JUST IN: State Department Holds Briefing Following Major US-Russia Prisoner Swap

2 months ago

Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel held a State Department Press Briefing

Fuel your success with Forbes. Gain unlimited access to premium journalism, including breaking news, groundbreaking in-depth reported stories, daily digests and more. Plus, members get a front-row seat at members-only events with leading thinkers and doers, access to premium video that can help you get ahead, an ad-light experience, early access to select products including NFT drops and more:

https://account.forbes.com/membership/?utm_source=youtube&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=growth_non-sub_paid_subscribe_ytdescript

Stay Connected
Forbes on Facebook: http://fb.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/forbes
Forbes Video on Instagram: http://instagram.com/forbes
More From Forbes: http://forbes.com

Transcript

00:00Good afternoon, everybody.

00:01Good afternoon.

00:02Good afternoon.

00:03So you all saw the good news earlier today.

00:07I am pleased to say that four Americans, Paul Whelan, Evan Gershkovich, Alsu Kormasheva,

00:13and Vladimir Karamurza, are on their way home after being unjustly imprisoned in Russia,

00:20in addition to five German citizens and eight Russian political prisoners.

00:25I am also happy to share that Secretary Blinken was able to speak with Paul, Evan, and Alsu

00:32an hour or so ago, and we expect them to be back in the United States in the coming hours

00:37to be reunited with their families.

00:41President Biden and Secretary Blinken have made securing the release of Americans wrongfully

00:46detained and held hostage overseas a priority, and we have seen dozens of Americans return

00:53home over the past three and a half years.

00:56We are grateful for the support of our allies and partners who helped put a deal together,

01:01in particular Germany, Poland, Norway, and Slovenia, and we also appreciate Turkey for

01:08providing logistical support for the exchange.

01:12This is something you've heard me say before.

01:15This is an issue that is so important and personal to Secretary Blinken.

01:20In the first weeks in this department, when he was sworn in as Secretary of State, he

01:26met with the families of all Americans wrongfully detained at that time in a video call and

01:32continues to meet with families and returnees on a regular basis.

01:37He has directly engaged his counterparts on individual cases, and we are also so grateful

01:43for the countless individuals across this department and across the interagency who

01:48worked tirelessly to secure this outcome and provide support on this endeavor over the years.

01:55I'm talking specifically about our staff at Embassy Moscow, our staff in Consular Affairs,

02:02Roger Carstens and his tireless team in the Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Office,

02:08our team in the Europe Regional Bureau, and all the other regional bureaus and embassies

02:14who have made days like this possible.

02:17Today we celebrate that Paul, Evan, Alsu, Vladimir, and others are free and recommit

02:24our efforts to secure the release of Americans who remain wrongfully detained or held hostage.

02:30So with that, Daphne, if you want to kick us off.

02:33Thank you so much.

02:35Could you detail a little bit more of Blinken's involvement in this deal, sort of what conversations

02:40he's had, and where did this idea of widening the deal to include more people to be released

02:45and get Germany involved come from?

02:48We've heard this idea was being kicked around state.

02:50Was it Blinken's idea, or where did it come from?

02:53So look, I'm not going to get into the specifics of the negotiating process beyond just saying

02:59that today's exchange is a feat of diplomacy that could have only been achieved with leaders

03:07like President Biden, like Secretary Blinken, like National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan

03:13that understand the vital importance of diplomacy and understand the vital importance that is

03:18that our alliances and partnerships can play in situations like this.

03:22It's the largest multi-country swap of its kind, resulted in the release of 16 individuals

03:28currently detained in Russia that included, as I said, three American citizens, one U.S.

03:33lawful permanent resident, five U.S. German citizens, and seven Russian political prisoners.

03:41This is something that required extensive engagement with partner countries, and it

03:48started at the very top with President Biden and, of course, Secretary Blinken and National

03:53Security Advisor Sullivan and their respective teams as well.

03:58So this is something that we are very happy to see days like this when our tireless efforts

04:04come together and we're able to see American citizens reunited at home.

04:10And I know Jake Sullivan has said that you're sort of regarding this as separate issues,

04:14but in your mind, does this still signal at all that Putin might be ready to talk peace

04:17with Ukraine or repair relations with the U.S. at all?

04:20That's certainly for the Russians and for President Putin to speak to.

04:24It's not something that we would ascertain.

04:28As the National Security Advisor said, these are separate and totally unique issues.

04:33While, of course, we welcome this news and welcome that four Americans are going to be

04:39reunited with their loved ones, Ukraine continues to be under attack, and the territorial integrity

04:46and sovereignty of Ukraine continues to be aggressed on by the Russian Federation.

04:52And in that regard, the United States will continue to support our partners in Ukraine.

04:57You saw us do so as recently at the beginning of this week with the announcement of another

05:01presidential drawdown authority.

05:03Camilla, go ahead.

05:04Thanks, Bradon.

05:05I think I can say on behalf of many of our colleagues that this is a great day for the

05:11State Department and across the administration.

05:14For the United States.

05:15The United States, so congratulations.

05:18I wanted to take a moment to ask you about the Americans that are still in Russia, in

05:26China, in Afghanistan, in other countries around the world.

05:30You have, as Jake mentioned, the American teacher Mark Fogel, who is still in Russia.

05:34I believe Jake said that the U.S. is going to work on getting him out as well.

05:39You have musician Michael Travis Leak.

05:42You have Russian-American dual citizens such as Ksenia Karolina and others in Russia.

05:48And you have, I can name only a handful of them, Mark Swidden and Kai Li, Henry Kai in

05:55China.

05:56Some advocacy and human rights groups believe there are anywhere between 11 cases to as

06:00many as 200 Americans or dual Americans held in China.

06:04And of course, there's Afghanistan.

06:05You've got Ron Corbett, George Glesman, Mahmoud Habibi, three Americans held in Afghanistan.

06:12What is this department's message to the Americans who are still out there?

06:16And what does today bring any insights or any experience that will now be applied in

06:25trying to get more Americans home?

06:27So our message is pretty simple, and it is that while today is a good day, that the work

06:34doesn't stop.

06:35And to the American citizens who continue to be wrongfully detained or held hostage

06:41around the world, let me just be very clear that this government, this administration

06:46is not going to stop working.

06:48We're going to continue to work tirelessly around the clock to do everything we can to

06:53make sure that they, like Paul, like Evan, like Alsu, like Vladimir, can have a day where

06:59they can be reunited with their loved ones as well.

07:03Of course, in the case of Mark Fogle, we've spoken about this before, we have called for

07:08Mark's humanitarian release, and we will continue to engage and work through our team in Moscow

07:15and continue to have those conversations.

07:17And of course, look, there continue to be American citizens detained in legal systems

07:24around the world, not, of course, just in Russia.

07:28This is a responsibility that we take seriously.

07:31We are monitoring those cases and assessing additional ways that we can engage.

07:38And look, regardless of whether an American is designated as wrongfully detained or not,

07:42which of course, as you all know, is often the vast minority of cases, the State Department,

07:48the United States, works hard to ensure that American citizens have appropriate consular

07:53access, that they have appropriate representation in the various foreign legal systems, and more.

08:00And that work will continue.

08:02That work did not stop, given the good news today.

08:08And thank you.

08:09And can you also give – you said that Blinken had spoken to those who've been released.

08:15He spoke to reporters not long ago as well.

08:19We got the audio of that.

08:21He understandably sounded very tired.

08:24Can you give any more color from the call with the released Americans?

08:30I don't have much more information.

08:34He had the opportunity to speak with Paul, Alsu, and Evan.

08:38I understand that we're hoping for the Secretary to have an opportunity to connect

08:43with Vladimir at some point soon.

08:46Obviously, of course, the Secretary is coming off of a long trip in Asia, but from my readout

08:55of the conversation, the – our Evan, Paul, and Alsu sounded in good spirits.

09:00They obviously, of course, had the opportunity to speak to the President as well, and I'm

09:04sure they're very eager to see their families, which we know will hopefully happen very,

09:09very soon.

09:11Go ahead, Julianna.

09:12Thanks, Vedant.

09:13Did the United States ask Turkey or prevail upon Turkey to take this sort of mediator

09:19role that they did in the prisoner swap?

09:22So I'm just not going to speak to that level of specificity in the operational movements

09:29of how this deal all came together and how these Americans were returned home, beyond

09:34just saying we are thankful for the role that Turkey played, and not only thankful to Turkey,

09:40but we're thankful to the other countries that were critical in getting this deal to

09:44come together.

09:45And you heard me mention a number of them before – Germany, Poland, Slovenia, and

09:49Norway.

09:50Right before we came into the briefing, we had the opportunity to see some of the footage

09:54– the first footage of Evan and Paul being transferred this morning.

09:59It was while they were still in Russian custody.

10:02I know you're very happy, as you should be, with the overall way that this deal has

10:06worked out.

10:07I'm curious as to the details leading up to the moment that they were granted to the

10:13United States.

10:14It was curious to see the video just because you saw the FSB officers or whoever they were

10:21sort of dressed like thugs, manhandling them a little bit as they were coming off the Russian

10:25plane.

10:26It's not something that we're used to seeing.

10:27I'm just wondering if you're happy with the way or have any thoughts on the way that

10:32was handled.

10:33So look, we're thankful that this deal came together and was able to be executed successfully.

10:39We're even happier that these Americans are now safely in American custody, for lack

10:49of a better word, and they're on their way home to be reunited with their loved ones.

10:53Look, when it comes to the treatment of American citizens who are wrongfully detained or held

11:00hostage in Russia, certainly this is not a government that anybody should be taking any

11:07lessons from, for, again, lack of a better phrase.

11:10The fact that people like Paul, like Evan, like also were even detained in the first

11:17place is pretty indicative of how, of what fair treatment and humane treatment means

11:24to them.

11:25But I am not going to speculate on any, anything beyond that.

11:28One more.

11:29Sure.

11:30Sure.

11:31Do you have any concerns or plans in place to prevent today's victory from like encouraging

11:39the Russians or any other countries to continue to take American hostages?

11:45So look, these negotiations, and you saw the National Security Advisor talk a little bit

11:48about this, these negotiations are, they are tough, and they are tough precisely because

11:55the other side that is holding these Americans wrongfully detained, they hold the key to

12:01the prison cell.

12:02They get a vote.

12:03They have a say in this process.

12:05As maddening and as frustrating as that is.

12:08So we, the President made a tough decision.

12:13He made a decision like many others have before him.

12:17The ultimate question here is, do we let our people, our American citizens, rot and potentially

12:23die unjustly in foreign detention, or do we make efforts to bring them home?

12:31And we chose time and time again, in this case, in the case of Brittany Greiner, in

12:35the case of the six American citizens that were released from Iran, we have, and in numerous

12:41other instances, we have chose time and time again to bring them home, and we're incredibly

12:46proud of that decision.

12:50Outside of that, we'll continue to engage with allies and partners.

12:53This is something that the Secretary is incredibly personally focused on.

12:58It's something that has been discussed a number of times, not just through the auspices of

13:02the United Nations, but the G7 and others, of ways in which allies and partners can collectively

13:08work together to better protect its citizens from this kind of detention and hostage-taking.

13:16But I don't have any news to share beyond that on that front.

13:20Yeah.

13:21Alex, go ahead.

13:22I think Matt was going to hit me.

13:23You started off by describing them all unjustly detained, and the Secretary spoke with al-Sueh

13:28as well, along with the others.

13:30I was wondering, what did he say to al-Sueh, given the fact that she never got this formal

13:36designation that she deserves?

13:38And the fact that it was a formal designation, can you tell us anything about Rogers' involvement

13:43in her case?

13:45So look, a wrongful detention designation, it is a deliberative process.

13:51It's an ongoing process, and I'm not going to speak to that process publicly or in detail.

13:56But what I can say is that the Department of State, Secretary Blinken, he has been closely

14:01engaged in the cases, and he's been particularly vocal in calling for Vladimir Karamurza and

14:08al-Sueh's release, and we're thankful that the deal came together that allowed that to

14:13happen today.

14:14And I think the second part of your question was special envoy Carstens' involvement.

14:20Look, the SPIHA office and Ambassador Carstens and his team are a key component of an interagency

14:27effort when it comes to our round-the-clock work to do everything we can to make sure

14:32that our American citizens are able to be reunited with their loved ones.

14:39Representatives from the office were involved in not just the exchange, but are involved

14:45in making sure that Evan, Paul, al-Sueh are able to make it back to the United States

14:51safely as well.

14:53And the notion of a coalition, if you want, you build throughout this process will allow

14:57– will help you secure Austin Tice's release.

15:01Turkey and others do have relationship with Syria.

15:04We're just entering into another painful anniversary.

15:07So look, in the case of Syria and in the case of Austin Tice, when the question has come

15:12up in this briefing room and in other contexts, when we are asked to react to countries deciding

15:20to take certain bilateral actions or relationships with – vis-a-vis Syria, one of the things

15:26that we have talked about consistently and clearly is that any country who has a relationship

15:32with Syria, who claims to have influence with Syria needs to raise Austin's case and needs

15:39to do everything they can to help so that the Syrians can shed light on Austin's status.

15:49That continues to be the case.

15:50I don't have any updates as it relates to his detention.

15:55But of course, in that context, in this context, of course, we are seeing the impact of diplomacy,

16:04the impact of having alliances and partnerships at work.

16:07Okay.

16:08My final one on this, given what you just told us in your response to Daphne's question,

16:11can you assure us that there will be no discussion with the Russians about Ukraine without Ukraine?

16:16That is absolutely our policy, Alex.

16:19Yeah.

16:20Go ahead, Said.

16:22Yeah.

16:23Of course, it's a great day.

16:24Is this – do you want – before – I think there might be a couple other questions on

16:27the news of today.

16:28Well, we –

16:29If you have questions on that, happy to talk to them or I can come back to you.

16:31I definitely want to ask you about this, but I defer to the others that I've had a chance

16:35to speak to.

16:36Okay.

16:37Thank you, Said.

16:39Thank you, Vedal.

16:40I'm going to – I'll come to you after.

16:41I'm going to – he had his hand up before you.

16:42Go ahead.

16:43President Biden said he didn't need to talk to Vladimir Putin about this.

16:46It doesn't sound like there's a major change in relations between the U.S. and Russia.

16:50Is there?

16:51Because there's not.

16:52That is – I forget which of your colleagues asked the question.

16:56This is not some sort of reset of any kind of relationship.

17:00It is not – there has been no change.

17:04This is a good day because American citizens are able to come home and they're incredibly

17:11proud of the work that has happened to get that done.

17:15But as I just said, Russia's aggression into Ukraine continues.

17:20Russia continues to show no desire to engage in good faith when it comes to our Ukrainian

17:26partners.

17:28They continue to have Russian security forces on Ukrainian territory.

17:32They continue to assault Ukrainian men, women, and children.

17:37They continue to occupy territories that belong to our partners in Ukraine.

17:44So again, they're – in that regard, we intend to continue to stand with our Ukrainian

17:50partners.

17:51Just on Monday, we announced another presidential drawdown authority.

17:54Yeah.

17:55Go ahead.

17:56Yeah.

17:58Just a quick follow-up.

17:59Do you have any further comments on the Turkish mediation efforts in this prisoner swap?

18:07What was their specific contribution in this deal?

18:10Like, were they a party in the negotiation, Russia?

18:13So I'm not going to speak to the specific negotiation or the operational details of

18:17the process.

18:18Obviously, the location of this swap took place in Ankara, which, as we all know, to

18:25be in Turkey.

18:26So of course, there is the physical piece of this of where the exchange took place.

18:33We are thankful for Turkey's role as it relates to that.

18:37Of course, Turkey continues to be a vital partner and ally, and we work with them on

18:41a great deal of things, but I'm not going to speak to the specifics of this process

18:47beyond that.

18:48Okay.

18:49Said, go ahead.

18:51And I, like everyone in this room and around the country, feel grateful that they have

18:55been released and reunited with their families.

18:58It's a good day.

18:59Yeah.

19:00So in the same thing, journalists should not be punished for what they do anywhere in the

19:07world.

19:08That is absolutely true, Said.

19:09Look, what we have seen yesterday is a premeditated crime to kill a journalist for doing their

19:14job.

19:15They were right there on the front of Ismail Haniyeh's home just to show the destroyed

19:20home from our colleague from Al Jazeera, Ismail and his cameraman, Rami.

19:26And they were told by the Israelis to leave the scene.

19:30They did.

19:31They got in their car and they moved, and then they were bombed.

19:33I mean, this is, that is summary execution, isn't it?

19:38Said, I spoke to this a little bit yesterday, and the good news that we have relating to

19:47these American citizens who have returned, who will be returning to the United States,

19:53I don't have an update on this other situation for you beyond that.

19:56Let me just say, because you've asked the question, the reports that you mentioned yesterday

20:00as well, we've seen those reports.

20:02We're tracking the details.

20:03We continue to engage with our partners in Israel about any additional information.

20:09But beyond that, when we have talked about journalists who have been killed in Gaza,

20:18this is something that the Secretary has spoken to a great deal.

20:23We have time and time again offered our – not just our condolences to Palestinian journalists

20:30killed in Gaza, but we have attempted to make clear just how vital the work of journalism

20:36has been to showcase the ongoing dire conditions in the Gaza Strip and how key certain outlets

20:44and certain media organizations, including Al Jazeera, have been to that line of effort.

20:50And that's something we will continue to not just say publicly, but we will raise privately

20:54with partners in the region.

20:55We'll continue to stress with our partners in Israel as well.

20:59Now, there are also dozens of Palestinian journalists who are currently detained by

21:05Israel.

21:06Overwhelmingly, they're not charged with anything.

21:08They're held under administrative detention and so on.

21:11Do you call on the Israeli Government to either charge those journalists that are being held

21:17under administrative detention or let go?

21:20Look, Said, we've been clear and consistent that Israel needs to treat all detainees humanely

21:26with dignity and in accordance with international law, and it – the detainees' human rights

21:31must be expected – respected.

21:33Beyond that, I'm just not – I don't have specifics as it relates to these specific

21:37cases to speak to.

21:38But certainly, you urge the Israelis to release those who are not charged with anything if

21:44they don't charge them.

21:45I'm not going to speak to specific cases in the judicial system that I'm not tracking.

21:51But what I want to say, again, is that we've been clear and consistent that Israel must

21:55treat all detainees humanely.

21:57Okay.

21:58A couple more quick ones.

22:00Was there any communications with the Palestinian Authority from U.S. officials to the Palestinian

22:07officials in the aftermath of the assassination of Smaed Aniyar?

22:11I'm not aware of any specific conversations to right now.

22:15I'm happy to check if there's anything, Said, but I'm not aware of.

22:18Okay.

22:19I just wanted to just bring to your attention that an Israeli lawmaker was asked about the

22:27alleged rape of the Palestinian detainee, and he basically said, yes, it is legitimate.

22:33And as we look at the story, it is really appalling.

22:37I mean, it seems – pardon me for the graphic description that I'm about to describe,

22:42but they took a cell phone and they shoved it up his gluteus maximus, all the way to

22:50the intestine, and they were calling the phone.

22:54Said.

22:55The Israeli soldiers.

22:56This is documented.

22:57So – I mean, how – don't you find this appalling?

22:59We are aware of these concerning reports, and of course if they are true, they are appalling.

23:07The IDF itself has indicated that it is looking into these allegations, and we, of course,

23:12welcome that.

23:13It is essential that the rule of law and due process prevail, and in democracies no one

23:19is above the law.

23:21And so we are going to let the process play out here.

23:23But of course, these reports are incredibly concerning.

23:26But there is an investigation taking place, and therefore I don't want to offer any

23:31judgment until that process has concluded.

23:35Okay.

23:36And lastly, on the negotiations, any update on the negotiations?

23:39Are they ongoing?

23:40Are they likely to resume?

23:42Are they frozen?

23:43What is your assessment?

23:44As I said as recently as yesterday, Said, we continue to believe that a deal is not

23:49just urgent but also achievable.

23:51We're going to continue to remain focused on working around the clock to narrow some

23:56of the gaps.

23:57Getting this deal done to bring the hostages home, to end the violence in Gaza, is incredibly

24:02important.

24:03And for those of you that heard the Secretary at his press conference in Mongolia overnight,

24:08he echoed the very same thing.

24:11You had your hand up.

24:12Go ahead.

24:13Yeah.

24:15Can I just follow up on some of the comments Lincoln made in Mongolia?

24:16Sure.

24:17Where he said that getting to a ceasefire requires all parties to stop taking escalatory

24:21actions.

24:22The administration has repeatedly said that Israel has a right to defend itself.

24:26Is it the administration's view in the past few days that Israel has gone beyond that

24:30right at all and that the actions have been escalatory?

24:34I don't have an assessment to offer on the events of the recent days beyond echoing what

24:40the Secretary has said.

24:42First, of course, that for us to get to a ceasefire, for us to get this region out of

24:47endless cycles of violence, for us to create conditions so hostages can come home, we absolutely

24:53think a ceasefire is necessary.

24:55And the way – one of the ways to do that is to ensure that steps are taken that do

25:02not escalate tensions.

25:04We've – the Secretary has been engaging with partners in the region despite being

25:10in the Indo-Pacific.

25:11You all have seen readouts from a number of calls happen where he has been stressing the

25:15importance of that message as well.

25:17And then you said yesterday that it was still your assessment that Israel was engaging constructively

25:21in ceasefire talks.

25:23What makes you confident that that is the case?

25:25I'm not going to speak to the specifics of the ongoing negotiation process, but the

25:31question was posed to us whether we believe Israel was engaging in good faith, and that

25:37continued to be the case yesterday and continues to be the case.

25:40And are there any plans for him to speak with Israeli counterparts in this day and next

25:44coming days?

25:45So we engage with our partners in Israel regularly.

25:49The Secretary spoke to President Herzog earlier in the week.

25:52I don't have any specific calls to preview.

25:55As you saw, the White House mentioned or the National Security Advisor responded to a question

26:02about a call between President Biden and Prime Minister Netanyahu that we anticipate

26:08will take place later today.

26:09But beyond that, I don't have anything to preview.

26:12Camille, go ahead.

26:13Just following on the calls that the Secretary's been making over the last 24 hours, 48 hours

26:21to Middle East partners, have – has the department reached out to Saudi counterparts

26:25at all to get any kind of reaction on the deaths of Ismail Haniyeh and also Israel has

26:31confirmed the death of Mohammed Ali?

26:33So we expect the Secretary to partake in a number of additional partner calls.

26:38I'm not going to list them off as a list, but as is consistent, we will make sure to

26:47share readouts of those when they take place, but I don't have anything to preview.

26:50Is there any concern that the Saudis might have the same sentiment that the Qataris in

26:55the Middle East initially had?

26:56I'm just not going to speculate on what a call may or may not look like until it's

27:01– until it's happened.

27:02I don't have any specific thing to speculate on.

27:06Janne, go ahead.

27:07Thank you, Vedant.

27:08A couple of occasions.

27:09Garbage balloons sent by North Korea to South Korea fell on 3,300 locations, including the

27:20presidential office and the Ministry of Defense and the U.S. military bases in South Korea,

27:28and they even started fires.

27:32What is your view on North Korea's continued provocations in a relational way?

27:38Well, this – I mean, that – it is exactly that.

27:41It is a provocation.

27:42It is a provocation.

27:43It is something that we find to be reckless and destabilizing and also just wholly unhelpful.

27:51Yeah.

27:52Also, there are many Americans living in South Korea.

27:57What response measures do you think are necessary?

28:02For response measures for what?

28:03Yeah, for – yeah, your many Americans living in South Korea, including military families.

28:09Of course.

28:11Our consular efforts are of vital importance to us.

28:14We take the safety and security of Americans incredibly seriously.

28:18I don't have any specifics to offer as it relates to efforts in the Republic of Korea

28:24beyond just saying that that's something we will continue to address as needed.

28:30Tracey, you've had your hand up.

28:32Sorry.

28:33I didn't mean to – no, you're good.

28:35To my colleague's questions on the Middle East – sorry to go back to the Middle East.

28:38Yeah, all good.

28:39On the Middle East calls, is the – is Secretary Blinken receiving assurances that these countries

28:45are still on board with this process of negotiation, or to the contrary, is he getting people backing

28:51out like we heard initially from the Qataris?

28:53They expressed reluctance, let's say.

28:56So look, I'm not going to –

28:57Any assurances one way or the other?

28:58I'm not going to read out the calls more specifically than we already have been, and

29:02certainly I'm not going to speak for other countries, but there continues to be a consensus

29:07that a ceasefire deal, one that can, as I've said before, create the conditions for the

29:13remaining hostages to return home, create the conditions for humanitarian aid to get

29:17into Gaza, create conditions for further diplomacy to take place to get this region out of endless

29:22cycles of violence.

29:24Our partners in the Arab world, our partners around the world, our allies and partners

29:29all believe that that is in the vital interest of the region, and that work is going to continue

29:34to remain ongoing.

29:36Go ahead.

29:37Yeah.

29:38A UN report yesterday expressed concerns about the rise of terrorist groups in Afghanistan.

29:44The report claims that ISIS and TTP, Tehrik-e-Tarban Pakistan, have more than 6,000 fighters attacking

29:51on Pakistani soldiers and pose a threat to regional peace.

29:55What are your thoughts on that?

29:57So we've spoken a little bit about this before.

30:00ISIS-K is a transnational terrorist network that has the ambition and capacity to launch

30:07international terrorist attacks, and as we consistently say, we're working to ensure

30:11that Afghanistan never serves as a launching pad for terrorist attacks against the United

30:17States or our allies.

30:19We are taking a whole-of-government approach to our Afghanistan counterterrorism efforts.

30:24We are cooperating with partners and allies, including in the immediate region, and we're

30:28working vigilantly to prevent the re-emergence of external threats from Afghanistan, including

30:33by working with partners to counteract terrorist recruitment efforts as well.

30:37Sir, Bloomberg reported another assassination attempt on U.S. citizen and human rights lawyer

30:42Grupa Vansingh Pannu by Indian agents.

30:45Canadian authorities claim to have arrested five Indian nationals planning to target Mr.

30:50Pannu at a wedding ceremony.

30:51The U.S. is still waiting for the results of internal investigations by India.

30:56So what kind of conversations going on with India, like at the diplomatic level, on this?

31:01So first, as it relates to the news that you mentioned out of Canada, I would refer you

31:05to the Canadian Government to comment on issues that are happening within their law enforcement

31:10system.

31:11As we have said before, we continue to expect accountability from the Government of India

31:16in relation to the alleged role of an Indian Government employee in the failed attempt

31:21to assassinate a U.S. citizen on U.S. soil that occurred last summer.

31:25And we continue to raise our concerns directly with the Indian Government at senior levels.

31:30Jackson, go ahead.

31:33Thanks, Vedant.

31:35So speaking of Mark Fogle, did the United States try to get him as part of the deal?

31:40So I'm not going to speak to the specifics of the negotiation process, Jackson.

31:45What I will reiterate is what you've heard the National Security Advisor say, what I

31:49just said earlier to one of your colleagues.

31:52We've called for Mark's release on humanitarian grounds and we'll continue to work that effort

31:57in close coordination with our team in Embassy Moscow.

32:02And Venezuela's Maduro says he's open to restart dialogue with the U.S. after the Qatar agreement

32:09failed.

32:10Is the U.S. even interested in dialogue with Maduro at this stage?

32:13Well, in the context of Venezuela, it's a little bit important to take the step – take

32:20a step back here.

32:21And I think first, in the context of the presidential election specifically, we applaud the Venezuelan

32:27people for their participation in the July 28th presidential election.

32:33We know that at least 12 million people peacefully went to the polls and exercised their right

32:38to vote.

32:39And that the sum of more than the 80 percent of the tally sheets published by the Democratic

32:44opposition and received directly from polling stations show that Edmundo Gonzalez received

32:51an overwhelming majority of the votes in this election.

32:54The CNE's rapid declaration of Maduro as the winner comes with no supporting evidence.

33:01And meanwhile, Venezuelan opposition and civil society provided decisive evidence showing

33:09that Edmundo Gonzalez received a majority of the votes in this election.

33:12It's been four days since this election happened.

33:15Any polling station data or results the CNE releases now would require close scrutiny.

33:21And so we're continuing to consult with our national partners on appropriate next steps.

33:25And has the U.S. received a letter from Israeli Foreign Minister Katz stating Israel is not

33:31interested in an all-out war, but the only way to prevent it is the immediate implementation

33:36of Resolution 1701?

33:38What does this say about the risk of escalation along the Israeli-Lebanese border?

33:42I'm not tracking a letter, but what I can say is that the contours of that is what the

33:49United States, at least what we've been speaking to specifically in the context of ensuring

33:54a diplomatic resolution along the blue line – of course, you heard me talk a little

33:59bit about this on Monday and Tuesday as well – of great importance to us continues to

34:04be creating the conditions so civilians on both sides of the border, both on – in Israel

34:09and in Lebanon, are able to safely return home.

34:13And just –

34:14Go ahead.

34:15I'm not working –

34:16Thank you very much.

34:18Go ahead.

34:19I want to ask about how many times the U.S.A. asked Israel to investigate itself, and what

34:25is the result?

34:27Look, over the course of this conflict, let's be clear about something first.

34:33Israel has every right to defend itself, to defend itself from terrorist attacks and threats,

34:38and to hold account the Hamas terrorist actors that conducted the horrific October 7th attacks

34:46on the Israeli people.

34:49Over the course of this conflict also, when we have taken issue with action, we have seen

34:54inconsistencies in how operations are conducted, when we have seen civilians impacted, when

35:00we have seen the flow of humanitarian aid impacted, we have raised those issues with

35:06our partners in Israel.

35:07We will continue to do so.

35:09In some of those instances, we will discuss those privately, and some instances we'll

35:14discuss those publicly, but we'll continue to engage appropriately with our partners

35:18in Israel.

35:19Will the U.S.A. will ask a Palestinian civilian to investigate themselves?

35:23Pardon me?

35:24Will the U.S.A. will ask a civilian Palestinian to investigate themselves?

35:29I'm not sure I follow your question.

35:31When it comes to our partners in Israel and their conduct around certain operations, when

35:36we have needed or solicited additional information, we have done that, and we engage with our

35:41partners in Israel around the clock, and we'll continue to do so.

35:45Go ahead in the back.

35:48It's great that Vladimir Karamurza is free.

35:51There are Armenian POWs in the jails of Azerbaijan for four years by now, and there are Armenian

36:00local politicians from Nagorno-Karabakh, again in the prisons of Azerbaijan, for nearly one

36:05year after Azerbaijan launched another unprovoked attack last fall.

36:12According to Freedom House, after Karabakh's territory came under Azerbaijani control,

36:21Karabakh is the most unfree territory in the world.

36:23It's worse than North Korea, it's worse than Venezuela, Syria, Afghanistan, you name it.

36:29So the question is whether you follow the situation with the collapse of liberties and

36:36civil society in Nagorno-Karabakh, if you have any comments on this, and is there anything

36:41that this administration can do to help the detained Armenians that are jailed in Azerbaijan,

36:49whether you can help them to release, to be released, or assist in any other form?

36:55So on the context of the broader situation in the South Caucasus, this is something that

37:02the Secretary and the Department continue to be deeply engaged on.

37:06I don't have any updates for you as it relates to that process.

37:09And look, when it comes to detainees, we've been clear and consistent that any country

37:15needs to treat all detainees humanely, with dignity, and in accordance with international

37:20law, and needs to respect detainees' human rights, and that continues to be true in this

37:25case as well.

37:26Gita, go ahead.

37:27On the situation of Armenia, there was a report a while ago that Iran and Armenia – Iran

37:32is going to be supplying Armenia with weapons.

37:36Both countries have denied it.

37:37I was wondering if this is on the State Department's radar.

37:40I don't have any comment on that, Gita.

37:44Okay.

37:45One other question on the region.

37:49I know you talked about the suspension of aid to Georgia yesterday.

37:52Yeah.

37:53Yeah, I was wondering, why isn't the U.S.

37:56Government not targeting the former prime minister, Ibn Shibili, who is thought to be

38:04behind all these changes in Georgia that the U.S. Administration is – thinks is a

38:11backslide on democracy?

38:13So Gita, I just am not going to get into the habit of previewing specifically what actions

38:19the United States may or may not take, just without – beyond saying that we, of course,

38:24continue to have tools at our disposal and arsenals in our toolbox to hold relevant entities

38:32accountable should we need to, including in the context of Georgia.

38:35But I'm not going to get into it beyond that.

38:38Okay.

38:39Go ahead, Alex.

38:40Just to clarify, is it under consideration?

38:44I'm just not going to speak to sanctions from up here, Alex.

38:48Russian border guards left Armenian airport.

38:50Do you have any comment, any reaction to its implications to the region?

38:55Well, we'd spoken about this, Alex, I think, when this first happened.

39:01I think a number of – I want to say maybe it was almost a year or so ago, maybe more.

39:06Time is – I lose track of time.

39:09It was, of course, a concerning development then.

39:13I don't have any additional details behind this development.

39:16I'm happy to look into it, but certainly would be a welcome step in the right direction.

39:22A final on Turksharmian negotiation.

39:23I know we asked that a number of times this week.

39:26Do you have anything?

39:27I don't have any updates for you, Alex, beyond just saying that, as I said to your

39:31colleague in the back, this is something that the Secretary is deeply engaged on and we're

39:36committed to.

39:37All right.

39:38Thanks, everybody.

39:39Italy?

39:40Italy?

39:41Thanks.

39:42Hi.

39:43I'm Siri.

JUST IN: State Department Holds Briefing Following Major US-Russia Prisoner Swap

Category

Transcript

Recommended