to find -- Q Is there a commitment to increase theeffort on the part of the Pakistanis? MR. FLEISCHER: I think it's fair to say there's a lot ofeffort already in that area. Q Two questions on Musharraf'smeeting. The President has said on many occasions that hewas quite concerned about missile proliferation, particularly fromNorth Korea, one of the axis powers. And, of course,Pakistan has historically been one of the largest importers of missilesfrom North Korea. Was there any discussion of this, and werethere any commitments from President Musharraf to cease importingmissile technology from North Korea? MR. FLEISCHER: There was no discussion that I heard. Q Is any of the aid money contingent onPakistan ceasing its missile purchases from North Korea? MR. FLEISCHER: Not that I've heard. That didnot come up in the meeting that I was attending. Q And on Osama bin Laden -- this was raisedbefore -- President Musharraf, you may recall, suggestedabout two or three weeks ago that he thought bin Laden wasdead. Did he repeat that today and is that still his belief-- MR. FLEISCHER: Again, nobody knows forsure. He doesn't know for sure if he's alive ornot. And most of that conversation took place in the OvalOffice, and so I want to hesitate to characterize it infull. They did talk about how no one knows exactly where heis. So I think the implication is that he is likely alive. Q Musharraf spoke about
education reform asa means of curbing extremism. And I'm just wondering whatspecific steps is the U.S. taking to address some of these underlyingcultural tensions that help breed terrorism. MR. FLEISCHER: Well, it was a very interestingdiscussion on education, because the President thinks -- and this isvery long-term thinking in terms of how to work around the world,particularly in countries that have been known to foster terrorism,where terrorists seem to come from -- the importance ofeducation. As the President says, it's through educationthat young people have hope. And the President has alwaysbeen very clear in all the statements he's made -- whether it was aboutNorth Korea, Iran, Iraq, or anywhere -- the Palestinian Authority --that it's the people that the United States is concerned with, thatthey are victims of regimes that invite terrorism and that practiceterrorism. But the overwhelming number of people in these areas, thesecountries, just want hope, they want opportunity, they want economicdevelopment. And that's why the President enjoys talking somuch with President Musharraf about education reform, because they aremoving forward in Pakistan with education reform, as PresidentMusharraf discussed. Q There was this big push in the earlystages of the war to kind of communicate the U.S. side, and to culturaloutreach. What is the status of that? What are wedoing? MR. FLEISCHER: On cultural outreach? Q You know, with your communication officeskind of sending out the U.S. message -- I'm just wondering, has thatbranched into something else? MR. FLEISCHER: No, that continues. Theefforts of the Coalition Information Center continue. Q Ari, President Bush said something todayabout the education reform in Pakistan, that this year he would beputting up $34 million. Is that on top of -- is it $100million this year, as well, and $34 million? MR. FLEISCHER: The $200 million, it would go for thedebt reduction. It would have a wide-spread impact because it frees upother money that Pakistan would otherwise have used that would haveprohibited them from spending more on education. Q But specifically, the money is targetedfor education reform with a religious component to change, to get intosciences and things of that nature -- mathematics and Pakistan -- MR. FLEISCHER: That's Pakistan's determination, how tospend their dollars. And the President is pleased with theefforts they're making, but it's not for the United States to dictateon a micro level how Pakistan should spend its money. Q Ari, just to clarify, you said additionalmoney is coming in terms of economic aid, education assistance, etcetera. Do you have any ballpark about what you're talkingabout for this year -- on that additional aid that's forthcoming? MR. FLEISCHER: No, they did not discuss a specificdollar amount. Q Is there a specific amount that you allare looking at to help? MR. FLEISCHER: We'll keep you advised if a specificdollar amount is attached to that. President Musharraf isgoing to have additional meetings with Secretary Powell, he met withSecretary O'Neill this morning; as I mentioned, his meeting withSecretary Rumsfeld shortly. So we'll keep you advised aboutthat. Q Ari, on the educational stuff, what heseemed to be saying, General Musharraf, was that he was going to changethe madrasas from being a center for religious and often extremistteachings to one where they teach a basic curriculum of science andmath and that sort of thing. To what extent is the U.S.involved in helping with that, in helping with the training of teachersand materials, and all of the things that will be necessary to reorientthat? And secondly, there has been some talk of trying to prevent a newgeneration of terrorists from coming out of any number of places,including these kind of schools. To what extent is that kindof thinking part of this effort? MR. FLEISCHER: Well, again, as the President said at thenews conference, that he believes through education young people willhave help, will have opportunity. And so it is an importantpart of the thinking about how to deal with regions of the world inwhich people have engaged in terrorist acts against ourcountry. It's an important long-term, forward-lookingapproach that, I think it's accurate to say, won't have an immediatedividend, but will have a long-term dividend. And that'swhy, again, the President discusses it with differentleaders. It's not just President Musharraf with whom he hasspoken about that important value. Now, in terms of the role the United States is going to play, theUnited States is open to different ideas with Pakistan in terms of howto develop closer ties on something of thisnature. Education is an internal Pakistani issue, so thatwould have to be something that the Pakistanis would welcome, but theUnited States is open on that matter. Q So there's no specific role nowdetermined? That is yet to be determined? MR. FLEISCHER: That's correct. You may wantto talk to the Department of Education and just see if they currentlyhave any international programs with Pakistan that I'm not awareof. But that's the broader tenor of it. Q Global warming, which you've said is goingto be coming up tomorrow -- could you remind us of why it was necessaryfor us to come up with a substitute? What was so wrong with the
Kyoto pact? And why was the, I guess, the voluntary andmarket-based approach that the President is going to be talking abouttomorrow, why is that so much better than a positive commitment likeKyoto envisioned? MR. FLEISCHER: Let me -- two points here, and let metake your second one first. On the question of your premiseabout what the President will announce tomorrow, I'd urge you to becautious in assuming that you know what the President is going toannounce tomorrow. On the first part of it, the President views the Kyoto Treaty asflawed for two principal reasons. One, it exempts manydeveloping nations around the world from participating in somethingthat has to be a global effort to reduce greenhouse gasemissions. And he does not think it's fair to reduce suchgiant nations -- to ignore such giant nations as India or China as partof a global effort to reduce greenhouse gases. - 13 - MORE #137-02/13 - 12 - Also, the President is very concerned about the effect Kyoto wouldhave on America's workers, on American jobs and on the Americaneconomy; that it is not the right remedy to have a massive reductionbelow 1990 levels. If that were to go into effect, it wouldhave a screeching halt effect on the economy and people would losetheir jobs as a result. The President believes that we canhave economic growth and environmental enhancement, and that's whathe'll be discussing tomorrow. Q Has the President been briefed on theFebruary 4th
Predator strike in Afghanistan? And is heconfident that a military target was hit? MR. FLEISCHER: The President, of course, has beenbriefed as part of his regular morning meetings. And I thinkyou have heard from the Defense Department directly about that topic,and the President is satisfied fully with what Defense has informedhim. Q More specifically, ther
