Remarks With Indian Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna After Their Meeting
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateTreaty RoomWashington, DCJune 3, 2010
SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon, everyone, and let me again warmly welcome all of our Indian guests, most particularly Minister Krishna, here to the State Department. It is indeed an honor to host this inaugural Strategic Dialogue between India and the United States, and this makes good on plans that Minister Krishna and I announced in India last summer and it advances the vision of partnership articulated by President Obama and Prime Minister Singh. I know that President Obama is looking forward to joining us later today and underscoring his personal commitment to strengthening the U.S.-India relationship.
India is an indispensable partner and a trusted friend. We believe that a rising India is good for the United States and good for the world.
Our two nations – great democracies, dynamic and interconnected economies, and engines of progress – understand that our fortunes in this new century are increasingly linked. Our people are more connected today than ever before, and we face complex global challenges that will be difficult to solve without the United States and India working together. And we also face opportunities that can only be seized by tapping the talents and innovation of both the Indian and American peoples.
Today, we’ve had a series of very productive discussions about a wide range of our common concerns, touching on bilateral, regional, and global issues.
First, on security. Both India and the United States have seen our cities and our citizens targeted by violent extremists, and we share concerns about the continuing threat of terrorism and we share concerns about the dangers of nuclear proliferation. For our peoples, security is more than a priority; it is an imperative. And it was a prime topic of discussion today.
Minister Krishna and I discussed the importance of India’s leadership to promoting security, stability, and prosperity across Asia and beyond. We are collaborating on a Counterterrorism Cooperation Initiative to improve information sharing and capacity building, and we agreed to expand cooperation in cybersecurity. We are deepening our already extensive military-to-military partnership.
And I thanked Minister Krishna for India’s generous contributions in Afghanistan. And I was delighted to learn at lunch how deep the ties between India and Afghanistan go back, and it is clear that what India has been doing in development projects are very significant and we look forward to finding ways to collaborate.
Charting an energy future that is secure and sustainable is a crucial challenge for both of us. I am pleased that we have completed a nuclear reprocessing agreement nearly six months ahead of schedule, underlying our commitment to the civil nuclear accord of 2008. We are building on the Partnership to Advance Clean Energy established by President Obama and Minister Singh, including by expanding our work together on energy efficiency, smart grids, forest management, and so much else. And we are committed to working on an action plan on shale gas cooperation prior to President Obama’s trip to India. We have launched a new dialogue on climate change, discussing how to continue the progress made in Copenhagen, and work more closely together.
On the economy, we discussed the importance of capitalizing on the doubling of our trade over the last five years, bringing together experts from across our governments to focus on macroeconomic policy, financial sector reforms, and infrastructure financing. U.S. and Indian cabinet secretaries and ministers will meet on June 22nd in Washington with the members of the US-India CEO Forum to hear recommendations on specific steps our two governments can take to expand trade and investment.Now, we know that innovation is a source of growth and dynamism, and we discussed greater collaboration on technology, including exchanging delegations of high-tech innovation leaders later this year and developing new partnerships and cross-cutting solutions. Passage of legislation allowing foreign universities to open campuses in India would be a significant step forward, and I am pleased that a number of U.S. institutions have already expressed an interest.
One of the areas where we intend to have closer scientific collaboration is food security, boosting the productivity of our farmers and giving more people in more places the tools they need to feed themselves and their communities. Our new Memorandum of Understanding on Agricultural Cooperation and Food Security is part of this important effort. And we agreed to establish working groups to develop concrete proposals for the U.S. and India to enhance food security in third countries, strengthen farm-to-market links and food processing in India, and develop an initiative to expand weather and crop forecasting.
On all these issues, we have stayed relentlessly focused on how to deliver results that will make a difference in people’s lives. After all, that is what this is supposed to be about. We want to help people in India and in the United States feel more secure, more prosperous, and more able to fulfill their own God-given potential.
We will meet again next year in Delhi to resume this high-level discussion. But between now and then, we will work every day to translate our shared goals into concrete actions. And the dialogue must extend beyond these official channels to our homes, our businesses, our communities, our universities – every aspect of our respective societies – to build mutual understanding and respect between our peoples.
I am very proud to be part of this process and to join with Minister Krishna and other leaders and experts we have convened from both sides to help deepen this defining partnership.
Thank you so much, Minister.
FOREIGN MINISTER KRISHNA: Thank you, Secretary Clinton. Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I am particularly pleased to be co-chairing this dialogue with Secretary Clinton, whom we consider as a dear and longstanding friend. She’s a true believer in the vast potential of the India-U.S. partnership.
I want to thank her for her gracious hospitality and the splendid cooperation by her colleagues that has no doubt gone into the preparations for this inaugural meeting of the Indo-U.S. Strategic Dialogue. This dialogue, as Secretary Clinton said, is a unique forum that really brings together the different threads of our extraordinarily wide agenda and allows us to look at the entire relationship in an integrated strategic fashion.
I would like to emphasize the importance that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh attaches to India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue and to Indo-U.S. relationship. He and President Obama reaffirmed, when they last met, their commitment to taking this relationship to a new level of coordination and cooperation, a global strategic partnership for the 20th century – 21st century between India and the United States. We consider our strategic partnership with the United States as one of our key foreign policy priorities. The United States is the largest economy in the world and India is emerging as one of the largest and one of its fastest growing economies.
The relationship rests on a solid bedrock of shared values. There are few relationships in the world that have so much potential as India-U.S. relations. Therefore, I believe that our cooperation is not only for great mutual benefit, but we can work together to make a significant contribution to global peace, prosperity, and stability in the 21st century.
Secretary Clinton and I, joined by senior colleagues, have had a very comprehensive and productive discussion today. Our discussions covered a broad range of global economic and security issues. We agreed to continue the practice of close and regular consultation and to remain sensitive to each of others’ interests and concerns. We expressed the hope that the G-20 meeting in Canada later this month will stimulate further coordinated international efforts for economic recovery and stabilization and to safeguard our goal of balanced and sustainable development. We had a very good exchange of views on reforms necessary not only in the international economic architecture, but also in the global political and security architecture, including the UN Security Council, so as to reflect contemporary global realities, as President Obama’s national security strategy also points out.
We shared concerns about developments in Asia, including on the Korean Peninsula. We have a common interest in advancing security and stability across Asia. We shared our perspectives on South and Central Asia, East and Southeast Asia, and the Middle East and the Indian Ocean region. India and the United States have a shared convergent goal of a stable, peaceful, pluralistic and democratic Afghanistan, which protects the rights and dignity of all sections of Afghan society. India and the United States are partners in achieving these goals. I conveyed our view that these goals can be best advanced through sustained international commitment in Afghanistan by building Afghan capacities for governance and security through initiatives that are led and controlled by Afghans themselves.
We agreed on the importance of avoiding choices that lead us to the dark alleys of the 1990s and the importance of safeguarding the gains and progress that have been made since then, especially with regard to the position and rights of women in Afghanistan. Our dialogue has further increased our understanding on the nature and source of terrorism that threatens both of our societies. We agreed that terrorism, terrorist groups, operate as a syndicate, leveraging each others’ assets and strength, and are increasingly converging together on motivation and targets.
Hence, a segmented approach towards terrorism, especially in our neighborhood, could not succeed. We are pleased with the way our counterterrorism cooperation has progressed, and today we have agreed to intensified (inaudible). We discussed the steps that we should take to further deepen our growing defense and security cooperation, including defense trade and collaboration, which has grown rapidly in recent years.
We had, again, a very good discussion on economic cooperation, high technology exports to India, cooperation in higher education, healthcare, science and technology, empowerment, agriculture, climate change, and energy. In each of these areas, there is immense opportunities for mutually beneficial cooperation that will make a significant contribution towards creating jobs and prosperity in both countries.
I am pleased that there is a strong balance and momentum in trade and investment in both directions. Secretary Clinton and I agreed that we have to go beyond multiplying our trade and investments. We are two innovative societies with a proven track record of success in partnerships for innovation. India is making a modest but meaningful contribution, based on its experience and expertise on (inaudible) resources, to development efforts in other countries. This is an area where we have a lot to learn from each other, and we had a very useful discussion on these issues today.
In short, our dialogue was wide-ranging. We have identified the areas of our strategic priority and a roadmap for cooperation in each of these areas. Secretary Clinton and I have agreed to monitor the progress and meet again in 2011, and we look forward to warmly welcoming President Obama and the family in India later this year.
I would like to thank my distinguished colleagues, Shri Kapil Sibal; Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman, planning commission; Shri Prithviraj Chavan, minister for science and technology, and other senior officers who ably assisted us here in Washington, after having held a series of meetings with their U.S. counterparts for this Strategic Dialogue today.
Madam Secretary, thank you again, once again.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, Minister. Thank you so much.MR. CROWLEY: We have time for two questions on each side. We’ll begin with Jill Dougherty from CNN.
QUESTION: Thank you very much. Thank you, Madam Secretary. I have a question on the flotilla clash. What can you tell us about the Turkish American who was killed in that clash? Does his death make it more likely that an American will participate in any investigation? And also, Prime Minister Netanyahu is now saying that he is willing to evaluate new ideas on the blockade of Gaza. Do you have – does the United States have any new ideas in this regard?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Jill, we can confirm that a U.S.-Turkish dual national, Mr. Furkan Dogan, was among those killed in the raid on the flotilla. Our ambassador to Turkey, Ambassador Jim Jeffrey, has been in contact with the family. We’ve offered not only our heartfelt condolences but any kind of consular assistance that the family might need at this time.
We are still gathering information about what happened. We know that there was another American citizen injured on one of the ships. There is also a third American who was injured during a subsequent protest and remains hospitalized.
Protecting the welfare of American citizens is a fundamental responsibility of our government and one that we take very seriously. We are in constant contact with the Israeli Government, attempting to obtain more information about our citizens. We have made no decisions at this point on any additional specific actions that our government should take with respect to our own citizens.
But as we have stated continuously, we expect the Israeli Government to conduct a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation that conforms to international standards and gets to all the facts surrounding this tragic event. We are open to different ways of assuring that it is a credible investigation, including urging appropriate international participation.
With respect to Gaza, we are evaluating ways of expanding the flow of humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza while protecting Israel’s legitimate security interests. There’s a great deal of consultation going on as well as work in our own government to determine ideas that we would share with the Israelis and other international partners, because as I have said before, we have to deal with the situation in Gaza in a way that both protects Israel’s legitimate security interests and fulfills the needs of the people of Gaza. And that is what we’re seeking.
QUESTION: Could I just ask one clarification? When you talk about international participation in that investigation, again, do you believe that a U.S. – an American should be part of that investigation?SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Jill, we haven’t made any decision on that. That was part of the presidential statement that came out of the United Nations Security Council on Monday night, and we are engaged in broad-based discussions with the Israelis and others.
MR. CROWLEY: Lalit Jha from the Press Trust of India.
QUESTION: Thank you, P.J. Mr. Minister, as you conclude your first Strategic Dialogue with United States, which went beyond your scheduled time here today, can you give us a sense of the U.S.-India relations now and the way forward? And what are the takeaways for India from this meeting?
And Madam Secretary, you spoke about India’s being an indispensable partner and trusted friend. So what is holding United States from endorsing India as a member of – permanent member of the United Nations Security Council?
Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER KRISHN: Well, this is a uniquely structured Strategic Dialogue which has taken place. The idea was first (inaudible) by Secretary Clinton when she visited New Delhi last summer. Since then, we have been working towards this all-important Strategic Dialogue.
United States and India share so many commonalities. We are nations which truly believe in democracy and in democratic values. We both are pluralistic societies. We both respect human rights. And we both believe that together we can play a very constructive role in shaping the global events, in stabilizing peace and tranquility, and perhaps this partnership, this relationship between our two countries, will go a long way in sending out a message clear and loud that these are two democracies which believe in equality, which believe in equal respect, and which also believes that we have a bigger role to play in shaping the destinies of humankind. And this Strategic Dialogue is moving in that direction.
SECRETARY CLINTON: I would just thank the minister for that very elegant and eloquent description of the overarching framework of these dialogues, because that’s exactly how seriously we take the importance of this interaction. And of course, there are many specific actions that are being worked on by our respective governments, and we will be making a report – I to President Obama and Minister Krishna to Prime Minister Singh – detailing all of the work that has been accomplished. And I hope that our press on both sides will focus on it because we really are committed to trying to invigorate the actions that will demonstrate exactly what Minister Krishna talked about: our commitment to advancing humankind.
So I know that it won’t necessarily get headlines in either one of our media, but working to expand access to higher education is a huge deal. Working to better coordinate on science, technology, and innovation, exchanging scientists, supporting centers of excellence – who knows what benefits will flow from that. Working to improve the productivity of agriculture, exchanging views on how best we can deal with health issues that are going to overwhelm our respective health systems – I mean, there’s just so much, so much richness, so much of a commitment. And I’m very much looking forward to this continuing work.
As to your specific question, I said in my opening remarks that we don’t have any way forward yet on Security Council reform, but we are obviously very committed to considering India. At this point, as you probably know, there is no consensus in the world and that is the challenge of dealing with multilateral organizations. I think as Minister Krishna said at another point in our meeting today, once you get to multilateral negotiations it slows down considerably. But we are definitely committed to the consideration of India.MR. CROWLEY: Andy Quinn from Reuters.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, Mr. Minister, Afghanistan is obviously a big focus for both countries. And President Karzai’s peace jirga has recently concluded and endorsed his proposal to begin reaching out to the Taliban, and indeed many of them are saying they should be reaching out not only to foot soldiers, but even up to the leaders of Taliban to try to bring them into peace talks.
So my question to both of you is: How do both of you see the end game moving forward in Afghanistan? How do India and Pakistan balance their interests in the country? And what do we see for the Taliban as a potential future partner there?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I will begin. I don’t think that the consultative peace jirga has concluded. I think it is in the midst of very intense discussions. As I understand it, there have been more than 50 discussion groups that are underway, and reports are being made at the end of each day. And then the leaders of the jirga will be reporting to President Karzai, and all of that will be taken into account.
We’ve been very clear in our approach that we think that there is a basis for reintegrating Taliban fighters back into society, but we do not believe anyone should be either reintegrated or reconciled on a political basis without renouncing al-Qaida, renouncing violence, committing to live by the laws and constitution of the nation of Afghanistan.
There is no military solution to most conflicts. This is not unique in that regard. There have to be political decisions that go along with military actions. And we have told President Karzai, most recently on his visit, that we understand that, and we support his efforts. But of course, we want to be kept fully informed and we want to be able to work with him. And it is clear that there are some people who call themselves Taliban who already are coming off the battlefield, they want to return home, they have no ideological commitment. And then there are others who tried to blow up the peace jirga.
So this is not something that you can have a blanket statement about. This is painstaking work to try to identify those with whom there may be the opportunity for some political reconciliation, and others for whom there is no prospect and they have to be defeated and deterred from their continuing violence against the people of Afghanistan, against our troops, and they have to be rooted out of their safe havens in Pakistan where they are being a very grave threat to the Government of Pakistan now. So this is a matter that crosses borders, poses a transnational threat, as we have seen on numerous occasions, and must be undertaken with full awareness of that.
FOREIGN MINISTER KRISHNA: Well, we made our position very clear when the London conference convened by (inaudible) on Afghanistan. There we spelled out that anyone, any group of persons who disassociate themselves from various terrorist outfits, and who are willing to go along, accepting the Afghan constitution and then the Afghan-led Government by President Karzai, then we should not have any problems in dealing with them and then in bringing to the mainstream of Afghan society.
India and Afghanistan have a very close relationship. It is not yesterday’s, it’s the day before yesterday’s, at one of our morning session, there was a mention that there are Kabulis – that means who reside in Kabul – in almost every (inaudible) center in India. And then our ambassador was mentioning about the Kabuliwala, the movie, which was centered around Kabul. So this historical and civilizational affinity that we have with Afghanistan makes us to think about Afghanistan and then Afghan brothers and sisters, you know. And then especially, I know how deeply Secretary Clinton feels about the women and the children.
The last time when I had the opportunity of exchanging views on Afghanistan with her, she was so happy mentioning to me about the number of children who are back in schools in Afghanistan. I think that the kind of Afghanistan that we all would like to think about and look forward to. And anything India can do in trying to lift Afghanistan towards that frontier, that frontier of children going back to schools, mothers being able to freely communicate with their relatives and friends without fear, I think that is the kind of society for which we are working. And then our contribution in Afghanistan is a very constructive nature. It is not military driven. It is development driven. And we are concentrating, in spite of the price that we have had to pay – there have been a series of attacks on our mission.
I would like to – I visited Kabul twice, and then I have conveyed to those who are working under such difficult circumstances where India has been the target of attack. And we know the reason, you know. And, well, knowing the reason, knowing the motives, we are going to stay in Afghanistan to defeat these terrorist (inaudible).
QUESTION: Madam Secretary --
MR. CROWLEY: No, no. Goyal, no, no. We can finish up (inaudible).
QUESTION: Mr. Minister, last week the White House released its National Security Strategy in which the Obama Administration identified India, along with Russia and China, as emerging powers with which it wanted to deepen and strengthen its relationship. Now, where does India place the United States in this context with regards to its strategic and national interest?
And Madam Secretary, to you, to what – this is called the Strategic Dialogue, and to what extent does it represent any change in strategy at a sort of a macro level versus continuity? And if does, could you just give us some details on what that change is? Thank you.
FOREIGN MINISTER KRISHNA: President Obama’s strategy statement is a very welcome development from India’s point of view. Well, we have always felt comforted with our association with United States. Our partnership has gone through various vicissitudes but one thing stands out very clear, that it is an enduring partnership. And we would like to continue that partnership. And while doing so, we do appreciate the enormous responsibilities that partnership (inaudible) on India, perhaps on the United States also. Well, India is willing to discharge its part of the responsibility and we are thankful to President Obama for the kind of strategy statements that have been made on his behalf and, well, needless for me to say that millions of Indians are looking forward to President Obama’s visit later this year to India.
SECRETARY CLINTON: I believe that our current partnership represents both continuity and change. As Minister Krishna said, we have a long, enduring relationship with India, going back to independence. We have had many partnerships that have proven beneficial to both of our countries, going back through that time. Certainly, the Green Revolution, which was an American-Indian project, stands as one of the great achievements of the 20th century, or perhaps all of human history. So the continuity that was evidenced by my husband’s efforts to reach out to India, evidenced by President Bush’s continuing efforts, and a commitment to a tangible demonstration of the modern state of our relationship with the civ nuclear deal, has now come to a point where we wish to both continue and deepen the enduring relationship.
But we want to broaden the base of that relationship. So the comprehensive agenda that is encompassed by this Strategic Dialogue goes far beyond one project or one visit or any single aspect. Instead, we are committed to not only working government-to-government, as we have been today and as we have for the last year, but also building on the very strong foundation that exists between the Indian and American peoples. This is an affair of the heart, not just of the head. The relationship between India and the United States and between our peoples is rooted in common values, shared aspirations.
We know we have different historical experiences, we have different cultural perspectives; we understand that. But underneath it, in addition to our common humanity, there is this commitment to democracy and diversity, to the rule of law, to the empowerment of people, that sets the United States and India apart. We often talk about how India is the largest democracy, we’re the oldest democracy, we’re the largest economy, India is making rapid progress and moving up with its economic growth.
So this is a relationship that is so rooted in our values, and that’s why I think it stands the test of time despite the vicissitudes that come between any two great countries or any two people, for that matter. But persisting and understanding and working through on a basis of mutual respect is how we intend to build an even stronger relationship through the mechanism of this Strategic Dialogue in the years ahead.
Thank you.
MR. CROWLEY: Minister Krishna has a meeting at the White House, so we have to end it here. Thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you all, very much.
MINISTER KRISHNA: Thank you.
RESIST, INSIST, PERSIST, ENLIST.” - HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON
Thursday, June 3, 2010
Video & Text: Secretary Clinton's Remarks With Indian Minister of External Affairs S.M. Krishna After Their Meeting
Video & Photos: Secretary Clinton at the Opening of the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue **UPDATED WITH TEXT**
Opens the Plenary Session of the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue With Indian External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateBen Franklin Room
Washington, DC
June 3, 2010
SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning, and welcome to the Benjamin Franklin Room here on the eighth floor of the State Department for this very important dialogue between the United States and India.
On behalf of President Obama, his Administration, and the American people, it is my great pleasure to welcome External Affairs Minister Krishna and his distinguished colleagues from the Indian Government to the State Department for this first-ever Strategic Dialogue at this high level between our two countries.
Minister Krishna and I announced this dialogue in India last summer with the intention of bringing together senior officials from across our governments to attest to the commitment we both feel to our relationship. And here today we have United States Secretary of Commerce Gary Locke; FBI Director Robert Mueller; Deputy Secretary of Energy Daniel Poneman; USAID Administrator Raj Shah; Dr. John Holdren, the director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the White House; Deputy National Security Advisor Mike Froman; our ambassador from the United States to India, Tim Roemer; and other distinguished and – may I add, Minister Krishna – very hardworking members of the Obama Administration under the leadership of Under Secretary Bill Burns and Assistant Secretary Bob Blake. And we are very pleased that President Obama will be joining us later today.
We meet at a pivotal moment. For nearly two decades, India and the United States have worked intensively to build a strong, positive relationship, one that has delivered benefits to Indians, Americans, and people worldwide. This dialogue is an effort to build on that history and deepen our cooperation so that we can together solve common challenges and evoke the full talent and energy of our people.
Now, while this dialogue marks a new stage in the U.S.-India partnership, it is rooted in exchanges already taking place. Our governments collaborate on nearly any issue you can name, from fighting terrorism to empowering women to eradicating disease to monitoring the weather to improve crop forecasting. Last year, $66 billion in trade flowed between our nations, more than 10 times our trade level in 1990. And the United States is very proud to be home to nearly three million Americans of Indian descent, one of the fastest-growing and most accomplished immigrant communities in our country, as evidenced by Administrator Shah, who you will hear from later.
Indeed, India holds a very special place in the hearts of many Americans, including me. My first trip to India 15 years ago was a transforming experience for me and for my daughter, and then for my husband when he was able to go in the year 2000. I’ve returned since, including last July, to witness for myself India’s cutting-edge leadership in energy, agriculture, education, and business.
Today, the United States stands with India, not only because of what India means to us, but what India contributes to – and represents to – the world. We’ve said it many times, but it cannot be said too often: India is the world’s largest democracy, its second-fastest growing economy, and a rising power, not only in Asia but globally. It has vibrant democratic institutions, a very free press, a robust civil society, and an innovative private sector. It is also a model of democratic development that is lifting millions of people out of poverty by widening access to tools of opportunity, such as education, healthcare, food, water, and jobs.
India’s rise is a defining storyline of the early 21st century. And the US-India partnership will help shape the rest of this century. To quote Prime Minister Singh during his recent visit to Washington in November, “As two leading democracies, India and the United States must play a leading role in building a shared destiny for all humankind.” Well, Prime Minister Singh said it beautifully. And that mission is worthy of our best efforts. To fulfill it, we must not only build on areas of agreement but, frankly, address doubts that remain on both sides, doubts among some Indians that the United States only sees India or mainly sees India in the context of Afghanistan and Pakistan, or that we will hasten our departure from Afghanistan, leaving India to deal with the aftermath; doubts in America that India has not fully embraced its role in regional and global affairs or will not make the economic reforms needed to foster additional progress.
So with this dialogue and the level of confidence that we have established between ourselves, we will confront these concerns directly and candidly. And both of our governments will hold ourselves accountable to our respective people by making sure our conversations lead to concrete actions. Next year, when this dialogue meets in Delhi, we should be able to point to real results.
Let me just briefly review some of the topics of the dialogue. Security is a top priority because both of our nations have been seared by acts of terrorism on our home soil. Together, we will discuss how to increase our cooperation on counterterrorism by better sharing intelligence and training first responders to make our own homelands more secure.
The Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative provides the foundation for a strong partnership on another security challenge: nuclear proliferation.
We will also discuss our continued partnership in the area of defense. And we have Under Secretary Michelle Flournoy here today. The United States is committed to the modernization of India’s military, as demonstrated by our defense trade. Our military holds more exercises with India than with any other country. I think that might be a surprise to people in both of our countries. And we are both committed to training peacekeepers worldwide. And I want to recognize India’s long tradition of peacekeeping, which includes a squadron of Indian women peacekeepers serving in Liberia, whom I visited with when I attended a class of police recruits in Monrovia last August.
We will also address another urgent challenge: climate change. And I want to commend India, which has taken important steps, helping shape the Copenhagen Accord and pledging to lower its greenhouse gas emissions by up to 25 percent by 2020. And we have our climate envoy, Todd Stern, here with us. Through our Partnership to Advance Clean Energy, Indian and American scientists will together develop and deploy technologies that reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. This collaboration taps into a strength we share: our capacity for scientific innovation.
And connected to climate change is food security, a major initiative of the Obama Administration. India and the United States are working to strengthen agriculture worldwide through our Feed the Future Initiative, to replicate the successes of India’s green revolution in places where food is still too difficult to grow, buy, or sell.
India’s growing global role requires us to reassess institutions of global governance. India’s rise will certainly be a factor in any future consideration of reform of the United Nations Security Council. But India is not only a rising global power; it already is a regional power. And in this dialogue we will confront regional concerns – most urgently, securing Afghanistan’s future.
India, the United States, and countries worldwide have a stake in a stable Afghanistan. And India’s contributions to Afghanistan’s future – including $1.3 billion in assistance – have been positive and significant. India is building Afghanistan’s new parliament building. And Indian and American groups are working together to help Afghan engineers bring greater source of electricity to Kabul.
Beyond Afghanistan, India wants to work with – India and United States want to work together to create an open and inclusive regional architecture that makes it possible for countries throughout Asia to rise and prosper and gives India a greater room to participate and lead. So we must address regional priorities together – for example, the need to protect vital sea and air routes that foster trade and to respond swiftly to natural disasters, as India did in its response to the tsunami.
Our ability to tackle regional and global challenges together rests on our bilateral relationship, which we must continue to strengthen. And one key is education. More than 100,000 Indian students now study in the United States. And we want an equal number of Americans to study at Indian universities, so they can be steeped in India’s history, culture, and languages. To that end, our governments have tripled the number of Fulbright-Nehru Fellowship scholars. The new Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative will develop partnerships between Indian and American universities. And we hope that India will pass legislation now under review that would allow foreign universities to open campuses in India in accordance with appropriate regulations, of course. A number of U.S. institutions have expressed interest in opening Indian campuses and working with Indian scholars and students, whose talents are internationally renowned.
Education is vital to our economic partnerships, which are multiplying rapidly. India’s economic progress in recent years, even during this terrible economic downturn, has been remarkable, and we have seen the effects as millions have been boosted into the middle class. And we’ve seen the result of globally competitive industries. But while Mumbai and New York are humming with enterprise and entrepreneurialism, Washington and New Delhi have lagged behind. Together, we must reduce barriers to trade and investment going in both directions. And we urge India to reduce or ease caps on investment in critical sectors, which would help open markets and create millions of jobs in both countries.
So through this dialogue, we will discuss these issues and many more, honestly and respectfully, with admiration for each other and each other’s accomplishments, but with acceptance of our historic and cultural differences, but trust in our long and enduring friendship.
An expanded partnership between India and the United States can be and should be a signature accomplishment of our governments. I consider it a personal priority. Together, I believe the discussions that we have in these dialogues will help shape the future of our own nations and improve the lives of millions of Americans and Indians and help also to determine the course of the world in this century. This is both our opportunity and our responsibility.
Now it is my great personal pleasure to introduce External Affairs Minister Krishna, who has been a wonderful partner and a very gracious counterpart during my time and his in our respective jobs.
Minister Krishna.
FOREIGN MINISTER KRISHNA: Thank you very much, Secretary Clinton, for those very warm words. I know that since you became the Secretary of State for the United States you have been one of the most positive influences on the relationship between our two countries. India has always recognized that. And let me compliment you and let me thank you for the positive manner in which you have always looked towards India, and I’m sure that India will come up to your expectations.
I’m indeed happy to meet you at this inaugural round of the Strategic Dialogue. As I said, you are a champion of a strong and vibrant India-U.S. partnership. And your dynamism and unflinching support have substantively contributed to this process. I’m joined here by my esteemed colleagues from various ministries, which underscores the importance that we attach to this dialogue and vividly express the vibrant nature of our relationship.
Before coming on this very important mission to the United States, I met with the prime minister and the prime ministers conveys his greetings to President Obama and to you, Secretary Clinton, and to the people of the United States for the warm reception that they extended to him when he visited last in November. And he looks forward to a deepening and enlarging relationship between our two democracies.
Before I proceed, I would like to introduce the delegation which is accompanying me. I have with me the Minister for Human Resource Development Honorable Kapil Sibal, who is guiding the destinies of the education of which you so eloquently talked about in your introductory remarks. And we have the Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Dr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who is no stranger to the United States, and he has been the czar of the Indian planning process – (laughter) – and while under his guidance, we have been moving decisively forward. And we have the Minister of State for Science & Technology Mr. Prithviraj Chavan, who himself is a scientist in his own right. As a result of that, Dr. Manmohan Singh, the prime minister, has charged him with the responsibility of guiding the Ministry of Science and Technology in the new government.
And of course, we have the foreign secretary, about whom I – (inaudible) doesn’t need any introduction to you, Secretary Clinton. And we have the secretary in the Ministry of Environment and Forest, who has been applying his mind and then finding – trying to find solutions to the climate change, about which you referred to in your introductory remarks. And we have also the secretary who is in charge of biotechnology, and we have the secretary in the prime minister’s office. We have the ambassador of India in United States, Mrs. Meera Shankar. And we have my advisor, Mr. Shastry. And we have the deputy chief of mission, embassy of India and joint secretary who deals with the United States America, Shrimati Gaitri.
Secretary Clinton, the relationship with the United States is one of the most important bilateral relationships for India. Since the visit of President Clinton a decade ago, our two countries have been able to transform the relationship fundamentally as India moves ahead to achieve our priority tasks of economic and social transformation to allow our people to realize their full potential.
We have an increasing and well-justified stake in a stable international order. We are committed to working with the international community to find solutions to the pressing global challenges of the day. Today, our two countries share an increasing convergence of interests on a whole range of global issues. Our two nations have been shaped by enduring foundation values of openness, pluralism, and tolerance. These inspirational values and interests provide us the opportunity to work together to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
I truly believe that ours is a relationship of limitless opportunities for mutual benefit. This confidence comes from not just the improvement in the relations between our two governments but also from the vibrant, cross-cutting, and dynamic linkages between our energetic and dynamic peoples. Indeed, the creativity, the imagination, and the enterprise of our two peoples has contributed immensely to the improvement of our relations. I believe that our discussions today will build upon these successes and strengthen our multifaceted relationship.
The institution of our Strategic Dialogue is a reflection of the deepening and broadening of our relations. I am particularly satisfied to note that we have, together since your visit to India last year, made tangible progress on every aspect of our expanded agenda of dialogue and cooperation. That includes not just bilateral issues but other global challenges. We both have an abiding interest in a stable international order and in the maintenance of peace and stability in Asia and beyond. And a tremendous opportunity is now before us to work together to achieve this all-important objective.
The global nature of the security challenges that we face today, particularly the threat posed by transnational terrorism, requires us to cooperate more closely than ever before. Though the epicenter of this threat lies in India’s neighborhood, it reaches far and wide all across the world, as we have seen time and again and most recently a few weeks back in Times Square. Given the fact that the groups who preach the ideology of hatred and violence are increasingly coalescing, sharing resources, and operating as one, it is incumbent upon all of us to focus our efforts laser-like on every one of them. Targeting only one out of such groups would only provide false comfort in the short term and will not assure in long term stability.
I am happy to note the tremendous progress that we have made in strengthening our counterterrorism cooperation, particularly since the Mumbai terror attack. We value the support we have received from the U.S. Government in our investigations. In this regard, access to our authorities to persons who have been apprehended by your government in connection with Mumbai terror attack is perhaps the logical next step. We are confident that our continued cooperation will lead to realization of this objective.
The conclusion of the negotiations on arrangements and procedures for reprocessing has taken us closer to realizing our objective of commencing commercial collaboration in nuclear energy with United States companies.
Another key area of our bilateral dialogue is cooperation in high technology. I am glad that we are working together to pave the way for liberalizing export control restrictions that are applied to India. Given the strategic nature of our partnership, and particularly at the conclusion of the Civil Nuclear Initiative, these controls are not only anomalous but also a hindrance to furthering trade and investment in this particularly significant sector of our economies. We look forward to early steps in this direction.
Our two countries have enormous opportunities to deepen cooperation in trade and investment and creating jobs and opportunities. I am happy, therefore, that we have launched a new financial and economic partnership as well as a framework for cooperation on trade and investment that should help us to reach new heights in bilateral trade and investment.
There is tremendous potential for scientific and commercial collaboration in green technologies. The Clean Energy Memorandum of Understanding that you and I signed last November enables us to move forward in creating a strong bilateral partnership in this area. I look forward to an early implementation of the joint research centers envisaged in the MOU. This is where our partnership to promote balanced and sustainable economic development for the benefit of every man, woman, and child in each of our countries can have great significance.
Madam Secretary, agriculture is another key sector of our cooperation and we look forward to an increase in cooperation in agricultural research, human resources capacity building, natural resource management, agribusiness and food processing, weather forecasting for agricultural production, and collaborative research for increasing food productivity. Given India’s experience and expertise, there is also an opportunity for both of our countries to pool our resources and work together for global food security.
Educational exchanges have since long contributed to strengthen our people-to-people linkages and also fostering greater S&T collaboration. Our two peoples, through their innovation and entrepreneurship, have cooperated in the past, especially in the area of information technology. As we in India (inaudible) with our educational reforms, there is an opportunity for us to enhance such academic exchanges and collaboration. The spirit of innovation and intellectual quest should define our exchanges in these fields and chart new frontiers in our relationship.
In addition, we have also identified new areas of cooperation, including in health and women’s empowerment. I am happy that the first meeting of women’s empowerment dialogue took place last week here in Washington itself. The empowerment of women and the recognition of their potential for immense contribution to the national cause as we look to the future is a core policy priority of the Government of India. And I know that this is also a key policy priority for the U.S. Administration.
Secretary Clinton, we have a truly broad-based agenda with wide-ranging opportunities. I look forward to our discussions this morning and reviewing the achievements of the last 20 years, while charting of a course for the year ahead of us.
Thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much, Minister Krishna. And we do indeed have a very broad agenda and we will now get about discussing it. The press will be departing. We will be seeing them later. But as they depart, let me again thank all of you for coming, and we will begin to move forward on the agenda and the concrete steps that we wish to take in order to achieve our shared goals.
SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON: Daily Appointments Schedule for June 3, 2010
Daily Appointments Schedule for June 3, 2010
Washington, DCJune 3, 2010
SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON:
9:15 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with the Assistant Secretaries of the Regional Bureaus, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)10:00 a.m. Secretary Clinton opens the plenary session of the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue with Indian Foreign Minister S. M. Krishna, at the Department of State.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE FOR REMARKS)11:30 a.m. Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Indian Foreign Minister Krishna, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)12:00 p.m. Secretary Clinton hosts a luncheon for participants in the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)1:15 p.m. Secretary Clinton and Indian Foreign Minister Krishna hold a joint press availability, at the Department of State.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)
5:00 p.m. Secretary Clinton hosts a reception, at which President Obama delivers remarks, in honor of the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, at the Department of State.
(MEDIA TO BE DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Glimpses into Secretary Clinton's Day: Snippets from the Press Briefing
Well, in the run-up to the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue, the photogenic SOS was off-camera today. P.J. Crowley's press briefing gives us some further insight into her day. Here are some snippets. I know it is P.J.'s briefing, but knowing the readers here, you are probably in need of a Hillary-fix, so I suppose no one will mind that instead of P.J.'s picture, I have embedded a few featuring his lovely boss - this one.
Philip J. CrowleyAssistant Secretary
Daily Press BriefingWashington, DCJune 2, 2010MR. CROWLEY: Good afternoon and welcome to the Department of State. Several things to talk about before taking your questions. In about an hour’s time, the Secretary will meet with Indian Education Minister Kapil Sibal as we begin to get into – engaged in the India-U.S. Strategic Dialogue. And they’ll discuss U.S.-Indian cooperation in higher education and increasing our people-to-people ties. Education is a key component of our partnership with India, a key to meeting the demands of the 21st century economy.
Snip
Also today, the Secretary a while ago met with 17 civil society activists from the Middle East and North Africa, the Leaders of Democracy Fellows. This is a program under our Middle East Partnership Initiative, or our MEPI. It’s a three-month program that the U.S. provides to young civic and democratic reform leaders from the region. They have an opportunity to complete academic coursework at the Maxwell School at Syracuse University and complete a professional assignment with a political, nongovernmental, or public policy organization here in Washington. And this year’s cohort is a diverse group representing Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Oman, Syria, Tunisia, the West Bank and Gaza, and Yemen.
With the SOS busy behind the scenes, P.J. provided the only statements regarding events ... um... The Event ... in Japan yesterday and its implications (or not) in relation to the agreement Secretary Clinton managed to get last week in Japan.
QUESTION: With the Japanese Prime Minister Hatoyama resigning yesterday over the Futenma issue, he apologized for not being able to handle this issue very well. So that the two governments just made an agreement last week, right? So the U.S. is kind of involved in this political situation. So how do you see this political change in Japan, and what kind of influence will you get?
MR. CROWLEY: Well, we respect the Japanese political process and Prime Minister Hatoyama’s decision. We will work closely with the Government of Japan and the next prime minister on a broad range of issues. And I think today the chief cabinet secretary stated that the Futenma agreement will be respected, given that it is a government-to-government agreement, and we share this expectation.
Yeah.
QUESTION: According to a recent poll, 80 percent of Okinawan people opposed to this relocation to Camp Schwab. And as you know, as I said, the Japanese prime minister resigned because of this. So it’s not supported by the Japanese people. So how can you still say it’s political – still politically sustainable?
MR. CROWLEY: Well, I mean, we value the U.S.-Japan security alliance. We think that the presence of U.S. forces in the region, including in Japan, is of tremendous importance and of value to both of our countries. We – and I think that’s – the importance of our presence in the region and the U.S.-Japanese alliance is underscored by current tensions in Northeast Asia. So we have, we believe, reached a fair resolution that sustains the alliance. We understand the burden that this places on the Japanese people. As part of our agreement, we have pledged to do everything that we can to help manage the impact that this has, particularly on the people of Okinawa. This will be something that we continue to work closely with the Japanese Government, but as we indicated, we think we’ve reached a resolution of this relocation plan and we will work with Japan to carry it out.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) considering the prime minister has resigned in response to this agreement, don’t you think this has damaged the alliance, this agreement?
MR. CROWLEY: Well, I mean, I’ll leave it to the prime minister to explain the circumstances under which he felt it important to resign. And our alliance is about much more than just the future of Futenma. But this is an important issue, but it’s only – it’s one of a number of – wide range of issues and common interests that the United States and Japan share. We will continue to work on this program with the Japanese Government.
QUESTION: As you said, there has been an agreement on Futenma, but there are no – the elections are now planned for July, I think, in Japan. Do you feel that the issue might come back during the campaign?
MR. CROWLEY: Well, that’s one of the reasons why we worked closely with the government over a number of months. It was a very thorough review. Everyone went back over all of the details, and I think the Japanese Government came to reaffirm that this new plan, a modification of the plan that it inherited, was the best way forward. We think we’ve – with some technical details still to be worked out, we think that this is the best way forward and we’re going to continue to work this with the Government of Japan.
So those are some notes from the day. Tomorrow promises to be busy, exciting, and LONG! I will do my best to keep you posted. Hillary will host a big state dinner. I wonder what she will wear? (We LOVE the midnight blue gown.)
Video: Secretary Clinton's Statement on the Israel/Gaza Situation
MR. CROWLEY: On his last day of covering the State Department, Nick Kralev of The Washington Times.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Oh, Nick.
QUESTION: Hello.
SECRETARY CLINTON: We should sing Auld Lang Syne or something. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: Well, thank you very much even without doing it.
Madam Secretary, I’d like to ask you a couple things about the Israeli situation which, as you know, is getting more and more serious by the day. I know there are many unknowns at this point, but do you accept Israel’s argument of self-defense? And do you think that the investigation should be done by Israel or by a third independent party, as other Security Council members have said?
And more broadly, we all know there are so many moving pieces to this. There’s Turkey, there’s Israel and in the Palestinians, there’s Iran, there’s Syria. What are the implications in your mind of this situation to the peace process and in the larger issues in the Middle East? Thanks.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Nick, on your last day, you’ve asked a very complicated set of interrelated questions. And let me put it into context as I respond. First, let me say how deeply we regret the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered among those involved in the incident aboard the Gaza-bound ships, and we offer our condolences to the families of the deceased and the wounded.
Turkey and Israel are both good friends of the United States, and we are working with both to deal with the aftermath of this tragic incident.
The United States supports the Security Council’s condemnation of the acts leading to this tragedy. And we urge Israel to permit full consular access to the individuals involved and to allow the countries concerned to retrieve their deceased and wounded immediately. We urge all concerned countries to work together to resolve the status of those who were part of this incident as soon as possible.
We support in the strongest terms the Security Council’s call for a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation. We support an Israeli investigation that meets those criteria. We are open to different ways of assuring a credible investigation, including international participation, and we will continue to discuss these ideas with the Israelis and our international partners in the days ahead.
The situation in Gaza is unsustainable and unacceptable. Israel’s legitimate security needs must be met, just as the Palestinians’ legitimate needs for sustained humanitarian assistance and regular access for reconstruction materials must also be assured.
We will continue to work closely with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority along with international NGOs and the United Nations to ensure adequate access for humanitarian goods, including reconstruction and building supplies. And we welcome efforts to promote the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under the legitimate and internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.
Ultimately, the solution to this conflict must be found through an agreement based on a two-state solution negotiated between the parties. This incident underscores the urgency of reaching this goal and we remain committed to working with both sides to move forward these negotiations.
I think the situation from our perspective is very difficult and requires careful, thoughtful responses from all concerned. But we fully support the Security Council’s action last night in issuing a presidential statement and we will work to implement the intention that this presidential statement represents.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, thank you very much for taking this question.
SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON: Daily Appointments Schedule for June 2, 2010
Daily Appointments Schedule for June 2, 2010
Washington, DCJune 2, 2010
SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON:
9:30 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with Under Secretary Kennedy and her senior management team, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
10:00 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with the Under Secretaries, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
11:30 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with visiting Middle East democracy activists participating in the Middle East Partnership Initiative, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
2:30 p.m. Secretary Clinton meets with Indian Education Minister Kapil Sibal, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Secretary Clinton: Photos of the Day
She also me with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, but there was no press availability. There are issues. The Turkey-Brazil-Iran nuclear deal preceding that attack by the Israeli Navy on a ship flying the Turkish flag. Months ago I said I was keeping my eye on Davutoglu. He seems to be something of a male version of Hillary and has gravitas, especially in Europe, I think. I would like to be a fly on the wall when these two get together, because I also think he is somewhat impervious to her personal charms that work so well on the men (as discussed here at length yesterday).
Secretary Clinton's Press Availability with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi **UPDATED WITH VIDEO**
Press Availability with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi After Their Meeting
Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of StateTreaty RoomWashington, DCJune 1, 2010
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good afternoon. It is a pleasure to welcome the foreign minister here today. This year, Romania and the United States mark the 130th anniversary of our diplomatic relationship, and it is a friendship and partnership that grows stronger every year.
Our nations and people share a deep commitment to freedom and democracy, and a profound respect for human dignity and the rule of law. Romania and the United States are working together bilaterally as well as through international organizations to foster greater transatlantic cooperation on a range of difficult issues, from nuclear nonproliferation to energy security to climate change.
The United States and Romania are also allies through NATO, and our shared commitment to the mutual defense of the alliance is unwavering. We are very pleased Romania has agreed to host elements of the phased adaptive approach to missile defense in Europe as we pursue this shared goal. This decision highlights the seriousness with which Romania approaches its role in NATO and its commitment to enhancing global security. Romanian troops have served their country with honor and distinction around the world, particularly in Iraq and Afghanistan, and they are helping to move those countries toward a future of peace and stability. We mourn and grieve with the people of Romania over the losses that your nation has sustained, Mr. Minister, in this cause, but we thank you for your ongoing, stalwart commitment.
And it is also true that we have so many shared values and deep ties. Many distinguished Americans come of Romanian heritage, including the late Professor Liviu Librescu, who sacrificed his own life to save his students during the tragic shootings at Virginia Tech in 2007. We are pleased that the street in front of the new United States Embassy compound in Bucharest has been named in honor of this wonderful Romanian-American teacher and scholar.
The growing partnership between our nations has been nurtured and cultivated for a long time. I vividly remember my trip to Bucharest 14 years ago – not only the hospitality I received, but the energy and optimism of the Romanian people, who had traveled so far in such a short space of time. I told the foreign minister that I hoped to return to see for myself all of the progress that has been made and to work with him and with his government to build on the friendship and partnership between our two nations.
Thank you again for being here.
FOREIGN MINISTER BACONSCHI: Thank you very much, Madam Secretary. I truly appreciate your remarks. We had an excellent discussion today on the main bilateral topics on our agenda. And we tackled the enhancement that we have contemplated for the time being, the common wish to add substance to our strategic partnership and our cooperation within NATO and common expectations which we have in the perspective of the NATO Lisbon summit at the end of this year, about our – the increasing of our troops on the ground in Afghanistan and the bilateral cooperation to better protect them, and about Romania’s inclusion in the MD missile defense program.
We would like to also explore together all the possibilities to raise more interest among the business community in the U.S. towards the opportunities offered by the Romanian economy. And I also raised with the Secretary of State our wish to work together for finding new solutions for the inclusion of Romania in the Visa Waiver Program. As we are a full membership – a full member of the EU and NATO, we think that our fellow citizens deserve to travel without visa to the U.S.
We have also addressed some later – latest evolutions in our own region, in the Black Sea region, and in the immediate vicinity of the European Union. And we also took the opportunity to speak about the energy security issues. I have explained to the Madam Secretary of State our main projects in this field.
So I thank you very much for the hospitality during this, my first official trip to Washington. And I’m looking forward to work together with you and to further increase the quality of our partnership.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you so much.
MR. CROWLEY: On his last day of covering the State Department, Nick Kralev of The Washington Times.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Oh, Nick.
QUESTION: Hello.
SECRETARY CLINTON: We should sing Auld Lang Syne or something. (Laughter.)
QUESTION: Well, thank you very much even without doing it.
Madam Secretary, I’d like to ask you a couple things about the Israeli situation which, as you know, is getting more and more serious by the day. I know there are many unknowns at this point, but do you accept Israel’s argument of self-defense? And do you think that the investigation should be done by Israel or by a third independent party, as other Security Council members have said?
And more broadly, we all know there are so many moving pieces to this. There’s Turkey, there’s Israel and in the Palestinians, there’s Iran, there’s Syria. What are the implications in your mind of this situation to the peace process and in the larger issues in the Middle East? Thanks.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Nick, on your last day, you’ve asked a very complicated set of interrelated questions. And let me put it into context as I respond. First, let me say how deeply we regret the tragic loss of life and injuries suffered among those involved in the incident aboard the Gaza-bound ships, and we offer our condolences to the families of the deceased and the wounded.
Turkey and Israel are both good friends of the United States, and we are working with both to deal with the aftermath of this tragic incident.
The United States supports the Security Council’s condemnation of the acts leading to this tragedy. And we urge Israel to permit full consular access to the individuals involved and to allow the countries concerned to retrieve their deceased and wounded immediately. We urge all concerned countries to work together to resolve the status of those who were part of this incident as soon as possible.
We support in the strongest terms the Security Council’s call for a prompt, impartial, credible, and transparent investigation. We support an Israeli investigation that meets those criteria. We are open to different ways of assuring a credible investigation, including international participation, and we will continue to discuss these ideas with the Israelis and our international partners in the days ahead.
The situation in Gaza is unsustainable and unacceptable. Israel’s legitimate security needs must be met, just as the Palestinians’ legitimate needs for sustained humanitarian assistance and regular access for reconstruction materials must also be assured.
We will continue to work closely with the Israeli Government and the Palestinian Authority along with international NGOs and the United Nations to ensure adequate access for humanitarian goods, including reconstruction and building supplies. And we welcome efforts to promote the reunification of Gaza and the West Bank under the legitimate and internationally recognized Palestinian Authority.
Ultimately, the solution to this conflict must be found through an agreement based on a two-state solution negotiated between the parties. This incident underscores the urgency of reaching this goal and we remain committed to working with both sides to move forward these negotiations.
I think the situation from our perspective is very difficult and requires careful, thoughtful responses from all concerned. But we fully support the Security Council’s action last night in issuing a presidential statement and we will work to implement the intention that this presidential statement represents.
QUESTION: Madam Secretary, thank you very much for taking this question.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Yes, sir.
QUESTION: So how far or hopefully how close is Romania to (inaudible) visa waiver and what are the steps to be taken on both sides to speed up this process and grant Romanian citizens the right to travel to U.S. for education, business, or as tourists? Thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, the minister and I discussed this at some length because we very much support more travel by Romanians to the United States and by Americans to Romania. And you mentioned some of the main reasons – for education, for business, for recreation, and just enjoying the beauty of each other’s country and the hospitality of our respective peoples.
The rules on visa waiver are enshrined in legislation. The Congress has set the standards that must be met, and we are working closely with the Romanian Government to assist Romanian citizens in meeting those standards. We want Romanians to know what the rules are so that they are able to follow them and we can accelerate and increase the high percentage of accepted visas in order to meet the requirements that Congress has determined.
So we are very committed to working, but we have to meet the congressional requirements. And that’s why we want to work on a public education and outreach campaign between our governments to try to help more citizens know those rules and be able to meet them.
MR. CROWLEY: Thank you very much.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much.
SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON: Daily Appointments Schedule for June 1, 2010
Daily Appointments Schedule for June 1, 2010
Washington, DC
June 1, 2010SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON:
9:15 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with the Assistant Secretaries, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
10:00 a.m. Secretary Clinton calls Afghani President Hamid Karzai.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
11:15 a.m. Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
12:15 p.m. Secretary Clinton holds a swearing-in ceremony for Ambassador Ian Kelly, Representative to the Organization for Security and Peace in Europe, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
1:15 p.m. Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Romanian Foreign Minister Teodor Baconschi, at the Department of State.
5:20 p.m. Secretary Clinton attends a reception in her honor hosted by Chief of Protocol Ambassador Capricia Penavic Marshall and the Board of Trustees of the Blair House Restoration Fund, at Blair House.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)
6:00 p.m. Secretary Clinton joins President Obama’s bilateral meeting with Peruvian President Alan Garcia, at the White House.
(MEDIA TO BE DETERMINED BY WHITE HOUSE)
