*EPF401 08/26/2004
Transcript: State Department Noon Briefing, August 26
(Sudan, Thailand, Iraq, Israel/Palestinians, Canada, Iran, Russia, Nigeria) (5560)

State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli briefed reporters August 26.

Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Thursday, August 26, 2004
12:45 p.m. EDT

BRIEFER: Adam Ereli, Deputy Spokesman

PANAMA
-- Decision by Government to Pardon Cuban Exiles

SUDAN
-- Status of Embassy in Washington, DC
-- Difficulties in Obtaining U.S. Banking Services
-- U.S. Efforts to Work with Foreign Missions, Financial Institutions & Treasury Department
-- UN/African Union Desire for Increasing Number of Monitors and Troops
-- U.S. Position on Ceasefire Agreement, Negotiations, & Security in Darfur

THAILAND
-- Update on Resettlement of Hmong Refugees in the United States
-- U.S. View of Forcible Repatriation of Refugees

IRAQ
-- U.S. Efforts to Verify Citizenship of Alleged Beheading Victim

ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
-- Concern for Humanitarian Conditions of the Palestinians
-- U.S. Efforts/Discussions Regarding Human Rights Practices
-- U.S. Contributions to the Palestinians
-- Prevention of Actions that Could Lead to Escalation in Tension

CANADA
-- Discussions Regarding the Missile Defense Program/U.S. View of Program
-- United States-Canada Bilateral Relationship/Cooperation

IRAN
-- Involvement of Russia in Iran's Nuclear Programs/Bushehr Plant

RUSSIA
-- Plane Crash Investigation

NIGERIA
-- American Children Abandoned in Ibadan
-- Efforts by the United States/Timeline
-- Timeliness of Visitation/Discussions with Family Members

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

THURSDAY, AUGUST 26, 2004
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

12:45 p.m. EDT

MR. ERELI: Good afternoon, everybody. I remind you that this is our last briefing of the week, being August. So I don't have any announcements to begin with, so who would like to have the first question?

QUESTION: Does the U.S. have an interest in the case in Panama involving the decision by President Moscoso to pardon four Cuban émigrés who had been convicted of attempts to assassinate Fidel Castro?

MR. ERELI: This was a decision made by the Government of Panama. We never lobbied the Panamanian Government to pardon anyone involved in this case and I'd leave it to the Government of Panama to discuss the action.

Yes.

QUESTION: Okay. Sudan's having banking troubles here and says it's going to close its Embassy and is looking for a little help from the United States. I wonder if any is forthcoming or what your readout is on this?

MR. ERELI: Well, I would refer you to a statement that Assistant Secretary and Department Spokesman Richard Boucher put out on June 17th in which we said, for the record, that we noted that a number of foreign missions were having difficulties with banking services in the United States. The Department of State said that it's in the foreign policy interest of the United States that foreign missions have access to banking services, that it is fundamental to the normal operation of diplomatic missions and essential to the United States for maintaining our diplomatic relations around the world.

We also noted a Department of Treasury statement from June 16th in which the Department of Treasury said that it is its policy that persons or organizations working in the United States should have access to U.S. banking services.

Further to that, we have been working with the Department of Treasury and foreign embassies, including the Embassy of Sudan, to facilitate their access to banking services. I would say we are very actively engaged on this. It's important to us. We want to see the Government of Sudan and the Sudanese Embassy be able to conduct their business here normally, and we're working on it.

QUESTION: That's not what the Sudanese say. The Sudanese are saying that you are pursuing obstructionist tactics.

MR. ERELI: Categorically reject that.

Yes.

QUESTION: While you're on Sudan, there's a statement by U.S. Ambassador John Danforth at the UN. You're calling for additional African Union troops to monitor the situation in Darfur. How extensively is that plan going to work, and when do you hope to implement it?

MR. ERELI: I haven't seen Ambassador Danforth's remarks, so I don't want to comment on them at this point. I would refer you to what we said on this subject yesterday, that the UN -- both the UN and the AU have expressed a desire to increase the number of monitors and troops protecting them in Sudan. That is a subject for discussion at -- among the AU, to look at specific numbers, missions and logistics.

We, for our part, have expressed support for that idea and have called upon -- and have said, let's let the parties work out the details. We will be supportive.

QUESTION: And a follow-up. The Jingaweit apparently have rejected calls to disarm and confine their fighters to their bases until there is a political solution to the conflict. And I guess this is obstructionist by both the rebels and the Sudanese Government in Khartoum?

MR. ERELI: I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?

QUESTION: There is a report that's saying that the rebels have rejected calls to disarm or confine fighters to their bases before a political solution to the conflict has been either decided or implemented.

MR. ERELI: Well, without commenting on every report that comes out of these talks and from the region, because there are a lot, and many of them are, I think, difficult to corroborate and are not necessarily authoritative. I would reiterate our longstanding position, which is that both sides, rebels and government, need to abide by the terms of the ceasefire reached in N'djamena, Chad, that negotiations are the only way to a long-term solution of this problem and that the Government of Sudan, for its part, needs to take decisive action to disarm the Jingaweit and provide real security for the people of Darfur.

Yes.

QUESTION: Yeah, do you have anything more on the situation of the Hmong in Tham Krabok?

MR. ERELI: Are we done with Sudan?

Okay.

QUESTION: Going back to the previous. question on Sudan.

MR. ERELI: Yeah, sure.

QUESTION: You said other countries are having -- or other missions in Washington are having the same difficulties that the Sudanese have.

MR. ERELI: I said that a number of other missions have had difficulties. We refer to that in our statement of July 17th.

QUESTION: You don't have -- do you want to name any?

MR. ERELI: No.

QUESTION: I didn't think so.

QUESTION: Adam, does that mean that the State Department is talking to banks about this? I mean, are you an intermediary for the diplomatic corps in Washington?

MR. ERELI: I would say we are doing what we can to help the Sudanese have access to and establish relationships that would allow it to conduct business in the United States and conduct its diplomatic business in the United States. That's our policy with all countries and certainly is the case here. But I am not in a position to get into detail about who we're engaged with and who we're talking with.

QUESTION: But you can't say what you can do? You're just -- you're doing all you can but you can't say what that is?

MR. ERELI: Well, I would say we are working to facilitate the establishment of a relationship that would allow the Sudanese Embassy to have access to banking services.

QUESTION: Relationship with the banks?

MR. ERELI: With financial institutions, yeah.

I'm sorry, we'll go back to the -- to your question.

QUESTION: On Sudan?

MR. ERELI: Still on Sudan? Okay.

QUESTION: Now, in regard to banking services, is this in any way a fallout from what occurred with Riggs Bank and its demise?

MR. ERELI: Yeah, I think there's a connection.

Yes.

QUESTION: And are you talking to the Sudanese Embassy? Is there a direct dialogue? Are you reassuring them of that, of your efforts to solve this?

MR. ERELI: We are working, as I said before, with the Embassy and with the Treasury Department to resolve this situation.

Still on Sudan?

QUESTION: No.

MR. ERELI: Still on the bank?

QUESTION: No.

MR. ERELI: Back to the Hmong. Okay.

QUESTION: Sorry, one more question on Sudan. To your understanding, is that the only reason that the Embassy is closed is financial reasons?

MR. ERELI: I really couldn't comment on that, not because I know and can't comment, but I just don't know. I don't have the information to answer the question.

Further to our discussion yesterday, I think there was some concern that the Hmong in the Wat had been either mistreated or forcibly moved from the area. Let me back up and just start where we left off yesterday, that we have a program to resettle 15,000 Hmong refugees, 15,500, from -- to the United States. We have already -- or 1,700 have already arrived and that 6,000 more will probably arrive by the end of the fiscal year this year.

There is a group remaining in Thailand that will not be resettled. The reason they will not be resettled is because they did not register as of August 2003 or arrived after the registration period ended and are not eligible for the program. This group of ineligible Hmong numbered about 1500. They left the Wat voluntarily on August 25th. Most of these, since they were not eligible, they left the Wat.

Reportedly, after leaving this site, they were picked up by the Royal Thai military and transported by a truck to a nearby town. There, they were dropped off at the district government headquarters office and advised to return to their homes. There have been allegations of mistreatment. We have not found any basis for these reports.

QUESTION: Okay, if I could follow up. Is there -- they're apparently under orders from the Thai Government to leave, not only that region, but I think Thailand, as soon as possible. And there's some concern that they might be forcibly put back into Laos. Is there anything, like interceding with UNHCR, or anything else at all the U.S. can do to make sure these people aren't sent back to a place where they'll be persecuted?

MR. ERELI: Well, the United States, obviously, as a matter of policy and treaty obligation is not party to the forcible repatriation, and we certainly work -- forcible repatriation of refugees -- and we certainly work closely with our international partners to ensure that people with fears of persecution are not forcibly repatriated. And I'm not aware that that is a serious. concern in this case, but were it to be, we would certainly act consistent with the way we do in similar situations around the world.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Change of subject?

Do you have more on this American in Iraq who was allegedly beheaded yesterday or the day before yesterday? The reason I'm asking is that according to Polish sources, this person was working as a translator for a Polish newspaper, is an Iraqi-born American citizen and, I mean, we have some details coming from Polish sources about him.

MR. ERELI: Right. I'm unable to offer you confirmation on the two aspects of the story which I think are of most interest to you. One is there are press reports that this individual has been beheaded. I can't substantiate those. There are also press reports that this individual is an American citizen. I can't substantiate that report either. What I can say is that we are -- our Embassy in Baghdad is checking its records and looking into whether we have information that can corroborate this person's American citizenship. At this time, we don't have that information.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. ERELI: Yes.

QUESTION: Have any family members approached the Embassy or anything like that?

MR. ERELI: Not that I'm aware of.

Yes.

QUESTION: Different subject?

MR. ERELI: Different subject? Okay.

QUESTION: About 8,000 Palestinian prisoners in Israel, among them are 400 children, in 15th of August, 2,200 of them started a hunger strike, calling for humane treatment. Are you aware of the situation or did you talk to the Israeli Government about it, and what do you call on Israel to do?

MR. ERELI: We are certainly aware of the situation. I don't know what communications we've had with the Israelis or Palestinians on the issue. As you say, this is a hunger -- this is an action by Palestinian prisoners in Israeli custody, so I would refer you to those two parties for comment.

QUESTION: If I may.

MR. ERELI: Yes.

QUESTION: Isn't the United States willing or looking for to improve its image in the Arab world? Isn't this an opportunity to show American influence toward the humane treatment of Palestinian prisoners by calling on Israel to do such that?

MR. ERELI: Well, I mean, I think we consistently point out our concern for the humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian people. It is a critical aspect of our policy. It is an issue with which we engage regularly the Israeli Government to ease the humanitarian burden on the Palestinian people. And as far as our human rights concerns go, it's an issue that I've addressed, I think, every day for the past three days that is the subject of ongoing dialogue and priority for the United States, both with respect to Israeli human rights practices and Palestinian human rights practices. It is something that we engage with both parties on. It is -- when we receive reports of abuses, we investigate them, we document them, and it is an important part of our bilateral dialogue.

So I honestly guess I don't necessarily accept your question that we need an occasion to reiterate our concern for the Palestinian people or any people or any group of people who are the victims of or subject to conditions that contravene internationally recognized humanitarian standards.

QUESTION: But Israeli officials are not allowing even salt for these strikers and you haven't talked to the Israelis on this subject, have you?

MR. ERELI: You're getting into a level of detail I just don't have.

QUESTION: No, but did you talk to them at all on this specific --

MR. ERELI: As I said before, I'm not aware of any -- I'm not aware of any specific conversations on this topic.

Yes.

QUESTION: Just to be dealing with this matter as in a very technical way, if you are aware that hundreds of mothers and wives and children on the Arab TV screens across the Arab world are crying for help and looking at this as a human right issues, and you don't seem to deal with it as such in a way that is expected from an icon of democracy and human rights defenders in the world from the United States, can't you say something that would elevate actually those feelings of those mothers who have seen the Israelis uprooting the trees of apples, olive trees? That was the mistake of these prisoners 10,000 of them in Israel.

MR. ERELI: If I might -- excuse me -- if I might interrupt. The United States, I think more than -- as much as if not more than any other nation, devotes its resources, its prestige and its energies to addressing humanitarian needs around the world, to trying -- and trying to bring peaceful settlements to longstanding conflicts. I think our record in that area is second to none, and it certainly applies to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

So I guess if there are people out there who are concerned that not enough is being done, I would say that, simply that it has been the commitment and the endeavor of the American Government for well over a quarter of a century to bring to an end this tragic conflict between two peoples that has gone on for far too long, and that we continue to be engaged with both Israelis and Palestinians at both a governmental level and at a human level to address this problem.

I would also take the opportunity to remind you, sir, that the largest contributor to the Palestinian Authority and to the Palestinian people is the United States. So I guess that would be my message to those Palestinians who are looking for us to do something, is that we've been doing it for longer than just about anybody and we are putting our money where our mouth is.

QUESTION: Well, if I can follow up, please?

MR. ERELI: Mm-hmm.

QUESTION: No one is disputing that the United States is contributing financially to the Palestinians --

MR. ERELI: And politically and morally.

QUESTION: But we are talking here about human rights issues. The human right issue requires the United States to stand strong with the Palestinians, as it did with other people in the past, and is doing now. This is a case of families of 10,000 prisoners asking the countries of the world to hear them, to react to what, to the suffering of the Palestinian prisoners in the Israeli prisons. Most of those, what their mistake was or their crime was that they were trying to stop the Israeli soldiers from uprooting their trees from their lands.

MR. ERELI: I guess, sir, I've said what I can tell you on the subject. I don't necessarily accept your premise of why these people are in jail. I don't know what their circumstances are.

Obviously, people need to be treated humanely. That's international practice. But I certainly don't know if I accept your premise about why they're there and what's being done to them, but as I said before, the United States takes seriously allegations of abuse and it forms a part of our ongoing engagement with countries around the world, including this part of the world, and we'll look into it in our human rights report.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION: An Israeli military official has threatened to attack Syria and Lebanon because of their support to Hezbollah. He said that Lebanese groups supports Palestinian organization with arms and money. He added that the U.S. will support with such an action. Do you have any comment on that?

MR. ERELI: I have not seen those reports. Clearly, we -- clearly, the United States, as well as others, are concerned by the presence of groups such as Hezbollah and their history of actions that lead to escalation. And, I think, as a matter of principle, we believe that actions should be taken to prevent any hostilities or any actions that could lead to an escalation in tension.

Yes.

QUESTION: If I may, changing subjects. In Ottawa, a Liberal government MP has characterized the U.S.'s missile defense plans as an initiative, and I'm quoting here, of the "coalition of idiots." I am wondering, what is the U.S. Government's reaction to this comment, number one. And, number two, how will comments like this impact discussions about implementing this missile defense plan and/or the relationship between Canada and the U.S. in general?

MR. ERELI: I don't have a comment on it, frankly. People are welcome to their opinion. We believe that the missile defense program is something that is -- serves the cause of peace, serves the cause of the United States. And I would note that there are a number of international partners who are involved with, who we are working with on this program. So it certainly is something that I think there's an -- there is multilateral agreement about.

As far as discussions between Canada and the United States go, as we've said before, Canada's decision of whether to participate in this program is Canada's decision and it's up to Canadian authorities to decide what they feel is in their best interest to do.

QUESTION: And generally on the impact on the relationship between the two countries?

MR. ERELI: Well, we just signed an agreement with the Canadians, I think a few weeks ago, maybe a month ago, so, bilaterally, I think our cooperation and coordination here is excellent.

I'm sorry. George, did you have a question?

QUESTION: Back on the question of the Palestinian prisoners.

MR. ERELI: Mm-hmm.

QUESTION: Would it be possible for you to take the question as to whether there is an issue of mistreatment of these prisoners and whether -- you haven't said anything specific about this specifically, perhaps because you don't have -- you haven't been briefed on it. Is it possible for you to take a question on it?

MR. ERELI: I will take the question on what is the United States view on stories of mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners.

QUESTION: That's fine.

MR. ERELI: Yes.

QUESTION: Relating to nuclear. Russia, today, is denying that their building of the nuclear plant in Iran is facing delays and they expect it to open by 2005. Well, obviously, you've spoken to the Iranians. What concrete steps have you had talking with the Russians?

MR. ERELI: I don't know what plant you're speaking about. Are you speaking about Bushehr?

QUESTION: Yeah, and other plants.

MR. ERELI: I spoke to Bushehr early on in the week -- I would refer you to the transcript -- in which Russia agreed not to provide fuel to Bushehr pending resolution of issues before the IAEA. And as far as we understand, Russia is abiding by that agreement.

QUESTION: How about any update on the planes? Do you have anything on that?

MR. ERELI: No, not really. I think the investigation is continuing. Obviously, the black boxes have been retrieved. I would refer you to the Russians for an update on the status of their investigation.

QUESTION: Have they taken the U.S. up on its offer of help?

MR. ERELI: I don't believe so.

Yes.

QUESTION: Adam, as you may or may not be aware, Congressman DeLay, the House Majority Leader, is going to be sending a letter to the State Department shortly asking for accountability as to why it took authorities, U.S. authorities in Nigeria, about a week after they were notified by the Nigerians that there were possibly seven American children in a Nigerian orphanage. What is the State Department's explanation as to why it took a week for a Consular Affairs officials -- official to visit these kids?

MR. ERELI: Let me go -- this is an incident that concerns seven American citizen children who were allegedly abandoned in Ibadan, Nigeria, by their adoptive mother. Let me go through the timeline for you and maybe that will help answer your question.

The Consulate General in Lagos was first informed by a local contact in Nigeria that seven American citizen children had been abandoned. That same day, upon learning about the incident, a consular officer from the Consulate General contacted the State Ministry of Women's Affairs in Ibadan and confirmed that the children were in their care.

At that time, the Ministry verified that the children were safe and told us that two days earlier the children had been removed from their residence and turned over to the State Ministry of Women's Affairs, and that they were attempting to locate the children's guardian.

Again, that same day, the -- July 30th -- our consular officer spoke with an American citizen family member. That family member told us that the adoptive mother had taken the children to Nigeria for schooling and that they wanted the children to stay in Nigeria. They also provided us with contact information for the children's guardian.

The next day, on July 31st, we were able to contact the primary guardian in Nigeria. We were unable to contact the primary guardian, so we contacted a secondary guardian, and that individual said she would care for the children. So within a day, 24 hours of being notified, we confirmed that the children were being -- where the children were; we confirmed that they were in safe condition, and we contacted the guardian who -- the secondary guardian who said that they would care for the children.

We followed up again six days later with the ministry to ensure their welfare. The next day, on August 7th, we visited the children at the ministry office in Ibadan. They appeared in good health at that time, and we took digital photographs and provided those photographs to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

It was on August 7th, when we visited the children for the first time, that we learned from the ministry that members of the International Federation of Women Lawyers and concerned neighbors had reported that the children were living unattended in Ibadan and had expressed concern over their living conditions.

We also became aware at that time, on August 7th, that there had been television coverage of the removal of the children from their guardian's home. And the next day, on August 8th, we requested a copy of the video footage of the children and the conditions, which we also provided to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services.

I think on the basis of that information, we worked -- the State Department's Bureau of Consular Affairs and the Embassy worked with the Texas Department of Family Protective Services to determine what was in the best interest of the children, and the conclusion was that those interests were better served if they were in the United States; and we moved to facilitate their travel to the United States, which took place on August 12th.

So, to sum it up: We found out about the situation; we acted to confirm their whereabouts, confirm their welfare, contact their guardians, hear from their guardians what their guardians and the family wanted, acted on that basis, followed up with the Nigerians and took it upon ourselves to visit the children and when -- and upon finding more information about their circumstances, worked with the Department -- worked with the state of Texas to resolve the situation in the best interests of the children.

So I think the record will show that we were alert, responsive, responsible and very serious about carrying out our duties.

QUESTION: Right, okay. But going back to my -- sorry -- going back to my original question, why did it take seven days, eight days, from the time you were notified for you to visit seven children -- not adults -- I mean, you go and visit adults in a fairly timely manner, but these are children who were clearly abandoned.

MR. ERELI: No, it was not clear that they were -- well --

QUESTION: Well, even if they weren't, even if they weren't, they're in an orphanage. They're in an orphanage. You don't know the facts. You make some phone calls. You confirm that they're in an orphanage, and yet it still takes eight days to actually go and visit them.

MR. ERELI: We confirmed they were there. We were informed about their condition, which was good. We talked to their family and we took the actions that we thought were appropriate. And when we did visit them, I think it was done in a timely way.

QUESTION: But Adam, when they came back they were suffering from malaria. Some of them last week were still in the hospital being treated for malaria. So I'm hoping --

MR. ERELI: I'm not sure that that's the case.

QUESTION: You don't think any of them were treated for malaria when they came back to the U.S.?

MR. ERELI: Well, --

QUESTION: They were.

MR. ERELI: I mean, I don't know whether they were treated for malaria from -- when they came back to the United States, but I don't know what that says. I guess I don't understand the point you're making.

QUESTION: They were underfed. Their condition was said to be severely undernourished, suffering from malaria. It doesn't seem like you -- if you -- when you saw them that they would look like they're in great condition.

MR. ERELI: My understanding is that when we saw them, they were -- I don't know the condition they were in when we saw them. But my understanding is that they were adequately taken care of, that the actions appropriate were taken by both the consulate and the Nigerian authorities, that we were in contact with the family, that the family expressed their desires with regard to the children, and we acted consistent with what the family requested and with what the Nigerians were telling us, and that that is -- that that's appropriate in the circumstances.

QUESTION: Okay, wait. Adam, what family member are you talking about because these kids, according to the reporting that we've done, were basically dumped with the alleged fiancé of the adoptive mother who wasn't taking care of these children, which is why they ended up out on the street? I mean, what --

MR. ERELI: We talked to family members in the United States.

QUESTION: What family members in the United States?

MR. ERELI: I can't tell you.

QUESTION: Also, Adam, if you had visited earlier than that seven-day gap, you would have learned the information about the conditions that they lived in, which you said you only learned upon --

MR. ERELI: That's not necessarily true. That's not necessarily true.

QUESTION: Well, didn't -- wasn't it learned upon visiting the children, with the people they talked -- from your description, it sounded like they learned it when they visited the children.

MR. ERELI: No, it's -- we learned on August 7th from the ministry -- we had been in touch with the ministry from the very beginning, so it -- so when we learned from the ministry is not related to visiting the children or not.

QUESTION: You have no idea? And you don't know why it took them a week to explain to you the conditions?

MR. ERELI: No, I do not know.

QUESTION: I mean, if you had visited the children as a youth pastor did from Texas, just coincidentally, you would have found out, because the children would have told you, that they had not seen or heard from their adoptive mother since December, and this was August; that their mother stopped sending money to the man who she was, I guess, engaged to, and he left them; that the police had picked them up; and that they were then put into this state-owned orphanage. And, I mean, the children are the ones who told this pastor on August 4th. And we -- I mean he's made all this very clear. I don't understand why you couldn't have spoken to the children.

MR. ERELI: When we met the children on August 7th, the children appeared to be in good health when we met them on August 7th.

As far as their circumstances that led to their being taken to the orphanage, this was what we were looking into when we contacted the family members in the United States and when we contacted the guardians. And I think based on those discussions, we thought it prudent and useful to follow up, which we did, and we visited them and we took the action that we thought was appropriate. I think that it's a little -- I think it's a little bit of a stretch to suggest that somehow there are six kids, six American kids in Nigeria --

QUESTION: Seven.

MR. ERELI: -- and there is seven American kids in Nigeria, and the State Department is sitting on its hands while they are mistreated.

First of all, we acted quickly when we found out that there was a problem. We contacted family members. We contacted the Nigerians. We did everything that I think is prudent and called for in this situation. And we visited the children, I think, in a timely way based on the information we had, based on the contacts that we made.

QUESTION: New subject, actually, if I could --

MR. ERELI: New subject.

QUESTION: I don't know if you have any guidance on this. This is a last-minute request.

Do you have anything about Panama's pardon and release of Luis Posada and three other Cuban exiles who were found guilty of --

MR. ERELI: I think this was the first question in the briefing.

QUESTION: Oh, I'm so sorry.

MR. ERELI: That's okay.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. ERELI: In the back.

QUESTION: According to Reuters News Agency from Skopje, FYROM announced that it is planning to hear finally the referendum on the Ohrid Agreement in November. Any comment on that?

MR. ERELI: No.

QUESTION: And why not?

MR. ERELI: Because it's -- we are a party -- we supported that agreement but -- and we continue to support that agreement, but this is a --

QUESTION: But it's position --

MR. ERELI: But this is a -- it's just not something I have a comment on.

QUESTION: But it's position of FYROM, creating Albanians (inaudible) more than 16 municipalities that it (inaudible) borders, violating the most important element of democracy: majority rules. And I was wondering why --

MR. ERELI: I'm sorry, I don't accept your characterization. I --

QUESTION: And I was wondering why --

MR. ERELI: I don't accept your characterization and I don't have a comment.

Yes. Yes.

QUESTION: Mr. Ereli, sir, if I may ask, you took a question from Mr. Gedda about the prisoners in Israel. May I ask you, please, if you could imply also the case of the Syrian Golani prisoners, the Syrians from the Golan Heights? They have never attacked the Israelis. And also to imply the -- also your reaction to Lebanese?

MR. ERELI: I would -- sir, I would refer you to the Near Eastern Bureau for that.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. ERELI: Thank you.

(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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