02 April 2002
Rumsfeld Thanks Norway for "Wonderful" Anti-terror Support
(April 2: U.S. Defense Secretary, Norwegian Defense Minister) (1800)
In remarks to the press after his meeting at the Pentagon with
Norwegian Minister of Defense Kristin Krohn Devold, U.S. Defense
Secretary Donald Rumsfeld said Norway has given "wonderful cooperation
and support" to Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.
Devold, for her part, said the purpose of her visit was "to express
the strong support that Norway has for the Operation Enduring Freedom
and the fight against terrorism. We have been backing United States,
and we will continue to back United States."
In response to a question, Devold revealed that Norway has offered
F-16 fighter jets for Operation Enduring Freedom, and it "plans to be
able to go together with Denmark and Netherlands with a deployment of
F-16s if we are needed later on this year."
Rumsfeld confirmed the capture of a senior Al Qaeda official, saying
that the man had suffered several wounds which apparently are not
life-threatening.
The secretary of defense also responded to questions regarding Iran's
actions with respect to the war on terrorism. "It certainly would be
helpful if they were more cooperative, and they have not been
particularly," he said.
Following is a Defense Department transcript:
(begin transcript)
Tuesday, April 2, 2002 - 11:30 a.m. EST
Presenter: Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld
DOD NEWS BRIEFING
NORWEGIAN MINISTER OF DEFENSE KRISTIN KROHN DEVOLD
(Media availability with Norwegian Minister of Defense Kristin Krohn
Devold)
Rumsfeld: Let me just say a quick word here. Good morning. We've just
had a good visit and discussed the very strong and healthy
relationship between the United States and Norway. We have a
relationship, of course, that goes back a great many years. And I was
delighted to be able to welcome the minister here. She's going to be
going back in and meeting with a good number of our folks on a variety
of subjects that are of interest to both of our countries. And we
discussed our relationship in NATO and how important that is -- the
Atlantic relationship.
We also discussed the wonderful cooperation and support that Norway
has been giving to Operation Enduring Freedom. As you well know from
our briefings, the Norwegians have had special forces there and have
participated in a variety of other ways.
So we're happy you're here, and I'll turn the mike over for you to
make any comments you'd like.
Devold: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary.
First of all, I'm very happy to be here. The main purpose of my visit
is to express the strong support that Norway has for the Operation
Enduring Freedom and the fight against terrorism. We have been backing
United States, and we will continue to back United States. It's very
important for us, because, as I explained to Mr. Secretary here, there
are actually more Norwegians living in the United States than there
are in Norway. So we have long and good tradition for actually being
related to each other as we are.
At the same time, I also wanted to mention that in Norway we are in
favor of changing the NATO. We are in favor of modernizing NATO, and
we think that Norway actually can play a role there and that we want
to cooperate very closely with the United States in the job that is
ahead of us.
Thank you.
Rumsfeld: Thank you.
Now we have a tradition that Charlie, being not the oldest but the
senior member of the Pentagon press corps, ask the first question.
Charlie.
Q: Mr. Secretary, might I add: The White House confirmed today that
you believe you are holding Abu Zubaydah. What does this mean for the
war on terrorism? And do you plan, perhaps, to question him in a third
country other than Afghanistan or Pakistan before you move him to
Guantanamo?
Rumsfeld: Well, first, as President Musharraf indicated today and as
the White House indicated, he is, in fact, in custody. And being a
very senior al Qaeda official who has been intimately involved in a
range of activities for the al Qaeda, there's no question but that
having an opportunity to visit with him is helpful. Sometimes I
understate for emphasis. He --
(Audio break.)
Q: Mr. Secretary, just a brief follow-up. Apparently he was wounded
rather seriously in trying to escape. Is he in a hospital now? Is he
--
Rumsfeld: He's being given exactly the excellent medical care one
would want if they wanted to make sure he was around a good, long time
to visit with us. And he's getting very good medical care. His wounds
are several. They seem not to be life-threatening.
Q: Mr. Secretary, you have --
Rumsfeld: We -- I thought we were going to alternate between the U.S.
and the Norwegian press.
Q: (Off mike) -- the Norwegian press corps, sir.
Rumsfeld: The whole corps? (Laughter.)
Q: The whole country. (Laughter.)
Mr. Secretary, did you discuss today a widening role for Norway's
support on the war on terrorism in or outside Afghanistan?
Rumsfeld: We have -- we did discuss the Operation Enduring Freedom and
the war -- global war against terrorism as a subject. We discussed
specifically the very fine role that Norway has been playing with
respect to the Afghanistan activity, and also the fact that NATO and
Norway have assisted with respect to the AWACS here in the United
States for U.S. homeland defense, which, of course, is a very
important thing given the scarcity of a number of the assets,
including AWACS capabilities.
Q: A quick follow-up, sir. There has been some talk about Norwegian
F-16 fighters taking part in the effort?
Rumsfeld: I have a -- I have a practice. I let any country cooperating
characterize their own participation, and that way, I won't ever say
anything that would be awkward for other countries.
You have the floor.
Devold: Yes. And we have offered F-16s to the United States and to
Operation Enduring Freedom. And the signal is that they might be
needed. So Norway plans to be able to go together with Denmark and
Netherlands with a deployment of F-16s if we are needed later on this
year.
Q: Mr. Secretary?
Q: (Off mike)Question for the minister.
Rumsfeld: Good.
Q: You're mulling over participation in the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter
program. There are reports, you're aware, that the U.S. Navy wants to
cut back about 400 of the planes. Has that complicated or made your
decision more problematic?
And Mr. Rumsfeld, can you comment about your view on whether the Navy
should in fact cut the program?
Rumsfeld: Well, I'll go first, if you want.
Devold: (Laughs.)
Rumsfeld: There always is discussion about the size of a buy on an
aircraft, and there has been a discussion within the Department of the
Navy, with the Marines. No final proposals have been made. No final
proposals have been decided. And obviously it's a matter that is of
interest to other people who -- allies and friends who conceivably are
interested in the Joint Strike Fighter, as well as to the United
States Air Force. So it's a subject that would get discussed quite
broadly before being concluded.
Q: Madame Minister?
Devold: Yes. And the situation concerning how many planes actually
United States needs does not affect the Norwegian decisions. We want
to take part of their development programs, and we think that
somewhere between 2015, 2020, we need new aircraft. But it's a long
way to that year. But still we hope that within this year, 2002, we
will be able to make a decision whether development programs to join.
Q: Thank you.
Rumsfeld: Good. Thank --
Q: Mr. Secretary --
Q: The Middle East --
Q: Mr. Secretary, could I have my question, please?
Rumsfeld: Wait. Shall we let the Norwegian press corps --
(Cross talk.)
Q: Barbara. Barbara!
Rumsfeld: Barbara -- by popular demand, Barbara, over the Norwegian
press corps.
Q: Thank you.
Rumsfeld: Barbara?
Q: Well, my question could you review for us today your thinking about
exactly how unhelpful you believe Iran is right now in the war on
terrorism? In fact, do you now believe that al Qaeda has moved in and
out of Iran, has operated in Iran? Do you believe that Iran in the
current situation in Israel is continuing to back some of the unrest
beyond this shipment of the arms you have spoken about? Just how
unhelpful is Iran at the moment, in your mind?
Rumsfeld: There is no question but that Iran was involved with the
Karine A shipment headed for the Palestinian Authority. There is no
question but that al Qaeda have moved in and found sanctuary in Iran.
And there is no question but that al Qaeda have moved into Iran and
out of Iran to the south and dispersed to some other countries. To my
knowledge, they are not operating out of Iran in the sense that they
were out of Afghanistan, so there's that distinction. But I can't
think of a thing I've said that anyone, by the wildest stretch of
their imagination, could characterize as "helpful"; they're all
harmful and contributing to the problems with respect to the global
terrorists.
Q: Can I just follow up on two points? When you say they have found
sanctuary in Iran, does that mean that you believe that al Qaeda is
currently in Iran? And secondly, given what you have laid out, how do
you begin to touch the problem inside Iran?
Rumsfeld: Maybe the word "sanctuary" was not a perfect word because I
don't think of it as a permanent sanctuary, I think of it as transit
and -- and -- as opposed to operating out of the country. But it
certainly would be helpful if they were more cooperative, and they
have not been particularly. There are a couple of instances where they
have characterized what they're doing as being helpful, as I recall.
I should also add that the border is a very difficult border. It's a
porous border, as it is with Pakistan and as it is to the north. So
it's -- I'm not suggesting that it's possible for a country to know
with perfect certainty exactly everything that's moving either way
across the border.
Q: How do you touch them inside?
Rumsfeld: I think that Iran is a country where ultimately the people
are going to change their circumstance. I think that there is a --
it's a country with an important history, it's got a well-educated
population. The people are being repressed, they are being denied
rights that most the people around the world seem to find a way to get
for themselves. And I suspect that the leadership in Iran will find
itself with difficulties over time.
Thank you very much.
Q: Thank you.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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