Military

04 March 2005

State Department Briefing, March 4

Lebanon/Syria, Iraq/Syria, Azerbaijan, South Africa, Cuba, Northern Ireland, Venezuela, Mexico, East Asia/Pacific Region, China, Israel/Palestinians, Turkey, Iran/IAEA

State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher briefed the press March 4.

Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing.

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Friday, March 4, 2005
12:40 p.m. EST

Briefer: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

LEBANON/SYRIA
-- U.S. Reaction to Syria's Position on Withdrawal of Forces
-- U.S. Options and Actions to Support Lebanon's Government
-- Status of U.S. Ambassador and Contact with U.S. Embassy in Damascus
-- UN Efforts to Compel Withdrawal of Syrian Forces

IRAQ/SYRIA
-- Allegations that Russian Forces Moved WMDs From Iraq to Syria

AZERBAIJAN
-- Murder of Journalist/Bilateral Relations

SOUTH AFRICA
-- Readout of Secretary's Meeting with South Africa's Foreign Minister

CUBA
-- Detaining Cuban Cardinal Ortega at Miami Airport

NORTHERN IRELAND
-- Procedures for Visa Waivers/St. Patrick's Day Plans in U.S.

VENEZUELA
-- President Chavez's Remarks in India/Assistant Secretary Noriega's Congressional Statements
-- Oil Export Policy

MEXICO
-- Secretary Rice's Travel to Mexico

EAST ASIA/PACIFIC REGION
-- Question on Schedule for Secretary Rice's Travel

CHINA
-- Secretary Rice's Telephone Conversation with China's Foreign Minister
-- Cross-Strait Talks/Hong Kong's Basic Law and Democracy Issues

ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
-- Political Developments in Palestinian Authority and London Conference

TURKEY
-- Unused Loan Guarantee

IRAN/IAEA
-- Update on Nuclear Program and IAEA Meeting

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

FRIDAY, MARCH 4, 2005
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

12:40 p.m. EST

MR. BOUCHER: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. It's a pleasure to be here. I don't have any statements or announcements, so I would be glad to take your questions.

QUESTION: The President said this morning that a partial withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon is unacceptable. What is the -- what would be acceptable and how long will it take?

MR. BOUCHER: Resolution 1559 says immediately, it says withdrawal, and it says Lebanon free from all foreign interference. So that's what we're looking for.

QUESTION: What about a phased withdrawal?

MR. BOUCHER: Immediately, full withdrawal. That's what we're looking for.

QUESTION: Is a full withdrawal all at once really realistic and the best thing for Lebanon?

MR. BOUCHER: It's the best thing for Lebanon. Lebanon needs to be allowed to live on its own.

QUESTION: What's the U.S. reaction to the recent letter of the editor of the opposition journal --

QUESTION: Can we stay on Syria?

MR. BOUCHER: Okay, we'll stay on Syria for a while. We'll come back to you, okay?

Nicholas.

QUESTION: Richard, the British have been talking today about some sort of international monitors, which is a subject that was touched on in London the other day. Do you have more specific ideas about what sort of international monitors there might be? Are Americans going to be included in that?

MR. BOUCHER: I think first of all, let's not start focusing right away on one particular possibility that one particular nation or person might have raised. There are a number of things that we can look at in order to support the Lebanese Government. The goal is to allow -- is to help the Lebanese Government and the Lebanese people have a government that extends throughout the country that can have political and security control of the country.

The Secretary has emphasized one of the first goals in that regard is to let the Lebanese have a free and fair election so you have a new government that comes in with political authority from the people, from the election. And I think that's what you see happening in the streets of Lebanon as well, is the people of Lebanon showing that they want political authority for their nation.

And we will all look at ways to support the election. We'll look at ways to help the Lebanese Government extend its authority. We're starting to do that. As you know, we've had some conversations already with political directors between Ambassador Burns -- Bill Burns acting as our political director -- and the French after the meeting between the Secretary and Foreign Minister Barnier. The United Nations Special Envoy for Lebanon, I think he is, Terje Larsen, is in town today. We're taking the opportunity to see him, talk to him a little bit, about how he views the situation in Lebanon. We're having continuing exchanges with other governments. The Secretary has talked to Foreign Minister Barnier again today on the phone and we're in touch with various other governments as well about the situation in Lebanon.

So we're going to try to keep talking and work out with other members of the international community the kinds of things that we might do to support the extension of Lebanese Government authority over the country. And that's a process that we're working on, but I don't have any sort of bill of particulars yet. I don't think it's quite time yet for us or any others to focus on the particulars until we've really had more extensive consultations.

QUESTION: Are you discussing any sort of monitoring of the withdrawal of the Syrian troops?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm sure there are many things that need to be discussed, but I don't have any list of particulars. I don't want to focus on any particular element that might or might not be appropriate.

QUESTION: I'm asking because what you've been talking about so far is once the Syrian troops leave so -- and the British, as far as I've seen today, have been talking about something to be in place before or as the Syrians withdraw.

MR. BOUCHER: We'll talk to the British about any ideas that they have, but at this point I think it's too early for any of us to start focusing on particular elements of this.

Elise.

QUESTION: Two questions. I know that you said 1559 calls for immediate withdrawal. But have you, with the French or yourselves, given the Syrians a deadline by which they have to complete the full withdrawal? I mean, to say immediately, it still would take a certain amount of time.

MR. BOUCHER: Immediately.

QUESTION: But, I mean, it's not going to -- immediately doesn't mean it's going to happen, you know, kind of one, two, three. I mean, there has to -- is there a date by which you'd like to --

MR. BOUCHER: It could happen one, two, three. Why not? One, two, three.

QUESTION: You haven't given --

MR. BOUCHER: You start, you continue and you finish. That's one, two, three. That's immediately. That's what we're looking for.

QUESTION: Okay. After the Israelis pulled out of the border with Lebanon, Secretary Albright had called for the Lebanese military to take authority of the area and kind of noted some disappointment that they weren't able to assert more control. I mean, are you confident that the Lebanese military will be able to do that in this -- will be able to assert control in this case?

MR. BOUCHER: I think as I tried to explain before, there are a number of elements to Lebanese Government control and we all need to look at how we can help the Lebanese Government extend its control, its authority, throughout the country. But that's not just military. That's the political process, the election, the legitimacy of an elected Lebanese government, the political arrangements worked out between the various groups and parties. A lot of things involved in that: monitoring what happens, how it goes, those kinds of things. And to the extent that we can help with that, we will and we're talking to others and we'll be talking to a variety of other nations about how the international community could help with that. Part of that is certainly the army extending its control.

QUESTION: Sorry, I just have one -- sorry --

(Cell phone rings.)

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah.

QUESTION: One more.

(Laughter.)

(Rings.)

MR. BOUCHER: We have a question on line one?

(Laughter.)

QUESTION: Sorry about that. Sorry about that.

Yesterday, Saudi Crown Prince Abdallah told the Syrian President that Saudi Arabia would like to see Syria -- (rings) -- that's not me -- (laughter) -- Syria get out of Lebanon right away. You also saw the Egyptian Government and other Arab Foreign Ministers. Is this part of a concerted effort with the United States and France and other countries? Have you been talking to them directly about passing this kind of message?

MR. BOUCHER: There have been a variety of nations that have spoken out in addition to the United States and France, as we did the other day in London with the Secretary and Foreign Minister Barnier. I think the Arab League Foreign Ministers were meeting yesterday in Cairo. We saw some statements there. We've seen reports of statements made in Saudi Arabia, too.

These are important. The international community, having spoken through Resolution 1559 at the United Nations Security Council, is reiterating in a variety of different ways to Syria that this resolution is important, it needs to be respected, it needs to be heeded. And that's what we're looking for.

But I think you also have to remember that the core of this is that the Lebanese people have stood up and said we want control of our country, and that's where you have a lot of momentum being created and that's where you have a real expression of the need for Syria to withdraw and let the Lebanese control their own future.

QUESTION: Anything on the recall of the U.S. Ambassador? Have you had any discussions with Damascus about that or any timetable for her return?

MR. BOUCHER: No, nothing new, no timetable, no discussions. We've continued to have discussions with Damascus about the problems. We've had -- I think I cited yesterday -- a meeting at the Foreign Ministry two days ago with our Chargé, but no discussion of return.

Said.

QUESTION: Richard, the Russian Foreign Minister just said that 1559 does not call for a specific timetable. I don't know whether you addressed this issue or not, but do you expect the Syrians to come up with a very definite, definitive kind of timetable for withdrawal?

MR. BOUCHER: We expect them to withdraw --

QUESTION: So if --

QUESTION: Period.

QUESTION: Just let me follow up. If they said we can withdraw in two months or three months, will that be acceptable?

MR. BOUCHER: That's where we started this briefing. I said immediately 12 times. I'll say it 12 more times if you want me to, but --

QUESTION: That's all right. Okay.

MR. BOUCHER: Immediately. That's what the resolution says. That's what we expect them to do.

QUESTION: Have you heard anything from the Saudi authorities on the talks with the Lebanese -- with the Syrian president?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know if we have at this point, but whatever they want to report on their talks with the Syrians, I would leave it to them to report.

QUESTION: And what stage, Richard, do you think that the Security Council must come back again and tell Syria in one voice that, you know, that they have to withdraw?

MR. BOUCHER: I think the Security Council has spoken and has spoken very clearly. And we know that even those who might not have voted for that resolution at the time see it as a legitimate Security Council resolution that needs to be implemented and are making that point in public as well.

So it's clear what the Security Council has said. It's clear what many people are saying. As I said, it's very, very clear what the Lebanese people are saying. And that's where I think -- I don't know that another Security Council resolution is needed for that. Now, there may be developments that require further resolutions, but at this point, for that purpose, no, I don't see that.

James.

QUESTION: Richard, granted, you have said "Immediately" 12 times today and President Bush has been escalating his statements on the subject, too. I mean, he's saying "Get out," literally, using the words "get out." From your vantage point, from the government's vantage point, have you seen any sign that these exhortations are being followed by the Syrians or that there's any receptivity to them?

MR. BOUCHER: The only thing I can tell you is they haven't withdrawn. There are a variety of reports, there have been various statements by the Syrians, but they haven't withdrawn. That's how, ultimately, we have to judge this.

QUESTION: So you haven't seen any movement on the subject over the last few days from their -- judging from their actions?

MR. BOUCHER: They haven't withdrawn. That's the only thing I'd say objectively.

Okay. Is it on this or something else?

QUESTION: Yes, it's on this.

MR. BOUCHER: Okay.

QUESTION: Richard, there's some internet reports -- a reporter, Charles Smith, is making the rounds of radio stations and he's alleging that prior to the war, about eight months ago, ten months ago before the war, some of the WMDs were moved to Syria and that's why --

MR. BOUCHER: There's nothing new on that subject. I know there were stories like that. We've never -- well, we've -- to the extent we could, we've dealt with that in the past. There's nothing new to say on it.

QUESTION: Well, he's alleging that Soviet Special Forces moved some of the equipment and weapons over to Syria.

MR. BOUCHER: Soviet Special Forces?

QUESTION: Yes.

MR. BOUCHER: Russian?

QUESTION: Russian.

MR. BOUCHER: I think you would have to ask the Russians or the Syrians. I don't have anything new on the subject.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. BOUCHER: Sir.

QUESTION: What's the U.S. reaction to the murder of Mr. Huseinov, editor of an opposition publication, and its implications for Azerbaijan? Is it true that the United States will be assisting in the investigation which was announced yesterday?

MR. ERELI: We had guidance the other day.

MR. BOUCHER: We had guidance the other day. I'm sorry, we're going to have to get you something on that. I don't remember it well enough to tell you right now.

QUESTION: Well, in general --

MR. BOUCHER: Okay?

QUESTION: Your policy towards Azerbaijan, just what's your position?

MR. BOUCHER: Again, we'll have to get you something on that. I can't do it right now.

Okay, sir.

QUESTION: Could you give us a readout of the Secretary's meeting this morning with the South African Foreign Minister, Foreign Minister Zuma, and also particularly how the discussion dealt with the issue of the Zimbabwean elections?

MR. BOUCHER: I'd say, first of all, Foreign Minister Zuma and Secretary Rice had a very good, very friendly discussion. They've known each other for some time and talk to each other comfortably and freely about a number of issues.

They talked about Israeli-Palestinian issues, the conference in London, went through some of the development proposals, the status of our Millennium Challenge Account in trying to help governments, particularly a number of governments in Africa who are trying to develop well. Talked about human rights, talked about Iran, nuclear developments. Pretty wide-ranging. A number of regional issues as well, including some talk about Zimbabwe.

South Africa, and I think the South African Development Community, are sending observers to the election in Zimbabwe on March 31st. The Secretary and Foreign Minister talked about that and talked about the need for those elections to be open and free and fair and for, hopefully, the monitors to contribute to that process.

But we've expressed, I think, our concerns about some of the developments in Zimbabwe that we think make it difficult to have a free and fair election, but we certainly hope it can be, and we welcome South Africa's effort in that regard.

QUESTION: So when South African Government officials, including the President and the Foreign Minister, say they believe this election is going to be free and fair, is that a premature judgment on their part?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, we'll have to see what happens, won't we?

Tammy.

QUESTION: I'd like to ask you about a Cardinal that was stopped when he got to Miami after arriving from Cuba last week, Cardinal Ortega. Apparently, the State Department gave customs officials a list of people to be routinely pulled out of line. Do you have anything on that?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have anything on that. Questions involving the borders need to be asked at Department of Homeland Security, and anything like that you have to address there.

QUESTION: But what about the issue of lists that the State Department provides for them to pull people?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't quite know what you're referring to, but any questions involving the treatment of people at the borders needs to be addressed to Department of Homeland Security.

QUESTION: Did the State Department deny a visa to Gerry Adams to travel to the States for fundraising events related to St. Patrick's Day?

MR. BOUCHER: Let me see where we are on that situation. Let's see. I'm not sure I can go into particular cases, but I would say that anyone with a history of connections to terrorist activities who wants to travel to the United States, we have to do a waiver of the ineligibility for a U.S. visa. And under specific and particular conditions we can do waivers and we have done waivers in the past for Gerry Adams to travel to the United States. But as far as this particular situation right now, I'm afraid I don't have anything for you.

QUESTION: Why wasn't Gerry Adams -- well, I guess it's a White House issue -- but did you not feel that --

MR. BOUCHER: You haven't completed a sentence yet. I'm sorry.

QUESTION: (Laughter.) Why wasn't Gerry Adams invited to the U.S. celebrations this year for --

MR. BOUCHER: I wouldn't be able to answer that. That's a question for the White House. And they have -- I think they're going to host Prime Minister Bertie Ahern to celebrate U.S.-Irish ties and the history of U.S.-Irish relations. So I'll just leave it at that.

Tammy.

QUESTION: I'm sorry. If I can just go back to the Cardinal Ortega issue, which I know you have bucked to DHS. Has the State Department received any complaints from either Cuba or the Vatican about this, the treatment of the Cardinal?

MR. BOUCHER: No.

QUESTION: President Chavez of Venezuela is on a State visit to India, and on arriving there he again threatened to cut off U.S. -- oil exports to the United States. Now, that's in direct contradiction of what his Foreign Minister said last week here. Is the U.S. taking this threat seriously?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have anything to say on that. I think we've seen those kinds of statements before and, as you know, we've seen contradictory statements. I don't have anything to say on it.

QUESTION: Can you --

MR. BOUCHER: I'll leave it to them to explain.

QUESTION: Can you elaborate anymore upon the statement which Assistant Secretary Noriega made up on the Hill, which has been widely --

MR. BOUCHER: I think the answer is no because I'm not quite sure which statement you're referring to, but I'm sure he spoke the truth.

(Laughter.)

QUESTION: Well, he said that he was going to -- that the United States was trying to get -- at least according to press reports, that the United States was trying to get neighboring countries to take a hand in becoming aware of the dangers of the Chavez regime in Venezuela.

MR. BOUCHER: When are you talking about? When was this statement made?

QUESTION: This was a statement before the House Committee or Subcommittee on Hemispheric Relations.

MR. BOUCHER: When?

QUESTION: This -- last week. This week? Earlier this week.

MR. BOUCHER: I'd have to -- I'd have to look at it. I'm not sure there is anything more to say. It's a subject that we have discussed before. We know there's a lot of concern in the region about Venezuela, about democracy in Venezuela, about the kind of people that have been in Venezuela. We know about the situation with Colombia, which I guess they've sort of worked out. But these situations have occurred again and again. There's been a lot of concern in the region about some of the things Venezuela is doing.

QUESTION: Is Secretary Rice going to Mexico next week, I understand?

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah, we've announced a trip.

QUESTION: Yes.

MR. BOUCHER: We put out a piece of paper, last Friday, a week ago today.

QUESTION: Is --

MR. BOUCHER: She's going to Mexico next Thursday.

QUESTION: Is there anything to be said about that trip in relation to Latin American policy generally?

MR. BOUCHER: It'll be a very important trip in relation to Latin American policy generally. (Laughter.)

No, I'd just say, first of all, we have a lot of issues together with the Mexicans to talk about and I think the White House has now announced the U.S.-Mexico-Canada meeting the President will host on the 23rd of the month. So we'll be talking with the Mexican Government about the many, many things that tie the United States and Mexico.

We'll also have a chance, I think, to talk about regional issues and developments in the region which are of great interest to the Secretary as she embarks on her tenure as Secretary of State. She's focusing on the -- on Latin America even as she prepares perhaps to visit in coming months as well as in addition to the trip to the Mexico. Put it that way.

Sir.

QUESTION: I'd just like to stay on Venezuela. Of course the comments from President Chavez might not be believable, but saying this once and twice and many times all over the world wherever he goes, does that create any situations that the United States has been facing with other governments and countries based on his assertions of a possible attack from the United States?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know what to say. I'll leave it to other countries to decide what to make of these statements.

QUESTION: It's not created any hard or difficult situations?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not aware anybody has raised it with us. I'll leave it to others to decide what to make of these statements.

Sir.

QUESTION: Do you have a schedule for Secretary Rice's trip to Asia this month?

MR. BOUCHER: No.

QUESTION: Readout (inaudible) on the telephone conversation between the Secretary of State and the Foreign Minister of China?

MR. BOUCHER: The Secretary did talk to the Foreign Minister of China this morning, early this morning Washington time. They talked about a couple of issues, talked about six-party talks, of course, an area of interest to both of us, talked about the cross-strait situation and talked about human rights issues.

QUESTION: Did she raise the issue of the anti-cessation law that's going to be discussed this weekend?

MR. BOUCHER: That's been a subject of interest to us and one that we have discussed, I think, with the Chinese, but it didn't really come up in conversation today.

QUESTION: What about the arms embargo? Did that come up in this conversation?

MR. BOUCHER: Again, that's not a matter of U.S.-China so much as U.S.-E.U., so it's not -- did not come up. This was a conversation about a couple of particular subjects today.

QUESTION: Any comment on Taiwan's president, Chen Shui-bian warned that he might pass an anti-cessation* law to counter the anti-cessation law?

MR. BOUCHER: I hadn't seen that statement, but I think you all know that our very strongly held views that we've repeated many times is that neither side should take any unilateral action to try to define the outcome or to otherwise change the situation. We've encouraged dialogue between the two sides and we'll continue to take that position with both.

QUESTION: And also, President -- Chinese President Hu Jintao said this morning that -- try to send some goodwill, said that the Chen Shui-bian meeting with opposition party leader will ease the tension across the strait. Do you suggest any way in this moment for both sides to ease the tension before they pass the anti-cessation law?

MR. BOUCHER: Again, I would say we've always encouraged dialogue, but as far as specific steps to ease tension, how they can do that, how they might get to a dialogue, a lot of that is very much in their hands.

Sir.

QUESTION: Again, with Venezuela --

QUESTION: A follow-up?

MR. BOUCHER: We'll come back.

QUESTION: Mr. Chavez is saying that he will cut the Venezuelan oil to the U.S. and he's building a new relationship with China and India regarding the energy. Are you concerned in a way that in the future the Venezuelan oil could be diverted to these markets and create a situation here in the U.S.?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not going to speculate on Venezuelan oil at this point or where it might be marketed or what might happen in world oil markets. I realize these statements have been made a number of times. I'll leave it to other people to decide what to make of it.

Okay. Back to China?

QUESTION: At the National People's Congress yesterday, President Hu Jintao said the four new points, suggestion on Taiwan policy, where he said both sides can talk on a more equal basis, and he suggested more direct air links and new elements, if you read Chinese. But do you have any comments or anybody is following that, or is that encouraging or --

MR. BOUCHER: Yes, we follow these things. We're certainly very interested. But no, I don't have any particular comment on those specific statements. We always encourage dialogue. We encourage the parties to look for ways to resolve issues in cross-strait relations peacefully. But we'll leave it to them in terms of some of these statements and the initiatives they want to take.

QUESTION: Change of subject. Richard, there has been some concerns in Hong Kong over the erosion, further erosion of democratic rights with the impending resignation of Tung Chee-hwa. Is the United States going to say anything about it?

MR. BOUCHER: U.S. policy has consistently been to support the aspirations of the Hong Kong people for democracy. Whatever decisions are made there, we think there should be continued movement in the direction specified by the Basic Law and in the direction desired by the Hong Kong people, which is democracy.

Said.

QUESTION: Palestinian Authority?

MR. BOUCHER: It's all yours.

QUESTION: There is growing discontent that Mr. Abbas is only paying lip service to reform. (Inaudible) of his own party's membership, the so-called young guard, that resigned today. There was a firefight. I mean, in the aftermath of the conference in London, how are you communicating with these groups, if you are? And how are you, you know, raising this issue with Mr. Abbas?

MR. BOUCHER: First of all, I want to leave any political developments there to them, to the Palestinians themselves. They have elected a leadership. They've elected legislators and they're working their politics on their own, in their own way. We have certainly consistently supported transparent government reform, good government. The conference in London, the Palestinian Authority, President Abbas made a whole series of commitments about how he intended to proceed with regard to governance, with regard to security, with regard to development issues, economic issues.

We thought those were very important, and the international community really came forward with very strong support for that. So we'll continue to work with him as he proceeds down this path of reform and we'll try to help make sure it comes to fruition.

QUESTION: But what kind of, you know, measuring stick are you using to make sure that there are actually reforms that are --

MR. BOUCHER: Well, I think if you look at the -- if you look at the final statement from the London conference -- we thought it was a very good conference hosted by Prime Minister Blair -- you'll see there were a whole host of very specific indicators, very specific commitments, that I'm sure you and others will report as to whether they're achieved.

QUESTION: Richard, I know you don't want to comment on the situation of Venezuela and oil, but with gasoline reaching record levels for American consumers and with Mr. Chavez promising to reduce, try to reduce, OPEC production even further, does this not present a problem for U.S. foreign policy as well as U.S. domestic political conspiracy?

MR. BOUCHER: I admire the eloquence of the question, but it's the same question I haven't answered four times before and I'm not going to answer it again. Sorry. I'm not getting into the price of oil, I'm not getting into predictions about oil markets, nor am I going to try to predict what Mr. Chavez is going to do. We realize he's made these statements but I'm not going to try to predict what he might do and what the effects might be. That's just way too speculative for me.

Sir.

QUESTION: About Turkey. Can you give us more information on the budget cut about Turkey's $1 billion credit?

MR. BOUCHER: It's not a budget cut. It was an unused part of the loan guarantee. We've talked about this with the Turks. I'll get you a more formal statement, but it's not a cut. It's just a guarantee that we helped put forward that the Turks seem to have done quite well in not being able -- not needing to use it. But it's a reflection of how well the Turks have done in managing their economy rather than anything different.

QUESTION: Richard, following the IAEA meeting last week in Vienna, apparently, the Iranians aren't listening. They're threatening to break the seals that are in place by the IAEA inspectors and also are breaking ground for a second nuclear reactor. Do you have any reaction to those?

MR. BOUCHER: I just keep saying what we've said, that Iran claims it doesn't want a nuclear weapon. They should be going out of their way to demonstrate to the world, to show the world with confidence, that that's true. They've been found for 20 years in covert programs. The Director General of the IAEA just the other day said there are three things that matter with Iran -- transparency, transparency and transparency -- and said these repeated situations where Iran has been found not to be disclosing the full truth about its programs continue to raise questions about Iran.

And so rather than making statements that raise further questions about their intentions, one would think that if Iran were really trying -- really sincere about what its promised, they would be going out of their way to show that they were not seeking a nuclear weapon, they'd be going out of their way to show -- to build confidence in the international community.

QUESTION: Richard, on the same topic.

MR. BOUCHER: Okay.

QUESTION: Okay. On Monday, the Director ElBaradei said that they are looking, investigating into Iran's nuclear past. Apparently, the relationship goes back to the '80s, when there was a meeting in Dubai, you know, with A.Q. Khan and so on, and he said that Iran is reluctantly giving some information. Can you tell us what the status of this investigation and how far --

MR. BOUCHER: I think it's an IAEA investigation. They'll have to talk to about it. But they did talk about it at the Board meeting.

Okay, thanks.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:15 p.m.)

(end transcript)

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