Middle East Digest - October 6, 2008The Middle East Digest provides text and audio from the Daily Press Briefing. For the full briefings, please visit daily press briefings. From the Daily Press Briefing of October 6, 2008 View Video QUESTION: When you do get something, would you let us know? MR. WOOD: Oh, absolutely. QUESTION: Yeah. Okay. MR. WOOD: On this subject? QUESTION: Also on Iran. In yesterday’s Haaretz newspaper, the French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner said that he’s worried about Iran and the future of the Annapolis process. He also said that he knows that Israel is preparing for a military strike against Iran and he wants more time for diplomacy. Is the U.S. Government running out of time? MR. WOOD: What was the connection between Iran and Annapolis? QUESTION: He said that the future of the – he was worried about Iran and the future of the Annapolis process. MR. WOOD: And who was the official with this? QUESTION: Bernard – Bernard Kouchner. MR. WOOD: Bernard Kouchner. Well, I mean, we’re obviously very worried about what Iran is doing in the region. We have been. The Annapolis process, though, continues – is an important process here. We still believe there is time for the two parties to reach an agreement, although time is running short, no question about that, but we still believe that we can achieve an agreement, you know, before the end of – end of the year. QUESTION: Do you know what that agreement would be – what kind of format*? There seem to be sort of less – lower expectations as to what that agreement would amount to. Where are you at the moment in terms of where you – what you think you’re going to get? MR. WOOD: Well, again, I think -- you know, the format – it’s not all that clear to me what the format will be. The important thing is that the two parties reach an agreement that can go forward and lead to, you know, the establishment of a – you know, two party – you know, a two-state solution and go from there. But in terms of format, I’m not familiar with how that will come out. QUESTION: Do you expect the Secretary to travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories anytime soon and indeed before she leaves office? MR. WOOD: I believe she said she would like to and planned to, but I don’t have any travel announcements at this point on that. QUESTION: Would it be fair to say that you’re waiting until Tzipi Livni manages to get a government together before you go, or does that not bear on the Secretary’s travel plans? MR. WOOD: Well, I mean, look, the important thing for us is having an Israeli Government and a Palestinian – Palestinian representatives that can, you know, forge a peace together. That’s in the long-term interest of the United States. So you know, whether or not you have one party in government or another, I think what’s really critical here is having two sides that are willing to sit down and negotiate this two-state solution that we’ve all been talking about. On this subject? QUESTION: Different subject. MR. WOOD: Okay. Let me go to Mr. Lambros. QUESTION: Turkey/Iraq. Mr. Wood, anything to say on the continued fight between Turkish forces and Kurdish PKK rebel forces in northern Iraq and southeast Turkey? MR. WOOD: Well, you know, we put out a statement over the weekend, Mr. Lambros. QUESTION: I saw that. MR. WOOD: Look, the PKK is a terrorist organization. We want to see it go out of business. That’s been very clear. And, you know, we’ve obviously condemned the attack and expressed our condolences to the people of Turkey. QUESTION: And a follow-up. The Turkish Government is talking about a trilateral talks among USA, Iraq, and Turkey. Any comment on that? MR. WOOD: I – this is a recent proposal. I haven’t seen anything recent on that. I’ll see if we have anything on that. QUESTION: And one more question on the same issue. Mr. Wood, tensions between Kurds and the Iraq Government over disputed territory have heightened recently, raising fears that they might lead to ethnic clashes between Kurds and Arabs at a time when Iraq is slowly recovering from years of sectarian violence between Shia and Sunni Arabs. Any comment? MR. WOOD: Nothing, other than the fact that we’re -- I don’t want to speculate on what might happen. But obviously, we don’t want to see that type of tension and fighting erupt in the region, and we will obviously do our best to make sure that that kind of thing doesn’t happen. QUESTION: Thank you. QUESTION: CNN has a report that the Saudi Government hosted a meeting between Afghan Government representatives and Taliban representatives to discuss the possibility of some kind of a political deal between them. I realize this is a report about a third country hosting, you know, a meeting between two other countries. But given the U.S. commitment of troops and money to Afghanistan, I wonder: (a) if you any comment on that report; and (b) if you can address that report, in particular, if, as a general rule, you think it’s a good idea to try to reach political accommodations with the Taliban. MR. WOOD: Well, Arshad, we’ve seen the reports. I’d have to refer you to the – either the Afghan and/or Saudi Governments for, you know, comment on the meeting. I would just say in general, and I think I spoke to this on Friday, that we’re very supportive of an Afghan reconciliation program. And, in fact, the Afghan Government has outlined criteria for that program which we fully support, one of which is renouncing violence; the second, adherence to the constitution. So I don’t think I have any further – anything further to add on it, other than what I said on Friday. Right here. Mm-hmm. QUESTION: On Afghanistan. There’s a report out that the U.S. is asking allies to help build the army in Afghanistan. Is the State Department involved in that at all? And do you know which allies have been asked at this point? MR. WOOD: Well, I don’t know which allies have been asked, but this is obviously a long-term goal of ours to try to build up the Afghan army. It’s important that Afghans be able to take on security responsibility for themselves. That is an effort that we and the Europeans and other countries are trying to do. And we’ll continue to work with other countries in the region to try to build up the Afghan army so that it can provide for its own security. QUESTION: Do you know if Japan specifically has been asked? MR. WOOD: I don’t know. I’d refer you to the Japanese on that. Samir. QUESTION: Yes. What’s the U.S. reaction to the Syrian military activities on the border with Lebanon? And is the State Department conducting a new review about policy towards Syria? MR. WOOD: Well, we’ve seen reports about continued Syrian military activity along the Lebanese-Syrian border. And you know, we in the international community a week ago made very clear that any intervention by Syria, you know, into – you know, by Syrian troops into Lebanon would be unacceptable. So you know, the recent terrorist attacks that took place in Tripoli and Damascus should not serve as a pretext for, you know, further Syrian military engagement or as – should not be used to interfere in Lebanese internal affairs. QUESTION: About a review – are you doing a review on how to deal with Syria now? MR. WOOD: I’m not aware of any review with regard to Syria at this point. QUESTION: Thank you. MR. WOOD: On the same issue? QUESTION: Yes, on the same subject. You seem to imply that there is a danger it could be used as a pretext to -- MR. WOOD: Well, I’m not saying necessarily that there’s a danger, but obviously we were concerned about this type of activity along the border and that it not lead to any further interference on the part of Syria into Lebanon’s internal affairs. QUESTION: Did you notify the Syrian Government through your Embassy? MR. WOOD: The Syrian Government is well aware of our views with regard to any kind of military activity along the border. QUESTION: As we saw this morning, the Deputy Secretary is in Iraq. MR. WOOD: Mm-hmm. QUESTION: If he’s not there talking about the SOFA, what’s he doing there? MR. WOOD: Well, I mean -- QUESTION: He certainly didn’t go there just to introduce Ambassador Crocker for this award. MR. WOOD: The Deputy Secretary -- as you know, he was an Ambassador there. He goes from time to time to check on how things are going on the ground in Iraq. Obviously, the SOFA and the strategic framework agreement will come up in the conversations, but he’s not necessarily there to negotiate. But it’s not unusual for the Deputy Secretary to go to Iraq. QUESTION: Well, I want – how much, if any, progress has been made on this since the Secretary was last in Baghdad or several -- MR. WOOD: Well, there has been progress. But again, as we said before -- QUESTION: Can you attempt to quantify that progress? MR. WOOD: I would – not with – I’d have to get into the substance of negotiations, which I don’t want to do. Yeah, I know you’d like me to do that, but I’m not going to do it. (Laughter.) But you know, as we said before, especially when those stories broke in late summer, we’re close to an agreement but we haven’t gotten agreement yet. And until we have one, we don’t have one. And so – but the progress has been good. We’re not there yet. QUESTION: Well, how would you rate this so the – you know, back in – back earlier in the spring, the idea was that you absolutely had to get it done by the end of July. It’s now October. MR. WOOD: Well -- QUESTION: And there doesn’t – I mean, it’s moving along at the same pace as the Israeli-Palestinian talks appear to be, which is -- MR. WOOD: Well, this is -- QUESTION: -- moving nowhere quickly. MR. WOOD: No, I understand your point. You know, this is a – we’re talking about a very complex agreement. This is something that many in the Administration have been working hard on. As you know, there’s a team from the United States that’s there and that’s been working hard on these negotiations. But, yeah, the fact that it slipped, you know, these things happen. But it’s important that we get a good agreement for both Iraq and the United States -- you know, one that obviously allows us to operate there in a legal framework and also that upholds Iraqi sovereignty. And those are two very important issues for us. QUESTION: Well, I mean, is it – it seems to be – are you prepared yet to say when you want this done now? I mean, presumably -- MR. WOOD: We would like to get it done as soon as possible. QUESTION: It’s got to be done by December 31st, right? MR. WOOD: Well, obviously, yes. We want to get it done as soon as we can. But we want to make sure it’s a good agreement. QUESTION: I have one more. QUESTION: Thank you. MR. WOOD: Thank you. |
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