Press conference with Marc Grossman, undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Bogotá, February 5, 2002

Press conference with Marc Grossman, undersecretary of State for Political Affairs, Bogotá, February 5, 2002

PRESS CONFERENCE WITH UNDER SECRETARY MARC GROSSMAN

Bogotá -- Presidential Palace
February 5, 2002

UNDER SECRETARY MARC GROSSMAN: Thank you all very much for coming. First of all, let me apologize for speaking in English; I hope that you allow us to translate my statement. Before I go on I want to express my great admiration to our Colombian hosts for the hospitality they have shown our delegation. As you can see, we have brought here today a very senior delegation of Americans to, as the Foreign Minister said, discuss with the government of Colombia where we stand on U.S. support to Plan Colombia.

We are especially pleased to have with us the representative of the White House, Ambassasor John Maisto, and our new Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Ambassador Otto Reich. I'd also like to pay tribute to Ambassador Patterson and her mission for all the support they have given us in this visit.

When I visited Colombia in August, I said then that Colombia matters to the United States. The world is obviously different after the 11th of September, but that statement, that Colombia matters, remains true. We are committed to help Colombians create a Colombia that is peaceful, prosperous, drug-free and terror-free.

During this visit our delegation has been honored to meet with President Pastrana, members of his cabinet, including the Vice President, and with our friend Foreign Minister Fernandez de Soto. We had a chance to discuss those issues that I believe are at the forefront of the minds of Colombians: the peace process and how to end terror that is plaguing Colombia. We support President Pastrana as he and his government work for peace. We also recognize the important role the international community has played to help achieve peace. We believe that the government of Colombia is serious about peace, but the latest campaign of terror by the FARC against the civilian population and infrastructure shows that they are, so far, not serious about peace. In separate meetings during this visit I had a chance to express those views to U.N. Special Envoy James Lemoyne, whose efforts we very much support, and to the Colombian leaders of civil society.

I also reviewed with President Pastrana and with his team the essential elements of our bilateral cooperation. As the Foreign Minister said, we used this mechanism to discuss what has worked to date and where we see areas that can be improved in all of our efforts to counter narcotics trafficking. Let me provide for you the same short report I gave to President Pastrana:

-- Since aerial eradication began in December of 2000, approximately 84,000 hectares of coca plants have been sprayed, which means that there were 580,000 fewer kilos of coca produced last year.

-- Working together, Joint Task Force South and the Colombian Army's Counter-Drugs Brigade have destroyed 20 cocaine labs and 700 coca base labs. These efforts complement the impressive work which is being done by the Colombian Anti-Narcotics Police.

-- We are also very concerned about issues about human rights and justice, so with USAID support, 18 Houses of Justice -- centers where conflicts can be resolved without burdening the Colombian judicial system -- have been established. We are also providing assistance to provide training to judges and legal officials to help modernize the Colombian justice system.

And as President Pastrana just reminded us in our meeting together, there were an unprecedented number of extraditions this year from Colombia to the United States.

As the Minister said, we want to use this occasion to find out what we can do more effectively in the future. We discussed several specific initiatives that we are now beginning. Those include new training for a second, mobile Colombian Counter-Narcotics Brigade; providing increased security assistance to help Colombian security forces counter kidnapping; and proposing assistance to Colombian security forces to protect the oil pipeline.

I reported to President Pastrana that since I was here last, the U.S. Congress approved President Bush's Andean Regional Initiative, which brings another $782 million in assistance to Colombia and its neighbors. This money builds on our earlier $1.3 billion contribution to Plan Colombia and will be used to fight narco-traffickers and narco-terrorists, help buttress democratic institutions, and promote economic development.

In addition, as all of you know, President Bush sent to Congress yesterday his proposed budget for fiscal year 2003, which includes $439 million for Colombia to support ongoing counter-drug and social development programs as well as an additional $98 million to begin the training and equipping of Colombian units to protect the Caño-Limon oil pipeline.

The importance of protecting human rights, and in particular taking action against the paramilitaries, was a key topic in meetings with Prosecutor General Osorio, General Tapias, and of course, President Pastrana and Vice President Bell. All expressed a firm commitment to continuing to improve Colombia's human rights situation.

I think it is worth repeating that since my last visit, we designated the United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia, the AUC, as a foreign terrorist organization. We have revoked the visas for known AUC associates and are entering the names of those who are known to be members of the organization into our look-out system so that they cannot obtain visas.

Last night I had a chance to discuss with members of the Colombian business community our continuing commitment to expanding international trade as the engine of regional economic growth and, in particular, the need to renew and enhance the Andean Trade Preferences Act, ATPA. The concerns we heard last night from Colombian business people and exporters were compelling, and these are stories that we will all take back to Washington. President Bush has called on the American Congress to act quickly to extend and expand the ATPA.

The United States' commitment for Colombia, our support for Colombia is a long-term commitment. We are realistic about the difficult challenges, but we remain confident that, working with Colombians, we can strengthen Colombia's democratic institutions and successfully defeat the drug trade that funds terror.

And as the Foreign Minister promised on my behalf, I now would be glad to try to answer any questions.

JUAN FERNANDO TABARES (RCN Television): Mr. Grossman, good evening. You have stated that the $782 million dollars approved by the U.S. government for the Andean community, which a part of it goes to Colombia, will be destined to fight drug traffickers and terrorists. Is this what we thought would happen with Plan Colombia money or with U.S. money given to Colombia -- that it could be used to fight the FARC, and the other illegally-armed groups in the country?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: Let me make sure I understand your question. What the President proposed yesterday in his budget was a continuation of American support for Plan Colombia. And that support for Plan Colombia has to do with our counter-narcotics work, our aerial eradication, our work in alternative development, our work in human rights, in all of the areas we are trying to support President Pastrana's Plan Colombia. As Secretary Powell said in his testimony today, that is the primary focus of our effort in Colombia and in the region. In addition to that money, the President has proposed to Congress $98 million to train and equip Colombian Army units to protect the oil pipeline. That is different, sir, than our counter-narcotics work. As Secretary Powell said this morning in his [congressional] testimony, we support this effort to protect the pipeline because it is critical to Colombia's economic success. As he said, it is an important project to keep Colombia's economy moving forward.

As the Foreign Minister and I were speaking before, that pipeline was closed 266 days last year. Colombia loses probably $40 million a month in revenues. For those of you who are interested in the environment, over the last 15 years the attacks to that pipeline has put out into the Colombian soil almost two million of barrels of oil. That equals eight "Exxon-Valdez" spills in Alaska. So we think that this is an important issue, and an important question. We have proposed it to the government of Colombia, we have proposed it to the United States Congress. It's the Congress' money. So we will be in a conversation with the Congress about this proposal. But I hope that we are persuasive and they will agree.

ERIKA FONTALVO (Caracol Channel): Mr. Grossman, good evening. What does the U.S. government think of the Colombian proposal stated last November about the possibility of using the resources that are already in the country to fight terrorism? Has the Bush Administration considered the possibility of allowing use of the equipment, such as helicopters, to fight terrorist groups that are seriously affecting Colombian national security? Could this proposition be taken to the U.S. Congress?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: Let me try to answer your question in three ways. First, it is very important that I make the point to you, as I do in public and in private, that this Administration, represented by me and every single person who is here, understands the law under which we operate. And the law that the Congress has given us does put certain limits on this equipment. And we are not now seeking to change those limits. As I tried to explain to the gentleman before, we are going to do our counter-narcotics work and with the approval of our Congress we'll try to support the Colombian government in pipeline protection.

Second, I do think it's important to understand that to the extent that the FARC or other terrorist organizations are active in narcotics trafficking and participate in trafficking or promote trafficking, that as they are pursuing that policy it's fair to say that it comes into the definition of counter-narcotics and counter-drugs.

Third, it is because we are interested in supporting the Colombian democracy that we make the proposition to the Colombian government and to the Congress of the United States that we ought to protect this pipeline in addition to the counter-drug and counter-narcotics work which we are doing, and which Secretary Powell said specifically today, will remain the prime focus of our work in this region.

FERNANDO RAMOS (CNN en Español): Mr. Grossman, good evening. The topic of human rights is now again on the table. Today in Washington several human rights organizations have stated their preoccupation that the Colombian government has not done enough to end violations. Wouldn't this complicate the U.S. Congress approval of those new funds, or that they would condition the support in the future?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: I would say, sir, that it's not that human rights have again become a topic of interest to Washington. Human rights and democracy have always been a topic of interest in Washington. These are not topics that come and go. I mean, you as journalists, may see them come and go, but I can tell you that every day we are working on those issues. As to the report issued today by Human Rights Watch, I should say first of all that I have great respect for Human Rights Watch and in fact I met with the president of Human Rights Watch on Friday before I came to Colombia. We will take their report seriously, we will study that report, we will make our judgment about how that report corresponds to the information that our embassy has or what the Colombian government has. But we will take it seriously. They are serious people, and it is our job to take it seriously. We will then gather as many facts as we can, and then we will make our best recommendation to the Secretary of State about the certification [issues] that are addressed by that report.

JAVIER HENDEZ (El Espectador): Mr. Grossman, good evening. Is it possible that the proposition of support to protect the pipeline, which has been taken to Congress, might be extended to protect electrical towers, hydroelectric plants or dams that have also been affected by FARC's terrorist attacks?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: Our proposition to the government of Colombia and our proposition to our Congress are focused on the oil pipe. I don't deny, sir, that the issues that you raise and the example that you give are important. But we as a government today are making the proposition we are making today and I leave the future to the future.

JARED KOTLER (AP): Mr. Grossman, I am going to ask the question in English. You mentioned the word terror and terrorism a number of times in your presentation, maybe more so than the last time you were here. Is policy on Colombia now part of the global war against terrorism conceptually, politically, and what does it mean, what has it meant so far since September 11, and what is it going to mean in the future as far as what you can do? What range of options can you use in Colombia, now that it is seen as a terrorist problem -- there are three groups in Colombia that are considered terrorist groups?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: First, I think that it is very important to recognize that this phrase narco-terrorism and our reference to narco-terrorism is not something new. Although my memory is perhaps not perfect, I certainly remember when we were all together in August talking about this connection between narcotics and terrorism. We've been involved in Colombia now for a very long time and the whole objective of what we are doing is trying to break the link between people who push drugs and people who practice terrorism.

Second, the AUC. Don't forget, the AUC was put on the terrorist list on the 10th of September. You'll remember that Secretary Powell was in Lima, Peru, and on his way to Colombia. And we wanted to act not as a result of what happened on the 11th of September, but because of our commitment to Colombia's democracy.

Sir, I think that there has been a change since the 11th of September. I think, as far I can tell, there has been a change about how Colombians think about this problem. There has certainly been a change in how the Americans think about this problem. And when we talk about this war on terrorism, don't forget that the war on terrorism will require every bit of state policy and every tool available to the state. Let me give you an example. Colombia is certainly a much more integrated part of the war on terrorism if you consider the question of terrorism financing. U.N. Security Council Resolution 1373 gives every country the opportunity, supported by all the other countries in the world, to attack terrorism financing. That's a new tool. I also believe that Colombia is more integrated in this global war on terrorism because more people are recognizing the connection between narcotics and terrorism. I understand, the number of you who had the chance to see some of the advertisements that were on the Super Bowl on Sunday, they talked about the connection between narcotics and terrorism. I don't think we would have been so explicit and effective before the 11th of September. So when I look at our support to Plan Colombia, I see all of the tools at the state's kit in an attempt to break the link between narcotics and terrorism. That was our policy before the 11th of September, but it is a policy that to me has much more meaning today. And that's how we intend to proceed.

IBON VILLALEBEITIA (Reuters): Your government has on several occasions expressed its dissatisfaction with the results of manual eradication programs, and it is more keen instead on spraying drug crops. Today the Colombian government submits a cease-fire proposal to the FARC in which it commits itself to expanding manual eradication programs, which is a long-time demand of FARC. How do you reconcile aerial fumigation when the government is saying in response to FARC's demand that it is committed to expanding manual eradication programs? Can spraying become a stumbling problem in that same peace process you've said your government supports between the [Colombian] government and the FARC?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: Well, first of all I think the Colombian government has to speak for itself. Second, I know that you are interested in a philosophical answer but we are interested in what works. And in my view, what works is aerial eradication. And I hope, and actually I am convinced, that this is not going to become a contradiction between us and the government of Colombia. If in certain places we can get people out of the production of coca in one way, that's fine. But I believe we will find that over the country, and over time, the only way to go forward is with aerial eradication. I'd also say that I had the chance to tell the Foreign Minister today I also believe that aerial eradication is the only way to take alternative development seriously. And no matter how many eradication areas there are, either from the air or manually, unless there is real alternative development it doesn't achieve its goal of ending the production of coca in Colombia.

ARTURO MENENDEZ (EFE): Regardless of what NGOs say about protecting human rights in Colombia, how does the United States government view Colombia on this matter? Is there more, the same, or less protection of human rights in Colombia today?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: I believe that the government of Colombia, the military in Colombia, civil society in Colombia -- I won't speak for journalists, but other Colombians that I have met -- are much more focused on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law than the last time I was here. I had the chance today to meet with a number of members of civil society. What was their message? Their message was that the United States of America should continue to support the programs of the government of Colombia on human rights, democracy, and the rule of law. I want to be clear here, that we will make our own judgment about certification, and I am trying to answer your question. Your question was do I think people pay more attention to human rights today, are more concerned about human rights today, and are doing a better job on human rights today? I believe the answer to that question is yes.

JUAN CARLOS MARTINEZ, Radio Santa Fe: You have emphatically called the paramilitaries terrorists. Does this enable the United States, as it has done in other countries designated as terrorists like in the Philippines, Somalia, Iran, and Iraq, to eventually militarily intervene in Colombia? Are the FARC a terrorist organization for the United States?

UNDER SECRETARY GROSSMAN: I think that the designation of the FARC, the ELN and the AUC as terrorist organizations means for the United States that we want with the government of Colombia to do everything we can to make these organizations less of a threat to Colombia. That means no visas, it means going after terrorism financing, and it means breaking the connection between narcotics and terrorism. I think the other examples that you've used in the world today are not specifically related to Colombia because here we are working with the government of Colombia, and that is a big difference from what happened in Afghanistan, where the government was controlled by the Taliban and al-Qaida. So I don't think that spending time saying that Colombia is like this or that other country is useful. Colombia is like Colombia and our job is to support Colombians in their struggle to protect Colombia's democracy.

Thank you all very much.

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