DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST MARCH 1993 Y4.F76/1:M 58/20/993 Developnents ia the Middle East* Ha... BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS FIRST SESSION MARCH 9, 1993 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs I U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING 0PF57E»f"^*- 67-39GCC WASHINGTON : 1993 '^""""f^UVT^^^ffAf^Xj ForsalebytheU.S.GovemmeiitPrintingOffice .SuperintendentofDocuTiicnts.CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington.DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-040888-1 DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST MARCH 1993 Y 4. F 76/1 :H 58/20/993 Developnents ia the Hiddle East, Ha... BEFORE THE SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND THE MIDDLE EAST OF THE COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ONE HUNDRED THIRD CONGRESS FIRST SESSION MARCH 9, 1993 Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs **^. / / '"'Ofoj, "-^^ii U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OPB^f^^f/ 67-396CC WASHINGTON : 1993 **0||^. ForsalebytheU.S.GovernmentPrintingOffice SuperintendentofDocuments,CongressionalSalesOffice,Washington,DC 20402 ISBN 0-16-040888-1 COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS LEE H. HAMILTON, Indiana, Chairman SAM GEJDENSON, Connecticut BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York TOM LANTOS, California WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania ROBERT G. TORRICELLI, New Jersey JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa HOWARD L. BERMAN, California TOBY ROTH, Wisconsin GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York OLYMPIA J. SNOWE, Maine HARRY JOHNSTON, Florida HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York DOUG BEREUTER, Nebraska ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey Samoa DAN BURTON, Indiana JAMES L. OBERSTAR, Minnesota JAN MEYERS, Kansas CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York ELTON GALLEGLY, California MATTHEW G. MARTINEZ, California ILEANA ROS-LEHTIN^N, Florida ROBERT A. BORSKI, Pennsylvania CASS BALLENGER, North Carolina DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey DANA ROHRABACHER, California ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey DAVID A. LEVY, New York ROBERT MENENTDEZ, New Jersey DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois SHERROD BROWN, Ohio LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART, Florida CYNTHIA A. MCKINNEY, Georgia EDWARD R. ROYCE, California MARIA CANTWELL, Washington ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida ERIC FINGERHUT, Ohio PETER DEUTSCH, Florida ALBERT RUSSELL WYNN, Maryland DON EDWARDS, California FRANK McCLOSKEY, Indiana THOMAS C. SAWYER, Ohio (Vacancy) Michael H. Van Dusen, ChiefofStaff Richard J. GaJION, Minority ChiefofStaff Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East LEE H HAMILTON, Indiana, Chairman ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York BENJAMIN A. GILMAN, New York CHARLES E. SCHUMER, New York WILLIAM F. GOODLING, Pennsylvania ROBERT A. BORSKI, Pennsylvania JAN MEYERS, Kansas ROBERT E. ANDREWS, New Jersey ELTON GALLEGLY, California SHERROD BROWN, Ohio DAVID A. LEVY, New York ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa PETER DEUTSCH, Florida TOM LANTOS, California KaTHERINE a. WlLKENS, Subcomittee StaffDirector Martin Sletzinger, Professional StaffMember Alan MaKOVSKY, Legislative Fellow Deborah BODLANDER, Republican Professional StaffMember Deborah Burns, StaffAssociate (II) CONTENTS WITNESS Page Hon. Edward P. Djerejian, Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern and South Asian AfTairs, Department ofState 1 APPENDIX Prepared statements: Hon. EdwardP. Djerejian 47 Joint statement of the U.S. Interreligious Leadership Delegation to the Middle East, November 29-December 11, 1992 55 Supplemental questions submitted by the Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East to the Department ofState, and responses 58 Letter from Secretary of Defense Aspin to Vice President Gore regarding status ofcommercial disputes in Saudi Arabia (March6, 1993) 71 (III) DEVELOPMENTS IN THE MIDDLE EAST MARCH TUESDAY, 1993 9, House of Representatives, Committee on Foreign Affairs, Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East, Washington, DC. The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10:07 a.m., in room 2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Lee H. Hamilton (chairman ofthe subcommittee) presiding. Chairman Hamilton. The meeting of the subcommittee will come to order. The Subcommittee on Europe and the Middle East meets today in open session to discuss recent developments in the Middle East. This is the first meeting of the subcommittee on developments in the Middle East since October 1, 1992, and the first since President Clinton was elected and took office. We have several topics of interest today: Secretary of State Christopher's recent trip to the Middle East; the priorities of the new administration in this region of the world; Iraqi compliance with U.N. Security Council resolutions; the progress toward the re- starting of the Middle East peace process; U.S. relations with the Gulf States, Jordan and Lebanon; the situation in Iran; the status of U.S. commercial disputes with Saudi Arabia; and the human rights records ofcountries in the region. We will hear testimony today from the Honorable Edward P. Djerejian, Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs. I note that the last time the Assistant Secretary testified before this committee it was on behalf of the Bush administration. I am very pleased to note that Mr. Djerejian has retained his responsibilities for the Middle East region in the new Clinton administration, and comes to us today in that new capacity. Mr. Secretary, we congratulate you on your reappointment, if that is the appropriate word, as the Assistant Secretary. I notice you have a written statement. That, of course, will be entered into the record in full. As you recall, we always have a few questions for you, so we would like you to summarize that statement if you would rather quickly, and then we will go on to the questions. You are welcome today and it is nice to see you. STATEMENT OF EDWARD P. DJEREJIAN, ASSISTANT SEC- RETARY FOR NEAR EASTERN AND SOUTH ASIAN AFFAIRS, DEPARTMENT OF STATE Mr. Djerejian. A pleasure to be here again, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for your very kind remarks. (1) I will submit the statement fully into the record. I would like to touch on some of the high points, if I may, in order to give the frame of reference for the ongoing discussion we will have today. Secretary Christopher's trip to the Middle East proved to be a very important step in establishing our goals. The Secretary went to the region under President Clinton's directive, and he had sev- eral important objectives in mind. First, to demonstrate his belief that the Middle East peace proc- ess presented an opportunity for real progress in the period ahead; and conversely, to signal our awareness that this is a region which ifleft unattended could do much harm to vital U.S. interests. Second, to promote other important objectives of our policy, namely: Concern about human rights and broader political partici- pation in the region; the promotion ofAmerican business and com- mercial opportunities abroad and the need to end the secondary and tertiary aspects ofthe Arab economic boycott. Another very im- portant objective was to reassure our allies in the region that we expect Iraq's full compliance, and I must stress full compliance, with all the United Nations Security Council resolutions. Further, the trip was aimed at recognizing the importance we attach to Leb- anon's continuing to make progress toward full independence and economic recovery. Secretary Christopher returned from his trip satisfied that we made some progress on all of these issues, which enables us to move forward in meeting these objectives in the period ahead. ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE PROCESS On the peace process, Mr. Chairman and members of the com- mittee, we are now poised to not only reinvigorate that process, but shortly to resume the ninth round ofArab-Israeli peace talks. As you well know, since the eighth round ofbilaterals adjourned in mid-December, there has been a hiatus in the negotiations. The Secretary's trip to the region was instrumental in our being able to push this process forward. The results of the Secretary's discus- sions in the region allowed him, in Geneva, to announce with Rus- sian Foreign Minister Kozyrev our intention to issue invitations to the negotiating parties for the ninth round of bilaterals in April, We are intent in playing a very active role in pushing peace proc- ess negotiations forward, Mr. Chairman. The President and the Secretary have enunciated the concept of the United States being a full partner in these negotiations. That concept basically means that we are prepared to play the role of an intermediary, a facilitator, to use the good offices of the United States to promote agreements between the parties and to help narrow the differences between the parties during these negotiations. It does not mean that the United States is going to be an arbiter, a mediator or a judge. It does not mean that our role is to pressure any ofthe parties in coming to agreements. But certainly, given the credibility the United States has, along with our cosponsors, the Russians, we feel that we can play a very instrumental role in bringing the parties together to narrow their differences at the table. In defining full partner, there is one very important proviso, and that is that, in order for the United States to play the role of full partner, we must have the parties not only come to the table for negotiations, but also to come to the table prepared with meaning- ful positions that can help narrow the substantive differences be- tween them. Since Madrid we have had eight rounds of negotia- tions and the parties are now focused on the three major concepts ofthe negotiations: land, peace and security. Progress has been made. The time now has come to really accel- erate this progress, narrow differences, and, hopefully, come to agreements. We are hopeful that much can be achieved in 1993, and it is our intent to push this forward. PALESTINIAN DEPORTEES My statement deals with the deportee issue, Mr. Chairman, in some detail, and I will not go into those details unless you or the members have further questions on that. I think it is important to note that Secretary Christopher and Prime Minister Rabin, at the very inception of the new administra- tion, engaged in very serious bilateral discussions in which the Is- raeli-U.S. understanding moved the deportee issue forward in a very significant way. The decision to allow 101 deportees back immediately was one aspect of that understanding. An accelerated review process by the Israelis, in terms of independent reviews and appeals for the de- portees is another aspect. The fact that the Prime Minister of Is- rael decided to halve the period of time the deportees would be out on the deportation means that, at the very latest, in December of this year every last deportee will be able to return. The Palestinians told us that they could not really point to just an Israeli-U.S. understanding. The President ofthe United Nations Security Council subsequently undertook an initiative in which the Security Council took cognizance of this understanding, plus some other elements which further pushed this issue forward. When the Secretary was in Israel and in Jerusalem, in his dis- cussions with Prime Minister Rabin and the Israeli Government, and the Palestinians, especially Faisal Husseni, who was leading the Palestinian delegation, further efforts were undertaken and further progress was made. I want to bring your attention to a very important statement that the Prime Minister of Israel made at the press conference at the end of the meetings between Secretary Christopher and himself, in which he cited that the deportations were unprecedented and an exception. This was another element of our mutual efforts to move the deportee issue to the point where we could move smartly on the peace process negotiations. Mr. Chairman, the discussions that the Secretary had in the re- gion with the leadership, Arab, Israeli and Palestinian, were very significant. Not only was it important for Secretary Christopher to deliver very important messages from President Clinton to the leadership, but also the establishment of the rapport and relations with the Arab, Israeli, and Palestinian leaders that he met with is essential in terms ofthe United States playing its role as an honest broker and as a full partner. I can report that excellent relations, substantive and working re- lations, were established which will help facilitate the role the United States must play in moving the peace process forward. All the parties expressed their appreciation for an active U.S. role in the Arab-Israeli peace process. Obviously, the Secretary's discussions also hit on a number of important bilateral issues in each country which I have characterized in the statement, but which I will not repeat for the sake oftime here. KUWAIT, SAUDI ARABIA . Another very important aspect of the visit, Mr. Chairman, was the visit to Saudi Arabia and to Kuwait, in which the Secretary's issues of Gulf security were addressed, plus many other issues on our bilateral agenda, including Iraq, the Arab economic boycott, and issues ofbroader political participation and human rights. In Kuwait, the Secretary made a very significant statement in which he made it made it abundantly clear that the United States will not tolerate Iraq's not complying with all ofthe United Nations Security Council resolutions. The Secretary enunciated President Clinton's very clear policy that the United States expects Iraq to comply with all of the United Nations Security Council resolutions, that this was essential, and that the United States stood firmly be- hind the security and the integrity ofthe states in the area against any future aggression. This statement was very important in send- ing a signal to the region, and especially to the regime in Iraq and to any other potential regimes that may wish to seek hegemony in that vital part ofthe world which contains two-thirds ofthe world's proven petroleum reserves that the security ofthat region is a vital U.S. interest. ARAB BOYCOTT On the Arab economic boycott, I know how important an issue this is to members of this committee. The Secretary made very clear that the United States finds it very difficult to understand how American companies can be discriminated against by this boy- cott, and that we expect specific actions, especially on ending the secondary and tertiary aspects of that boycott. I will be glad to dis- cuss this further with the members ifthey so wish. Those are the highlights, Mr. Chairman, of the trip. I am now prepared to answer any questions that the members of the commit- tee wish to raise. [The prepared statement of Mr. Djerejian appears at the conclu- sion ofthe hearing.] ARAB-ISRAELI PEACE PROCESS Chairman Hamilton. Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. Let us begin. We have a new Secretary of State. We have a new President. What kind of continuity and what kind of change will we see in Middle East policy under the new administration? Mr. Djerejian. There are elements of both continuity and change in the new administration. First, continuity in terms of the priority that is given to the Arab-Israeli peace process, and the U.S. role in that peace process as an honest broker. The change we see in this role is the concept of full partnership, which I defined, and I think it is an important change. It is a sig- nal to the parties that the United States is prepared to be very ac-