QUESTION: Any thoughts on the Venezuelan election?

MR. MCCORMACK: Oh, well, we commend the Venezuelan people for the conduct of this election. I believe there are various observer groups that are going to weigh in with various reports about what they thought about the election, day of the election, as well as the run-up to the election in terms of fairness, transparency, the ability of opposition to access media, et cetera, et cetera. So those reports haven't come out yet and we look forward to seeing them and at that point we'll have some final thoughts on how the election was conducted.

President Chavez has been reelected for another term in office and we would hope that we could have a positive constructive relationship with the Government of Venezuela and we'll look for -- we are -- as always we'll look for opportunities to work closely with the Venezuelan Government and they are of course well reported frictions on some issues. From our standpoint, there don't have to be any frictions. We have a positive agenda for the hemisphere. We are ready to work with any democratic country that governs democratically and that works to advance the cause of democracy as well as prosperity throughout the hemisphere.

QUESTION: Now his immediate response -- Chavez's immediate response was to say that this is another defeat for the devil. He doesn't sound to be in a conciliatory mood. And you're talking about we hope that we're able to work together. How would you describe the ability of the two countries to work together over the previous -- preceding six years?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, we have. There are examples. For example the issues of counternarcotics, we have, despite a couple of rough patches, actually have been able to work pretty effectively together. There have been other areas where we haven't worked as well together with the Venezuela Government. So there's example and precedent for us working well together. And certainly if you go back over the course of the years, we have no problem working with the Venezuelan Government. We have great respect for Venezuela as a country and the Venezuelan people. So there can be places where we work together. Obviously when you see some of the rhetoric that comes out that that might make things a little bit more difficult in terms of the relationship. But that doesn't preclude our being table to work together, at least from our perspective.

QUESTION: (Inaudible) you like to work to together with the Venezuelans?

MR. MCCORMACK: We will see what, you know, we'll see what the platform of this Chavez government happens to be. I pointed out counternarcotics. We would hope that we could work together on the promotion of free trade and democracy throughout the region. That is our -- that has been our platform that we have worked from throughout the region. We believe that promotion of democracy, good governance, as well as promotion of free trade also addresses the issues of social justice that are talked about quite a bit throughout the hemisphere. Whereas if you have a government that governs effectively in a transparent manner, that fights corruption, that is a type of government that can help flow the benefits from expanding trade and growing the economy to those in a country that have not perhaps previously realized those benefits. So that's our positive agenda. We would like to be able to work with Venezuela across a full spectrum of various issues and we'll see if we're able to do that. If we're not able to do that, then we'll look for those areas where we can work together.

QUESTION: Are you able to do that, even if they continue the -- or Chavez continues the remarkably harsh rhetoric that he has employed toward the United States, can you still work on substance even as he sort of puts a -- you know, aims a rhetorical blow torch at you day after day after day?

MR. MCCORMACK: Right. You know, like I said, in response to George's question, sure, that might make it a little bit more difficult. But if we are certainly able to look beyond that -- those kind of comments, if there is a true will and spirit of working together, I'm not sure that sort of rhetoric serves the Venezuelan Government well in the long run, in terms of its international standing. But you know, again, the Venezuelan people have spoken in terms of who they're going to elect as their president and we will work where we can with this Venezuelan Government on a positive agenda.

Our only concerns about President Chavez in terms of his government have been questions about whether or not the policies that he has pursued in Venezuela have actually advanced the cause of strengthening democratic institutions in that country. It's not a matter of whether or not a government happens to come from left or right or center, where they happen to be rated on the political spectrum. It's how they actually work to -- the actions that they take on those areas of interest to us.

I've talked a lot about those and part of that is whether or not they actually govern in a democratic manner and serve to advance the cause of democracy in their own country. And we have had some questions about that.

QUESTION: One other one. You began by commending the Venezuelan people for the conduct of the election.

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: And then you properly noted that most of the NGOs and so on haven't actually --

MR. MCCORMACK: Right.

QUESTION: -- said a whole lot about how it's gone. By commending them for the conduct of the election, are you saying that it is your assessment that the election was conducted in a generally fair and transparent manner?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, also, what I said after that is I'm going to wait -- we're going to wait until we actually have those reports in until we have a final judgment on the election.

QUESTION: No, I know, but --

MR. MCCORMACK: The initial --

QUESTION: -- you said, which --

MR. MCCORMACK: No, the initial assessment, looking at how the Venezuelan people conducted themselves, I think that they should be commended for the way that they -- their participation in this election and the way that it played out. Now, we'll take a look at these reports to see if there's anything that's underneath that that causes concern, but I think the initial reaction is that we would compliment the Venezuelan people on how the election has unfolded.

Yeah.

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QUESTION: Change of topic, but same vein.

MR. MCCORMACK: Sure.

QUESTION: Okay. In Cuba, Raul Castro gave a speech kind of offering an overture to the United States -- a suggestion that negotiations (inaudible) enter into negotiations and improve relations now. You just talked about wanting to work with the Chavez government. I mean, do you have that same kind of -- is that same kind of notion possible with a Cuban Government that's open to talks?

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, there's some -- you know, any differences we may have with Venezuela aside, there is a fundamental qualitative difference between the situation in Cuba and anywhere else in the hemisphere. There's one seat that's empty at the OAS and that's Cuba's seat. And the reason why it's empty is because Cuba's not a democracy. OAS is open -- seats those countries that have a democratic system of governance. You don't have that in Cuba. I think, you know, Raul Castro has talked about a dialogue, a dialogue with the United States and others. I think the dialogue that needs to be had is with the Cuban people. You shouldn't get into a position and the Cuban people shouldn't have to be in a position of substituting one dictator for another. Our clear support for a democratic transition in Cuba is stated and Caleb McCarry has talked about that. We've issued a couple of reports on that. So the dialogue that should be taking place is not between Raul Castro and any group outside, any country outside of Cuba, it's the regime with the Cuban people and talking about a transition to a democratic form of governance in that country.

QUESTION: And you don't think a dialogue between the United States and that government could help push in that direction?

MR. MCCORMACK: I don't see how that really furthers the cause of democracy in that country where you have dialogue with a dictator-in-waiting who wants to continue the form of governance that has really kept down the Cuban people for all these decades.

Well, all right. That was such a good answer you don't have any more questions. (Laughter.)

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QUESTION: Back to Chavez reelection. Do you have comments to the analyst's suggestion that this is now a mandate for him to continue his anti-U.S. bashing and furthermore to continue basically trying to get in the way of U.S. policy every chance he gets?

MR. MCCORMACK: You know, he'll have to decide for himself what he thinks are in his interest and the interest of the Venezuelan people.