U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin-Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday

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Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday 11/04/2018 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Chris Wallace of Fox News Sunday 11/04/2018 10:14 AM EST Interview Michael R. Pompeo Washington, DC November 4, 2018 QUESTION: Joining me now live from the State Department, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Mr. Secretary, welcome back to Fox News Sunday. SECRETARY POMPEO: Good morning, Chris. Great to be with you today. QUESTION: You’re reimposing, as we said, all U.S. sanctions on Iran, but you’re giving exemptions to eight countries to allow them to keep buying oil from Tehran. Question: Why? SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, Chris, the sanctions that will be reimposed tomorrow are the toughest sanctions ever put in place on the Islamic Republic of Iran. They’re aimed at a singular purpose: denying the world’s largest state sponsor of terror the capacity to do things like they did this past couple weeks, attempt an assassination campaign in the heart of Europe. These sanctions have already had an enormous impact. We’ve already reduced Iranian crude oil exports by over a million barrels per day. That number will fall farther. There’s a handful of places where countries have – that have already made significant reductions in their crude oil exports need a little bit more time to get to zero, and we’re going to provide that to them. QUESTION: Is it true that you’re giving exemptions to two of Iran’s biggest customers, namely India and China? And do you have a firm commitment that within six months they will stop all oil purchases? Because there are a lot of experts who believe that India and China are never going to stop buying oil from Iran. QUESTION: There are a lot of experts, Chris, that said President Trump’s policy wouldn’t have any impact because it was just the United States and other countries weren’t participating. And in fact, we have built an enormous coalition to keep this world safe and to deny Iran money. I am very confident that the sanctions that will be reimposed this Monday – not only the crude oil sanctions but the financial sanctions that are being put in place by the Treasury Department and over 600 designations of individuals and companies in Iran – will have the intended effect to alter the Iranian regime’s behavior. That’s our expectation. It’s the reason for President Trump’s policy. QUESTION: But specifically, sir, do you have a firm commitment from India and China that they will stop all oil purchases from Iran in six months? SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, watch what we do. Watch as we’ve already taken more crude oil off the market than any time in previous history. Watch the efforts that President Trump’s policies have achieved. And we’ve done all of this too, Chris, while making sure that American consumers don’t suffer. We’ve got Brent crude at about the same price it was back in May when the President announced the withdrawal from the JCPOA. That’s important for American consumers, and the march to zero continues. QUESTION: You’re talking about how effective these reimposition of sanctions are. But as you well know, there are some people who are criticizing the sanctions you’re reimposing and saying they’re not tough enough. And let me put this up on the screen. Republican senators – Republican Senators Cruz, Cotton, and Rubio – plan to introduce legislation to cut off Iranian banks from the global financial network known as SWIFT. And a group called United Against Nuclear Iran tweeted this about your sanctions: “Whatever happened to maximum pressure? They caved. Big time.” Mr. Secretary, your response? SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, the President’s policy of maximum pressure will be fully in place come tomorrow. Watch the Iranians. That’s who really understands the importance and the impact of the efforts that we’re undertaking. The rial has fallen to 140,000 rial to the dollar, has had an enormous impact already, and we are working diligently to make sure we support the Iranian people and that we direct our activity towards ensuring that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s malign behavior is changed. That’s the goal, that’s the mission, and that’s what we will achieve on behalf of the President. QUESTION: But how do you respond, for instance, to the senators who are saying look, we should have cut them off from SWIFT, which is this big -- SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris -- QUESTION: -- financial -- SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, Chris -- QUESTION: -- clearinghouse? SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, the Iranian banks that engage in sanctionable behavior will be sanctioned by the Department of Treasury, period, full stop. QUESTION: And I understand what you’re saying. On the other hand -- SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, good. That’s great, Chris. QUESTION: If I may, sir, you’ve got Senators Cotton, Senator Cruz, Senator Rubio – they’re pretty knowledgeable on the subject. They’re not persuaded. SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, I worked with Senator Cotton. We were the two individuals that discovered the side deals now almost three years ago to the JCPOA, these secret side deals. I’ve been at this a long time. No one’s going to argue that Secretary Pompeo isn’t tough on Iran, and no one is going to argue that President Trump isn’t doing the same. QUESTION: Meanwhile, let’s turn to another one of your hotspots you’re dealing with. North Korea is now threatening to resume its nuclear buildup because they say that the U.S. has not matched them in offering concessions, in this case lifting economic sanctions. They say that they’ve made concession and the Trump administration has not followed suit. SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, I’ll be meeting this week in New York City with my counterpart Kim Yong-chol. We’ll have a good opportunity to continue the denuclearization discussions that were set out just a few months back. It seems like a long time ago in news world, but it was just this past June when President Trump and Chairman Kim met and set us on the path that we’re on today. We haven’t had any missile tests. There have been no nuclear tests. We’ve had the returns of American remains. These are all good steps. We’re continuing to negotiate with the North Koreans to achieve what President Trump set out: the full denuclearization verified by the United States of the Korean Peninsula, and then a brighter future for the North Korean people. QUESTION: But to follow up specifically, what’s your reaction to the foreign ministry of North Korea saying – threatening that they are going to resume nuclear activity? What’s, one, your reaction to that? And two, is there any possibility that to get them to stop that that the U.S. will change its policy and start offering concessions on a kind of tit-for-tat basis, a phased effort by both countries? SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, I’m not worried about rhetoric. We’ve seen this as we go through negotiations. Stray voltage happens to be all around us, and we’re very focused. We know with whom we’re negotiating. We know what their positions are. And President Trump has made his position very clear: no economic relief until we have achieved our ultimate objective. QUESTION: Let’s turn to Saudi Arabia. You met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman about three weeks ago about the death of Jamal Khashoggi, and here’s what you said after your meeting with the crown prince: “They told me they were going to conduct a thorough, complete, transparent investigation. They made a commitment, too, to hold anyone connected to any wrongdoing that may be found accountable for that, whether they are a senior officer or official.” QUESTION: But since then, I don’t have to tell you, the Saudi story has kept changing. Do you now think that the Saudi crown prince lied both to you and to President Trump with what he told you back then? Based on all the evidence that you have gotten since, including the tapes that CIA Director Gina Haspel has heard, do you now believe that this was a premeditated hit by the Saudi royal family against Khashoggi? SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, Chris, the Saudis have acknowledged that this was a premeditated attack. The facts that we’re finding still are unfolding. We’re still working diligently on that. We talk with folks from Turkey, from Saudi Arabia nearly every day to continue those efforts. We’ve begun to hold some officials accountable. We’ve revoked visas from 16 individuals that we have been able to identify so far that were, in fact, connected to that. We’ll continue to do that. And as I said that day when I returned, we will hold all of those responsible for the murder of Jamal Khashoggi accountable. And we will do that, Chris, at the same time while ensuring that the strategic relationship between the United States and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – one that has a great impact on the issue we just spoke about, the capacity to deny the world’s largest state sponsor of terror the ability to threaten America and Israel – we will continue to work to maintain that important strategic relationship while holding accountable those responsible for this atrocious death. QUESTION: Meanwhile, you and Defense Secretary Mattis this week called for negotiations and a ceasefire within 30 days between the U.S.-backed Saudi forces and the rebels that are fighting in a war inside Yemen. There are reports that up to 16,000 Yemeni civilians have been killed in this conflict and that around 14 million Yemenis are now on the brink if not already in famine conditions. Two questions. First of all, are you comfortable with the role that the U.S. has played in backing Saudi Arabia in this effort in Yemen? And secondly, if the humanitarian crisis is so urgent, why allow this to continue for another month, sir? SECRETARY POMPEO: Chris, we did make a statement this week, Secretary Mattis and I. Frankly, it’s nothing new. We have been urging all the parties to come to the table and recognize that there’s no military victory that can be achieved in Yemen. We’ve asked the Iranians to do that too, Chris. Much of the harm that is taking place there comes from the fact the Iranians continue to supply weapons and missiles to the Houthi rebels that are fighting there in Saudi Arabia. They are responsible for the starvation in Yemen as well. We want all the parties, under Martin Griffiths of the UN, to come to the table, negotiate a solution that ends the very difficult, tragic situation that’s taking place in Yemen today. QUESTION: Secretary Pompeo, thank you. SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you, Chris. QUESTION: Thanks for your time. It’s always good to talk with you, sir. SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you, sir. Have a good day. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Secretary's Remarks: Interview With John Dickerson of CBS Face the Nation 11/04/2018 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary's Remarks: Interview With John Dickerson of CBS Face the Nation 11/04/2018 10:48 AM EST Interview Michael R. Pompeo Washington, DC November 4, 2018 QUESTION: We want to go now to the State Department Diplomatic Room in Washington and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. Mr. Secretary, I want to start with the sanctions that will be reimposed this week on Iran. A number of European countries do business with Iran. The President had formally said anyone doing business with Iran will not be doing business with the United States. So can European allies expect they will not be doing business with the United States? SECRETARY POMPEO: John, good morning. That’s right. The European companies will not be permitted to do business with both the United States and with Iran, frankly since May, since the President’s announcement of withdrawal from the ill-fated agreement. European companies have fled Iran in great numbers. Hundreds of businesses have departed Iran. The whole world understands that these sanctions are real, that they are important, that they drive the Iranian people’s opportunity to make the changes in Iran that they so desperately want and stop Iran from having the wealth and money that they need to continue to foment terror around the world. QUESTION: But it’s the companies that won’t be doing business, not the countries themselves. In other words, they won’t be punished if any company doing business in Iran – the country won’t be punished. SECRETARY POMPEO: That’s right. These sanctions apply to those who conduct sanctionable transactions. The Treasury has a set of sanctions, the State Department has its own set of sanctions, and those will all come back into place on Monday of this week, and they’ll be the toughest sanctions ever placed against the Islamic Republic of Iran. QUESTION: The President put out a poster of himself and said, “Sanctions are coming.” What was that about? SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, he was putting the world on notice that the terror regime which threatens Israel through Iranian funding of Lebanese Hizballah; that the terror regime that attempted to conduct an assassination in Denmark over the past few weeks; that the terror regime that continues to fund the Houthis launching missiles into Riyadh and into Dubai – that’s going to stop. That behavior must change, and sanctions from the United States will be reimposed at midnight tonight. QUESTION: What if they restart their nuclear program in Iran? SECRETARY POMPEO: We’re confident that the Iranians will not make that decision. QUESTION: Let me ask you a question about North Korea. You have talks this week. North Korea is saying they might restart their nuclear program if the U.S. does not start lifting sanctions. Is it still the U.S. position that North Korea will not see any economic sanctions lift until there is complete denuclearization? SECRETARY POMPEO: So, John, I will. I’ll be in New York City at the end of this week meeting with my counterpart, Kim Yong-chol. I expect we’ll make some real progress, including an effort to make sure that the summit between our two leaders can take place, where we can make substantial steps towards denuclearization. John, we have to remember and the American people need to remember the North Koreans haven’t launched a missile, haven’t conducted a nuclear test. They allowed the return of American remains. We’ve had success in just the handful of months since this past June, and we continue to make good progress. I’m confident that we’ll advance the ball again this week when I’m in New York City. QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, you said that North Korea will not see any economic sanctions lifted until it has demonstrated complete denuclearization. Is that still your position? SECRETARY POMPEO: It is. Not only complete denuclearization, but our capacity to verify that that has taken place -- QUESTION: Okay. SECRETARY POMPEO: -- is also a prerequisite to lifting economic sanctions. QUESTION: Let me ask you about the caravan at the U.S. southern border. General Colin Powell said, “I see no threat requiring [that] this kind of deployment.” He’s referring there to the deployment of troops from the Pentagon. Retired General Martin Dempsey said it was “a wasteful deployment of over-stretched Soldiers and Marines.” What’s your response? SECRETARY POMPEO: This is a problem that’s gone on too long. President Trump is determined to ensure that we have sovereignty of America at our southern border and that we protect our American border. As the Secretary of State, I’ve been very involved in working with the governments in Guatemala, Honduras, El Salvador, and certainly the Government of Mexico, and I’ve also had the chance to speak with the incoming government that is now 26 days out from taking power in Mexico. We have made clear to them they need to undertake every effort that they can to stop this illegal migration from entering the United States, and the President has made very clear they will not be permitted to enter our country unlawfully. QUESTION: The charge -- SECRETARY POMPEO: If they want to come here legally, if they want to come here lawfully, that’s the American tradition. It’s the American way. We continue to be the most generous nation in the world with respect to immigration. But illegal immigration will not be permitted. QUESTION: The charge here, Mr. Secretary, is that the President is thinking about this in political terms and that’s why he’s done this deployment, all of this rhetoric this week. Do you think he thinks about it in political terms, this caravan and how it might benefit the Republicans? SECRETARY POMPEO: I’ve been involved in scores of conversations about stopping illegal immigration from Mexico, and never once has there been a discussion of the political impact in U.S. domestic politics. It has always been -- QUESTION: Then, Mr. Secretary -- SECRETARY POMPEO: -- about securing the safety of the American people and securing our southern border. QUESTION: So if that’s never happened, why then did the President – in a rally said, speaking about the caravan, “Did they energize our base or what?” SECRETARY POMPEO: The President has been trying diligently to get our foolish immigration laws changed since he took office. He talked about this in his campaign. Many of the challenges we face today with illegal immigration are because we have a set of rules, a set of laws, that don’t allow us to fully secure that southern border. The President is working through the proper process, the Constitution and political process, to make those changes to the laws, and he is very hopeful, I think, that when Congress returns in January there will be a Congress prepared to support his efforts to secure our southern border. QUESTION: But you would agree -- SECRETARY POMPEO: That’s completely appropriate. QUESTION: You would agree that the President thinks this is a benefit for his base, which he says has been energized by this caravan and his response to it. So it seems like he does see it as a political benefit. SECRETARY POMPEO: As the Secretary of State, I want to talk about American national security. We are determined to secure the southern border, John. QUESTION: Okay. I’ll take that lack of a response as a yes. Final question, Mr. Secretary, is on Saudi Arabia. You are waiting for more investigation on the death of columnist Jamal Khashoggi. What more needs to be answered? SECRETARY POMPEO: We still have lots of work to do to figure out the full range of persons that need to be held accountable. We’re working with the Turkish Government, with the Saudi Government, and with anyone else who has relevant facts for us to be able to determine all of those who were responsible for this atrocious murder of Jamal Khashoggi, which the Saudis themselves now acknowledge was premeditated. We need to get to the bottom of it. We need to find out who was responsible and hold them accountable, and do all of this, John, while protecting the enormously important strategic interests that the United States maintains with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We began our conversation about Iran. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been an important partner for the United States in attempting to change the behavior of the world’s largest state sponsor of terror from that Islamic republic. QUESTION: Very briefly, is it still possible the crown prince could be involved in this? SECRETARY POMPEO: We’re going to chase the facts wherever they go -- QUESTION: All right. SECRETARY POMPEO: -- and we’re going to hold accountable each of those who we find responsible. QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, we’re very grateful. Thanks so much for being with us. SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you, John. Have a good day. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Secretary's Remarks: Press Availability With Secretary of Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin 11/05/2018 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary's Remarks: Press Availability With Secretary of Treasury Steven T. Mnuchin 11/05/2018 12:10 PM EST Press Availability Michael R. Pompeo Washington Foreign Press Center Washington, DC November 5, 2018 MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Foreign Press Center. We are pleased to have with us this morning Secretary Pompeo and Secretary Mnuchin. They’ll both have some opening remarks and then hopefully we’ll have time for one or two questions afterwards.Secretary Pompeo, please. SECRETARY POMPEO: Hey, Robert. Thank you. Good morning, everyone. It’s great to be here at the Foreign Press Center. It’s great to see you all. In May of this year, after President Trump withdrew from the nuclear deal, the Trump administration announced a new strategy to fundamentally alter the behavior of the Islamic Republic of Iran’s leadership. At the center of this effort – and there are multiple lines of effort – but at the center of it is an unprecedented campaign of economic pressure. Our objective is to starve the Iranian regime of the revenue it uses to fund violent and destabilizing activities throughout the Middle East, and indeed around the world. Our ultimate goal is to convince the regime to abandon its current revolutionary course. Just look at what happened last week. Denmark announced it had uncovered an Iranian regime assassination plot on its own soil. The Iranian regime has a choice. It can either do a 180-degree turn from its outlaw course of action and act like a normal country, or it can see its economy crumble. We hope a new agreement with Iran is possible, but until Iran makes changes in the 12 ways that I listed in May, we will be relentless in exerting pressure on the regime. As a reflection of that resolve, today we’re reimposing all sanctions that were previously lifted under the nuclear deal. This includes sanctions on energy, banking, shipping, and shipbuilding industries. Since the Trump administration came into office, we’ve done 19 rounds of sanctions targeting 168 Iranian entities. Today’s sanctions will accelerate the rapid decline of international economic activity in Iran since the implementation of our strategy in May. Since that time, since back in May, over 100 companies have withdrawn from Iran or canceled plans to do business there. It should be noted that if a company evades our sanctions regime and secretly continues sanctionable commerce in the Islamic Republic, the United States will levy severe, swift penalties on it, including potential sanctions. I promise you that doing business with Iran in defiance of our sanctions will ultimately be a much more painful business decision than pulling out of Iran and it – being connected to Iran entirely. More than 20 importing nations have zeroed out their imports of crude oil already, taking more than one million barrels of crude per day off the market. The regime today, since May, has lost over $2.5 billion in oil revenue. We have decided to issue temporary allotments to a handful of countries responsible to specific circumstances and to ensure a well-supplied oil market. The U.S. will be granting these exemptions to China, India, Italy, Greece, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and Turkey. Each of those countries has already demonstrated significant reductions of the purchase of Iranian crude over the past six months, and indeed two of those eight have already completely ended imports of Iranian crude and will not resume as long as the sanctions regime remains in place. We continue negotiations to get all of the nations to zero. Additionally today, 100 percent of the revenue Iran receives from the sale of oil will be held in foreign accounts. Iran can only use this money for humanitarian trade or bilateral – in bilateral nonsanctioned goods. Speaking of Iran’s nuclear program, we have decided to grant narrow and temporary waivers that permit the continuation of three nonproliferation projects currently underway. Allowing these activities to continue for the time being will improve ongoing oversight of Iran’s civil nuclear program and make these facilities less susceptible to illicit and illegal nuclear uses. Rest assured Iran will never come close to getting a nuclear weapon on President Trump’s watch. I will now turn it over to Secretary Mnuchin. SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Thank you. Today the United States is executing on the final actions to withdraw on the Obama administration’s fatally flawed Iran deal. This morning, we will fully impose sanctions on the Iranian regime. This is part of a maximum unprecedented economic pressure campaign the United States is waging against the world’s largest state sponsor of terror. Today we sanctioned more than 700 individuals, entities, aircraft, and vessels as part of Treasury’s largest ever single day action targeting Iran. Over 300 of those sanctions are new targets. In addition, we are relisting hundreds of individuals and entities that were previously sanctioned, granted sanctions relief under the JCPOA. These powerful sanctions directly target Iran’s banking, energy, and shipping sectors. The Iranian regime has funneled billions of dollars for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps force through the banking sector. Today’s designation includes 50 Iranian banks and their foreign and domestic subsidiaries in conduction with Iran’s regime support for international terrorism, proliferation of mass destruction, or their means of delivery and human rights abuses. Our actions include the identification of more than 400 targets, including over 200 persons and vessels in Iran’s shipping and energy sector; Iran Air, the national airline of Iran, and more than 65 aircraft; the placement of nearly 250 persons in associated block properties on the Specially Designated Nationals list; the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran. Over the last five months, Treasury has implemented some of the most impactful sanctions ever seen. Combined with the previous actions, more than 900 Iran-related targets have been sanctioned under this administration in less than two years, marking the highest-ever level of U.S. economic pressure on Iran. We are making it abundantly clear to the Iranian regime that they will face mounting financial isolation until they fundamentally change their destabilizing behavior. Iran’s leaders must cease support for terrorism and end destructive regional activities immediately. They must stop ballistic missiles and abandon their nuclear ambitions if they seek a path to sanctions relief. We are watching the Iranian regime with laser focus. If they try to evade our sanctions, we will take action to disrupt their activity time and time again. The maximum pressure exerted by the United States is only going to mount from here. Companies around the world need to know we will be strictly enforcing our sanctions. Thank you. MODERATOR: That – we’ll have time for a few questions. Let’s go to Sky News, Cordelia Lynch. QUESTION: Hello, this is a question for Secretary Pompeo. The President invoked Game of Thrones when he was discussing sanctions. Do you think that was appropriate? SECRETARY POMPEO: This administration has been consistent from, frankly, President Trump’s campaign to the first day he was inaugurated about our intention. We understand that the Islamic Republic of Iran presents a threat to the United States of America, and we are determined to stop it. And much has been made about this Game of Thrones. Qasem Soleimani responded, and I haven’t seen any of you comment on that. This is a man who has American blood on his hands. He’s killed American soldiers, and that’s not funny. And the actions that the Islamic Republic of Iran are taking are not about little silly things that people get wrapped up here in Washington, D.C., but about very serious matters that impact all of Europe, all the Middle East and the world, and our young men and women who are in harm’s way today. MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Next question is going to be Asahi Shimbun, Yuko Lanham. Yuko? All right. We’re going to move on to EFE, Beatriz Pascual Macias. QUESTION: Hi, thank you very much. Thank you very much. I was wondering, what could you say to the European countries that were expecting to be in this list of countries that are not going to suffer the sanctions? And what kind of relation have you have with them, what are the conversations regarding this topic? Thank you. SECRETARY POMPEO: You want to talk about on the financial side, Steven? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: Well, I don’t think we’ve ever said that it relates to the European countries, that they’ll be exempt. I think quite the contrary. We’ve said that we expect them to honor the sanctions. Having said that, there are certain transactions that they can continue to do, whether they’re humanitarian transactions or specific trade in the restricted accounts. And again, let me just emphasize, as I said last week, we will make sure that humanitarian transactions are really going for those purposes. So this is not about hurting the people of Iran, but we will not let money be diverted to humanitarian purposes and then put for terrorist activities. SECRETARY POMPEO: And then just to follow up, with respect to the relationship, we’ve been very candid and clear with all of the European countries. There are more than three, we should note. Many of them are fully supportive of what it is that we are undertaking. They have taken a different approach with respect to the JCPOA, but it is also something that the whole world should know. European businesses have already made their decisions. They’ve decided not to do business with the Islamic Republic of Iran, and so we’re very confident that the sanctions regime that we’re putting in place will be effective. MODERATOR: Al Jazeera English, James Bays. QUESTION: James Bays from Al Jazeera English. You talk about the destabilizing behavior of Iran in the region. How does that differ from the behavior of Saudi Arabia? SECRETARY POMPEO: So let me just go through the list: Underwriting Lebanese Hizballah, that presents a threat to the United States of America and Israel; underwriting the Houthis in Yemen, causing an enormous conflict to take place there in that country; the efforts in Iraq to undermine the Iraqi Government, funding Shia militias that are not in the best interests of the Iraqi people; their efforts in Syria; the list goes on. The difference in behavior between those two countries is remarkable. Since we’ve taken office, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has been very supportive of our efforts on counterterrorism. They’ve assisted us. I know Secretary Mnuchin has worked with them on a couple of projects as well. It is completely clear the Islamic Republican of Iran is the destabilizing force in the Middle East today. Do you want to add to that? SECRETARY MNUCHIN: No, I think it’s well said. MODERATOR: Last question. Let’s go to TASS, Dmitry Kirsanov. QUESTION: Thank you. Gentlemen, thanks a lot for coming over to brief us. For Secretary Pompeo. Sir, you mentioned that three waivers have been issued for the civilian nuclear energy project. Could you clarify what those are? And Bushehr nuclear power plant, will it be the one under the waiver? Thank you. SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you. That’s a great question. It’s a pretty complicated area, that nonproliferation issue. There are three. Bushehr is one of the three. But if I may, we will get out a full fact sheet on that here in the next hour or so that you’ll all be able to see. What we’ve authorized is very narrow, very limited, very time limited as well, but important nonetheless that these nonproliferation projects are not things that are taking place without some ability to see what’s going on, and we’ll give you the full details of the scope of those waivers. MODERATOR: We have time for – this is the last one. Let’s go right to the front, right here, please. QUESTION: Thank you. Roj Zalla with RUDAW TV in Iraqi Kurdistan. Mr. Secretary, Iran has very powerful hands in Iraq. Are you not concerned that with these sanctions Iran might increase the pressure on some of your allies in Iraq? And in that case, what can you do to reassure those allies? SECRETARY POMPEO: So it’s a very reasonable question. Here’s the facts. Since the United States entered the JCPOA in 2015, Iran has turned up the heat on those very entities to which you’re referring. So we have a history, we have data set, we have a historical basis upon which to say that we know that the JCPOA didn’t impede Iran one bit from putting pressure on Kurdistan, pressure in Baghdad, pressure throughout the region. We are very hopeful that the set of efforts we’re undertaking – we’ve focused here on the financial and economic, but the full range of efforts we’re taking to push back against the Islamic Republic of Iran will have the intended effect of reducing Iran’s capacity to be destabilizing and present risk to the Middle East, to Europe, and the world. MODERATOR: With that, that concludes this morning’s briefing. Thank you very much to Secretaries Pompeo and Mnuchin. SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you all MODERATOR: Thank you, sir. Thank you all   The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Arms Control and International Security: Explanation of Vote in the First Committee on Resolution: L.50, "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" 11/05/2018 You are subscribed to Arms Control and International Security for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Arms Control and International Security: Explanation of Vote in the First Committee on Resolution: L.50, "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" 11/05/2018 02:32 PM EST Remarks Cynthia Plath United Nations New York City November 5, 2018 As Prepared for Delivery Mr. Chairman, I would like to deliver an explanation of vote on behalf of the United States, France and the United Kingdom on draft resolution L.50, “No first placement of weapons in outer space,” or “NFP.” The United States, France and the United Kingdom look forward to continuing to engage constructively and pragmatically with other UN Member States in order to strengthen the safety, stability, security, and sustainability of outer space activities. The safety and security of the outer space environment is under threat and all nations must make progress on the development of effective transparency and confidence building measures. Our national experts are contributing to the ongoing work of the Group of Governmental Experts on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space. We also encourage all countries to take advantage of fora like the UN Disarmament Commission and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) to make real progress on transparency and confidence-building measures -- including the practical implementation of the 21 agreed COPUOS guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. However, we believe that Russia’s NFP initiative contains a number of significant problems and that Russia’s military actions do not match their diplomatic rhetoric. First, the NFP initiative does not adequately define what constitutes a “weapon in outer space.” In space, any object with maneuvering capabilities can in theory be used for offensive purposes. Without a common understanding of what we mean by a space weapon, this resolution would increase mistrust or misunderstanding with regard to the activities and intentions of States. Second, there are limits to what can be verified once a vehicle has been launched and the NFP initiative contains no features that would make it possible to effectively confirm a State’s political commitment “not to be the first to place weapons in outer space.” Third, we cannot support the resolution with the reference to “shaping a community of shared future for mankind” in preambular paragraph 4. This phrase has been promoted by China to insert its own view of multilateralism and world geopolitics on the international system. None of us should support incorporating language targeting a domestic political audience into multilateral documents. Finally, systems in space can also be damaged from earth; this resolution fails to address the near term threat from other types of anti-satellite weapons, for example, lasers or terrestrially-launched systems. These weapons further pose a serious threat to the space environment, perhaps leaving large amounts of dangerous debris in valuable orbits for hundreds of years – as in the case of just one single ASAT test in 2007. All nations must take concrete steps to strengthen the safety, stability, and sustainability of space. The draft NFP resolution is not the right mechanisms for achieving these goals. Instead, our nations support the development of non-legally binding transparency and confidence building measures. These measures should be clear, practical and confirmable. Therefore, clarifying acceptable and unacceptable behavior would be important. There are real threats to the outer space environment, but the NFP initiative is not the answer. Therefore, we intend to vote “No” in the full General Assembly. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Speeches: Explanation of Vote in the First Committee on Resolution: L.50, "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" 11/05/2018 You are subscribed to Speeches, Remarks, Testimony (other than by the Secretary) for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Speeches: Explanation of Vote in the First Committee on Resolution: L.50, "No First Placement of Weapons in Outer Space" 11/05/2018 02:32 PM EST Remarks Cynthia Plath United Nations New York City November 5, 2018 As Prepared for Delivery Mr. Chairman, I would like to deliver an explanation of vote on behalf of the United States, France and the United Kingdom on draft resolution L.50, “No first placement of weapons in outer space,” or “NFP.” The United States, France and the United Kingdom look forward to continuing to engage constructively and pragmatically with other UN Member States in order to strengthen the safety, stability, security, and sustainability of outer space activities. The safety and security of the outer space environment is under threat and all nations must make progress on the development of effective transparency and confidence building measures. Our national experts are contributing to the ongoing work of the Group of Governmental Experts on the Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space. We also encourage all countries to take advantage of fora like the UN Disarmament Commission and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) to make real progress on transparency and confidence-building measures -- including the practical implementation of the 21 agreed COPUOS guidelines on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. However, we believe that Russia’s NFP initiative contains a number of significant problems and that Russia’s military actions do not match their diplomatic rhetoric. First, the NFP initiative does not adequately define what constitutes a “weapon in outer space.” In space, any object with maneuvering capabilities can in theory be used for offensive purposes. Without a common understanding of what we mean by a space weapon, this resolution would increase mistrust or misunderstanding with regard to the activities and intentions of States. Second, there are limits to what can be verified once a vehicle has been launched and the NFP initiative contains no features that would make it possible to effectively confirm a State’s political commitment “not to be the first to place weapons in outer space.” Third, we cannot support the resolution with the reference to “shaping a community of shared future for mankind” in preambular paragraph 4. This phrase has been promoted by China to insert its own view of multilateralism and world geopolitics on the international system. None of us should support incorporating language targeting a domestic political audience into multilateral documents. Finally, systems in space can also be damaged from earth; this resolution fails to address the near term threat from other types of anti-satellite weapons, for example, lasers or terrestrially-launched systems. These weapons further pose a serious threat to the space environment, perhaps leaving large amounts of dangerous debris in valuable orbits for hundreds of years – as in the case of just one single ASAT test in 2007. All nations must take concrete steps to strengthen the safety, stability, and sustainability of space. The draft NFP resolution is not the right mechanisms for achieving these goals. Instead, our nations support the development of non-legally binding transparency and confidence building measures. These measures should be clear, practical and confirmable. Therefore, clarifying acceptable and unacceptable behavior would be important. There are real threats to the outer space environment, but the NFP initiative is not the answer. Therefore, we intend to vote “No” in the full General Assembly. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Europe and Eurasia: Secretary Pompeo's Meeting With Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva 11/05/2018 You are subscribed to Europe and Eurasia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Europe and Eurasia: Secretary Pompeo's Meeting With Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva 11/05/2018 04:55 PM EST Readout Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC November 5, 2018 The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert: Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Ekaterina Zaharieva today. They discussed the importance of U.S.-Bulgarian bilateral relations, Bulgaria’s plans to modernize its military, and energy diversification as a European energy security priority. They also discussed global affairs such as Iran’s ballistic missile program, the importance of maintaining sanctions on Russia, and their shared interest in advancing stability, security, and prosperity for the countries of the Western Balkans. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Arms Control and International Security: Explanation of Votes in the First Committee on Resolutions L.3: "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space" and L.68/Rev.1: "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" 11/06/2018 You are subscribed to Arms Control and International Security for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Arms Control and International Security: Explanation of Votes in the First Committee on Resolutions L.3: "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space" and L.68/Rev.1: "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" 11/06/2018 12:28 PM EST Remarks Cynthia Plath United Nations New York City November 6, 2018 Mr. Chairman, Although the U.S. delegation voted against these resolutions, our votes in no way detract from our longstanding support for voluntary transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs) for outer space activities. The U.S. National Space Strategy seeks to foster conducive international environments through bilateral and multilateral engagements. As part of these efforts to strengthen stability in outer space, the United States will continue to pursue bilateral and multilateral transparency and confidence-building measures to encourage responsible actions in, and the peaceful use of, outer space. We have repeatedly noted in this and other fora that clear, practicable and confirmable TCBMs, implemented on a voluntary basis, have the potential to strengthen the safety, stability, and sustainability of outer space activities for all nations. In particular, the United States continues to note the importance of the consensus report of the 2013 Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-building Measures in Outer Space Activities (A/68/189). We encourage all nations to continue to review and implement, to the greatest extent practicable, the proposed transparency and confidence-building measures contained in the 2013 GGE report, through the relevant national mechanisms, on a voluntary basis and in a manner consistent with their national interests. The United States also encourages Member States to take advantage of fora like the Conference on Disarmament, the UN Disarmament Commission and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) to make real progress on transparency and confidence-building measures. In particular, we call for all spacefaring nations to begin the practical implementation of the 21 guidelines endorsed in June 2018 by the Committee on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. However, our support for voluntary guidelines for the safe and responsible use of space and other transparency and confidence building measures ends when such efforts are tied to proposals for legally-binding space arms control constraints and limitations. The United States voted “no” on these two resolutions because it believes they make an unacceptable linkage between proposals for voluntary, pragmatic TCBMs and the commencement of futile negotiations a fundamentally flawed arms control proposals. In particular, we note the resolutions’ references to Russia’s and China’s draft treaty proposal introduced in 2014 at the Conference on Disarmament, which the United States opposes. Our most recent critique of their space arms control treaty is in CD/2129 of August 2018. Mr. Chairman, the United States would prefer that the space domain remain free of conflict. But as Vice President Mike Pence recently noted, “both China and Russia have been aggressively developing and deploying technologies that have transformed space into a warfighting domain.” Therefore, hollow and hypocritical efforts such as PPWT that cannot be confirmed or verified by the international community are not the answer. Despite this disappointment, the United States will seek to continue to support practical implementation of space TCBMs by Member States and the relevant entities and organizations of the United Nations system. We also will continue to take a leading role in substantive discussions on space TCBMs at the Conference on Disarmament, UN Disarmament Commission and COPUOS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Speeches: Explanation of Votes in the First Committee on Resolutions L.3: "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space" and L.68/Rev.1: "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" 11/06/2018 You are subscribed to Speeches, Remarks, Testimony (other than by the Secretary) for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Speeches: Explanation of Votes in the First Committee on Resolutions L.3: "Prevention of an Arms Race in Outer Space" and L.68/Rev.1: "Transparency and Confidence-Building Measures in Outer Space Activities" 11/06/2018 12:28 PM EST Remarks Cynthia Plath United Nations New York City November 6, 2018 Mr. Chairman, Although the U.S. delegation voted against these resolutions, our votes in no way detract from our longstanding support for voluntary transparency and confidence-building measures (TCBMs) for outer space activities. The U.S. National Space Strategy seeks to foster conducive international environments through bilateral and multilateral engagements. As part of these efforts to strengthen stability in outer space, the United States will continue to pursue bilateral and multilateral transparency and confidence-building measures to encourage responsible actions in, and the peaceful use of, outer space. We have repeatedly noted in this and other fora that clear, practicable and confirmable TCBMs, implemented on a voluntary basis, have the potential to strengthen the safety, stability, and sustainability of outer space activities for all nations. In particular, the United States continues to note the importance of the consensus report of the 2013 Group of Governmental Experts on Transparency and Confidence-building Measures in Outer Space Activities (A/68/189). We encourage all nations to continue to review and implement, to the greatest extent practicable, the proposed transparency and confidence-building measures contained in the 2013 GGE report, through the relevant national mechanisms, on a voluntary basis and in a manner consistent with their national interests. The United States also encourages Member States to take advantage of fora like the Conference on Disarmament, the UN Disarmament Commission and the Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS) to make real progress on transparency and confidence-building measures. In particular, we call for all spacefaring nations to begin the practical implementation of the 21 guidelines endorsed in June 2018 by the Committee on the long-term sustainability of outer space activities. However, our support for voluntary guidelines for the safe and responsible use of space and other transparency and confidence building measures ends when such efforts are tied to proposals for legally-binding space arms control constraints and limitations. The United States voted “no” on these two resolutions because it believes they make an unacceptable linkage between proposals for voluntary, pragmatic TCBMs and the commencement of futile negotiations a fundamentally flawed arms control proposals. In particular, we note the resolutions’ references to Russia’s and China’s draft treaty proposal introduced in 2014 at the Conference on Disarmament, which the United States opposes. Our most recent critique of their space arms control treaty is in CD/2129 of August 2018. Mr. Chairman, the United States would prefer that the space domain remain free of conflict. But as Vice President Mike Pence recently noted, “both China and Russia have been aggressively developing and deploying technologies that have transformed space into a warfighting domain.” Therefore, hollow and hypocritical efforts such as PPWT that cannot be confirmed or verified by the international community are not the answer. Despite this disappointment, the United States will seek to continue to support practical implementation of space TCBMs by Member States and the relevant entities and organizations of the United Nations system. We also will continue to take a leading role in substantive discussions on space TCBMs at the Conference on Disarmament, UN Disarmament Commission and COPUOS. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Secretary's Remarks: On the Occasion of Diwali 11/06/2018 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary's Remarks: On the Occasion of Diwali 11/06/2018 09:21 PM EST Press Statement Michael R. Pompeo Washington, DC November 6, 2018 On behalf of the Department of State, I would like to wish all those celebrating Diwali a joyous and prosperous holiday. Also known as the “Festival of Lights,” this special occasion celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. Nearly a billion celebrants from around the world will light the diya, or lamp, as a reminder that good ultimately overcomes evil, understanding over ignorance, and kindness over animosity. Diwali is also a time of reflection and prayer when observers perform seva, or selfless service, without any expectation of reward or payment. As those celebrating decorate their homes with vibrant lights, I would also like to recognize the achievements of our friends in the United States observing Diwali who make important contributions to our country on a daily basis. Again, to those celebrating this joyous time I wish you a happy Diwali. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Secretary's Remarks: Kingdom of Cambodia's Independence Day 11/07/2018 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary's Remarks: Kingdom of Cambodia's Independence Day 11/07/2018 09:16 AM EST Press Statement Michael R. Pompeo Washington, DC November 7, 2018 On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I wish to extend congratulations to the people of Cambodia on the 65th anniversary of your independence on November 9. The strong bond between the U.S. and Cambodian peoples benefits both our countries. Every year, more than 170,000 American tourists experience the beauty and history that Cambodia has to offer, while we in the United States enjoy the many contributions of our Cambodian-American community to the rich and diverse fabric of our society. We share your hope for the development of a free, prosperous, democratic, and just society. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Europe and Eurasia: Secretary Pompeo to Travel to Paris 11/07/2018 You are subscribed to Europe and Eurasia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Europe and Eurasia: Secretary Pompeo to Travel to Paris 11/07/2018 06:01 PM EST Press Statement Heather Nauert Washington, DC November 7, 2018 U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to Paris, France November 10-11. On November 10, he will arrive in Paris, where he will join President Trump in commemorating the 100th anniversary of the end of the first World War, including visits to memorial sites and cemeteries to honor our shared sacrifice and reaffirm the Transatlantic Alliance. On November 11, Secretary Pompeo will attend the formal WWI commemoration ceremony at the Arc de Triomphe and a working lunch with international partners hosted by Foreign Minister Le Drian to discuss cooperation on global priorities, including ways to counter Iranian malign behavior and to advance the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. The Secretary will also participate in the President’s meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron. The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein. Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Hadi Nili of BBC Persian 11/08/2018 You are subscribed to Secretary's Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Hadi Nili of BBC Persian 11/08/2018 08:36 AM EST Interview Michael R. Pompeo Treaty Room Washington, DC November 7, 2018 QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary, for sitting down with BBC Persian. SECRETARY POMPEO: Hadi, it’s great to be with you today. QUESTION: You say that you have put maximum pressure on Iran, most severe sanctions, but do you see any sign that the Iranian leaders are coming to the table to have negotiations? SECRETARY POMPEO: We haven’t seen any indication of that yet, but we’re very hopeful that they will do that. We think it’s what the Iranian people would want them to do. Remember the purpose. The purpose is to stop Iran’s destabilizing influence in the region, assassination campaigns in Europe, work to support Lebanese Hizballah that’s threatened Americans and Israelis, and using Iranian people’s wealth to foment this terror around the world is not what the Iranian people want. And so our effort – not just the sanctions, but the American effort – is aimed at getting the Iranian leadership to understand this isn’t in the best interests of their country or their people and to change their behavior. QUESTION: And what if they don’t come to the table? What’s your next move? What could be your next move? SECRETARY POMPEO: We don’t talk about what next moves are, right? We’re hopeful that they will conclude it’s in their best interest to change this behavior. It’s not even just about coming to the table, right? It’s not about negotiations. It’s about a change in behavior. They’re arming people in Yemen, the Houthis, who are launching missiles into Riyadh and into other parts of the Middle East that threaten Americans, threaten, frankly, other Iranians who are traveling through these airports too. This is deeply destabilizing. It’s not what the Iranian people want. And so our efforts – our efforts aren’t aimed to punish the Iranian people and, indeed, exactly the opposite. Our aim here is to get the regime to decide it is not in its own country’s best interest to engage in this behavior and to change their ways. QUESTION: You say you are not punishing the people. You say that the sanctions are not targeting the people. But what if -- SECRETARY POMPEO: No, they’re not. QUESTION: But what if the sanctions hurt the Iranian people, the ordinary lives of them? SECRETARY POMPEO: The folks who are hurting the Iranian people are the ayatollah and Qasem Soleimani and the Iranian leadership. That’s who is bringing the difficulties to Iran today. And you see this. You see this when you read of the protests. You see this when Iranian people have a chance to speak, although we know the human rights there don’t permit the Iranian people to speak freely. It’s the regime that is inflicting harm on the Iranian people, not the world and not the United States. QUESTION: But as you – but you say that this is not a democratic regime. You say that the regime doesn’t care for Iranian people. But you say you do care for Iranian people. SECRETARY POMPEO: We do. QUESTION: So if the sanctions – if you see the facts that these sanctions are actually hurting Iranian people, if you see the facts that there are hardship in importing medicine for Iranian people, would that make any difference to you? SECRETARY POMPEO: Hadi, I’m glad you mentioned medicine. None of the sanctions that have been imposed prevent humanitarian assistance and, indeed, there are big exemptions for medicine for sure, pharmaceuticals, but also more broadly than that for agricultural imports too so that the Iranian people have foodstuffs as well. We have provided, we have accommodated the Iranian people with our sanctions, and it’s now the Iranian Government’s responsibility to make sure that they do the right thing with the wealth, the enormous wealth, the incredible place and the incredible people in Iran. It’s their job to do the right thing for their people. QUESTION: You said that there are waivers for – there are exemptions for medicine and for agricultural imports, but the issue is with the banking transfers. BBC sees the facts – we investigated about this – that these sanctions that are already in place are affecting that part of imports for medicine and agricultural and also food. And do you mind – I mean, do you mind mentioning more details about your efforts to make sure that medicine and food could be exempted from all the sanctions? SECRETARY POMPEO: Of course. Not only are the transactions themselves exempted – that is, the transactions in medicine, for example – but the financial transactions connected to that activity also are authorized. There’s nothing that prevents this from happening in the sanctions that have been reimposed, and so we are confident that this process will work properly. QUESTION: But then practically, when the process goes ahead, and if you see facts -- SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, we’re going to work to do two things: that things that are sanctioned don’t happen, and things that are permitted to happen are permissible, and can in fact happen. Well, remember, just so you remember, the leadership has to make a decision that they want their people to eat. They have to make a decision that they want to use their wealth to import medicine, and not use their wealth to fund Qasem Soleimani’s travels around the Middle East with – causing death and destruction. That’s the Iranian Government’s choice on how to use Iranian wealth. If they choose to squander, if the Iranian leadership chooses to spoil it, if they choose to use it in a way that doesn’t benefit the Iranian people, I’m very confident the Iranian people will take a response that tries to fix that themselves as well. <