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Daily Press Briefing

John Kirby
Spokesperson
Daily Press Briefing
Washington, DC
July 27, 2016

Index for Today's Briefing

PHILIPPINES
HAITI
DEPARTMENT
RUSSIA/NATO
SYRIA
IRAN
SYRIA
TURKEY
RUSSIA
TURKEY
CHINA
SOUTH KOREA
DEPARTMENT

 

TRANSCRIPT:

1:09 p.m. EDT

MR KIRBY: Hello, everybody.

QUESTION: Hey.

MR KIRBY: A couple things here at the top. As you know, the Secretary has just wrapped up a series of meetings in the Philippines. The president of the Philippines hosted the Secretary for a working lunch at his residence in Manila. The luncheon was an opportunity for the Secretary to congratulate President Duterte for his election victory, which he, the Secretary, said showed the strength and vibrancy of Filipino democracy. The two also discussed the full range of bilateral and regional issues that underpin our relations, including the recent decision by the Arbitral Tribunal on the South China Sea; security and defense cooperation; law enforcement assistance; human rights; countering violent extremism; economic development; and climate change. The Secretary pledged U.S. willingness to provide continued assistance to the Philippine Government as it works to address drug trafficking and violent extremism, and to deepen and strengthen our bilateral relations across the board.

Also today, the Secretary met with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto Yasay to follow up on the ASEAN Regional Forum and the East Asia Summit discussions, including the situation, of course, in the South China Sea. They reviewed bilateral cooperative efforts on law enforcement, regional security, violent extremism, and combating transnational crimes like human trafficking. They also discussed the implementation of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, which will coordinate our efforts to maintain peace and stability in the region while also allowing the United States to provide rapid assistance to the Philippines in the event of emergencies and natural disasters.

Finally, just today I want to welcome to the briefing a group of Haitian journalists that are participating in a week-long training on broadcast journalism and social media at the Voice of America Creole service. So thanks very much for being here. We appreciate having you. Since 2008, VOA and the United – and the – and our embassy, I'm sorry, in Port-au-Prince collaborate annually to send Haitian print, radio, and broadcast journalists to the United States for training to support the important role that the media play in building democratic societies. This program, as I understand it, includes a visit to the White House, Capitol Hill, and to the Newseum. So it's great to have you guys here; good to see you.

And with that, we'll get right after it. Arshad.

QUESTION: I'd like to start with Russia. As I'm sure you know, the Republican presidential nominee, Donald Trump, has called on Russia to try to find the personal emails of Secretary Clinton. Is there – to your mind, is it appropriate for a candidate to call on another country to try to obtain a former Secretary's emails, whether personal or official?

MR KIRBY: I don't know that it's our place here at the State Department to make a judgment about the appropriateness of comments made by candidates for elected office. I think we would let those candidates speak for themselves and their views. So I think I would just leave it there.

QUESTION: To my understanding, Secretary Clinton said publicly that she, quote, "did not keep," close quote, those emails, and FBI Director Comey when he described the results of the FBI's investigation and its recommendation not to bring charges said that they were deleted. Is it – quote, "deleted." To your understanding, do those emails exist anywhere? Did the State Department itself find any of those emails other than occasional ones that may have gone to officials here from the secretary?

MR KIRBY: I don't believe we have any information one way or the other to contradict or otherwise characterize the way former Secretary Clinton did with respect to those personal emails, or the FBI director. Our focus, as you know, was on making available to the public the 55,000 pages of work-related emails that former Secretary Clinton turned over to us, and we did that over the course of many months, as you well know, and that was our focus.

QUESTION: Staying on that, we had been told that the FBI has started – given the first batch of the documents, emails, and the State Department has not yet started processing. Can you update us on that?

MR KIRBY: I really don't have much of an update. I think we've already told you that we did get some material from the FBI and we are starting to work our way through that, but I don't have an update. And as I think we said at the time, I mean, we're not going to offer a daily blow-by-blow on this.

QUESTION: And it is – and about the internal process, I think we were updated around two weeks ago, so it's not day to day, but is there any update on the State Department's internal --

MR KIRBY: The internal review?

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR KIRBY: No, I don't have an update for you. It's underway and I think my colleague, Elizabeth, walked you through sort of the parameters of that, and I don't have anything to add.

QUESTION: So you say that it is underway, so it has started?

MR KIRBY: Yes.

QUESTION: Okay.

MR KIRBY: Yes.

QUESTION: Can I follow up on the Russian --

QUESTION: Also on the email – on the email, we were talking about Trump and Clinton's email, right? I missed that part. I just got here, but --

MR KIRBY: Yeah, you did. Why don't you just go back and check the transcript? I had a good exchange with Arshad right off the bat.

QUESTION: I just wanted to --

MR KIRBY: I was pretty content with it. (Laughter.)

QUESTION: I just wanted to preface this --

MR KIRBY: I mean, it's all right there.

QUESTION: I wanted to preface this by saying I missed that. I was just walking in, although I'm sure Arshad covered it in detail.

MR KIRBY: Wait, so before you ask your question, you should ask Arshad what he asked, right? And that way, it won't be exactly the same.

QUESTION: Or how you didn't answer would be the better question.

QUESTION: I'll be doing a debriefing later. (Laughter.)

QUESTION: So --

MR KIRBY: He's got all the context. Go ahead.

QUESTION: Look, I mean, one of the questions, seriously, that people are asking about Trump's call essentially for a foreign government or an invitation more or less for a foreign government to hack a presidential candidate, a secretary of state – one of the questions is: Is this treasonous? Is this a treasonous action to call on such activity? I mean, what – how would you answer that?

MR KIRBY: I'm not going to – as I think you know, Justin, I'm not going to respond to campaign rhetoric or to the comments that either candidate for president of the United States are making in their campaigns. It's just not appropriate from this podium. This matter, this specific matter that we're talking about, is under investigation by the FBI. And we're going to respect that process. We're not going to comment on what is an ongoing investigation.

QUESTION: Would you comment more broadly on what it means for a U.S. citizen to call on a foreign government to spy on the U.S.? I mean --

MR KIRBY: I will let the candidates speak for themselves on the campaign trail and let them speak to and answer for their comments as they seek the presidency. That's for them to speak to. What I can tell you is that this department is out of politics and staying out of the politics. That's where the Secretary's head squarely is, and his focus is on pursuing the foreign policy objectives of this Administration. And I just at the top read out his meetings with the president of the Philippines today. And he's on his way back and he had a very full and eventful trip out there, meeting with our ASEAN – with ASEAN members. There's an awful lot for us to focus on, and what we're not going to focus on is rhetoric by either candidate for the presidency.

QUESTION: And just to be clear, to go back to how this all ended with Clinton – I know you're still doing your investigation – there is no --

MR KIRBY: It's not an investigation.

QUESTION: Oh, your --

MR KIRBY: It's an internal review. It's an administrative internal review, and as I said to Tejinder, we're – while it is underway, we aren't going to be providing frequent or routine updates on the progress of it.

QUESTION: Okay, but you can already – you've already made the determination that she – Secretary Clinton's email was never hacked by a foreign government, correct?

MR KIRBY: I'm not going to talk about cybersecurity issues here from the podium, and again, I'm not going to characterize the work of the reviewers that are doing this process. But the process itself is aimed at determining the degree to which information was classified at the time and then – and therefore transmitted, and examining issues of accountability for any transmission of sensitive or classified information.

QUESTION: And if foreign governments did hack into her email, that would be considered spying, correct?

MR KIRBY: I am not an expert on cyber espionage. I mean – so look, I would point you back to what the FBI director --

QUESTION: No, but that's a basic question. But the --

MR KIRBY: But the FBI director addressed this issue.

QUESTION: I'm just asking a basic question: If they were hacking into her email, that would be spying, right?

MR KIRBY: There are attacks on U.S. Government cyber accounts and networks every day. There are – almost every federal agency is under that threat every single day. It's something we take very, very seriously. And people try to gain access to it for a number of reasons, and not all of those reasons are espionage. Are some of the motivations espionage? Well, I certainly couldn't rule that out. But you're asking me a hypothetical situation that I'm – it's impossible for me to answer what the motivation is of a given hacker.

QUESTION: It depends on the motivation.

MR KIRBY: It depends on the motivation; it depends on the organization behind it and the purpose for it. Could it be cyber espionage? Absolutely it could be, but I'm just in no position to judge.

QUESTION: Can I just – one small clarification? Sorry for – Trump a few hours ago at a news conference down south (inaudible) said that he didn't know if it is Russia, if it is China, or it – if it's a hacker with a IQ of 200 who has done this. And the – one of the major media outlet – the U.S. media – has said – quoted intelligence official that they believe that it's Russia. So will you be able to confirm or deny if you have anything on that?

MR KIRBY: No. As I said, this is a matter that the FBI is investigating, and I'm not going to get ahead of the work that investigators have to do. And so I think that's where we absolutely need to leave it.

QUESTION: What is the level of concern with the new comments from the Russian defense minister about their southwestern front, saying there are activities with NATO that has compelled them to boost troop presence, air defenses?

MR KIRBY: So we've seen those comments and seen the reports of those comments. If true, we believe that this would appear to run contrary to ongoing efforts to stop violence and to de-escalate the tensions in eastern Ukraine in line with Russia's commitments under Minsk. We expect Russia to fulfill any relevant commitments under existing arms control and confidence-building agreements, such as the OSCE's Vienna document. Reports indicate that part of this buildup includes Russian troops in Crimea, and on that, our view is also consistent and well-known. Crimea is and always will remain part of Ukraine. We're not going to allow, as we've said many times before, the borders of Europe to be redrawn at the barrel of a gun.

And on Crimea, let me reiterate that we condemn and call for an immediate end to the Russian occupation there. Sanctions related to Crimea will remain in place as long as the occupation continues.

QUESTION: Is there anything, though, that NATO has done that apparently brought forward these comments or these purported Russian moves?

MR KIRBY: Well, the Russians can speak for themselves in terms of what their motivation here is. But let me be clear, as we have in the past, that neither the United States nor NATO is a threat to Russia. NATO is a defensive alliance which has safeguarded European security for more than 60 years now, and countries everywhere have a right to choose their own security arrangements.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Syria? Yesterday, State Department issued a statement saying U.S. and Russia urge the UN to prepare a proposal with respect to the political process in Syria, and the proposal should serve as the starting point for future negotiations. Meanwhile, de Mistura said in order to go forward, he needs details from the Americans and Russians. Is there a disconnect here on next steps between U.S., Russia, and the UN?

MR KIRBY: No, I don't think there's any disconnect at all. As our statement said, we had good discussions in Geneva, and we all did agree that moving the process forward here with respect to the cessation of hostilities, which is what the proposals are really all about – it's what the Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov talked about in Moscow; it's what they talked about just recently on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum. Getting the cessation of hostilities in a more sustainable, more enforceable way across the nation is a foundation – a starting point, if you will – to making sure that the political talks can move forward. So no, I don't think there's any disconnect at all. Again, we greatly appreciate the leadership of Special Envoy de Mistura and his access to us and to the Russians and ours to him, and the ability to continue to move this forward. I think he has spoken about trying to get the political talks restarted relatively soon. We obviously support that, but we know that – again, as co-chairs of the International Syria Support Group, the U.S. and Russia both realize that it's really important to get the cessation of hostilities in a better place so that the conditions can be created for those talks to actually be successful. And that's really what the talks in Geneva were about, okay?

QUESTION: Do you know what details he's referring to that he's waiting on from America and Russia?

MR KIRBY: I don't think it would be useful to get into a much more detailed discussion of it here from the podium. Again, we are – all three of us are very well connected and communication is frequent and regular, and I can assure you that – at least from the United States perspective – that we're committed to making sure that the special envoy has the information he needs, has the support he needs, more critically, to try to, again, create the conditions for political talks to resume.

QUESTION: Based on the progress, are you confident that they might start in August? There was some expectations set earlier – or hopes set earlier about August.

MR KIRBY: Well, I'd let Special Envoy de Mistura speak to specific timing. I think that's really his purview to do that and I wouldn't want to get ahead of his own decision-making process. I know that he is committed to doing this as soon as possible. We obviously want to see the talks resume as soon as practical as well, but I'd be loath to try to guess or speculate when on the calendar that could happen.

Samir.

QUESTION: The Syrian opposition, in a letter to the Arab League summit this week, described Russia as a force of occupation in Syria. What's your reaction to this?

MR KIRBY: I haven't seen that particular comment, but look, we have been nothing but clear about Russia's military presence and their activity in Syria for many, many months now. They have a historic defense relationship with Syria that goes well – back well before the current conflict. They've had basing there, they've had troops there, they've had a presence there, so it came as a shock to no one here at the State Department that, as the civil war progressed in Syria, that they would have interest in how things were going, which is why, quite frankly, the Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov connected so early on to sort of – to begin to form what has now become a quite expansive International Syria Support Group.

We were also very honest at the outset when we saw Russian military activity bolstering the Assad regime and expressing our concerns about that, and we still do. But where the Secretary is – and I believe where Foreign Minister Lavrov is – is that they're both committed to trying to achieve the outcomes of both Vienna communiques and the UN Security Council resolution, which calls for political transition in Syria. And it's the how-do-you-get-there that they're working so hard on right now, and just as my previous answer, in order to have that outcome, you've got to create the right conditions. In order to create the right conditions for people to have political discussions, you got to have the violence significantly reduced, because one of the reasons why the previous three rounds of talks have not succeeded is because the Assad regime has continued to drop bombs on innocent civilians and moderate opposition groups.

So, again, I haven't seen those comments. We've been, again, nothing but, I think, very clear and candid about our concerns in the past about Russian military activity and, as we've also said, that there can be a role here for Russian military forces against groups like Daesh and al-Nusrah in Syria. And to the degree they're willing to commit to that goal – the same goal that the international community has, this coalition of now 67 members – that's a conversation that we're willing to have. And that's the conversation, quite frankly, that Secretary Kerry's been having with Foreign Minister Lavrov in just the last couple of weeks.

QUESTION: Thank you.

QUESTION: Can I follow up on that? You'll recall that back in May, the Secretary said that the target date for a transition in Syria was the 1st of August, and he said at the time, quote, "Either something happens in these next few months or they're asking for a very different track," close quote.

Question one: Is it fair to say you've given up on any hope of a transition in Syria by August 1st?

MR KIRBY: I think – I don't think he said that he expected a transition on August 1st, Arshad. I think what he said was --

QUESTION: He said that was the target date.

MR KIRBY: Target date. He said it was a target date to develop a framework for a transition. I don't think it was – and I can go back and check the quote myself. I don't believe he said that he expects a full transition in Syria even on August 1st. But point taken. And I think the Secretary's talked about this actually on this recent trip, and I think he said publicly that he still expects that we can see – perhaps see some movement here, positive movement, in the month of August. We'll have to see. But we're certainly not giving up on the goal, and as I said earlier, the goal for us is to see progress as soon as possible.

And again, the Secretary believes that if some of the proposals that we discussed with the Russians in Moscow a couple of weeks ago, if they're implemented fully and in good faith, he continues to believe that progress can be made, that we can start to lay down a framework for transition – political transition in Syria, and that there's a possibility that we might be able to see some sort of progress next month. It's possible. But I also want to stress that the Secretary has also been very clear-eyed about this, even as recently as last week when he talked about it – that he's been careful not to be wide-eyed and optimistic about it, that he's looking at this very pragmatically. He's extraordinarily mindful of the challenges that we faced in the past, the commitments that the Assad regime have made and then ignored, the influence that the Russian Government has not exerted as they had said in the past that they would be willing to exert, so he's mindful of the challenges. And I think we're all going to be working on this very, very hard and obviously pushing to see some progress next month, but we'll see.

QUESTION: Are you working on a different track? I mean, he said in that – on that date, he said so either something happens in these next few months or they're asking for a different track. On the other occasions, he's told us, he's warned us, against thinking that there's no Plan B. Are you working on alternatives if his hopes do not materialize next month?

MR KIRBY: There have been over many months now interagency discussions here in the United States Government about options and alternatives to the current path, which is the pursuit of a political transition in Syria. And as the President said himself not long ago, none of those options are great options. None of those are preferred options. That the diplomatic path that we're pursuing, that he, the Secretary, is pursuing is absolutely still the preferred path. And again, I would only point you back to what the Secretary said. He believes that it is possible on that path to make some progress before the end of the summer, so we'll see where it goes.

QUESTION: What is the utility of warning people that you might adopt a different policy if you never adopt a different policy?

MR KIRBY: Well, the question would presume that there isn't going to be an adoption of a different approach --

QUESTION: But there hasn't been so far.

MR KIRBY: -- and I just don't think we're at a position to say that right now. We're --

QUESTION: There hasn't been so far, and the war's been going for five years.

MR KIRBY: Well, it's a very speculative question that I don't think that it would – that it's possible to answer, nor would it be useful to try to answer right now. The path that we're on, the Secretary and the President still believes, is the right approach. It's still the right path. And as I said, the Secretary believes that progress can be made – perhaps some progress before the end of the summer. So the belief here is that it's still worth pursuing this diplomatic approach that we've been pursuing.

And then it would be a great parlor game to try to guess and game out but what if and when, and I just don't think we're at that point right now. But there has been – and, frankly, there continues to be – sincere thinking and discussion in the interagency of alternative approaches. But I can assure you that no decisions have been made to stray off of or to change from the diplomatic approach that we're taking right now.

And the other thing I'd like to add, just if I could, is that it's not just the – an approach that the United States is taking. It's an approach really by I think a very representative body of the international community – which, oh, by the way, includes Russia. We have a UN Security Council resolution now that codified this ISSG process that the Secretary has led – he and Foreign Minister Lavrov – and now that's – that has a gravitas all its own. And it is representative – their efforts are representative of a truly international approach to trying to solve the civil war in Syria through a diplomatic track. And so it's not just about us. It really is an approach that the entire international community has signed up to.

QUESTION: Can I go to Iran?

MR KIRBY: Yeah, go ahead. You want to move to what?

QUESTION: Iran. Iran.

MR KIRBY: Okay.

QUESTION: Now that the Iranians are holding three Americans, I'm wondering what the Secretary's contacts have been like with his Iranian counterpart.

MR KIRBY: Look, Michele, I appreciate the question. And while – again, we've seen reports of the detention of Iran of a person reported to be a U.S. citizen, and I can tell you we're looking into that. I just don't have additional information to provide at this time.

What I can tell you, separate and distinct from that, is that the issue of American citizens detained in Iran is an issue that never fails to come up in his discussions with his counterpart in Iran, Foreign Minister Zarif. It's a constant topic of discussion. But I'm just not able to go into any more detail.

QUESTION: Are you trying, though, to – I mean, the other Americans in January were released after there was a separate channel – the McGurk channel – with the Iranians. Are you trying to revive that channel?

MR KIRBY: I just don't have additional information for you right now. I can tell you that we never lose sight of our concerns over American citizens detained in Iran.

QUESTION: And there are lots of other – there's Canadians, Brits, others who have been – seem to be swept up in this right now. Are you working with other governments to come up with a united front to deal with this issue?

MR KIRBY: Again, I really don't have additional information to speak to. We have, obviously, an obligation to look after the safety and security of American citizens abroad. We take that very, very seriously, and we do not miss an opportunity to raise with Iran our concerns about American citizens that are unjustly detained there. And I can appreciate that you'd like more detail on that, I really do, but I'm just not at liberty to provide it right now.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Can you even say whether you are seeking consular access to the person most recently reported to the U.S. – to the dual citizen most recently reported as having been detained? I realize they don't typically provide that, but can you at least say whether you're asking for it?

MR KIRBY: Well, you know we – there's a protecting power. We don't have a consul there. I mean, I get the purpose of the question. Again, I'm really not at liberty to provide more information right now.

Yeah.

QUESTION: Thank you. One Syria-related question before transitioning to Turkey. Today, there was a suicide bombing in Qamishli, a Syrian Kurdish city, which killed about 50 and injured over 100. Want to see – I think ISIS already claimed that, if you have any comment.

MR KIRBY: Yes. Thank you. We certainly condemn in the strongest terms today's reprehensible terrorist attack that killed scores of civilians in Qamishli, Syria and we extend, of course, our deepest condolences to all the families of those that were killed, and, of course, our thoughts and prayers for those who have been injured. This attack, once again, displays the type of horrific atrocities that Daesh has perpetrated against tens of thousands of innocent people across Syria and Iraq and only affirms – reaffirms, I should say – international resolve to strengthen our efforts to degrade and defeat Daesh and to support those who are also working to degrade and defeat Daesh. And that resolve remains unchanged, wherever they might be in the world.

Now, on the details of it, I just don't have – I've, again, seen the same reports. We have no reason to doubt the veracity of the claims of responsibility by Daesh, and I – as for further details on it, I'd have to point you to authorities there.

QUESTION: On Turkey, over the weekend there was a arrest warrant issued for 42 journalists, and just today there is another warrant for detainment of 47 journalists. And there are more lists are coming up, obviously. It looks like there will be hundreds more. There are about 15,000 people detained. These are official numbers. Over 60,000 people are sacked, suspended across Turkey. I was wondering, first of all, your comment. And second, you mentioned last week or Monday that Turkey should not take excessive actions after the coup. Do you think these actions are – can be classified as excessive?

MR KIRBY: Well, we also said that we're not going to get into the business of characterizing every decision every moment that it's made. I think I would point you back to what the Secretary has said repeatedly, that we have been nothing but strong in expressing our grave concern about the failed coup. We have been nothing but strong and candid in condemning that failed coup and –condemning the coup attempt, not the fact that it failed, obviously – and expressing our unequivocal support for the democratically elected civilian government of Turkey. The President himself strongly condemned the failed coup attempt and expressed U.S. support for Turkish democratic institutions. He thanked Turkish authorities for their continued support in ensuring the safety and well-being of our diplomatic missions and personnel, American servicemen and women who are there, and civilians – our civilians throughout Turkey. And, of course, we have urged President Erdogan to show restraint, to act within the rule of law, to avoid actions that would lead to further violence and instability. We obviously support bringing the perpetrators of the coup to justice and we also continue to stress the importance of upholding democratic principles and the rule of law through the process.

QUESTION: Okay. So about these journalists – over hundred journalists. From here, do you think this many journalists can be involved with the coup? Do you think this can be realistically happened?

MR KIRBY: Well, look, I – these kinds of actions – and we've talked about this in the past, our concerns over press freedoms. I think we would see this as a continuation of what I've talked about as a troubling trend in Turkey, where official bodies – law enforcement and judicial – are being used to discourage legitimate political recourse – I'm sorry, discourse, legitimate political discourse. I mean, we've been I think very consistent about that.

QUESTION: Can I follow up on that? Do you believe that the current Turkish Government is systematically dismantling the institutions of society, including the judiciary and the press, that can serve on – as a check on the powers of the executive?

MR KIRBY: I think I'm going to have to point you back to what I've said here just a few minutes ago. The – we're not going to characterize each and every move as they occur. What we've been – I --

QUESTION: I'm talking about the whole thing.

MR KIRBY: What we've – what we've been very consistent on is condemning the coup attempt, the attempt by military force to overthrow a democratically elected government. I think our position was crystal clear on that since that night. And we've also, in conversations with Turkish authorities at various levels, urged restraint, a dedication to rule of law, and the democratic principles that have upheld the elected government in Turkey already.

But again, I'm not – and we're obviously watching and – developments there and we're staying in touch with Turkish authorities. Our ambassador has been in near constant communication with his counterparts in the Turkish Government. And I just don't know that we're going to be able to characterize it any deeper than that.

Yeah.

QUESTION: John, knowing your vast knowledge about the world affairs and all, most of the dictators in history have been democratically elected. Do you feel you are still saying Turkey is still a democracy when all this purging is going on?

MR KIRBY: Again, Tejinder, it is a democratically elected government, and it was a government that at least some elements of the Turkish military attempted to overthrow. There's obviously an investigation going on by Turkish authorities to figure out exactly what happened here, and how it could happen. We, as I said at the outset, understand the need for them to be able to get their arms around this failed coup and to hold the perpetrators to account. We've said that again from within the first hour or two of it happening. We've also said, and continue to believe, that a measured, deliberate approach to that that is – that observes the rule of law and due process is important. And we continue to make those concerns known.

Okay.

QUESTION: I have another one, back to Russia. It's a little out of left field, but there was also a very public accusation today that President Putin has, in the past year, publicly used an offensive racial slur to refer to black Americans and perhaps the President. It was unclear in the accusation. Is that something that you have any knowledge of, that President Putin has ever used racial slurs publicly to refer to Americans? Have you seen that?

MR KIRBY: I have not seen that, no.

QUESTION: You have not seen that?

MR KIRBY: No.

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR KIRBY: I got time for just a couple more and then I'm going to have to go.

QUESTION: Today Turkish prime minister said to Wall Street Journal that evidence is crystal-clear that Fethullah Gulen, exiled cleric here, is behind the coup. And he ask why the U.S. just can't hand over this individual to us. Do you have a comment on this particular --

MR KIRBY: I haven't seen those comments. But as we've said, we have received some materials from the Turkish Government, and those materials are being reviewed. I don't have an update for you on that process.

QUESTION: Okay. Thank you.

QUESTION: I have two quick on Asia.

MR KIRBY: Okay.

QUESTION: First, I was wondering if you had anything on American citizen James Wang. He was sentenced today by a Chinese court to prison for selling magazines about the Chinese – Chinese politics.

MR KIRBY: Yeah. We can confirm that U.S. citizen James Wang was arrested in China on the 31st of May, 2014. Since his arrest, we have asked our Chinese counterparts repeatedly for permission to visit him, including permission to attend his trial. Those requests have all been denied. We're going to continue to request access to Mr. Wang so that we may provide the appropriate consular services.

QUESTION: And then also I was wondering if you had a readout of Deputy Secretary Blinken's meeting today with his South Korean counterparts.

MR KIRBY: What I can tell you is that he is meeting with the – I got it here somewhere, hold on. It's not in ROK. I'm looking. Oh, here it is. I'm sorry. She was yelling at me. I did have it in the right place. Sorry. He's – the Deputy Secretary is hosting First Deputy Director of the Republic of Korea National Security Office Cho Tae-yong in Washington today for the third round of U.S.-ROK strategic consultations on North Korea policy. Those meetings are ongoing, as I understand it. They're discussing issues of mutual concern, including ways to enhance international resolve in holding North Korea accountable for its actions and its destabilizing violations of UN Security Council resolution – sorry, resolutions. This meeting reflects our continued engagement with our partners in the region and underscores our commitment to address the pursuit of nuclear and ballistic missile capabilities by the DPRK.

I got time for just one more.

QUESTION: One more on the internal review that the department is conducting into the excising of the portion of the briefing video. Have you made any progress on establishing how that came to happen and who made the request for it?

MR KIRBY: On the – I'm sorry, on --

QUESTION: This is on the briefing video. You remember the – yeah.

MR KIRBY: Oh, the video. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

QUESTION: That's okay.

MR KIRBY: No, for some reason I misunderstood the question. I can tell you that our Office of the Legal Adviser is continuing that work. It's not complete. I don't have an update for you. But they are still working at it. And when we are in a position to speak about their findings and their recommendations going forward, we'll do that.

QUESTION: Thank you.

MR KIRBY: Thanks, everybody.

(The briefing was concluded at 1:51 p.m.)