ONE THE MACEDONIA IT'S GREECE:U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin

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U.S. Department of State Weekly Digest Bulletin Inbox x U.S. Department of State <usstatebpa@public.govdelivery.com> Sun, Apr 21, 12:12 PM (2 days ago)  to me Secretary's Remarks: Interview With Gisella Lopez of El Comercio 04/14/2019 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 Gisella Lopez of El Comercio 04/14/2019 04:18 PM EDT Interview Michael R. Pompeo Lima, Peru April 14, 2019 QUESTION:  The main topic of your visit is to discuss the situation of Venezuela.  For how long is it possible to intensify the diplomatic pressure? SECRETARY POMPEO:  So the main topic of my visit to South America is really twofold: first, to be with our friends, democratic countries with free markets; to make sure they understand that we’re a good partner and to talk about trade relationships and the like, but also to talk about the threat to those countries from the disaster that is Venezuela, the humanitarian crisis that is Venezuela, the – caused purely by the political disaster that is Nicolas Maduro.  So those were the two reasons for my visit. As for how long this can go, I don’t know how much longer the Venezuelan people will tolerate this.  My guess is not much.  The devastation wrought by Nicolas Maduro, the tragedy of the humanitarian situation there brought out solely by Maduro making the choice to bring in the Cubans, to allow Russians to intervene in the country – those are the things that are destroying the lives of young people in Venezuela, and I’m very hopeful that Maduro will understand that his time is coming soon. QUESTION:  But it’s not only up to the Venezuelan people.  It’s also the – your relationships in the countries in South America and also the United States have the contribution with President Guaido – Interim President Guaido right now.  But the military option is always still on the table despite this – the South American group of Lima are against this possibility? SECRETARY POMPEO:  Well, to your point, the Venezuelan people have spoken.  They chose Juan Guaido through the National Assembly and their own constitution.  So it is ultimately up to the Venezuelan people.  The Lima Group, the OAS are providing enormous support.  United States stands ready to continue to support them, and the Venezuelan people will ultimately convince the leadership that they must go, that there’s no future for Maduro.  And the military -- QUESTION:  But it’s taking – it’s taking too long. SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yes, I agree.  It’s taken years.  This is not something that has happened in the last weeks or months.  This is a devastation wrought by the Cubans, the Russians, and Maduro over the last years.  So I agree it’s taken too long.  I’m very hopeful that it’ll come to its conclusion quickly. Your last question was about all options on the table.  That remains the case. QUESTION:  So in the late administrations, the United States didn’t seem to be so interested in Latin America political situation, but now there is a change.  The Venezuela situation is the reason for that change? SECRETARY POMPEO:  No, not at all.  The reason for that change is that President Trump understands how important South America, Central America, Mexico, Canada, all of the Western Hemisphere are to the United States of America, so he has tasked us to be engaged, to work with those countries, develop trade between those countries.  We have great democracies now.  That has not always been the case in South America.  We have free market economies that understand the rule of law, transparency.  That has not always been the case.  So we view this as an enormous opportunity, and you see.  You see it in the actions of the OAS and Lima Group.  They are leading to restore basic, fundamental systems – water, food systems, to provide humanitarian (inaudible) in Venezuela.  This is a real opportunity for the United States to continue to engage with our friends in South America.  President Trump is very focused on it. QUESTION:  So the new governments in South America is the reason you say that this is the change -- SECRETARY POMPEO:  No, there’s just opportunity.  There’s real opportunity both for those countries to sell their goods into the United States, for the United States to sell our products here, and to grow and expand.  America always supports democratic institutions, the rule of law, transparency, our core value sets.  These are the value sets that are continuing to grow and expand in South America.  We want to encourage that and we want to partner with those nations. QUESTION:  So in your (inaudible) visiting with President Vizcarra, you congratulate him for the fight against the corruption.  It’s a big issue now in our country.  What is the perception about Peru?  It’s a country with some of the former presidents in jail.  What is this perception? SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yeah, from the – America’s perspective, fighting corruption is an important element of what I just talked about, to have a true democracy, to have people have the representatives they choose and know that they’re acting on behalf of the people and not on behalf of themselves or the business that they are a shareholder of.  So fighting corruption is a central part of democratic institutions and free markets, and so I wanted to applaud President Vizcarra for the work that he has done to continue to battle against corruption. QUESTION:  But in this topic, it’s not uncomfortable for your administration to have a runaway president like Toledo two years in your country? SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yeah, I can’t comment on things that relate to our judicial process. QUESTION:  I know.  My question is about the situation, because this is really like two years and – ago that a former president is escaping from our justice. SECRETARY POMPEO:  We think corruption should be fought at every level.  With respect to any particular case or any particular name, I can’t comment. QUESTION:  But you also talk about China and Russia, and China’s our main commercial partner, and also Russia has ties in our region, in Latin America for so many years.  (Inaudible.) SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yes, there were many communist countries in Latin America for many years, but that’s the great thing that’s changed.  This idea, this idea of the totalitarian, Orwellian state of communism is being rejected by the people of South America.  It’s glorious. QUESTION:  So the United States now with your administration want to change the situation and to compete with China, Russia in Latin America? SECRETARY POMPEO:  Well, we welcome all nations to compete in free markets openly and transparently.  We always have.  We’re convinced that democratic values and institutions, the things that we care so deeply about – basic human rights, things that don’t exist in China – I think the South American people see that.  They see the horrors of a million Uighurs being held in China.  They see the Orwellian information state, the police state that China is becoming.  They see that communism has failed the Russian people.  I think the people of South America get that they should interact with, do business with, and partner with countries that share their value sets: freedom, faith, liberty, rule of law.  Those are fundamental values that are held by people right here in this country and I think all throughout South America. QUESTION:  But I think it’s very hard to compete with – China’s a big economy and has ties with our region for so many years, many decades. SECRETARY POMPEO:  Make no mistake, if China’s here to compete and offer their goods for service through private enterprise, we welcome that.  That’s not problematic.  United States does a great deal of commercial business with China.  The challenge with China is when private entities show up, they’re coming for a malign activity all too often, and that’s what we’ve asked every country to be aware of.  State-owned enterprises, companies deeply connected to the Chinese Government that want to put infrastructure, telecommunications infrastructure inside of your country – we want to make sure everyone has their eyes wide open that there’s real risk to the Peruvian people.  If those systems are installed, if those networks are placed with Huawei technology or Chinese technology, your information is in the hands of President Xi and the People’s Liberation Army in China.  I don’t think the people of Peru want that, and we want to make sure that everyone understands the risks when they engage in that kind of activity with China. QUESTION:  Also it is interesting for me, that question.  Is difficult for you to be the chief of the diplomacy in your country when your president doesn’t – Trump is not so – doesn’t use so much the diplomacy in foreign relations because he is very straight to the point? SECRETARY POMPEO:  No, I’m just like that, just as I’m with you today.  I’m very straight to the point, right?  It’s important for diplomats, partners, with our friends, to speak the truth to them, to share with them the very real concerns and to thank them when they take real actions that are consistent with their countries’ values and demonstrate a willingness to partner with the United States of America.  No, I think accurate, factual, blunt talk is valued, and I will tell you that as I travel the world, my partners, whether it’s my counterparts in the foreign – in the ministries around – foreign ministries around the world or when I speak with folks like President Vizcarra, they share with me their frank and blunt views, and I think that’s the best way to advance our joint interests. QUESTION:  Now you’re leaving Lima and traveling to Colombia.  What are your expectations in Cucuta?  Because you’re seeing the frontier from Colombia, Venezuela, with the humanitarian -- SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yeah.  So I’ve been to Colombia previously as the Secretary of State.  Today I’ll travel to a different part of Colombia, a place where the world joined together, an enormous coalition joined together to try to bring food and medicine to the people of Venezuela – medicine for the sick, food for the poor.  The only people who have prevented that are the Russians, the Chinese, and Maduro.  We want to talk about that.  We want to make sure the world knows that the United States stands with them, that we stand with countries in South America, that we stand with the Venezuelan people.  We are prepared to provide assistance to them when the time is right.  We’re prepared to do it today.  If that food and that medicine could get in today, we would love nothing more than to help the sick and the starving. QUESTION:  What about the relationships and the relation with Peru?  With – I want to talk about that, because we also have ties, not only investment and in the commercial, but also cultural relationships.  I want to talk about that. SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yeah, they’re deep, important, relationships, right.  We signed a free trade agreement.  Now 10 years on, our commercial trade has nearly doubled.  I hope we will double it again faster than the next 10 years, and your point is right, too – we share deep cultural relationships as well.  We share value sets.  It’s a special day here.  Easter’s a week off from today.  Today is Palm Sunday.  Our common set of understandings about democracy and freedom, a deep desire for liberty, are things that our two nations share, and it bodes well for our continuing strengthening relationship in the years ahead. QUESTION:  Well, I think it’s – thank you so much for your time.  This was a very short time, but it’s -- SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yes, ma’am.  Thank you for your time.  No, I appreciate that.  Thank you very much for your time.  Thank you. 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 Christina Ruffini of CBS 04/15/2019 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 Christina Ruffini of CBS 04/15/2019 12:58 AM EDT Interview Michael R. Pompeo Cucuta, Colombia April 14, 2019 QUESTION: On the bridge as we were walking out, there were people shouting, “Liberty,” and “Maduro must go.” And with the help of Mark, my fabulous bilingual cameraman, I asked them what they wanted from the United States. And they said, “Intervention.” My question is: I understand you said that all options are on the table, but has the State Department asked the Pentagon to prepare any kind of indirect military intervention to put additional pressure on Maduro, things like joint military exercises with the Colombians or with the Brazilians, or maybe putting pressure on Russia in another venue, the Mediterranean, to try to get them, as you say, to get out of Venezuela? SECRETARY POMPEO: So it’s remarkable to be here in this place where the Venezuelans are – you can see them as you drove in today, thousands of Venezuelans every day fleeing Nicolas Maduro. I’m not going to talk about discussions that are happening inside the United States Government. We’ve made clear that all options are on the table. And you watched; you watched the political and diplomatic noose tighten around Maduro’s neck. We will begin to do the same thing. The Cubans must understand, too, that there will be a cost associated with their continued support of Nicolas Maduro, and we’re going to have that same conversation with the Russians as well. QUESTION: Are you considering those kinds of non-direct intervention measures? SECRETARY POMPEO: I never talk about things that we’re working on. QUESTION: What would you say to the people who were asking the U.S. for intervention on the bridge? SECRETARY POMPEO: Oh, I’d say several things. First, you can see (inaudible) this warehouse filled with taxpayer – U.S. taxpayer-supported food and medicine. We’re here to help them. We’re here to provide the humanitarian assistance that they need. We were in the shelters today. We saw children that were sick. We saw families that were eating only every other day. This is a tragedy foisted upon them by their leader in Venezuela, by Nicolas Maduro. The United States is committed to continuing to restore democracy and to try as best we can to get food to the starving and medicine to those kids that are sick. It was truly something to see these families that have been displaced. They want to go back to Venezuela. They want to go back home. But today, the Cubans and Nicolas Maduro are preventing them from doing that. QUESTION: You’ve spoken very passionately throughout our trip about the generosity of countries taking in Venezuelan migrants and the treatment and how much they have welcomed them. But as you know and as we’ve talked about, the U.S. is facing its own immigration crisis at the border, and I’m wondering if you really don’t see any kind of disconnect or inconsistency with the way the administration treats different groups of displaced desperate people, because I would imagine if you went to the southern border, a lot of people would have similar stories as to the ones you heard today. SECRETARY POMPEO: There is nothing like what’s taking place at the hands of Nicolas Maduro anywhere in Central or South America. To compare the two is ludicrous. Nicolas Maduro is denying food that’s sitting here. These aren’t people that are starving because the country doesn’t have wealth. These are people that are starving because the political leadership, the military thugs inside of Venezuela, have destroyed their capacity to produce crude oil, they have destroyed the capacity to grow crops, they have denied their people aid that is sitting right at the border. You saw the bridge today – welded trucks preventing food from getting in. This is horrific. There is nothing else in South America that compares to this. This is the largest movement of migrants in the history of the world absent war. This is at the hands of Nicolas Maduro and no one else, and to compare it to situations anywhere else I think just belies any true knowledge of the facts on the ground. QUESTION: But if President Duque said to these people because it’s such a strain on their resources and as – as we’ve talked about throughout this trip, if he said, I’m sorry, we just can’t take you anymore and stopped them at the border, as we’ve been doing in Mexico, I don’t think you’d be okay with that policy. SECRETARY POMPEO: We are trying in every instance to keep people capable of staying in their own country. That’s the common theme. We want these Venezuelans to return home. We want the people in the Northern Triangle to be able to live in their own countries as well. Every nation, every nation, has the right to make decisions about who comes in and out of their country. President Duque today wants these people to have food and shelter. But when Maduro falls, he wants them to go home. That’s the same thing that we’re trying to do along our southern border. We want those people to have good lives in Guatemala and El Salvador and Honduras. We want that for the Venezuelan people that I saw today here, too. QUESTION: Have you spoken to President Guaido recently? Where is President Guaido? SECRETARY POMPEO: I haven’t spoken to him (inaudible). QUESTION: Anything else you’d like to add? Thank you, sir. SECRETARY POMPEO: No, I think that’s it. All right. 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: Joint Statement With Colombian President Ivan Duque 04/15/2019 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: Joint Statement With Colombian President Ivan Duque 04/15/2019 12:53 AM EDT Remarks Michael R. Pompeo Cucuta, Colombia April 14, 2019 SECRETARY POMPEO: Good evening. It’s truly an honor to be here with you, President Duque. I want to commend your government and the people of Colombia for the support that you’ve offered to the Venezuelans in their true hour of need. The United States and freedom-loving nations around the world stand by you. I also want to thank Interim President Juan Guaido and his ambassador to Colombia, Humberto Calderon, and his representative to the Lima Group, Julio Borges. The ambassador and Julio Borges were here today. Thank you for joining us. And I want to thank all the people who made my visit possible. I want to thank the workers at the Migration Transition Assistance Center and here at Tienditas at the warehouse. It was today incredibly moving to walk on that bridge and to witness the important work that’s being done to address the enormous humanitarian crisis. It’s a special day, too, because this is Palm Sunday. To see the need, to see the hurt in these people’s eyes on this important day, was truly something. To date, 3.4 million Venezuelans have fled their country. By the end of the year, that figure will exceed 5 million. They include people like I saw today. They include people like Geraldine, a Venezuelan mother who has crossed the border now roughly 20 times. She is torn; she is unwilling to abandon her family and friends, but also unable to provide for them in her home country. So Geraldine goes back and forth across the bridge, across the border. She leaves Venezuela seeking medicine for her children. She’s gone searching for simple items, items like medicine, like diapers, that which under normal circumstances in any normal country would be readily available, but she can no longer find them in Venezuela. She finds them here, here in Colombia, and she can count on community kitchens here in Colombia to provide meals for her and for her children every single time that she passes through. Geraldine’s story, sadly, isn’t unique. We saw that today. Cucuta is just their first step for many. It’s a long journey for these Venezuelans. These caminantes travel hundreds of miles on foot in Colombia and throughout the region. And despite the risks that they face and the love they retain for Venezuela, they truly feel like they have no choice. Their collective plight is why the United States since 2017 has provided $213 million in humanitarian assistance, and why just this past Wednesday Vice President Pence announced approximately $60 million in additional aid and assistance. This funding provides shelter, safe food and drinking water, protection against violence and exploitation, and access to work and education opportunities. But actually getting this aid into Venezuela is a whole ‘nother story, because Nicolas Maduro refused to accept it. He refuses to allow this aid to get across. To paraphrase a president who faced similar circumstances: Mr. Maduro, open these bridges, open these borders. You can end this today. I hope that you care. I hope that you will care enough when you see the horror, when you see the tragedy, to change your ways and to leave your country. Colombia and the United States want a better future for the Venezuelan people under the leadership of Interim President Guaido and the democratically elected National Assembly. There is a plan in place for free and fair elections inside of Venezuela and for a return to private sector-led growth, for a restoration of normal life and economic opportunity and prosperity inside of Venezuela. But before these things happen, Maduro’s usurpation must end. All Venezuelans and the world should reject the illegitimate authoritarian rule imposed on the Venezuelan people, including the Venezuelan military leadership. The United States will continue to utilize every economic and political means at our disposal to help the Venezuelan people. Using sanctions, visa revocations, and other means, we pledge to hold the regime and those propping it up accountable for their corruption and their repression of democracy. We are deeply aware of the recent intimidation tactics used by the Maduro regime this past Thursday. Maduro should know we are watching, and our support will not waiver. Democratic actors in Venezuela will not be deterred. And as I said on this trip to the Chilean, Peruvian, and Paraguayan partners this week, we are grateful for the leadership of our South American friends and allies. They have shown tremendous energy to help ordinary Venezuelans who want nothing more than democracy and prosperity in their own country. Thank you, President Duque, for your commitment to restoring democracy in Venezuela. And thank you, too, Mr. President, for your cooperation on regional issues like counternarcotics and regional security. The United States will continue to work with you to stem the problem of coca production that you inherited. We know what we must do, and the United States will do its part to reduce the demand for illegal drugs in our own country. But it’s also very important to acknowledge that our unique, important bilateral relationship goes far beyond fighting common foes. It can be seen only – this can be seen most clearly through the promotion of trade and trade agreements and economic contacts – commitments between our two nations. Thank you, Mr. President, and thank you to the Colombian people for your friendship with the United States of America. Muchas gracias. (Applause.) PRESIDENT DUQUE: (Via interpreter) Thank you very much for your words, for your visit, for your friendship with Colombia. It has been a pleasure having you again in our country. I would like to express that there is one common cause of the countries of his hemisphere, the countries that gave life to the inter-American system, and it’s the defense, (inaudible) defense of democratic principles. That’s why in 2001 we all signed the Inter-American Democratic Charter so that our – in our region we would never again have the terrible consequences of dictatorship. And what joins us, what unites us with the Venezuelan people, is many causes. One of them is defending democracy, re-establishing the full exercise of freedoms, and the constitutional reconstruction of that country. We are also united by a binational brotherhood, and as you can see, Secretary Pompeo, Colombia has received over a million migrants in our territory with fraternity, of course. They are fleeing from the brutal dictatorship, hungry, with diseases. And here, amidst our difficulties and amidst our fiscal restrictions, tax restrictions, we have been giving them our love and care and attention. Today I want to celebrate that once again our commitment is ratified, the commitment between our countries, with your presence here today to do all necessary efforts to re-establish democracy, freedom, and institutional order in Venezuela. Today also we would like to express that what was achieved this week within the OAS is very important by accepting the representation of President Guaido, and tomorrow when a group meeting of the Lima Group is held we will again, once again, emphasize that all sanctions – political sanctions, economic sanctions, and diplomatic sanctions – must be used to isolate the dictatorship and to allow for transition in Venezuela. I would like to tell you, Secretary Pompeo, that the cause has also been a very personal cause to me for over six years now. When I was senator of the republic, I submitted to congress what was back then a proposal to request the freedom of political prisoners. I then denounced Nicolas Maduro vis-a-vis the International Criminal Court with support of Chilean and Colombian senators. Today we have nine heads of states supporting our cause, and I also hope that a trial is opened against Nicolas Maduro so that he is convicted for the terrible crimes that he has committed. There is a third element nonetheless, which is humanitarian aid. Colombia told the world that we are willing to receive humanitarian aid, to warehouse it and to provide logistics, and to allow for it to be transported to Venezuela by Venezuelan people who want to take this to their families. The past February the world was able to see the brutalities by the regime to avoid that such aid was able to save lives. And despite the fact that they tried to hinder this, what occurred was a moral and ethic defeat in the eyes of the world. And this allows us all to continue with this task because it’s a moral duty to re-establish democracy in Venezuela. Your presence here ratifies the commitment of the countries that share this vision, and I also would like to express, Mr. Secretary, that Colombia and the United States have had a long-lasting relationship, a relationship in which there are many topics that bring us together. And without any doubt, the fight against terrorism, the fight against narcotics, has always been present there. You know that between 2012 and the moment in which I took over, we saw an exponential growth of illegal crops, of less than 60,000 hectares to over 200,000 hectares. In addition, the Colombian people elected me to tackle that phenomenon, and since August 7 and to date we have done nothing but tackle this cause, because it’s our moral duty and our commitment with the Colombian people, but it is also a shared work, as you have very well said. And we hope to continue working hand-in-hand to dismantle all these cartels that affect the populations of our countries. I also believe, Mr. Secretary, that the tasks ahead in that front are many, but we must continue building based on trust this joint effort, because that’s what this is about. From the side of demand, from the side of supply, from the side of cartels and money laundering, both countries produce the results required because it is a common threat. It is also important to say that our country’s agenda goes beyond facing common enemies. It is based on our values. We have a commercial agenda. We have a science and technology agenda, entrepreneurship, culture, energy, which is very broad, and we ratified that today also with your visit, Mr. Secretary. Today we are giving a clear message to the Venezuelan people: We are with you to defeat dictatorship. We are with you for you to recover your freedom. And we also want to convey a message to the Colombian people, and the message is that the United States and Colombia in this joint effort and this effort of co-responsibility will continue working to defeat narcotics, terrorism. And we also tell the Colombian people that our duty is to continue strengthening this relationship in a more innovative agenda of trade strategies in the agrarian sector of supporting production chains, and today with your presence this is very evident. Thank you very much. Mr. Secretary. (Applause.) 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 Jorge Gil of EFE 04/15/2019 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 Jorge Gil of EFE 04/15/2019 08:10 AM EDT Interview Michael R. Pompeo Cucuta, Colombia April 14, 2019 QUESTION: Okay. Mr. Secretary, (inaudible) visit to the border, do you think that the fall of Nicolas Maduro is getting closer? And what do you think about what you saw on the Simon Bolivar Bridge? SECRETARY POMPEO: So it was really quite something today to see. We visited one of the migration centers, got to talk to some of the children, some of the families that fled the horrible conditions that had been imposed on them by Maduro and his military thugs. It was really quite something to get a chance to talk to them, hear what their lives were like before and then how bad they’ve gotten under Maduro. To your first question, yes, I think every minute, every hour, is one step closer to Maduro leaving. All the Venezuelan people want is democracy restored and a chance to live, to work, to be with their families, and Maduro is denying them that. The Russians are no help. The Cubans are worse. I hope, hope, there’ll be a change here soon. QUESTION: Okay. You talk about Russia and – well, does the USA have a plan to – against the growing presence of Russia in Venezuela, and Cuba, of course? And is Washington worried about – about that Russian presence? SECRETARY POMPEO: The Russians are responsible for allowing Maduro to stay in power, the Cubans even more so. They’ve been in there longer; they’re more deeply committed. How the Cuban Government can watch the faces of these people, to watch their starvation when there’s food in the building in which we’re sitting; to see the kids not get medicine, vaccines, when there’s medicine sitting right here in this building; how the Cubans and the Russians permit that to happen is beyond me just as a human being, and the United States is committed to restoring democracy in Venezuela. QUESTION: Okay. Will the USA support (inaudible) to remove Maduro from power? SECRETARY POMPEO: We’ve said all along those who behave well, those who land on the side of the right side of history, on the right side of freedom, they can be part of the government moving forward. Those who don’t, those who commit acts of aggression, those who commit violence, those who act in ways that are inconsistent with it, those who support Maduro to the end, will face a very different fate. QUESTION: Okay. Well, I will like to know if the USA will sanction the Spanish-owned company Repsol for its – for making business in Venezuela. SECRETARY POMPEO: We never get in front of announcing sanctions before we do them, and we have made very clear what is lawful and what is unlawful. And each day that goes by we are further tightening that set of restrictions, not only the political restrictions but economic restrictions as well. QUESTION: Okay. Well, Secretary Mnuchin previewed today that the USA is working with other countries to create a fund with $10,000 million to help the next Venezuelan government. I will like to know which impact – which impact will have this fund in the fall of Maduro. SECRETARY POMPEO: We are fully prepared for the day after, not only to provide the economic support that Secretary Mnuchin spoke of, but to help provide the infrastructure, the political infrastructure. We want freedom and fair elections. Juan Guaido is the interim president who wanted to lead the path forward to democracy so the Venezuelan people can have the basic freedoms that they so richly deserve. That’s the mission for the day after Maduro leaves. QUESTION: Okay. Mr. Secretary, I will like to know how is the relationship with Colombia. President Trump has criticized twice this month President Duque for the drug war. What can you tell me about it? SECRETARY POMPEO: I think you saw it today. I was with President Duque. The relationship is excellent. We have economic relationships, we have political relationships, we are working incredibly closely to restore democracy in Venezuela. We have been working for years to reduce coca production here in Colombia. President Duque is working on that as well. We want it to go faster. I think President Duque wants it to go faster as well, and we’re committed to doing what we can to support that. QUESTION: Okay. Well, how do you think that the withdrawal of assistance to the countries of the Northern Triangle will contribute towards the flow of migrants to the USA? SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, here’s what we know. Hundreds of millions of dollars have been provided to the Northern Triangle countries, and we have an enormous migration problem, people fleeing El Salvador, people fleeing Honduras, people fleeing Guatemala. What we’re trying to do is get those governments to take this seriously, to assist their people of their countries so they won’t have to make this long, dangerous trek across Mexico. President Trump is committed to securing our southern border, and that effort in the Northern Triangle is to get them to do what those countries need to do to have not only the will, but to demonstrate that will, in closing down the capacity of their people to flee their countries. QUESTION: Okay. Well, the U.S. Government has said that the safety crisis – the safety crisis in its southern border is caused by criminal bands, by drug dealers. So do you think that (inaudible) those migrant kids from their parents in order to fight that crisis? SECRETARY POMPEO: We’re going to stop the flow across our southern border, period, full stop. President Trump’s made that – every country, every country, has the right to determine who comes into their country, and we have to stop the flow of drugs, and we have to stop the flow of migrants. You watch these people who are traversing Mexico. They’re being preyed upon by drug cartels inside of Mexico. This is morally wrong, and President Trump is determined to stop that. QUESTION: Okay. Well, I will like to know the – what do you think about the thing that said yesterday the Cuban president, Miguel Diaz-Canel, who said yesterday that the USA pushed back to (inaudible) bilateral relations, and to the worst level. What do you think about that? SECRETARY POMPEO: I didn’t see the quote. QUESTION: Yeah. He said (inaudible) that the USA pushed back (inaudible) bilateral relations to the worst level. What do you think about that? SECRETARY POMPEO: I don’t have anything to say about that. I’m not sure I understand what his point was. QUESTION: Okay. Is the White House intensifying the blockade to come – to Cuba, as Havana government says? SECRETARY POMPEO: We need the Cubans to stop supporting the murderous tyrant Nicolas Maduro. That’s our goal. That’s our objective. We’re going to use the tools that we have available to create incentives so that the Cubans will see, that the Cuban people will see, that it is not in their best interest to control Venezuela and to keep Nicolas Maduro in power. That’s our simple goal. That’s our mission. QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. SECRETARY POMPEO: Great, thank you. QUESTION: Thank you very much. SECRETARY POMPEO: It’s wonderful to meet. QUESTION: Nice meeting you. 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 Sandra Ramirez of El Tiempo 04/15/2019 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 Sandra Ramirez of El Tiempo 04/15/2019 08:07 AM EDT Interview Michael R. Pompeo Cucuta, Colombia April 14, 2019 QUESTION: (In progress) with President Duque, indeed, the first (inaudible) issue and the advancing that (inaudible) the United States. What do you (inaudible)? SECRETARY POMPEO: We have a great relationship with Colombia. I think you saw that on full display today. It is absolutely the case that President Trump and the United States share President Duque’s goal of reducing coca production as quickly and as rapidly as can be done. That’s what the president was communicating. It’s important. It’s important to the United States. We need to do our part to reduce drug demand, but it’s important to the United States that coca production – not only here but in other places in South America – be reduced as quickly as possible. We have deep economic relationships. We work closely, as you see today, on the issue of restoring democracy inside of Venezuela. You see that the United States has been enormously generous, providing tens and tens of millions of tons of food into the building in which we are sitting. The United States is committed to this objective, and our partnership with Colombia is strong. QUESTION: Okay. Does Colombia have to worry about (inaudible) as partner of the United States in the fight against drugs? SECRETARY POMPEO: Colombia needs to do all that it can, and I know President Duque is doing everything he can. He inherited a terrible problem, the growth of coca. So we’re going to do what we can to support President Duque’s efforts in this regard. QUESTION: Okay. The United States have been increasing the economic and the diplomatic pressures so that Nicolas Maduro leaves power, but he refuses to do so. Is the strategy not working? SECRETARY POMPEO: Every thug, every tyrant, remains in power until the moment that they do not. That pressure and the pressure on the regime is working. We’re closer today than we were yesterday. We’ll be closer again tomorrow. We’re going to continue to increase that pressure. We’re working, too, to try to convince the Russians and the Chinese to stop their activity, which is boosting Maduro, giving Maduro more power, more capacity, and then the Cubans as well. The Cubans are largely providing the security for Nicolas Maduro. That’s morally wrong, and we hope that the Cubans will recognize that that’s not in their best interest, and we will do the things we need to do to make sure the Cubans understand that it’s not in their – it’s not in their best interest to continue to support Nicolas Maduro. The progress that has been made to date is important, but as you can see from the people who are fleeing the country, the individuals who I had a chance to speak with today, the tragedy, the human suffering that has been imposed by the Russians and the Cubans and Nicolas Maduro, is truly tragic. QUESTION: Tons of humanitarian aid are right here inside Colombia. It has been sent by the United States. It didn’t go through (inaudible) because it was not possible. (Inaudible) what is the United States going to do to make or to get it over? SECRETARY POMPEO: We’re going to keep trying. QUESTION: All right. SECRETARY POMPEO: Look, we’ve done an enormous amount of work. Other countries, too, have joined in this effort. Colombia has been an incredible partner to host this food aid here. Other countries have been prepared to do that as well. What needs to change is Nicolas Maduro needs to leave. When that leaves, the Venezuelan people will get the medicine they need for their sick kids. I saw some of them today. They’ll have the food for their starving children. I had a chance to see some of them today. We’re determined to create a better humanitarian condition not only for those fleeing but for everyone inside of Venezuela. The thing that has to happen is Maduro must go. QUESTION: One of the techniques that Mr. Maduro has been using to undermine the (inaudible) opposition in Venezuela is wear them down. What is the United States going to -- SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, it’ll be Maduro that’s worn down. Nicolas Maduro is being worn down. We are – Maduro is not winning this fight. Don’t let anybody fool you. Don’t let anybody fool the people of Colombia or Peru or Chile or the people of the United States, nor fool the Venezuelan people. The effort that the Lima Group will make tomorrow in Santiago, the good news out of the OAS this past week, these are all important diplomatic efforts that continue to tighten the screws on Maduro and his thugs. QUESTION: (Inaudible) Mr. Guaido (inaudible) and it seems like if the possibility for (inaudible) close, would a decision that maybe accelerate the possibility of military intervention in Venezuela? SECRETARY POMPEO: We’ve said all options are on the table. The arrest of Juan Guaido would be a major, major (inaudible) on behalf of Nicolas Maduro. We hope that he will not take that. We hope he won’t invoke violence. We hope he won’t arrest other senior leaders inside of Venezuela. Those are all things that I think the world would see as major steps in continuing to deny the Venezuelan people the rights that they deserve. QUESTION: Vice President Pence asked this week at the United Nations that President Guaido was recognized as such, but China and Russia are supporting Nicolas Maduro. When or how soon is this recognition of Mr. Guaido going to happen? SECRETARY POMPEO: You’ll have to ask the Chinese and the Russians. QUESTION: All right. Okay. And the last question will be (inaudible) the fact that on the 23rd of February, the humanitarian aid didn’t make it to Venezuela, but now Maduro has agreed to get humanitarian aid from the international community if the Red Cross is bringing it into the country. SECRETARY POMPEO: We want to make sure that people are fed and that sick children get medicine. QUESTION: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you. 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: Remarks to the Press 04/15/2019 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: Remarks to the Press 04/15/2019 03:04 PM EDT Remarks Michael R. Pompeo Dallas, Texas April 15, 2019 SECRETARY POMPEO: How are you all today? QUESTION: Thank you, sir. I’m good. SECRETARY POMPEO: Look, I’m happy to take some questions. But first I thought I’d talk about my meeting this morning and then the trip that I came in from here to Dallas last night. First, I just had a chance to meet with some members of the folks who have left Iran and who now live here in the United States of America who still continue to have family members there. Today’s the day that IRGC designation comes into effect and it was a day I wanted to be with them to hear their views of how our policy is affecting the lives of the people inside of Iran and how our policy is leading to what we hope, which is a change in the nature and the behavior of the Islamic Republic of Iran and their leadership, and our continued support for the Iranian people in (inaudible) the country in a way that causes them not to have the wealth to export terror around the world. So it was very productive meetings. Great folks flew in from a long distance to be here with me this morning. I really appreciate them joining me to talk about what they’re seeing from family members and friends inside the Islamic Republic of Iran. And there’s big flooding there that doesn’t get reported much in our media, but the leadership in Iran is continuing to export terrorism. Indeed, they’re using their dollars to support Maduro in Venezuela while people are suffering inside of their own country. Folks who were with me this morning didn’t think that made much sense, and neither do I. I’ve spent the previous days in South America – Chile, Peru, and Paraguay, and then last night in Cucuta, Colombia, with President Duque, where we talked not only about Venezuela and the importance of Nicolas Maduro leaving Venezuela, but about the opportunity there is between the United States and South America. We now have democratic nations with free and open markets who are prepared to compete and participate in our economy, in our – and the United States in their economy. So we talked about the relationships not only how we’re going to work together to restore democracy and the fundamental rights of the people in Venezuela, but how our countries can work together on a broader range of issues. And then this afternoon I’m going to head to College Station, Texas, and speak to the Corps of Cadets, which will be great, because I want to talk to them – and frankly, talk to a broader audience about the importance of diplomacy as it will impact their lives. Many those young people at Texas A&M will leave for a life of service in the United States military, and I want to talk to them about how it is that we interact – the State Department and the Department of Defense – and how important it is for them to understand that if we do our work well in partnership with them, we’ll have to put fewer lives of our young men and women at risk if diplomacy is successful. But we need a strong military to do it, but we can benefit them enormously. And then I’m going to encourage some of them – we’ll have a young lady who’s a Texas A&M grad who now works for me at the State Department – introduced me today – talking about life as an American diplomat, because while some will choose a life in the military, some of them will want to come work for the team that I am now privileged to get a chance to lead. So with that, I’m happy to take a couple questions. MS MARTIN: Let’s start with NBC. Julie, are you ready to go? QUESTION: Mine is actually more Texas-centric type of question. Your opinion on the policy, the discussion possibly of having migrants live in sanctuary cities? SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, I’m here to talk about foreign policy. You have a question on that, I’m happy to take it. President Trump has made clear we have a crisis at our southern border. He is going to use every lawful tool that he has available to ensure that we can protect American sovereignty, that we can stop – you know this, living here in Texas, you know the challenges of drugs crossing the border, you know the challenges of human trafficking crossing our border. This is truly a crisis. We need Congress to act. We need them to change some fundamental policies, some laws. If we do that, we can successfully make sure that our southern border is secure. That’s President Trump’s mission. When I talk with my counterparts in South America, I talk to them about that some, and I talk with my counterpart Marcelo Ebrard in Mexico about this with some frequency. I’m fully in support of working to make sure that we can control – we know who is coming in and out of the United States of America. It’s an imperative. QUESTION: Thank you. SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you. MS MARTIN: Yes. QUESTION: David Goins of WFAA, ABC in Dallas. Do you feel the concerns expressed from lawmakers in D.C. about the administration’s stance towards Iran is well founded, or do you think the concern is maybe that Iran – the idea that the U.S. can pursue military action without congressional approval? And did anybody you met with today from Dallas or Dallas-based Iranians express that too? SECRETARY POMPEO: Excuse me. No, but the group this morning – we talked mostly about what’s going inside – on inside of Iran. These people have deep connections there, long histories. Many of them had traveled there. Some of them indeed had traveled there very recently. It’s one of the difficult things, is to get a sense of what’s going on in different parts outside of Tehran, and I got some true insights into that, albeit anecdotal, this morning. And then we talked about how our U.S. policy is moving forward there, whether it’s pushing back against Iran in Lebanon or pushing back against Iran in Iraq, helping to build an independent, free, sovereign country. Those were the kinds of things we talked about this morning. And that’s the mission set. The mission set is to help the Iranian people deliver change so that this Islamic Republic of Iran won’t be the world’s largest state sponsor of terror. It’s really that straightforward. MS MARTIN: Kylie. QUESTION: Can I follow-up on that? Mr. Secretary -- SECRETARY POMPEO: Hi, Kylie. QUESTION: Hi. Building off – on that question, last week when you were before Congress a few members asked you specifically about the AUMF and if it authorizes military action against Iran or the IRGC, and your question – you answer was a little bit unclear, saying, “I prefer to just leave that to the lawyers.” So are you and other members of the Trump administration working with lawyers to see if military action against Iran would be possible? Is that something that you guys would want? SECRETARY POMPEO: Kylie, I never talk about inner governmental conversations, especially when they’re with lawyers. QUESTION: Okay. SECRETARY POMPEO: So I don’t have anything I can add there. I’ll make this very clear, very plain though: The United States and President Trump will act lawfully. He’ll act within his authorities. Article 2 gives broad powers, the AUMF gives a set of broad powers, but they are – we understand them. And as we make decisions about how to move forward, we’ll do so in a way that is deeply consistent with American tradition and America’s constitution. QUESTION: Just to -- MS MARTIN: Dallas Morning News, do you have one? QUESTION: Sure. You just came back from discussing Venezuela. We have a growing population of Venezuelan expatriates here in Texas. Is there any pressure from the opposition groups in Venezuela to maybe extend TPS to the Venezuelans here or do anything for the ones who are – they kind of – it’s been a mix of people now leaving Venezuela the past few years. Is there any pressure on the U.S. Government from them to do something for the people already here? SECRETARY POMPEO: The opposition groups are very focused on one thing: Making sure that Nicolas Maduro doesn’t continue to wreak enormous havoc. I was there yesterday. I saw the human suffering that is taking place – thousands of people crossing from Venezuela. Now it’s a million-five in Colombia and three quarters of a million in Peru. These people are suffering tremendously. They – literally, they’re coming across the border to try and work a job, make a couple of dollars, buy some diapers and some food for their baby so that they can eat every other day, every other day. This is the Maduro regime’s legacy and it needs to end. That’s what the opposition forces are focused on. That’s what I hear them talk about when we communicate with them. MS MARTIN: Shaun with Fox 4. QUESTION: Okay, thank you. Can we talk about North Korea for a minute, sir? SECRETARY POMPEO: Sure. Yes, sir. QUESTION: And the idea that Kim Jong-un suggests there could be a third summit if we are willing to change our approach in some ways. Can you speak to that? Should we change anything at this point? SECRETARY POMPEO: I saw his statement. I appreciate that. There are lots of conversations taking place. I saw Chairman Kim’s statement. President Trump is determined to move forward diplomatically, right. This is the outcome we’re looking for: Chairman Kim made a promise in June of last year in Singapore. He made a commitment to denuclearize. He’s made that same commitment to me now a handful of times in person. We collectively need to see that outcome move forward. And we’re working – our teams are working with the North Koreans to plot a – to chart a path forward so that we can get there. He said he wanted it done by the end of the year. I’d love to see that done sooner. MS MARTIN: Perfect. And we have time for one more. QUESTION: I have a question about – you said you had a meeting with the governments in El Salvador, Guatemala. What message can you send to those governments to convince people who are coming to the border – these people who are coming to the border now, they know what to expect when they get to the border, but they still think that’s better than what they’ve got, so what work can be done with the governments in Central America to change that? SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah. Look, you grow an economy with the rule of law, property rights, independent judiciaries, no corruption, right? This is core economic philosophy. We need those countries to begin to build out that infrastructure. America’s been trying to support them in that for years and years and years. Indeed, you all, the American taxpayers have provided hundreds of millions of dollars to those countries to assist in that, and yet, you see today on the southern border right here in the state of Texas, you see that it has not yet been successful. The conversation we’re having is about how can we do that, how can we assist them in building out their capacity and create a situation where people won’t want to take this trek. You all know this. You see the human trafficking that takes place when these families move through Mexico. You see the transnational criminal organizations prey on Guatemalans, El Salvadorans, and Hondurans as they move north through Mexico. We’re working with each of the Northern Triangle countries to implore them to use their capacity to demonstrate the will to stop these people from making this trek. And we’re communicating with people in those countries, too, telling them that coming to the United States is not the right answer. MS MARTIN: Perfect. Thanks all, appreciate it. SECRETARY POMPEO: Great. Thank you all. 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: Remarks at Texas A&M Wiley Lecture Series 04/15/2019 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: Remarks at Texas A&M Wiley Lecture Series 04/15/2019 09:54 PM EDT Remarks Michael R. Pompeo Texas A&M University College Station, Texas April 15, 2019 SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. And thank you, Jerica, for that kind introduction. Now, as the Secretary of State, we do diplomacy, which means you have to get the protocol right. So, howdy.AUDIENCE: Howdy. SECRETARY POMPEO: It’s great to be in Texas, one of the greatest countries in the world. (Laughter and applause.) Yeah, I just came back from South America, now Texas, and I’ll return to the United States in the morning, yes. (Laughter.) Seeing you all here reminds me of a George Patton quote. He said, “Give me an Army of West Point graduates and I’ll win a battle. But if you give me a handful of Texas Aggies, I’ll win a war.” (Cheers.) That’s tough to take from a West Point graduate. (Laughter). Look, I understand that this institution has sent more of its graduates into the military than any other university other than our military academies. It’s because you all are tough, you’re committed, and you want to serve. You should be proud of that, and I love it. And it’s why I really wanted to be here today. I want to thank, too – I want to thank the Wiley family for making this series possible. Like Jessica[1] said, everyone here – Cadets, Bush school students, anyone looking to give back to America – should consider potentially one day working for the United States Department of State. Now, I know, I get it, diplomacy doesn’t sound as thrilling as firing anti-tank weapons, flying F-16s, crawling through mud. There’s no “Top Gun” version of the State Department. Instead we get “Madame Secretary.” No offense to Tea Leoni, those of you who are her fans. But there’s a good reason that many former military officers end up working as diplomats serving our country. It’s because the work that we do is important for our soldiers, the soldiers need us, and we need them. Neither diplomacy nor the military can succeed at delivering for presidents and for our country without the other. And I’m not the first guy to figure this out. In 1946, President Truman was traveling. President Truman was traveling with Winston Churchill to Missouri, where Churchill would deliver his famous “Iron Curtain” speech. He delivered it there at Westminster at a local college. On the train, Truman showed Churchill a recent re-design of the presidential seal. The eagle’s head was turned to the right, so it faced the talons holding olive branches. Now, that represented diplomacy. But rather than having the eagle turn to face the arrows, which represented war, Churchill pondered for a moment and he said, “I think the head should be on a swivel, back and forth.” In other words: Diplomacy and military strength go hand in hand. They are indeed intimately related. Each relies on the other. I saw this as a young Army captain way back in the 1980s, when I patrolled that very Iron Curtain that Churchill spoke about. I had the incredible privilege, along with my fellow soldiers, we were there to deter the Soviets and indeed prepare this country for the worst. But ultimately, it wasn’t our tanks that delivered that victory. It was diplomacy, backed by the credible threat of force that we had projected. Aggies have a long history in the military. But you also have a long history serving America’s diplomatic mission at the State Department, and I’d love that to continue. If you join us, if you work, it will make a difference in the life of every American. Now, I’m going to speak just for a couple more minutes because I want plenty of time to take your questions. But before I do, I want to talk briefly about three aspects of my life, of the State Department’s work. First, it’s an incredible element of promoting national security. As they did during the Cold War, diplomats build relationships to ensure that disagreements never boil over into military conflict. Take Jerica, you just heard from, and her team. They’re talking to Mexican authorities to alleviate migrant crisis and to secure our border. Her colleagues are confronting the opioid crisis by encouraging partners to cut off the drug flows, that fentanyl that comes in the United States and wreaks so much destruction. Just a few months ago, we saw the announcement that China made that they would do their part to deny fentanyl access to our country. It was State Department’s diplomats who sealed that deal. And farther from home, State has helped grow the ranks of the Defeat-ISIS coalition, an enormous victory. We’ve seized back 100 percent of the caliphate, liberating millions of Syrians. American diplomats were at the center of creating that coalition and reducing threats to our citizens. Just this morning, I spoke with our ambassador, who is working to bring peace in Afghanistan. There’s another graduate of this fine institution, a young lady named Melissa. She is supporting our work there to broker peace between the Taliban and the Afghan Government. We’re trying to end the longest war in United States history and save the lives of Afghans and American soldiers alike. Or take a man named Steve Biegun, a truly remarkable fellow. He’s one of my special reps. He’s working on the North Korea file. His team has gotten an international coalition together to put the toughest sanctions in history on Chairman Kim Jong-un and his country. But Steve’s work is also important in that we are keeping the door open, working to achieve a diplomatic outcome where North Korea will be denuclearized in a way that brings peace to the peninsula. Steve and our team have gotten enormous results. I was privileged to be in North Korea where Kim Dong Chul, Kim Hak Song, and Tony Kim were able to climb on an American airplane and return home from their – to their families from being held hostage in that country, a remarkable diplomatic achievement. Indeed, I’ll never forget the moment, the very moment when they met their families on the tarmac. President Trump was there to greet them too, and I was thinking that morning – it was 3:00 a.m. Washington D.C. time – about the amazing work that our team had done not just that day, but in the weeks and months before that. Absent that great work, absent the work of people like you who decided to join the Department of State, they might well still be held in the hands of the North Koreans. The second thing we do every day at the State Department people don’t truly see directly: We make sure that our diplomacy impacts the American people by strengthening the United States economy. The truth is we have to compete in a global economy. The United States businesses need access to markets all across the world. President Trump is determined to open those markets for our products. That’s certainly true of companies and businesses here in Texas where exports benefit your economy to the tune of $260 billion a year. It supports more than 900,000 Texas jobs. And we help. We help by supporting these economic opportunities through our diplomats. We work to open these markets where there are some 1,600 economic officers stationed all across the world. We try to take down barriers. We try to make the case for American companies and why they can deliver true value to nations all across the world. Indeed, it’s the case that there is seldom an engagement – I was in South America just before coming here today. Not a single one of my conversations – not in Chile, not in Peru or Paraguay or in Colombia did we miss the opportunity to make sure they understood that America was there prepared to help create value for their countries as well. You’ve seen it in the work we’ve done to renegotiate the North American Free Trade Agreement. But you should know it’s more than just commerce. There’s a strategic element to this too. In Houston last month, I spoke to a group to talk about how energy impacts each and every one of us, how there is a national security component to America’s capacity to deliver energy all around the world. We watch as a pipeline is being built in Europe, which will tether Germany to Russia in a way that is not good for German security or the security of the United States of America. The work that’s being done here in Texas and Kansas and Oklahoma, all of the energy fields and in North Dakota – if done well, can work with our diplomacy to deliver true security not only to America, but to Europe as well. And you should know Aggies are also helping State create a program to transport excess natural gas from right here in Texas to the Dominican Republic, so it can be sold throughout the Caribbean. We want to make sure the lights are on for your next spring break. (Laughter.) We’ve got another team, a team that’s working to warn our friends and partners against buying Chinese 5G technology and build out their infrastructure with Chinese equipment. These are companies like Huawei, which will take your private information and transfer it to the Chinese Government. It makes no sense. And American diplomats are at the forefront of sharing this information with the world. None of us want our privacy, our freedom falling into the hands of the Chinese Communist Party. The final thing before I close: The State Department helps with our American diplomats promoting and protecting our values – indeed, our very way of life. The U.S. is the global standard-bearer for democracy, for freedom, for liberty, and for human rights as well. If we don’t speak up, no one else will. A few months back, the United States made the decision to leave the United Nations Human Rights Council. We did so because it had become under the control of authoritarians and dictators, people that didn’t really care about human rights. We made the decision to move our embassy to Jerusalem, recognizing facts on the ground. And our diplomats are even, as we speak, all across the world promoting American values and human rights all across the globe. We’re working on various missions, including making sure that the nature of Chinese Orwellian systems, particularly their clampdown on people of faith, are impacting us right here at home. I recently had the privilege to meet with a group of Uighur Muslims that came to my office. They talked about the systemic imprisonment, they talked about oppression, and even torture happening in parts of China today. This cannot be allowed to stand. We’re exerting maximum pressure to change the very nature of the Islamic Republic of Iran to make sure that that regime simply behaves like a normal country and does not spread terror throughout the world. Today as we stand here, Iran is engaged in conducting an assassination campaign throughout Europe. Our diplomats are working to push back against them so this will stop. And my most recent trip was part of the effort that’s being led by the Organization of American States and the Lima Group as we work to restore human rights and democracy in Venezuela. I know that we will ultimately be successful and that Mr. Maduro will leave that country. Our diplomats also go on offense to promote American values, in part simply by building and maintaining a set of relationships that are centrally important to our country. These deep friendships matter as time moves on. Jerica mentioned some of the work that she does with the youth in Ciudad Juarez. That’s a long-term investment in our relationship with our partners to the south in Mexico. We trust that the young people that she’s working with will come to understand America, that they will come to understand how much we care about them. And when it’s their time to lead, they will become good partners for our great nation. We do something different on a truly national scale as well with foreign aid. We provide assistance to countries like no other country in the world. Our goal is often to turn struggling nations into strong, long-term partners, democratic partners for the United States. And in times of crisis, when we’ve offered a hand, I can tell you that people like Melissa, the former Aggie stationed there in Afghanistan today, will benefit from the American aid which we’ve provided to that country. About four years ago Melissa was in a tour in Nepal when a devastating earthquake hit that country, killing nearly 9,000 people. She said it was one of her proudest moments as an American diplomat. She watched as the embassy rallied to the people’s side, allowing those in need to come seek services at our embassy, to shower and to seek food and shelter at the American embassy. For her next tour, she went to Kabul. And just moments after she landed, another earthquake. Everyone in the airport thought it was an explosion, but she knew. She’d been through this before. She next traveled to Mexico City. The year was 2017. You’ll all remember it was one of the most devastating earthquakes to hit the Mexican – Mexico City in decades. And Melissa saw the great work that the embassy did to make sure that the people of Mexico City got back on their feet. I made sure that Melissa did not come to visit with us today. (Laughter.) She will tell you that as a diplomat, there was nothing more rewarding than watching American excellence, American graciousness, American resources in power, to meet and help people in times of adversity. This is the life of an American diplomat, and a noble undertaking, and one of true public service. There is a story. It’s about President Reagan’s secretary of state, Secretary George Shultz. He understood diplomacy. He would meet with our ambassadors as they went to the field. He would ask every ambassador who came by his office just before they went out for their first assignment – he would give them a pop quiz. He would take them over to the side of his room, he would point them to a globe, and he would ask them – he would say, “Now that you’ve been confirmed by the Senate, point to the country that you now represent.” And they’d all fail, because they’d point to the country which they were leaving. Indeed, the correct place to point for every one of our diplomats is their service to the United States of America. Secretary of State Shultz knew that, President Reagan knows that, President Trump and I know that too. I know that you all have a tremendous sense of duty, a tremendous sense of service. I hope that today you can see that America’s State Department is committed to living up to those standards. And if our mission appeals to you after your time serving elsewhere, we would love to have you come be part of our team. Thank you all for letting me be here today. Thank you for allowing me to be with you. Good luck, God bless you, and I look forward to taking your questions. Thank you. (Applause.) MR PETROFF: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Well, welcome to Aggieland. SECRETARY POMPEO: It’s great to be here. MR PETROFF: I wanted to start first by asking about – if there are some young people in the crowd that really did hear that call to serve, what are the steps they should take in order to join the State Department and make a difference in the world? SECRETARY POMPEO: Talk to the team standing right in the back on your way out. We’ll sign you up. (Laughter.) So there’s lots of different ways to serve at the State Department. We have folks from all different backgrounds – engineers, event planners, speechwriting teams, all the skills that the Lord gives different people. You can go take a look on our website, and then for those who want to make a career working in the Foreign Service, study hard and prepare for the Foreign Service exam, and then the process is pretty straightforward from there. MR PETROFF: Okay, great. As we sort of look towards the future, what does – how does the State Department meet the technological challenges that the 21st century presents? SECRETARY POMPEO: So there’s two things as we look forward that I think are absolutely paramount. As Jerica said, I’m now two weeks short of being Secretary of State for one full year. There’s two things, as I stare at the State Department to make sure that we’re ready for the 21st century. One of them is what you identified. We need the capacity to move at the speed of our adversaries. They move quickly. Whether that’s al-Qaida or ISIS or the Russians or the Cubans, they make decisions quickly. They – none of those are democracies, with all the process that’s attached to that. And I wouldn’t trade it for the world, don’t make – don’t confuse. But we have to make sure that American diplomacy can move at that speed. There’s an information component to that, there’s a technology component to that, and there’s places that we have real work to do. The second thing we need – and by the way, that space, that information management space, we saw this with the Russian efforts to impact our elections. We see this in the information space in Iran today. That information space is an incredibly important component of being able to deliver the American message around the world in ways that it wasn’t 20 or 30 years ago. The capacity for cheap, simple information readily available on your handset is different and presents a different information challenge for us. And we need to make sure that we’re sitting there right on people’s handset sharing the American message in the same way that our adversaries want to share in those countries as well. The second piece is cultural, inside an institution. I have run a tank platoon. I was an executive officer in a cavalry troop. I ran two small businesses then was the director of the CIA, and now I am running the State Department. Every organization has to have an ethos, a central mission set that is clearly understood so that every single officer of the State Department understands the commander’s intent. And so we’re working to build out life-cycle training programs and making sure that the ethos of the 21st century diplomat, the commitments that I spoke about in my remarks, are at the forefront of every officer’s mind. So when you get to a place and you get to a time when there is a decision to be made, and perhaps the guidance isn’t detailed sufficiently, you’ll have the principles, you’ll have the core understanding of what it is the expectations are for American diplomats, and you’ll make a really good decision. I’m confident that we’re in a good place there, but there’s always more that can be done. MR PETROFF: Great. Our campus is so excited to welcome you here today, and in the leadup to today we gave the community the opportunity to submit some questions. And Wiley has gathered some of those great submissions, and so now I’d like to turn to our audience for some more questions. Can you please stand? QUESTION: Howdy. SECRETARY POMPEO: Hi. (Laughter.) Howdy. Get it right. I got it. (Applause.) QUESTION: Good job. Good job. SECRETARY POMPEO: I’m from Kansas. I can – (laughter). QUESTION: So my name is Riley Ferrell (ph). I’m a sophomore here, and I have a question for you. Here at Texas A&M we have a very strong tie to the military, which is very similar to your alum, West Point. How has this exposure to military culture when you were younger shaped your perceptions of diplomacy? SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, that is a fantastic question. You do have that same culture here for sure. Throughout the whole institution, the commitment to duty and service permeates this institution in the same way it did the place that I did my undergraduate time. I will tell you the other thing that I really took away from my time as a young officer in the military that I think is of enormous value in my current role, and I ask all of our diplomats to do this, which is to listen. I remember – I’ve told this story before – there’s an E7 named Sgt. 1st Class Petry, who, when I was a young second lieutenant, I went to my first assignment. I got out of what was an MI51 Jeep. Very few of you would remember these. And I climbed out and I walked over to him, and I had my gold bar and I’d been commissioned for all of, I don’t know, 90 days or 120 days. And I walked up to Sgt. Petry, and he saluted and said, “Young man, y ... [Message clipped]  View entire message ReplyForward