Military

MR. MCCORMACK: Good afternoon, everybody. I don't have any opening statements, so we can get right into your questions. Anything up here? Moving to the second row. Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Farzam from Voice of America.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you know about this deportation of Mr. Sharif?

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: We did have some initial comments from you, but there's a very -- almost a universal perception in Pakistan that this was done -- the U.S. has to do something with it, either it was supported by the U.S. -- I mean, it's -- it may be wrong.

MR. MCCORMACK: It's a matter -- it's -- this is a --

QUESTION: There's a very universal perception, everybody seems to think that Pakistan --

MR. MCCORMACK: It's a matter for the Pakistanis to resolve. First of all, the proximate issue at hand, this agreement that was arrived at among the Pakistani Government, Mr. Nawaz Sharif, his brother, and the Saudi Government, we are not party to that. It's up to the parties involved to interpret that agreement as they will.

Now I would note only as a factual matter that the Supreme Court, the Pakistani Supreme Court has made a judgment about this issue and that the decision to deport Mr. Sharif runs contrary to that, but it is still a pending legal matter in Pakistan, so we're not going to have anything to say about it. But this is wholly and entirely a Pakistani issue to resolve. We believe that with an eye toward the upcoming elections, that those elections should take place in a manner that's free, fair and transparent and consistent with Pakistani law and the constitution. And that for the current moment, anybody involved in this existing political transition that is undergoing in Pakistan now with upcoming elections, that they take all their steps and all their actions in a manner that turns away from violence and that is within the framework of the Pakistani law -- Pakistani constitution and laws.

QUESTION: Mr. Boucher's presence in Pakistan has to do anything with it?

MR. MCCORMACK: No. As a matter of fact, it's coincidence that the timing of this particular strategic dialogue takes place at -- right now. Ambassador Negroponte, our Deputy Secretary, and Richard Boucher are going to be in Pakistan for the strategic dialogue with their Pakistani counterparts. This is something that had been scheduled prior to the political calendar, shall we say, that's unfolding now in Pakistan.

QUESTION: What will they be saying to President Musharraf or any of the leaders about the situation? Do they have any message they're bringing?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, if there's -- if there is anything that we can convey coming out of their meetings in Pakistan, we'll be happy to provide that to you, but we don't have anything at this point.

QUESTION: And the party of former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has said that they will react to it and launch a movement. How do you see the implications of this decision in the -- in view of upcoming elections in Pakistan, the democratic process?

MR. MCCORMACK: Again, there is going to be a democratic process in Pakistan. There are legal issues that are currently outstanding in Pakistan with respect to this deportation. I said that we're not going to have anything more to say about it as it moves through the Pakistani legal process. And as for the political process, we would echo the comments of others around the world that the upcoming elections in Pakistan take place within the confines of Pakistani law and the constitution, and that those elections meet international standards so that all can have confidence in them, so that they are free, fair and transparent.

Joel.

QUESTION: Sean, apparently, Usama bin Laden is issuing a second videotape. Have you heard anything about it? He's apparently interviewed --

MR. MCCORMACK: A second --

QUESTION: -- six years ago --

MR. MCCORMACK: I have not. I have not, Joel. No. And I know that President Bush just yesterday -- just the day before yesterday, spoke to the other videotape that was coming out from bin Laden. It's just for all of us a reminder that we face a continuing threat from terrorism around the world and that it underscores the efforts of our men and women around the globe, in Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere, not only soldiers, Marines, sailors, but also our diplomats and what kind of important mission they have in fighting the war against terror.

QUESTION: Did Deputy Secretary Negroponte and Richard work out some type of an agreement with the Pakistanis meeting with President Musharraf, who's also the commander of the army, to actually once and for all go up into those northwestern territories to --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, they already are, Joel. We've -- the Pakistani military is taking losses in going into those territories that haven't been controlled by any Pakistani government. And we have encouraged President Musharraf to do everything that he can to bring those territories under control and not allow them to be a safe haven for al-Qaida extremists or other terrorists that pose just as great a threat to the Pakistanis and President Musharraf as they do to us, as well as other freedom-loving people around the world.

There's more work to be done. There's certainly more progress to be made in those territories. But President Musharraf is keenly aware of the importance of not only economic but military efforts in that region.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Sean, any reaction on the parliamentary elections in Morocco.

MR. MCCORMACK: As a matter of fact, I have a statement that we're going to release right after the briefing. But we will -- our take on this is that the people in Morocco should be congratulated for holding what are some good elections, and they appear to have met international standards for fairness and transparency. So, very basically, we would congratulate the Moroccan people on holding these elections. It's another step along the way of their political and -- their political reform and the opening of the political space to all Moroccan people.

Yes.

QUESTION: The Foreign Minister of Georgia, Mr. Gela Bezhuashvili, is in town. He has meeting with Secretary Rice tomorrow.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: Do you have any idea what the questions are they're going to discuss at the meeting?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't know. I haven't looked -- I haven't talked to the Secretary about what she's going to raise with him. I'm sure U.S.-Georgian relations. I'm sure that they're going to talk about the Georgian issues in the neighborhood. I know that there have been tensions between Georgia and Russia -- and Russia over the past months. I'm sure that that will come up as well.

But Georgia is a good friend, and she looks forward to meeting with the Foreign Minister.

Yeah.

QUESTION: The whole town is abuzz with the Petraeus report, Petraeus' report. But as The Washington Post pointed out, there's also a Ryan Crocker report. Can you --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: Can you shed any light? Is it going to be, given this matter at hand --

MR. MCCORMACK: As we -- as we speak, he is up there on the Hill. I can tell you I haven't seen it. I know the Secretary hasn't seen it. She, of course, speaks with him on a nearly daily basis, so she has a good idea of how he views the situation, and she was just there with the President as well.

But we did not see the testimony from either General Petraeus or Ambassador Crocker prior to it's being given. It's being given now up on the Hill, so we can all listen in and learn together what it is that he's going to be saying.

Nicholas, how are you?

QUESTION: I'm okay. How are you?

MR. MCCORMACK: I'm doing just fine, thank you.

QUESTION: Has anyone on the 7th floor seen the Crocker report?

MR. MCCORMACK: No. No.

QUESTION: So is this to show that there wasn't political interference in its preparation or what's the purpose of the Secretary not having seen it?

MR. MCCORMACK: People have asked for the unvarnished assessments --

QUESTION: Right.

MR. MCCORMACK: -- of General Petraeus and Ambassador Crocker and that's what they're getting. They're not getting Administration spin. They're not getting a report from Ambassador Crocker that is the result of prodding or cajoling or pushing; they are getting his views. And everybody can be assured of the fact that they are getting his views. Now of course, Ambassador Crocker and General Petraeus are going to give their reports today and then we're going to hear later in the week from the President of the United States and his thoughts on how we should move forward in Iraq, not only on the political side but on the diplomatic side as well.

QUESTION: Do you expect in the wake of those reports -- do you expect or are there any plans for the Embassy to perhaps work in a different mode to achieve new goals or do you see the operation of the Embassy staying pretty much the way it is?

MR. MCCORMACK: The operation in the sense of what?

QUESTION: The way that they're working with the government. I mean, the -- whenever the Prime Minister is sort of in trouble, that there is -- there are other people calling for a different --

MR. MCCORMACK: Let's wait to hear from Ryan. Let's wait to hear first from Ryan. And then we're also, I'm sure, going to hear from Secretary Rice along the way here during the week in some form or fashion. And then, of course, you're going to hear from the President.

QUESTION: Right.

MR. MCCORMACK: So let's wait for those things to happen. I'm not going to jump ahead of this. He is only now -- Ryan is only now just beginning his testimony. It's going to last --

QUESTION: Not even, actually.

MR. MCCORMACK: -- six hours, going to last six hours. I understand there is over a hundred members of Congress that are going to be questioning both Ryan and David, so --

QUESTION: Right.

MR. MCCORMACK: -- that should make for some interesting listening and viewing for all of you.

QUESTION: And just one last one. Do you know if Ambassador Khalilzad provided any advice to Ryan Crocker for this report?

MR. MCCORMACK: Not that I know of.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. MCCORMACK: Zal has a different job now, as you know.

QUESTION: Well, I know, but he's got a lot of experience there, so --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, he certainly does -- certainly does.

QUESTION: Right.

MR. MCCORMACK: Yes, ma'am.

QUESTION: Yes, do you have something on the terrorist attacks in Algeria?

MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, it was a terrible, terrible terrorist attack and we condemn that. There was, I understand, a lost of life and injuries that resulted from that attack. And our thoughts and prayers go out to those families who lost loved ones and we wish a speedy recovery to everybody who may have been injured in that attack.

QUESTION: And also, you spoke almost one month ago about the Secretary's visit to Libya. You said it was in the near future.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right, and I didn't define what the near future was. And --

QUESTION: Can you define it?

MR. MCCORMACK: At this -- I'm not going to define it at this point. She does look forward to going there, but we don't have any trip announcements at this point.

QUESTION: And does the eventual trip include also other countries in the region?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, see. Stay tuned.

QUESTION: Okay.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. MCCORMACK: All right, thank you.

(The briefing was concluded at 12:50 p.m.)

DPB # 159