Extract from the transcript of the Daily Press Briefing by US Department of State spokesman, Sean McCormack, Washington, DC, December 8 2008

QUESTION: France's Foreign Minister said today that international intervention was urgently required in Zimbabwe to deal with the growing, worsening cholera epidemic. Is that something you would back? And if so, what form do you think --

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I know that we would - we have always and will continue to separate out humanitarian assistance from any political differences we may have with the government. We have had a continuing involvement in trying to assist on the humanitarian front in Zimbabwe. I haven't seen this particular suggestion from France, but, you know, you heard last week the Secretary speak out about Zimbabwe when she was asked about it. And frankly, the United States has been at the forefront with - along with several other countries in trying to get the international system to act with respect to Zimbabwe. We made extensive efforts in the Security Council to get the international system to act, and we're going to continue those efforts. But quite frankly, some of the states in the region need to step up. They need to use their leverage. Because what you don't want to see is a tragic situation compounded, compounded by the sad state of political affairs in Zimbabwe.

So we'll take a look at specifically what might be done. I'll try to get you some details if I have them.

QUESTION: Well, I know Kenya's Prime Minister Raila Odinga said yesterday he wanted the AU to hold an emergency summit to authorize troops to be sent there.

MR. MCCORMACK: Well, you know - well, again, the root cause of the problems there are a political one, and that stems in large part from the mismanagement, the misrule by Robert Mugabe. They had a sham election. It was - that was compounded by a sham effort at a power-sharing agreement. And sadly, we continue to see Zimbabwe go downwards, spiral downwards. And it's because of that. And that's - once you are able to resolve that situation, then you can truly start to resolve in fundamental ways some of the problems in Zimbabwe. That isn't to say, however, we're not going to look at what might be done to help the humanitarian situation that's ongoing there now.

Okay, good.

Transcript issued by the US Department of State December 9 2008