State Department Briefing, September 1
01 September 2005
Hurricane Katrina/offers of foreign assistance/messages and condolences worldwide, Albania/elections, Rice meets with Terje Larsen, Seoul/White House appointment of new ambassador, Hughes/September 11 commemoration, Venezuela, Israel/Pakistan, Lebanon, Iran, Iraq, New Orleans/passport agency
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack briefed the press September 1.
Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing:
(begin transcript)
U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Thursday, September 1, 2005
12:45 p.m. EDT
Briefer: Sean McCormack, Spokesman
DEPARTMENT
-- Offers of Foreign Assistance Overseas in wake of Hurricane Katrina/Messages and Condolence Worldwide
-- Rough Summary of Types of Foreign Aid/Query on Diplomatic Efforts for Offers of Assistance
-- Statement on Elections in Albania
-- Secretary Rice's Meeting with Terje Larsen
-- White House Announcement of New Ambassador to Seoul
-- Karen Hughes/Commemoration of September 11/Plans within Public Diplomacy
VENEZUELA
-- Offer to Provide Energy/Cash Assistance
ISRAEL/PAKISTAN
-- Meeting Between Israeli and Pakistani Foreign Ministers in Ankara
LEBANON
-- Status of Mehlis Investigation into Hariri Assassination
IRAN
-- US Support for EU-3 Efforts/IAEA Report Due September 3
-- Query on Referrals to Security Council
IRAQ
-- Withdrawal of Troops from Iraq
MISCELLANEOUS
-- Query on Changes in Visa Policy for Foreign Students Due to Hurricane
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2005
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
12:45 p.m. EDT
MR. MCCORMACK: Good afternoon. I want to start with a brief update on a topic that I know is of interest to everybody here concerning Hurricane Katrina relief and relief efforts as well as on offers of foreign assistance. Let me start off by saying that we have received numerous and generous offers of assistance from foreign governments and foreign organizations. And Secretary Rice after consulting with the White House has made it clear that we will accept all offers of foreign assistance. Anything that can be of help to alleviate the difficult situation, the tragic situation, of the people of the area affected by Hurricane Katrina will be accepted.
I can run through a list, thus far. It's a list that's being constantly updated and growing really by the hour. We've received general offers of assistance, as well as some more specific offers of assistance from a number of different countries and organizations and includes: Russia, Japan, Canada, France, Honduras, Germany, Venezuela, the Organization of American States, Jamaica, NATO, Australia, the United Kingdom, Netherlands, Switzerland, Greece, Hungary, Colombia, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Mexico, China, South Korea, Israel and the United Arab Emirates. I'll try to keep you updated as best we can on those lists. Like I said, it's growing literally by the hour.
Also, I wanted to update you on a few messages of sympathy and condolences have been coming in. These have been streaming in. I don't have a complete list of those right now, but it's been very heartening and very gratifying to receive these messages coming in as people around the globe see the tragic situation and the suffering of the people of the areas affected by this hurricane and the aftermath.
Secretary Rice has spoken personally, for example, with Foreign Minister Fischer of Germany just this morning. We received messages of sympathy and condolence from other countries like Israel and Japan as well and I can go on and on. I don't have a complete list right now. Secretary Rice is being briefed by staff that is with her on a regular basis. She's in contact with -- back here in the Department with Under Secretary Burns who is quarterbacking our efforts here at the Department, making sure that the Department is working closely with foreign governments, as well as the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA.
Secretary Rice spoke with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff this morning. She made it clear that the State Department is going to be working closely and in support of the Department of Homeland Security in their efforts. And really, that's all I have at the moment. I just wanted to open up because I knew that this is an interest -- some of you took interest in.
QUESTION: From what you know, are there any specifics, particularly graphic specifics or significant specifics, you can provide on Country X offering Item Y? Anything you could do to illustrate the generosity and the effort?
MR. MCCORMACK: Let me make one point before -- I'll try to give you some examples of the types of things that countries have offered. The process that's happening here is we are, here at the Department of State, receiving offers of foreign assistance from overseas. Embassies here in Washington contact us or foreign governments are contacting our embassies, and those requests are funneled back here to Washington. We then immediately pass those along to FEMA and the Department of Homeland Security. The process then is Homeland Security and FEMA look at what the offers are, what the capabilities of those foreign countries are, those foreign organizations, and trying to match those up against needs. And so that's the process that's going on now. And Homeland Security and FEMA have the lead on that but we're working closely with them.
Let me give you a few examples of the types of things that have been offered: boats, aircraft, tents, blankets, generators, cash assistance, an offer of assistance from Venezuela through Citgo, which is a U.S. subsidiary of the Venezuelan Government National Oil Company.
QUESTION: And they offered oil? That's what I was asking about yesterday.
MR. MCCORMACK: Right. And you asked me -- you asked about that, yes.
What other types of offers? Offers of medical teams, offers of assistance in helping to restore electrical power expertise. So those are -- that's a sort of rough summary of the types of aid that has been offered.
QUESTION: Not to be ghoulish, but some of these countries have had experience in tragedies and disasters and have expertise in finding bodies, finding trapped people. Do you have anything on that, any -- there are all sorts of -- Israel, for one, has experienced an awful lot of this.
MR. MCCORMACK: I don't have any specifics for you on that, Barry.
Yeah, Charlie.
QUESTION: There was a report that the Russian offer of a helicopter with special rescue techniques was refused. (A) Do you have any knowledge of that? Is that a false report?
MR. MCCORMACK: I don't -- I haven't seen that report and I don't have knowledge of the specific interaction. But let me make it very clear. Secretary Rice has said, in consultation with the White House, that no offers of assistance will be refused. No offer that can help alleviate the suffering of the people of the affected area will be refused.
Yes.
QUESTION: Well, I'm a bit surprised because President Bush said this morning that we are going to take care of our own business as well, so I don't understand. There was a change of position of --
MR. MCCORMACK: No, there's no change, no change of position. I haven't seen -- I haven't seen all of the President's remarks, but I believe that he is talking about the fact that the United States Government is actively and immediately coming to the assistance of those affected by this tragedy.
Yes, Teri.
QUESTION: Has anything moved forward yet so that anything is in the works already? If you're not refusing anything, have you accepted anything specific that is already known to be on its way over?
MR. MCCORMACK: I'm going to let the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA, which is part of the Department of Homeland Security, talk specifically about what needs there are and whether or not -- how they have been able to match up needs with capabilities and offers of assistance. So that kind of information is going to come from the Department of Homeland Security.
QUESTION: Okay. Without giving me specifics, are some -- is some already on the way? Has some already been accepted and is coming?
MR. MCCORMACK: Again, I'm going to let them talk about that.
Yes.
QUESTION: Did any of the oil-producing nations, aside from Venezuela -- and, I think, Saudi Arabia has offered some assistance -- offer cut-price oil or any sort of special compensation?
MR. MCCORMACK: I don't have anything on my list.
QUESTION: And are you, through diplomatic channels, speaking to oil producers and asking them if they'll provide more oil?
MR. MCCORMACK: I'll try to get you an update on that.
Yes.
QUESTION: Is Secretary Rice aggressively asking other countries to assist and is she doing some diplomatic negotiations with other countries; that is, not waiting for countries to come and offer them, but is she specifically going to certain countries to ask for specific help?
MR. MCCORMACK: Like I said, she spoke with Foreign Minister Fischer this morning and she is in contact with the Department. I think that, as appropriate, we are receiving offers of assistance at the moment, and if there is a need that is identified and there is a deficit in terms of capability or the actual resources, I am sure that the United States Government will spare no effort in meeting that need. I can't speak to any specific deficits at this time. I think that Homeland Security and FEMA are in the best position to talk about exactly what it is that their needs are.
QUESTION: But in order to say that, there's no problem in asking other countries; we're not sitting back and waiting. We would be aggressively asking other countries for assistance, if there was something specifically felt we needed?
MR. MCCORMACK: I think it's safe to say that if there is a need that is identified that we as a government are going to spare no effort in making sure that that need is met.
Yeah, let's move back here. Samir.
QUESTION: You listed only one Arab country that offered to help, United Arab Emirates. Is this the only Arab country that offered to help?
MR. MCCORMACK: This is -- I gave you this list with the caveat that it is constantly evolving and being updated. This is as of -- when I came out here to do the briefing, so it was --like I said, it's changing literally every hour. So I would expect that, you know, tomorrow we'd have a different list than we have today.
QUESTION: But the Saudis put out a press release yesterday saying they had already offered. Have you --
MR. MCCORMACK: Again, this is -- these are the official offers of assistance that have come in through the State Department. And like I said, these things are being constantly updated.
Yes.
QUESTION: Sean, you mentioned Russia first in that list of countries? Was that in any chronological order or did that have any order at all?
MR. MCCORMACK: We have an orderly process here. (Laughter.) I list them and the order of the list is not meant to give any -- have any particular significance.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR. MCCORMACK: Yes.
QUESTION: Have any countries offered troops to come in and help because the U.S. is a little bit stretched with so many National Guard being in Iraq and elsewhere?
MR. MCCORMACK: I don't -- I'm not aware of any such offers.
QUESTION: Venezuela?
MR. MCCORMACK: Venezuela? What about Venezuela?
QUESTION: Well, they have -- I mean, that's the answer to the question. They have a humanitarian brigade that they are offering, which includes troops.
MR. MCCORMACK: George, I have here that they have offered to provide energy assistance, cash assistance and that's all the information that I have, George. And we're certainly -- we welcome all offers of assistance.
Yes.
QUESTION: There's been some contact from our e-mails and such -- I work with NBC and MSNBC -- hearing from Americans that they're a little concerned that other countries have not been aggressively offering the kind of help that America has always offered other disasters, the last one being the tsunamis. Are you disappointed in not hearing a larger and a more aggressive assistance or offer of assistance from foreign countries, such that America has always been out there, one of the first to help other countries when they're in need?
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I think that the list I have gone through is -- well, it's a growing list and I think that Americans should take great heart that in a time of need we have a substantial inflow of offers of assistance from around the world. We have been receiving messages of sympathy and condolence from around the world. I think that America should be heartened by the fact that the world is reaching out to the United States and the American people in a time of need.
Joel.
QUESTION: Sean, normally, there are a lot of foreign college students and some of them are here on what are called H1B visas, when they go on to work with American companies and that has been capped, I believe, at 65,000. In this emergency, is that going to change? And also what you are envisioning in the help from foreign countries, rather than disband it, could become a model to be used overseas in Africa and other locations beyond this tragedy in Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama? In other words, that group would be on call to go elsewhere.
MR. MCCORMACK: Joel, I'm not aware of any changes in our visa policy, as a result of this tragedy.
Yes, Charles.
QUESTION: Speaking of visas and related passports, do you have any update this morning on the Passport Agency in New Orleans, whether any official, American officials, have reached the office yet or the status of it?
MR. MCCORMACK: No update for you, Charlie.
QUESTION: Or the employees.
MR. MCCORMACK: No update for you, Charlie. We'll check to see if there's anything else we have to offer on that.
Yes, sir.
QUESTION: Yes, I'd like to ask a question of great interest for the Romanian audience. I'm from Romanian Public Television. It's about the appointment of a U.S. ambassador in Bucharest and since January we do not have an Ambassador. Mr. Crouch was called back and hired in the second term of Bush Administration. And I'd like you to give us an update about that because currently there is quite a public debate in Romania and I think some sort of statement from the U.S. Department is expected there.
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, on matters of personnel and ambassadorial appointments, those are announcements that come out of the White House and I'm not going to try to preempt my colleagues at the White House by --
QUESTION: Why don't we go geographically? Can we move over to Albania? Do you have anything to say about the election?
MR. MCCORMACK: Sure.
QUESTION: Like your list, there's no particular chronology here.
MR. MCCORMACK: The United States welcomes the announcement today by Albania's Central Election Commission of the official certified results of the July 3rd elections. We congratulate the people of Albania, the newly elected members of parliament and Albania's electoral institutions on the successful conclusion of the election process. We are glad that Albanian institutions are moving ahead to form the next government and we look forward to working closely with that government.
QUESTION: An entirely positive statement. The OSCE, I think, had some reservations, but maybe it was earlier in the process. The U.S. is pleased with the way --
MR. MCCORMACK: Barry, we're concentrating on the way ahead, Barry, and working with this government.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR. MCCORMACK: Michele.
QUESTION: The foreign ministers of Israel and Pakistan have met today in Ankara. Did you play any role in this meeting and do you have any comment on this meeting?
MR. MCCORMACK: In terms of the arrangements for the meetings, I'm going to let the two parties speak for themselves. I think that this is a positive development. We have encouraged countries around the world that do not have relations, diplomatic relations, with Israel to establish diplomatic relations and to begin building relationships of trust based on mutual respect and mutual respect for sovereignty and transparency.
QUESTION: Can I follow up?
QUESTION: Pakistan says that Israel has to not only establish a Palestinian state but let its capital take up residence in Jerusalem. Do you -- you support what's going on, but do you support that qualified approach by Pakistan?
MR. MCCORMACK: On both of those issues, our policy is well known. In terms of the way ahead in developing a potential relationship between Israel and Pakistan, that is for Israel and Pakistan to decide.
QUESTION: Can I follow up on that? Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom has said after this meeting that there are secret contacts going on between Israel and all the Arab countries. Are you aware of these contacts?
MR. MCCORMACK: I'll let the Israeli Government speak to any contacts it may or may not have with any other countries.
QUESTION: Given the fact that you (inaudible) well known U.S. policy, does it foretell any meeting between the U.S. Secretary of State and the Foreign Minister of Iran?
MR. MCCORMACK: It's not on the agenda, as far as I know, Charlie.
QUESTION: Well, does the policy -- wouldn't the policy --
MR. MCCORMACK: There's no change in our policy with respect to Iran, no.
Anything else? You have one more, Barry?
QUESTION: Yeah, then I can leave and file. (Laughter.)
MR. MCCORMACK: Your enthusiasm for this gathering is really overwhelming, Barry. (Laughter.) I'm really heartened by your enthusiasm.
QUESTION: But I wonder if you could correct the record, if that's the way to put it would be, about the Secretary meeting with Mr. Larsen.
MR. MCCORMACK: Good. I'm glad you brought that up.
QUESTION: And where?
MR. MCCORMACK: Yes, I'm glad you brought that up.
QUESTION: Please.
MR. MCCORMACK: I was asked a question yesterday about whether or not the Secretary had met with Terje Larsen. I forget exactly what date. I think it was yesterday, (inaudible). I went back and checked. Secretary Rice attended a meeting hosted at the White House at which Mr. Larsen was also present.
QUESTION: That was Tuesday, wasn't it?
MR. MCCORMACK: It was Tuesday.
QUESTION: Do you have anything to say about the conversation?
MR. MCCORMACK: They talked about the progress on the Mehlis investigation as well as implementation of Security Council 1559.
QUESTION: On this issue, Sean, Mehlis has said today that without the Syrians' cooperation we will not have the full picture. Do you have any comment on that?
MR. MCCORMACK: We have made it very clear that it is essential that all parties cooperate with Mr. Mehlis' investigation. The Lebanese people are owed an answer; they deserve an answer as to who was responsible for the assassination of Mr. Hariri. Mr. Mehlis is making good progresses in his investigation, but I'm going to let him or officials from the UN talk about any specifics they may wish to share at this point.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR. MCCORMACK: Nicholas.
QUESTION: New subject? I was going to ask about Iran, but before I ask about Iran, can I give you the opportunity to announce the new Ambassador to Seoul?
MR. MCCORMACK: The new -- our new ambassador to Seoul?
QUESTION: Yes. The White House put out a statement yesterday.
MR. MCCORMACK: I think the White House did make an announcement on who would be nominated to that position. And I believe the person is Ambassador Vershbow who is a distinguished diplomat who was most recently our Ambassador to Russia. And we congratulate him on the assignment. It's an important assignment and he's the right man for the job.
QUESTION: Thanks. I was just doing the favor to the -- our Asian colleagues here, (Laughter) because they've waited for this for months. Anyway, my question on Iran is the IAEA has come out with sort of a new assessment of Iran's programs and I wonder if you had anything to say about this and also about sort of the stages now leading up to the Security Council we have seen the Europeans, particularly the French, talk about in the last couple of days?
MR. MCCORMACK: With respect to the IAEA, we're waiting for their report on September 3rd, so we look forward to reviewing it with the other members of the Board of Governors. But prior to September 3rd, an actual release of the report of the IAEA, I'm going to defer any comment. And as for the state of play on the negotiations with -- between Iran and the EU-3, as well as Iran's cooperation with the IAEA, we have been in close contact this week, intensive contact with members of the EU-3. Under Secretary Burns has been working on this issue very intensively over the past months. Yesterday he had a long digital videoconference with his counterparts in the EU-3 countries. They talked about the way forward on this issue. And again, we underlined our support for the EU-3 efforts. We, again, call on Iran to engage with the EU-3, take the offer that's on the table. But what we are going to be looking for in the weeks ahead is at the next IAEA Board of Governors meeting, that the Board of Governors refer the issue of Iran to the Security Council. And I think we are in absolute lockstep with the EU-3 on this issue and we will continue to stay in close contact with them.
Teri.
QUESTION: EU Foreign Ministers now say that they are all unified and agree that if the IAEA report shows what we expect it to show, that they agree that it should be referred, that Iran should be referred to the Security Council. But the Swedish Foreign Minister also said that she didn't think it was appropriate to talk about sanctions against Iran. What is -- does the U.S. believe that a mere referral to the Security Council is basically toothless and that sanctions would definitely have to be employed?
MR. MCCORMACK: Well, we're taking this one step at a time and we will also -- we would be working with our colleagues on the Security Council on what steps, once the issue is referred to the Security Council, what steps the Security Council will take. So -- but we're going to take this one, one step at a time right now.
QUESTION: Well, what does a referral mean without sanctions?
MR. MCCORMACK: The first step is for it to be referred to the Security Council and then we're going to be consulting closely with colleagues on the Security Council on what is the appropriate action.
Yes.
QUESTION: The Italian Foreign Minister said today that Italy will continue to withdraw troops from Iraq. Do you have any comment on that?
MR. MCCORMACK: Again, we understand that this is a long-planned, phased withdrawal. It's a decision taken by the Italian Government. And certainly, we understand the reasons behind it. It is up to each individual country to decide for themselves how they will contribute to helping the Iraqi people build a more stable, peaceful country. Certainly, we would encourage those states who are making contributions to the security forces to maintain those contributions. But again, we respect the decision of sovereign countries to make the best decisions for them and for their people. The Italian Government has been stalwart in fighting the war on terrorism and in standing with the coalition in Iraq. They have -- Italian Caribinieri have shed blood along with American troops and others in Iraq and we very much appreciate and value their contribution.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR. MCCORMACK: Thank you.
QUESTION: I have another one --
MR. MCCORMACK: Oh, sorry. Oh, wait, a late arrival.
QUESTION: Karen Hughes is saying that she wants U.S. embassies to look for ways to commemorate 9/11. What do you have on that?
MR. MCCORMACK: Karen has talked to a lot of our ambassadors overseas. She's been on the job here at the State Department, I think, three weeks. She's met with a lot of groups outside, met with Muslim students, Muslim clerics. She's been an active participant in policy discussions here at the Department. The Secretary has made very clear that she wants Karen to be deeply involved in policy matters in order to provide an integration with communications and public diplomacy. And as part of her efforts, she's been doing a lot of thinking about the right way to honor the memory of those who lost their lives on September 11th, as well as a way to underline the fact that we stand with the other countries around the world who have lost innocent life to terrorism.
We're all aware of the places that the names of these places, Bali, Sharm el-Sheikh, London. The list can go on and on of the places where innocent people have lost their lives in terrorist attacks since 9/11. So, she has talked to our ambassadors overseas about finding ways to, on this day of great meaning and memory of the loss that we suffered, to reach out to countries around the world in order to commemorate their sacrifices as well in the war on terrorism. And what this is meant to show is that we are all in this fight against terrorism together. Terrorism doesn't respect boundaries. It doesn't respect religion. It doesn't respect political ideology. This is a fight against extremism, as a relatively small group of people dedicated to the use of violence to achieve their ends.
QUESTION: Are all embassies expected to do something to commemorate 9/11?
MR. MCCORMACK: I think that certainly we would, as it is an important day for the American people to look back and honor the memory of those who have lost their lives, I think that embassies around the world will find an appropriate way to honor that memory. And I think that that will vary from embassy to embassy around the world.
QUESTION: What will the Secretary be doing on 9/11?
MR. MCCORMACK: The Secretary -- well, we'll talk a little bit more about her schedule in New York, but she will be representing the Administration at a memorial service. But again, I don't want get ahead of any other -- any announcements coming out of that particular memorial service. So we'll have more for you.
Sorry. We have three more.
QUESTION: I have one just on this just -- what you described as Karen's idea -- I suppose it's her idea -- sounds very selfless in a way that -- a day that people remember as one when more than -- well, about 3,000 lives were lost in this country. But now are you going to try to make it about other countries? In other words, it really sounds selfless to me. It sounds like a way to reach out. And not only on that day but also perhaps get people to become friendlier and more understanding to American foreign policy? Is that the --
MR. MCCORMACK: No, I think that in our view, sort of honoring the memory of those who lost their lives on 9/11 is no way diminished by also honoring the memory of those who have lost their lives in other acts of terrorism. And I think that effort is made to underline the idea that in this war against terrorism, we are all in this together, people of the civilized world are all in this fight together.
QUESTION: Sean, it was suggested in one of the stories about Ms. Hughes' activities that she would be announcing some sort of an action plan at a town hall meeting with the Secretary next week. Is there something to that?
MR. MCCORMACK: She is going to be speaking to the employees of the Department of State next week talking about her plans for public diplomacy and her vision for the State Department's role in public diplomacy. We have the central role. Certainly, there are others in the U.S. Government that will play into that, but the State Department has the lead on those matters.
She briefed the President on some of her ideas when she was in Crawford several weeks ago, but what she wanted to do was come to the Department, reach out to those in the Department, get their ideas as well, and also talk to people on the outside. She has also talked to members of the Djerejian Commission, who have produced a fine report on public diplomacy, and that's just one example of the type of people that she's been reaching out to to try to incorporate their thoughts and ideas into her plan. So she'll be talking about this a little bit more next week.
Thank you.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:18 p.m.)
(end transcript)
(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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