News from the Washington fileState Department Noon Briefing Transcript
usinfo.state.gov 03 March 2003
QUESTION: On Venezuela.
MR. BOUCHER: We'll come back to you, Joel.
QUESTION: Last Wednesday, after the Venezuelan Ambassador was coming from the oil industry, presented his credential, it was a meeting between higher official of the State Department and the Venezuelan Energy Minister and the president of the oil company of Venezuela. And in this meeting, the U.S. Government made clear that Venezuela cannot be considered as a reliable partner, oil supplier to the United States.
Mr. Curt Struble, the Acting Assistant Secretary, the day after, goes more forward and he said at the hearing at the Congress that Venezuela, considering the political crisis, can be considered as a threat to the region, political and economical threat to the region.
I just want to know, there is a meeting on -- of the Group of Friends of Gaviria in Brazil. There will be any change in the strategy?
And the second question is, did President Chavez' inflammatory rhetoric cause some damage to the relationship between the United States and Venezuela?
MR. BOUCHER: First of all, you are better informed than I am on current events. I believe there was a statement by the Group of Friends late last week or over the weekend. There is an upcoming meeting of the Group of Friends, I think next Monday. Acting Assistant Secretary Struble will go down to that, confer with other people in the hemisphere.
We do follow the situation in Venezuela very closely and we have been concerned about the situation down there, but I don't think I have any further update for you at this moment.
QUESTION: Well, could you check to see whether that's an accurate description of what he said -- political and economic threat to the region?
MR. BOUCHER: I'll have to check on that. I assume that's somewhere in the public record if it was at a Congressional hearing.
Sir.
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