QUESTION: We weren�t able to hear anything that you said. We were just wondering if you wanted to share any of your reflections.

SECRETARY POWELL: Well, I thanked the members of the Joint Task Force � Full Accounting for the work that they do to find those that are left behind, and I expressed my thanks to them on behalf of the President, the American people, myself personally, but also all Vietnam veterans who served here.

I know first-hand from thirty-nine years ago, before most of these kids were born. They are doing something that is very important. All of my buddies came home. Even those who died, we got the remains, but for the ones who did not, there is a longing in the hearts of their family members, their fellow veterans. So I just congratulated them on the work that they do, and thanked them.

I especially took note of the loss they suffered back in April when the whole team was wiped out and how they came through that. The casualties of the war continue (inaudible). It just gives you a sense of pride to see young men like this, young men and women, keep on with the mission and reconstitute themselves and go on. So thanks.

I helped create this Joint Task Force when I was Chairman, in 1992, so I have a personal affinity to it and the work that it does -- when we changed it from the earlier model to Joint Task Force � Full Accounting in �92.

QUESTION: What are your impressions of Vietnam so far and do you know whether Gao Zhan has been let out on bail?

SECRETARY POWELL: Yes. (Laughter.) You should be seeing something very shortly on Gao Zhan.

QUESTION: Anything more your impressions?

SECRETARY POWELL: My impressions are robust. The city, Hanoi, I mean just the movement and the shops, and the sense of small entrepreneurial activity is pretty exciting. Walking around the street yesterday, they didn�t get very far. We made a terrible mistake being spotted by your colleagues as they came out the door of the hotel. I should have driven off somewhere else. Big mistake. I won�t make that mistake again.

But nevertheless, I did get a sense of the sights and the sounds of the city, and see people and it brought back a lot of memories. It reminded me of my days in Hue and Quang Tri -- same kinds of shops, smiling people, happy people. They wanted to talk. If time had permitted, I would have had the opportunity to shop, or sit down and have a cup of tea or ba ba ba.

QUESTION: Before you arrived, Secretary Powell, you said that you expected to feel an emotional tinge.

SECRETARY POWELL: Yes, it was interesting. I was in the cockpit as we landed. I just wanted to see. We came over Thunder Ridge well-known to all of the Air Force pilots, a series of mountains north of the river, just to see the paddies � the beautiful green. Then to hear the voice of the air traffic controller in the tower greeting our pilot and giving him instructions and to hear that voice, that accent again brought back lots of memories from years ago. Then the drive in to the city. So much has changed, of course, but so much is the same -- the rice paddies, the houses I remembered, the people � industrious, hard at work. There�s always a twinge, a twinge.

QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary.