US Bribery - Sometimes Willie it's good to remember that Doktors can't fix everything

national | miscellaneous | news report Wednesday February 26, 2003 16:49 by eamonn c

US Government Spokesman Denies using $$ to bribe votes in UN - Reporters fall round laughing

Ari is the White House Press Dude who gives the Bush Administration's line on things to the Washington Press Corps. This came out yesterday US time. Boy If you put me in front of Tom Parlon I bet I could raise a laugh or two from his tall tales of 'Foreign Agitators' and 'Shinner Activists' being central to the Irish Peace Movement. It sounds (like a lot of PD utterances lately) like something the government in Colombia would say.

Question: Ari, in Mexico, the President will continue to call President Fox to pressure him to
change his mind against -- and to vote in the Security Council? What can Mexico get from
the United States if it votes yes for the resolution that was presented by this country?

MR. FLEISCHER: First of all, this entire matter will be dealt with in a matter of diplomacy
and logic and expressions of our position. And nations then will be in a position as
sovereigns to evaluate that information. This is why the Security Council is set up with 10
members who rotate on to the Council. This is a moment for 10 nations that would not typically be on the Security Council to have their moment, as part of the international community's regimes to enforce peace and to fight proliferation.

Q But Mexico can get something from the United States, from the President --

MR. FLEISCHER: This is a time -- no, the President is not offering quid pro quos. This is a time for nations to do what they estimate is the right thing to do to promote the peace.

Q Ari, just to follow up on Mexico. Is it true that the administration is willing to give
Mexico some sort of immigration agreements like amnesty or guest worker program, to assure the Mexican vote, as the French press is pointing out today and is quoting, actually, two different diplomats from the State Department?

MR. FLEISCHER: No, it's exactly as I indicated, that we have, on this issue, a matter of
diplomacy and a matter of the merits. We ask each nation on the Security Council to weigh the merits and make a decision about war and peace. And if anybody thinks that there are nations like Mexico, whose vote could be bought on the basis of a trade issue or something else like that, I think you're giving -- doing grave injustice to the independence and the judgment of the leaders of other nations.

Q -- the French press is quoting actually two different diplomats from the United States
State Department that -- they're highlighting that the United States is giving some sort of agreements or benefits to Colombia -- and other non-members of the Security Council --

MR. FLEISCHER: I haven't seen the story. And you already have the answer, about what this will be decided on. But think about the implications of what you're saying. You're saying that the leaders of other nations are buyable. And that is not an acceptable proposition. (Laughter.)