Remarks
With Czech Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, European Union
External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner, and European
Union High Representative Javier Solana
Remarks
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Brussels, Belgium
March 6, 2009
FOREIGN MINISTER SCHWARZENBERG:
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Sorry that you – we kept you
waiting for such a long time, but I have some good news. Madame
Secretary confirmed that President Obama accepted the invitation to
participate in the EU-27 plus United States in a formal summit in Prague
on April 5th, 2009. This is great news for Europe, and I genuinely
believe that the summit will represent an important milestone in the
European Union-United States relation. And it’s wonderful that we have
it during the Prague presidency, but it’s not for the Czech Republic so
important; it’s a symbol for the whole of Europe that the President of
the United States comes to a small country in the center of Europe to
meet the European Union.
We also discussed possible main topics
for the summit, of course, such as Afghanistan, energy security and
climate changes issues, and the whole area from the Mediterranean to the
Caspian Sea, and probably we will include, too, the Balkans in our
(inaudible) on the summit. Given the fact that Madame Secretary will be
accompanying Mr. President, I am pleased to invite European colleagues
to Prague, too.
Today, we have touched upon several issues, such
as Russia, energy security, Afghanistan, and the Middle East, the
Balkans, climate change, as well as some aspects of financial crisis. We
have agreed to work together to stimulate Russia to play a constructive
role on the international stage. The Georgian crisis and the
(inaudible) gas crisis represented a serious setback in our relations
with Russia. As a result, we will incentivize cooperation with Georgia
and other Eastern European partners, yet we also need to diversify the
gas and oil resources.
The United States expressed support in
this direction. I reassured Madame Secretary that Afghan police reform
and (inaudible) mission in Afghanistan remain top priority for the EU,
and Europe will maximize its efforts in stabilizing Afghanistan.
On
Iran, we both agreed that only firm, united, and coordinated approach
of the international community may lead to a tangible result.
Continuation of the Iranian nuclear program and uranium enrichment is
unacceptable.
On the Middle East we have reiterated the
importance of a two-state solution. The EU will continue to support the
Egyptian efforts in the peace process. The role of the Quartet remains
instrumental for reaching the solution. We are pleased that the new
United States Administration reconfirmed its role in the Quartet.
On
climate change, the EU looks forward to the active engagement of the
United States in international negotiations, and working with the United
States in leading efforts to secure a global agreement.
And now, may I ask you, Madame Secretary, to take the floor.
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Thank you very much Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg and High
Representative Solana, External Relations Commissioner Benita
Ferrero-Waldner. I appreciate the very warm reception that I have
received on behalf of President Obama and our country as we work to
bring U.S.-EU cooperation to a new level.
President Obama and I
intend to energize the transatlantic relationship and to promote a
strong European Union – and more fundamentally, a strong Europe. The EU
is a union of friends and allies. We share values, interests, and a rich
history of working together to confront common challenges and seize
common opportunities. The lesson we have learned is clear: We derive
strength from each other. A strong Europe is a strong partner for the
United States, and the Obama Administration intends for the United
States to be a strong partner for Europe.
Two nights ago I
attended the transatlantic dinner, a gathering of foreign ministers from
both NATO and EU countries. The event reinforced my belief that these
two great institutions can and should cooperate seamlessly; indeed, to
meet our common challenges they must. This is also a belief that
President Obama shares, which is why he will attend a special EU summit
in Prague after he attends the NATO summit.
The President and I
believe in a strong NATO working together with a strong EU. We cannot
afford to waste energy or resources. We all must be focused on the same
agenda. We have embraced the EU’s new missions, like EULEX in Kosovo,
where the United States is participating for the first time in an
operation led by the European Security and Defense Policy. We are also
committed to listening, consulting, and working in concert to deliver
smart solutions to our shared challenges.
And today, as the
foreign minister said, we discussed a great number of these challenges. I
pledged American support for EU initiatives to build a single energy
market and to diversify gas supplies. EU leadership and unity were
pivotal in resolving Russia’s recent gas cutoff to Ukraine and Europe,
and that leadership may be needed again in the future.
We talked
about a way forward in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and I solicited EU
input in our ongoing strategy review. Our conversation centered around
the civilian elements of our new approach, including the EU’s priority
on governance, rule of law, and police reform.
We also discussed
the financial crisis. Together the U.S. and the EU produce half of the
world’s GDP and generate 40 percent of its commerce. If we’re going to
stabilize our markets and reenergize our economies, we will need a
coordinated strategy in advance of the G-20 and an effort that demands
joint consultation, joint leadership, and joint follow-up.
So on
an array of emerging and persistent challenges, from Iran to climate
change to the conflict in the Middle East, we shared ideas and laid the
groundwork for future cooperation. The United States and Europe are both
great centers of power – economic, diplomatic, and cultural – and we
have responsibilities to match that great power. As we have so often and
so well in the past, we must work together closely now and into the
future, and I am confident that we will.
Thank you very much.
FOREIGN MINISTER SCHWARTZENBERG: Thank you. Javier, would you like to speak?
HIGH REPRESENTATIVE SOLANA: Everything has been said and well said.
MODERATOR: Okay. Thank you. Thank you very much. We have time for a few questions.
QUESTION:
I’m Bob Burns of AP. I have a question for Secretary Clinton. Regarding
your discussions this evening in Geneva, are you looking to set a date
to begin the START talks? And also, is the U.S. willing to include in
that strategic defense as part of a negotiable item; in other words,
missile defense broadly?
And if I may ask the Czech minister,
what is the level of your government’s concern that if the U.S. were to
abandon its missile defense plans in your country and in Poland that
that would embolden the Russians? Thank you.
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Bob, first of all, I am looking forward to my meeting this evening in
Geneva with Minister Lavrov. We have a very broad agenda to discuss. And
I discussed some of what I will be raising with Minister Lavrov with my
colleagues here at our luncheon.
Specifically with regard to
START, we are beginning the work now. There’s been ongoing contact and
consultations. We intend to vigorously engage on this in preparation for
having a START agreement that will continue on beyond the one that
expires at the end of this year. We’re looking at all aspects of our
relationship when it comes to offensive and defensive weapons, not just
in START but across the board with our nonproliferation consultation.
I
would just reiterate with respect to missile defense, as I’ve said
numerous times before and as I believe very fervently, missile defense
is an element of our joint defense posture. It obviously has to be
proven to work and be cost-effective for it to be deployed in the Czech
Republic and in Poland, but it is intended to be part of a deterrent and
a defensive response vis-à-vis Iran and other actors that might obtain
and determine to use missiles against Europe.
We believe that
Russia and the United States have the opportunity to cooperate on
missile defense, to do joint research and joint development, and even
eventually –assuming we can reach such an agreement – joint deployment.
This is the 21st century. Just as NATO is reviewing our
strategic concept and the European Union is looking at its defense
policy, we need to be prepared to provide mutual defense in effective
manners. And we’re going to continue to explore various ways of doing
that. And if missile defense is proven to work and is cost-effective, it
can be a part of that overall defense.
Finally, with respect to
the Czech Republic and Poland, as I said yesterday at NATO, I think
both countries, their people, and their governments, showed visionary
leadership in recognizing that there are new threats that need to be
addressed in new ways in order for us to guarantee the safety and
security of Europe against these actors, whether it be Iran or a
terrorist network, whatever it might be. So that is the argument and the
case that I’m taking to Russia.
But were it not for Poland and
the Czech Republic being willing to step up and be part of this new
defense posture, we would not be able to engage with Russia on this.
QUESTION:
Good afternoon. (Inaudible) from Czech radio. A question on Guantanamo.
I know that it wasn’t on the agenda today, but who knows when will you
arrive here again, so I’ll use this opportunity to ask you that
question.
Several European states have already stated their
willingness to adopt or to take some inmates in Europe. When will United
States ask officially Europe to do so, if you want to ask it? Thanks.
SECRETARY CLINTON:
Thank you. Actually, it was on the agenda. I thanked the EU for working
with us to determine a policy regarding detainees from Guantanamo. As
you know, the Obama Administration has been in office a little over six
weeks but we’ve already launched a very aggressive review of the
detainees at Guantanamo.
When the President signed the executive
order for closing Guantanamo, he said at the time that we’re going to
do this right. We’re going to take every single file and review it. If
we determine that it would be appropriate for a particular detainee to
be relocated, we will discuss that with our friends and partners like
the EU. When we are ready to do so, we will have that conversation.
QUESTION:
Viola Gienger from Bloomberg News. Madame Secretary, can you comment on
your views about how well Europe is handling dealing with the economic
crisis at this point in relation to the joint efforts with the United
States?
And Mr. Foreign Minister, could you please comment on
what kind of compromises the European Union and European countries may
be willing to make in order to gain the sort of unity that people talk
is – talk about being needed to deal effectively with the economic
crisis?
SECRETARY CLINTON: With respect to the economic
crisis, I think that there’s a great deal of close coordination and
planning that is going on in preparation for the G-20 summit in London.
As you know, Prime Minister Brown recently visited the White House and
engaged in extensive conversations with President Obama and our economic
team.
I think that there is a very clear set of items that will
be on agenda for the G-20 that will address the multiple aspects of
this crisis: how do we stimulate demand; how do we provide assistance to
countries that find themselves in difficult financial condition; how do
we come up with a new architecture for the regulatory framework for the
new economy, which has so many different instruments and the capacity
to trade trillions of dollars with the flick of a computer key. There
are so many matters that we are attempting to address, and the
cooperation has been very positive.
We all understand that it is
in our joint interest to work together. As I said in my remarks, the
United States and Europe are blessed to have so much economic capacity.
Between us we have more than 800 million people, and so we have a
special responsibility which we are trying to exercise responsibly. I
think we’ll be well prepared for the G-20.
FOREIGN MINISTER SCHWARTZENBERG: Well,
let’s (inaudible) one thing. As you well know, the presiding power in
the European Union has, as a main job, a moderating job. It’s not that
we decide the presidency, but that we moderate the discussion between
the member-states of the European Union. You are perfectly right that
there are different opinions between the European states. There are more
interventionist states, there are more states who prefer a more liberal
attitude, and so that’s all right for us. We are bringing the people
together. We are consulting each step with our partners in the European
Union. We’re discussing it as with Germany, as Britain, as with France
and with Italy, with whoever is interested – also Dutch. And I do think
it’s the only way in this community of 27 to reach a compromise.
We
have to realize that in spite of a common market, the conditions in the
different European states are very different, and the economic crisis
showed different degrees of intensity and results in different European
countries. There’s a different situation in Ireland and in Belgium,
there’s a different situation in France and in Germany, and there’s a
different situation in Hungary and Czech Republic. We have to look at it
individually and make our steps according to the conditions of each
single state.
COMMISSIONER FERRERO-WALDNER: May I add,
because the Commission has made a lot of proposals here, that indeed our
proposals are going in the direction to coordinate, to bring together.
And I think Madame Secretary has mentioned all the different items that
are as much on our agenda as they are on your agenda, if you think of
financial regulation, the rating agencies, the question of not starting
protectionism now. And all of these things will, of course, be discussed
in London. They have been discussed already under the Czech presidency,
as the president rightly said at the last informal European Council.
We’ll be there at the European spring council, and then we hope to come
together to find a common strategy, of course, at the London meeting.
MODERATOR: Last question (inaudible).
QUESTION:
Darren Ennis of Reuters. Madame Secretary, regarding climate change,
you just recently visited China. What sort of climate change deal is
acceptable to the United States and China? Did China indicate, for
instance, what sort of cuts it would like from the United – it was
willing to accept?
And to Foreign Minister Schwarzenberg and to
Commissioner Ferrero-Waldner, how concerned are you that this weekend we
may have another gas crisis? Can you bring up to date, you know, on
negotiations? Have you any indication from Russia that they won’t switch
off the taps this weekend?
SECRETARY CLINTON: As to China
and climate change, we had very productive talks. I brought with me the
Special Envoy for Climate Change that President Obama and I have
appointed. He will be leading our efforts going toward Copenhagen. In
addition to the ministerial talks, he was able to begin discussions with
his counterparts in the Chinese Government. I was heartened that in my
discussions with the foreign minister and other Chinese officials, they
were quite forthcoming in saying they wanted to participate in
Copenhagen.
Now obviously, just as the foreign minister said
regarding the varieties of economic conditions within the European Union
and indeed the world as we look at this economic crisis, the climate
crisis manifests itself in different ways in different countries and
their reactions will be comparably varied. Our challenge is to create a
regimen that includes a number of different approaches.
President
Obama said in his speech to Congress a week or so ago that we are
committed to a cap-and-trade system. But we’re committed to a lot of
other things. We’re making major investments now in our stimulus package
in alternative energy and in basic science research, in new forms of
fueling transportation and so much else, as well as upgrading our grid.
The European Union is taking a similarly broad approach.
I think
it’s very important that at the beginning of this effort, that China has
expressed a willingness to participate. They understand they’ve got to
be part of the solution. They recognize that they have just surpassed
the unfortunate historic record that we have held of being the largest
emitter. They now hold that position. But I also spoke about this in
Japan, in Korea, and in Indonesia. Each of them have different problems.
Indonesia is a very large emitter because of deforestation, so the
solution for Indonesia may not be the solution for China, which may not
be the solution for Europe or the United States.
What I’m hoping
for is to have as tight a regime with measureable benchmarks and
accountability with specified outcomes, but there will be different
approaches that can fit within this regime and that’s what we’re
attempting to begin work on.
MS. FERRERO-WALDNER: Well,
let me answer to that. Again, we have been working from the outset with
the United States. But we see with this Administration a very different
attitude. We see the attitude of openness, and as Madame Secretary has
said just now, we are going totally in the same direction. And we would
like to a binding agreement by the end of the year in Copenhagen.
And
for that, we have to go for binding commitments on the developed side.
But we also want to have a different shaded approach on the developing
side. And we know we still have quite a while to go. But this makes a
huge difference now. Now, we have United States with us, and United
States has Europe with her. So I think that is a new approach, and we
are quite hopeful.
FOREIGN MINISTER SCHWARTZENBERG: Okay,
that now (inaudible) answer the question which was posed to me.
(Inaudible) information that I have is that Ukraine paid its debts so
the flow of gas shouldn’t be endangered. About intra-Ukrainian quarrels
and fights and actions, I would like to comment that task of Ukraine –
or the question of Ukraine interior policy, and it’s not up to me to
comment.
MODERATOR: Okay. Thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you.
