Homeland Security

MR. BOUCHER: The Secretary has discussed this with the French and with others. The French have suggested that there be a ministerial level Security Council meeting on counterterrorism. The date looks like January 20th and the Secretary would expect to go to New York for that, yeah.

QUESTION: Can I ask you a question about Afghanistan?

MR. BOUCHER: Sure.

QUESTION: Okay. Drug interdiction money. Has any decision been made about increasing drug interdiction money for the US contribution for Afghanistan in light of the bumper poppy crop?

MR. BOUCHER: I'll have to check on that. It may be a budget number we're not quite ready to put out yet. I'll see if we can say anything.

Matt.

QUESTION: Do you guys plan to have any representation -- the British say today that they're going to go ahead with their Middle East conference. Are you guys planning on sending anyone to that?

MR. BOUCHER: We've been in touch with the British and others about the conference, meaning the Palestinian reform conference there. We've appreciated their initiative. We've been in touch with them. I don't have any details at this point for you.

QUESTION: Okay, hold on a second. Have you been able to figure out yet what the Russian Foreign Ministry was talking about yesterday when it talked about this new proposal for a replacement to the ABM entry?

MR. BOUCHER: I didn't find anything like that or about that. So the answer is no, I haven't been able to figure it out yet, to put it directly.

QUESTION: And I have just one more. Have you heard back yet or do you have any answers from Egypt and the other concerned governments about Abu Abbas?

MR. BOUCHER: We've continued our discussions with them, but the actual status is no clearer than it was.

QUESTION: Well, what would you make of the -- the report was is that he had been invited to Cairo by an Egyptian official, the head of their intelligence services.

MR. BOUCHER: I think the report was that he was there on January 6th. We've been told specifically by some Egyptian officials that that's not the case. But I don't know that we have a final determination for you.

QUESTION: But what -- you know, his presence, is that -- would that be a problem for the United States if, in fact, that he had been invited or was allowed to travel freely within Egypt?

MR. BOUCHER: I mean, first of all, this is a dangerous man. I don't know the exact legal status, but certainly he's not a person that we believe should be allowed safe harbor or easy passage. But I would point out that Egypt has also been a very strong partner in the fight against terrorism and is a strong upholder of peace in the region.

QUESTION: Did Egyptian officials deny that he'd been there at all, or just that he'd been there on the 6th?

MR. BOUCHER: We've talked to various people. The Egyptians have generally told us that he was not there. Period. But again, I'm not sure we have a final determination as to that.

Joel.

QUESTION: You had spoken, both yourself and Phil spoke about a recent airing on Egyptian TV, a documentary, and a similar documentary, which was very stilted, was analyzed yesterday by the Middle East Research Institute at the National Press Building in Washington. Is there any ongoing -- and also, that television series aired throughout the Arab world.

Is there any plans to have Charlotte Beers of the media group here at the State Department both analyze and also to make recommendations to those governments?

MR. BOUCHER: I think we've said our piece on the matter at the time. I don't really have anything to add now.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR. BOUCHER: Thanks.