13 November 1998
INTERVIEW OF SECRETARY OF STATE MADELEINE K. ALBRIGHT ON PBS -TV "THE CHARLIE ROSE SHOW" WITH CHARLIE ROSE New York, New York November 11, l998 ................ MR. ROSE: Today's New York Times -- you've seen this, you just came from New York Times I think -- CIA chief vows to quite if Clinton freed Israeli spies; Netanyahu's call for release of the American Jonathan Pollard -- (inaudible) -- What is here is clearly a report not confirmed by George Tenet, the head of CIA, but he was in a very difficult place, because Pollard was a convicted spy, who stole secrets from the United States and if he stood by while his release was part of an agreement, he'd be in deep trouble with his people back at Langley. Were you prepared, was this issue that important to you, the release of Pollard? SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: Well, first of all, let me say that the issue of Pollard is one that has come up at a variety of times. Prime Minister Rabin used to ask for the release of Pollard; Prime Minister Netanyahu has before. And he did in the course of the Wye discussions and the President made clear to him that he would review the issue, but made absolutely no commitments. But it was a part -- you know it was there as a discussion point, and it had been something that had been raised previously, and it is clearly something that is important to a number of people in Israel and it's important to some people here. So it's an issue. MR. ROSE: Is the American Secretary of State opposed to the release of Pollard? SECRETARY ALBRIGHT: I'm not going to comment on it beyond what the President has said, which is that it's an issue that he has said that he would review and make no commitments. ....................... (End transcript)