SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon. It’s a pleasure to welcome a longtime friend and colleague back here to Washington and, in particular, the State Department. We have a constant consultation between the Government of the United States and the Government of Israel on a full range of important issues. And I look forward to having this opportunity to do one of these reviews with Minister Barak, and I am delighted that you are here, sir.
DEFENSE MINISTER BARAK: Thank you. I’m delighted to be here once again and to have an opportunity to discuss Middle Eastern issues with the Secretary (inaudible). And we are highly appreciative of the approach of this Administration, of the Secretary, of Secretary of Defense, and of course of the President, in regard to the security of Israel, making sure that in our tough neighborhood, Israel will be strong and secure. And I hope, of course, that the new developments will lead into new opportunities to move forward, not just on security but also on the highly important issue of trying to find a way to have a breakthrough in the political process towards peace.
Thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you all.
