State Department Noon Briefing

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING

DPB # 21

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 9, 2001 12:30 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

Q: On Iraq, does this building have any position on the proposal from
the Iraq National Congress to gain access to this Paris account for
the Oil-for-Food program? They have been asking for this. It's unclear
whether or not the US would support them in the UN for this.

MR. BOUCHER: I frankly don't know. I haven't looked into that
particular proposal. Our relationship with the Iraqi National Congress
and the things that we want to do with them is defined by and large by
the statement that we issued in September that was based on our
agreement with them. At this point, that is where we are in terms of
implementing the various things in that understanding.

Q: Can I just follow up on just one other Iraq question? Is it fair to
say the division of labor with regard to Iraq in the government is the
State Department deals with sanctions and that the Pentagon will for
the most part be dealing with any insurgency efforts? Is that a fair
distinction to make?

MR. BOUCHER: No.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:15 P.M.)

(end State Depar