Daily Press Briefing
Elizabeth Trudeau
Director, Press Office
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
July 26, 2016
Index for Today's Briefing
ASIA REGION
SOMALIA
FRANCE
SWEDEN
SOUTH SUDAN
TURKEY
IRAQ/SYRIA
RUSSIA/SYRIA/REGION
ESTONIA
PAKISTAN
INDIA
NORTH KOREA/REGION
ISRAEL
TRANSCRIPT:
2:12 p.m. EDT
MS TRUDEAU: Thank you very much. We'll move on to the regular daily press brief.
Today, Secretary Kerry met in Laos with his counterparts from the 27-member ASEAN Regional Forum and the 18-member East Asia Summit. The foreign ministers discussed shared priorities and key challenges facing the Asia Pacific region, including North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs as well as the situation in South Sudan – or in the South China Sea, apologies. In addition, the ministers discussed a range of important transnational challenges, including terrorism and violent extremism, climate change, and trafficking in persons. The foreign ministers also discussed specific actions to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing as well as ongoing concerns regarding the degradation of the marine environment.
At meetings today, several ministers including Secretary Kerry highlighted the significance of the recent decision of the tribunal in the Philippines versus China case, which is binding on both parties. Secretary Kerry also emphasized to his counterparts the importance of the full implementation of the UN Security Council Resolution 2270 to curb North Korea's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. As the meeting concluded, Secretary Kerry and his party continues on to Manila for meetings with President Duterte and other senior Philippine officials.
Next, on Somalia. We condemn the terrorist attack this morning in Mogadishu, which took place near the international airport. Civilian, UN, AMISOM casualties have been reported, yet we have no final confirmation on numbers yet. We extend our thoughts to the families and friends of the Somali people and United Nations and AMISOM personnel who were killed and injured in this barbarous attack. We remain committed to helping Somalia progress towards a path towards peace and prosperity and the defeat of terrorist groups, including al-Shabaab.
Finally, we would also like to extend our condolences regarding the horrific terrorist attack today at a Catholic church in Normandy, France. We offer our condolences to the family and friends of the murdered priest, Father Jacques Hamel, and our thoughts and prayers with the other victims of the attack as well as the parishioners and community members at the church. The United States and France have a shared commitment to protecting religious liberty for all faiths. Today's attack will not shake that commitment. We stand with the French as they move forward in their investigation.
And with that, we'll go to Abigail.
QUESTION: Do you have any information about reports of a shooting at a shopping mall in Sweden?
MS TRUDEAU: I do not, actually. Is that happening now?
QUESTION: There was a warning put out on the embassy website, an emergency message.
MS TRUDEAU: Okay. So that would make sense that a security message has gone out. As you know, when we do security messages for U.S. citizens overseas, it's often breaking news like that and it instantly goes to U.S. citizens who have registered. So I take the opportunity again for those who travel and work abroad, please do register with the STEP program at travel.state.gov. In terms of this latest incident, I don't have details.
Ros.
QUESTION: Yeah, can we talk about what's happening in South Sudan today?
MS TRUDEAU: Of course.
QUESTION: Riek Machar has been basically kicked out of the government, and someone who had been the mining minister has been replaced. Is this helpful towards trying to establish unity within the government and across South Sudan writ large?
MS TRUDEAU: So I'll back up and provide a little context for this because these events are taking place rather quickly. So Taban Dang Gai, the former minister of mining, as you noted, in the transitional government was sworn in as the first vice president on July 26th. On July 25th, yesterday, President Kiir did issue a republican decree replacing former Vice President Machar with Taban Dang Gai. Machar has stated that he rejects Taban's selection as his successor and has requested that he be removed from his position in the SPLM-IO, In Opposition, as well as the transitional government.
However, we would note that the peace agreement contains procedures and requirements that govern changes in leadership in the transitional government. Specifically, the agreement provides that, and I quote, "The top leadership body of the armed opposition has the power to nominate a new first vice president if the position is vacant." A number of senior SPLM-IO, In Opposition, members in Juba met on July 23rd and agreed that Taban would take the position of first vice president. However, they also recommitted to implementation of the peace agreement and rebuilding IO unity. Other IO leaders have contested whether the group can act as the top leadership body. They've also contested whether the government can relieve Machar of this position under the agreement.
So what I would say on this is there were provisions within the peace agreement on this. The government writ large, both SPLM-In Government as well as In Opposition, remains in dialogue. We see that the president has issued a decree on this. The United States writ large stands with the people of South Sudan. We will work with the Government of South Sudan. In terms of this and whether it's allowed under the peace agreement is going to be a question for the leadership of South Sudan.
QUESTION: Does the U.S. believe that the government is operating in good faith with the replacement of Machar with Mr. Taban?
MS TRUDEAU: We believe it's up to the leaders of South Sudan to decide on their political leadership. We do expect, however, the transitional government and all parties to take every step possible to avoid the fighting and to reach a peaceful resolution of these differences.
QUESTION: Is there any input or guidance that U.S. officials are providing to all sides in South Sudan right now?
MS TRUDEAU: I wouldn't say guidance. I would say that we remain in discussion with all parties. Our fundamental concern is peace and stability in South Sudan. What we've seen is this recent spate of violence has increased the suffering of the people of South Sudan, I'm told 40 percent of whom face hunger. This latest spate of violence, this political situation now, does not add to the stability which the people of South Sudan so clearly need.
QUESTION: Turkey?
MS TRUDEAU: Yes.
QUESTION: Thank you. My first question is last week U.S. Government stated that it received documents from Turkey regarding extradition process for Fethullah Gulen, and you were going to take a look whether this can be qualified as an extradition request. Are you – have you made that decision yet?
MS TRUDEAU: I have no update on that. As we mentioned last week and I believe we touched on this week too, we have received documents. We continue to review them. So I have no update on that.
QUESTION: The Turkish foreign minister Cavusoglu today stated that they have – even though they already submitted necessary documents to U.S. Government, they have not responded that yet. Do you have any particular response to that comment?
MS TRUDEAU: I wouldn't. I'd let the foreign minister's comments stand. But I would say that as we've said, the extradition process is a formal process, it's a legal process, it's a technical process, it's governed by the extradition treaty that both our governments signed. So we're going to let that process play out.
QUESTION: Okay, and another question. After the coup – I haven't been able to ask this question. Yesterday, there is a new arrest warrant for 42 journalists, and there are more. These 42 journalists only just yesterday numbers. And for example, there are 19 journalists, arrest warrants for 19 journalists in Antalya, south city, and there are other cities similar warrants. Are you concerned that after the coup attempt government is moving to basically go after the critical voices and news journalists along with the coup plotters or allegedly coup plotters?
MS TRUDEAU: Well, I'd say what we've said repeatedly: In a democratic society, critical voices need to be encouraged; they don't need to be silenced. We have said many times, not just in relation to Turkey but countries around the world, that democracies become stronger when they let voices from diverse points of view speak.
I'd note, and the President has spoken to this himself, we've conveyed both publicly and in private conversations with our Turkish friends and allies the importance of protecting freedom of the press. We are committed to defend freedom of the press, media freedom, due process, freedom of assembly everywhere in the world.
QUESTION: So in terms of in this context, are you concerned with this ongoing campaign of arrests for Turkish journalists?
MS TRUDEAU: So what I would say is that we have actually spoken to this. The President spoke to this and we'll let his comments stand.
QUESTION: The Travel Warning notes that the voluntary departure of relatives of those working for U.S. embassy and consulate personnel has been authorized.
MS TRUDEAU: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: What has changed in the last several days, since it does seem that, for better or worse, President Erdogan has a firm grip on power? Why is it not safe for the relatives to stay?
MS TRUDEAU: Okay, so it's important to differentiate on this. This is an authorized departure, so this is an authorized departure. I think many of you saw the Travel Warning that went out. It's an authorized departure for our embassy in Ankara as well as our consulate in Istanbul for the family members of U.S. personnel stationed there. This is a precautionary measure. It does follow the July 15th attempted coup. We continue to monitor the security developments there, and as we have information, of course, as we are obligated to do, we will share that with the American public. But again, this is an abundance of caution, and again, this is optional. So this is authorized; this is not ordered.
Yes, ma'am.
QUESTION: On the attack on the Catholic church in France and the --
MS TRUDEAU: Horrific.
QUESTION: -- murder of the elderly priest. Last year, the German news weekly Der Spiegel published an analysis of Daesh which was a leak from German intelligence, and it said that Daesh was created in Syria as the regime there began to lose its grip and that Daesh was established by former Iraqi intelligence officers in Syria, and then they took it back into Iraq. And the Kurdish leadership in and out of government has said pretty much the same, like President Barzani's media advisor in 2014, quote, "Most of the people in the region believe that the organization known as ISIL is actually founded and ruled by the Baath." Is that an analysis that you would agree with, or you have a different view?
MS TRUDEAU: So you're asking me to comment on a leaked German report.
QUESTION: Well, I'm – okay, let me say – how do you – how do you understand the structure of this organization which has murdered this priest --
MS TRUDEAU: So – sure.
QUESTION: -- ISIS or Daesh or – how do you understand its structure? Who's ruling it?
MS TRUDEAU: I would say that there's been books written about the – what Daesh is, the structure of Daesh, how they continue to adapt and change. Certainly, from this building, while the history of Daesh and where they came from – the rise of Daesh and, in fact, violent extremism writ large in ungoverned spaces – is something that we talk about a lot. I think where this building is and where our counterparts are in the interagency is how do we fight them as they continue to adapt, and where is the commitment in the international community to combat Daesh.
And so you saw this last week, and we spoke about it earlier this week. You see – I think we're now at 67 countries and international organizations have joined around the world to combat Daesh. I'm not going to speak about where they started or what their foundation was, but really what we're very focused on is how they're adapting and how we can adapt to mitigate that risk.
QUESTION: Don't you think it's – Sun Tzu, know the enemy, to understand Daesh – that to fight Daesh most effectively, one should understand what it is?
MS TRUDEAU: Oh, absolutely, and I agree with you on that, and also taking a look at how they continue to adapt and change. We've spoken many times from this podium too that as the amount of territory that they control in Iraq and Syria shrinks, that we do see these attacks that are – don't require coordination, they don't require a lot of resources. And also, frankly, we have discussions about what it means for attacks to be inspired by Daesh or maybe directed by Daesh. This is a very fluid, I would say, security situation and a fluid group. So we are very much committed to finding out about them. We have whole departments within the interagency focused on this.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah, I'm sorry. So we're going to stay in Syria and then I'll go to you, Samir. Of course.
QUESTION: Regarding the Secretary's recent talks with Foreign Minister Lavrov about how to proceed militarily inside Syria, has there been a formal agreement reached between the two governments as part of going after Daesh and other terrorist groups inside the country? When might we expect a formal explanation of what this would require from all parties?
MS TRUDEAU: So I think you saw the Secretary had a press conference, actually, in Laos where he spoke to this a little. We're not going to speak to what we're going to do over the next couple weeks until it's done, if it's done. We've been doing our homework; we've been doing a lot of it. We've been talking to our partners in the international community. We do hope that somewhere within the first week or two of August we'll be in a position to tell you what we're able to do, frankly in the hopes that it'll make a difference in the lives of the people of Syria. So no, I'm not in a position now to unpack that. I'd stay where the Secretary stayed today in Laos.
QUESTION: Is there any indication that, whatever the U.S. is expecting Russia to do, Russia will do it?
MS TRUDEAU: So the Secretary also spoke to this. This is not an agreement, as we've said, that's based on trust. Certainly this building, I think, is very pragmatic on this. We have seen, as we've said, that Russia does have an influence in that country, in that arena, with this regime. We continue to have conversations about how to make that influence mean something to the people of Syria.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MS TRUDEAU: Samir.
QUESTION: There's a press report that Jabhat al-Nusrah is expected to announce soon it's disconnecting its relations with al-Qaida. Is this going to change – is this going to influence the cooperation with Russia or --
MS TRUDEAU: I've seen that report. I just don't have a comment on it. We believe Nusrah's fundamental nature is that it's al-Qaida in Syria.
Okay.
QUESTION: Even if they announce that --
MS TRUDEAU: This is – this would be something, one, I'm not going to speculate out, and two, we believe its fundamental nature is well known.
Abbie.
QUESTION: Syria.
MS TRUDEAU: Oh, I'm sorry. Are we staying on Syria?
QUESTION: Yeah.
MS TRUDEAU: Sort of. We're going to Syria, and then I'll come back to you, Abbie.
QUESTION: Just one question on Syria. In northern Syria, in Rojava region, Syrian Kurdish region, some time ago there's reports that the U.S. is building a Rmeilan air base. Do you have any update on that air base?
MS TRUDEAU: Absolutely not. It wouldn't be for the State Department to speak to it. But I've seen no reports of information on that.
Abigail.
QUESTION: Foreign Minister Lavrov this morning denied any association with a hack into the Democratic National Convention emails. Secretary Kerry briefly addressed this, but is there belief from within this building that they accept their denials?
MS TRUDEAU: So Secretary Kerry did address it. The belief within this building is that the FBI is doing an investigation. It's a live investigation. We're going to let that play out.
QUESTION: Can I switch to Estonia?
MS TRUDEAU: You, of course, can switch to Estonia.
QUESTION: There was a message put out that there was a warning of a possible bomb threat at the international airport there, the credibility of which was unknown. Has there been any further information found out? Was it a credible threat?
MS TRUDEAU: I don't have further information for that. I'd direct you to the Estonians to speak to.
Goyal.
QUESTION: South Asia?
MS TRUDEAU: Of course. You were just at the White House. How'd you get over here so fast?
QUESTION: Oh, I didn't know you were watching me there.
MS TRUDEAU: Of course. (Laughter.) How are you?
QUESTION: Thank you. Madam, I just have two questions on South Asia, one on Pakistan and one on India.
MS TRUDEAU: Of course.
QUESTION: As far as Pakistan is concerned, there's a particular one community in Pakistan, they're called Muhajirs, and it's an ethnic community and which has been under attack by the Pakistani military and by the terrorists there and extremists and all that. Several times they had demonstrated here at the State Department, outside, and – but this week on Saturday, they were at the White House, several hundred of them, and they were asking justice from the President and from the Secretary, that their community is under attack because of their human rights belief and all that, and they don't consider them to be Pakistanis or Muslims even, some of those in the military and their intelligence, ISI, among other things. And they're – even they came from 35 countries and also all over the U.S. to voice their genocide against their community.
My question is here, at the same time, there was a handful of demonstrators also counting them –or countering them, and they were praising the Pakistani military and the military who is taking action against these minorities and ethnic groups, and these group, small group was supporting them, the military of Pakistan. So where does this community stand? And because many times the Secretary meets many Pakistani officials and also we had many officials here. So what is their future? What message do you think Secretary has for these and other minorities under attack in Pakistan?
MS TRUDEAU: So what I would say – not speaking to the protest, of which, frankly, I wasn't tracking, but speaking broadly to the issue of human rights and the issue of minority rights, not only in Pakistan but around the world – is that the United States continues to work hard and in our engagements both bilaterally with countries as well as broad reports, like our Human Rights Report, to detail and express concern and to engage with governments to support the rights of marginalized, disadvantaged minority groups around the world. It's of enormous importance to the U.S. And again, not saying America's perfect, but saying that this is something, I think, that we as an international community can all learn from each other on.
And you had a question on India?
QUESTION: Yes. As far as terrorism is concerned and U.S. India has now agreement and treaty and also meeting and greetings as far as fighting against terrorism inside India or ISIL and others. Now India has been fighting against terrorism, in which many of – are tracking India from outside, across the border and also. So where do we stand today – U.S., India, terrorism-fighting treaties? Or where are we there, as far as fighting against terrorism, which India has been shouting – shout – and also asking the U.S. help – to help India bring those wanted by India from other countries?
MS TRUDEAU: Well, not speaking specifically to any particular case, I would say as two large democracies, the United States and India have a joint commitment to fighting against violent extremism – the kind that impacts the people of India or the kind that impacts anywhere around the world. India, unfortunately, has suffered at the hands of terrorists. They understand this issue and our cooperation – law enforcement, counterterrorism, countering violent extremism – is extremely strong and robust. Okay.
QUESTION: May I have one more quickly on China?
MS TRUDEAU: One more quick and then I'll move over here.
QUESTION: Okay. Thank you.
MS TRUDEAU: Go ahead.
QUESTION: So according to the Reuters, the North Korean foreign minister who was visiting the Laos said to the reporters that any additional nuclear test depends on the position of the United States. Are you aware of this statement, and are you – is there any reaction on this?
MS TRUDEAU: So I've seen the foreign minister's comments. Our position, I think, would be what it has been continually from this podium and from the U.S., is we call on North Korea to refrain from actions and rhetoric that further destabilize the region. We think that they should focus on taking concrete steps to fulfilling its commitments and international obligations.
Ros?
QUESTION: Yeah. The Israeli-U.S. defense relationship.
MS TRUDEAU: Yeah.
QUESTION: Do you – can you confirm Israeli reports that Jacob Nagel, the acting national security advisor, is coming to the U.S. over this coming weekend to meet with, among others, the National Security Advisor Susan Rice to talk about finalizing a new 10-year military deal?
MS TRUDEAU: I can't. For issues on Ambassador Rice's meeting, I'd refer you to the White House on that.
QUESTION: Do – are you aware of any meetings that may be held with pol-mil folks in this building?
MS TRUDEAU: I am not. I am not. Thanks, guys.
QUESTION: Thank you.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:35 p.m.)
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