In a beautiful petal pink jacket, the indomitable Secretary Clinton, her schedule packed, met with both the Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud Al Faisal, and the Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mourad Medelci. Here are some remarks and photos.
Secretary Clinton: December 2009
Remarks With Saudi Arabian Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al Faisal After Their Meeting
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
The Monroe Room
Washington, DC
December 7, 2009
QUESTION: Madame Secretary, Senator Cantwell is asking for a review of the Amanda Knox case. I was wondering if the State Department would do that. And is there anything that you really can do for this woman?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, we’re not going to answer any questions right now, but I will get back to you with an answer to that. And I thank you for that.
QUESTION: Thank you.
Remarks With Algerian Minister of Foreign Affairs Mourad Medelci After Their Meeting
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
December 7, 2009
SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon, and I’ve just completed a very useful and constructive conversation with the foreign minister from Algeria, a country with whom we are cooperating closely on a number of issues, particularly counterterrorism, and a country with whom we intend to broaden and deepen our relationship going forward.
FOREIGN MINISTER MEDELCI: (Via interpreter) I would like to thank the Secretary of State for the very good conversation that we’ve had. I thank the Secretary of State and President Obama for all the initiatives that they have launched. We have talked about issues that interest both our countries and the world in general, as the climate, the research for – the search for peace, food security, and our bilateral cooperation, which is very good and should be even better in the future. And for that, I thank the Secretary of State very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you all.
QUESTION: Madame Secretary, on the eve of Ambassador Bosworth’s visit to North Korea, do you have any message to the North Koreans?
SECRETARY CLINTON: We obviously hope that Ambassador Bosworth’s visit is successful in persuading the North Koreans to return to the Six-Party Talks and work toward the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a new set of relationships with us and with our partner countries.
QUESTION: Secretary --
QUESTION: And do you have anything to say on Amanda Knox?
SECRETARY CLINTON: With respect to the case involving Amanda Knox, our Consular Affairs personnel have been in regular contact with her and with her family. We will continue that support, which is the kind of work that we do on behalf of American citizens abroad. I understand that there will be appeals taken, and we will follow that. And of course, I stand ready to meet with anyone who wishes to discuss this case further.
QUESTION: Madame Secretary, was there a question – was there any discussion of the (inaudible)? Madame Secretary, was there any talk on the (inaudible)?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes. We discussed it in depth and we’re going to try to get all the parties to participate in the talks headed by the UN Special Envoy Mr. Ross.
QUESTION: The last question.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Here we go.
QUESTION: How about the fight in Maghreb? How about the fight in Maghreb?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Do you want to answer that? (Laughter.)
FOREIGN MINISTER MEDELCI: (Via interpreter) We have talked about peace in the world, so therefore we haven’t excluded any issue that has to do with peace. We have not favored any other issue over any issue. In particular, we talked about the fight against terrorism. We talked about economic and social issues. We talked about dialogue in general. But our discussions have centered on security and all the aspects that have to do with security – economic, social, and all of those issues in general.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you very much.
