Daily Press Briefing
Elizabeth Trudeau
Director, Press Office
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
May 10, 2016
Index for Today's Briefing
AFGHANISTAN
PHILIPPINES
IRAN
SYRIA
EAST ASIA / REGION
YEMEN
AFGHANISTAN
PAKISTAN
NORTH KOREA
JAPAN
DEPARTMENT
TRANSCRIPT:
2:01 p.m. EDT
MS. TRUDEAU: Hello, everyone. Welcome to the State Department. I have a couple things at the top.
So first, you may have seen reports from the Pentagon, U.S. Special Force – Special Operation Forces partnered with Afghan National Defense and Security Forces today in a counterterrorism operation in Paktika province, Afghanistan. The raid resulted in the successful recovery of Ali Haider Gilani, the son of Pakistan's former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, who had been held hostage since May 2013. Senior officials have been in contact with Afghan and Pakistani authorities on the operation as well as on the repatriation of Mr. Gilani. This raid demonstrates the growing capabilities and effectiveness of the Afghan Security Forces and is an excellent example of the strong security and intelligence partnership between Afghan and U.S. forces in counterterrorism operations against the remnants of al-Qaida. Working alongside our Afghan partners will continue to make clear there's no safe haven for terrorists in Afghanistan.
Next, I mentioned this yesterday, but we'd like to say it again. The United States commends the Philippines on its May 9th elections, which by all major accounts appears to have gone smoothly and enjoyed historically high levels of participation. We're still awaiting the official results, but we look forward to congratulating and working with the winners on our active and close bilateral relationship.
QUESTION: Was there some particular reason you decided to repeat what you said yesterday?
MS. TRUDEAU: So the – several of the presidential candidates noted that a winner has been unofficially named.
QUESTION: Can I follow up on that?
QUESTION: Right. Well, yeah, I mean – well, so the unofficial winner --
MS. TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- are there – do you have any concerns about this guy? He's got somewhat of a –
MS. TRUDEAU: So --
QUESTION: -- there are allegations of somewhat of a checkered past.
MS. TRUDEAU: So as stated, we look forward to working and congratulating the winner. Washington respects the choice of the Philippines people. We gladly work with the leader they've selected.
QUESTION: Okay. So there are no concerns about this guy?
MS. TRUDEAU: We look forward to congratulating, welcome, and working with him.
QUESTION: Are you --
QUESTION: So there are no concerns about this guy?
MS. TRUDEAU: So we look forward to working with him.
QUESTION: Are there any concerns about this guy?
MS. TRUDEAU: At this stage, we'll work with the people – or the individual that the Filipinos have elected.
QUESTION: Are we talking about the same guy?
MS. TRUDEAU: Yes.
QUESTION: The – Rodrigo Duterte?
MS. TRUDEAU: Yes.
QUESTION: Okay. And as Matt said, you're – there's no concerns about this, about working with him specifically, even though documents do show that --
MS. TRUDEAU: So we respect the choice of the Philippines.
QUESTION: Even if he has a pretty colorful offensive language? He has insulted the Pope for example. The U.S. has no – has not pointed out – has no concern --
MS. TRUDEAU: No. We've spoken about rhetoric around the world and not specifically in this case. We look forward to working with the leader that the Philippines has elected.
QUESTION: And he said also – he said also on the South China Sea – he said also that he wants to have a constructive relationship with China and maybe a direct dialogue with China.
MS. TRUDEAU: So we --
QUESTION: Do you have any comment?
MS. TRUDEAU: Yeah. So we've seen those comments. The United States has consistently expressed support for nations to exercise peaceful means to resolve territorial or maritime disputes without the use of force, intimidation, or coercion. So we expect the official results from the Philippines to come out soon; we look forward to working with the people they elected.
Matt.
QUESTION: Huh? Oh. Well, I just – I have two logistical things.
MS. TRUDEAU: Sure.
QUESTION: They can wait until the end.
MS. TRUDEAU: We can do whatever you like.
QUESTION: So Iran.
MS. TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: You will have seen probably that they say that they have taken delivery of the S-300?
MS. TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: Did you guys ever decide whether this was something that was destabilizing or – destabilizing to the region, that would trigger more sanctions?
MS. TRUDEAU: So we're aware of reports of progress towards the delivery by Russia of the S-300 defensive missile system. We've been making clear our objections to any sale of the S-300 missile system for quite a while. The Secretary has raised it with Foreign Minister Lavrov repeatedly. We have long objected to the sale of such sophisticated defense capabilities. We continue to monitor it closely.
QUESTION: So --
MS. TRUDEAU: And while we're opposed to the sale, it is not a violation of the JCPOA or UN Security Council Resolution 2231.
QUESTION: No, it's not. But it is – but it is if you determine that it is destabilizing or provocative, you are able to impose sanctions because of it. And the last we checked, you guys were in the process of responding to a letter from the Hill about whether or not this met that standard. So is that --
MS. TRUDEAU: Yeah. I'm not going to get ahead of those sanctions discussions now. But I do take your point.
QUESTION: Well, is the review still going on? Have you responded to the letter?
MS. TRUDEAU: I have no update on that. I'll check in on the status of the letter.
QUESTION: All right. And then, other thing on Iran is that in Syria today there – some of these Iranians who were the IRGC troops who were taken captive – it seems more of them have been killed, it looks like. And there's a question about whether – about who is holding them. Do you have any insight?
MS TRUDEAU: I don't. I have nothing to confirm there, Matt.
QUESTION: All right.
QUESTION: Can I go to Syria next?
MS TRUDEAU: Are we good on Syria? Yeah.
QUESTION: I have one on Iran.
QUESTION: But before we go --
MS TRUDEAU: Okay, you know what? Let me go to Iran quick.
QUESTION: I just want to follow up on the S-300.
MS TRUDEAU: Sure.
QUESTION: You said it's – they are – it's a defensive weapon, correct?
MS TRUDEAU: Yes.
QUESTION: So why, in principle, will the United States be opposed --
MS TRUDEAU: It's a sophisticated military piece of apparatus --
QUESTION: I understand. But it is --
MS TRUDEAU: -- we have concerns about.
QUESTION: -- but it does – it cannot be re-equipped to be used offensively, could it?
MS TRUDEAU: So our concerns are on --
QUESTION: So they're actually – they will use them if they are attacked, right?
MS TRUDEAU: I'm not going to talk about how they could use them. We've made our concerns known for quite some time on this specific piece of military equipment. It's very sophisticated military equipment. Our position on the S-300 and that sale has not changed.
QUESTION: So there's always the fear that they can use that technology --
MS TRUDEAU: I can --
QUESTION: -- obtain that technology and use it offensively?
MS TRUDEAU: I'm going to leave that our concerns are there.
Laura, you had a question on Iran.
QUESTION: Amir Hekmati filed a complaint against the Government Iran – of Iran in a federal court about the conditions of his imprisonment. I guess, first of all, what's your reaction to this complaint, and does he have a right to sue the Iranian Government?
MS TRUDEAU: Okay. So we're aware of the media reports around this lawsuit. The U.S. Government is not a party to this private civil action and we have no comment on the case.
QUESTION: But just generally speaking --
MS TRUDEAU: I have to leave it there.
QUESTION: -- under this condition could the lawsuit be filed? Are you concerned about possible retribution lawsuits against the U.S.?
MS TRUDEAU: I'm going to leave that there.
Okay, Said.
QUESTION: Can you just take the question about whether or not the Administration is going to take – I realize you have not yet, but --
MS TRUDEAU: About the sanctions?
QUESTION: Well, because the U.S., the federal government, has intervened in previous similar cases in the past, and there was one case involving the Palestinians where the Department of Justice --
MS TRUDEAU: Oh, on the civil action?
QUESTION: Yeah. Department of Justice --
MS TRUDEAU: I can check with that, and if we have any update --
QUESTION: -- intervened and opposed --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: So --
MS TRUDEAU: I can check on that --
QUESTION: Thank you.
MS TRUDEAU: -- but I think we'll stay where we are on that.
Said. Yeah.
QUESTION: I wanted to ask you, the Syrian Government issued a statement or it's attributed to them that the situation in Aleppo, that the tensions in Aleppo have been really reduced and the situation has deescalated, that it gives hope for the current pause – for it to continue. Is that your feeling? Are you advocating for that? Are you pushing for that, for the cessation to continue for another week --
MS TRUDEAU: So we spoke about this --
QUESTION: Yes.
MS TRUDEAU: -- a little bit yesterday, but I appreciate the question. I'm not going to speak to the Syrian Government's exact statement. But let's --
QUESTION: Can you confirm that it has come down a lot?
MS TRUDEAU: So what we've seen is the cessation is not uniformly, not 100 percent has reduced violence, as we've seen. Our view on a cessation of hostilities – it is a fundamentally good thing, of course. It alleviates, though it doesn't remove, some of the suffering of the Syrian people. Any reduction in violence is good.
Again, I can't confirm that all reduction – or all violence has been stemmed. We see these periodic reports. But a cessation of hostilities – our goal is that it's open-ended. Our goal is that it's nationwide, because that creates the political space where we can continue to have these conversations under de Mistura and actually seek that political transition.
QUESTION: Now let me ask you conversely, considering or in light of the statements made by Ayman Zawahiri, repeated statements, the head of al-Qaida, are you concerned that this pause in fighting might give al-Qaida a push to sort of regroup and re-attack?
MS TRUDEAU: No, because what we're concerned is that this fighting creates the sort of ungoverned spaces in which terrorists breed and which terrorism spread. So the political transition and a stable Syria is in the best interests of all of us.
QUESTION: Mm-hmm. And finally, so what is the next step in terms of the talks that are ongoing? Do we have --
MS TRUDEAU: So I think you saw Secretary Kerry said today that the ISSG will meet May 17th in Vienna. He will co-host with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov this meeting to reaffirm and strengthen the nationwide cessation of hostilities throughout Syria. He'll discuss the tangible steps the ISSG can support and take to ensure full, unimpeded, and sustained humanitarian access throughout the country, especially in the besieged and hard-to-reach areas, and he'll advance discussions between the Syrian parties on a genuine political transition in accordance with the Geneva communique.
QUESTION: So yesterday, we went on at length, some length, about the joint U.S.-Russia statement --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- which you said that the Administration's position was that this statement reaffirmed the entire cease – the nationwide --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- cessation of hostilities and there was no longer, then, any need for these localized extension – or extensions of localized cessations of hostilities. Like an hour after we --
MS TRUDEAU: I know.
QUESTION: -- finished this – that conversation, the Syrian Government announced a 48-hour extension of the localized Aleppo cessation. So I'm wondering: Does that mean that your interpretation of this joint statement is wrong, or does it mean that the Russians and the Syrians have a different interpretation of it? What does it mean?
MS TRUDEAU: I would say that we stand behind our statement yesterday, co-signed by the Russians, co-released by the Russians, which is an open-ended reaffirmation of the cessation of hostilities. As we talked about yesterday, some of these small sort of area-limited, time-limited cessation of hostilities continue to be confidence-building measures. Our reaffirmation is that the cessation of hostilities is open-ended, it's national. That said --
QUESTION: Yes, but it's not.
MS TRUDEAU: So that said, as I said --
QUESTION: I mean, you can't just pretend that it just --
MS TRUDEAU: No, but – and like I --
QUESTION: -- applies indefinitely across the country, when the Syrians who are actually on the ground doing the fighting --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- with the Russians are doing it piecemeal --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- and in time-limited durations.
MS TRUDEAU: So our commitment, like I said, is that it is open-ended. That's what the Russians signed up to as well, Matt.
QUESTION: Yeah, but it's not.
MS TRUDEAU: Well, so when you see these small, like, 48-hour, 24-hour cessation of hostilities, as I said – so our cessation of hostilities, what we said yesterday in the statement, open-ended, nationwide.
QUESTION: Yeah, I know, but that --
MS TRUDEAU: These small ones – these --
QUESTION: -- doesn't concur with reality. The reality is is that the Syrians have not --
MS TRUDEAU: And the reality is there is violence on the ground.
QUESTION: I know. But the reality is not – I'm talking about in terms of the cessation of hostilities. You say it's one thing and insist that that's what it is, when it's not, because the people who are doing the fighting – the Syrian Government – are doing it piecemeal and in short durations.
MS TRUDEAU: We talked about this some yesterday. These small confidence-building measures released are --
QUESTION: So you don't --
MS TRUDEAU: So – I'm sorry, go ahead.
QUESTION: You don't – you don't see the localized 48-hour extension that the Syrians announced yesterday as being in contradiction to the joint statement?
MS TRUDEAU: No, I don't.
QUESTION: All right.
MS TRUDEAU: Thank you. Any more on Syria?
QUESTION: Yeah. Can you tell me about the discussion the Secretary had with Lavrov this morning?
MS TRUDEAU: Okay, I can confirm that they did have a call, it's my understanding. It was a logistical call. It's one of the calls that the Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov have had frequently in the last couple weeks, but I don't have anything more to read out on that.
QUESTION: There was nothing about the open-ended --
MS TRUDEAU: Short-term cessation? No, but I think our statement, which is very clear yesterday and was agreed to and co-released by the Russians, speaks to that.
Syria?
QUESTION: (Inaudible) neither of these people are paid to make logistical calls.
MS TRUDEAU: I'm sorry?
QUESTION: Why did two ministers-level people make a logistical call?
MS TRUDEAU: I think it talks to the importance that – of both these countries and the commitment that we have to ensuring the political transition and the cessation. We have these calls.
Syria?
QUESTION: Yes.
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: So with the small 48-, 24-hour, 72-hour extensions – so the one that was announced by the government yesterday, that's set to expire at midnight Thursday, so 12:01 a.m. Syria time Thursday – what's the current plan? Is there any – is there any --
MS TRUDEAU: Our current plan, like we've spoke to --
QUESTION: Well, I mean, is there any efforts to extend that further, or is the government just going to say 12:01 Thursday, it's not on?
MS TRUDEAU: Well, it was the Syrian Government who announced it. Our position, as was the Russian position: open-ended, countrywide. We will continue to make the case for that. It doesn't say that there's not violence. It doesn't say that there are these areas where there's conflict that flares up.
QUESTION: But I mean, as of now, the Syrian Government can just – I mean, will fiat that the ceasefire is not on, on Thursday at 12:01.
MS TRUDEAU: Well, and we expect and we have had the Russians recommit to their influence, and we see that that influence has worked in the past.
QUESTION: Does this mean, Elizabeth, that the U.S. and Russia decide and the opposition and the Syrian regime should imply?
MS TRUDEAU: No. I think what it says is that a cessation of hostilities is best for the people of Syria. And this is the understanding we have seen, speaking specifically, like I just mentioned, that the Russians do have influence, that cessation of hostilities in the past has worked. Just because we see these flares or we see these piecemeal approach doesn't mean that we are backing off our commitment to make it open-ended and nationwide.
Okay, are we done with Syria? Okay.
QUESTION: On China, South China Sea --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- in regards to the most recent freedom of navigation exercises, the Chinese Government said that the ships entered the water illegally and that this was a threat to peace and stability in the region. Do you have a response to that?
MS TRUDEAU: Sure. So I've got a bit, so bear with me.
The Department of Defense conducted a freedom of navigation operation in the South China Sea, specifically in the region of Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands, to uphold the rights and freedoms of all states under international law and to challenge excessive maritime claims of some claimants in the South China Sea. These excessive maritime claims are inconsistent with international law as reflected in the Law of the Sea covenant in that they purport to restrict the navigational rights that the United States and all states are entitled to exercise.
During this operation, a U.S. Navy surface ship exercised the right of innocent passage while transiting inside 12 nautical miles of Fiery Cross Reef, a high-tide feature that is occupied by China but also claimed by the Philippines, Taiwan, and Vietnam. No claimants were notified prior to the transit, which is also consistent with our normal process and international law.
This operation challenged attempts by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam to restrict navigational rights around the features they claim, specifically that these three claimants purport to require prior permission or notification of transits through the territorial sea, contrary to international law. Because the Philippines maritime claims in relation to South China Sea features do not purport to restrict the exercise of navigational rights and freedoms under the Law of the Sea by the United States and others, they were not challenged during this operation.
And you had a specific question on China?
QUESTION: And so do you have a response to the Chinese claims that they were illegal?
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah, well, this operation was not singling out China. The operation challenged maritime claims of China, Taiwan, and Vietnam.
QUESTION: Can I ask two things about this?
MS TRUDEAU: Of course.
QUESTION: Who determines what is an excessive maritime claim? Who determines "excessive"?
MS TRUDEAU: So it is – there's – it is consistent with the Law of the Sea. It's the international understanding of what innocent passage is.
QUESTION: The United States is not a party to the UNCLOS, isn't that correct?
MS TRUDEAU: So we have conducted freedom of navigations --
QUESTION: But that's not my question.
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah. So for – it's --
QUESTION: So do China, Taiwan, and the Philippines say that their own claims are excessive? Seems to me that you have just decided that they're excessive because – under the terms of a treaty to which you're not a party.
MS TRUDEAU: So they have asserted requirements for vessels transiting and it is inconsistent with International Law of the Sea.
QUESTION: But you didn't --
MS TRUDEAU: The U.S. operation – our freedom of navigation challenges that as these signatories. So --
QUESTION: Yeah, but you didn't – but you ignored them. Basically, you just – this ship just barged in without --
MS TRUDEAU: In – and consistent with international maritime law.
QUESTION: Yeah, yeah, but I mean, you didn't notify anybody.
MS TRUDEAU: No, we did not notify them.
QUESTION: You just went in, but that's not – my question is: Who decides whether a claim is excessive?
MS TRUDEAU: So it's – it is the International Law of the Sea, it's my understanding, that determines --
QUESTION: But you're not a party to the International Law of the Sea.
MS TRUDEAU: But this is a common understanding among these claimants.
QUESTION: Well, do they say that their own claims are excessive?
MS TRUDEAU: So there's three nations --
QUESTION: Yes.
MS TRUDEAU: -- that have – have done that.
QUESTION: Well, not nations, careful, because one of them's Taiwan.
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah, thank you. Three – well, and the Philippines as well as Taiwan that have said claims to this feature in the South China Sea in the Spratly lines.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) acknowledge any of them except your – you're saying that their claim is excessive?
MS TRUDEAU: So we were operating in accordance with international maritime law.
QUESTION: I know, but do any of them agree with you that their own claims --
MS TRUDEAU: I would ask them.
QUESTION: -- are excessive?
MS TRUDEAU: I would ask them on that.
QUESTION: Well, if they don't, then I don't – okay. Oh, and then – no, that's it on that.
MS TRUDEAU: Okay.
QUESTION: Well, I have a follow-up on the claim.
MS TRUDEAU: Sure.
QUESTION: Does one not see this as a – as prodding China? I know you say here that the operation was not singling out China --
MS TRUDEAU: No.
QUESTION: -- but it is close to a reef that China claims as its own.
MS TRUDEAU: No, we don't believe these are provocative at all. Around the world, we conduct freedom of navigations in accordance with international law.
QUESTION: But does one – one doesn't sail close to the specific reef or any of those others --
MS TRUDEAU: No, we don't see this as singling out any country. We don't single – we don't view this as provocative at all. Anything else on South China Sea?
Said.
QUESTION: Can we go to Yemen?
MS TRUDEAU: Of course.
QUESTION: Okay. I know you talked about the talks yesterday --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- but I wanted to ask you about the – apparently the contingent – the American Special Forces contingent that went to --
MS TRUDEAU: In Mukalla?
QUESTION: -- into Yemen in Mukalla. Is that part of a, like, grander plan to bring about stability and so on?
MS TRUDEAU: So, no, this was limited support. So the Department of Defense has actually spoken to this. U.S. Central Command provided limited support to an anti-al-Qaida of the Arabian Peninsula operation led by Yemeni, Saudi, and Emirati forces in and around Mukalla. We remain concerned about AQAP and we welcome the operations taken by the Yemeni forces with the support of the Emirati and the Saudi forces to address this. It was limited.
QUESTION: Right. As far as the al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula is concerned, it was really one of the showcases of this Administration, because they basically decimated al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula. But then this war brought them back, by and large due to, let's – to the war that is being waged --
MS TRUDEAU: It's true.
QUESTION: -- by Saudi Arabia and others. So it's like a – it's kind of --
MS TRUDEAU: Al-Qaida has taken advantage of the instability in Yemen. This was an operation. And again, we thank the Saudis and the Emiratis as well as the Yemenis for moving forward on this operation.
QUESTION: And lastly, today they exchanged – the fighting forces exchanged prisoners and so on. Do you see this as a step forward (inaudible)?
MS TRUDEAU: We see – we've spoken about this before. All the steps forward that lead to the full – because the peace talks are ongoing – lead to a successful resolution of that, we do welcome it.
Yeah.
QUESTION: Yes, on Yemen. Many believe that the Saudis' yearlong campaign in Yemen has created a power vacuum which al-Qaida took advantage of, and the U.S. supported that intervention. Are we now seeing a situation where the U.S. contributed to the power vacuum and is now fighting the consequences?
MS TRUDEAU: I think what you see is instability caused in Yemen by the war that was happening here. You see certainly the Saudis as well as other Arab coalition partners seeking to address that. This goes back to what we were talking about in Syria. When you have conflict and you have ungoverned spaces, that's where instability and terrorism breed.
QUESTION: Would you say that the Saudi bombing campaign did not dramatically expend the power vacuum in Yemen?
MS TRUDEAU: What I would say is that we – the Saudis and the Arab coalition who came in at the invitation of the Yemeni Government are working to reduce the ungoverned space.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) the result?
MS TRUDEAU: I'm sorry?
QUESTION: The result – has it reduced the ungoverned space?
MS TRUDEAU: Well, what you see in the operations like what happened in Mukalla is you see some of that ungoverned space being chipped back. And let's also remember where we're going on this, which is the UN-led peace talks, where you're looking at a real political solution to this. But ungoverned spaces do breed terror.
QUESTION: Yeah, that's right. But does the U.S. still support the Saudi-led bombing campaign in Yemen?
MS TRUDEAU: We support the Saudi-Arab coalition, yeah.
Pat.
QUESTION: Does the U.S. --
MS TRUDEAU: I'm sorry, we're going to move on.
QUESTION: Thank you. Jahanzaib Ali from ARY News TV. Ma'am, U.S. Special Forces in Afghanistan today rescued Ali Haider Gilani, the son of former prime minister Yousuf Raza Gilani. Can you tell us a detail of that operation?
MS TRUDEAU: Okay, so actually I spoke about this at the top.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MS TRUDEAU: It's fine. So I'll leave that there, but if you have questions on operations, I'm going to --
QUESTION: Who were the kidnappers?
MS TRUDEAU: So I'm going to refer you to the Department of Defense if you have questions on the exact operational details.
QUESTION: Okay. Secondly, it's about the question of a political party, MQM, in Pakistan. They have announced here in Washington that they have submitted a paper, a memorandum, with the office of Richard Olson, alleged --
MS TRUDEAU: Of SRAP?
QUESTION: Yes. And alleged that Pakistani military killing their workers. And can you share the (inaudible) of that letter with us?
MS TRUDEAU: We have not received that letter.
QUESTION: You haven't received?
MS TRUDEAU: We have not.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS TRUDEAU: Okay.
QUESTION: Thank you very much.
QUESTION: Yeah, quick question on North Korea. Recently, North Korean leader Kim Jong-un suggested peace treaty talk with the United States. What does the U.S. think or consider about his suggestion?
MS TRUDEAU: So on the peace treaty, our position and the position of the international community is clear. It's we will not accept the DPRK as a nuclear state. We have made very clear on this we are open to authentic and credible negotiations to implement the September 20, 2005 joint statement and bring North Korea into compliance with all applicable Security Council resolutions. However, the onus is on North Korea, as it has long been, to take meaningful action to verifiable denuclearization, refrain from any rhetoric or provocative activity. So that's where we're focused – denuclearization.
QUESTION: But the Chinese Government pressure to United States, but between U.S. and North Korea and China, future they would like to talk with peace treaty talks. So would you be – U.S. consider about what the Chinese pressure to these issues?
MS TRUDEAU: Again, our focus is on verifiable, irreversible denuclearization.
QUESTION: All right. Thank you.
MS TRUDEAU: Thank you. Sir.
QUESTION: On Japan, President Obama announced that he will be visiting Hiroshima earlier today. Are you in contact with your Japanese counterparts to discuss sort of the logistical detail, or --
MS TRUDEAU: As it's a presidential visit, I'm going to refer you to the White House. But thank you.
Okay. Matt.
QUESTION: Yesterday in its court submission, the RNC said that you guys had told them that you would not be producing any of Mr. Pagliano – any more, I guess, of Mr. Pagliano's emails. Is that correct?
MS TRUDEAU: So thank you for that, because there's been some unclear reporting on this. So the department has searched Mr. Pagliano's email PST file and has not located one that covers the time period of Secretary Clinton's tenure. The absence of this email file, however, does not indicate that the department has no emails sent or received by him. In fact, we have previously produced through FOIA and to Congress emails sent and received by Mr. Pagliano during Secretary Clinton's tenure. Furthermore, at no point did the State Department convey to the RNC that we did not intend to produce responsive emails within our possession consistent with our obligations under the law.
QUESTION: Okay, but I mean, are you done? Have you given them everything that they are – should get that you have?
MS TRUDEAU: So we continue to take a look at it. We will produce files as we are required under the law.
QUESTION: Right, I understand that. But do you know at the moment if you have – if there are emails that you have found from that time period that have just not yet been turned over to --
MS TRUDEAU: So the department's ongoing – conducting a thorough search. I don't have details on that, but at no point did we say to the RNC that we would not produce.
QUESTION: All right. And then the last one, which is a logistical thing, which is this – the report that the video of a briefing from a couple years back with Jen Psaki was edited to remove questions and her answers about when the Iran negotiations began. What's going on here?
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah, so we saw that report. We actually spoke to Fox about this yesterday, so thanks for that question. I'd back up. The – this is a daily press briefing from 2013. The transcript of that daily press briefing and video was always available – transcript was on state.gov; the video was available on other sites. There was a glitch in the State Department video. When Fox flagged it for us, we actually replaced it with a video from DVIDS, which is the military repository where a lot of news media gets its video. The whole video was there, and we also annotated it on our YouTube channel.
QUESTION: Yeah, but that – I mean, a glitch? That just seems awfully strange and coincidental that this --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah. The transcript was always up, though --
QUESTION: Yeah, but the --
MS TRUDEAU: -- and the video existed on other channels. I can't speak to --
QUESTION: Right, but if you were looking on the state.gov website and going to try to watch that part of the briefing, it wouldn't have been there.
MS TRUDEAU: So the briefing was there. As I said, the full transcript was there.
QUESTION: No – yeah, but several minutes were, like, missing.
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah. No, and so we have subbed it out.
QUESTION: I know, but can you – is anyone looking into why?
MS TRUDEAU: So we are. We're looking into it. Genuinely we think it was a glitch, so --
QUESTION: (Inaudible) do you think that – I mean, are there other briefing videos that are – have been --
MS TRUDEAU: Not to our knowledge at all. But it's – what we're taking a look at is process. We were unaware of it, and as soon as we found about it we made sure it was whole.
QUESTION: Okay. But is there any indication that you – since you – since this was brought to your attention, I guess yesterday – yeah – have you discovered that it was altered at all?
MS TRUDEAU: I – not to my knowledge. There was a missing portion of it. We pulled it from another online source that this --
QUESTION: I get that, but I'm trying to figure out how exactly the portion that was missing --
MS TRUDEAU: I – you know what, it's something we're looking into.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS TRUDEAU: Okay.
QUESTION: Elizabeth, can I ask a quick on Egypt?
MS TRUDEAU: Sure, of course. Egypt?
QUESTION: Just to follow what – yes. What you said yesterday – I know you addressed the issue of the sentence of the --
MS TRUDEAU: For the Al Jazeera journalist?
QUESTION: Yeah, for Ibrahim Helal and Alaa Sablan. And you said that they were sentenced in absentia --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah, that's our understanding.
QUESTION: -- which is another thing, and then you said you were concerned. Is that the extent of your concern, or are you going to, let's say, perhaps issue a stronger statement? I mean, considering that basically that was the essence of a Patrick Leahy letter – I mean, Egypt violates human rights, and if we are – if they are violating human rights --
MS TRUDEAU: Well, this is a court process, so it is actually different. This is something we continue to track. We raise our concerns on a routine and consistent basis with Egyptian authorities, so we don't take this sentence lightly. We did note that this was – apparently the trial was in absentia, so the verdict was – I'm loath to say automatic, but was actually part of the process. But we do raise this. We are concerned.
Okay.
QUESTION: Could I just go back --
MS TRUDEAU: Of course.
QUESTION: -- to the transcript – I mean the video – please?
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah. Sure.
QUESTION: Is someone looking into this --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- to see whether – what exactly happened in this case and also to make sure --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- that it is not –
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- that there aren't other videos that are --
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah. It is. We've changed our procedures. And this is so technical, and forgive me for this – we've changed our procedures on that, but we are taking a look at it. Certainly, transparency and getting information to you guys, not only here in the briefing room but on the web and searchable, is a priority for us. And so absolutely.
QUESTION: All right. So when --
QUESTION: So if the investigation finds that someone deliberately cut that section, that person would face disciplinary procedures?
MS TRUDEAU: I'm not going to get ahead of it. We just found out. We made it whole.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MS TRUDEAU: We'll take a look at it.
Okay.
QUESTION: Well, could you – when you're done with this – and not you personally, but whoever's looking into it --
MS TRUDEAU: In my free time. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: Yes, on weekends – can you let us know what the result of the investigation is?
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah. If there is any update, I absolutely will. And I don't want to call it an investigation, because that makes it formal. What I'm – what we're looking at is what happened.
QUESTION: Well, exactly.
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: Well, we would like to know what happened too.
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: So can you let us know when you find out what happened?
MS TRUDEAU: As always.
QUESTION: And hopefully this will be, like – not going to take a year?
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah. I think it's – yeah. I would characterize it as a glitch.
QUESTION: Is Public Affairs looking into it, or --
MS TRUDEAU: The department is.
Okay.
QUESTION: Has a similar glitch happened in the past?
MS TRUDEAU: Not to my knowledge at all.
Thanks, guys.
QUESTION: Thank you.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:33 p.m.)
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