Special Briefing
Maria Otero, Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights
Kelly Clements, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration
Mark Bartolini, Director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance
Washington, DC
July 19, 2012

MR. VENTRELL: Good afternoon, everyone, and thanks for joining us. Today we have an on-the-record call, and we’re joined by Maria Otero, the Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights; Kelly Clements, the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration; and Mark Bartolini, the Director of the Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance. Our discussion today will focus on U.S. humanitarian assistance to those affected by the conflict in Syria.

I’m going to start by – all three of our speakers will make opening remarks, and then we’ll turn it over for some questions. So without further ado, Under Secretary Otero, I will turn it over to you. 

UNDER SECRETARY OTERO: Thank you, thank you very much. Good afternoon, everyone. I want to welcome you to this call, which is focused on the U.S. – the United States efforts to provide humanitarian relief to those that are affected by the violence in Syria. Also have here with me my colleagues, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, Kelly Clements, and the USAID Director for Foreign Disaster Assistance Mark Bartolini.　 

I have just returned from visits to both Turkey and Jordan where I met with government officials, I met with representatives from nongovernmental organizations, international organizations, with human rights activists, with youth groups, with a wide range of different people to discuss a wide range of issues that are concerning a variety of different topics, including human rights and trafficking in persons. But primarily, the enormous humanitarian concerns that are being faced by people who are being displaced both on the Jordanian border and on the Turkish border. Kelly Clements was with me in Turkey and we can speak directly with – we were able to speak directly with some of the Syrians that have been displaced.  MORE.