U.S. Department of State
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
Richard Boucher, Spokesman
Washington, DC
May 11, 2001

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Q: And continuing on that theme of your great cooperation with Europe, it obviously doesn't extend to echelon, and you seem to have gotten the Europeans all hot under the collar yet again by refusing to meet with their commission that came over here.

Why did you refuse to meet with them? And two, if this isn't the right place to talk about it, who does one speak to if one has a problem with echelon?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm glad you characterized it correctly. There were some reports that said we canceled the meeting. The fact is we never agreed to one to begin with, and we sent them a letter -- I think it was May 3rd -- to tell them that we wouldn't be meeting with them here at the State Department.

The State Department is not an intelligence agency. They wanted to raise intelligence issues, and we are not in a position to discuss those. I understand that they had some meetings on the Hill. They discussed legal matters with the Justice Department. But I think we were not the proper address for them to address any questions they might have.

We have made quite clear in the past that the notion that we are collecting commercial information and passing it on to companies is wrong. We don't do that. We collect national security and defense information for the use of our government. So I don't think there is anything more to talk about from our point of view.

Q: But this building is a consumer of intelligence gathered by the echelon system, so why is it not appropriate for that -- and obviously that information is then disseminated from here out to the embassies, and who knows. I mean, why is it not appropriate for these people to meet with you?

MR. BOUCHER: As I made quite clear, from a consumer's point of view, information collected goes to people like us in the government, government agencies. It doesn't go out to commercial use. But if anybody wants to talk about collection, don't talk to us.

Q: Are you confirming the existence of the echelon system?

MR. BOUCHER: No.

Q: So you're not?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't think I am. I would have to check and see if I am, but I don't think I am. (Laughter.)

Q: I think your predecessor actually did.

MR. BOUCHER: I think we may have. I would have to double-check the record on that. But I think it is important. You know, this is a general policy matter that I have addressed here, and I am not in a position to discuss any specific programs.

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