Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

MR. BOUCHER: I'm afraid that wouldn't be a matter I could say anything about. Sorry.

QUESTION: Any of it?

MR. BOUCHER: No.

QUESTION: On a similar -- sales to Iraq, there are reports floating about that you guys are looking into the possible sale of pontoon bridges to Iraq by Ukraine.

MR. BOUCHER: You know, the answer is the general answer that transfers of military equipment to Iraq are very serious matters to us. Transfers of military equipment to Iraq are violations of UN sanctions. We look into these. We have very strong nonproliferation partnerships with a number of governments, including ones in Europe and Eurasia. We've been working, in the case of Ukraine, we've been working on that kind of arrangement. And we do have an obligation to look into these matters, these reports, and check up on them. And we'll just -- I'm going to have to leave it at that for the moment.

QUESTION: But you're not working one with Russia?

MR. BOUCHER: I didn't say that.

QUESTION: That you didn't say -- why would you mention Ukraine, specifically, if you weren't --

MR. BOUCHER: Because he asked me about Ukraine.

QUESTION: But I asked you about Russia.

MR. BOUCHER: Yeah, but I didn't mention Russia, did I?

QUESTION: Richard, is there anything new to report on the supposed sale of the radar by Ukraine to --

MR. BOUCHER: The Kolchuga radar? No. We're still in the process of conducting the interagency policy review with regard to Ukraine. Unfortunately, as we mentioned at the time, the experts team did not receive the full cooperation of the Ukrainian authorities and so we're continuing to explore those issues, as well.

Teri.

QUESTION: Different subject. Germany is under quite a spotlight now in the UN Security Council and taking the presidency next month, and there are reports that Germany is perceived as changing some of its positions on Iraq to be more in line with the US positions, which I'm sure isn't a problem here, but they're getting some flak from Europe about it.

Do you see that Germany has been shifting position on Iraq with regard to a possible second resolution being unnecessary in the Security Council?

MR. BOUCHER: I would leave you to ask the Germans, and I think they, themselves, have made some statements about that. But I'm not going to speak for the German Government.

QUESTION: Well, where is the discussion on the need for a second resolution in the Security Council now?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think there's anything new on that. Our position certainly has been made clear.

QUESTION: Okay. And on the same subject, the European Union is -- Greece has just taken the presidency and the Greek foreign minister is making a round of countries trying to get a solidified EU position on this, on a second resolution. Do you have any reaction to that?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't. The Secretary has been in close touch with Foreign Minister Papandreou, has talked to him already several times on the telephone about various matters that have come up from North Korea and Iraq and the Middle East and other things like that. So I don't have anything specifically on this issue, but it is a matter of discussion with other governments. Should the case arise, it will be something we'll consider.

QUESTION: Still on Iraq. Dr. El Baradei said this morning that he and his colleagues are satisfied with the information you've been sharing with them, but they would like something more specific about concrete sites in Iraq where they can go. Are you ready to share that kind of information with them?

MR. BOUCHER: I can't define for you any better than we have the kind of information that we've been sharing. But I can certainly say that they are getting the best we've got and that we are sharing information with the inspectors that they can use and based on their ability to use it. So it's -- the information is tailored to their ability to conduct inspections and to use -- put the information to good use.

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QUESTION: Can I go back to what you just said about the information being passed on to the inspectors? You said, "They're getting the best that we've got." I thought one of the criteria was to withhold any information that might compromise sources and methods.

MR. BOUCHER: The -- I was speaking about the quality, not the particular details of the information. But they are getting the best quality of information that we have.

QUESTION: Richard, but you've also said --

MR. BOUCHER: That doesn't mean they are getting every single detail, George, particularly on sources and methods.

QUESTION: Well, I was going to say you said "the best information they can get that they can handle." Does that mean if the numbers of inspectors increased or as they got more helicopters or more things to be able to do their job more effectively, that they would get, sort of, the higher tranche of (inaudible)?

MR. BOUCHER: I think we have supported them very strongly. Recently we said we were going to share more intelligence, we were going to provide more support, and we have done so and we will continue to do so. The information and the support is carefully coordinated with the inspectors so they get what they need and we give them what they can use. And as their capabilities change or increase, we'll certainly continue to do that. I would say the inspections are gaining momentum at this point and that you've seen things like the helicopters flying, you've seen their capabilities increase, and commensurately with that -- commensurate with that, we have stepped up our provision of information, as well.

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