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04 February 2001
Secretary of State Colin Powell says the Bush administration is
committed to going forward with a national missile defense program
"because we think it is in our national interest, and we think it is
in the interest of our allies and the interest of the world."
Speaking in a televised interview February 4 on ABC's "This Week" with
Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts, Powell acknowledged that it might
lead to the U.S. having to withdraw from the Anti-Ballistic Missile
Treaty (ABM).
At some point, he said, "we will bump up against the limits of the ABM
Treaty. At that time, we will have to negotiate with the Russians what
modifications might be appropriate, and we have to hold out the
possibility that it may be necessary to leave that treaty if it is no
longer serving our purposes, or if it is not something that we can
accommodate our programs within."
But Powell made clear this is not something that is going to happen
tomorrow, and it's not something that is going to happen "without full
consultation with our friends and allies and full consultation with
the Russians and, beyond that, full consultation with other nations
that have an interest in this, in Asia, Japan, Korea and China."
In the wide-ranging interview, Powell also discussed the Middle East
Peace process.
He said regardless of who wins the February 6 election for Prime
Minister of Israel, what matters to the peace process "is that we
enter the selection period and come out of it with violence kept
down."
The Secretary of State asked Palestinian and Israeli leaders to
encourage their followers not to undertake any acts of provocation or
violence at this period of transition.
"And then we can see what the people of Israel have indicated they
wish in the form of a new leader, and we can begin to see how we can
move toward peace again," said Powell.
"The only thing that will matter in this region, at the end of the
day, is these two peoples coming together to live in one land, and it
begins with stability, peace and no provocations," Powell said.
The Bush administration "will be as active (in the Middle East peace
process) as is appropriate," Powell said. "We will be an honest
broker. We will always be committed to the security of Israel. But we
also will be anxious to see what we can do, in every way possible, to
achieve the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people."
Asked about the Bush campaign proposal to move the U.S. Embassy from
Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Powell said, "we are examining the process, and
in due course we will make a judgment. But at this time of tensions,
at this time of considerable level of violence in the region, at this
time where a new election is about to unfold, we will continue to
examine when that process will begin."
Regarding Iraq, Powell said Saddam Hussein has "never gone away from
his goal" of developing weapons of mass destruction. "And that is
unfortunate because, as long as he pursues that goal, the United
Nations has to remain engaged."
"And as a result, the people of the region are threatened; the
children of the region are threatened by Saddam Hussein and his
potential possession of these kinds of weapons. And so I think the UN
has to remain steadfast and demand that he do what he said he was
going to do," Powell said.
The new Secretary of State also discussed China, Taiwan, Libya,
Mexico, Colombia, Kosovo, Bosnia, Africa, the fight against HIV/AIDS,
as well as family planning, and his reception at the State Department.
Following is the State Department transcript:
U.S. Department of State
Office of the Spokesman
Interview of Secretary of State Colin L. Powell
By Sam Donaldson and Cokie Roberts
ABC'S "This Week"
February 4, 2001
Washington, D.C.
Ms. Roberts: Welcome to the program. We have a very special program on
store for you today.
Mr. Donaldson: Absolutely. The Secretary of State Colin Powell in his
first interview since taking office.
Welcome, Mr. Secretary, nice to see you.
Secretary Powell: It's good to see you, Sam. Cokie, good to be here.
Mr. Donaldson: Well, most of us have called you "General" all these
years. It's quite a change -- and for you, too?
Secretary Powell: Yes, indeed. I mean, you can call me anything you
wish, Sam.
Mr. Donaldson: As long as we smile?
Secretary Powell: Yes.
Mr. Donaldson: Well, Mr. Secretary, let's look at some of the problems
on your plate now, and let's begin with the Mideast. In three days,
the elections. Does it matter to the peace process which one of the
major candidates is elected Prime Minister of Israel?
Secretary Powell: I think what matters to the peace process is that we
enter the selection period and come out of it with violence kept down.
I would encourage both sides, both the Palestinians and the Israelis,
as they go into this period of transition, as we see what the Israeli
people want in the way of a new Prime Minister, that there be no
provocations, that all leaders at this time in the history of the
region encourage their followers to not undertake any acts of
provocation or violence. And then we can see what the people of Israel
have indicated they wish in the form of a new leader, and we can begin
to see how we can move toward peace again.
The only thing that will matter in this region, at the end of the day,
is these two peoples coming together to live in one land, and it
begins with stability, peace and no provocations.
Mr. Donaldson: Well, The Jerusalem Post, in a front-page story this
weekend, suggests that you fear that if Ariel Sharon is elected, there
will be more violence.
Secretary Powell: I don't know where they got that from. I think we
have to wait and see what happens after the election. I know that Mr.
Sharon has indicated that he will try to do nothing that will provoke
violence, and I think all sides have to wait for the election to be
held, and then we will see what happen. It will take Mr. Sharon some
time to form a government, and Mr. Barak will be the caretaker if he
loses in this case. If Mr. Barak wins, we have a different situation.
So I am not prejudging the election. We will wait and see what the
Israeli people want to have happen in the future by their actions on
Tuesday.
Mr. Donaldson: All right. You're not making a preference, but former
President Clinton clearly made a preference in doing an interview on
television. He prefers that Mr. Barak be reelected. Was that helpful?
Secretary Powell: Mr. Clinton is free to make any judgment he wishes.
We will not make a judgment. We believe it is up to the Israeli people
to decide who their Prime Minister will be; and as you have noticed so
far in the Bush Administration, we have elected not to show a
preference to the Israeli people. We believe it is up to them to
decide that, and not our place to make book on one or the other
candidate.
Mr. Donaldson: President Clinton was very activist when he came to the
Mid-East. What is the role that the Bush Administration will take?
Will you be as activist, or will you be an honest broker waiting for
the parties to call you in?
Secretary Powell: We will be as active as is appropriate. We will be
an honest broker. We will always be committed to the security of
Israel. But we also will be anxious to see what we can do, in every
way possible, to achieve the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian
people.
It begins with low violence, preferably no violence if that is
possible. It begins with people of good will coming together after
this election to move peace forward toward resolution. What that is
going to look like, we don't know yet, because we will have to see the
results of the election. But President Bush will be involved, I will
be involved, as appropriate, to keep this moving forward toward peace.
Mr. Donaldson: Let me show you one of the things that President Bush
said during the campaign. You will recall he said that, "As soon as I
take office, I will begin the process of moving the US Ambassador to
the city Israel has chosen as its capital," meaning Jerusalem.
Have you begun the process?
Secretary Powell: Well, process is a word that has different meanings
to it.
Mr. Donaldson: Sometimes it means "stall."
Secretary Powell: We are studying it. Sometimes it means "stall";
sometimes it means "move right ahead."
Mr. Donaldson: What does it mean in this case?
Secretary Powell: In this case, it means that we are examining the
process, and in due course we will make a judgment. But at this time
of tensions, at this time of considerable level of violence in the
region, at this time where a new election is about to unfold, we will
continue to examine when that process will begin.
Mr. Donaldson: And so it hasn't begun yet?
Secretary Powell: We are always examining it, but there is no move yet
to move the Embassy, although that remains the goal of the United
States, and it remains a commitment made by President Bush.
Mr. Donaldson: All right. While we are talking about President Bush's
commitments, let's move now to Iraq and Saddam Hussein. Unfinished
business, you have said. And President Bush said, "No one had
envisioned Saddam -- at least at that point in history -- no one
envisioned him still standing. It is time to finish the task."
And he also said, "And if I found in any way, shape or form that he
was developing weapons of mass destruction, I'd take him out", meaning
take out the weapons of mass destruction.
First, do you think he has been developing weapons of mass
destruction? Do you have any evidence?
Secretary Powell: Well, we have to assume that he has never lost his
goal or gone away from his goal of developing such weapons. And that
is unfortunate because, as long as he pursues that goal, the United
Nations has to remain engaged. He made a commitment at the end of the
Gulf War that he would not develop these weapons and he would
demonstrate to the international community that he was not doing so.
He has failed to meet those obligations.
And as a result, the people of the region are threatened; the children
of the region are threatened by Saddam Hussein and his potential
possession of these kinds of weapons. And so I think the UN has to
remain steadfast and demand that he do what he said he was going to
do.
We should find a way to do this that does not hurt the Iraqi people.
The Iraqi people are not suffering as a result of what the UN is
doing; they are suffering as a result of what Saddam Hussein is doing.
He has got more money available to him now through the Oil-for-Food
program than he ever had before the Gulf War. If he would use that
money properly, if he would use it to educate children, if he would
use it take care of the health needs of the Iraqi children, there
would be no problem. But instead, he continues to find ways to direct
this money into inappropriate purchases.
Mr. Donaldson: What you seem to be suggesting to me that, at the
moment, you don't have enough evidence to believe that you should
follow through on President Bush's words to take out those weapons.
Secretary Powell: We reserve the right to use whatever means may be
necessary if we had a specific set of targets, or something occurred
to us, or we found something that we think would be appropriate to go
after.
Mr. Donaldson: All right. The Iraqi National Congress, which is a
group outside of Iraq, which wants to overthrow Saddam Hussein, has
now gotten a license to use $4 million of US Government funds in its
work. And it wants two other licenses: one it has applied for and one
it hasn't.
Should the other two licenses to step up its efforts inside of Iraq be
granted?
Secretary Powell: Well, we will have to see. I will have to take a
look at those licenses. The license that they just received from the
Treasury Department was in response to a request that has been made
during the previous administration, and it is a very, very solid
request, and nothing wrong with what they are getting ready to do.
But we will examine everything they are planning to do in light of our
overall policy with respect to Iraq. But I'm not here today to say
what we might or might not do in a particular request, especially one
that has not yet been made.
Mr. Donaldson: I don't want to beat around the bush. It's widely held
that you and Secretary Rumsfeld are on opposite sides to some extent
of this question. That he wants to be much more aggressive in trying
to oust Saddam Hussein, and you want to go a little slower.
What's the fact?
Secretary Powell: The facts are that we are in the process of
discussing what our policy with respect to Iraq should be, and there
is no disagreement at this point that I am aware of between Secretary
Rumsfeld and myself.
Mr. Donaldson: All right. Let's go to the ABM Treaty, and let's go to
Europe. Secretary Rumsfeld has just been there. He has called the ABM
Treaty "ancient history." He has told the European allies that the
United States will continue to develop it.
And let me now remind you of what President Bush said before he became
President. He said, about the ABM Treaty, "If Russia refuses the
changes we propose, we will give prompt notice, under the provisions
of the Treaty, that we can no longer be a party to it."
Will you scrap the ABM Treaty, if necessary?
Secretary Powell: At the moment, we are pursuing, I think, a
deliberate course of action with respect (to) missile defense, with
respect to our offensive strategic weapons, with respect to
nonproliferation of weapons, and with respect to the ABM Treaty. We
are consulting with our allies. That's what Secretary Rumsfeld was
doing in Europe over the past couple of days at the Wehrkunde
Conference.
And we are committed to go forward with missile defense because we
think it is in our national interest, and we think it is in the
interest of our allies and the interest of the world. And at some
point we will bump up against the limits of the ABM Treaty. At that
time, we will have to negotiate with the Russians what modifications
might be appropriate, and we have to hold out the possibility that it
may be necessary to leave that treaty if it is no longer serving our
purposes, or if it is not something that we can accommodate our
programs within.
But it's not something that is going to happen tomorrow, and it's not
something that is going to happen without full consultation with our
friends and allies and full consultation with the Russians and, beyond
that, full consultation with other nations that have an interest in
this, in Asia, Japan, Korea and China.
Mr. Donaldson: Well, does full consultation simply mean informing them
at some point?
Secretary Powell: No, no, no.
Mr. Donaldson: Because our allies oppose it, China opposes it, Russia
opposes it. If we find the world is basically against this, would we
then have, in the words of the famous phrase, "a decent respect for
the opinions of mankind"?
Secretary Powell: We will have a decent respect for the opinions of
mankind, and full consultation means that. It doesn't mean we dictate
to anybody. You know, President Bush has been quite clear that he
wants to hear from others. He wants to take what others say to us into
account in all of our actions.
But they also have to understand that as we take their views into
account, we are moving from a position of principle. We believe that
theatre missile defense and national missile defense is in our
interest, and in the interest of our allies in the world. And in these
consultations, we hope to persuade them of that.
Mr. Donaldson: All right. China has just taken possession of two
Russian destroyers that are meant to hunt and kill aircraft carriers.
It has four more destroyers on order that will be there.
What is China up to?
Secretary Powell: China is up to, I presume, modernizing its forces.
Their forces are really quite behind the times. So they are doing
force modernization. It is nothing that surprises or shocks --
Mr. Donaldson: Does that threaten us or Taiwan?
Secretary Powell: I think we have to make sure that we remain strong
in the region. I think there should be no question that we will
maintain a military presence in the region because we think it is
American military presence in the region that is sort of a flywheel
that keeps the whole region in a rather stable situation.
But a nation such as China that has the wherewithal to improve its
military, I would expect it to improve its military. I'm more
interested in what kind of policies it adopts that might be disturbing
or threatening to the region. And that is why I am looking forward to
having good, solid conversations with the Chinese, and I have started
that. One of my first visitors was the Chinese Ambassador, and I look
forward to greeting other Chinese visitors in the very near future.
Mr. Donaldson: President Clinton put on hold the sale of two
Aegis-class destroyers to Taiwan. Will this administration sell those
destroyers and/or other advanced weapons systems?
Secretary Powell: In the course of the spring we will examine what the
Taiwanese have asked for, and we will make our decisions on individual
weapons systems in accordance with the Taiwan Relations Act that you
are well familiar with, the various communiqu�� that have come from
that Act, as well as what the Congress has said with respect to
enhancement of Taiwan's defense capability. But it will be done in a
way that is deliberate, with full understanding of the implications of
each one of these weapons systems for relationships between Taiwan and
the People's Republic of China.
Mr. Donaldson: Let me show some of the words from one of those
communiqu��, the third one in 1982, the joint communiqu?issued by the
United States and the People's Republic of China on the question of
arms sales to Taiwan. And here is what it says: "The United States
Government states that it does not seek to carry out a long-term
policy of arms sales to Taiwan; that its arms sales to Taiwan will not
exceed, either in qualitative or quantitative terms, the level of
those supplied in recent years; and that it intends gradually to
reduce its sale of arms to Taiwan."
The plain reading of that language suggests that Aegis destroyers
would be off-base.
Secretary Powell: The plain reading of the language of the TRA and the
various communiqu�� over time would suggest that we have an obligation
to Taiwan to make sure that their level of defense capability remains
constant over time and they are in a position to defend themselves
against any threats that might come their way. And so we will always
be looking for that balance in our arms sales policy with respect to
Taiwan.
Mr. Donaldson: When you said goodbye to the outgoing Chinese
Ambassador, you read him the riot act -- my words, not yours -- on
human rights. And on the 19th of March, the United Nations Human
Rights Commission meets in Geneva. Traditionally, the United States
supports a condemnation resolution. But there is some suggestion that,
this year, this Administration would not.
Will we?
Secretary Powell: Well, I wouldn't say "read him the riot act." We had
a good businesslike discussion of human rights, and I made it clear to
him that the Bush Administration would measure all of our
relationships with other countries dealing with human rights, as well
as all other issues that might exist between the two of us. And I
didn't want there to be any mistake with our Chinese interlocutors
that we were interested in human rights.
And you are quite right, there is a conference coming up. And the
question will be which nations will we try to introduce or have
introduced a resolution of disapproval, of condemnation.
Mr. Donaldson: Would we support it?
Secretary Powell: Well, we haven't made a decision yet. We have
started to examine it. I talked to our Ambassador in Geneva yesterday,
and we have begun the process of coming to a conclusion as to how we
will proceed in Geneva next month.
Mr. Donaldson: Secretary Powell, if we don't now, the United States,
support a resolution of condemnation, isn't that a great victory for
China on the very subject that you say you are so concerned with --
human rights?
Secretary Powell: We are concerned with human rights, and we will make
a judgment as to whether we will or will not support in due course.
But I would think you will find that whatever we do or do not do in
Geneva will be consistent with the principles of human rights and our
support for human rights throughout the world.
Mr. Donaldson: Muammar Qadhafi is angry at the United States. One of
the Libyans was convicted in a Scottish Court; one was freed. Qadhafi
said the other day, "Who is going to pay for this?" He is standing in
front of that ruined portion of his compound that in 1986 the United
States bombed. He says, "What compensation for these innocent lives?"
Secretary Powell: We bombed that place because he had taken innocent
American lives, and so let's not deceive ourselves as to the nature of
that regime or the nature of that gentleman. And one of those two men
up on trial was found guilty; the other was not found guilty. It was
in a court of law that he agreed to participate in. And so now he has
to come into compliance with the remaining elements of the UN
resolution under which all that was held. And the remaining elements
are compensation and acceptance of responsibility.
This was a Libyan official who was found guilty for this dastardly act
against that airplane, and the Libyan Government, in the form of Mr.
Qadhafi, the Government and Mr. Qadhafi are one and the same, have to
accept responsibility. This isn't a US position; this is a UN
position. The US has another set of sanctions and issues with Mr.
Qadhafi.
Mr. Donaldson: Secretary Powell, my time is up, but you are not off
the hook. Cokie Roberts, in just a moment or two.
And folks, I hope you'll stay with us for more with Secretary Powell
and Cokie, right after this.
(Commercial break.)
Ms. Roberts: We're back with Secretary of State Colin Powell.
Secretary Powell: Cokie.
Ms. Roberts: The President's first trip is scheduled to be to Mexico.
Will that be the first trip?
Secretary Powell: That will be the first trip on the 16th of February,
and the President is looking forward to it very much, to visit
President Fox's ranch.
Ms. Roberts: And is that your first foreign trip, as well?
Secretary Powell: Yes.
Ms. Roberts: And President Fox has said that an open border,
eventually, should operate between the United States and Mexico. Is
that a reality, a possibility?
Secretary Powell: I think in the long term one should hope that we
reach a situation in this part of our world where there would be open
borders, but I think that's far in the future. There are a number of
issues with respect to the border, and these issues will be discussed
at the meeting on the 16th.
We've already had some discussions. I've met with the Mexican Foreign
Minister, as has National Security Advisor Dr. Rice. So this will be
an issue for discussion, clearly.
Ms. Roberts: Of course, one of those issues is drugs.
Secretary Powell: Yes.
Ms. Roberts: And something else that President Fox has said is that we
should just drop the whole drug certification question. And there are
a lot of people in this country who think that it should be dropped as
well, that it's just "phonied up," basically, every year to say that
countries we like are meeting it and countries we don't like aren't.
Should we keep it?
Secretary Powell: Well, at the moment, it is the law of the land so we
don't have a choice. But there are some in Congress who think that
perhaps there are ways to make this a less onerous issue with respect
to our bilateral relationship with Mexico, and I am discussion with
Members of Congress who think that might be a good idea. But, at the
moment, it's the law of the land, and we have to act consistently with
the law of the land.
But I'm also sure this will be a subject for discussion on the 16th.
And as I'm sure you know, in the drug war, as it is often called, it
is not just supply and interdiction coming from south of us and
through Mexico; it is the demand that we create for this, not only in
the streets of our cities but in the Hamptons and lots of other places
where Americans use drugs. If we could ever get that demand under
control, we would solve problems in Mexico and Colombia and lots of
other places.
Ms. Roberts: In Colombia, you have said that you would keep in place
President Clinton's $1.3 billion aid package. What about American
troops? There are American troops training in Colombia now.
Secretary Powell: No, there are American troops who are helping
Colombians, but there --
Ms. Roberts: Training Colombians.
Secretary Powell: Training Colombians, right. And of course we have
provided the helicopters as part of that $1.3 billion expenditure, and
we do support that. What we have to look at now is a broader Andean
strategy that includes more than Colombia, but all of the other
nations around Colombia, because we don't want to push this problem
from that particular valley into other countries.
Ms. Roberts: And is there a role for US troops in there?
Secretary Powell: I don't see a role for US troops except in an
advisory capacity from time to time. And we do have other resources
that we could use to help our friends in the region, but not troops on
the ground.
Ms. Roberts: And US troops in the Balkans. That caused a lot of
contention during the campaign. Do you plan to leave them there or get
them out?
Secretary Powell: As Secretary Rumsfeld said yesterday at his meetings
in Europe, we plan to discuss with our allies the proper balance of
troops, both in Bosnia and Kosovo. There already are plans to
gradually draw down the number of troops there --
Ms. Roberts: By a date certain?
Secretary Powell: Well, no, not by a date certain. There were
different levels, different tranches, but there is no exit date for
the whole force, either in Bosnia and Kosovo. Those will be long-term
commitments. Now, we're not --
Ms. Roberts: Long-term commitments, meaning -- ?
Secretary Powell: Long-term commitments of NATO. The question is, what
is the proper US role, how many troops should remain for what --
Ms. Roberts: Is there a long-term US commitment?
Secretary Powell: We are committed to peace in the Balkans, both in
Bosnia and Kosovo. And although we would like to see all the troops
come out, ours and others, that is not going to be the case in the
immediate future. The question is, do we need the kinds of troops we
have there now, American troops we have there now, in the numbers that
are there now, or can we start to shift the kinds of troops --
Ms. Roberts: And what is the answer to that question?
Secretary Powell: Well, that's what we're studying, and that's what
Mr. Rumsfeld was doing in Europe yesterday, discussing with our
allies. But we're going to do it in consultation with our allies.
We're not cutting and running. We don't have a date certain where all
US troops come out. We understand that we went in with NATO and we
can't simply walk out of NATO. We are part of a great alliance that we
believe is still the bedrock of security in Europe, both politically
and militarily. So we're going to consult with our allies.
We also know that NATO already has plans to bring down the level of
troops over time, just as they have from when they first went in. So
there's no cut and run; consultation with our allies. We went in
together, we understand our obligations, but we want to look at the
right mix of troops and the overall level of troop presence in the
Balkans.
Ms. Roberts: And when you say long-term commitment, are you talking
years, or are you talking months?
Secretary Powell: I think NATO is going to be there in both places for
years. The situation does not seem to indicate, to me anyway, that in
the near future we can simply pull out all of the NATO troops and
things will be fine.
Ms. Roberts: What about our troops in the Sinai? There have been
recent reports that they are useless, bored, not trained.
Secretary Powell: They've been there for, I guess, it's over 20 years
now, and I think that's another area we should take a look at because
they are essentially part of that original agreement which returned
the Sinai to Egypt, and they are part of an observer force. And the
size and composition of that force has changed over time, but it's
another one of these missions we ought to take a look at, but we're
not ready to cut and run there either. They may occasionally be bored
-- and I've been out there, I know how boring it can get -- but
they're performing a useful mission even if they are bored, and we
have to be sure that that mission is fully accomplished before we talk
about pulling them out.
In a broader sense, we have to look at all the places where our troops
are deployed, and that's what President Bush said he would do. Look at
all of our deployments to see how many of them are really necessary
and in what quantities of troops, to see if we can sort of reduce the
number of troops that are churning through the system all the time,
which gives us, subsequently, recruiting problems and other kinds of
problems, retention problems, that Secretary Rumsfeld is working on.
Ms. Roberts: On another subject, your predecessor, Secretary Albright,
called AIDS a national security problem. Do you agree with that?
Secretary Powell: AIDS is a national security problem; it's an
economic problem; it is a devastating problem, especially in Africa,
in sub-Saharan Africa. Millions of people are at risk. Millions of
people will die no matter what we do. And this creates a major problem
for Africa and other parts of the world where AIDS is spreading. So it
is a pandemic and it requires our attention.
And the Congress has been generous. I will do everything I can to
continue getting that support from Congress to fight this pandemic,
and I think we all need to do more. It's not just a medical problem;
it's destroying families; you're leaving children without providers.
Ms. Roberts: You talk about it being particularly horrendous in
Africa, and during the campaign, when candidate Bush was asked about
Africa, here is what he said. He said, "While Africa may be important,
it doesn't fit into the national strategic interests as far as I can
see them."
Is that bad news for Africa in this Administration?
Secretary Powell: No, quite the contrary. And I think the real context
of that comment had to do with national security in its narrowest
military sort of sense and where we have troops and where we have
threats. There are no particular threats coming to us from Africa and
no need for troops. But Africa will be important. I spent a pretty
good piece of time during my first two weeks as Secretary involved in
African affairs, and I've --
Ms. Roberts: Do you feel a particular connection here?
Secretary Powell: Yes, yes, I am African. My roots are Africa. But my
roots are mankind and womankind, so we cannot ignore any place in the
world. And Africa is a huge continent in great need. There are some
pockets of success and promise such as South Africa, now Nigeria and
Senegal and Ghana and Burkina Faso, and there are terrible, terrible
situations like the Congo and Sierra Leone. So we have to be engaged.
Ms. Roberts: Speaking of mankind and womankind, the President put back
in place the ruling -- the Mexico City language, it's called -- that
international family planning agencies' accounts for abortion are cut
off from money. Some international health agencies say that this can
hurt with AIDS education, STDs education.
Do you have a concern about that?
Secretary Powell: No. President Bush was consistent with his campaign
pledge on this issue to go back to the Mexico policy that existed up
until 1993, which essentially says that we're going to spend over $400
million a year on family planning, but we do not wish any of that
money to go to organizations that advocate abortion or educate
abortion.
Ms. Roberts: Do you agree with that?
Secretary Powell: It is the policy. I have other views that are my
personal views, but this is the policy of the government. And it is
consistent with President Bush's campaign promises, and it is
consistent with the principles of the party that he represents.
Ms. Roberts: In the party that he represents, this past week we've had
the confirmation of John Ashcroft as Attorney General, and lots of
conversation there about his views on race. Did you have views of
that?
Secretary Powell: I think John Ashcroft is a very distinguished
gentleman, and I'm confident he'll do exactly what he said he would do
during the confirmation hearings, and that is to apply the law in a
fair, honest manner as appropriate.
Ms. Roberts: Now, you have come in as Secretary of State. You had a
rousing acceptance at the Department, but you told people that if they
didn't shape up, you were a general. And what would they have to do?
Secretary Powell: They'd have to do push-ups.
(Laughter.)
Secretary Powell: I'm looking at Sam, you notice.
(Laughter.)
Ms. Roberts: Was that well received by these diplomats?
Secretary Powell: I've had a great opening two weeks. We have
dedicated men and women in the State Department. The Foreign Service,
the Civil Service, our Foreign Service Nationals, they're doing a
terrific job for the American people, and I believe it's a privilege
to have the opportunity to --
Ms. Roberts: And now you're still wearing your little red wagon. We
have one here, America's Promise. You say you're going to still be
pulling this wagon as Secretary of State?
Secretary Powell: Yes. I can no longer be chairman of America's
Promise, but I'm still the founding chairman so I will keep an
interest in America's Promise. It's been very successful over the last
three years, and it will continue to do great work, and there are some
dedicated people who will make sure that continues to happen.
Ms. Roberts: Thank you very much. Thanks so much for being with us,
Secretary Powell.
Secretary Powell: Thank you.
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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