Military

MR. ERELI: I want to begin with a statement welcoming the decision in the early hours of today by the 29th International Conference of the Red Cross and Red Crescent to incorporate the additional emblem of the Red Crystal and to admit the Israeli National Society Magen David Adom and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society as members of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement. This is a historic decision that fulfills the aspiration of the world's oldest and largest humanitarian movement to become truly universal. These two humanitarian societies -- Magen David Adom and the Palestinian Red Crescent Society -- will now be able to count on the full support of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement as they fulfill their mission to serve those in need.

That's the statement and we can go to your questions.

QUESTION: Can you tell us about what kind of diplomacy is going on concerning North Korea and its potential to launch a missile that Stephen Hadley talked about this morning in connection with the piece in the Post by Perry and Carter?

MR. ERELI: Yeah. It's really a continuation of what we've been talking about for some time. The international community is speaking with one voice, making clear to North Korea its expectation that it would abide by its commitments to observe a moratorium on missile testing, making clear to North Korea the commonly held view that a missile test would be a provocative act and calling on North Korea not to take such a step.

I think we've seen -- every day we see public statements by different countries and different leaders reiterating this point. We continue to consult, to coordinate both bilaterally as well as multilaterally, to forestall any missile launch. And as National Security Advisor Hadley said today, diplomacy is our preferred course. Diplomacy is the way we've long sought to deal with the problem of security on the Korean Peninsula more broadly speaking as well as specific to this case.

Yeah.

QUESTION: How involved has the Secretary been personally in this effort?

MR. ERELI: Fully and consistently. I don't have any new activity to report to you, but this is an issue that the Secretary has spoken with several of her counterparts on. Nothing new to update you about on that score. But I can assure you that from the Secretary on down in this Department and across the U.S. Government, we are following the issue, and we are working with our allies to do what we can to maintain a stable and secure peninsula.

QUESTION: More specifically, has she made any phone calls since President Ahmadi-Nejad said yesterday that he would only have a reply in mid-August to you?

MR. ERELI: I reported yesterday a meeting with Solana. She has also talked to Foreign Minister Lavrov of Russia and Foreign Secretary Beckett of the United Kingdom.

QUESTION: Today or yesterday?

MR. ERELI: Yesterday.

QUESTION: Can we go back to North Korea for a second?

MR. ERELI: Sure.

QUESTION: You didn't answer the part on George's question about Perry.

MR. ERELI: Yeah, I think the question was asked to National Security Hadley -- National Security Advisor Hadley, and he responded pretty comprehensively. I don't have much -- anything to add to what he said, which was diplomacy is the right answer, and that is what we are pursuing.

Yes.

QUESTION: Any particular reaction to Mr. Carter or Mr. Perry saying that diplomacy has failed?

MR. ERELI: No. I think that we believe that diplomacy is the right course. Diplomacy is the best way to secure our interest on this. Obviously, we -- the President is clear that he'll do whatever is necessary to protect the United States. But in this case where diplomacy is our preferred course, that's what we're pursuing.

Yeah.

QUESTION: From your agency's perspective, Perry's a former Defense secretary. Does it complicate your efforts? Does it possibly provoke North Korea to have someone of such stature say this, to take his -- to take out their --

MR. ERELI: Perry is a private citizen. We live in a free society. Private citizens are encouraged and welcomed to express their views but he's a private citizen. The government position is what our senior officials have publicly stated.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Have you talked to former Secretary Perry? He has done occasional work during this Administration or at least been called on as an advisor. Have you been in contact with him in general about North Korea?

MR. ERELI: I'm not aware of any such contacts. I mean, obviously -- with respect to this issue, I don't -- I'm not aware of any contacts, but that doesn't mean there haven't been any. But I don't -- I wouldn't connect -- I think we've been pretty clear. I think you're mining a very shallow pond for something that really isn't there.

Anything else? (Laughter.)

QUESTION: Somalia. There's now been a meeting in Khartoum with the -- surely the peace negotiating capital of the world -- and the two sides have agreed to recognize each other. Does this look promising to you? What have been your reports from any of your experts over there?

MR. ERELI: We're aware of the meetings in Khartoum. The news of the two parties recognizing each other was just -- I think just came across the wires. The Sudanese Government as the current chair of the Arab League has been mediating direct talks between delegations from Somalia's Transitional Federal Government and the UIC -- Union of Islamic Courts -- in Khartoum. We believe that this is a positive first step in what will be a long process to bring stability and security to Somalia.

I would underscore the fact that last week's International Somalia Contact Group's communiqué urged the Transitional Federal Institutions and Union of Islamic Courts to engage in dialogue immediately, so this is a step that we welcome. And if the reports that the groups have recognized each other are true, that would also be a positive step and movement toward what we all want to see, which is broad national reconciliation and the strengthening of the institutions of central government.

Yes.

QUESTION: Can we change the subject? On Iran. Kofi Annan met with the Iranian Foreign Minister and it sounds like he said they were considering a proposal very, very seriously. So one question is: Is that encouraging to you? And also Annan said that he doesn't think they'll respond before the G-8. Is that acceptable to the United States and its allies?

MR. ERELI: Well, I don't really want to get into dates or deadlines. I think we've been very clear what our timeframe is. As you well know, it's weeks not months. I can't be any more specific than that. Obviously, we believe that everybody working this issue -- Kofi Annan, representatives of the P-5+1 -- have been, I think, sending a clear and consistent message to the Iranians that they have a good offer on the table and that it is in their interest to respond positively to that offer and they need to do so in a timely way. We'll see how they respond. But as I said before, that response we look to to come from Mr. Larijani through Mr. Solana.

QUESTION: Do you have anything more on Solana's possible meeting with Larijani next week? Do you know --

MR. ERELI: I don't.

QUESTION: -- details of when or where?

MR. ERELI: No.

Yes.

QUESTION: I had a question. I don't know if it's been discussed or not in the last couple of days. Sorry, I apologize in advance. But a letter that the Secretary has received from the EU about visas? I guess it's not something that --

MR. ERELI: No, it hasn't been anything that --

QUESTION: Okay. I understand that on June 12th Commissioners Frattini and --

MR. ERELI: Barroso?

QUESTION: No, Betina Wald-Ferrero.

MR. ERELI: Benita Ferrero-Waldner.

QUESTION: Right. They sent a letter to the Secretary warning that if the new EU members don't come off at some point soon, the visa list in other words, if they don't get visa waivers, that the EU might have to impose visa restrictions on U.S. officials and members of Congress.

MR. ERELI: News to me. I'll check and see if we got such a letter and, if we did, what our reaction might be.

QUESTION: Okay, thank you, Adam.

MR. ERELI: Charlie's back. Thank you.

(The briefing was concluded at 12:48 p.m.)