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Secretary
Michael R. Pompeo With Dillon Burroughs and Joe Kerr of “A View From The
Wall” on CSN Radio
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|
12/22/2019
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You are subscribed to Press
Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/22/2019 09:40
AM EST
Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of
State
Via Teleconference
QUESTION: Secretary Pompeo was
sworn in as Secretary of State on April 26, 2018, and previously served
as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He has served as a
four-term congressman in the Fourth District of Kansas, graduated first
in his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and graduated
from Harvard Law School after leaving active duty in the military. A true
American leader and hero, we are honored to have him with us now.
Secretary Pompeo, welcome to A View
From the Wall.
SECRETARY POMPEO: It’s wonderful
to be with you all. Thanks for that very kind introduction, and I look
forward to our conversation today.
QUESTION: Well, thank you. And
many of our listeners have heard the announcement of the Israeli
settlement change. This turning point specifically notes the U.S.
declares that Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land are not
necessarily illegal. This is a major break from international law, which
has generally sided with the Palestinian people on this issue. Summarize
for us, if you would, the significance of this change for those who may
be unfamiliar with the topic.
SECRETARY POMPEO: So now a couple
weeks back, the 18th of November, the State Department announced reversal
of the Obama administration’s approach towards Israeli settlements. You
know the long history, and we know what subsequent administrations have
done as well. And so we wanted to take a fresh look at this. We wanted to
– Secretary Kerry, my predecessor’s predecessor, on the way out made a
set of decisions here, and we wanted to go re-look that. So we did. It
took us a bit to work our way through it, but ultimately after studying
all sides of debate, we agree with President Reagan that the
establishment of Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank are not per
se inconsistent with international law. We think that’s really important
on multiple fronts. I’m happy to talk about why we believe it’s
important, but we’re confident that we have it right, and we’re confident
that this increases the likelihood that we can one day resolve the
conflict between Israel and the people that are living in the West Bank.
QUESTION: Secretary Pompeo, as
we look at the specific applications of this Israeli settlement policy
change, how could this impact Israel, especially those living in the
settlements in those disputed areas?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well,
importantly, Israeli courts have handled this idea of what’s lawful and
what’s unlawful for an awfully long time. And it need not be the case
that this is tried to settle from the outside, and international law
doesn’t require that. And that’s a – that was the statement that we made,
that it is not by necessity, per se inconsistent with international law
based on the very unique facts and history of this precious land. And so
those who are living there will see that now the United States posture is
different.
We recognize that Israeli courts
have ruled some settlements as unlawful – they’ve made conclusions that
others were not – and that international law doesn’t require every
settlement to be deemed unlawful under international law. And that’s
important, because we think this will create the political space for the
ultimate resolution. In the end, it’s not going to be courts and mandates
from international organizations that drive this right outcome. It’s
going to be a political resolution between the parties that will get the
outcome that I know Israel so richly deserves.
And so, by the United States doing
this, by us taking this position, we think it creates the political space
that increases the likelihood that there is a resolution, a political resolution
of this challenge.
QUESTION: Well, I know the
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has praised this change
regarding Israeli settlements. And he stated, and I quote, “This policy
reflects an historical truth: that the Jewish people are not foreign
colonists in Judea and Samaria. In fact, we are called Jews because we
are the people of Judea.” And this is not the first change during the
Trump administration to support Israel. And I would like you to take a
moment to share some of the other recent developments in American-Israeli
relations for our audience today.
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, the
decision we made is, as the prime minister said, based on facts, reality,
history, the circumstances that are presented in this land. As a
Christian, I appreciate the importance of these – this special place,
Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria.
Two things. Each decision that the
United States has made with respect to Israel has been based on that same
set of facts and history and circumstances, whether it was the
recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, whether it was the
decision we made about the status of the Golan Heights, the executive
order that was issued last week with respect to – or this week, excuse me
– with respect to anti-Semitism, or this issue with respect to the
international status of settlements. Each of those is an analysis of the
reality and the importance of this place and what the facts on the ground
demand.
President Trump has been, if
anything, incredibly clear in our foreign policy about not having a
foreign policy that is about wishes and hopes, but rather a pragmatic,
realistic view of reality. And our support for Israel reflects that
strongly.
QUESTION: As part of your
announcement, you called on the – Israel and the Palestinian Authority to
meet. And you noted that, to quote you, they suggested, you should find a
solution that promotes and protects the security and welfare of Israelis
and Palestinians alike, added, “This is a complex political problem that
can only be solved by negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.” So
the obvious question: What is the next step?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, we hope
it will be just that. The parties have to have leaders that are prepared
to do things that are difficult. But more importantly, they need to be
prepared to engage in a set of conversations to lead to what you just
described.
Look, the hard truth is that there
won’t be a judicial resolution to this conflict. Arguments about who’s
right and who’s wrong as a matter of international law aren’t going to
get peace. It’s a complex political problem only resolvable between the
Israelis and the Palestinians. We’re – we the United States is committed
to help facilitating that. We’ll do what we can. And we do, we encourage
the Israelis and the Palestinians to work together. The outcome will
ultimately have to (inaudible) – for a security situation for Israel that
is adequate, tolerable, acceptable, and provides that level of security
that you can have a long-term resolution. The same need be said about the
Palestinians. There needs to be outcome that the Palestinian people
benefit from.
And we’ve seen the first part of
the proposal that this administration has put forward about a brighter
future, economic future for the people that are living in the West Bank.
We hope that we can move forward. We hope that the Israelis and the
Palestinians will begin these conversations in earnest, and we look
forward to the moment that we get the ultimate resolution that I know – I
know the world is seeking.
QUESTION: Well, that is a great
response. And we know, though, that not everyone was excited about this
new announcement regarding the Israeli settlements. For instance, in The
Guardian there was a report that the European Union’s foreign policy
chief Federica Mogherini said the EU policy on Israeli settlements is
clear and remains unchanged, that “all settlement activities are illegal
under international law and it erodes the viability of the two-state
solution and the prospect for a lasting peace.”
Now, I want you to quote for a
minute just what criticisms you faced following this announcement, and
what is being done to perhaps address them at this point?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So two points.
First, the legal analysis that the EU performed we just think is wrong.
We think they have an improper analysis of the international law
surrounding this. So as the technical legal matter, Ms. Mogherini just –
she’s just wrong. And so we are doing our level best to demonstrate to
them our legal theory, our understandings, and why it is that we’re
convinced that under international law these settlements are not per se
illegal. So we’re working that element of it as well.
But at another level, and perhaps
at the level that will lead to the right outcome, which is why we did this,
this has to be resolved through political means, and we hope that all
nations, including member nations inside of the EU and the EU itself and
countries all over the world, will come to recognize the fundamental
rights that the Israeli people have to this land, to this space. There
are real security needs. The risk that is presented from the world as
anti-Semitism is on the rise, we hope that every nation will recognize
that and weigh in on this conflict in a way that is constructive, that
will ultimately lead to the peace that is so desperately needed.
And so I just – I’ll add only this,
I watched the EU statements on this, and I just want to make sure that
they too are focused on the right thing, which is the political
resolution that will lead to an outcome that creates peace for the
Palestinians and security and peace for the Israelis as well.
QUESTION: As Christians, we
recognize Israel as the homeland of Jesus as well as the location of many
key events of our faith. I’m actually calling in from Jerusalem. I’m in
Jerusalem today. So it’s been especially important this week as we’ve
spent time seeing some of those places. What are some ways we can
encourage and motivate Christians to personally pray for and encourage
peace in Israel? How can we get them to do that?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, first of
all, I’m envious. It’s a amazing, important, historic, and holy city.
I’ve had the incredible privilege to go there. I’ve traveled there with
my wife and son, too, to see the historic sites of my faith as you’re
doing this week. It is always something special, and I would encourage
Americans who have the opportunity to go see those places and to
experience our Christian tradition. The reality of where Jesus walked
would be something I would encourage every American to take the
opportunity to do.
Second, I’d just ask everyone to
pray that there will be a political resolution to this conflict. The
Israeli people, the democracy in the Middle East deserve the security and
peace that will come from that political resolution, and we brook no ill
will to the Palestinians. We want them to have a better life as well. We
want a solution that will work for their sustained peace and economic
prosperity as well.
QUESTION: Well, we appreciate
that response. And even in our news this week there have been issues
regarding anti-Semitic events here in the United States. It continues to
be an issue in Europe and throughout the West and North America, and we
urgently oppose and work to stand against anti-Semitism in our work with
American Christians. If you would, take a moment to share what is being
done in the Trump administration to oppose anti-Semitism at this time.
SECRETARY POMPEO: So it’s a
broad-ranging effort. Just this week there was an executive order that
the President signed that is aimed squarely at pushing back against the
boycott, divestment movement, the BDS movement that is taking place on
our college campuses and across America that is truly harmful to the
people of Israel and often has deep anti-Semitic overtones as well.
We’re working – I have an
ambassador named Elan Carr who travels the world working on projects to
speak to, address, to call out anti-Semitic activity and to do his level
best to create institutions, whether that’s our partner governments or
non-governmental organizations that are expressly aimed at protecting
people of all faiths, but certainly including those who are Jewish and
want to practice their faith without the risk that there will be
anti-Semitic activity to take place. We have an obligation to try and do
that here in the United States. I know the President has spoken to this
very directly. And our team at the State Department speaks and works on
this issue often as we travel the world.
QUESTION: Well, Secretary
Pompeo, we appreciate you and your work on behalf of all Americans, as
well as the administration’s support of Israel, and the discussion today
has highlighted that very well. We want to thank you for joining us today
on our episode of A View from the Wall.
SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you very
much. Thanks for having me on. Bless you all. Have a great day.
QUESTION: All right, thank you.
QUESTION: Bless you as well.
Thank you.
SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you. So
long.
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Secretary
Michael R. Pompeo With Dillon Burroughs and Joe Kerr of “A View From The
Wall” on CSN Radio
|
|
12/22/2019
|
|
You are subscribed to Secretary's
Remarks for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/22/2019 09:40
AM EST
Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of
State
Via Teleconference
QUESTION: Secretary Pompeo was
sworn in as Secretary of State on April 26, 2018, and previously served
as director of the Central Intelligence Agency. He has served as a
four-term congressman in the Fourth District of Kansas, graduated first
in his class from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and graduated
from Harvard Law School after leaving active duty in the military. A true
American leader and hero, we are honored to have him with us now.
Secretary Pompeo, welcome to A View
From the Wall.
SECRETARY POMPEO: It’s wonderful
to be with you all. Thanks for that very kind introduction, and I look
forward to our conversation today.
QUESTION: Well, thank you. And
many of our listeners have heard the announcement of the Israeli
settlement change. This turning point specifically notes the U.S.
declares that Israeli settlements on occupied Palestinian land are not
necessarily illegal. This is a major break from international law, which
has generally sided with the Palestinian people on this issue. Summarize
for us, if you would, the significance of this change for those who may
be unfamiliar with the topic.
SECRETARY POMPEO: So now a couple
weeks back, the 18th of November, the State Department announced reversal
of the Obama administration’s approach towards Israeli settlements. You
know the long history, and we know what subsequent administrations have
done as well. And so we wanted to take a fresh look at this. We wanted to
– Secretary Kerry, my predecessor’s predecessor, on the way out made a set
of decisions here, and we wanted to go re-look that. So we did. It took
us a bit to work our way through it, but ultimately after studying all
sides of debate, we agree with President Reagan that the establishment of
Israeli civilian settlements in the West Bank are not per se inconsistent
with international law. We think that’s really important on multiple
fronts. I’m happy to talk about why we believe it’s important, but we’re
confident that we have it right, and we’re confident that this increases
the likelihood that we can one day resolve the conflict between Israel
and the people that are living in the West Bank.
QUESTION: Secretary Pompeo, as
we look at the specific applications of this Israeli settlement policy
change, how could this impact Israel, especially those living in the
settlements in those disputed areas?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well,
importantly, Israeli courts have handled this idea of what’s lawful and
what’s unlawful for an awfully long time. And it need not be the case
that this is tried to settle from the outside, and international law
doesn’t require that. And that’s a – that was the statement that we made,
that it is not by necessity, per se inconsistent with international law
based on the very unique facts and history of this precious land. And so
those who are living there will see that now the United States posture is
different.
We recognize that Israeli courts
have ruled some settlements as unlawful – they’ve made conclusions that
others were not – and that international law doesn’t require every
settlement to be deemed unlawful under international law. And that’s
important, because we think this will create the political space for the
ultimate resolution. In the end, it’s not going to be courts and mandates
from international organizations that drive this right outcome. It’s
going to be a political resolution between the parties that will get the
outcome that I know Israel so richly deserves.
And so, by the United States doing
this, by us taking this position, we think it creates the political space
that increases the likelihood that there is a resolution, a political
resolution of this challenge.
QUESTION: Well, I know the
Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, has praised this change
regarding Israeli settlements. And he stated, and I quote, “This policy
reflects an historical truth: that the Jewish people are not foreign
colonists in Judea and Samaria. In fact, we are called Jews because we
are the people of Judea.” And this is not the first change during the
Trump administration to support Israel. And I would like you to take a
moment to share some of the other recent developments in American-Israeli
relations for our audience today.
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, the
decision we made is, as the prime minister said, based on facts, reality,
history, the circumstances that are presented in this land. As a
Christian, I appreciate the importance of these – this special place,
Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria.
Two things. Each decision that the
United States has made with respect to Israel has been based on that same
set of facts and history and circumstances, whether it was the
recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, whether it was the
decision we made about the status of the Golan Heights, the executive
order that was issued last week with respect to – or this week, excuse me
– with respect to anti-Semitism, or this issue with respect to the
international status of settlements. Each of those is an analysis of the
reality and the importance of this place and what the facts on the ground
demand.
President Trump has been, if
anything, incredibly clear in our foreign policy about not having a
foreign policy that is about wishes and hopes, but rather a pragmatic,
realistic view of reality. And our support for Israel reflects that
strongly.
QUESTION: As part of your
announcement, you called on the – Israel and the Palestinian Authority to
meet. And you noted that, to quote you, they suggested, you should find a
solution that promotes and protects the security and welfare of Israelis
and Palestinians alike, added, “This is a complex political problem that
can only be solved by negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians.” So
the obvious question: What is the next step?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, we hope
it will be just that. The parties have to have leaders that are prepared
to do things that are difficult. But more importantly, they need to be
prepared to engage in a set of conversations to lead to what you just
described.
Look, the hard truth is that there
won’t be a judicial resolution to this conflict. Arguments about who’s
right and who’s wrong as a matter of international law aren’t going to
get peace. It’s a complex political problem only resolvable between the
Israelis and the Palestinians. We’re – we the United States is committed
to help facilitating that. We’ll do what we can. And we do, we encourage
the Israelis and the Palestinians to work together. The outcome will
ultimately have to (inaudible) – for a security situation for Israel that
is adequate, tolerable, acceptable, and provides that level of security
that you can have a long-term resolution. The same need be said about the
Palestinians. There needs to be outcome that the Palestinian people
benefit from.
And we’ve seen the first part of
the proposal that this administration has put forward about a brighter
future, economic future for the people that are living in the West Bank.
We hope that we can move forward. We hope that the Israelis and the
Palestinians will begin these conversations in earnest, and we look
forward to the moment that we get the ultimate resolution that I know – I
know the world is seeking.
QUESTION: Well, that is a great
response. And we know, though, that not everyone was excited about this
new announcement regarding the Israeli settlements. For instance, in The
Guardian there was a report that the European Union’s foreign policy
chief Federica Mogherini said the EU policy on Israeli settlements is
clear and remains unchanged, that “all settlement activities are illegal
under international law and it erodes the viability of the two-state
solution and the prospect for a lasting peace.”
Now, I want you to quote for a
minute just what criticisms you faced following this announcement, and
what is being done to perhaps address them at this point?
SECRETARY POMPEO: So two points.
First, the legal analysis that the EU performed we just think is wrong.
We think they have an improper analysis of the international law
surrounding this. So as the technical legal matter, Ms. Mogherini just –
she’s just wrong. And so we are doing our level best to demonstrate to
them our legal theory, our understandings, and why it is that we’re
convinced that under international law these settlements are not per se
illegal. So we’re working that element of it as well.
But at another level, and perhaps
at the level that will lead to the right outcome, which is why we did
this, this has to be resolved through political means, and we hope that
all nations, including member nations inside of the EU and the EU itself
and countries all over the world, will come to recognize the fundamental
rights that the Israeli people have to this land, to this space. There
are real security needs. The risk that is presented from the world as
anti-Semitism is on the rise, we hope that every nation will recognize
that and weigh in on this conflict in a way that is constructive, that
will ultimately lead to the peace that is so desperately needed.
And so I just – I’ll add only this,
I watched the EU statements on this, and I just want to make sure that
they too are focused on the right thing, which is the political
resolution that will lead to an outcome that creates peace for the
Palestinians and security and peace for the Israelis as well.
QUESTION: As Christians, we
recognize Israel as the homeland of Jesus as well as the location of many
key events of our faith. I’m actually calling in from Jerusalem. I’m in
Jerusalem today. So it’s been especially important this week as we’ve
spent time seeing some of those places. What are some ways we can
encourage and motivate Christians to personally pray for and encourage
peace in Israel? How can we get them to do that?
SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, first of
all, I’m envious. It’s a amazing, important, historic, and holy city.
I’ve had the incredible privilege to go there. I’ve traveled there with
my wife and son, too, to see the historic sites of my faith as you’re
doing this week. It is always something special, and I would encourage
Americans who have the opportunity to go see those places and to
experience our Christian tradition. The reality of where Jesus walked
would be something I would encourage every American to take the
opportunity to do.
Second, I’d just ask everyone to
pray that there will be a political resolution to this conflict. The
Israeli people, the democracy in the Middle East deserve the security and
peace that will come from that political resolution, and we brook no ill
will to the Palestinians. We want them to have a better life as well. We
want a solution that will work for their sustained peace and economic
prosperity as well.
QUESTION: Well, we appreciate
that response. And even in our news this week there have been issues
regarding anti-Semitic events here in the United States. It continues to
be an issue in Europe and throughout the West and North America, and we
urgently oppose and work to stand against anti-Semitism in our work with
American Christians. If you would, take a moment to share what is being
done in the Trump administration to oppose anti-Semitism at this time.
SECRETARY POMPEO: So it’s a
broad-ranging effort. Just this week there was an executive order that
the President signed that is aimed squarely at pushing back against the
boycott, divestment movement, the BDS movement that is taking place on
our college campuses and across America that is truly harmful to the
people of Israel and often has deep anti-Semitic overtones as well.
We’re working – I have an
ambassador named Elan Carr who travels the world working on projects to
speak to, address, to call out anti-Semitic activity and to do his level
best to create institutions, whether that’s our partner governments or
non-governmental organizations that are expressly aimed at protecting
people of all faiths, but certainly including those who are Jewish and
want to practice their faith without the risk that there will be
anti-Semitic activity to take place. We have an obligation to try and do
that here in the United States. I know the President has spoken to this
very directly. And our team at the State Department speaks and works on
this issue often as we travel the world.
QUESTION: Well, Secretary
Pompeo, we appreciate you and your work on behalf of all Americans, as
well as the administration’s support of Israel, and the discussion today
has highlighted that very well. We want to thank you for joining us today
on our episode of A View from the Wall.
SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you very
much. Thanks for having me on. Bless you all. Have a great day.
QUESTION: All right, thank you.
QUESTION: Bless you as well.
Thank you.
SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you. So
long.
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|
Under
Secretary of State for Political Affairs Hale’s Meetings with Lebanese
Officials
|
|
12/22/2019
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|
You are subscribed to Press
Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/22/2019 11:53
AM EST
Office of the Spokesperson
The below is attributable to
Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus:
Under Secretary of State for
Political Affairs David Hale concluded a two-day trip to Lebanon where he
met with government officials, including President Michel Aoun, Speaker
of Parliament Nabih Berri, Caretaker Prime Minister Saad Hariri, Foreign
Minister Gebran Bassil, and political party representatives. Under
Secretary Hale encouraged the Lebanese leaders to put aside partisan
interests and support formation of a government committed to and capable
of undertaking meaningful, sustained reforms. The Under Secretary called
on the government, army, and security services to continue to guarantee
the rights and safety of protesters. He reaffirmed America’s longstanding
partnership and enduring commitment to a secure, stable, and prosperous
Lebanon.
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Public
Schedule – December 23, 2019
|
|
12/22/2019
|
|
You are subscribed to Public
Schedule for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/22/2019 07:01
PM EST
Office of the Spokesperson
***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO
CHANGE***
SECRETARY MICHAEL R. POMPEO
Secretary Pompeo attends meetings
and briefings, at the Department of State.
DEPUTY SECRETARY Stephen E. Biegun
Deputy Secretary Biegun attends
meetings and briefings, at the Department of State.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS DAVID HALE
Under Secretary Hale attends
meetings and briefings, at the Department of State.
***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO
CHANGE***
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|
Mozambique’s
Elections
|
|
12/23/2019
|
|
You are subscribed to Press
Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/23/2019 08:56
AM EST
Morgan Ortagus, Department
Spokesperson
The United States congratulates the
pex`ople of Mozambique on their participation in the general elections
held on October 15, 2019 and acknowledges the results that were certified
by the Constitutional Council on December 23, 2019. We look forward
to strengthening our longstanding bilateral relationship by working with
President Filipe Jacinto Nyusi as he begins his new term in office and
with the people of Mozambique in pursuit of stability, economic
development, and increased prosperity.
The United States notes that
opposition parties, civil society groups, and election observers have
made credible allegations of significant election-related fraud and
intimidation. These irregularities raise concerns about
Mozambique’s commitment to free and fair elections. We urge
Mozambican authorities to fully address the serious concerns raised by
observer missions in order to reinforce respect for the rule of law and
good governance.
The next five years promise to be a
transformational period for Mozambique. The challenge ahead is to
ensure that this transformation benefits all Mozambicans. Achieving
that shared objective will require consolidating the peace realized on August
6, implementing reforms that promote transparency, and ensuring that all
stakeholders are represented and can fully exercise their roles in
Mozambique’s democracy.
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Democratic
Developments in Georgia
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|
12/23/2019
|
|
You are subscribed to Press
Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/23/2019 02:15
PM EST
Morgan Ortagus, Department
Spokesperson
The United States supports a
secure, prosperous, and democratic Georgia. We commend the recent
progress made on the fourth wave of judicial reform and support the
ongoing dialogue between representatives of the ruling party and the
opposition parties on electoral reform. We urge the Georgian
government to reinforce its commitment to the principles of democracy,
individual liberty, and rule of law by ensuring that its judicial and
prosecutorial system is free of political bias. The United States
will continue to work with its strategic partner Georgia to promote the
rule of law and accountable institutions.
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|
State
Department Officials On the Antiterrorism Assistance Explosive Detection
Canine Program
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|
12/23/2019
|
|
You are subscribed to Press
Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/23/2019 03:39
PM EST
Office of the Spokesperson
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
So I’ll start with a statement. Good morning. I’m here to
provide an update on the department’s Antiterrorism Assistance and
Explosive Detection Canine Program. The department takes the
results and recommendations of the OIG reports seriously. Any death
of a canine in the field is an extremely sad event, and we will take
every measure possible to prevent this from happening in the future.
Canines play a critical role in our
counterterrorism efforts overseas and in saving American lives. In
fact, studies have shown that canines are the most effective way to
detect explosives-related materials. Our ATA canines assist our
partners with maintaining and protecting their air and land borders,
protect key infrastructure and soft targets, and support airport
security. In Jordan alone, on over 50 different occasions, canines
have identified items such as improvised explosives, bullets, and detonation
cords in airports as well as in vehicles crossing borders.
When the OIG released its first
report in September 2019, the Diplomatic Security Service ATA director
traveled to Jordan and Egypt immediately. He and our embassies
engaged with the two governments on recommendations to follow stricter
standards for the health and welfare of canines as well as to allow
increased oversight of (inaudible). To ensure all the programs were
following our guidelines, we are working to visit every country in which
we have explosives-detection canine programs and have requested greater
embassy oversight.
The latest OIG report was a
follow-on to that report, and we concur with the OIG recommendations to
cease temporarily providing additional canines to Jordan and Egypt until
those countries implement our requirements to ensure the canines’ health
and welfare. Additionally, we have not sent canines to Jordan or
Egypt since the OIG released its September 2019 findings.
We have also developed an action
plan to enhance the strategic direction and oversight of the Explosive
Detection Canine Program. This includes securing written
commitments from partner nations with canines that clearly outline
preconditions for the assistance, additional funding for health and welfare
visits and technical assistance, routine monitoring by U.S. personnel,
and sharing canine best practices and expected standards with partner
nations.
When the OIG’s investigation began
in 2017, DSS, or Diplomatic Security, was already in the process of
making systematic changes to the management and oversight of our
Explosive Detection Canine Program. We have implemented a number of
changes stemming from our own review of the program. By November
2018, we had full-time veterinarians in country conducting regular checks
of the ATA canines. We have improved the canine facilities and
kennels. We have mentors onsite to monitor the canines and they
train foreign dog handlers to our standards as well.
These are just some of the
improvements DSS began implementing well before the first OIG
report. As I said previously, the death of any canine is tragic,
and we will continue to evaluate and monitor the program to include our
canines in Jordan and Egypt and to take every measure possible to prevent
a canine death in the future.
Thank you.
QUESTION: Can you just say
how many countries do you send them to? You said you were going to
implement this everywhere or just in Jordan or Egypt, but you would – but
even if it’s just Jordan or Egypt, how many countries are involved in the
program?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
With ATA, eight countries.
QUESTION: How many?
Eight?
QUESTION: Eight countries?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Eight.
QUESTION: And there’s
about 200 dogs?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Less than that.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
There’s approximately 135, 36 right now. There’s one that’s in the
process of being retired, so that’s why.
QUESTION: What are the
other —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
The number changes.
QUESTION: But aside from
Egypt and Jordan, what are the other countries?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
We have dogs in Egypt, in Jordan, in Oman, in Bahrain, in Lebanon.
Let me get you the full list here.
QUESTION: That’s five.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Nepal, the Dominican Republic. And is that it? Does anyone –
is that eight?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE:
Afghanistan.
QUESTION: One,
two, three, four —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: Where
—
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: Afghanistan.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: Afghanistan.
QUESTION:
Afghanistan. And are these – they work only with the host country,
or is this something that, like, DS guys, like if there’s a Secretary –
if the Secretary visits, are these dogs then detailed?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: They
work —
QUESTION: Or
do they only work with the local —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: They
work with host country to specifically address some of the border and
aviation security needs of the host country.
QUESTION: So
they don’t – they’re not involved in VIP protection that you guys —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: That’s
correct.
QUESTION: Okay.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: If
I can add, in some countries they do provide security for the embassy,
for instance, in securing (inaudible) and critical infrastructure,
whether it’s government – U.S. Government facilities or host country government
facilities.
QUESTION: If
I could ask sort of the elephant in the room, or the Saint Bernard in the
room, these are mostly Muslim countries where traditionally dogs are not
valued; they’re seen as dirty animals. Has that at all played a
role, do you think, in why some of these dogs have died and why some of
them mistreated?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: I
couldn’t comment on that, because I don’t know. But I do know that
the trainers and handlers we work with care deeply for the animals that they
work with on a day-to-day basis.
QUESTION: Those
are Americans, or they’re local as well, or —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: No,
these would be partner nation —
QUESTION: —
that you’ve trained and – okay.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Local
police. Yeah.
QUESTION: Beyond
the health issues and the deaths, have there been any other issues with
the program in such that they have used the dogs for purposes that they
were not designed, or anything like that?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: I
would just say this: In the event that that happens, we re-evaluate
the programming and we have the option to cease the program and
repatriate the dogs.
QUESTION: Has
any country been thrown out?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Yes.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: Yes.
QUESTION: Which?
QUESTION: And
they would be?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Well,
just in the interest of diplomatic relations, I’d rather not say.
But that has —
QUESTION: Well,
we’re on background, so yeah.
QUESTION: Yeah.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: No,
I think it’s better not to comment. Yeah.
QUESTION: Oh,
really?
QUESTION: Is
this recent, or —
QUESTION: Why?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: I
mean, it’s his call and he prefers not to. Guys, please, come on.
QUESTION: Is
it the Iraqis?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: I
just —
QUESTION: You’re
trying to create transparency around this program.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: He’s
here to talk about the programs in Jordan and Egypt, which is what the
OIG report addresses.
QUESTION: Is
it Iraq?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Pardon?
QUESTION: Is
it Iraq?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: I
have no further comments.
QUESTION: Why
did Egypt not cooperate, as it says in the investigation? And why
didn’t you notice this and step in before, years ago really? I
mean, how could – how is this allowed to go on for so long?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Well,
I’ll start and feel free, but —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: Yeah.
Go ahead.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: When
you say Egypt didn’t cooperate —
QUESTION: That’s
what it said in the IG report.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Yeah.
I could say that Egypt is cooperating at this time and doing – trying to
be the lead, because they recognize the seriousness of the canine health
and welfare.
Any further comments?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: Yeah.
Our – so the canines that are in Egypt were granted in the summer of
2018. So normally, no more than six months into the program,
usually within a year, we would be visiting and doing a follow-up to see
how things are going.
We became aware there might be some
issues earlier this year. That’s when we began engaging with the
Government of Egypt to schedule one of those visits to go and do the
follow-up. It just – for a variety of reasons – again, diplomatic
engagement and other things – it didn’t happen for a few months, but it
did happen in November of this year.
QUESTION: But
in Jordan, they’ve been there for quite a while. It continued for
quite a while, right?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: Yes.
QUESTION: I
mean, I assume you – everyone in your division loves dogs, and I would
think you go in and you see, like, one or two examples of this and say,
“Whoa.”
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: I
mean, in Jordan, we are – we do have – we have CT resources committed to
helping. So for instance, we have full-time veterinarians there to
assist the Jordanians on improving their health and welfare procedures.
QUESTION: Since
when?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: 20
—
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Well,
the veterinarian and a veterinary technician arrived full-time, working
with the Jordanian veterinary team, November of 2018. But we also
had other canine experts that we sent in full-time embedded in their
canine unit back in two thousand and – they arrived in ’16?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: Late,
late —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Late
’16 or early ’17.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: Late
’16, early ’17. Yes.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: And
some of the things that they brought up were things that we then
programmed. Like, well, maybe we should have vets here, or we
should provide additional equipment. Maybe we should – things that
they were noticing that we have progressively done to help sustain —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE: Yeah.
And if I could – if I could add – as was saying, a lot of these things
that the OIG pointed out are things we were already aware of and working
on. Improving health and welfare is something that’s continual and
gradual. It will not happen overnight. And that’s why
improving kennel conditions, improving how many times they check on the
canines, those are all things we’re actively working on.
QUESTION: And
what’s the cost to train a dog and then to send veteran – or
veterinarians over to be mentors, I guess, is the phrase you used?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Well,
the —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: Well
—
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE: Go
ahead, .
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Did you want to give the cost of an individual program?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Yeah, the individual for a 30-day foreign handler course that includes
the procurement of canines costs $640,000 to train 10 K-9 teams, and a
K-9 team is the handler and the canine. So two is a team.
QUESTION: Ten men or women
and dog?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Exactly. Exactly.
QUESTION: And the dogs are
female or male, or both?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Both. They’re both.
QUESTION: The trainers are
all men I presume?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
No, we’ve had both. They’ve had a mix, yeah.
QUESTION: Oh, really?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Yeah. Jordan has recently sent some female officers to train as
well.
QUESTION: How much does it
cost to train a dog?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
I don’t know the breakdown.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
The purchase of the dog and the training of the dog is – I don’t have the
exact figure, but it’s built into that 50- to 60,000 per K-9 team because
there’s other costs of bringing the student over here, all the people
that support the training.
QUESTION: So you’re
ceasing to provide them new dogs, but are they keeping the dogs that they
already had in (inaudible) for their health and —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: That’s
correct, exactly as you noted. We’re not providing new canines, but
they maintain the use and care and welfare of the canines they have with
the measures that we put in place. We just recognize the critical
need that they have that the K-9s can —
QUESTION: So one of the
things that the IG report points out is that you guys did not disclose,
when they were doing their original investigation, these additional
deaths and it took a whistleblower to come forward to report that.
So if you were so concerned and if you were indeed moving ahead urgently
with this reform program, why not disclose this to the IG? You got
off kind of light. It was harsh, but no one’s getting punished I
don’t think, no human is getting punished. You’ve got dead dogs,
but – or are people being punished, and why wasn’t this not
disclosed? Why did you guys try to – what it suggests is that you
were attempting to cover it up.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
I’ll start, , and feel free to clarify. But one, we have to have
what’s – a verification process. There are many canines
in-country. In some countries, there’s certainly – we’re not the
sole provider, so you have to do your research, you have to find out, you
have to clarify, you have to verify and talk with host government before
we can make any formal report. Anything to add to that?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Yeah. I mean, we were trying to get confirmation on some of these
deaths, the cause of deaths, and the lessons to be learned from
them. We did – when the OIG report – the original one, not the
follow-up – was released in September, we did subsequently follow up with
the IG. Unfortunately, one of the deaths happened that same week
and we followed up with the IG and provided that information. But
again, the information is preliminary until we have veterinary reports
and medical records to kind of review and confirm.
QUESTION: Well, why – then
why did they make such a big – why did they make the note that it was –
you did not disclose this when —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE:
That’s for the IG to comment.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO: That’s
for the IG to answer. We can’t answer that.
QUESTION: So you’re saying
there was no “whistleblower”, quote/unquote?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
I think we answered that question already.
QUESTION: I’m sorry?
Who?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
I think we said that they gave the information that they had.
QUESTION: Who? I
want to ask about the whistleblower, which is mentioned in the IG report,
which is –
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Go ahead. Go ahead, ask.
QUESTION: Yeah. So
you’re saying there was no whistleblower?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
No, I’m not saying that.
QUESTION: Okay.
Well, then why – why did it take a whistleblower for this information,
the additional deaths to come up?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Again, as we noted, we have to do a verification process that takes time.
QUESTION: Well, the
whistleblower, he or she, as we’re all – we know about whistleblowers
these days, didn’t seem to have that – didn’t seemed to have that – or
seem to know.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Yeah, I don’t —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
You’d have to ask the IG. I – they didn’t – that person or whoever
that person is didn’t contact us. And I don’t know the history and
wouldn’t know the history of how the OIG received that information.
QUESTION: Okay.
MODERATOR: One more
question.
QUESTION: Could you tell
us what breed the dogs are? And also the report said that the heat
stroke deaths are caused by neglect, they’re not accidents. What
was neglected by the handlers that caused those deaths?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
, I’ll yield to you on the breeds. I think you are a little better
than I —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Belgian Malinois is probably the primary breed we’re going with now, but
there’s a variety of breeds. There’s Labs, there’s German Shepherd
mixes. There’s a whole variety depending on the country we’re
sending them to or that we try and send what we call the softer looking
dogs, or the dogs with pointy ears versus floppy ears.
QUESTION: Why does that
make a difference to? I’m curious, why does that make a difference,
floppy versus – I’m sorry, that’s kind of interesting.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Well —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE:
For aviation security purposes —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Yeah.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
— we were moving towards floppy-ear dogs, which look a little less
intimidating than a German Shepherd might.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
People in the airport, kids.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE:
However, they’re still – they’re trained to the same standard in
detecting explosives, so —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Yeah, if they – they all are validated to the same explosive detection
standards. From our standpoint, it makes no difference. But
in a mission, we might want —
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
QUESTION: Understand.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
A family dog, a family-looking dog versus a police-looking dog. I
guess that’s an easy way of explaining it.
QUESTION: Got it.
MODERATOR: Okay.
Thanks, everybody.
QUESTION: And sorry, my
second question?
MODERATOR: So, yeah, your
question?
QUESTION: Yeah, the –
about the neglect and the heat strokes, what was neglected to be done
there?
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
You’re saying what was neglected?
QUESTION: Yeah. The
report says that the heat strokes are caused by neglect and they’re not accidental
deaths.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
Right, right.
QUESTION: And they
mentioned malnutrition.
QUESTION: Yeah.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Again, that was an OIG comment. For every death we have that we
determine or we’re told or can see in the host – in the partner nation’s
response was caused by heat stroke, we rely on our partner nations
to do the primary investigation of their police officers to say: Could
the handler have done something differently? But —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE:
We have —
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL TWO:
Go ahead.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL THREE:
And we have taken, for instance, in Jordan, corrective (inaudible), for
instance, training the handlers about how to detect early signs of heat
strokes. So we are working on that as well.
QUESTION: Have the dogs
regained their will to work? It said in the September report they
had lost their will to work, that they were treated so poorly.
STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL ONE:
No. They – to my knowledge, they are working very well and are in
good health and actively being utilized. Yeah.
MODERATOR: Okay.
Thanks, everybody.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Thank you.
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Assistant
Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs David Schenker On State Department
2019 Successes in the Middle East
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12/23/2019
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Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/23/2019 04:16
PM EST
David Schenker, Assistant
SecretaryBureau of Near Eastern Affairs
Washington, D.C.
Press Correspondents' Room
ASSISTANT SECRETARY SCHENKER:
Good afternoon, everyone. Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah to all
those who are celebrating. The Secretary started out the year in
Cairo talking about America as a force for good in the Middle East.
I thought I would highlight some of the accomplishments of the Near East
Affairs Bureau over the past year under the Secretary’s leadership,
particularly in successfully confronting major foreign policy challenges,
the struggle against ISIS in Iraq, in Syria, and other places.
While we’ve had successes over the
past year as a result of the administration policies, we of course
recognize that challenges remain. These include Iran’s persistent
malign influence in the region and globally. I know that in 2020,
we’ll also be seeing an increase in U.S. efforts to counter Russian
meddling and Chinese extortion in the region.
Before describing this year’s
successes and future challenges, I wanted to speak briefly about my
travel to Egypt last week. And anyway, by the way, there’s a whole
bunch of, sort of topics in this statement that I’m not going to read but
will get to a couple of them right now.
I had a productive trip to Cairo
and the Sinai. The U.S. and Egypt share many mutual
objectives. Egypt plays a vital role in regional security and
stability, administering the Suez Canal would be a counterterrorism
cooperation and its historic role as a leader in the search for peace.
The Secretary has met with Foreign Minister Shoukry several times this
year and raised concerns over regional issues, freedom of expression, in
particular, for members of the press, human rights, and Americans
detained in Egypt, including Moustafa Kassem. I continue to raise
these concerns – I continued to raise these concerns while on my trip as
well as concerns about Egyptian detainees such as Esraa Abdel
Fattah. In addition, I had meetings with Arab League officials and
with the Multinational Force and Observers in the Sinai.
Like I said, I’m going to skip –
I’m just going to cover Lebanon and Iraq. In Lebanon, Under
Secretary Hale was there this past weekend, and you saw that he called on
leaders to commit to and undertake meaningful and sustained reforms that
can lead to a stable, prosperous, and secure Lebanon. The historic
demonstrations over the past two months underscore the people’s desire
for meaningful change. America supports that call, and we believe
it’s time for Lebanon’s leaders to put aside partisan interests and act
in the national interest, advancing reforms and form a government that’s
committed to implement them and to fighting corruption.
We stand by the Lebanese people and
will continue to help them build a stable, secure, and sovereign country
free from foreign interference. We urge all sides to restrain –
refrain from violence or provocative actions. Lebanon’s government,
army, and security system services must continue to guarantee the rights
and safeties of protestors. America and the international community
are ready to help Lebanon enter a new chapter of economic prosperity and
good governance.
Finally, Iraq. David Hale was
also in Baghdad last week. In Iraq, we remain committed to our
bilateral relationship with one of America’s most strategic partners in
the region. We remain shocked and deeply saddened by the killing,
maiming, and kidnapping of peaceful protestors by armed actors. We
have urged the Iraqi Government to take immediate steps to protect the protestors
and address their legitimate grievances by enacting reforms and tackling
corruption.
As I mentioned, Under Secretary for
Political Hale visited Baghdad last week where he delivered this message,
as the Secretary said: We will continue using our sanctions authorities
to reinforce our support for the Iraqi people. You saw some of this
on December 6th when we announced sanctions against several people
responsible for human rights violations and corruption in Iraq, cutting
them off from the international financial system.
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Senior
State Department Official On State Department 2019 Successes in the
Middle East
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12/23/2019
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Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/23/2019 05:20
PM EST
Office of the Spokesperson
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: So
what do you want to talk about?
QUESTION: Can
I – I’ve got a couple things. I’ll try – I’ll make them very
brief. One, is there anything that you can say on the record,
preferably, but even on background about the verdicts in the Khashoggi
case? And then I just – then I want to ask about Lebanon, but it’ll
be brief.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Okay.
Listen, I – we think the – these are, once again, on background.
You’re going to hear variations of the same sort of statement from a lot
of administration officials, I’m sure. Today’s verdicts were an
important step in holding those responsible for the terrible crime
accountable. We’ve encouraged Saudi Arabia to undertake a fair and
transparent judicial process, and we will continue to do so. We’ve
urged for the full accountability for Khashoggi’s murder since day
one. These verdicts are, as I said, a step – an important step in
that process and this is a process – a judicial process that continues.
I know that there are some who
would say that this hasn’t touched everybody responsible in the
kingdom. We will continue to encourage transparency in that
regard. I can say what we have done, which is we were the first
country to designate individuals under the Global Magnitsky Act and
similar authorities – 17 individuals – right after – very shortly after
this happened. We – and have designated others including senior
Saudi officials, and Qahtani, by the way, is one of those who we have
designated.
QUESTION: Right,
but Qahtani and Otaibi, the former consul general, were both basically
acquitted, and you have found reason to believe that they have done
something that warrants these sanctions being put on them. So is
that not a disappointment to you, that people that you found to be
somehow culpable have been exonerated?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: So
we encourage them and continue to press them to hold those responsible.
QUESTION: If
I could follow up on asking about Khashoggi. Would you release –
you have called for transparency and accountability. Would you –
you had someone from the embassy who attended almost every day. Can
you tell us – surely you know the names of the five who were sentenced to
death and that the reason —
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yeah.
Well, we do know the names. I’ll leave that up to the Saudis to
release those names, but we do – yes, we do know the names.
QUESTION: Well,
Agnes Callamard is one person who has said that it was the hit men who
were sentenced and not the masterminds. Do you know – do you share
that concern at all? Any details you can give us about the trial
itself since that was closed?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Let’s
say I – we will get you more information on the trial when we’re prepared
to talk about that. I think we will at some point be prepared to
talk about that.
QUESTION: Today?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: No.
QUESTION: Can
I just follow up on that? Have there been any direct discussions
between State Department officials and the Saudi Government since these
revelations have come to fruition?
MODERATOR: Which
revelations?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: So
since the trial verdict?
QUESTION: Since
their verdict. Yeah.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: I
don’t know.
MODERATOR: The
trial was, what, this – when did they release it?
QUESTION: It
was just released this morning.
QUESTION: This
morning.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: This
morning. Yeah, I don’t – I don’t know —
MODERATOR: So
that would have been afternoon – it would have been late afternoon Saudi
time.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yeah,
so it’s – yeah. I mean, I don’t know – I haven’t – today’s my first
day back in the office in a week. I was traveling. But yeah,
I can’t tell you whether that – whether we’ve engaged with them in any
way since then.
MODERATOR: We
need to talk to the ambassador.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yeah.
MODERATOR: I
mean, it wouldn’t – I would assume that they have, but we’d have to talk
to the ambassador to confirm that.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yeah.
QUESTION: On
the same topic, you —
MODERATOR: And
then this is the last one on this topic, because he’s not going to change
the answer, but go ahead.
QUESTION: Well,
maybe we can try. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: We
get paid to try.
QUESTION: Well,
we – you said it’s an important step, but the way —
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yeah.
These are the first —
QUESTION: —
the way it was presented by the Saudis seem to be, “Okay, that’s
done. We have the responsible, we have the exonerated, and it was
not premeditated. Done. Done deal.” Do you call them to
do what?
MODERATOR: Did
they say “done deal”? I didn’t hear that.
QUESTION: No,
but it seemed to be as a —
MODERATOR: That’s
your inference. That’s how you interpreted.
QUESTION: I
do.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yeah.
I mean, we can take —
MODERATOR: I
don’t know that we’d interpret it the same way as you do.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: Yeah.
I mean, that’s essentially the answer. We continue to press them
for full transparency. We’ve said all along that we thought that
the – that this – that the process was necessarily imperfect, but we’re
pressing them for more transparency and for holding everybody
accountable.
QUESTION: And
it’s your assessment too that it wasn’t premeditated? The U.S. —
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: That’s
not something – I don’t – I’m not going to comment on my assessment of
that.
QUESTION: No,
the U.S. assessment.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: I
mean, I think the Secretary has made several comments on this, I think
there’s —
QUESTION: Maybe
I missed – what —
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: —
senior U.S. Government officials on the record.
QUESTION: What’s
the status of the U.S. investigation?
MODERATOR: That’s
– that wouldn’t be with us; that would be with DOJ, I assume, if there is
anything. I don’t know if – there’s not – I don’t think that’s with
us. But we do – I mean, we had GloMag last week, or the week
before. It’s all starting to run together. No, week before
last, on the 9th. Tenth.
QUESTION: Tenth.
MODERATOR: Whatever it was,
we had it.
QUESTION: Or it was —
MODERATOR: And we would
certainly call on everybody around the world to join us in over 68
designations around the world. We remain the only country that’s
taken serious action in places like Burma. We continue to hold the
Iranians accountable where they – we’ve held Saudis accountable.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Yeah, I mean, you saw news that – so Khashoggi was awful, right? I
knew Khashoggi, as all of you probably did. Let’s not lose sight of
the fact that 1,500 people have been killed during recent weeks in Saudi
Arabia, according to Reuters – sorry, in Iran, according to
Reuters. I’m not changing the subject, but there’s a lot of atrocities
that happen.
QUESTION: But I am.
(Laughter.)
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
There’s a lot of atrocities that occur around the world on a daily basis.
MODERATOR: Including China.
QUESTION: Whether or not –
how many people were killed in Iran really has no bearing on a guy being
killed in a Saudi consulate in Turkey. This —
MODERATOR: We – but this
administration has been very outspoken on it.
QUESTION: I’m not talking
about that. I’m talking about the Saudis.
MODERATOR: Just within the
past few weeks, the Chinese have overtaken the Turks as jailing more
journalists than anyone in the world.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Really?
MODERATOR: Yeah.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL: My
God.
MODERATOR: I know.
You’d think people would report that. But anyway, we’re done with
Khashoggi.
QUESTION: Can I ask about
just Lebanon? And I’ll make it really brief.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Yeah.
MODERATOR: Yep.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Lebanon’s fine.
QUESTION: So how seriously
jeopardized are – is their money or is their aid now from the U.S. since
we are seeing – we’re seeing the beginning of the formation of a new
government? If he’s not Hizballah, he’s Hizballah’s choice of who’s
going to be the prime minister. And there was a report that Hale
told them that if they’re – if they have any government ministries,
presumably including the health ministry that they had in the last couple
of – that they’re done.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
So we had – so I think there’s a number of questions in that question,
right. We have worked before – the United States Government has
worked before with the Lebanese governments that have had
Hizballah. Hizballah’s been a partner in the last government,
right, and Saad Hariri as prime minister has sat in coalition partners
with Hizballah several times. We find a way to work with the
Lebanese Government that is productive within certain constraints.
And we have done so in the past.
Our principles on Lebanon,
notwithstanding who may or may not be the next prime minister – because
although we have a prime minister-designate, it’s unclear whether they
will be able to find a government, be able to form a government – is that
this government must be capable of and committed to pursuing reform and
fighting corruption. We are highly skeptical that a government led
by Hizballah would be capable of or committed to fighting
corruption. This is an organization that depends greatly on
corruption for its survival and funding its criminal enterprise and
terrorist activities.
So – but if by chance they do – are
able to form a new government, we will look at it and see how – whether
they are committed to reform, and we’ll go from there.
QUESTION: Yeah, but you
say you found a way in the past to work with the government of Lebanon,
and it’s been —
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
No, yeah, we’ve – we’ve had to – we’ve had foreign ministers of Lebanon —
QUESTION: Well, let me –
yeah, yeah, yeah.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
— who have been Hizballah, and we have still had diplomatic relations
with Lebanon.
QUESTION: Yeah, but that
hasn’t come against the backdrop of the mounting amounts of pressure on
the Hill that you’re well aware of that is being directed your way, and
these people are now going to the White House, directly to the President,
telling him that the deep state is screwing around here and pushing this
military money – military assistance —
MODERATOR: Did (inaudible)
give you your questions?
QUESTION: No, I just –
(laughter). I read – I read him in The Free Beacon under
someone else’s byline. (Laughter.)
MODERATOR: Okay, what was
the question?
QUESTION: Well, the
question is that you found in a way in the past —
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Yeah, I’m not going to comment. We’re not talking about the deep
state – we’re not talking about the deep state here, all right?
We’re talking about our policy on Lebanon. And we have interagency
support for this. We just went to France to participate in the – I
just went to France for the ISG, Iraq’s international support group, and
we came up with a consensus, surprisingly, with the French, with the
British, with the Italians, with the Russians, with the Chinese, that
nobody is going to consider bailing out Lebanon financially to have – for
a government that is not committed to reform, that is not committed to
fighting corruption. They have to do something, and so we will see
what they can do.
QUESTION: Can I follow up
on Lebanon?
MODERATOR: Go ahead,
Nadiya.
QUESTION: Just a follow-up
on Lebanon with Matt’s question, but kind of a different angle.
Were you saying that in the past you managed to work with the Lebanese
Government even if they were in partnership with Hizballah? Now we
have a historical demonstration that people will not accept even a
nominee like this guy, Hassan Diab, that he’s affiliated or is considered
as a Hizballah candidate. So if you manage to find a way, won’t you
be seen as —
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
We – so we’ve also – we’ve also said that we support the legitimate
demands of the people of Lebanon and we support the protestors’
demands. So, like I said, it’s not even clear to me that he’s going
to be able to successfully form a government. Right? Much of
that depends on the Lebanese people.
QUESTION: Right, but it is
already – as you know Lebanon very well, there’s already talks that
Ambassador Hale’s meeting with Gebron Khalid – with Gebron Bassil for
over two hours, is being given as the wrong message that the Americans
are actually supporting this current government. So how do you
respond to that?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
First of all, we meet with everyone. Gebran Bassil happens to be
the leader of the largest Christian political party in Lebanon.
Now, are you recommending that we don’t meet with the – with a —
QUESTION: I’m just giving
you the impression that people are saying.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Okay. No, I understand. Like, I understand. I’ve heard
feedback from – from the trip. You read all sorts of stuff. I
just read An-Nahar some of the
craziest stuff, talking about a prisoner exchange between the United
States who would, in hopes of freeing an American citizen who is being
detained wrongfully, we believe, according to Lebanese law, because the
statute of limitations ended – what they’re accusing him of occurred more
than 20 years ago – in exchange for Tajideen, right, the convicted
terrorist and Hizballah financier. And I can read this in a
mainstream Lebanese newspaper. It is not true.
QUESTION: Right.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
It’s patently false. Right? So don’t believe everything you
read.
MODERATOR: Humeyra, go
ahead.
QUESTION: Can you talk a
little bit about your talks in Egypt? Iraq and Libya came up.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Yeah.
QUESTION: They seem to be
boosting their support for Hiftar. What message did you convey to
them? Is that a concern for you? Can you talk a little bit
about that?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
That is a – Libya is an enormous concern for us. As you know, we
are following closely and been participating in this Berlin process,
which may end up with a summit in January or some sort of ministerial or
some sort of high-level meeting. The situation is escalating.
It’s – you point out the increased Egyptian support for Hiftar, but I am
most concerned about increased Russian support for Hiftar, increasing
numbers of Russian mercenaries on the ground, increasing number – amount
of violence, shelling of civilian areas in Tripoli, and of course, the
prospect of increased Turkish involvement on behalf – on the side of the
GNA. We have intervened with both parties, with both the GNA and
the LNA, and have expressed to them our concerns and have asked some of
the major foreign partners to stay out.
QUESTION: What was their
response to that?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
We continue to press for an end of this foreign intervention, which is,
as I think I told you guys a couple months ago, incredibly destabilizing
and I think is leading one party or the other to believe that they can
win, they can win militarily, something that we believe would come at
substantial civilian casualties and just not a positive – a positive
result. So we continue to advocate for political talks, a
negotiated solution, and are backing the Berlin process.
MODERATOR: We both have
meetings so I’m going to let Jessica go last.
QUESTION: Just a quick
question. The Western-backed government has asked the U.S. for
help. Is that something that you would actively consider if the
situation were to deteriorate really fast in Tripoli?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
Military assistance? Right now, we continue to push the diplomatic
and negotiated solution. You had Victoria Coates who had a meeting
with Hiftar not long ago. We’re in constant contact with him.
We’ve met with Sarraj and his representatives recently. We will
continue to do so at senior levels, and we’ve got a full-court press on
the allies, and I expect the partners of both the GNA and the LNA will be
there in Germany for this conference later in January.
QUESTION: But also isn’t
the U.S. committed to the arms embargo of Libya, so you cannot give
military assistance?
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
We are – it’s a joke, but I think the United States is the only country
in the world —
QUESTION: Right.
SENIOR STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL:
— that is abiding by the arms embargo. (Laughter.)
MODERATOR: And on that
happy note —
QUESTION: Wait, what’s a
joke? That you’re abiding by it or that – (laughter).
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Public
Schedule – December 24, 2019
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12/23/2019
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12/23/2019 09:02
PM EST
Office of the Spokesperson
***THE
DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
The Department of State is closed
per the President’s Executive Order providing for the closing of
executive departments and agencies of the Federal Government on December
24, 2019.
SECRETARY MICHAEL R. POMPEO
Secretary Pompeo has no public
appointments.
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Secretary
Pompeo’s Call with Canadian Foreign Minister Champagne
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12/23/2019
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updated, and is now available.
12/23/2019 10:25
PM EST
Office of the Spokesperson
The following is attributable to
Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus:
Secretary of State Michael R.
Pompeo spoke with Canadian Foreign Minister Franηois-Philippe
Champagne today. Secretary Pompeo and Foreign Minister Champagne
discussed the arbitrary detention of two Canadian citizens, Michael
Spavor and Michael Kovrig. The United States stands with Canada in
calling on Beijing for the immediate release of the two men and rejects
the use of these unjustified detentions to coerce Canada. The
Secretary and Foreign Minister also discussed joint efforts to advance
democracy and prosperity globally, including in Venezuela and Cuba.
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Public
Schedule – December 25, 2019
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12/24/2019
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updated, and is now available.
12/24/2019 05:10
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Office of the Spokesperson
***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
The Department of State is closed
in observance of the Christmas Day Holiday.
SECRETARY MICHAEL R. POMPEO
Secretary Pompeo has no public
appointments.
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Public
Schedule – December 26, 2019
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12/26/2019
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12/26/2019 08:11
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Office of the Spokesperson
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SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
SECRETARY MICHAEL R.
POMPEO
Secretary Pompeo has no public
appointments.
DEPUTY SECRETARY
STEPHEN E. BIEGUN
Deputy Secretary Biegun attends
meetings and briefings, at the Department of State.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR
POLITICAL AFFAIRS DAVID HALE
Under Secretary Hale has no public
appointments.
***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS
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Public
Schedule – December 27, 2019
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12/26/2019
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updated, and is now available.
12/26/2019 07:01
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Office of the Spokesperson
***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO
CHANGE***
SECRETARY MICHAEL R. POMPEO
Secretary Pompeo has no public
appointments.
DEPUTY SECRETARY STEPHEN E. BIEGUN
Deputy Secretary Biegun attends
meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
UNDER SECRETARY FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS DAVID HALE
Under Secretary Hale attends
meetings and briefings at the Department of State.
***THE DAILY PUBLIC SCHEDULE IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE***
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Fact
Sheet on U.S. Opposition to Nord Stream 2
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12/27/2019
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You are subscribed to Europe and
Eurasia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been
updated, and is now available.
12/27/2019 12:01
PM EST
Bureau of Energy Resources
On December 20, 2019, President
Trump signed the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal
Year 2020, including Section 7503(d), also known as the Protecting
Europe’s Energy Security Act (PEESA) of 2019.
Related parties must ensure that
vessels involved in Nord Stream 2 “immediately cease construction-related
activity” in a “good-faith wind-down,” as indicated by the Office of
Foreign Assets Control (OFAC). That includes “involved parties that
have knowingly sold, leased, or provided vessels that are engaged in pipe
laying at depths of 100 feet or more below sea level for the construction
of Nord Stream 2.” Parties that do not comply will face sanctions
as described in PEESA.
Nord Stream 2 is a tool Russia is
using to support its continued aggression against Ukraine. Russia
seeks to prevent it from integrating more closely with Europe and the
United States. Nord Stream 2 would enable Russia to bypass Ukraine
for gas transit to Europe, which would deprive Ukraine of substantial
transit revenues and increase its vulnerability to Russian
aggression. Nord Stream 2 would also help maintain Europe’s
significant reliance on imports of Russian natural gas, which creates
economic and political vulnerabilities for our European partners and
allies. For these reasons, the United States Government and a
plurality of European countries oppose Nord Stream 2.
The United States Government
strongly supports diversification of energy supplies because options help
diminish the role of geopolitics in energy markets, reduce consumer
prices, and enhance a country’s energy security. For instance, it
has been estimated that the availability of U.S. LNG saved European
consumers $8 billion by enabling them to negotiate lower prices with
existing suppliers.
The U.S. State Department will
follow the letter of the law of the new NDAA legislation. It
provides the Secretary up to 60 days to issue a report to Congress to
identify violating entities. The Secretary will issue that report
expeditiously. The United States will impose sanctions unless
related parties immediately demonstrate good
faith efforts to wind-down. Related parties need to finish
wind-down within 30 days. Any company involved in Nord Stream 2
needs to look carefully at what that means for their operations.
The United States’ intention is to
stop construction of Nord Stream 2. Congress acted, and the
President signed the bill. The U.S. position opposing Nord Stream 2
has been consistent across multiple administrations, as part of a
longstanding practice to promote energy security through diversification
of energy supplies by country of origin, path of delivery, and fuel
types, including renewables. Anyone engaged in the energy trading
business ought to do it under fair terms, which are transparent, and operate
according to market principles.
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