Excerpt from State Department Daily Briefing, June 8, 2001

Excerpt from State Department Daily Briefing, June 8, 2001
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC
June 8, 2001

Q The Rand Corporation released a report about Plan Colombia. They say that the USA has to support or to create a multilateral force to end the Colombian conflict. And they say too that the USA could not consider the Colombian problem is just narcotrafficking. And they say the USA has to consider the Colombian conflict is with guerrillas, too. Have you seen the report, or has the USA government considered intervening in Colombia? It could be possible in the future?

MR. BOUCHER: First, on the report itself, I personally am not aware of the report. I assume that our experts in this building have looked at it and are knowledgeable about it. But on the policy, at least the way you're conveying some of the attitudes, I would say that first and foremost, our support for Plan Colombia is support for a multifaceted plan that deals not only with narcotrafficking, but the guerrilla connection as well as the social and economic dimension of it. And we have tried to be supportive of the Colombian government's plan, which is Plan Colombia, in order to let them address this in all its aspects. And second of all, we've also worked with other people in the region to make sure it's addressed as a regional problem. So this administration has put some $800 million of next year's money into the Andean Regional Initiative to address it, not only in its various aspects in Colombia but also in other parts of the region.

Q That you have not interest to intervene in the -- (off mike)?

MR. BOUCHER: We're supporting a Colombian government plan to address its problems. That's what our interest is.

Q No multilateral end forces?

MR. BOUCHER: I've never heard any discussion of the U.S. government of sending a multilateral force there.

As of June 27, 2001, this document was also available online at http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2001/index.cfm?docid=3391