Middle East Digest - October 8, 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 8, 2008 10:48 a.m. EDTMR. MCCORMACK: I would just note one event in Baghdad. The UAE Minister of Defense, Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed[1], recently paid a visit to Baghdad. I believe it was just yesterday. This is the highest-ranking official from the Gulf region to visit Baghdad since the beginning of the war. It’s certainly a positive development, and it’s another indication of Iraq’s taking its place within the region and rebuilding ties with Arab nations that previously had been strained. This is the result of hard work by the Iraqi Government and, frankly, a lot of hard work by the United States Government to bring these countries together. So I want -- QUESTION: When was that? MR. MCCORMACK: When was that? I believe it was either yesterday or today he was in Baghdad. I saw a news story. It might have even been an AP story about it. QUESTION: Well, thank you for embarrassing me. (Laughter.) MR. MCCORMACK: It’s the least I can do on a Monday – on a Wednesday afternoon – Wednesday morning when I’m back. And with that, I’m happy to take your questions. Matthew. QUESTION: Iraq. MR. MCCORMACK: Yes. QUESTION: What’s going on with the SOFA negotiations? And are you getting concerned that time is running – extremely short now? You had hoped to have this completed by the end of July, which is now several months ago. MR. MCCORMACK: Right. And if you look back -- QUESTION: Creeping up on -- MR. MCCORMACK: If you look back in the transcripts, you will find that I did not put a timeframe on it. QUESTION: Well -- MR. MCCORMACK: I know others – I know others did. Look, the discussions are ongoing. And I guess the state of play is that nothing is done until everything is done, and not everything is done. Secretary – Deputy Secretary Negroponte offered some public comments when he held a press conference with Iraqi Foreign Minister Zebari, so the discussions continue. And I think that the fact they are taking this long and that the discussions are as intense as they have been over this period of months is an indication of how seriously the Iraqi Government takes this, as well as how seriously we take this issue. It’s a negotiation between two sovereign states. And our negotiators continue their efforts – our negotiators as well as the Iraqi negotiators. QUESTION: Well, I mean, are you not concerned that it’s taking longer than you would have hoped? And, you know, what – when exactly do you want this thing done? MR. MCCORMACK: It’s – we want it done as soon as possible. And in terms of longer than we had hoped, look, there is a certain rhythm to these things and it will take as long as it needs to. Everybody understands that there is a time by which they need to be completed. There is – I think we still have some time before that final date at the end of the year approaches. But we want to see it done as soon as possible. QUESTION: But you think you’re going to make the end of the year date, though? MR. MCCORMACK: We’re still working to get this thing done as soon as possible. QUESTION: The two American journalists in Lebanon, do you have any update -- MR. MCCORMACK: Nothing new on that. QUESTION: -- on what’s going on? MR. MCCORMACK: No. QUESTION: Okay. [1] Sheikh Muhammad bin Zayed’s official title is Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
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