State Department Daily Press Briefing – April 26, 2021

State Department Daily Press Briefing – April 26, 2021.

Transcript

All right, good afternoon. Our apologies for starting a bit late today. A couple items at the top. First Secretary of State Blinken will travel tomorrow April 27 on his first virtual trip to Africa, where he will visit Kenya and Nigeria and meet with young people from across the continent. They begin as virtual travel meeting with Young African Leadership Initiative or Yali alumni through Yali, the United States signature effort to invest in the next generation of African leaders. We work with partners across the continent to develop initiatives and economic opportunities to support the creativity, innovativeness and energy of Africa’s Youth secretary Blinken will then visit Nigeria where he will meet with President Buhari and Foreign Minister on yama to underscore our shared goals of strengthening democratic governance, building lasting security, promoting economic prosperity and defending human rights. Secretary Blinken will also participate in a health partnership event To emphasize us healthcare support through the Pepfar program and in response to COVID-19. Finally, during his visit to Kenya, he’ll meet with President Kenyatta and Cabinet Secretary Oh mamo to reaffirm our Strategic partnership. Secretary Blinken will also visit Kenyan based renewable energy companies and in solidarity with Kenya amidst the pandemic, we will highlight a US donated mobile field hospital providing essential Covid 19 medical supplies via africom and the Massachusetts National Guards state Partnership program. Next today, we remember human rights activists Scheelhaase Mannan who was murdered five years ago for his courageous work on behalf of marginalized communities in Bangladesh. At the time of his death, he worked in US IEDs Bangladesh office of Democracy and governance, where he helped lead programs to combat trafficking in persons, reduce gender base violence and promote human rights before joining US aid. He served for nine years as the protocol specialist for the U. S. Embassy in Dhaka, where he was a founding member of the Embassies diversity committee. Scheelhaase selfless dedication to advancing the principles of diversity, acceptance and inclusion. Exemplified the best of Bangladesh, as did his generosity of spirit, devotion to family and dedication to community today. We honor his fearless advocacy on behalf of his fellow Bangladeshis and recommit to upholding the dignity and human rights of people around the world. So with that, happy to take your questions. Yes, mm hmm. Where to begin? Let’s start. Let’s start with East Africa. Yeah. The in addition to this virtual trip to Kenya tomorrow, Kenya is of course a key player in the whole. Yeah. Process. The secretary spoke with the Prime Minister of Ethiopia today and the message seems to be getting increasingly impatient perhaps for the fact that there are still very trained troops in Tigre. And I’m just wondering, you know, apart from the talk and the pushing pressing for them to get moving on this withdrawal if and when it’s going to happen, are you prepared to do anything else to make your case either with the Ethiopians or br trends? Well, let me make a couple broad points. As you noted, the Secretary did have an opportunity today to speak to Prime Minister Abe the message he conveyed and we read that out, but the message he conveyed is one that we have made at many levels uh in recent days we remain of course committed to building an enduring partnership with the Ethiopian people uh and um we remain committed to the territorial integrity uh and unity of Ethiopia. All that said, we are gravely concerned about the deteriorating human humanitarian crisis, integrate uh and the reports of human rights abuses, violations and atrocities that have emanated from there this administration has encouraged international partners including the au and regional partners to work with us to address the crisis, integrate including through action at the U. N. And other relevant bodies. Now, of course, we have heard statements emanate from the region. We have heard the Eritrean governments public statement that will that it will withdraw its forces from Tigre, but that must still be implemented in practice. There is no evidence that such a withdrawal is underway in any such withdrawal must be immediate and verifiable. We also call and continue to call for withdrawal of Amhara regional forces from Tigre for an immediate into the hostilities, all of which are critical to protecting civilians and ensuring un in hindered humanitarian access. We continue to raise our grave concerns over the abuses and violations, human rights violations that I mentioned before. We condemn in the strongest terms, specifically the killings, the forced removals, the sexual violence and rape and other human rights abuses that multiple organ organizations have reported on the ground in the region. As more information comes to light the urgency to meet those commitments and and move forward with independent international investigations and accountability. Accountability only increases. You probably noticed that at the end of the readout of the secretaries call today, he did note that our new special envoy for the Horn, Jeff Feldman, Ambassador Jeff Feldman will be traveling to the region in the coming days. And of course, we expect this to be a topic of his conversations. They’re at the point where you’re warning them that there could be specific measures taken against either country. Well, I would say that of course there have been some private uh communications including between the secretary and the Prime Minister. Of course, Senator Coons recently undertook to travel to the region and the rest of the president and administration to convey similar messages uh to Prime Minister Abe and others. Uh And I would expect these will be conversations that the special envoy will have when he travels to the region in the coming days. When that happens. Can you give us a big dates and certainly we will provide more details on this travel before it takes place? Great. Yes. Um there’s been some news about vaccines and the White House saying that these AstraZeneca vaccines are going to start going to other countries. I wondered if you could give us a bit more on the process for deciding who’s going to get vaccines when when the U. S. Is giving them out I guess. You know, is this you talked before about giving money to kovacs? Uh I think what the word from the White House today was that these would be distributed through direct partnerships. Does that mean not through kovacs? And you know, are you, are you choosing to give these countries based on need or is this based on relationships and uh, you know, not obviously what the secretary said, not political favors, but what is the basis for? Well, I would say broadly that it’s based on a couple of things. One is the broad recognition that as long as this virus is spreading anywhere, it is a threat to people everywhere. That point applies to covid in India. It applies to covid in the United States. It applies to covid anywhere around the world. And so that is why we have consistently spoken of our efforts, not only to get the virus under control here, recognizing that the United States has been the site of the world’s worst outbreak to date. Uh, but also recognizing that as long as the virus is circulating here, it poses a threat and continues and has the potential to continue to mutate to pose a threat well beyond our borders. But that’s also why since the very first days of this administration, in fact, the very first day of this administration, president bidden has committed uh the United States to be a leader when it comes to global public health re engaging with the W. H. O. On day one, committing $2 billion to kovacs. Immediately, another $2 billion over time as well. The loan arrangements we’ve discussed and we’ve talked about in the context of Mexico and Canada and of course our engagement with the quad that will um seek to increase production capacity within India itself. Let me just spend a moment on the situation in India which of course um is of great concern to the United States. Um, and we have uh always stood in solidarity with our friends and our partners in India. Um We are working nonstop across the government to do all we can to deliver on an urgent basis the supplies most needed within within India. And that includes oxygen assistance and related materials. But it also includes includes supplies of therapeutics, rapid diagnostic test kits, ventilators, personal protective equipment or PPE all supplies to protect India’s frontline healthcare workers. It includes raw material urgently required for the manufacturer, the cova shield vaccine. Uh And we’ve also um uh deploying an expert team of public health advisors from the C. D. C. To work in close collaboration with our embassy on the ground India’s health ministries uh India’s epidemic intelligence staff. Now of course these details that we’ve released in recent days follow uh regular uh consultation and discussions with our partners in the Indian government. Of course, the President had an opportunity today to speak to Prime Minister Modi. The secretary has had an opportunity in recent days to speak to his counterpart. Foreign Minister Jack Shenker Jake, Sullivan, the national security adviser, spoke to his counterpart, Wendy Sherman, Deputy Secretary of State. I spoke to her counterpart and we’ve been doing that to demonstrate our solidarity with the Indian government, with the Indian people, but also to hear about the needs of the Indian government and to assess based on our own um capacity, what more we could do. We’ve always said that as we are in a position to do more, we will do more. And this gets back to the issue of President Biden’s commitment on the part of the United States to be to continue to be a leader when it comes to humanitarian relief and a leader when it comes to global public health. What we are talking about today in the context of India is a natural complement to what we’ve been doing over the course of this administration uh doing what we can uh to be a leader uh in terms of the global response to this virus, even as we continue to address it uh here at home with our with our vaccination drive, India is a priority. Or how are you prioritizing? Well, it is, it certainly goes without saying that India is enduring a horrific outbreak. Um India is a global, comprehensive, we have a global, comprehensive strategic partnership with India, but the secretary has been clear. Uh this is not about shots and arms in return for political favors in return for any sort of transactional is um this is about America’s humanitarian leadership, the commitment that this administration has to help those most in need. And of course what India is enduring now is profoundly concerning on so many levels. And so that’s why you see not only the United States stepping up, but other countries in the region, well beyond stepping up to attempt to help and do all we can to help India and its time of need. Has it taken so long? You say you have these public health advisers and intelligence people on the ground? We presumably they saw this coming. Is it china’s criticism? Is it what’s causing it? Is is it the stories in the press is that, you know, it seems like the Quad would would be monitoring this isn’t you know, isn’t disaster relief? One of the founding parts of the, you know, parts of the Quad, I’m just wondering why we’re just seeing this surge of attention on India right now. When when we talk about this deep strategic partnership, well, I would take issue with the premise that it has taken us a long time. I would note that of course we have talked about our stepped up assistance to India uh in in in recent hours and we’ve always said as we assess, we’re in a position to do more. We will do more and you have heard us make good On that pledge. But from the earliest days of this pandemic, we have provided much needed assistance to India. Just as India came to our aid when we were enduring the worst of the pandemic here in this country. Since the beginning of the pandemic, the United States has provided more uh nearly $19 million dollars In total assistance and that includes nearly 11 million in health assistance to help India slow the spread of covid 19 we’ve our assistance has helped uh India provide care for the affected, disseminate essential public health messages to various communities, strengthen the epidemiological surveillance capabilities, mobilize innovative financing mechanisms for Emergency preparedness and response to the pandemic. These funds these this nearly $19 million Indian state specific COVID-19 challenges and address bottlenecks in supply chains that stem from the lockdown on India’s border. $2 million in that assistance is also supporting micro and small and medium enterprises in areas hardest hit by Covid 19. Uh And as I alluded to before, the C. D. C. Has committed $3.6 million to assist the government of India’s response to the epidemic. Those resources are trained at prevention preparedness and response activities in India. So it is certainly not the case that what we have spoken to in recent hours is the start of our engagement, but we recognize that as the current outbreak has taken uh incredibly concerning turns in India uh that there was more we could do. Uh and um, we uh in consultation with our Indian partners have determined that the steps I referred to earlier um are available to us and they would be of great benefit to our partners in India. You talk about 19 million here, 3.6 million there in a country of, you know, that measures population in terms of a billion. You know, is that going to be enough to just to stop or to address the pandemic there? Well, I think the two premises I referred to earlier, um as we are able to do more, we will be doing more. We are making good on that promise now and also the recognition again that as long as the virus is circulating unfettered anywhere, whether that’s here in the United States, whether that is around the world, uh, that poses a threat not only to the American people, but in turn to people well beyond our borders with the ability to redound back on us. So we are doing what is in our national interest, but we’re also doing what’s in the collective interest. And it just so happens when it comes to global health. Oftentimes it’s in our national are in our national interest, is also in the collective interest. And that’s what we’re seeing here. I don’t have any specific role in getting the vaccines out uh in terms of the logistics of that. So I would refer you to uh to the White House discussed logistics. They’ve obviously talked about AstraZeneca in the context of uh, in today’s context now, of course we do have um Gayle smith, who is I am playing a key role in all of these efforts but I would make the point. I would hasten to add that. Her role goes well beyond vaccines. And I know there’s been a lot of attention paid to vaccines, but that’s really just one element. When you talk about gale’s role as coordinator for global uh Covid Response and health Security, um she has a role that involves diplomacy um that is to say, leading engagement for the U. S. Government with foreign governments and partners around the world, multilateral entities, other executive branch agencies, Congress, the private sector uh and the general public. There is a strategic element to all of this as well, providing strategic guidance, coherence and prioritization for the formulation and implementation of an effective Global response to COVID-19 of course, that requires coordination which is also a big part of her role driving that coordination, driving that prioritization within the department and throughout the inter agency. Uh pursuant to um what’s what’s most effective for global response efforts. And she’s also undertaking uh participating in the department structural review of the longer term organization of States global health security portfolio. Uh We know that Covid unfortunately will not uh it was is not the first uh outbreak or epidemic and unfortunately we know it won’t be the last and so we want to ensure that this institution both now and going forward. Uh it’s best structured to respond effectively and that’s part of uh Gayle smith’s role here as well. Yes. one more in India. Sure. Reports of an outbreak among us diplomatic staff in India um say how many are affected and if perhaps considering that the U. S. Might be looking at authorized departure. So I’m not in a position to confirm any cases within our staff. Obviously privacy considerations limit what we can say. But uh as I’ve mentioned during the course of this briefing alone India is enduring a deeply concerning outbreak and uh the entire country has been affected. We obviously do have a large diplomatic presence within India. It is tantamount to the deep engagement and partnership we have with India. Um but I’m not in a position to speak to any cases within our within our staff or embassy community. Yes. Uh the president and by extension this administration will be marking 100 days in office on Thursday. What will you say have been the biggest or the top achievement of this administration in the past 100 days. Well very for africa. Well um certainly uh of course the secretary will have much more to say on this uh in the course of his virtual trip tomorrow. Um We’re also I’m mindful of the clock because we are doing a A preview of that trip at 4:00 PMclock where you will hear more. Um But what I will say is that we have engaged the african continent um uh deeply during the course during the short course of this uh administration, uh you may recall that President biden addressed the African Union, I summit his first direct address to foreign leaders in this administration. And I think that was noteworthy, not only because of its because of how early it came within this administration, but as a signal to our commitment to our partners on the continent and to the au is a multilateral institution in this case, um will continue to engage regularly openly and candidly as partners in pursuing those shared interests and shared values. We have much in common that goes well beyond uh security. Uh It includes global health and includes climate change, that includes freedom and democracy uh and shared uh prosperity. We have engaged deeply within the Horn of Africa of course, and we’ve spoken already to Senator coons engagement. We announced last friday the appointment of Ambassador Jeff Feldman as a special envoy for the Horn of Africa, which is emblematic of the level of priority. This administration is attaching two issues on the continent and issues that affect the fatality of the continent. We also, And Secretary Blinken will have an opportunity to engage. Tomorrow will continue our people to people programs with a population of 1.3 billion in a median age of some 19 years. Uh we recognize that Africa’s youth are one of the continent’s um most important resources. And that’s why programs like jolly uh that is why the public diplomacy work that takes place uh within uh on the part of our embassies and posts throughout the continent are so important uh and we’ll continue to develop those going forward as well. Question on Nigeria, I don’t know if you’re aware the Nigerian government today suspended channels tv one of the most world tv station in Nigeria. I would like you to react to that. And also, uh if the secretary, we discuss human rights abuses in Nigeria with President Buhari tomorrow. Well, human rights are always on the agenda when it comes to this administration’s foreign policy, whether that is Africa, whether that is any other region. So I can guarantee you that issues of democracy and human rights will be on the agenda uh in both countries. When it comes to the suspension of the channel, you noted, I don’t have a specific response except to say uh that uh it is a hallmark of uh media uh media freedom plurality of media venues. Those are hallmarks of any democracy. Uh Those are important. Um uh we will continue to advocate for them in our foreign policy going forward. Yes. Uh Thank you’ve probably seen these uh lead to remarks by Iran’s foreign minister in an interview that he evidently did not think we become public for a long time. Uh One of his key points was that the Iranian military, the Irgc, according to him, is basically calling the shots in Iranian foreign policy. So does that give this administration any pause about mr Zarif as an interlocutor in the nuclear negotiations? He also seemed to suggest that Russia had been essentially trying to sabotage the nuclear talks during the Obama administration. Uh Do you does that give you guys any concern about Russia’s intentions? Do you believe that Russia is fully supportive of restoring the J. C. P. O. And and the larger process with Iran? Well, I will start by saying, and you won’t be surprised to hear that we don’t comment on purportedly leaked material. Of course we can’t vouch for the authenticity of it for the accuracy of it. Uh And so um of course, I’m not going to comment directly on what’s on that tape on that recording the broader point is that with any negotiation we don’t have control of the internal decision decision making process of our counterparts um in this case through our partners. Because these negotiations continue to be uh indirect. Were communicating with the officials. The Iranian government has put forward to take part in these talks in Vienna. You mentioned the talks in in in the previous iteration, um when it comes to both Iran and Russia, for both of those, I would say there is a proof point here that we point you and that gives us uh some degree of confidence that there is potential here. And it’s a j c P o itself, whatever the internal politics that were involved, whatever the geopolitical dynamic uh in uh that culminated with july 2015 agreement, we were able to negotiate successfully with Iran in the past. In the context of the P five plus one, it’s precisely the context we are in. Now. Our focus today remains on determining through these indirect talks in Vienna whether we can do so. Again, paul, I understand you can’t address the comments directly, but maybe you would find a way to help provide some context. There’s been some uh criticism of uh of john Kerry, who according to Mr Zarif, when he was Secretary of State, had Spoken to Mr Zarif, about 200 Israeli operations in Syria. Uh and for Mr Zarif said he was astonished to hear about this. Can you say anything about whether john Kerry, us Secretary of State was talking about Israeli operations in Syria, that we’re not supposed to be discussed again. These are this is purportedly leaked material. Can’t speak to the authenticity, can’t speak to the accuracy of it, can’t speak to any motives that may be behind its dissemination. I would just make the broad point that if you go back and look at press reporting from the time, uh this certainly was not secret and governments that were involved were speaking to this publicly on the record, what’s going to happen this weekend. So, in terms of what’s next uh special envoy, Malley is returning to Vienna early this week. I expect as soon as tomorrow he will be on the way back to Vienna. We have completed two rounds of negotiations in direct negotiations. Uh Special envoy Malley will be back on the ground with his team in Vienna To start a 3rd round this week. How long will it last? You’re not expecting anything to be finalized this? Well, I think you heard from State Department officials last week uh that there remains a long road ahead of us. Um We expect it to be a long road at least. I think what I said last week remains true today that we probably have more road ahead of us than we do behind us. We’ll just have to see what special envoy Malley and his team find on the ground in Vienna. Yes, joke. I kinda want to reiterate my colleague’s questions, but with the the preface that the Iranian Foreign Ministry appears to have said that the um the recording was by no means an interview. Uh we’re supposed to be an interview. It was part of a routine and confidential dialogue that takes place within the administration. So they appear to be confirming the authenticity of the tape, but saying that some parts are taken out of context. And so I kind of wonder once again, um as was as was asked here one, do you see the the Russians as a credible partner here in good faith, working to advance a common goal? Uh and also then as you as you engage with with uh the foreign minister, do you see him as um is the organizing dynamic here? That this is somebody who you need to Yeah. And give something, given talking points to go back home to to manage pressures domestically or is he somebody who is not a not a decision maker? Uh huh. What I would say generally is that it is not for us to comment on any sort of political pressures that may be on Foreign Minister Zarif. What we are focused on uh is one thing and one thing only and that is achieving and securing um uh an agreement uh that verifiably and permanently prevents Iran from ever obtaining a nuclear weapon. Uh Iran’s possession of a nuclear weapon would not be in the interest of the United States. It would not be in the interests of our european partners. It would not be in the interest of the chinese, it would not be in the interest of the Russians. Uh And so, you know, to as you reiterated the previous question, um I would again point to the fact that we were able to achieve the J. C. P. O. A. In 2015 and implemented in early 2016 with this same set of partners, the P five plus one. Uh And I think that speaks to some potential possibility of us being able to do this again if we find that commitment on the Iranian side and that remains uh if and we’ve been able we’ve been speaking to that uh in recent days. Um But when you ask about the Russian motivation, I’m gonna let the Russians speak for themselves. I would just at the point that a nuclear armed Iran is not in Moscow’s interest related to this film. Last week, Iran was elected to the commission you at ecowas into the Commission on the status of Women. How did the US vote? I will have to get back to on that. Yes colleague who couldn’t be here today on china, she says, what is the biden biden administration’s view of? Does it agree with the previous administration that the policy of engaging china to spur liberalisation was misguided? And how does the biden administration look at engagement now, broadly speaking? Right, well, we have spoken broadly to our approach to Beijing. Uh and what we have always said is that it is a relationship that is multifaceted. Uh It is a relationship that will have competitive elements. It is a relationship that will have adversarial elements and it is a relationship that will have some uh cooperative elements when you look at the totality of that relationship and it is uh quite a an expansive bilateral bilateral relationship. Uh On balance, it is a relationship that is predicated on competition. Our goal in uh not only engaging um with Beijing but also with our partners and allies and also here at home, harnessing our domestic sources of strength is to be able to compete and ultimately to out compete with china. This is an approach that uh, in that while it has human rights at the centre, um, it is not an approach that requires any rose coloured glasses about the nature of the PRC, the nature of its leadership. We are focused first and foremost on competing with and out competing the PRC. Uh, and that’s what we’re doing. Calling upon. Those sources of strength are uh allies and partners, our values, our domestic sources of strength to um uh to use them uh, in this relationship that is fundamentally one of competition. The the previous policies of engagement were misguided. I’m not going to speak to previous administrations, I’m going to speak to this administration’s approach and that’s precisely our approach. It is a clear eyed principled approach to the PRC that recognizes competition at the center of that relationship. We have time for a quick final question. I know we’re running to a another engagement by stressing this competition is clear. I just know rose colored glasses. You’re basically saying you don’t expect china to change when a special envoy Kerry goes there, it’s not going to win change in china’s um, energy policies. When our trade officials go there, they’re not going to get reform in china’s economy. You know, I’m not saying that at all. And and in fact, I said at the outset, uh, it’s a relationship that has competitive aspects, adversarial aspects and also um, cooperative elements to it as well. When you think about the uh, those areas of shared interests that we have, you named a couple of them. Climate, of course, is one, uh, Secretary Kerry was just in china uh several days ago and you saw the joint statement that emanated from that visit? Nonproliferation is another one Iran we’ve talked about in this context already is another one. There may be others as well. Uh and so we certainly do hope and expect that we’ll able will be able to achieve progress vis a vis all of those priorities. Not because it’s in the PRC’s interest, but because it’s in our interest, it’s in our interest to see the world’s largest emitter curb its emissions. And it’s in our interest to see Beijing play productive and constructive role as it has in the context of the P five plus one with Iran. It’s in our interest to see other cooperative aspects of these of this relationship. Be further. But what I’m saying is that at the core we recognize this to be a relationship um predicated on competition and our goal throughout is to compete and to call upon our sources of strength to out compete with Beijing going forward. Thank you all very much. Okay.

Share with Friends:

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.