LIVE: Department of State Daily Press Briefing

Courtney good to see you Sean you want to kick us off? Could you start in Syria? Yeah, I saw the secretary had a call today with the Czech foreign minister The Czech Republic Czechia, of course been historically the protecting power Was there any discussion of that and it is do you have any update on the presence of any of us? So we will have a readout of the secretary's call go out in due time So I'm not going to get ahead of that process obviously much of the secretary's Engagements over the past many days as it's related to the situation in Syria have of course involved collaborating and talking with Interlocutors and counterparts. I think we are not alone When we say that we want to see stability across the region. We want to make sure that Nothing we see is consistent with escalation But beyond that I will I will let the readout of the call come out to your broader question about any Personnel, I don't have anything to announce at this time We don't have any personnel on the ground in Damascus at the moment and we're continuing to assess the situation and consider when might be the appropriate time for Personnel to go into Syria beyond our concentrated presence in the Northeast Let me just just ask one more thing yeah, there's been reports today of some What's your assessment of where things stand now, I know One truce, yeah What how do things So That's exactly right I'll echo what Matt said yesterday is that the ceasefire in Manbij has been extended and is holding we're closely monitoring the situation around Kobani and while the situation is fluid We're not seeing large-scale fighting or large-scale incursions, and I'm not going to get into private diplomatic discussions Sean But we are working hard as I said to avoid escalation especially in northern Syria most important to us is Is continuing to Work with our local partners the SDF to carry out the shared de Isis mission That's a top policy priority for this administration We've made that pretty clear as soon as it has been the case even before the Assad regime fall and Broadly though Sean I just I don't want to operate into in hypotheticals What's happening in that region and take it from there Yes, we'll have a formal readout later today, I did not I Will double check on that, but well I'd be answering Sean's question on the call as I mentioned talking about peace and stability across the region and of course Maintain making sure that there's nothing happened that we would view as escalatory has been a priority for us It's been a priority for partners in the region, but I'm not going to get into Switch topics really brief. I don't think you'll have a lot to say about this. Yeah, sir. Rubio is here today, so Good question Matt the secretary secretary Blinken had an opportunity to sit down this morning with Senator Rubio It was a good and constructive and substantive conversation And as we've said as we said initially when they first had the opportunity to speak on the phone that we expected them to Have an engagement at some point this is We're engaging appropriately where it sees fits Courtney I don't have any meetings I'm just not gonna get it. It was a it was a private meeting Jenny I know the secretary had been looking forward and eager to having this meeting with Senator Rubio And I will just let the Trump transition team Speak to any further detail as it relates to their planning both for the State Department and other foreign policy priorities But one-on-one or it was it was a one-on-one meeting Go ahead So Iraqi officials are saying that the u.s. Demanded Iraq dismantle armed groups backed by Iran in their country reserving the Use of force to fulfill this demand if the Iraqi government does not act so We have long said that when it comes to our people our personnel or our service members when they are in harm's way particularly from malign Groups that are operating within Iraq. We of course will take appropriate Measures to protect our personnel and to protect our people but beyond that we also believe that there is of course a responsibility On the Iraqi government to do everything possible to bring such kind of actors to justice This is nothing new and nothing different than what we've said previously And the second one on the sanctions that was announced today so my question is this I Just sanctions in general in the past four years David by the Biden administration changed any of the behavior of the Islamic Republic whether they were against the oil industry UAVs because we can see that with the UAV today, but Iran is sending missiles to Russia So let me say two things first It's because of this administration's continued sanctions implementation that This department has made the assessment that the regime receives only a fraction of the market price for the oil It is able to sell and as a result of u.s. Sanctions Iran's government has failed to meet its budget projections Again this year and that Rial is the lowest it has ever been Against the dollar the other broad point that I would make is that our designation and our enforcement actions as well as our interdiction efforts all of these disrupt Iran's access to funds goods and services and technology and its ability to perpetuate destabilization actions across the region and we're going to continue to be steadfast in our efforts to expose and cut off Iran's ability to Generate revenue and this is an ongoing priority not just for the United States But for others as well, including allies and partners as well as within the g7 Janie Thank you. Yeah, I have a vacation and Ukraine in North Korea China Ukrainian President Zelensky announced that 200 North Korean soldiers were killed and wounded in the battle Kim Jong-un ordered the North Korean press not to report to the death of North Korean soldiers Can Kim Jong-un's actions of blotting the North Korean People's right to know be considered the human rights violation Are you talking about human rights violations in in the DPRK specifically Jenny? Look the human rights concerns as related to the DPRK that has been a concern of ours as it relates to the DPRK state for some time now It is one of the reasons why we continue to be incredibly concerned about the what we view as closing of Relationships between the DPRK and Russia. I wouldn't point any further than the most recent What we spent some time talking about from this podium as it relates to DPRK soldiers in Ukraine And this is something that it is going to continue to be of great concern to the United States But other allies and partners as well on China. China is the espionage activities are ongoing including the establishment of Confucius Institute in US universities the operation of overseas undercover public police station and hacking training institute What measures? So I'm certainly not going to get into results and and I certainly wouldn't speak to something like this in specificity but of course, we're aware of these kinds of reports and we're certainly aware of the lines of efforts that have been undertaken by the PRC to conduct what we view as things that would be consistent with transnational repression as it relates to its own people overseas and Our view is that any country abroad should be obeying and obliging with the local law enforcement and local Local laws, but beyond that I'm just not going to get into that specifically Alex. Go ahead Can we speak to your thinking behind reimposing North Stream 2 sanctions today and the timing of it and are those Some of them are positive So Alex, it's a little bit more technical than that So today the department is imposing sanctions on a number of entities that had been previously sanctioned pursuant to the Protecting Europe's Energy Security Act as amended for the involvement in the construction of the Nord Stream 2 pipeline as well as several new owners of vessels previously blocked pursuant to PISA. So really Alex, this is a Redesignation, if you will and the reason is that we continue to maintain our long-standing opposition to Nord Stream 2 as a Russian geopolitical project and an effort to revive it We're going to continue to work and ensure that Russia is never able to weaponize its energy resources and its energy Positioning for political gain again. Have you guys coordinated this one with the transition team? So I'm sure we're talking a great deal about with the transition team about the various Policies and endeavors, but again, let's not forget that there is one Secretary of State at the time There's one president at the time and after 12 o'clock on January 20th The next administration can speak to its viewpoints on a range of issues including sanctions on Nord Stream 2 Sure Officials the narrative would keep hearing on Tbilisi is that At this point any sanctionable point is because you guys are leaving and they can just have a leeway if they can just wake you up Well, Alex our my viewpoint is that it is a four four to five weeks is a long time A lot can happen in four to five weeks. There's still quite a bit of runway left in this administration and What this is about ultimately is the fact that we stand in solidarity with The Georgian people and their Euro-Atlantic aspirations and as Secretary Blinken previously said we are Preparing additional actions including sanctions to hold those to account for what we would view as undermining democracy in Georgia Science had his hand patiently. I'll come back to you. Go ahead. Yeah Yeah, I want to ask about Gaza, but I have a quick question on Syria sure You know, I mean why is all these attacks by Israel and basically coming so close to Damascus and in fact They struck the other day with a bomb that that measured three point something on directors So why does that it doesn't that isn't warm? Why is it? Okay for you to keep doing what is doing occupy more land? So if you're talking about are you are you talking about something specific side? Every day they have occupied more territory every day. They they send them their tanks now They are there are they are, you know, very close to Damascus as matter of fact, they they struck The city of Tartus for no reason for instance, you know a bomb that like I said, maybe something like three point something on directors Ultimately say what we want to see is lasting stability between Israel and Syria Israel has said that these kinds of actions and limited defense of its borders are temporary and No nation certainly not even the United States could tolerate terrorists and other armed militia groups Becoming embedded right on their doorsteps and so Israel of course as we've long said it has every right to its self-defense and its security but what we are hoping for and what we're continuing to Engage on is support for the critical mandate of the UN disengagement observer force to uphold stability in the region And that's something we'll continue to focus on so these attacks on Syria are in self-defense I will let the IDF speak to its own operations site. I'm not gonna Yeah After the war do you have any comment on that I'm not What site it's important to let's to take a little bit of a step back first in terms of Discussing the outcomes of a potential deal that are still being negotiated I'm not gonna get into that in general what ultimately at the crux of this at the crux of what? Getting a ceasefire in Gaza What we're talking about is a deal that would be implemented in phases and we're all currently Focused on trying to get to that first phase which is about hostages being released a temporary ceasefire and a surge in humanitarian assistance Of course future phases would have details as it relates to security arrangements inside Gaza IDF withdrawal and what the positions and numbers and all those specific details look like However, as you've heard me say before say that a long-term occupation of Gaza by Israeli military forces idea for otherwise Would be inconsistent with the principles that secretary Blinken laid out in Tokyo about a year ago Which is something both myself Matt the secretary himself have been clear about from the very beginning Directly with counterparts in the region Said I'm just not gonna I Appreciate your question what your your question was about this comment that was made as it relates to Gaza We want to see a ceasefire deal first, we're working tirelessly to get that across the finish line I cannot predict What these phases may look like from here? But again, I will just stress that a long-term occupation of Gaza is inconsistent with the Tokyo principles That we have continued to view as North Stars when we talk about our hope for the region a couple more questions Yeah, now, can you update us on the status of the negotiations? We know that The director of the CIA for instance travel There's a lot of movement do you have any kind of feel or what's going on and what are we likely to hear because there's also Assessment that you guys are frustrated I'm not gonna get into these kinds of details I we're working intensely to bring a ceasefire to the finish line so that in our view Palestinians and Israelis can live securely and perhaps most importantly the hostages are returned home We think a deal is both urgent. We think a deal is possible I don't have anything new to announce but we are certainly hopeful that the parties can come to an agreement soon This is something that we know Quite strongly that this is something that the majority of the world wants to see they want to see this conflict come to an end And we share that sentiment and so we're working tirelessly To play our part in helping that about let me ask you about Israeli snipers have been using it for target practice for a long time destroying everything in it I want to ask you is this something that the current administration in its last 30 days? Whatever it is 30 days can do something basically to Ensure, I don't know how you do it, you know to ensure that this hospital can actually get back on track in terms of functioning Said I can't I'm not familiar with the specific incidents as it relates to this hospital But what I can say is what we have said previously, which is that one? First saying that Israel must not only comply with international humanitarian law, but it needs to take every possible step to prevent civilian harm Additionally mitigating and preventing civilian harm is a moral and strategic imperative The other challenge here say which we have talked about before is that Israel is in a unusual even unprecedented burden place in that Hamas has a long track record of using hospitals and schools and other facets of civilian infrastructure for military purposes And we know that they've built a vast military network of tunnels under civilian areas That put civilians and put civilian institutions like these in the crossfire And so we've been clear about that as well as our clear about our concerns about such kind of kinetic fighting around hospitals as well It was a sheet that hospital not come out of one hospital that you know Accusations were made that there are tunnels not this particular side We know that Hamas uses civilian infrastructure and they have a wide network of tunnels under civilian infrastructure Certainly, I'm not gonna get into a tit-for-tat as it relates to specific places within Gaza But I I needn't point any further than the long Extraneous amounts of public information that's in public reporting as it relates to Hamas's use of civilian infrastructure and their tunnel network God or Matt sorry Given the crisis that's going on in Gaza situation in Syria Situation in Ukraine, I'm just wondering what the calculus What the calculation was behind the secretary going to the UN Security Council tomorrow to chair two meetings one on artificial intelligence and one on Sudan not to suggest that neither that These topics are not worthy of this discussion, but why not? You know in your last presidency this administration's last presidency of the council Bring up These pressing issues of Ukraine Syria, Gaza Well Lebanon that first I would say that the secretary just came back from travel to the region where he talked about these Very serious and very pressing issues. But secondly, you're absolutely right. This is a visit to New York a visit to the UN Security Council as part of our Presidency of the Security Council in this month of December and we felt that it was important to of course Talk about these very pressing priorities, which I have no doubt will come up in Conversations and sidebars with counterparts and colleagues up at the UN But it was also was really imperative for us to use that time to talk about areas in which one We believe have been affirmative priorities for the United States and particularly Affirmative priorities for this department and for our mission in New York One of those of course is the responsible use of artificial intelligence This is something that the secretary has prioritized a great deal over the course of his tenure as Secretary of State was really instrumental in the effort in Getting the UN vote on this responsible use for artificial intelligence and then Sudan Matt You know better than anybody that we spend a lot of time talking about crises up here We talked about a lot of time talking about very dire circumstances Sudan Perhaps even in the list of Gaza and places like Ukraine and elsewhere Suzanne Sudan is facing one of the most dire humanitarian crises on the face of the planet And so anything we can do to continue to work with partners at the UN and otherwise to shed light on that figure out what ways we can continue to unearth and solidify humanitarian corridors and Continue to push for a political solution That's absolutely a priority for ours and will be continue to use ways to elevate that that's not to say Syria Gaza Lebanon Ukraine will not come up. I am sure that They were are and as someone who travels with the secretary regularly Matt, you know How much of his time he spends on all of these things? Yeah, but I just want to know I mean, is it incorrect is the assessment that is out there some people have made that Russia and China will veto anything that you could attempt to do on Ukraine in the Security Council and Inside the Security Council you are an island of one when it comes to Gaza resolutions So I would did you should was the calculation that it would be a basically a waste of time This was not a calculation that this was about using our our presidency and using the secretary's Hallmark day for the presidency when we often you know, you've covered a lot of secretaries We often are able to commit one or two days to something like this Just given the other schedule constraints wanting to utilize that time on what we view as affirmative priorities for the department and the secretary Beyond that we have used the UN as a mechanism to do important business both as it relates to the conflict in Ukraine, but also to do important business as it relates to The ceasefire and ending the conflict in Gaza Let's not forget that the ceasefire deal that side was talking about this was one that Has been supported by the vast majority of countries in the United Nations, which honestly, it's difficult to get them to Agree on one thing. So it's just a testament to how we're gonna continue to use Bilateral channels, but also multilateral fora like this to do our foreign policy. All right, go ahead Yeah, Austin Tice, yeah, I'm sure Netanyahu sent a letter to Austin his mom saying that is really coordinated with the u.s And that the IDF is not active where? Austin is but just the other day the department had said they were not certain where Austin is So, how can the IDF in coordination with the u.s? No, they're not active where Austin is if the u.s Doesn't know for certain so I will let the prime minister's office in the IDF clarify any comments or letters that any engagements that they are having with the Tice family what I can say from our perspective. Is that again? making sure to Locate and find Austin Tice is a priority for us. There are intensive under efforts underway to find Austin We've attempted to contact officials in the region for information As you know, we have put out a ten million dollars reward for information about his location early last week These kinds of lines of efforts are ongoing I'm just not gonna I don't have any perspective to offer on what? Engagements the family may or may not have had with the prime minister's office But so you don't also know for instance which u.s Authorities Netanyahu is talking about that. He's in coordination. You should you should reach out to the prime minister's office to clarify his comments I'm not a spokesperson for him, which I know is sometimes frustrating for you all. Well just citing because he mentioned your stories That's I don't have any other perspective at all On Israel's strikes in Syria as you just mentioned a justification for this has been that Israel's doing this with the vacuum of power the possible stability that fears of potential terror threats How does more bombing especially one after the fall of Assad? And one that has bomb registers a site says on the rector scale contribute at all to stability or peace So we have long said and long believed first. Let's take a step back Both before the Assad regime and afterwards malign destabilizing actors continue to operate in the region and have presence I'm not a Military tactician and certainly not going to get into the details of that perhaps colleagues of the Pentagon can do so, but there are malign proxy groups that operate in the region that Are hostile toward to a variety of countries including of course Israel? And so Israel has every right to defend itself. Israel has every right to its security and as it relates to Build up around the border particularly as you heard me say It's our view and our understanding that these are these operations are limited But beyond that I just I will let the IDF speak to its own operations We are continuing to remain focused on doing everything we can to maintain stability across the region We're in constant contact with Relevant regional partners and others we know that this is a shared priority for a number of us and to clarify in response to say It's question. He asked if this was an exercise of Israel defending itself and Deferred that question, but here you said that Israel has a right it certainly has a right to defend itself broadly I am NOT I just don't have enough information as it relates to this particular incident to offer Context on the operation which again not a spokesperson for the IDF of which I'm sure they'd be happy to answer your questions Okay And then you say that these attacks are temporary and you refer to these groups do you know what Israel's strategic? Objective is with regards to these attacks, and I know that you've said spokesman person for them But the US is providing military aid to Israel and so these questions do seem relevant Again, I will leave it to Israel to speak to their to their military operations Jenny go Engagement with HTS has that been regular when was the last time? I don't I don't have any updates on that Jenny beyond what Matt briefed earlier in this week in that there have been Engagements and communications, but I'm not in a place to get more specific beyond that What has that been at the level of Jelani or I'm just not gonna get into that level of specificity Yeah a few things The Chagos Island, uh-huh Mauritius the new premise or Mauritius says that they're going to revisit the agreement with the UK Forces affects the United States and so far as Diego Garcia In the UK and Nigel Farage was saying that one factor here is us to supply it everything he's been but Administration and not the outgoing one, but but do you have any any comment of whether the US is comfortable with the deal as it stands? So Sean that's a great question a secretary Lincoln addressed this I think in October and he said that that we welcome the historic agreement between Mauritius and the UK on the status of Chagos We've strongly supported negotiations between the two countries over the past a couple of years and we're pleased to see that this Come to fruition through a diplomatic effort and I will let both Mauritius and the UK speak to any other Comments about the process and the current status and how they're thinking about time We continue to be supportive of this and we are again pleased to about the diplomatic outcome But on timelines on implementation on those kinds of specifics I'd defer to to the two parties to speak to it a two separate one. Yeah, do you have any update on? Yesterday, but you have any update on the embassy operations So We stand ready to provide support in coordination with Australia and New Zealand and other partners in the region we're continuing to monitor the situation including from our embassy in Port Moresby where the ambassador is accredited in to Bonaventure in residence my understanding is that Embassy operations are continue to be operating from Port Moresby, but I'm happy to see if we have a specific update on operations or any things like that The ambassador is set to travel to Vanuatu later this week as well from Papua New Guinea Yes, correct and just the final thing Yeah This report essentially paved the way for it So I'm waiting the signature of the president, but of course an election Has the u.s. Had any communication does have any message Presumably the u.s. Opposes it has the u.s. Been communicated So we've previously stated our concerns about this bill and we remain in close contact with Ghanaian Government officials and with the incoming administration of President-elect Mahama across a range of issues We take note of the announced ruling dismissing the two challenges of legislation and ultimately Sean our primary concern is the safety and well-being of vulnerable populations And individuals nobody should be targeted threatened harmed or marginalized on who they are Look I'm not gonna I don't I don't have anything further to say beyond what I offered Secretary Blinken and India's foreign minister Mr. And So what was the basic discussion between the two leaders the future of the u.s. India relations from this building and also if they had discussion as far as visas the backlogs are concerned or and Situation in Bangladesh as far as approaches against the Hindus there so we have a of course a wide range of issues and that are we have a close partnership with our Counterparts in India with of course a range of those are Security issues trade issues, of course consular issues as well, including visas We read out that meeting with external affairs minister Jay Chandra I don't have any other details to offer beyond just saying that you know over the course of our time in the in the Biden administration India has been a a key partner in the Indo-pacific on a number of shared issues And Thousands and thousands of Hindus are demonstrating Around the u.s. And also in Washington DC recently last week and in India and also in Bangladesh That process has been committed against the Hindus in Bangladesh Even Bangladesh's came from all over the US in Washington to demonstrate asking the State Department Secretary Blinken Okay, he's very famous in India that to intervene at the same time. They are calling now that It's not that atrocities against the Hindu, but also against minorities and they are calling on the International Criminal Court ICC or the United Nations and of course us to intervene and bring those to justice Including the interim prime minister Against what is happening what message that we have for those who are really relying on the United States So we this is an area of course vital importance to us Anywhere around the country we want to make sure first that protests are taking place peacefully That the basic human rights and human dignities of all people are being respected And that is something that we will continue to stress with counterparts and partners around the world including in the case of Bangladesh, of course the interim government as well In the back. Thank you in the brown jacket. Yeah Today in Egypt, dr. Yahya Gazelle's who was arrested for criticizing the CC best way in their custody and Many organizations international human rights organization they stated that the political arresting is still going in Egypt and We saw that Department of State this year Assisted like that Like us is that the Egyptian regime has made progress in human rights while this unfair trails Political prisoners like dying in custody for various reason according to these organizations Why you made this a change in the assessment and you said probably that you try to do a few months ago Like a couple months ago three months ago. You said that you actually made a good progress in human rights Why it seems it's not yet is it because of like a political reason because it's not seems like this like assessment has a change it for like Objective reasons. So like how you comment on this criticizing so as it relates to that specific incident I don't have a comment for you. I'm not familiar with it beyond just saying that our expectation is that any Buddy in detention needs to be affronted their basic human rights and treated with Dignity, I think the second part of your question you were referring to is the announcement we made around FMF funding for for Egypt. Is that correct? Which it has so in the rights why we also said We also said in that in that same time period that of course there continues to be Work in progress that needs to be done and we continue to stand by that as well. But the FMF funding there are designations and authorities that the Secretary of State has to Offer waivers based on national security interest and of course The Secretary made the determination that it was the United States national security interest in some areas and then in some other areas We have seen that our partners in Egypt had made progress I'm happy to get some specific language for you and share with a breakdown of how we talked about it That was a from a couple weeks ago Like United Europe and European partner it seems like they're going to like removing some sanction because of like certain sector sectors for like reconstructing like Syria like when USA is going to consider like certain sectors like health care like housing like Something areas for removing some sanctions that may be helping or like Accelerate the idea of rebuilding reconstructing Syria or that you are going to keep all sanction in Syria until further So I just don't have any news to announce or policies to share as you heard Matt say earlier in this week when it comes to the designation of groups or sanctions that May or may not remain in place what we're looking at and what we are keeping an eye out on is actions actions that we see the The regime take and so that's what we'll continue to remain focused on but I'm not gonna Opine any further beyond that in the red back. Yeah. Yeah Yeah, the BBC reported yesterday that They've setting a Palestinian source that Israel stopped Air and drone operations of the Gaza Strip or at least parts of it for six hours on December 7th To allow Hamas to assess the condition and the whereabouts of hostages across the region including u.s. Hostages Can you confirm that and did you have you received any updates from Hamas through mediators recently? Pertaining to the status of u.s. Hostages so to the first part of your question I will let our partners in Israel and the IDF speak to any of any of their operational details and that would certainly fall Into the bucket of that secondly I don't have anything to get into from up here as it relates to hostages beyond just saying that we are working tirelessly to do everything we can to get a ceasefire deal and of course a key integral pillar of that is Making sure that the remaining hostages can be returned home and we're gonna work tirelessly as it relates to that In the blue. Go ahead. Yeah Go for elections probably end of 2025 or early 2026. Yeah, what's the US position on that? so we welcome steps that have been taken by this interim government of Bangladesh to prepare for elections that Ultimately will allow the Bangladeshi people to choose their own government representatives This is something that we're going to continue to monitor regarding the timing and of course We're gonna encourage the respect of the rule of law over the course of this whole process as well as the respect for democratic principles Should a transition come to fruition and as we would throughout the world are we would advocate for free and fair elections? Conducted in a peaceful manner. Thanks for a follow-up question. Yeah So the New York Times has published a finding of an inquiry commission Bangladesh that was investigating the issues of enforced disappearances The commission report is funding involvement of the former prime minister The US previously imposed sanction on the people involved and enforced disappearances. Do you have a comment on that? So we have been deeply troubled by the reports that hundreds of Bangladeshis were for forcibly Disappeared over the past two decades Enforced disappearance is an egregious human rights violation that inflicts the trauma of indeterminate detention or Disappearance on its victims. It also inflicts the trauma of uncertainty on the families we welcome efforts by the interim government to investigate these crimes and Encourage fair and transparent processes to provide justice for the victims and their family members. All right. Thanks everybody