Excerpts from State Department Daily Briefing, February 22, 2001

Excerpts from State Department Daily Briefing, February 22, 2001
STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING
BRIEFER: RICHARD BOUCHER, DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN
STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ROOM, WASHINGTON, D.C.
1:17 P.M. EST THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 22, 2001

MR. BOUCHER: Well, you will. You can ask us afterwards. We're anticipating a positive meeting and chance for them to talk to each other first -- face-to-face for the first time. As you know, they've talked a couple of times on the telephone. There are certainly issues to bring up and issues that we want to pursue. Secretary Powell will do that in a straightforward manner, I'm sure.

Let's go to the back.

Q Yeah. Do you have any comment about the American people working on a rescue crew in Colombia that were involved in a fire? And how much the United States government are worried about the people that are training Colombian military since they are called "military targets" by the guerrillas?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, let me -- I think that's two separate issues, is my understanding. Let me explain to you what we know happened on Sunday, February 18th. It was about 10:15 a.m. that a Colombia National Police Unit helicopter, that was escorting a routine spray mission in Caqueta, took ground fire, made an emergency landing. There were no fatalities among the Colombia National Police crew, but the pilot was wounded in the leg. Colombia National Police helicopters regularly accompany spray missions in an escort capacity. In addition, there was a Department of State Air Wing helicopter with a mixed U.S. contractor and Colombia National Police crew that provide search and rescue capacity in that area.

During the emergency landing, the search and rescue helicopter, as well as the Colombia National Police helicopter, landed immediately and rescued the injured pilot and evacuated the other crew members. Colombian military units provided aerial support and ground troops to assist in this rescue effort of the crew and the helicopter. The Colombian and U.S. governments have numerous security measures in place to minimize the danger to American contractors during spray missions. However, serious injuries and loss of equipment is inevitable due to the types of aggressive operations the Colombians are currently undertaking to eradicate coca in guerrilla-controlled areas in Putumaya and Caqueta.

Last year -- that's in 2000 -- there were over 60 aircraft operating in support of the Colombian government spray operations that were hit by ground fire with no casualties. So despite this incident, the ground and spray operations continue on Colombia.

Q And what about the concerns from the United States about the military in Colombia -- you know, they're called "military targets" from the guerrillas.

Are you worried about that?

MR. BOUCHER: Well, I mean, clearly we're quite aware of the threat to our people along with to the Colombian government people who are carrying out these operations. People that are spreading narcotics anywhere in the world are often the targets of attacks from the people whose illegal gains they are threatening. So it's not a surprise, and I'm sure that we take all appropriate security measures. But it's an important task and a job that needs to be done and a job that we're proud to be part of.