WEBVTT 00:01.007 --> 00:02.412 - Happy Wednesday. 00:02.412 --> 00:03.713 - [Voiceover] Yes. 00:03.713 --> 00:04.607 - It is Wednesday, right? 00:04.607 --> 00:07.107 - [Voiceover] It’s happy, too. 00:09.100 --> 00:10.767 - Yes, I’ve, anyway. 00:13.302 --> 00:15.543 Welcome to the State Department. 00:15.543 --> 00:17.540 I don’t have anything at the top, so Brad? 00:17.540 --> 00:20.640 - Could we start off, yesterday you said 00:20.640 --> 00:22.637 that the call between the Secretary 00:22.637 --> 00:24.699 and the Russian foreign minister 00:24.699 --> 00:26.288 had just briefly ended 00:26.288 --> 00:27.472 and you didn’t have a full readout. 00:27.472 --> 00:30.972 Do you have a more complete readout today? 00:32.290 --> 00:35.873 - I mean, I guess, thanks for the question. 00:37.062 --> 00:39.291 So the call did take place yesterday. 00:39.291 --> 00:42.874 I mean, the focus was on, not surprisingly, 00:45.340 --> 00:49.507 how do we get past the current challenges in our efforts 00:55.661 --> 00:57.744 with Russia to coordinate 00:59.980 --> 01:02.897 on a credible nationwide ceasefire, 01:04.461 --> 01:06.667 access to humanitarian assistance, 01:06.667 --> 01:09.895 and getting the Geneva talks back up and running. 01:09.895 --> 01:13.680 So we’ve been very clear about not getting too much into 01:13.680 --> 01:16.048 the details of what those remaining challenges are. 01:16.048 --> 01:19.631 The Secretary has addressed this before in, 01:19.845 --> 01:22.178 as have we, myself and John. 01:23.966 --> 01:28.133 But that was really the focus of the conversation was 01:29.262 --> 01:31.063 we continue to talk with Russia, 01:31.063 --> 01:32.967 we continue to work through some of the issues 01:32.967 --> 01:35.092 that we have, some of our concerns. 01:35.092 --> 01:36.459 And indeed, they have concerns as well 01:36.459 --> 01:38.959 that they can speak to or not. 01:39.315 --> 01:40.987 But that was the focus of the conversation. 01:40.987 --> 01:43.878 - Yesterday you guys were a bit befuddled by the-- 01:43.878 --> 01:44.711 - [Voiceover] A bit? 01:44.711 --> 01:45.544 - Befuddled. 01:45.544 --> 01:46.377 - [Voiceover] Befuddled. 01:46.377 --> 01:48.832 - Confused by the Russian decision 01:48.832 --> 01:52.165 to start undertaking missions from Iran. 01:53.070 --> 01:56.737 Did you get clarity from that telephone call 01:57.969 --> 02:00.953 with Foreign Minister Lavrov about the intent 02:00.953 --> 02:02.660 and the purpose of these missions? 02:02.660 --> 02:03.667 - Well, I mean, sorry, 02:03.667 --> 02:05.538 I didn’t mean cut you off there. 02:05.538 --> 02:07.825 I think, I mean, it was raised. 02:07.825 --> 02:09.776 I’m not going to necessarily get into the details 02:09.776 --> 02:13.609 of what Foreign Minister Lavrov said about it. 02:15.859 --> 02:19.442 But you’ve seen public remarks by Russia as 02:20.875 --> 02:24.042 to why they’re pursuing this agreement 02:24.219 --> 02:26.719 or this arrangement with Iran. 02:26.866 --> 02:29.949 Yesterday we said, we’re looking for, 02:30.418 --> 02:32.009 or we’re looking at it, 02:32.009 --> 02:32.984 we’re trying to get a better assessment 02:32.984 --> 02:34.459 of what’s going on. 02:34.459 --> 02:35.887 But I stand by what I said yesterday, 02:35.887 --> 02:38.580 which is that fundamentally this isn’t helpful. 02:38.580 --> 02:41.761 And it’s not helpful because it continues 02:41.761 --> 02:44.374 to complicate what is already a very dangerous situation 02:44.374 --> 02:45.511 in and around Aleppo when 02:45.511 --> 02:49.511 you have Russia using Iranian air bases as a way 02:52.280 --> 02:55.613 to carry out more intensive bombing runs 02:57.539 --> 03:01.706 that are hitting, continue to hit, civilian populations. 03:02.195 --> 03:05.362 And so our concerns remain very vivid, 03:07.164 --> 03:10.331 and we’re trying to remain focused on, 03:15.244 --> 03:16.510 specifically with Aleppo, 03:16.510 --> 03:18.379 but on a broader scale trying 03:18.379 --> 03:21.546 to get a cessation of hostilities back 03:22.791 --> 03:26.458 in place in Syria, and this doesn’t help it. 03:27.191 --> 03:30.191 But more broadly, Brad, this is not, 03:34.981 --> 03:36.816 we understand the importance and the significance 03:36.816 --> 03:39.382 of them using Iranian air bases. 03:39.382 --> 03:41.913 But Iran, or rather, Russia has been doing 03:41.913 --> 03:45.163 this kind of, or have been carrying out 03:45.663 --> 03:47.985 these kinds of airstrikes for months now. 03:47.985 --> 03:50.597 So that element of it is not new. 03:50.597 --> 03:52.478 The fact of the matter is it’s only exacerbating 03:52.478 --> 03:55.171 what is already a very dangerous situation. 03:55.171 --> 03:58.921 - Foreign Minister Lavrov spoke directly to you, 03:58.921 --> 04:01.171 Mr. Deputy Spokesman Toner, 04:02.369 --> 04:06.536 about your comment yesterday that this use of Iranian, 04:07.344 --> 04:10.246 of an Iranian air base may have violated 04:10.246 --> 04:11.496 the UNSCR 2231. 04:12.812 --> 04:14.562 What is your view now 04:14.728 --> 04:17.868 that you guys have had another day of assessment? 04:17.868 --> 04:19.354 - Well, let me first just qualify by 04:19.354 --> 04:22.616 it’s not my view. We have lawyers who are looking at it 04:22.616 --> 04:25.943 and trying to assess it, and they continue to do so. 04:25.943 --> 04:28.694 I don’t have a definitive assessment. 04:28.694 --> 04:30.447 I think they’re looking at it. 04:30.447 --> 04:34.530 But regardless, just to focus on process, I mean, 04:36.789 --> 04:40.220 for the Security Council to determine whether an action 04:40.220 --> 04:44.387 is a violation of one of its sanctions, it would need to, 04:45.804 --> 04:48.695 I think, agree to some kind of language determining that 04:48.695 --> 04:50.402 a violation has occurred. 04:50.402 --> 04:53.152 And all of, any of that language, 04:54.848 --> 04:57.913 Russia would have a chance to make its case that it’s not. 04:57.913 --> 05:00.723 I mean, we know how the Security Council works. 05:00.723 --> 05:01.974 So regardless of 05:01.974 --> 05:03.321 whether we or other members of 05:03.321 --> 05:06.827 the Security Council, the Permanent Five members, 05:06.827 --> 05:10.496 raise concerns or raise concerns that this might be 05:10.496 --> 05:13.398 a violation, Russia will have ample opportunity 05:13.398 --> 05:14.907 to make its case that it’s not. 05:14.907 --> 05:17.438 - That has no bearing on whether you consider it a-- 05:17.438 --> 05:18.332 - [Toner] Agree, agree. 05:18.332 --> 05:19.673 - When there’s been many cases 05:19.673 --> 05:21.472 with only at Iran with ballistic missiles, 05:21.472 --> 05:23.295 where you insist that it is your view 05:23.295 --> 05:24.561 that it is a violation. 05:24.561 --> 05:26.232 - [Toner] I agree. I’m just saying that-- 05:26.232 --> 05:27.235 - In this case, do you view it as a-- 05:27.235 --> 05:28.826 - We just haven’t reached that assessment yet. 05:28.826 --> 05:29.836 - [Brad] Okay, I just have one or two more on this. 05:29.836 --> 05:30.743 - Yeah, sure, go ahead, Brad. 05:30.743 --> 05:31.660 - On Syria. 05:32.191 --> 05:34.026 The secretary-general of the UN warned 05:34.026 --> 05:37.044 that Aleppo could become a catastrophe. 05:37.044 --> 05:39.691 I think he’s used this language a lot of times before, 05:39.691 --> 05:43.442 but regardless, he called specifically on the U.S. 05:43.442 --> 05:47.609 and Russia to agree on the ceasefire as soon as possible. 05:49.154 --> 05:50.291 What’s the holdup? 05:50.291 --> 05:52.300 - Well, we want to get there, 05:52.300 --> 05:56.467 but that doesn’t mean conceding to a bad arrangement. 05:59.115 --> 06:02.575 We have certain issues that we want resolved 06:02.575 --> 06:04.247 before we can enter into that kind 06:04.247 --> 06:07.265 of coordination mechanism with Russia. 06:07.265 --> 06:08.693 We’ve been very clear about that. 06:08.693 --> 06:11.747 We believe we can get there and we continue to work at it. 06:11.747 --> 06:15.914 But to speak to the UN secretary-general’s comments, 06:17.819 --> 06:21.151 you’re right, he said it before and we’ve said it before, 06:21.151 --> 06:25.075 we need full humanitarian access immediately, yesterday, 06:25.075 --> 06:28.871 two days ago, a week ago, and we don’t have it. 06:28.871 --> 06:31.890 What we have seen are half-steps and half-measures 06:31.890 --> 06:35.140 by Russia, opening three-hour corridors 06:35.280 --> 06:38.090 or three-hour windows where humanitarian assistance can 06:38.090 --> 06:42.257 be delivered that frankly the UN has said doesn’t work. 06:43.883 --> 06:48.050 So we are equally alarmed by the worsening situation 06:48.051 --> 06:51.634 in Aleppo, I don’t think anybody cannot be. 06:51.813 --> 06:54.262 And we need to and we want to get to a place 06:54.262 --> 06:58.429 where we can get the violence in and around Aleppo to cease. 06:58.860 --> 07:00.413 - My very last one. 07:00.413 --> 07:03.396 Are you open to a ceasefire with Russia 07:03.396 --> 07:05.347 that doesn’t include all this stuff 07:05.347 --> 07:09.514 about military coordination, military partnership? 07:10.246 --> 07:12.487 MR TONER: Well, that’s a -- 07:12.487 --> 07:13.320 - [Brad] People will die 07:13.320 --> 07:14.806 in the meantime if you keep negotiating. 07:14.806 --> 07:15.791 - No, I understand what you’re saying. 07:15.791 --> 07:16.638 I think I understand what you’re saying. 07:16.638 --> 07:19.494 I think, I mean we’ve done this before where we’ve looked 07:19.494 --> 07:23.192 at pauses or whatever, however they’re referred 07:23.192 --> 07:25.648 to or characterized as. I think that’s always on 07:25.648 --> 07:27.552 the table if we can get some kind 07:27.552 --> 07:31.719 of preliminary pause before we reach a broader agreement 07:36.457 --> 07:39.348 or a way forward on coordinating, of course, 07:39.348 --> 07:40.765 we’d pursue that. 07:40.891 --> 07:42.493 - [Voiceover] Mark, just a quick follow-up on this. 07:42.493 --> 07:44.160 - I’ll get you next. 07:44.581 --> 07:48.748 - [Voiceover] How is this bombardment from the base 07:49.624 --> 07:51.457 in Iran violates 2231? 07:52.317 --> 07:53.304 How does it violate it? 07:53.304 --> 07:54.471 In what sense? 07:55.428 --> 07:57.007 - Well, again, I don’t want to get into -- 07:57.007 --> 07:58.209 - My understanding is 07:58.209 --> 08:00.333 that involves deliveries of arms 08:00.333 --> 08:02.833 to Iran, or weapons and so on. 08:04.408 --> 08:06.614 - mean, it’s a bit more nuanced 08:06.614 --> 08:08.292 and complicated than that. 08:08.292 --> 08:10.045 And I understand your, you know, 08:10.045 --> 08:11.102 I don’t have the language in front of me, 08:11.102 --> 08:13.064 but it’s a bit more nuanced and complicated. 08:13.064 --> 08:17.231 It involves sometimes allowing certain weaponry or 08:21.145 --> 08:23.562 to be used or housed in Iran. 08:25.951 --> 08:27.948 Again, I don’t have the language in front of me, 08:27.948 --> 08:30.851 but it’s very nuanced and it’s very complex, 08:30.851 --> 08:32.882 which is why I just told Brad we’re looking at it, 08:32.882 --> 08:34.357 we’re assessing it, and we’re assessing whether 08:34.357 --> 08:35.940 this would constitute a violation. 08:35.940 --> 08:38.133 And if we do so, then there’s a process 08:38.133 --> 08:39.190 in place that we would take it 08:39.190 --> 08:41.268 to the UN Security Council, and then 08:41.268 --> 08:44.577 that process would play itself out where every member of 08:44.577 --> 08:47.352 the UN Security Council would be able to weigh in 08:47.352 --> 08:48.907 whether they agree with that or not. 08:48.907 --> 08:50.045 So we’re just not there yet. 08:50.045 --> 08:53.064 - But as long as it is not in Iranian hands 08:53.064 --> 08:57.231 or Iranian possession, it is not a violation, is it? 08:58.323 --> 09:00.367 - I’m sorry, one more time the question? 09:00.367 --> 09:02.317 - My question is, as long as 09:02.317 --> 09:05.545 the Russians obviously control all these airplanes 09:05.545 --> 09:08.598 and they probably control the area from which they bomb 09:08.598 --> 09:12.681 and so on, as long as it is not in Iranian hands, 09:12.917 --> 09:13.750 is it a violation? 09:13.750 --> 09:14.763 I’m trying to understand. 09:14.763 --> 09:16.110 - Yeah, no, and I agree. 09:16.110 --> 09:19.128 As I said, I just don’t have, I think that’s 09:19.128 --> 09:21.090 what we’re looking at right now and our lawyers 09:21.090 --> 09:22.228 are looking at it. 09:22.228 --> 09:23.610 We haven’t made an assessment. 09:23.610 --> 09:25.277 We’re looking at it. 09:25.897 --> 09:30.064 And it does require a very detailed legal analysis 09:33.757 --> 09:35.069 whether there was a violation. 09:35.069 --> 09:37.960 And again, it’s not just, as I understand it, 09:37.960 --> 09:42.127 it’s not just supplying the Iranians certain weapons 09:42.360 --> 09:44.531 or certain offensive weaponry. 09:44.531 --> 09:47.596 It’s more complex than that, whether you’re using it, 09:47.596 --> 09:48.429 I can get you the language. 09:48.429 --> 09:50.960 I mean, you have it in front of you, no doubt, but. 09:50.960 --> 09:52.225 - And my last question is, why do you think, 09:52.225 --> 09:56.219 in your view or your assessment, why do the Russians, 09:56.219 --> 09:59.772 why are they using an Iranian base when, in fact, 09:59.772 --> 10:03.855 they have Khmeimim that is housing many airplanes 10:04.985 --> 10:06.285 and they can bomb from there? 10:06.285 --> 10:08.038 Is there a political message, 10:08.038 --> 10:09.512 really a solidification of this, 10:09.512 --> 10:10.345 - [Toner] No, and there’s – sure. 10:10.345 --> 10:12.517 - Iranian-Russian alliance? 10:12.517 --> 10:14.386 - The short answer, Said, is I don’t know 10:14.386 --> 10:15.886 and we don’t know. 10:16.464 --> 10:20.631 That we’ve seen Russian politicians and officials say 10:20.748 --> 10:22.954 that this is part of a cost-saving measure that allows 10:22.954 --> 10:25.787 them to move closer to the attack. 10:27.145 --> 10:27.978 That’s really for them 10:27.978 --> 10:32.145 to try to characterize what their intentions are here. 10:32.272 --> 10:35.553 Again, I would just go back to what I said in response 10:35.553 --> 10:37.136 to Brad’s question. 10:37.178 --> 10:38.011 The Russians have been using 10:38.011 --> 10:40.882 their bases in Syria to carry out similar attacks 10:40.882 --> 10:42.132 for months now. 10:44.760 --> 10:48.843 And so while I don’t want to in any way underplay 10:51.645 --> 10:55.069 the significance of them using Iranian air bases as 10:55.069 --> 10:57.856 they are, I would just, I think it’s important 10:57.856 --> 11:00.747 to remember that they’ve been carrying out similar 11:00.747 --> 11:04.914 airstrikes that have purported to target Daesh and ISIL, 11:06.819 --> 11:08.212 but in a large number 11:08.212 --> 11:12.379 of cases hit indiscriminately civilian targets, civilian, 11:15.596 --> 11:17.793 civilians themselves, as well as, 11:17.793 --> 11:18.762 we talked about yesterday, 11:18.762 --> 11:20.887 moderate Syrian opposition groups, 11:20.887 --> 11:23.163 all of which only complicates and exacerbates 11:23.163 --> 11:25.663 an already difficult situation 11:26.065 --> 11:28.747 and leaves us nowhere closer to what we need 11:28.747 --> 11:30.779 to get in place in Syria. 11:30.779 --> 11:32.193 - [Voiceover] On this question? 11:32.193 --> 11:33.052 - I’ll get to you. 11:33.052 --> 11:34.271 - [Voiceover] I have one quick one on that. 11:34.271 --> 11:35.339 - [Voiceover] Just following up on-- 11:35.339 --> 11:36.172 - Get it out of the way then. 11:36.172 --> 11:37.005 (laughing) 11:37.005 --> 11:38.718 - What Brad was asking yesterday 11:38.718 --> 11:41.864 is have you considered any further how 11:41.864 --> 11:43.768 this arrangement, Russian arrangement 11:43.768 --> 11:47.123 with Iran will affect any potential military cooperation 11:47.123 --> 11:48.123 with Russia? 11:48.876 --> 11:51.152 I mean, is this something you can truly engage 11:51.152 --> 11:54.819 in if they are in fact cooperating with Iran 11:54.867 --> 11:55.746 at such a level? 11:55.746 --> 11:58.637 - Well, I mean, again, I would just pivot back 11:58.637 --> 12:01.720 to what I said before, which is that, 12:05.487 --> 12:08.169 so Russia and Iran are both members of the ISSG, 12:08.169 --> 12:10.294 this International Syria Support Group. 12:10.294 --> 12:12.790 They’re also, and it’s no surprise to anyone, 12:12.790 --> 12:14.543 we’ve all known that they’ve been longtime supporters 12:14.543 --> 12:16.543 of Assad and the regime. 12:16.958 --> 12:20.092 Heck, Iran’s been active on the ground, troops on 12:20.092 --> 12:24.259 the ground, in Iran, in Syria, rather, for a long time. 12:25.886 --> 12:27.964 So again, I don’t want to-- 12:27.964 --> 12:29.021 - [Voiceover] So for all those reasons, 12:29.021 --> 12:31.734 why would you cooperate with Russia militarily? 12:31.734 --> 12:33.197 - Well, I think, again, part of 12:33.197 --> 12:36.355 the operating assumption with the ISSG is 12:36.355 --> 12:40.522 that you bring all the quote/unquote “stakeholders” 12:42.264 --> 12:46.258 with regard to Syria in the same room and you try 12:46.258 --> 12:48.464 to reach a consensus on a way forward. 12:48.464 --> 12:51.964 Everyone who has signed up to the ISSG has 12:52.249 --> 12:56.249 at least claimed to support a political solution 12:56.649 --> 13:00.472 and a peaceful solution to the conflict in Syria. 13:00.472 --> 13:01.992 Now, many of the countries who sit on 13:01.992 --> 13:06.159 the ISSG have their own motives and their own positions 13:10.154 --> 13:12.709 on the way to get there, but that’s part of 13:12.709 --> 13:14.543 what we’re trying to do here through diplomacy 13:14.543 --> 13:17.155 is reach consensus and then move forward with that. 13:17.155 --> 13:18.096 That’s all we can do right now, 13:18.096 --> 13:20.034 that’s the mechanism we have in front of us. 13:20.034 --> 13:22.647 And so ultimately, and we’ve talked about this, 13:22.647 --> 13:26.814 if Iran and Russia continually prove, or continually, 13:27.760 --> 13:31.510 continue, rather, to disregard those efforts, 13:32.608 --> 13:33.548 then I think at some point we have 13:33.548 --> 13:34.849 to reach a different assessment. 13:34.849 --> 13:36.602 But at this point we’re not ready to go there yet. 13:36.602 --> 13:38.435 - Mark, on this issue. 13:39.261 --> 13:42.848 Russian military spokesperson has said today, 13:42.848 --> 13:45.298 or has asked the State Department to check the content 13:45.298 --> 13:47.131 of UN Resolution 2231. 13:47.840 --> 13:51.091 And he said, “We suggest the representative of 13:51.091 --> 13:54.156 "the representatives of the State Department get out 13:54.156 --> 13:56.803 "their pencils and trace the lines on the map 13:56.803 --> 13:59.218 "to discover the fact that Syria 13:59.218 --> 14:01.296 "is a separate sovereign state.” 14:01.296 --> 14:02.678 Do you have any comment on that? 14:02.678 --> 14:04.509 - I saw the quote, actually, and I would just, 14:04.509 --> 14:06.018 for the record, I would remind them that my name 14:06.018 --> 14:08.224 is Mark Toner, not Michael Toner. 14:08.224 --> 14:09.057 (laughing) 14:09.057 --> 14:10.529 Maybe it was just a bad translation. 14:10.529 --> 14:11.612 I don’t know. 14:15.091 --> 14:16.717 If what you’re asking me, Michel, 14:16.717 --> 14:19.515 is whether we have, what specifically 14:19.515 --> 14:23.682 is the question for us to answer is whether we, what-- 14:24.547 --> 14:26.347 - [Michel] Both to check the content of 14:26.347 --> 14:29.847 the UN Resolution 2231 and then that Syria 14:30.550 --> 14:32.384 is a separate sovereign country. 14:32.384 --> 14:34.915 - Well, I think the assertion is, 14:34.915 --> 14:39.082 and I hate to parse a Russian official’s language, 14:44.006 --> 14:46.374 but I think the assertion there is 14:46.374 --> 14:49.276 that we’re somehow carrying out military strikes 14:49.276 --> 14:51.645 in a sovereign nation, that we don’t have its approval. 14:51.645 --> 14:52.980 Is that the point? 14:52.980 --> 14:53.813 Because if that’s so, 14:53.813 --> 14:56.289 we’ve been very clear that we believe 14:56.289 --> 15:00.236 that we have the authorization, the legal authority, 15:00.236 --> 15:04.403 rather, to use military force against ISIL in Iraq 15:04.404 --> 15:05.487 and in Syria. 15:06.030 --> 15:09.613 - I think he means that Russia didn’t break 15:10.151 --> 15:12.068 the UN Resolution 2231. 15:12.311 --> 15:14.110 - I think he made, I think he was making two points 15:14.110 --> 15:14.943 with that. 15:14.943 --> 15:16.966 And look, I mean, with regard to 15:16.966 --> 15:19.776 the UN Security Council Resolution 2231, 15:19.776 --> 15:21.157 we’re assessing it. 15:21.157 --> 15:22.667 It’s very complicated. 15:22.667 --> 15:25.325 It is not clear-cut in the sense of they’re no, 15:25.325 --> 15:29.492 that it prohibits providing Iran with offensive weaponry. 15:31.920 --> 15:35.837 It has gradations, if you will, on what you can 15:36.448 --> 15:39.531 or cannot do with regard to providing 15:39.594 --> 15:42.761 or giving Iran offensive capabilities. 15:44.401 --> 15:45.631 And so we’re looking at it and we’re trying 15:45.631 --> 15:49.798 to make a sober assessment of whether this constitutes, 15:51.262 --> 15:53.345 in our view, a violation. 15:54.199 --> 15:55.535 We’re not there yet. 15:55.535 --> 15:59.087 So I would just ask everyone to be patient, 15:59.087 --> 16:01.920 and once we do reach an assessment 16:02.443 --> 16:05.624 of whether it is or isn’t, then we’ll let you know. 16:05.624 --> 16:07.830 - And what about the other point – 16:07.830 --> 16:09.649 Syria as a sovereign country? 16:09.649 --> 16:10.482 Do you use your pencils-- 16:10.482 --> 16:13.367 - I said we’ve been through this before where 16:13.367 --> 16:15.770 the accusation is that we’re somehow operating outside 16:15.770 --> 16:18.266 the bounds of international law. 16:18.266 --> 16:19.266 We disagree. 16:20.948 --> 16:22.051 We are operating both 16:22.051 --> 16:24.663 in our own national security interests 16:24.663 --> 16:26.416 but also in the region’s security interest 16:26.416 --> 16:29.342 in trying to carry out strikes against Daesh 16:29.342 --> 16:30.608 and against ISIL. 16:30.608 --> 16:34.525 Frankly, the regime thus far has been incapable 16:35.298 --> 16:38.548 of going after and handling this threat 16:39.629 --> 16:42.962 to their own national security thus far. 16:43.007 --> 16:45.924 And in fact, we’ve seen the regime, 16:46.595 --> 16:50.345 as much as they purport to be full-throatedly 16:52.992 --> 16:56.301 and wholeheartedly going after ISIL and Daesh, 16:56.301 --> 16:58.704 we’ve seen that they collaborate when 16:58.704 --> 17:00.097 it’s in their interest to do so. 17:00.097 --> 17:02.068 - My last question on Syria. 17:02.068 --> 17:04.680 Iranian parliament speaker Ali Larijani 17:04.680 --> 17:07.803 has denied today reports that Iran has made 17:07.803 --> 17:11.240 a military base available for the Russian forces, 17:11.240 --> 17:15.407 and he said that Iran has not made any base available 17:16.418 --> 17:17.730 for the Russians. 17:17.730 --> 17:18.949 The Russians have confirmed 17:18.949 --> 17:22.282 the use of Iran military base, air base. 17:22.745 --> 17:24.578 Who should we believe? 17:24.986 --> 17:27.903 - Honestly, Michel, that’s for the, 17:28.295 --> 17:31.186 that’s for them to work out between themselves. 17:31.186 --> 17:33.508 If there’s confusion or a disconnect there, 17:33.508 --> 17:35.017 we certainly wouldn’t speak to it. 17:35.017 --> 17:37.060 - [Michel] But do you have any confirmation that 17:37.060 --> 17:39.591 the Russians are using military air bases in Iran? 17:39.591 --> 17:41.786 - I mean, we’ve talked about our assessment, 17:41.786 --> 17:45.953 and they’ve through the memorandum of understanding asked, 17:47.174 --> 17:49.088 as we talked about yesterday, asked for us, 17:49.088 --> 17:51.088 for overflight for Iraq. 17:53.454 --> 17:54.287 I’m not going to get 17:54.287 --> 17:55.776 into any more details that we might have 17:55.776 --> 17:58.144 that they are using Iranian air bases, 17:58.144 --> 17:59.363 but they have spoken to it. 17:59.363 --> 18:02.416 They have confirmed that they are doing so. 18:02.416 --> 18:03.763 The Iranians seem to differ, 18:03.763 --> 18:06.668 but I can’t make that determination here. 18:06.668 --> 18:07.501 Abigail. 18:07.501 --> 18:08.549 - Do you have any response to 18:08.549 --> 18:11.231 the Iraqi prime minister granting permission 18:11.231 --> 18:15.064 to Russia to allow to fly over Iraqi airspace? 18:16.455 --> 18:19.914 You had, I believe, mentioned yesterday, expressed concerns, 18:19.914 --> 18:24.081 - We’ve, we’re in constant contact and dialogue with 18:24.679 --> 18:28.512 the Iraqi Government and the Iraqi leadership, 18:28.982 --> 18:30.456 but ultimately they’re a sovereign country 18:30.456 --> 18:31.431 and they make their own decisions, 18:31.431 --> 18:33.440 and I wouldn’t attempt to speak to that. 18:33.440 --> 18:34.415 - [Voiceover] On Iraq? 18:34.415 --> 18:35.248 - Sure. 18:35.248 --> 18:39.248 - So Prime Minister Abadi has said a few things, 18:39.634 --> 18:42.467 like about the operation in Mosul. 18:44.080 --> 18:46.913 One, he seems to be concerned that 18:47.180 --> 18:51.347 the Peshmerga might take more territory from Mosul. 18:51.592 --> 18:54.726 He says the Peshmerga, quote/unquote, 18:54.726 --> 18:58.059 “shouldn’t pursue” ambitionist expansion 18:59.324 --> 19:01.407 “expansionist ambitions.” 19:02.343 --> 19:04.305 What do you make of that? 19:04.305 --> 19:05.138 - I would just say 19:05.138 --> 19:06.624 that we engage regularly 19:06.624 --> 19:09.457 with Kurdistan Regional Government 19:09.874 --> 19:14.041 and Baghdad to advocate and encourage a unified front 19:16.771 --> 19:20.938 in the face of the continuing threat of Daesh or ISIL, 19:21.264 --> 19:22.854 and in fact, we hold 19:22.854 --> 19:25.014 and have held joint planning sessions between 19:25.014 --> 19:27.823 the Iraqi Kurdistan Regional President Barzani 19:27.823 --> 19:30.389 and the national security advisor for the Government 19:30.389 --> 19:34.222 of Iraq, and I think one took place last week. 19:36.380 --> 19:38.389 It was the second, I believe, of these meetings, 19:38.389 --> 19:42.306 and the intent here of those meetings is to try 19:43.033 --> 19:44.937 to build that kind of partnership 19:44.937 --> 19:46.899 and to work through some of the challenges 19:46.899 --> 19:50.149 as Iraqi forces writ large look towards 19:54.132 --> 19:56.047 the liberation of Mosul. 19:56.047 --> 19:58.044 - He has also said that, “No force,” 19:58.044 --> 20:01.016 I’m quoting him, “other than the ISF is allowed 20:01.016 --> 20:03.919 "to enter Mosul city,” meaning that the Peshmerga 20:03.919 --> 20:06.043 is not allowed to enter Mosul city. 20:06.043 --> 20:08.691 Is that the understanding the United States has, 20:08.691 --> 20:12.858 that the Kurds shouldn’t be allowed to enter the city? 20:14.078 --> 20:16.574 - Well, again, I think that there just needs 20:16.574 --> 20:18.698 to be closer coordination between, 20:18.698 --> 20:20.614 and we’ve encouraged that and, indeed, 20:20.614 --> 20:22.197 it has taken place. 20:23.667 --> 20:27.250 Thus far, there have been these meetings as 20:28.610 --> 20:31.693 they look towards Mosul, and frankly, 20:33.493 --> 20:37.160 the next steps in liberating Iraq from ISIL. 20:37.774 --> 20:38.993 I think it’s absolutely important, 20:38.993 --> 20:40.386 and we’ve emphasized this all along, 20:40.386 --> 20:44.553 that the Peshmerga and all the various fighting groups 20:46.127 --> 20:48.324 in Iraq need to be under the command and control of 20:48.324 --> 20:51.991 the Iraqi Government and the Iraqi military. 20:52.400 --> 20:53.862 That’s been our assessment all along. 20:53.862 --> 20:56.231 There needs to be that coordination mechanism. 20:56.231 --> 20:58.065 But we certainly recognize, 20:58.065 --> 20:59.981 and we’ve said so many times, the vital role 20:59.981 --> 21:03.522 that these groups, including the Peshmerga, 21:03.522 --> 21:05.939 play and have played thus far 21:06.250 --> 21:08.990 and showed tremendous courage in liberating parts 21:08.990 --> 21:11.893 of Iraq that have been under the control of ISIL. 21:11.893 --> 21:14.261 So I think what we’re talking about is better coordination, 21:14.261 --> 21:18.174 better communication between the Kurdish forces 21:18.174 --> 21:20.821 and the Iraqi Government, military. 21:20.821 --> 21:21.877 - But are you expecting to achieve 21:21.877 --> 21:23.584 that better coordination, better understanding-- 21:23.584 --> 21:24.815 - [Toner] We think we’re on the road there, yes. 21:24.815 --> 21:28.205 - Before the actual operation begins on the city? 21:28.205 --> 21:30.872 - We, as I said, we’ve had this, 21:31.231 --> 21:32.497 these two joint meetings. 21:32.497 --> 21:35.830 We expect that coordination to continue, 21:36.537 --> 21:38.662 and through that mechanism we hope 21:38.662 --> 21:40.995 to address all these issues. 21:41.355 --> 21:44.734 - But on Russia, the question arose yesterday 21:44.734 --> 21:46.127 about whether Moscow intended 21:46.127 --> 21:48.710 a longer-term presence in Iran, 21:49.227 --> 21:52.443 and we discussed that and you didn’t quite uncertain. 21:52.443 --> 21:54.439 And what I understand since is 21:54.439 --> 21:57.689 that Hamadan Air Base has been enhanced 21:58.689 --> 22:01.870 and expanded specifically for Russian use, 22:01.870 --> 22:04.787 including building four long-range, 22:05.991 --> 22:08.813 long runways for the Russian bombers. 22:08.813 --> 22:10.484 That, of course, took some months 22:10.484 --> 22:11.912 and speaks to planning for 22:11.912 --> 22:14.281 a significant longer-term presence. 22:14.281 --> 22:15.581 So a series of questions. 22:15.581 --> 22:17.498 One, is that your view? 22:18.066 --> 22:21.909 And two, in yesterday’s raids, what did Russia attack? 22:21.909 --> 22:23.488 Did it attack Daesh targets 22:23.488 --> 22:25.078 or did it attack the civilians 22:25.078 --> 22:27.609 and moderate rebels, as the U.S. has complained before? 22:27.609 --> 22:30.047 - So in response to the first question, 22:30.047 --> 22:34.047 which I think is what’s Russia’s long-term plans 22:35.516 --> 22:38.035 with Iran or whether we have, whether this was 22:38.035 --> 22:40.485 a long-term planned operation, I’m not sure. 22:40.485 --> 22:41.913 - Well, do you have more, 22:41.913 --> 22:45.918 I have more information, so maybe you do as well, 22:45.918 --> 22:49.099 that the Hamadan Air Base, which Russia is using 22:49.099 --> 22:53.099 in Iran, was expanded and developed specifically 22:53.871 --> 22:58.038 for the use of these Tu-22 bombers, and that work, 22:59.374 --> 23:00.988 the enhancement and development, including 23:00.988 --> 23:04.238 the longer runways, speaks to an intent 23:04.448 --> 23:07.710 for some longer-term presence and not simply 23:07.710 --> 23:11.019 an occasional flight out of that air base. 23:11.019 --> 23:13.186 Is that your view as well? 23:13.585 --> 23:17.497 - Again, I wouldn’t necessarily respond to that. 23:17.497 --> 23:20.028 I don’t have that level of detail, frankly, 23:20.028 --> 23:22.350 but I think that’s a question for the Russians 23:22.350 --> 23:23.860 and the Iranians to answer. 23:23.860 --> 23:27.656 Now, your second question was what was hit yesterday. 23:27.656 --> 23:31.823 I think I spoke to this yesterday, but I’ll repeat that, 23:33.693 --> 23:37.193 as per usual, there were ISIL targets hit, 23:39.057 --> 23:42.273 but as per usual, there were also civilian targets 23:42.273 --> 23:46.440 and also opposition, moderate opposition targets also hit. 23:47.323 --> 23:51.490 And again, that is indicative of a pattern that we’ve seen. 23:52.873 --> 23:54.986 - Can you say which was targeted more? 23:54.986 --> 23:57.389 - I can’t. I don’t have that kind of breakdown. 23:57.389 --> 23:59.556 - [Voiceover] Afghanistan? 24:00.271 --> 24:01.840 - Are we done with Syria or the region? 24:01.840 --> 24:02.720 Let’s finish and I’ll get to you. 24:02.720 --> 24:04.720 I promise. Yeah, please. 24:04.751 --> 24:05.933 Go ahead in the back, Turkey? 24:05.933 --> 24:06.789 Wait, I’m sorry. 24:06.789 --> 24:07.622 Where are we? 24:07.622 --> 24:08.455 Are we done with Syria? 24:08.455 --> 24:09.288 - [Voiceover] Yes, Syria. 24:09.288 --> 24:10.121 - Syria? 24:10.121 --> 24:12.509 One more Syria, then Turkey, and then Afghanistan. 24:12.509 --> 24:14.471 - The head of Kurdish National Council 24:14.471 --> 24:16.804 in Syria, Ibrahim Biro, was kidnapped last weekend by 24:16.804 --> 24:19.054 the PYD forces and later on 24:19.596 --> 24:21.512 he was forced to leave the country, 24:21.512 --> 24:23.099 and now he’s in Iraq. 24:23.099 --> 24:24.365 I was wondering if you are following the case. 24:24.365 --> 24:26.280 - I don’t, I’m aware of reports of the case. 24:26.280 --> 24:29.461 I just don’t have any more detail for you, I apologize. 24:29.461 --> 24:30.294 Please. 24:30.294 --> 24:32.933 - Thank you, Mark. Just yesterday, 24:32.933 --> 24:37.100 Ozgur Gundem newspaper, a pro-Kurdish newspaper, building 24:37.681 --> 24:41.181 was sealed and the newspaper is shut down. 24:44.125 --> 24:47.208 And about 14 journalists, maybe more, 24:47.666 --> 24:49.666 detained just yesterday, 24:50.116 --> 24:52.925 so it’s almost 100 journalists right now 24:52.925 --> 24:55.131 in Turkey sitting in the jails, 24:55.131 --> 24:59.171 and there are dozens of others also on detainment lists. 24:59.171 --> 25:03.254 I was wondering if you have any comments on this. 25:04.367 --> 25:07.844 - Well, I mean, I think we are always concerned, 25:07.844 --> 25:09.957 and we’ve been very clear about that, 25:09.957 --> 25:14.124 whenever we see an independent media outlet shut down. 25:20.278 --> 25:23.528 I think that we would encourage Turkey, 25:26.188 --> 25:30.355 as it takes these kind of steps in the security realm, 25:31.691 --> 25:35.000 to be mindful of the impact that that kind 25:35.000 --> 25:39.167 of action would have on its democratic institutions, 25:40.538 --> 25:44.288 one of which is a free and independent media. 25:45.147 --> 25:46.230 Please, yeah. 25:47.109 --> 25:47.942 - There’s fighting going 25:47.942 --> 25:50.937 on between different factions of the Taliban after 25:50.937 --> 25:53.782 a U.S. drone strike killed Taliban leader Akhtar Mansour 25:53.782 --> 25:54.615 in May. 25:54.615 --> 25:57.694 Two factions emerged, one more hardline than the other. 25:57.694 --> 26:00.144 We’re now learning that the Taliban cracked further 26:00.144 --> 26:02.954 and a third splinter group emerged. 26:02.954 --> 26:05.682 How does this affect reconciliation prospects, 26:05.682 --> 26:07.849 if that is still the goal? 26:08.666 --> 26:10.338 - Well, I think it is, and we’ve said all along 26:10.338 --> 26:14.505 that this needs to be an Afghan-led, Afghan-owned process. 26:15.422 --> 26:19.451 I mean, anytime you’ve got various splinter groups emerging, 26:19.451 --> 26:22.830 that does make those efforts more complex, 26:22.830 --> 26:25.036 but that remains our overarching goal 26:25.036 --> 26:29.119 and what we view as really the long-term solution 26:30.504 --> 26:34.421 for Afghanistan to achieve peace and stability. 26:37.609 --> 26:39.850 But I don’t have an assessment of what 26:39.850 --> 26:42.706 the latest development might mean for prospects, 26:42.706 --> 26:46.003 but we continue to encourage those efforts. 26:46.003 --> 26:48.003 I think that, that said, 26:49.103 --> 26:52.644 it has been a difficult fighting season in Afghanistan, 26:52.644 --> 26:56.522 and we’ve seen Afghans’ security forces thus far meet 26:56.522 --> 26:59.506 the challenge but it’s also important to remember 26:59.506 --> 27:02.118 that they’re still under threat, there’s still 27:02.118 --> 27:04.730 a high level of violence, and that a large number 27:04.730 --> 27:08.730 of Taliban groups and factions continue to press 27:09.258 --> 27:12.184 the fight, and we need to continue our support 27:12.184 --> 27:13.565 to the Afghan military. 27:13.565 --> 27:15.201 - Why do you think the fractioning is going 27:15.201 --> 27:18.212 to make it more complex, reconciliation. 27:18.212 --> 27:19.651 - Well, again, I’m just, I mean, 27:19.651 --> 27:22.635 we can all provide our armchair assessment, 27:22.635 --> 27:26.718 but any time you’ve got a splintering of a group, 27:29.845 --> 27:32.678 then it’s harder to get consensus. 27:32.799 --> 27:33.873 - [Voiceover] Do you hope, I have two more, I have two more. 27:33.873 --> 27:35.219 - Please, go ahead. Yeah, go ahead. 27:35.219 --> 27:37.216 - Do you hope as different Taliban factions 27:37.216 --> 27:41.383 fight each other, Taliban as a whole will get weaker? 27:44.798 --> 27:47.381 - Again, I think, frankly, our, 27:47.990 --> 27:51.990 I mean, anything that would weaken their ability 27:53.424 --> 27:57.591 to cause harm to innocent Afghan civilians we would welcome, 27:58.277 --> 28:01.504 but I think what our preference would be would be 28:01.504 --> 28:04.004 that these various, or some in 28:05.301 --> 28:08.447 the Taliban leadership would recognize that 28:08.447 --> 28:11.697 there is no long-term military solution 28:12.162 --> 28:14.937 to what they’re pursuing in Afghanistan, 28:14.937 --> 28:17.178 would lay down their arms, would adopt the constitution, 28:17.178 --> 28:20.847 accept it, and agree to sit down, as I said, in, 28:20.847 --> 28:24.643 as part of an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process. 28:24.643 --> 28:25.476 - [Woman] One more. 28:25.476 --> 28:26.309 - Please. 28:26.309 --> 28:27.142 - Are you concerned 28:27.142 --> 28:28.439 that ISIL may be taking advantage of 28:28.439 --> 28:31.272 the fractioning among the Taliban? 28:31.620 --> 28:34.313 Earlier this August, an Afghan general said over 28:34.313 --> 28:38.480 the past two months the Taliban had stopped fighting ISIL. 28:38.598 --> 28:39.828 Afghan officials are worried that 28:39.828 --> 28:42.266 the Taliban might be forging an informal alliance 28:42.266 --> 28:44.681 with ISIL in eastern Afghanistan. 28:44.681 --> 28:46.678 What is your assessment? 28:46.678 --> 28:48.594 - Well, I think our assessment is 28:48.594 --> 28:52.761 that we continue to see, we’ve talked about affiliates, 28:53.621 --> 28:56.396 different groups affiliating themselves with ISIL. 28:56.396 --> 28:59.252 But we’ve continued to see an effort on the part of ISIL, 28:59.252 --> 29:03.085 we’ve seen it in Libya and elsewhere, frankly, 29:03.571 --> 29:07.123 for it to expand or to reach out its tendrils, 29:07.123 --> 29:09.201 if you will, into different places 29:09.201 --> 29:11.198 that are ungoverned spaces, and certainly 29:11.198 --> 29:13.033 that’s true for Afghanistan. 29:13.033 --> 29:14.609 So we’re monitoring the presence 29:14.609 --> 29:18.115 of ISIL-affiliated groups very closely in Afghanistan. 29:18.115 --> 29:19.496 We’re actively engaged with the Government 29:19.496 --> 29:23.246 of Afghanistan and our partners in the region 29:23.588 --> 29:26.421 to prevent that from taking place. 29:26.637 --> 29:29.400 We don’t want to see them gain safe haven 29:29.400 --> 29:32.999 or material support from the Taliban or anyone. 29:32.999 --> 29:33.846 - [Voiceover] One more follow. 29:33.846 --> 29:34.679 - [Voiceover] Can I continue on Afghanistan? 29:34.679 --> 29:36.045 - Yeah, let’s do Goyal and then you. 29:36.045 --> 29:37.462 I’m sorry, Lalit. 29:37.752 --> 29:41.335 - Mark, the innocent people are the victims 29:41.351 --> 29:43.928 of these terrorists, terrorism in Afghanistan, 29:43.928 --> 29:47.272 and what they are asking now after so many years, 29:47.272 --> 29:51.105 they have not seen or had a good night’s sleep 29:51.185 --> 29:54.352 because of these terrorist activities. 29:54.482 --> 29:56.572 What they are asking from the United States 29:56.572 --> 30:00.739 and international community: when there will be a light 30:01.494 --> 30:05.661 in the darkness in their life, when they will have 30:07.125 --> 30:08.553 a good night’s sleep? 30:08.553 --> 30:12.175 And what’s the message for those innocent people? 30:12.175 --> 30:13.258 - Well, look. 30:14.550 --> 30:16.946 - [Man] I mean, what is the future of Afghanistan 30:16.946 --> 30:19.593 - Well, we’re trying to, so let me just say 30:19.593 --> 30:22.765 the United States has made a long-term commitment 30:22.765 --> 30:26.932 to Afghanistan, and we’re going to help Afghanistan build 30:27.090 --> 30:31.257 a more stable, peaceful, democratic, and prosperous future. 30:31.340 --> 30:35.507 We have sacrificed in both blood and treasure to make 30:38.271 --> 30:41.011 that happen, and we’re going to continue to fulfill 30:41.011 --> 30:42.344 that commitment. 30:43.008 --> 30:44.192 And we stand firmly behind 30:44.192 --> 30:46.711 the democratically elected government. 30:46.711 --> 30:49.974 We commend President Ghani and Chief Executive Abdullah 30:49.974 --> 30:52.423 on the progress they’ve made in 18 months 30:52.423 --> 30:54.757 into a five-year term, but we want to continue 30:54.757 --> 30:57.729 to build on that progress, we want to work to increase 30:57.729 --> 31:00.922 the capability of Afghan Security Forces to provide for 31:00.922 --> 31:05.089 the security of the Afghan people, but it is a long, 31:05.160 --> 31:08.701 difficult road, but we’re certainly not going to abandon it. 31:08.701 --> 31:09.852 - One more, just a general question. 31:09.852 --> 31:10.804 General question. 31:10.804 --> 31:13.486 And that is that dozens of nations 31:13.486 --> 31:17.039 are fighting against these terrorists at ISIL, Taliban, 31:17.039 --> 31:19.539 or ISIS and all, among others. 31:19.732 --> 31:23.088 My question is have you, and they have no bases, 31:23.088 --> 31:26.547 they have no, they are not nations or countries. 31:26.547 --> 31:30.088 Have you reached those who are financing them 31:30.088 --> 31:32.875 and arming them, because we are, without financing 31:32.875 --> 31:34.947 or arming, they cannot fight against the innocent people. 31:34.947 --> 31:35.780 - It’s absolutely a challenge. 31:35.780 --> 31:38.732 We’ve seen it most recently with Daesh or ISIL 31:38.732 --> 31:41.425 in Syria and Iraq, terrorist financing 31:41.425 --> 31:45.425 is a huge piece of solving the overall challenge 31:45.791 --> 31:48.078 of terrorism, because as you note, 31:48.078 --> 31:50.806 they need to have access to funds in order to operate. 31:50.806 --> 31:53.209 We have focused on that and we have made, frankly, 31:53.209 --> 31:57.376 great strides in choking off ISIL’s access to those funds. 31:58.271 --> 32:02.358 We did similarly well in cutting off al-Qaida’s access 32:02.358 --> 32:04.146 to funds, but it remains a challenge. 32:04.146 --> 32:05.243 Please, Lalit. 32:05.243 --> 32:07.240 - The unity government, the differences of 32:07.240 --> 32:10.177 the unity government now has come out in the open. 32:10.177 --> 32:14.333 To what extent this is affecting the war against Taliban 32:14.333 --> 32:15.583 in Afghanistan? 32:16.574 --> 32:17.953 - Well, I mean, look, you’re talking 32:17.953 --> 32:20.370 about Afghanistan, of course. 32:21.793 --> 32:25.673 We’ve seen Chief Executive Abdullah’s public remarks 32:25.673 --> 32:26.857 regarding President Ghani 32:26.857 --> 32:29.586 and the Government of National Unity, 32:29.586 --> 32:32.395 which is what I think you’re referring to. 32:32.395 --> 32:35.089 We remain supportive, as I just said, of a government 32:35.089 --> 32:37.782 of national unity, we encourage the president, 32:37.782 --> 32:40.604 both President Ghani, rather, and Chief Executive Abdullah 32:40.604 --> 32:43.669 to work together to pursue common goals, 32:43.669 --> 32:47.169 which is a prosperous, stable Afghanistan. 32:47.337 --> 32:51.250 We regularly consult with both of them, President Ghani 32:51.250 --> 32:55.417 and Chief Executive Abdullah, and their key advisors 32:55.656 --> 32:57.960 as we work, as they work, rather, to implement what 32:57.960 --> 33:02.127 is a very difficult and ambitious domestic reform agenda. 33:04.648 --> 33:06.285 And we’re going to continue that support. 33:06.285 --> 33:08.317 - The unity government you know was formed 33:08.317 --> 33:11.173 as a result of Secretary Kerry’s trips to Afghanistan 33:11.173 --> 33:14.145 and his negotiations with these two leaders. 33:14.145 --> 33:17.407 Is he worried about such issue coming up two, 33:17.407 --> 33:20.461 nearly two years after the formation of the government, 33:20.461 --> 33:22.585 and he is making any effort to reach out 33:22.585 --> 33:24.335 to these two leaders? 33:24.861 --> 33:28.278 - Well, I mean, as I just said, we remain 33:29.110 --> 33:32.277 in very close touch with both leaders, 33:36.691 --> 33:40.858 both through our embassy but also from Washington as well. 33:41.126 --> 33:42.879 I think our assessment is, as I just said, 33:42.879 --> 33:47.046 that they’ve got significant challenges facing them, 33:48.313 --> 33:50.263 but we stand by and ready to support them as 33:50.263 --> 33:52.179 they work through these challenges. 33:52.179 --> 33:54.339 We want to see them implement, as I said, a, 33:54.339 --> 33:57.256 what is an ambitious reform agenda. 33:57.578 --> 34:01.490 But we continue to consult with them, their advisors, 34:01.490 --> 34:03.812 and we believe that they understand the importance 34:03.812 --> 34:07.493 of them working together rather than separately. 34:07.493 --> 34:08.514 - [Voiceover] North Korea? 34:08.514 --> 34:09.347 - North Korea. 34:09.347 --> 34:11.315 - [Voiceover] Can I ask just one more on-- 34:11.315 --> 34:13.268 - Let’s close out Afghanistan. 34:13.268 --> 34:16.042 - [Woman] Just again, how concerned are you 34:16.042 --> 34:20.125 about ISIL taking advantage of fractured Taliban? 34:20.245 --> 34:21.182 - Well, I think I answered this. 34:21.182 --> 34:23.748 I mean, look, we’re always looking at ISIL’s ability 34:23.748 --> 34:27.915 to find safe haven and then expand to work with, as I said, 34:29.576 --> 34:33.743 these affiliate groups, factions of groups such as 34:36.519 --> 34:40.436 the Taliban that they might be able to exploit. 34:43.532 --> 34:45.529 And we’re monitoring it very closely. 34:45.529 --> 34:48.013 We’re in close contact and coordination with 34:48.013 --> 34:50.788 the Afghan Security Forces in that regard, 34:50.788 --> 34:53.063 and we’re going to continue. 34:53.063 --> 34:56.036 As we’ve said before, if we see opportunities 34:56.036 --> 34:59.205 to take out key leadership, we’re going to strike. 34:59.205 --> 35:00.038 Please. 35:00.142 --> 35:01.849 - No. Come on, please. 35:01.849 --> 35:02.682 - I’m sorry. 35:02.682 --> 35:06.719 When after the killing of the Taliban leader Mansour, 35:06.719 --> 35:09.053 President Obama said it was an important milestone 35:09.053 --> 35:10.968 in our longstanding effort to bring peace 35:10.968 --> 35:13.468 and prosperity to Afghanistan. 35:14.312 --> 35:15.206 - [Toner] Yes. 35:15.206 --> 35:18.596 - Do you still think of it as a milestone with, 35:18.596 --> 35:19.975 did you, I’m sorry, 35:19.975 --> 35:23.642 did you expect the fracturing of the Taliban 35:24.537 --> 35:27.120 with the removal of the leader? 35:27.196 --> 35:28.029 What did you expect to happen? 35:28.029 --> 35:29.306 - I think we said at the time 35:29.306 --> 35:33.473 and what I would still contend is that it was a strike 35:34.841 --> 35:38.258 to take out the leader of an organization 35:38.475 --> 35:41.447 that was intent on carrying out acts of terror on both 35:41.447 --> 35:45.614 the Afghan people and, frankly, international forces 35:46.381 --> 35:49.214 that were resident in Afghanistan, 35:49.272 --> 35:51.199 and we took that opportunity. 35:51.199 --> 35:53.100 But we also took that opportunity 35:53.100 --> 35:55.968 to send a clear message that the Taliban needs 35:55.968 --> 35:59.801 to recognize that it has no future in fighting 35:59.834 --> 36:04.001 and that it should seek talks with the Afghan Government. 36:09.981 --> 36:12.872 As I said, Afghan-owned, Afghan-led process 36:12.872 --> 36:16.705 it has to be, but I think those were the goals 36:17.481 --> 36:20.384 of that, carrying out that strike, and we stand by them. 36:20.384 --> 36:21.217 Please. 36:23.045 --> 36:25.898 - North Korea’s atomic energy agency 36:25.898 --> 36:30.065 in a written response to the Kyodo News Service confirmed 36:31.123 --> 36:33.364 what the Intelligence Community and 36:33.364 --> 36:35.001 the IAEA have been indicating, 36:35.001 --> 36:38.867 that there’s been a resumption of plutonium reprocessing 36:38.867 --> 36:40.950 at the Yongbyon facility. 36:41.351 --> 36:43.441 In their comment they also hinted at 36:43.441 --> 36:47.608 a coming fifth nuclear test, while the foreign ministry 36:48.039 --> 36:52.206 in Pyongyang today issued fresh threats against U.S. bases 36:52.439 --> 36:53.689 in the Pacific. 36:54.447 --> 36:58.614 Sanctions don’t appear to be deterring the North Koreans. 36:59.138 --> 37:01.588 What is the United States contemplating to try 37:01.588 --> 37:05.421 to mitigate North Korean behavior in violation 37:06.348 --> 37:08.515 of all these UN sanctions? 37:09.656 --> 37:10.489 - Well, we’re certainly aware of 37:10.489 --> 37:14.042 the reports regarding resumed plutonium production. 37:14.042 --> 37:17.026 If these reports are correct, it is obviously 37:17.026 --> 37:20.822 a clear violation of UN Security Council resolutions 37:20.822 --> 37:23.405 which prohibit such activities. 37:24.723 --> 37:27.463 I would say these actions only serve to increase 37:27.463 --> 37:31.546 the international community’s resolve to continue 37:32.850 --> 37:37.017 to counter the DPRK’s, North Korea’s prohibited activities. 37:37.738 --> 37:39.491 And that, as you noted, 37:39.491 --> 37:42.637 continue or includes implementing existing 37:42.637 --> 37:45.137 UN Security Council sanctions. 37:47.037 --> 37:50.950 Our commitment to the defense of our allies in the region, 37:50.950 --> 37:53.562 and that includes the Republic of Korea as well 37:53.562 --> 37:55.812 as Japan, remains ironclad. 37:57.030 --> 38:00.621 We also remain prepared to defend ourselves as well 38:00.621 --> 38:03.767 as our allies and we call on North Korea once again 38:03.767 --> 38:06.333 to refrain from actions that only raise tensions 38:06.333 --> 38:08.916 in the region and focus instead 38:10.536 --> 38:14.036 on taking concrete steps that will fulfill 38:15.072 --> 38:17.572 its international obligations. 38:18.129 --> 38:20.939 As to next steps or additional steps we might take, 38:20.939 --> 38:23.063 I don’t have anything to preview right now. 38:23.063 --> 38:25.513 We continue to evaluate our options. 38:25.513 --> 38:27.672 But again, our focus has been thus far 38:27.672 --> 38:30.528 on getting these hard-hitting sanctions 38:30.528 --> 38:33.611 that we managed to get passed through 38:34.232 --> 38:37.657 the UN Security Council fully implemented, 38:37.657 --> 38:41.824 and that involves working with our regional partners 38:42.150 --> 38:46.317 to implement those sanctions to the fullest extent. 38:47.038 --> 38:48.222 - [Voiceover] Related to that. 38:48.222 --> 38:51.555 Any comment on the North Korean diplomat 38:51.612 --> 38:54.279 who has defected to South Korea? 38:54.782 --> 38:57.313 - I don’t really have any comment specifically 38:57.313 --> 38:58.241 to the case. 38:58.241 --> 39:01.260 I mean, we obviously urge all countries 39:01.260 --> 39:02.363 to cooperate in the protection 39:02.363 --> 39:04.232 of North Korean refugees 39:04.232 --> 39:07.899 and asylum seekers within their territories. 39:08.273 --> 39:09.944 We remain deeply concerned about 39:09.944 --> 39:12.440 the human rights situation in North Korea 39:12.440 --> 39:13.950 and the treatment of North Korean refugees 39:13.950 --> 39:16.191 and asylum seekers, and we’re going to continue 39:16.191 --> 39:19.047 to work with countries, other countries, rather, 39:19.047 --> 39:20.916 and international organizations, that includes 39:20.916 --> 39:22.460 the UN Human Rights Council, 39:22.460 --> 39:25.072 the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, 39:25.072 --> 39:28.544 to protect North Koreans, North Korean refugees, 39:28.544 --> 39:32.491 as well as finding long-term solutions for their plight. 39:32.491 --> 39:34.224 - [Voiceover] I have a question-- 39:34.224 --> 39:35.499 - [Voiceover] A different topic? 39:35.499 --> 39:37.749 - Okay, I’ll get one, okay. 39:39.038 --> 39:39.871 - [Voiceover] And you said that 39:39.871 --> 39:41.891 this is intelligence information, 39:41.891 --> 39:44.724 but do you have any information on 39:44.793 --> 39:48.960 the North Korea preparing for the fifth nuclear test? 39:50.378 --> 39:51.899 - I don’t have any information to share 39:51.899 --> 39:54.649 with you on that specific threat. 39:56.345 --> 40:00.262 We’ve, except to say that we’ve seen a pattern, 40:00.827 --> 40:04.101 obviously, over the past six months or so that 40:04.101 --> 40:07.321 is deeply concerning, we’ve taken steps to try 40:07.321 --> 40:08.674 to address that, we can, we’re going to continue 40:08.674 --> 40:10.311 to evaluate our options going forward. 40:10.311 --> 40:11.144 Please. 40:11.144 --> 40:13.086 - [Voiceover] Was there any discussion, 40:13.086 --> 40:15.591 formal or informal, about Secretary Clinton’s using 40:15.591 --> 40:19.632 a wireless earpiece or Bluetooth while she was here? 40:19.632 --> 40:21.842 And also what is the State Department’s policy 40:21.842 --> 40:23.425 on this technology? 40:24.405 --> 40:25.988 - I have an answer. 40:26.437 --> 40:28.689 So thanks for bringing that up because I did, 40:28.689 --> 40:30.721 as I did promise yesterday, we did look 40:30.721 --> 40:32.554 into those two issues. 40:34.262 --> 40:37.262 So we did have internal discussions, 40:39.092 --> 40:41.495 and I can say that State Department officials 40:41.495 --> 40:44.316 do not recall any discussions about 40:44.316 --> 40:47.776 the feasibility of then-Secretary Clinton potentially using 40:47.776 --> 40:51.491 a wireless earpiece or Bluetooth-enabled device within 40:51.491 --> 40:55.658 the confines of Mahogany Row or the seventh floor. 40:56.669 --> 40:58.422 And in answer to your second question or maybe 40:58.422 --> 41:00.175 it was your first, I apologize, 41:00.175 --> 41:03.182 but given the potential security vulnerabilities 41:03.182 --> 41:06.979 of that type of technology, the department would not 41:06.979 --> 41:10.520 and does not approve of the use of such devices 41:10.520 --> 41:12.020 in a secure space. 41:13.065 --> 41:16.898 - Was she asked, was she, so she asked or you? 41:17.628 --> 41:19.009 - We said we don’t recall any-- 41:19.009 --> 41:20.112 - [Woman] You don’t recall her asking? 41:20.112 --> 41:21.042 - There was no discussions of it. 41:21.042 --> 41:22.470 I, that, sorry, that was a roundabout way 41:22.470 --> 41:24.502 of saying we don’t, there was no discussions about it, 41:24.502 --> 41:25.335 it was not raised. 41:25.335 --> 41:28.115 - [Voiceover] But was she doing it? 41:28.115 --> 41:31.423 - I don’t believe so, I mean, I think we said that, 41:31.423 --> 41:33.989 frankly, I don’t have a direct answer to that. 41:33.989 --> 41:37.136 I mean, I don’t think she was, I mean, we don’t, 41:37.136 --> 41:39.098 as I said, what we were asked about was whether 41:39.098 --> 41:43.265 we had pursued any request to use that kind of technology, 41:45.007 --> 41:47.457 and no one recalls that ever being raised. 41:47.457 --> 41:48.966 And in fact, we would not allow it. 41:48.966 --> 41:52.252 So the answer to it, the answer to that is no. 41:52.252 --> 41:53.642 - [Voiceover] Can, do you have more on this? 41:53.642 --> 41:54.489 - [Voiceover] No, go ahead. 41:54.489 --> 41:55.964 - [Voiceover] I was going to ask about-- 41:55.964 --> 41:58.773 - I just want to know if you, your answer, 41:58.773 --> 42:01.374 you referenced seventh floor, Mahogany Row. 42:01.374 --> 42:03.661 Neither yesterday or today’s question mentioned that. 42:03.661 --> 42:05.449 Is that a blanket statement, period, 42:05.449 --> 42:07.945 this was never discussed, or was never discussed 42:07.945 --> 42:08.807 with reference to the seventh floor? 42:08.807 --> 42:09.895 - I was only talking about, so it’s secure spaces. 42:09.895 --> 42:11.033 And what I was talking about, I’m sorry if 42:11.033 --> 42:12.136 I was unclear about that. 42:12.136 --> 42:13.610 Mahogany Row is a secure space. 42:13.610 --> 42:14.504 That’s what I was trying to, 42:14.504 --> 42:15.987 not necessarily the whole seventh floor, but -- 42:15.987 --> 42:17.613 - [Voiceover] So it was just never discussed? 42:17.613 --> 42:18.651 - Never discussed. 42:18.651 --> 42:19.592 That’s according to our, 42:19.592 --> 42:21.670 again, we did ask all the people who were, 42:21.670 --> 42:24.070 would have been knowledgeable of this. 42:24.070 --> 42:25.742 - I wanted to ask about Rio. 42:25.742 --> 42:29.909 There are two, the American swimmers there have come, 42:30.377 --> 42:33.347 run into some problems with this report from Ryan Lochte 42:33.347 --> 42:35.425 about a robbery, and that’s obviously been drawn 42:35.425 --> 42:36.258 into question. 42:36.258 --> 42:38.072 And now a judge in Rio has ordered 42:38.072 --> 42:42.239 that passports be seized and that Ryan and another swimmer, 42:43.250 --> 42:46.106 at least one other swimmer, the judge said, cannot leave 42:46.106 --> 42:48.602 the country, we know that Ryan has already left 42:48.602 --> 42:51.377 the country, but the three other swimmers who were 42:51.377 --> 42:53.292 with him that night we don’t believe have. 42:53.292 --> 42:54.152 We’re not sure. 42:54.152 --> 42:54.985 - [Toner] Sure. 42:54.985 --> 42:55.940 - What is going on? 42:55.940 --> 42:57.321 Is there some sort 42:57.321 --> 42:59.559 of international incident boiling up here? 42:59.559 --> 43:00.976 What is going on? 43:01.068 --> 43:04.545 What are you hearing from your Brazilian counterparts? 43:04.545 --> 43:08.712 - Well, unfortunately, we don’t have Privacy Act waivers 43:11.244 --> 43:15.075 for any of these individuals who were involved 43:15.075 --> 43:16.492 in this incident. 43:18.175 --> 43:21.356 We’ve all seen the media reports, as you note, 43:21.356 --> 43:23.968 that a Brazilian court has issued an order to seize 43:23.968 --> 43:26.906 the passports of several U.S. athletes who were involved 43:26.906 --> 43:29.489 in this incident the other day. 43:30.865 --> 43:33.953 I have to refer you to the parties involved 43:33.953 --> 43:35.870 for further information 43:36.612 --> 43:40.195 because we don’t have a Privacy Act waiver. 43:40.478 --> 43:41.743 I would note more broadly, though, 43:41.743 --> 43:44.147 that we encourage all parties to work 43:44.147 --> 43:47.374 with Brazilian law enforcement in their investigation 43:47.374 --> 43:50.021 of the incident, but I’d refer you to 43:50.021 --> 43:51.530 those Brazilian authorities 43:51.530 --> 43:53.365 for any more information about the case. 43:53.365 --> 43:55.524 - Does that mean you would, I mean, 43:55.524 --> 43:58.299 this might be far-fetched, but would you want Ryan Lochte 43:58.299 --> 44:01.155 to go back to Rio, then, if you’re encouraging him 44:01.155 --> 44:03.280 to work with Brazilian authorities? 44:03.280 --> 44:04.716 - I mean, ultimately, that’s all 44:04.716 --> 44:08.304 for an American citizen, we would never, obviously, 44:08.304 --> 44:10.591 require any American citizen to comply 44:10.591 --> 44:12.309 with those kinds of requests. 44:12.309 --> 44:13.981 I think I’ll stay where I was, which is 44:13.981 --> 44:17.360 that we would urge or we would like to see 44:17.360 --> 44:19.113 and encourage American citizens to do what 44:19.113 --> 44:21.609 they can to work with Brazilian authorities 44:21.609 --> 44:23.025 to close out this investigation. 44:23.025 --> 44:24.418 - And are you working, can you say 44:24.418 --> 44:26.253 if the State Department is consulting with-- 44:26.253 --> 44:29.091 - [Toner] I can’t, apologize, I just can’t. 44:29.091 --> 44:30.310 - [Voiceover] I have one more about-- 44:30.310 --> 44:31.143 - [Toner] Yeah, sure, go ahead. 44:31.143 --> 44:31.976 We’ll close this out, please. 44:31.976 --> 44:34.417 - [Voiceover] Being that you’re encouraging U.S. citizens 44:34.417 --> 44:37.667 to work with law enforcement in Brazil, 44:38.556 --> 44:41.662 is there any concern about the way U.S. citizens 44:41.662 --> 44:44.111 are being handled during the course of the Olympic Games 44:44.111 --> 44:45.458 by the Brazilian Government or by 44:45.458 --> 44:47.571 the Brazilian law enforcement? 44:47.571 --> 44:49.237 - I mean, we’ve talked a lot in the run-up 44:49.237 --> 44:53.404 to the games about providing, through a range of sources, 44:55.645 --> 44:59.117 information to the multitude of Americans who are on 44:59.117 --> 45:02.124 the ground right now in Rio and in Brazil. 45:02.124 --> 45:05.479 Thus far I’m not aware of any pattern of any kind 45:05.479 --> 45:08.979 of harassment or anything at all, frankly, 45:09.591 --> 45:11.091 in terms of crime. 45:11.150 --> 45:15.317 I’d have to, obviously, consult with our embassy in Rio, 45:15.643 --> 45:18.058 in Brazil, rather, to get more information about that. 45:18.058 --> 45:21.141 But thus far I don’t think we’ve seen 45:21.321 --> 45:23.155 any concerns whatsoever about 45:23.155 --> 45:25.019 the security situation other than that 45:25.019 --> 45:27.970 there have been several incidents, of which this is one, 45:27.970 --> 45:29.479 that have been reported. 45:29.479 --> 45:31.476 But I think at any event on the scale of 45:31.476 --> 45:35.559 the Olympics with the number of visiting tourists 45:39.626 --> 45:42.030 who are taking part in that event. 45:42.030 --> 45:43.992 That’s always something that’s a matter of concern. 45:43.992 --> 45:47.909 We always urge American travelers to be mindful 45:49.495 --> 45:53.164 of security surrounding a big event, whether it’s 45:53.164 --> 45:55.664 the Olympics or whatever event 45:55.811 --> 45:57.366 that takes place around the world. 45:57.366 --> 45:59.166 - [Voiceover] And to respect the laws and rules -- 45:59.166 --> 46:00.627 - And, of course, to respect the laws 46:00.627 --> 46:03.119 and rules of the government of the country 46:03.119 --> 46:04.161 in which they are. 46:04.161 --> 46:06.994 - [Voiceover] Can I ask on emails? 46:08.363 --> 46:09.629 - Said, I’ve already been to you, 46:09.629 --> 46:10.848 so I’ll get back to you, I promise, 46:10.848 --> 46:11.788 and then we’ll do emails. 46:11.788 --> 46:13.135 - So you mentioned yesterday 46:13.135 --> 46:15.585 that you were working to come up with a production schedule, 46:15.585 --> 46:17.988 you might present the production schedule on 46:17.988 --> 46:21.238 the email in an August 22nd court date. 46:21.413 --> 46:22.922 Do you have anything further on that-- 46:22.922 --> 46:23.755 - I don’t. 46:23.755 --> 46:24.690 - [Voiceover] And whether you have a production schedule 46:24.690 --> 46:26.660 or whether it would be in the public interest 46:26.660 --> 46:30.827 to at least produce these emails before Election Day? 46:31.351 --> 46:35.518 - I don’t have any, as I said, we’ll, we’re looking at it. 46:36.157 --> 46:40.324 We’re assessing the number and how we might share them. 46:42.032 --> 46:44.449 I think I confirmed yesterday 46:44.481 --> 46:48.648 that we would obviously hand them over to Judicial Watch, 46:55.662 --> 46:58.193 any of the emails in addition that were received 46:58.193 --> 47:02.187 or sent by Secretary Clinton in her official capacity 47:02.187 --> 47:04.845 as secretary of state which were contained in 47:04.845 --> 47:09.012 the material that was handed over to us by the FBI, 47:09.327 --> 47:11.695 but I don’t have any additional details to provide 47:11.695 --> 47:14.888 on how that production schedule would take place. 47:14.888 --> 47:17.732 - But are you looking at Election Day as a deadline? 47:17.732 --> 47:18.789 I mean, do you think that would be in 47:18.789 --> 47:20.716 the public interest to have these emails out 47:20.716 --> 47:21.743 there before then? 47:21.743 --> 47:24.410 - Frankly, and having dealt with 47:25.493 --> 47:29.660 the tremendous amount of emails that we had to deal with 47:30.590 --> 47:34.757 in responding to the previous FOIA request, some 55,000, 47:34.990 --> 47:38.740 it’s always been, our goal is to work through 47:39.193 --> 47:42.746 as quickly and as expeditiously as possible 47:42.746 --> 47:46.413 but mindful of the fact that we need to work 47:47.599 --> 47:49.921 to address interagency concerns 47:49.921 --> 47:52.921 and possible classification upgrades 47:54.692 --> 47:56.608 that we’re always working to produce 47:56.608 --> 47:58.686 these documents as quickly as possible. 47:58.686 --> 48:00.921 - [Man] Mark, in assessing the number, 48:00.921 --> 48:02.140 as you put it, does 48:02.140 --> 48:03.939 that mean you’ve counted how many there are, 48:03.939 --> 48:04.996 and can you share that? 48:04.996 --> 48:06.052 - I don’t have a firm number for you. 48:06.052 --> 48:06.958 - [Man] You can’t tell us -- 48:06.958 --> 48:08.223 - I’m sorry, I don’t. 48:08.223 --> 48:09.149 - [Man] Okay. 48:09.149 --> 48:10.206 - We’ll see if we have, 48:10.206 --> 48:11.193 we can get that for you, okay? 48:11.193 --> 48:14.193 - Yeah, or how many pages of emails. 48:15.720 --> 48:18.623 Comey described it as several thousand. 48:18.623 --> 48:20.790 Is that what you assessed? 48:23.429 --> 48:26.121 - So I don’t want to give a wrong number. 48:26.121 --> 48:27.035 I’ll get back to you on that, promise. 48:27.035 --> 48:28.254 - [Man] You got a number there, though. 48:28.254 --> 48:29.421 - No, I don’t. 48:29.795 --> 48:30.628 You can come up. 48:30.628 --> 48:32.128 - [Man] All right. 48:33.446 --> 48:35.118 - I’m always seeking to answer your questions, 48:35.118 --> 48:36.535 Justin, trust me. 48:36.624 --> 48:38.215 - Very quick question on 48:38.215 --> 48:40.101 the Palestinian-Israeli issue. 48:40.101 --> 48:41.564 Today, the Israeli radio said that 48:41.564 --> 48:43.003 the prime minister’s office, 48:43.003 --> 48:45.372 Prime Minister Netanyahu’s office, 48:45.372 --> 48:49.539 was getting ready or preparing some sort of response 48:49.737 --> 48:53.154 for an equivalent or ultimately some sort 48:55.240 --> 48:59.407 of a suggestion by the President of the United States on 48:59.524 --> 49:01.800 the two-state solution that may come up 49:01.800 --> 49:02.903 at the Security Council. 49:02.903 --> 49:05.643 Do you have any, first of all, have you heard the report? 49:05.643 --> 49:07.706 MR TONER: I’m not aware of any plans, I’ve seen the reports. 49:07.706 --> 49:10.435 I’m not aware of any plans for a speech. 49:10.435 --> 49:11.421 - Not a speech. 49:11.421 --> 49:14.568 Now they’re saying that it’s going to be like 49:14.568 --> 49:18.434 a draft proposal at the United Nations Security Council. 49:18.434 --> 49:20.267 Are you aware of that? 49:20.720 --> 49:22.045 - Again, I’m aware of the reports 49:22.045 --> 49:22.878 that you’re referring to. 49:22.878 --> 49:25.644 I’m not aware of any intention to, again, 49:25.644 --> 49:29.477 to roll out some kind of new plan or strategy. 49:30.694 --> 49:33.388 But that said, we continue to focus on efforts 49:33.388 --> 49:36.055 to achieve a two-state solution. 49:36.325 --> 49:37.312 We believe it’s absolutely vital 49:37.312 --> 49:39.645 to the future of the region. 49:40.969 --> 49:42.362 - And including working with 49:42.362 --> 49:45.578 the French on this thing, the French proposal? 49:45.578 --> 49:47.412 - Including working with the French. 49:47.412 --> 49:49.131 We continue to look at the French proposal 49:49.131 --> 49:51.128 and to talk to them about it. 49:51.128 --> 49:52.474 - [Voiceover] On Africa? 49:52.474 --> 49:55.063 - Sure, and then I’ll get to you. 49:55.063 --> 49:58.453 - I wanted to ask about the hunt for Joseph Kony. 49:58.453 --> 50:02.536 Ugandan army has played an important partner role 50:03.225 --> 50:07.308 in reducing the scope of Kony’s LRA organization, 50:08.531 --> 50:11.886 but this week there were reports that they were withdrawing. 50:11.886 --> 50:14.824 Can you clarify whether they are indeed withdrawing 50:14.824 --> 50:17.958 and whether the U.S. is engaged in negotiations 50:17.958 --> 50:20.458 to keep them for a bit longer? 50:21.035 --> 50:21.868 - Sure. 50:21.868 --> 50:24.170 Well, we are, I can confirm we’re working closely with 50:24.170 --> 50:26.828 the Ugandan military and other contributors 50:26.828 --> 50:29.603 to the African Union Regional Task Force 50:29.603 --> 50:33.770 to ensure a successful completion of their mission. 50:34.537 --> 50:37.312 And I can say the Ugandan military’s long commitment 50:37.312 --> 50:40.238 to countering the Lord’s Resistance Army has resulted 50:40.238 --> 50:44.071 in improved security for the people of Uganda. 50:44.359 --> 50:46.078 In collaboration with the African Union 50:46.078 --> 50:48.562 and the United Nations, the United States continues 50:48.562 --> 50:50.652 to support the efforts of the countries in the region 50:50.652 --> 50:54.652 to combat the threat and end the threat posed by 50:54.959 --> 50:57.959 the Lord’s Resistance Army and bring 50:58.883 --> 51:01.966 the remaining LRA leaders to justice. 51:05.246 --> 51:08.218 I can say that over the past four years 51:08.218 --> 51:12.135 the Ugandan military has removed four, I think, 51:13.605 --> 51:16.355 of the LRA’s top five most senior 51:16.832 --> 51:20.665 and notorious commanders from the battlefield. 51:21.117 --> 51:23.950 So they have done tremendous work, 51:25.842 --> 51:28.663 and we want to see those efforts continue. 51:28.663 --> 51:30.579 - So you’re still in negotiations 51:30.579 --> 51:32.746 about whether they remain? 51:33.388 --> 51:34.983 - Well, I just think I don’t want 51:34.983 --> 51:39.150 to talk about our consultations and discussions with 51:41.706 --> 51:43.767 the Uganda military, just to say 51:43.767 --> 51:45.764 that we continue our collaboration 51:45.764 --> 51:49.189 and we want to see a successful completion of the mission. 51:49.189 --> 51:51.923 QUESTION: And just as a follow-up to that, 51:51.923 --> 51:54.840 the LRA Crisis Tracker, which looks 51:55.626 --> 51:59.793 at detailed data, suggests that Joseph Kony’s group 52:00.386 --> 52:03.553 has begun to abduct individuals again. 52:05.553 --> 52:08.536 And some groups, the Enough Project in particular 52:08.536 --> 52:11.536 is concerned that this could lead to 52:13.316 --> 52:17.149 the LRA becoming powerful again in the region. 52:18.602 --> 52:22.769 Do you have any words of reassurance in that regard? 52:22.840 --> 52:23.673 - Well, I would just say 52:23.673 --> 52:27.006 that our overarching strategy focuses on 52:28.828 --> 52:32.328 the protection of the civilian population. 52:33.146 --> 52:36.037 And it’s also, frankly, focused on apprehending 52:36.037 --> 52:38.954 or removing Joseph Kony and as well 52:39.962 --> 52:43.295 as other remaining senior LRA commanders 52:44.675 --> 52:46.150 from the battlefield. 52:46.150 --> 52:50.225 But we’re going to continue to pursue those objectives. 52:50.225 --> 52:53.808 It’s all about, fundamentally, as you note, 52:53.812 --> 52:56.018 providing for the security of the people who 52:56.018 --> 52:58.268 are affected by this group. 52:59.966 --> 53:02.883 We, without speaking to necessarily 53:03.193 --> 53:04.865 whether we’ve seen an uptick in kidnappings 53:04.865 --> 53:09.032 or other efforts to intimidate the local populations, 53:10.287 --> 53:12.284 we’re going to continue to collaborate, 53:12.284 --> 53:14.443 as I said, with and cooperate with 53:14.443 --> 53:16.765 those security forces that make up 53:16.765 --> 53:18.848 this regional task force. 53:18.925 --> 53:22.508 We have had, we have seen success thus far, 53:23.371 --> 53:25.725 but the mission is not complete yet. 53:25.725 --> 53:26.631 - [Voiceover] South Sudan. 53:26.631 --> 53:27.559 - Yeah, please. 53:27.559 --> 53:29.777 - [Voiceover] The UN said today that the results of 53:29.777 --> 53:32.424 the initial fact-finding mission by the UN mission 53:32.424 --> 53:36.058 in Juba, or the initial fact-finding investigation by 53:36.058 --> 53:38.658 the UN mission in Juba into the attack on 53:38.658 --> 53:41.189 the Terrain apartments, it’s expected to be turned over 53:41.189 --> 53:42.856 to the UN this week. 53:43.152 --> 53:45.555 But after the announcement of the special investigation 53:45.555 --> 53:47.749 by the secretary-general last night, 53:47.749 --> 53:49.035 they’re saying the results of 53:49.035 --> 53:51.403 this fact-finding investigation will not be released 53:51.403 --> 53:52.570 to the public. 53:52.750 --> 53:54.468 Do you think that considering 53:54.468 --> 53:57.603 the nature of these attacks and the accusations towards 53:57.603 --> 54:00.656 the UN peacekeepers that this fact-finding investigation 54:00.656 --> 54:04.337 and the result of it should be released to the public? 54:04.337 --> 54:05.621 - Well, first of all, I mean, 54:05.621 --> 54:08.475 I think we’ve spoken to this in detail over 54:08.475 --> 54:09.578 the last couple of days, 54:09.578 --> 54:11.738 and I know Ambassador Power also issued 54:11.738 --> 54:15.238 a very strong statement regarding the UN’s 54:21.084 --> 54:24.915 or the need for the UN to carry out as quickly 54:24.915 --> 54:28.915 as possible an investigation into what happened. 54:29.164 --> 54:30.964 I think we’re always encouraging transparency 54:30.964 --> 54:33.131 in these kinds of reports. 54:33.773 --> 54:35.480 But I think what’s mostly important, 54:35.480 --> 54:37.622 or most important here is that they carry out 54:37.622 --> 54:41.539 as quickly as possible this fact-finding review 54:43.171 --> 54:45.921 of the incident to determine how, 54:48.686 --> 54:51.205 to ensure this never happens again. 54:51.205 --> 54:52.796 - [Voiceover] Do you need a fact-finding mission 54:52.796 --> 54:55.826 to tell you that the UN did nothing to respond when 54:55.826 --> 54:57.858 they were told that they, 54:57.858 --> 55:01.236 these people, these aid workers, were in need of help? 55:01.236 --> 55:03.117 - I think always in these kinds of incidents, 55:03.117 --> 55:07.284 and again, this was absolutely abhorrent what happened, 55:07.517 --> 55:11.684 but I think it’s always useful to look at, to not draw 55:12.823 --> 55:16.086 at any broad conclusions but to look at the timeline 55:16.086 --> 55:19.638 of what happened and to understand the decision-making 55:19.638 --> 55:22.888 that went into that process, as I said, 55:24.085 --> 55:27.585 if only to make sure that in future cases, 55:30.482 --> 55:34.069 similar situations, rather, that this doesn’t happen again. 55:34.069 --> 55:36.275 - Can you say how many Americans were implicated 55:36.275 --> 55:39.775 in that attack, or victims in that attack? 55:40.304 --> 55:42.185 - I don’t think we’ve been able to give 55:42.185 --> 55:44.472 a precise number, and the reason why is we don’t 55:44.472 --> 55:48.639 have Privacy Act waivers on all the individuals involved. 55:50.347 --> 55:53.365 I’m not certain I have a firm number there. 55:53.365 --> 55:54.198 I apologize. 55:54.198 --> 55:55.687 - Well, if there were Privacy Act waivers, 55:55.687 --> 55:59.193 that would imply that there were Americans, right so-- 55:59.193 --> 56:00.166 - There were Americans, we’ve-- 56:00.166 --> 56:03.333 - But, so you can, can you say, again, 56:03.428 --> 56:06.516 a number of Americans even if you don’t have the waivers? 56:06.516 --> 56:10.683 Like, no, we’re not asking for specific information. 56:11.476 --> 56:12.309 - You’re looking for 56:12.309 --> 56:13.427 a specific number or you’re saying-- 56:13.427 --> 56:16.085 - [Man] How many Americans were victims there? 56:16.085 --> 56:17.478 - I’ll see what I can get for you on that. 56:17.478 --> 56:19.557 I don’t have it in front of me. 56:19.557 --> 56:21.182 - [Voiceover] And also, staying in South Sudan-- 56:21.182 --> 56:22.015 - Sure. 56:22.015 --> 56:23.504 - The Sudanese Government 56:23.504 --> 56:27.254 has apparently rejected the UN Security Council resolution 56:27.254 --> 56:28.504 for the troops. 56:29.820 --> 56:33.245 Do you have any reaction to that, and does it, 56:33.245 --> 56:37.078 what’s the next step if indeed they do reject? 56:37.668 --> 56:40.118 - You’re talking about, I’m sorry, South Sudan? 56:40.118 --> 56:42.618 - [Man] Yes, oh, sorry, Sudan. 56:43.415 --> 56:44.666 - Sudan, yeah, that’s what I thought, okay. 56:44.666 --> 56:47.333 - [Man] Sorry, getting mixed up. 56:48.416 --> 56:50.166 - So and I apologize. 56:52.642 --> 56:53.548 The question again? 56:53.548 --> 56:54.650 I was trying to look for the figure 56:54.650 --> 56:55.870 that Justin had asked for. 56:55.870 --> 56:56.703 I apologize. 56:56.703 --> 56:58.772 Can you just give me the question one more time? 56:58.772 --> 57:02.476 - So there was a UN Security Council resolution 57:02.476 --> 57:03.950 I think a few days ago, I don’t know 57:03.950 --> 57:05.459 if my colleagues can help me with that, 57:05.459 --> 57:09.209 that authorized a new set of troops to go in. 57:11.415 --> 57:14.498 And the government has rejected that. 57:15.212 --> 57:16.564 I think it was, it was South Sudan. 57:16.564 --> 57:17.397 - [Voiceover] South Sudan. 57:17.397 --> 57:18.230 - Sorry, it was. 57:18.230 --> 57:19.063 - Yeah, this is South Sudan. 57:19.063 --> 57:19.896 That’s why I was confused. 57:19.896 --> 57:20.998 Well, we do support the deployment 57:20.998 --> 57:22.670 of a regional protection force under 57:22.670 --> 57:26.670 the auspices of UNMISS, and that was authorized, 57:26.792 --> 57:29.427 as you noted, by the UN Security Council on August 12th, 57:29.427 --> 57:33.594 to help restore and preserve the stability in Juba. 57:33.746 --> 57:35.163 So we want to see 57:36.297 --> 57:40.214 that UN Security Council resolution adhered to. 57:43.205 --> 57:46.705 Such a force, we believe, needs to be able 57:46.711 --> 57:50.128 to ensure free and safe movement in Juba, 57:52.307 --> 57:55.279 as well as the protection of vital infrastructure. 57:55.279 --> 57:57.601 And we have supported the region’s request 57:57.601 --> 57:59.421 in calling on the Government of Sudan, 57:59.421 --> 58:01.731 South Sudan, rather, to accept the deployment 58:01.731 --> 58:04.785 of this force for the purpose of restoring stability 58:04.785 --> 58:06.979 and for the purpose of re-establishing a level 58:06.979 --> 58:09.684 of normalcy and stability for the people. 58:09.684 --> 58:11.554 - [Voiceover] Mark, to stay in South Sudan -- 58:11.554 --> 58:12.387 - Yes. 58:12.387 --> 58:16.054 - Since South Sudan soldiers are responsible 58:16.081 --> 58:18.248 for the attack on July 11, 58:18.845 --> 58:20.679 is the State Department considering 58:20.679 --> 58:24.846 taking additional sanctions against South Sudan leadership? 58:25.404 --> 58:29.237 And what do you respond to Human Rights Watch, 58:29.328 --> 58:31.859 who pressed you again to impose 58:31.859 --> 58:34.776 an arms embargo on the two parties? 58:36.178 --> 58:38.013 - Sure, I mean, I don’t have anything particular 58:38.013 --> 58:41.275 to announce in terms of additional sanctions. 58:41.275 --> 58:45.025 We might, we obviously want to see both sides 58:47.174 --> 58:49.666 in the conflict, or all sides, rather, 58:49.666 --> 58:53.416 in the conflict cease their violence so that, 58:54.763 --> 58:56.887 as I said, some kind of stability 58:56.887 --> 59:01.054 and normalcy can return to the situation on the ground. 59:08.087 --> 59:12.004 And that means as well as, I believe there was, 59:14.195 --> 59:17.341 we saw today, just to, there was an announcement 59:17.341 --> 59:21.508 to hold early elections by Kiir and that’s obviously 59:23.947 --> 59:26.530 of great concern to us as well, 59:28.115 --> 59:32.074 because it is once again a unilateral action that’s 59:32.074 --> 59:34.241 in violation of the letter 59:34.477 --> 59:36.637 and the spirit of the peace agreement. 59:36.637 --> 59:40.804 So what we want to see, again, is both parties stop 59:41.327 --> 59:45.494 the violence and work on adhering to the peace agreement. 59:48.804 --> 59:50.766 Yep and this is the last question, guys. 59:50.766 --> 59:52.392 You’ve had me up here for more than an hour. 59:52.392 --> 59:56.559 - Sure thing, the consulate in Lagos or the issue, 59:56.954 --> 59:59.215 just I know you spoke about this on Monday, 59:59.215 --> 01:00:01.746 but I just wanted to see that if, I know that 01:00:01.746 --> 01:00:03.174 a determination has not been made, 01:00:03.174 --> 01:00:06.274 but in terms of how many locations are being considered, 01:00:06.274 --> 01:00:08.805 and was there any concern about the optics 01:00:08.805 --> 01:00:10.638 of this request coming 01:00:10.892 --> 01:00:14.386 so soon after Secretary Clinton left office 01:00:14.386 --> 01:00:16.790 that it almost seems like it might have been waiting 01:00:16.790 --> 01:00:19.321 for them to leave office before the request was made? 01:00:19.321 --> 01:00:20.154 - You’re talking about 01:00:20.154 --> 01:00:21.079 the request for the consulate? 01:00:21.079 --> 01:00:21.912 - [Man] Yes. 01:00:21.912 --> 01:00:22.745 - Yeah, I mean, look, 01:00:22.745 --> 01:00:26.912 I thought we addressed this last week pretty extensively. 01:00:27.035 --> 01:00:29.702 We’ve not as of today contracted 01:00:33.328 --> 01:00:37.495 or acquired any property for a new consulate in Lagos, 01:00:38.761 --> 01:00:40.178 or Lagos, rather. 01:00:41.861 --> 01:00:44.229 We have over the past several years identified 01:00:44.229 --> 01:00:47.780 and looked at and evaluated multiple properties. 01:00:47.780 --> 01:00:51.697 We’ve had conversations about multiple property 01:00:52.413 --> 01:00:55.935 with the property owners and their representatives 01:00:55.935 --> 01:00:57.815 because we’re looking, as we’ve noted, 01:00:57.815 --> 01:01:01.898 to acquire property for a new consulate in Lagos. 01:01:02.425 --> 01:01:06.592 And this process is in no way connected to or subject 01:01:08.833 --> 01:01:12.000 to individual preferences or pressure. 01:01:12.955 --> 01:01:16.833 It’s run out of the Overseas Building Operations. 01:01:16.833 --> 01:01:19.921 It’s managed by career real estate professionals, 01:01:19.921 --> 01:01:24.088 and they evaluate potential properties under consideration 01:01:26.086 --> 01:01:28.942 before any property is put under contract. 01:01:28.942 --> 01:01:32.645 So just to clear the air here, this is a process 01:01:32.645 --> 01:01:34.886 that is followed not just in Lagos but throughout 01:01:34.886 --> 01:01:38.961 the world when we’re looking at acquiring new properties 01:01:38.961 --> 01:01:41.202 for either consulates or embassies. 01:01:41.202 --> 01:01:45.285 And as I said, in Lagos there was no deviation of 01:01:48.621 --> 01:01:51.198 that process, from that process, rather. 01:01:51.198 --> 01:01:52.031 Is that it, guys? 01:01:52.031 --> 01:01:52.864 Thanks.