May 23, 2001

0 Comments | US State Department Press Releases, May 23, 2001

Q: Can I just follow up? She said herself that he had promised a review. I mean, does this just mean that he said he would read the aide mmoire? Or --

MR. REEKER: Well, we are always happy to read something that a foreign official gives us. But what I think I tried to explain just now was that if there was a suggestion that new information, because of these recently released documents, might change something, that in fact is not accurate, because those documents don't address Mr. Waldheim's wartime activities on behalf of the Nazis.

And so we don't have any change of position on that.

Q: According to press reports, one of the many issues that was discussed with the Greek Foreign Minister, George Papandreou, and the American (inaudible) Secretary Powell and the CIA Director George Tenet was (inaudible) in Greece in connection with activities (inaudible) terrorist organization.

In the meantime today, Secretary Powell has provided (inaudible) dispatcher of the Simitis Government, in cooperation against terrorism. May we take your comments?

MR. REEKER: Let me start by saying that some of what, or perhaps a lot of what I understand is written in the Greek press today is wrong, is just wrong. We discussed aspects of the Secretary's meeting with Foreign Minister Papandreou. In fact, the Secretary himself had comments with the Foreign Minister after that meeting. He talked about our excellent relations with Greece.

We noted that it was a very useful and productive working lunch that they held on Monday. And, in fact, this was their third meeting. And, as you know, Greece is a very key partner in the region. They discussed issues about the Balkans and regional issues, and also discussed bilateral aspects, including terrorism, which is something that we consider as very important.

As the Secretary noted and Ambassador Boucher noted, following the meeting, they discussed the positive steps the Greek Government has taken to fight terrorism. And the Secretary noted that, while we are encouraged by these steps, of course they don't substitute for concrete results in the form of arrests and prosecutions. So we will continue to work with the Greeks on this.

Our meeting certainly was not contentious. We meet with our Greek allies in a very respectful atmosphere of partnership and discuss these issues, which are obviously of mutual concern to us, and we will continue to do that.

Q: (Inaudible) was reported extensively for the arrest of suspects in order to bring them here to the United States to be tried by the Department of Justice?

MR. REEKER: Again, I don't have --

Q: And any discussion to the point that did you ask the arrest of suspects in order to bring them here to the United States?

MR. REEKER: I don't have any further details to give you of our meetings, other than to note that a number of the Greek press reports are flat out wrong.

Q: In Venezuela, there are lots of reports of political unrest down there and possible coups. And today in The Washington Times there was this full-page blast by the so-called Junta de Emergencia Nacional, which contains very serious accusations.