Other State Department Archive Sites

The State Department web site below is a permanent electronic archive of information released online from January 1, 1997 to January 20, 2001. Please see www.state.gov for current material from the Department of State. Or visit http://2001-2009.state.gov for information from that period. Archive sites are not updated, so external links may no longer function. Contact us with any questions about finding information. NOTE: External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views contained therein.

Philip Reeker, Acting Spokesman Excerpt From Daily Press Briefing Washington, DC, May 31, 2000

Iran: Support for Terrorist Organizations Question: Does the U.S. have any reason to believe, just returning to the Middle East, that Iran has, in fact, stepped up its support, supplying of weapons to Hizballah? Mr. Reeker: I don't have any particular information on that. I'd be happy to check it out. Question: The Iranians have denied it and I am just wondering whether or not the U.S. accepts their statement as fact. Mr. Reeker: I think we continue to have a problem with their support for terrorist organizations. That's a well known fact. But, in terms of any new information, I don't have anything. Question: Along those lines, is there a plan that the U.S. knows about by the UN to decommission those Hizballah guerrillas that are in the formerly occupied zone? Will that be part of the measures that will be taken? Mr. Reeker: In terms of Lebanon, I think we-- Question: As far as Lebanon and Hizballah. Mr. Reeker: We've covered Lebanon greatly. Right now - what we are doing right now is awaiting the report of the UN Secretary General's envoy to confirm, verify the withdrawal of Israel within the context of the UN Security Council Resolution 425 and then to see Lebanese, obviously, exert their authority over all of Lebanon, including those southern areas. In terms of other developments in that region, someone had asked me earlier, before the briefing, about the request from the Government of Israel and, after some consultations with Congress, that the US will be making available up to $50 million in existing foreign military funding to assist security costs in northern Israel related to the withdrawal. Question: What's taking so long on the verification? Mr. Reeker: I don't believe anything is out of the ordinary in terms of a process that's established under the Security Council resolution and what the envoy has to go through in terms of meeting those steps. I would refer you to the UN, and I know we expect his verification shortly. [end of document] Iran Homepage | Official Texts | Near Eastern Affairs | Department of State | Secretary of State