'We Think This Is A Very Important Speech'

Question: It has been two days since President Musharraf's speech. Iwonder if you would size things up for us.

Richard Boucher: Size things up? Bigger than a bread box. Let me go backand see. I am assuming that everybody saw the statement that we issued onSaturday from the Secretary, and then the statement that the White House did onPresident Bush's welcoming the firm decision that President Musharraf has made.

As the Secretary said, President Musharraf made a bold and a principled standagainst terrorism and extremism, both inside and outside of Pakistan. We thinkthis is a very important speech, not only for the steps specifically to removeviolence from the equation in Kashmir, but also for the broader implications ofthe transformation of Pakistani society. And that is an effort that we think hasprofound meaning for the future of the country, but also for the region. Indiahas commented positively on the speech and has noticed this.

We urge both countries to continue to work for resolution of tensions betweenthem through diplomatic and peaceful means. And indeed, around the speech onSaturday, the Secretary himself was in touch with the leaders. He spoke twice onSaturday with Foreign Minister Singh. He talked with President Musharraf andForeign Minister Sattar, and then you all know that the President spoke to theleaders of both countries on Sunday.

Pakistan is indeed following up on the banning of Jaish-e-Mohammed,Lashkar-e-Tayyiba and other sectarian groups through forthright actions againstthese organizations and their membership. President Musharraf has clearly statedthat Pakistan will not tolerate terrorism under any pretext, including Kashmir,and we are pleased to see that his government is taking action on that pledge.

So that's where we are as of Monday. The Secretary's trip to the region willbe, I think, focused on several things: first, on the issues of Afghanistan,going into Kabul to see the interim government, talk to them about the processthey have underway to establish their authority in Afghanistan; second of all,to prepare for the Tokyo conference, which will deal with the reconstruction ofAfghanistan, both in terms of talking to the Afghans about the conference andthe reconstruction needs, but also people in the region, like the Indians andPakistanis; and third of all, of course, to continue to work with them in thepresent situation, with India and Pakistan, as President Musharraf moves forwardon the commitments in his speech, and to continue to work with them on lookingat ways to ease tensions and move forward against terrorism.

Question: Can I ask you something about that? Two or three times -- nottoday, but two or three times -- you have referred to the need of both India andPakistan to address terrorism. And frankly, I should have asked at that point,but it occurs now. Does the State Department have some arguments and complaintwith India over terrorism that is not evident to me?

Richard Boucher: India has a complaint about terrorism.

Question: That I know.

Richard Boucher: And we want to make sure that we work with India asIndia addresses the problems of terrorism that have occurred in India, theproblems that they have found occurring within their own borders. I would alsonote that India is an important partner in the campaign against terrorism. Theyhave worked with us in this present instance, and from the Secretary's last tripand the meetings that our ambassadors had, as well as the meetings the Secretarywill have. We look forward to enhancing our cooperation with India againstterrorism overall.

And as the Secretary noted the other day with Home Minister Advani, Indiaalso has an interest and a role to play in the reconstruction of Afghanistan,given their experience there in the past.

Question: Richard, even though President Musharraf came out againstterrorism and took -- or announced all these measures, he said that he is notgoing to be flexible on the issue of Kashmir. And the Indians, of course, haveshown their inflexibility on this issue before. Are you at all concerned thatthe intransigence of both sides in this is just going to fester and cause theproblem to just continually recur?

Richard Boucher: We think that one of the most important aspects of thisspeech was where President Musharraf said that Pakistan will not tolerateterrorism under any pretext, including in Kashmir. As I said, by taking violenceout of the Kashmir situation, as he stated his goal was, which is what hebasically stated in terms of his goals in this matter, that leaves politicalissues to be solved in political and diplomatic means. Now, granted, each ofthese governments has some very strong views on the matter of Kashmir.

We have always said we are willing to work with them. We have always said weare willing to help out, if they should want to. But, at present, I would sayour focus is on looking for steps to ease the tensions and to avoid the buildup.

Question: Okay, so does that mean -- since you're just re-offered yourgood offices to help out, does that mean that the Secretary or anyone else inthe US Government is going to be pushing the Indians to change their mind aboutrefusing mediation?

Richard Boucher: I mentioned it because I knew you would ask, but I justreviewed what the Secretary would be doing during his trip, and that is to talkto them about the campaign against terrorism, to talk to them about Afghanistan,to talk to them about the implementation of what President Musharraf announcedin his speech, and to talk to them about how they can ease tensions. So that'sthe agenda for the trip, not other things.

Question: Richard, can I follow up? Matt's description, of course, isaccurate. It's been an intractable problem. But he is asking mechanical Questions,whether the Secretary will push or not push. Let me expand that, please. I triedthe other day. You know, do you have a formula? Or to put it another way, youjust said, "We'll help out where we can." Do you mean in a logisticalsense, or is the US prepared to begin to sift through the conflicting claims,you know, as you do between the Arabs and Israelis and come up with frameworksand all sorts of things? Maybe the previous administration did that. But is theUS prepared to deal with the issues and offer its advice?

Richard Boucher: We have always been prepared to do what the partieswanted us to do. As your colleague also correctly pointed out, we don't have twoparties asking us to do this right now. The issue right now is how to moveforward between the two, how to move forward on the steps that PresidentMusharraf has announced, because we do think those steps would have atransforming effect in Pakistan, as well as in the region.

As he moves forward on those steps, we also think that's a basis for easingthe tensions. That's our agenda right now, and I don't want to speculate onbroad things down the road that may or may not materialize.

Question: Going back to Barry's earlier Question, you always said Indiaand Pakistan. Now, the problem is terrorism problem is in India, not inPakistan, but by Pakistan. Now, why you already said that India and Pakistan?Why don't you say that Pakistan must come out and they must tackle this problemso they don't have it either in India or against India?

Richard Boucher: I've said each of these people, each of these countries,needs to deal with the problem of terrorism. I think that's not dissimilar tothe Question I was asked before. India has suffered from terrorism, andobviously India wants to deal with the problem of terrorism that has occurred.Pakistan is also taking steps against terrorism. We will work with each of themin this circumstance as we deal with the problem of terrorism. The fact is therehave been attacks against India, which have been horrible and egregious.

Question: Is the Secretary carrying any special message from thePresident as far as this tension or problem is concerned?

Richard Boucher: I'm not aware of anything now. The President himselfspoke to both leaders yesterday, so we will see where we stand when theSecretary gets there.

Question: And on the speech? I'm sorry. Going back on the speech, can youconfirm that before -- I mean, it was a great speech, of course, no doubt aboutit, if he follows through. Now, what I'm asking you is that if Secretary hadadvance copy of the speech before he read or went on the television and it wasedited from here.

Richard Boucher: No.

Question: The military situation on the ground hasn't actually changed atall. India has basically said we're not going to stand down until there is moreaction. Would you say that this situation has actually become any less dangeroussince Musharraf delivered his speech?

Richard Boucher: We have tried all along to paint a clear picture of thedangers of the situation, and I would continue to say the situation remainsdangerous. The forces remain along the line of control. The prospects formilitary confrontation remain high. So I don't think I can say that the tensionshave eased at this point. But I would say that the speech, the steps thePakistani Government is taking, the reaction of the Indian Government, offer aprospect for the easing of tensions. And the issue is to see all thatmaterialize.

Question: When Home Minister Advani was here, he said that when he metwith Secretary Powell, that Secretary Powell did not ask India to remove itstroops from the frontier. Can you tell me, did Secretary Powell ask Mr. Advani,or has he asked India, or will he ask India, to pull its troops back?

Richard Boucher: Did he, has he, is he, will he, at some point now, inthe future, or in the past? It's kind of too broad. Clearly, the answer I justgave that things have not eased, we are interested in seeing them ease, and wewill be discussing that with the two sides. I think that's about as far as I cango at this point.

Question: Can you say whether this Administration thinks that Indiashould move its forces back?

Richard Boucher: Again, we will be looking at both sides, we will betalking to both sides, as we have, about the need to ease the tensions, aboutsteps that can ease the tensions. But I don't think I want to get in thebusiness now of sort of laying out a plan from here. The goal is to talk to thetwo sides, as we have been doing and will do, about how they can ease thetensions between them.

Question: India is asking that Pakistan prevent infiltration intoKashmir, the portions held by India. Do you have any information that Pakistanis preventing these infiltrations, that there has been any change in --

Richard Boucher: I don't think that is anything that I can particularlycomment on. I can't give you a day-by-day report on the situation there.

Question: You mentioned earlier in your opening remarks about the needfor reform in Pakistani society. Can the US play a role in this? Is theretargeted aid to achieve these ends?

Richard Boucher: President Musharraf has spoken in the past, as he did inthe speech, about his desire to reform a lot of aspects of Pakistani society andto move Pakistan on a more moderate course. He talked about advancing theeducation system, the public education system, and other things like that.

When the Secretary was there in October and we were discussing the kind ofassistance the United States could provide, especially the $600 million or so ineconomic support funds, what he said he most needed it for was to support thatkind of expanded secular -- expanded public education program, expanded healthservices and other reform of delivery of services to Pakistani society.

So to that extent, yes, the United States has a role. Obviously in settingthe tone, the direction, and taking care of action against extremists, that's amatter for the Pakistani Government to decide how he goes about it.

Question: I have one more, and you can change the subject. Over theweekend, there was a story in one of the major newspapers that opined that twoyears ago -- I guess it was two years ago -- when Nawaz Sharif had sent someonehere to the State Department, and this was shortly before he was ousted -- andat that time this envoy expressed to the United States the concern thatMusharraf was planning to oust him.

Is that correct? And if you don't know, can you take the Question?

Richard Boucher: I have never heard the story. I don't really know it'sone I can deal with, frankly.