Military

Transcript: Secretary Powell Renews U.S. Commitment to Work with Colombia

(Also addresses Colombia's role on U.N. Security Council and Iraq)
(3980)
Secretary of State Colin Powell renewed the United States' commitment
to work with Colombia on common goals during his December 3-4 visit to
that nation.
"We renewed our commitment to work toward our common goals of
strengthening democracy, increasing respect for human rights,
combating drugs and terrorism, and especially, and perhaps most
importantly, widening the circle of economic prosperity to include all
Colombians," Powell said following his meeting with Colombian
President Alvaro Uribe and other senior Colombian officials.
In a December 4 press conference in Bogotá, the Secretary noted that
security and economic development are linked in Colombia. He explained
that once an attractive investment environment is established,
investment will create jobs. These jobs will provide alternatives to
illicit coca cultivation in Colombia and will -- in turn -- enhance
security, Powell said.
The Secretary acknowledged that there is much to be done in these
areas, but applauded Uribe's efforts to date. Powell voiced U.S.
support for Colombia's new national security strategy directed
"towards defeating the deadly combination of terrorism and drugs" and
said that the United States is "very impressed" with Uribe's
commitment to the eradication of illicit coca crops.
Powell said he also had useful conversations with Colombian officials
on the increased U.S. support necessary to expand cooperation on
security, development and eradication programs. He indicated that upon
his return to Washington, he will push for full funding in Congress
for U.S. programs assisting Colombia.
"This is a partnership that works and a partnership we must continue
to invest in," Powell said.
Commenting on the November 29 cease-fire announcement by the Colombian
paramilitary group known as the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
(AUC), the Secretary said that the United States will stand behind
Uribe as he begins a long process that could lead to a solution to
Colombia's problems with paramilitary organizations.
Beyond discussion of bilateral issues, Powell said that he
congratulated Uribe on Colombia's presidency of the United Nations
Security Council during the month of December 2002. He said he fully
expects that the Security Council will have to deal with Iraq's
declaration on its weapons programs, which is scheduled to be
delivered to the United Nations on December 7.
The Secretary also said he anticipates that Colombia, as head of the
U.N. Security Council, will ensure "an open, full, comprehensive
debate on the nature of the [Iraqi] declaration." Despite Iraq's
claims to the contrary, the United States is "absolutely sure" Iraq
has weapons of mass destruction and continues to develop more, Powell
added.
Citing a recent statement by President Bush, Powell said that it is
time for Iraq to make a decision about compliance with United Nations
Resolution 1441. "Are they going to cooperate or will we have to
disarm them forcefully?" he asked.
Should Iraq fail to meet its obligations, Powell predicted that the
international community will be unified in supporting the use of
military force to achieve Iraqi disarmament.
Following is a transcript of Powell's press conference:
(begin transcript)
PRESS CONFERENCE
Secretary Of State Colin L. Powell
December 4, 2002
Bogotá, Colombia
(2:20 p.m. EST)
SECRETARY POWELL: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am very
pleased to be here in Bogotá and I would like to express my thanks to
President Uribe for all the courtesy he has extended to me and members
of my party, and also, if I may, express my thanks to our Ambassador
Patterson for all the hard work she and the members of her team put in
every day, especially preparing for my trip on short notice.
I've been looking forward to this trip for a long time. As you may
know, I was scheduled to visit Colombia on September 11th, 2001. I was
coming here from Lima, Peru, and it was on that morning that we had
the tragic incidents in New York and Washington and I had to cancel my
trip at that time.
However, the brutal attacks of that day which forced me to return to
Washington really represented a change, frankly, in world history and
the way in which we had to look at our world, look at the subject of
terrorism. Yes, the world changed on that tragic day, and since that
tragic day the change has continued. But the United States commitment
to defending and strengthening Colombia's democracy has not changed.
If anything, our commitment has grown even stronger as we stand
together against the threats of terrorism that both of our countries
face.
I have met with President Uribe now several times, most recently
during the successful visit to the United States last September.
However, this is the first time we had a chance to meet together here
in Colombia. Our meeting today allowed us to continue the close
cooperation that our countries enjoy. Together, we renewed our
commitment to work toward our common goals of strengthening democracy,
increasing respect for human rights, combating drugs and terrorism,
and especially, and perhaps most importantly, widening the circle of
economic prosperity to include all Colombians within that circle.
I congratulated the President on Colombia's upcoming presidency of the
United Nations Security Council. They are in the presidency chair now
and for the remainder of this month. Colombia has played an important
role as a non-Permanent Member of the Security Council, most notably
by its unwavering support for a new resolution giving Iraq one last
chance to comply with its international obligations to disarm.
Colombia's support for Security Council Resolution 1441 was only one
example of President Uribe's admirable stance against terrorism,
terrorism within Colombia as well as terrorism as a global threat.
Today, Colombia is engaged in its own war against terrorism and the
narco-trafficking that funds it. The United States stands with the
people of Colombia in this struggle. The President has committed his
administration to taking the difficult steps needed to provide
security throughout Colombia and we support him in those efforts. He
is also committed to making the necessary investment in social and
development programs to promote long-lasting peace and stability in
Colombia. Security and economic development, sustainable development,
are linked with security to create an environment where people want to
come and invest in Colombia, to visit Colombia. And as they come and
invest and visit Colombian and bring resources into Colombia, jobs are
created. And when people see these jobs, they will see alternatives to
growing illicit crops. They see the benefit of supporting the
democratic process, and that, in return, enhances security. It's a
cycle that repeats over and over.
Clearly, there is much to be done in these areas. Today, I applauded
the President for his strong conviction and for his successful effort
to date.
While here, I've also discussed human rights with representatives of
the Colombian Government and also with Colombian nongovernmental
organizations. In each instance, I have noted that protecting human
rights remains a priority for us and that this is an area where we
need to continue making progress. I know that President Uribe shares
this concern and this vision.
We support your new national security strategy. It is a comprehensive
plan to build a healthy democracy. A key part of that strategy,
indeed, the part that makes everything else possible, is that element
of the plan directed towards defeating the deadly combination of
terrorism and drugs.
A significant portion of our assistance is also dedicated to democracy
building and anti-corruption programs, as well as for social and
economic development. To date, we have provided over $1.8 billion in
Plan Colombia assistance, and for our 2003 Fiscal Year, we have
requested from Congress $573 million more. And in the monies that we
are provided, close to 30 percent goes to development programs of the
kind that are so vitally needed.
We have been very impressed with your President's commitment to
eradication. Colombia's Government has sprayed a record number of
hectares of coca this year, sending a clear message to growers and to
the world that Colombia will not tolerate the cultivation of illegal
crops.
When I return to Washington, I intend to make the case before our
Congress for full funding for our Colombia programs. This is a
partnership that works and a partnership we must continue to make and
invest in.
I also commended President Uribe for his economic leadership which is
helping to put Colombia on the solid economic footing required to
defeat the narco-terrorists and assure greater prosperity for the
Colombian people, as I noted earlier.
President Uribe's leadership in this realm has also allowed President
Bush to approve the expansion of tariff benefits for Colombia under
the Andean Trade Promotion and Drug Eradication Act. I know that this
action will strengthen the close commercial relationship between our
countries and increase the competitiveness of Colombian products in
the United States market.
I am also confident that the United States and Colombia will cooperate
together to play an important role as we move towards a Free Trade
Area of all of the Americas.
In closing, I would like to thank the President and members of his
cabinet and the people of Colombia that I've had a small occasion to
meet, thanking and shaking a few hands, thank them for the warm
hospitality they have extended to me and to the members of my
delegation.
Thank you.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, could you go over the (inaudible) assistance
in Colombia (inaudible)?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, as you know, we pretty much put our '04 budget
submission together. There will be funds there to assist with drug
eradication efforts. I hope that we'll be able to start up the air
bridge denial program early in the new year and there will be support
for that effort.
As I noted, this year's commitment of $137 million for economic
development and infrastructure development. I had pretty useful
conversations with the President and Foreign Minister and Minister of
Defense about the kind of support that will be required to expand our
cooperation with military and police forces, intelligence-sharing, law
enforcement activities, and what would be needed to keep the equipment
that we have provided to them in the past well maintained and in the
highest level of operational readiness so that we can achieve the
purpose for which they were sent to you, and those additional funds
which will be required to increase capability and not just maintain
capabilities.
So I think it's a full range of programs that we're looking at that
deal with security issues, development issues, (inaudible), law
enforcement matters, eradication, and, in fact, I think, a couple of
highlights (inaudible) the programs (inaudible).
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, good afternoon. We would like to know what is
the decision of the United States about (inaudible) with the
paramilitaries here in Colombia (inaudible) decision on the Carlos
Castana extradition.
SECRETARY POWELL: We took note of the announcement made by AUC on the
29th that they were declaring a unilateral cease-fire effective on the
1st of December. This is the beginning of a long process. We think
that this was a good step, but it is a long way from being an actual
cease-fire and it is a long way from leading to discussions that could
lead to a solution to the problem of paramilitaries. And so the
President and I had a chance to discuss this at length this morning.
One has to be very cautious as you enter into this kind of process,
this kind of dialogue, and I think the President is approaching it
with caution. At the same time, I know he does not want to miss an
opportunity if an opportunity has presented itself.
The United States will stand behind President Uribe as he moves down
this road and support him in any way that is appropriate. And with
respect to legal matters, indictments and extradition requests
relating to leaders of the AUC, those indictments remain in place and
of course the extradition requests remain in place, and there was no
discussion today of removing such a request or taking action within
the American judicial system to eliminate any indictments. These
gentlemen have much to account for, not only under US law but under
Colombian law, as well.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, (inaudible). I'm sorry to ask you a question
that (inaudible) Colombia (inaudible), but do you have concerns that
Iraq may have developed a particularly dangerous strain of smallpox
and that they may have gotten it from the Russians? And are you
confident that the Russians don't have any other of these kinds of
secret programs now?
SECRETARY POWELL: I don't know what the Iraqis might have. That's the
reason that the United Nations has put forward a demand to Iraq to
come forward and fully disclose all of the programs they have and have
had in the past with respect to weapons of mass destruction. And I
hope that in the declaration that the Iraqi Government has said they
will be providing on the 7th of December, they are forthcoming,
totally forthcoming with respect to what they might have and where it
came from.
I don't know what the Russians might have in their inventory. We are
in constant contact with the Russians on this issue. It has been the
subject of discussion between President Bush and President Putin over
the years.
The particular story, I think, that generated your question, Betsy, I
cannot comment on and I would have to refer you to the CIA or some of
the other agencies in Washington that seem to be the one that the
question had come to in the first instance.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.) The government has invited the FARC for
(inaudible) negotiations and it is considered by the United States as
a terrorist organization. What will be the position of the United
States Government on this?
SECRETARY POWELL: We have designated the FARC, ELN and the AUC as
terrorist organizations, and they certainly have demonstrated that
they are deserving of such a designation by what they have done to
Colombia's democracy and Colombia's promise of economic development
and what they have done to the most disadvantaged citizens of Colombia
by causing such distress and unrest and terror throughout the
countryside. They continue to deserve those designations.
As the Government of Colombia moves forward with talks and
negotiations, we will monitor it carefully, and none of our
designations will change until the situation is changed and the kind
of threat presented by these organizations and the kinds of activity
they have been engaged in up to the present are no longer part of
their agenda. But just to say that we are going to begin discussions
as a suggestion that somehow the designation should be changed isn't
going to happen, nor would it be our position to say to the Colombian
leadership who they should or should not speak to as a way of finding
a way forward out of this tortured past.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.) Mr. Secretary, back on your last answer, the
Iraqis have now come out today and said that there won't be any
mention of weapons of mass destruction on their declaration because
they don't have any. What will the U.S. do if that is, indeed, how the
declaration comes out on Saturday or Sunday?
And if the U.S. does decide to take action, what is your understanding
of Turkey's position on this? There have been a couple of statements
that go back and forth in the last couple of days.
SECRETARY POWELL: The Iraqis are always making statements that
contradict each other day after day. I think the best thing for us all
to do now, rather than speculate and raise hypothetical questions
about what Saddam might do in the future, is to wait and see what the
declaration says when it is received.
We are absolutely sure -- it is a matter of record -- that Iraq has
had weapons of mass destruction in the past, we are absolutely sure
they have continued to develop weapons of mass destruction, and we are
sure they have in their possession weapons of mass destruction. And
the burden is on them to prove that they don't have. And if they do
have, they had better acknowledge it and make those programs
accessible to the U.N. inspection teams.
The United States believes that the international community is totally
united in placing the demands of Resolution 1441 squarely on the Iraqi
Government. It is their responsibility to answer to the international
community and to answer fully. And we know they have had such weapons,
they have such weapons, and they continue to try to develop more
weapons. And it's time for them to make a judgment, as the President
said repeatedly: Are they going to cooperate or will we have to disarm
them forcefully?
With respect to Iraq, as you know, Deputy Secretary of Defense
Wolfowitz and Under Secretary of State Grossman have visited there and
had good conversations with our Turkish colleagues. We were not there
to tell them that we are ready for a war. We were there to exchange
ideas and exchange views with respect to how to keep the pressure up
on the Iraqi regime so that there is no confusion in the mind of Iraqi
leaders that if we do not find a peaceful solution under 1441 the
international community, I predict, will be unified in using force.
And Secretary Wolfowitz and Secretary Grossman's trips were part of
the continuing dialogue we have with Turkey on that subject. I will
let the Turkish Government speak for itself as to what its position is
(inaudible).
QUESTION: (Inaudible.) What does the United States -- what does the
government expect of the (inaudible) president of the Security Council
of the United Nations? You know, and there are also (inaudible)
bilateral (inaudible).
SECRETARY POWELL: The Government of Colombia has been a very important
partner with us in the Security Council in recent months, and I once
again express my appreciation to the cooperation they gave to us in
the negotiation of Resolution 1441. They played a very helpful role, a
responsible role. They just didn't say, you know, "What do you want us
to do?" They asked questions. They wanted to know what our agenda was.
We satisfied them and I was pleased that we received the full support
of Colombia.
I think that as president of the Council for this month, we will see
that same kind of responsible role. Some important issues will be
coming to the Council in the month of December and I would fully
expect that the Council will have to deal with the Iraqi declaration.
And what we expect from the presidency (inaudible) is to make sure
that when the report comes forward as to what is in the declaration we
have an open, full, comprehensive debate on the nature of the
declaration, whether the declaration meets any reasonable standard of
accuracy and it is forthcoming: Does it represent a sincere effort on
the part of the Iraqi to tell the world what they are supposed to tell
the world about their weapons of mass destruction?
We have every reason to be skeptical -- Iraq has lied repeatedly in
the past -- and we will approach this with a skeptical attitude, but
nevertheless with an open mind. And we know that Colombia will
dispatch its responsibilities as president of the Council (inaudible).
QUESTION: (Inaudible.) Mr. Secretary, as you come to Colombia, I
believe (inaudible) receive a massive amount of U.S. support, as well
as money and some personnel. Does that kind of give you pause or
concern, especially in a place that, with narcotics, we've seen coming
from the (inaudible)?
SECRETARY POWELL: No, I don't see this in Vietnam terms. I don't see
this as a movement from another country such as North Vietnam that has
roots in ideological differences and national and Cold War
confrontation.
This is a case where groups within Colombia are trying to overthrow
democratically elected governments by attacking them, by growing
narcotics. Narcotics have come to the United States and we have much
of the responsibility for the problem as anyone in Colombia. We have
more responsibility for this problem because we provide the demand for
those narcotics. So we have also threatened, by our demand, Colombian
democracy.
But we should not try to romanticize these groups into some sort of
triumphant freedom fighters. They're terrorists. And for years they
have tried to undercut the hope of the Colombian people to have a
government that focuses its energy, that focuses its resources, its
treasure, on economic development, on education, on health care, but
instead it has to divert those resources to fight terrorists and fight
narco-trafficking.
The Colombian people have been denied the right to use the resources
of their country to develop a democratic country with a free
enterprise system where we can take care of peasantry, take care of
all the people in Colombia, but instead they're fighting terrorist
organizations.
It's a good -- indeed, it is very good that the President has taken on
this challenge. He has not stepped back from it, but has said he will
give it his full attention in his administration. We are pleased to
help him. We want to see other nations around the world help Colombia.
The Europeans can do a lot more. They're committed to do a lot more
but we need to see their checks show up. And we'll be working with the
Europeans in that regard, as well.
I don't see a parallel even though the helicopters are remarkably
familiar.
QUESTION: (Via interpreter.) President Uribe, the President of our
country, has insisted on more assistance to Colombia. What might that
assistance be?
SECRETARY POWELL: Without being more specific, I would have to ask
that you direct your question to President Uribe. But I can tell you
that he has made it clear to us that he is deeply appreciative of the
assistance we have been providing under Plan Colombia, the assistance
we have been providing through the Andean Trade Preference and Drug
Eradication Act, our desire to create free trade zones in our part of
the world.
He had additional ideas about how we could provide support for
economic development and security programs. I would like to be able to
get a lot more funding for Plan Colombia but, as you know, there are
limits to what the United States is able to do within our own country
and around the world.
And so I go back with a better understanding of what he needs. I know
that he would like to see more resources come to Colombia, and I will
try to make that case before our Congress but there are practical
limitations to how much money can be funded.
QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Secretary Powell, what response, Mr.
Secretary, did the Government of Colombia give to the request for
immunity for U.S. personnel and military and civilians?
SECRETARY POWELL: We did discuss what is called Article 98 of the
International Criminal Court, the Rome statute. As you know, the
United States is not a member of the Court. We have not ratified that
statute and won't be ratifying it, Colombia has.
The statute provides for Article 98 agreements with those countries
who do not wish their citizens to be subject to the Court when serving
in other countries. We have asked the Government of Colombia to
provide Article 98 coverage for all American servicemen who are in
Colombia, and they believe, after their examination of it so far, that
they can only do it with respect to respect to official presence.
So we did not resolve that issue. We laid out our respective positions
and I told the President we look forward to continuing this discussion
until we find a solution that is mutually acceptable to both of us.
Thank you.
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S.
Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)