Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel held a State Department Press Briefing
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NewsTranscript
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.