State Department Noon Briefing

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 2001 - 1:00 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

Q: Change of subject? Several news organizations have just discovered
that there is oil flowing down the Syrian pipeline. That has been
discussed here several weeks - many weeks ago. I wondered has the new
administration considered how it is going to handle this leakage, this
violation of sanctions?

MR. BOUCHER: As you point out, this issue has come up before. There
have been these reports and we've had conversations with the Syrian
Government about them. They have told us that they do not intend to
violate United Nations resolutions and the Syrian Government says that
they have not reached final agreement to import oil from Iraq. There
are reports of the pipeline reopening for test flows or in some other
way and we are looking into that further as is the UN Sanctions
Committee. So I am not able to give you a confirmation of any specific
sort of level of activity on this pipeline.

What is clear, and I would reiterate, we would support a request for
this pipeline to be designated as one of the authorized export routes
under the Oil for Food Program, so that the payments then are made
under UN control. We believe that other members of the UN Sanctions
Committee would support that as well. We do firmly believe, as we have
said before, that any Iraqi oil exports should take place under the
Oil for Food Program so that the money is controlled. Illicit sales
that are made only profit the Iraqi regime and harm the Iraqi people
by diverting money that could be used to support their welfare and
their needs.

Q: Okay, have you put that proposal of designating the pipeline to
Syria and the Iraqi Government?

MR. BOUCHER: We have made the point in our conversations with the
Syrians that we would support a request should they make one to the
Sanctions Committee.

Q: At the UN or in Damascus - it doesn't really matter --

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not sure where those --

Q: What response did you get?

MR. BOUCHER: As I said, they say they have not reached final agreement
on any exports of oil from Iraq.

Q: I mean, there is overwhelming evidence that the oil is flowing in
large amounts. I mean, how long will it take you before you --
(inaudible)?

MR. BOUCHER: Once again, I am not able to confirm any particular
activity on this pipeline. What I would say is that these are the
conversations we have had with the Syrian Government, this is what
they have told us at this point.

Q: Just to follow that, when you say that the Syrians haven't reached
-- they say they haven't reached final agreement with the Iraqis, are
they denying the fact that there is Iraqi oil that is coming into
Syria?

MR. BOUCHER: I am not - I don't think I can quite say that. I think
you would have to ask them exactly how they would characterize the
activity going on with this pipeline.

Q: But, I mean, they have characterized it to the US Government, or
have you not asked?

MR. BOUCHER: We have asked them to tell us exactly what it is. As I
said, there have been these reports that it has reopened for testing
flows. The UN Sanctions Committee is looking into this further and we
are as well. So at this stage, we are not able to characterize the
activity.

Q: May I just follow those up? When you said that you have had
discussions with the Syrians about the pipeline, did you have those
when these reports first surfaced or is this something that has
happened in the past days?

MR. BOUCHER: I think certainly, earlier, when these reports first
surfaced, we made that statement in public and I think we made it to
the Syrians at the time.

Q: What's holding it up then? Have the Syrians disrespected or
rejected - (inaudible) - or it's just unclear?

MR. BOUCHER: You will have to ask them what their intentions are if
they intend to go to the committee or not.

Q: Well, what did they tell you?

MR. BOUCHER: They have told us they haven't reached any agreements on
the export of Iraqi oil.

Q: Are they negotiating?

MR. BOUCHER: Once again, you can ask them for the details of that. I
am not here to speak for the Syrians.

Q: Have you set a deadline for them to come back with a satisfactory
answer?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know.

....

Q: New subject?

MR. BOUCHER: Should I answer his question anyway about Kofi Anan and
the UN?

The UN will have two days of talks, high-level talks with Iraq that
took place in New York on February 26 and 27. We understand the Iraqi
Foreign Minister will lead the delegation. These are a follow-up to
meetings they had in Qatar on November 17 between Kofi Anan and the
Vice Chairman of Iraq's Revolutionary Council.

I think the only thing that we want to say on this occasion is that
Iraq's obligations under the UN Security Council Resolution 1284 and
its predecessors are clear, and Iraq has not complied. The US would
not support any renegotiation of Iraq's obligations. The burden is on
Iraq to comply.

Q: There is some news about an assassination team from - six persons
from Iraq crossing into Turkey, and the Turkish security official said
that the target of the team, not Turkey only, maybe US officials and
organizations. So do you have anything about that?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't.