State Department cable distributes transcript from the April 30, 2002 press conference where a variety of subjects were addressed. Among the issued raised were: i) UK decision to treat detainees as POWs and transfer them to Afghan interim authority; ii) New U.S. Embassy in Berlin; and iii) the U.S. "Train & Equip" program planned for Georgia.
• Current Class: UNCLASSIFIED Page: 1
. UNCLASSIFIED
, Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2002STATE081441 Channel: n/a
PT07073
UNCLASSIFIED
081441 302005Z
PAGE 01 STATE
RELEASED IN FULL
ORIGIN EUR-00
DODE-00 WHA-00 UTED-00
VC-00 TEDE-00 I0-00 VCE-00 • DCP-01
INFO LOG-00 NP-00 A-00 EB-00
H-01 L-00
OIC-02 PER-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 IIP-00
OIG-03 IRM-00
SAS-00
/007R
081441
SOURCE: CBLEXCLS.003638
DRAFTED BY:'EUR/PPD:LSCHWARTZ -- 04/30/2002 202-647-6291
APPROVED BY: EUR/PPD:DARNETT
LSCHWARTZ
A157C8 302006Z /38
R 301954Z APR 02
FM SECSTATE WASHDC
TO EUROPE ONLY COLLECTIVE
AMEMBASSY ALMATY
AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA
AMEMBASSY CHISINAU
AMEMBASSY KIEV
AMEMBASSY MINSK
AMEMBASSY TASHKENT
AMEMBASSY TIRANA
AMEMBASSY YEREVAN
UNCLAS STATE 081441
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC, KPAO
SUBJECT: EUR DAILY PRESS GUIDANCE - 04/30/02
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 02 STATE
081441 302005Z
1. THE FOLLOWING PRESS GUIDANCE WAS PREPARED AND APPROVED BY
THE BUREAU OF EUROPEAN AND EURASIAN AFFAIRS AND OTHER
SELECTED BUREAUS HANDLING ISSUES OF INTEREST TO EUR POSTS FOR
THE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING. QUESTIONS SHOULD BE REFERRED TO EUR
PRESS OFFICE (202) 647-6925.
TOPICS INCLUDE:
-- GERMANY: NEW U.S. EMBASSY IN BERLIN
-- GEORGIA: TRAIN AND EQUIP
-- FRY: ICTY ACCESS TO ARCHIVES
Current Class: UNCLASSIFIED Page: 1
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF STATE REVIEW AUTHORITY: SHARON E AHMAD DOS-001940 DATE/CASE ID: 04 NOV 2004 200303827
UNCLASSIFIED
OMENimiumwmoft
• current Class: UNCLASSIFIUNCLASSIFIED
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2002STATE081441
Page: 2
Channel: n/a
-- UK: BRITISH TRANSFER OF DETAINEES TO AFGHANS
2. GERMANY: NEW U.S. EMBASSY IN BERLIN
Q. CAN YOU CONFIRM THAT THE U.S. WILL SIGN AN AGREEMENT
REGARDING A PROPOSED NEW EMBASSY OFFICE BUILDING IN BERLIN?
A:-- THE AMERICAN AMBASSADOR TO GERMANY, DANIEL COATS, AND
THE MAYOR OF BERLIN WILL SIGN A MEMO OF UNDERSTANDING (MOU)ON
THURSDAY (MAY 2). THE AGREEMENT ADDRESSES PROPOSED CHANGES
TO STREET/TRAFFIC PATTERNS AND SECURITY PROCEDURES THAT ARE
NEEDED BEFORE THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE CAN MODIFY ITS CURRENT
DESIGN PLAN FOR ITS PROPOSED NEW EMBASSY OFFICE BUILDING ON
PARISER PLATZ.
-- AFTER THE DESIGN PLAN IS COMPLETED AND APPROVED, THERE ARE
ADDITIONAL PROCEDURAL STEPS THAT MUST BE COMPLETED WITHIN THE
STATE DEPARTMENT. ALSO, FUNDING APPROVAL BY THE U,S.
CONGRESS MUST BE SECURED BEFORE CONSTRUCTION PLANS CAN
PROCEED.
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 03 STATE 081441 302005Z
-- THIS AGREEMENT MARKS AN IMPORTANT STEP IN RETURNING THE
U.S.
EMBASSY TO PARISER PLATZ AFTER AN ABSENCE OF MORE THAN
50 YEARS.
Q.
WHEN DO YOU EXPECT THE CONSTRUCTION TO COMMENCE AND BE
COMPLETED?
A:-- THE U.S. HOPES TO COMPLETE THE DESIGN WITHIN A YEAR, AND
WITH CONGRESSIONAL APPROVAL, BEGIN CONSTRUCTION IN 2003.
CONSTRUCTION IS EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED BY THE END OF 2006.
3. GEORGIA: TRAIN AND EQUIP
Q: WHAT IS THE STATUS OF THE U.S. 'TRAIN AND EQUIP' PROGRAM
PLANNED FOR GEORGIA?
A:-- AT THE REQUEST OF THE GEORGIAN GOVERNMENT, THE U.S. HAS
BEGUN A 'TRAIN AND EQUIP' ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FOR THE GEORGIAN
MILITARY, BORDER GUARDS AND OTHER SECURITY FORCES.
-- THE U.S. AND GEORGIAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE ENJOYED A STRONG
COOPERATIVE SECURITY ASSISTANCE RELATIONSHIP FOR MORE THAN
FIVE YEARS. THIS BILATERAL INITIATIVE UNDERSCORES THE
STRENGTH OF THIS RELATIONSHIP AND FITS INTO OUR LARGER,
ONGOING ASSISTANCE EFFORTS IN GEORGIA.
Current Class: UNCLASSIFIED Page:
DOS-001941
UNCLASSIFIED
Current Class: UNCLASSIFIUNCLASSIFIED Current Handling: n/a Document Number: 2002STATE081441 Page: 3 Channel: n/a
-- THE 'TRAIN AND EQUIP' PROGRAM WILL ASSIST GEORGIA IN
DEVELOPING THE CAPABILITY TO CONTROL ITS OWN BORDERS AND
CONDUCT LIMITED COUNTER TERRORISM OPERATIONS.
Q: HOW MANY U.S. PERSONNEL ARE PRESENTLY ON THE GROUND? WHAT
ARE THEY DOING?
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 04 STATE 081441 302005Z
A:-- I WOULD REFER YOU TO THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE FOR
SPECIFIC DETAILS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THIS ASSISTANCE
EFFORT.
4. FRY: ICTY ACCESS TO ARCHIVES
0: CAN YOU COMMENT ON YUGOSLAV INTERIOR MINISTER SAYING THAT
ICTY WOULD BE GIVEN ACCESS TO SOME, BUT NOT ALL, DOCUMENTS
FROM STATE ARCHIVES?
A:-- WE ARE ENCOURAGED BY THE FORMATION OF THE YUGOSLAV NATIONAL COUNCIL ON COOPERATION WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA (ICTY). THE COUNCIL HAS ALREADY HELD ITS FIRST MEETING WHERE THE YUGOSLAV
FOREIGN MINISTER WAS ELECTED CHAIR. WE LOOK FORWARD TO
SEEING CONCRETE STEPS FROM THE COUNCIL IMPROVING COOPERATION
WITH THE TRIBUNAL IN THE NEAR FUTURE.
--THE AUTHORITIES IN BELGRADE SHOULD BE RESPONSIVE TO REQUESTS FROM THE OFFICE OF THE PROSECUTOR TO ALLOW THE
INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA TO
HAVE THE MAXIMUM ACCESS POSSIBLE TO DOCUMENTS FROM THE
RELEVANT STATE ARCHIVES.
-ONLY THROUGH FULL COOPERATION CAN WE MAKE THE PROGRESS THAT
IS NEEDED TO PUT WAR CRIMES ISSUES BEHIND US.
Q: WHAT IS THE STATUS OF SECRETARY POWELL'S DECISION ON CERTIFICATION FOR ASSISTANCE TO YUGOSLAVIA?
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 05 STATE 081441 302005Z
A:-- THE SECRETARY HAS MADE NO DECISION YET WITH RESPECT TO
CERTIFICATION.
-- WE HAVE REPEATEDLY MADE CLEAR THAT YUGOSLAVIA MUST COOPERATE WITH THE INTERNATIONAL CRIMINAL TRIBUNAL FOR THE FORMER YUGOSLAVIA.
Current Class: UNCLASSIFIED Page: 3
DOS-001942
UNCLASSIFIED
.img
Current Class: UNCLASSIFI Page: 4
FeNCLASSIFIED
Current Handling: n/a
Document Number: 2002STATE081441 Channel: n/a
-- THE FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF YUGOSLAVIA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF
SERBIA ARE WELL AWARE OF THE NEED FOR CONCRETE STEPS FORWARD
WITH RESPECT TO ACCESS TO THE RELEVANT ARCHIVES AND WITNESSES
AND THE TRANSFER OF AT-LARGE INDICTEES.
-7 THE NECESSARY NEXT STEP IS FOR THE YUGOSLAV GOVERNMENT TO
TAKE REMAINING INDICTEES INTO CUSTODY AND TRANSFER THEM TO
THE HAGUE AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.
-- ALL PERSONS INDICTED FOR WAR CRIMES, INCLUDING
RATKO MLADIC AND RADOVAN KARADZIC, MUST ANSWER THE CHARGES
AGAINST THEM.
5. UK: BRITISH TRANSFER OF DETAINEES TO AFGHANS
Q: WHAT IS THE STATE DEPARTMENT REACTION TO THE BRITISH
DECISION TO TREAT DETAINEES AS POWS AND TO TRANSFER THEM TO
THE AFGHAN INTERIM AUTHORITY?
-- BOTH THE UNITED STATES AND THE UNITED KINGDOM HAVE A
MUTUAL INTEREST IN TREATING DETAINEES HUMANELY CONSISTENT
WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE GENEVA CONVENTIONS.
-- AS A PRACTICAL MATTER, DETAINEES -- WHETHER IN U.S. OR
UNCLASSIFIED
PAGE 06 STATE 081441 302005Z
U.K. CUSTODY -- WILL BE TREATED HUMANELY, CONSISTENT WITH THE
GENEVA CONVENTIONS.
-- THE U.S. HAS NOT REQUESTED THE U.K. TAKE ANY PARTICULAR
ACTION WITH RESPECT TO THE TRANSFER OF DETAINEES IN THEIR
CUSTODY.
POWELL
UNCLASSIFIED .
« END OF DOCUMENT »
Current Class: UNCLASSIFIED page: 4
DOS-001943
UNCLASSIFIED