State Department Noon Briefing
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 9, 2000 12:40 P.M. (ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE
NOTED)
Q: Do you have anything to bring us up to date on the schedule of
Ambassador Gelbard, who he has seen in the building, who he is going
to see or not going to see?
MR. BOUCHER: As on normal visits to Washington, Ambassador Gelbard
will meet with officials of the Department and with other agencies. In
the Department, he will be meeting with officials in the Bureau of
East Asian and Pacific Affairs, as well as senior officials, including
Under Secretary Pickering. At this point, there is nothing scheduled
with the Secretary, but it is possible that he may meet with her if
her schedule can permit that.
Q: Do you suppose Gelbard will come down and talk to us?
MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't think so.
Q: So what specifically are they going to be talking about?
MR. BOUCHER: The situation in Indonesia.
Q: Yes. But just the situation in Indonesia, or the rather prickly
relationship that he seems to have developed with the Indonesian
Government?
MR. BOUCHER: The situation in Indonesia and the American interests
there.
Q: Which are?
MR. BOUCHER: Well, maybe I'll do a long list. I could do probably --
US interests in Indonesia. I could probably do a list that lasts until
2 o'clock.
Q: Well, you know your interests in East Timor last year seem --
MR. BOUCHER: Okay. We have a very strong in democratization in
Indonesia; we have a very strong interest in stability in Indonesia;
we have a very strong interest in the ethnic conflicts being worked
out in Indonesia; we have a very strong strategic interest in
Indonesia that relates to sea lanes; we have very strong economic
interests in Indonesia relating to the interest of US business there;
we have obviously a very strong interest in the health, safety and the
welfare of US citizens who either reside there or may be visiting
there.
Q: That's the only one I wanted to hear. Thank you.
MR. BOUCHER: And there are a few more.
Q: And now, those meetings in Washington were today? I don't think you
said that. Maybe you did.
MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't think I said. Let's see. He is meeting - I
think it is today and tomorrow. It's really a brief visit. I don't
have the exact timing of it, though.
Q: But he's here in Washington today.
MR. BOUCHER: We expect him to have - yes, some of these meetings are
today.
Q: And then he goes directly back to Indonesia, or is he staying?
MR. BOUCHER: I'm not exactly sure. I think he is headed back to
Indonesia, but whether it's direct or not, I don't know.
Q: Okay.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:20 P.M.)
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