Today's Date:

Mrs. El Wafi, the mother of Mr. Moussaoui, his attorney, François Roux of the Montpellier Bar and two of his colleagues were received at the Quai d'Orsay this morning by the head of the service for French nationals abroad. Mrs. El Wafi's attorney and his two colleagues will accompany her to Washington where she wishes to visit her son and attend his trial on January 2. We have assured them that the French Consulate General in Washington will provide Mrs. El Wafi with any assistance she might need. We also said that the French Consulate General had already informed the State Department that Mrs. El Wafi is expected in the American capital. Mrs. El Wafi will meet with officials at the French Consulate General on her arrival in Washington.

Our position on the death penalty is general and does not change. It may be invoked in Mr. Moussaoui's case.

No, you cannot put it in those terms. This was a sovereign decision by the U.S. Department of Justice. We have had occasion, moreover, to express our reservations about the special courts.

Yes, we are in contact with his family; that's the role of the Foreign Ministry's department for French nationals abroad.

No.

We have taken note of the decision by the U.S. Department of Justice to try Zacarias Moussaoui in a federal court. I would like to remind you that his arrest was preceded by close cooperation between the United States and France on police and intelligence matters.

Zacarias Moussaoui should be able to have the benefit of all the rights of defense provided for under U.S. legislation.

I also want to point out that so far as we know, Mr. Moussaoui, having been informed by the American authorities of his rights to the usual consular protection at the time of his arrest, did not wish to avail himself of them.

Yes, that stems from our general position on the death penalty.

Not to my knowledge./.