U.S. Department of State Daily Press Briefing #121, 97-08-25
From: The Department of State Foreign Affairs Network (DOSFAN) at <http://www.state.gov>
U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
I N D E X
Monday, August 25 , 1997
Briefer: James P. Rubin
STATEMENTS
1 Travel Warning on Algeria, Statements on NATO Enlargement and
Immigrant Visa Lottery and Statement by Israel-Lebanon
Monitoring Group Available in Press Office
NORTH KOREA
1-2 Report of Defection of North Korean Official
11 Dates for Next Round of US-DPRK Missile Talks
MIDDLE EAST
2-4 Request for Assistance from Palestinian Authority/Secretary's
Discussion with Prime Minister Netanyahu/US Position on
Elements of "Closure"/Secretary's Upcoming Travel to the
Region/Possibility of Ambassador Ross Travel Prior to
Secretary's Trip
4 Israeli Demand for Detention of Suspected Terrorists
4 Continuing Investigation of July 30 Bombing
4-5 Allegation of Formation of Israeli Assassination Squads
RUSSIA
5 US Concern re: Delivery of Arms to Iran
13 Traffic Violations by American Diplomats
CUBA
5-6 Allegation by Cuban Govt. of Biological Warfare by US/Consultative
Meeting in Geneva
6 U/S Eizenstat Travel
CYPRUS
6-7,10-11 Travel by Special Coordinator Miller and Special Emissary
Holbrooke
7 Prospect and Timing of EU Membership
CAMBODIA
7 Amb. Quinn Whereabouts
BOSNIA
8-9 SFOR Briefing on Source of Arms Cache Seized in Banja Luka/SRT-
Banja Luka Move to Independent Programming/Secretary's
Discussion with Pres. Milosevic/New Mandate of Special Police
Force
9-10 Amb. Gelbard Travel to Belgrade and Russia to Discuss Upcoming
Fall Elections
DRoCONGO (Kinshasa)
11-12 UN Team Investigation of Human Rights Abuses
SAUDI ARABIA
12 Aug 20 Embassy Activation of Warden System/No New Travel Warning
Issued
BURMA
13 Report of Application for Green Card by Aung San Suu Kyi
MEXICO
13 Protest of New US Border Operations Against Illegal Immigration
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #121
MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 1997 12:41 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
MR. RUBIN: That would be mid-August music to keep everybody
entertained.
QUESTION: Moving toward Labor Day.
MR. RUBIN: Yes, almost end of August. A little delayed. I have a travel
warning on Algeria that we'll be putting out; a statement on NATO
enlargement; and the immigrant visa lottery. We are also posting today a
statement on the Israel-Lebanon monitoring group's conclusions.
The U.S. is very pleased that once again, under particularly difficult
circumstances, the group was able to reach consensus on the complaints
filed. We particularly welcome the group's call for all sides to abide by the
understanding of last April in order to protect civilian lives on both sides of
the border and to defuse tensions in the area. We would like to take this
opportunity to reinforce among the parties the need to exercise maximum
restraint in the future, avoid civilian casualties, and ensure there are no
further cycles of violence and retaliation.
Mr. Schweid.
QUESTION: Are these, by the way, being put out - this is the second one in
the last couple of days - are they being put out in the Middle East, too? Or
is this the only place? Do you know?
MR. RUBIN: I would guess that all the members of the group would put out
their statement and presumably they would say the same things.
QUESTION: Okay. Nobody is saying anything, though, whether a North
Korean official has defected. The embassy is bucking it; no comment. And
of course, North Korea is denying it. Can you tell us whether another North
Korean has walked across the line?
MR. RUBIN: I have nothing for you on that.
QUESTION: Well, then do you want another subject, perhaps?
MR. RUBIN: Sure.
QUESTION: What are you - have you received an asylum request?
MR. RUBIN: I have nothing for you on that.
QUESTION: Can you explain why you have nothing to say? Lack of
knowledge or disinclination to get into it?
MR. RUBIN: I'm disinclined to get into it.
QUESTION: Okay. Well, here's maybe something --
QUESTION: You're not denying the report is wrong, then?
MR. RUBIN: I'm not getting into it.
QUESTION: Here's an easy one, then. According to various reports from the
Middle East, negotiator Erakat of the PLO - the Palestinian Authority - has
appealed to the U.S. for help in several ways -- most obviously in lifting the
siege of Bethlehem, as it's called, the siege; claiming that there's an Israeli
hit list, et cetera. You've seen the reports, perhaps. Do you have anything
on that subject? And what kind of response? He's apparently written Ross
and the Europeans.
MR. RUBIN: Well, on your specific question, Barry, we have received a
message from the Palestinian Authority in this regard - in regard to the
matters you mentioned. It's not our practice to get into details of letters of
that kind. The subject is very similar to the main subject in the Middle East,
which is a crisis of confidence where the Palestinians obviously believe that
the steps the Israelis have taken are too onerous; and the Israelis regard
the Palestinians as having not taken all the steps that they think are
necessary in the area of terrorism.
Secretary Albright did speak to Prime Minister Netanyahu on Saturday
afternoon, in advance of his trip to Asia. They discussed the importance of
Chairman Arafat acting on the assurances that he has given us in the area
of fighting terrorism and cooperating on security matters. We have been
quite clear on what we are seeking here. I would put it this way today -- that
the mechanism we created is working procedurally. Last week there were
some steps taken in the right direction in the are of security cooperation. At
the time, I believe I mentioned evidence related to explosives.
In the recent days there have been additional steps taken in other areas.
It's not going to be our practice to detail in a scorecard fashion. But I can
say that we believe that this is the highest priority right now -- to make sure
the sine qua non for peace in the Middle East, that is security cooperation,
the fight against terrorism, takes place. That is what we hope will happen in
the coming days.
QUESTION: Now, your statement spoke of both sides having complaints.
And your reference to her conversation spoke entirely of Israel's concerns
about security. Did she touch on --
MR. RUBIN: Prime Minister Netanyahu did not make complaints about his
own actions in that conversation.
QUESTION: No, no, no. But this was an opportunity, if she wanted to take
it, to again, ask, you know, that the closing be eased, that the re-payments
be - the payments be made. Did she take that - or was it a security
conversation?
MR. RUBIN: I'm not going to get into all the details of their conversation. I
did report on their joint agreement on the need for Chairman Arafat to take
these steps. Our position on this subject, however, is well known -- that is
that we believe some of the closure steps - broadly defined closure,
including withholding of funds - was not helpful, was counterproductive and
we would like to see those funds released. It doesn't contribute the kind of
climate that will make the peace process in the Middle East succeed.
So that is still our position. We hope that the additional progress that I
mentioned and the hoped-for progress in the coming days will yield enough
change in the minds of the Israeli Government to start releasing all the
funds.
QUESTION: And did she say see you soon?
(Laughter.)
Remember soon?
(Laughter.)
MR. RUBIN: Secretary Albright does intend to travel to the Middle East very
soon. There were some erroneous reports in the press in the region that
she had postponed her trip. I can tell you that there has been no change in
her plan. She intends to go to the region very soon, mostly likely in
September. The prospects for advancing the peace process in that trip would
be advanced if the Palestinian Authority were in a position to provide
additional information and cooperation through the mechanism that we have
helped create so that the focus would not be on security issues, but the
focus could be on restoring the trust and confidence that's been so
unfortunately lost.
David.
QUESTION: Are you ready to announce the trip of Dennis Ross to the Middle
East that Prime Minister Netanyahu has already announced?
MR. RUBIN: Dennis Ross has made no decision to travel to the region. So
that is not correct. He will make a decision about his travel in the context of
the Secretary's decision about her travel. He has made no decision and
made no trip plans at this time.
QUESTION: Should we anticipate it before?
MR. RUBIN: Sorry?
QUESTION: Should we anticipate a Ross trip before the Secretary goes?
MR. RUBIN: I can only say that Ambassador Ross will surely accompany
Secretary Albright on her trip. So I expect he will definitely be visiting the
region very soon. Whether he takes additional travel before, during or after
will be determined in the context of her decision as to when to travel.
Yes.
QUESTION: On the security issue, does the United States support the Israeli
demand that some 200 suspected terrorists be arrested, confined?
MR. RUBIN: Well, I think if you go back to the Secretary's speech to the
National Press Club and look at that speech, you will see several specifically
defined areas. I don't have the text in front of me, but broadly, as I recall
them, they included information about the events that just had taken place;
information in the event that they have information about future events;
taking apart the infrastructure that supports those who have conducted these
heinous acts of terrorism; and arresting those who are responsible for
actions in this area - and including not having a revolving door so that
people who are the enemies of peace don't go in one door and out the
other.
QUESTION: The ones who are on the outside now, that the Israelis have
asked be re-arrested, does the United States support that?
MR. RUBIN: The experts tell me that the best way to make sure that
security cooperation occurs is for them to be able to do their work in private.
And their work in private includes the subject of whom to arrest and when to
arrest them. That is a subject that they are talking about. But beyond that,
I can't comment.
Yes.
QUESTION: You said - I'm sorry, just one - going back to one thing you said
-- those who committed these heinous acts of terrorism. Do you have any
better idea now who committed the July 30th bombing?
MR. RUBIN: Not to my knowledge.
Yeah.
QUESTION: Some Palestinian officials are alleging the formation of Israeli
death squads to assassinate Palestinian leaders, such as Yasser Arafat and
Abu Mazen. Do you have any comment on that? And have they contacted
you for help, as some reports from the Middle East have suggested?
MR. RUBIN: Well, in answer to Barry Schweid's first question, I said that
there was a letter or letters received from the Palestinian Authority about
some of the subjects that have been in the media. But I'm not going to get
into a practice of specifying who says what in what letter.
I can say this, regarding the hit squads against Chairman Arafat and others
- we have no reason to believe there is any information that we regard as
credible to that effect.
Yeah.
QUESTION: Does the U.S. share Israel reported concern that Russia is
actively aiding Iran in its efforts to develop long-range missiles?
MR. RUBIN: We believe that President Yeltsin and President Clinton have
talked often about the subject of stopping proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction to world regimes, including the government of Iran. As a result
of their work and the work that Secretary Albright and Foreign Minister
Primakov have done, we did send Special Envoy Frank Wisner out to the
region. We believe the Russian Government is committed to the highest
possible standards of non-proliferation in this area. We're going to be
working with them on specific cases and specific details to ensure that our
joint concern - that is an Iranian Government, a rejectionist regime doesn't
have the kind of missile capability that could make it an even greater threat
to the region than it already is.
Any --
QUESTION: Do you believe that materials that are arriving from Russia to
Iran, notwithstanding the Russian commitment?
MR. RUBIN: We've seen reports. We take reports like that very seriously.
As you know, I can't make any specific comment on evaluated reports, in
terms of our views. But obviously we have this dialogue because we want to
make sure that everything that is possible is done to make sure that a
regime that has taken the positions Iran has taken in the past will not have
access to the kind of technology concerned -- namely technology to deploy
medium or long -range missiles, especially missiles that could carry weapons
of mass destruction, which is what the regime concerned - the Missile
Technology Control Regime - is designed to prevent.
QUESTION: On Cuba?
MR. RUBIN: Yes.
QUESTION: The U.S. and Cuban delegations meeting in Geneva today
under the terms of the Biological Weapons Convention. Have you got
anything on that?
MR. RUBIN: I have a lot on that. I don't know how much of it you want me
to put out.
QUESTION: Well, is today an --
MR. RUBIN: The short answer is that we reject categorically any suggestion
that our aircraft discharged a biological weapon. In May, Cuba charged that
during an approved over-flight - let me emphasize that this over-flight was
approved by the Cuban Government - a Department of State narcotic crop
eradication aircraft discharged a substance that Cuba contends is an insect
thrips palmi that is damaging Cuba crops. We categorically deny the
allegation made by the Government of Cuba.
We are engaged in this consultative meeting because we want to see the
Biological Weapons Convention upheld, and we are perfectly prepared to
defend ourselves against this ridiculous charge. That meeting is now going
on. Our government delegation is headed by the Acting Assistant Director
for the Arms Control and Disarmament Agency - please, forgive me - Donald
Mahley, I believe is his name.
Russia is acting responsibly in convening this meeting. We are a state party
to the Convention and we have no trouble with responding to allegations,
although we regard the allegations as ridiculous and without merit.
Any more on this area? Yes.
QUESTION: Also on Cuba. Do you have anything on the trip of Ambassador
Eizenstat? He should be back already to the --
MR. RUBIN: I do not have a read-out on his trip. We can try to get that for
you and make sure that he provides some information.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR. RUBIN: Yes.
QUESTION: While we are on trips, quickly, please on Cyprus - if you covered
this on Friday or someone covered it, just skip it. But there has been
interest, of course, for obvious reasons, in when Holbrooke might go out
there and take on that Cyprus problem. Now, there is supposed to be
someone going ahead of him -- a diplomat named Miller. Can you give us
any dates or any --
MR. RUBIN: I don't have any dates for you. But it is my understanding that
the Cyprus coordinator Miller will be going out in advance of Ambassador
Holbrooke's trip, which I understand will certainly not occur before the end of
the month.
QUESTION: Cyprus.
MR. RUBIN: Cyprus.
QUESTION: Which won't occur before the end of -- the Miller or the
Holbrooke?
MR. RUBIN: The Holbrooke trip.
QUESTION: Since you have stated a couple of times in this room that your
government --
MR. RUBIN: And August is rapidly running out, with regard to the Miller trip.
QUESTION: Since you have stated a couple of times in this room that your
government would like to see the Republic of Cyprus and Turkey to become
simultaneously EU members, could you please clarify, prior or after a
resolution to the Cyprus problem?
MR. RUBIN: I think you have probably heard this before, but I will try it out
on you, which is that we do believe that the prospect of membership in the
European Union, both for Cyprus and Turkey, can be a constructive element
in promoting a negotiated solution to this problem. But as far as who
makes the decision who joins and when they join, that is a decision for the
European Union.
Yes.
QUESTION: Cambodia.
MR. RUBIN: Sure.
QUESTION: Jamie, apparently, your ambassador Kenneth Quinn is back in
Washington. Do you have any information on that?
MR. RUBIN: I did not hear that. I haven't heard anything about that. But -
has anyone heard that?
PRESS OFFICE STAFFER: No.
MR. RUBIN: I have not heard that. That would surprise me. But if I am
wrong, I will tell you.
Yes.
QUESTION: Bosnia.
MR. RUBIN: Sorry, any more on Cambodia? Bosnia.
QUESTION: A couple of questions on Bosnia.
MR. RUBIN: Yes.
QUESTION: Last week, Jamie, there was a seizure of a large amount of
arms. You said that you all were going to check and see if you knew where
the arms came from. Have you been successful in that? Also do you have a
response to events over the weekend, the sort of taking over of Bosnian TV?
MR. RUBIN: As far as the source of arms, I don't have anything new for you,
other than to say that I believe SFOR was going to talk about what they had
found and where they thought they came from in the region. That is what we
were told on Friday. So I will try to find out if that event ever happened and
if there is any information that they provided that I have not received as far
as the source of arms is concerned.
With regard to the television, the move to take control of the broadcast of
this television is understandable, given the invective and poisonous rhetoric
that has been broadcast out of Pale. Clearly, Pale had tried to use this
station, SRT, as a propaganda outlet, not a news station. We applaud the
move to provide objective information to the people of Bosnia, all the people
of Bosnia. We understand and support the journalists at the SRT in Banja
Luka, who are taking a strong stand for freedom of expression and objective
news reporting.
We hope that in recent days, the people of the region realize that the tide is
turning; that the people who support Dayton are those who support Mrs.
Plavsic, and that she is supporting the rule of law and supporting democratic
principles; and that these events in recent days reflect the growing domestic
support for Mrs. Plavsic, President Plavsic. The more outrageous Pale's
behavior becomes, the more the Bosnian Serbs are deciding to support
democracy and the rule of law in the person of Mrs. Plavsic.
Secretary Albright spoke to President Milosevic today, and urged him to get
off the fence and to start supporting more clearly, more effectively and more
comprehensively those in Bosnia who are supporting the agreement that he
signed. That is Mrs. Plavsic - President Plavsic, who has worked very hard, at
some risk to herself, to try to bring the Bosnian Serb entity into compliance
with Dayton. If Mr. Milosevic wants to ever see his country come out of
diplomatic isolation, she made clear to him, it's going to require him coming
out in favor of Dayton much more strongly, more comprehensively and more
effectively.
QUESTION: Okay, anything on the weapons, then? Remember the cache of
weapons - old weapons, new weapons Milosevic-supplied or not. Based on
that conversation, are any other --
MR. RUBIN: I don't believe they got into the subject of where those weapons
came from.
QUESTION: Can we re-rack on Cyprus for a minute?
QUESTION: Can we do --
MR. RUBIN: Let's stick with Bosnia.
QUESTION: Yeah, I'm sorry.
QUESTION: Over the weekend, there were reports in the newspapers that
Pale had been informed it had until the end of the month to disband the
force of, I'm told, roughly 3,000 uniformed personnel who, among other
things, protect Radovan Karadzic. Is that true?
MR. RUBIN: I have not seen that specific report. I can say this --
QUESTION: It's The New York Times.
MR. RUBIN: I think what I said on Thursday still stands, which is that the
special police that have now come under the control and supervision of SFOR
-- pursuant to Annex IA of the Dayton agreement - will not be permitted to
defend people like Radovan Karadzic; that they will only be permitted to
defend the constitutionally elected leadership, which in this case is Mrs.
Plavsic.
I would refer you to the Pentagon for the specific timetable of what they are
requiring of the special police. But to the extent your question suggests can
the special police that are now under Dayton continue to defend Karadzic,
the answer is no - pursuant to this new designation of the special police's
falling under the requirements of Annex IA and our interpretation of those
requirements, which mean that they cannot defend the opponents of Dayton,
like Mr. Karadzic.
QUESTION: Can I ask about elections, in the wake of the Vienna meeting?
Does the U.S. Government still believe that September is going to be alright
for the municipal elections? That there is time to get parliamentary elections
ready by October, given that Mrs. Plavsic doesn't even have a party
organized yet? Or are those elections going to slip? And if they slip, is June
'98 really realistic?
MR. RUBIN: Boy, two hypotheticals in a row there.
QUESTION: But they are rather likely.
MR. RUBIN: Let me try to answer it this way.
QUESTION: Your OSCE people were saying that they are going to slip.
MR. RUBIN: Right, right. Let me try to answer it this way. We worked very
closely with our allies in the OSCE to try to develop a plan to assist in
monitoring and supervising the elections that are to be held this Fall. We
have not ruled out a slippage in the elections. But what is most important is
that we get the OSCE behind the process.
As part of that, Ambassador Gelbard will be going on another trip to the
region. This is a diplomat who is determined not to give up any frequent
flier miles. He is going to meet with President Milosevic in Belgrade and go
Russia to see the Russian Government. One of the prime topics for those
meetings will be the subject of how to get the elections organized,
supervised and make them as free and as fair as possible, given the short
time frame.
As far as what any hypothetical delay might do to our determination to have
our troops removed from SFOR by June 1998, I can't really answer for you
until we make a more concrete decision about how to deal with the elections
proposed for September and October.
QUESTION: Wait, when is Gelbard leaving?
MR. RUBIN: I believe he leaves on Wednesday, and his meetings are on
Thursday. But I will try to get you a more detailed schedule. I just spoke to
him . He was with his mother in Pennsylvania.
Yes.
QUESTION: Could be go back briefly on Cyprus. I thought I was the only
one that didn't know that Miller was the coordinator. It turns out several of
us don't recall such an announcement for Cyprus.
MR. RUBIN: Did I say that --
QUESTION: You called him the coordinator. You scooped --
MR. RUBIN: Well, I don't know whether I was announcing something
prematurely. But I don't think that's a big secret, is it?
(Laughter.)
QUESTION: Well, I don't know. You have all sorts of coordinators. Maybe
he's the ordinary, not the special.
MR. RUBIN: No, he's the new one.
QUESTION: He is the special one, right?
MR. RUBIN: Right.
QUESTION: Okay.
MR. RUBIN: Let me get you a formal piece of paper that describes how
Secretary Albright has organized the State Department to handle the Cyprus
issue.
QUESTION: Yes, that would be good because I don't think it has been
announced.
MR. RUBIN: Can we get that for them, Lee?
QUESTION: Okay, thank you.
QUESTION: Also, do you have a first name?
MR. RUBIN: We will get you the --
QUESTION: Can do.
(Laughter.)
MR. RUBIN: I think it's Tom. But I'm --
QUESTION: Tom --
MR. RUBIN: Any more on Cyprus? No, that's good enough. Okay, yes.
QUESTION: Back to North Korea very briefly.
MR. RUBIN: That should be brief.
QUESTION: Yes. Are you still confident to have the missile talks with North
Korea on the 27th?
MR. RUBIN: Missile talks on the 27th. I have no information on the next
round of missile talks, but I will try to get that for you.
QUESTION: Can we do Congo?
MR. RUBIN: Sure.
QUESTION: The UN team has arrived in Kinshasa. What are your
expectations vis- -vis cooperation from the government of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo?
MR. RUBIN: Members of the human rights investigative team named by UN
Secretary General Annan arrived in Kinshasa on August the 23rd. We
understand they will spend several days making arrangements in Kinshasa,
the capital of the Congo, before beginning their investigative work in the
field. We presume they will devote most of their attention to areas of
Eastern Congo, including the Kivu provinces and the area south of Kisangani
where there have been numerous credible reports of human rights abuses.
We welcome the arrival of the team in the Congo. We want to see a
thorough and impartial investigation to get to the bottom of the very serious
charges of massacres and atrocities that have been made. The Congolese
authorities have repeatedly pledged their full cooperation with this team, and
the United States has made it clear that we expect them to keep their word.
We understand the team's investigation will take several months and should
be completed by the end of this year.
The long and the short of it is the team is there. They are ready to do their
work. We expect the government of the Congo to permit them to do their
work, and we will judge that commitment by the government of Congo by
whether the independence and flexibility of this team is provided.
Yes, Lee.
QUESTION: Yes, do you see any sort of crisis within the North Korean
Government because of the famine or differences with the hard-line ideology
of the government there?
MR. RUBIN: You have seen me brief now a few times, Lee, and how much I
like to say the word, " No comment." I did it today three times, and that was
for a very good reason. So I am going to stick with that.
Yes.
QUESTION: Mr. Rubin, there are reports out of U.S. Embassy Riyadh, I
believe there is a new warning - a new terrorist warning - out of Saudi Arabia.
General Zinni, of the Central Command also has reiterated this warning. I
think it's precipitated by increased surveillance of U.S. assets in the Gulf
generally, and Saudi Arabia specifically. Have you any comment on that?
MR. RUBIN: We did not issue a new warning for the reason as it was
reported. The embassy did not issue a new warning. The embassy's local
notification system was activated August the 20th because embassy officials
believed it prudent to remind Americans about safety and security practices.
There was no event that caused the warden message to be re-issued.
The State Department will not issue a new public announcement because the
information in the announcement of February 25th of this year - July 10th of
last year - remains in effect. There is not travel warning in effect for Saudi
Arabia. A travel warning is issued when the State Department decides to
recommend that Americans avoid travel to a certain country.
So it was an activation of the warden system.
QUESTION: Are you going to comment on reports of increased surveillance
of possible terrorists?
MR. RUBIN: Well, again, I don't like these words. But if we think we know
what they're doing about surveying American forces and lives are at stake, it
would be profoundly stupid for us to comment on it.
Yeah.
QUESTION: On Burma, General Abel of the SLORC has accused Aung San
Suu Kyi of using her status to get a green card in the U.S. Does the State
Department have any knowledge of that?
MR. RUBIN: I've not heard any discussion of a green card for Aung San Suu
Kyi. I can tell you this - that Secretary Albright believes very strongly in
the
work that Aung San Suu Kyi is doing. She has been a long-time supporter of
her. We, as you know, have taken additional sanctions in recent months to
try to send the message that the elected leader of the party that won the
elections should have a role to play in that country.
This is a very brave and courageous woman who deserves an opportunity to
play a role in the affairs of her country. We are very supportive of her, but I
have not heard anything about a green card.
Yes.
QUESTION: On Mexico, the Mexican authorities announced that they send a
diplomatic note to the State Department because they are trying to protest
about this new immigration action that has been taken in the border. They
call it the Rio Grande. There has been Mexican people dying in the last
three months because of this kind of operation. Do you have any comment
on this?
MR. RUBIN: I will get you a comment on whether we can comment on
diplomatic notes that were provided by the Mexican Government.
Yes.
QUESTION: Jamie, do you have any information on the continued brouhaha
over the incident with the American diplomat who had an accident last week
in Moscow? The Russians are claiming that they have issued more traffic
violations to American diplomats there than any other diplomatic mission.
Do you know if this is true, and the numbers that they quote are correct?
And do you have --
MR. RUBIN: Well, we can get you an analysis of what we think of that
assessment. I will point out that, as we understand it, American diplomats
have occasionally been pulled over for having muddy windshields in the
winter. So I guess it depends on what you define as a violation.
QUESTION: Is there any more information on the case of the diplomat who
was brought home because of the accident? Anything on the woman's
status?
MR. RUBIN: Apparently, she regained consciousness late last week, which we
are very pleased about. Mr. Bryza, Matt Bryza is here and consulting with
officials in the Department. We're obviously prepared to assist in any way in
any investigation of the incident.
QUESTION: Thank you.
(The briefing concluded at 1:12 P.M.)
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