Department Press Briefing - June 19, 2018
Heather Nauert
Spokesperson
Department Press Briefing
Washington, DC
June 19, 2018
TRANSCRIPT:
3:31 p.m. EDT
MS NAUERT: Hi, everybody.
QUESTION: Hello.
MS NAUERT: Nice to see you all today and sorry for the delay in getting started. We're having some audio problems, so anybody in some of the back rows, if you have a question, I think you're just going to have to speak up a little bit today.
Start out with a couple of announcements: First, I'd like to note that we are pleased to announce the highest-profile event that is dedicated to promoting foreign business investment in the United States that is now underway. The 2018 SelectUSA Investment Summit will take place June 20th through the 22nd at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland. Hosted by the Department of Commerce as part of its SelectUSA initiative, this year's theme is "Invest Here. Grow Here. Succeed Here." Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will deliver the opening remarks – actually, he'll be delivering remarks at the summit on Friday entitled "Promoting Global Economic Prosperity."
This year's summit brings together more than 3,000 people, including investors from more than 65 international markets, representatives from more than 50 U.S. states and territories, high-level government officials, global business leaders, and others working to facilitate investment in the United States. Five cabinet secretaries and ten state governors will speak at the summit along with fifteen chiefs of mission who will personally be leading delegations to the summit.
Foreign direct investment into the United States is a key contributor to U.S. economic growth, supporting nearly 13 million American jobs. These investments contribute to U.S. exports, they drive innovation, and send hardworking Americans home with a paycheck. Past investment summit participants have announced nearly $93 billion in new U.S. investment projects, supporting more than 140,000 American jobs. We are looking forward to that.
Second, I'd like to do a follow-up on something that we had mentioned to you here before. We would once again like to condemn the release of a convicted terrorist. His name is Dimitris Koufodinas. He is now on a two-day furlough from a Greek prison. It is his third furlough in the last year. He is a terrorist who has been convicted of multiple murders, including the embassy defense attache William Nordeen back in the late 1980s and United States Air Force Sergeant Ronald Stewart. These furloughs serve as an incentive for his followers to commit further violent and destructive acts in his name. Our embassy in Athens has conveyed our serious concerns about this decision to the Greek Government. Terrorists should not get a vacation from jail.
And lastly, I'd like to address something that happened not too long ago. It's a bit delayed because a lot of us were on travel, but I wanted to take a minute to remember a colleague of ours, Oren Dorell from USA Today. Oren Dorell, for those who are not aware, was tragically killed in a hit-and-run earlier this month. As many of his colleagues know, Oren covered the State Department as part of his beat for years and years, and we are deeply saddened by the loss of his life. He was a dedicated journalist, a good colleague, and a kind and gentle man. His presence will be missed by us here at the State Department. We at the department are keeping his wife, his children, and the rest of his family and friends in our prayers today. We will miss him and thinking of his family and his friends at this very difficult time.
And with that, I'd be happy to take your questions. Matt, would you like to start today?
QUESTION: Yes. Thanks, Heather.
MS NAUERT: Thank you.
QUESTION: And thank you for those kind words about Oren.
MS NAUERT: Thank you.
QUESTION: Start, in roughly – what is it now, we're so late, it could be like five minutes from now, right?
MS NAUERT: I know.
QUESTION: In roughly 25 --
MS NAUERT: And thanks, by the way, for getting all the audio problems worked out.
QUESTION: -- I can't see what time it is – around five o'clock, there's going to be an announcement --
MS NAUERT: Yes.
QUESTION: -- today about the UNHCR?
MS NAUERT: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
QUESTION: If you'd like to preview it, that would be great. I suspect you don't want to, but --
MS NAUERT: No, thank you.
QUESTION: All right.
MS NAUERT: I will let the Secretary and Ambassador Haley handle that.
QUESTION: So let me --
MS NAUERT: That will be upstairs on the seventh floor at the Treaty Room at 5:00 p.m. tonight.
QUESTION: So let me just ask you: Yesterday, related to this – to the council, the head of it or the chief guy, the Jordanian prince, Prince Zeid, had some rather harsh --
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
QUESTION: -- sorry – had some rather harsh criticism for the U.S. in terms of the separation of migrant children from their parents on the border, and I'm just wondering if you from the State Department – I'm not asking you to comment on the policy which the State Department isn't actually involved in – but if you have any response from the foreign relations arm of the U.S. Government to the criticism that he raised.
MS NAUERT: Yeah. I mean, first of all, you're right about that. This is not our policy, this is not our – State Department is not involved in implementing what you are referring to. That is the responsibility of the Department of Homeland Security, so they are overseeing that and they are handling that altogether.
As a general matter, as many of you are aware – and we've discussed this many times before – we regularly discuss migration issues with countries all around the world, all over the world. And irregular migration is a challenge not just in this hemisphere but in other hemispheres as well.
QUESTION: Right. So you don't have any – you don't have any reaction or response to what he – he called it unconscionable. And in the past, when international groups or agencies, forum, have criticized previous administrations for domestic policies, the State Department has offered a response.
MS NAUERT: No, not often. There are certainly plenty of times --
QUESTION: Well, the inmates at Guantanamo that were --
MS NAUERT: -- in which people criticize the U.S. Government for a whole host of things, and we don't comment on everything that every foreign leader or dignitary happens to say.
QUESTION: Okay. And that's the case here, you're just not going to --
MS NAUERT: Matt, I have nothing for you on that. Thank you.
QUESTION: All right.
QUESTION: Can I follow up?
MS NAUERT: Hi. Yeah. Hi, Andrea.
QUESTION: Thank you. One note I wanted to make today on the record: One of the really extraordinary veteran diplomatic correspondents passed away. NBC's Richard Valeriani was here all during the Kissinger years and afterwards and for many decades traveled with the State Department with secretaries of state. And I just wanted to pay tribute to his great leadership. He taught many of us what we do today.
MS NAUERT: Yeah. Andrea, I'm sorry. I was not aware of that, so our prayers go out to his family as well.
QUESTION: He's a veteran. He was 85 years old and ailing --
MS NAUERT: Oh, goodness.
QUESTION: -- but I just wanted to say something about Richard in this space because he inhabited it for so many years.
MS NAUERT: Thank you.
QUESTION: Following up on the general issue of migration, can you share with us any messaging to embassies or consulates in some of the affected Central American countries that may have accompanied the April announcement or the May follow-up announcements by the Attorney General? Was there any State Department outreach to warn these countries that zero tolerance was the policy and that enforcement was going to follow that might have impacted peoples' migration? And can you follow up with any State Department involvement?
MS NAUERT: Sure. I can just tell you I'm not personally aware of any correspondence that went out on this matter a month or two months ago when you were referring to. I can tell you that the issue of irregular migration is one that the State Department does address regularly with our partners and people all around the world, including in the Western Hemisphere. It's a – can be a shared problem, a shared issue that we regularly discuss with many countries.
We aim to address the root causes of irregular migration – security, governance, drugs, crime. All of those issues are central themes that the United States Government discusses.
QUESTION: But can you take the question as to whether – when zero tolerance was announced, whether there was any accompanying effort by DHS or DOJ to reach out here?
MS NAUERT: I think that would be a Department of Justice or a Department of Homeland Security – something for them to address.
QUESTION: No, what I mean is whether there was any coordination with State.
MS NAUERT: Not that I am aware of. If the State Department has anything that it can provide regarding this, I'll be sure to let you know. Okay?
Hi, Lesley.
QUESTION: Do you have any comment – hi, Heather. Do you have any comment on the UN human rights official who called the administration's policy "unconscionable" yesterday?
MS NAUERT: I think that's – that's what Matt --
QUESTION: That's exactly what --
QUESTION: Did you not ask the Jordanian president? No?
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
QUESTION: (Inaudible.)
QUESTION: Right, okay. Of course.
MS NAUERT: And look, that's the type of thing that we're not going to comment on every criticism that an individual across the world has about the United States Government and some of its policies.
QUESTION: What is the Secretary's personal view on this policy? Is this something that he would support as a father?
MS NAUERT: This is a Department of Homeland Security issue. I'm going to leave it to the experts at the Department of Homeland Security to address all of this. You all heard from Secretary Nielsen yesterday. I believe she addressed it in the White House briefing room, so I'll leave it to them to explain. I've told you what I can share with you about the State Department's role in addressing irregular migration with the countries that we work with, in particular in the Western Hemisphere.
QUESTION: Heather?
QUESTION: Just to follow up from Andrea's question, so what have the countries asked from the Secretary? Yesterday he met with the Honduran. What are they asking of him?
MS NAUERT: I believe we provided a readout of that. And if we – if we haven't, I can certainly make sure that you receive that. Yeah.
QUESTION: I saw it. I think that he's not the only one.
MS NAUERT: Okay, yes. Rich, go right ahead.
QUESTION: So the White House is now telegraphing about $450 billion worth of Chinese goods to be affected perhaps in imports by tariffs.
QUESTION: Can we stay on this topic quickly?
QUESTION: Oh, you – actually, yeah. Sorry about that.
MS NAUERT: Okay, okay. Last question on that.
QUESTION: I know you don't want to address individual criticisms, but it's not just the UN Human Rights Council high commissioner, it's also the Government of El Salvador, the Government of Mexico. The spokesman of the French Government said that the U.S. and Europe don't share the same values, that this – this policy makes that apparent. Can you speak to the broader international outcry against this policy and what – how it affects the United States' standing?
MS NAUERT: I can just tell you that it is a challenge that is shared not just in the United States, but it's a challenge that's shared by many countries. Irregular migration continues to be an issue that many countries struggle to deal with. Beyond that, the specifics of this policy, I'd have to refer you to the Department of Homeland Security.
QUESTION: You don't – you don't want to address the fact that it's hurting the United States standing on these human rights issues?
MS NAUERT: Look, I'm not going to go there. I get what you're trying to do. I'm not going to go there. I just don't have anything further for you on that. Okay?
QUESTION: Can I do one other thing? The Mexican foreign secretary said that he had communicated to his opposition to the policy to Secretary Pompeo. Can you confirm whether or not they've spoken?
MS NAUERT: I can just confirm that they have spoken today, yes. Yes. Okay?
QUESTION: One more question on that. The President --
MS NAUERT: Okay. Then we're moving on.
QUESTION: Okay. The President said today, I'm not –"I'm going to [go] very shortly for authorization [that] when countries abuse us by sending their people up – not their best" – we're going to give – "we're not going to give any more aid to those countries. Why the hell should we? Why should we?" So what authorization was he talking about that he's going to be signing in terms of aid?
MS NAUERT: I'd have to refer you to the White House on that. I don't have any information for you on that.
QUESTION: So you're not discussing with the White House aid to these countries that are sending illegal immigrants to the U.S.?
MS NAUERT: Personally, I'm not aware of that.
QUESTION: No, the State Department.
MS NAUERT: That's why I would – that's why I would refer you back to the White House.
And then Rich, and then we'll go on to Said. Rich, hi.
QUESTION: Hi, Heather. So about the potential of a total of $450 billion in Chinese imports to be subjected to tariffs by the administration, this is less than a week after the President held the summit in Singapore with Kim Jong-un in which he lauded the Chinese Government efforts. At what point do these two become mixed? Are they already a mixed issue where you have the U.S. trying to get China to do something on one end and then these massive tariffs on the other?
MS NAUERT: And that's an area where I would encourage people not to conflate the issues. We have complex relationships with a lot of countries where we have areas of cooperation and we have areas of disagreement. China would be an example of one of them. There are other countries certainly like that.
As we talk about this issue, I'd like to underscore the good work that President Xi and the Chinese Government have done in helping to bring North Korea to the negotiating table, and we look forward to their continued support of the United States policy and in fact the world's policy on the maximum pressure campaign that we had instituted more than a year ago today. So more than a year ago. So overall, I'd like to thank President Xi for their support on maximum pressure.
I'd also like to say the Secretary here has been at the State Department for less than two months. He has now had two meetings with his Chinese counterparts, including one meeting with President Xi. The President maintains a strong and positive relationship with President Xi. Last week, our deputy secretary met with senior Chinese officials. I believe it was here in Washington. So we can continue to have conversations with the Chinese Government.
All of that being said, I'd like to remind folks that we want to have a constructive relationship with the Government of China. In order to do that, we need to repair, make some progress on some issues related to trade. The President since he took office – in fact, when he was on the campaign trail – talked a lot about his concerns about trade imbalances not just with China, but in other countries as well. The trade deficit, as the Secretary talked about last week from Beijing – we saw you there; you had a question there with the Secretary – the trade deficit simply remains too high, and that is something that the President is hoping to fix.
We have areas where we work with China and have – and we have strong relations, but there are also areas where we're not always in agreement with China, and we will certainly bring those to light.
QUESTION: And beyond China, is there any concern here at the State Department that as you work on security issues and other bilateral issues with other nations that the aluminum and steel tariffs and just trade policy will begin to – or has it already leaked into security policy and other issues?
MS NAUERT: And that's why I say I would encourage you not to conflate the two issues because we have complex relationships with so many countries around the world where we have things that we are in total agreement over, and then we have areas where we are still working to develop better agreement over those issues.
QUESTION: But I think – let me just try this a different way.
MS NAUERT: Yes.
QUESTION: He's not doing the conflation. He's asking you if you have noticed other countries conflating.
MS NAUERT: Look --
QUESTION: If it's bleeding – if the trade --
MS NAUERT: What is the question related to? Is the question related to North Korea and the issues of North Korea?
QUESTION: North Korea or NATO or any bilateral and security --
MS NAUERT: Yeah. Look, if we're talking about North Korea, there are plenty of countries – dozens and dozens of countries all around the world – who have strongly supported our collective policy on North Korea and supporting the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. We don't expect that countries are all of a sudden going to back away from that. We have areas of agreement, and we certainly have areas of disagreement, as a general matter, with many countries around the world. Okay.
QUESTION: Can I ask about --
MS NAUERT: Okay, sure. Hi.
QUESTION: There's been plenty of reporting, including an open argument among two administration officials, on this trade policy, in Beijing, in front of Chinese officials. So there's plenty of disagreement internal. Does the Secretary of State support these tariffs against China?
MS NAUERT: I can just tell you that the Secretary spoke very clearly with the Chinese Government about all of these issues last week. Those conversations will continue. We have – the President has expressed his very-early-on concern about a trade imbalance with the Chinese Government and other governments as well. So none of this should really come as a surprise to governments around the country when the President says we want fair and reciprocal trade deals that benefit not just American consumers but American businesses as well.
QUESTION: But the President's decision was made, I believe, on Friday night, or announced on Friday night after the Secretary returned.
MS NAUERT: I think --
QUESTION: Is he comfortable with the way this is escalating?
MS NAUERT: I think I've addressed this. The Secretary, as well as everybody else in this administration, has long known about the President's concerns about free and fair trade.
QUESTION: Heather?
MS NAUERT: Okay. Hi.
QUESTION: Can we go to the Palestinian-Israeli issue very quickly?
MS NAUERT: Yeah, sure.
QUESTION: Can we stay with North Korea?
QUESTION: Can you stay North Korea?
MS NAUERT: We'll come – okay, don't – sorry. Said, you're always so polite about holding off on that.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MS NAUERT: Okay, a couple more questions but I'm going to need you to just --
QUESTION: Quick.
MS NAUERT: -- speak a little bit --
QUESTION: Yeah, thank you.
MS NAUERT: -- louder please. Hi, Janne.
QUESTION: Secretary Pompeo said that he would replace the armistice agreement in exchange for the denuclearization of North Korea. Do you have anything on – how are you going to do that?
MS NAUERT: Janne, I don't have any updates for you on that. Okay.
QUESTION: Do you (inaudible) any of North Korean --
MS NAUERT: I mean, the Secretary referenced this in some of his comments last week publicly, but I don't have anything new beyond that. All right.
QUESTION: All right, thank you.
MS NAUERT: Hi.
QUESTION: Okay, just a few. Do you have any comment on Kim Jong-un's visit to China?
MS NAUERT: Sure. We're watching it carefully; we're watching it closely. We have – we are continuing communications with the North Korean Government. We look forward to them following through on their commitments and agreements that they made last week at the summit. Okay.
QUESTION: Did the Secretary have any communications with his North Korean counterparts since he has left Singapore?
MS NAUERT: And that's why I have just said we look forward to our continued communication. We have been in touch with the government, yes.
QUESTION: You have been in touch?
MS NAUERT: We have been in touch with the North Korean Government. Yes, absolutely. Okay. Hi, Kylie.
QUESTION: Following on this same issue, so you've been in contact with the North Korean Government. Are there plans for Secretary Pompeo to meet with an equal level or are there lower-level meetings between officials planned any time in the near future?
MS NAUERT: Yeah, I can just tell you we don't have any travel announcements to make today.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS NAUERT: But we'll let you know if and when that changes.
QUESTION: And then I have one more still on this topic. So the North Korean media and Chairman Kim Jong-un have claimed that the U.S. agreed to a step-by-step approach for denuclearization. Is that the U.S.'s policy?
MS NAUERT: I think we addressed this and the Secretary addressed this last week, through not only his press conferences but also the readouts that we provided. Our policies and our goals and our agreements were quite clear, and I wouldn't believe everything that you read coming out of various government statements.
QUESTION: Do you trust that they are doing in good faith, and that they have a similar understanding that the U.S. Government has?
MS NAUERT: I think we have a similar understanding, a very similar understanding, yes.
QUESTION: You wouldn't trust everything coming out of government statements? That's an interesting thing for a government spokesman to say, no?
MS NAUERT: Well, for other governments' statements, yes. Okay. Said, go right ahead.
QUESTION: Thank you. Very quick on Palestinian-Israel issue. Israel moved on Sunday to basically snap the lens shut on people that are taking pictures of soldiers' confrontations with Palestinian civilians and so on. Are you concerned that this actually might compromise the issue of human rights?
MS NAUERT: Yeah, Said, I can tell you here at home, we don't talk about pending legislation before Congress. And I know that that's a matter of pending legislation right now in Israel, so I'm not going to comment on that. But overall, I think I've spoken very clearly about our support for the freedom of the press and freedom of reporters' ability – reporters' ability to do their jobs.
QUESTION: Okay, on the same issue basically, Politico published a report saying that Ambassador Friedman had stopped the State Department last year from looking or investigating abuses by the Israeli Army as related to equipment and weapons transfers that you guys do. Could you confirm to us that this happened or not?
MS NAUERT: I believe that that report was – and I was away at the time that this report came out – but I believe that report was based on alleged leaked documents from the State Department. And so I'm just not going to comment on those. You know I don't comment on those types of things.
QUESTION: And lastly, just one issue. Today Mr. Kushner and Mr. Greenblatt began their trip in the region. They met with King Abdullah of Jordan and so on. Is the Secretary of State in – is he really – is he involved in this process at all, in any way?
MS NAUERT: Yeah. So first, I certainly can confirm that that trip is taking place. The White House has the entire itinerary and schedule for those trips and the meetings that they – that are being held. The White House released a readout earlier today of the meeting with the Jordanians. So the White House will be handling all of that.
But from the State Department's point of view, Secretary Pompeo is coordinating very closely with Mr. Kushner and Mr. Greenblatt. The State Department, as always when we have people who travel to our regions, places where we have embassies and so forth, we help facilitate that travel and participate in various meetings and readouts and the sort. So I know that Secretary Pompeo supports this trip, supports this travel, and is having ongoing conversations both with Mr. Kushner and Mr. Greenblatt, and looks forward to getting a readout when they return.
QUESTION: Sorry, when you talked about that you didn't want to talk about the pending legislation, but you did say that you – that the administration and the United States in general are supporters of freedom of the press and of reporters' ability to do their jobs, in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict – correct? Does that include not getting shot and killed?
MS NAUERT: Matt, I think we've – I think we've addressed this many times before, okay? My --
QUESTION: But you haven't. I have never heard a condemnation and I've never heard --
MS NAUERT: My understanding is that that situation --
QUESTION: -- any criticism. Any criticism.
MS NAUERT: Matt, my understanding is that that situation continues to be under review by the Israeli Government. I don't have anything more for you on that. Okay.
QUESTION: Right. Just one more thing on the – on funding, on UNRWA. There was another urgent appeal today. Apparently, the – well, they say that they're going to run out of money completely within – within weeks now. The remainder, some 200 million, of money that has – was planned for the Palestinians remains under review. What are the prospects, what are the chances of that review being completed any time soon to make any meaningful difference for that funding?
MS NAUERT: Well, a couple things. First, this is something that frequently happens as we get into the summer months and into the fall, where UNRWA comes back with an emergency appeal for more money. We have consistently called upon UNRWA to restructure its funding and the way it – and the way it basically handles its money so that every year at this time and in the fall, they don't have to come back, to the United States and many other countries frankly, with an emergency appeal. So we go back to that issue and say, let's – let's work this thing out, let's get this together so there aren't all of these emergency appeals.
In terms of an update on where the funding stands, I'd just have to check into that and see if I have anything new for you on that, but I'm not going to predict what the timing would be, if any, for any additional deposits.
QUESTION: Right, but this shortfall is not related to an emergency running short. This is – this is in some ways directly related to the decision to provide only half of the – or a little less than half back in January from the U.S.
MS NAUERT: Matt, I'll let you know. I'll let you know if we have any updates for you on that.
Hi, Laurie.
QUESTION: Hi. On Sunday, Iraqi militia forces in Syria were attacked, apparently by Israel. And would it be reasonable to see that as an Israeli warning to Baghdad about letting Iran use its territory and personnel in ways that Israel views as threatening? Do you think that's a reasonable understanding of that?
MS NAUERT: I believe what you're talking about is along the Iraqi-Syrian border, is that correct?
QUESTION: Yes.
MS NAUERT: DOD put out a statement on that. I believe it was just yesterday, so I'd have to refer to our DOD colleagues for that. I can only tell you that the U.S. and the coalition were not present in the area at the time, but beyond that, I would just refer you to the Department of Defense.
QUESTION: They did not have – they didn't know anything about it – it was astonishing – this morning. So okay, well I --
MS NAUERT: I believe that they responded yesterday, but I'd encourage you to go back to DOD on that.
QUESTION: It's see no evil, hear no evil. I've got another question.
MS NAUERT: Okay, go right ahead.
QUESTION: Over the weekend, Angelina Jolie visited Mosul and a refugee camp in Dohuk as an envoy from the UNHCR, and she described a very dismal situation. She said, "The worst devastation I have seen in all my years working with UNHCR." Who is addressing this problem and how are they dealing with it? Do you know?
MS NAUERT: Well this is part of what the United States Government has been doing in conjunction with its coalition partners. We've provided more than $1.7 billion to Iraq and this humanitarian and rebuilding response since 2014. If you all will recall, it took ISIS a very long time to get dug in into Mosul. They were there, held Mosul for more than two years. The situation there is certainly a very difficult one. It is still taking time. The U.S. Government, through various partners – the coalition – through various partners are still engaged in some of that demining that's taking place in Mosul. So it certainly is a very difficult situation, but the United States Government, the coalition, and its partners are involved in helping to get that area so that people can continue to come home.
We talked about this last year after ISIS was finally pushed out, that people were starting to come home. It was pretty much a miracle at the time that people were able to get back into schools, some people were able to get back into their homes, but we acknowledged right then and there that this would be a difficult, long process, and unfortunately that's still ongoing.
QUESTION: Do you think it needs to be done faster by the Iraqi Government or by --
MS NAUERT: Laurie, I'm not there on the ground. It is certainly a difficult environment. Could anything be done faster? Potentially, but I'm not on the ground to be able to assess the situation myself.
QUESTION: How is that different from the situation in Aleppo, exactly?
MS NAUERT: Yeah, go right ahead. Michel, go ahead.
QUESTION: I have two questions. One on Syria: Have you made any progress with the Russians regarding the ceasefire in southwest Syria?
MS NAUERT: We go back to this time and time again, and that is that the ceasefire, which has now – I mean, we had said for the most part held for nearly a year. And we know that that had been successful in not only being able to bring in humanitarian aid, but it has undoubtedly saved Syrian lives as a result of that. We put out a statement – I believe it was late last week – right, last week – Friday on the matter, on trying to preserve the southwest de-escalation zone in southwest Syria. That's something that is important to the United States Government. And I'll remind folks that this was set up, this de-escalation zone, by not just the U.S. Government but also Jordan and Russia.
QUESTION: And yesterday Secretary Pompeo talked to Lavrov.
MS NAUERT: Yes, he did.
QUESTION: Did they make any progress in these talks?
MS NAUERT: Yeah. I can just tell you they reemphasized the commitment of the U.S. Government, also the Russian Government and the Jordanian Government – although this was just a call between the Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov – about the importance of the ceasefire arrangement, recognizing that it's critical for Russia and the Syrian regime to adhere to the arrangements and ensure to a unilateral activity in that area.
QUESTION: And does the Secretary – oh, sorry. Go ahead.
QUESTION: I have one other question on Yemen. Are you asking on Syria?
MS NAUERT: Oh. Let's come back to that. Go right ahead.
QUESTION: On Russia quickly, does the Secretary feel that a Trump-Putin meeting would be helpful in these areas where there could or should be more cooperation?
MS NAUERT: I haven't asked him that. I mean, overall – I mean, I could tell you the United States Government would certainly prefer to have a stronger relationship with the Russian Government, but in terms of any meetings, I don't have anything to announce. That would in fact come out of the White House.
QUESTION: But is there work going on right now with the Secretary to --
MS NAUERT: I have nothing for you on that.
QUESTION: Okay, sorry.
MS NAUERT: Okay.
QUESTION: Just to follow up on that --
MS NAUERT: Yeah.
QUESTION: -- on Russian relations.
MS NAUERT: Hi.
QUESTION: Hey. So do you all support bringing the – Russia back into the G7? And there were reports coming out of the G7 meeting that President Trump actually said to the other leaders that he saw Crimea as a natural part of Russia. Does the Secretary agree with that?
MS NAUERT: I – it's not a question that I've asked him. Our policy on Crimea has not changed. In terms of specific comments about Russia and its involvement in various multilateral entities, I'd just have to refer you to the White House on that. My understanding is that all of those reports were based on anonymous sources, and I don't believe the White House has commented on that just yet, so you'd just have – I'd have to refer you to them on that issue.
Okay.
QUESTION: Yeah, on Yemen, Heather.
MS NAUERT: Yeah.
QUESTION: To what extent are you concerned about the situation in Hodeidah, and can you confirm that the Arab coalition has controlled the airport there?
MS NAUERT: I think the coalition would certainly have to answer that one about the airport and the placement there. I know we have a very real concern about humanitarian aid being able to continue to come into the port of Hodeidah. We're closely following the situation in Yemen. We're in close contact with our international partners. We would like to see a diplomatic solution to the situation in Yemen. The UN Special Envoy Martin Griffiths has been meeting with various parties to have conversations about seeing a diplomatic way forward, and we continue to support his efforts.
QUESTION: Because there are conflict reports coming from the coalition about the airport. Do you have any idea, any confirmation that --
MS NAUERT: I don't. We support de-escalating hostilities and we support being – having aid continue to come into that port, okay, and we're watching it very carefully.
QUESTION: Follow on Yemen.
MS NAUERT: Hey, Josh. Yeah.
QUESTION: Hi. The Emiratis are saying that they've – their coalition has asked several times for U.S. support in that operation in Hodeidah and they have been rejected on multiple occasions. Can you confirm that those requests have been received and turned down?
MS NAUERT: I can't. I just don't have anything for you on that. I can look into it and see if I have anything that I can get back to you with.
QUESTION: And on one other issue, Senator John McCain has written a letter along with his Democratic colleague Senator Chris Coons to Secretary Pompeo opposing the nomination of Ronald Mortensen to be assistant secretary for population, refugees and migration, saying that he spreads misinformation about immigrants and – especially during his work at the Center for Immigration Studies, and saying that he has, quote, "a lack of empathy for innocent men, women and children fleeing violence and oppression." You may not have seen the letter yet, but do you know if Secretary has any response to that letter and does the administration plan to continue with his nomination?
MS NAUERT: Look, I have not seen that letter, so I can't comment on that letter, and I don't know if the Secretary has seen it either. So I just can't – I just can't comment for you on that.
QUESTION: In other (inaudible) – in other letter news, several top Democrats also sent a letter to the Secretary today voicing their concerns about this former beverage lobbyist who's now a senior advisor, who's apparently – or reportedly been vetting people to see how much their ideological stance conforms with Trump versus Obama. And they also questioned why Pompeo, given that he promised them he would provide them with more information, has not. I guess they asked him during his confirmation hearing. So first of all, why has he not given these members of Congress more information on this, and secondly, what is the status of this person? Are they still – Mari Stull – is she still vetting longtime State Department employees to see if they are aligned with the President or not?
MS NAUERT: So, Michelle, let me correct your – the premise of your question. This is something that the Secretary would certainly take very seriously, and the claim that we're not getting back to members of Congress is not accurate and here's why: We take responses to Congress extremely seriously. We take allegations of this sort very seriously. The Secretary has worked – regards the work of our Foreign Service, our Civil Service, our longtime colleagues here, very – holds them in the highest regard. He did that when he worked at the agency as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency as well. We handle these matters with Congress through the proper channels. In the past when there was an allegation about this, this is something that was immediately referred to the Office of the Inspector General. The Office of the Inspector General is looking at an allegation of so-called political retribution. There's also the permanent Office of the Special Counsel, and they are reviewing that situation as well. When those organizations or when those entities are reviewing cases like this, it is not something that we are going to comment on publicly other than saying we take these matters seriously. We will wait for their final report and what they conclude, and that will be provided.
QUESTION: Are you saying that there's been an investigation by the – the OIG has launched an investigation into this Mari Stull (inaudible)?
MS NAUERT: No I'm not saying that, I'm – because Michelle tied it to members of Congress, who apparently believe that the United States – or that we have not provided enough information. And so I am saying that regarding these questions that have come up in the past, we have referred matters to the Office of Inspector General, and also the Special Counsel.
QUESTION: So you're saying that the OIG has launched a more – a broader – an investigation into more broad allegations of --
MS NAUERT: I am not saying – Matt, I am not saying that at all. Michelle asked me a question about a previous situation. Now, regarding --
QUESTION: (Inaudible.) Well, let's clarify this (inaudible).
MS NAUERT: Regarding --
QUESTION: No, no, no, there is a previous situation, but this is something new.
QUESTION: If the OIG --
MS NAUERT: Yes.
QUESTION: If the OIG is looking at the retribution allegations, is the OIG then also now looking at this --
MS NAUERT: I can only – I can only confirm that we have received a letter from members of Congress. That is it. That is all I have on this matter.
QUESTION: But you're commenting on the OIG's involvement in looking into the past thing. Why can't you comment on whether the OIG is also looking into the newest allegation?
MS NAUERT: I have nothing for you on that. We just got back from a big trip overseas a few days ago, and so if we have anything for you on that, I will be sure to bring it to you. But let me underscore that we take these situations very seriously.
QUESTION: Well, has the Secretary responded to the letters from Menendez, Elijah Cummings, et al?
MS NAUERT: On --
QUESTION: On this issue.
MS NAUERT: On which issue?
QUESTION: On the issue of political vetting, alleged political vetting by this appointee, of civil servants and Foreign Service officers?
MS NAUERT: I don't know. That is not a question that I have asked him, but I can tell you we take these situations very seriously.
QUESTION: I'm trying – I just want to be – trying to get an accurate idea of what's going on here. Is the OIG investigating allegations of political retribution and political vetting? Or is that incorrect? Because that's the impression that you've left, and if you didn't want to leave that impression, please correct it.
MS NAUERT: Okay, let me be clear about this, okay. There was a previous incident.
QUESTION: Yes. Yes.
MS NAUERT: Okay? We received questions from members of Congress. You all --
QUESTION: But hold on. When you say "previous incident," you're not talking about this Mari Stull thing?
MS NAUERT: That is correct.
QUESTION: This is the one that involved --
MS NAUERT: That is correct.
QUESTION: -- someone who worked in the – in policy planning.
MS NAUERT: That is correct.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS NAUERT: Okay. We have responded to Congress. The Secretary has said we'd look into it. We looked into it. The Office of Inspector General is conducting an investigation. I don't have the details of that. We don't make the details of that public.
The Permanent Office of Special Counsel is also looking into that. We will await their final report. That information will be presented in the appropriate forum. I assume that goes up to members on Capitol Hill.
QUESTION: Okay. But that --
MS NAUERT: So that is – that is an isolated situation.
QUESTION: But they're both looking at the previous – they're both looking at this previous allegation and not the most recent one of people being – so when you say that this is something that the Secretary would take very seriously, are you talking about --
MS NAUERT: Any of these types of allegations, yes.
QUESTION: -- the vetting as well as retribution?
MS NAUERT: All of these types of things would be taken very seriously here at the State Department.
QUESTION: Okay. So no career civil servant or Foreign Service officer should fear that they are being inspected by – for political leanings or political expression?
MS NAUERT: If there is a concern about that, I would highly encourage any of my colleagues here at the State Department to please come forward to the appropriate people here at the State Department and report that if they feel that that is taking place.
QUESTION: Right. Can I ask one more? This is about money. Syria money.
MS NAUERT: Okay.
QUESTION: While you were away – and I know that you feel very strongly about the White Helmets and were a major pusher for this – that's the wrong word – pusher – a major supporter or proponent of getting them funding. While you were gone, you announced that the President had signed off on the 6.6 million for the White Helmets and then for the UN – the UN investigation mission.
MS NAUERT: Yes.
QUESTION: Which is all good, but that leaves 193.4 million that is still on hold for Syria stabilization programs. Is that money ever going to be released, or is the President's desire to extricate the U.S. from Syria still so strong that it's just going to basically wither on the vine if you're referring to Treasury?
MS NAUERT: Matt, I think that's a loaded question. The money that you're referring to is still under review. I just don't have any updates for you on that. Okay? But I can tell you we are very pleased that the White Helmets has been able to receive the funding that it needs to do its important work. So okay.
Final question. Hi, Dave.
QUESTION: Hi, Heather. So a couple of weeks ago, you defended the right of Ambassador Grenell in Berlin to, as in his words, seek to empower right-wing conservatives in Europe. The past two days now, President Trump has made the apparently erroneous claim that crime is up in Germany because of their immigration policy. Did the State Department provide him with any information on which to base that claim? Do you support that claim? And is this not evidence that the U.S. Government does seek to influence politics in Germany?
QUESTION: Dave, I think that's a question for the White House. I don't have any information for you on that, and I don't have any – any firsthand information about Germany's crime statistics. So I'd have to refer you to the Government of Germany and also to the White House for any clarification on that.
QUESTION: Well, the Government of Germany has responded to say that the President is lying.
MS NAUERT: Okay. Well, I would refer you to the White House then to clarify that one. Okay?
QUESTION: Thank you.
MS NAUERT: Thanks, everybody.
(The briefing was concluded at 4:09 p.m.)
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