QUESTION:
Madam Secretary, thank you very much for your time. And your statement
in Chicago that this was a last non-enlargement summit brings some
optimism to Georgia. And what should be expected in terms of
Georgia-NATO integration the next two years? And can Georgia become a
member with Russian troops on soil? Because we all remember President
Medvedev saying that with the war of 2008, Russia stopped Georgia’s NATO
integration process.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well,
first, let me say how pleased I am to be talking with you and what a
wonderful visit I’ve had here in Batumi and delighted to be back in
Georgia. The answer to the question about NATO really depends upon the
progress that is made, because each of the aspirant countries that I met
with in Chicago had different challenges still ahead. But we are very
committed to the Bucharest principles and to working with Georgia and
the other countries so that they do make progress.
Obviously, from
our perspective, we think it’s a bedrock principle that any country
should have the right to choose its own alliances, including security
alliances. So I hope that we’ll see continuing progress on
interoperability and all of the military cooperation.
And of
course, it will be important how the elections in Georgia go, because
Georgia has made so much progress, and I’m very proud I’m here on the 20
th
anniversary of our diplomatic relations. And we want to see very good,
free, fair, transparent parliamentary elections, then a presidential
election, because Georgia can really set the standard for what it means
to be a democracy in the 21
st century.
QUESTION: So you said that Russia can stop this process, our aspiration to NATO.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, we do not --
QUESTION: Russia doesn’t have any power to stop it?
SECRETARY CLINTON:
They do not have a veto. No country has a veto over the choices that
another country makes. Now, of course, the reality is that every country
that is offered membership in NATO has to be offered that unanimously.
And I can’t speak for any other country in the NATO alliance other than
my own, so I do think that the more Georgia demonstrates that it’s
making progress, that it is not only economically progressing but
progressing on the path toward institutionalizing democracy, the
outreach to neighbors, the trying to calm the waters – I think that will
make an impression on the other members of NATO too.
QUESTION:
There are many fears in Georgia that Russia can resume that military
conflict (inaudible). And there is a reason for that, because in 2008,
mission wasn’t fulfilled. Russia hasn’t changed, so we held (inaudible)
in the government. And Georgia’s NATO aspiration has remained the same.
And Georgian – this is a very important question for Georgians – that
what are the international mechanisms – what are the reassurances that
Russia will not resume the military conflict against Georgia?
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Well, there’s no way to give anyone ironclad guarantees, because
countries act in ways that are often unpredictable or sadly predictable,
as the case might be. But here we are in 2012, and I think that the
progress that Georgia has made in the last four years has drawn the
world’s attention, that here is a relatively small country able to
tackle so many of the issues that any country developing and
democratizing has to.
And there’s a great deal of understanding.
Georgia is now asked by people all over the world to send experts to
talk about how to reform economies and how to set up political systems
and deliver services to people. So there is an international awareness
of Georgia and Georgia’s aspirations, which I think sends a strong
signal that they – that the people of Georgia deserve to chart their own
future.
And since we strongly support the territorial integrity
and independence of Georgia, and we don’t recognize the secessionist
areas – hardly anybody else does either – I think there are other things
that need to be concentrated on by all of us. The United States,
Russia, the European Union, we have a lot of issues that we have to deal
with economically, security. We’ve got this terrible problem in Syria.
So
I imagine there will still be rhetorical volleys going back and forth,
but certainly it’s my hope that nobody provokes anything, that the
secessionist areas don’t provoke anything, that everybody just keeps
working to improve Georgia. That’s my hope.
QUESTION:
You mentioned Syria and a question about recent politics – policies.
The reset button that you have famously put forth years ago has brought
some consequences. But tendencies are changing. Putin accused the U.S.
of backing massive protests against him, that the countries can’t find
that the common language over missile defense issue, and the Syria of
course. Russia continues to help Syria’s regime, and as you pointed out
recently, is going to help contribute to a civil war. And given this
background, how do you see the future of reset?
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Well, I think that the so-called reset was important, because the
United States and Russia have a lot of work to do together. The START
Treaty that continues the reduction of nuclear weapons is in both of our
interests and the interest of the world and a peaceful world. Working
together on Afghanistan has been very positive. Working against
terrorism and drug trafficking – we wanted to work to find those areas
where we could cooperate.
Now, at the same time, we still have
differences, and those differences are principled differences as to
where we stand on a lot of very difficult matters. But I think in
today’s world it’s important that we not have relationships where you’re
either able to cooperate or you can’t cooperate. Let’s be practical and
let’s find areas where we can bridge our differences, let’s work to try
to narrow those differences, and let’s stand our ground whenever and
wherever we have to. And on democracy, on human rights, on the freedom
of people to choose their own leaders and their own futures, we strongly
support that, and we’re going to continue to try to manage our
relationship along those lines.
QUESTION: But if it continues to help the – Syria’s regime, what will be reaction of the international community, the West, and the U.S.?
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Well, with respect specifically to Syria, it’s deeply regrettable that
Assad has not been pressured to step down. This is such a complicated
issue that we’re all trying to struggle with. But Kofi Annan has a
six-point plan, including political transition. And we now think that we
have to make a concerted effort to bring Russia to the table to help us
have a transition plan that will give the people of Syria a chance to
pick their own leaders. So tonight in Istanbul, I’ll be meeting with a
number of nations. Friday in Washington, I’ll be meeting with Kofi
Annan.
This is such a problematic issue, because we don’t have the
unanimity of the United Nations Security Council, we don’t have the
unanimity of the Arab League. We don’t have any international recognized
group that knows exactly what the right thing to do is because Syria
could fall into an even more horrible state of violence with many more
people at risk of being killed, injured, and displaced. We’re all trying
to avoid that, but we’re also trying to stop Assad and his regime from
continuing their brutal assault on their own people.
So I can’t
sit here and tell you that I know how we’re going to do it, but I do
know that it’s imperative we keep working on it, because it’s
unacceptable in today’s world – just like we were talking about nobody
should threaten Georgia’s independence, your territorial integrity,
people should not be permitted as leaders to assault their own citizens.
QUESTION:
And about Georgia, first, I saw you met yesterday the political
opposition leaders and you met representatives of civil society. What’s
your impression – how would you evaluate election environment? Is there
any – enough competition? And there is level playground -- that’s very
important.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes. I fully agree
with that. And I wanted to meet with the opposition because we know from
very long experience in our own democracy that you have to try to have
this so-called level playing field where people have access to the
media, where there’s enough observers so that they can validate an
election or point out problems in the election.
And in meeting
with the opposition, I listened very carefully to their concerns. We’ve
conveyed those to the government. Our ambassador and our government will
be working to try to help ensure that not only on the day of the
election but in the months preceding the election that it’s a
competitive environment and that the election goes well.
And we do
that not because we choose sides. That’s up to the Georgian people to
decide. But we do it because we believe in democracy and we believe in
Georgia. We think Georgia is so much on the right track, and we think a
valid electoral outcome in parliament and presidential elections will
further Georgia’s reputation as the kind of model that we want to see
other countries follow.
QUESTION: And this is the
biggest challenge for us – for the government right now. The things –
this fair election – how election will be conducted?
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Well, I think it’s a challenge for two reasons. I think it’s a
challenge because whenever you’re in government – and I’ve been in
politics, so I have won elections and I’ve lost elections and I’ve been
in government. I’ve been in the majority and I’ve been in the opposition
– you think you’re doing a good job and you’re working really hard. And
I have met a lot of the people working in the Georgian Government, and
they are terrific. They’re working hard, they’re producing results,
they’re changing the way things are done. I went to the Public Service
Hall here in Batumi. I was very impressed.
So when you’re working
that hard and you’re seeing things change, you think, well, people
should vote for us, and why is there any question to it. But you can’t
ever in a democracy think you have all the answers, that you are immune
from either criticism or questioning, which is why it’s more important
to establish strong institutions than strong people. Strong people will
come and go. We’re all human. And what’s important in a sustainable
democracy is that the institutions are strong. And so what we want is a
free, fair election where the Georgian people make the decision as to
who they want to represent them and that’s it’s another step in building
these strong institutions that are going to carry Georgia into the
future.
And I have to add I am so impressed by the young people of
Georgia. When I was at the Public Service Hall here, when I was
commissioning the coast guard cutter as part of our military defense
cooperation, the young government officials, the young public servants,
the young military officers – there is just a feeling of energy and
dynamism, and we don’t want anything to disrupt that. We want it to keep
growing.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, thank you so much for thinking that.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. It’s been a real pleasure.
QUESTION: Thank you. It was great pleasure for me to meet you. You are a real source of inspiration for many women.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.
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