State Department Noon Briefing, October 3, 2000
STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING
BRIEFER: PHILIP REEKER, DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN
STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ROOM,
WASHINGTON, D.C. 1:05 P.M. EDT
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2000
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: Phil, do you have a read on what is going on along the
Iraqi-Kuwaiti border? The Kuwaitis are nervous.
MR. REEKER: I have seen a number of reports on that. As of October 3rd
- that would be today - there were approximately 200 to 400 people and
some 30 to 40 tents on the Iraqi side of the Iraq-Kuwait border. This
activity that we have seen the reports on appears to be the latest in
a series of propaganda ploys hostile to Kuwait by the Government of
Iraq. The true status and identity of the people gathered along the
border in the Iraqi section of the demilitarized zone is unclear, but
we view this as another cynical maneuver meant to distract world
attention from the Iraqi regime's continuing refusal to comply with UN
Security Council resolutions. So we watch the situation there
obviously very closely, but we see no cause for alarm.
Q: Do you see any, as the Kuwaitis claim, Iraqi intelligence people in
that group, that there could be --
MR. REEKER: I just - I don't have any further details of that. We see
no cause for alarm there. We see it as a propaganda ploy, and for any
further details you might want to talk to the Government of Kuwait
about some of the issues involved on the border.
Q: How close are the nearest US forces to that border? Do you know the
--
MR. REEKER: I don't know right offhand. I would have to go back and
check my maps or refer you to the Pentagon. They could talk about
positions.
Q: Also on Iraq, yesterday you put out the statement about the MOU
being signed with the Iraqi National Congress. And I'm just wondering
if there is any update on the next tranche of the - you know, when you
might expect that next $4 million to go, if there is any - to be
dispersed?
MR. REEKER: You know, I would want to look into that for you. We did
put out the statement yesterday about this funding agreement, as you
pointed out. You might check with the INC on some of their details in
terms of the plans for that. As we pointed out at the time, this money
discussed there does not come under the Iraq Liberation Act, which is
not an appropriation; it is an authority to provide material and
services, as you know, up to the $97 million. The $4 million we
announced yesterday comes from economic support funds and is
appropriated in that format. So I don't have any readout at this point
on when the next tranche in that might be, but I will be happy to keep
looking into that.
Q: Well, are you aware of - are they discussing or going over details
of the next MOU? I presume another MOU has to be signed for the next
batch.
MR. REEKER: I will have to check back with that. I think they were
focused on this, and I can certainly check if they have anything else.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:35 P.M.)
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
