UNITED24 - Make a charitable donation in support of Ukraine!

Military

State Department Briefing, August 17

17 August 2005

Venezuela, Bangladesh, Iraq, Iran, Bin-Laden Article in New York Times/Pursuing al-Qaida Network, U.S. Views of the "Axis of Evil"/Consistency of Policy/Commitment to Principles, South Korea, Zimbabwe, Israel/Palestinians, Mexico, China, Malaysia, Cyprus

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack briefed the press August 17.

Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
12:44 p.m. EDT

Briefer:  Sean McCormack, Spokesman

VENEZUELA
-- Statement on Crash of West Caribbean Air Flight/U.S. Offer of Assistance

BANGLADESH
-- Statement on August 16 Bombings/No Reports of U.S. Casualties/U.S. Embassy Open/Cooperation on Fighting Terrorism

IRAQ
-- Status of Draft Constitution/Iraqi Process/Future Extensions
-- Capital Punishment/Judicial System/Rule of Law and International Standards/Allegations of Human Rights Abuses/Human Rights Report

IRAN
-- Contravention of Paris Accord/U.S. Supports EU-3 Efforts

DEPARTMENT
-- Bin-Laden Article in New York Times/Pursuing al-Qaida Network
-- U.S. Views of the "Axis of Evil"/Consistency of Policy/Commitment to Principles

SOUTH KOREA
-- Secretary Rice Meeting Foreign Minister Ban in Washington/Six-Party Talks

ZIMBABWE
-- International Concerns at Actions by President Mugabe

ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
-- Gaza Disengagement/Settler Violence/U.S. Condemns Acts of Violence, Supports Process/Palestinians Working with Israeli Officials/Security Forces/Freedom of Movement

MEXICO
-- Ambassador Garza Remarks/Protection of U.S. Government Employees
-- Bilateral Relationship
-- Secretary Rice's Meeting with Foreign Minister Cancelled

CHINA
-- Arrests of Journalists

MALAYSIA
-- Freedom of the Press

CYPRUS
-- Secretary Rice's Condolence Call to Cyprus President Papadopoulos Regarding Airplane Crash in Greece

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 17, 2005
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

12:44 p.m. EDT

MR. MCCORMACK:  Good afternoon.  I have two brief opening statements and I'd be happy to take your questions.

The first is on the crash of the West Caribbean Air flight to Martinique.  This was in Venezuela.  The United States is saddened by the tragic loss of life in the crash of the West Caribbean Air flight in Venezuela on August 16th.  The passengers on board were French citizens and the crew was Colombian.  We offer our deepest sympathies and condolences and our thoughts and prayers go out to the families of the victims at this very difficult time.  The United States stands ready to provide any assistance that may be requested in this matter.

I also have a statement on the bombings in Bangladesh.  The United States condemns the terrorist bombings that occurred throughout Bangladesh the morning of August 17th.  We extend our condolences to the families and friends of those who've lost their lives and wish a speedy recovery to those who were injured.  We stand with the government and the people of Bangladesh as they work to hold to account those responsible for this heinous crime.

And with that, I'd be happy to take your questions.

QUESTION:  Can you take a question on that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yeah.

QUESTION:  Is there -- are you recommending that American citizens there don't travel or are there any precautions that are being recommended or is the Embassy closing or anything like that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  In this, as part of this incident, that we don't have any reports of any Americans injured, no casualties.  There was one explosion near the American Embassy.  The Embassy in Bangladesh has issued a Warden message advising American citizens to remain vigilant and exercise caution in their movement, avoiding unnecessary travel.

QUESTION:  The Embassy remains fully open?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.

QUESTION:  Thanks.

QUESTION:  And on the earlier statement on the West Caribbean Air crash, has anyone requested any U.S. help from the NTSB or anything like that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  We've offered NTSB and FAA assistance but there hasn't been a reply yet to that.

QUESTION:  I got the part that you offered --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.

QUESTION:  -- but --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  No reply yet on that.

QUESTION:  Iraq.  Any further input by the Secretary?  She's been talking to the Ambassador, remember?  Anybody else?  Any new appraisal of how the process is going?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, I think that, you know, I spoke with the Embassy before I came out and they said there were a series, a number of a different meetings that went on today, a lot of sort of smaller group meetings between various parties and groups, some bilateral discussions -- I mean by bilateral: between two groups, but with multiple people on each side -- and some multilateral, a number of different groups.  I think our assessment at this point is that they did make some progress in some of the areas, but again, as I said yesterday, we don't have -- they have not completed a draft constitution and until you have a fully completed draft of the constitution, the issues have not been all completely settled.

QUESTION:  I can't recall, is there a position of the Administration whether it would be reasonable to defer an issue or two or three if it just simply doesn't give to -- yields a compromise right now and take it up later?  Or do you want everything?  You ticked off a lot of tough issues yesterday.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.

QUESTION:  Can they all be done?  And what if they can't all be concluded?  Is it all right to kick the problem down the hill?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, these are decisions for the Iraqis to make in drafting the constitution with the thought in mind that whatever draft of constitution they produce is going to have to be voted on by the Iraqi people.  It has to be accepted by them.  So these, again, are -- what is the content of the Iraqi constitution, at the beginning and at the end, is going to be a decision for the Iraqis to make.

Peter.

QUESTION:  Sean, just to follow-up the question I had yesterday, which I didn't see a response to, unless I missed it, which is whether or not it is feasible to have another extension beyond -- on Monday?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I believe that they can.  They can have an extension, yes.

QUESTION:  Okay, so, just to follow-up on that.  Reading the TAL, it did provide for the possibility of a six-month delay if they decided by August 1st, but it was specified in there that there can only be a one-time extension there.  Do you think politically that it is feasible or possible to have more than one extension here?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, there are two questions in that.  There's a legal question and then there's a political question.  The legal question is, again, there can be a vote of the national assembly to amend the TAL and have another extension.  Whether or not, politically, that is something that is acceptable to the Iraqis, again, that is a calculation for the Iraqi people and those involved in this process to make.

They have, you know, they set this original deadline for themselves, as we said the other day.  They said that they needed seven more days to work out some of their differences.  They have expressed confidence that they will be able to meet the new deadline, with a seven-day extension this coming Monday.  We certainly support them in that and we would urge them to move forward and resolve these differences.

QUESTION:  Just one more follow-up on that.  The United States -- or there has been some commentary that the United States might have erred in trying to stick to this August 15th deadline so closely that you put yourself in the situation of raising that deadline.  I'm wondering whether or not that you might doing the same thing again by putting the pressure on Monday, unless you're willing to say now that, well, Monday -- if they need some extra time, that you'd certainly support that.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Again, these are deadlines set by the Iraqis for the Iraqis.  And they themselves have expressed the desire more than anybody else that they want to meet the deadlines.  We support them in that.  So it's not a matter of what the United -- you know, the United States pressuring the Iraqis or anybody else pressuring the Iraqis. The Iraqis are putting more pressure on themselves to meet the deadlines than anybody else.  And certainly we urge them to move forward.  We think it is important for the political process to continue moving forward.  This is part of that process.

Yes.

QUESTION:  Iraq's Presidency signed over -- signed death sentences for three men today for murder.  Some human rights groups are saying that the fairness of the courts in Iraq, thus far because it's such a fledgling court system, is a little suspect.  I just wondered what the U.S. view is on this.  Are you comfortable that the judicial system there is suitable or adequately equipped to pass such death sentences?

QUESTION:  Well, our position on this issue is that, first of all, questions of application of capital punishment for crimes is a matter of -- it's a matter for sovereign states to make.  For the Iraqi judicial system, as with any judicial system, what we expect is that any judicial process is

transparent, that it is done according to the rule of law and that the rights of those accused are respected; and that any judicial process, as well as the law under which the judicial process is carried out, meets international standards.  And so with respect to these three cases I'm not going to offer a particular comment on those cases or the Iraqi judicial system, but I will say only what we expect of not only the Iraqi judicial system but any other judicial system around the world.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION:  I have one nuclear -- Iran nuclear.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Okay.  Anything else on Iraq?  Okay, we'll come back to you later.

QUESTION:  There was a query a few days ago about some torture allegations that had been put against the Iraqi Interior Ministry, and I think you all were going to look into that.  Do you have anything?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yeah, I don't have anything further on those specific allegations.  I made clear that we look into any specific allegations of torture in Iraq.  We work very closely in our programs and training for police and security forces on human rights.  That is a very important component of our training for these forces, and that we take seriously any of these allegations of torture and that we follow up on them.  With respect to these three cases, I don't have anything further to share with you, but certainly when we hear of these reports it's cause for serious concern and we do follow up aggressively on them.

QUESTION:  The State Department's Human Rights Report this year said that the new government in Iraq, I mean, that there were some human rights allegations that had been verified by the State Department.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.

QUESTION:  Are there concerns that in the new Iraqi constitution that it might just be lip service to the issue of human rights, as opposed to actually carrying out the standards and practices that you would like to see?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, as you mentioned, we -- there are no free passes on human rights issues.  We, as you mentioned, cited some concerns in our Human Rights Report that comes out every year.  During the course of the year, if there are specific -- if there are allegations, we do follow up on those.  And the respect for individual rights, minority rights and human rights is an important part of any constitution, as well as the Iraqi constitution.  We have made our views clear, known on that.  So what we would expect is that those things are present not only in the constitution but the laws, but they are also applied in a serious manner.  And if there are cases where any government deviates from that, we will note them in our public statements as well as our Human Rights Report.  Anything else on Iraq?  Okay, we'll go to Iran.

QUESTION:  Yes.  The Russians have joined Germans in rejecting military option against Iranian nuclear facilities.  Any reaction to that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Again, we've been over this issue the past few days.  I don't have anything else to add on it.

QUESTION:  Okay, and non-nuclear, if I may.  Your Iranian counterpart, earlier this week, accused the U.S. of instigating rebellion in the Kurdish areas of Iran, where some several, you know, people have been killed by the government forces and hundreds of people have been arrested.  Do you have any reaction to that and are you going to say something about it?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I don't think there's any basis in fact for those comments.

Yes.

QUESTION:  Have you any timetable for Iran to take it to the Security Council now that the new resolution has been issued by the IAEA?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Like we talked about yesterday.

QUESTION:  Yes.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Iran is now in contravention of its Paris Accord obligations as well as it is being actively looked at by the IAEA for whether or not it has abided by its NPT obligations.  We are actively engaged in a diplomatic process in support of the EU-3 as they negotiate with Iran concerning their nuclear program.  We are committed to that diplomatic -- supporting that diplomatic effort and we would urge Iran to take the offer that has been given to them by the EU-3.  If -- and we are working -- you know, we are working hard to -- in support of that process.  If, in fact, that diplomatic process is ultimately not successful in meeting the goals that are set out by the EU-3, which we support, then we would expect the next step is that the issue would be referred to the Security Council.

Peter.

QUESTION:  Just on a word there, you said the Paris Accord obligations, is that Iran doesn't have any obligations in the Paris -- because it's a voluntary suspension, right?

MR. MCCORMACK:  They committed to certain actions or lack of actions in that agreement and we would expect them to abide by that agreement.  They, in fact, have not.

Yes.  Teri.

QUESTION:  Do you have any comment on the State Department documents that have been declassified now, as written by the New York Times today, which stated that -- state that State did not -- (laughter) --

MR. MCCORMACK:  The Department of State did not.

QUESTION:  The Department of State thought that encouraging bin Laden's departure from Sudan to Afghanistan might be a dangerous option?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I saw the news report.  Look, I'm not going to play a game of historical "what-ifs" with people and if there are any questions that people might have about what people knew or why they made certain decisions, you know, nearly, I think, ten years ago now, I'd have to refer you to those people, those officials involved who, I think, most of which have left government at this point.  So I don't have any particular --

QUESTION:  What about not about the decision but about the reality of what happened when he left Sudan and how Afghanistan became such a haven?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I can only talk about what this Administration is doing to fight the war on terrorism and we are pursuing the al-Qaida network as well as members of that network every single day through a variety of different means and that includes the leadership of al-Qaida.  As for what happened ten years ago, I would leave it to people who were actively involved in policymaking decisions and the policymaking process at that time to comment on their decisions and their actions.

Yes, ma'am.

QUESTION:   It is reported that the South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon have met Under Secretary of State Robert Joseph.  Do we have anything on that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I believe that there is a meeting scheduled between Secretary Rice and Foreign Minister Ban on August 23rd.  They will be discussing a number of issues regarding the six-party talks.  And beyond that, I don't have anything to offer you. We'll wait for the meeting to take place.

QUESTION:  Where will -- the location?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Here.

QUESTION:  Here.

MR. MCCORMACK:  In Washington.  Yeah.

Yes.  Okay, in the front and then we'll --

QUESTION:  Was there a meeting with Joseph?  Was there a meeting with Robert Joseph?

MR. MCCORMACK:  With -- I didn't talk to Under Secretary Joseph.  I'll have to -- I'll check.

Yeah.  Nicholas.

QUESTION:   (Inaudible) the South Koreans are saying that he would like to discuss with the Secretary potential peaceful nuclear program for North Korea.  Is this even a subject of discussion for you, for the Secretary?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, she, first of all, as for meetings that haven't taken place yet, I'm going to let them take place before I talk about what has been talked about in those meetings.  With regard to the issue that you bring up: peaceful nuclear energy, a peaceful nuclear program in North Korea, Assistant Secretary Hill has made our views clear now and I have made our views clear and they're unchanged.

Yes.  Joel.

QUESTION:   Sean, the United Nations has issued a report on the behavior of the Zimbabwe Government sharply critical of what's gone on in the last number of months.  And the -- obviously, the Government of Zimbabwe has disputed that report.  What are your plans to bring that in the United Nations working with other governments within Africa, as well as the entire body beginning in mid-September?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, we have talked quite clearly about our views of what is going on in Zimbabwe.  It is a matter of not only concern to the United States, but a matter of concern to the international community.  And as you mentioned, the UN has put out a report about the actions that President Mugabe has ordered and his involvement and the involvement of his Government in those actions.  I think I would only say that it is a matter of continuing concern and we're going to be working closely with members of the international community, including in Africa, to try to address the situation.

Yes, ma'am.

QUESTION:  Can we go to the Middle East?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Okay.  Without objection, so ordered.

QUESTION:  As you know certainly, troubles have started in West Bank in the Gaza.  Do you have any comment on that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Anything in particular that you --

QUESTION:  Yeah, the shooting of three Palestinians by a Jewish settler in the West Bank and the rocket in Gaza.

MR. MCCORMACK:  We are deeply concerned by reports of settler violence toward Palestinians that has left several dead and wounded.  We condemn this attack, condemn acts of violence committed during this -- as part of this withdrawal process and our condolences go out to the victims of the families. We have been in touch with the parties in the region, to urge calm and respect for the rule of law on all sides.  We further urge those in the region to exercise restraint and avoid actions that could exacerbate this or any similar situation.

QUESTION:  Do you know of anything more than the one incident?  I got reports.  This one incident --

MR. MCCORMACK:  It's the one that's --

QUESTION:  It's that one is --

MR. MCCORMACK:  -- it is that incident, yeah.

QUESTION:  Don't you care to put it in a broader context?  One incident concerning -- one incident in the midst of this highly emotional difficult time, with soldiers' cheek, jowl, nose to nose with obstinate settlers who don't want their homes -- to leave their homes.  And in one incident -- there's, unfortunately, fatalities.  But don't you have any -- do you have any assessment of how the whole process is going and how the --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  Well, those are two separate questions.  One, you know, I'm not going to certainly minimize an act of violence --

QUESTION:  Oh, yeah.  You make it sound like there's chaos there and --

MR. MCCORMACK:  I don't think --

QUESTION:  I mean, anti-Palestinian chaos.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  I'm not sure --

QUESTION:  It's inter-Israeli chaos.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  Well, I'm not sure that's the impression that I left.  These -- we condemn this act of violence.  It's a tragedy when human life is lost.  It's a tragedy for the friends and families of those individuals.

But on the withdrawal process and where the Israelis and the Palestinians stand now, certainly, I think everybody who is watching this process unfold understands when they see the pictures and the television images that this is a very difficult moment for these people who are leaving their homes, in some cases, the only homes that they have known.  It's a very difficult time for the Israeli people.  But Prime Minister Sharon has made a bold and courageous decision to follow through with the withdrawal from Gaza and we certainly have supported him in that decision.  And the Israeli people, I think, no matter how difficult, understand that this is a step that needs to be taken in order to realize a more peaceful, a more stable, a more secure Israel.

On the Palestinian side, I think that they have shown a seriousness of purpose in working with, very closely with the Israeli Government in seeing that the withdrawal is a success and part of that is the deployment of Palestinian security forces.  And I think that the Palestinian people also understand that this is an important moment, a potentially important moment, an important step through which they might realize a better life, a better life for themselves, a better life for their children.  If there is a successful withdrawal, free from violence and done in an atmosphere of calm, the Palestinian people will have freedom of movement within Gaza.  They will have more freedom to go to work, to send their children to school, to visit beaches and that's certainly a hopeful thing for the Palestinian people and they should be -- and I think that they should take some pride in the fact that they and the Palestinian Authority are working well to this point with the Israeli officials.  And I think that it could hint at the fact that the Palestinian Authority can have a -- provide a better horizon for the Palestinian people once the withdrawal is completed.

QUESTION:  Do you have anything specific on the Ward-Welch venture into Gaza?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Nothing beyond what I talked to you guys about yesterday.

Yes.  Tammy.

QUESTION:  I have two questions.  One on mideast and then --

QUESTION:  Can we stay on this one?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Okay, stay on this one.

QUESTION:  My first question is the same subject -- and I'll get back to the other.  You mentioned that the U.S. had been in touch with parties in the region to urge restraint.  At what level were these discussions?  Was this after the incident took place today?  Did you make a phone call?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I think you -- there weren't any phone calls at the level of the Secretary.  I think you can look at this as part of, and certainly when we talk to officials in the region, as part of our everyday diplomatic contacts with officials there.

QUESTION:  Just wondering if there was anything special.

MR. MCCORMACK:  No.

QUESTION:  Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes, sir.

QUESTION:  Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon has said that Israel's exit from Gaza would enable to -- would enable it to expand other settlements despite its official commitment to the roadmap and the pledged settlement is a serious program that will continue and develop.  Do you have any comment on that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  No.  I think that -- a couple of things.  One, our views with respect to settlement activity are well known and the obligation of Israel under the roadmap on the issue of settlements is very clear.  I think, talking about the larger issue of the roadmap and the withdrawal, we've said many times before and we continue to believe that a successful withdrawal can reenergize progress towards -- down the road -- down the roadmap, which ultimately would provide for two states living side by side in peace and security.

Tammy?

QUESTION:  I have sort of a broader foreign policy question.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Okay.

QUESTION:  The U.S. policy on the "Axis of Evil," to what extent does the administration consider setbacks recently with the Iraqi constitution, Iran's breakout from the Paris Accords -- Accord rather, and the fact that there was no agreement reached in Beijing so far on North Korea, to what extent does the Administration view these as significant setbacks?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, I think that policymakers -- certainly they are engaged in day-to-day work in these issues.  But I think also they take a much broader historical view.  And I think that you've heard Secretary Rice talk about the fact that this is a period of great historical changes.  We are in a moment of great historical changes in the world.  And you cite three particular areas:  Iraq, Iran and North Korea.

I think if you look back in history there -- you could --  draw a number of different lessons if you look at, you know, important significant and historical changes a few things really sort of stand out: one, you know, leadership matters, individuals, the right person at the right place, doing the right thing matters.

I think that if you -- a commitment to principles and a course of action matters.  And I think also if you look, these changes take time, they take years.  But -- so I say all these things to try to provide a little context to the sort of day-to-day developments that we see in the 24-hour global news cycle.

But let's take a look at where, you know, where we were four or five years ago with respect to, you know, each of these countries.  With Iraq, you had a brutal tyrant in the middle of the -- in the center of the Middle East who retained, we now know, the intent and capability to produce weapons of mass destruction, who was a supporter of terrorism.  That no longer is the case.

With respect to Iran, they were proceeding in development of a nuclear weapon in a covert manner.  And in contravention of, we believe, their NPT obligations.  And there are very few voices, I think, in the international community speaking out about that issue.

On North Korea, we had a state that was -- had agreed to freeze its nuclear program and ultimately to give up its nuclear program in exchange for certain obligations.  But what we now know is that in contravention of that agreement, they were -- they had a secret nuclear program and that they were proceeding down the pathway of developing nuclear weapons using highly- enriched uranium pathway.  So now we have a situation where on Iran we have international unity or broad consensus in the international community that Iran should not be allowed to develop nuclear weapons and we're pursuing a robust diplomatic strategy in concert with our European partners on the issue.

On North Korea, we have a similar situation where we're working effectively in a multilateral forum that didn't exist prior to President Bush's initiative to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

Now, so that's where we are now.  That's where we were.  That's where we are now.  Yes, there are challenges, certainly in Iraq in writing the constitution, in Iran -- with Iran, getting them to give up their nuclear program, and on North Korea to have a denuclearized Korean Peninsula and potentially a different relationship between North Korea and the rest of the world.  So there are real challenges that are ahead of us right now.  You guys report on them day to day.  But I would rather have those challenges in front of me than this sort of kind of quiet malignancy of the previous status quo.

So again, yes, there are challenges.  But I think you have to step back for a second and look where we were historically and understand that this is a process of fundamental, broad, historical change that is ongoing in the world.  It takes some time.  It takes perseverance.  It takes commitment to principle.  And I think that that's what you see in the leadership from President Bush as well as Secretary Rice on these issues.

QUESTION:  Just one more question on this.  To what extent, given the setbacks -- the challenges, as you call them -- is a new course of action required in any of the -- in Iran and North Korea specifically on --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, again, I think that certainly we have expressed a commitment to the course of action that we have laid out on both of those issues.  And like I said, again, there are challenges here, but commitment to principle, perseverance and leadership, you know, we believe are the way to move forward.  We believe that given the circumstances that we have now, we have the right policies in place to try to address these issues and we are working very hard with our partners in the international community to see that those policies succeed.

QUESTION:  Just for --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes, Charlie.

QUESTION:  Just for the record more than anything, it seems since you're standing by the policy of the last few years that all this is still -- you still stand by it in light of the more than 1,800 deaths and the more than $200 billion that's been spent on the Iraq part of that policy?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION:  On different topic, on Mexico.  Do you endorse Ambassador Garza's remarks yesterday suggesting that the closing of the Nuevo Laredo Consulate was a way to punish Mexico for not cooperating in addressing challenges in --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yeah, I talked about this a little bit yesterday.  You talk about remarks "suggest" something.  You know, let's take -- let's look at exactly what people say.  An Ambassador, a U.S. Ambassador in any country around the world, has a responsibility to take actions to protect those people working on behalf of the American people in those countries.  He took the actions that he thought were necessary.  We are working closely with the Mexican Government on these issues, on the issue of violence along the border.  I know this is a difficult issue for Mexico and Mexicans.  It's a tough issue for Americans that live in those regions.  And the way to resolve it is to work together and in cooperation, and I think that that's what you're seeing.

QUESTION:  Yes, and just a very small, short one.  How would you assess the current relationship with Mexico in general?

MR. MCCORMACK:  The U.S. and Mexico have a long, broad and deep relationship.  This is -- it's a rich relationship with economic, cultural, linguistic and political ties as well.  So look, in any relationship of that size and with such a close neighbor, there are going to be tough issues you have to work through.  But you know, again, there are issues that you work through in an open way and in a spirit of cooperation, and that's what you have now.

Yes, ma'am.

QUESTION:  Did the Secretary meet with Mexico's Foreign Minister today?  It seemed to have been removed from the schedule.  And if they didn't, who canceled and why?

MR. MCCORMACK:  It was -- that meeting did not occur for reasons not related to policy.

QUESTION:  What was the reason it didn't occur?

MR. MCCORMACK:  It had to do -- it's something I'd rather not get into.  I would let the Mexican authorities talk about that.

QUESTION:  So did the Mexicans cancel, then?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Again, this was through mutual agreement.  It had nothing to do with policy matters.

Yes, sir.

QUESTION:  On Bangladesh.  In your opening statement that you have made, it's a very grim situation down there.  As a matter of fact, Bangladesh regarded as a frontline state fighting war on terror along with the United States and Muslim moderate country, what are the measures that you may now offer Bangladesh to fight terrorism, which is a matter of concern in South Asia, on the backdrop of the relationship that Bangladesh and the United States are committed to?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, I don't have any specific programmatic elements that I can outline for you here, but I do know that we work closely with Bangladesh on a number of different areas in combating terrorism, the law enforcement front, on the financial front, as well as on the political front.  I think that what happened today in Bangladesh is another tragic example that there is no protection against terrorism.  You're not protected by religion, you're not protected by national boundary, you're not protected by political orientation because the terrorists want to destroy all that the people in Bangladesh and all -- in other countries around the world are trying to build.  So we stand with the Bangladeshi Government in cooperation in fighting terrorism.

Okay.  Yes, ma'am.

QUESTION:  I have several questions of -- about freedom of press.  One is, the U.S.-based newspaper, Epoch Times, was banned in Malaysia by the Malaysia Government recently because they think it's not good to have it -- because they think it's not good for their relationship with Chinese Government.  And the second, I think you may have said something about that that is the accusation of Singapore journalist, Ching Cheong.  I don't know whether you have anything on them.  And also, there's another two rare incidents, I should say, my Chinese media colleague who showed their courage recently.  One is a group resignation of editors and reporters of a state-run newspaper, I should say.  It's called Economic Review.  And also, the chief editor of another state-run newspaper in Beijing, China News Daily, published a long letter strongly criticizing the authority's suppression of freedom of press.

MR. MCCORMACK:  On the second of your questions, I would say that we have expressed concern about Mr. Ching's detention to the Chinese officials, most recently in Beijing on August 8th.  Acting Assistant Secretary for Democracy and Human Rights and Labor, Glyn Davies, raised U.S. concerns during bilateral meetings on the human rights issues.  And to date, the Chinese officials have not responded to our requests for information on this case.  And Mr. Ching has been formally charged with espionage, but there's no indication of when his case may go to court.

QUESTION:  How about --

MR. MCCORMACK:  At this point.

QUESTION:  How about the other cases?

MR. MCCORMACK:  On the last -- on the third of your questions, I don't have anything for you.  On the, with respect to Malaysia, I think that our steadfast support for freedom of the press and the importance of freedom of press around the world is well known.  We speak out on this issue frequently.  And we have expressed in the past our concerns about some Malaysian laws with respect to freedom of the press and curbs that it may put on freedom of the press.

Okay.

QUESTION:  Thank you.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Thank you.  Mr. Lambros.  Yes.

QUESTION:  Yes, on Cyprus.  It was reported in Athens that Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, placed a telephone call to the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Tassos Papadopoulos.  What was the purpose of this telephone call?

MR. MCCORMACK:  The purpose of that telephone call was to express our condolences regarding the crash of the flight in Cyprus in which a number of lives were tragically lost.

QUESTION:  Do you know if they discussed also the Cyprus issue in this conversation?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Not that I'm aware of.  It was a condolence call.

QUESTION:  Thank you.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Thank you.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:20 p.m.)

(end transcript)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)



NEWSLETTER
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list