28 October 2002

Excerpt: State Department Comments on Hostage Crisis at Moscow Theater, October 28, 2002

(State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher)

"We're relieved that the hostage crisis at the Moscow theater is over," State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher said in response to questions from journalists October 28.

"Obviously, we're deeply saddened by the tragic loss of innocent lives. We send our condolences to the families of the hostages who were killed in this tragedy and to the Russian people. We send our hopes for a speedy recovery to those injured during the crisis," he said during the regular State Department briefing.

"We underscore that this tragedy was caused by an act of terrorism. The United States condemns terrorist attacks wherever they occur, and no political grievance justifies the taking of hostages and killing of innocent people.

"The Russian Government was faced with a difficult dilemma as a result of this cruel terrorist act. There was no easy way out of this situation in which armed terrorists were threatening the lives of so many people," Boucher said.

Under close questioning by journalists, Boucher refused to criticize the Russian response to the hostage-taking: "At this point, we just recognize how difficult the situation was and how difficult were the choices that they had to make," he said.

Following is an excerpt from the October 28 State Department briefing:
(begin excerpt)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
OCTOBER 28, 2002
BRIEFER: Richard Boucher, Spokesman

Index:
RUSSIA -- Russian Relations with Denmark -- Status of Hostage Crisis in Moscow

[...]

QUESTION: A Chechen conference that opened in Denmark today has prompted the worst dispute between Russia and Denmark since the cold war. Now, President Putin refuses to go to Denmark to meet with the EU next month, and Denmark, in turn, has moved the meeting to Brussels.

Is there a US position on this dispute, or --

MR. BOUCHER: I think you've mentioned Denmark, Russia, Brussels, which is Belgium. No, I don't think the United States would get in the middle of that. We've taken a clear position on Chechnya all along. That continues to be our position.

Okay.

QUESTION: How about talking about what prompted this, this little crisis? What's your understanding of what happened in Moscow with the --

QUESTION: Yeah.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR. BOUCHER: The raid?

QUESTION: Because there are several other things that happened in Moscow that you might be commenting on.

MR. BOUCHER: What, the raid or the --

QUESTION: Yes.

MR. BOUCHER: All right. I think we've made our basic commentary on it, but let me repeat for you; we're relieved that the hostage crisis at the Moscow theater is over. Obviously, we're deeply saddened by the tragic loss of innocent lives. We send our condolences to the families of the hostages who were killed in this tragedy and to the Russian people. We send our hopes for a speedy recovery to those injured during the crisis.

We underscore that this tragedy was caused by an act of terrorism. The United States condemns terrorist attacks wherever they occur, and no political grievance justifies the taking of hostages and killing of innocent people.

The Russian Government was faced with a difficult dilemma as a result of this cruel terrorist act. There was no easy way out of this situation in which armed terrorists were threatening the lives of so many people.

As for the Americans, our Embassy in Moscow, by visiting all the hospitals and other locations around the city, has been able to locate and visit one of the US citizens who was inside. That one US citizen is in stable condition.

We have also been able to identify one permanent resident who has been found, and who is also recuperating from injuries.

We have reason to believe that we've located the remains of one other US citizen. However, we're waiting for final positive identification of those remains.

We don't have Privacy Act waivers to speak about these US citizens in any detail, and therefore I can't really provide any other information.

Bill.

QUESTION: Has the US asked the Russians what type of gas they used?

MR. BOUCHER: We've asked -- we and others in the international community, I think, have asked. We're waiting for a response at this point.

Eli.

QUESTION: Richard, do you have a comment on the fact that the Russians did not even disclose the kind of gas they used to the doctors treating the victims as they were coming out?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have any comment at this point on matters like that and how it was conducted. We all know the Russians were faced with a very difficult situation. These things didn't have easy answers. I know there are a lot of specifics that we would all like to know. We've asked some of those questions of the Russians. But at this point, I don't have answers back from them yet.

Teri.

QUESTION: Richard, an American is among those killed by the gas then. Can you confirm that?

MR. BOUCHER: I can't confirm that in particular detail other than to say I think what I've seen Russian authorities say was that all the deaths were as a result of the gas.

Okay, we had people in the back.

QUESTION: It was reported that the Russians asked to -- asked from the US to review their contacts and presence of the Chechen representatives. Is this issue was raised or discussed?

MR. BOUCHER: We kept the Russians informed during the crisis situation about the contact that we had had and the people that had called us or that we had been in touch with. So I'm not sure what you're saying about review the contacts, but we kept them --

QUESTION: No, not -- the crisis --

MR. BOUCHER: As this was going on --

QUESTION: No, not during the crisis. I mean, I'm talking about in general.

MR. BOUCHER: You mean look back at our policy of who we talked to on the Chechen side?

QUESTION: Yes.

MR. BOUCHER: I'd have to check on that. I think our view has always been that Chechen leaders -- first of all, this crisis needs a political settlement and that both sides need to be willing to discuss it and to resolve it in a political manner. There is no military solution in Chechnya for either side and there's certainly no solution from terrorism, there's certainly no justification for this kind of terrorism.

So we think Chechen leaders have to firmly renounce all terrorist acts and commit themselves to a political settlement. But beyond that, I don't think -- you know, that's the policy we've always had. I don't know if we've been asked to look at the kinds of contacts we've had or the individuals we've had contacts with.

Sir.

QUESTION: The First Foreign Minister -- this is an Iraq --

MR. BOUCHER: Let's finish with this, then. Elise.

QUESTION: Did you know that the Russians were going to use this gas before they did? Did they inform you of the action they were going to be taking?

MR. BOUCHER: The Russians acted on their own in devising the rescue plan and carrying it out. As I said, we know the difficulty that they faced. But no, we did not know about that in advance.

QUESTION: Richard, I'm going to ask this question and you might think it's unfair, but by not criticizing the use of this gas, which killed so many people, are you saying that the US believes that it's appropriate to use this tactic or method in defusing hostage situations in the future?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm not saying one way or the other at this point. We're waiting for more --

QUESTION: Well, I think it's a fair question to ask.

MR. BOUCHER: It's a fair question but it's not an answer that one can give at this point. We're waiting for more information. We need to know what it was, how it was used, more things like that. Ultimately, if there's anything to say about it, we will. At this point, we just recognize how difficult the situation was and how difficult were the choices that they had to make. But as far as saying one way or the other what we thought, I think we need more information and we've asked them for that information, along with many other governments.

QUESTION: Richard, it's just the facts of the matter that more than twice as many of the hostage-takers died from this gas than by the --

MR. BOUCHER: The hostages.

QUESTION: The hostages, right. Than the hostage-takers killed. You're not concerned about a rescue operation that kills so many of those who are intended to be rescued?

QUESTION: Richard, actually, they all could have died of the gas.

MR. BOUCHER: You don't know that.

QUESTION: Well, they didn't. But so, can you just comment to the facts, as they exist?

MR. BOUCHER: No, because I don't think we know enough of the facts, as they exist. That's all I'm trying to say.

QUESTION: Well, there are 115 people dead.

MR. BOUCHER: Obviously, we think it's terrible that all these people lost their lives. We don't -- we would remind you, however, that it started as a result of a terrorist action. And to suddenly turn on the Russians as they -- and given the dilemmas that they were facing at the time and the difficult choices they had to make, I certainly don't think you can do that without more information. We've asked for more information. And if we have any further evaluation, we will give that to you.

Jonathan.

QUESTION: Richard, you said that the Chechnya dispute could only be solved by a political solution and by dialogue, presumably, and yet it seems to be it's the Russians who are resisting that dialogue whereas the Chechens have been advocating dialogue continually.

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know that I can agree with that conclusion at this point.

QUESTION: Do the Russians bear some responsibility for the continuation of the -- do they bear the moral responsibility for the continuation of the conflict? Is this not -- I mean, are they not partly at fault here?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't know that -- I don't think I can give you that kind of assessment at this moment. Yes, they are party to the conflict but if the question seems -- implies in any way that the Russians were somehow responsible for this action and for this terrorist act in Moscow, I don't think you or I intend to imply that at all. So I just don't think I can get into that kind of question today.

QUESTION: Richard, back on the gas question. You've asked the Russians for what kind of gas they've used. Presumably, this is not going to require a fact-finding commission; it's information that they would have available at the time. Americans could very well have died because of this gas. Can you comment on the fact that you did not get an immediate answer to your question?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I can't.

QUESTION: Well, how about --

MR. BOUCHER: I think we addressed our questions to the Foreign Ministry, who didn't have the information. We were going to -- we were checking then with the Ministry of Interior. But we are trying to get at that information. And as somebody pointed out, that knowledge is also needed by the doctors. We are awaiting a response but at this point we just don't have the response.

QUESTION: Is it fair to say you're reserving judgment at this point?

MR. BOUCHER: It's fair to say I didn't offer a judgment at this point, yes.

Dave.

QUESTION: Can you comment on reports that many of the hostage-takers died of bullet wounds to the head, apparently while they were incapacitated by the gas?

MR. BOUCHER: Of what?

QUESTION: Being shot in the head.

MR. BOUCHER: No, I don't -- I haven't seen any information like that.

QUESTION: Richard, are you at all concerned that the Russians haven't answered your questions or that they haven't told the people, the doctors who are treating these people? I just don't understand --

MR. BOUCHER: I think we're asking the same question again and again and again. That was a question that others have asked, and I don't have any answer now.

QUESTION: But you don't have any reaction to the lack of forthcomingness on the part of the Russians about what exactly they did?

MR. BOUCHER: I don't have any more now than I had five minutes ago.

QUESTION: Richard, can you say whether the American who died at the theater or died in the hospital?

MR. BOUCHER: No, I can't.

QUESTION: Do you know that?

MR. BOUCHER: I personally don't know. I know we don't have a Privacy Act waiver and there's a point at which personal medical details, even without the name, can't be given.

QUESTION: Don't you think that's significant, though?

MR. BOUCHER: I'm sure it is, but I'm not here to brief on the investigation or to offer you any suppositions about how things happened.

[...]

(end excerpt)