Department of State Washington File: Transcript: State Department Noon Briefing, January 15

*EPF302 01/15/2003
Transcript: State Department Noon Briefing, January 15
(Department/Foreign Service Exam, North Korea, Mexico, Israel/Palestinian Authority, Iraq, Turkey, Macedonia, Venezuela, Libya, Norway, Saudi Arabia, China, Africa/Cote d'Ivoire, Russia) (6490)

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher briefed.

Following is the State Department transcript:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Wednesday, January 15, 2003
1:00 p.m. EST

BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

DEPARTMENT
-- Foreign Service Exam Date Announced

NORTH KOREA
-- U.S. and Allies Set Up Meetings and Talks with North Korea
-- Post-Richardson Talks with North Koreans
-- North Korea Presses for Non-aggression Agreement
-- Meeting IAEA Obligations
-- Possible Attendance of the World Economic Forum
-- Comments from the North Korean Foreign Minister
-- Denial of Uranium Enrichment Progam
-- Bolton's Meeting in London with the French and British
-- Haas's to Meet with Allies to Discuss North Korea
-- Kelly's Meeting in Beijing

MEXICO
-- Secretary Colin L. Powell Speaks with New Minister of Foreign Affairs

ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
-- London Conference Focuses on Palestinian institutional and civil reform
-- University Closures and Home Demolition

IRAQ
-- Location and Time for Iraqi Opposition Group Meeting
-- U.S. Request for NATO Support

TURKEY
-- Reported Remarks from the Prime Minister

MACEDONIA
-- EU and NATO Agreement on Defense and Security Cooperation

VENEZUELA
-- Possible Members of the Friends of Venezuela Group

LIBYA
-- Status of Human Rights Commission Leadership

NORWAY
-- Possible Location of Mullah Krekar

SAUDI ARABIA
-- Empowerment of the People/Anti-Israel Radio Advertisements

CHINA
-- China to Host Discussions with Taiwanese?

AFRICA
-- Cote d'Ivoire Peace Talks in Paris

RUSSIA
-- Labor Activist Denied Country Entrance

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

1:00 P.M. EST -- WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 15, 2003
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

MR. BOUCHER: Good afternoon ladies and gentlemen. Just one think I would like to call your attention to and that is online registration for the Foreign Service exam is up and running for this year's April 12th examination. To register, visit the Department's interactive website, www.careers.state.gov. It is for Foreign Service candidates -- to determine suitability for a career in the Foreign Service. And I would like to encourage you and your readers to consider this possibility for your lives.

But the details are coming out in the statement and we want to make people aware that this exam is coming up again. As you know, we have had record registrations in the past years and a higher level of intake of officers than we've had for many years.

QUESTION: Richard, on that I understand that maybe some disappointment within the Department that you're not able to mount the advertising campaign that you have in the past given the fact that you're still on a continuing resolution. Are you expecting fewer people, or is this just to sign up because the outreach will be less? Or does this mean that you and Phil will be getting up here every day and opening the briefings with this appeal in order to get the message out?

MR. BOUCHER: We are limited in the amount of advertising we might be doing now so I guess Phil and I will just have to stand up here every day and tell you again that you can register online at www.careers.state.gov. (Laughter.) Every question will be prefaced by that: "If you would like to work on these exciting issues, you can register online at www.careers.state.gov"

All right, with that, let's go to questions. George?

QUESTION: The North Koreans have not reacted favorably to what the President was saying yesterday, calling it pie in the sky, and I was wondering if you had any reaction.

MR. BOUCHER: I do not think we want to get into a daily back and forth over North Korean rhetoric. The point, I think, is that the United States has made clear that we are willing to talk to North Korea about how it can meet its obligations to the international community. We have made that clear repeatedly and at the highest levels of our government.

As you point out, North Korea has yet to take up -- take any action on this offer. But there are, I think, upcoming events and opportunities for North Korea to say what it has to say, whether in public or in private.

What I would point out, there are a series of envoys and meetings planned between North Koreans and some people -- like the Secretary General's representative, the Australians, have meeting dates announced, I think, for meetings with the South Koreans which is a North-South process that we have always supported. I think the Russians have said they are sending an envoy. I am not sure what the Chinese are doing.

But in all these cases I think North Korea will understand the loss that they are suffering, the opportunities that they are not going to have, the progress in relationships that they are not going to have until they are willing to verifiably and promptly dismantle these programs, this nuclear program in particular -- the HEU program -- and the steps that they've taken against -- to reverse the IAEA inspections.

So I think that point will become more and more clear to them as these meetings proceed, that they are losing out on many opportunities. It is also a chance, if they wish to, to tell people things about what they might do in regard to meeting their obligations. So let us see how some of this plays out.

QUESTION: Richard, do you know, has there been any post-Richardson direct contact through the New York channel between you and the North Koreans?

MR. BOUCHER: There is sort of routine -- there is regular contact from time to time. I do not know of anything particularly since 'post-Richardson' -- which would have been since Saturday. Not that I know of, but it does occur from time to time. I am not sure.

QUESTION: Richard, a follow-up to that. Do you know if Governor Richardson himself has had any follow-up contact since the formal meetings in Santa Fe?

MR. BOUCHER: He said he would send his final report and he sent that over the weekend, Saturday or Sunday, to the Secretary. I think that is the last time they had direct contact.

QUESTION: Richard, a couple of things. The North Koreans are still pressing for a non-aggression agreement of some kind. You've offered fuel and food. What's your position on this particular request for the non-aggression agreement?

MR. BOUCHER: The same as it was two weeks ago.

QUESTION: Wait a minute. Could you spell it out? What is your objection to this --

MR. BOUCHER: I will be glad to give you all the transcripts. This is a question we have answered a dozen times, the Secretary of State has answered a dozen times. We have made clear that we have no hostile intent, no intent to attack the North.

As the President made clear yesterday and as Jim Kelly made clear in October when he was in Pyongyang -- and as we have made clear to you ever since then -- that the United States was prepared to take a bold approach to our relationships and to do things that would benefit the North Korean people if North Korea was willing to meet our concerns. But that kind of progress was not possible in our relationship because North Korea had embarked on a program of uranium enrichment.

As I said, that is true not just for the United States, but that is quite clear in terms of North Korea's relations with other governments and countries as well, that progress that might have occurred or might have been expected in their relations is not occurring because of North Korea's nuclear program.

QUESTION: And they brought up a new issue today, which was the US disarmament, which brings us back to Article 6 of the NPT. Do you have a more considered response to that question?

MR. BOUCHER: I thought my response to you previously on the question was very well considered.

Eli?

QUESTION: Well, do you -- I mean, do you recognize there is a --

MR. BOUCHER: It is a ridiculous argument that Article 6 of the NPT overrides specific obligations to the IAEA.

Terri or Eli?

QUESTION: I just -- just on the question, food is not part of any negotiation in this, is it? The US support, the US food aid, is through international organizations and would continue either way. Am I correct?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes, but food is not just food assistance. As I mentioned, part of the bold approach, as the President mentioned yesterday - areas such as food, agriculture, energy, whatever. The President mentioned energy and food. Part of the bold approach had been that we were willing to take steps to improve the economic prospects of the people of North Korea and with that goes that it is not just food assistance. Food assistance itself, as you know, goes on a humanitarian and needs-based basis - a basis of humanitarian needs -- and not in relation to political or other factors.

QUESTION: So, as far as you know, there was no basis last night for a report that came out saying US officials are saying there might be a letter sent from President Bush to the North Koreans?

MR. BOUCHER: It was not true at all. Is that "no basis"?

(Laughter.)

QUESTION: That would probably cover it.

QUESTION: In your opening answer to George's question, you talked about upcoming events and opportunities for the North Koreans to respond or offer different -- perhaps change their minds and offer a different response. And then you talked about the series of delegations. Is that -- were those specifically those where the events and opportunities not --

MR. BOUCHER: I am sure those are the ones that I could recall at this moment. I am sure there are probably some others that -- but as I said, we are looking carefully at what they say. We are looking carefully at what they said to Governor Richardson. We will look seriously at that. We will look at what else they have to say and do in the coming as events unfold.

QUESTION: I'm not trying to get ahead of the game here, but would you encourage the North Koreans to send someone to the World Economic Forum?

MR. BOUCHER: I --

QUESTION: Others have encouraged them to. I'm wondering if you think that (inaudible) good idea.

MR. BOUCHER: I do not know of any plan or any indication that they are prepared to go to Davos to meet the needs of the international community. The issue, as we have so often discussed in this room, is whether North Korea is going to eliminate, dismantle its program of uranium enrichment and reestablish its compliance with obligations to the International Atomic Energy Agency. They are hearing that message from many, many governments, in many ways, as well as from us. That is the issue. Sending somebody here, talking to somebody, there is an opportunity to make clear they are prepared to do that. Whatever channel or forum, private or public that they decide to make clear that they are going to do that does not matter so much as whether or not they are going to do that.

QUESTION: Well, what I mean, I mean the Secretary General --

MR. BOUCHER: We are not looking to invite them to Davos so that we might have a meeting with them there. If that is -- whatever they do in Davos, that is their own decision and choice. Whatever they say in Davos, that is their own decision and choice. But no, we are not trying to set up some meeting in Davos.

QUESTION: Okay, and then --

QUESTION: Is (inaudible) going to be there?

MR. BOUCHER: Nothing more firm than I had before. We are looking at Davos, looking to go if we can.

QUESTION: And just one last thing on the North Koreans. I realize you don't want to get into the -- I know you said the daily back and forth on rhetoric, but do you have any comment on the, you know, particularly dated choice of words in the latest bombast out of the North Korean Foreign Minister?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not do "bombast."

QUESTION: I know you don't.

MR. BOUCHER: Just the facts. No, I do not have any -- I do not have any comment on their choice of words, which is my understanding of what rhetoric is.

Nicholas?

QUESTION: Richard, it seems in the past few days they've kind of backtracked on the uranium enrichment program. Their Ambassador to Moscow yesterday, or early on Monday, said that it was a lie and there was no such program. Is your understanding that they said this many times, but they acknowledged that --

MR. BOUCHER: They have a program. They acknowledged having a program when Jim Kelly was in Pyongyang. We had three translators in the room. We know what they said.

Well, if that is it, we can all go home. Okay?

QUESTION: Yes, on Mexico. Today, our new Foreign Minister is going to take office, Mr. Derbez, and I was wondering if the Secretary is planning to cal him, and also if you can confirm reports that there has been a request to meet Secretary Powell on Monday in New York in the context of the Security Council meeting on terrorism -- a meeting between Powell and the new Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico.

MR. BOUCHER: First of all, the Secretary spoke this morning with the new Minister of Foreign Affairs of Mexico and they look forward to a productive and friendly relationship.

I do not have a list yet of the meetings that we will be able to schedule for next Monday in New York so I will have to defer on that, as I would on any other issues of whether he can meet somebody in New York on Monday.

QUESTION: Can you confirm whether there's a report by -- a request by the Mexican Government to meet him?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, the Mexican Government would have to do that, wouldn't they?

George?

QUESTION: Do you have anything to say about the meeting in London on Palestinian reform?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes. The questions of Palestinian institutional and civil reform were made very high priorities for the United States, and for other members of the Quartet. We very much appreciate the British initiative in hosting this meeting and working to advance this objective. As you know, our Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs Bill Burns attended this conference in London. They engaged there in discussions aimed at advancing the critical objectives in the President's June 24th vision of two states living side by side.

We found the meeting positive and constructive and believe that it will help further the cause of reform and transformation of the Palestinian community that remain so important to us all.

QUESTION: On a related matter, the closure of two universities on the West Bank and the demolition of more houses in the West Bank, do you have any comment on those two --

MR. BOUCHER: On the demolitions, I do not have anything new to say.

On the question of the closure of universities, I would say, first of all, we always recognize Israel's right to take steps that contribute to peace and security for the people of Israel. We have always said, at the same time, we think Israel needs to consider the consequences of its actions. We do believe that Palestinians have a right to live their lives as normal conditions as possible and I think we'd have to question how the closure of the universities contributes to any of those goals.

QUESTION: Can you -- when you say, "We would have to question," do you mean you suspect it doesn't contribute to --

MR. BOUCHER: I said we would have to question how it might contribute to either of those goals.

QUESTION: You haven't come to any conclusions, though?

QUESTION: The goals of what?

MR. BOUCHER: Security for the people of Israel and the Palestinians leading normal lives.

Sir?

QUESTION: The Iraqi opposition groups, they were planning to meet in the northern Iraq. Do you planning to join in, attend to this meeting?

MR. BOUCHER: I think it is still not set yet -- the when and where of it. But once they set it, we would send an appropriate delegation.

QUESTION: Richard, on that very same subject --

QUESTION: Yes, can I just very quickly get back on the Israel thing? Have you guys questioned this to the -- have you brought this up directly to the Israelis?

MR. BOUCHER: I think it has been a matter of discussion with the Israeli Government out there, but I do not have any details.

QUESTION: On the Iraqi opposition conference in Salahadin in Kurdistan, I understand that the United States told the Iraqi opposition groups this morning that they would not be able to provide -- that you would not be able to provide security, extra protection, for that meeting at this stage. Can you explain what was behind this, what it's all about?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not know of any specific discussions of security for the meeting so I can't help you at all on that. Our understanding is that the time and the venue of the meeting are not decided. That remains an issue under discussion.

QUESTION: Have they told you that they are going to announce any kind of transition government? And the fact that they're doing it on Iraqi soil, can you say how that might impact --

MR. BOUCHER: I think for what their intentions are, you would have to ask them.

QUESTION: Well, I know what their -- yeah, I mean --

MR. BOUCHER: We saw the meeting in London. I think that issue was discussed. They did form a committee or a commission to try to study further the issues of government. We have always said that the future of Iraq needs to be in the hands of Iraqis both from inside and outside the country and that, you know, that has been our view. But this commission or committee -- I forgot which one it was called -- was designed to try to prepare for that possibility. So that is something we have welcomed and we have worked with, but the advisory committee that was formed in December is discussing meeting now and we will see when and where they meet and what they do.

QUESTION: Well, in the past, there has been a lot apprehension about having a meeting like this on Iraqi soil because there was a sense among a lot of people that this would prompt a response from the unpredictable Saddam Hussein.

Can you say anything about the fact that here, you know, is this group of people who are in an opposition who have said in London that they are having a meeting about transitions -- so no more post-Saddam -- on Iraqi soil. Are you concerned at all that this might spark some sort of confrontation?

MR. BOUCHER: I am not going to try to dictate what they have to do. They are an advisory committee that was formed by the conference in London. It is Iraqis trying to plan the future of Iraq, trying to plan what they can contribute to the future of Iraq. That is a process that we have supported. They will decide the timing and venue of their future meetings. As I said, when they have a meeting, we would expect to send an appropriate delegation.

QUESTION: -- some news items in the latest, we saw the news items about you are paying to some money for buying to some journalists to supporting the US case. Did you spend any money on the subject?

MR. BOUCHER: That was pretty silly. No, that one is totally untrue, as well. There is a report in the Turkish press, I think, that said that we had a $200 million budget to get good stories in the Turkish press. That is just totally untrue -- in numbers, programs or campaigns. I spend maybe one-tenth of that on all the media campaigns that I do all over the world.

QUESTION: Richard, for here?

(Laughter.)

MR. BOUCHER: I do not have money -- but you have my time.

Terri?

QUESTION: Beyond the fact that it's not true, isn't it a bit disconcerting that such a good ally as Turkey, the prime minister of a country would be saying things like this?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not think he actually said that.

QUESTION: I think reports are that he did.

MR. BOUCHER: I would have to look back. But no, we do not have any such campaign.

QUESTION: But does it bother you that he would have said something like that?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not know exactly what he said. I will have to check. I am afraid -- as much as I trust and rely on the press for information - I am not going to try to react to the way you are quoting him. I would want to see exactly what he said.

QUESTION: Well, if you find out what he says and you have something to say, please tell us.

MR. BOUCHER: I will offer it up every day.

QUESTION: All right.

MR. BOUCHER: Nicholas?

QUESTION: There was another meeting in London today, Under Secretary Bolton with the French and the British. Anything to report on that?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I do not have much of a report at this point. He is out there for meetings with the French and the British on questions of North Korea -- as they may involve Security Council members. As you know, we have been keeping in touch with other members of the Security Council, as well as Japan and Korea. The Secretary has talked to -- well, in the past week, since Thursday - he has talked to Foreign Minister Tang about North Korea, he has talked to Foreign Minister Ivanov, obviously to Foreign Secretary Straw, Foreign Minister Villepin.

So the Secretary has been keeping in close touch. We have been having consultations in New York with others, but especially the action really now is at the International Atomic Energy Agency, where we have to consider as members of the board what to do -- to follow on to the statement that we 35 members of the board issued -- now that North Korea has taken further steps to say they wish to withdraw from the NPT.

QUESTION: Richard, on Bolton's travels, if I'm not -- if I got my itineraries correct, by the end of the month he will have gone to -- he will have met personally with senior people from all, well, from four of the perm five countries. But has he gone to Moscow?

MR. BOUCHER: I cannot remember when he was last in Moscow. Not in the last week or two, no.

QUESTION: Okay, is there some reason that he's not, I mean, he's going to be going to Beijing next week, I believe. He will have seen --

MR. BOUCHER: Remember, he is an Under Secretary and has very broad responsibility for security matters, and in some cases he may be out talking to people more about Iraq, other cases it may be North Korea, other cases it may be other things. So he is a man with very wide ranging responsibilities that do span the entire globe and I would not describe his consultations as being focused on the permanent five. He has been talking to any number of people. In the upcoming trip, he will be talking to in Japan, Korea, China -- to continue our consultations that Assistant Secretary Kelly is having. Actually, even beyond that we have policy planning talks with Richard Haass in Beijing after that.

QUESTION: Next month?

MR. BOUCHER: Next month. Is that -- policy planning talks there next month, yes, in Beijing. So we have an ongoing discussion at the Secretary's level, at various other levels, with a lot of these governments.

QUESTION: Just Beijing for Mr. Haaas, or is he going to Australia as well?

MR. BOUCHER: The policy planning talks are in Beijing. I do not a full itinerary yet. It is still next month that we are talking about. But it is just to kind of give you the sense that these are going to be constant and frequent contacts at various levels and various fora, and continuing close and detailed discussions with the countries involved with North Korea: Japan, Korea, Russia, China, members of the International Atomic Energy Agency Board of Governors and others as well.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) beyond that, anything on Mr. Kelly's meetings today in Beijing?

MR. BOUCHER: I can give you the rundown on who he has been meeting with. As far as the talks themselves, I would say it is part of the continuing consultations we have. It is important to have these discussions directly with the countries most involved. It is always useful and these talks are useful to have. I think all of us that are involved with the situation in North Korea understand that the rejection of the IAEA safeguards and the nuclear enrichment program are steps that need to be reversed, and steps that need to be reversed for there to be progress in North Korea's relations with other countries.

In Beijing today, Mr. Kelly met with the Foreign Ministries Director General for Asia Fu Ying, with Vice Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing. These meetings preceded a working lunch hosted by Director General for North American Affairs, He Yafei. In the afternoon, he met with Zheng Bijian , Chairman of the China Reform Forum and with others, and then with the Foreign Ministries International Department Chief, Dai Bingguo. Tomorrow morning he travels to Singapore.

Jonathan?

QUESTION: Macedonia. Can you tell us what the United States said in the letter allegedly sent to several European governments on the European Union's rapid reaction force and its deployment in Macedonia in March?

MR. BOUCHER: I am not going to go into any specific communication on this. The European Union and NATO reached an agreement in December on the issues of defense and security cooperation. That was very welcome and indeed a historic step. Since then, we have been working at a more technical level to work out some of the precise arrangements to carry out those basic understandings.

There has also been a discussion of how to move forward in terms of the European Union's taking over some of the operation in Macedonia and the responsibilities there. That is also going on at a more detailed level. There are some issues still outstanding that are being discussed, but we are confident that they can be resolved in coming months for the deployment to occur.

QUESTION: When you say "in the coming months," do you still think that March is a good date for this to start?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not have a precise date, but I think we can work these things out and do the transition smoothly, as we have always wanted.

QUESTION: But do you think that there should be some kind of, as I understand it, European Union and NATO have not yet, in fact, worked out exactly how they're going to coordinate matters?

MR. BOUCHER: That is what I said.

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR. BOUCHER: Technical details, on the one hand, are the basic cooperation and then technical -- the details of the Macedonia deployment and the transition both being worked --

QUESTION: Okay, so the question is do you think that this force should deploy even if they have not yet worked out all those details?

MR. BOUCHER: We think it can and will be worked out smoothly. So the hypothetical that you are posing probably will not occur.

QUESTION: President Chavez said today that he's not particularly interested in having the US be a part of the -- of any Friends of Venezuela group. So now you've got him saying that and the Venezuelan opposition saying they don't want Brazil to be in it. So what are your thoughts on this sticky wicket?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, as you know, the goal of this group is to - I am sorry?

QUESTION: Do you have any comment on the archaism --

MR. BOUCHER: I am not going to comment on the bombast -- or the sticky wicket, either. (Laughter).

The goal of putting together some kind of 'friends group' has been to support the Secretary General and his efforts to have people on the ground that can help him. The United States has been very active, both with the government and the opposition and, indeed, civil society in general in Venezuela, to try to encourage people to reach a settlement, to reach a political solution. We would expect to continue to do that and therefore do believe that we should continue to do that with any grouping that is formed. The issue of support for the Secretary General is one I think that members of the OAS and any other interested parties would consider and decide amongst themselves.

QUESTION: So it sounds to me that if you're saying that the United States would insist on being part of such a grouping?

MR. BOUCHER: I think we would expect to be part of it, and others would expect us to be part of it.

QUESTION: Right. Okay. And would you also expect Brazil to be a part of it.

MR. BOUCHER: Again, with that -- I do not want to start today what I did yesterday; not start naming specific countries to be members.

QUESTION: Except for your own?

MR. BOUCHER: I suppose everybody could -- who wants to be on it -- could say that they want to be on it if they wish, yes.<
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QUESTION: Yes, but you do realize you carry a great deal of weight, the United States does in these kinds of things.

MR. BOUCHER: Yes?

QUESTION: So one would think that if the United States --

MR. BOUCHER: We would expect to be there to carry our weight.

QUESTION: -- support of Brazil, that they would be in.

MR. BOUCHER: That is why I have not started naming any particular country or not naming any particular other country.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. BOUCHER: Terri?

QUESTION: On the matter of clubs, can you tell us whether you made any progress on keeping Libya off the human rights -- from heading the Human Rights Commission? Anything new on it?

MR. BOUCHER: There is really nothing new on that today. There is a I think the matter gets voted on next week of January 20th, so we have had our embassies approach people and we have made clear our view that there needs to be a vote, that people should vote their conscience and we would say not vote for a chairmanship by country that is a human rights violator and that is under UN sanctions.

QUESTION: But you were not very optimistic that people were going to view it that way. Have you heard anything about.

MR. BOUCHER: I try not to gauge our chances. Just say it is something we are working on and we have asked our embassies to follow up. As we have said, we think it is important for each country to consider carefully how it might vote and whether it can, in good conscience, vote for a human rights violator and a country under UN sanctions to be chairman of the UN Human Rights Committee.

QUESTION: Have you heard anything about an attack today or yesterday on a US missionary in India by Hindu extremists?

MR. BOUCHER: I think the answer is no.

QUESTION: No?

MR. BOUCHER: It is in my book? You want to give me a hint on where it might be?

QUESTION: South Asia.

MR. BOUCHER: All right, we will get something for you later.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. BOUCHER: George?

QUESTION: Are you familiar with the case involving a Kurdish Islamist by the name of Mullah Krekar who was -- supposedly has links to al-Qaida and who was deported by the Netherlands on Monday and is now believed to be in Norway? And does the US have an interest in him?

MR. BOUCHER: Are we familiar with this situation? Yes. Do we have an interest? Yes. I am not sure I can go in any more detail than that.

QUESTION: Your interest in this?

MR. BOUCHER: In making sure that people associated with terrorism are not able to carry out any terrorist acts.

QUESTION: So you are not particularly pleased about his presence on Norwegian soil?

MR. BOUCHER: I did not say that.

Ma'am?

QUESTION: On Venezuela. Does the need for this group called the Friends of Venezuela, does that imply that the OAS has failed?

MR. BOUCHER: No. It implies that the OAS needs and deserves every possible support it can get from the countries of the hemisphere, all of whom are pledged to support democracy, all except one who are pledged to support democracy. The members of the OAS, I think, do want to do what they can. There was an OAS meeting specifically on the subject where all the nations expressed their strong support for Secretary General Gaviria's efforts and this is another way that we think we can put people on the ground and work with the Secretary General to really support him in every possible way.

QUESTION: Will you welcome European countries to be part of this group?

MR. BOUCHER: I am not naming any regions or countries at this point. We will see what emerges from the discussions that we are having with others.

Joel?

QUESTION: Yes, Saudi Arabia, through Crown Prince Abdullah, is urging Arab leaders to empower their own peoples. And a question: Will this limit the influence of Muslim fundamentalist groups and what's your view concerning this?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not know. I have not seen the specific statement, but I think any kind of analysis like that I would leave to you rather than try to proclaim it from --

QUESTION: On Saudi Arabia, over the weekend there was a report that the Saudis, through a PR firm, had funded a bunch of anti-Israel radio advertisements. Are you aware of that report? And if you are, do you know if you guys have raised this with Saudi officials at the present time?

MR. BOUCHER: I think we heard about the report, but it is a free country.

QUESTION: Yeah, I know. But in the past you have asked --

MR. BOUCHER: You can advertise to convey views if you want to.

QUESTION: -- governments, especially in that region, to not to engage in things that, you know, increase tensions.

MR. BOUCHER: I would have to see what the plan was and I will find out if we have raised anything like that with them.

Nicholas?

QUESTION: What did the United States ask NATO to do today to help in Iraq, if need be?

MR. BOUCHER: There was a discussion today in NATO of some specific kind of proposals, I would say of a deterrent and defensive nature that NATO could take in support of NATO's pledge in Prague, pledge by the NATO leaders, to support the UN process in every way they can. The discussion is at a very early stage, so there is really nothing definitive at this point. But the discussions have been held, I think, before -- during visits of Secretary Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary Wolfowitz to NATO -- and the United States put forward some particular ideas today about that.

Sir?

QUESTION: There is an offensive, I guess you could call it, by China to lure Taiwanese businessmen and some academics to China for discussions maybe in the short or long term. What do you think, is this going to help break some ice between Taiwan and China or vice-versa?

MR. BOUCHER: Without commenting on any specific mechanisms or arrangements or people, that kind of back and forth has existed, those kind of exchanges business and others have been going on for some time. We have always said it is a good thing. That kind of cooperation is good and we have always encouraged dialogue. We have always encouraged direct dialogue between the parties about things across the straits. But any given moment, any particular aspect of that, I think I would leave to the parties themselves.

Ma'am?

QUESTION: On the phone this morning between Secretary Powell and Secretary Derbez, can you tell me a little bit more about it? I mean, who initiated the call and how would you characterize the call, just a courtesy call, or were they able to go into any kind of discussions on issues?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not know if they went into any particular issues, but Secretary Powell initiated the call, I believe, in order to welcome him to his new assignment and to say that Secretary Powell looks forward to working with him.

QUESTION: Did he also call Castaneda to say bye?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes -- they talked to Secretary Castaneda --

QUESTION: Also today?

MR. BOUCHER: No, last week -- Thursday, Friday -- I cannot remember which day.

QUESTION: Richard, the Ivory Coast peace talks opened today in Paris. Does the US have any kind of a presence there? And if it does, or even if it doesn't, do you have anything to say about this initiative?

MR. BOUCHER: We have not sent any particular people to go out and follow those talks in Paris right now. We understand, though, that delegations have arrived, that they have been greeted by Foreign Minister Villepin on behalf of President Chirac. We certainly urge all the parties to work together to find a peaceful solution to the conflict in Côte d'Ivoire, and we have strongly supported the French initiative to host this conference, as well as a regional summit starting on January 25th. We think that this initiative offers the parties an excellent opportunity to achieve a peaceful political resolution to the conflict.

QUESTION: I have another one. I understand that despite the rather strong security concerns that you guys have about people in Yemen, that USAID is considering restarting its programs there. Do you know anything about that?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I do not.

QUESTION: Okay. And then the last one is, my last one, back in November, the State Department launched an investigation into alleged visa fraud in Jordan. Do you know if that investigation has ever come to an end?

MR. BOUCHER: I do not know; I will check.

Nicholas?

QUESTION: Do you have any communication with the Russian Government on the case of a US labor activist who was turned back in Moscow, the airport, on New Year's Eve and not let into the country? I think her name is Stevenson.

MR. BOUCHER: The answer is yes, and I will get you something about it afterwards.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. BOUCHER: Okay, thank you.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:45 p.m.)

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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