State Department Daily Press Briefing
Robert Wood Acting Spokesman
Washington, DC
TRANSCRIPT:
26 January 2009 11:09 a.m. EST
www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/dpb/2009/jan/115389.htm
MR. WOOD: Good morning, everyone. Happy Monday. Welcome to the briefing. Let's
see - why don't I just go straight to your questions.
QUESTION: George Mitchell.
MR. WOOD: Yeah. Let me tell you from a statement here I'll read and then I'll
fill in some more details for you.
Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell will travel to the
Middle East and Europe from January 26 to February 3. On this trip, Special
Envoy Mitchell will meet with senior officials to discuss the peace process
and the situation in Gaza. Okay.
As part of this trip, he will be visiting Egypt, Israel, the West Bank,
Jordan, and Saudi Arabia. Special Envoy Mitchell will be accompanied by
other State Department officials, including Deputy Assistant Secretary for
Near Eastern Affairs David Hale, as well as representatives from the
National Security Council and the Department of Defense. In addition, the
traveling party will be joined in Jerusalem in Ramallah by Acting Assistant
Secretary for Population, Refugees, and Migration Sam Witten, and USAID
Special Assistant to the Administrator George Laudato.
The Administration will actively and aggressively seek a lasting peace
between Israel and the Palestinians, as well as Israel and its neighbors.
And in furtherance to these goals - or of these goals on this trip, Special
Envoy Mitchell will work to consolidate the cease-fire in Gaza, establish an
effective and credible anti-smuggling and interdiction regime to prevent the
rearming of Hamas, facilitate the reopening of border crossings, and develop
an effective response to the immediate humanitarian needs of the
Palestinians in Gaza and eventual reconstruction and reinvigorate the peace
process.
So that's what I have for you on the trip.
QUESTION: Is that the sum total of the places that he will visit, or is
there any possibility of his going to other places?
MR. WOOD: There are always possibilities that he may travel to other places.
We'll try and keep you posted if, indeed, there are any changes to the
schedule.
QUESTION: And you remember, I had asked - I asked Syria last week. Is there
any possibility of his going to Syria?
MR. WOOD: I don't believe that's planned at all, but I'm certainly not going
to rule out anything because, again, they're still looking at the travel
itinerary and we may have some updates. But I haven't heard Syria.
QUESTION: And just last one from me on this. Is there any possibility of his
having any contact, even indirect, say via the Egyptians, with Hamas?
MR. WOOD: He will not have contact with Hamas.
QUESTION: Did -- there is no - no stopover planned in Turkey? Because
Turkey -- the Turkish say they are going to --
MR. WOOD: Well, like I said, you know, there may be some refinement to the
travel itinerary. But I don't have anything more for you on that at this
point.
QUESTION: You mentioned Europe as well, but you didn't mention any stops in
Europe. Is that just refueling?
MR. WOOD: No, I think that's still being looked at. Again, I just - I'm
giving you what I have at the moment. And we'll certainly update you if
there are any changes.
QUESTION: Is he likely to meet UN officials in Gaza, since he talks about
the humanitarian situation, on the ground?
MR. WOOD: Well, he's going to meet with officials of the region and talk
about the overall situation on the ground and, of course, longer-term steps
for trying to get us back on the road to peace.
QUESTION: But he's not going to Gaza?
QUESTION: Yeah.
MR. WOOD: I'm sorry?
QUESTION: He's not going to Gaza?
MR. WOOD: Well, I've given you what I have here. And again, if we have any
updates, I'll certainly be happy to provide them.
QUESTION: But does he have permission to travel to Gaza? I mean, is that an
option?
MR. WOOD: Again, like I said, this is what I have for you in terms of
travel. We'll see what else - if there are any updates, we'll try and get
them to you.
QUESTION: Robert, in more of a broader clarification of exactly what he's
going to do, is he in listening mode or is he in --
MR. WOOD: Absolutely. He is in a listening mode. He wants to talk to all of
the - he wants to talk to regional leaders and try to get, as I said, back -
get the peace process back on track. And he'll obviously be discussing the
humanitarian situation. And he's eager to get out to the region and begin
working.
Yes.
QUESTION: On the long-term process, you're talking about advancing the peace
process in a broader sense.
MR. WOOD: That's right.
QUESTION: Would you take into consideration his recommendation in 2001 that
already talk about stopping violence, stopping Israeli settlement? Or is
that past the point and you're looking for a fresh start?
MR. WOOD: Look, he's going out to listen. He wants to hear what the leaders
have to say. And he's going to report back to the Secretary and the
President on his trip, and we'll begin to continue formulating policy from
there. But let's let him to get to the region and have discussions, and then
we'll go from there.
Yes.
QUESTION: Does he plan to pick up on the Annapolis process and where those
negotiations were? Are you going to continue what the Bush Administration
did? Is that your goal?
MR. WOOD: Well --
QUESTION: Or do you have a whole bag of new tricks?
MR. WOOD: Well, again, he's going to go out to the region, do his own
assessment, and then report back to, as I said, the Secretary and the
President, and then go from there.
QUESTION: But how do you see the Annapolis process? Dead, alive, half-alive?
MR. WOOD: We have a new Administration. It's taking a look at a number of
different policies from the previous administration. It will be coming up
with its own initiatives. And so why don't we just give it a little time and
let, you know, Senator Mitchell do this work.
QUESTION: Do you regard the program of helping to build up the PA's defense
and security forces that General Dayton worked on as continuing?
MR. WOOD: That was very good work that was being carried out. And again,
what we're about is trying to strengthen and build up these Palestinian
institutions so that one day, the Palestinian Authority will be able to, you
know, basically manage the affairs of a new state once we get to that
two-state solution.
QUESTION: But in using the phrase "that was very good work," it suggests
that there has been a kind of finite end to that program.
MR. WOOD: No, I'm not suggesting that. I'm just saying that, you know, it's
been good work that has been done. It's important for us to continue to try
to strengthen these Palestinian institutions. And that kind of work will
continue.
QUESTION: But what - but you didn't say the same thing about the Annapolis
process.
MR. WOOD: Well, like I said to you, the Annapolis process was something that
the previous administration had been undertaking.
QUESTION: Well, but the previous administration also undertook all that
stuff on the security (inaudible).
MR. WOOD: Yeah, I'm just - what I'm saying is that was good work. Certainly,
Annapolis was good work. But again, there's a new Administration and it's
taking a look at overall Middle East policy, and the beginnings of that is
Senator Mitchell's trip to the region.
...
QUESTION: Can I just ask you one other thing on Mitchell?
MR. WOOD: Yeah.
QUESTION: Is he going to also be discussing Iran and how the region should
approach Iran and its nuclear program?
MR. WOOD: Well, he's going to be talking about the overall situation in the
Middle East, and that obviously will have some - will in some way touch on
the question of Iran. But I'm not going to get into any further details
until he's had a chance to go out to the region and have those discussions.
....
QUESTION: Just if I could come back to Gaza for a moment, there were some
reports of U.S. Naval ships that had been stopping ships that might be
suspected of bringing arms to Hamas. I mean, first of all, can you give us
any guidance on that? And secondly, do you see any evidence that some of the
elements of that memorandum of understanding that was signed, you know, are
starting to really be put into force now?
MR. WOOD: Well, with regard to the ship, I'll have to refer you to the
Pentagon. In terms of the MOU, I mean, obviously, that's an issue that
Senator Mitchell will be discussing with, you know, countries in the region,
and we'll have to see where it goes from there, Mark. But he's going, you
know, to be traveling and then we'll see what happens from there.
Okay. Thanks, everybody.
(The briefing was concluded at 11:27 a.m.)
DPB # 10
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