U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE DAILY PRESS BRIEFING Briefer: Richard Boucher, Spokesman THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2000, 1:15 P.M. (ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED) QUESTION: South America. Do you have any comments or thoughts about the summit in Brazil with South Americans, especially with the fact that still on the table the proposal of Brazil asking the countries of the region, don't participate in Plan Colombia? MR. BOUCHER: I think we've dealt with that quite clearly during the course of the Secretary's trip and your questions afterwards. And I think if you look at what the South American countries are saying and what South American countries are doing, you will see that they support the effort. We have described this as regional effort. The Secretary's trip demonstrated that. The President's trip demonstrated the importance of our efforts in Colombia. The Secretary's trip also demonstrated the importance of the efforts throughout the region. We will be supporting countries in the region, working with countries in the region, to combat what is an Andean drug problem. QUESTION: Do you see any threat with the Brazilian or the South American countries there, especially when Brazil is trying to build up a union in South America to increase the relationship with Europe instead of the United States? MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't think we would characterize it that way. QUESTION: On the trip and South America, Plan Colombia. Was the subject taken up yesterday or any time during Madeleine Albright's trip about Hugo Chavez' remarks, or have they been made since? Can you address Hugo Chavez' remarks that a military escalation in Colombia could spill out into the entire Amazon basin and be like a Vietnam? Is that just off the wall, or what? MR. BOUCHER: Well, I wasn't on the trip and I don't really know exactly what was taken up and what wasn't. I think you'll have to check with the White House on that. As far as analogies, I think the President made quite clear in his remarks in Colombia this is not Vietnam. QUESTION: So you can not comment about Hugo Chavez' remarks? MR. BOUCHER: I don't know. You asked me whether it was taken up on the trip. I don't know. As far as the general subject of whether this is like Vietnam, I think the President made quite clear it's not. (The briefing was concluded at 1:55 P.M.)
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