WEBVTT 00:00.426 --> 00:03.443 - Hey, guys, apologies for running a little late. 00:03.443 --> 00:06.510 (speaking off microphone) 00:06.510 --> 00:09.093 Yes, but I was early yesterday. 00:13.709 --> 00:15.876 Anyway, let’s get started. 00:16.192 --> 00:18.374 I’m happy to make this as quick as you want. 00:18.374 --> 00:21.010 So let’s start off with the end of the Brussels conference 00:21.010 --> 00:23.046 today, Secretary Kerry is, of course, 00:23.046 --> 00:25.835 on route back to the United States. 00:25.835 --> 00:28.325 He concluded his participation in the Brussels Conference 00:28.325 --> 00:30.254 on Afghanistan earlier today. 00:30.254 --> 00:33.526 He reiterated the U.S.’s commitment to Afghanistan’s 00:33.526 --> 00:36.526 stability, progress, and prosperity. 00:37.031 --> 00:39.313 The conference reaffirmed the international community’s 00:39.313 --> 00:43.392 steadfast support for Afghanistan’s continued development, 00:43.392 --> 00:45.580 and at the conclusion of the conference, the international 00:45.580 --> 00:48.926 partners confirmed their intention to provide $15.2 billion 00:48.926 --> 00:51.540 in support of Afghanistan’s development 00:51.540 --> 00:53.957 priorities from 2017 to 2020. 00:56.581 --> 00:59.819 Also wanted to note today the United States joins more than 00:59.819 --> 01:02.542 40 nations to issue a Joint Declaration for the Export 01:02.542 --> 01:06.709 and Subsequent Use of Armed or Strike-Enabled UAVs, 01:07.522 --> 01:09.522 unmanned aerial systems. 01:09.999 --> 01:13.448 The declaration’s a political commitment by its signatories 01:13.448 --> 01:17.615 that underscores growing international consensus that UAVs 01:18.289 --> 01:21.087 are subject to international law and stresses the need for 01:21.087 --> 01:24.480 transparency about exports and represents, we believe, 01:24.480 --> 01:27.360 an important first step towards comprehensive international 01:27.360 --> 01:31.527 standards for the transfer and subsequent use of UAVs. 01:31.778 --> 01:34.013 This joint declaration will serve as the basis for 01:34.013 --> 01:36.120 discussions on a more detailed set of international 01:36.120 --> 01:39.341 standards for the export and subsequent use of armed 01:39.341 --> 01:42.368 or strike-enabled UAVs, which the United States 01:42.368 --> 01:46.535 and its partners will convene in the spring of 2017. 01:46.906 --> 01:49.309 These discussions will be open to all countries, 01:49.309 --> 01:53.476 even if they chose not to join the joint declaration. 01:55.438 --> 01:56.271 - [Matt] Mark-- 01:56.271 --> 01:57.601 - Yes, sir, of course. 01:57.601 --> 01:59.492 - [Matt] Are you physically unable to 01:59.492 --> 02:01.526 pronounce the word “drone?” 02:01.526 --> 02:04.526 - (chuckles) Drone. 02:04.914 --> 02:07.852 - [Matt] There you go, okay, thank you. 02:07.852 --> 02:10.332 - As a world leader in the development 02:10.332 --> 02:14.330 and deployment of military UAVs, the United States 02:14.330 --> 02:16.702 seeks to promote efforts to ensure the responsible 02:16.702 --> 02:18.109 export and subsequent use of this 02:18.109 --> 02:20.609 rapidly developing technology. 02:20.640 --> 02:24.807 Finally, I know many of you were on the call earlier today, 02:24.964 --> 02:28.881 but regarding the effects of Hurricane Matthew, 02:29.877 --> 02:33.570 we obviously continue to track its path very closely. 02:33.570 --> 02:37.283 President Obama spoke to the impact of the hurricane this 02:37.283 --> 02:40.446 morning, and as I noted, we held an on-the-record call. 02:40.446 --> 02:43.613 The, earlier today the U.S. Agency for 02:44.665 --> 02:47.964 International Development announced an additional $1 million 02:47.964 --> 02:51.764 in humanitarian assistance, including food vouchers, 02:51.764 --> 02:55.486 food rations, cash transfers, and meals at evacuation 02:55.486 --> 02:58.637 shelters for communities in Haiti that were affected by 02:58.637 --> 02:59.889 Hurricane Matthew. 02:59.889 --> 03:02.679 This brings the total USAID humanitarian assistance 03:02.679 --> 03:05.762 for regional Hurricane Matthew relief 03:06.254 --> 03:08.171 efforts to 1.5 million. 03:09.529 --> 03:12.827 This new funding comes the day after USAID activated its 03:12.827 --> 03:16.994 Disaster Assistant Response Team in the Central Caribbean. 03:17.524 --> 03:20.856 This team has deployed to Haiti, to Jamaica, and to the 03:20.856 --> 03:22.929 Bahamas, where they’re continuing, with the governments of 03:22.929 --> 03:25.539 the affected countries and the humanitarian organizations on 03:25.539 --> 03:27.203 the ground, to bring vital humanitarian assistance 03:27.203 --> 03:28.620 to those in need. 03:29.486 --> 03:32.495 We continue to advise U.S. citizens in affected areas to 03:32.495 --> 03:34.797 make preparations immediately to shelter in place in a 03:34.797 --> 03:37.757 secure location and to follow the emergency instructions 03:37.757 --> 03:40.257 provided by local authorities. 03:41.352 --> 03:43.372 Matt, I don’t know if you got up-to-date information 03:43.372 --> 03:46.259 about the embassies that you’d asked about yesterday. 03:46.259 --> 03:47.092 - [Matt] I did. 03:47.092 --> 03:47.925 - You’re good? 03:47.925 --> 03:49.795 Okay, if anybody else is interested, 03:49.795 --> 03:53.678 Embassy Nassau closed for routine consular services 03:53.678 --> 03:55.669 October 5th through 7th. 03:55.669 --> 03:58.241 The airports in Nassau and Freeport remain open. 03:58.241 --> 04:01.340 In the Dominican Republic, Embassy Santo Domingo is open 04:01.340 --> 04:03.750 with limited operations October 4th, 04:03.750 --> 04:07.436 and American Citizen Services has officers present to assist 04:07.436 --> 04:08.936 any U.S. citizens. 04:09.098 --> 04:12.036 And finally, Haiti, Port-au-Prince is closed for routine 04:12.036 --> 04:14.089 consular services October 4th and 5th 04:14.089 --> 04:18.256 and has advised U.S. citizens to shelter in place. 04:18.391 --> 04:21.103 I think that’s all I have, so over to you, Matt. 04:21.103 --> 04:25.020 - All right, let’s just start with Syria first. 04:26.336 --> 04:28.304 So the Russian foreign ministry says that Secretary Kerry 04:28.304 --> 04:31.366 and Foreign Minister Lavrov spoke again today about Syria. 04:31.366 --> 04:32.577 Is that correct? 04:32.577 --> 04:33.982 - They did, earlier today. 04:33.982 --> 04:35.878 - All right, I’m very, very confused, I thought-- 04:35.878 --> 04:36.711 - [Mark] Don’t be confused. 04:36.711 --> 04:38.559 - Just two days ago you said that they, that this bilateral 04:38.559 --> 04:40.476 contact had been suspended. 04:40.476 --> 04:42.907 That’s a quick suspension unless the situation 04:42.907 --> 04:44.672 on the ground has changed. 04:44.672 --> 04:46.089 - No, look, Matt. 04:46.541 --> 04:47.926 - [Matt] I mean, do you guys actually do 04:47.926 --> 04:49.340 anything that you say? 04:49.340 --> 04:50.572 - Come on, Matt. 04:50.572 --> 04:51.405 - [Matt] What? 04:51.405 --> 04:52.346 - No, I mean, look. 04:52.346 --> 04:55.003 Engagement remains, so what we talked about the other day 04:55.003 --> 04:58.707 was bilateral engagement with regard to Syria. 04:58.707 --> 05:00.690 That remains suspended, but it certainly doesn’t preclude 05:00.690 --> 05:04.105 the two foreign, the two, well, the Secretary of State 05:04.105 --> 05:06.362 and Foreign Minister Lavrov from talking. 05:06.362 --> 05:08.531 - [Matt] That’s, you don’t consider that to be engagement? 05:08.531 --> 05:09.510 - That’s not, and we’ve been very clear-- 05:09.510 --> 05:10.421 - [Matt] Well, what did they do, then? 05:10.421 --> 05:11.379 Yell at each other? 05:11.379 --> 05:13.125 - Well, not at all but look, first of all, 05:13.125 --> 05:15.583 it would be irresponsible for us, given what’s happening in 05:15.583 --> 05:18.592 Aleppo, not to touch base with Foreign Minister Lavrov 05:18.592 --> 05:22.337 periodically but also I can say in the last 24 hours 05:22.337 --> 05:26.504 Secretary Kerry has spoken to his counterparts in the UK, 05:27.772 --> 05:30.407 in Germany, in France, or not France, rather, 05:30.407 --> 05:33.548 in Germany, Turkey, the EU, and Qatar. 05:33.548 --> 05:37.215 And as you know, Under Secretary Tom Shannon 05:37.501 --> 05:41.001 is in Berlin today attending that meeting. 05:41.497 --> 05:44.750 I would say the conversation, which also touched on Ukraine, 05:44.750 --> 05:46.336 I’m talking about the conversation he had with 05:46.336 --> 05:48.433 Foreign Minister Lavrov, also touched on Ukraine 05:48.433 --> 05:52.600 and North Korea, but it was part of those multilateral 05:53.610 --> 05:56.494 efforts now that are going to continue because we recognize 05:56.494 --> 05:58.503 they’ve got to be part of the conversation. 05:58.503 --> 06:02.298 What happened the other day, the suspension, had to do with 06:02.298 --> 06:06.465 that particular bilateral cooperation that we had thought we 06:07.155 --> 06:11.322 had reached a conclusion on on September 10th in Geneva. 06:11.565 --> 06:13.648 That effort is suspended, 06:14.228 --> 06:16.746 but that doesn’t preclude us from talking. 06:16.746 --> 06:19.163 - [Matt] Well, okay, then I-- 06:19.737 --> 06:21.399 - What’s your, go ahead. 06:21.399 --> 06:23.926 - I mean, usually when a government comes out 06:23.926 --> 06:26.831 and says that it’s not going to talk to another government 06:26.831 --> 06:30.581 anymore about something, that means you don’t 06:33.731 --> 06:35.054 talk to them anymore, so-- 06:35.054 --> 06:37.074 - That’s not true, Matt, and in fact, I would argue, 06:37.074 --> 06:40.315 I would argue to the contrary, that it would almost be 06:40.315 --> 06:43.727 irresponsible for us not to have any conversations with 06:43.727 --> 06:47.073 Foreign Minister Lavrov and with the Russians going forward 06:47.073 --> 06:48.401 about the situation on the ground in Syria. 06:48.401 --> 06:49.773 - [Matt] Well, yeah, but what, but Victoria 06:49.773 --> 06:50.606 was in Moscow today. 06:50.606 --> 06:51.439 - Of course. 06:51.439 --> 06:53.343 - Yeah, I know, but I mean, this is the big one. 06:53.343 --> 06:54.351 - [Mark] To talk about Ukraine. 06:54.351 --> 06:57.018 - Right, but the big thing here, 06:57.461 --> 07:00.522 the big bilateral engagement that was going on was 07:00.522 --> 07:03.606 between the Secretary and the foreign minister. 07:03.606 --> 07:07.283 So if you, when you come out and you say two days 07:07.283 --> 07:09.484 ago that you’re going to suspend the engagement, 07:09.484 --> 07:13.651 and then 48, less than 48 hours later the engagement has 07:14.064 --> 07:17.221 resumed without any change in the situation on the ground, 07:17.221 --> 07:19.721 it just looks kind of odd, no? 07:19.944 --> 07:21.194 - No, because-- 07:21.262 --> 07:22.592 - [Matt] Okay, it does to me. 07:22.592 --> 07:25.415 - It doesn’t change the facts on the ground, as you note. 07:25.415 --> 07:27.415 We don’t have a cessation of hostilities. 07:27.415 --> 07:29.773 We don’t have humanitarian access. 07:29.773 --> 07:31.058 We don’t have any of the elements, 07:31.058 --> 07:34.582 the core elements of that September 10th agreement 07:34.582 --> 07:37.624 in the process of being implemented or implemented. 07:37.624 --> 07:40.676 There’s no, going to be no Joint Implementation Center. 07:40.676 --> 07:44.793 None of the, if you will, carrots either for Russia 07:44.793 --> 07:46.577 or at least what Russia proclaimed to want, 07:46.577 --> 07:49.653 that Joint Implementation Center is moving forward as well. 07:49.653 --> 07:52.420 But I think, and I tried to stress this yesterday, 07:52.420 --> 07:56.500 while that particular bilateral channel is now suspended, 07:56.500 --> 08:00.667 we’re not going to just walk away from what’s happening in 08:00.740 --> 08:04.013 Syria, we’re going to try to, on the multilateral front, 08:04.013 --> 08:07.095 try to coordinate with likeminded partners and allies 08:07.095 --> 08:11.181 and stakeholders, and that includes Russia and Iran. 08:11.181 --> 08:13.395 Unfortunately, that does include them. 08:13.395 --> 08:14.883 - All right, so this, then, you would characterize 08:14.883 --> 08:18.466 this conversation as a bilateral engagement 08:19.331 --> 08:21.246 in a multilateral setting? 08:21.246 --> 08:22.442 Is that what you’re trying to say? 08:22.442 --> 08:23.401 Kind of like-- 08:23.401 --> 08:24.849 - In a multilateral effort. 08:24.849 --> 08:26.189 - Kind of like the way you used to talk to the 08:26.189 --> 08:27.356 North Koreans? 08:28.131 --> 08:31.798 Bilaterally, as part of the Six-Party Talks? 08:32.297 --> 08:33.832 Is that, I mean, I’m just trying to figure it out, 08:33.832 --> 08:34.976 because it’s very-- 08:34.976 --> 08:36.403 - No, no, no, I understand it. 08:36.403 --> 08:38.410 - I just don’t understand if you, 08:38.410 --> 08:41.359 you tell the Russians one thing and then you turn around 08:41.359 --> 08:43.066 and don’t follow through on it. 08:43.066 --> 08:44.882 I mean, that’s what it looks like to me. 08:44.882 --> 08:47.511 So I appreciate your argument that that’s not what it is, 08:47.511 --> 08:49.404 but I just think it’s very confusing. 08:49.404 --> 08:53.571 - Well, optics aside, what it is was simply a call. 08:55.989 --> 08:58.218 They talked about a number of issues. 08:58.218 --> 09:00.922 They did talk about the situation on the ground in Syria. 09:00.922 --> 09:04.606 My argument back to you would be it would be irresponsible 09:04.606 --> 09:07.594 for Secretary Kerry not to raise what’s happening 09:07.594 --> 09:09.523 in Syria and make our concerns clear 09:09.523 --> 09:11.733 about what’s happening there but that doesn’t mean that-- 09:11.733 --> 09:12.583 - Right, yeah, it may be irresponsible 09:12.583 --> 09:14.016 but it’s not a suspension. 09:14.016 --> 09:17.130 That means that the contact hasn’t been suspended. 09:17.130 --> 09:18.566 So that’s what I’m saying. 09:18.566 --> 09:19.733 I’m done, so-- 09:20.836 --> 09:22.452 - [Journalist] French Foreign Minister Ayrault 09:22.452 --> 09:23.442 is going to Moscow. 09:23.442 --> 09:26.612 Is he going there bilaterally as part of this multilateral-- 09:26.612 --> 09:30.779 - (Laughing) Look, all right, I get it. 09:32.445 --> 09:36.612 But I mean, Foreign Minister Ayrault is trying to pursue 09:39.523 --> 09:41.023 a French proposal. 09:41.668 --> 09:44.068 I’ll leave it for them to talk about the details of it. 09:44.068 --> 09:48.235 But I think in the wake of the failure of us to implement 09:50.362 --> 09:53.214 in any meaningful way the December, or the December, 09:53.214 --> 09:57.381 the September 10th agreement, other options need to be 09:57.744 --> 10:00.604 looked at, both internally, by that I mean within the 10:00.604 --> 10:03.474 interagency in the U.S. but also externally 10:03.474 --> 10:05.465 with all of our multilateral partners. 10:05.465 --> 10:09.019 So we’re talking to the ISSG and we’re talking to other 10:09.019 --> 10:11.945 likeminded partners and allies, and that’s pretty much the, 10:11.945 --> 10:14.476 what’s happening today in Berlin. 10:14.476 --> 10:17.936 - But we shouldn’t expect there to be fewer calls 10:17.936 --> 10:20.176 between the Secretary and the foreign minister? 10:20.176 --> 10:22.951 - I can’t predict the frequency of their contact. 10:22.951 --> 10:25.360 - [Man In Navy Shirt] So around about three or four a week? 10:25.360 --> 10:29.527 - Again, how I would characterize this is we’re not going 10:30.420 --> 10:31.724 to stop talking altogether. 10:31.724 --> 10:34.191 We were very clear about this is a suspension 10:34.191 --> 10:38.024 of bilateral cooperation with regard to Syria. 10:38.774 --> 10:39.607 But the-- 10:39.744 --> 10:41.050 - [Matt] But then they were on the phone talking about 10:41.050 --> 10:42.965 bilateral cooperation in Syria just today. 10:42.965 --> 10:45.010 - That’s not at all, that’s not at all true. 10:45.010 --> 10:47.187 They did talk about Syria briefly, 10:47.187 --> 10:48.838 the situation on the ground. 10:48.838 --> 10:51.589 Again, the Secretary would be remiss, frankly, 10:51.589 --> 10:53.958 not to raise our concerns about what’s happening there. 10:53.958 --> 10:57.318 But let’s go back to what we were talking about with 10:57.318 --> 10:59.069 bilateral cooperation. 10:59.069 --> 11:02.528 It was a nationwide, credible, cessation of hostilities. 11:02.528 --> 11:05.605 It was this Joint Implementation Center, 11:05.605 --> 11:09.054 which would have had us working with Russia to carry out 11:09.054 --> 11:11.356 strikes against Nusrah and Al-Qaeda. 11:11.356 --> 11:13.323 All that’s suspended right now. 11:13.323 --> 11:14.873 - [Journalist] But, Mark, you’ve been talking 11:14.873 --> 11:16.098 to the Russians for four years 11:16.098 --> 11:18.095 and we’ve seen the results this week. 11:18.095 --> 11:21.484 - I can’t argue that the Russians seem intent on 11:21.484 --> 11:25.107 carrying out the strikes they continue to carry out in 11:25.107 --> 11:28.352 support of Assad against, or yeah, against the civilian 11:28.352 --> 11:32.519 population of Aleppo, and we’re going to continue to raise 11:33.251 --> 11:35.199 our serious concerns about it. 11:35.199 --> 11:38.105 - Why the timing now to talk about Ukraine 11:38.105 --> 11:39.438 and North Korea? 11:39.595 --> 11:42.428 I mean, is there something urgent? 11:42.588 --> 11:46.755 - I mean, with regard to Ukraine, certainly as Matt stole 11:48.350 --> 11:51.948 my thunder, but Assistant Secretary Victoria Nuland, 11:51.948 --> 11:54.174 is in actually Moscow I believe today. 11:54.174 --> 11:55.894 She may be wheels up. 11:55.894 --> 11:59.008 I’m not sure, but specifically there-- 11:59.008 --> 12:01.442 - [Matt] The embassy in Moscow stole your thunder not me. 12:01.442 --> 12:05.609 - Just joking but she’s there specifically to work 12:05.635 --> 12:07.735 on what we’ve made a priority, 12:07.735 --> 12:10.301 which is implementation of the Minsk Agreements. 12:10.301 --> 12:13.845 - Did you talk about the harassment of the U.S. diplomats? 12:13.845 --> 12:16.340 - I don’t know, I don’t know if that came up. 12:16.340 --> 12:17.506 - [Journalist] And on Berlin meeting, 12:17.506 --> 12:18.627 do you have any readout? 12:18.627 --> 12:19.832 - I don’t, I tried to get a readout. 12:19.832 --> 12:23.238 It’s just wrapping up, frankly, so I’ll try to get it. 12:23.238 --> 12:25.868 If we have something meaningful to say about it later today, 12:25.868 --> 12:27.504 we’ll get that to you guys. 12:27.504 --> 12:30.777 - And Secretary Kerry when he comes tomorrow, 12:30.777 --> 12:33.589 he will receive the French foreign minister. 12:33.589 --> 12:35.672 He will see him here or-- 12:35.738 --> 12:37.814 - I’m not sure if we’ve confirmed that 12:37.814 --> 12:39.814 or announced it yet, so. 12:41.223 --> 12:45.390 - Russia today announced it’s suspending or terminating two 12:45.460 --> 12:48.941 more cooperation agreements with the United States 12:48.941 --> 12:53.108 as follows the decree by Vladimir Putin on Monday. 12:55.430 --> 12:56.510 What do you have on that? 12:56.510 --> 12:59.804 And what does this say about the deteriorating state of 12:59.804 --> 13:02.971 U.S.-Russian relations right now based 13:03.157 --> 13:05.515 on everything else we’ve discussed here today? 13:05.515 --> 13:07.010 - Yeah, I think you’re talking about some of these reports 13:07.010 --> 13:08.799 we’ve seen, we’ve just seen, frankly, 13:08.799 --> 13:12.966 media reports on this so far, so we’ve yet to receive 13:13.516 --> 13:17.587 official notification from the Russians about the 13:17.587 --> 13:20.535 suspension of an agreement on cooperation in nuclear 13:20.535 --> 13:23.785 and energy-related scientific research. 13:26.333 --> 13:29.914 If they’re accurate, we would regret the Russian decision to 13:29.914 --> 13:33.089 unilaterally suspend cooperation on what we believe is a 13:33.089 --> 13:35.069 very important issue that’s in the interest 13:35.069 --> 13:37.152 of both of our countries. 13:37.507 --> 13:39.732 - And how do you assess the current state of 13:39.732 --> 13:41.597 U.S.-Russian relations? 13:41.597 --> 13:43.132 - How do we assess it? 13:43.132 --> 13:47.144 I think our assessment is while we have failed to cooperate 13:47.144 --> 13:50.774 meaningfully in this recent effort on Syria, 13:50.774 --> 13:54.941 we continue to disagree where we disagree with Russia, 13:55.632 --> 13:57.772 and that’s on Ukraine, certainly with what’s happening in 13:57.772 --> 14:00.274 Syria right now, and in other areas. 14:00.274 --> 14:03.540 But where we can cooperate constructively, 14:03.540 --> 14:05.874 such as nuclear agreements, and in fact, 14:05.874 --> 14:10.041 the other day they suspended this Plutonium Management 14:13.051 --> 14:16.151 and Disposition Agreement, that’s a real tragedy, 14:16.151 --> 14:18.334 because these are areas that we had successfully 14:18.334 --> 14:19.718 cooperated in the past. 14:19.718 --> 14:21.474 And again, it’s in the interest of our both our 14:21.474 --> 14:23.511 countries to continue those efforts. 14:23.511 --> 14:24.344 Please. 14:24.767 --> 14:28.136 - On Syria, regarding the options that U.S. Government 14:28.136 --> 14:31.912 is discussing, are you getting close to the decision? 14:31.912 --> 14:34.906 Any meetings that you can talk about? 14:34.906 --> 14:38.049 - I don’t want to necessarily preview some of our internal 14:38.049 --> 14:40.132 U.S. Government meetings. 14:42.528 --> 14:46.463 I’ll just say that we continue our efforts to look at 14:46.463 --> 14:48.471 different options in the range of 14:48.471 --> 14:50.228 what I talked about yesterday. 14:50.228 --> 14:51.311 Yeah, please. 14:52.196 --> 14:55.696 - The pro-Kurdish party in Syria, the PYD, 14:55.923 --> 14:59.438 now controls significant areas of northern Syria, 14:59.438 --> 15:02.086 and they’re going to hold a conference, they’ve said, 15:02.086 --> 15:04.272 this weekend to announce the establishment of a federal 15:04.272 --> 15:07.858 system in the three cantons that they’re now administering. 15:07.858 --> 15:09.958 What’s your position on this? 15:09.958 --> 15:13.374 - Well, our persistent, position rather, excuse me, 15:13.374 --> 15:17.541 has been that the future of Syria should be decided by 15:17.866 --> 15:21.866 Syrians consistent with the political transition 15:22.246 --> 15:25.584 and election process that was outlined in the UN Security 15:25.584 --> 15:29.751 Council Resolution 2254, and that resolution states that 15:29.964 --> 15:33.053 the Syrian people will decide the future of Syria 15:33.053 --> 15:36.068 and that the Geneva Communique should be the basis of a 15:36.068 --> 15:39.505 Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political transition. 15:39.505 --> 15:43.616 Put more simply, we support the territorial integrity of 15:43.616 --> 15:46.616 Syria and we also support a unified, 15:46.652 --> 15:48.758 democratic Syria in which the rights of 15:48.758 --> 15:50.841 all groups are protected. 15:51.046 --> 15:54.296 So in direct response to your question, 15:54.425 --> 15:57.786 we’d urge Syrian parties, all Syrian parties to work 15:57.786 --> 16:01.251 together in a manner consistent with UN Security Council 16:01.251 --> 16:05.418 Resolution 2254 in order to advance that political process. 16:07.052 --> 16:10.696 So what we don’t want are groups working on the margin 16:10.696 --> 16:14.079 creating their own systems or their own de facto states. 16:14.079 --> 16:17.139 This all needs to be worked out to a political transition 16:17.139 --> 16:20.566 that’s enshrined in UN Security Council Resolution 2254. 16:20.566 --> 16:22.343 - That sounds like you don’t support this. 16:22.343 --> 16:24.676 - I said what we do support. 16:24.685 --> 16:27.304 I tried to be affirmative in my description. 16:27.304 --> 16:29.492 Please, in the back, Michael. 16:29.492 --> 16:30.325 Sorry. 16:30.325 --> 16:31.575 One more Syria. 16:31.587 --> 16:33.952 - Did you see this report by experts that were working with 16:33.952 --> 16:37.619 the ISSG about the strike on the aid convoy? 16:38.193 --> 16:41.128 Their claim, the report is claiming that it was a 16:41.128 --> 16:44.211 well-prepared stage, refuting reports 16:45.177 --> 16:47.260 that it was an airstrike. 16:47.571 --> 16:49.555 - Yeah, Michael, I did see those reports, 16:49.555 --> 16:53.722 and we’ve been very clear laying out what we know occurred 16:56.898 --> 16:59.721 in that strike against a humanitarian convoy, 16:59.721 --> 17:03.221 and that any bogus reports to the contrary 17:05.503 --> 17:07.003 don’t refute that. 17:07.451 --> 17:08.284 - [Man In Black Suit Jacket] Have you received this report, 17:08.284 --> 17:09.284 analyzed it? 17:09.530 --> 17:13.030 - We’ve actually seen no signs of any kind 17:13.452 --> 17:14.722 of report like this. 17:14.722 --> 17:17.059 I have no idea where that came from. 17:17.059 --> 17:20.680 Again, what we have said has been based on our best 17:20.680 --> 17:24.664 intelligence estimates of what, assessments, rather, 17:24.664 --> 17:28.414 of what happened and I just would strike down 17:29.499 --> 17:32.999 any kind of bogus reports to the contrary. 17:33.640 --> 17:36.890 - On, just one more on this, on Aleppo. 17:36.995 --> 17:40.667 Have you seen reports or are you aware of certain groups 17:40.667 --> 17:44.834 from either side preventing civilians from leaving 17:44.906 --> 17:48.406 the city or, the eastern part of the city? 17:49.050 --> 17:50.945 - By any groups, I have not. 17:50.945 --> 17:53.644 - Well, I mean either by the moderate rebels 17:53.644 --> 17:57.740 that you support, by Nusrah, by the government, by-- 17:57.740 --> 18:00.717 - That are actually preventing Syrian, citizens, rather, 18:00.717 --> 18:02.394 civilians, rather, from leaving? 18:02.394 --> 18:03.477 I’ve not, no. 18:04.262 --> 18:05.595 Please go ahead. 18:05.762 --> 18:07.295 - I don’t know if you’ve already spoken about this, 18:07.295 --> 18:09.955 but what is the U.S. perspective on the idea of the 18:09.955 --> 18:13.638 UN Security Council adopting criteria to restrain members 18:13.638 --> 18:17.074 from using a veto when there are concerns about 18:17.074 --> 18:19.724 them having committed war crimes? 18:19.724 --> 18:23.473 I haven’t actually seen that and I don’t want to necessarily 18:23.473 --> 18:26.890 preview how we would vote, but certainly, 18:27.449 --> 18:30.699 we take those, it’s an important issue. 18:31.085 --> 18:33.024 We take those kind of questions into consideration, 18:33.024 --> 18:36.774 but I don’t have anything to kind of preview. 18:38.219 --> 18:39.219 Are we, yes. 18:40.083 --> 18:41.173 - [Matt] This will be quick, I think. 18:41.173 --> 18:42.006 - Yeah, sure, go ahead. 18:42.006 --> 18:43.151 - I just wanted to ask you about the 18:43.151 --> 18:45.484 statement on the settlement. 18:45.672 --> 18:48.089 - [Mark] Oh, yeah, of course. 18:49.405 --> 18:52.375 - It’s pretty clear that you’re unhappy about 18:52.375 --> 18:55.173 this announcement, both what the announcement was 18:55.173 --> 18:58.998 and the timing of it, timing of it for two reasons. 18:58.998 --> 19:03.165 So my question is one that’s been asked many times before, 19:03.181 --> 19:07.348 but if, in fact, you feel this strongly about settlements 19:08.910 --> 19:12.333 and if, in fact, all of your previous denunciations 19:12.333 --> 19:16.500 and condemnations of them have gone to, have gone unheeded 19:17.858 --> 19:22.025 or un-listened to, what is the point of coming out 19:25.723 --> 19:28.321 with these statements repeatedly 19:28.321 --> 19:30.751 and expecting a change in behavior? 19:30.751 --> 19:34.001 When, if you think it’s this important, 19:34.498 --> 19:37.165 is there actually going to be a, 19:37.234 --> 19:39.529 even a threat of a consequence? 19:39.529 --> 19:43.696 - Sure, first of all, you’re talking about the statement 19:43.731 --> 19:45.981 we issued a short time ago. 19:46.190 --> 19:50.357 I do want to condemn, though, the fact that we’ve seen 19:52.903 --> 19:57.070 reports of rocket file, fire, rather, from Gaza into Israel. 19:57.679 --> 20:01.331 We would strongly condemn rockets and other attacks from 20:01.331 --> 20:03.706 Gaza into Israel and urge all parties 20:03.706 --> 20:05.706 to avoid any escalation. 20:07.754 --> 20:11.421 I think with respect to your question, Matt, 20:15.184 --> 20:18.763 starting from the fundamental principle that our commitment 20:18.763 --> 20:21.723 to Israel’s security is unshakeable, and we just concluded, 20:21.723 --> 20:25.058 obviously, the memorandum of understanding that was alluded 20:25.058 --> 20:29.058 to in the statement, and that commitment stands, 20:29.970 --> 20:34.137 but when we see Israel carry out this kind of action, 20:35.247 --> 20:38.057 new settlement activity, announcement of new settlement 20:38.057 --> 20:42.224 activity, that, frankly, contradicts its stated goal 20:43.617 --> 20:47.784 to have or to achieve or pursue a two-state solution, 20:49.452 --> 20:53.573 it raises serious concerns and we have to publicly 20:53.573 --> 20:56.740 and privately convey those concerns to 20:56.830 --> 20:58.913 the Government of Israel. 20:58.938 --> 21:01.771 I recognize your question and the, 21:02.367 --> 21:05.367 is that our comments have no effect. 21:06.269 --> 21:10.436 We still believe it’s important to make clear how we view 21:11.145 --> 21:14.229 the situation on the ground and the effects of these kinds 21:14.229 --> 21:18.396 of actions are having on Israel’s long-term viability 21:18.735 --> 21:22.248 as a democratic state in that region and a Jewish state 21:22.248 --> 21:23.481 in that region. 21:23.481 --> 21:26.462 This stuff only sets us, sets back the two-state 21:26.462 --> 21:30.629 peace process, a two-state solution, and makes it harder. 21:31.330 --> 21:34.045 - Okay, so your comment just now, does that, 21:34.045 --> 21:36.387 that’s an acknowledgement from the Administration that you 21:36.387 --> 21:39.433 have no leverage with Israel, despite the fact that you give 21:39.433 --> 21:42.412 them billions of dollars every year? 21:42.412 --> 21:43.719 - Again, we believe, we believe, 21:43.719 --> 21:45.279 well, no, first of all-- 21:45.279 --> 21:46.902 - That your words have no effect. 21:46.902 --> 21:49.115 So is, are you acknowledging or is the Administration 21:49.115 --> 21:52.055 acknowledging that it doesn’t have any sway, 21:52.055 --> 21:53.805 any pull with Israel? 21:55.130 --> 21:59.297 - What I would say is, and it’s important that we continue 21:59.691 --> 22:03.858 to convey to Israel, when we see actions that we believe 22:09.423 --> 22:12.810 are counter to Israel’s long-term security interests 22:12.810 --> 22:15.277 and counter to their stated goal of 22:15.277 --> 22:17.174 pursuing a two-state solution. 22:17.174 --> 22:18.972 And when we see that, we’re going to call it like we see it 22:18.972 --> 22:19.985 and we’re going to convey that. 22:19.985 --> 22:21.540 - [Matt] But you don’t actually expect them to do anything 22:21.540 --> 22:22.503 about it, is that-- 22:22.503 --> 22:24.303 - I can’t speak for what, whether their behavior is going 22:24.303 --> 22:26.190 to change or how their behavior is going to change. 22:26.190 --> 22:27.285 - No, I mean the Administration. 22:27.285 --> 22:29.310 You say these things but you don’t actually expect 22:29.310 --> 22:30.977 them to act on them? 22:31.120 --> 22:32.162 - Well, of course. 22:32.162 --> 22:34.144 We wouldn’t say them unless we were mindful 22:34.144 --> 22:38.311 and hopeful that they would absorb them and act in a way 22:39.117 --> 22:40.981 that was consistent with, as I said, 22:40.981 --> 22:45.148 their long-term interests and, frankly, in the long, 22:45.527 --> 22:47.358 in the even short to midterm goal of creating the kind of 22:47.358 --> 22:50.736 climate on the ground that is, would even lead to the 22:50.736 --> 22:54.419 possibility of negotiations and a two-state solution. 22:54.419 --> 22:56.417 - Well, since you, since you started, 22:56.417 --> 22:59.118 since the United States starting, started opposing 22:59.118 --> 23:01.883 this kind of activity decades ago-- 23:01.883 --> 23:03.575 - [Mark] And you’re right, decades ago in-- 23:03.575 --> 23:04.408 - Yeah. 23:04.408 --> 23:06.531 - Republican and, as I’d say. 23:06.531 --> 23:09.345 - Yes, yes, I know, you read through the whole thing. 23:09.345 --> 23:12.012 Has it ever, have you ever seen, 23:13.709 --> 23:16.209 have you ever had any success? 23:16.936 --> 23:18.019 - Well, yeah. 23:18.719 --> 23:19.823 - I realize there have been short-term freezes, 23:19.823 --> 23:21.240 but it just seems to me that if you feel 23:21.240 --> 23:24.302 this strongly about it to come out with a statement 23:24.302 --> 23:28.469 like this that talks about the MOU that was just signed 23:30.053 --> 23:34.136 and President Peres’s death, if you come out with 23:35.531 --> 23:38.781 a statement that strong, don’t, I mean, 23:40.804 --> 23:43.294 don’t you expect it to have some kind of an effect? 23:43.294 --> 23:44.127 - [Mark] Yes, we do. 23:44.127 --> 23:45.400 - You clearly feel strongly about it. 23:45.400 --> 23:47.403 But you, you do expect it to have some kind of effect, 23:47.403 --> 23:49.265 but you know that it won’t? 23:49.265 --> 23:52.248 - You’re saying that, I was simply responding to your 23:52.248 --> 23:54.249 question that we don’t have, we’re not going to take 23:54.249 --> 23:55.166 any action. 23:55.407 --> 23:56.623 What I was trying to make clear-- 23:56.623 --> 23:57.456 - [Matt] Is that correct? 23:57.456 --> 23:58.367 You’re not going to do anything? 23:58.367 --> 24:01.564 - Well, again, we, our action is that-- 24:01.564 --> 24:02.651 - [Matt] Other than trying to make them feel bad? 24:02.651 --> 24:06.818 - No, but our action is that we convey to them both publicly 24:06.825 --> 24:10.992 and privately and to the world when we see Israel conducting 24:11.608 --> 24:14.838 itself in a way that runs counter to its security interests. 24:14.838 --> 24:17.060 - Mark, I’m curious, with respect to yourself and to the 24:17.060 --> 24:21.227 podium, you issued this statement from a spokesman. 24:21.918 --> 24:26.085 Now, your language has got tougher over the past few months, 24:26.761 --> 24:30.928 but isn’t it time for Secretary Kerry or for President Obama 24:31.011 --> 24:33.204 to be using the kind of language that you’re using 24:33.204 --> 24:34.440 from the podium today? 24:34.440 --> 24:38.607 - Well, there have been times in the past when it has come, 24:40.072 --> 24:44.239 these kinds of words have come from either Secretary Kerry 24:48.409 --> 24:52.576 or President Obama, and the message is always the same, 24:54.907 --> 24:58.099 which is we view settlements as counterproductive 24:58.099 --> 25:00.811 and counter to Israel’s interests. 25:00.811 --> 25:02.305 We’re going to keep up with that message 25:02.305 --> 25:03.925 and we’re going to keep conveying it to the Israeli 25:03.925 --> 25:06.151 Government when they take these kinds of actions. 25:06.151 --> 25:08.403 I think this one was, as we noted in the statement, 25:08.403 --> 25:12.570 particularly exceptional in the fact that it came mere days 25:17.739 --> 25:21.906 after we had concluded this memorandum of understanding, 25:23.410 --> 25:27.577 and also in the wake of one of Israel’s leading statesmen, 25:29.208 --> 25:30.958 Shimon Peres’s death. 25:31.040 --> 25:33.598 - Let me just press the point that Matt did 25:33.598 --> 25:37.065 a bit further, because you tie it, you say, 25:37.065 --> 25:39.421 you talk about the memo of understanding, 25:39.421 --> 25:42.256 you talk about the largest deal you just concluded. 25:42.256 --> 25:46.155 And in fact, again, towards the end, you say how this will 25:46.155 --> 25:50.322 only draw a great deal of criticism and, basically, 25:50.593 --> 25:52.317 condemnation from the international community 25:52.317 --> 25:56.150 and distance Israel from many of its partners. 25:56.439 --> 25:57.513 Why not, then? 25:57.513 --> 26:01.680 Why not go to the Security Council or the United Nation, 26:01.743 --> 26:05.910 where you can have an international, some sort of a decision 26:05.926 --> 26:07.243 that can impose sanctions. 26:07.243 --> 26:11.410 I mean, you’ve imposed sanctions on others that, basically, 26:11.696 --> 26:15.863 do not adhere to international law by any measure. 26:17.725 --> 26:20.403 - I mean, look, with regard to the UN Security Council 26:20.403 --> 26:24.570 and any action at the UN, our position hasn’t changed. 26:30.533 --> 26:34.700 We’re always concerned, frankly, about one-sided resolutions 26:35.809 --> 26:39.768 or other actions that could be taken within the UN, 26:39.768 --> 26:42.203 and we’re always going to oppose those kinds of resolutions 26:42.203 --> 26:45.953 that we believe delegitimize Israel’s, Israel 26:46.134 --> 26:47.464 and undermine its security. 26:47.464 --> 26:51.631 But we’re going to carefully consider our future engagement, 26:53.650 --> 26:57.817 if and when we reach that point, and determine how to most 26:59.677 --> 27:03.844 effectively pursue and advance the objective that we all at 27:04.308 --> 27:07.100 least claim to share, which is that of achieving a 27:07.100 --> 27:09.282 negotiated two-state solution. 27:09.282 --> 27:11.781 That work is going to continue with our international 27:11.781 --> 27:15.948 partners and we’re going to continue to make clear when we 27:18.422 --> 27:21.339 have concerns, such as we do today, 27:21.369 --> 27:24.036 with regard to Israel’s actions. 27:24.817 --> 27:25.974 We’re going to make those concerns clear 27:25.974 --> 27:27.343 to the Israeli Government. 27:27.343 --> 27:29.301 - But you have done that time and time again. 27:29.301 --> 27:32.591 I mean, obviously, you believe that Israel is addicted to 27:32.591 --> 27:34.616 the expansion of settlements. 27:34.616 --> 27:36.657 Isn’t that in a way, and you keep pumping money, 27:36.657 --> 27:39.708 isn’t that in a way like someone giving their son 27:39.708 --> 27:42.279 drug money to continue doing what they’re doing? 27:42.279 --> 27:44.976 Don’t you want to stop at one point and say, 27:44.976 --> 27:46.309 “Enough is enough?” 27:46.309 --> 27:48.154 Because you’re saying when you get to that point, 27:48.154 --> 27:51.120 it’s been 50 years since this occupation has taken place. 27:51.120 --> 27:54.572 - Said, so let’s just separate the two issues. 27:54.572 --> 27:58.739 So our ironclad commitment to Israel’s security is both in 28:00.651 --> 28:02.611 Israel’s security, national security interests, 28:02.611 --> 28:05.497 but it’s also in the U.S.’s national security interests. 28:05.497 --> 28:08.664 The U.S. is safer when there is a safe 28:10.234 --> 28:12.901 and secure Israel in the region. 28:15.012 --> 28:18.257 But that’s particularly why we find its actions 28:18.257 --> 28:22.424 so befuddling, when it takes actions such as continued 28:23.941 --> 28:27.999 settlement activity that run counter to what we’re all 28:27.999 --> 28:29.916 trying to achieve here. 28:30.169 --> 28:33.235 And so we’re going to continue to press that case to them. 28:33.235 --> 28:35.408 We have a very close and very frank 28:35.408 --> 28:37.998 and candid relationship with Israel. 28:37.998 --> 28:40.826 We’re going to continue to call it like we see it, 28:40.826 --> 28:43.190 and when we see this kind of activity that we believe is 28:43.190 --> 28:45.299 counterproductive, we’re going to say so. 28:45.299 --> 28:46.938 - Is it because it feels good? 28:46.938 --> 28:49.472 Because you feel that you would like to say it 28:49.472 --> 28:50.718 or because you-- 28:50.718 --> 28:52.283 - No, I mean, said, we, you know this around the world. 28:52.283 --> 28:54.500 There are issues that we constantly raise, 28:54.500 --> 28:57.980 whether it’s in the realm of human rights or whatever. 28:57.980 --> 29:01.794 It doesn’t preclude us from having cooperation with any 29:01.794 --> 29:05.961 government in any other area, but we’re also frank when we 29:06.947 --> 29:10.461 see something that we believe runs counter to their 29:10.461 --> 29:13.059 interests and our interests, that we make that clear. 29:13.059 --> 29:16.422 - I appreciate you indulging me, but you keep saying that 29:16.422 --> 29:20.589 the UN is a forum that is somehow inherently opposed to 29:23.493 --> 29:24.987 Israel, while in fact, 29:24.987 --> 29:28.654 it was created through that UN organization. 29:28.754 --> 29:31.129 But let me ask you this, I mean, if it’s, 29:31.129 --> 29:34.240 this is in occupied territory, which you acknowledge, 29:34.240 --> 29:37.496 and there are laws that pertain to what is, 29:37.496 --> 29:41.342 what is the occupying power’s rights and privileges 29:41.342 --> 29:44.592 or obligations under international law, 29:44.865 --> 29:49.032 why not push forward, put your weight behind what is 29:49.171 --> 29:51.713 internationally lawful in this case, 29:51.713 --> 29:54.875 and bringing Israel to bear on these issues, 29:54.875 --> 29:56.708 holding it to account? 29:57.187 --> 29:59.709 - Look, I’m just going to say we’re working 29:59.709 --> 30:01.376 on this bilaterally. 30:01.720 --> 30:04.971 We’re working with other international partners. 30:04.971 --> 30:06.672 We’re just not convinced that the UN is the right 30:06.672 --> 30:07.833 venue for that. 30:07.833 --> 30:08.887 - My last one. 30:08.887 --> 30:11.720 You said that when the time comes. 30:11.901 --> 30:13.901 When will the time come? 30:13.901 --> 30:15.555 When do you, in your opinion? 30:15.555 --> 30:17.930 When no longer there is any kind of land to 30:17.930 --> 30:19.953 establish a Palestinian state on? 30:19.953 --> 30:24.120 Is that, like, maybe at 10% more of the land? 30:24.731 --> 30:26.307 20% more of the land? 30:26.307 --> 30:27.914 - Well, and, said, we said as much in the statement 30:27.914 --> 30:30.395 that was issued, that it’s getting to the point, 30:30.395 --> 30:34.046 especially given the geographic location of this latest 30:34.046 --> 30:37.713 settlement announcement where a Palestinian, 30:37.880 --> 30:40.894 a viable Palestinian state becomes increasingly 30:40.894 --> 30:42.644 difficult to imagine. 30:43.149 --> 30:44.802 Please, sir, in the back. 30:44.802 --> 30:45.635 Ukraine. 30:45.635 --> 30:47.499 - I actually have two questions. 30:47.499 --> 30:50.807 So the first one is regarding detention of Ukrainian 30:50.807 --> 30:52.640 journalists in Russia. 30:52.827 --> 30:55.410 So the international community, 30:55.737 --> 30:57.946 including European institutions 30:57.946 --> 31:01.668 and international organizations, concerned about this 31:01.668 --> 31:05.259 arrest, and two days ago the Department of State said 31:05.259 --> 31:09.175 that there is no a lot of details to say about it. 31:09.175 --> 31:12.092 And do you have any statements now? 31:12.521 --> 31:15.075 - I don’t have much of an update to provide. 31:15.075 --> 31:18.176 We’re obviously monitoring the situation very closely. 31:18.176 --> 31:20.612 I’d refer you to Russian and Ukrainian governments 31:20.612 --> 31:22.529 for the latest on this. 31:22.837 --> 31:25.245 I don’t have an update to what you just mentioned 31:25.245 --> 31:27.745 in your question, I apologize. 31:27.971 --> 31:29.728 - Are you in connection with Ukrainian Government 31:29.728 --> 31:30.774 on this issue? 31:30.774 --> 31:32.304 - I’m sure we’re discussing it with them. 31:32.304 --> 31:34.796 We’re, again, we’re always concerned when any journalist 31:34.796 --> 31:37.276 anywhere in the world, but certainly Ukrainian journalists 31:37.276 --> 31:40.193 in Russia, is arrested or detained. 31:41.889 --> 31:44.996 We’re monitoring it closely, but I’d refer you to the 31:44.996 --> 31:47.424 Russian authorities for more details. 31:47.424 --> 31:51.591 - And the second question, you said that Secretary Kerry 31:52.671 --> 31:56.421 and Minister Lavrov said today about Ukraine, 31:56.529 --> 31:59.016 they have a conversation on this issue, 31:59.016 --> 32:02.683 and Assistant Secretary Nuland is in Moscow. 32:06.746 --> 32:10.663 Could you comment, what is the current position 32:11.113 --> 32:15.280 of the United States regarding developments in Ukraine? 32:20.133 --> 32:23.807 - Well, as we noted, or you noted in your question, 32:23.807 --> 32:25.859 Assistant Secretary of State for European 32:25.859 --> 32:29.624 and Eurasian Affairs Victoria Nuland was in Moscow. 32:29.624 --> 32:32.747 She was joined by National Security Council senior 32:32.747 --> 32:36.429 directors, both Celeste Wallander as well as Charlie, 32:36.429 --> 32:40.272 or Charles Kupchan, and they did meet on October 5th 32:40.272 --> 32:42.189 with Russian officials. 32:44.573 --> 32:48.740 I think the focus of their trip was in making progress 32:49.132 --> 32:53.299 on Ukraine, what are the next steps that need to be taken in 32:55.308 --> 32:59.475 order to get the Minsk agreements fully implemented. 33:02.170 --> 33:06.086 Just because we suspended cooperation in other areas, 33:06.086 --> 33:08.504 our bilateral engagement or with regard to Ukraine 33:08.504 --> 33:10.193 is going to continue. 33:10.193 --> 33:13.610 And let there be no confusion about that. 33:15.541 --> 33:19.708 The Minsk agreements remain really the only viable way to 33:22.025 --> 33:24.805 restore peace and stability in eastern Ukraine, 33:24.805 --> 33:27.627 and we’re going to continue to support and to push for their 33:27.627 --> 33:31.537 full implementation, which requires, as you know, 33:31.537 --> 33:35.704 a real ceasefire, full and unfettered access for OSCE 33:36.603 --> 33:40.770 monitors, elections under Ukrainian law that meet OSCE 33:41.224 --> 33:44.152 standards, and the withdrawal of foreign forces 33:44.152 --> 33:47.039 and equipment, and finally, the return to Ukraine, 33:47.039 --> 33:49.892 and this is an important one, return to Ukraine 33:49.892 --> 33:54.059 of control of its side of the international border. 33:54.363 --> 33:56.805 Obviously, a lot of work still needs to be done in this 33:56.805 --> 34:00.376 regard, but we still believe that this process, 34:00.376 --> 34:03.924 the Minsk process, represents the best way to get there. 34:03.924 --> 34:04.757 Please. 34:04.987 --> 34:08.003 Iraq, I’m sorry, you, apologize, yeah. 34:08.003 --> 34:11.985 - The AFP, Agence France-Presse, reports that a U.S.-led 34:11.985 --> 34:15.566 coalition strike, quote-unquote, most likely killed some 20 34:15.566 --> 34:19.077 pro-government Sunni tribal fighters near the city of Mosul 34:19.077 --> 34:22.331 as they were mistaken for ISIL militants. 34:22.331 --> 34:25.601 Considering the fact that the U.S. helps coordinate Iraqi 34:25.601 --> 34:28.934 forces gearing up for a Mosul offensive, 34:29.094 --> 34:30.927 how could this happen? 34:32.289 --> 34:33.755 - I’m aware of reports of that. 34:33.755 --> 34:36.186 I honestly, I would just have to refer you to the 34:36.186 --> 34:37.311 Department of Defense. 34:37.311 --> 34:39.376 I don’t know the specifics and what has been reported. 34:39.376 --> 34:42.712 I’m sure that there’s an investigation underway 34:42.712 --> 34:43.932 looking into the-- 34:43.932 --> 34:45.599 - Just more broadly, 34:46.761 --> 34:49.337 when the U.S. hit the Syrian military on 34:49.337 --> 34:51.445 September 17th, officials said they didn’t have good 34:51.445 --> 34:54.110 intelligence, they didn’t know where they were hitting. 34:54.110 --> 34:57.686 Would you say in Iraq the U.S. has good intelligence, 34:57.686 --> 35:00.936 especially with partners on the ground? 35:03.508 --> 35:05.568 - I mean, I’m not an intelligence officer, 35:05.568 --> 35:07.985 to put it as bluntly as that. 35:08.442 --> 35:12.609 I really would point you in the direction of someone who can 35:12.988 --> 35:17.091 speak about the level of our intelligence cooperation 35:17.091 --> 35:21.258 with Iraq or, and certainly I would make the assessment, 35:24.558 --> 35:26.264 though, that our cooperation with the Government of 35:26.264 --> 35:30.431 Iraq militarily is obviously much closer than what we have 35:31.034 --> 35:32.951 on the ground in Syria. 35:34.971 --> 35:37.451 While we have a de-confliction mechanism in place with the 35:37.451 --> 35:40.008 government of, or the ministry, between our Pentagon 35:40.008 --> 35:42.862 and the ministry of defense of Russia, 35:42.862 --> 35:47.029 that only pertains to de-conflicting our operations in order 35:48.264 --> 35:51.918 to protect the safety of our airmen and airwomen. 35:51.918 --> 35:55.751 But with regard to intelligence on the ground, 35:56.349 --> 36:00.516 Syria’s a difficult case because of a lot of factors that 36:01.865 --> 36:04.512 we’ve talked about on numerous occasions. 36:04.512 --> 36:08.679 That said, when we assess our intelligence, we make every 36:09.651 --> 36:13.269 effort to ensure that it’s valid and credible before 36:13.269 --> 36:16.019 we would carry out any airstrike. 36:16.590 --> 36:20.757 If that airstrike mistakenly targets the wrong individuals 36:20.794 --> 36:24.961 or hits civilians, we own that and we conduct a thorough 36:26.826 --> 36:29.993 investigation and we’re as transparent 36:30.974 --> 36:33.264 as we possibly can be about it. 36:33.264 --> 36:37.431 - About these reported mistakes, given several apparent 36:37.673 --> 36:41.840 mistakes within the past month, including a strike in, 36:42.378 --> 36:45.646 strike last week in Somalia where the U.S. targeted 36:45.646 --> 36:48.813 Al-Shabaab militants but ended up reportedly killing 22 36:48.813 --> 36:52.980 Somali soldiers, would you say U.S. targeting in these 36:53.740 --> 36:56.823 anti-terrorist operations is precise? 36:57.737 --> 37:01.436 - We have taken out numerous members of Al-Qaeda 37:01.436 --> 37:05.603 and ISIL’s senior leadership in both Iraq and Syria 37:06.063 --> 37:10.230 and elsewhere, Libya as well, and so I think that speaks 37:10.758 --> 37:12.749 somewhat to the precision of our strikes. 37:12.749 --> 37:16.498 We’re not barrel bombing civilian targets, hospitals, 37:16.498 --> 37:19.415 schools, civilians, infrastructure. 37:20.417 --> 37:24.084 So while on any battlefield errors do occur, 37:26.092 --> 37:28.550 I would hold our record up with anyone. 37:28.550 --> 37:29.383 Please. 37:30.775 --> 37:34.942 - Yesterday Iraqi parliament passed a motion to ask Turkish 37:35.833 --> 37:40.000 forces to remove from Iraq, and today Iraqi Prime Minister 37:40.874 --> 37:45.010 Abadi also called on Turkish forces to leave the country, 37:45.010 --> 37:48.153 and the Turkish foreign minister again said basically Iraq 37:48.153 --> 37:52.064 parliament does not represent all of Iraqi people. 37:52.064 --> 37:55.647 And it looks like it’s going to stay there, 37:55.853 --> 37:58.708 Turkish forces, what’s your position on that? 37:58.708 --> 38:02.875 - In general, with regard to Iraq, we’ve said this before. 38:05.894 --> 38:10.061 All of Iraq’s neighbors need to respect Iraqi sovereignty 38:10.247 --> 38:12.414 and territorial integrity. 38:12.625 --> 38:16.285 That’s the premise of the counter, the global counter-ISIL 38:16.285 --> 38:19.702 coalition that it operates under in Iraq, 38:19.756 --> 38:22.483 and we expect all of our partners to do the same. 38:22.483 --> 38:26.101 - So Turkey argues that they, Turkish forces are there 38:26.101 --> 38:29.184 to help the upcoming Mosul operation. 38:29.207 --> 38:32.718 Do you think that the Turkish forces are helpful there? 38:32.718 --> 38:35.449 Do you have any recommendation on that front? 38:35.449 --> 38:39.616 - Well, again, I think part of our ongoing dialogue with 38:41.681 --> 38:45.023 Turkey, with Iraq, with other forces on the ground, 38:45.023 --> 38:47.759 with Kurdish forces with regard to Mosul 38:47.759 --> 38:50.414 and the upcoming operation is coordination 38:50.414 --> 38:54.581 and making sure that we’re all focused on the same goal here 38:54.900 --> 38:59.067 and that everyone’s working in strong coordination with 38:59.226 --> 39:03.063 everyone else to achieve the objective, which is, obviously, 39:03.063 --> 39:06.641 liberating Mosul and driving Daesh out of Iraq. 39:06.641 --> 39:09.130 - So in that context, Turkish forces are helpful 39:09.130 --> 39:10.864 in the coordination, or they are coordinating-- 39:10.864 --> 39:12.719 - I would refer you to, so no, I’m not trying 39:12.719 --> 39:13.552 to be coy here. 39:13.552 --> 39:15.361 I’m just trying to say I think it’s up to the Iraqis 39:15.361 --> 39:19.528 and the Iraqi Government to speak to Turkey’s role in Iraq. 39:20.524 --> 39:23.975 And it’s important, as I said, that whatever Turkey’s role 39:23.975 --> 39:27.148 is in Iraq, that it’s coordinated with the Iraqi Government. 39:27.148 --> 39:27.981 Yeah. 39:28.205 --> 39:29.396 - [Journalist} I wonder if I could just ask you a Question 39:29.396 --> 39:31.536 about the UN, seems that the Security Council-- 39:31.536 --> 39:32.983 - I didn’t hear what you said, Iran? 39:32.983 --> 39:34.364 - [Journalist] I said, no, not Iran. 39:34.364 --> 39:35.655 I’m sorry, the UN. 39:35.655 --> 39:36.488 - Oh, UN, okay. 39:36.488 --> 39:39.572 - It seems that the Security Council just, 39:39.572 --> 39:43.739 may have just chosen Portuguese diplomat Antonio Guterres 39:45.575 --> 39:46.882 to succeed Ban Ki-moon. 39:46.882 --> 39:48.161 Do you have any comment on that? 39:48.161 --> 39:48.994 - I do. 39:49.108 --> 39:51.838 We can confirm that today’s straw poll exercise 39:51.838 --> 39:54.518 in the UN Security Council resulted in the clear 39:54.518 --> 39:57.478 identification of Antonio Guterres as the preferred 39:57.478 --> 40:01.598 candidate to be the next UN general, secretary-general. 40:01.598 --> 40:05.442 We anticipate that the Security Council will hold a formal 40:05.442 --> 40:08.254 vote tomorrow to confirm his nomination. 40:08.254 --> 40:11.565 So that’s the next step, and then, obviously, 40:11.565 --> 40:15.732 after that would be for the full UN membership in the form 40:17.722 --> 40:21.889 of the General Assembly to consider that nomination. 40:22.383 --> 40:25.133 So there’s a few steps remaining. 40:26.162 --> 40:29.050 We would expect the full membership to approve the Security 40:29.050 --> 40:31.052 Council’s actions, but we’ll wait and see. 40:31.052 --> 40:34.364 But we’re very pleased to have been a part of this new 40:34.364 --> 40:38.311 selection process that gave member states and civil society 40:38.311 --> 40:41.614 opportunity to engage directly with the candidates 40:41.614 --> 40:42.697 in open fora. 40:43.173 --> 40:47.198 We welcome the opportunity to be part of these discussions. 40:47.198 --> 40:48.031 So-- 40:48.509 --> 40:50.382 - Are you in any way disappointed that, there were 12 40:50.382 --> 40:52.556 candidates, six were women. 40:52.556 --> 40:55.348 Are you in a way disappointed that not, a woman was not 40:55.348 --> 40:56.902 chosen for this post? 40:56.902 --> 41:01.069 - Well, look, the United States as a matter of longstanding 41:03.065 --> 41:07.232 policy does not make its voting preferences known on secret 41:08.134 --> 41:09.551 ballot elections. 41:11.032 --> 41:14.959 We are, however, well acquainted with Mr. Guterres 41:14.959 --> 41:18.079 for his many years working on the international stage 41:18.079 --> 41:22.063 and can state with confidence that he possesses the 41:22.063 --> 41:25.246 leadership qualities that’ll be crucial to serving 41:25.246 --> 41:26.829 in this vital post. 41:30.500 --> 41:34.667 This was an election, and so as such, in the selection 41:35.131 --> 41:39.298 process, I think what’s always important is that there is a 41:39.303 --> 41:41.710 number of candidates, a diverse set of candidates, 41:41.710 --> 41:44.755 there were, in this case, and that there was an open fora 41:44.755 --> 41:47.576 to discuss the qualifications of each one. 41:47.576 --> 41:48.715 - [Matt] Well, wait a second. 41:48.715 --> 41:49.548 - Yes, sir. 41:49.548 --> 41:51.982 - How can you say you clearly supported him. 41:51.982 --> 41:55.172 I mean, all 15 Security Council ambassadors 41:55.172 --> 41:57.060 came out and said they had a consensus. 41:57.060 --> 42:00.274 If you had not supported him then there wouldn’t 42:00.274 --> 42:01.337 have been a consensus. 42:01.337 --> 42:03.371 So what, I mean, what is this? 42:03.371 --> 42:06.278 Plus, the General Assembly vote, isn’t that public? 42:06.278 --> 42:07.111 - That is. 42:07.247 --> 42:09.064 - Yeah, they all go to their little buttons 42:09.064 --> 42:11.373 and push the, and then push them, 42:11.373 --> 42:13.289 and so what is this, you don’t make a practice of talking 42:13.289 --> 42:14.761 about your voting preferences? 42:14.761 --> 42:15.793 - We don’t make a practice of talking about 42:15.793 --> 42:17.710 our voting preferences. 42:17.832 --> 42:20.765 - [Journalist] So if it had been eight seven, 42:20.765 --> 42:24.432 you wouldn’t say which you were coming down? 42:25.160 --> 42:28.092 - Well, it is said or alleged that you opposed Bulgarian 42:28.092 --> 42:30.271 diplomat Irina Bokova very strongly. 42:30.271 --> 42:31.354 Is that true? 42:31.445 --> 42:34.478 - I’m not going to speak to our voting preferences, Matt. 42:34.478 --> 42:35.311 Please. 42:35.311 --> 42:36.472 - [Journalist] Different subject? 42:36.472 --> 42:37.617 - Yeah, please. 42:37.617 --> 42:38.639 - [Man With Beard] I just have one, last one on that, 42:38.639 --> 42:39.472 just for fun. 42:39.472 --> 42:40.685 (laughing) 42:40.685 --> 42:42.193 - Because we don’t have enough fun in here. 42:42.193 --> 42:44.199 - Well, because you mentioned his broad 42:44.199 --> 42:45.433 international experience. 42:45.433 --> 42:46.937 Is this the first time you’ve backed the chairman 42:46.937 --> 42:51.104 of the Socialist International for an international post? 42:51.660 --> 42:52.931 - You’ve caught me out. 42:52.931 --> 42:53.764 I don’t know. 42:53.764 --> 42:55.517 - [Matt] How many other have there been? 42:55.517 --> 42:59.373 (mumbles) It probably is the first time, isn’t it? 42:59.373 --> 43:01.867 - I’d have to Google that one (laughing) sorry. 43:01.867 --> 43:04.434 - Do you have any information you’re able to share about any 43:04.434 --> 43:06.601 Americans who were injured 43:06.889 --> 43:10.389 or directly affected by Hurricane Matthew? 43:12.832 --> 43:13.749 - I do not. 43:14.024 --> 43:14.857 I don’t know if we talked about this 43:14.857 --> 43:15.777 in the call earlier today. 43:15.777 --> 43:18.129 My apologies if it was brought up. 43:18.129 --> 43:20.217 I don’t think we’ve got, but again, 43:20.217 --> 43:23.369 this is the kind of assessment that’s going to take, 43:23.369 --> 43:25.165 not we don’t have an initial, 43:25.165 --> 43:27.915 we do have an initial assessment, 43:28.482 --> 43:32.649 but as we’ve seen in the past, natural disasters like this, 43:35.048 --> 43:38.276 we may not have a full picture for some time. 43:38.276 --> 43:40.035 I don’t believe, let me quickly look through here 43:40.035 --> 43:41.952 and see if we have any. 43:43.272 --> 43:44.855 Well, there you go. 43:45.722 --> 43:47.787 I’ve got to start listening to those calls. 43:47.787 --> 43:51.287 (talking over each other) 43:55.612 --> 43:56.973 - [Mark] Call me out again, that I didn’t read the 43:56.973 --> 43:58.525 transcript of this morning’s call? 43:58.525 --> 43:59.664 - It wasn’t in there. 43:59.664 --> 44:00.819 I don’t, I was on the call. 44:00.819 --> 44:02.445 I didn’t hear anything directly about that. 44:02.445 --> 44:03.311 - All right, we’ll have this out afterwards. 44:03.311 --> 44:04.982 - We’ll have it out after. 44:04.982 --> 44:09.149 Do you have any intention of creating a working group 44:09.423 --> 44:12.872 similar to the one that existed after the earthquake 44:12.872 --> 44:15.872 in Haiti with regards the hurricane? 44:17.491 --> 44:18.324 - How so? 44:18.347 --> 44:21.562 In terms of prevention or for future events, or kind of-- 44:21.562 --> 44:23.274 - The State Department had a, they had a working, 44:23.274 --> 44:25.019 yeah, to look at the effects after. 44:25.019 --> 44:26.030 I didn’t know if there, had been discussion of 44:26.030 --> 44:27.221 creating a similar-- 44:27.221 --> 44:30.638 - I mean, honestly, it’s a fair question. 44:30.855 --> 44:35.022 I’m pretty sure that given the frequency of hurricanes 44:37.872 --> 44:41.705 and tropical storms in that part of the world, 44:44.728 --> 44:47.601 that a lot of research and a lot of examination’s already 44:47.601 --> 44:49.684 been done and evaluation. 44:50.075 --> 44:52.861 I think in the days and weeks to come we’ll have a better 44:52.861 --> 44:55.546 assessment of probably steps that can be taken 44:55.546 --> 44:56.879 to avoid damage. 44:58.429 --> 44:59.688 And again, it’s going to be country to country, 44:59.688 --> 45:01.137 because some of these countries don’t have the kind of 45:01.137 --> 45:03.604 preparations you might see in some of the other countries 45:03.604 --> 45:06.354 with regard to materials available to protect them 45:06.354 --> 45:07.521 and et cetera. 45:08.208 --> 45:11.337 - It’s probably too early for this as well, but Haiti, 45:11.337 --> 45:14.968 as a result of the hurricane, has abandoned its attempts 45:14.968 --> 45:17.138 to hold a presidential election next week. 45:17.138 --> 45:18.622 - [Mark] Suspended is what I heard, yeah. 45:18.622 --> 45:20.039 - Suspended, yes. 45:20.061 --> 45:21.890 And they have been suspending their presidential elections 45:21.890 --> 45:24.977 or canceling them fairly frequently over the past three 45:24.977 --> 45:26.144 or four years. 45:26.162 --> 45:27.449 You’ve regretted, in the past, 45:27.449 --> 45:28.598 suspensions of their elections. 45:28.598 --> 45:30.025 This obviously is a natural cause. 45:30.025 --> 45:31.107 - I think we’ll give them the benefit of the doubt here 45:31.107 --> 45:33.128 that they’re recovering from a natural disaster. 45:33.128 --> 45:33.961 Sorry? 45:33.961 --> 45:35.461 - [Matt] That was in the clause. 45:35.461 --> 45:37.264 - That was a, (laughing) Matt, you had one more? 45:37.264 --> 45:38.431 - Yeah, I did. 45:38.572 --> 45:40.127 And I don’t know if you’ve seen this warning that Iran 45:40.127 --> 45:44.294 has given to the Saudis about its ships approaching Iranian 45:47.584 --> 45:49.251 waters or territory. 45:50.122 --> 45:53.603 It’s quite similar to, or I believe it’s similar to ones 45:53.603 --> 45:56.985 that they have told the Fifth Fleet or you guys, 45:56.985 --> 45:59.792 as well, and I’m just wondering if you see this as any kind 45:59.792 --> 46:01.014 of an escalation. 46:01.014 --> 46:03.952 They say that they will intercept, board, whatever, 46:03.952 --> 46:06.035 the Saudis in particular. 46:06.251 --> 46:07.485 - So I haven’t seen the actual statement. 46:07.485 --> 46:08.767 We’ll take a look at it. 46:08.767 --> 46:11.483 But certainly, if it is as you appear, 46:11.483 --> 46:15.650 as you have stated it to be, I don’t know if we’d view it as 46:17.050 --> 46:18.789 an escalation, but it’s certainly unhelpful, 46:18.789 --> 46:22.704 and we support freedom of navigation in that part 46:22.704 --> 46:24.854 of the world as we do everywhere. 46:24.854 --> 46:26.990 - Just one question on Turkey, Mark. 46:26.990 --> 46:30.701 I know this question was asked two days ago, but since then, 46:30.701 --> 46:34.618 there are several more media outlets shut down. 46:34.714 --> 46:38.730 There are about 121 journalists in Turkey right now. 46:38.730 --> 46:42.897 There are very few critical media outlets left in country. 46:43.277 --> 46:47.444 I am wondering, as ally of Turkey, what’s your assessment of 46:47.513 --> 46:51.157 the two and a half months since the coup about the Turkish 46:51.157 --> 46:55.324 administration’s policies regarding freedom issues? 46:55.559 --> 46:58.022 - Well, I think our concerns remain the same, 46:58.022 --> 47:02.022 which is we obviously saw the Turkish Government 47:03.753 --> 47:07.920 react strongly to what was a coup attempt and conduct, 47:08.739 --> 47:11.906 carry out an investigation into the causes 47:11.906 --> 47:14.989 and who was behind that coup attempt. 47:15.912 --> 47:18.910 But we’ve been very clear from the early hours afterwards 47:18.910 --> 47:23.077 that that should not directly affect Turkey’s democratic 47:24.389 --> 47:28.108 institutions, freedom of the press, freedom of expression, 47:28.108 --> 47:30.981 and kind of the core tenets of Turkey’s constitution. 47:30.981 --> 47:33.431 So that’s a message that we continue to convey 47:33.431 --> 47:35.115 to the Turkish Government. 47:35.115 --> 47:35.948 Thanks.