JUST IN: State Department Holds Press Briefing As Biden Hosts NATO Summit In D.C.
On Tuesday, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller held a press briefing.
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01:30Fair enough.
01:31I don't have anything to start, so.
01:32Well, all right.
01:33Let's start with NATO and the summit.
01:34So the Secretary's had a couple of meetings today, already – I guess summit hasn't
01:39yet kicked off the – will – tonight.
01:42Are you aware that he's heard any concerns from the people that he's spoken to so far
01:48about President Biden?
01:50No, I am not aware of him having heard any concerns.
01:54MR.
01:55RATHKE I talked to him an hour ago, and he did not
01:59mention having any concerns with anyone – or I'm sorry, did not mention having heard
02:03concerns from anyone.
02:04QUESTION So he has his own concerns?
02:06MR.
02:07RATHKE No.
02:08That is not a fair implication.
02:09No.
02:10QUESTION Okay.
02:11Well, I'm just trying to make sure.
02:12MR.
02:13RATHKE He has spoken to this quite clearly.
02:14Yeah.
02:15QUESTION Okay.
02:16But I mean, does that mean – do you know if they've come up, if they've come up
02:19with anyone else?
02:20MR.
02:21RATHKE They have not – they have not come up in – I can't speak for anyone else,
02:23all around the government, obviously, but no, I'm not aware of anyone raising concerns
02:29with the Secretary or anyone else from the State Department about the President.
02:35What we consistently hear from allies and partners around the world when we travel the
02:40world and when people come here is that they are grateful for the leadership the President
02:44has shown, in this case when we talk about NATO, in expanding NATO and convincing allies
02:49to raise their collective support for NATO's defense and deterrence measures, and his leadership
02:55in rallying an international coalition to push back on Russia's aggression in Ukraine,
02:59among many other foreign policy measures.
03:01QUESTION Okay.
03:02And then are – is there any State Department component to the aid package that's supposed
03:09to be announced today that you're aware of?
03:11MR.
03:12RATHKE So I don't want to get a – it's a nice way to try to get me into talking about
03:16something that has not yet been announced.
03:18So – but I – so I will – let me answer it elliptically.
03:23So – elliptically.
03:26So there will be new air defense capabilities announced during this summit, both by the
03:32United States and by other countries.
03:33There will be other new defense commitments announced.
03:36And of course, the State Department does play a role in all of those.
03:41QUESTION Right.
03:42Well, other than the – I mean, I think that at this event this morning, he said there's
03:46something about $7 million in protective gear, equipment for Ukrainian women's armed
03:55forces.
03:56Is there a – so you're saying that beyond that, beyond the U.S. component of that, there
04:04will be more from State that is coming?
04:07MR.
04:08RATHKE Yeah.
04:09We will be announcing across the government – and some of that will include State Department
04:11components – political, economic, and military measures to support Ukraine.
04:15QUESTION Just to clarify.
04:16MR.
04:17RATHKE Go ahead.
04:18Yeah, go ahead.
04:19QUESTION The $7 million – sorry, I apologize.
04:20The $7 million, the Secretary said, is at NATO countries.
04:21So how many – how much of it is the U.S. support?
04:25MR.
04:26RATHKE Let me get details to you offline.
04:27That's okay.
04:28QUESTION I don't understand.
04:29MR.
04:30RATHKE Yeah.
04:31Go ahead.
04:32QUESTION I wonder if you have any – if the final communique has been finalized or definitively,
04:37the wording that the NATO summit leaders would give to Ukraine on this bridge – you guys
04:43call it a bridge to membership – there's talks, there's some capitals, the Baltic
04:48states specifically, they want the word irreversible in the final communique.
04:53My understanding is that it's been negotiated.
04:57Can you say where it stands?
04:59MR.
05:00RATHKE I don't want to – I obviously don't want
05:01to say what the final communique will say.
05:04There are pieces of the communique that continue to be worked on and negotiated, which is usual
05:08for the summit, right?
05:09There are a lot – there's a lot that comes in those NATO communiques.
05:10There are a lot of ways you've seen them before, and some of that goes right up to
05:12the last minute.
05:13I will say that a significant amount of time has gone into discussions about the wording
05:20about Ukraine's path to membership.
05:23The Secretary talked with President Zelensky directly about this when we were in Ukraine
05:27several months ago.
05:28It was a significant portion of discussion at the NATO foreign ministers meeting last
05:33month that the Secretary attended in Prague, and of course, it has been the subject of
05:36ongoing discussions between our building and other NATO members, and of course, Julie
05:41Smith, our ambassador to NATO, being in the lead on that over the past few weeks.
05:45I will say I think we have landed in a place – and you will all see this when the language
05:50comes forward – that makes clear, as we have said, that NATO's future – I'm
05:57sorry, that Ukraine's future is in NATO.
06:00And the communique will make that very clear, and you'll all get to see the language and
06:03talk about it when it's publicly released.
06:05Is it still being negotiated, to your knowledge?
06:10There may be pieces of – that part we have largely – I will just say that language
06:13we have largely settled on.
06:14There are other pieces of the communique and maybe some smaller pieces of that piece of
06:18it that we're still negotiating as well.
06:19But that part of it is settled?
06:20That part is largely settled, yeah.
06:21Said.
06:22Thank you.
06:23Can I move on?
06:24Yeah.
06:25Okay.
06:26I didn't think you were going to ask me a NATO question when I called on you, so.
06:31I do have my NATO questions, but let's talk about Gaza.
06:34Okay.
06:35Anyway, are you aware of the Lancet Group Report?
06:41It's a medical magazine, British medical magazine, that estimated the deaths as a result
06:47of the war in Gaza to be 186,000.
06:50And of course, it's taken into account – the expert took into account indirect
06:57deaths that have happened thus far and may happen as a result of the war, including disease
07:01and other things and starvation.
07:03Are you aware of that?
07:04So I have seen the report, and I will just say whatever the number of civilians that
07:09have actually died as a result of this conflict, we know that it's far too many.
07:13And far too many civilians have been needlessly killed as a result of this conflict, and that
07:19is why we are working so hard, including negotiations that are going on this week, to try to reach
07:23a ceasefire that would alleviate the suffering in Gaza, that would bring home the hostages
07:30that continue to be held, and ultimately put us on a path to hopefully ending the war.
07:35So are you concerned that the figures could be far more staggering than what we've seen
07:41published by, let's say, the Ministry of Health in Gaza?
07:45I remember early on, the Assistant Secretary of State, Barbara Lee, told the – I guess
07:51one of the committees on Capitol Hill that the deaths may actually be more than what
07:57the ministry – the health ministry, I must say.
08:00Sure.
08:01The death toll could very well be more.
08:02We know there are potentially people who are under rubble who have not been counted.
08:06But it goes to my – the point I was making, whatever the number is, the reported number
08:10already is far too high.
08:12The reported number already is unacceptable, the number of civilian deaths.
08:16So, of course, something higher than that would just be further tragedy.
08:20But we long ago passed the stage where – this has been a horrific human tragedy for some time.
08:31You're smirking.
08:32You're smirking because you're saying that.
08:34Go ahead with another question, Said.
08:37I'm not going to – I'm not even going to entertain that.
08:40I'm not even going to entertain that.
08:42Said, go ahead with another question.
08:43Thank you.
08:44It's ridiculous.
08:45I wanted to ask you about the status of the talks.
08:47I know yesterday you said and Kirby at the White House, a colleague at the White House,
08:52said that you are a bit optimistic, although there are gaps.
08:56Do – are we any closer today?
08:59Do you have any assessment as to where we are today and so on?
09:03And of course, Hamas is saying that the latest Israeli attack actually may jeopardize ceasefire talks.
09:12So I, as I said yesterday, neither want to negotiate in public
09:17nor do I kind of want to offer ongoing daily assessments of where the talks stand.
09:22As we said last week when we got the proposal back from Hamas,
09:25we saw room for progress and room for hope that we could reach a ceasefire,
09:31and we continue to work hard to pursue a ceasefire because of, as I said,
09:35the immense ongoing suffering in Gaza that we want to alleviate,
09:39and we know a ceasefire is the best path to accomplishing.
09:42And my last question now.
09:44The Israeli prime minister is expected to come to the city in two weeks and so on.
09:49Is it your assessment that he actually would come and speak before Congress
09:53if a deal has not been arrived to?
09:55What is your assessment of his visit, and will he, let's say, be received at the State Department?
10:01I don't have any independent assessment to offer of whether he'll come or not.
10:03All I can tell you is Congress has invited him and he has accepted the invitation.
10:06I have no reason to think that he won't come.
10:08As to any meetings with the executive branch, I don't have anything to announce today.
10:13Yeah, sure. Go ahead.
10:15Any update on the negotiations with Hezbollah also?
10:19No. I spoke to this some yesterday.
10:21It remains our assessment that the best way to reach calm in the north
10:25is to get a ceasefire in Gaza.
10:27It's not to say it's the only way.
10:29We continue to pursue diplomacy to resolve the conflict in northern Israel and southern Lebanon
10:34and try to de-escalate the conflict and keep tensions from rising further.
10:38But that remains a very tough goal as long as the conflict in Gaza continues to wage.
10:44And so we do, and you heard the President say this
10:47when he outlined the ceasefire proposal several weeks ago,
10:50that we believe then and we continue to believe that the best way to find a path to calm in the north
10:55is to first achieve a ceasefire in Gaza.
10:58Yeah.
10:59In the region?
11:00Yeah.
11:02It's been over a month since the U.S. detained –
11:05or sorry, it's been over a month since the Houthis detained dozens of locally –
11:11dozens of UN staff and civil society members
11:15as well as former locally employed staff from the U.S. embassy in Yemen.
11:20Do you have any update on U.S. efforts to secure their release
11:23or hold the Houthis accountable for their attacks in the Red Sea?
11:27So first of all, we condemn the Houthis' wrongful detentions
11:31and once again call on them to release all detainees,
11:33including the United Nations diplomatic and non-governmental organization staff
11:38that they detained last month.
11:40We will not rest until all detainees are released.
11:43I can tell you the Secretary personally has discussed this matter with partners in the region,
11:48with a number of countries,
11:51to impress upon everyone that it's important that the Houthis release these workers
11:58who have nothing to do with the conflict in Gaza.
12:00There is no reason that they should have been detained.
12:02In the same way that the Houthis' attacks on international shipping
12:06have nothing to do with the war in Gaza,
12:08so do their detentions of aid workers and others.
12:12So I will just say that through these actions,
12:17these attacks that the Houthis continue to launch,
12:19they are alienating the world community and putting the peace process in Yemen,
12:24which parties, including the Houthis,
12:26have painstakingly negotiated over the last two years in jeopardy.
12:29And so we will continue to impress upon them through all available channels
12:32that they should stop their attacks
12:33and they should release all of the workers that they are detaining.
12:37Simon.
12:38Just staying in the region on Gaza,
12:42there are supposed to be talks in Doha tomorrow.
12:46Is there any sort of update from the U.S. side
12:50that you can give us on the possibility of a hostage deal?
12:55There's been some positive talk last week,
12:57but are we any closer to getting a deal?
13:01I kind of answered this to Said's question.
13:04I don't really want to offer a daily kind of assessment of how the talks are going,
13:09other than that we are working on them.
13:12A lot of this proposal has been agreed to for some time.
13:16When you think about the proposals, maybe not the right word,
13:18but when you think about the outstanding issues
13:21or the issues that would be encompassed in any kind of ceasefire,
13:25a number of them have been essentially agreed on,
13:27maybe some fine points to be worked out for some time,
13:29and we have been down to for some time some of the much harder issues
13:33and much stickier issues, and that continues to be the case.
13:36We have made progress.
13:38We certainly think we're closer to a deal than we were a few weeks ago,
13:41but that doesn't mean we'll get one.
13:43You've heard the Secretary say before that oftentimes in these types of negotiations
13:47the issues that are safe for the end are the hardest ones,
13:50and so even when a deal seems within reach, it doesn't mean you're going to get one.
13:54All we can do is continue to make clear that this deal is in the interest of Israel.
14:00It's in the interest of the Palestinian people in Gaza.
14:04It would alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people in Gaza,
14:07so we hope we're able to come to an agreement as soon as possible.
14:12We've seen there's been some reporting that Arab foreign ministers
14:17have been invited to the NATO summit.
14:20I think there's an Israeli delegation here.
14:22Is there anything you can say about who's here, whether the Secretary will meet with them,
14:27and also how much the Gaza situation, the Israel-Palestinian situation,
14:34will be part of the talks?
14:36Well, obviously you have NATO members who are in town,
14:39and then you have the heads of state of four other countries who are partners of NATO.
14:43That includes Australia, Japan, New Zealand, and the Republic of Korea.
14:46And then there are foreign ministers in town from other NATO countries,
14:51Israel, Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Mauritania, Morocco, Qatar, Tunisia, and UAE.
15:00I actually did happen to have the list right here.
15:02And yes, the Secretary and other members of the government will be meeting with them when they are in town.
15:08And yes, I would certainly expect, to your question about the topics,
15:11I would certainly expect that the conflict in Gaza will be something that's discussed,
15:16and not just the work to achieve a ceasefire,
15:19but the ongoing work that we are doing to try and develop robust plans for the day after the conflict
15:26to establish governance and security that would give us a path to lasting peace, security, and stability for the region.
15:34And I will note that even while that work is going on here,
15:37Barbara Lee, Foreign Assistant Secretary, is traveling in the region right now,
15:41meeting with counterparts to advance those same lines of effort.
15:45So is there a separate – is there a meeting involving Secretary Blinken
15:49and those Middle Eastern foreign ministers, including the Israelis?
15:54Are they all in one meeting that's going to be discussed?
15:57I'm not aware of any such meeting.
16:00We have several bilats and different meetings,
16:02but I'm not aware of one meeting with those foreign partners just focused on Gaza.
16:06It may be that there's something that's part of the overall summit that they're involved, but I'm not aware of it.
16:11Can I just clarify on that?
16:13When you mentioned a list of non-NATO countries, I think you did say the Secretary would be meeting them.
16:18But just to clarify.
16:19No, not necessarily all of them.
16:20Secretary and others in the government.
16:21These are all – these are people who were invited to be in town
16:23that will be participating in different NATO events, some of the side events that go on.
16:28And some of those, there will be bilateral meetings that happen here,
16:30some at the White House, some at the Defense Department,
16:32the usual thing that happens on the margins of these types of summits.
16:34There's not one meeting organized around all of them.
16:37Okay.
16:40I would expect nothing less, Matt.
16:42So these are not all heads of state, right?
16:45No, these are foreign – I think I said foreign ministers.
16:47There were four heads – heads of state from four countries – heads of government.
16:51Yes.
16:52Thank you.
16:53Thank you.
16:54Heads of state of Australia is –
16:55Heads of state, heads of government.
16:57I should have –
16:58And, in fact, the Australian prime minister is not coming.
17:00His deputy is coming.
17:01I should have said –
17:02But the head of state of Japan is the emperor, not the prime minister.
17:08So let's –
17:10I appreciate the correction.
17:11Look, you guys exist on purpose.
17:14I – it is a fair point.
17:16I very much take the point.
17:18But just to come back, so there will be bilateral meetings between the Secretary or other U.S.
17:24officials and those countries where you'll talk about the future of Gaza.
17:27That's on the agenda.
17:29I can't say with every one of those countries that I listed who have been invited.
17:32But, yes, with a number of those countries, there will be meetings going on.
17:35Yes, that'll be part of the agenda.
17:37Are you hoping for the – NATO as a whole to express some view on the conflict in Gaza,
17:45particularly?
17:46Are you expecting or are you hoping that NATO leaders will endorse a peace deal and hostage
17:54for peace?
17:55Let me defer that question until further in the week when we actually have the communique.
17:59Okay.
18:00Yeah, Kaia.
18:01I know you don't want to get into a full assessment as to the ongoing talks for a ceasefire,
18:07but I do wonder if you could just help us understand how this moment is different than
18:13it has been in the past a little bit.
18:15It was about a month ago that Blinken said in the region that there – some of the changes
18:23that Hamas had put forth are workable and some are not.
18:27Is that still the case or has that changed?
18:31I really don't want to get into that in public, only because –
18:38The Secretary's gotten to it in public?
18:40That was a different time.
18:41We're in the middle of some very intense negotiations over this right now.
18:45That was when we first received a response back from Hamas that we are characterizing
18:49it – that we are characterizing.
18:50We are in the middle of some pretty delicate, sensitive negotiations right now about a path
18:55forward, and I don't want to say anything that could potentially jeopardize those.
18:58So you can't say or you're not willing to say if Hamas has dropped any of its demands
19:04that were made about a month ago?
19:05I just don't want to speak to it at all.
19:07Okay.
19:08And then I know we talked briefly about this yesterday with Modi visiting with Putin, but
19:13they did make some announcements, particularly with regard to continued agreements when it
19:21comes to energy and oil.
19:24And obviously, that is a key factor in fueling Russia's war in Ukraine.
19:30And so I just wonder how you guys respond to that.
19:33You've been previously a little bit reluctant to criticize India for importing Russian oil.
19:39So as I said yesterday, we have been quite clear about our concerns about India's relationship
19:44with Russia.
19:45We have expressed those privately, directly to the Indian Government, and continue to
19:50do so, and that hasn't changed.
19:51Can I make a follow-up?
19:52Have you done so since this news has broken over the last 24 hours?
19:56We have had conversations with them in the past 24 hours, and I think I'll keep the contents
20:00of those private.
20:01One follow-up.
20:02Sure.
20:03Go ahead.
20:04How do you view the Modi-Putin hugging chemistry, as President Zelensky has seriously objected,
20:08saying it's a huge disappointment that the leader of the world's largest democracy
20:14as a bloody criminal in Moscow?
20:16This is a devastating blow to peace efforts.
20:19Will this create any impact on your trusted and strategic partnership with India?
20:23Well, as I said yesterday, we urge India – we continue to urge India to support efforts
20:28to realize an enduring and just peace in Ukraine, based on the principles of the UN Charter,
20:35based on upholding Ukraine's territorial integrity and its sovereignty, and that will
20:41continue to be what we will engage with Ukraine – I'm sorry, what we will engage with
20:46India about.
20:47One on Bangladesh, if I may.
20:48Yeah, sure.
20:49As a recent public event, ruling Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina claimed that Nobel Laureate
20:55Professor Yunus was not the founder of the Grameen Bank, and that then-Secretary of State
21:00Hillary Clinton called her regarding Professor Yunus and this position, with many U.S. officials
21:06lobbying for Yunus and threatening her official.
21:09She also claimed that the U.S. lobbied the World Bank to cancel its funding for building
21:14of the Padma Bridge.
21:15Given the fact supporting Professor Yunus as the founder of the Grameen Bank and the
21:21Prime Minister's assertion that she stopped meeting with U.S. officials while still trying
21:28to secure meeting with the U.S. officials and leadership, can the State Department confirm
21:33the accuracy of these claims made by the ruling Prime Minister?
21:36So I don't think I have any comment on that at all.
21:38I mean, it's been 12 years, I think, if I'm doing math, 12 years since Hillary Clinton
21:42was Secretary of State.
21:44No, I don't have any comment on that.
21:46Tom, go ahead.
21:47Tom, go ahead.
21:48I wanted to ask you about a story the BBC is reporting today about Diego Garcia, which
21:53is that the U.S.
21:55Government has blocked a legal hearing on Diego Garcia, which was due to be attended
22:01by a British judge, British lawyers for migrants who are trapped on the island, who describe
22:06themselves as being held in prison-like conditions, and also a BBC journalist stopped effectively
22:12by the U.S. from traveling there.
22:14Do you have any comment?
22:16So I did see that story.
22:18I looked into it, and I would refer you to the Pentagon for comment.
22:20It's entirely a matter before the Pentagon, the State Department.
22:23Well, it's our – I mean, it's thoroughly our – it's our understanding in the reporting
22:25of this, in depth for a long time, that there is State Department involvement in this process.
22:30So I can tell you that I inquired about this before coming out to the briefing, and it
22:34is a Pentagon facility, is a Pentagon matter.
22:36State Department often has some coordinating role, but the – it is predominantly, if
22:41not exclusively, a Pentagon matter, so I'd refer you to them for comment.
22:44They do have a briefing this afternoon, so I would –
22:46Okay.
22:47And could you say anything about security reasons which have been quoted?
22:49And if not, does the U.S. have anything to hide on Diego Garcia?
22:52I will not say anything about security reasons because that is a matter administered by the
22:56Pentagon, so it wouldn't be appropriate for me to do so.
22:58It's not something I know about, but it's certainly something they can speak to more
23:01appropriately than me.
23:02Do you have anything to hide on Diego Garcia?
23:03No, but I appreciate when I tell you that I can't speak to a matter that has nothing
23:09to do with my department, you continue to ask me –
23:11Well, I mean, as I say, it is our –
23:13Look, so hold on.
23:14There's – there are – I'm not saying none of these are legitimate questions, but
23:17when you ask me a question like that, that you know I have nothing to say when it's
23:21a matter because –
23:22But you just said –
23:23Hold on.
23:24It's like coming and asking me about something the Agriculture Department did and saying,
23:26do I have anything to hide?
23:27No, but I don't have anything to say about it because it's not a State Department matter.
23:30It's a Defense Department matter.
23:32So I would encourage you – I would encourage you to go to their briefing and ask them questions
23:35about it.
23:36It's only you did concede in an answer that the State Department, in your words, may have
23:39a coordinating role.
23:40Some small coordinating role.
23:41It is largely, predominantly, if not exclusively, other than some small role that we often play
23:50as diplomats, a Department of Defense matter.
23:52So I would defer to that.
23:53I think more broadly on the whole Chagos Island, the situation with the island is the State
23:59Department does play a major role in it because there is a diplomatic thing going – there's
24:04a dispute going on between the Brits and Mauritius and the islanders.
24:13And you guys have taken a position.
24:15Do you have any guidance on what – on whether that position has changed or not?
24:19I do not.
24:20In the past, it has been this is an issue for those – for them to work out amongst
24:24themselves.
24:25I do not have any update on that question.
24:27Okay.
24:28And while we're at it on the subject of British overseas island territories, how about
24:33the Falklands?
24:34Anything new on that?
24:35No.
24:36No, Matt.
24:37No?
24:38And on that in New Caledonia?
24:39No.
24:40Let's go to France.
24:41Let's go to –
24:42No, we can tour the entire world.
24:43I mean, on the issue of these dozens of migrants who are trapped, basically what they describe
24:47is – I mean, that is something that you can have a view on because it's something
24:50that we know factually has been happening.
24:52What is your –
24:53I'll take – I can take it back and get you an answer on that.
24:55Yeah.
24:56Go ahead.
24:57I'm sorry.
24:58I have a soft spot because foreign ministers in the building, they had a meeting at the
25:02very beginning.
25:03The Ukrainian foreign minister pleaded the U.S. assistance for rebuilding the hospital.
25:08Is this something you guys are entertaining?
25:10So as you know, we have provided significant assistance to Ukraine since even before this
25:15war and certainly continuing throughout the war, and that war has not just been security
25:18assistance.
25:19Those security assistance gets most of the attention.
25:21It also has been economic assistance.
25:24You've seen us provide direct support for rebuilding the Ukrainian electric grid as
25:28well as for rebuilding other facilities that have been the subject of Russian attacks.
25:32So the meeting was still going on while I – when I came down here.
25:36I'm certain it is something that they discussed in the meeting.
25:39And as I said, we will have significant military, political, and economic measures to announce
25:44over the course of this summit.
25:46Thank you.
25:47And for the yesterday's attack, do you guys support the cause for war crimes investigation?
25:52So we have long made clear that we support investigations into war crimes and potential
25:57war crimes committed by Russia and Ukraine.
26:00On this very, very episode, yesterday's attack?
26:03So I don't have anything specific to this, but we have long made clear that we support
26:06those investigations, so certainly it would be appropriate here.
26:09Moving to Georgia, if I may, any comment on the EU's decision today to freeze Georgia's
26:13accession and dialogue and also funding?
26:15Any comment on what?
26:17EU's decision today to freeze all the dialogue and funding in Georgia?
26:22No, I mean, obviously that is a decision made by the EU and something that they can more
26:25appropriately comment on, but I know that they have made clear, as we have made clear
26:30when it comes to our relationship with Georgia, that there would be consequences for Georgia's
26:35democratic backsliding.
26:36And may I ask in terms of comprehensive review with Georgia?
26:39On comprehensive – the review is ongoing.
26:41There is a concern in Georgia that now the spotlight – the national spotlight is faded,
26:45so they're going after the activists, the family members, even their friends.
26:49Any comment on how the GDs taking revenge, if you want?
26:53So obviously we would oppose any crackdown on democratic dissent.
26:56That's the point that we have been making for some time, and it's the point we have
26:59made about the passage of this law and that it would be used to crack down on legitimate
27:03democratic dissent.
27:04It's a troubling pattern of behavior by the Georgian Government that we would urge
27:07them to reverse.
27:08And finally, from me, on Army Azerbaijan, the Secretary, as you know, will be hosting
27:13NATO partners and also host meetings in town.
27:16Is he planning to meet with them?
27:17If not, will that be a missed opportunity?
27:19I don't – I'd love – I don't have any announcements to make about – regarding
27:22the schedule.
27:23You know that that is always the case.
27:24Is there any hope for a happy ending there?
27:26What's that?
27:27Any hope for a happy ending at this point?
27:28We continue to work for a diplomatic resolution.
27:31Thank you.
27:32Follow-up on Georgia?
27:33Yeah.
27:34Russia's Foreign Intelligence Service said – accused the U.S. of plotting regime change
27:40in Georgia, said the Biden administration has already developed a large-scale information
27:43campaign to discredit the ruling Georgian Dream Party.
27:46How do you respond to that?
27:48So it's completely false.
27:50I think it's quite obvious that it's completely false.
27:52It's not the first time Russia has made allegations like that with respect to U.S.
27:57involvement in Georgia and other countries around the world that have been completely
28:01false and have been absurd.
28:03And I would just point out the irony of the country, Russia, that is illegally occupying
28:1020 percent of Georgia as we speak, making those absurd allegations about another country.
28:16Yeah.
28:17Thank you so much.
28:18It will be very impactful with your time.
28:20I have two question.
28:21I'll put two together.
28:23The Committee for Democratic Bangladesh and Not-for-Profit Platform of Bangladeshi Americans
28:28has written a letter to the U.S. ambassador in Bangladesh regarding legal issues surrounding
28:34Dr. Muhammad Yunus.
28:35The letter criticized the lack of action from U.S.
28:38Government and the president of the United States was overwhelmed by Dr. Yunus' too
28:44powerful American lobby.
28:46Trial court in Bangladesh found Dr. Yunus was not paying his own taxes either.
28:52What would be a likely response from the U.S.
28:56Government to the concern raised by the committee?
28:58And my second question also, what is – I know that everybody was talking about Modi's
29:03visit, and I – my concern is – I want to know your response about what is the U.S.
29:10perspective on Indian Prime Minister Modi visiting Russia and Bangladeshi prime minister
29:15visiting China at the same time?
29:17Thank you.
29:18With respect to Dr. Yunus, we continue to monitor closely developments in the case against
29:23him.
29:24We have expressed for some time our concern that these cases may represent a misuse of
29:28Bangladesh's labor laws to harass and intimidate Dr. Yunus.
29:31As a key economic partner to Bangladesh, we also worry the perceived misuse of labor and
29:36anti-corruption laws could raise questions about rule of law and dissuade future foreign
29:40direct investment.
29:41With respect to the two visits, I've already spoken to the Modi visit.
29:44I don't have anything to add to what I said.
29:46And with respect to the visit to China, look, we understand that countries engage with China.
29:49We engage with China.
29:50The Secretary has made two trips to China himself, so I don't have anything further
29:53to comment on it.
29:54Thank you so much.
29:55Yeah.
29:56Thank you very much, Matt.
29:57Two on Pakistan, one on Afghanistan.
30:00The other day I saw a leg of a human being torn apart with whom I had a dinner here in
30:06Washington, D.C. a couple of years ago.
30:08He was a senator of Pakistan, and he was killed in IED blast in the tribal areas where I'm
30:16from today.
30:17A captain was killed over there.
30:20You and Vedant both believe that because of the last couple of years, because of Imran
30:26Khan, I might have asked a lot of questions about him.
30:30But I also ask a question that whatever these decisions have led to is now there is a terrorist
30:37war over there where the U.S. military agrees on it, the Pakistani military agrees on it,
30:43but because of Imran Khan, the situation has become so confusing in the KP region that
30:50it has become very difficult for the government to take decision whether they should do this
30:58operation or not.
30:59Do you – have you given any guidance or any support to Pakistan to go ahead with this
31:04operation that they're planning to take or no?
31:06So first of all, let me just offer my condolences to the loss of what I understand is a personal
31:12acquaintance of yours.
31:13And number two, I'll just say that the Pakistani people have suffered greatly at the hands
31:18of terrorists, and we have a shared interest in combating threats to regional security.
31:23We partner with a range of Pakistani civilian institutions and regularly engage the Government
31:28of Pakistan to identify opportunities to build capacity and strengthen regional security.
31:32Second one is the journalist was killed, and I had asked about him a couple of times as
31:38well.
31:39He was in a Kenyan court where he went – Pakistani journalist went to Kenya and got killed over
31:44there.
31:45My father served the longest term in jail of nine and a half years as well, so I do
31:50like to think at least about my journalist colleagues.
31:54Pakistan judicially, do you think, is – or any just like general opinion, it's not
31:59as bad as Kenya.
32:01The Kenyan Government has given him the poor journalist justice, but in Pakistan the guy
32:06has not – can you at least put a word to Pakistani judiciary or the politicians to
32:12at least not play with the lives of journalists?
32:15I'm not aware of this case, so I'm not going to comment in any way specifically on
32:19it at all.
32:20But of course, we support the work of journalists around the world, and we think it's important
32:23that they be able to do that job – their job safely.
32:26Last one, can I ask about this interview about the Taliban case?
32:30Go one last one.
32:31Yeah, one more.
32:32Taliban senior official for the first time did an interview with a Pakistani journalist.
32:36The journalist was a former government senior employee, retired, became a YouTuber, and
32:41did an interview.
32:42In that interview, everything – most of the things were completely lied.
32:46Like, for example, the Taliban spokesperson said that there are 90,000 female teachers
32:51in Afghanistan – 90,000.
32:53Whereas the fact is that 90,000 female teachers are sitting at home getting salary from the
32:59government.
33:00Now, Vedant last week told me that the U.S. is not supporting Taliban.
33:04800 million has been given by USAID, 300 million has been given by the State Department.
33:10In different forms, okay.
33:11But what I'm saying is women without education and still a billion dollar receiving and lying
33:16on international media that there are 90,000 women teachers.
33:20Well, absolutely, girls are still without –
33:22So get to the question if you don't mind.
33:24Yes, sir.
33:25Your thoughts about this whole girls' education and U.S. support and international –
33:29So first of all, no.
33:31We do not support the Taliban, as Vedant made clear last week.
33:34As I have made clear at previous briefings, we do not provide any funding to the Taliban.
33:39That is absolutely false.
33:40Number two, I do – that does, however, give me a chance to comment on something that we
33:45saw just today.
33:46So you may have seen, because I know you tracked this issue very closely, that the UN issued
33:50a report on the treatment of women and girls in Afghanistan and so-called moral oversight
34:00in Afghanistan.
34:01And what we saw is that the unpredictable and arbitrary enforcement of the Taliban's
34:05so-called morality code undermines the human rights of all Afghanistans.
34:10We continue to monitor closely the Taliban's treatment of the people of Afghanistan, especially
34:15their treatment of Afghan women and girls.
34:18We expect the Taliban to honor their assurances to the Afghan people and the international
34:22community in this regard.
34:23And as we have said in public and private to the Taliban's representatives, their relationship
34:28with the international community depends entirely on their actions.
34:32And we have made that clear and I think have been, as I said, crystal clear about that
34:37for some time.
34:38Go ahead.
34:39QUESTIONER 1 Thank you so much.
34:40Thanks so much.
34:41QUESTIONER 2 Thank you.
34:42So we know the U.S. is voting for the day after plan in Gaza, and for the NATO summit,
34:44Turkish President Erdogan and his delegation, including the foreign minister, will be here
34:48in town.
34:49Is that something you will discuss with your Turkish counterparts, given Ankara has long
34:53pledged to guarantorship in the region?
34:55And we know – we hear from the Turkish officials that they are encouraging Hamas
34:59to accept the ceasefire proposal.
35:01And also, right after Joe Biden announced the ceasefire deal, we know Secretary Blinken
35:06and Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call immediately right after that.
35:09So I'd like to hear more on that.
35:11MR PRICE Yes.
35:12In fact, we have been discussing the end of the conflict and what comes next with Turkey
35:16for some time.
35:17You may recall that Secretary Blinken in January traveled to Istanbul to meet with President
35:22Erdogan and with Foreign Minister Fidan, and has had subsequent – a number of subsequent
35:27meetings with the foreign minister to talk about both how we get to a ceasefire and how
35:31we reach a durable end to the war with robust security, governance, and reconstruction plans
35:41for Gaza.
35:42So that continues to be a topic that we discuss on any occasions when we meet with our Turkish
35:47counterparts.
35:49QUESTIONS TO MR.
35:50PRICE Yes.
35:51And we also have similar meetings on the sidelines of the NATO summit this week between American
35:52and Turkish counterparts.
35:53MR.
35:54PRICE I just don't have any meetings to announce
35:55here today, as I've said to other people.
35:56Yes.
35:57QUESTIONS TO MR.
35:58PRICE Just a slightly different thing.
35:59The State Department official Jung Pak, who was the acting special representative on North
36:07Korea, has stepped down, I believe.
36:10Is there – are there any plans to appoint a new envoy for North Korea?
36:14MR PRICE So first of all, yes, she has stepped down,
36:16And we do thank Dr. Pak for her tireless dedication and strong leadership on DPRK since assuming
36:21office in 2021.
36:22We wish her well on future endeavors.
36:26Assistant Secretary Dan Kritenbrink will oversee DPRK policy for the Department of State.
36:30Ambassador Julie Turner will continue to serve as special envoy on North Korean human rights
36:36issues.
36:37Seth Bailey will continue to serve as deputy special representative for the DPRK.
36:41And I don't have any additional personnel announcements to make today.
36:45The previous special representative Sung Kim left at the end of last year, I believe.
36:49So there are no plans to fill that role again.
36:53I just don't have any personnel announcements to make today.
36:56Yeah.
36:57Thank you so much.
36:58As you are hosting NATO Adopt State Summit here, a week ago, Pakistani Prime Minister
37:05Shahbaz Sharif met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Kazakhstan on the sidelines
37:09of the summit.
37:11And he suggested to President Putin that he must consider barter trade as a means to
37:16counter Western financial sanctions.
37:20And he also referred Pakistan and Russia by letter barter system trade from 1950s, 60s,
37:25and 70s.
37:26So how will you respond on that?
37:27I don't have any comment on that.
37:29Secondly, with the number of resolutions from the U.S. Congress, number of letters from
37:34the lawmakers to President Biden, Secretary Blinken, and number of many other things regarding
37:39the Pakistan democracy election interference or election investigations, that – all these
37:47things are believed that Imran Khan followers are backing and they are, like, asking their
37:52representative here to do this.
37:54Now there's a backlash on the Pakistan embassy.
37:57The Pakistani ambassador here, Sardar Masood Khan, he was just removed unruly and he was
38:04– he didn't just complete his diplomatic tenure, although he was a political appointee.
38:10But this is something like it is believed in Islamabad he was failed to fulfill the
38:14– all the things what he was given, like he didn't make it happen, like he didn't
38:20stop all these things, the resolutions that are coming in the favor of Imran Khan.
38:27So this is something very clearly visible that how the Pakistani democracy is running
38:32and who is running it.
38:33So how do you see this?
38:35I was not aware of that case until you raised it, so I don't have any comment.
38:38Go ahead.
38:39Yeah.
38:40This morning on Capitol Hill, the UN Special Rapporteur for Human Rights in Iran was on
38:46– was talking to some lawmakers and giving a congressional briefing about the various
38:53massacres in the 1980s as well as the contemporary status of human rights in Iran.
39:00He – as part of his remarks after the event, he spoke a bit about the Biden administration's
39:08policy towards Iran and basically denied or rejected the idea that there is an overarching
39:15strategy for Iran that has been laid out by the Biden administration, at least in the
39:20UN's view or his view.
39:22How do you respond to that?
39:24And if – assuming – excuse me – assuming that the president will be returning to the
39:30White House next year, can we expect a sort of future of Iran negotiations to be laid
39:38out by this administration?
39:40So first of all, I would say everyone is entitled to their opinion, but that obviously is very
39:43much one that we would not agree with.
39:45If you look at the totality of our policy, we have made clear that we are committed to
39:51ensuring that Iran can never obtain a nuclear weapon.
39:54We have worked with our allies and partners around the world to ensure that objective.
39:59You have seen us impose over 600 sanctions and export controls on Iran and Iran-related
40:04entities to counter Iran's malign influence.
40:07You have seen us work with partners in the region through diplomatic measures to try
40:12to counter Iran's influence and to take on Iran's support for terrorism.
40:17So no, it's not something I would agree with at all.
40:20Gotcha.
40:21And just one sort of quick second follow-up.
40:23We got official confirmation today that the president is going to be holding a official
40:28press conference as part of the NATO summit this week.
40:32The –
40:33I think they announced that at the White House yesterday.
40:34Yeah.
40:35So –
40:36The official or unofficial description was it's going to be a big boy press conference
40:40for the president.
40:41I was wondering if you could confirm for us whether this is going to be another situation
40:46where it's a joint press conference with other leaders or whether this is going to
40:49be a standalone thing.
40:52So I will let the White House speak to the president's schedule, but I think they made
40:55clear yesterday he plans to hold a solo press conference.
40:57Got it.
40:58So with that, we'll wrap for today.
40:59Thanks.
41:00Thank you.