15 April 2003
Democracy Can Work for Muslims, Powell Says
(Secretary of State at Foreign Press Center April 15) (5650)
Democracy can work for Muslims, and there is no reason to fear
democracy in the Middle East, Secretary of State Colin Powell says.
Speaking to reporters at the Foreign Press Center in Washington April
15, Powell said: "I hope that people throughout that part of the world
will realize the benefits that come when you have a democratic form of
government that is responsive to the needs of the people, uses the
wealth of the country to benefit the people. I hope that that will
become a more and more attractive political system throughout the
region, as it is in many other parts of the world. There should be no
reason that we should be fearful of democracy in the Middle East or in
the Gulf region. But each nation will have to find its own way."
He said he hopes that democracy in a Muslim society such as Turkey --
and soon in Iraq -- would set an example for all the countries of the
Middle East and the Persian Gulf.
Despite serious concerns about weapons of mass destruction in Syria
and Iran, the United States has no plans for further military action
in the region, Powell said.
"We have concerns about Syria.... We also have concerns about some of
the policies of Iran. ... But there is no list, there is no war plan
right now to go attack someone else, either for the purpose of
overthrowing their leadership or for the purpose of imposing
democratic values," he said.
The secretary said the United States has no wish "to be the policeman
of the world." President Bush's agenda, Powell said, is "to help
people to a better life." He noted that that agenda includes a $5
billion-a-year increase in U.S. foreign aid planned under the
Millennium Challenge Account, $15 billion more for HIV/AIDS, free
trade agreements with nations throughout the world, and getting the
Doha Round of World Trading Organization negotiations moving.
Powell pointed out that although the United States in the past 12
years has played the role of "policeman" in a number of areas for a
time, it has not imposed itself on those areas. In Kuwait, Kosovo, and
Afghanistan, he said, the United States has been willing to work with
"like-minded members of coalitions" and to help rebuild and set up
governments under the leadership of local people.
Powell said the United Nations "remains an important organization" and
will play a role in the reconstruction and the rebuilding of Iraq.
"The U.N. cannot solve every problem that is brought before it," he
said. "But the U.N. will remain relevant."
With respect to the "road map" for resolving the Israeli-Palestinian
conflict, Powell said the United States hopes to release it in another
week or so, when the Palestinian Authority's new prime minister, Abu
Mazen, is expected to have his cabinet confirmed. "And we hope that
both parties will use this road map as a way of reaching the vision
that the president laid out in his speech of 24 June last year, and
that also is the vision that was laid out by the Arab League nations,
following on the initiative of Crown Prince Abdullah of Saudi Arabia,"
he said.
An essential part of the road map will be to deal with the issue of
Israeli settlements, he said. "We understand that, and we know that
the Israeli government understands that," the secretary said. "Our
position with respect to settlements is quite clear. That has to come
to an end."
(begin transcript)
Foreign Press Center Briefing
Secretary Colin L. Powell
National Press Building
Washington, DC
April 15, 2003
(11:45 a.m. EDT)
MR.DENIG: Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the Foreign
Press Center, and welcome also to journalists gathered in the New York
Foreign Press Center. It is a distinct honor and privilege to welcome
today to our podium someone who needs no introduction, Secretary of
State Colin Powell. Delighted to have you, sir.
SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you very much, Paul. And thank you for no
introduction. It speeds things up.
It's a great pleasure to be here at the Press Center, and especially
to also be available to the Press Center in New York, and I hope to
come back here on a more frequent basis in the months ahead.
Today is an important day. Not only are we are watching coalition
forces bring the military part of this campaign to an end, we entered
a new phase of the history of Iraq at the ziggurat of Ur, a famous
place where perhaps civilization started. And at that location earlier
today, dozens and dozens, up to a hundred, Iraqi representatives came
together representing every part of Iraq, and they began a discussion
about their future, a future that will be free of tyranny, a future
that will be free of dictators, a future that will be based on
democracy, a future that will be in the hands of a government, that
will be committed to values that the Iraqi people hold dear as human
beings who want to live in freedom and who want to live under
representative government.
The United States is pleased that as a result of the work of American
armed forces, as well as the armed forces of so many other coalition
members, we were able to bring this day to the people of Iraq.
In the weeks ahead, more such meetings will be held and, as a result
of these meetings, leadership will be identified, an interim authority
will be created, and that interim authority will grow into a new
government for the people of Iraq.
And so this is a day of hope. It is also a day where coalition forces,
while battling remaining remnants of the Iraqi regime, are also
focusing their attention on humanitarian aid, putting hospitals back
in working order. A number of our coalition partners plan to bring in
field hospitals into Iraq in the next -- over the next several days to
take care of the people of Iraq, where General Jay Garner and his
people are preparing to deploy into Iraq and begin the process of
rebuilding ministries.
And so as one phase of this operation starts to wind down, another
phase begins, a phase that really is the important phase, the phase
that will put in place a government of a nation that intends in the
future to live in peace with its neighbors, to use the wealth of that
nation for the benefit of the people of that nation, and a nation that
will no longer be pursuing terrorism, and no longer be putting people
in prison, will no longer be raping, will no longer be threatening its
neighbors, weapons of mass destruction gone.
I think it is a moment of hope for not only the people of Iraq, but
for the people of the region and the people of the world. And I would
be delighted to take your questions.
MR. DENIG: Use your microphone, please, introduce yourself and your
news organization. We'll start right over here.
QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, the international community,
clearly and unfortunately, was unable to resolve the Iraqi crisis
through the UN. We generated a lot of talks about how important and
relevant the UN actually is. Richard Perle, for example, says that the
organization will sink with Saddam Hussein's regime.
As the chief foreign policy advisor to U.S. President, do you think
the UN is still relevant and important from the point of view of
prevention of military conflicts, not only humanitarian assistance,
and do you think the organization needs to be reformed?
SECRETARY POWELL: The UN remains an important organization. The
President and other leaders in the coalition -- Prime Minister Blair,
President Aznar, Prime Minister Berlusconi and many others, Prime
Minister Howard of Australia -- have all indicated that they believe
the UN has a role to play as we go forward in the reconstruction and
the rebuilding of Iraq.
The UN did come together last fall when it passed Resolution 1441 by a
unanimous vote. It took seven weeks of hard negotiations to do that,
from the President's speech on the 12th of September to 1441 on the
8th of November. So it could come together.
Where we were unable to go forward, however, is that when it was clear
that Saddam Hussein was not complying with his obligations under 1441
and other resolutions, many other resolutions over a 12-year period,
the Security Council could not agree to come together on a second
resolution that would have led to serious consequences.
Nevertheless, we believe that the authority that the UN had provided
in 1441 and earlier resolutions gave a willing coalition more than
adequate authority to impose those serious consequences, and you know
the rest of the story.
So the UN cannot deal with every situation that comes along when there
were strongly held points of view, different points of view. We've
seen this before. We saw it in Kosovo a few years ago. The UN cannot
solve every problem that is brought before it. And I would hope that
the Security Council and the UN leadership would examine perhaps other
ways of dealing with situations like this as they come along.
But the UN will remain relevant. It does many important things around
the world every day. The United Nations has paid its -- the United
States has paid its arrears to the United Nations. We have put in
place our effort to rejoin UNESCO, and we believe the UN has an
important role to play in the future.
QUESTION: And, Mr. Secretary, the rhetoric seems to be ratcheted up
against Syria, and accusing it of maintaining weapons of mass
destruction, chemical weapons. The Syrians responded by saying that
let's make the Middle East a WMD-free zone. Do you welcome such a
proposition, and can you see a situation where Israel will accede to
such a proposition?
And on the roadmap, sir, do you believe that Sharon's response will
help the roadmap or will hinder it? Is it designed to circumvent it?
Thank you, sir.
SECRETARY POWELL: On the second question, with respect to the roadmap,
as the President has said clearly, now that we have a new Israeli
Government in place, and now that we are close to having a Prime
Minister of the Palestinian Authority appointed and confirmed by the
PLC -- and we hope that will happen some time in the next week or so.
When Abu Mazen is confirmed by a vote of confidence by the PLC, we
will release the roadmap as it was written last November, as it was
finalized last -- excuse me -- last December.
And we hope that both parties will use this roadmap as a way of
reaching the vision that the President laid out in his speech of 24
June last year. And that also is the vision that was laid out by the
Arab League nations following on the initiative of Crown Prince
Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.
With respect to Syria, the issues that we have raised in recent days
with respect to Syria's development of weapons of mass destruction --
and you specifically mentioned chemical weapons -- are issues we have
raised with Syria repeatedly over the years. We are concerned about
Syria's development of these kinds of weapons. We are concerned about
Syria's continuing support of terrorist organizations. And, in recent
weeks, we have been concerned about the flow of material across the
Syrian border into Iraq, as well as the flow of individuals back and
forth across the Syrian-Iraq border. Some of these individuals went
from Syria into Iraq to oppose coalition forces.
And we also have concerns, which we have expressed rather directly and
forcefully to the Syrians, over the fact that some Iraqi officials who
are guilty of crimes, or at least strongly suspected of crimes, may be
seeking haven in Syria.
We don't believe Syria should find this in their interest to give
refuge, to give haven to these sorts of individuals, who should be
returned to Iraq to face the justice that will be meted out by the
Iraqi people. And we will make these points to Syria strongly.
We hope that Syria understands now that there is a new environment in
the region with the end of the regime of Saddam Hussein, and that
Syria will reconsider its policies of past years and understand that
there are better choices it can make than the choices it has made in
the past.
With respect to weapons of mass destruction, it has always been U.S.
policy that we would like to see that whole region free of weapons of
mass destruction.
QUESTION: And the roadmap? Can I follow up on the roadmap?
SECRETARY POWELL: Follow up on the roadmap. Yes.
MR. DENIG: Introduce yourself, please, and use the microphone.
QUESTION: Thank you. Sir, the Israelis said that they presented to you
their modification on the roadmap. Have you received anything from the
other side, from the Palestinians? And is it still open for change?
You have told us before that it is not negotiable.
And now on the settlements, on the settlements, as part of the
roadmap, eh?
SECRETARY POWELL: The what?
QUESTION: On the settlements, which is part of the roadmap, we see the
Israelis are --the activities of building settlements is really very
high. We saw it on television. We saw reports. So what is your remarks
on the settlements?
SECRETARY POWELL: With respect to the roadmap, as I said a moment or
two ago, the roadmap will be released to the parties after Mr. Abu
Mazen is confirmed, and it will be the roadmap draft that was finished
last December.
The Israelis have provided us some preliminary comments to the
roadmap. And we expect that after the roadmap has been formally
released we will receive additional comments from the Israeli side,
and we also expect at that time to receive comments from the Prime
Minister of the Palestinian Authority.
These are comments that will come in. They will be considered by the
Quartet. But, really, these are comments that both sides have to begin
to discuss with each other and share with each other.
This is going to be a very difficult process, but I believe progress
can be made if both sides enter this roadmap process with an
understanding of the needs of the other side and with a good faith
effort to use the new situation in the Palestinian Authority, a new
leadership under the direction of Mr. Abu Mazen, and with a newly
elected Government of Israel, we have a new opportunity, an
opportunity, I think, that is enhanced by what has happened by the
removal of the dictatorship of Saddam Hussein.
So we have a real chance now to get some progress. And part of that
progress and part of the roadmap, an essential part of the roadmap,
will be to deal with the issue of settlements. We understand that and
we know that the Israeli Government understands that. And we will see
how that works itself out.
Our position with respect to settlements is quite clear: That has to
come to an end.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, what kind of a role, or roles, do you
envision for Turkey, your coalition partner, in political
restructuring of Iraq?
SECRETARY POWELL: First of all, I'd like to say that in recent weeks
we've been very pleased at the cooperation we have received from
Turkey with respect to allowing humanitarian supplies and allowing
supplies for our troops to move across Turkey and over the border in a
very expeditious manner. I discussed this with the Turkish leadership
when I was in Ankara two weeks ago, and I have had almost daily
conversations with Foreign Minister Gul to make sure that our
cooperation is solid. And that also paid off in that we were able to
satisfy Turkish concerns about Northern Iraq, thereby not requiring
any incursion on the part of Turkish forces.
We will keep in very close touch with Turkish authorities as to
political developments in Iraq, and I think as this process of
meetings continues, with the first one today, there will be an
opportunity for all of Iraq's neighbors to provide suggestions and
input to that process. I won't prejudge now who might play a more
active or less active role. At the meeting today, there were about
five coalition countries that were represented at the meeting at Ur,
and I expect that other coalition countries will have an opportunity
to play in the development of the new government of Iraq.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, could you clarify, once and for all, whether
the war against terrorism affects not only terrorism in the United
States, but also against the largest democracy, India. Because I know
India has already introduced a dialogue. Now, dialogue has been tried
for 50 years. The reason it failed is that there are two fundamental
ideas of how the state should be run. And also, when one side wants to
annex the territory that belongs to another state, with an integral
part of India, and dialogue is not -- I mean, what purpose is the
dialogue?
SECRETARY POWELL: We believe that terrorism is terrorism. And it is
not just an American phenomenon; it is a curse on the face of
civilization and it affects nations throughout the world. We have
condemned terrorist attacks across the line of control on the
subcontinent, and we will continue to do so.
We will continue to work with the Government of Pakistan and the
Government of India as we move forward, and we will continue to do
everything we can to lower the temperature in that part of the world,
and to see whether or not opportunities can be created for the two
sides to enter into a dialogue.
Dialogue has been difficult over the years. But to solve this kind of
a problem, I think dialogue is the right solution, and a resort to
force would not be the appropriate solution.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, on North Korea?
SECRETARY POWELL: North Korea?
QUESTION: I talk Egypt.
SECRETARY POWELL: Okay. We'll come to you next.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, a lot of fears have been made about who is
next. And some people believed to be close with the administration
said that the regimes backing Cairo and in Saudi Arabia should be
nervous right now. How do you address that point? And does the U.S.
has a plan to spread a set of values at gunpoint, in your view, at
this point?
Thank you, sir.
SECRETARY POWELL: No, of course not. The President has spoken clearly
about this, as recently as two days ago, over the weekend. We have
concerns about Syria. We have let Syria let know of our concerns. We
also have concerns about some of the policies of Iran. We have made
the Iranians fully aware of our concerns.
But there is no list. There is no war plan right now to go attack
someone else, either for the purpose of overthrowing their leadership
or for the purpose of imposing democratic values.
Democratic values have to ultimately come from within a society and
within a nation because they believe that's the best way for them to
move forward. But, you know, we will see how this develops in the
various countries of the Middle East and the Persian Gulf in the
months and years ahead.
I hope that with the example of Turkey as a democratic nation, and
with a new example now of Iraq as a democratic nation -- two strong
Muslim nations -- showing that democracy is not something that has to
be alien to Muslims and can work for Muslims, I hope that people
throughout that part of the world will realize the benefits that come
when you have a democratic form of government that is responsive to
the needs of the people, uses the wealth of the country to benefit the
people, I hope that that will become a more and more attractive
political system throughout the region, as it is in many other parts
of the world.
There should be no reason that we should be fearful of democracy in
the Middle East or in the Gulf region, but each nation will have to
find its own way. And Iraq was a unique case where it wasn't just a
matter of a dictator being there; it was a dictator terrorizing his
people, raping and pillaging his own people, wasting his treasure;
but, beyond that, invading his neighbors and threatening the whole
world with weapons of mass destruction and supporting terrorists
activities and creating a nexus between weapons of mass destruction
and terrorism, and totally ignoring the role of the international
community that told him to get rid of these weapons for a period of 12
years. And that's what led us to this point. But from this point on,
the people of Iraq have a much more hopeful future to look forward to.
MR. DENIG: We can take the North Korea question.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, there seems to be some hopeful sounds coming
out of your administration and North Korea on a settlement there. Do
you think that there is likely to be a meeting soon between the
administration and North Korea? And what sort of forum do you expect
to attend? And how much do you think this is a flow-on from what
happened in Iraq?
SECRETARY POWELL: Very good. You're trying to get it all at once,
aren't you? (Laughter.)
As you noticed from weekend commentary, there has been some overall
improvement, I think, in the prospects for a dialogue with North
Korea. We have made it clear from the very beginning of this situation
that we believe that this was a problem not just between the North
Koreans and the United States, but between the North Koreans, the
United States and its neighbors, and we wanted to approach this in a
multilateral way.
The North Koreans indicated last Friday, I think it was, that forum
was not as important as a dialogue beginning. And so we are -- we are
following up on that statement in diplomatic channels. And I think, as
many of you know, long before that statement we were pursuing ways of
moving forward on a multilateral -- on a multilateral basis.
The Russians also made a statement last week that I think was helpful.
And I think, obviously, with the end of the conflict in Iraq, people
might have taken note of that as well. So I think a lot of pieces have
come together.
But we will be following all of these ideas through diplomatic
channels. And I am not prepared to announce anything today with
respect to meetings, attendance levels, what is multilateral, and how
best to get started, and at what level. All of these are issues we are
going to be discussing with our friends.
The one thing that is absolutely clear is that at whatever level it
starts, and with whatever attendance, it has to ultimately encompass
the views and thoughts of all of the neighbors in the region.
QUESTION: When the Congress passed the supplemental, they conditioned
the release of $1 billion grant to Turkey on Turkey's cooperation in
Iraq, and named you personally as the authority to decide on that
cooperation. Once the President signs the bill, what would your
inclination be, sir? Would you wait to see how Turkey is cooperating
in the region, or would you give a go-ahead immediately for the
release?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I haven't made a decision about that. It's not
just a matter of cooperation; it's also a matter of what the need is
at that time. So we will get an appropriation, and then, while working
with my colleagues within the administration, Department of Treasury
and others, and consulting with international financial institutions,
we'll get a judgment of what Turkey's needs would be. Because the $1
billion is going to be used to leverage, leverage up a larger amount
of money.
There is no secret to the fact that we were very disappointed last
month when the Turkish parliament was unable to act on what we believe
was a very important request. The Turkish Government was also
disappointed. They took it to their parliament at our request, and we
didn't get the vote we had hoped for.
That disappointment is real, but it is now also history and we're
moving forward. And I think the relationship that we have with Turkey
is strong and solid. We've been allies for many, many years, and the
$1 billion will be used in a way that will help Turkey to develop its
economy. And the level of cooperation that we have seen in the last
few weeks has been quite, quite satisfactory, and I would certainly
take that into account, but I can't tell you now what judgment I might
make once I have the funds available to me.
QUESTION: Thank you sir. One of the resolutions, UN resolution, that
was used as a legal justification for the war against Iraq was 687.
Article 14 from that resolution calls upon all countries in the area
to get rid of their weapons, a Middle East free of weapons of mass
destruction. The President has said it very clearly that United States
administration is determined to stop the spread of weapons of mass
destruction the day before yesterday.
The Arab people don't stop wondering, while you are piling up the
pressure on Syria, Israel, nobody says a word about it. Even now when
you were asked a question about Israel, you didn't mention it by name;
you said that you would like the area to be free of weapons of mass
destructions.
Is the United States administration willing to ask Israel to submit to
international inspections? I'm sure you would like Syria to do that.
Would you mind or would you accept that Israel should also submit
itself to international inspection for weapons of mass destructions?
SECRETARY POWELL: We would like to see a region that is free of all
weapons of mass destruction, to repeat what I said earlier. And I hope
that if we can move forward with a comprehensive peace process that
leads to a comprehensive solution that creates a Palestinian state
living side by side in peace with the Jewish state, Israel, and
ultimately have that comprehensive solution reach out and touch
Lebanon and Syria, then I think a lot of pieces will begin to fall in
place with respect to what people's various needs are. But right now,
we will just continue to say that we believe that the entire region
should be free of weapons of mass destruction.
QUESTION: One on Cuba?
SECRETARY POWELL: Well, we have this gentleman.
QUESTION: (Inaudible.) How would you characterize the relationship
between the United States (inaudible) administration (inaudible)
visit? And where do you see them going? How can they improve where
they are?
SECRETARY POWELL: I think where we're going is to a postponement of
the visit and we'll schedule the visit a little bit later on in the
year. So, we had to cancel this date. We haven't canceled the visit.
It's been put off. I hope it will be rescheduled in the early fall
period.
Obviously, we were disappointed in the initial Canadian response to
the conflict, but I am confident that now that we are in the
reconstruction and humanitarian phase, that Canada is in a unique
position to provide assistance, financial or other forms of
assistance, and I look forward to working with my colleague, Foreign
Minister Bill Graham, and I know that the President looks forward to
working with Mr. Chretien as we move into the future.
Canada and the United States are, frankly, inseparable. We occupy this
one huge land along with our neighbors to the south in Mexico. And
differences will come along, disagreements will come along, but our
two nations are bound strongly by common values, by common history and
a common lineage, so we will get over whatever disappointments have
existed in recent weeks.
QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, I have a question on Cuba. Can you give us an
assessment of what is your advice to the countries that are near to
both in terms of the human rights situation in Cuba, especially to
Mexico that has been too close to the Cuban Government?
And a quick second question. There is some countries that are calling
the United States the "police of the world." Do you agree with that?
SECRETARY POWELL: First of all, with respect to Cuba, it has always
had a horrible human rights record. And rather than improving as we go
into the 21st century, it's getting worse.
I mean, when you look at what they have done in recent weeks and
recent months with respect to stifling dissent, with respect to
arresting people and sentencing them to long years in prison, in jail,
just for expressing a point of view that is different from that of
Fidel Castro, it should be an outrage to everyone. It should be an
outrage to every leader in this hemisphere, every leader in this
world.
And for those nations of the Western Hemisphere who are committed to
what we call, "The Community of Democracies," 34 of the 35 nations in
this hemisphere have signed on to this basic set of principles with
respect to democracy. Only Cuba is outside of this sphere of
democracy.
I think that their actions are condemnable, but we should not be
surprised. That has been the patter and the history of Fidel Castro's
Cuba for many, many years. And once again, he has demonstrated vividly
to us the nature of his regime and I hope it will be well noted by all
of the nations in the region, as well as those nations who will be
participating in Geneva at the Human Rights Commission meeting when
appropriate votes are held.
With respect to the United States being the policemen of the world, we
do not wish to be the policemen of the world. When you look at our
agenda and when you look at what the President has committed his
administration to -- $5 billion a year more for aid under the
Millennium Challenge Account, $15 billion a year more, $15 billion
more for HIV/AIDS, Free Trade Agreements with nations throughout the
world, getting the Doha round of World Trading Organization
negotiations moving -- his agenda is one to help people to a better
life. His agenda is one to work with friends and alliances throughout
the world. But at the same time, the President's agenda is one that is
based on principles, one that's based on a foreign policy that rests
on not only our value system and our democratic political system and
our strong economy, but our military force when we have a need for it.
We do not seek war. We do not look for wars. We don't need wars. We
don't want wars. But we will not be afraid to fight them when those
wars are necessary to protect the American people, to protect our
interests, to protect our friends. And when you look at where we have
been "a policeman" for the last 12 years, is there one of those
countries that we have imposed ourselves? Has one of those countries
become an American colony? Has one of those countries become an
American state?
Kuwait, we went there in 1991 to free a country, a Muslim country that
had been invaded by another Muslim country. In Kosovo, we helped
Muslim people. In Afghanistan we had to go after terrorism, and we
did, and put down the Taliban, and we're still working to get all the
remaining elements of the Taliban and the al-Qaida rounded up in
Afghanistan. And what did we then do? We put in place a system that
would allow President Karzai to start to rebuild an Afghan society and
an Afghan Government and an Afghan economy. And we rallied the
international community to help Afghanistan.
And now here, in Iraq, 17, 18 resolutions, whatever the number is
condemning this regime, finding this regime guilty; and the regime
said: We don't care what the international community thinks. We're
going to continue to terrorize people, we're going to continue to use
our oil wells -- not to build hospitals and schools -- we're going to
use our oil wells to build weapons of mass destruction and to deprive
people that we don't like in our own country.
And, finally, the United States was willing to step up and say this
cannot continue, and led a willing coalition into Operation Iraqi
Freedom. And so if this is what somebody would characterize negatively
as policemen of the world, it was when a policeman was needed. And we
were willing to do it with if likeminded members of coalitions that
went into these places.
And what did we do when we had finished our work? We tried to leave
those places, and have left those places better than we found them and
under leadership of their own people. And this is not just a recent
phenomenon for the United States. This is always the way we have done
it. And just look at our record over the last 50 or 60 years of what
we have done in the aftermath of conflict, and it a proud record that
all Americans and all freedom loving people throughout the world
should be proud of.
Thank you.
MR. DENIG: Thank you very much, Mr. Secretary. Thank you, ladies and
gentleman.
(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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