Roundtable With Latin American Journalists on Travel to Brazil and Argentina

MR. WATNIK: --tomorrow morning he'll be in Brazil through Thursday, and he'll go to Argentina Thursday and Friday. I'm going to ask Under Secretary Burns and Assistant Secretary Shannon to make a brief opening statement, and then we'll take your questions.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Good morning. How are you? Nice to see you all. I'm Nick Burns. I'm the Under Secretary for Political Affairs. I'll be traveling to Brazil and Argentina this week. I'll be accompanied by my very close friend, Tom Shannon, our Assistant Secretary of State. We'll also have with us Greg Manuel who is the energy advisor to Secretary Rice and he is someone who has been at the forefront of our work on biofuels, particularly on our work with the Brazilian Government. Because both of us, of course, are the world leaders, Brazil and the United States, on that issue. And with Bill McIlhenny, who is one our Latin American experts here at the State Department.

So we're looking forward very much to this visit. This has been long planned. Tom and I had a very good dinner with Antonio Patriota, the Brazilian Under Secretary and soon to be Brazilian Ambassador to the United States, back in September in New York during the UN General Assembly, and Ambassador Abdenur was there as well. And we talked about the obvious interest that both our countries have in building a stronger bilateral relationship, and there's so much in that relationship, stronger regional cooperation and also global cooperation because Brazil, of course, is a global leader. And this trip was planned back in September.

We also have with the Brazilian Government a strategic dialogue, and what that means is that Ambassador Patriota and myself, and now his successor with me, will meet several times a year -- and I would like it to be several, not once or twice, both here and in Brazil and at the United Nations -- to talk about what we can do to make sure that both of our countries are working together on the global issues.

So in our trip there, and we'll be seeing the Foreign Minister, we'll be seeing all the Foreign Ministry officials and lots of other different -- lots of other officials from the President's office and throughout the government, both in San Paulo and in Brasilia. We're going to be focused on how our two countries can succeed together on this huge bilateral relationship that we have and agenda. It's everything from trade to working together on biofuels, to working together on crime, which is certainly a problem in our country as well as an issue in Brazil, and also working together in the hemisphere for what we know to be our obligation as two important countries in the hemisphere to help on trade, on democracy and issues of social justice, where the United States has an interest, a real interest, on the environment; and then to take that conversation which is about the bilateral relationship and the region, and also to talk about our global responsibilities and to talk about these great multilateral challenges that we face.

Global climate change. You know, President Bush has referred to this in his State of the Union Address as an issue that we know we have to work well on with other countries. Trafficking of women and children, an issue that both Brazil and the United States are fighting around the world. International drug cartels, international criminal cartels, weapons of mass destruction and proliferation and terrorism. Those are probably the core multilateral issues that Brazil and the United States, Argentina are facing, that we're facing with Japan and China and Russia and India and Indonesia, South Africa, just to name some of the countries that are globally oriented.

And we'll certainly want to talk to the Brazilians and get their ideas on how we strengthen the United Nations and some of the other multilateral institutions -- the OAS certainly -- to try to be effective in combating these problems.

So I look at the trip to Brazil as an opportunity to do a lot of listening at a time of -- you know, where the new government is taking shape in Brasilia as to how the Brazilian Government views these issues and how we can work with them on a regional and global basis.

And in Argentina, we're very pleased to be going to Buenos Aires and to work on what I think is an improving relationship between the United States and Argentina. We have a new Ambassador there, Ambassador Tony Wayne, and he has done a very, very fine job in, I think, putting our relationship back on track. Obviously, everything that I said about Brazil pertains to Argentina. Argentina is a powerful country, a country with a lot of influence in the region and around the world, and we'll want to work with the Argentine Government on all of these issues that I've mentioned.

I think in both countries we'll talk about our effort to try to stem proliferation in Iran, in North Korea, which are two leading issues. We'll certainly want to talk about our regional policy in the Middle East. We are strongly supporting, of course, what the Argentine Government has been doing to follow up on the 1994 bombings of the AMIA Center. In fact, I think I'll -- I know I'll be visiting there to lay a wreath and to meet some of the community leaders in Buenos Aires.

So my sense is that with both countries -- and you know, my responsibility here is to look at our global policy, so I'm involved in each region of the world. We have a real opportunity to build a stronger relationship with Argentina and with Brazil. Our relationship with Colombia, of course, is different because we're so involved in Plan Colombia, but with these two countries we want to build a relationship. And I think that the atmospherics are good to do that. I think both Argentina and Brazil are prepared, I think, to meet us half way and they'll be dealing with an American Government that truly wants to listen and wants to get their ideas and advice on how we can be successful. And we're very fortunate to have in Brazil Ambassador Cliff Sobel, who is a new ambassador who is doing a great job on this agenda. And as I said, Ambassador Tony Wayne is in Buenos Aires. So we're looking forward to both visits.

Tom.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Very briefly to underscore what Nick said, Nick (inaudible) the Council of Americas event here in Washington a while back. He referred to 2007 as a year of engagement and this is obviously a theme that I've used in several speeches that I had made, not indicating that 2006 was a year of disengagement but that 2006 was a year of elections (inaudible) an enormous number of elections in the region and that we've got new governments in place in a variety of countries. We've got two elections, two big elections scheduled for this year in Argentina and Guatemala. But coming out of 2006 we thought it very important to start 2007 very quickly with as many trips into the region at a high a level as possible to begin to engage with these governments and to begin to identify, you know, our priorities as we go into 2007 and 2008, the final year of the Bush Administration. Because we have (inaudible) a big agenda, and as Nick noted, this is an agenda which is regional and global in nature. But also we want to have an opportunity to talk with both Brazil and Argentina about how we link democracy and development and how we find ways to make sure that democracy is capable of addressing the huge social challenges that we face in the region while protecting what we consider to be the core of democratic government and society in the Americas, which are representative political institutions and individual freedoms and liberties.

MODERATOR: We'll take a few questions, but could you please state your name and your organization when you ask?

QUESTION: Sure. My name is Phil (ph) -- (laughter) --

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: We know everything about you.

QUESTION: I'm Fernando (inaudible) from TV Globo Brazil. When you say that the United States believes that the governments in Brazil and Argentina would be willing to meet half way, Brazil has designs to -- specifically to the UN -- excuse me -- participation in the Security Council. I would like to know which kind of latitude you will have and what kind of perspectives you would be able to offer them.

In terms of environment, the whole region for many years has resented the fact that the United States has not participated in the Kyoto agreement, and would you be giving them any different direction or the prospective of any change on that?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you very much. You know --

QUESTION: Sorry for (inaudible).

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: No, it's okay. Picking up on what Tom said, I guess this definitely applies to both Brazil and Argentina and your question, we're looking for a comprehensive engagement. And 2006 was the year of elections, an extraordinary number of elections. We now have the opportunity to move forward on a regional agenda. And what we take away from the great majority of elections is that the hemisphere is ready for a comprehensive engagement with the United States and we are ready for it, so you're going to see a very active agenda by the United States this year.

Brazil is a natural leader for obvious reasons and it's well known that Brazil aspires to a permanent seat in the Security Council. We, to this date, have supported Japan over the last five or six years, but we've also said that we could see our way towards an expansion of the Council perhaps by, you know, four or five members, permanent and non-permanent. And we're going to have to -- we'll just have to look for whether or not there's a specific formula that can work. It's eluded us, frankly -- the whole world and the United Nations. No one has put together a formula that can balance all the regional interests that are out there in Asia, South Asia, Africa and Latin America, as well as Europe by the way.

And so we're obviously ready to talk to the Brazilians about what we can do to be a stronger partner of Brazil at the United Nations. I mean, that's important. I don't anticipate -- I will not say anything different than what we've been saying for the last year or so on the Security Council issue, but we're willing to listen and see what the Brazilians have in mind in terms of a formula that would win the support not just of the Security Council but of 128 members of the General Assembly, which is the test.

But certainly the idea that Brazil and Argentina are important in the UN, they are both very important. And the UN and in a time with the new Secretary General Ban Ki-moon where it needs a lot of strengthening on a global basis, and so we're willing -- I'm going to look for -- to both countries to see what ideas both countries have for that and how we might work with them.

On the environment, you've seen that global climate change is an increasingly important issue domestically in the United States. You've seen some of our states are taking a lead on carbon emission targets. You've seen President Bush say that global climate change is an important issue for us. We have always felt that Kyoto maybe defines the issue too narrowly, because you have outside of Kyoto the countries that are producing the greatest carbon emissions globally -- China and India and the United States. And so what you probably want to do is have a global climate change debate that takes into consideration all these countries because there cannot be success without China and India being part of the effort and with the United States part of the effort. And we are spending, as you know, well over $5 billion per year in research on how to lower carbon emissions and in alternative fuels. And so we are among the world leaders, if not the world leader, in scientific and engineering research on climate change, which sometimes gets lost in the debate.

So we are very anxious to have this discussion in Brasilia and in Buenos Aires and want to listen to both governments and see what's on their mind and see how we can cooperate together.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.) I would like (inaudible) to know if in those negotiations on biofuels (inaudible) some kind of opening of the American market for ethanol produced in other countries and if you are willing to talk about removing the tariff that is in place (inaudible).

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Well, I'm not going to Brazil or Argentina to negotiate a biofuels agreement, but there has been a broad set of meetings and initiatives that are being discussed by both governments at the very highest levels of both governments. And you know how important this is to the United States. We are with Brazil the world leader. You've seen all of the impetus in our country now in terms of our national policy to stimulate ethanol, for instance, as a fuel source. And what I expect is with -- at various levels of the Brazilian Government and in various ministries to be talking about what our two leaders should be doing when they meet later this year, what they should be doing to agree on greater cooperation between the two countries.

In São Paulo we're also meeting with a number of governors from various states as well as from local politicians (inaudible) biofuels. We're going to receive a briefing tomorrow from the Brazilian Government about their biofuels and biofuel initiatives. So I'll probably be better placed to speak more specifically about your question at the end of the trip, but it is a centerpiece of what we're trying to do.

Tom, you might want to --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: I think that covers it.

QUESTION: Sort of the same issue -- sorry, Sergio Davila from Folha de São Paulo. So is there a plan that you are going to announce at the end of the trip on biofuels or --

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: No, there won't be a plan on biofuels, but this is an -- there have been so many discussions about biofuel cooperation between Brazil and the United States. We wanted to try to focus them on what is achievable. And again, we need to listen to the Brazilian Government to see what their ideas are at a very high level, which we intend to do. In all of our conversations we'll raise this biofuel issue, both in São Paulo as well as in Brasilia. And we'll talk to some of the private sector people involved in this as well. And the reason we're bringing Greg Manuel is to try to see if we can focus this into some initiatives that both governments can undertake together. And we're looking forward, of course, to President Lula and President Bush meeting and we hope very much that this will be one of the centerpieces of their conversation. I'm sure it will be. So, no dramatic announcement this week, but just the dull work of diplomacy which is very important to push this initiative along.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) on listening.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Yeah.

QUESTION: That means you are not (inaudible). And secondly, do you have --

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: No. Is that a trick question? (Laughter.)

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: I can answer that either way (inaudible).

QUESTION: (Inaudible) President Hugo Chavez?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Excuse me?

QUESTION: Are you anywhere (inaudible) in Brazil and Argentina (inaudible) Hugo Chavez?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Let me answer that question. No. He's not really part of our thinking. You know, we're not going to Venezuela. We're going to Brazil and Argentina. We focus on our friends. We focus on countries we work with. And Brazil and Argentina are two of the strongest countries in the hemisphere so we work with them. I don't expect that Venezuela will even come up in our discussions. It may come up briefly, but it won't be a focal point.

On the first question, of course we listen. But I think that we are on an interesting point in relations with both Argentina and Brazil. There have been -- you know, we have overcome, I think with the Argentines, some problems in the past. I think the relationship is in a much better place. But when you look ahead and say, okay, the purpose of my trip to Buenos Aires would be to say what can we accomplish together in 2007 on a regional and global basis. You don't want to go in with a list of ten things that you want the Argentine Government to do and not listen. It's very important to listen. It's very important because we share the hemisphere with these two countries to say, okay, how do you see us cooperating? Because I'm bringing some ideas, specific ideas, but we want to listen, too. And the same is true with Brazil.

I really admired an article that Bob Zoellick wrote in the Wall Street Journal, I believe, about two weeks ago -- my former colleague Bob Zoellick -- where he wrote about a comprehensive engagement between the United States and Latin America. That comprehensive engagement is already underway between the United States and Mexico, United States and Colombia, and is already underway with Argentina and Brazil. But I think with Argentina and Brazil we can make more of it. And so yeah, we do want to go and listen. I think I'll start every -- it's normal if you're a guest in a country not to go in say let me speak first. It's normal to say I'm very happy to be here, tell me what's on your mind, and with the various foreign ministers and leaders and governors, particularly in São Paulo. I mean, there's a lot to learn from people who are leading at the regional level. So I'm very excited to meet the regional leaders in Brazil.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

QUESTION: I have two questions. One of the (inaudible) as you know, (inaudible) has announced recently that there were some (inaudible) terrorism in the (inaudible) Paraguay (inaudible) I will like to know if you are going to bring this subject.

The second (inaudible) is the role of the (inaudible) countries in the hemisphere and in (inaudible) and many other officials are saying that (inaudible) interesting role (inaudible) Bolivia (inaudible) now Ecuador, and as you know, Argentina (inaudible). I wanted to know how you see that (inaudible) as you know, Correa has said that perhaps they are going to restructure the debt (inaudible) doesn't like the idea (inaudible).

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Thank you. Why don't we take the remaining questions and we'll just do it -- and I have to (inaudible) but Tom maybe can stay behind on some of (inaudible).

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Pardon?

QUESTION: I had a question regarding some (inaudible).

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Okay.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) you said you (inaudible) it was very interesting -- the article -- and that you agreed with -- I just had a question because one of the proposals of Bob Zoellick was that the U.S. should get all the bilateral agreements it has and get them all together in an association (inaudible) another agreement. But that would basically mean FTAA without (inaudible) because we don't have any bilateral agreements with the U.S.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Okay.

QUESTION: I'd like to know what exactly would (inaudible).

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Okay.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) this afternoon (inaudible) he mentioned the possibility of doing a -- planned on doing an international forum on ethanol producers and consumers and it would be China, Brazil, U.S. and India and South Africa, as well, will take part in that. I was wondering if you will deal with that? And now that we've mentioned Ambassador (inaudible) he also made a very strong statement recently in an interview was published saying that business foreign policy is going to be dominated by anti-American leftwing representatives. Is one of the purposes of this trip to make -- for sure that Brazil adopt a more soft stance towards the U.S., open as well as (inaudible) for that matter.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Okay.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) reporter for Latin America. I have a question on the (inaudible) initiative. And as you know, Brazil is a final (inaudible) member of this group of countries (inaudible) receiving funds to the (inaudible). But in the budget that of President Bush has signed today to the Congress, the President is requesting drastic (inaudible) about 41 percent. So what is the explanation you expect to provide (inaudible) of this issue?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Yes.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) you know, will you be talking about Haiti and Bolivia?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Okay.

QUESTION: How did you see (inaudible?)

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: I've got to go down to a meeting with the Secretary, but I'm going to try some of these and then maybe ask Tom to answer the others. Let me -- Brazil and Argentina's role in the hemisphere vis-à-vis Venezuela, that was one of the questions that was asked.

QUESTION: Venezuela and the other country.

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Yeah. We see Brazil and Argentina leading the debate in the hemisphere. And we -- you know, we have a -- we believe in a big tent, meaning the hemisphere is a big tent and the United States ought to have good relations with all types of governments: center-left governments, centrist governments, center-right governments. And we see out of the last year of elections a broad -- largely broad consensus in Latin America for democracy, of course, for trade with the United States, for cooperation with the United States. I'm speaking from an American point of view, how do we think countries relate to us. And then there are some isolated countries, Cuba is one and Venezuela is certainly another, that have very, very different ideas that we don't see as part of the Latin American mainstream. And so our friends are Brazil and Argentina and many of the other countries, all the great majority of the other countries in the hemisphere. And I think someone asked, do we fear that Brazil and Argentina are going to somehow follow a Venezuelan line for the United States? No, we don't fear that. That's not what Argentina is doing. It's not what Brazil is doing. These countries have their own interests and they're extremely self-confident and powerful countries and they follow their own star. They don't need to follow anyone else's. So we have no concerns about that whatsoever.

What I meant about Bob Zoellick's article, I want to be clear about this. This is a good question. I didn't mean to say I agree with every single thing he said. I meant to say I admired the way he framed the issue that we need to have a comprehensive engagement. The United States likes to talk about democracy because we believe in it and we think it's good. It's good to see democracy take root around the world.

We believe in free trade. But we also have to respond to those in Latin America who say that social justice is important, that trying to work on a hemispheric basis to alleviate poverty is important. Some of the indigenous peoples who were so prominent in the elections in Latin America of course made this one of their driving forces in their campaigns and we respect that. And so Zoellick, you know, talked about a comprehensive set of initiatives and that's what I admire. I admire his ambition and the framework that he established.

On the trade, though, of course, you know, we have a very clear delineation on seeking free trade agreements with some countries, but we would never want to diminish the trade possibilities or trade arrangements that other countries have including (inaudible.) You know, we're not -- that's not what we're trying to do and I just want to make sure that's very clear. So I wasn't saying that I agree with every single initiative, but I was admiring. What I thought about that article was that here is someone who thinks that Latin America is very important to the United States. So the United States needs to give it a lot of attention and that we have to have an agenda that's not just narrowly focused, but that takes into consideration all the interests of the countries of Latin America and so there's been a criticism of the United States that we haven't' paid enough attention to social justice and economic issues and job creation and poverty. And I think what Tom has done very successfully, the Assistant Secretary, is to say, no, we have a broader agenda than that and we do have a broader agenda than that. We'll want to talk to the governments about this. As Ambassador, you know, I literally have not seen what he said. You said some -- you made some comments. I have not seen it, so it wouldn't be polite --

QUESTION: Well, how does it strike you?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: It wouldn't be polite of me to comment on something like that. We have a very good relationship with the Brazilian Foreign Ministry. I've started this Strategic Dialogue with Ambassador Patriota nearly a year ago. And he and I have talked on the phone and we've seen each other. I know that Secretary Rice very much values her relationship which excellent with Foreign Minister Amorim. And so you know, we're happy with our relationship, with the Brazilian Foreign Ministry and we're looking forward -- I'm spending a lot of the day on Wednesday with them and looking forward to that very, very much.

In terms of Haiti and Bolivia, we're definitely going to talk about a lot about Haiti with Argentina and Brazil. I just hosted a meeting on Haiti. We had 21 countries and international institutions here on Thursday and it was a very successful meeting as all of us agreed that we should support MINUSTAH. This is the only UN peacekeeping operation that is dominated by a Latin country. And it's working very well. We're in the Security Council now trying to get a renewal of this mandate of 12 months. Some countries are going to get six months. All of us agreed Argentina, Brazil, Chile last week as well as Haiti and Dominican Republic that we should be looking at 12-month renewal.

We very much appreciate the contributions of Brazil and Argentina. We want them to be continued and we're going to continue our support for MINUSTAH as well because it's critical to give the Haitian Government a chance to improve on security, especially in Port-au-Prince, especially in neighborhoods like Cité Soleil so that the government of President Préval will have a chance to implement their agenda. And the Haitian Foreign Minister was with us and made this point how grateful they were for MINUSTAH. So we're going to talk about Haiti about economic aid and about MINUSTAH.

We just announced with the United States a $20 million grant to the Haitians last Thursday which is designed to create implement in Cité Soleil because it's been such an unstable neighborhood that's been so much a source of the violence in Port-au-Prince. We wanted to help President Préval try to give especially young people jobs so that they might seek not to engage in violence against the government and against the international organizations that are there. But this is an example of where both Brazil and Argentina have been leading. And we frankly have been trying to serve -- help them succeed and we'll continue that very much.

I apologize, but I have to leave. I've got to go a meeting with Secretary Rice. Tom, (inaudible). I've left all of the hard questions for you. I answered the easy ones. And that's the way it normally is in our relationship. But thank you for coming this morning. We'd be happy to meet with you when we come back. We may have more to say specific --

QUESTION: How (inaudible)?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Maybe next Monday or Tuesday, if you want because, you know, it's a little bit difficult. Some of you have asked really good questions that are very specific and it's difficult before you've even met people who start saying it's not polite before you go to some place to give a specific agenda. We want to go and listen -- this is very much a listening tour. And think what will come out of it will hopefully be some joint initiatives with Argentina as well as with Brazil on some of these issues that we can talk about next week. So I'm happy to meet with you next week, if you'd like to do that. We're going to go back over the weekend.

So thank you for coming. We're looking forward to the trip very much to two very good friends of ours. The other thing I should tell you is you're going to see us move out very, very quickly to support an extension of Plan Colombia. It's in the President's budget. Tom just made a very successful trip to Bogotá last week where he met with President Uribe. He can tell you about that. But one of our big initiatives in addition to reaching out to Brazil and Argentina this month we'll be asking the Congress to support an extension of Plan Colombia both in our assistance on narcotics as well as counterterrorism and the battle against the FARC and some of the other groups, insurgent groups in Colombia. And we are very, very pleased with all the progress that's been made over the last six years on Plan Colombia and have a very close relationship with that Government -- another story to write about.

Thank you.

QUESTION: Can you give us the dates -- specific dates of the trip?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: For which?

QUESTION: (Inaudible?)

MR. WATNIK: For this one?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: For this one. Yeah. I'll get that for you. Yeah, we leave this afternoon.

QUESTION: Do you mean, Brazil or?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: In São Paulo. So we spend most of Tuesday in São Paulo and we go up to --

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: From São Paulo, we go to Brasilia on Wednesday. We're in Brasilia until Thursday afternoon, when we fly to Buenos Aires. We're in Buenos Aires through Thursday evening and all of Friday and then we depart Friday night for Washington.

QUESTION: So, Brasilia to Buenos Aires on Thursday?

UNDER SECRETARY BURNS: Correct, Thursday afternoon.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Yeah, the Secretary hasn't (inaudible) the budget presentation yet, so we're not going to talk about figures. She has to -- she's going to give her justification and her explanation and then we're going to -- we can follow that up when we get back.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) on the web (inaudible).

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Yeah, I know, but the Secretary hasn't given her presentation, so I'm not going to -- I can't talk ahead of schedule.

QUESTION: Oh, no, I understand.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: So at least in terms of the specific numbers and the rest --

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Sure.

QUESTION: Yeah, just the impression behind this, what is the reason the U.S. (inaudible).

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Not going to do it, not going to do it. I'm going to let the Secretary give her presentation, okay?

QUESTION: You're not going to (inaudible), one year, two years, (inaudible).

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Yeah, but what's happening is that the Colombians have developed a follow-on strategy to plan in Colombia, which they call the Strategy for Strengthening Democracy and Social Development. This is a plan that they envision lasting five to six years. The Colombia Foreign Minister last week called in the diplomatic corps and publicly presented this plan to the diplomatic corps, asked the diplomatic corps and the governments they represent to take a close look at that plan and determine how those adjustments might be able to assist.

The reason I went to Colombia was to meet with Colombian authorities to discuss the plan with them and to determine how it is we are going to be able to assist in this follow-on phase. And I think we came back with a very clear idea of how we're going to be able to connect in terms of our funding. I mean, as Under Secretary Burns noted when he was in Colombia in November, it's our intention to largely maintain funding at more or less the same level for the next several years in an effort to provide a degree of stability, funding stability for the Colombians as they make this transition to a secondary phase, but noting that where the Colombians are placing a focus in this second phase is on strengthening democracy and on social development.

Obviously, the security side of things will remain important, especially the fight against drug trafficking and terrorist organizations. But the Colombians recognize that as their democratic security policy is successful and as they restate -- reassert authority over national territory, that the face of the state in that territory can not only be security services, that it has to be -- the state has to represent justice and has to represent health, education, and public security through police. And a lot of their funding and a lot of their activities over these next several years will be in those areas, consolidating democratic institutions and then making sure that people have access to basic services that the state provides.

And we want to make sure that we're able to help them in this, recognizing that we won't be the only partner; that in fact, as the Colombians expand their agenda more broadly from security to social development, that this will be attractive to other partners, especially in the European Union.

QUESTION: Do you think (inaudible)?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: It's our hope. I mean, obviously, the Secretary will be presenting (inaudible). The figures for Colombia will be a part of that and it'll be an engagement that we're going to have almost immediately afterwards with members of the Congress as we walk through the different priorities of the budget and have an opportunity to have a conversation with them about Colombia.

QUESTION: Well, do you think that the policies as far as Latin America could change the belief that (inaudible)?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: By change, what do you mean by --

QUESTION: I mean, (inaudible) democracy, which, in some ways, comes apart more moderate and (inaudible)? Do you think that (inaudible) change somewhat (inaudible) current policies?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Well, I'm looking forward to him coming on board as Deputy Secretary. We've been very lucky, since I've come back to State Department, to have both in Bob Zoellick and now in John Negroponte two Deputy Secretaries who know the region well, who spent a lot of time in the region, who I think bring a lot of credibility and a lot of seriousness in their engagement with the region. I know Ambassador Negroponte well. We've had a chance to talk a lot about the region. And so I think that he is going to be one more positive element in our engagement with the region.

Yes, one more.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) border (inaudible)?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Oh, yeah, yeah. Well, you know, we have a separate forum to talk about tri-border issues and a lot of it's very technical, both on the law enforcement side and on the financial side. But obviously, broader counterterrorism assistance will be on the agenda because it typically is. And in this regard, I think we're very lucky in that we've got a very good dialogue going with both Brazil and Argentina on counterterrorism issues.

At the working level, the cooperation is, I would say, first-rate. And you know, that, I think, creates an atmosphere in which -- you know, we can speak to each other in a very open and confident way, in a way that, from our point of view, is helpful to everybody. So it's my hope that we'll have an opportunity to address the broader issues.

QUESTION: Any federal paper (inaudible)?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY SHANNON: Well, I mean, obviously, as Nick noted, you know, this is a visit that has several levels. The conversation will have several levels with Nick's expertise in the larger global issues, obviously being a very important part of this engagement.

But we're very interested in talking about regional issues and we recognize that -- you know, there are several countries in the region that are going through some important political transformations right now and we want to make sure that we can play a helpful role in that process and that -- you know, we can take advantage of the privileged position that Brazil and Argentina have in the region to better understand what's happening.

Thank you all very much. I'm sorry I can't be more specific. Next week, I can.