Daily Press Briefing
MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1999
Briefer: JAMES P. RUBIN
QUESTION: How disturbed was the Administration that they released the information this weekend about past Secretary of State Kissinger providing information to the Chinese? Can you give us some type of a read-out on that - if this is something that's disturbing, or is this something that you just accept or anything like that?
MR. RUBIN: I'm aware of this book; is that what you're talking about? I didn't hear any panic on the seventh floor this morning. I think we are aware of the importance of bringing to the public, many decades afterwards, to light, information. We've certainly worked very hard at the Bureau of Public Affairs - and it would be nice if sometimes you all would note this - to accelerate the process of putting out the official histories of the foreign relations of the United States. We're making some progress in getting them out on time; during the course of which we work very hard - sometimes with not total agreement, but eventual agreement, from other agencies in the government to get out as much information as possible.
So our general posture has been that 20-odd years later, that one should try to put out as much information as possible about events, provided one doesn't go beyond the necessary protections for our national security. But I don't have a formal reaction for you.
QUESTION: Okay, and so, then, in fact, will the Pinochet papers be released soon, then? It's more than 20 years.
MR. RUBIN: I fail to see the connection. You asked me about Kissinger and --
QUESTION: I'm asking you about documents. I guess the line is, following documents that have been released more than 20 years ago - national security information being released, will the Pinochet papers be released?
MR. RUBIN: Right. Well, as you know, we've taken the position that the Secretary is going to do all she can to encourage release of documents, provided it meets the criteria set forth, in the case of Chile, as she has in other cases.
But because we're supportive of something happening on one given day doesn't mean that the wheels of government turn and the next day all the documents that some would like to see can be released. But we do try to keep those wheels moving and prod them and poke them as best we can.
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