WEBVTT 00:02.939 --> 00:04.772 - Good afternoon, all. 00:05.404 --> 00:07.628 I thought I'd take a few moments 00:07.628 --> 00:10.878 to offer a few comments on the strategy 00:11.386 --> 00:14.220 for South Asia that President Trump 00:14.220 --> 00:17.380 outlined last night in his address to the nation, 00:17.380 --> 00:21.029 and then take a few of your questions on that subject. 00:21.029 --> 00:24.010 I think the President did a, I think, fairly thorough job 00:24.010 --> 00:27.190 in terms of describing the new military approach, 00:27.190 --> 00:29.376 and I think the important point in that 00:29.376 --> 00:31.211 is a conditions-based approach 00:31.211 --> 00:34.065 as opposed to a time-based approach 00:34.065 --> 00:38.194 that had specified troop ceiling levels and timetables, 00:38.194 --> 00:40.722 and I think the President's been quite clear 00:40.722 --> 00:42.894 that what will be different this time 00:42.894 --> 00:46.845 is he has empowered our military commanders on the ground 00:46.845 --> 00:48.862 to make more timely decisions, 00:48.862 --> 00:51.245 to conduct battlefield operations 00:51.245 --> 00:53.601 based upon the conditions on the ground, 00:53.601 --> 00:56.101 and with the battle plans that Secretary 00:56.101 --> 00:59.101 of Defense Mattis will be approving. 00:59.271 --> 01:00.912 That is going to change the dynamic 01:00.912 --> 01:03.162 on the ground considerably. 01:03.301 --> 01:04.820 These are some of the same tactics 01:04.820 --> 01:08.886 that have been employed in the very successful campaign 01:08.886 --> 01:11.636 to defeat ISIS in Syria and Iraq, 01:11.977 --> 01:13.159 and so I think we're taking a lot 01:13.159 --> 01:15.694 of lessons learned from our success there 01:15.694 --> 01:17.502 and we'll translate those to Afghanistan. 01:17.502 --> 01:19.573 This is going to take some time 01:19.573 --> 01:23.305 for our military to go through a new set of training 01:23.305 --> 01:25.185 with some of the Afghan forces. 01:25.185 --> 01:29.003 The fighting will still be borne by the Afghan forces, 01:29.003 --> 01:31.603 by their military and their security forces, 01:31.603 --> 01:33.733 but we believe that we can turn the tide 01:33.733 --> 01:35.843 of what has been a losing battle 01:35.843 --> 01:38.283 over the last year and a half or so, 01:38.283 --> 01:40.450 and at least stabilize the situation 01:40.450 --> 01:43.148 and hopefully start seeing some battlefield victories 01:43.148 --> 01:45.877 on the part of the Afghan forces who have fought 01:45.877 --> 01:48.347 very bravely, but they've been fighting, I think, 01:48.347 --> 01:52.142 with less than the full capabilities that we can give them. 01:52.142 --> 01:54.569 I think similarly on the diplomatic front, 01:54.569 --> 01:58.631 we too are going to adopt a conditions-based diplomacy. 01:58.631 --> 02:01.414 We're going to condition our efforts along with the progress 02:01.414 --> 02:04.492 we see being made by the Afghan Government, 02:04.492 --> 02:06.436 who must continue the reform efforts 02:06.436 --> 02:08.972 that we've been working on for some time, 02:08.972 --> 02:11.722 in particular, much more rigorous 02:12.086 --> 02:14.158 efforts around the anti-corruption. 02:14.158 --> 02:17.340 Now, part of the corruption challenge, in some respects, 02:17.340 --> 02:20.417 has been the methods and ways in which we have 02:20.417 --> 02:22.441 been delivering some of our aid. 02:22.441 --> 02:25.513 We've not been as accountable, I think, to ourselves 02:25.513 --> 02:28.541 in terms of ensuring that our aid programs, 02:28.541 --> 02:30.120 development programs are delivering 02:30.120 --> 02:33.057 the results that they were intended to deliver. 02:33.057 --> 02:34.553 Some of that has been challenged 02:34.553 --> 02:36.050 by the security environment. 02:36.050 --> 02:37.752 It's very difficult for many of our aid 02:37.752 --> 02:40.397 workers to operate in Afghanistan. 02:40.397 --> 02:42.433 So as the security environment improves, 02:42.433 --> 02:45.465 we expect to adopt a different approach 02:45.465 --> 02:47.860 as to how we deliver on the development 02:47.860 --> 02:50.314 and assistance that supports the Afghan 02:50.314 --> 02:53.235 Government in their reforms as well. 02:53.235 --> 02:55.865 I think the President was clear this entire effort 02:55.865 --> 02:59.233 is intended to put pressure on the Taliban 02:59.233 --> 03:01.745 to have the Taliban understand: 03:01.745 --> 03:04.259 You will not win a battlefield victory. 03:04.259 --> 03:06.761 We may not win one, but neither will you. 03:06.761 --> 03:08.905 And so at some point, we have to come 03:08.905 --> 03:10.539 to the negotiating table and find 03:10.539 --> 03:12.618 a way to bring this to an end. 03:12.618 --> 03:14.866 Now, this is a regional approach 03:14.866 --> 03:17.274 and part of why this effort took as long 03:17.274 --> 03:21.441 as it did is we chose not to just focus on Afghanistan, 03:21.681 --> 03:24.376 but we undertook a fairly comprehensive review 03:24.376 --> 03:26.948 of our relationships in Pakistan 03:26.948 --> 03:29.233 and our relationship with India. 03:29.233 --> 03:32.098 And we see this approach as requiring an integration 03:32.098 --> 03:34.745 of all three of those strategies, 03:34.745 --> 03:38.500 and use Pakistan, India to also bring pressure 03:38.500 --> 03:41.328 to bear on the situation in Afghanistan. 03:41.328 --> 03:43.911 Pakistan in particular can play 03:44.068 --> 03:46.572 an important role here, certainly in delivering 03:46.572 --> 03:49.039 the Taliban to the negotiating table. 03:49.039 --> 03:51.700 Pakistan has suffered acts of terrorism, 03:51.700 --> 03:54.972 their citizens have suffered acts of terrorism 03:54.972 --> 03:58.188 I think as dramatic as any we've seen anywhere, 03:58.188 --> 04:00.015 and we stand ready to help Pakistan 04:00.015 --> 04:02.852 address terrorist organizations inside of their country, 04:02.852 --> 04:07.019 but they must adopt a different approach themselves. 04:08.332 --> 04:10.012 Pakistan and the U.S. historically 04:10.012 --> 04:12.460 had very good relationships, but over the last 04:12.460 --> 04:14.694 few years, there has been a real erosion 04:14.694 --> 04:17.470 in the confidence between our two governments. 04:17.470 --> 04:19.652 There's been an erosion in trust 04:19.652 --> 04:22.645 because we have witnessed terrorist organizations 04:22.645 --> 04:25.493 being given safe haven inside of Pakistan 04:25.493 --> 04:28.565 to plan and carry out attacks against U.S. servicemen, 04:28.565 --> 04:30.884 U.S. officials, disrupting peace 04:30.884 --> 04:33.212 efforts inside of Afghanistan. 04:33.212 --> 04:35.812 Pakistan must adopt a different approach, 04:35.812 --> 04:39.643 and we are ready to work with them to help them 04:39.643 --> 04:42.047 protect themselves against these terrorist organizations, 04:42.047 --> 04:45.192 but certainly to begin to end their attacks 04:45.192 --> 04:48.120 that are disrupting our efforts at peace. 04:48.120 --> 04:51.970 We are going to be conditioning our support for Pakistan 04:51.970 --> 04:53.528 and our relationship with them 04:53.528 --> 04:56.639 on them delivering results in this area. 04:56.639 --> 04:59.935 We want to work with Pakistan in a positive way, 04:59.935 --> 05:02.935 but they must change their approach. 05:03.067 --> 05:05.298 India is emerging as a very important 05:05.298 --> 05:07.751 regional strategic partner with the United States, 05:07.751 --> 05:09.163 and has played an important role 05:09.163 --> 05:11.556 supporting the Afghan Government, 05:11.556 --> 05:14.106 and in particular supporting their economy. 05:14.106 --> 05:16.459 India has provided developmental assistance. 05:16.459 --> 05:18.925 They've provided economic assistance. 05:18.925 --> 05:20.636 They are hosting an important economic 05:20.636 --> 05:22.786 conference in India this next week. 05:22.786 --> 05:25.924 All of that is important to stabilizing Afghanistan 05:25.924 --> 05:28.874 as a nation, get their economy functioning, 05:28.874 --> 05:31.484 stabilize the country so that they can provide 05:31.484 --> 05:33.979 more opportunities to their citizens. 05:33.979 --> 05:35.987 These are all elements of what will lead 05:35.987 --> 05:38.514 to stability and ultimately a peace agreement. 05:38.514 --> 05:41.590 But the effort is, again, a regional effort. 05:41.590 --> 05:44.834 Put pressure on the parties to understand 05:44.834 --> 05:48.315 that this fighting is going to take everyone nowhere, 05:48.315 --> 05:50.466 and it's time to begin a process, 05:50.466 --> 05:53.094 it may very well be a lengthy process, 05:53.094 --> 05:56.177 of reconciliation and a peace accord. 05:56.226 --> 05:58.202 And Afghanistan, as the President said, 05:58.202 --> 06:00.210 can choose its form of government 06:00.210 --> 06:02.467 that best suits the needs of its people, 06:02.467 --> 06:05.134 as long as it rejects terrorism, 06:05.245 --> 06:08.434 never provides territory in Afghanistan 06:08.434 --> 06:10.635 to provide safe haven for terrorists, 06:10.635 --> 06:12.666 and accommodates all of the groups represented 06:12.666 --> 06:16.548 inside of Afghanistan, ethnic groups and others. 06:16.548 --> 06:19.365 How they want to organize themselves is up to them. 06:19.365 --> 06:21.466 But we have to recognize that their culture 06:21.466 --> 06:24.219 is a tribal culture, and their history 06:24.219 --> 06:26.828 accommodates the nature of those relationships. 06:26.828 --> 06:28.577 There's no reason their form of government 06:28.577 --> 06:30.698 cannot accommodate that as well. 06:30.698 --> 06:33.788 So we want to facilitate a reconciliation peace process, 06:33.788 --> 06:36.964 and we will facilitate them coming to some conclusion 06:36.964 --> 06:39.659 around how they want to govern themselves. 06:39.659 --> 06:41.909 That's really the essence of the strategy. 06:41.909 --> 06:44.016 And before taking your questions, 06:44.016 --> 06:47.766 I do want to make one comment on North Korea. 06:48.890 --> 06:52.100 I think it is worth noting that we have had 06:52.100 --> 06:55.350 no missile launches or provocative acts 06:55.423 --> 06:58.879 on the part of North Korea since the unanimous adoption 06:58.879 --> 07:01.799 of the UN Security Council resolution. 07:01.799 --> 07:03.439 And I want to take note of that. 07:03.439 --> 07:05.522 I want to acknowledge it. 07:06.307 --> 07:10.307 I am pleased to see that the regime in Pyongyang 07:10.529 --> 07:13.714 has certainly demonstrated some level of restraint 07:13.714 --> 07:15.873 that we've not seen in the past. 07:15.873 --> 07:19.725 We hope that this is the beginning of this signal 07:19.725 --> 07:21.805 that we've been looking for that they are ready 07:21.805 --> 07:24.391 to restrain their level of tensions, 07:24.391 --> 07:27.037 they're ready to restrain their provocative acts, 07:27.037 --> 07:30.293 and that perhaps we are seeing our pathway 07:30.293 --> 07:32.767 to sometime in the near future having some dialogue. 07:32.767 --> 07:34.881 We need to see more on their part, 07:34.881 --> 07:37.450 but I want to acknowledge the steps they've taken thus far. 07:37.450 --> 07:39.521 I think it's important to take note of that. 07:39.521 --> 07:41.760 So with that, I'm happy to take your questions. 07:41.760 --> 07:43.386 - [Heather] I'll call out on some of the reporters here. 07:43.386 --> 07:44.483 Please keep your questions tight. 07:44.483 --> 07:45.811 We don't have that much time today. 07:45.811 --> 07:47.039 Matt Lee from the AP, we'll start with you. 07:47.039 --> 07:48.721 - Thanks, I'll be really brief. 07:48.721 --> 07:50.360 It seems like, to me, at least, 07:50.360 --> 07:53.693 that with the no nation-building concept 07:53.796 --> 07:56.756 of the President laid out last night and what you just said, 07:56.756 --> 08:00.126 that the main difference, other than the timetable part 08:00.126 --> 08:02.389 of the military stuff, the main difference 08:02.389 --> 08:04.496 between this new approach and the old one 08:04.496 --> 08:07.346 is that you're eliminating 2/3 of what used to be known 08:07.346 --> 08:10.258 as the clear, hold, and build strategy. 08:10.258 --> 08:13.508 In other words, we clear, or you clear, 08:13.976 --> 08:16.056 you hold, and we won't build. 08:16.056 --> 08:16.889 You will. 08:17.057 --> 08:19.890 So if that's correct, what happens 08:20.136 --> 08:22.636 to the anti-corruption efforts 08:22.738 --> 08:24.707 that you mentioned, the good governance, 08:24.707 --> 08:27.736 the counter-narcotics, the education programs? 08:27.736 --> 08:29.400 What happens to those? 08:29.400 --> 08:33.150 And more specifically, what's that gonna mean 08:33.378 --> 08:36.149 for particularly Afghan women and girls 08:36.149 --> 08:38.801 who have been assured for the last 16 years 08:38.801 --> 08:40.398 by two separate administrations 08:40.398 --> 08:42.222 that they wouldn't be abandoned? 08:42.222 --> 08:43.757 - Well, I don't want to suggest that there's 08:43.757 --> 08:46.678 that dramatic a difference in terms of our expectations 08:46.678 --> 08:49.225 for Afghan Government performance. 08:49.225 --> 08:50.624 And as you point out, there's been 08:50.624 --> 08:52.958 enormous strides achieved in Afghanistan, 08:52.958 --> 08:57.125 both in terms of the numbers of millions of children 08:57.192 --> 08:59.684 that are now in schools being educated, 08:59.684 --> 09:02.280 the role of women in the Afghan economy now 09:02.280 --> 09:04.241 has been dramatically changed. 09:04.241 --> 09:06.304 I don't expect any of that to be rolled back. 09:06.304 --> 09:07.904 I think that has become part of 09:07.904 --> 09:10.186 the Afghan Government structure. 09:10.186 --> 09:11.707 It's become part of what the Afghan 09:11.707 --> 09:14.624 people themselves, I think, expect. 09:14.641 --> 09:16.458 If you go back many years ago, 09:16.458 --> 09:19.292 prior to all of this disruption, that was Afghanistan. 09:19.292 --> 09:23.164 That was the nature of Afghanistan 30, 40, 50 years ago. 09:23.164 --> 09:25.672 So I think it is part of their culture already. 09:25.672 --> 09:27.444 We want to support that. 09:27.444 --> 09:31.611 In terms of the clear and hold, that is still the approach, 09:31.632 --> 09:34.628 is that areas will be cleared and Afghan Security Forces 09:34.628 --> 09:37.194 can hold those areas, thereby enabling 09:37.194 --> 09:39.308 some growth in the Afghan economy. 09:39.308 --> 09:42.027 Part of what Afghanistan struggles under is they do not 09:42.027 --> 09:45.711 have control over but a portion of their economy. 09:45.711 --> 09:49.368 So as the forces are able to either hold areas 09:49.368 --> 09:52.038 and stabilize them, certainly not give up further ground, 09:52.038 --> 09:55.484 and they're still losing ground today, as you well know. 09:55.484 --> 09:57.451 So this is gonna take a little while. 09:57.451 --> 09:59.845 But it's to stabilize and then hopefully begin 09:59.845 --> 10:02.091 to regain control, and as ground is gained, 10:02.091 --> 10:04.972 it will be held by Afghan Security Forces, 10:04.972 --> 10:07.346 while allowing the Afghan Government to continue 10:07.346 --> 10:09.730 what it has been very successfully doing 10:09.730 --> 10:12.479 under our assistance now for many years, 10:12.479 --> 10:15.696 and not roll back any of those gains that have been made. 10:15.696 --> 10:17.272 I don't think that's the aspiration 10:17.272 --> 10:20.440 of the Afghan Government or the Afghan people, either. 10:20.440 --> 10:23.218 So we're gonna continue to help them institutionally. 10:23.218 --> 10:26.520 We may be taking different approaches and not putting 10:26.520 --> 10:30.030 so much of the U.S. taxpayer dollar on the ground, 10:30.030 --> 10:32.134 building schools and building infrastructures. 10:32.134 --> 10:34.591 We think there are plenty of others 10:34.591 --> 10:37.482 that we are gonna call upon for assistance as well. 10:37.482 --> 10:40.193 Rather, we're there to facilitate and ensure 10:40.193 --> 10:44.087 that there is a pathway for reconciliation and peace talks 10:44.087 --> 10:45.983 as this pressure begins to take hold, 10:45.983 --> 10:48.650 and we believe, we already know, 10:48.705 --> 10:51.530 there are certain moderate elements of the Taliban 10:51.530 --> 10:54.363 who we think are going to be ready 10:54.775 --> 10:57.680 and want to help develop a way forward. 10:57.680 --> 11:00.209 How long that will take will be, again, 11:00.209 --> 11:01.906 based on conditions on the ground. 11:01.906 --> 11:03.919 - [Heather] Right, Andrea Mitchell, NBC. 11:03.919 --> 11:04.752 - Thank you very much. 11:04.752 --> 11:07.791 Mr. Secretary, a question that embraces 11:07.791 --> 11:10.033 both the military side and the diplomatic side. 11:10.033 --> 11:13.310 On the military side, won't the new rules of engagement 11:13.310 --> 11:15.674 mean that in the short term at least, 11:15.674 --> 11:17.419 our forces will be more at risk 11:17.419 --> 11:19.716 because they will be potentially doing 11:19.716 --> 11:21.275 night raids against the Taliban again, 11:21.275 --> 11:24.692 not just training but actually supporting 11:24.859 --> 11:29.026 in a more active role because the Afghan troops are not 11:29.075 --> 11:33.242 all up to par here to push back against the Taliban advance? 11:34.568 --> 11:37.968 And on the diplomatic side, why didn't the President 11:37.968 --> 11:41.192 mention Russia's rearming of the Taliban, 11:41.192 --> 11:44.895 which General Nicholson has been talking about very openly? 11:44.895 --> 11:48.974 He seemed to be letting Russia off the hook in his speech. 11:48.974 --> 11:52.102 And do you have enough people, given the fact 11:52.102 --> 11:56.269 that there are not Trump-confirmed diplomatic appointees 11:57.188 --> 12:00.179 in many of these positions in the region? 12:00.179 --> 12:02.498 - Well, on the military operations side 12:02.498 --> 12:05.115 of it, I would really defer to the Department of Defense 12:05.115 --> 12:08.621 to answer that one, other than I know the approach 12:08.621 --> 12:10.258 is going to be, as I said, similar 12:10.258 --> 12:12.595 to what we have had success elsewhere. 12:12.595 --> 12:14.490 As Secretary Mattis describes it, 12:14.490 --> 12:16.866 it's a by, with, and through approach, 12:16.866 --> 12:19.149 and I think that's part of why the need 12:19.149 --> 12:22.338 for a step-up in troop levels is so we can now, 12:22.338 --> 12:24.922 at the battalion level, organize and help 12:24.922 --> 12:27.707 the Afghan army fight in a different way 12:27.707 --> 12:31.564 with close ground advisement at the battalion level 12:31.564 --> 12:33.501 and the ability to call in support 12:33.501 --> 12:35.386 on a more timely basis as needed, 12:35.386 --> 12:39.553 to ensure victory as opposed to either stalemate or defeat. 12:40.984 --> 12:43.547 With respect to the comment about Russia, 12:43.547 --> 12:47.009 to the extent Russia is supplying arms to the Taliban, 12:47.009 --> 12:51.176 that is a violation, obviously, of international norms 12:51.812 --> 12:54.860 and it's a violation of UN Security Council norms. 12:54.860 --> 12:56.419 We certainly would object to that 12:56.419 --> 12:58.724 and call Russia's attention to that. 12:58.724 --> 13:00.264 If anyone is gonna supply arms, 13:00.264 --> 13:03.483 it needs to be through the Afghan Government. 13:03.483 --> 13:06.170 In terms of our footprint on the ground, we have 13:06.170 --> 13:10.018 very competent, capable, experienced people there now. 13:10.018 --> 13:13.520 Our Afghan ambassador is remaining on the job at this time. 13:13.520 --> 13:15.905 We have a Pakistan ambassador that's been nominated. 13:15.905 --> 13:17.363 We hope to have that person cleared 13:17.363 --> 13:19.114 through the process soon. 13:19.114 --> 13:21.225 And even in the transition in Afghanistan, 13:21.225 --> 13:24.329 as Ambassador Hale transitions out, we've nominated 13:24.329 --> 13:26.929 Ambassador Bass, a very experienced diplomat. 13:26.929 --> 13:29.156 Been chief, been running the embassy 13:29.156 --> 13:31.752 in Ankara, Turkey, very complex place. 13:31.752 --> 13:35.297 He's very well-equipped to step into this situation as well. 13:35.297 --> 13:37.921 And we are looking at a couple of different people 13:37.921 --> 13:39.883 for the special representative 13:39.883 --> 13:41.880 to Afghanistan and Pakistan position. 13:41.880 --> 13:43.273 It's open currently. 13:43.273 --> 13:46.576 It's being filled with a very experienced individual today. 13:46.576 --> 13:49.329 So we're ready to get going with very competent people 13:49.329 --> 13:51.712 we have, and I'm not at all concerned 13:51.712 --> 13:54.160 about the competency level or the experience 13:54.160 --> 13:55.816 of the people that we have working on this. 13:55.816 --> 13:56.965 I'm quite confident with them. 13:56.965 --> 13:57.798 - [Andrea] And India? 13:57.798 --> 13:59.396 - [Heather] All right, no, this next question. 13:59.396 --> 14:02.343 Martha Raddatz from NBC, ABC, excuse me. 14:02.343 --> 14:03.176 - It's all right. 14:03.176 --> 14:04.623 Secretary Tillerson, I know you don't want to talk 14:04.623 --> 14:07.063 about the military, but you were just using 14:07.063 --> 14:10.201 some military terms, and battalion level and that. 14:10.201 --> 14:13.162 I know and understand why the administration 14:13.162 --> 14:16.226 does not want to talk about tactical moves, 14:16.226 --> 14:18.977 but strategy, don't the American people deserve 14:18.977 --> 14:21.762 to know approximately how many more 14:21.762 --> 14:23.649 of their sons and daughters will be going back 14:23.649 --> 14:27.243 to Afghanistan in a war that's lasted nearly 16 years? 14:27.243 --> 14:29.004 - Well, I think, and again, I don't want 14:29.004 --> 14:30.358 to speak for Secretary Mattis, 14:30.358 --> 14:32.947 but I think the intent is there will be visibility 14:32.947 --> 14:36.747 to troop levels once the decision has been made. 14:36.747 --> 14:38.571 I think what the President has conveyed, 14:38.571 --> 14:41.337 and I agree wholeheartedly with him, 14:41.337 --> 14:45.161 is that we are not going to signal ahead what our plans are. 14:45.161 --> 14:47.817 We're not going to signal ahead an increase, 14:47.817 --> 14:50.189 a decrease, the timing of any of that. 14:50.189 --> 14:53.489 It will be driven by conditions on the ground. 14:53.489 --> 14:57.419 The only way we can defeat an enemy that is as nimble 14:57.419 --> 15:00.430 and as cagey, tactically, as this enemy, 15:00.430 --> 15:04.163 is we have to be as cagey and tactical as they are. 15:04.163 --> 15:06.030 And we've not been fighting that way. 15:06.030 --> 15:09.307 - [Martha] Could that include strikes in Pakistan? 15:09.307 --> 15:12.721 - I'm not gonna comment on what it could include, 15:12.721 --> 15:14.745 but the President has been clear that we are going 15:14.745 --> 15:17.970 to protect American troops and servicemen. 15:17.970 --> 15:21.641 We are going to attack terrorists wherever they live, 15:21.641 --> 15:25.121 and we have put people on notice that if you are harboring 15:25.121 --> 15:28.731 and providing safe haven to terrorists, be warned. 15:28.731 --> 15:29.898 Be forewarned. 15:30.065 --> 15:31.882 And we're going to engage with those 15:31.882 --> 15:34.713 who are providing safe haven and ask them 15:34.713 --> 15:38.121 to change what they're doing and help us help them. 15:38.121 --> 15:41.788 Because in my view, the greatest benefactor, 15:42.716 --> 15:44.635 other than the Afghan people themselves, 15:44.635 --> 15:46.177 to achieving stability and peace 15:46.177 --> 15:48.802 in Afghanistan, are the people of Pakistan. 15:48.802 --> 15:52.435 They will benefit more than any other nation. 15:52.435 --> 15:53.940 - [Heather] Margaret Brennan, CBS. 15:53.940 --> 15:54.773 - Thank you. 15:54.773 --> 15:57.190 Mr. Secretary, I'm back here. 15:57.766 --> 16:00.445 You said no preconditions to talks. 16:00.445 --> 16:03.922 Specifically, are you saying that the U.S. no longer expects 16:03.922 --> 16:06.965 the Taliban to accept the Afghan constitution 16:06.965 --> 16:09.230 and specifically the rights of women? 16:09.230 --> 16:13.370 And on Pakistan, did you articulate, in specific terms, 16:13.370 --> 16:17.029 or do you plan to, to Pakistan the consequences 16:17.029 --> 16:20.038 of their actions, whether it be sanctions, 16:20.038 --> 16:22.892 dropping their non-NATO ally status? 16:22.892 --> 16:25.527 I mean, what exactly have you communicated 16:25.527 --> 16:27.332 or do you plan to communicate? 16:27.332 --> 16:29.300 - Well, I had a good call with the prime minister 16:29.300 --> 16:32.897 of Pakistan yesterday afternoon to give them 16:32.897 --> 16:35.174 a bit of a forewarning of what they were going 16:35.174 --> 16:36.638 to hear in the President's speech. 16:36.638 --> 16:40.805 And also, we did touch on the points I've made to you today. 16:40.915 --> 16:43.998 We are going to be engaging with them 16:44.409 --> 16:48.576 in a very serious and thorough way as to our expectations 16:48.989 --> 16:50.853 and the conditions that go with that. 16:50.853 --> 16:54.349 And all of those things you just listed are on the table 16:54.349 --> 16:58.182 for discussion if, in fact, they are unwilling 16:58.842 --> 17:02.504 to change their posture or change their approach 17:02.504 --> 17:05.128 to how they're dealing with the numerous 17:05.128 --> 17:06.760 terrorist organizations that find 17:06.760 --> 17:09.002 safe haven inside of Pakistan. 17:09.002 --> 17:13.067 Again, it is in Pakistan's interest to take those actions. 17:13.067 --> 17:15.392 When we say no preconditions on the talks, 17:15.392 --> 17:17.057 I think what we are saying is, 17:17.057 --> 17:19.287 look, the Government of Afghanistan 17:19.287 --> 17:20.999 and the Taliban representatives need 17:20.999 --> 17:23.023 to sit down and sort this out. 17:23.023 --> 17:24.889 It's not for the U.S. to tell them 17:24.889 --> 17:26.656 it must be this particular model, 17:26.656 --> 17:28.744 it must be under these conditions, 17:28.744 --> 17:30.240 and I think that's what the President means 17:30.240 --> 17:33.639 when he says we're no longer nation-building. 17:33.639 --> 17:36.547 Look, we've tried taking certain principles 17:36.547 --> 17:39.269 and forms around the world and sometimes it works. 17:39.269 --> 17:41.332 In a lot of places, it doesn't work. 17:41.332 --> 17:43.497 We don't know what's gonna emerge here. 17:43.497 --> 17:47.664 We're gonna be there, obviously, to encourage others. 17:47.757 --> 17:50.039 But it's gonna be up to the Afghan Government 17:50.039 --> 17:52.023 and the representatives of the Taliban 17:52.023 --> 17:53.983 to work through a reconciliation process 17:53.983 --> 17:56.483 of what will serve their needs 17:56.647 --> 17:59.121 and achieve the American people's objectives, 17:59.121 --> 18:02.447 which is security, no safe haven for terrorists 18:02.447 --> 18:06.123 to operate anywhere in Afghanistan now or in the future. 18:06.123 --> 18:08.823 - [Heather] Tom Rogan with The Washington Examiner. 18:08.823 --> 18:12.548 - Mr. Secretary, you mentioned the force protection concerns 18:12.548 --> 18:15.298 and Ambassador Bass shortly going 18:15.357 --> 18:18.300 to Afghanistan and the SRAP discussions. 18:18.300 --> 18:20.583 But how are you going to get someone 18:20.583 --> 18:22.879 who is able to go out beyond the wire 18:22.879 --> 18:26.538 and negotiate functionally, regularly in that weekly basis 18:26.538 --> 18:28.267 with individuals from the Haqqani Network 18:28.267 --> 18:30.595 and that force protection concern? 18:30.595 --> 18:32.320 - Well, we are going to have to 18:32.320 --> 18:35.070 improve the security environment. 18:35.231 --> 18:37.275 The environment today is not conducive 18:37.275 --> 18:39.554 to carrying out those types of activities. 18:39.554 --> 18:41.304 You're exactly right. 18:41.378 --> 18:43.779 And so part of what we're going to have to do is, 18:43.779 --> 18:46.574 first, ensure we're ready to engage 18:46.574 --> 18:48.770 when conditions permit us to engage. 18:48.770 --> 18:50.796 It, again, is why Pakistan is very 18:50.796 --> 18:53.158 important in this discussion as well. 18:53.158 --> 18:56.468 Pakistan can facilitate much of that discussion. 18:56.468 --> 18:58.223 And there are other regional players 18:58.223 --> 19:00.844 to which this particular conflict 19:00.844 --> 19:05.011 and this unstable situation in Afghanistan are important. 19:05.492 --> 19:07.474 We've had discussions with the Chinese 19:07.474 --> 19:09.930 about a role they might be able to play. 19:09.930 --> 19:11.875 We've had discussions with the Russians 19:11.875 --> 19:14.938 about the role they could play if they choose to. 19:14.938 --> 19:17.278 And certainly regional players in the Gulf, 19:17.278 --> 19:19.874 GCC member countries, are very interested 19:19.874 --> 19:23.793 in seeing this area in Afghanistan stabilized as well. 19:23.793 --> 19:26.817 So there are a lot of partners out here on the periphery 19:26.817 --> 19:28.949 that I think will have, from time to time, 19:28.949 --> 19:30.765 important roles they can play. 19:30.765 --> 19:33.337 Ultimately, it comes down to the two parties, 19:33.337 --> 19:37.312 the Afghan Government and the Taliban representatives. 19:37.312 --> 19:39.585 - [Heather] Felicia Schwartz with The Wall Street Journal. 19:39.585 --> 19:41.585 - Thanks, Mr. Secretary. 19:41.991 --> 19:45.863 Going back to Pakistan, officials for quite some time, 19:45.863 --> 19:47.642 Democratic and Republican administrations, 19:47.642 --> 19:50.975 have tried to get the government to stop 19:53.203 --> 19:56.310 giving safe haven to the Haqqani Network, terrorist groups. 19:56.310 --> 19:59.030 What leverage do you think you have? 19:59.030 --> 20:00.770 - Well, I think it's, obviously, 20:00.770 --> 20:02.224 we have some leverage that's been 20:02.224 --> 20:04.008 discussed in terms of the amount of aid 20:04.008 --> 20:06.155 and military assistance we give them, 20:06.155 --> 20:09.822 their status as a non-NATO alliance partner. 20:10.657 --> 20:12.467 All of that can be put on the table. 20:12.467 --> 20:15.774 But at the end of the day, Pakistan has to decide 20:15.774 --> 20:18.774 what is in Pakistan's best long-term 20:19.455 --> 20:21.462 interest from a security standpoint 20:21.462 --> 20:24.231 for themselves and for their people. 20:24.231 --> 20:27.433 Quite frankly, as I evaluate Pakistan's current situation, 20:27.433 --> 20:30.123 if I were the Pakistan Government, 20:30.123 --> 20:34.104 I would have growing concerns about the strength 20:34.104 --> 20:38.271 of the Taliban and other organizations inside of Pakistan 20:38.321 --> 20:41.527 who seem to be growing their numbers and their presence 20:41.527 --> 20:44.496 to the point that at some point they become a real threat 20:44.496 --> 20:47.852 to the stability of the Pakistani Government itself. 20:47.852 --> 20:49.154 I think they need to be thinking 20:49.154 --> 20:51.522 about what is in their best long-term interest 20:51.522 --> 20:55.599 and how can we work with them to achieve a safer, 20:55.599 --> 20:59.766 more stable Pakistan in the next decades to come as well. 21:01.041 --> 21:02.809 I think it really is up to them. 21:02.809 --> 21:05.217 They've got to ask themselves that question. 21:05.217 --> 21:08.552 Why does this work for them and why is this going 21:08.552 --> 21:11.480 to continue to support their stability 21:11.480 --> 21:13.730 and the survival of their government in the years ahead, 21:13.730 --> 21:16.986 if they continue to allow these elements to just grow 21:16.986 --> 21:20.376 and maintain their presence inside of Pakistan. 21:20.376 --> 21:23.709 - [Heather] Last question, welcome, AFP. 21:23.719 --> 21:24.552 - Thank you. 21:24.552 --> 21:26.051 Thank you, Mr. Secretary. 21:26.051 --> 21:29.244 Don't you fear on the other side that too much pressure, 21:29.244 --> 21:31.608 too tough pressure on Pakistan may 21:31.608 --> 21:34.775 destabilize the Islamabad and may have 21:36.886 --> 21:40.219 destabilizing all the region with having 21:41.432 --> 21:44.099 Taliban stronger in the country? 21:44.216 --> 21:46.392 - That is a concern, and that's why I made 21:46.392 --> 21:48.450 the comments I just made, that I think it's important 21:48.450 --> 21:51.215 that Pakistan begin to think about its ability 21:51.215 --> 21:53.882 to contain these groups as well. 21:54.154 --> 21:56.192 It's why, though, we take a regional approach. 21:56.192 --> 21:57.888 The U.S. alone is not going to 21:57.888 --> 22:00.721 change this dynamic with Pakistan. 22:00.949 --> 22:03.659 India and Pakistan, they have their own issues 22:03.659 --> 22:06.505 that they have to continue to work through, 22:06.505 --> 22:09.697 but I think there are areas where perhaps even India 22:09.697 --> 22:13.219 can take some steps of rapprochement on issues with Pakistan 22:13.219 --> 22:15.333 to improve the stability within Pakistan 22:15.333 --> 22:17.875 and remove some of the reasons why they deal 22:17.875 --> 22:20.835 with these unstable elements inside their own country. 22:20.835 --> 22:23.027 As I said, other regional players 22:23.027 --> 22:24.627 have strong interest in Pakistan. 22:24.627 --> 22:27.597 China has strong interest in Pakistan. 22:27.597 --> 22:30.097 Having a stable, secure future 22:30.107 --> 22:32.955 Pakistan is in a lot of our interests. 22:32.955 --> 22:34.676 They are a nuclear power. 22:34.676 --> 22:37.157 We have concerns about their weapons, 22:37.157 --> 22:38.925 the security of their weapons. 22:38.925 --> 22:42.679 There are many areas in which we believe we should be having 22:42.679 --> 22:45.535 very productive dialogue that serves 22:45.535 --> 22:49.534 both of our interests and regional interest as well. 22:49.534 --> 22:51.127 Again, this is not a situation 22:51.127 --> 22:54.518 where the U.S. is saying, "Look, it's just us and you." 22:54.518 --> 22:56.812 What our approach is to bring, as I said, 22:56.812 --> 22:58.445 these regional approaches is to bring 22:58.445 --> 23:01.778 all the other interest into this effort. 23:02.473 --> 23:04.540 Much as we've done with North Korea 23:04.540 --> 23:07.268 and assembling this global effort in North Korea, 23:07.268 --> 23:11.046 I think too often we try to distill these challenges down 23:11.046 --> 23:13.804 to where it's just the U.S. and some other country 23:13.804 --> 23:16.267 and only between the two of us can we solve it. 23:16.267 --> 23:18.835 We have to enlarge the circle of interest 23:18.835 --> 23:21.726 and bring others into the effort as well, 23:21.726 --> 23:24.254 and that's what we'll be doing with Pakistan as well. 23:24.254 --> 23:25.180 - [Heather] Thank you, Mr. Secretary. 23:25.180 --> 23:26.083 Thank you, everyone. - Thank you. 23:26.083 --> 23:26.916 - [Heather] We'll see you tomorrow. 23:26.916 --> 23:28.477 We'll have a press briefing at 2:00 p.m. 23:28.477 --> 23:29.310 Thanks. 23:29.514 --> 23:30.864 - [Reporter] Thank you.