U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
Briefer:  Richard Boucher, Spokesman
THURSDAY, AUGUST 31, 2000, 1:15 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)

QUESTION:  South America.  Do you have any comments or thoughts
about the summit in Brazil with South Americans, especially with
the fact that still on the table the proposal of Brazil asking
the countries of the region, don't participate in Plan Colombia?

MR. BOUCHER:  I think we've dealt with that quite clearly during
the course of the Secretary's trip and your questions afterwards.
 And I think if you look at what the South American countries are
saying and what South American countries are doing, you will see
that they support the effort.  We have described this as regional
effort.  The Secretary's trip demonstrated that.  The President's
trip demonstrated the importance of our efforts in Colombia.  The
Secretary's trip also demonstrated the importance of the efforts
throughout the region.  We will be supporting countries in the
region, working with countries in the region, to combat what is
an Andean drug problem.

QUESTION:  Do you see any threat with the Brazilian or the South
American countries there, especially when Brazil is trying to
build up a union in South America to increase the relationship
with Europe instead of the United States?

MR. BOUCHER:  No, I don't think we would characterize it that
way.

QUESTION:  On the trip and South America, Plan Colombia.  Was the
subject taken up yesterday or any time during Madeleine
Albright's trip about Hugo Chavez' remarks, or have they been
made since?  Can you address Hugo Chavez' remarks that a military
escalation in Colombia could spill out into the entire Amazon
basin and be like a Vietnam?  Is that just off the wall, or what?

MR. BOUCHER:  Well, I wasn't on the trip and I don't really know
exactly what was taken up and what wasn't.  I think you'll have
to check with the White House on that.  As far as analogies, I
think the President made quite clear in his remarks in Colombia
this is not Vietnam.

QUESTION:  So you can not comment about Hugo Chavez' remarks?

MR. BOUCHER:  I don't know.  You asked me whether it was taken up
on the trip.  I don't know.  As far as the general subject of
whether this is like Vietnam, I think the President made quite
clear it's not.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:55 P.M.)