WEBVTT

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Good afternoon , everybody .

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Sorry . Um All right , I have one very

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brief thing at the top and then I'm

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happy to dive into your question . So

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uh the State Department's uh acting

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special envoy for Critical and Emerging

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Technology Set Center and the National

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Security Council's Tarun Chabra will

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lead an interagency . US delegation to

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discuss the risk posed by advanced

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forms of artificial intelligence with

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the People's Republic of China on May

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14th in Geneva keeping lines of

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communication open on the risks of the

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technologies that are transforming our

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world is an important part of competing

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responsibly . Uh This is something that

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was discussed on the secretary's recent

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trips to the PR C as well . The US

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is committed to advancing , safe ,

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secure and trustworthy A I around the

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globe . As the president said in his

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speech to the UN General Assembly in

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2023 we will continue to demonstrate

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responsible leadership by engaging with

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global leaders to ensure we harness the

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power of A I for good while protecting

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our citizens from its most profound

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risks that Daphne you want to kick us

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off ? Great , thanks . Has the

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secretary had any more conversations

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with Israeli counterparts since

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yesterday , I saw the readout of his

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conversation with Israel's Defense

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Minister . Can you provide any more

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detail on what they discussed as well ?

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The readout didn't go beyond the usual

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lines . I don't have any additional

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calls to read out beyond saying that we

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engage with our partners in Israel

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regularly around the clock , but I

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don't have anything else to preview at

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the moment and what has the tone of

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these latest conversations ? Well , we

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have been pretty clear both publicly

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and privately that as it relates

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to a potential

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military operation in Rafah , that we

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would be opposed to one that does not

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address our very serious concerns

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about humanitarian aid about the more

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than a million people who are seeking

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refuge as well as Rafah being a region

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that is key to the facilitation of the

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safe departure of foreign nationals .

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And so we are continuing to have

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conversations about that , continuing

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to have conversations about ensuring

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that every measure possible is pursued

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to ensure the increase of flow of

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humanitarian aid so that more aid can

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get into Gaza . And we're continuing to

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discuss areas in which we can continue

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to collaborate to ensure the defeat of

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Hamas and that the October 7th

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terrorist attacks can't be repeated .

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Has Israel provided any assurances to

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the US that the operation in Rafah will

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remain limited ? So again , we have yet

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to see a credible plan for a military

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operation in Rafah that addresses the

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areas of concern that I just laid out

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and you say you haven't seen a credible

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plan , but how much does Israel provide

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on its plans in its country ? I'm just

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not going to get into that level of

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specificity of our diplomatic

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engagements and I should have one more

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on Gaza . Sorry . There's some footage

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on social media reportedly showing

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protesters blocking trucks , carrying

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humanitarian aid into Gaza at the Turk

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crossing and damaging its contents .

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Are you aware of this ? And have you

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raised this with Israeli officials ? So

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we are aware of these reports and we

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have raised this officials in Israel .

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Um You saw in the secretary's um uh

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read out of some calls that he had last

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week of this being raised as well , but

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I will reiterate it here . It is our

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strong view that aid cannot and must

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not be interfered with . Uh We have

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raised this incident with the

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government of Israel and we expect them

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to take appropriate action . Um

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Can I go to uh the memo that was

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released on Friday ? I'm sure let's go

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with questions on it . Uh In it , the

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state department says it's reasonable

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to assess that uh that there could be

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violations , but of course , saying not

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that there's no evidence of it . If

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it's reasonable to assess that there

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are violations , how does this affect

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going forward ? Should there be greater

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concern , greater , greater

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restrictions potentially on weapons ?

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So there is no policy change to

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announce Sean , what the report makes

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clear is that um

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first to , to take a little bit of a

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step back , the , the the report makes

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clear that this is a very complex and

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complicated uh battlefield . It is a

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very dense and urban setting . We are

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also dealing with a belligerent . Uh In ,

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in this case , Hamas that has a clear

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track record and history of Colo itself

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with civilians and civilian

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infrastructure using civil as human

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shields . We've also made clear in the

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report that the IDF has

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taken undertaken steps to implement

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international humanitarian law

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obligations for the protections of

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civilians in the current conflict ,

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including requirements that are related

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to distinction , proportionality and

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other . But we also are clear in our

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report that it's reasonable to assess

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that defense articles covered under the

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National Security memorandum have been

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used by Israeli security Forces in

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instances that are inconsistent with

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its IHL obligations . But we also have

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no direct indication of Israel

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intentionally targeting civilians

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but to , to take us back , step back ,

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Sean . And I guess this addresses kind

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of your broader question . A country's

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overall commitment to international

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humanitarian law is not necessarily

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disproven by uh what may be individual

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uh IHL violations . And the most

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important thing here is that Israel

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does not . Israel does have a number of

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ongoing active criminal investigations

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pending and there are hundreds of other

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cases under administrative review .

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Israel has taken steps to and is taking

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steps to hold um itself and its

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accountable simultaneously . We also

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continue to have tools at our disposal

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that existed before the National

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Security memorandum and existed

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afterwards . Things like the

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T process , the leahy process , the

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conventional arms transfer policy and

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use monitoring and other things to

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continue to assess and continue to look

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into instances that are reported to us

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that may be concerning the same is uh

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it can be said about humanitarian aid .

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We continue to monitor that situation

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very closely and we'll continue to

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assess uh the government of Israel by

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its actions as it relates to uh

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humanitarian aid . Sure , no , we say

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we have lots of tools at your disposal .

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Um I I know you said that that you ,

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you think that the Israelis have have

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taken action on their own of the this

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in , in the state of our yous , there's

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no intentional uh there's no intention

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there . But um if it's reasonable to

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assess there have been uh that things

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have gone against the spirit of , of

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international humanitarian law . Are

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there other , is there more that can be

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done ? And particularly with this , if

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it's , if it's a question of not

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actually um have evidence of it , will

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the State Department continue to probe

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and see if there's a there ? So we'll

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continue , we'll continue to look at

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the circumstances on the ground as we

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have uh prior to the National Security

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memorandum was even signed . The , it's

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important to remember that the NSM did

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not outline or create any new

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parameters or mechanisms . Really .

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It was another assessment tool and the

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tools that we have at our disposal will

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continue to exist . But again , Sean ,

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it's important to remember that given

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the nature of what is happening on the

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ground and given the nature of hamas'

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track record of co locating itself with

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civilians using civilians as human

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shields , we are unable to make a

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conclusive determination

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as it relates to violations of

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international humanitarian law . Just

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11 more for

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in terms of what the message that's

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being sent from this . Um What what

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message do you do you expect Israel in

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particular to see from this ? The fact

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that you're saying that there are not

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you personally , but the State

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Department is saying that there are

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potential , you know , potentially

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violations of the spirit things are

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going against uh International Human

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Syrian law , but there are no , um

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there's no firm evidence here and no

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repercussions . What message do you

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think should be taken from this ? Do

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you think there should be a sense of uh

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they should do more , uh they should do

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more to um to they , they could do

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better potentially ? Absolutely . Uh

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Our , our message continues to be uh

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what our message has been for some time ,

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which is that the United States stands

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with Israel in its effort to defeat

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Hamas and hold the terrorists

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accountable for those that were

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responsible for the October 7th

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terrorist attacks . But simultaneously ,

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there is a moral and strategic

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imperative to take every possible step

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to minimize civilian casualties steps

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that we know that the IDF has the tools

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and the capability to undertake

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things that unfortunately are not

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being met in certain instances .

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But simultaneously that this is also a

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a AAA belligerent that is using

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civilians as human shields . And

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therefore , we've not been able to come

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to any kind of conclusive conclusion on

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this . And on the humanitarian aid

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front , we'll continue to press all

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regional partners including the

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government of Israel to do everything

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we can to get more humanitarian aid

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into Gaza . Thank you . Just stick on

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the National Security memorandum .

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Would you , I mean , you say you've

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mentioned , you've mentioned that the

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State Department has its own internal

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process of assessing cases uh

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for Israel and other countries that are

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in conflict . Would you say that the

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National Security memorandum has at

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least been a useful tool for the State

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Department in or in , in being able to

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bring forward some of some of these

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conclusions in a public public light ,

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whereas perhaps your other internal

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processes wouldn't have necessarily

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done so or wouldn't plan on doing so

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any time soon . So I think the

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important thing to remember here ,

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Camilla is that no new standards were

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imposed . Instead , the National

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Security memorandum was a tool that

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spelled out already existed . Uh

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standards set by us policy and set by

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international law , including the law

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of armed conflict that countries must

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adhere to . Um this is uh we , you know ,

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view the national security memorandum

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as now another tool in our tool belt um

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to uh assess circumstances on the

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ground . And to in in this particular

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case , assess the use of um us

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security articles uh in a particular uh

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battlefield . Um But I think the

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important thing to remember is that we

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didn't issue this memorandum because we

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thought any country was necessarily

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violating these standards . Instead ,

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we wanted to be transparent about the

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standards that we require countries to

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adhere to and offer an assessment of a

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certain time period that the national

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security memorandum is consistent with .

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Can I just , just one on something that

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was mentioned in the report released on

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Friday ? Um It said that 40% of the

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Israel Gaza related cases within the

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State Department's CHG process are now

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closed . Can you give us an idea of um

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what closed means ? Does that mean that

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some of them have gone through to the

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leahy process ? Have others gone ? Uh

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Other cases been deferred back to uh

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Israel um for them to come to some kind

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of conclusion or agreement on what

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could be improved or done better ? Um

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How , how do we assess the , we close

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that with those 40% ? So , um I will uh

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check for specifics Camilla . But uh

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the important thing to remember about

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the tr process is that uh there are a

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number of outputs uh that uh can

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be at the end of a tr process . Some of

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them including the Lady process , some

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of it could be consultations with the

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government through our bilateral

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relationship . Some of those outputs

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could be additional training . Um So

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I'm not going to speak to the

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deliberative process and specificity

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beyond just saying that we continue to

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have tools at our disposal to look at

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this and we have every intention to do

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so . And we make that very clear in the

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National Security memorandum that we'll

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continue to use the tools at our

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disposal to continue to look at the

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situations on the ground , look as this

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conflict develops , but also look at

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the flow of humanitarian aid and the

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protection of civilians as well . Can

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you just clarify a couple ? Let me do

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it and then I'll come to your side on

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the raising with Israel , the incident

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on aid trucks . That was today's

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incidents . Is that right ? Clarifying

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you didn't mean more generally and then

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who raised with who as you know , I'm

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not going to get into the specifics of

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these conversations , but we talk to

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our partners in Israel all the time

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around the clock and have no and intend

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to raise issues like this when they ,

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when they come up . And then you told

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Sean that a country's overall

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commitment to international

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humanitarian law is not necessarily

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disproven , but by what may be

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individual Ihl violations . There have

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been accusations for dozens of

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incidents if all those end up being

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violations , can you still say Israel

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is fulfilling its commitment to abide

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by IHL ? That is , I'm just not going

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to get ahead of a hypothetical . We are

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talking about things that are still mid

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process in some instances . But again ,

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in the context of the National Security

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memorandum , given the circumstances on

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the ground , we have not been able to

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make a conclusive determination . But

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again , just given what we are seeing ,

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it is fair to assess that there have

14:28.649 --> 14:31.164
been instances in which Israel has not

14:31.174 --> 14:33.783
held up its obligation of complying

14:33.794 --> 14:35.905
with international Humanitarian law .

14:35.905 --> 14:38.573
We will continue to pursue these kinds

14:38.583 --> 14:40.953
of things through the tools that exist

14:40.963 --> 14:43.074
in the United States . But Israel has

14:43.074 --> 14:45.296
also indicated that it will continue to

14:45.296 --> 14:47.861
pursue accountability through the

14:47.870 --> 14:49.703
mechanisms that exist in its own

14:49.703 --> 14:51.926
government . And they have indicated to

14:51.926 --> 14:53.926
us that they have hundreds of cases

14:53.926 --> 14:55.814
open , including some that are in

14:55.814 --> 14:58.037
administrative review and some that are

14:58.037 --> 15:00.301
in the middle of prosecution and we'll

15:00.310 --> 15:02.532
let them speak to those processes . But

15:02.532 --> 15:04.477
given all that , do you still feel

15:04.477 --> 15:06.643
Israel is fulfilling its commitment to

15:06.643 --> 15:08.699
IHL and that it is committed to it ?

15:08.699 --> 15:10.810
That that's our understanding . Yes ,

15:10.810 --> 15:12.921
that's what we believe . So , go on .

15:12.921 --> 15:15.088
Yes , thank you . Just to follow up on

15:15.088 --> 15:17.840
uh Kamala's uh uh point . Now you're

15:17.849 --> 15:20.016
saying that OK , they likely broke the

15:20.016 --> 15:22.127
law but not enough to change policy .

15:22.630 --> 15:24.797
So what is the point of the report ? I

15:24.797 --> 15:26.797
mean , you know , in simple terms ,

15:26.797 --> 15:28.963
what is the point ? I think I answered

15:28.963 --> 15:28.489
that question and I just want to hear

15:28.500 --> 15:30.556
if you understand , then why are you

15:30.556 --> 15:32.889
asking ? No , I want to hear , you know ,

15:32.889 --> 15:35.056
your justification for if you have the

15:35.056 --> 15:37.222
report out there , policy is not going

15:37.222 --> 15:39.444
to change , there is to be breaking the

15:39.444 --> 15:41.556
law and so on . You know , you have ,

15:41.556 --> 15:43.667
that's not the , that's not what we ,

15:43.667 --> 15:45.722
that's not what the report says said

15:45.722 --> 15:47.889
the report is , they're not , they did

15:47.889 --> 15:50.056
not like to break the law . The report

15:50.056 --> 15:52.111
says , first of all , let me just be

15:52.111 --> 15:54.333
clear about what this is . The National

15:54.333 --> 15:56.556
Security memorandum does not impose any

15:56.556 --> 16:00.424
new standards . It is a we spelled out

16:00.515 --> 16:02.348
the existing standards that have

16:02.348 --> 16:04.705
already existed set by us policy and

16:04.715 --> 16:08.070
international law and that what we

16:08.080 --> 16:10.302
expect countries and partners to adhere

16:10.302 --> 16:13.030
to when they receive uh weapons from

16:13.039 --> 16:16.989
the United States . Um as it relates

16:17.000 --> 16:19.369
to Israel , uh the report does not

16:19.380 --> 16:21.690
determine uh that Israel has violated

16:21.700 --> 16:25.229
international Humanitarian law . But uh

16:25.729 --> 16:29.250
we believe through um uh

16:29.950 --> 16:32.719
various uh assessments of instances

16:32.729 --> 16:34.869
that it is likely that in these

16:34.880 --> 16:37.130
instances there have , they have failed

16:37.140 --> 16:40.429
to meet their obligations uh of meeting

16:40.440 --> 16:42.496
International Humanitarian Law . But

16:42.496 --> 16:44.384
that is a process that's going to

16:44.384 --> 16:46.440
continue both through the tools that

16:46.440 --> 16:49.580
are at our disposal . And that tools in

16:49.590 --> 16:51.590
which the Israeli government has to

16:51.590 --> 16:53.956
hold itself accountable . So when the

16:53.966 --> 16:56.416
President of Israel Herak says there

16:56.427 --> 16:58.594
are no civilians in Gaza . That's what

16:58.594 --> 17:00.760
he said . When Galan says , you know ,

17:00.767 --> 17:02.878
they're human animals and we're going

17:02.878 --> 17:05.156
to wipe out Gaza , those were his word .

17:05.156 --> 17:07.267
When the Prime Minister of Israel and

17:07.267 --> 17:09.323
Netanyahu said the Amalek spare , no

17:09.323 --> 17:11.323
one kill the Children do all that .

17:11.323 --> 17:13.434
That is not enough evidence that they

17:13.434 --> 17:15.323
were planning . This is now we're

17:15.323 --> 17:17.434
planning and that we were planning as

17:17.434 --> 17:19.656
upsetting as it might be for you . This

17:19.656 --> 17:21.489
is not , this is not a report on

17:21.489 --> 17:23.600
rhetoric , ok ? That this is a , this

17:23.600 --> 17:25.767
is a report on the facts on the ground

17:25.767 --> 17:27.878
and the facts on the ground are there

17:27.878 --> 17:29.823
are civilians in Gaza . So I would

17:29.823 --> 17:32.100
dispute with anybody making that claim .

17:32.100 --> 17:34.211
But two , what we're talking about is

17:34.211 --> 17:36.267
what the facts are and the facts are

17:36.267 --> 17:37.878
that we are dealing with the

17:37.878 --> 17:40.100
belligerent that use civilians as human

17:40.100 --> 17:42.211
shields has a long track record of co

17:42.211 --> 17:44.350
locating itself with civilians and

17:44.360 --> 17:46.471
civilian infrastructure . And thus it

17:46.471 --> 17:49.230
has not been possible to make a

17:49.240 --> 17:52.401
conclusive assessment . However , we do

17:52.411 --> 17:54.890
not determine that Israel has violated

17:54.901 --> 17:58.140
international law . But what we are

17:58.151 --> 18:01.051
saying said is that

18:02.239 --> 18:05.739
one , Israel has had to confront an

18:05.750 --> 18:07.861
extraordinary military challenge . Uh

18:07.861 --> 18:11.670
But that simultaneously it is

18:11.680 --> 18:14.630
reasonable to assess uh that uh

18:14.640 --> 18:17.349
Israel Israeli security forces since

18:17.359 --> 18:20.170
October 7th . Uh there have been

18:20.180 --> 18:22.236
instances that are inconsistent with

18:22.239 --> 18:24.183
its International Humanitarian law

18:24.183 --> 18:26.729
obligations and the United States will

18:26.739 --> 18:29.109
continue to look at instances on the

18:29.119 --> 18:31.359
ground through the tools that are at

18:31.369 --> 18:34.829
our disposal . But also our partners in

18:34.839 --> 18:36.950
Israel have indicated to us that they

18:36.950 --> 18:39.655
will continue to take steps to look

18:39.665 --> 18:41.776
into this through their own system as

18:41.776 --> 18:43.609
well . Let me just a couple more

18:43.609 --> 18:45.775
questions . If you indulge me . The

18:45.785 --> 18:47.952
president said yesterday , I mean , we

18:47.952 --> 18:50.174
were talking about the negotiations and

18:50.174 --> 18:52.063
you know , is there a deal in the

18:52.063 --> 18:54.104
offering or no deal ? The President

18:54.114 --> 18:56.814
said that Hamas could have a ceasefire

18:57.094 --> 18:58.872
now if they wanted to , if they

18:58.875 --> 19:01.097
released the hostages . But there was a

19:01.097 --> 19:03.264
deal basically the American deal which

19:03.264 --> 19:05.319
Hamas agreed , you know , that would

19:05.319 --> 19:08.439
have done this last week or 10 days ago

19:08.449 --> 19:10.680
and so on , but it was rejected by

19:10.689 --> 19:12.911
Israel . Is , is that the case ? That's

19:12.911 --> 19:16.089
absolutely not the case again over the

19:16.099 --> 19:18.321
course of this , it has been very clear

19:18.321 --> 19:21.930
that um uh Hamas has continued to move

19:21.939 --> 19:24.040
the goalposts on this and we'll

19:24.050 --> 19:25.994
reiterate what you've heard . Many

19:25.994 --> 19:28.310
others say from up here , including the

19:28.319 --> 19:31.079
secretary that this conflict could be

19:31.089 --> 19:33.770
over yesterday . If Hamas simply came

19:33.780 --> 19:36.619
out of the tunnels laid down its arms

19:36.630 --> 19:40.040
or at minimum took the deal that had

19:40.050 --> 19:42.272
been on the table for quite some time .

19:42.272 --> 19:44.606
We're going to continue to work at this .

19:44.606 --> 19:46.606
We continue to think a ceasefire is

19:46.606 --> 19:48.717
possible one that is coupled with the

19:48.717 --> 19:50.661
release of hostages and additional

19:50.661 --> 19:52.772
humanitarian aid . So the ball now is

19:52.772 --> 19:54.772
in Hamas . That is correct . It has

19:54.772 --> 19:57.060
always been in Hamas . Ok . One last

19:57.069 --> 19:59.189
thing I , I don't know if you saw the

19:59.199 --> 20:02.319
CNN report on the , the prisoners , you

20:02.329 --> 20:04.670
know , they strap gun blindfolded ,

20:04.680 --> 20:07.060
held in diapers . Israeli

20:07.069 --> 20:09.390
whistleblowers detail , abuse of

20:09.400 --> 20:11.369
Palestinians and shadowy detention

20:11.489 --> 20:13.711
center . Are you aware of this report ?

20:13.711 --> 20:15.878
I've seen those reports cite and we're

20:15.878 --> 20:18.729
concerned by them are we're looking

20:18.739 --> 20:21.300
into these and other allegations of

20:21.310 --> 20:23.849
abuse against Palestinians in detention .

20:23.959 --> 20:25.959
And we've been clear and consistent

20:25.959 --> 20:28.126
with any country including Israel that

20:28.126 --> 20:30.181
it must treat all detainees humanely

20:30.181 --> 20:31.959
with dignity in accordance with

20:31.959 --> 20:34.070
international law and it must respect

20:34.070 --> 20:36.469
detainees human rights . And so we have

20:36.479 --> 20:40.290
asked , we have reiterated that Israel

20:40.300 --> 20:42.078
has an obligation to thoroughly

20:42.078 --> 20:44.630
investigate credible violations of

20:44.640 --> 20:46.862
international humanitarian law . Jian ,

20:46.862 --> 20:49.029
go ahead . You've had your hand up for

20:49.029 --> 20:52.290
some time . Sorry about that . I wanted

20:52.300 --> 20:54.356
to get a response . Uh Senator Chris

20:54.356 --> 20:56.244
Van Hollen said after reading the

20:56.244 --> 20:58.467
report that there's enough on the books

20:58.467 --> 21:00.578
to be able to point to specific cases

21:00.578 --> 21:02.744
and make specific determinations . And

21:02.744 --> 21:04.856
on that score , the administration is

21:04.856 --> 21:06.744
ducking the hard questions in the

21:06.744 --> 21:09.078
report . Do you have a response to that ?

21:09.078 --> 21:11.133
So we are pretty clear in our report

21:11.133 --> 21:13.356
that the nature of conflict in Gaza and

21:13.356 --> 21:15.244
the fact that Hamas uses civilian

21:15.244 --> 21:17.244
infrastructure for military purpose

21:17.244 --> 21:19.356
makes it difficult to assess or reach

21:19.356 --> 21:21.244
conclusive findings on individual

21:21.244 --> 21:23.430
incidents . Um So while we found it

21:23.439 --> 21:25.495
reasonable to assess that there have

21:25.495 --> 21:27.869
been instances where Israel has not

21:27.880 --> 21:30.069
acted consistent with IHL or acted

21:30.079 --> 21:32.219
consistent with best practices for

21:32.229 --> 21:34.118
civilian harm mitigation over the

21:34.118 --> 21:36.118
course of the conflict . The report

21:36.118 --> 21:38.062
doesn't reach a conclusive finding

21:38.062 --> 21:40.619
because of this very difficult and

21:40.630 --> 21:43.750
challenging battlefield environment as

21:43.760 --> 21:45.982
well as the kind of uh belligerent that

21:45.982 --> 21:48.119
we are dealing with . Uh And we have

21:48.130 --> 21:50.186
been very clear about that . We have

21:50.186 --> 21:53.050
also uh uh laid out in the full

21:53.060 --> 21:55.171
National Security memorandum , the uh

21:55.171 --> 21:56.949
other tools that we have at our

21:56.949 --> 22:00.229
disposal uh to assess situations on the

22:00.239 --> 22:02.295
ground , not just in Israel , but in

22:02.295 --> 22:04.859
any conflict zone as we do uh when it

22:04.869 --> 22:06.930
comes to violations of international

22:06.939 --> 22:10.760
humanitarian law , those processes um

22:11.189 --> 22:13.780
continue to be ongoing . So you keep

22:13.790 --> 22:15.734
mentioning that it , um the report

22:15.734 --> 22:18.800
makes the administration's position and

22:18.810 --> 22:20.866
findings clear , I guess on the flip

22:20.866 --> 22:23.689
side of the coin , you have um folks

22:23.699 --> 22:27.099
like Senator Tom Cotton , his reaction

22:27.109 --> 22:29.589
to the report was , he said it's very

22:29.599 --> 22:31.599
clear there's no evidence Israel is

22:31.599 --> 22:33.488
violating international law . All

22:33.488 --> 22:35.655
civilian casualties in Gaza are solely

22:35.655 --> 22:37.829
the responsible of Hamas given these

22:37.839 --> 22:40.006
divergent like interpretations of this

22:40.006 --> 22:42.569
report . Do you think State Department

22:42.579 --> 22:45.170
is gonna take any steps to

22:46.050 --> 22:48.579
clarify those findings further with the

22:48.589 --> 22:51.239
hill or ? Well , I really can't speak

22:51.250 --> 22:54.380
to uh the general confusion among

22:54.390 --> 22:57.569
Congress that's for them to clarify or

22:57.579 --> 23:00.140
seek clarification on what is confusing

23:00.150 --> 23:03.140
for them . Um Our report lays out

23:03.150 --> 23:06.199
pretty clearly the , uh , the and lays

23:06.209 --> 23:08.376
out pretty clearly , especially the uh

23:08.376 --> 23:11.900
section on the conflict in Gaza . But

23:11.910 --> 23:13.799
of course , in , in , in , in the

23:13.799 --> 23:15.799
course of this whole conversation ,

23:15.799 --> 23:17.966
we'll continue to engage with Congress

23:17.966 --> 23:19.966
on areas of concern or on questions

23:19.966 --> 23:22.021
that they have . And I have no doubt

23:22.021 --> 23:24.132
that that process will move forward ,

23:24.132 --> 23:23.902
but I don't have any specifics to show .

23:24.522 --> 23:26.689
Is that what Senator Cotton laid out ?

23:26.689 --> 23:28.973
Is that the correct or accurate ? Is

23:28.983 --> 23:31.083
that an accurate reflection of the

23:31.093 --> 23:33.453
report ? I will let the Senator clarify

23:33.463 --> 23:35.630
his own comments . What I can say from

23:35.630 --> 23:38.213
here is what I have reiterated to your

23:38.223 --> 23:41.692
colleagues , which is that there have

23:41.863 --> 23:44.845
not , we have not been able to breach

23:44.855 --> 23:46.826
or assess conclusive findings on

23:46.836 --> 23:49.536
individual incidents . Uh But uh we

23:49.546 --> 23:51.602
find that it is reasonable to assess

23:51.602 --> 23:53.602
that there have been instances when

23:53.602 --> 23:56.946
Israel has not acted consistent with

23:56.956 --> 23:59.465
international humanitarian law or acted

23:59.475 --> 24:01.642
consistent with the best practices for

24:01.642 --> 24:04.686
civilian harm uh mitigation . Uh But

24:04.696 --> 24:06.918
we'll continue to look at this conflict

24:06.918 --> 24:08.974
uh through the tools that we have at

24:08.974 --> 24:11.095
our disposal and Israel has indicated

24:11.105 --> 24:14.630
that it will do so as well . Uh

24:14.640 --> 24:17.400
Michelle , go ahead based on the Rafah

24:17.660 --> 24:20.189
crossing . Did you ask Israel to open

24:20.199 --> 24:22.550
it and you support an American company

24:22.560 --> 24:26.010
to manage it or to control the ? So we

24:26.020 --> 24:28.439
certainly , uh we certainly want it to

24:28.449 --> 24:31.380
be open uh uh Michelle uh for reasons

24:31.390 --> 24:33.501
that you've heard me talk about uh uh

24:33.501 --> 24:36.880
uh uh a great time before . One . Just

24:36.890 --> 24:39.979
Rafa is a region that um more than a

24:39.989 --> 24:42.156
million people are seeking refuge . It

24:42.156 --> 24:43.989
is a region that is an important

24:43.989 --> 24:46.045
conduit for humanitarian aid . It is

24:46.045 --> 24:48.211
the Rafah crossing is the crossing for

24:48.211 --> 24:51.714
foreign nationals to safely depart Gaza .

24:51.724 --> 24:55.084
Unfortunately , this is not AAA border

24:55.094 --> 24:56.872
crossing that the United States

24:56.872 --> 24:58.872
controls , but we are continuing to

24:58.872 --> 25:00.594
work around the clock with the

25:00.594 --> 25:02.372
government of Israel , with the

25:02.372 --> 25:04.844
government of Egypt on whatever we can

25:04.854 --> 25:08.834
do to make sure that Rafah gets open .

25:11.349 --> 25:14.449
Obviously , to reopen such a crossing

25:14.459 --> 25:17.250
require some kind of security and

25:17.260 --> 25:20.160
operational control on the Gaza side of

25:20.170 --> 25:22.226
the border . And we're continuing to

25:22.226 --> 25:24.281
work with our partners in Israel and

25:24.281 --> 25:27.939
Egypt for that to happen . Karem Shalom

25:27.949 --> 25:30.890
is open and we are in the meantime

25:30.900 --> 25:34.390
trying to maximize as much input

25:34.400 --> 25:36.839
through Karem Shalom as possible , but

25:36.849 --> 25:38.905
fully acknowledging that that is not

25:38.905 --> 25:40.905
enough and that we need to see Rafa

25:40.905 --> 25:43.071
reopened as soon as possible . Did you

25:43.071 --> 25:45.071
get any promise ? This is something

25:45.071 --> 25:47.520
that we're continuing to work with them

25:47.530 --> 25:49.474
and work with them directly on . I

25:49.474 --> 25:51.530
don't have any update on an American

25:51.530 --> 25:54.560
security company to control the

25:54.569 --> 25:58.099
crossing . I don't have any assessment

25:58.109 --> 26:00.165
to offer on that . But beyond saying

26:00.165 --> 26:02.109
that I think the President and the

26:02.109 --> 26:04.331
Secretary of State and the Secretary of

26:04.331 --> 26:06.331
Defense have been pretty clear that

26:06.331 --> 26:08.442
we're not going to see American boots

26:08.442 --> 26:10.665
on the ground in Gaza private company ,

26:10.665 --> 26:12.887
the government . I'm just not , this is

26:12.887 --> 26:15.053
the first time of hearing such kind of

26:15.053 --> 26:17.276
talks , Michelle . I don't even know if

26:17.276 --> 26:19.498
that is a real thing being considered .

26:19.498 --> 26:22.280
So I don't have a comment for you . Can

26:22.290 --> 26:24.457
you give us an update on the number of

26:24.457 --> 26:26.679
American citizens who might still be in

26:26.679 --> 26:28.846
Gaza and want to come out particularly

26:28.846 --> 26:30.957
given Israel's start of its operation

26:30.957 --> 26:33.123
on Rafa . So I don't have an update on

26:33.123 --> 26:35.234
specific numbers , Camilla . But this

26:35.234 --> 26:37.401
is is a fluid and and quickly evolving

26:37.401 --> 26:39.512
situation . So far over the course of

26:39.512 --> 26:41.623
this conflict , we have assisted over

26:41.623 --> 26:43.568
1800 us citizens , legal permanent

26:43.568 --> 26:45.734
residents and family members to depart

26:45.734 --> 26:47.679
Gaza through Rafah , entering into

26:47.679 --> 26:50.560
Egypt . As long as uh for when the

26:50.569 --> 26:53.160
crossing is open , we expect those

26:53.170 --> 26:56.640
numbers to continue to grow . Yeah ,

26:59.439 --> 27:01.606
that there are two medical missions of

27:01.606 --> 27:03.772
American citizens . Doctors who are at

27:03.772 --> 27:06.150
the European Hospital in Kyun is facing

27:06.160 --> 27:08.382
dehydration and at least one of them is

27:08.382 --> 27:09.882
on an IV drip . Now is our

27:09.910 --> 27:11.966
understanding is that relatives have

27:11.966 --> 27:14.299
been in touch with the State Department ,

27:14.299 --> 27:16.410
us administration . Is there anything

27:16.410 --> 27:18.521
you can say about efforts to get them

27:18.521 --> 27:20.632
out ? And was the UN vehicle that was

27:20.632 --> 27:20.150
on the way to the European Hospital

27:20.160 --> 27:23.750
part of those efforts ? So let me start

27:23.760 --> 27:25.927
with the second part , I'm not sure of

27:25.927 --> 27:27.649
the operational and logistical

27:27.649 --> 27:30.109
specifics of what was involved in those

27:30.119 --> 27:32.341
specific efforts or not . But I can say

27:32.341 --> 27:34.569
is that we're aware of these reports of

27:34.579 --> 27:36.599
us citizens , doctors and medical

27:36.609 --> 27:38.831
professionals currently unable to leave

27:38.831 --> 27:40.979
Gaza . As I said before , we don't

27:40.989 --> 27:43.211
control this border crossing . And this

27:43.211 --> 27:46.500
is a incredibly complex situation um

27:46.510 --> 27:48.699
that has very serious implications for

27:48.709 --> 27:50.987
the safety and security of us citizens .

27:50.987 --> 27:53.153
But uh we're continuing to work around

27:53.153 --> 27:55.487
the clock with the government of Israel ,

27:55.487 --> 27:57.709
with the government of Egypt uh to work

27:57.709 --> 27:59.876
on this issue , not just uh to address

27:59.876 --> 28:01.542
the very serious humanitarian

28:01.542 --> 28:03.709
assistance concerns that I just talked

28:03.709 --> 28:05.876
about , but as you so pointed out , um

28:05.876 --> 28:08.098
and I've and Matt have addressed before

28:08.098 --> 28:09.820
Rafa is a conduit for the safe

28:09.820 --> 28:11.987
departure of foreign nationals , which

28:11.987 --> 28:14.042
is why we continue to want to see it

28:14.042 --> 28:16.153
get open as swiftly as possible . And

28:16.153 --> 28:18.320
what does it say about conditions more

28:18.320 --> 28:20.209
generally in Ra and in Kunis , if

28:20.209 --> 28:22.209
American doctors only arrived there

28:22.209 --> 28:24.209
recently are already suffering from

28:24.209 --> 28:26.807
dehydration and malnutrition . So look ,

28:27.057 --> 28:29.626
we have not been unambiguous about the

28:29.636 --> 28:33.087
humanitarian situation in Gaza . It is

28:33.097 --> 28:36.784
a crime is no amount

28:36.793 --> 28:39.553
of humanitarian aid at this moment is

28:39.563 --> 28:41.785
enough . We need to be doing everything

28:41.785 --> 28:43.619
we can to get more , to get more

28:43.619 --> 28:45.843
humanitarian aid , food medicine ,

28:45.854 --> 28:48.076
water , other appropriate supplies into

28:48.083 --> 28:50.139
Gaza . And that is why you have seen

28:50.139 --> 28:52.354
this administration champion really an

28:52.364 --> 28:54.364
all of the above approach . When it

28:54.364 --> 28:56.364
comes to humanitarian aid , we have

28:56.364 --> 28:58.586
been engaging directly with partners in

28:58.586 --> 29:00.364
the region to ensure that every

29:00.364 --> 29:02.420
crossing possible that can allow for

29:02.420 --> 29:04.531
the access of trucks and other things

29:04.531 --> 29:06.753
is able to make its way into Gaza . You

29:06.753 --> 29:08.642
have seen us undertake airdrops .

29:08.642 --> 29:10.586
You've seen our partners in Jordan

29:10.586 --> 29:12.911
undertake airdrops and we're continuing

29:12.921 --> 29:15.701
to press and , and hope that this

29:15.711 --> 29:18.571
maritime corridor is a , is a conduit

29:18.581 --> 29:20.637
and we believe that will be the case

29:20.637 --> 29:23.031
very soon as well . Um Go ahead . Thank

29:23.191 --> 29:26.839
you . Follow up on s's question on the

29:26.849 --> 29:29.439
CNN report regarding the , you know ,

29:29.449 --> 29:31.171
human rights violations at the

29:31.171 --> 29:33.699
detention center in Israel . You asked

29:33.709 --> 29:36.719
Israel to investigate itself , but we

29:36.729 --> 29:38.300
just support an independent

29:38.310 --> 29:40.477
investigation into those allegations .

29:40.477 --> 29:42.770
So on this situation , rabi , I don't

29:42.780 --> 29:45.400
have additional circumstances beyond

29:45.410 --> 29:47.632
what has been in the public reporting .

29:47.890 --> 29:49.834
So at this time , I don't have any

29:49.834 --> 29:52.057
additional independent investigation to

29:52.057 --> 29:54.168
call for . And one thing on the , you

29:54.168 --> 29:56.569
know , state department report released

29:56.579 --> 29:59.760
Friday , you say that you do not

29:59.770 --> 30:01.670
currently assess that Israeli

30:01.680 --> 30:04.410
government is restricting the aid , but

30:04.420 --> 30:07.250
I want to go back to uh the April 4th

30:07.260 --> 30:10.209
uh phone call between uh Biden and

30:10.219 --> 30:12.163
Netanyahu after which , you know ,

30:12.170 --> 30:14.810
Israeli government opened more eight

30:14.819 --> 30:17.890
corridors into Gaza and increased the

30:17.900 --> 30:20.109
immediately increase the number of aid

30:20.119 --> 30:22.510
trucks . And after , you know , Biden

30:22.520 --> 30:25.380
pressured Netanyahu . So how do you

30:25.390 --> 30:28.550
explain Israel's refusal to , to take

30:28.560 --> 30:32.260
these steps uh like uh six months ago ?

30:32.270 --> 30:36.030
And uh does this suggest that Israel

30:36.040 --> 30:38.400
was deliberately restricting ? It does

30:38.410 --> 30:40.640
not re and I think one of the things

30:40.650 --> 30:44.359
that uh is probably most confusing to

30:44.369 --> 30:46.219
me up here from the lines of

30:46.229 --> 30:48.396
questioning we're getting is that this

30:48.396 --> 30:50.618
uh these issues are not black and white

30:50.618 --> 30:52.760
and certainly this is not a region in

30:52.770 --> 30:55.780
which the issues are black and white .

30:55.790 --> 30:58.140
Multiple things can be true since

30:58.150 --> 31:00.261
October 7th . It is correct . We have

31:00.261 --> 31:03.859
had deep concerns about the kinds of

31:03.869 --> 31:06.500
actions that Israel was taking , that

31:06.510 --> 31:09.859
contributed to a lack of sustained and

31:09.869 --> 31:12.420
predictable delivery of needed

31:12.430 --> 31:15.979
assistance at scale and aid

31:15.989 --> 31:19.140
need , needing to reach the Palestinian

31:19.150 --> 31:21.170
civilians who need it . But

31:21.180 --> 31:23.449
simultaneously , that does not mean

31:23.640 --> 31:26.930
that the government was prohibiting or

31:26.939 --> 31:29.750
restricting the delivery of us

31:29.760 --> 31:32.680
humanitarian assistance . Um We will

31:32.689 --> 31:34.800
continue to always want to see more .

31:34.800 --> 31:37.189
We want to press for more and over the

31:37.199 --> 31:40.020
past few weeks , we have seen some

31:40.030 --> 31:42.270
steps in the right direction , some

31:42.280 --> 31:44.447
increase , some that David Satterfield

31:44.447 --> 31:46.613
came and talked to you about all about

31:46.613 --> 31:48.859
those improvements need to be sustained

31:48.869 --> 31:51.202
now and we need to continue to see more .

31:51.290 --> 31:53.170
But wanting to see more is very

31:53.180 --> 31:55.140
different than dealing with the

31:55.150 --> 31:57.709
situation in which a country is

31:57.719 --> 32:00.729
restricting the flow of aid . And we

32:00.739 --> 32:02.850
have not seen that in this case . But

32:02.850 --> 32:05.017
again , you mentioned these tapes that

32:05.109 --> 32:08.979
were taken by Israel recently . But how

32:08.989 --> 32:11.211
do you explain that , you know , Israel

32:11.211 --> 32:13.378
could have certainly taken these steps

32:13.378 --> 32:15.910
like six months ago . We don't , we

32:15.920 --> 32:18.031
don't disagree with that assessment .

32:18.031 --> 32:20.219
But when you were talking about the ,

32:20.319 --> 32:23.859
the legal and the policy uh

32:23.880 --> 32:27.119
jurisdiction over this , what we are

32:27.130 --> 32:30.010
talking about is whether we have seen a

32:30.020 --> 32:31.979
prohibition or a restriction of

32:31.989 --> 32:34.219
humanitarian assistance . And while

32:34.229 --> 32:37.060
even in the immediate weeks and months

32:37.069 --> 32:39.609
following October 7th , we certainly

32:39.619 --> 32:41.675
were not satisfied with what we were

32:41.675 --> 32:43.979
seeing . We did not see a restriction

32:43.989 --> 32:46.045
or prohibition . That is what we are

32:46.045 --> 32:48.211
talking about and that continues to be

32:48.211 --> 32:50.267
where we are today . We do not see a

32:50.267 --> 32:51.933
prohibition or restriction on

32:51.933 --> 32:54.100
humanitarian aid . We don't see enough

32:54.100 --> 32:56.322
going in and we continue to be pressing

32:56.322 --> 32:58.045
every possible way to get more

32:58.045 --> 33:00.211
humanitarian aid into Gaza , but we do

33:00.211 --> 33:02.433
not see a prohibition and restriction .

33:02.433 --> 33:04.600
Final one . Do you have any updates on

33:04.600 --> 33:06.822
the number of trucks currently going in

33:06.822 --> 33:10.479
to Gaza number ? I don't have an

33:10.489 --> 33:13.479
update for you today , but I'm happy to

33:13.489 --> 33:15.600
check the team and see if we have any

33:15.600 --> 33:17.760
additional for you . Go ahead . Thank

33:17.770 --> 33:20.660
you a question on the Iraqi Prime

33:20.670 --> 33:22.726
Minister . Can I come back ? I think

33:22.726 --> 33:24.837
there might be a couple of other Gaza

33:24.837 --> 33:27.003
questions and I'll come back to you on

33:27.003 --> 33:29.114
Gaza Un has lowered the number of the

33:29.114 --> 33:31.337
estimate of women and Children who died

33:31.337 --> 33:33.448
in Gaza . Does the US have confidence

33:33.448 --> 33:36.609
in those numbers ? So uh I'll let the

33:36.619 --> 33:40.180
UN speak to any revised number uh

33:40.189 --> 33:43.969
that it is assessing . Uh our urge has

33:43.979 --> 33:47.099
been clear that um every step possible

33:47.109 --> 33:49.276
needs to be taken to protect civilians

33:49.276 --> 33:50.831
and adhere to international

33:50.859 --> 33:52.859
Humanitarian law to prevent further

33:52.859 --> 33:56.229
loss of life . Um candidly and any loss

33:56.239 --> 33:58.209
of life , particularly of innocent

33:58.219 --> 34:00.290
civilians , um is tragic . It's

34:00.300 --> 34:02.890
heartbreaking um and unacceptable to ,

34:03.219 --> 34:05.479
to us . But the US does not have its

34:05.489 --> 34:08.080
own estimate . This is something we've

34:08.090 --> 34:10.146
talked about before . There is not ,

34:10.146 --> 34:12.479
aside from the Gazan Ministry of Health ,

34:12.479 --> 34:15.610
there is not another metric or count

34:15.620 --> 34:18.000
out there . And when it comes to the

34:18.010 --> 34:21.120
deaths that have transpired in Gaza

34:23.989 --> 34:26.045
attributed to the seem to be false .

34:27.159 --> 34:30.000
Pardon me said this report attributed

34:30.030 --> 34:32.989
to the UN seem to have no veracity . I

34:33.000 --> 34:35.111
will let the UN speak to that again .

34:35.111 --> 34:37.219
What I just bringing that up . So

34:37.229 --> 34:38.850
people are waiting for your

34:39.139 --> 34:41.429
clarification . Um Go ahead in the back

34:41.439 --> 34:45.389
on Gaza . You say there are instances

34:45.399 --> 34:47.510
where the Israelis have acted , which

34:47.510 --> 34:49.566
is not consistent with international

34:49.566 --> 34:51.732
Humanitarian law , but you can make no

34:51.732 --> 34:53.843
definite conclusion . A lot of people

34:53.843 --> 34:55.899
will be asking where's the gap ? Why

34:55.899 --> 34:58.177
can't you make a definitive conclusion ?

34:58.177 --> 34:57.860
And it is a political gap rather than a

34:57.870 --> 34:59.814
legal gap . It is absolutely not a

34:59.814 --> 35:02.202
political , it is a gap rooted in the

35:02.212 --> 35:04.212
circumstances on the ground and the

35:04.212 --> 35:06.434
kind of belligerent that we are dealing

35:06.434 --> 35:08.156
with , we are unable to make a

35:08.156 --> 35:10.379
conclusive determination because of the

35:10.379 --> 35:14.123
kind of hostilities that the

35:14.133 --> 35:16.300
Israelis are engaged in right now . We

35:16.300 --> 35:18.722
are dealing with a belligerent Hamas ,

35:18.732 --> 35:22.532
a terrorist group that has a long track

35:22.542 --> 35:24.603
record of co locating itself within

35:24.613 --> 35:26.683
hospitals , schools , apartment

35:26.693 --> 35:28.693
buildings , other kinds of civilian

35:28.693 --> 35:30.693
infrastructure , using civilians as

35:30.693 --> 35:32.915
human shields . So we're unable to make

35:32.915 --> 35:35.875
a conclusive determination . But like I

35:35.885 --> 35:38.615
said , we do think it's reasonable to

35:38.625 --> 35:40.736
assess that there have been instances

35:40.736 --> 35:43.216
in which our partners in Israel have

35:43.226 --> 35:47.095
not met their obligations for abiding

35:47.105 --> 35:49.216
by international Humanitarian law and

35:49.216 --> 35:51.825
follow up on that . How do you have

35:51.835 --> 35:54.135
better visibility in Ukraine when

35:54.145 --> 35:56.312
there's a belligerent as far as the US

35:56.312 --> 35:58.367
is concerned with Russia , you don't

35:58.367 --> 36:00.589
have that same level of visibility when

36:00.589 --> 36:02.812
you're dealing with an ally in Israel .

36:02.812 --> 36:02.569
Your question is rooted in the premise

36:02.579 --> 36:04.635
that these are , we're talking about

36:04.635 --> 36:06.857
apples and apples here and that is just

36:06.857 --> 36:08.912
simply not the case . We are talking

36:08.912 --> 36:11.135
about two very distinct circumstances .

36:11.135 --> 36:13.519
Let me just give you 11 example . First

36:13.529 --> 36:16.309
and foremost , not now , not ever has

36:16.319 --> 36:19.549
the Russian Federation ever proven

36:19.559 --> 36:22.309
itself to be an entity that can hold

36:22.319 --> 36:24.668
itself accountable , that can police

36:24.678 --> 36:27.652
itself that can uh bring

36:27.812 --> 36:31.102
perpetrators to justice within its own

36:31.112 --> 36:34.261
system . Israel on the other hand , um

36:34.271 --> 36:37.991
is taking steps consistent with its

36:38.001 --> 36:40.731
own system to hold people accountable ,

36:40.741 --> 36:42.741
to bring people to justice . I will

36:42.741 --> 36:44.797
just point back to the World Central

36:44.797 --> 36:48.181
Kitchen um in tragic incident in the

36:48.191 --> 36:51.362
immediate days uh after that , you saw

36:51.372 --> 36:53.039
the government of Israel take

36:53.039 --> 36:55.039
appropriate action as it relates to

36:55.039 --> 36:56.928
number of officers within its own

36:56.928 --> 36:59.175
Israeli security services . We have

36:59.185 --> 37:01.245
never seen the Russian Federation do

37:01.254 --> 37:03.421
something similar . Your also question

37:03.421 --> 37:06.344
is rooted in the premise that uh Israel

37:06.354 --> 37:08.465
and Russia are somehow the same which

37:08.465 --> 37:10.465
they absolutely are not . And if we

37:10.465 --> 37:12.521
want to talk about this , let's talk

37:12.521 --> 37:16.054
about how Hamas is again , co locating

37:16.064 --> 37:18.286
itself within civilian infrastructure ,

37:18.286 --> 37:20.175
co locating itself in places like

37:20.175 --> 37:22.286
schools and hospitals using civilians

37:22.286 --> 37:24.729
as human shields . I will say that

37:24.739 --> 37:28.659
there is so much space and so

37:28.669 --> 37:31.979
much night and day between uh the the

37:31.989 --> 37:34.379
Ukrainian army and Hamas . But that is

37:34.389 --> 37:36.611
not even something that's not something

37:36.611 --> 37:38.667
the Ukrainian army is doing . So , I

37:38.667 --> 37:40.833
love , I , I appreciate that uh people

37:40.833 --> 37:42.556
in the media enjoy making this

37:42.556 --> 37:44.611
comparison between Israel and Russia

37:44.611 --> 37:44.500
and the conflict in Ukraine and the

37:44.510 --> 37:46.566
conflict in Gaza . But we're , we're

37:46.566 --> 37:48.454
not even talking about apples and

37:48.454 --> 37:50.510
oranges , we're talking about apples

37:50.510 --> 37:52.510
and candy bars . We are going to be

37:52.510 --> 37:54.621
talking about enemies and allies . We

37:54.621 --> 37:56.843
are talking about two very distinct and

37:56.843 --> 37:58.954
different circumstances on the ground

37:58.954 --> 38:00.677
that are not even comparable .

38:04.291 --> 38:06.624
Ukrainians and Russians are doing . Now ,

38:06.624 --> 38:08.680
the Israel and Hamas are doing . His

38:08.680 --> 38:10.735
question was about your visibility .

38:10.735 --> 38:13.672
How could you have our visibility into

38:13.681 --> 38:15.792
whether our visibility into whether a

38:15.792 --> 38:18.243
government has the ability to hold

38:18.253 --> 38:20.614
itself accountable is absolutely

38:20.624 --> 38:23.474
something that plays into this . But

38:23.624 --> 38:26.194
it's not , it's not , it's not about

38:26.204 --> 38:27.926
the government of Israel , the

38:27.926 --> 38:29.982
government of Russia . How could you

38:29.982 --> 38:32.763
have eyes in Ukraine to determine

38:32.773 --> 38:35.354
because technicality , I think what you

38:35.364 --> 38:38.093
mean by violating international law ,

38:38.104 --> 38:40.326
that you have to prove intent , this is

38:40.326 --> 38:42.382
the standard intent to violate . But

38:42.382 --> 38:45.766
how did you have intend to find the

38:45.775 --> 38:48.206
intent with the Russian army to violate

38:48.486 --> 38:50.542
international law when you concluded

38:50.542 --> 38:53.595
that the Russian army did war crimes in

38:53.605 --> 38:55.835
Ukraine and you couldn't find that with

38:55.845 --> 38:58.885
your allies . So again , we are talking

38:58.895 --> 39:01.625
about two very different and distinct

39:01.635 --> 39:03.805
circumstances and the things that we

39:03.815 --> 39:06.037
are seeing in Ukraine , the things that

39:06.037 --> 39:08.525
we are seeing Russian security forces

39:08.535 --> 39:11.629
do in Ukraine , um mass

39:11.639 --> 39:14.800
executions , things like Buta the

39:14.810 --> 39:16.977
conscription and the forced relocation

39:16.977 --> 39:19.479
of Children . It is , I am not at all

39:19.489 --> 39:21.600
saying that Gaza is not in crisis and

39:21.600 --> 39:25.560
it is not a um uh a humanitarian major

39:25.635 --> 39:28.094
area of concern , but these are two

39:28.104 --> 39:29.774
very different and distinct

39:29.784 --> 39:32.895
circumstances and the actors in both of

39:32.905 --> 39:36.375
these situations could not be more

39:36.385 --> 39:39.415
different . And again , a big piece of

39:39.425 --> 39:43.280
this is that we have never seen the

39:43.290 --> 39:45.639
Russian Federation try and hold itself

39:45.649 --> 39:47.482
accountable to hold its security

39:47.482 --> 39:49.840
services accountable to bring

39:49.850 --> 39:52.679
perpetrators within their own system to

39:52.689 --> 39:54.959
justice . And we have seen and we have

39:54.969 --> 39:57.025
heard from our Israeli partners that

39:57.025 --> 40:00.834
they are doing so . So was

40:00.844 --> 40:03.455
this an independent US investigation to

40:03.465 --> 40:05.935
decide whether or not Israel had broken

40:05.945 --> 40:08.167
international humanitarian law ? Or was

40:08.175 --> 40:11.135
this A US investigation aided by the

40:11.145 --> 40:13.334
Israelis ? The Israelis were not

40:13.344 --> 40:15.233
involved in the production of the

40:15.233 --> 40:17.011
United States National Security

40:17.011 --> 40:19.689
memorandum . Uh That's not an answer to

40:19.699 --> 40:23.580
the question . Go ahead . Go ahead . I

40:23.590 --> 40:25.701
think there's probably a couple other

40:25.701 --> 40:28.979
questions on God's like , go ahead . Uh

40:28.989 --> 40:32.060
The Unite Un R A shut down its office

40:32.070 --> 40:34.989
in occupied East Jerusalem . Uh because

40:35.000 --> 40:38.860
of uh two Israeli arson attacks .

40:39.709 --> 40:43.570
Um The Israeli police and fire

40:43.580 --> 40:45.747
departments didn't come out to put out

40:45.747 --> 40:47.969
the fire . It took a long time for them

40:47.969 --> 40:50.191
to come out . And the employees of UN R

40:50.191 --> 40:52.413
A had to put out the fire while Israeli

40:52.413 --> 40:54.489
mobs were outside uh chanting with

40:54.500 --> 40:58.250
sticks and uh throwing rocks at the U

40:58.260 --> 41:01.520
Nrw employees . Uh Israeli police said

41:01.530 --> 41:04.370
that um they couldn't prosecute because

41:04.379 --> 41:06.659
they , it was apparent to them that

41:06.669 --> 41:08.760
this , these were minors that , that

41:08.770 --> 41:12.760
did this uh these arsons and

41:12.949 --> 41:15.370
they said that according to Israeli law ,

41:15.379 --> 41:18.629
they do not prosecute minors . Do you

41:18.639 --> 41:20.861
have anything on this ? I have a follow

41:20.861 --> 41:22.861
up with this . But do you , are you

41:22.861 --> 41:22.760
aware of this ? I'm not aware of this

41:22.770 --> 41:25.909
report and I would defer to local

41:25.919 --> 41:28.030
officials and authorities to speak to

41:28.030 --> 41:30.989
this . What I can say is that um any

41:31.000 --> 41:34.149
kinds of actions like these certainly

41:34.159 --> 41:36.381
are not helpful for peace and stability

41:36.381 --> 41:38.437
in the region . They take us further

41:38.437 --> 41:40.492
away from a two state solution which

41:40.492 --> 41:42.699
has continued to be this

41:42.709 --> 41:44.765
administration's goal . I will say U

41:44.765 --> 41:46.989
Nrw continues to be an important

41:47.000 --> 41:49.270
humanitarian player in the region . And

41:49.280 --> 41:52.600
a key distributor of humanitarian aid

41:52.669 --> 41:55.304
and that does important work . But this

41:55.314 --> 41:58.094
is a uh uh uh a largely localized issue .

41:58.104 --> 42:00.326
I don't have any . Well , it's , but um

42:00.326 --> 42:03.594
now on the other hand , the government

42:03.604 --> 42:07.205
of Israel has a policy or of , of

42:07.215 --> 42:10.405
detaining miners , Palestinian miners

42:10.415 --> 42:12.385
in the West Bank . Uh you know ,

42:12.395 --> 42:15.094
between 406 100 of the estimates every

42:15.104 --> 42:18.094
single year . And my question is

42:19.020 --> 42:21.729
given this difference which uh you know ,

42:21.739 --> 42:24.080
many international humanitarian or

42:24.090 --> 42:26.639
human rights organizations say that

42:26.649 --> 42:28.649
Israel is an apartheid state and is

42:28.649 --> 42:30.760
practicing apartheid in the West Bank

42:30.760 --> 42:34.389
and in Gaza and in uh Israel itself .

42:34.939 --> 42:38.040
Um how does the United States not

42:38.050 --> 42:40.649
acknowledge this apartheid when it's

42:40.659 --> 42:42.826
very , very obvious that there are two

42:43.790 --> 42:46.790
different treatments of minors when it

42:46.800 --> 42:49.050
comes to detention . We have been clear

42:49.060 --> 42:51.171
with our partners in Israel that they

42:51.171 --> 42:53.530
need to abide by international

42:53.540 --> 42:55.707
Humanitarian law and human rights need

42:55.707 --> 42:57.762
to be protected when it comes to its

42:57.762 --> 43:00.169
detainees . But the decision

43:00.179 --> 43:03.939
of prosecution or not , or how our

43:04.010 --> 43:07.219
partners in Israel or the P A or

43:07.229 --> 43:09.285
otherwise , or any entity , how they

43:09.285 --> 43:12.489
choose to enforce their , their , their

43:12.830 --> 43:14.997
local laws . I'm just not going to get

43:14.997 --> 43:16.941
to that . But I mean , it , it's a

43:16.941 --> 43:18.663
consistent practice . It's not

43:18.669 --> 43:20.891
something that happened one time or two

43:20.891 --> 43:22.891
over years , many years , it's very

43:22.891 --> 43:24.947
consistent and obvious . And again ,

43:24.947 --> 43:27.002
I'm not going to speak or comment on

43:27.002 --> 43:29.040
this specifically . Uh what we have

43:29.050 --> 43:31.161
been clear about is that actions like

43:31.161 --> 43:33.899
these , um , they detract from our

43:33.909 --> 43:36.131
ultimate goal of peace and stability in

43:36.131 --> 43:38.479
the region and getting us towards a two

43:38.489 --> 43:40.656
state solution . I'm going to work the

43:40.656 --> 43:42.656
room a little bit . Go ahead in the

43:42.656 --> 43:44.822
back . Uh , let me , is there anything

43:44.822 --> 43:47.070
else on Gaza before we move away ? Ok .

43:51.270 --> 43:53.381
With one , with the group holding one

43:53.381 --> 43:55.669
American hostage is one American

43:55.679 --> 43:57.846
because of the , the bombing . Is that

43:57.846 --> 43:59.679
something you're uh I would just

43:59.679 --> 44:01.901
wouldn't speak to those kinds of as you

44:01.901 --> 44:04.068
here . I don't , I don't have anything

44:04.068 --> 44:03.820
on that . I'm happy to check this ,

44:03.830 --> 44:07.760
Sean . Go ahead that the Iranian

44:07.770 --> 44:09.850
nuclear ambitions is getting more

44:09.959 --> 44:11.848
momentum at the moment inside the

44:11.848 --> 44:15.260
country . The supreme leader's senior

44:15.270 --> 44:18.080
adviser , Mr Kamal Kozi recently has

44:18.090 --> 44:21.810
said that in the face of threats by the

44:21.820 --> 44:24.540
enemy referring to Israel , the Islamic

44:24.550 --> 44:26.860
Republic will have no option but to

44:26.870 --> 44:29.840
change its nuclear doctrine . Do you

44:29.850 --> 44:31.989
have anything about that ? Is that a

44:32.000 --> 44:35.489
concern to us that Iran may change its

44:35.500 --> 44:37.444
nuclear doctrine ? Because we knew

44:37.444 --> 44:39.611
before this , they were not pursuing a

44:39.611 --> 44:41.778
nuclear bomb . So first and foremost ,

44:41.778 --> 44:44.330
let me reiterate what you've heard me

44:44.340 --> 44:46.679
say before is that President Biden

44:46.689 --> 44:49.149
Secretary Blinken will not allow Iran

44:49.159 --> 44:52.179
to have a nuclear weapon period . We

44:52.189 --> 44:54.590
continue to assess though that Iran is

44:54.600 --> 44:57.050
not currently undertaking the key

44:57.060 --> 44:59.780
activities that would be necessary to

44:59.790 --> 45:02.610
produce a testable nuclear device . And

45:02.620 --> 45:04.509
we don't believe that the Supreme

45:04.509 --> 45:06.659
leader has yet made a decision to

45:06.669 --> 45:09.229
resume the weaponization program that

45:09.239 --> 45:11.550
we judge Iran suspended or stopped at

45:11.560 --> 45:14.590
the end of 2003 . But again , we will

45:14.600 --> 45:17.139
not allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon

45:17.149 --> 45:19.840
period . But knowing that Islamic

45:19.850 --> 45:22.699
Republic is a threshold , nuclear

45:22.709 --> 45:25.699
threshold of state . Um Do you have any

45:25.709 --> 45:29.550
new strategy for now ? Uh about that

45:29.560 --> 45:32.429
because the negotiations at the moment

45:32.699 --> 45:34.421
is going nowhere . There is no

45:34.421 --> 45:36.969
negotiations based on what we hear from

45:36.979 --> 45:39.035
you . Not based on what we hear from

45:39.035 --> 45:41.090
Islamic Republic , they are claiming

45:41.090 --> 45:42.923
that they are ongoing behind the

45:42.923 --> 45:45.169
curtain negotiations . So what are you

45:45.179 --> 45:47.419
doing at the moment about a country

45:47.429 --> 45:49.590
that we know it's a nuclear threshold

45:49.600 --> 45:53.020
state ? So let me just say this , that

45:53.030 --> 45:56.100
we have ways by ways of communicating

45:56.110 --> 45:58.221
with Iran when it's in our interest .

45:58.221 --> 46:00.388
I'm not going to comment on them , but

46:00.389 --> 46:03.879
I will just reiterate that we will not

46:03.889 --> 46:06.040
allow Iran to have a nuclear weapon

46:06.050 --> 46:08.389
period . And I'm just gonna leave it at

46:08.399 --> 46:12.330
that for now . Dr go ahead . The

46:12.399 --> 46:15.090
Iraqi Prime Minister has requested the

46:15.100 --> 46:17.322
Secretary General of the United Nations

46:17.322 --> 46:19.810
to in the UN , the United Nations

46:20.459 --> 46:22.929
mission to Iraqi army by the end of

46:22.939 --> 46:25.860
2025 and saying , saying it it no

46:25.870 --> 46:27.870
longer needed because Iraq has made

46:27.870 --> 46:30.148
significant progress towards stability .

46:30.148 --> 46:32.481
But what's your common position on that ?

46:32.481 --> 46:34.592
And do you believe that now it's time

46:34.592 --> 46:36.759
to end the UN mission in Iraq as there

46:36.759 --> 46:39.037
is a lot of issues has not been solved .

46:39.037 --> 46:41.203
But like this areas , disputes between

46:41.203 --> 46:43.314
Baghdad and also of the militia group

46:43.314 --> 46:45.919
is that becoming stronger and gaining

46:45.929 --> 46:48.151
more power . Thanks for your question .

46:48.151 --> 46:50.262
So the UN assistance mission for Iraq

46:50.262 --> 46:52.485
that was a mandate that was established

46:52.485 --> 46:55.270
back in 2003 , the US has strongly

46:55.280 --> 46:58.350
supported . Um The missions work in

46:58.360 --> 47:00.659
providing not just electoral assistance

47:00.669 --> 47:02.949
but facilitating regional dialogue ,

47:03.040 --> 47:04.873
ensuring appropriate delivery of

47:04.873 --> 47:07.040
humanitarian assistance and supporting

47:07.040 --> 47:08.984
the voluntary returns of displaced

47:08.984 --> 47:11.370
Iraqis . Um But it has also served as a

47:11.379 --> 47:13.790
mechanism to advance progress on the

47:13.800 --> 47:16.070
return of Kuwaiti property and the

47:16.080 --> 47:18.350
National archives and the repatriation

47:18.360 --> 47:20.409
or return of all Kuwait and third

47:20.790 --> 47:23.250
nationals . Um So we are working with

47:23.260 --> 47:25.149
the government of Iraq and fellow

47:25.149 --> 47:27.260
Security Council members to ensure an

47:27.260 --> 47:29.899
orderly and responsible wind down that

47:29.909 --> 47:32.020
meets not just the needs of the Iraqi

47:32.020 --> 47:34.040
people but also maintains progress

47:34.050 --> 47:35.828
towards the final resolution of

47:35.830 --> 47:37.840
outstanding issues between Iraq and

47:37.850 --> 47:39.906
Kuwait . And may I ask a question on

47:39.906 --> 47:42.017
China and US meeting in Geneva ? Does

47:42.017 --> 47:44.350
that meeting in Geneva with the Chinese ?

47:44.350 --> 47:47.260
On I I uh it's to voice concern about

47:47.270 --> 47:49.437
where they pose threats to us national

47:49.437 --> 47:51.709
security or there will be discussions

47:51.719 --> 47:53.775
with the aims at promoting technical

47:53.775 --> 47:55.719
collaboration on frontier research

47:55.719 --> 47:57.941
between the US and China . I'm going to

47:57.941 --> 47:59.997
let these conversations happen first

47:59.997 --> 48:02.108
and then I'm happy to circle back and

48:02.108 --> 48:04.275
give you a sense of what was discussed

48:04.399 --> 48:06.732
Alex . Go ahead . Then I'll come to you ,

48:06.732 --> 48:08.788
Sean . I'll get a couple , I'll come

48:08.788 --> 48:10.955
back to you . Go ahead , Alex . Thanks

48:10.955 --> 48:13.121
so much to you both . Just many people

48:13.121 --> 48:13.050
in Ukraine . Then I want to discuss JJ

48:13.060 --> 48:17.035
if I may the last 24 hours in

48:17.045 --> 48:19.156
Ukraine , the situation on the ground

48:19.176 --> 48:22.025
this new offensive towards is that the

48:22.035 --> 48:24.766
new target , the ambition to retake the

48:24.775 --> 48:27.016
city if you think if it requires any

48:27.196 --> 48:30.246
policy . So Russia continues to press

48:30.256 --> 48:32.555
its aggression and we anticipate that

48:32.565 --> 48:35.176
Russia will attempt to press forward

48:35.186 --> 48:37.266
within Kharkiv as well . And it's

48:37.275 --> 48:39.442
possible that Russia will make further

48:39.442 --> 48:41.553
advances in the coming weeks . But we

48:41.553 --> 48:43.142
do not anticipate any major

48:43.152 --> 48:45.632
breakthroughs . And over time , the

48:45.642 --> 48:47.809
additional influx of us assistance and

48:47.809 --> 48:49.864
continued support from partners will

48:49.864 --> 48:52.241
enable Ukraine to continue to withstand

48:52.251 --> 48:54.382
this kind of aggression . We continue

48:54.392 --> 48:56.852
to feel strongly that Ukraine retains

48:56.862 --> 48:59.221
the key advantages in this fight and

48:59.231 --> 49:01.261
its military remains a brave and

49:01.271 --> 49:03.104
effective fighting force that is

49:03.104 --> 49:05.541
imposing significant costs on the

49:05.552 --> 49:07.663
Russian military . Thank you , moving

49:07.663 --> 49:11.268
to Georgia . If the State Department of

49:11.278 --> 49:14.708
the events in the past 24 to

49:14.718 --> 49:17.327
76 hours and given the fact that they

49:17.337 --> 49:19.728
are going to vote for the final vote is

49:19.738 --> 49:22.367
going to happen tomorrow , what will

49:22.377 --> 49:25.927
the next 24 hours look like ? So Alex ,

49:25.937 --> 49:28.159
I think this is the common through line

49:28.167 --> 49:30.278
here is that the kind of actions that

49:30.278 --> 49:32.887
we're seeing , they are inconsistent

49:32.897 --> 49:36.147
with the self stated aspirations of the

49:36.157 --> 49:38.213
Georgian people , not something that

49:38.213 --> 49:40.268
other countries of the United States

49:40.268 --> 49:42.101
are saying , but the self stated

49:42.101 --> 49:44.268
aspirations of the people of Georgia ,

49:44.268 --> 49:46.546
more than 80 people , 80% of the sorry ,

49:46.546 --> 49:48.601
not 80 people , more than 80% of the

49:48.601 --> 49:51.323
Georgian people want eu membership . We

49:51.333 --> 49:53.914
support that aspiration and we urge the

49:53.924 --> 49:56.104
government of Georgia to continue on a

49:56.114 --> 49:58.593
path of eu integration . And one that's

49:58.604 --> 50:00.604
consistent with that , the Georgian

50:00.604 --> 50:02.715
government has said that it wanted to

50:02.715 --> 50:04.715
join the EU and have a relationship

50:04.715 --> 50:06.771
with transatlantic alliances such as

50:06.771 --> 50:08.771
NATO , but this kind of legislative

50:08.771 --> 50:10.993
activity that's being pursued this kind

50:10.993 --> 50:12.993
of government action , it's current

50:12.993 --> 50:14.937
activity , it is inconsistent with

50:14.937 --> 50:16.937
those stated goals . I mean , given

50:16.937 --> 50:19.160
that and given , it's clear that the GD

50:19.160 --> 50:21.326
government , Kremlin backed government

50:21.326 --> 50:23.437
is departed from that aspiration . So

50:23.437 --> 50:25.326
basically your , your messaging ,

50:25.326 --> 50:27.437
there's a messaging crisis here . You

50:27.437 --> 50:29.604
are urging them not to do it because ,

50:29.604 --> 50:31.826
you know , it's kind of damage the US ,

50:31.826 --> 50:34.160
you know , European relationship with a ,

50:34.160 --> 50:36.271
with a GD , which is their goal . You

50:36.271 --> 50:38.271
know , one would argue , you know ,

50:38.271 --> 50:40.604
suggesting any real consequences . Well ,

50:40.604 --> 50:40.095
Alex , we're certainly not going to

50:40.105 --> 50:42.105
preview any kind of consequences or

50:42.105 --> 50:44.926
actions publicly . That's not how we ,

50:44.936 --> 50:47.845
we've gone about it . But we think that

50:47.855 --> 50:51.186
raising alarm of these kinds of actions

50:51.196 --> 50:54.246
is certainly enough of a fire alarm .

50:54.256 --> 50:56.926
We hope and we'll continue to consult

50:56.936 --> 50:59.103
closely with our partners in Europe on

50:59.103 --> 51:01.047
this . He tells anything about two

51:01.047 --> 51:02.880
American citizens that have been

51:02.880 --> 51:06.711
illegally detained . So

51:06.721 --> 51:08.888
we're aware of those reports , Alex of

51:08.888 --> 51:10.731
us citizens detained in Tbilisi

51:10.741 --> 51:13.011
whenever a US citizen is detained

51:13.021 --> 51:15.352
abroad , we stand ready to provide all

51:15.362 --> 51:17.431
appropriate assistance . But given

51:17.441 --> 51:19.552
privacy considerations , I'm just not

51:19.552 --> 51:21.774
able to talk more about this embassy to

51:21.774 --> 51:23.481
them . Again , given privacy

51:23.491 --> 51:25.602
considerations , I'm just not able to

51:25.602 --> 51:29.402
talk more , Sean . Go ahead , you exit ,

51:29.431 --> 51:31.598
they called it in not to go ahead with

51:31.598 --> 51:34.770
the foreign . So uh that ultimately is

51:34.780 --> 51:36.947
a decision for the Georgian government

51:36.947 --> 51:38.947
to make . But what we are saying is

51:38.947 --> 51:41.113
that this kind of law , not only is it

51:41.113 --> 51:43.530
inconsistent with their own aspirations ?

51:43.760 --> 51:46.969
Um It is uh in fact consistent with the

51:46.979 --> 51:49.439
kind of repressive legislation that we

51:49.449 --> 51:51.570
have seen in other come from other

51:51.580 --> 51:53.889
regimes , whether it be the Kremlin or

51:53.899 --> 51:56.129
otherwise speaking of the Kremlin , uh

51:56.139 --> 51:58.649
do you have any uh analysis

51:58.659 --> 52:00.826
perspectives , commentary on the shake

52:00.826 --> 52:03.360
up of the Kremlin , the long time

52:03.370 --> 52:05.379
Defense Minister being shifted in

52:05.389 --> 52:07.479
having a technocratic . So I've seen

52:07.489 --> 52:09.629
the reports of the reshuffle in the

52:09.639 --> 52:11.979
Kremlin Sean . Our point of view is

52:11.989 --> 52:13.949
that this is further indication of

52:13.959 --> 52:17.479
Putin's desperation to sustain his war

52:17.489 --> 52:19.679
of aggression against Ukraine despite

52:19.820 --> 52:22.250
it not just being a major drain on the

52:22.260 --> 52:24.449
Russian economy and heavy losses of

52:24.459 --> 52:26.570
Russian troops with some estimates as

52:26.570 --> 52:29.689
high as 315,000 casualties . The

52:29.699 --> 52:31.755
Kremlin's mobilization of its war of

52:31.755 --> 52:33.866
aggression against Ukraine caused has

52:33.866 --> 52:36.189
caused so many families in Russia to

52:36.199 --> 52:38.570
suffer . And Russia started this

52:38.580 --> 52:40.770
unprovoked war against Ukraine . Putin

52:40.780 --> 52:43.002
could end it at any time by withdrawing

52:43.002 --> 52:45.280
its forces from Ukraine . Instead of

52:45.290 --> 52:47.699
continuing to watch brutal attacks on

52:47.810 --> 52:49.899
Ukraine , the Ukrainian people every

52:49.909 --> 52:52.389
day , I could expand the budget in

52:52.419 --> 52:54.197
interest of time , a completely

52:54.197 --> 52:58.030
different topic . Uh India and Iran ,

52:58.040 --> 53:00.750
India signed um the Chabahar port in

53:00.760 --> 53:03.979
Iran uh a deal to uh to develop for 10

53:03.989 --> 53:06.100
years . Um This of course is received

53:06.100 --> 53:07.989
by India as a as a counter to the

53:07.989 --> 53:10.830
Chinese built port in Pakistan . Uh

53:10.840 --> 53:12.879
Does the US have any view on this

53:12.889 --> 53:14.667
particularly considering the US

53:14.667 --> 53:16.722
relationship with Iran ? So uh we're

53:16.722 --> 53:18.778
aware of these reports that Iran and

53:18.778 --> 53:21.000
India have signed a deal concerning the

53:21.000 --> 53:22.722
Chabahar port . I will let the

53:22.722 --> 53:24.778
government of India speak to its own

53:24.778 --> 53:26.722
foreign policy goals vis a vis the

53:26.722 --> 53:28.556
Chabahar Port as well as its own

53:28.556 --> 53:30.611
bilateral relationship with Iran . I

53:30.611 --> 53:32.556
will just say as it relates to the

53:32.556 --> 53:34.611
United States , us sanctions on Iran

53:34.611 --> 53:36.833
remain in place and we will continue to

53:36.833 --> 53:38.778
enforce . Does that mean including

53:38.778 --> 53:41.489
Indian firms potentially so broadly ,

53:41.500 --> 53:43.556
Sean ? You've heard us say this in a

53:43.556 --> 53:45.500
number of instances , any entity ,

53:45.500 --> 53:48.169
anyone considering business deals with

53:48.179 --> 53:51.219
Iran , they need to be aware of the

53:51.229 --> 53:53.285
potential risk that they are opening

53:53.285 --> 53:55.507
themselves up to and the potential risk

53:55.507 --> 53:57.340
of sanctions . So there's not an

53:57.340 --> 54:01.270
exemption on Brazil ,

54:01.280 --> 54:03.439
the severe flooding in South Brazil

54:03.449 --> 54:05.671
there's reports that the weather is set

54:05.671 --> 54:09.250
to get worse . Um , I saw that the

54:09.260 --> 54:12.090
state Department issued a release

54:12.100 --> 54:14.560
saying that the US stands ready to help .

54:14.570 --> 54:16.626
Um , is there any action that the US

54:16.626 --> 54:19.530
has taken at all towards assisting

54:19.540 --> 54:21.762
hundreds of thousands of people who are

54:21.762 --> 54:23.873
affected , who've been displaced from

54:23.873 --> 54:25.873
their homes ? And has the , has the

54:25.873 --> 54:28.096
Lula government reached out at all to ,

54:28.096 --> 54:30.262
I don't have any conversations to read

54:30.262 --> 54:32.484
out . We're continuing to engage within

54:32.484 --> 54:34.707
our interagency and other partners . We

54:34.707 --> 54:36.762
stand ready to support the Brazilian

54:36.762 --> 54:38.873
government and the Brazilian people .

54:38.873 --> 54:40.984
We stand ready to assist them , but I

54:40.984 --> 54:43.151
just don't have anything to preview or

54:43.151 --> 54:42.846
announce at the moment . Daphne , go

54:42.957 --> 54:45.068
ahead . There's reporting that the US

54:45.068 --> 54:47.013
ambassador to Germany has informed

54:47.013 --> 54:49.179
colleagues that she'll be returning to

54:49.179 --> 54:51.124
the US this summer leaving a major

54:51.124 --> 54:54.464
vacancy . Can you confirm this and are

54:54.474 --> 54:56.530
you concerned about this vacancy ? I

54:56.530 --> 54:58.696
don't have any personnel announcements

54:58.696 --> 55:00.641
to get into right now . Go ahead .

55:00.641 --> 55:03.843
Thank you . Ask two questions about

55:04.394 --> 55:06.833
Assistant Secretary of State Donald Low

55:06.843 --> 55:08.899
visiting this morning , Bangladesh .

55:08.899 --> 55:10.843
The first thing I want to ask , is

55:10.843 --> 55:13.134
there any specific reason why on this

55:13.144 --> 55:16.073
third visit to Bangladesh within 17

55:16.083 --> 55:18.253
months , assistant secretary is not

55:18.263 --> 55:20.319
holding a meeting with any political

55:20.319 --> 55:22.690
party leaders unlike his previous two

55:22.700 --> 55:24.940
visit where he engaged with his various

55:24.950 --> 55:27.720
political parties including BNP . Has

55:27.730 --> 55:30.520
the United States shifted this position

55:30.531 --> 55:32.650
on internal political matter in

55:32.660 --> 55:35.730
Bangladesh ? It is not a lot of factors

55:35.740 --> 55:38.180
go into who our government officials

55:38.190 --> 55:40.381
meet with or not the schedule time of

55:40.391 --> 55:42.371
day . Lots of other things since

55:42.381 --> 55:44.801
Secretary Lew is on a swing through a

55:44.811 --> 55:46.700
number of South Asian countries ,

55:46.700 --> 55:48.700
specifically India , Sr I Lanka and

55:48.700 --> 55:50.867
Bangladesh . He is there to strengthen

55:50.867 --> 55:52.718
bilateral co-operation with each

55:52.728 --> 55:54.839
country and to demonstrate us support

55:54.839 --> 55:56.988
for a free , open and prosperous indo

55:57.097 --> 56:00.768
pacific region in Bangladesh . He will

56:00.778 --> 56:02.945
meet with government officials , civil

56:02.945 --> 56:05.111
society leaders and other Bangladeshis

56:05.111 --> 56:06.834
to talk about deepening our US

56:06.834 --> 56:08.556
Bangladeshi cooper operation ,

56:08.556 --> 56:10.667
including deepening our economic ties

56:10.667 --> 56:12.500
and ways that we can collaborate

56:12.500 --> 56:14.722
further to address climate issues . You

56:14.722 --> 56:16.889
go ahead , you had your hand up in the

56:16.889 --> 56:18.889
back . Yeah , thank you . I am from

56:18.889 --> 56:20.889
Azerbaijan State news agency and my

56:20.889 --> 56:22.722
question is about the Azerbaijan

56:22.722 --> 56:24.834
Armenian Foreign Ministers meeting in

56:24.965 --> 56:27.935
Kazakhstan . And do you have any

56:27.945 --> 56:30.112
communication with the sites about the

56:30.112 --> 56:33.094
results of the meeting and in general ,

56:33.104 --> 56:35.271
what kind of communication do you have

56:35.271 --> 56:37.048
with the sites in this level of

56:37.048 --> 56:39.160
negotiations , peace negotiations ? I

56:39.160 --> 56:41.385
mean , so I don't have any specific

56:41.395 --> 56:43.451
engagement to read out . What I will

56:43.451 --> 56:45.562
just say is that when it comes to the

56:45.562 --> 56:47.673
Nagorno Karabakh region , we continue

56:47.673 --> 56:49.673
to believe that peace is possible .

56:49.673 --> 56:51.784
It's something that the secretary and

56:51.784 --> 56:53.617
others continue to remain deeply

56:53.617 --> 56:55.728
engaged on . I don't have any updates

56:55.728 --> 56:58.062
on the negotiations between the parties ,

56:58.062 --> 57:00.382
but we will continue to support this

57:00.392 --> 57:03.892
process and an upcoming visit of Mr

57:03.902 --> 57:06.191
Bono to the region . I don't have any

57:06.201 --> 57:08.368
travel to preview . All right , thanks

57:08.368 --> 57:08.741
everybody .