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12 January 2004

U.S. Still Concerned over Alleged Russian Equipment Sales to Iraq

U.S. continues to raise issue with Russia, Ereli says

State Department spokesman Adam Ereli said the United States continues to have an "ongoing discussion" with Russia over alleged Russian sales of proscribed military equipment to Iraq.

Ereli, who answered a reporter's question during the regular State Department briefing January 12, noted that this is "not a new story." Last March the Bush administration said it "had information that sensitive Russian-made military equipment had been sold to Iraq before the war and posed a threat to U.S. forces there. We told the Russians we took the matter very seriously and we raised the issue with the government numerous times at senior levels. We continue to look into this case."

The United States wants "to ensure that measures are in place so that this kind of proliferation doesn't happen again," he said.

"I would say that we are receiving cooperation and we continue to pursue the case," Ereli added.

Following is an excerpt from the State Department briefing:

(begin excerpt)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
MONDAY, JANUARY 12, 2004

(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

1:05 p.m. EST

MR. ERELI: Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome to our briefing today. I don't have any announcements so let's proceed to your questions.

[....]

QUESTION: Any other conversations by the Secretary over the weekend, while you're on that subject?

MR. ERELI: The only thing I have to share with you is the Secretary General, and he spoke to [Russian Foreign Minister Igor] Ivanov a little while ago today.

QUESTION: From here or from (inaudible)?

MR. ERELI: From the -- on his trip.

QUESTION: Was there a specific topic that they were to discuss, or just --

MR. ERELI: I don't have the details.

QUESTION: While you're there, can I just dispense with something here? I, frankly, didn't see the report, but apparently there have been reports of Russian help, military help, for Iraq. Is that something that crossed your radar?

MR. ERELI: Yeah, I'd say that's not a new story.

QUESTION: No, I didn't think so. Not jamming now, which is not a new story, but actual tangible equipment.

MR. ERELI: Right. What I have on that is --

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR. ERELI: What I have on that is that basically where we are today is where we were when we last spoke about this publicly in March of last year, specifically that we had information that sensitive Russian-made military equipment had been sold to Iraq before the war and posed a threat to U.S. forces there. We told the Russians we took the matter very seriously and we raised the issue with the government numerous times at senior levels. We continue to look into this case. We gave Russia a lot of data to establish the veracity of our contentions and we will continue our dialogue with Russia on this, this issue, and would note that cooperation in other areas has continued.

QUESTION: That's a (inaudible) description of the situation, but I have one question, at least. Was this detected, and did you speak to the Russians about it, before the war, or once the war had begun, do you happen to know?

MR. ERELI: I'll have to check on that.

QUESTION: Because it was prewar, right?

MR. ERELI: When we first raised it with the -- when we first raised it.

QUESTION: Okay.

QUESTION: Did the Russians ever give you a credible answer as to how this equipment that you believe got there, got there?

MR. ERELI: I think this is a subject of ongoing discussion. There are a variety of explanations. Our concern, I think, is to ensure that measures are in place so that this kind of proliferation doesn't happen again.

QUESTION: So then you intend to let it drop -- the United States?

MR. ERELI: No, I didn't say that.

QUESTION: It sounds like this is not a dead issue, like the Russians have said that it is. You say we continue to look into this case. Does that mean that you're continually providing the Russians with information, or how are you continuing to look into this (inaudible)?

MR. ERELI: We continue to have discussions with the Russians to determine whether it violated any U.S. laws -- the proliferation.

QUESTION: U.S. laws or UN sanctions?

MR. ERELI: U.S. laws and UN sanctions.

QUESTION: The last time I remember us talking about this, which was, you know, whatever -- nine months ago -- it seemed like the Russians were not providing you with very much in terms of their own investigation and, sort of, a candid discussion of what may have happened. Are you satisfied with the efforts that they've taken over these nine months to come up with the answer as to how this stuff got there?

MR. ERELI: I would say that we are receiving cooperation and we continue to pursue the case. I would put it that way.

QUESTION: Would you call it good cooperation?

MR. ERELI: I wouldn't -- I don't have any reason to say yes or no on that. I mean, I think I would just characterize it as cooperation.

(end excerpt)

(Distributed by the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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