Excerpts from State Department daily briefing, January 10, 2002

Excerpts from State Department daily briefing, January 10, 2002

Daily Press Briefing
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC
January 10, 2002

...

QUESTION: The Secretary spoke outside about it, but can you expand the comments on the breakage of the peace process in Colombia? Who is to blame? And what can Colombia expect from the US, now that it enters this new phase of a conflict that is more likely to increase in the couple of months ahead?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not sure I can expand that much because I think the Secretary was quite clear in our belief that the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, the FARC, have not responded in good faith to President Pastrana's peace efforts. We have called on them to end all abuses, such as attacks on civilians, murder and kidnapping, and we have made quite clear that we think the management of this process is in the hands of President Pastrana and the Colombian Government. And we have repeatedly stated our support for President Pastrana's efforts, including, as the Secretary just did outside, saying these are matters for him to decide.

What can the Colombian Government expect from us? They can expect our continued support, our continued respect and our continued assistance.

QUESTION: What kind of support can the US provide to Colombia, more than the moral support, because obviously they are going to need more help than before, now that most likely the violence is going to increase?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, let's see how this current period plays itself out first. I believe there was some sort of 48-hour period that President Pastrana gave them to decide. So let's first see ultimately, at the end of that, what decisions President Pastrana makes in terms of how he wants to go forward from this circumstance where you have the FARC not cooperating, not acting in good faith.

We give -- you know, I think we have given something like $2 billion to help Colombia defend its democracy, and that has gone into any number of areas in counter-narcotics and strengthening the ability of the military to protect counter-narcotics operations, judicial systems, social and economic development. So we have continued to work with Colombia in any number of areas, and I imagine we would in the future.

QUESTION: How troublesome is it for the United States what is going on in Colombia?

MR. BOUCHER: We have followed it very closely. We have tried to keep in very close touch with the Colombian Government because we are committed together to try to make a success of Plan Colombia and to try to make a success of the counter-narcotics strategy that has been adopted by the government there. So we watch it very closely.

What has been troublesome to us for these many months -- and I think I have spoken about it numerous times from the podium -- is the fact that the FARC has not entered into these discussions in good faith. We have had this repeated sort of crisis with the FARC because the attempts by President Pastrana to open up peace talks or open up discussions about how to resolve the situation have really led nowhere and, in the meantime, the FARC has continued to carry out its activities. So I think that is what has been troubling to us over these many months, and obviously troubling to President Pastrana as well.

QUESTION: So clearly, the FARC is to blame for this situation right now after three years of the government of Colombia giving warranties to the negotiations?

MR. BOUCHER: If I haven't made that clear yet, let me say, "Yes."

QUESTION: I just wanted to hear the yes.

MR. BOUCHER: Okay.

As of January 16, 2002, this document was also available online at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2002/index.cfm?docid=7179