*EPF403 07/08/2004
Transcript: State Department Noon Briefing, July 8
(Departmental Issues, Lebanon, Georgia, Cyprus, Iraq, Sudan, Israel/Palestinians, Russia, Afghanistan) (4200)

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher briefed reporters July 8.

Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Thursday, July 8, 2004
12:30 p.m. EDT

BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

DEPARTMENT
-- U.S.-U.K. Youth Exchange
-- Statement on Swedish Guantanamo Detainee
-- Guantanamo Detainee Review Mechanism

LEBANON
-- Corporal Hassoun at U.S. Embassy
-- Role of U.S. Embassy

GEORGIA
-- U.S. Condemns South Ossetian Forces for Taking Hostages
-- Secretary Powell's Conversation with Prime Minister Zhvania

CYPRUS
-- Reaction to European Union Financial Aid Plan

IRAQ
-- Presence of Foreign Forces in Iraq

SUDAN
-- U.S. Actions to Address Darfur Crisis
-- U.N. Security Council Draft Resolution
-- Government of Sudan Actions / Continued Violence
-- Encouragement for Foreign Assistance
-- Role of African Union in Monitoring Ceasefire

ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
-- Need for Security in Areas Under Palestinian Control

RUSSIA
-- Freedom of Press and Speech

AFGHANISTAN
-- U.S. Citizens Detained

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

THURSDAY, JULY 8, 2004
(On the record unless otherwise noted)

12:30 p.m. EDT

MR. BOUCHER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to be here with you. A couple of things I want to note at the top. First of all, we're joined today by two British youths -- they're described as youths -- today. James McCleneghan and Nicky Owen are here under the Powell-Straw Youth Exchange.

QUESTION: (Inaudible).

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah, exactly. And anyway, we're glad to have them with us today. They have been with the Secretary most of the day and now coming to watch our little show here. And we'll send them back upstairs when we're done.

Anyway, it's good to have you guys with us.

The second thing is we'll have a written statement for you on the repatriation of the Swedish prisoner from Guantanamo who is being returned to Sweden today. I believe the Defense Department has already put out a statement. So we may have a few more facts to add to that, but that's a little piece of news for the day.

And with that, glad to take your questions on this or other topics.

QUESTION: Well, that's sort of prompts a question about the mechanism, as Rumsfeld called it yesterday. There are at least three parts to the Supreme Court decision that need attention. Is this, so far as deciding on a "mechanism," for review for habeas corpus, et cetera, is this entirely the Pentagon's work or is State part of this in some way?

MR. BOUCHER: I think generally all of the government lawyers, Justice, State Department, Pentagon and others have been involved in examining this. The actual mechanism setting up for the procedures is in the hands of the Pentagon but they -- and they made the announcements yesterday about how the reviews will be conducted over enemy combatants. They have also proceeded on the military tribunal front and we know there are court cases that are filed in various places by people being held at Guantanamo, habeas corpus cases, and I don't know exactly which government lawyers will appear in court, but the matters of law are discussed among government lawyers. But, yes, the Pentagon has responsibility for the mechanisms.

QUESTION: I also thought because of foreign interests that the State Department might be a conduit for sentiments of other governments.

MR. BOUCHER: Well, we do hear from other governments and a lot of our work, you know, in working on these cases with the British and the Australians or other governments, State Department lawyers meet with their counterparts, but with Defense Department lawyers as well.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) Corporal Hassoun, do you believe him to be in Lebanon?

MR. BOUCHER: Corporal Hassoun is at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut. We were able to go get him this morning -- this afternoon, in Beirut time. He is now at the U.S. Embassy.

QUESTION: And where do you go from...?

QUESTION: Is he -- is he --?

MR. BOUCHER: In Beirut --

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

MR. BOUCHER: No, he made contact with us and arranged a place to meet and we went to pick him up and brought him back to the Embassy.

QUESTION: Does he now have to report to duty?

MR. BOUCHER: Exactly what his military status might be, I'd leave to the Pentagon to answer. I don't have any information on that.

QUESTION: Is he going to stay at the embassy or is he going to come back to the States?

MR. BOUCHER: As far as what the onward plans and next steps might be, I don't have anything on that either at this point.

QUESTION: Where did you pick him up?

MR. BOUCHER: In Beirut.

QUESTION: So, do you know how he had gotten there?

MR. BOUCHER: No, we don't know the whole story yet either.

QUESTION: Is he healthy and in good condition?

MR. BOUCHER: All I know at this point is that he is at the Embassy.

QUESTION: Is he welcome to stay there as long as he likes?

MR. BOUCHER: Again, I don't have anything for you on next steps.

QUESTION: How long has he been there, like an hour or like 15 minutes or --

MR. BOUCHER: Hour and 35 minutes.

QUESTION: Was he alone or with his family?

MR. BOUCHER: About 11 o'clock our time, I think, when he got there.

QUESTION: Was he alone or a family member with him?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have any more detail for you. I'm sorry.

QUESTION: What is the Embassy's role in this now? As a U.S. citizen, but a military employee, I guess technically, what's the State Department's role? What's the Embassy there to do?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, the Embassy, as you know, has a lot of different components. The Embassy is both able to take care of him, able to work with the military and the Pentagon as they make -- play their part in the process, and also able to work with the Lebanese Government as they play their part in the process. So, I can't say exactly what's going to happen next, but the U.S. Embassy represents the whole U.S. Government and we'll do that.

QUESTION: It would not be fair to say, however, that he's in custody or anything? He's just at the Embassy as a U.S. --

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have a description of his status or circumstances.

Yeah, Teri.

QUESTION: Is there a military attaché there or a Defense attaché who is --

MR. BOUCHER: We do have Defense attachés at our Embassy, yeah.

QUESTION: But who is talking to him -- is he --

MR. BOUCHER: Again, I don't know if they're talking to him, who is talking to him right now.

Sir.

QUESTION: New topic. Government of Georgia has difficulties in South Ossetian region where a shoot-out has been renewed. As I know, because of emergency situation, Georgian Prime Minister, Mr. Zhvania, had a phone conversation with Secretary Powell. Do you have anything about that?

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah, I do. To review what you said, South Ossetian forces seized 50 Georgian hostages within the South Ossetian zone of conflict in Georgia on July 8th. The hostages appear to be Georgian Internal Ministry of -- Internal Affairs Ministry peacekeepers. We understand the hostages were forcibly lined up and displayed on their knees before a large demonstration in the South Ossetian capital city.

We condemn the taking of hostages by South Ossetian forces, think their treatment has been deplorable. We call on the South Ossetian authorities to release the hostages immediately and to avoid further violent provocations.

We are encouraging all sides to work towards the immediate release of the hostages and to take steps to reduce tensions. We think that intensified dialogue is the best way to a peaceful solution that ensures Georgia's territorial integrity and avoids further violence.

As you noted, Secretary Powell spoke with Georgia's Prime Minister, Mr. Zhvania, this morning. He also plans to speak to his Russian counterpart, Minister Lavrov, today. He is trying to urge both sides to resolve this through dialogue.

QUESTION: Can you say what he said publicly urging both sides to resolve dialogue? Do you have any more detail on what he said?

MR. BOUCHER: They went over the situation. They looked at what could be done and how to get a dialogue going and how to try to resolve this peacefully. But that's about as much detail as I can provide at this point.

Ma'am.

QUESTION: On Cyprus, as you know, the EU Commission has approved a financial aid plan, a aid package, and they will also be able to do trade with third parties. And when can they expect such steps from your side, as promised?

MR. BOUCHER: Let me say first, we welcome the EU's steps. We look forward to the measures being implemented, in particular with regard to trade from the north because that can help support the eventual reunification of the island. We have been coordinating with the European Union and we continue our review of a full range of policies and programs consistent with what the EU is doing and in cooperation and coordination with them.

I don't have anything to announce for you today, but I would hope to be able to tell you about further measures soon.

QUESTION: Okay, different subject, on PKK. Today, one of the top generals, he's the second guy in the general's staff, said that Turkey is out of question, Turkey will not pull its forces out of Iraq, northern Iraq, as long as, you know, PKK continues as a threat to them.

MR. BOUCHER: I didn't see that statement. I don't have anything to say on it.

QUESTION: But no, I just want to know, after the transformation of sovereignty over to the Iraqis, do you also let them have this ended by them or any change of policy on your side?

MR. BOUCHER: In terms of the presence of foreign forces in Iraq, it is a matter for the Iraqis to decide. How those military moves might or might not be coordinated with coalition forces is something we do have a piece of. But at this point, I really don't have any comment on it.

Yeah, George.

QUESTION: Back on the situation in Beirut. In light of all of the unanswered questions, presumably, you'll know more in an hour or two, and could somebody come by the press room --

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not sure we will. I think our pattern on this is to handle it one step at a time and if other things happen, we'll be glad to update you, but I don't want to promise that I'll be able to tell you the whole story or tell you even more of the future of what happens. His exact status, vis-��-vis the military, is something for the military to answer, not for us to answer, anyway. And what happens next, I think we'll kind of tell you when it happens, not before. I'm sorry.

Sir.

QUESTION: Secretary Powell talked about the situation in Sudan earlier today when he was up on the Hill and he talked about the draft resolution. Can you give us any more of a sense of a timetable as to when this will be presented to the Security Council, given the fact that there are a lot of lawmakers who say that the time for action is now?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, first of all, the United States has been acting, and I think it's very clear from what the Secretary said this morning in terms of his meetings with the Sudan Government, the support that we've been giving all along, $132 million already spent on the crisis in Darfur for the people there and more money in the pipeline, and from the action that we're taking at the United Nations, that the United States has been acting and we've been acting, I think, very consistently on the crisis in Darfur.

We have had discussions in the Security Council of a resolution. It's a strong resolution. It makes clear that the government has to carry out the things it's made commitments to. What we need is action on the ground now and we are pushing and we are monitoring, very closely, the government's action on the specific commitments that it made while the Secretary was out there and while the Secretary General was out there.

We have had discussions in the Security Council yesterday with the UN. I'm trying to think of what Under Secretary Egeland's exact title is in this situation, but the UN Under Secretary who is out there, who follows this most closely, briefed the Security Council yesterday on the Secretary General's trip. We have an experts meeting that's going to take place this afternoon on the draft. So this process is proceeding forward in the United Nations.

QUESTION: Are you getting up to amending or changing the draft?

MR. BOUCHER: At this point, we think we have the right resolution for where we are right now. I think we would certainly hope to see real action on the ground, real improvement on the ground. What we've seen on the ground has been mixed at this point. We've seen certainly announcements, statements from the government. We've seen some increases in humanitarian workers and supplies, but we are still looking to see the kind of complete and resolute action that we wanted -- told the government it had to take, that the government itself promised to take. So, any changes would only be dictated by something real happening on the ground.

QUESTION: Two questions here, if I may. Do you see them disarming the jingaweit, as they have said they would?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think we've seen much in that regard, no.

QUESTION: And do you see continued attacks by the jingaweit?

MR. BOUCHER: We have received continued reports of fighting and different kinds of attacks. I don't think I'm quite able to characterize it more than that at this point.

QUESTION: Last one on this. Absent improvement on the ground, is it fair to say that you would then consider toughening the resolution?

MR. BOUCHER: The Secretary made clear, I think, in his remarks this morning that we look for immediate action on the ground and without such action we would have to continue to -- we would have to consider other measures.

Yeah.

QUESTION: What about continued specific reports that the jingaweit are being put in government Army uniforms, that the -- I mean, those have been sporadic before, but I saw some as recently as yesterday that that is still happening.

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah, again, that's -- the question is whether the violence has stopped, whether violence perpetrated by government forces and government militia is really resolutely stopped. And at this point, I don't think we're able to say that it is -- that that is happening.

QUESTION: So even if -- I mean, if these same people who were doing the attacks are then put in the uniforms and supposed to be conceivably protecting civilians, I mean, that's not going to give anybody faith to go home.

MR. BOUCHER: The question is whether the violence stops and whether the forces that have been carrying out the violence are brought under control by the government. And that's the only real test, not what uniform they're wearing or where they belong to. The only real test is whether the violence stops and the people are able to go home in safety.

QUESTION: So, if the violence stops, but the jingaweit were now wearing government uniforms, that would be okay?

MR. BOUCHER: The question is whether the violence stops. I'm not saying that's okay, that's bad. It's not really the issue as far as we're concerned. The issue is whether the violence ends.

QUESTION: And the other measures the Secretary referred to, are you talking to other governments? Do you have support? Not to beat on an old drum, but, you know, we were told weeks ago at a briefing that the Europeans are not really helping a whole lot. Now, I know Kofi Annan is. Can you give us some sense of whether this will be some multilateral, multinational effort, if you decide to go for measures?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, I don't want to speculate on what further measures we might have to consider if we don't see that action, but we are prepared to continue to raise the pressure, continue to stress the importance of seeing action on these matters.

The question of other assistance, I think, has been something the UN has gone through. I think it was briefed yesterday. Principally, it's been the United States, I think the United Kingdom, maybe some EU money so far. We certainly hope that by the Secretary's visit and the attention that he's called to it and the Secretary General's visit and the briefings at the Security Council and all the effort that's being made right now, that we will see other donors forthcoming and other people able to give money.

The Secretary, in his meetings with various people after Darfur, with other foreign ministers, did encourage other foreign ministers to try to help out in this situation.

Yeah. Okay.

QUESTION: Do you have a view on the African Union forces' role? Because there seems to be some dispute with the Sudanese Government that the African Union is saying we will protect civilians if we see them slaughtered in front of us, we're not going to do nothing, and the Sudanese Government is saying you can only be responsible for your own people, our job is to protect the civilians. Ha-ha. You know, what is your view on that, or does the U.S. have a view?

MR. BOUCHER: I haven't seen the details of that debate. I would say that the Secretary met with the African Union commanders as they're putting together their force. He certainly encouraged them to play a helpful role, not -- in monitoring, in getting in the protection that they needed, but also in doing everything they can to try to still the violence.

So I don't have details of the debate, but I think we're certainly very supportive of the role, whatever role the African Union can play in the terms of its mandate to try to calm things down.

QUESTION: Do we know whether that is in its mandate, to --

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know the details of the mandate, but --

QUESTION: I don't either, but you would lean towards a proactive role?

MR. BOUCHER: -- their job is to try to see the ceasefire be observed and we would certainly support them in doing that.

QUESTION: Can you say what nations support the draft resolution?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't have a vote count yet -- names.

Yeah, Joel.

QUESTION: Richard, change of subject, please. There's a -- it appears that the extremists, both Palestinian as well as Israeli, are demanding greater political influence. And could you also comment on this front page story in The Washington Post? You have been saying for better than a year --

MR. BOUCHER: What story are we talking about?

QUESTION: Front page story concerning extremist groups --

MR. BOUCHER: Oh, this was about al-Aqsa --

QUESTION: Right.

MR. BOUCHER: -- trying to talk politics? Frankly, we haven't tried to analyze this to any extent or find redeeming social value in people who are terrorists. Our view is that terrorist organizations need to be put out of business, particularly as all their actions have harmed the Palestinian cause. The Palestinian Authority needs to take real authority. The Palestinian government needs to be able to govern and they need to be able to control the security forces and there needs to be one single security apparatus that can take control and responsibilities in the areas that are supposed to be under Palestinian control.

QUESTION: Richard, the management of the NTV network in Moscow apparently is shutting down a talk show, "Freedom of Speech," that was described as the last independent political program on Russian TV. I was wondering if you had anything on that.

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have anything specific on that. I think we've always stood up for freedom of the press and freedom of speech around the world, and particularly in Russia we've expressed our concerns before that Russians have access to a full range of information and the opportunity to see, hear and discuss any variety of political views.

QUESTION: Are you -- doesn't this concern you, though? I mean, more than just the general things?

MR. BOUCHER: I haven't had a chance to check on the specific thing, but I think the general rule would apply to the specific as well.

QUESTION: But it seems to be getting worse. It's certainly not --

MR. BOUCHER: I think it's been a continuing problem that we have raised. The Secretary wrote about it in his article in Izvestia at the beginning of the year. He discussed it in his conversations with Russian leaders in January and since then that the issue of freedom of speech, open media has been a perennial one that we have raised continuously at a number of levels with the Russian Government. We'll continue to do that.

QUESTION: You don't have anything on that group of, what, three Americans and some Afghans apparently to be pretending to be counterterror folks?

MR. BOUCHER: You mean the people arrested in Kabul?

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR. BOUCHER: There were three American citizens detained in Kabul on July 5th by Afghan authorities. Let me make clear, first of all, the U.S. Government does not employ or sponsor these men. Two of the men have signed Privacy Act Waivers, Mr. Jonathan Idema and Brent Bennett. The third has not signed a Privacy Act Waiver, so I can't give you more information.

Our consular officers in Kabul have visited the men on July 6th and July 8th. As far as what they're being held for and what charges might be proffered, I have to refer you to the Afghan authorities for that.

QUESTION: Are they being treated, so far as you know, fairly and --

MR. BOUCHER: At this point, I'd just say that we're monitoring their welfare. We've been able to visit them in detention. I have to leave it at that for the moment.

QUESTION: Then you can't go into what they may have said about -- one claims he's an ex-Green Beret and --

MR. BOUCHER: I can't -- no, I don't have that kind of information, frankly.

Mr. Oto.

QUESTION: Can I ask you your view on the --

MR. BOUCHER: Oh, same subject?

QUESTION: What will the Privacy Act Waiver get us? We usually don't have any signed, so now I'm curious. What can you tell us now that they signed them? Just their names?

MR. BOUCHER: I can tell you if it's a -- if it's a -- it depends, frankly. People can check different boxes and say, "You can tell them my name. You can tell them anything about me."

QUESTION: Yeah?

MR. BOUCHER: That's all the information I have, so I've told you everything I know.

QUESTION: Shoot.

QUESTION: What was that name, Bennett?

QUESTION: Bennett.

MR. BOUCHER: Brent Bennett and Jonathan Idema.

QUESTION: Two Ns, two Ts?

MR. BOUCHER: In Bennett, yeah.

QUESTION: Bennett, yeah.

QUESTION: Give me (inaudible).

MR. BOUCHER: No. I don't think so, hang on. No, I don't, not today.

Mr. Oto.

QUESTION: Change the subject?

MR. BOUCHER: Change the --

QUESTION: Yeah, I'd like to ask you, the United States view, the United States recognition of the comment by a recent -- made by South Korean Defense Minister. He say that North Korea deployed the Taepodong-2 which is, you know, the range leads to some territory of your country, the United States, and it has potential --

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have any new information on the Taepodong-2.

QUESTION: Have you made any contact with the South Korean authority on this issue?

MR. BOUCHER: We certainly discuss and compare notes with the South Koreans all the time about developments in the North and particularly, military developments in the North, so I'm sure there is contact, but I don't -- I don't have any information I can share with you at this point.

QUESTION: Thanks.

MR. BOUCHER: Joel?

QUESTION: Richard, there are reports of a -- I guess you could say a countergroup which are beginning to set -- they're all dressed up and hidden and they're saying that they would like to go find Al-Zawahiri and others, and hunt them down much like the others are --

MR. BOUCHER: Oh, these are the people that popped up on TV the other day --

QUESTION: Right.

MR. BOUCHER: -- in Iraq. I really don't have any comment on that. Activities of people inside Iraq are a matter for the Iraqi government to handle as they deem fit.

QUESTION: It is in no way sponsored by military or CIA?

MR. BOUCHER: Not that I ever heard of, but you can go ask them if you want to.

QUESTION: Thank you.

Okay? Thank you.

(The briefing ended at 1:05 p.m.)

(end transcript)

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