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Daily Press Briefing

John Kirby
Spokesperson
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
April 15, 2016

Index for Today's Briefing

RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
RUSSIA
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM
SYRIA
LEBANON
NORTH KOREA
JAPAN
BURMA
UKRAINE
TURKEY
GERMANY
ISRAEL/PALESTINIANS
INDIA
TURKEY
UNITED KINGDOM

 

TRANSCRIPT:

2:10 p.m. EDT

MR KIRBY: Hey, everybody.

QUESTION: Hello.

QUESTION: Hello, John.

MR KIRBY: Happy Friday to you.

QUESTION: It's beautiful out there.

MR KIRBY: It is a beautiful day. So let's just keep it short today.

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR KIRBY: All easy questions – two or three – and we'll be done.

QUESTION: What's your favorite color? (Laughter.)

MR KIRBY: Blue.

QUESTION: Purple.

QUESTION: Blue?

MR KIRBY: Blue. Are we done now? Can we go?

QUESTION: Yeah, that's it. Thank you.

MR KIRBY: All right, thank you.

QUESTION: I may have --

MR KIRBY: All right. A couple of things at the top here. Yesterday, the Department of State notified Congress of the decision to re-designate the following countries as Countries of Particular Concern under the International Religious Freedom Act, also known as IRF. These countries are Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, Saudi Arabia, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and for the first time Tajikistan as a Country of Particular Concern. In accordance with the IRF Act, presidential actions for Burma, China, Eritrea, Iran, North Korea, and Sudan have been implemented. We have waived application of presidential actions with respect to Saudi Arabia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan following determinations that the important national interest of the United States required exercising this waiver authority.

These designations help us shine a spotlight on countries and conditions that require the international community's attention. Today and every day, as you know, we are committed to working with governments, civil society organizations, and individuals to achieve our shared interest in promoting peace and stability through, in part, the promotion and protection of all human rights including religious freedoms.

Also just a quick note. I think you've seen the readout statement I just put out a few minutes ago, but I do want to reiterate it here from the podium that the Secretary did speak today over the phone with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov to reiterate our serious concerns over the ongoing threats to the cessation of hostilities in Syria and the urgent need for the Assad regime to stop its violations of the cessation. And we talked a little bit about those violations yesterday.

The Secretary and the foreign minister reaffirmed the importance of the preservation and solidification of the cessation of hostilities, and they both said that all parties needed to comply with the cessation. The Secretary said that the United States expected Russia to urge the regime to comply with the cessation and its requirements under it and that we, the United States, would work with the opposition to do the same.

The Secretary also registered our strong objections to the unsafe maneuvers executed by Russian military aircraft over the USS Donald Cook in the Baltic Sea.

And on Ukraine, Secretary Kerry urged Russia to end the violence along the line of contact, to fully implement its Minsk obligations, and to immediately release Nadia Savchenko and all other remaining hostages.

With that, Matt.

QUESTION: Let's start with the religious freedom designations. So you waived sanctions on Saudi and the 'Stans, right? Is that basically it?

MR KIRBY: Basically.

QUESTION: And so on the countries that didn't get the waiver, what actual sanctions – additional sanctions or sanctions in the first place – have you imposed on them?

MR KIRBY: So this is not about additional sanctions. It's about reaffirming, often in many cases, sanctions or actions – they're not all sanctions – but actions that are already in place. So now it adds a layer of validity to a sanction or an action that's already in place. So as far as I know, there are no additional measures being taken, but the measures that are in place on those countries are now – there's another layer of credibility and validity put on to them.

QUESTION: Right. Except for the fact that it's unclear to me what additional sanctions there were put on these countries for being a Country of Particular Concern in the first place way back when. Do you have that in there?

MR KIRBY: I don't have a list for each country but – hang on a second because I knew you were going to go there.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR KIRBY: In the Federal Register, in a couple of days it will list all in detail what the Countries of Particular Concern are. I mean, I just listed them, but it will list what measures are being taken with respect to each one. In general, what I can tell you is that in the majority of cases these are sanctions or actions that affect the military-to-military relationship and aid and assistance in that regard. Some of it – some of them regard visa restrictions. And there are some additional restrictions placed on some of these countries with respect to other aid and assistance not militarily – not military related. But by and large, the impact will be felt in the military-to-military relationship, and as I said, in these cases those actions are already in place. This is just an extra – this is another layer of validity to our concerns over that particular country.

QUESTION: Well, for example, Iran. What kind military-to-military engagement do you have with the Iranians?

MR KIRBY: Well, as I said --

QUESTION: None.

MR KIRBY: As I said, in most cases it's a military-to-military thing. You're right; in Iran that wouldn't apply.

QUESTION: On China?

MR KIRBY: Again, Matt, I don't have the list here.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR KIRBY: And – but it will be made public soon.

QUESTION: All right, I'll look in the Federal Register.

MR KIRBY: It will be made public soon.

QUESTION: It's required reading every morning.

MR KIRBY: Well, it should be.

QUESTION: Yes.

MR KIRBY: And I'm glad that it is for you.

QUESTION: Yeah. Then on the Lavrov call --

QUESTION: Can I ask about religious freedom?

QUESTION: Yeah.

QUESTION: Really a very quick question. I wonder if you heard or you're aware that the Saudi ambassador to the UN called atheists terrorists? You don't agree with that, do you?

MR KIRBY: I didn't see those.

QUESTION: I mean, atheists, agnostics, or miscreants are not terrorists.

MR KIRBY: I didn't see those comments, but we judge a terrorist --

QUESTION: Would that --

MR KIRBY: We judge a terrorist not by religious affiliation or claims of religious affiliation, but rather their actions. So again, I haven't seen those comments, but I can – go ahead.

QUESTION: Just on the Lavrov call, I'm curious about the Ukraine portion of it. You said that on Ukraine Secretary Kerry urged Russia to end the violence all along the line of contact. Does the United States believe that Russia is responsible for all of the violence all along the line of contact?

MR KIRBY: That there are violent actions or violations being – occurring on both sides, I think is not – we're not disputing that. But we do know they still have influence over the separatists who are the line of contact and who are still implementing --

QUESTION: So that means --

MR KIRBY: Yes.

QUESTION: -- he called on the Russians to use their influence --

MR KIRBY: For their influence for – on the separatists, yes.

QUESTION: Not – okay.

MR KIRBY: Yes.

QUESTION: Woops, excuse me. On Iran, you will have seen that the head of the Iranian central bank is in town. Presume that he – this is one of his first visits here because I believe he would have been covered by some kind of sanction before. He has made it clear that they expect more from you and the EU in the way of sanctions relief. Is that something you're prepared to consider now, having heard it from the head of the central bank?

MR KIRBY: More in terms of sanctions relief?

QUESTION: Yeah, that they're not getting – that they have not yet received the full measure of relief that they believed is due to them --

MR KIRBY: We have met – I think the central piece of his argument was that we've not met or fully complied with our commitments under the JCPOA, and we would dispute that.

QUESTION: He's saying that to meet your commitments you have got to do something that you have said you're not going to do, and that is allow some form of u-turn transaction.

MR KIRBY: Well, I think we've talked about this and that there's not going to be --

QUESTION: Well, we've talked about the u-turn, but there are other ways around it. And I just want to know is that something that you --

MR KIRBY: I don't have anything additional to speak to with that. But I do want to – I do want to make it clear that we have met all our JCPOA commitments.

QUESTION: Okay. So they shouldn't – the Iranians shouldn't be expecting anything more from the United States?

MR KIRBY: We have met all of our JCPOA commitments.

QUESTION: So they shouldn't be expecting anything more?

MR KIRBY: We've met all our commitments under the JCPOA.

QUESTION: Well --

MR KIRBY: So I --

QUESTION: And you're not going to do anything else?

MR KIRBY: There's no need to do more when we've met all of our commitments. Now, we understand that they still have concerns. We understand that they want more relief faster. Remember, it's not just a deal between the United States and Iran; it's the P5+1. So all that I can tell you is we're comfortable that we have met all our commitments under the JCPOA, and we will continue to meet those commitments going forward.

QUESTION: Can we go to Syria?

MR KIRBY: Yeah.

QUESTION: Real quick. Today, the high committee that said that they are – they are fine with having the Syrian regime being part of a transitional period or transitional government and so on, so is that – do you consider that to be a breakthrough? Is that a good thing? I mean, are we likely to have these talks now pick up steam now that --

MR KIRBY: I'm going to refrain from commenting on each and every utterance made out of Geneva.

QUESTION: So the --

MR KIRBY: But let me --

QUESTION: Go on.

MR KIRBY: Just give me a second.

QUESTION: Sure.

MR KIRBY: That we certainly are encouraged that we're now on, what, day three of the next round here of talks and that they're moving forward. I want to refrain from, again, making a judgment call on every day and every little bit of progress. But those comments are certainly – they're encouraging, but we all recognize that there's a long way to go here and there's an awful lot on the agenda to discuss. And one of the things that we would like to see discussed in this round is more particulars on the political transition and more particulars in terms of a process at getting to a draft constitution. So we'd like to see that happen and we're going to be monitoring it as close we can. Our Special Envoy Mike Ratney is out there as he has been for the previous two rounds, and we're watching this as closely as we can.

QUESTION: So you don't see any of the – there is the confrontation, let's say, in and around Aleppo as being a hindrance in any way to these talks, especially now that the high committee has --

MR KIRBY: We don't want it to be, which is one of the reasons why the Secretary raised it with Foreign Minister Lavrov today. I can't be perfectly predictive here to you and tell you that it absolutely will not impact or that it absolutely will. We don't want it to. We want the cessation to continue to hold, and it has been, by and large. It's – there's a fragility there. I don't dispute that. And it is that fragility that the Secretary wanted to make sure he discussed with Foreign Minister Lavrov.

And I would add – again, as I put in the readout, both men agreed that there's a fragility here and that we need to keep working at it to keep it into play – keep it in place. But I can't be predictive in terms of what impact it might have.

QUESTION: Just to continue on the call, though, the calls – in your readout of the call, Kerry calls on Lavrov to rein in the Syrian forces. Is it your position that the Russian forces are not involved in this offensive in Aleppo?

MR KIRBY: I – no, I didn't say that. He certainly – as I said yesterday, we know that some of the regime actions in and around Aleppo are being supported by Russian airstrikes. I mean, that's a matter of fact.

QUESTION: Did Secretary Kerry ask Lavrov for the Russians to stop striking around Aleppo?

MR KIRBY: He made it clear that we're concerned about the violence in and around Aleppo and that the – and our concerns about reports, which we believe are – have credibility, that there are violations of the cessation happening in and around Aleppo. And to the degree that they're aided and abetted by Russian airstrikes, yes, that's a matter of concern for us. But as I said in the readout, he felt it was also important to make the point that we need Russia to continue to use their influence on the Assad regime to stop those violations. And he promised that we would do the same on our part for the opposition groups that we're supporting.

QUESTION: And still on the call, there's another issue to come up in Moscow today. Apparently, Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Qods Force --

MR KIRBY: Yeah.

QUESTION: -- is in Moscow. He's an individual who's still under some U.S. sanctions, I believe. I don't know whether he – Secretary Kerry raised that with Lavrov, and if not, would you like to raise it from the podium?

MR KIRBY: (Laughter.) He did raise it in the call with Foreign Minister Lavrov. We're aware of reports that General Soleimani has traveled to Russia. I can't and we're not in a position to confirm whether that's actually true. But as we've said when there have been previous reports of similar travel, there are UN sanctions on General Soleimani that remain in effect. So such travel, if true, would be a violation of UN Security Council resolutions, and we believe, then, a serious matter of concern to both the UN and to the United States.

QUESTION: Can I ask – go back to the Dr. Araj's killing, the assassination. Do you have any more certain information that he was premeditatedly targeted by the Syrian regime?

MR KIRBY: I don't have additional information on that strike from yesterday, but, I mean, our concern are – still remains true.

QUESTION: Different?

QUESTION: Just about the Soleimani thing.

MR KIRBY: Yeah.

QUESTION: So what was the foreign minister's response? I mean, and what did Secretary Kerry say? Did he ask if these reports were true? Did he say, "Is General Soleimani in Moscow or somewhere else in Russia?"

MR KIRBY: I don't believe it was an extensive part of the conversation. He said – he basically referred to the press reporting that he had seen and that it was a matter of concern for him. I'll let Foreign Minister Lavrov speak for himself on this.

QUESTION: Independent of the press reporting, does the United States have any reason to believe that this is true?

MR KIRBY: We don't have any indication that it's either true or untrue. We have press reporting that we've seen that has given us concern. So we're not in a position to say one way or the other that we think it's true or not.

QUESTION: Okay. And the foreign minister did not say whether it was true or not?

MR KIRBY: Well, I'll let – I'll let the foreign minister speak for himself on that.

QUESTION: Well, I mean, at --

MR KIRBY: But the Secretary did raise the issue and raised our concern.

QUESTION: Fair enough. But after the conversation, were you led to believe that they accepted the concern and --

MR KIRBY: We don't have any additional information after the phone call that would lead us to believe – to be able to confirm the veracity of these reports.

QUESTION: So you are – basically you're, for lack of a better word, clueless about this --

MR KIRBY: I would not use that word, Matt.

QUESTION: -- about whether he's there or not?

MR KIRBY: I would use – I would not use that word particularly, but I would tell you that, as I said previously, we don't have information right now, even after the call, to confirm the veracity of these reports.

QUESTION: Right. Which suggests that the foreign minister said it's not true.

MR KIRBY: I'll leave it where I left it.

Samir.

QUESTION: On the Treasury, what is the significance of the new – what do you call it? – regulations announced by the Treasury today to implement the act against – sanctions act against Hizballah?

MR KIRBY: Yeah, hang on a second.

QUESTION: And what – how is this going to impact the economy of Lebanon?

MR KIRBY: So this is another one of those cases where I'm going to be precise, because I know Matt really appreciates that.

QUESTION: Oh, I do.

MR KIRBY: For the full details of the Treasury OFAC regulations on the Hizballah act, which was published today, I'm going to refer you to the Treasury Department. That said, however, what I can say is that these regulations are a continuation of the U.S. Government's efforts against Hizballah and they give the U.S. Government additional sanctions authorities to go after this terrorist organization and its support apparatus worldwide. Of course, at the same time, the safety, soundness, and security of the Lebanese financial system is a great priority to the United States, and the U.S. Government will act only on the strongest evidence and the most solid evidence in our efforts to isolate Hizballah from the international financial system. But we'll do it in such a way that will support the Lebanese economy, that will support the Lebanese financial system, and will not target innocent people.

QUESTION: What of the timing today?

MR KIRBY: I'd refer you again to the Treasury Department for more detail on that. That's really – this is really their issue to speak to, but I did want to make those broader points at the bottom.

QUESTION: They coincide with the visit of the governor of the Iran central bank today.

MR KIRBY: Again, I would point you to the Treasury Department to speak to the specifics and the timing.

QUESTION: So that's broad precision?

MR KIRBY: That's broad precision, yeah. I think we've coined a new phrase.

QUESTION: How exactly are you going to isolate Hizballah and not impact the Lebanese economy given the role that Hizballah plays in the Lebanese economy?

MR KIRBY: Well, there's no question there's a – there's no question about that influence. And that's why we --

QUESTION: Right. So can you be --

MR KIRBY: -- that's why we're going to be very careful as we do this.

QUESTION: But can you be precise about what that means?

MR KIRBY: I cannot be precise about what that specifically means. I would refer you to the Treasury Department. But it doesn't mean that we're not sincere about the effort and the --

QUESTION: A precise referral to another agency.

MR KIRBY: Yes.

QUESTION: I guess it's better than being referred to North Korea on something, but thank you.

MR KIRBY: You're welcome.

QUESTION: On North Korea?

MR KIRBY: Yeah.

QUESTION: Do you have any --

MR KIRBY: Here we go.

QUESTION: Do you have a response --

MR KIRBY: We're off to the races.

QUESTION: -- to the report that North Korea launched a missile last night and which apparently failed?

MR KIRBY: Yeah, I've seen – we obviously have been seeing these reports of a failed missile launch. I don't have any additional specific information to confirm it one way or the other. We certainly have been monitoring it. I think, again, just worth pivoting to the larger point here that these kinds of activities – which they've done before – and while I'm in no position to confirm that it happened yesterday, I'm also not in a position to say that it didn't. And if it did, it would certainly be yet another example of them violating their international obligations and just further destabilizing the peninsula. And once again, we call on them to cease these activities and prove that they're willing to return to the Six-Party Talks process.

QUESTION: Can I stay in the region? On Japan. Do you have any update on assistance to the --

MR KIRBY: Yes, thank you for that. And I meant to say something at the top, and I didn't, and I apologize. We've just seen these reports of yet another earthquake today, this one, as I understand it, on Kyushu Island. We are not aware of any requests for U.S. assistance at this time. But as I said yesterday, we stand ready to provide any and all assistance that the Japanese Government may require. Obviously, our thoughts and prayers go out to everybody affected by the earthquake – this second one as well. And we're monitoring as best we can. We're in touch with authorities in Japan, but I don't have anything specific to announce today with respect to assistance.

QUESTION: Are you aware of any U.S. persons who have been caught up in this?

MR KIRBY: I'm not at this time, no. But as I said, it just happened, the one yesterday and then another one just a little bit ago, so we're watching this as closely as we can.

QUESTION: How about travel advisories?

MR KIRBY: We did issue the – we did issue an alert yesterday, our embassy did, to Americans in the area. But I don't know of anything additional from the one yesterday?

QUESTION: Can I stay on the region?

MR KIRBY: Sure.

QUESTION: On Burma. On the top of the briefing, you mentioned that religious freedom and actions, and Burma is one country – can – do you know, is that mil-to-mil related, or visa? I mean – and does the recent democratic development in Burma has any one way or the other affect the decision today?

MR KIRBY: This decision was made based on a report, the religious freedom report. These designations were made based on the Religious Freedom Report that we are required to submit every year by Congress. So I don't know specifically – I mean, there was a lot of factors that went into it. I don't have specific information with respect to the – what you're asking me.

And on the sanctions or measures that will be – that this will add a layer to, again, I'd point you to what's going to come out in the next day or two in the Federal Register. I do not have the list of everything that's in place on Burma. So we'll – I'll point you to the Federal Register when it comes out.

QUESTION: And then can I follow up quickly on the phone call between Secretary Kerry and Lavrov? On Ukraine, do you see any spike in the conflicts in eastern Ukraine?

MR KIRBY: Spike?

QUESTION: Mm-hmm.

MR KIRBY: What we've seen is a continued trend now over recent weeks of violations along the line of contact. And we have reason to believe that the majority of those are caused by the Russian-backed separatists, and so it remains a concern. And again, Minsk is very clear about what the requirements are about pulling forces back, withdrawing heavy weaponry, and about progress towards elections. So again, that was – this fact that we have seen now over recent weeks this continued fighting – sporadic though it may be, continued – is a reason why the Secretary felt it was important to raise today. And it's Ukraine – not a surprise, I don't think, to you, but it's obviously a topic that he very frequently raises in his conversations with Foreign Minister Lavrov.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Turkey blocked the website of Russian news agency Sputnik within hours of the Russian president's critical comments of Turkish leaders. Do you see this as an extension of the Turkish Government's crackdown on media?

MR KIRBY: Hang on a second. I think I've got something on that.

So we are aware of reports that there's no access to Sputnik – the Sputnik website from Turkey. We'd refer you to Turkish authorities for further information about that. But broadly speaking and not specifically on this, as you know, we encourage all governments to take every precaution to protect freedom of expression.

QUESTION: Well, immediately, almost immediately after the March crackdown on the Zaman newspaper, you said, "We see this as the latest in a series of troubling judicial and law enforcement actions taken by the Turkish Government targeting media outlets and others critical of it." Do you not see it as part of – do you see this as part of a series of troubling actions taken by Turkey?

MR KIRBY: As I said, broadly speaking, we have made – have been very clear about our belief in the freedom of expression in Turkey and elsewhere. As for this particular report, which, as I – as far as I know, we've only just become aware of, I'd refer you to Turkish authorities. We're aware of reports that Sputnik is blocked in Turkey. The Turkish Government is the place to go to ask these --

QUESTION: Does that concern you?

MR KIRBY: -- particular questions. As I said, broadly speaking – not just on this case, but broadly speaking – we have made our views about freedom of expression well known.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Can I change topics?

QUESTION: Well, can we stay on that subject broadly? Do you have any thoughts at all about Germany going ahead with potential prosecution of this comedian who allegedly insulted President Erdogan?

MR KIRBY: What I would tell – well, so I'm going to refer you to the German Government for this --

QUESTION: With precision.

MR KIRBY: -- but I would – yes. I thought I had it here. I'm going to refer you to the German Government on this, but I would in so doing again note – which I think you realize – that Chancellor Merkel has indicated an effort separately to amend this law. But I'd refer you to German authorities on this.

QUESTION: Yeah. But just in general – I mean, do you think it's a good – you think it's okay for governments to prosecute entertainers based on complaints from foreign leaders?

MR KIRBY: As I understand that this is a German law that, again, the chancellor is looking to amend and --

QUESTION: Well, that's great, but it doesn't – it's on the books now and they're looking into prosecuting this guy for it – under it. So that's my – I'm asking you about that. I'm not asking you about whether the law --

MR KIRBY: I know what you're asking me about. I'm saying we're going to refer you – I'm going to refer you to the German Government to speak to this particular case, and I would note what the chancellor has both said and tried to do in relation to this case. But – so I'm not going to comment further than that. As I said in my previous answer, our views on freedom of expression are well known, but I'd refer you to the German Government for comment on this.

QUESTION: So you think that the freedom of expression should be upheld in Germany as in Turkey?

MR KIRBY: We believe and I think – we just released the Human Rights Report a couple of days ago, which makes it clear that obviously we support --

QUESTION: I know. I'll look in the Human Rights Report on Germany.

MR KIRBY: We --

QUESTION: Does it talk about this law? Does it say that the law is a bad thing?

MR KIRBY: We support freedom of expression around the world. You know that. It's a longstanding core principle of us.

QUESTION: I'm just trying to get you to say that in relation to Germany specifically.

MR KIRBY: I am going to refer you to the German Government for details on this particular law and the application of this – in this particular case. I am not going to wade into that today. Again, I would just point you to what the chancellor has said herself about this.

QUESTION: I did look at the Human Rights Report page on Germany. You do criticize Germany's record in repressing the freedom of speech of neo-Nazis and the religious freedom of Scientologists. Perhaps in next year's report we can add satirists.

MR KIRBY: Well, let's wait till next year's report.

Said.

QUESTION: Well, but wait a second. If you didn't – if it's not – if this law isn't mentioned in the report – and I haven't looked at the German page, but I will – why isn't it mentioned if this is an issue of concern?

MR KIRBY: I don't have a good answer for you there if it's not listed. We – the Human Rights Report, as you know, is a year or more in the making, so --

QUESTION: But this law has been on the books for, like, a century.

MR KIRBY: Yeah, I get that. I get that. It's a pretty comprehensive list of our concerns and it's pretty --

QUESTION: All right.

MR KIRBY: -- open and candid about it. Yeah.

QUESTION: Can I ask a couple question about the Palestinian-Israeli issue --

MR KIRBY: Sure.

QUESTION: -- very, very briefly? The organization Americans for Peace Now issued a report saying that unlike what the Israelis claim, the units advanced a couple days ago almost at the same time as you were doing your Human Rights Report – actually are new units, new – new settlement units and so on. So I wonder – I know – I mean, I sound redundant because we always talk about the settlements --

MR KIRBY: Yeah.

QUESTION: -- but I want to give you a chance to respond to this particular one.

MR KIRBY: We have seen reports that settlement plans were advanced for units – as you say, new units in Israeli settlements throughout the West Bank. We're still looking into the details on this. And we've also seen the prime minister's statement that acknowledges that at least some new units were advanced. Our position, as you know, on settlement activity remains very clear and consistent. We strongly oppose all settlement activity which we believe is counterproductive to the cause of peace.

QUESTION: So, I mean, in that context, going back to Michael's question yesterday and my question, seeing that the Israelis are basically there, they seem to be quite dismissive of your position on settlement, why not go to a forum like the United Nations and have a unanimous kind of resolution that calls for the end of settlement activity?

MR KIRBY: Said, I think we talked about this yesterday.

QUESTION: I understand, but I mean if they keep doing --

MR KIRBY: I'm not going to have a different answer for you today. We --

QUESTION: All right. Let me ask you a couple more questions. I want to ask you about Gaza. Gaza – yesterday marked, like, the 12th year since it's been in the dark, so to speak, since the Israelis hit the power plants. They have, like, two or three hours a day, and truly the situation is getting quite – deteriorating. I wonder if you are doing anything to sort of perhaps appeal with the Israelis to allow cement, to allow a power plant, allow all these things that just make life livable for the population.

MR KIRBY: Well, what we're doing is – and we're – look, we're all mindful of the situation in Gaza – the unemployment, the fact that power is often only on for a portion of the day, and the difficulty getting aid and assistance in. So we're mindful – very mindful of the situation there. So to your question, "What are we doing," we're calling – as we have consistently called – on the international community to deliver on the pledges that were made in the 2014 Gaza reconstruction conference that was held in Cairo. And I would add that the U.S. has fulfilled all of our pledges with respect to that conference to the tune of about $414 million. So we've done – we've met our pledge to this situation and we are going to continue to call on other countries to meet theirs.

QUESTION: And finally, my last question regarding the wall in the Bethlehem area, the Cremisan Valley, which will prevent 60 Palestinian families from reaching their farms and so on. I wonder if you have – the EU issued a statement expressing their concern. I wonder if you're doing the same thing or if you have a comment on that.

MR KIRBY: Well, we have been consistent on --

QUESTION: Right.

MR KIRBY: -- and we've been clear in our support for Israel's right – in fact, their obligation to defend itself and to defend their citizens. Security measures to that effect, which include a separation barrier, should balance the need, we believe, to provide security with mitigating the impact on the vast majority of Palestinian civilians not engaged in terrorism. So the separation barrier, in short, should not be used to demarcate or to prejudge political boundaries as Israel themselves – as the government there has previously pledged it wouldn't do.

QUESTION: So that's fine, but you do call on the Israelis to build the – all the barriers that they want on their own side of --

MR KIRBY: No, that's not what I said at all. I said we – they have a right to defend themselves --

QUESTION: Right, but --

MR KIRBY: -- and to protect their citizens.

QUESTION: -- but this wall is in Palestinian land, it's in occupied land. So that definitely just complicates (inaudible) to say – I mean, to --

MR KIRBY: Well, I said --

QUESTION: -- to understate it (inaudible) --

MR KIRBY: As I said, what we want to see – if there's going to be a separation barrier – a wall, if you will – we want to see it serve a proper balance between the need for providing security and with mitigating the impact on the lives of the vast majority of Palestinian civilians that are not terrorists.

Yeah, Goyal.

QUESTION: India. John, a couple of questions on U.S.-India relations. This month, especially this week, a lot happened between U.S.-India relations starting with the National Security Summit and also then U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter was in India and now the Indian defense – Indian Finance Minister Mr. Jaitley is here. He has been talking at the World Bank, IMF, and also at the Carnegie Institute, talking about the future goals of U.S.-India economic trade and other relations. So where do we go from here? What – finance minister said that India is growing faster than many countries here meeting in Washington. So they – India – he said they need further help, more help to grow. So where do the relation stands now on these fronts: defense, economic trade, and also give and take politically?

MR KIRBY: I mean, look, our ties and our relationship with India are very strong and we look to make them stronger, and that's why you saw Secretary Carter sign this joint statement with his Indian counterpart to improve our defense cooperation across a wide range of military activities. And you said – you just said it yourself, India's participation in the Nuclear Security Summit, yet another area of cooperation between the United States and India. So broadly speaking, this is an important relationship that we very much value and look forward to trying to improve going forward across all the sectors.

QUESTION: And one more. As far as education is concerned between the U.S.-India Education Initiative – Knowledge Initiative, there are over 125 Indian students in various universities and institutions around the U.S. But many people have set up here fake universities – and they get not necessarily fake visas, but they have real visas, but fake universities – and 21 people now in jail in New Jersey. And they brought over 1,000 students and they are in limbo now, those students, but they have a student visa somehow from India consulates or embassies and all that. So what is their future now? And what is, therefore – what they're asking is that we have the legitimate visa and we were told –

MR KIRBY: I understand that.

QUESTION: -- given the legitimate institute to be study here in the U.S.

MR KIRBY: I understand that. And you're not going to like this answer, but this is an – it's an ongoing investigation and I'm not going to speak to it. I get everything that you're saying, but this is really a matter for law enforcement agencies to speak to, not the State Department. And again, I understand completely and I understand the concerns expressed by Indian authorities and even some of these young individuals. But as there is an ongoing investigation looking into this, it would be inappropriate for me to speak with – to any more detail.

QUESTION: What can we do in the future so not to lure all these students from the various Indian universities to come here and bring – tell them that we have jobs for you and you will be going in the best universities in the U.S., but they find there's no university and there's no building or nothing?

MR KIRBY: Again, Goyal, I understand the question and the basis for it, but I'm really going to have to refer you to law enforcement agencies on this one. Okay?

QUESTION: Thank you, sir.

MR KIRBY: Go ahead.

QUESTION: Can I go back for a moment to Turkey's blocking the --

MR KIRBY: You can go back to whatever you want.

QUESTION: Thank you. Can you say that you disapprove of such action?

MR KIRBY: I've answered your question, ma'am. You know very well, because you sit in these briefings and you know what we've said about freedom of expression, and you've heard very well the concerns that we've expressed about Turkey in particular when it comes to media freedoms and the worrisome trends that we've seen there. You're asking me to hitch this particular donkey to that wagon, and what I'm telling you is we've made very clear what --

QUESTION: (Off-mike.)

MR KIRBY: What? I thought it was a good analogy.

QUESTION: It's great. And you --

QUESTION: Why is this --

MR KIRBY: We've made very clear what our concerns are on freedom of expression, particularly in Turkey. These reports are fresh, we just saw them, and I don't have anything additional to add to this. And Turkish authorities, as I've said before in other cases, are the best place to go for looking into the justification for this. But again, just seen the reports. I'm aware of reports that Sputnik is blocked.

QUESTION: Can you get whales and icebergs in there too?

MR KIRBY: I can try. (Laughter.) I can try.

QUESTION: Can I go to the --

MR KIRBY: I got a bunch of animal analogies.

QUESTION: Nigel Farage, the leader of the UK Independence Party, said that President Barack Obama is the most anti-British President in U.S. history. Obviously, he's not aware that George Washington and James Madison declared war on the United Kingdom. But leaving aside this precise point --

MR KIRBY: Who said what?

QUESTION: Nigel Farage, the head of the UK Independence Party. He's one of the leaders of the Brexit campaign.

MR KIRBY: Said that President Obama --

QUESTION: The most anti-British President in American history.

MR KIRBY: I haven't seen those comments, but clearly --

QUESTION: I have a more pertinent question based on those.

MR KIRBY: Okay. All right.

QUESTION: I'm not going to necessarily ask you to defend President Obama's love or non-love for the United Kingdom. But he has – his planned visit will involve a speech in favor of staying in Europe, so he has intervened in a domestic debate, and it's obviously, judging by the opinion polls, going to be quite a tight debate, so he's going to offend 49 or 51 percent of the British people with this. Does intervening in the debate for – in what is a domestic debate, does that put into difficulties the traditional special relationship?

MR KIRBY: I'm not going to speak to the President's agenda, and I'm certainly not going to get ahead of remarks that the President may or may not make. So I would refer you to my White House colleagues on the specifics of what – the President's schedule and his remarks. It's really not my place to speak to.

I'll only say two things. One, as Secretary Kerry has said, we believe in a strong UK and a strong EU, and the Secretary has said that more than once. Number two, these are matters for the British people. And then, I guess if I would add a third, I mean, I don't see anything today, tomorrow, or anything on the horizon that's going to disrupt the special relationship we have with the people of Great Britain or the government there. It is as close a relationship as we have with any other nation anywhere in the world, and we do define it as a special relationship. And I see absolutely nothing changing that going forward.

QUESTION: So the President's also having lunch with the queen. Does that he mean that he supports monarchy as a form of --

MR KIRBY: I think it's support – I think it shows that he supports having lunch.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR KIRBY: And lunch is a good thing. Thanks, everybody.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR KIRBY: Have a great weekend.

(The briefing was concluded at 2:49 p.m.)