Middle East Digest: August 6, 2008Bureau of Public Affairs The 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 August 6, 2008 MR. GALLEGOS: Good afternoon. I don’t have anything for you right now, so we can start with your questions.QUESTION: I have nothing. MR. GALLEGOS: Sue. QUESTION: Do you have anything further on Iran? The Russians don’t really seem quite as enthusiastic as you are about another round of sanctions. They would like to continue to pursue, you know, the talking route. I just wondered whether you had any comment on Russia’s apparent reluctance to go along with what you want to do? MR. GALLEGOS: Well, I think reluctance would be your term. I haven’t heard that from the Russians. But we’re very disappointed that Iran has failed yet again to give Javier Solana a clear answer to the P-5+1 generous incentives package. The letter we received yesterday appears to be a stalling tactic. The P-5+1 reaffirmed their commitment to the dual-track strategy and are agreed that we have no choice but to pursue further measures against Iran as part of this strategy. Given the absence of a clear, positive response from Iran and its failure to meet the deadline in UNSCR 1803, the P-5+1 are discussing next steps in the UN Security Council and beginning to consider the possible outlines of another sanctions resolution. QUESTION: So who’s going to be drawing together the outlines of this new resolution? Is it Britain and the United States? You seem to be at the forefront. Are you actively working together now to try and pull together some new – some sort of financial restrictions on banks and other things? MR. GALLEGOS: Well, as you know, there was a political directors call this morning, where the response, the document they received from the Iranian Government, was discussed. There was a consensus that it did not meet our expectations for a clear – as being a clear response from them. We have stated previously that if that were not the case, that we would pursue further sanctions against Iran as part of this dual-track strategy, and that is what we have started. We’ve discussed this beginning to consider the possible outlines of another sanctions resolution, and that is what we’re going to be doing. We’re going to be discussing within the P-5+1 context, that. We’re going to have further consultations and communications with each other. And when we’re ready to proceed, you’ll be getting more information about that. QUESTION: But do you think you’ll have anything by the end of the Bush Administration? MR. GALLEGOS: I don’t believe anybody from this podium has given the timeline to these measures. I won’t do that today. However, what we do have is three sanctions that have passed. There is a continued effort to do this. There is commitment by the parties to have a dialogue and to move forward with this. What that will ultimately result in, we haven’t discussed from this podium before, and I’m not going to today, so – QUESTION: Iranian President had a warning for the West, if they go further, then he will have some global oil supply interrupted or cut off. MR. GALLEGOS: Mm-hmm. Well, we’ve heard a lot of rhetoric from the Iranian President. What we’ve been waiting to hear is a response to this generous incentives package. We haven’t heard that yet, so we will proceed as we’ve described. Look, this is an important opportunity for the Iranian people to normalize their relations with the world, to normalize their relations with the United States. The option is theirs. We’re going to continue with an incentive package. That door remains open. Now, we’re proceeding – opening the door to the disincentive package. And as we’ve been doing in the past, we’ll continue on the dual-track process. We have committed partners in this. And we’ll be – have more information for you as we proceed. Yes. QUESTION: Hamdan was found guilty today on one of the charges against him. Where’s he going to serve his sentence, as far as you know? Will it be Guantanamo Bay, and have you contacted the Yemeni authorities to see whether they might want him to serve his sentence there? MR. GALLEGOS: I’m not sure where we are on that. I’d have to take a look. I think that the decision was made. Let me see what I have on that, Sue. QUESTION: Okay. MR. GALLEGOS: So, Sue – QUESTION: The Yemeni – MR. GALLEGOS: Oh, in terms of the Yemeni – I don’t have that information, Sue. I’m going to have to see what I can find out for you on that. QUESTION: Could you ask that? Because if Guantanamo Bay ever closes, which people think it may do soon, then what happens to people like that, or would he be sent to the U.S. homeland, or would you be cutting a deal with the Yemenis? MR. GALLEGOS: I’ll have to see what I can find out about that, Sue. Yes. QUESTION: Can I just briefly go back to Iran on something you said this morning about how if the U.S. was acting alone, not with the P-5+1, the pace would be faster? Can you talk about that again, please? MR. GALLEGOS: Well, no, I think what we – our position on this is well known and we’ve been very clear about it. We realize and understand that we are working with a group of allies and partners in this process. We know and understand that this is a consensus process to, as we as a group, decide what is the best way to move forward and what will be the most effective mechanisms to deal with this situation. Once we get to the UN Security Council, there is obviously a whole other process that becomes part of this dynamic. It is not fast-moving, but we believe it can be effective and therefore we’re going to continue proceeding with that process. Yes. QUESTION: Do you have some (inaudible) additional information for revoking the visas of the three Gaza students? What is the information? What is the additional information? Were they told what it is? And if they aren’t aware, how can they reapply again for visas? MR. GALLEGOS: Well, I spoke to that issue yesterday. The bottom line here is that we’re not going to get into the details about this. That’s between the United States Government and the individuals. In this case, in the case of prudential revocations, a prudential revocation is a revocation of which we acquire additional information that we believe that it is necessary to review before we allow individuals to enter the United States. We attempt to inform them as quickly as possible of the situation. They can reapply for another visa. I’m not sure of the timing of that. However, they do have that opportunity, so – QUESTION: Have they been told why, in order to have the proper information to do that? MR. GALLEGOS: My understanding is that there has been communications to them. I’m not sure exactly what they were told, but – QUESTION: And also too, was this additional information, information provided by the Israelis, something that was missed in the initial review process? MR. GALLEGOS: Well, that would fall under my, I’m not going to comment about details of the information, but thank you for asking. Yes. QUESTION: Can I stay on this (inaudible)? QUESTION: (Inaudible.) MR. GALLEGOS: Sure. QUESTION: Have these people – students’ scholarships themselves been revoked, or just the visas? MR. GALLEGOS: I would have to see technically what is happening to the scholarship. If they cannot come to the United States then they cannot participate in the program, then the funding for the scholarships would – QUESTION: I understand. But you said – MR. GALLEGOS: – would not be spent this fiscal year. QUESTION: – they can reapply for the visas. But can they reapply for the scholarships if they – if – I mean, do they need to reapply for the scholarship? MR. GALLEGOS: I would have to check the process of that. The scholarships are basically there as money allotted during a fiscal year, X amount of dollars for said scholarships for a post any fiscal year. And I would have to see how they would manage that. But I don’t have that information right now. QUESTION: (Inaudible) the students who were given visas, are they potentially going to get re-reviewed? Are they at risk of further scrutiny, the ones who did get their visas, the other three? MR. GALLEGOS: No, I would say that we’re always keeping an eye out for additional information that might come up on these individuals. However, I want to make note that, number one, we view this situation with concern. We want to make sure that we try and get as much information as we can, as soon as we can, about any individual who is requesting a visa to enter the United States. As such, we’re take – we’re reviewing the process by which this group had been reviewed and the information we received and when we received it. There are 17 Gazans right now in the United States studying on various programs – Fulbright, Youth Exchange, and then one other program, an International Visitor program, which is a short-term program – at this time. So, unfortunately, this comes down to individuals and information we receive about them. However, we see these programs as important. We continue to work with Gazans, and when possible we look forward to providing them this opportunity to come to the United States on these exchange programs. |
 | |||
|
