ACCESSION NUMBER:214447
FILE ID:PO-103
DATE:02/10/92
TITLE:WHITE HOUSE REPORT, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10 (02/10/92)
1EXT:*92021003.POL
WHITE HOUSE REPORT, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 10
(Haiti, ruble stabilization, Iraq)   (450)
NEWS BRIEFING -- Press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater discussed the following
topics:

BRUTALITY AGAINST HAITIANS NOT SUBSTANTIATED
Fitzwater told questioners the administration believes most Haitian
refugees are seeking economic rather than political asylum in the United
States; he said reports of brutality against refugees who have returned to
Haiti are unproven.

The Washington Post reported February 10 that United Nations monitors at
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, were told some of those returned last November had
been beaten or killed.  It said refugee advocates were given notes of the
monitors' interviews by U.N. diplomats.

Fitzwater said the United States was "not able to substantiate" the reports,
adding, "there is no evidence that there has been that kind of brutality."

He said the administration considers concluded its investigation of the
charges, which was conducted by U.S. Embassy officers in Port au Prince.

NO COMMITMENT ON RUBLE STABILIZATION MECHANISM
Fitzwater told questioners the president is not committed to any
mechanism for stabilizing the ruble.

Baker, he said, was "discussing" a ruble stabilization fund, "but we have
not made any commitment to any specific mechanism or vehicle.  Secretary
Baker simply was pointing out the ruble presents a problem for world
currency markets and one that the Western nations need to consider.  We
have not endorsed or proposed any specific mechanism."

Asked if Bush is now ready to endorse some stabilization fund, he replied
that "the United States has been a leader in helping to design any number
of solutions to the problems they're facing in the CIS (Commonwealth of
Independent States) -- and we have provided funding to the tune of around
$5,000 million -- and this is another problem that has to be dealt with and
we want to work with the countries of the West in resolving it.  We have
not identified any specific mechanism."

SADDAM EFFORT DENIED
Asked whether there has been an intensified U.S. effort against Iraq's
dictator, in view of recent news reports alleging that Bush has signed an
intelligence finding calling for covert action to oust Saddam Hussein,
Fitzwater said, "Our action is to continue to press for compliance with
United Nations resolutions."

Pressed on whether Washington is doing "anything different," he said, "No."
Fitzwater also told questioners, "We don't comment on security matters or
intelligence matters, but the fact is that the U.N. resolutions still
remain the active voice of the world in terms of trying to get Saddam
Hussein to meet those sanctions and to live up to the standards of the
world community, and they are the principal means that we have.  Beyond
that, there's no change."

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