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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

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QUESTION: Iraq. There is a delegation of congressional aides has gone there against the better advice and judgment of the State Department and this morning has met with Tariq Aziz. What does the State Department make of that?

MR. FOLEY: We don't make anything of it, although I would point out I think that it was indicated to us in our meetings with them that they, in fact, did not intend to meet with the Iraqi leadership. They appear, according to press reports, to have done so. I doubt very seriously whether what they heard from Tariq Aziz in private was different from what that particular representative of Iraqi propaganda has stated in public, and so I don't have any reaction to it.

QUESTION: They told you that they weren't going to meet with any Iraqi officials and now they have. Doesn't that cast a different light on the --

MR. FOLEY: I think it speaks for itself. We recommended against the visit. We did not validate their passports because that is our policy for security concerns. You asked me here at that time whether we made that decision because we wished that they not be present in Iraq for political purposes or be manipulated for a political purpose, and I was very careful to state that that is not the case; that we have an obligation to make the security the foremost consideration or criterion when we determine whether or not the validate the passports. Whether we validated the passports and they went under that aegis or they went without using their passports doesn't change the fact that, once in Iraq, anything can happen.

We are not surprised by the fact that the Iraqi leadership would seek to exploit their presence. Whether that was something they could have resisted or not under the circumstances is not something that I could possibly comment on. I think it speaks mostly to the nature of the Iraqi regime which, obviously, has propagandist intent in terms of trying to persuade the international community that the time has come to lift sanctions without meeting the obligations they have undertaken to the international community to assure that their weapons of mass destruction programs have been eliminated.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) - major concern because of the daily bombing that is taking place in Iraq?

MR. FOLEY: It's a fact that the Iraqis have challenged the no-fly zone day in and day out since December and, yes, that area could be a dangerous area to be in

QUESTION: Are you saying that these travelers mislead or broke faith or whatever the expression might be apropos with the US by having this meeting?

MR. FOLEY: As I said a minute ago --

QUESTION: Were they used for political purposes?

MR. FOLEY: As I said a minute ago, I don't know the circumstances of the meeting - how it took place - so I can't speak to that. I merely noted what they'd indicated to us prior to going there. In terms of the propensity of the Iraqi Government to try to propagandize the visit of foreign visitors, that's a given.

QUESTION: Could you say - you didn't quite answer that question. Has the Iraqi leadership sought to exploit their presence?

MR. FOLEY: I think I made that very clear that that is their --

QUESTION: That you wouldn't be surprised if they did?

MR. FOLEY: That's their normal practice.

QUESTION: But does this instant meeting - is this instant meeting a matter of exploiting Americans for Iraqi political purposes?

MR. FOLEY: If I might just parenthetically tell whatever listeners or viewers might be out there that this is the last day of August; it's been a slow news month and that explains, perhaps, the tenacity of our colleagues, for those of you who remain tuned in.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) - general statement is a specific statement?

MR. FOLEY: I've not seen - I've not seen what was said as a result of the meeting either by the Americans or by Tariq Aziz. So I couldn't answer.

QUESTION: How does he withdraw that question? I mean - he was just trying to pin down whether they were trying - whether they were exploiting them or not? That's a fair question.

MR. FOLEY: George --

QUESTION: Even though it is the last day of August.

QUESTION: You say they're so inclined, but did they exploit the Americans?

MR. FOLEY: George, I haven't seen what was said. Have you seen the quotes of the meeting?

QUESTION: No, but he's just trying to pin it down.

QUESTION: The very fact of a meeting - it's the very fact of a meeting exploiting the presence of Americans.

MR. FOLEY: I'm willing to go the distance for you if you want.

QUESTION: No - it's not for me. I just want --

MR. FOLEY: The Iraqi regime is trying --

QUESTION: Whether your policies - (inaudible) - is specific to Americans?

MR. FOLEY: It's everywhere. The Iraqi regime is trying to hoodwink the international community. The Iraqi regime is trying to hoodwink the international community to attempt to have - to persuade the international community to lift sanctions without achieving verifiable elimination of their programs of weapons of mass destruction. They will seek every opportunity to make that point; to propagandize any opportunity they get, and it would not surprise me in the least if this was a propaganda exercise. So let me be clear about that; I'm not trying to avoid your question. I haven't seen what - what form their propagandistic efforts has taken in this respect.

QUESTION: Same subject --

MR. FOLEY: Sorry - it's still August 31 - the longest day. I think we've lost another half of our viewers.

QUESTION: I wonder if the State Department has any thoughts on Iraq's decision to donate a significant amount of oil to Turkey at this time?

MR. FOLEY: The United States recognizes the urgent humanitarian need of the people in Turkey and has provided extensive assistance ourselves, including in-kind practical support. The United States is working with the UN Sanctions Committee to insure that diversion of humanitarian oil from Iraq to Turkey is made within the framework of US sanctions on Iraq. That's the critical point; that the UN Sanctions Committee have an opportunity to look at this and, if necessary, to authorize this. I would point out that this donation is taking place in the context of the extraordinary and unique circumstances faced by Turkey after the recent earthquake. It does not create any precedent for future or other transactions. But we are working within the Sanctions Committee on the mechanics of this donation to insure that sanctions are not violated.

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(The briefing concluded at 2:02 P.M.)

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