U.S. and Hong Kong (2005)

State Department Briefing, November 14

State Department deputy spokesman Adam Ereli briefed the press November 14.

Following is the transcript of the State Department briefing:

(begin transcript)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2005

2:06 p.m. EST

MR. ERELI: Greetings, everyone. Welcome to our new week, so let's get started.

QUESTION: The consulate in Hong Kong is -- says it has received a terrorist threat. I wonder if you had anything to elaborate, like the source of the threat and whether there's any reason to suppose the President might be endangered when he visits China?

MR. ERELI: I think the Warden Message that our embassy issued today in Beijing is pretty -- covers it pretty well. It basically -- and I'll reiterate what it said. Don't have too much new to add to it. We received credible information, the U.S. Government received credible information that a terrorist threat may exist against official U.S. Government facilities in Gwangzhou and that the same threat may also exist for places in Gwangzhou where Americans are known to congregate. And based on this information, that the source of which I don't have and we generally don't discuss when we're dealing this kind of information, but based on that information we felt it our duty, our obligation and consistent with law, to advise the American citizen community about the information we have. So what we know is in the Warden Message and we think we've taken the appropriate steps by: (a) advising Americans and (b) responding in coordination with the Chinese to the information we have.

QUESTION: On the President -- because evidently he's going to Beijing alone and not to other cities. But is there any -- do you have any -- was there any mention of his visit that you can tell us about in this threat? Is there any involvement, apparently --

MR. ERELI: No, not that I'm aware of. Obviously, I'd defer to the White House for any questions regarding the President and his travels and his itinerary. We have, based on the information we received, put out the warning and notice that is appropriate.

Saul.

[ ...Intervening Text... ]

(The briefing was concluded at 2:28 p.m.)

(end transcript)