Middle East Digest: June 20, 2008Bureau of Public Affairs The Middle East Digest provides text and audio from the Daily Press Briefing. For the full briefings, please visit http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/. From the Daily Press Briefing of June 20, 2008: MR. MCCORMACK: Anybody want to start?QUESTION: On the news today of a large Israeli operation – air operation training exercise that may be a demonstration project for future endeavors in Iran? MR. MCCORMACK: I would say you’d probably have to – you would have to go talk to the Government of Israel about any of their military exercises and what they intended to accomplish by those military exercises. We ourselves, as you know and as we have conveyed to Israel, as well as others in public and private, are focused on trying to make the diplomacy work. We believe that we can resolve the approximate issue at hand, which is the nuclear question and which the Israeli Government, I believe, sees as an existential threat through -- and that we can resolve these issues through diplomacy. We still hold out that hope; that despite the fact that Iran has not agreed to the international community’s demands, as expressed through the IAEA and through three UN Security Council resolutions. We are going to continue to increase the pressure on the Iranian regime to change its behavior. We have also kept open another pathway for them. Recently, Mr. Solana, on behalf of the P-5+1, conveyed to the Iranian Government a package of incentives, incentives for them to change their behavior, to change the course on which they have put the Iranian people at the moment. We have not heard back a definitive answer from the Iranian Government to that package of proposals. And again, I say that some of the initial responses, notwithstanding from the Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman, they said to Mr. Solana, that they would look at the package and provide a response. They have not provided a response. So that’s a long answer to a short question. We’re still working on the diplomacy. We believe that it can work. But again, as the President has said and as the Secretary has also reiterated, the United States does not take any options off the table. Yeah, Sylvie. QUESTION: These maneuvers seem to indicate that Israel is willing to act alone. Could they act completely alone or would you help them to – help them at least -- (inaudible)? MR. MCCORMACK: Again, talk to the Israelis. I’m not going to speak on behalf of the Israeli Government about what they intended to accomplish with these exercises. I’m not going to speak on behalf of the Israeli Government about how they see Iran and Iranian actions, other than to note that I think it’s quite clear from Iranian statements and Israeli responses in public that they do view Iran as a real threat. I can certainly understand that, given the fact the President of Iran has talked about wiping Israel off the map. So Israel does see Iran as an existential threat. But again, I – you know, I’m going to have to kick any questions about what was intended by this exercise, what its purpose was, what they hope to accomplish to the Israeli Government. They are the competent officials to talk about those issues. QUESTION: Sean, would the U.S. support Israeli air strikes against Iran? MR. MCCORMACK: Well, we’ve made clear what our focus is. QUESTION: But would you support Israeli air strikes? MR. MCCORMACK: Our -- again, it’s a hypothetical question. We focus on trying to get the diplomacy to work. QUESTION: Well, you oppose -- your focus is on diplomacy in trying to get it to work. Presumably, you would oppose other people taking military action against Iran, right? MR. MCCORMACK: Arshad, again, it’s a hypothetical question. We are seeking a peaceful, diplomatic resolution to that. We’ve made that clear to the Israeli Government. We have made that clear to the Iranian Government. We have made that clear to anybody who will listen and who has asked about it. QUESTION: The Iranian -- QUESTION: Well, apparently, the Israeli warning shots to Iran will help increase the pressure on the European Union and others, Russia, China, to increase sanctions. Are you hoping that this story might do that? MR. MCCORMACK: Well, I’m not sure -- QUESTION: Not the story, but the idea of Israeli air strikes. MR. MCCORMACK: Again, I don’t – there is no organized U.S. Government effort to kind of get this story out. That is certainly – you know, I can’t speak to the anonymous sources quoted by The New York Times in their assessments. I mean, they certainly don’t speak on behalf of the United States Government. QUESTION: But are you not concerned – are you not concerned on the other hand that this might be viewed as a provocation? MR. MCCORMACK: You know, again, I can’t account for every person with a telephone in the United States Government that, you know, picks up – picks it up and talks to reporters and what their intent may be. I -- you know, I can’t account for that. But -- QUESTION: (Inaudible) asking in a general sense, would the U.S. view this kind of military exercise, whether it’s -- you know, if it is indeed a rehearsal for this kind of attack, would you – wouldn’t you be worried that -- on Iran’s reaction to this, that that would be seen as a direct provocation? MR. MCCORMACK: Again, you can talk to the Israelis, and I don’t know that they have spoken to it. I haven’t seen any particular response from them or any description from them about this military exercise or what it hoped to accomplish. Again, we’ve told the Israelis, we’ve told everybody who will listen, anybody who asks, what our focus is on in terms of the diplomacy, trying to make that work, trying to find a peaceful resolution to a very serious issue. We have laid out the two pathways here. There’s a positive pathway, which Mr. Solana conveyed. There’s a pathway of continued, steadily increasing diplomatic pressure on the Iranian Government, and it is having an effect. It hasn’t had the effect, at this point, of changing their behavior, but each and every single day, the Iranian Government is incurring greater and greater cost to Iran for its behavior. Unfortunately, some of those – some of those costs potentially filter down to the Iranian people. Certainly, that’s not what we want. But they need to understand that it is their government that is acting in an irresponsible way that is clearly outside the mainstream behavior of the international community. And it’s a very serious issue and we are trying to act in a responsible way to bring about a peaceful solution to it, working with our partners in the international system. QUESTION: Sean -- MR. MCCORMACK: Kirit. QUESTION: Would you feel that the – an Israeli action on Iraq, if they launched an attack, would derail your diplomatic efforts to a diplomatic solution? MR. MCCORMACK: Again, Kirit, these are all hypothetical questions. You know, I haven’t seen – we’re talking about a report in the New York Times, based on anonymous sources, with their interpretation and description of an Israeli military exercise. I can’t speak to what the intent of those sources were or the accuracy of their description. I can’t. I can only talk to, as a State Department spokesman, where the Secretary of State’s efforts are focused, where the President of the United States’ efforts are focused, in trying to resolve a very difficult and very serious issue of deep concern to the international community. QUESTION: Sean -- QUESTION: Real quick, just to – in principle, would you be concerned about an Israeli strike on another sovereign government? (inaudible). MR. MCCORMACK: Again, in principle, that’s a hypothetical question. QUESTION: I have one that’s not hypothetical. Was either the Secretary or was the U.S. Government informed ahead of time of the exercise? MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t know, Charlie. QUESTION: Well, you wouldn’t – you don’t know if the Secretary had discussions on her many trips to the region? MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t – no, I don’t know. QUESTION: Don’t know? MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t know. QUESTION: Well, Sean -- QUESTION: Would you take the question? MR. MCCORMACK: If there’s – look, Charlie, if there – I can’t tell you. Right now, I don’t have the information. We’re not going to divulge every single diplomatic exchange that may occur between the Secretary or other officials in the State Department or the United States Government with other foreign governments. QUESTION: (Inaudible.) MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t know, you know. I don’t – you know, sorry, I don’t keep track of the schedule. QUESTION: But Sean, let’s say if there was some kind of strike or military strike from Israel and – is Secretary worried about that it could be consequence and could be leading to the World War Three, not only deceptions of international (inaudible) from the areas, but World War Three? MR. MCCORMACK: Goyal, I think you heard my response to the other hypothetical questions from the other very real people in your role. QUESTION: But really, how many countries were involved in this action, in the area. MR. MCCORMACK: Goyal, I think I’ve – if you had been listening, you’ve heard my response to this and where our energy and where our focus is. QUESTION: (Inaudible) finally, is diplomacy working out? MR. MCCORMACK: It has not gotten to the point that Iran and this regime have changed its behavior. We’re hopeful that there are those reasonable officials within the Iranian Government who will see that continuing on the course that they are on, continuing their enrichment and reprocessing related activities in the face of the demands of the international community, is not a good road for the Iranian Government to go down, because they will continue to incur greater and greater costs from – as a result of actions by the international community. It has already had an effect on Iran. The costs of their financing and borrowing money in the international financial system have gone up significantly. That, in turn, has had an effect on the Iranian economy, and I would say that the effect is really to only accentuate the mismanagement that is already occurring in Iran, by the Iranian Government, of the Iranian economy. So the answer to your question is it has not yielded the result that we and our partners in the P-5+1, as well as others, would like to see in terms of changed Iranian behavior. But is it our belief that if we do maintain this policy and consistently see increasing pressure on the Iranian Government, absent a change of behavior, that that policy will yield positive results. I point to you – I pointed out to you just recently the actions of the EU, where they announced their intention to enforce new sanctions on Iran as evidence that there is a great deal of concern and activity and in the international system to get diplomacy to work. And that is where our focus is. Yeah -- QUESTION: You actually seem to think that this joint Israeli/Greek exercise is a harbinger of the coming apocalypse, right? MR. MCCORMACK: (Laughter.) Again, I would not – I would not -- QUESTION: (Inaudible) coming of apocalypse, World War Three here? MR. MCCORMACK: I would not put it that way. QUESTION: You mentioned early on that Israel views Iran as an existential threat? MR. MCCORMACK: Mm-hmm. That’s my -- QUESTION: Maybe I’m wrong, but I think they regard it as more than an existential threat. And does the U.S. regard Iran as an existential threat or -- MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t know -- QUESTION: -- or an actual tangible threat to Israel? MR. MCCORMACK: Well, existential as in meaning – threatening their existence, so I’m not sure that that -- QUESTION: That’s what you mean by existential? MR. MCCORMACK: Yes. I’m not being philosophical here. QUESTION: No -- MR. MCCORMACK: No, as in a very real threat to their existence, and certainly we understand that. Okay. Anything else on this? QUESTION: Yes. MR. MCCORMACK: Lambros. QUESTION: Yes. According to New York Times, the – MR. MCCORMACK: I want to see how you (inaudible). QUESTION: -- Israeli plane used the Greek airspace target in Iran in full cooperation -- MR. MCCORMACK: Ah, yes. QUESTION: -- with Athens. Since you’re concerned for Iran, the matter is political. And what countries are allied to the U.S.? I would like you to comment on that. MR. MCCORMACK: You know, to the extent that there was, in fact, some military exercise involving Greek airspace in Greek territory, I think you can talk to the Greek Government about that. QUESTION: I know, but does the U.S. Government, since you are very concerned for Iran, both are allies, I would welcome your comment. It’s not a hypothetical question, it’s a fact. MR. MCCORMACK: It’s a fact, and having nothing to do with us, in terms of being involved in the military exercise involving Israel and Greece. QUESTION: Did you hear the (inaudible)? MR. MCCORMACK: No. QUESTION: Sean. MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah. QUESTION: One quick one on Afghanistan. When you first described the situation in Afghanistan, because one time Talibans are taking the religious and then make (inaudible) takes back and where the people do stand, what their security? And also Secretary also spoke at the Heritage Foundation as far as Afghanistan is concerned. And she said that the English are (inaudible) between Pakistan and Afghanistan, plus (inaudible) terrorism or Taliban. But here at the Atlantic Council this week, the newly appointed Pakistan Ambassador Haqqani said that we will close our border only after – if U.S. closes its border with Mexico. But what I’m saying, there is no relevance with this Mexican (inaudible), the Mexicans crossing the U.S. are not terrorists. But the people crossing from Pakistan to Afghanistan are terrorists. MR. MCCORMACK: I get it, Goyal. But we and the Afghans and NATO are in a tough fight in Afghanistan. And it’s a fight that requires a concerted, integrated, civil-military effort. You have to have security, you also have to, as you pointed out, when you go in, help provide security for people in these villages and towns in Afghanistan. You also need to follow up with a government presence, infrastructure projects to demonstrate to them that their government and the international system is interested in their future and working on their behalf to help them build a better future. And at that point, they become invested in a better situation, whether that’s roads or other kinds of infrastructure or a government presence that is working on their behalf. So that’s the basic strategy that we have in Afghanistan. You know, I’ll let others who were more competent describe in more detail the precise military situation in different parts of the country. But I would say as a general matter that is not uniform, there are some areas that are much tougher with respect to the security situation than other places. That said, it – throughout the country, there are security concerns, including in Kabul. QUESTION: Sean, (inaudible) will be a Quartet meeting on the sidelines of the Berlin conference next week? And can you give us any more detail on what bilateral or more than bilaterals the Secretary might have with her counterparts when she’s there? MR. MCCORMACK: I’ll try to get you something this afternoon. You know, of course, it won’t be a complete list. Sometimes you make audibles on the ground, you know, have ad hoc meetings. The intention is to have a Quartet meeting, I believe. QUESTION: Is that Monday or Tuesday? MR. MCCORMACK: I think it’s – we leave Monday. I think we get there on Monday night, so it would be Tuesday. QUESTION: Okay. Can you say anything else about meetings with – I mean, the only things that are mentioned in the statement are European, German and other European -- MR. MCCORMACK: I’ll – let me try to get you that. I don’t want to provide you an incomplete list, just based on my memory. QUESTION: And what will be the goal of this meeting with -- MR. MCCORMACK: The Quartet? QUESTION: Yes. MR. MCCORMACK: The Quartet meeting? Well, all of this takes place in the context of a conference in Berlin that is focused on helping -- the international system helping the Palestinians build up the security and legal institutions that will form part of the basis of a Palestinian state in the future. So whether that means police or building courts, helping build a judicial system that respects the rule of law, those are all components of it. And that’s going to be the focus of the discussions. The Quartet, I think, is really – the Quartet meeting is intended to talk about where we stand on the political track, as well as on the track that former Prime Minister Tony Blair is focused on help -- building up these institutions of governance. QUESTION: And the truce between Israel and Gaza, maybe, and Hamas? MR. MCCORMACK: I’m sure they’ll touch upon the wider situation. QUESTION: So can you enlighten us a little bit more about Ambassador Foley’s trip to the Middle East, specifically, his plans to go to Syria? MR. MCCORMACK: I’ll try to get you some more on that, Matt. QUESTION: Any comment on the Saudi oil meeting and can you describe how the United States will be participating in that? MR. MCCORMACK: I think those sort of descriptions, as well as descriptions of who will be participating will come out of the White House. It won’t be a State Department person leading the delegation. We’ll probably have somebody on the delegation, though. QUESTION: Thank you. |
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