Confiden tinl

• Event: William Burns

Type of Event: Interview
Date: November 25, 2003
MEMORANDUM FOR THE,RECORD

Special Access Issues: Treat as C014fil~I!I~ IIAL

Prepared by: Daniel Byman
Reviewed by: Serena Wille
Team Numbers: Three (Counterterrorism Policy) and Four (Financing)
Location: NEA Conference Room, State Department
Participants - Commission: Daniel Byman, Len Hawley, Serena Wille
Other Participants: John-Alex Romano (State/Legal)

Interviewee Background
Ambassador Bums joined the State Department in 1982, after receiving his Ph.D. at
Oxford. He served in numerous posts in the Middle East, including as Ambassador to
Jordan from 1998 to 200 I. In June 200 I he was formally designated as the Assistant
Secretary of State for the Near East, the job he holds now. He did not return to the
United States from the Middle East and assume these duties until September 2001. (U)

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Counterterrorism in the Near East Region
There are few countries in the Near East where terrorism and extremism are not
important issues. In Burns' view, the biggest current counterterrorism issue is the
success or failure of rebuilding Iraq. Iran remains a state sponsor of terrorism and thus a
serious threat. Syria, to a lesser degree, also is a concern. Libya has largely moved out of
the terrorism business. Several other countries are also of concern. In Yemen, the
government does not control much of the country. Lebanon is a breeding ground for
radicalism. Morocco, Algeria, and Tunisia all face attacks. ~

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Reducing terrorism in the long-term and affecting root causes requires several difficult
accomplishments. First, the Arab-Israeli dispute must be resolved. Second, Iraq must be
made into a success for good government. Third, political and economic reform must
succeed in the region. In sum, the United States and its allies must offer a positive vision
for the region. Al-Qa'ida, in contrast, can tear things down but has no real plan to help.
~ .

The President has emphasized the importance of political and economic reform, and the
government has used its assistance to bolster and reward reform when it can. When
possible, free trade and education reform are promoted such as the recent Free Trade
Agreement with Jordan. Burns singled out the Middle East Partnership Initiative as an

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effort to integrate aid to transform the Middle East. More broadly, he noted that
"stability is not a static phenomenon" and that area regimes need to get ahead of the

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Confidential

• rather dire political and demographic trends their countries face. When possible, reform
must be driven by those in the region. ~

NEA recognizes the centrality of counterterrorism. However, it is often hard to get the
various counterterrorism shops to recognize how regional issues relate to
counterterrorism. For example, aggressive counterterrorism measures against al-Qa'ida
can run counter to various human rights goals. ~

The country team is invaluable for effective counterterrorism. The United States gets the
best cooperation when it can speak with one voice. Increasingly, State Department
officers are a minority at the Embassy - the result is that a key function becomes
coordinating and helping others do their jobs .. Increasingly, individual posts need to
integrate their work into broader regional goals. ~
SaudiArabi~a ~
Saudi Arabia! I It remains vital due to its role in
global energy security, and its stability affects that of its smaller neighbors. Saudi Arabia
also is an important voice in Islamic circles and contributes to the Middle East Peace
Process. ,
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Bums was in Riyadh after both the May 12 and November 8 bombings. The Saudis
recognized the degree of threat they face now, and cooperation has improved
dramatically since May. The Saudis now realize they are at war. After the May
bombings, they implemented mechanisms to regulate private charitable contributions and
began a much more serious effort to understand the threat. ~

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Visas, Border Control, and Public Diplomacy

Burns noted the tension between border security and cutting the United States off from
the broader Arab world. There is both a decrease in visas granted and the number of
applications, as people from the Middle East are afraid to even try to come to the United
States. Although effective border control is vital, openness is a part of who we are. NEA
will weigh in to remind people of what is at stake. ~

• Miscellany
Burns did not see any major problems on tlme-sensitive targeting.
"in the loop" and that people were talking to one another, ~

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