Washington, DC — Currently visiting four Middle Eastern countries to discuss reform efforts

Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Marc Grossman praised Morocco for its reforms in family law, its Free Trade Agreement with the United States, the release of prisoners, and the establishment of a commission on justice and reconciliation.

Speaking to reporters in Al Hoceima March 1, Grossman said he had met with King Mohammed and described to him, "some of the opportunities that we see to support a reform agenda that we see coming in the next few months."

Grossman, currently on a trip to Morocco, Egypt, Bahrain and Jordan, is consulting with those governments on how the United States can best support economic, political and social reform efforts in the region.

The under secretary said the Bush administration will not try to impose reforms from the outside but will support countries that take the initiative in reforms.

"I want to be clear here, as I was to all of the people I spoke to today, that the United States of America cannot and will not impose reform from the outside. The instructions we have from our President are to support those who are pursuing reform and we recognize that reform will take many different forms," Grossman said.

Grossman said that where countries suppress modernization and freedom, terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and extremism appear.

The under secretary said the U.S. Congress has allotted a substantial amount of money to support reforms through the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), and the United States is starting to fund specific reform programs.

Grossman said the U.S. backing for Middle East reforms is not a substitute for the search for peace in the Middle East. He said the search for peace in the region remains an important U.S. concern. U.S. support for Israel has other reasons and justifications, he said.

With regard to Iraq, Grossman said Iraq will regain its sovereignty July 1, but U.S. forces will remain in the country "for sometime" after that date.

He said that Iraqis want to have a democratic and multi-ethnic society at peace with its neighbors, but recognize that they will need security in order to realize this.

"They are working very hard to achieve security for themselves," he said, citing ongoing efforts to build a larger police force and army. "But I believe that we will have to assist in creating security in Iraq so that Iraqis can achieve their vision of the kind of society they wish to have," Grossman said.

Following is the transcript of Grossman's press conference in Morocco March 1:

U/S Grossman: Thank you all very much for coming. It's a pleasure for me to be back in Morocco and I'll say also what an honor it was to be received this morning by His Majesty.

Before I do anything else, may I first express our condolences again for the terrible loss of life and the terrible dislocation of this great tragedy. Our hearts go out to the victims and to their families. President Bush, in person, had conveyed his condolences to His Majesty and Secretary Powell as well has conveyed our condolences to the Foreign Minister.

We came here today, along with our Ambassador and our Mission here to personally convey our solidarity with the people of Morocco. Under the direction of the President, and Secretary Powell, and Ambassador Riley, we are very proud of the assistance we have been able to render to the people in this area. We've had seven flights arrive, and very importantly we have delivered blankets and tents, medical equipment, generators and other important elements for this recovery. We say thank you to the members of our Agency for International Development, the military and our Reserve forces for their efforts as well. I want also now to pay tribute to Ambassador Riley and his entire Mission for the job they do in representing the United States of America.

Let me tell you a little bit about the trip I am starting today in Morocco. Morocco is the first stop on a trip that will take me to Egypt and Bahrain, Jordan, Turkey and Brussels. The purpose of this trip is to listen, to consult and to learn from the people in this region about how best the United States of America can support efforts for reform in North Africa and the Middle East.

There's a major conversation going on in the region about reform. The United States of America, under President Bush's direction, wants to be in a position to support this reform. So for me, Morocco was a very logical first step.

We had a chance to listen to the advice of His Majesty. We had a chance to recognize the reforms undertaken here in Morocco in family law; two very successful elections; and I hope very soon the successful signing of a Free Trade Agreement which will also have an effect on reform; the release of prisoners and the establishment of a commission on justice and reconciliation.

His Majesty's advice on all these matters was, as always, very precise and very constructive. I had a chance to describe for his Majesty some of the opportunities that we see to support a reform agenda that we see coming in the next few months.

An Arab League Summit this month, and then a summit of the G-8, the United States and the European Union, and NATO, which will all take place in June. I also had a chance today to listen to the advice of members of civil society here in Morocco. I am grateful for their advice and their counsel as well.

Our President has said that reform must come from the region. So I want to be clear here, as I was to all of the people I spoke to today, that the United States of America cannot and will not impose reform from the outside. The instructions we have from our President are to support those who are pursuing reform and we recognize that reform will take many different forms.

All countries are unique. Morocco, for example, has a unique personality. As Morocco moves forward on reform and modernization and human rights, it will do so in a way that is unique to Morocco.

We have concluded that when modernization and reform and freedom are held back, it is then that we face (Moroccans and Americans) terrorism, the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, extremism, and the lack of freedom in our society.

We want to work with Morocco and others to advance the reform agenda that is coming from the region. With that, I'd be glad to take any questions that anyone might have.

Question: With regard to the $100 million that have been advertised to help the region, I understand that the first tranche of $29 million has been released, but we aren't quite sure of the time frame, either of the first $29 million or the remaining amount. Can you shed some light on that?

U/S Grossman: We have for some time pursued what we call the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI). And we're grateful to the Congress for giving it substantial funding. And exactly, as you say, we want to take the programs in the Middle East Partnership Initiative: support for free elections, support for women in society, support for rule of law, support for economic reform, and see what we can do to make them a part of this conversation about reform in the Middle East.

So, for example, we look forward to the results of the Alexandria Library Conference in the middle of this month and then we'll follow that up with a conference at the Alexandria Library as part of MEPI. So, you'll see us now start to spend this money that Congress has given us on specific programs, that both had already been foreseen by MEPI and also to support these other efforts we have.

And again I say that it's worth emphasizing that this money and this effort is to support reform and not to impose reform.

Question: Don't you think that the assistance you will be providing is insufficient with regards to the assistance that you provide to Israel, and that the population of the Arab world criticizes the unconditional support that is extended by the United States of America to the State of Israel. (Inaudible) When are these funds going to be made available?

U/S Grossman: Let me make three points if I could. First, I think it's important to recognize that this effort we are making to support reform in the Middle East is not a substitute for the pursuit that we have for Middle East Peace. NOT a substitute. In the same way, you can't wait to support reform until there is complete peace in the area. So Middle East peace is a very important part of our effort.

Second, I don't think that this comparison of money is really right or fair. We are focused in the Middle East Partnership Initiative on supporting reform. And that is what we intend to do. That money will now start to flow to those people and programs that will support reform. As you know sir, our efforts to support Israel have other reasons and other justifications.

Question: FROM MAP: Honorable Under Secretary of State, when do the US forces intend to leave Iraq? Will the June deadline be respected? We would like to have a very precise answer in this regard if you please. Thank you sir.

U/S Grossman: I will give you as precise an answer as I can. Our whole effort is to respect the June 30/July 1 date. We want, on the 1st of July, to give sovereignty back to a sovereign Iraqi government. And as Secretary Powell has said, we want to shift our representation in Iraqi from the Coalition Provision Authority to an Ambassador and to an Embassy. I will say though sir, so that I am not misunderstood, that sovereignty will return to, that there will be a sovereign Iraqi government on the 1st of July.

But I believe sir, that there will be American forces in Iraq for sometime after the 1st of July. The Iraqis have a vision of the kind of society that they want: a democratic society, a multi-ethnic society, a society that is at peace with its neighbors. I believe that they understand that they cannot achieve that vision without security. They are working very hard to achieve security for themselves. More policemen, a larger Iraqi Army. But I believe that we will have to assist in creating security in Iraq so that Iraqis can achieve their vision of the kind of society they wish to have.

So we will stick to our date, but there will be American forces there after that.

QUESTION: President Bush appears to be trying to boost his popularity in the Arab world, as well as in the United States, so is this initiative called the Greater Middle East Initiative just a part of his electoral campaign?

U/S Grossman: No, this is not a campaign effort. President Bush has spoken about what he calls a "forward strategy of freedom" for the better part of a year now. And I hope that our Embassy might give you a speech that President Bush gave in Washington at the National Endowment for Democracy, a speech as well in London and also in Washington earlier in February.

In all of those you will find these themes: the importance of freedom, the importance of reform coming from the region, the fact that the United States is not interested in imposing reform, the understanding that this is a long-term project and we have to be patient, that people will choose their own unique style of democracy, and that America is committed to supporting those who pursue reform. So I don't think this has anything to do with our election. This has to do with the recognition that in this region, led by countries like Morocco, in its unique way, there is a desire for more freedom, more democracy, more human rights, and we want to support that effort.

I'll take one more.

Question: 2M television -- With regard to the assistance that has been provided by the United States of America following the events of Al Hoceima. You did thank Ambassador Riley for the efforts he has made today and for all of the efforts that have gone toward improving the image of the United States in Morocco. Does this mean that you are reconsidering a US policy toward Morocco or toward other Arab countries?

U/S Grossman. No. Our effort here is a humanitarian effort. There was an earthquake. People died. People are without their houses. People need food. They need blankets. They need tents. This is a humanitarian gesture on the part of the United States. And I will say a humanitarian gesture on the part of many other countries as well. Sometimes it's sad to say that it is tragedy that brings out generosity. But here we are. The United States and Morocco have a 200-year-old relationship. It's very strong; I believe it's going to get stronger. That's a political relationship, it's economic, it's military and today it's also humanitarian.

Thank you very much.