Middle East Digest: June 4, 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 4, 2008: QUESTION: Do you have any update for us on the Fulbrighters in Gaza? There was a report that they’ve gone to – or some of them, not all of them, have gone to Jerusalem for interviews? MR. MCCORMACK: Right, right. There are four – four of the total of seven have been able to go to – travel to Jerusalem. They’ve submitted their visa applications and done all the necessary steps for those applications to be considered. There will be a review process now in which the applications are reviewed and vetted. And once that process is completed we’ll notify them of whether or not the visas have been issued. As for the remaining three who did not travel from Gaza to Jerusalem, we are continuing to work with the Israeli Government on those three cases. The Israeli Government is working in good faith on – on these cases. And of course, if they have any additional information or concerns, we’re going to listen to those and come to our own evaluation. But we’re continuing to work with the Israeli Government on that, and I would underscore that they are working in good faith on – working in good faith with us on the issue. QUESTION: A couple – couple things. First, do you know if this came up in Rice’s meeting with Olmert? MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t. I didn’t – I didn’t speak to the Secretary about whether or not this came up. QUESTION: Okay. And then the case of the three, is that because they didn’t receive their exit permit or is that due to another reason? MR. MCCORMACK: They have not received their permits, that’s correct. But as I said, we are working with the Israeli Government on that. QUESTION: And then with the timeline on the other four, are they back in Gaza, do you know? MR. MCCORMACK: I think they are back. I think they have returned to Gaza. And I don’t have a timeline for you to how long the review process takes. QUESTION: Do you know when they’re supposed to actually arrive if they, in fact, get their visas? MR. MCCORMACK: Here in the United States, should everything play out as – QUESTION: Yeah. MR. MCCORMACK: I don’t – I don’t have the timeline. Yeah, Nina. QUESTION: Sean, I know it’s difficult for you to comment on what the presidential candidates say, but – MR. MCCORMACK: But you’ll ask, anyway. QUESTION: But I’m asking anyway. MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah. QUESTION: In Obama’s speech, he made definitive comments about the final status of Jerusalem -- MR. MCCORMACK: Yeah, yeah. QUESTION: You know, he said it had – it would remain undivided or remain the capital of Israel. What do you make of these kind of comments? MR. MCCORMACK: It’s part of a presidential election. I’m not going to comment on them. You know what our policy is with respect to Jerusalem as well as all these other so-called final status issues or important political issues. The Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority, led by President Abbas, are in discussions on all of these issues. (Inaudible) we all know about the borders and right of return, as well a whole host of other sensitive and important political issues that need to be resolved by the two sides if they are going to accomplish an agreement between the two of them. So that is – that is where we stand. That is our policy. It is for the parties to resolve these issues. And we are going to, you know, continue to do what we believe is right in terms of bringing about – helping to bring about peace without respect to presidential politics. QUESTION: But don’t you think that’s a dangerous thing to say in the current climate? MR. MCCORMACK: I’m not going to – I’m not going to comment on presidential politics. QUESTION: Can I ask you – QUESTION: Well, how about this? I mean, you have the Secretary speaking at the same place that -- MR. MCCORMACK: Mm-hmm. QUESTION: -- this happened today -- MR. MCCORMACK: Right. QUESTION: -- yesterday, and kind of playing down or lessening expectations for getting this kind of deal in this Administration, making it clear that any final deal is going to have to come in the next administration. Now, you have a candidate who could be in the White House next year. Doesn’t it at all complicate your efforts right now to get them – to get the two sides, the two parties, moving towards this kind of outline, contour agreement, if one of – one of the two main candidates to succeed this President in the White House is pronouncing judgment on a final status issue? It doesn’t have any impact at all? MR. MCCORMACK: Well, Matt – look, not from our – certainly, not from our view. You can talk to others involved in the process as to what – you know, what weight or how they would view the remarks of presidential candidates. I can’t speak to that. I can only speak to our efforts, our focus, where we stand. And as I said, we are going to proceed and do what we believe is in the best interest of the United States foreign policy interests, our national interests, and the interest of bringing about peace in the region, irrespective of presidential politics. |
 | |||
|
