*EPF301 06/09/2004
Transcript: State Department Noon Briefing, June 9
(Iraq, Saudi Arabia, North Korea, Sudan, Israel/Palestinians, Venezuela, Bangladesh, President Reagan's funeral, G8 Summit/Middle East representation, China/Taiwan) (5160)

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher briefed reporters June 9.

Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Wednesday, June 9, 2004
12:40 p.m. EDT

BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

IRAQ
-- Kurdish Role in Interim Government
-- UN Security Council Resolution/Transitional Administrative Law

SAUDI ARABIA
-- Fighting Terrorism/Funding of Terrorism

NORTH KOREA
-- Next Round of Six-Party Talks
-- Chinese Remarks on North Korea's Nuclear Program

SUDAN
-- Situation in Darfur/Secretary General Annan
-- Humanitarian Aid/Access/48-Hour Visa Policy/Travel Permits
-- Assistance to Eastern Chad
-- State Department Coordinator/Coordination with UN
-- Diplomatic Representation

ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
-- Removal of Settlement Outposts

VENEZUELA
-- Recall Date Announcement
-- OAS-Carter Center Involvement

BANGLADESH
-- Secretary Rumsfeld Visit/State Department Involvement

DEPARTMENT
-- Involvement in President Reagan Funeral
-- G-8-Sea Island/Middle East Representation

CHINA/TAIWAN
-- One-China Policy

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 2004
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

12:40 p.m. EDT

MR. BOUCHER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to be here. I don't have any statements or announcements, so I'd be glad to take your questions.

Mr. Gedda.

QUESTION: You, or maybe it was Adam, talked a little bit about the Kurds and their complaints yesterday. Do you have anything to add? Are you talking with the Kurds? Are you urging them to talk to the Shiites or whatever?

MR. BOUCHER: We are certainly in constant touch with politicians from throughout Iraq, in different ethnic groups, different regions, from different origins. We worked very closely with the Kurdish population. The Kurds have been great friends of the United States. As we all know, they are strong opponents of Saddam Hussein. They fought against him and they helped liberate Iraq from Saddam's tyranny.

They, obviously, have a role, a very important role to play in a strong united and democratic Iraq. The Iraqi government that's being formed is broad-based. It's fully representative. And that's what we've always supported. We believe the interim government meets this test. We think that Foreign Minister Zebari's participation in the Security Council session this week was a historic moment for Iraq and Iraqi history because Iraq was able to come forward as a nation and say this is what they wanted and they have obtained a Security Council resolution that endorses the process of political transition, that endorses Iraqi sovereignty, and encourages the international community to support them.

So that's a major moment for Iraq. And, now, we have a, shall we say, a political process underway in Iraq. We expect the Kurdish groups to participate in that process, whether it's in government positions, in politics, in public statements, or in any other way, as they have and as we are sure they will.

So what we had yesterday was the UN resolution that sets up the opportunity for the Iraqis, really, to take command of their future and to work together, including with their political discussions and debates they want, to achieve that future.

QUESTION: You're not objecting to our omission in the UN Security Council resolution?

MR. BOUCHER: There was language in the resolution, I think, that took note of the basic principles that they were most interested in. They, I think, had looked for a specific mention of the Transitional Administrative Law that does guide Iraq during the transition. This government that was formed is now part of an annex to that law, as described in the annex to that law, so the question was whether that was specifically in the resolution.

What the resolution did was stuck to the basic principles that are embodied in that law. I think you'll see Ambassador Negroponte mentioned it specifically in his explanation of vote yesterday, and that is that it is a federal, democratic, pluralist and unified Iraq. That's in the resolution, that's in the TAL, those are the principles that we were all looking for in terms of the new government and we're glad to see that there is a new government that does just that.

QUESTION: New subject?

MR. BOUCHER: Sure. Go ahead.

QUESTION: Richard, do you have any comments according to a report about Saudi Arabia that the terrorists are still loose or they are walking on the streets of Saudi Arabia?

And also according to Tim Russert of the ABC and Jay Leno, they are also saying that Usama bin Laden is still in Pakistan, and also madrasas are still open in Saudi Arabia and many other Muslim countries. So where do you stand today fighting against terrorism and because we are still losing lives every day in many part of the world, as far as terrorism is concerned?

MR. BOUCHER: Terrorism remains a threat around the world. We are fighting terrorism every day around the world. We are fighting it diplomatically. We are fighting it with law enforcement means. We are fighting it with intelligence. We are fighting it together with other governments and sometimes we are fighting it militarily in places like Afghanistan or Iraq or elsewhere. It remains a threat of our era and we're going to have to deal with it.

Are there terrorists in this country or that country around the world? Yes, probably there are. Certainly, the Saudi government is engaged in a very difficult fight against terrorists who might be present in Saudi Arabia.

As far as whether there are any particular individual terrorists on the loose at any given moment, I'd leave that to the Saudi Government to account for. But we have said this is a major issue of our times that we're going to have to keep at and fight terrorism in many ways, so I don't think anybody should be surprised to find that there might be terrorists in one place or another at any given moment.

QUESTION: Just to follow up, the very government in Saudi Arabia had supported the terrorists in the name of charity, and now the same terrorists are coming back and attacking the same government in Saudi Arabia now. Saudis are taking action only because they are getting hit back home and they never cared when we were getting hit around the globe. So where --

MR. BOUCHER: First of all, I'm not going to try to characterize the past. I think we do know that the Saudi Government over the last year or so has put in tighter and tighter and tighter controls on money, not just government money which they had control of to begin with, but private money, charities, organizations that might be operating in Saudi Arabia.

And just last week, we and the Saudi Government together announced some further listings of organizations that we felt were involved in funneling money to terrorism. There is a very complex financial picture that has to be looked at. We've been working our way through it with the Saudis, and they have shown really, as I remember it, at least for a year now, a lot of diligence and effort in that regard and a lot of cooperation.

We've worked closely with them on that picture, stopping the flow of money to terrorism, as we do with many, many countries around the world. This is an important issue for all the world's major financial centers, for all the world's major banks, and for all the financial systems of other kinds that exist in different parts of the world.

Saul.

QUESTION: Change of subject.

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah.

QUESTION: North Korea. Can you give us an update on how preparations are going for the next round of talks, which anticipate that a date would be announced?

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah. The United States is prepared to hold another round of six-party talks. I think we've made clear that we're prepared to do that in the week of June 21st. And we've said that to the Chinese hosts and the other members of -- the other friends that we have in this process.

We understand the Chinese are still consulting with North Korea to confirm the timing. We look forward to an opportunity to hold both a working group meeting and a plenary session, with the working group meeting being a prelude to the plenary to be held around that time. And we would hope the parties would come prepared to make progress towards the denuclearization of the peninsula, which is what everybody has agreed in previous rounds needs to be accomplished.

QUESTION: Is there any suggestion of postponing the talks from June to, who knows when, because maybe the United States and North Korea remain very far apart?

MR. BOUCHER: First of all, I have not heard any suggestions to that effect. That would have to come from the Chinese, depending on what they hear from the North Koreans. We and others have made clear our willingness to go when the Chinese suggested, which would have been June 21st -- which is June 21st. We'll have to see what the North Koreans decide to do.

As far as the differences between the two sides, I would say that we had noted that in previous rounds of talks, all the parties to the talks, including the North Koreans, said they agreed to denuclearization. It's a matter now of sitting down and talking about how to achieve that, how to achieve the complete, verifiable and irreversible dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear programs. That's the only way you can get to denuclearization.

So we want to sit down and do that. We hope that -- we are certainly prepared to sit down and make progress in that regard, to talk about the whole process, how it would work. And we know that others are prepared to do the same. We would hope that North Korea would agree to another round and would be willing to do that.

Teri.

QUESTION: On Darfur. Kofi Annan says --

QUESTION: Still on North Korea.

QUESTION: I'm sorry, go ahead.

QUESTION: Have you seen the story this morning about China casting doubt on the U.S. insistence that North Korea has a uranium bomb program?

MR. BOUCHER: We saw the story and, frankly, we find the Assistant Foreign Minister's (refers to Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong) comments somewhat puzzling. We have made clear over time that there is very conclusive information that North Korea has a covert uranium enrichment program. North Korea, at that time, acknowledged that it was pursuing uranium enrichment. Since that time, North Korea has withdrawn from the NPT, Non-Proliferation Treaty. They have restarted activities geared to the production of plutonium-based weapons. They have asserted their so-called right to develop nuclear weapons.

Moreover, the recent revelations by the Pakistani scientist A.Q. Khan provided additional information about North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons. So, certainly there can be no doubt that North Korean's nuclear activities represent a clear threat and they violate several important international agreements as well as the commitments that North Korea has made to the past -- in the past.

So we really do think it is up to the North Koreans to demonstrate that they are willing to completely and irreversibly abandon their nuclear programs through a verifiable dismantlement of all the elements of those efforts.

QUESTION: Has the United States provided the Chinese with some of the evidence that you base your conclusion on?

MR. BOUCHER: We've certainly briefed the Chinese. If you remember, really, right from the start -- I can't remember exactly the timing of it -- but when -- after the October 2002 talks that Jim Kelly had -- thank you very much -- he went out to Seoul and we briefed the Chinese shortly thereafter on those talks and we've kept in touch with them since then.

What information they might have or that they might have attained, for example, from the Pakistanis about A.Q. Khan's activities, I don't know. I can't vouch for them and what information they have in front of them. But I think we would say that for all of us this picture of North Korea's uranium enrichment program has, in fact, become clearer over time, as opposed to anything else.

QUESTION: On Darfur. Kofi Annan says --

MR. BOUCHER: Let me say one thing.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. BOUCHER: I'd rephrase that and say the picture has become clearer over time, despite North Korea's denials, in fact.

Okay. Darfur?

QUESTION: Yeah. Kofi Annan says he going to appoint a special coordinator for Darfur. Is this something that he is doing in coordination with you and how do you see this fitting in?

MR. BOUCHER: The Secretary of State and the Secretary General have talked very frequently recently about Darfur over the weekend as they were working the UN -- talking about the UN resolution and the status of that. I think in every one of four or five different conversations they've talked about this situation in Darfur.

I'm double-checking my notes here. I guess I had three conversations this week. Already, I'm pretty sure Darfur came up in at least two of those. The Secretary and the Secretary General are both very, very concerned about the situation in Darfur. We have, for a long time, have been taking steps to try to ensure access and relief supplies getting into Darfur. We've been pushing very hard to try to end the violence there.

We've taken a number of steps, I think, reflecting U.S. leadership. We helped broker a cease-fire between the government and the rebels that was concluded in Chad. We followed up with international monitoring through the African Union. That is, I think, the answer is almost underway still.

We do have the first team of monitors in Darfur preparing to begin their operations, so our logistical support has been key to that deployment. We've been pushing very hard for full humanitarian access. I point out that, again, in the Secretary's conversations with the Sudanese Government as we went towards the accords that were so -- that were concluded in Kenya just last Saturday -- I think they're finally second round of signatures -- every -- just about every conversation we had and the Secretary had with the Sudanese Government we pressed on Darfur. They did institute a new 48-hour visa policy and the removal of travel permits for humanitarian workers traveling to Darfur, but there are still some complications, frankly, in how people travel there.

So we are going to continue working on these issues. We're going to continue pushing very hard with others in the international community on the Government of Sudan to resolve the situation in Darfur, particularly to end the violence by the militias, and, second of all, to allow full humanitarian access.

As far as the updates go, we have this issue now before the UN Security Council, with others in New York. We're considering how the Security Council can address the situation in Darfur and try to make sure the government doesn't take any steps to support violence or to block the access for humanitarian workers.

We have made clear to the Government of Sudan that we will not normalize relations with Sudan until the situation in Darfur is satisfactorily resolved. Our embassy discusses this situation in Darfur regularly with officials of the Government of Sudan.

The rains have begun in Nyala in southern Darfur. They have not yet affected the humanitarian aid distribution. But they remind us, once again, of how critical it is to resolve this situation urgently, and we have been pushing very hard and working with others in the international community to do so.

We are trying to step up efforts to increase airlift capacity and pre-position food in regional warehouses before the rains begin. As you know, airlift is expensive. We would normally use land access whenever we could. We've had difficulties, so we are continuing to airlift supplies. There was another flight that went in yesterday to Darfur. This is the 11th flight that the United States has supported into Darfur. There are three more scheduled to arrive very soon.

Since February of 2003, we have provided $118 million in assistance to Darfur and to eastern Chad, the regions that are affected by this crisis, and we will continue to support the efforts as strongly as we can.

QUESTION: So, about the Coordinator. Sorry.

MR. BOUCHER: So, about the Coordinator, yes, we've -- we're coordinating.

QUESTION: You coordinate.

MR. BOUCHER: We are coordinating with the UN and we'll coordinate with their Coordinator. (Laughter.) It's -- I thought it was implied as part of our thing, but it was not said explicitly. Sorry.

QUESTION: So Secretary Powell, obviously, supported this idea in talks he had with --

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah, we're very supportive of everything the United Nations can do, including naming a specific individual who can follow this for them.

QUESTION: Well, what do you think this person is going to be doing?

MR. BOUCHER: Part of that will depend on how we come out in the Security Council, how we -- what kind of UN effort we support. But I think the nations that have been concerned about Darfur, including, and especially the United States, are looking for every possible means to convince the government to allow humanitarian access and to rein in the activities of the militias. We need somebody who can help coordinate the different kinds of assistance that might be available through UN agencies there, things like that. But I think that will be defined more by the Secretary General and, to some extent, the Security Council.

QUESTION: What's the current state of our diplomatic representation in Sudan?

MR. BOUCHER: We have regular representation, people regularly in Sudan. What we --

QUESTION: But we don't have an ambassador there now, do we?

MR. BOUCHER: We don't have an ambassador there now, but we have senior diplomats there.

QUESTION: Do you know what was on that flight that arrived yesterday?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have the details. I'll have to get that for you.

QUESTION: What is the status of access via ground transportation? Is it a matter of lack of access or is it a matter of logistics?

MR. BOUCHER: Again, I'll have to check on that and see what makes it difficult.

Yeah, Gene.

QUESTION: The use of the word "Bantustan," I think, has already been raised here a couple days ago, but several people in South Africa have noted it, and Middle Eastern states have -- and Arab League states have been particularly noting that the Secretary, an African American, used that word. Does that indicate that there might be -- the extension of that would be to look upon Israel as doing things that are the same as South Africa did as an apartheid state?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know what you're talking about. Did I miss something?

QUESTION: The Sunday interview.

QUESTION: Sunday interview he -- on contiguous --

MR. ERELI: The contiguity.

MR. BOUCHER: Oh, contiguity. And he used Bantustan as an example of what we did not want to see.

QUESTION: As an example -- he did not want to see.

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know why that would be objectionable. Everybody knows the history and everybody knows what we don't want to see. But I remember the Secretary saying quite clearly that we were looking for a Palestinian state that was viable and contiguous, and that corresponds to the policy we've always enunciated.

QUESTION: Bantustans came out of apartheid.

MR. BOUCHER: I think you're taking it a step too far.

QUESTION: I often do.

(Laughter.)

MR. BOUCHER: I think you may be two steps too far this time. But it is -- you know, it certainly is a historical example that everybody wants to avoid. And I've heard it said by others and I think I've heard it said by the Secretary before, frankly.

QUESTION: Can you comment on whether the United States is pressing Israel to accelerate the removal of West Bank settler outposts?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know if there is some particular report of that. I don't -- I can't tell you particularly that we've done something specific on that, but that has been an issue of continuing concern to us, that the Israeli Government has previously said that they would remove settler outposts, illegal outposts, and in terms of our ongoing discussion with the Israeli Government that's always been something that we've been encouraging them to do in accordance with their commitments and in accordance with their laws.

QUESTION: There's also a report in Ha'aretz newspaper quoting a U.S. official saying that there had been a greater push to accelerate the removal of --

MR. BOUCHER: I did not see that specific report. I'd just say it's an issue that we've raised before and continue to discuss with the Israeli Government since they, themselves, have made commitments in that regard. As well, there are other things like that, too, that are regular discussions with the Israelis.

QUESTION: Richard, thank you.

MR. BOUCHER: We've got one or two -- one, two, three now.

Okay. Saul.

QUESTION: They came out --

MR. BOUCHER: Good try. Good try, Charlie. I appreciate it.

(Laughter.)

QUESTION: Venezuela came out with a date for the referendum.

MR. BOUCHER: Yes, they did.

QUESTION: Well, what's your reaction to that? And also, members of the electoral authority there are questioning whether the OAS and Carter Center should have a role in monitoring the referendum.

MR. BOUCHER: Let me start at the beginning. We believe the setting of the date for the recall election is an important step forward. We have always supported constitutional, democratic and peaceful and electoral solution to the current impasse in Venezuela. That's also called for in the OAS resolution and setting this date for Venezuelan voters to decide is certainly the best way to achieve that kind of electoral solution.

We urge the National Electoral Council to conduct a fair and credible recall process. The Government of Venezuela has a special responsibility to ensure that Venezuelans can exercise their constitutional rights free from fear or intimidation.

And, as far as the second half of your question, let me make it absolutely clear, we continue to strongly support the work of the Organization of American States and the Carter Center, observer missions in ensuring the credibility of the process. And we believe that that sentiment was evident, as well, at the OAS meeting that was just held in Quito, where the Secretary attended.

Sir.

QUESTION: Richard, two questions, please: 1) Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld is in South Asia. He was in Afghanistan, now Singapore, and also now in Bangladesh. What he said there in Bangladesh that the U.S. may be winning the war against terrorism but losing the battle against Islamic extremists which is much more dangerous than the terrorism. Is Secretary Powell aware of his visit in the area or whether they have contact of any --

MR. BOUCHER: Secretary Powell is very aware of his visit. They talk about these things. Staffs are always in touch when the Secretary of Defense is traveling and our embassies do a lot to support his travels and to help work with him and local governments, so there is no disconnect there. We work closely with Defense on the Secretary of Defense's trips abroad.

QUESTION: Any comment on what he said about --

MR. BOUCHER: No, any further comment on what the Secretary of Defense said, I think you'd have to go over to the Pentagon and ask him.

QUESTION: My second question, sir: In Washington, when we are getting ready for the funeral of President, great President Reagan, world leaders are coming to Washington, including the new Foreign Minister from India, Mr. Natwar Singh, the Secretary is planning on meeting with any of the leaders including Mr. Singh?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes. The Secretary will be seeing Minister Singh tomorrow, tomorrow afternoon?

MR. ERELI: I'm not sure.

MR. BOUCHER: Do I have that right?

I would just note for the schedule, for everybody to be aware of, the State Department is working with foreign embassies, with our embassies overseas, with foreign governments to help organize this week's activities, in support of -- in commemoration of President Reagan.

We have gone out to countries around the world about their representation there, and there will be a number of high-level leaders from other countries, including some of the people who are in Sea Island, who instead of going home, come up to Washington and then attend the services on Friday.

So that's a way to preface what I'm about to say, is that some of these leaders will be having meetings with the Secretary. So we are laying on a number of last-minute meetings, for example, Ghanaian President Kufuor will be here this afternoon, the Secretary will be seeing him. We do expect to see the Indian Foreign Minister tomorrow and there, I'm sure, will be others that we'll announce. So for those of you who are interested in these meetings, do watch our schedules and we'll try to update them regularly.

QUESTION: Is that meeting open, or you will have something more on the meeting?

MR. BOUCHER: I'll talk about the meeting when it occurs, I think --

QUESTION: Richard, do you recall for -- foreign governments who -- or which want to send delegations?

MR. BOUCHER: We've been working with foreign governments in a variety of ways in relation to President Reagan's funeral. We've opened a condolence book at the C Street Entrance to the State Department for foreign missions. I think 121 foreign missions have signed that book so far. Our embassies around the world have also opened condolence books.

On Monday, we sent out a note to embassies in Washington to invite foreign diplomats in Washington to tonight's ceremony at the Capitol. We do expect virtually every nation with representation in Washington to be there. We have 141 acceptances so far.

We've received letters for the family and the people of the United States, letters of condolences from around the world, many of those coming into our embassies overseas. And so we've been conveying those, as appropriate, to the family.

We've notified embassies through -- nations, through their embassies here, of the arrangements for Friday's services at the National Cathedral. We are working to make the appropriate arrangements for high-level travelers, visitors, and other diplomats on Friday, for Friday's events.

We're working within the U.S. Government Consular Bureau, the Diplomatic Security Bureau, other agencies of government, like Homeland Security, to make sure that the appropriate travel arrangements and courtesies are extended to these visitors.

I know we've been asked once or twice about other foreign visitors, former prime ministers who might be coming, and note that the family has invited a number of former foreign leaders who worked very closely with President Reagan and who remember him as we do, and we are working with those people, with the family representatives and with the foreign governments to ensure appropriate courtesies and facilitation for the travel of those foreign leaders.

QUESTION: Can you give us a list of the -- of who is going to represent the countries?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know that I'll be able to. We'll try to. It may be after the fact, frankly. Unfortunately, I think we leave it for individual nations to decide exactly who and whether their ambassador here goes or not, or whatever, whether somebody else is in the country. So I'm not sure I'll have a comprehensive list in advance.

QUESTION: Is the Department recommending appropriate levels of representation for the --

MR. BOUCHER: I think we're leaving it to individual nations to decide what they think would be the appropriate representation.

Ma'am.

QUESTION: On Taiwan. Taiwan President Chen Shui-bian pledged that constitutional reform will not touch upon the sovereignty and the name of the country, and U.S. welcomed that several times in their speech. But now, after two and a half weeks, they are seeing some new development, including the Vice President Lu suggests to use the name Taiwan Republic of China, when referring to Taiwan.

And this morning, Chen Shui-bian also has a new statement. Let me quote. He said, "The purpose of the constitutional reform is to write a referenda into the constitution and that the people in Taiwan to have a new constitution in the future through referendum --"

MR. BOUCHER: I realize there's a lot of --

QUESTION: So how do you see those differences?

MR. BOUCHER: There's a lot of political chatter in Taiwan, but I'm not going to be expected, I can't comment every time somebody says something on Taiwan. Our policy, I think, first of all, is very, very clear. We have a "One China" policy. We support the three communiqués and the Taiwan Relations Act. We do not support unilateral moves by either side that could attempt to change the status quo and we do not, certainly do not, support the independence of Taiwan.

We have made those positions clear and will continue to make them clear, and I don't think anybody will be surprised by our doing so.

You made one reference to comments by the Vice President. I think the President has already disavowed those comments and said that those are not his policies. So, again, we'll watch the situation closely. We'll talk to people on Taiwan about their -- what is their policy, what are their intentions, and we'll continue to make clear that U.S. policy remains on a firm footing.

QUESTION: How do you see the differences between what he said today and what he said --

MR. BOUCHER: That's for journalists and political analysts to decide, not for me. I don't do political analysis here.

Gene.

QUESTION: Are we going to have a readout from the Sea Island conference? And are there any observers from the Middle East nations there?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes. All day long they are doing briefings at Sea Island constantly, virtually every minute of the day somebody is briefing down there. There is, unfortunately -- well, there are a lot of electrons being killed for the sake of bringing you the documents from that process. You will be seeing those during the course of the next day or two.

And as far as Middle East leaders, in fact, today the G-8 leaders are having lunch with a number of Middle East leaders in order to discuss some of the very important issues that lie before us in the Middle East.

QUESTION: Could I ask one other question about -- well, can you explain officially why the Department of State, in fact, the Administration, does not want elections in the West Bank and Gaza, in spite of the fact that the Palestinian's leadership underneath?

MR. BOUCHER: I think that has been explained many times. I'll refer you back to the record. I don't have anything new to say today. Sorry.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:25 p.m.)

(end transcript)

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

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