USIA - State Department Report, 97-02-19

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

REPORT ON STATE DEPT. NOON BRIEFING, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19

(China/Deng/Albright, Arms sales/NATO candidates, Mexico, Lebanon/Japanese Red Army) (730)

There was no regular briefing, but Deputy State Department Deputy Spokesman Glyn Davies did speak on-the-record with reporters. No transcript is available of this briefing.

CHINA/DENG/ALBRIGHT -- Davies said the death of Deng Xiaoping in China February 19 is not expected to change the travel plans of Secretary of State Albright, who is to visit Beijing February 24-25.

ARMS SALES/NATO CANDIDATES -- Davies refused to comment on the specific allegations made in an article written by Bill Gertz in the February 19 edition of The Washington Times ("NATO Candidates Armed Rogue States: Polish Company Sold Tanks to Iran"). "Much if not most of that article is based on allegedly leaked intelligence reports," Davies noted.

Davies did say, however, that the United States welcomes a statement issued February 19 by Pawel Dobrowolski, press spokesman for Poland's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The statement said that Poland observes the provisions of all the international non-proliferation regimes. It notes that after 1993, Poland has not signed any new contracts with Iran for supply of military equipment. "All contacts in this area are in fulfillment of earlier commitments and are in keeping with Poland's international obligations," according to the statement.

Davies said the United States Government has worked very closely and very successfully with the Government of Poland "to close out Poland's arms related trade with Iran.

"We've long encouraged all countries not to engage in arms-related trade with states like Iran," Davies said. "It's essential, we believe, to international peace and security to keep arms and sensitive technology out of dangerous hands in critical regions of the world. We, therefore, were pleased when the Polish foreign minister (Wladyslaw) Bartoszewski announced in March 1995 that Poland would cease future arms sales to Iran and phase out its existing obligations. Since that announcement was made, the Polish government has had a very good track record in our eyes in carrying out this commitment. We are confident that the Polish government will continue to insure the full implementation of its commitment."

Davies added that the governments of Slovenia and Bulgaria as well have given "excellent cooperation" in ending sales of arms to Iran and the Sudan.

MEXICO -- The dismissal by the Mexican government of an army general who headed Mexico's national drug agency "confirms something that is fairly well-known, which is that corruption has reached serious levels in the Mexican government," according to Davies.

General Jesus Gutierrez Rebollo, chosen by President Ernesto Zedillo to take over the narcotics interdiction program, was in his position for only two months. He faces charges of cocaine trafficking and violating Mexico's national security, according to press reports.

"It's sad and troubling," Davies said, "that in fact corruption has reached an individual at this level. That said, we welcome the Zedillo Government's efforts to redress such incidents of corruption. This arrest highlights for us once again that official corruption is a pervasive problem and that it must continue to be addressed if we are to achieve our joint counter- narcotics objectives."

"I wouldn't characterize this as any kind of a shock that has shaken our counter-narcotics efforts to their very core. It is obviously a dramatic development," Davies said. "What's important here is that the corruption appears to be addressed by the Government of Mexico, and we want to take note of that...."

"We hope that the Mexican Government will fully vet and quickly appoint a successor to General Gutierrez Rebollo," Davies said. "The integrity of our joint anti-narcotics efforts must be maintained."

LEBANON/JAPANESE RED ARMY -- The United States applauds the Government of Lebanon for having arrested members of the Japanese Red Army, which is a terrorist group that has targeted the United States and American interests, Davies said.

"This is, in our view, another positive step in the fight against international terrorism," Davies said. "Long-standing U.S. policy is to bring the rule of law to bear against terrorists no matter how long that may take, and we encourage Lebanon to continue its efforts to bring terrorists to justice."

Lebanese security forces arrested on February 15 some six members of the Japanese Red Army who were hiding in the Bekaa Valley, according to press reports.

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

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