USIA - State Department Report (96-08-20)

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From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Gopher at <gopher://gopher.usia.gov>

STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, AUGUST 20, 1996

(FBI, Nigeria/Richardson, Robin Meyer/Cuba, Chechnya, U.N.) (700)

FBI -- Davies responded to questions regarding an August 20 Washington Post article about the plans of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to expand its operations overseas ("FBI Plans to Expand Overseas: 23 New Offices Slated, Raising Some Criticism at State Department and CIA" by R. Jeffrey Smith and Thomas W. Lippman). Davies emphasized that "the State Department supports that FBI plan and has worked closely with the FBI to develop it." He added that an increased presence of law enforcement personnel in U.S. embassies would be "one important way to respond to the growing threat posed by transnational organized crime." Davies also noted that "all U.S. law enforcement personnel overseas -- as is the case with all U.S. government officials who serve overseas -- are subject to the statutory authority of the chief of mission, usually the ambassador."

When asked if he expected a hostile reaction from some foreign governments to the increased FBI presence, Davies said, "We don't have any particular concerns .... We're not expecting any particular reaction from anybody that we're going to have to counter. We think for the most part foreign governments will welcome this assistance and this coordination. They certainly should because ... we're all fighting an increasingly sophisticated transnational threat which is posed by international criminal syndicates and terrorists."

NIGERIA/RICHARDSON -- Congressman Bill Richardson (Democrat of New Mexico) was in Nigeria August 18-20 to speak with Nigerian government officials. His trip was backed by the Clinton administration, Davies said, with the intention of "exploring possibilities for pursuing a more meaningful dialogue between our two countries" and "to help determine whether the Nigerian government might be at this stage finally serious about improving its human rights situation and implementing a credible transition to democracy." Davies had no information as to the results of Richardson's mission.

ROBIN MEYER/CUBA -- Davies commented on the Cuban government's decision to cancel the visa of Ms. Robin Meyer, the U.S. diplomat responsible for human rights issues in the U.S. Interests Section in Havana. According to Davies, Meyer "was very effective in keeping lines open to the dissidents (and) to the dissident groups, bringing them information from the outside world, giving them what assistance she could, (and) giving them what aid and comfort she could as they went about their work of trying to build support for democracy in Cuba." Her activities, he added, were "not at all unusual, not at all outside the realm of her job description. She did a terrific job."

Davies said that there have been no indications that the position would be eliminated and that the State Department plans to replace Meyer with another human rights officer; but he added that "all of this is based on reciprocity."

CHECHNYA -- Davies reiterated U.S. support for the efforts of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) to promote a negotiated settlement in Chechnya. He also expressed concern regarding reports of "the frightening threats" (such as deadlines for Chechens to leave Grozny) of Lt. General Konstantin, the commander of Russian troops in Chechnya. The United States recognizes Chechnya as part of Russia, Davies said, but continues to denounce the use of military force against Chechen rebels. The 20-month-old conflict has resulted in the deaths of tens of thousands of people.

UNITED NATIONS -- Davies responded to questions regarding an article in the September-October issue of Foreign Affairs magazine by Senator Jesse Helms (Republican of North Carolina), the chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. In the article, Helms says the United States should withdraw from the United Nations if it does not adopt significant reforms. "We must not enter the new millennium with the current structure in place," Helms writes.

While acknowledging that the United States strongly urges U.N. reform, Davies said, "We certainly have no plans on leaving the United Nations. I can't envision any circumstances currently that would lead us to even speculate on (leaving)."

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