ACCESSION NUMBER:00000

FILE ID:96012507.LAR

DATE:01/25/96

TITLE:25-01-96  CHRISTOPHER HAILS ARGENTINE WORK FOR HEMISPHERE



TEXT:

TR96012507 (Transcript: Christopher, di Tella, McLarty) bc (1250)





WASHINGTON -- Secretary of State Christopher says that the United

States will continue to work with Argentina in pursuing the goals of

the Summit of the Americas.



Argentine Foreign Minister Guido di Tella visited Christopher and

counselor to the president Thomas McLarty at the State Department

January 25. Christopher said afterward that Argentina has helped to

achieve the goals of the Miami Summit, "an integrated, prosperous and

democratic Western Hemisphere."



The United States looks forward to further cooperation with Argentina

"as we work toward Miami's goal of free trade of the Americas" by the

year 2005, he said.



The foreign minister responded with optimism about accomplishing that

objective. "There are many problems but they're encouraging problems;

and by the year 2005, 1 think, we'll be either on target or before

that we will be arriving at the free trade zone over the whole of

Americas."



Alluding to Argentina's support for the NATO peacekeeping mission in

Bosnia, McLarty said: "Argentina has been a close and a trusted friend

and I think the recent actions here in support of our peace efforts in

Bosnia ... is just yet another example of that."



Following is the transcript of the statements from the officials,

followed by questions and answers.



(Begin transcript)



SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Good morning. I'm very glad to welcome Foreign

Minister Di Tella to the State Department, and I'm very pleased to be

joined by the President's Counselor Mack McLarty for our meeting

today.



I think it is fair to say that during his years in the office -- Mr.

Minister, you've brought the U.S.-Argentine relationship to the

highest and the strongest level that they've been, at least in the

memory of anyone here. I really congratulate you for the effort that

you've put in to achieving that.



We've worked together on so many matters. I think the Minister has

just come from New York, where he's been discussing with the Secretary

General of the United Nations Argentina's participation in the U.N.

force in Eastern Slavonia, and that's an activity that we very much

appreciate. Of course, their assistance in leading the South American

contingent in Haiti, as well as their diplomacy in Peru and Ecuador,

have been really a hallmark of the last several months of their

leadership.



They've also shown leadership on nonproliferation and adhering to the

MTCR, the Missile Technology Control Regime, as well as helping very

significantly in the indefinite extension of the Nonproliferation

Treaty.



I also want to thank the Minister for assistance as well in carrying

out the Miami Summit and helping us achieve the goals of the Miami

Summit: an integrated, prosperous and democratic Western Hemisphere.

Argentina hosted 33 Ministers as we adopted important new rules on

money-laundering. We'll continue to work together on drugs and crime,

in many ways trying to make the hemisphere's environment in every

sense more attractive and more palatable.



We have a number of things, of course, to work together in the trade

area. We have areas of momentary difference of opinion, but I'm sure

we can work them through because of the excellent overall relationship

we have. We are looking forward to the Argentine presence in the

Cartagena trade ministerial later this year as we work toward Miami's

goal of free trade of the Americas.



So, all in all, it's a very, very happy and pleasant relationship. I'm

glad to say that I'm going to be able to carry out a goal that I've

had for some time of making a trip in the hemisphere to visit

Argentina and other hemispheric countries sometime later in the winter

-- a way to underscore the importance that we attach to our

relationships in the hemisphere as well as the desire to carry out the

new spirit generated by the Summit of the Americas.



Mr. Minister, I'm very pleased and delighted to have you here and

welcome.



FOREIGN MINISTER DI TELLA: Thank you very much. Actually, I would like

to stress what Secretary Christopher has said about the very good,

exceptional relations we have between our two countries. I think that

is a great achievement. We consider ourselves allied with United

States, allied with the Western world, with the Western alliance. We

have taken a very outspoken internationalist attitude. We want to play

a role, a reasonable role proportionate to our stand in international

matters. Our participation in the Eastern Slavonia effort, I think, is

something that symbolizes this participation in multilateral efforts

that the Western alliance has been indulging in as of late.



Regarding the economic matters, the Summit has been very fruitful; it

will continue to be fruitful if we follow what his been signed. There

are many problems but they're encouraging problems; and by the year

2005, I think, we'll be either on target or before that we will be

arriving at the free trade zone over the whole of Americas.



This conversation that we are going to have, I am sure, will enhance

what I'm saying and what the Secretary has been saying before.



SECRETARY CHRISTOPHER: Thank you, Mr. Minister. Mr. McLarty, would you

like to say a word?



COUNSELOR MCLARTY: Mr. Secretary, very briefly. I am delighted and

very honored to serve at the pleasure of the President and the

Secretary in the Summit of Americas follow-up that both Secretary of

State Christopher and Minister Di Tella spoke of.



And I would only reinforce that Argentina has been a close and a

trusted friend and I think the recent actions here in support of our

peace efforts in Bosnia that Secretary Christopher and, of course,

President Clinton have been so deeply involved in is just yet another

example of that.



QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, in another area, if possible -- maybe one not

as serene. Are you concerned about the military exercises China is

conducting off of Taiwan? Do you find them provocative?



ANSWER: Well, we've made clear to the Chinese frequently in recently

that we expect the differences that they have over Taiwan to be

settled peacefully. We don't see any imminent threat coming from the

activities of the Chinese at the present time, but we've urged them to

conduct themselves in a way that is consistent with what we understand

to be the goal of both countries and that is to settle whatever

differences they have in a peaceful way.



Q: Mr. Secretary, how are the peace talks going at Wye Plantation?



A: Well, I had a report from our coordinator Dennis Ross last night.

They've gotten off to a good start yesterday. There was a focus on

security issues, as, of course, we knew there would be since their

military officers joined with them. There will be three days of

intensive talks followed by a weekend recess, and then more talks,

then I'll be going to the region. So, I guess, my counsel would be to

not expect anything on a day-to-day basis, and the pattern here is for

there to be very wide-ranging discussions, some tentative approaches

made, and then when I go to the region, I'm able to confirm the

approach or maybe move them ahead.



So I would counsel not expecting any dramatic results from Wye

Plantation and look toward my trip in the hope that I can at that time

indicate some progress has been made.



Thank you very much.



(End transcript)

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