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State Department Briefing, September 7

07 September 2005

Statement on Status of New Orleans Passport Office/Recovery of Materials/Possible Delay of Passport Issuance Due to Hurricane DamageContinuing Efforts to Locate Department of State Employees from Passport Office, Iraq, Iran, Israel/Palestinian Authority, China, Egypt, Hurricane Katrina, North Korea

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack briefed the press September 7.

Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing:

(begin transcript)

U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing Index
Wednesday, September 7, 2005
12:30 p.m. EDT

Briefer:  Sean McCormack, Spokesman

DEPARTMENT
-- Statement on Status of New Orleans Passport Office/Recovery of Materials/Possible Delay of Passport Issuance Due to Hurricane Damage
-- Continuing Efforts to Locate Department of State Employees from Passport Office

IRAQ
-- Coalition Forces Rescue US Citizen Roy Hallums
-- Death of Four American Contractors in Basra/Investigation

IRAN
-- Visa Issued for Iranian President to Attend UN General Assembly/Visa Ineligibility Waived
-- Decision to Allow Travel In Accordance with Obligations Under UN Headquarters Agreement and According to US Laws
-- Renew Call on Iranian Government to Address US Concerns About Iranian President's Activities During Hostage Crisis/Unresolved Questions Remain/Diplomatic Communications Through Swiss Government/Travel Restrictions

ISRAEL/PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY
-- Killing of Moussa Arafat
-- Call on Palestinian Authority to Bring Terrorism in Region Under Control

CHINA
-- Human Rights Central Feature of Discussions with China/Deputy Secretary Zoellick's Discussions with Chinese Leadership/President Bush Meeting with President Hu

EGYPT
-- US Urges Egypt to Lead Region in Promoting Democracy/Historic Departure for Egypt/Reports of Harassment of Opposition Candidates and Repression of Public Protestors
-- Elections, Debate to Enrich Egyptian Political Dialog for Years to Come

HURRICANE KATRINA
-- Processing of Aid Donations from Countries and Private Donors
-- Department Task Force Coordinating Foreign Aid Offers/Central Coordinating Function
-- Working with Federal Emergency Management Agency and Department of Homeland Security/Working with Foreign Governments
-- Need for Aid Ongoing/All Offers Being Assessed

NORTH KOREA
-- Status of Six Party Talks/China Has Not Announced Date of Talks
-- US Delegation Preparing to Return to Beijing

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 7, 2005
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

12:30 p.m. EDT

MR. MCCORMACK:  Good afternoon.  I have a couple items to start off with and then I'd be happy to get into your questions.

The first one concerns our New Orleans Passport Agency.  I know that this has been a topic of some interest among the press corps.  And I would like to report that all the materials in that passport agency have been collected and are now on their way to another location.  This includes all the personal documents and applications that people have provided the passport agency.  This was a result of some great teamwork among different government agencies and here in the State Department, led by Assistant Secretary Maura Harty, who headed up this effort.  She was here in Washington overseeing the activities in the field.  And I know that there will probably be some questions among the applicants who have materials and applications that were sent to the New Orleans Passport Agency.

And one thing I'd like to update them on is that recent applicants should be receiving postcards this week from the Bureau of Consular Affairs notifying them of disruptions and possible delays caused by Hurricane Katrina.  The postcard advises those who plan to travel within the next six weeks to contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.  Obviously, we will make every effort to reach out to those individuals at the best possible addresses for them.  But if there are any people that are listening, they can call that number and talk to the National Passport Information Center about getting their passport in the next six weeks.

The other item, I would note, the Multinational Forces in Iraq Information Center has announced a bit of very good news and that is that coalition forces rescued American citizen Roy Hallums.  He was located in a farmhouse about 15 miles south of Baghdad.  We certainly are gratified by this successful rescue mission and look forward to Mr. Hallums being reunited with his friends and family.  And I think if there -- for any further information about the details of that, we would refer you over to the Department of Defense.

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

QUESTION:  By any chance does the State Department have a reaction to Senator Clinton's call for the --

QUESTION:  Can we stay on this subject?

QUESTION:  Oh, sure, I'm sorry.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Sure.  Charlie.

QUESTION:  Yes.  In the Roy Hallums case or related to it, do you have an update or could you furnish us one later of other Americans who remained either believed to be a hostage or are unaccounted for, solely --

MR. MCCORMACK:  To the extent we can, Charlie, we will provide you an update on that.

QUESTION:  And on the Passport Office?  Mr. Thomas said that there were still -- there are 14 American employees of the office who are unaccounted for.  Is that true?

MR. MCCORMACK:  We have not been able to get in touch with them, either us directly or their fellow employees, have not been able to locate those individuals.  And we are still continuing our efforts to get in touch with those folks.

QUESTION:  But you must be concerned because, being Passport Office employees, they know how important it is to call in as soon as you're found and, you know, to save the State Department from searching, right?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, certainly we understand the difficult circumstances in the region.  And these are valued employees of the State Department and certainly we will continue our efforts to reach out to them and try to contact all of our employees.  And we have taken a number of steps here to ensure that State Department employees who may have been affected in the region continue to receive their benefits and their pay as well.  So we are taking steps to make sure that State Department employees are cared for in a very difficult time.

Anything else on those two opening subjects?  We can jump to Mr. Schweid.

QUESTION:  I'm wondering if the State Department has a reaction to a suggestion by Senator Clinton that there be an independent investigation of the federal response.

MR. MCCORMACK:  I think the President spoke to this yesterday.  I don't think I have anything to add to it.

QUESTION:  Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Okay?  Well, thank you very much.

QUESTION:  Thank you, have a good weekend.

(Laughter.)

MR. MCCORMACK:  George.

QUESTION:  Iran.  The visa granted to the Iranian President supposedly?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.  I have some information for you.  Yesterday -- just to back up, I have a few details for you.

On August 5th, the Iranian Mission at the United Nations officially requested a visa for the President of Iran to travel to New York to participate in a high-level event -- a high-level summit -- in connection with the 60th UN General Assembly meeting in September that's going to take place in New York from September 13th through the 18th.

The request was adjudicated according to standard procedures and applicable U.S. law, and yesterday, a visa was issued in Bern, Switzerland.  The decision to allow President Ahmadi-Nejad as Iranian head of government to travel to the UN is in keeping with past practice and in accordance with our obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement.  The decision to allow President Ahmadi-Nejad to come to the UN is something that we did strictly according to our applicable laws.

This in no way indicates a change in U.S. views or policy towards the Iranian Government.

QUESTION:  When this issue first came up over a month ago, we were told that, well, we have to take into account our obligations under the Headquarters Agreement but there were also foreign policy considerations involved as well.  That was a month ago.  Now, how did you -- I guess you came out on the side of the Headquarters Agreement, but were foreign policy considerations taken into account and was it a close call?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, I can try to fill you on in some of the facts.

QUESTION:  Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK:  What happened was that in looking at the application of the Iranian President, we found Mr. Ahmadi-Nejad ineligible for a visa under Immigration and Nationality Act, INA, Section 212(a)(3)(B).  At the State Department's request, the Department of Homeland Security waived this ineligibility to allow the Iranian President as Iranian head of government to attend the General Assembly and high-level summit.  The ineligibility under 212(a)(3)(B) applies, when we have, "reason to believe," that the visa applicant is within the scope of that broad provision covering a wide range of past and present activity that is supportive or in furtherance of terrorist activity.  The INA requires that we keep visa records confidential.  And as a matter of normal procedures, we don't discuss particular details of visa adjudications.

And I will say that our concerns about information suggesting that President Ahmadi-Nejad was involved in the hostage crisis is a matter of public record.  We take these allegations very seriously and it is the responsibility of the Iranian Government to address them.  We renew our call on the Iranian Government to do so.

Yes.

QUESTION:  Just as a follow-up, have you found out -- you've been investigating this for a month or more.  Have you found anything to substantiate those allegations?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Again, under 212(a)(3)(B), we did find Mr. Ahmadi-Nejad ineligible.  We then requested a waiver of that ineligibility finding and a visa was issued.  There are still unresolved questions concerning his activities surrounding the taking of the American Embassy in Tehran and his activities in that subsequent period in which American citizens were held for 444 days.  We have not forgotten that.  And we call upon the Iranian Government to clarify and to answer these questions that have yet to be answered.

Yes.

QUESTION:  Sean, you have your own investigation.  The U.S. Government has its own investigation.  Where is that and do you think that that's just going to be open-ended unless answers come from Tehran?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Like I said, there are still unresolved questions.  And part of the constraint in talking about visa applications is no matter who makes that visa application is that we cannot talk about the details surrounding that.  And certainly -- but certainly, the -- our investigations across the U.S. Government all fed in to this decision-making process.  I am not at liberty to detail for you what was found as part of those investigations, and the part of the information that went into the process of reviewing this application also included the interviews with former hostages.  But again, I can't get into the details of, you know, of this investigation.

QUESTION:  I'm not asking about the visa.  I'm asking about the investigation.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  Exactly.  But again, the reason why that comes up is, in the context of this visa application, and inasmuch as that was part of the process for looking at this application, I just can't get into it.

QUESTION:  But have you -- I mean, can you answer questions that we've gone over before, like have you done interviews now with the hostages?

MR. MCCORMACK:  We have done -- we have done interviews with the former hostages, yes.  I can't say with all of them, but we have done interviews with former hostages, yes.

QUESTION:  And which -- do you say the information gathering in your investigation is complete and you do not yet have an answer?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I would say that the information gathering is incomplete, and it's incomplete for the simple reason that the Iranian Government has not answered remaining questions about his activities during this period.

QUESTION:  But you have not ruled out the possibility he was one of the hostage-takers?

MR. MCCORMACK:  You know, again, I think that there are still open questions concerning his activities during that period, and those questions have been raised by a variety of different individuals, including former hostages.  There are questions that remain and we call upon the Iranian Government to answer those questions.

QUESTION:  Is the Secretary responsible for making that decision on the waiver?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.  To request the waiver.

QUESTION:  On what basis?

MR. MCCORMACK:  On what basis?

QUESTION:  What did she decide to ask for a waiver?

MR. MCCORMACK:  We have -- you know, after reviewing the application, we, as I said, in accordance with our obligations under the UN Headquarters Agreement, we have never decide -- we decided to request a waiver of this ineligibility.  We have never denied a visa to a head of government or head of state visiting the UN.  It's part of our international obligations.  I think if you look back at the history, one example, well there are numerous examples that are out there, in terms of heads of state or government that have been granted a visa even though there were some questions surrounding the issuance of that visa.

Yes.

QUESTION:  A small question.  Why Switzerland?  Why in Bern?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I would have to look into -- we would have to look into that for you.

QUESTION:  Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK:  I don't have --

QUESTION:  They're a protecting power.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, Switzerland is our protecting power and we use the Swiss Government to have diplomatic communications with the Iranian Government.

QUESTION:  Still on this?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.

QUESTION:  What are the restrictions on his visa?  Is he allowed to go anywhere outside of New York City?  How long?  I know that their length of stay is granted on the border, not by the State Department, but --

MR. MCCORMACK:  It's for the -- it's for the period of the high-level summit at the UN General Assembly.  And Mr. Ahmadi-Nejad will be subject to the 25-mile travel restriction applied to all Iranians entering the United States for UN business.

QUESTION:  While we're on a subject like that, do you know if the Secretary's planning to talk to a lot of European and Arab Middle East leaders about Syria and Lebanon and Iraq and related issues.  Do you know if Assad of Syria, who apparently is going to the UN, will be invited to the meeting?  Do you happen to know?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I don't think there are any plans for the Secretary to meet with President Assad.

QUESTION:  Thanks.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.

QUESTION:  After the Secretary requested the waiver, who was the -- or what was the agency that approved it?  Was it DHS or --

MR. MCCORMACK:  DHS, yes.  As a matter of the procedure, they are the ones that issue the waivers.  We here at the State Department request the waiver.

Yes, Elise.

QUESTION:  New subject?

MR. MCCORMACK:  You have one on this, Samir?

QUESTION:  Iran.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, on the issue of the visa or on --

QUESTION:  Yes, the visas.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Okay.

QUESTION:  Do you have any comment on why the U.S. denied the speaker of Iranian parliament to come to the UN?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I will get you something on that.

Elise.

QUESTION:  Could you talk about four American contractors working for the U.S. Embassy killed in Iraq today?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.  We received the sad news this morning that there were four contractors who were working as security contractors who have lost their lives in Iraq, in Basra, today.  It was this morning.  One vehicle in a convoy in Basra was struck by a roadside improvised explosive device, an IED.  The vehicle was occupied by four contractors.  All four then died as a result of the wounds received in the explosion.  Our thoughts and our prayers are with the family.  It's a terrible incident and our regional security office -- security officers in Baghdad are traveling to Basra to investigate this incident.  And we will work with the Iraqi Government to hold to account those responsible for this terrorist act.

Yes.

QUESTION:  Do you have anything on the killing of Moussa Arafat?  And is the United States concerned about the lack of authority that the PA might be having in Gaza right now?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, we welcome President Abbas's comments in saying that he will -- that he committed himself and the Palestinian Authority to bring those responsible for these attacks to justice and to dismantle terrorist infrastructure in the Palestinian territories.  Continuing lawlessness, terror and violence only serve to drive a wedge in Palestinian society, frustrating the aspirations of the Palestinian people for a better way of life.  It's the responsibility of any governing authority, any government to provide a safe, secure environment where the people can realize a better life for themselves.  And this is also a responsibility of the Palestinian Authority and that we welcome President Abbas's commitment to seeing that there is a safe environment for the Palestinian people, free from terror and his commitment to dismantle terrorist organizations.

QUESTION:  This is a follow-up.  Does this killing not suggest that President Abbas doesn't have the authority to restore order and keep order?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Again, it is the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority.  He has expressed his commitment to bring those responsible for this to justice.  What we would urge is that every effort be made by the Palestinian Authority in Gaza, in particular, during this time, for withdrawal to maintain an atmosphere of calm and free from violence and certainly from terrorist acts.

Yes, Joel.

QUESTION:  Change of subject, Sean.  Prime Minister Tony Blair appeared on Chinese television Friday with Chinese openly about human rights policies, as well as democracy.  And Yahoo, the internet web portal, has been accused of actually assisting the Chinese in the jailing of a writer, Shi Tao, who works for the Contemporary Business News, apparently saying that he has transferred foreign websites, foreign-based websites, the information to the Chinese Government.  Is there any repercussions to the Chinese concerning this and will these be brought to talks here in Washington or rescheduled talks in the coming week?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I don't have anything for you on this, the question about Yahoo.  But certainly, the United States has made discussion of human rights and religious freedom and personal freedoms a central feature of our discussions with China.  We have a broad, big, complex relationship with China.  And there are positive elements to that; there are less positive elements to that.  But what we do is we try to work through any issues that we may have with the Chinese Government in an open and direct manner.  And part of this effort is Deputy Secretary Zoellick's senior dialogue with Chinese leadership.

President Bush will be meeting with President Hu around the UN General Assembly and high-level summit.  And I expect that -- and he is committed to rescheduling President Hu's visit here.  President Bush has been from the very beginning, at the forefront of raising issues of human rights and religious freedom with the Chinese officials and that's something Secretary Rice does on a regular basis when she talks to Chinese officials.

Yes.

QUESTION:  Do you have anything on the Egyptian elections?  Yesterday you were calling for transparency and also voiced concern about international monitors.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  First of all, the election -- the polls have not yet closed in Egypt, so I won't have any final assessment for you of how the entire process has unfolded.  But Secretary Rice, as you know, has called on Egypt on numerous occasions to lead the region in promoting democracy, as it has done in the pursuit of peace.  We are following Egypt's presidential elections closely and we'll wait to see how the day unfolds.  I would say that these elections really mark a historic departure for Egypt and the fact that you have a multi-candidate presidential election.  So I think it's safe to say that Egyptians have not seen a presidential election like the one they have just seen in their lifetimes.

I also think that the political debate that unfolded around these elections, both prior to and during the actual campaign period, is something that will enrich the Egyptian political dialogue for years to come.  It is a beginning.

That said, we have also seen reports during the election period of harassment of opposition candidates and repression of public protestors.  But even at that, the Egyptian people did hear a political dialogue that they had not heard before.  And during this campaign, President Mubarak went out and spoke to the Egyptian people.  He made promises to the Egyptian people.  And we would expect that he follow through on those promises, one of which is the lifting of the state of emergency.

I think as a general comment, as I mentioned yesterday, what we look forward to is the Egyptian Government and the Egyptian people building on the progress that has been made in this election, both in the run-up to it and during this election, as they look forward to their parliamentary elections in the fall.

QUESTION:  Also on the election.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Sure.

QUESTION:  You say that you hope that President Mubarak will make good on his promises.  Does that mean that you're assuming that he's going to be reelected?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, we will wait to see -- we will wait to see what the final results of the election are.

QUESTION:  You know something we don't know?  (Laughter.)

QUESTION:  Sean, Mr. Thomas said you were going to have something about foreign companies providing aid.  Was that -- did I mishear him?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Foreign companies providing --

QUESTION:  For Hurricane --

QUESTION:  Private offers.

QUESTION:  Private offers.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Private offers.  I don't have any update for you on private offers.

QUESTION:  He said you have some interesting stories to tell us.

QUESTION:  Yeah, he did.  (Laughter.)

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, we have -- there have been private offers made at the -- you know, made to individual NGOs.  There is -- I think there is one interesting story we've heard -- we have heard in from the field, and it involves a survivor from a concentration camp.

And what happened is it was a 90-year-old person came into one of our diplomatic missions unsolicited -- this person isn't seeking attention -- and they provided an envelope with a thousand Euros in it.  And the reason, the explanation given for this donation, is -- and this money was intended to help provide relief for people who are suffering as a result of Hurricane Katrina -- the reason given was that this person had been liberated from this concentration camp by American soldiers and then spent several months afterwards being cared for by American medical personnel.  And so this was this person's way of repaying that debt, this debt of over 60 years, to the American people.

So I think that, again, this is -- you know, there are many, many stories from around the world of individuals, you know, being very generous with the American people in our time of need.  I wanted to highlight this one story for you because, frankly, it's extraordinary.

QUESTION:  So which embassy was this, or consulate?

MR. MCCORMACK:  I don't want to get into the details of the where because this is a person who is not seeking any publicity for this act, again, which, you know, in the times we live, it makes it even more extraordinary.  This is a selfless act by somebody who is repaying what they felt was a deeply felt debt of gratitude to the United States.

QUESTION:  Did you say that person went to the embassy?

MR. MCCORMACK:  He went to one of our diplomatic missions.

QUESTION:  Mission.  Not necessarily an embassy.  Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  Again, I don't want to be specific.

QUESTION:  No, no, I just want to get it straight.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right, right.

QUESTION:  So do you happen to know if this person had ultimately a successful private business career or whatever?  Is it a person of wealth, do you know, or just --

MR. MCCORMACK:  I don't have any of those details, Barry.

QUESTION:  Could you go over how this task force works?  Mr. Thomas spoke earlier rather glowingly about how the coordination of these offers have come through and that working with FEMA works pretty well.  Can you give us some idea?  Because based on what we have seen in looking at the list, it seems like it's a little too much, too late.  Baby diapers, blankets coming in late.  Most people have left.  Rescue teams, those kinds of -- helicopters, purification systems.  Gone, I mean, not there, not necessary at this point because most of the people have left the City of New Orleans.  Now, yes, there are a few people there.

Could you tell us a little bit about how that task force works and who makes the ultimate decision as to what is accepted and how that is generated?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, a few things.  I think that, you know, somebody who is in a shelter, maybe not in New Orleans, who might need diapers for their baby would be a little surprised to hear that they don't need those diapers.  So you have to remember that there are people who have been evacuated from New Orleans that are at various sites all around the country.  We have seen all the news reports.  There are people here in D.C., in Washington, D.C., who have been evacuated from New Orleans and they're in shelters.  So they're all around the country and these people still have needs.  They need to be fed.  They may need clothes.  They may need diapers for their babies.  They may need fresh water if they're in areas that have been -- the infrastructure that has been affected.

So there are a variety of different needs and I expect that over time those needs will change.  We have received very generous assistance from a number of different countries.  We've given you a list of some of these countries and what they have provided.  Some of the most immediate needs in the aftermath of this hurricane were MREs, meals-ready-to-eat.  We put out a call after receiving some initial donations of the MREs to countries around the world saying this is something we need.  We have gotten a great response.  We have actually received more MREs than we had originally targeted.

I understand that there are still search-and-rescue missions underway in various areas.  Again, those -- I'll leave it to the DHS folks and the military folks to describe exactly the state of those efforts, but they are still ongoing.

QUESTION:  My question is, though, that they came in so late.  According to your list here, the MREs didn't come in till the 5th, which is just two days ago.  What I'm saying is that the initial response that was needed was a week ago.  What took so long to decide what was going to be accepted and how to get it there?  I guess -- was it this task force or was it separate?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, a couple things.  Again, it's important to remember the need is ongoing.

QUESTION:  I understand, but my question is that you don't have any --

MR. MCCORMACK:  The need -- yeah, I know, but the way you phrase your question is kind of -- it makes it seem like the need has disappeared.  It has not disappeared.

QUESTION:  No, of course.  That wasn't my question.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Now, in terms of how does this all work, we at the State Department here form a -- we have a central coordinating function because we are in contact with foreign governments and we also are in contact with the Department of Homeland Security, with FEMA, with the Department of Defense.  And as these needs are identified and this process started last week, as we started working with FEMA and DHS, Department of Homeland Security, on what it is that was needed and the offers of international assistance started to flow in.

This is an extraordinarily complex, complicated process to, you know, to identify what those needs are in real time and then in new real time, match up those needs with offers of assistance from abroad.  And then the task is to, in a material way, in a concrete way, get that material, whether it's MREs or tents or blankets from locations thousands of miles outside the United States into the United States.  And once it's in the United States to have the infrastructure to be able to get those things to the places where people need them.  And I think that given the complexity of this task, that you have seen actually an extraordinary effort to get these items from thousands of miles overseas and get them to people in the United States to where they need them, into the shelters, to the affected areas.  And it's a process that's going to continue.  The last thing that you want is to have materials flow into the wrong place where they might not be used or even to have materials or a person that'll go to a place that actually are -- that might actually hinder ongoing rescue operations.

So again, this is -- it's a complicated process, but I think it's working.  And I think that you see the fact that over the past days we've had 11 flights come in from overseas.  Over the next couple of days we have 11 more scheduled that's coming in with tons and tons of equipment and aid.  And that doesn't count, for example, the cruise ships from Greece that are coming in to help house people, ships from Mexico, convoys, overland convoys from Mexico and from Canada that are flowing in.  So the process is working.  We serve as a coordinating mechanism here and we're working very well with other members of the U.S. Government as well as foreign governments.

QUESTION:  Well, the one thing you've said is that -- you're calling it "complex."  Would you say that maybe there's too much bureaucracy, the one thing that maybe you've learned from this is that there's got to be a simpler, easier, faster way of doing it?

MR. MCCORMACK:  No.  I would say that when you are coordinating among a number of different U.S. Government agencies and foreign governments, that is a complex process.  You are trying to aid hundreds of thousands of people that have been affected by this.  And I think that what we have seen is a very effective response from the Department of State and as well as the other U.S. Government agencies to, really, in a concrete way realize these offers of assistance on the ground here in the United States.

QUESTION:  Sean.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Teri.

QUESTION:  Despite this, though, you have foreign countries like Sweden saying that they've had this plane filled with supplies sitting there for four days and that they still haven't heard back from you.  I know that the State Department is saying, well, we're putting out lists and, you know, please respond to those lists specifically.  But how much thought does it really take to know that you need things like, what do they say, that they've got water purification system.

QUESTION:  Communications.

QUESTION:  Yeah, the Germans have a cell phone switcher.  I mean, how could you possibly not need that as soon as possible and why are those offers just sitting out there?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  Well, you're referring to a story that I saw in the newspaper today.  We have reached back out to the Swedish Government to say that we very much value their offer of assistance and we are looking for a way to match up what it is that they have with what the needs are on the ground.  Again, you know, you refer to -- and I'm not an expert in cell phone switching equipment.

QUESTION:  Me neither.

MR. MCCORMACK:  But again, you can't -- you accept offers -- you don't accept offers like that, you know, in the abstract.  You know, we very much appreciate the offer, but in order to make these offers useful in a real-world way, you have to, for instance, make sure that that cell phone switching equipment is actually compatible with what might be on the ground, water purification systems are compatible with what is on the ground.  So again, you know, I'm not saying that that is --

QUESTION:  But then, how long does it take to figure that out?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  I'm not saying that those are the particular issues, but just trying to make the point that when you get these offers of material assistance, you don't accept them in the abstract.  You accept a very specific thing to do, a very specific -- serve a very specific need and purpose.

QUESTION:  But you're calling this a "very effective response" and this --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, I think, again, you bring up an area where we have reached back out to the Swedish Government to -- if there are any miscommunications on this matter, we want to make it very clear we value their offer of assistance and we're going to look for a way to put that to use here in the United States.  And it is one example that we're working on.  But again, if you go down the list, you look at all the other flights that have landed here, all the other cash donations that have been accepted, I think that it is a -- I feel pretty safe in saying it is an effective response.

Elise.

QUESTION:  So, I mean, just to kind of encapsulate what you're saying is that these countries who, their planes aren't getting clearances and things like that, it's just an issue of you finding a suitable need to match what they're offering.  Is that --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, let's be specific with the Swedish case.  We have reached back out to the Swedish Government and we have said thank you very much for your offer of assistance, we're going to look for a way to match what it is that you have with a specific need.

In terms of flight clearances and those things, those are things that are done, you know, in a relatively mechanical way and it's a matter of, once you have identified the specific need that you can match up with that capability, you know, you have to slot them in.

QUESTION:  Right.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Now, is there -- you're doing a lot of, literally, air traffic controlling of, you know, aid flights coming in from overseas, as well as a lot of other aircraft activity in that area.  So you have to look for specific slots for planes to land and those sorts of things.

QUESTION:  There is one more, and since I'm sure you might have read about it, there is a German telecommunications system.  And not only have you not -- I understand that you may not need something like, but this company and some other companies have been trying to call and say this is what we have, would it be useful to you, and aren't getting callbacks.  I mean, some agencies are saying call back in 30 days.  And so are you being overwhelmed with offers that you can't even -- that it's difficult to process all of them or --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, I don't have the specifics on a German, private offer of German telecommunications equipment.  I know from the German Government we have had a great outpouring -- MREs as well as the offer of high-speed pumps, which we're looking to get those over here and put them to use, there's an obvious use for those.  As for the other private offers, I don't have any other -- don't have any details for you.  But I think that we have seen a great outpouring of generosity from the world and we are working very hard to have that great outpouring materialize here in the United States in a way that fills specific needs that people might have.

QUESTION:  One last one on that, Sean.  Mr. Thomas did say that they've gotten back to everybody through ambassadors.  It's not just Sweden and Germany.  There are lists here of Switzerland, Poland, Austria, Norway, India, Taiwan, South Korea -- these are some of your staunchest allies and the governments are saying they have not heard back from you.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, we have gotten back to everybody with an initial response of thanking them for their offers, their offers of assistance, and that we will, again -- you've heard me say this a lot, you've heard Harry Thomas say it, you've heard others say it -- work with them to match these specific offers with needs.  And again, this is going to be with us for some time.  There are going to be new needs that emerge.  We talked yesterday with George a little bit about the fact that this list of needs is being constantly updated as the situation on the ground changes.

QUESTION:  But do you think these countries are going to be willing to just keep their planes loaded sitting there if they don't hear back from you in a timely manner?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Again, we will work with all governments that have made these offers, offers of assistance.

QUESTION:  So replies are forthcoming; is that what you would tell Poland, Austria, Norway?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, I would say that, to my knowledge, we have made initial replies of thanks to all of these countries and that we are going to be working with them on their specific offers of assistance.

Joel.

QUESTION:  With regard to this, if there is going to be a logjam and it's going to take months, if not possibly a year, especially on environmental cleanup, there's problems in health such as with the CDC and also FEMA, if there's expertise, do you prefer the countries to go through the NGOs such as the Red Cross and other style groups, or do you want an extended visa under this emergency?  How do you want that to work?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, the efforts need to be coordinated, certainly, working through the NGOs in terms of cash donations is an important way to do this.  But it's important that the efforts be coordinated and there's an effective mechanism to do that.

Yes, Samir.

QUESTION:  Could you confirm if you received any offer from Iran?  Because press reports yesterday said that --

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yeah, we -- I guess we received this offer with some political conditions attached to it through the press.  We have not received a formal offer via the Swiss channel from the Iranian Government.

QUESTION:  Thank you.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Yes.

QUESTION:  Do you have anything new on the six-party talks, when they're likely to resume?  I know that the Chinese have been giving dates, but do you have any idea of a date yet?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  The Chinese are working with all the parties.  They have not made a formal announcement of a date and we're waiting for Chinese confirmation of that date.  I will say that Chris Hill is expecting to return to Beijing next week, though his travel plans have not been finalized, and that when the talks do resume the U.S. delegation is prepared to remain in Beijing as long as it takes to -- and as long as there is progress being made in the discussions.

QUESTION:  So the fact that he's returning to Beijing is that you are anticipating it's going to begin the beginning of next week or --

MR. MCCORMACK:  He is expecting to return next week.  Again, the Chinese Government has not made a formal announcement of the date and we expect -- we're looking for an announcement soon.  And if the date is sometime next week, we'll be there and we'll be ready.

QUESTION:  He will go only if there are talks?

MR. MCCORMACK:  Right.  Right.  Right.

QUESTION:  Korea?  Sir, did the Congressman who went -- Congressman Lantos -- did they give you any briefing when they came back from North Korea?  Has that been something that you've managed to --

MR. MCCORMACK:  I know that Ambassador Hill did speak with Congressman Leach.  I don't have any --

QUESTION:  Nothing?

MR. MCCORMACK:  No details of the discussion.

QUESTION:  Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Thank you.

QUESTION:  Anything on the oil-for-food report coming out?  Did you prepare anything on that?

MR. MCCORMACK:  We do have something.

QUESTION:  Well, fancy that.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Well, we do have -- well, what I would refer you up to is John Bolton's statement.  He made a statement in the Security Council about this and I think that he went through in detail our views on the matter and I would just let it stand at that.

QUESTION:  Thanks.

MR. MCCORMACK:  Thank you.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:30 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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