Highlights From Today’s State Department Press Briefing


I went to another State Dept. briefing today. I even got to ask a question:

MR. BOUCHER: Okay, we’ve got one more in the back. That’s it?

QUESTION: (Inaudible.) [ed: they censored where I said I’m from West Japan Daily] Private Charles Jenkins has been issued a passport by the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo and he wants to meet with his 91-year-old mother in North Carolina. When is he coming and will he face charges when he arrives?

MR. BOUCHER: I think the issue of charges and the military has already been dealt with. I don’t think there’s anything more on that. You can check with the Pentagon.

As far as when is he coming to see his mother that would be between him and his mother. I don’t have anything on it.

Ouch. Some unscrupulous (kidding!) journalists at TBS ripped off my question and used it in their broadcasts. You can watch it here. At least I wasn’t the only one who thought it was newsworthy!

The same “French” guy I mentioned last time had another colorful exchange with Boucher today. He’s actually Serbian or something (Something Seprus):

QUESTION: Mr. Boucher, since this coming Friday, May 27th, is the beginning of the process of the creation of an independent Kosovo, may I raise a couple of questions without interruptions, however?

MR. BOUCHER: I don’t think we’ve put out an announcement like that.

QUESTION: Excuse me?

MR. BOUCHER: I don’t think that’s quite the right way to characterize May 27th [ed: He’s being sarcastic because May 27th hasn’t happened yet], but go on.

QUESTION: But as you know, the UN Secretary General Kofi Annan will submit a report to the — on the status of Kosovo to the Security Council. It was said many times by a bunch of U.S. officials, including yourself, and Under Secretary Nicholas Burns that America against the partition of Kosovo, but is considering independence as an option, which means partition of Serbia. Therefore, I’m wondering if you are against, too, the partition of Serbia since Kosovo is a part of Serbia.

MR. BOUCHER: Our Under Secretary spoke about this at great length last week. I’ll leave it to his remarks there. Nothing to add.

QUESTION: One —

MR. BOUCHER: One more in the front?

QUESTION: Yes. Yesterday, in an important three-hours forum on the status of Kosovo, at the Wilson Center, your Director of the Office of South and Central European Affairs, Mr. Charles English, stated clearly that, “Kosovo must be governed by the Kosovars.” Do you agree since that means independence and partition of Serbia?

MR. BOUCHER: Our Under Secretary for Political Affairs spoke at great length about the situation last week. I’ll leave it with what he said.

QUESTION: The same U.S. official —

MR. BOUCHER: Okay, we’ve got other people that want to ask questions.

QUESTION: Yes. The same U.S. official, Mr. Charles English, to a question of mine during this conference, “Who created Kosovo?” declared loudly that, “It was a work of God. I have to run to the State Department. I am late.” I submit that God might have had something to do with the creation of the official, but not of Kosovo. I am wondering if his answer reflects the official U.S. policy to this effect.

MR. BOUCHER: I’m sorry I don’t have anything on that. We’ll try to check with God and see what He has to say.

QUESTION: Mr. Boucher, why everyone — why everyone in your government is so sensitive in accepting the historical fact that today’s Kosovo is a product of Adolf Hitler, who created that, in September 1943, transferring Albanians from the mainland, saying that the Albanians are “vital mountain warrior race” that fitted very well in his racist theories? So why you do not accept this?

MR. BOUCHER: Our Under Secretary addressed these matters in great length last week and I’ll stick with what he said. If these matters are relevant to our current consideration, I’m sure he addressed them.

Okay, let’s go on and finish off with the rest of the questions.

Also, a senior State Department Official stated that Mr. Boucher will be leaving his position as spokesman soon. I’m not sure what he’s going to do though. I’ll get back to you on that.

Text of TBS article:

米報道官「ジェンキンス氏入国問題なし」

 アメリカ国務省の バウチャー報道官は、25日の記者会見で、 北朝鮮による拉致被害者の 曽我ひとみさんの夫、ジェンキンスさんについて、既に軍の訴追問題は 決着済みで、アメリカの入国は問題ないとの認識を示しました。

 ジェンキンスさんには、 ノースカロライナ州に 在住している 91歳の母親がおり、今月中旬には、在日アメリカ大使館からジェンキンスさんに パスポートが 発行されています。(26日 10:54 )

(They just quoted what I said!!!)