Excerpt from State Department daily briefing, March 18, 2002

Excerpt from State Department daily briefing, March 18, 2002
Daily Press Briefing
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC
March 18, 2002

QUESTION: Colombia?

MR. BOUCHER: Yes.

QUESTION: All right. An important priest was killed on Saturday. Do you have to say something about it? And is the US Government going to support to help Colombian authorities to find responsibles of this crime?

MR. BOUCHER: We are aware of it. Certainly it is a terrible crime and we condemn it, but I'm not sure if we've been asked to cooperate or support the investigation in any way. I would leave it in Colombian hands first.

QUESTION: Okay, I have another question. Carlos Castano, leader of AUC, sent to the State Department a letter last week. He said that he and another drugs dealer are interested of negotiating with the US Government. My question is do you have the letter, and is the US Government interested to make any agreement with Carlos Castano and another drug dealers from Colombia?

MR. BOUCHER: I hadn't heard about this. I'll have to look into it for you.

QUESTION: You accept mail from leaders of entities that are listed as Foreign Terrorist Organizations?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, maybe it's being irradiated somewhere.

As of March 18, 2002, this document was also available online at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2002/8815.htm