READOUT: PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALL WITH CHANCELLOR MERKEL REGARDING GREECE AND THE EUROZONE

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE
Readout of the President’s Call with Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany

The President spoke today with Chancellor Merkel of Germany regarding developments in Greece.  The two leaders agreed that it was critically important to make every effort to return to a path that will allow Greece to resume reforms and growth within the Eurozone. The leaders affirmed that their respective economic teams are carefully monitoring the situation and will remain in close touch.  The President also offered his condolences for the loss of German citizens in Friday’s tragic attack in Tunisia.

U.S. 12th COMBAT AVIATION BRIGADE IN GERMANY TO RESTRUCTURE AS PART OF CHANGES IN EUROPE

FROM:   U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  A UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter from the U.S. Army Europe's 12th Combat Aviation Brigade cruises over Budapest, Hungary, during Exercise Saker Falcon in April 2014. Defense Department officials have announced a restructuring of the brigade and subordinate units in Germany as part of the Army's Aviation Restructuring Initiative in Europe. U.S. Embassy Budapest photo by A. Reategui.  

DoD to Restructure U.S. Aviation Brigade in Germany
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, April 29, 2015 – The Defense Department will restructure the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade and subordinate units in Germany as part of the Army's Aviation Restructuring Initiative in Europe, defense officials said today in a statement.

The 12th CAB restructuring will reduce the U.S. presence in Germany by about 1,900 military positions and an estimated 2,850 family members, officials said.
The department will maintain aviation capabilities in Germany using a continuous rotation to augment the remaining aviation assets and personnel, officials said, and will augment aviation assets further if surge capabilities are needed.

The Army will provide a rotational presence of an aviation battalion task force, two medevac teams and an air traffic service company to complement the 12th Combat Aviation Brigade, they added.

Operation Atlantic Resolve

The units rotating to Europe will support Operation Atlantic Resolve and major training exercises in central and eastern Europe and in Germany.

In the near term, the defense officials said, three local national employee positions will be reduced. Long-term impacts on local national employment won’t be clear until the restructuring is complete, they added.
Carter and von der Leyen

In a telephone call with German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen today, Defense Secretary Ash Carter outlined the restructure as part of the Army's Aviation Restructuring Initiative in Europe and discussed the Army's plan for rotational forces to complement the brigade, officials said in a separate statement summarizing the call.

Carter and von der Leyen vowed to remain closely connected throughout the restructure process, the statement said, and they expressed mutual appreciation for the strong military relationship between the United States and Germany.
Both leaders said they look forward to meeting again in Europe, officials said.

G7 MEETING IN BERLIN DISCUSSES WORKER RIGHTS, WORKING CONDITIONS

FROM:  U.S. LABOR DEPARTMENT
International Scene
Berlin Hosts G7 International Stakeholder Conference

"Promoting Decent Work Worldwide through Sustainable Supply Chains" was the topic of a G7 international stakeholder conference hosted jointly by Germany's Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Federal Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs. Eric Biel, associate deputy undersecretary of labor for international affairs, joined government, business, labor and civil society leaders in Berlin on March 11 and 12 to discuss a range of issues pertaining to worker rights and working conditions. The two-day event included a keynote address by Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Kailash Satyarthi, who emphasized the importance of the department's funding and research that shines a light on poor labor practices around the world. The session also featured comments from German Ministers Andrea Nahles and Gerd Müller; Jim Yong Kim of the World Bank; Angel Gurría of the OECD, and Guy Ryder, the Director-General of the International Labour Organization.

RECENT U.S. DOD PHOTOS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

U.S. soldiers maneuver tanks on Hohenfels Training Area, Germany, Oct. 26, 2014. The soldiers are assigned to 1st Cavalry Division, 1st Battalion, 82nd Field Artillery Regiment.  U.S. Army photo by Capt. John Farmer.

U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush travels through the Gulf of Aden, Oct. 23, 2014. The George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group is returning to Naval Station Norfolk, Va., after supporting maritime security operations and strike operations in Iraq and Syria.  U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Abe McNatt

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH GERMAN CHANCELLOR MERKEL

FROM:  THE STATE DEPARTMENT 

Remarks With German Chancellor Angela Merkel Before Their Meeting

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Chancellery

Berlin, Germany

October 22, 2014

CHANCELLOR MERKEL: (In German.)

Well, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to say that I am delighted to have the Secretary of State John Kerry here for the third time ever since he assumed office. And yesterday I understand the Secretary of State had the opportunity to have a lengthy discussion over dinner with the German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, and today too we have our work cut out for us. There are a number of international issues that will be on the agenda of our talks today – indeed, international issues that are on the agenda for all of us in this year 2014. There are many of those tasks, many of those issues, many very demanding issues, and all of these can only be mastered by us if we act together, if we act in close partnership and coordination with our partners and friends in the United States of America.

Let me mention the issues as we see them today. First of all, we want to discuss our fight against Islamic State, countermeasures that are to be taken against this terrorist threat that IS presents to all of us. Secondly, the Iranian nuclear program will be on the agenda; and third, the catastrophe that is Ebola; and fourth, we will also discuss the future of Afghanistan. We have a very short time, that is true, available to us, and as you can see, we have more than enough on our plate to fill this very short time.

So once again, let me say that I’m delighted to have the Secretary of State here, and let me use this opportunity to thank him for the excellent cooperation that we have always enjoyed with our American partners and friends on all of these areas. And let me also mention that I forgot one very important issue, obviously – namely, Ukraine-Russia. There too there is quite a lot on our plate, and so quite a lot of things to discuss. Again, all of these crises we can only tackle, we can only master if we act in concert, if we act together. Only then will be able to bring them, hopefully, towards a solution.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you, Madam Chancellor. Thank you very, very much for making the time today to be able to meet. I know you’re very busy and I greatly appreciate the chance to sit down with you. President Obama, our administration, the American people have great respect for your leadership, and we appreciate enormously what Germany is doing on every single issue of critical importance today. I’m also mindful that I’m coming here today where I visited the old wall and met with some of your young kids who were asking questions about the future, none of whom had been born during that period of time. They were all post-Cold War.

And so even as we celebrate the fall of the wall and all that it symbolizes, it was very clear to me today, as it is to America, that the story of Germany is not the past – it’s the future, and what you are doing to define that future, leading Germany on so many issues to be a global leader. And I want to thank you, because on Ebola, you are contributing people, expertise, medivac capacity now, money, and Germany is one of the leaders in the effort to deal with this challenge.

On Ukraine, you and your foreign minister have been on the forefront of diplomacy. And your efforts with President Poroshenko, your personal interventions with President Putin, have been critical to helping to define the Minsk Agreement and to put us on a ramp to de-escalate and hopefully move away from conflict.

On ISIL, likewise, you made a very significant decision. Germany has stepped up, changed its own policy, and is helping to cooperate globally in law enforcement, as we’ve seen in the last days, but also to help to be at the forefront of fighting with the foreign fighters issue and ISIL itself.

On Iran, Germany is a critical partner in the P5+1 talks. And Foreign Minister Steinmeier and I talked at length yesterday about how we can hopefully seize this historic moment to be able to reduce that conflict and prove to the world that we can move towards a world without nuclear weapons, ultimately.

On Afghanistan, as you mentioned a few minutes ago, likewise, Germany is a key partner in the ongoing efforts to empower the people of Afghanistan to define their own future and to respect the sovereignty of the country. So all of these things, on every major challenge today, we are partnering. And we now need to obviously deal with economy, with growth. We hope that the Transatlantic Trade Investment Partnership can move forward, because all of our countries can benefit from the economic stimulation and growth that will come from that.

So we have a lot to talk about, as you said, a very little amount of time. But the time I spent last night was well spent, and I appreciate your making time today to have a personal exchange. I bring you President Obama’s great greeting, and again, our respect and gratitude for the strength of our relationship. Thank you.

WHITE HOUSE READOUTS: PRESIDENT OBAMA'S CALLS WITH PRESIDENT HOLLANDE OF FRANCE AND CHANCELLOR MERKEL OF GERMANY

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

Readout of the President's Call with President Hollande of France

The President spoke this morning with President Hollande of France about the latest developments in Iraq. The two leaders agreed on the need for an urgent, coordinated international response to the humanitarian disaster unfolding on Mount Sinjar. They underscored the serious threat that the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant poses to all Iraqi communities throughout the country, and discussed the need to support the Iraqis by increasing their ability to counter these extremists. The two Presidents also discussed the targeted strikes that the Unites States is undertaking to protect U.S. personnel and prevent ISIL's advance on Erbil, and agreed to work together on a longer term strategy to counter ISIL.

Readout of the President’s Call with Chancellor Merkel of Germany

The President spoke today with Chancellor Merkel of Germany regarding the ongoing crisis in Ukraine. The two leaders agreed that any Russian intervention in Ukraine, even under purported "humanitarian" auspices, without the formal, express consent and authorization of the Government of Ukraine is unacceptable, violates international law, and will provoke additional consequences. They reiterated that we continue to urge Russia to engage with the international community and the Ukrainian government to find a political solution to the crisis.

SECRETARY HAGEL, GERMAN'S MINISTER OF DEFENSE LEYEN DISCUSS MUTUAL INTEREST

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT  

Right:  Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel hosts an honor cordon to welcome Germany's Minister of Defense Ursula von der Leyen to the Pentagon, June 19, 2014. The two leaders met to discuss matters of mutual national interest. DOD Photo by Glenn Fawcett.  

Hagel, German Defense Minister Discuss NATO, Iraq

By Cheryl Pellerin

American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, June 19, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen met this morning at the Pentagon, reaffirming the two nations’ strong friendship and alliance, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby said in a statement.

The leaders discussed security challenges, ranging from post-2014 commitments in Afghanistan to recent developments in Iraq, Syria and Ukraine, Kirby said.
"Secretary Hagel and Minister von der Leyen discussed both nations' efforts to reinforce NATO and to reassure our NATO allies since Russia's aggressive actions in Ukraine,” he said, adding that such reassurance includes ongoing air, land and sea measures by the U.S. military and other NATO members.
The measures include President Barack Obama's June 3 announcement of the European Reassurance Initiative of up to $1 billion to fund increased rotational presence and exercises across Europe, and Germany's contributions, which in September will include support to NATO's Baltic air policing mission, Kirby said.

Hagel also thanked von der Leyen for Germany's contributions and sacrifices in Afghanistan.

“Germany has been the third largest contributor of troops and the leader of Regional Command North,” the press secretary said. “We welcome Germany's willingness to continue leading Regional Command North as part of NATO's post-2014 Resolute Support mission.”

Hagel and von der Leyen also discussed the upcoming NATO Summit, to be held Sept. 4-5 in Wales.

Kirby said the United States and Germany count on each other to be credible, capable partners as leaders in the transatlantic alliance and the global community.
“As the crises in Iraq, Syria and Ukraine remind us,” he added, “our leadership roles require investment in ready, modern, agile militaries.”

He added, “Both leaders recognized the importance of investing in capabilities that will strengthen our collective security.”

Both also agreed that, as the NATO Summit approaches, they must renew their commitments to transatlantic security, Kirby said.

After their meeting, Hagel left the Pentagon for the White House where the president met with members of his national security team in the Situation Room ahead of Obama’s statement on the U.S. response to violence in Iraq.
Von der Leyen, who Hagel invited to Washington in February during the Munich Security Conference, held a press conference on the steps of the Pentagon’s River entrance.

The German defense minister characterized her conversation with Hagel as “trustful and constructive,” and on the crisis in Iraq she said, “For the long term we need a sustainable solution for the whole region. That is, we have to integrate the diplomatic and political solution from neighboring countries of the whole region.”

U.S. AND EUROPEAN SOLDIERS PARTICIPATE DURING COMBINED RESOLVE II IN HOHENFELS, GERMANY

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

U.S. and Albanian soldiers dismount from U.S. Bradley fighting vehicles to conduct urban assault training during Combined Resolve II at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, May 17, 2014. U.S. Army photo by Capt. John Farmer.

U.S. Army Sgt. Kara Yost, foreground, huddles on the ground with Kajo, his military working dog, as a UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter takes off during Combined Resolve II at the Joint Multinational Readiness Center in Hohenfels, Germany, May 17, 2014. Yost, a military police dog handler, and Kajo are assigned to the 131st Military Working Dog Detachment, 615th Military Police Company. U.S. Army photo by Capt. John Farmer.

U.S. & ALLIES WILL NOT ATTEND G-8 SUMMIT IN SOCHI, RUSSIA

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

The Hague Declaration

1. We, the leaders of Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, the President of the European Council and the President of the European Commission met in The Hague to reaffirm our support for Ukraine’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence.

2. International law prohibits the acquisition of part or all of another state’s territory through coercion or force.  To do so violates the principles upon which the international system is built.  We condemn the illegal referendum held in Crimea in violation of Ukraine’s constitution.  We also strongly condemn Russia’s illegal attempt to annex Crimea in contravention of international law and specific international obligations.  We do not recognize either. 

3. Today, we reaffirm that Russia’s actions will have significant consequences.  This clear violation of international law is a serious challenge to the rule of law around the world and should be a concern for all nations.  In response to Russia’s violation of Ukraine’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and to demonstrate our determination to respond to these illegal actions, individually and collectively we have imposed a variety of sanctions against Russia and those individuals and entities responsible.  We remain ready to intensify actions including coordinated sectoral sanctions that will have an increasingly significant impact on the Russian economy, if Russia continues to escalate this situation. 

4. We remind Russia of its international obligations, and its responsibilities including those for the world economy.  Russia has a clear choice to make.  Diplomatic avenues to de-escalate the situation remain open, and we encourage the Russian Government to take them.  Russia must respect Ukraine’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, begin discussions with the Government of Ukraine, and avail itself of offers of international mediation and monitoring to address any legitimate concerns.

5.  The Russian Federation’s support for the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Special Monitoring Mission to Ukraine is a step in the right direction.  We look forward to the mission’s early deployment, in order to facilitate the dialogue on the ground, reduce tensions and promote normalization of the situation, and we call on all parties to ensure that Special Monitoring Mission members have safe and secure access throughout Ukraine to fulfill their mandate.

6.  This Group came together because of shared beliefs and shared responsibilities.  Russia’s actions in recent weeks are not consistent with them.  Under these circumstances, we will not participate in the planned Sochi Summit.  We will suspend our participation in the G-8 until Russia changes course and the environment comes back to where the G-8 is able to have a meaningful discussion and will meet again in G-7 format at the same time as planned, in June 2014, in Brussels, to discuss the broad agenda we have together.  We have also advised our Foreign Ministers not to attend the April meeting in Moscow.  In addition, we have decided that G-7 Energy Ministers will meet to discuss ways to strengthen our collective energy security.

7.  At the same time, we stand firm in our support for the people of Ukraine who seek to restore unity, democracy, political stability, and economic prosperity to their country.   We commend the Ukrainian government’s ambitious reform agenda and will support its implementation as Ukraine seeks to start a new chapter in its history, grounded on a broad-based constitutional reform, free and fair presidential elections in May, promotion of human rights and respect of national minorities.

8. The International Monetary Fund has a central role leading the international effort to support Ukrainian reform, lessening Ukraine's economic vulnerabilities, and better integrating the country as a market economy in the multilateral system.  We strongly support the IMF's work with the Ukrainian authorities and urge them to reach a rapid conclusion.  IMF support will be critical in unlocking additional assistance from the World Bank, other international financial institutions, the EU, and bilateral sources.  We remain united in our commitment to provide strong financial backing to Ukraine, to co-ordinate our technical assistance, and to provide assistance in other areas, including measures to enhance trade and strengthen energy security.

REMARKS BY SECRETARY KERRY, GERMAN FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER

 FROM:  STATE DEPARTMENT 
Remarks With German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier After Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Berlin Tegel Airport
Berlin, Germany
January 31, 2014

FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER: (Via interpreter) Well, ladies and gentlemen, allow me to bid you a very warm welcome. And let me say that I’m delighted to have my American colleague here today, that I am able to welcome him here to Berlin. It’s more than a stopover on the road towards Munich. We’ll see each other again on the margins of the security conference there.

Dear John, I’m very pleased to have you, delighted to be able to welcome you. The favorable winds across the Atlantic brought you here a little bit earlier than could be expected yesterday night, so this is why our talk here today was a little bit more extensive than we could have hoped for, which is a very good thing. And it’s very important, because as long as politics are made by people, and hopefully this is going to be the case for a very long time, personal contacts among those who are in political responsibility is of the utmost importance. And I think that this was a very good beginning.

We meet at an airport in Berlin. It’s not Tempelhof. Had we met in Tempelhof, we would be able to see the monument that was erected in memory of the airlift, and it would remind of those times. It would remind us of the very close links and bonds that have existed between Germany and the United States of America. We are very much aware here in Germany that a development towards a stable democracy in Germany would not have been possible without the assistance of Americans as well.

And we know that the suffering of the German people, particularly here in Berlin, would have been immeasurable had not America stepped in at the time, recognized clearly, seen its responsibility, and alleviate the suffering of the people who were enclosed.

And well, in a nutshell, ladies and gentlemen, German-American friendship is a reality. That doesn’t exclude that, from time to time, we may see things differently. That became very clear over the last few weeks and months when we were debating the surveillance activities of the NSA. But let me also state quite clearly such a debate, differences of opinion, if they are there and when they are there, must not be allowed to destroy a friendship that has grown over so many decades. And I am sure it won’t destroy this friendship.

It is true we all have to face challenges, but I am absolutely confident that we will be able to weather those challenges, because the debates that we have to make with each other we are able to have on a very firm foundation, on a very firm base as well.

Trust has been lost. I’m confident we will be able to rebuild it, to restore it. We talked about this today in our meeting, how we can actually get again into a bilateral dialogue where we look at those different assessments where we are trying to discuss about how we strike an equitable balance between freedom and security, which is sometimes difficult. We also addressed a number of bilateral issues, as I said. But we also looked a little bit beyond our two nations. The international agenda that will keep us busy also over this weekend in Munich was at the very top of our agenda.

We have just now come back from the Syrian conference. A small step was made in order to prepare to pave the way for an end to the civil strife in Syria and the civil war. Obviously, we are not completely satisfied, cannot be completely satisfied with the state of the negotiations. The only thing that we can safely say and that is positive is that those parties that for three years have been waging war against each other at least agreed at last to be at one at the same negotiating table and one in the same room. Sitting there together today, the first stage of negotiations at working level will end, and I think both of us hope that the delegations from Syria, after an appropriate time, will meet again in order to continue those negotiations.

The incredible suffering in Syria on the ground – death, expulsion, flight – all of that requires a solution where local cessation of hostilities, humanitarian corridors can be established at least as a next step. The crisis in Syria is one where my American colleague is very much engaged on, and I would like to issue a word of respect. It is a very strong attempt of the American Government to bring about also in the vicinity a solution to the Middle East peace – to the Middle East conflict, to find and establish a two-state solution, find a breakthrough there in the negotiations.

We talked about that as well just now, about the ongoing negotiations with the Israelis and the Palestinians. And dear John, I hope that your very good efforts will, in the end, be crowned by success. Wherever we see these attempts, these efforts to finally come to a peaceful solution to the Middle East conflict, wherever we can support that, we will gladly do so. And the same goes for those talks that we’ve had for quite some time already with Iran. It shows how long it may well take until conflicts that have – that are protracted, that have lasted for decades can again be calmed down. More than 30 years of conflict, more than 10 years of negotiations with Iran. Now a first step has been made that seems to be a fairly encouraging one, at least one that encourages us to test whether the Iranians, in that first step of negotiations, have been serious – whether that will be followed up in the next few weeks and months to come so that the long, ongoing dispute over the nuclear ambitions of Iran can be brought to a successful and peaceful settlement.

Tonight and tomorrow, over the weekend, we shall have an opportunity to address the situation in Ukraine repeatedly. The good news is that the last nights were more calm than the previous ones. We did not receive any news of casualties, but we’re far away from a political solution. That is true, too, there have been offers also from Yanukovych. Until this moment, we don’t know whether these offers are actually ones that one can build on that are reliable. In Munich, representatives of the opposition and of the government will be there on the ground. We shall have an opportunity to talk to the representatives of Ukraine, but we will also have an opportunity to talk to other foreign ministers present and try to explore, try to sound out what one can do not only to calm down the situation in Ukraine, but to also lend a helping hand towards enabling this country, Ukraine, to have a free and democratic future.

Thank you very much. Dear John, you have the floor.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you. You guys alright? (Laughter.)

Thank you, Frank-Walter. (Via interpreter) I am delighted to be back in Germany.

(In English) I’m really happy to be back here in Berlin, where I spent some formative years as a child. I remember Tempelhof. Obviously, we all remember the history of those events. But usually, when I came into Berlin back then, I came on a special military train from Frankfurt, which was an all-night trip. And for a young kid of 11, 12 years-old, it was a great adventure, I can assure you.

It’s special for me to be back here, and I thank my friend, Frank-Walter, for his hospitality and for being willing to meet us here at the airport like this because he has to rush off to open the Munich conference. I get to spend a little more time, and then I will join him in Munich this afternoon for the rest of that conference over the next several days. And we are grateful to Germany for its longtime hosting of this important security gathering.

Almost a year ago, I came here on my first trip as Secretary of State. And I came here – I think this was one of my first stops – because of the value, of the longstanding relationship between the United States and Germany, and particularly, I want to say, with the German people. It’s no secret, and my friend Frank-Walter referred to it, that we’ve been through a rough period in the last months. But I’m pleased to be here to help direct our focus – my focus, that of the United States and of Germany – to the future and to strengthen the trust and the confidence that has always characterized this relationship. A strong U.S.-German partnership is crucial to the long list of global issues that we face. The United States, I want you to know, welcomes Germany’s growing and important role on the world stage.

I was grateful to see Foreign Minister Steinmeier at the Geneva II conference where we had a chance to talk just a couple of weeks ago. And there we reiterated the need for a Syrian-led political solution on the brutal civil war. We’re also working very closely – again, as he discussed – on the P5+1 negotiations with respect to Iran. The international community has expressed its concerns over Iran’s nuclear program through several United Nations resolutions, and obviously, they have been – those concerns have been reinforced through the sanctions regime that has been put in place by the global community – not by one country, but with the support and ratification and affirmation of the United Nations Security Council.

So we are working together, Germany and the United States, on this critical security challenge. We are also working hand-in-hand with respect to Afghanistan, and we are very mindful of the challenges that lie ahead, but also of the deep commitment that exists between us and our important leadership with respect to the other countries involved, so that we can have a successful conclusion to this significant effort and hopefully build a prosperous future for the Afghan people.

We also discussed briefly our ongoing economic relationship. Germany and the United States – Germany is the United States’ largest single European trading partner. And this is a relationship that has meant more jobs, investment, and growth in both of our countries. We believe that much more exciting opportunities lie ahead, and this must be one of the primary areas of focus for both of us.

We are working on the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership – the TTIP, as it is called. And this is a trade arrangement that could result in one of the world’s largest markets being created – the combined market of Europe and the United States – Europe the largest market in the world, the United States the largest single economy in the world. And if we can raise the standards, what we do is help the citizens of both of our countries, and indeed, of the rest of the world to see that the global community is responding in a way that provides opportunity for everybody and helps to raise the standards – the living standards, the labor standards, the trade standards, the product standards – all of the things that benefit our people. So that’s what we’re working for.

When I was here in Berlin last year – and I look forward to coming back here and being able to do this again – I had a really enjoyable, fun session with a group of young people. And we met in a cafe in the city and had a question-and-answer session, an opportunity for me to listen to them, them to listen to me, and just talk. And it was a great opportunity for me to understand better the hopes and aspirations of the next generation, and also to reconnect on a people-to-people level. It really was clear to me that young Germans and young Americans of any persuasion, walk of life, religion, belief all share the same goals, the same aspirations, and the same concerns. They share the same dreams and they share most of the same values.

So it’s our hope that those aspirations for opportunity, for democracy, for liberty, freedom, which have been at the heart of our bilateral relationship, will continue to be the centerpiece of what defines German-American relations. Those values are why both Germany and the United States find the recent events in Ukraine so concerning. We have worked shoulder-to-shoulder. Foreign Minister Steinmeier has talked to the opposition. I have talked to the opposition. We will meet with the opposition and with other leaders in Munich, and we will have an opportunity to be able to press forward in the months ahead to support democracy, freedom, freedom of association, and to support the European aspirations of the Ukrainian people. And together, we join firmly to reject violence. We are encouraging and supporting political dialogue. We hope that together, we can remain committed to helping the Ukrainians end the human rights abuses, get political prisoners released, and see their dignity restored.

So we look forward to continuing to work with Germany very, very closely to make progress on all of these issues, and frankly, just to build on the strength of the relationship that has defined United States-German relations for many decades now. And I look forward to my further meetings on that subject, but most importantly, I look forward to turning a page and getting us focused on the larger, most critical issues that we face together. Thank you.

MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Questions from the American side, please.

QUESTION: A question for both ministers, please: What can you do to force Syria to meet its chemical weapons obligations on the deadlines that have been laid out? And on Ukraine, President Yanukovych says his government has met its obligations to resolve the crisis. Do you believe that’s true? And what is your message for the Ukrainian opposition leaders that you’ll be meeting in Munich? Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well – go ahead.

FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER: No.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, with respect to Ukraine, no. The offers of President Yanukovych have not yet reached an adequate level of reform and an adequate level of sharing of the future so that the opposition can, in fact, feel that it could legitimately come to the table and form some kind of a unity government.

Now, we believe unity is important. And we believe that moving towards that is critical. So our message to the Ukraine opposition – that is certainly my message to them that we meet with today – will be the full support of President Obama and the American people for their efforts. We will reinforce their courage and their need to continue to be unified as they press for an adequate level of a reform agenda. But we will also say to them: If you get that reform agenda, if you are able to secure genuine participation and a genuine ability to bring the country together, then we would urge them to engage in that, because further standoff and further violence – or violence that becomes uncontrollable – is not in anybody’s interest.

We also would say to our friends in Russia: This does not have to be a zero-sum game. This is not something where Ukraine should become a proxy and trapped in some kind of larger ambition for Russia or the United States. That’s not what this is about. This is about the freedom of choice for the people of Ukraine, and their ability to be able to define their future without coercion from outside forces. And that’s what we hope to achieve.

With respect to Syria, let me make it clear that Bashar al-Assad needs to understand that he agreed to an international United Nations Security Council Resolution which has reinforced a requirement that he remove all of those weapons and that he do so in a specific period of time. That was passed by unanimity within the United Nations Security Council. Russia is a partner in this effort. And Russia obviously plays a critical role in helping the Syrians to understand their obligation of compliance.

Now, Bashar al-Assad is not, in our judgment, fully in compliance because of the timing and the delays that have taken place contrary to the OPCW’s judgment that this could move faster. So the options are all the options that originally existed. No option has been taken off the table. We made that clear at the time of the passage of the UN resolution, and I restate that now today. We want the Syrian regime to live up to its obligations. And it is critical that very rapidly all of those chemical weapons be moved from once – from their 12 or so sites to the one site in the port and be prepared for shipment out of Syria all together.

Every indication we have is there is no legitimate reason that that is not happening now. And therefore we call on Bashar al-Assad to live up to his obligations or we will join together with our friends and talk about which, if any, of the options we deem necessary at this point to proceed forward.

FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER: (Via interpreter) Allow me to complement that briefly. I think the importance of this agreement on the destruction of chemical weapons cannot be overestimated. After three years of civil war in Syria, this was the first agreement that allowed at least to prevent a further escalation of the violence. So it is so important therefore that these agreements are abided by. And to complement what Secretary Kerry just said, I think the Syrians and Assad need to be well aware of the fact that they’re not only toying with their own credibility but after the first talks with the Americans, the Russian side was also in on this, so they’re also toying with the credibility of the Russian side. So I very much hope that this is not the end of the debate, but that there will be pressure and adequate pressure on the Syrian side to stand by their commitments. And this is an element also that is part and parcel of how we got to Geneva II in the first place. So the agreement on the destruction of chemical weapons is very important, and if it is not kept, that would have a negative impact on Geneva II.

To complement this even further, we – and I’m saying this for the German side, as the German journalists know – only a few days ago we adopted a decision about correct – the position that we have taken up until now. We have said if the negotiations towards a political solution in Syria are to be injected with at least a glimmer of hope, then we too need to step in and give our contribution to making this possible. And this is why we have decided to be part of the destruction of chemical weapons, and those chemical weapons that are transported out of Syria. And together with American assistance, they are diluted on the Mediterranean and the residual components will then have to be removed. We have the technical possibilities to help with this process in Germany, and we are glad to be of help. So should those chemical weapons be transported from Syria, out of Syria, then about two-thirds of those weapons will be destroyed in Northern Germany.

As to Ukraine, I don’t need to add to what the Secretary has said. My impression is that Yanukovych, up until now, still has not fully understood how serious the situation is, as can clearly be seen by the nature of the offers that have been made. They have been made contingent on a number of conditions. So up until now, we have not – we do not see yet that those offers that have been made to the opposition in the end will really make a crucial difference, politically speaking, on the ground in Ukraine. And we still are not able actually to say to what extent the president is willing and ready to accept a change of his – remit of his competences according to the constitution. And that’s going to be crucial in order to come to an agreement with the opposition.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) (Inaudible) from the German Press Agency. I have two questions directed to Secretary Kerry. You will soon – you will now also meet Chancellor Merkel, who has apparently been surveyed – eavesdropped on by the secret intelligence service of your country. I would like to know whether you are ready – whether the American side is ready to come to a contractual basis that, in the future, bans such spying – we call it, which is a bit curious, a no-spy agreement? And there are quite a number of people here in Germany who think that actually the United States ought to issue an apology. Would you be ready to do that?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, look, the United States and Germany enjoy a really long friendship, as we have described here today, and a long history, a long history of great cooperation, and particularly on complicated issues like counterterrorism and national security and defense. As part of our deep relationship, we cooperate very, very significantly on all of the collective security issues of our countries and our citizens. As the foreign minister knows, because he’s been here before, and he’s also been involved in security issues for a long time, none of this is simple. None of this is easy.

And since 9/11, when we were attacked out of nowhere and more lives were lost than at any time since Pearl Harbor, we responded, we think carefully, but in ways that tried to deal with the protection of not just the American people, but of everybody against acts of terrorism. Madrid saw a terrible act of terrorism, London has seen acts of terrorism – Athens, various other places. And we are living in a world where unfortunately some people are willing to strap a pack on their back and walk into a crowded theater or a sports event and just blow people up. So we are trying to respond as intelligently and responsibly of all that.

Now, Chancellor Merkel and President Obama, at their mutual direction – and they’ve had several conversations – we have undertaken a extensive, close consultation with Germany, which we are engaged in on the subject of cooperation and how we move beyond this particular challenge. We now have a better understanding, I think, of the requirements and the concerns of both sides.

So what I can tell you is the consultations will continue between our intelligence services. And we absolutely share a commitment to trying to put this behind us in the appropriate way and to strengthen our practical cooperation going forward. Our consultations right now reflect our close relationship, they reflect the shared threats that we face, and the technical – very complicated technical environment in which we live where the threats to us have changed and become, in many ways, more lethal and harder to discover.

So we will continue to work to protect the privacy interests of all of our citizens. When I was in the United States Senate, John McCain and I are the original authors of the privacy laws and rules for the internet. So we are committed to privacy, and I assure our friends in Germany this will get worked through in the proper channels in the proper way, but most importantly Germany and the United States have very significant issues to continue to work on together and none of us want to let this get in the way of our ability to be able to continue to build our friendship and our cooperation.

Thank you all.

FOREIGN MINISTER STEINMEIER: Thank you.

POLISH AIR FORCE WORKS WITH RAMSTEIN AIRMEN

Members of the 115th Fighter Wing, Wisconsin Air National Guard, arrive for Aviation Detachment Rotation 13-2, May 9, 2013, at Lask Air Base, Poland. More than 100 Airmen will be working with the Polish Air Force for the first F-16 fighter aircraft rotation and second overall this year. (U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Kenya Shiloh)


FROM: U.S. AIR FORCE
Ramstein Airmen build capability with Polish air force
by 1st Lt. Kay M. Nissen
86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs

6/19/2013 - RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany (AFNS) -- The 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and 435th Contingency Response Group continuously train to meet sustainable medical readiness throughout the European theater here.

Training not only benefits Ramstein Airmen, but also other allies like the Polish air force who have consistently engaged in AE training and familiarization throughout 2012 and 2013.

"All NATO countries benefit from having highly skilled and qualified teams to transport wounded warriors from theater back to higher levels of medical care, and eventually back to their home country," said Lt. Col. Kevin D. Hettinger, the 435th CRG flight surgeon and Poland AE Building Partnership Capacity team lead.

In early 2012, Polish AE team members visited the 86th AES Airmen here. In turn, three months later, a member of the 86th AES attended the first medical evacuation and aeromedical evacuation conference at the Polish air force academy.

Last month, two Airmen from the 86th AES, and one Airman from the 435th CRG engaged with Poland again to focus on advancements of the Polish AE team from the previous year.

"The Polish (Aeromedical Evacuation) team has a goal of obtaining NATO certification for aeromedical evacuation," Hettinger said. "Our team was able to provide some recommendations toward this goal after reviewing published NATO standards for AE and inspection checklists."

Currently, the Polish AE team can transport stabilized Polish troops from Landstuhl Regional Medical Center back to Poland.

"Their team is amazing," said Tech. Sgt. Elizabeth Araujo, a 86th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron technician and fluent Polish speaker. "It's a team of six. They fly as a CCATT (Critical Care Air Transport Team). They do everything, they receive the phone call, they receive the plane, they set up and they fly."

While the Poland AE team impressed their U.S. counterparts, the Polish medical experts continue to work to reach their certification and sharpen their skills.

"It was nice to see how receptive they are and how willing they are to take in that information," Araujo said. "They're hungry for information, they want it, they're open to suggestions, they're willing to take criticism and learn from it."

While, the Polish AE team was absorbing information, the three Ramstein Airmen also learned from their interaction with fellow medical professionals.

"Both teams benefited as each shared their processes for safely moving patients during air evacuation," Hettinger said.

Training between both countries is planned to continue to ensure strategic capabilities for NATO allies throughout the European theater.

DEPUTY DEFENSE SECRETARY CARTER ATTENDS MUNICH SECURITY CONFERENCE

U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter walks with U.S. Ambassador to Germany Philip D. Murphy as they prepare to meet with German Defense Minister Karl Ernst Thomas de Maizière during the 49th Munich Security Conference in Munich, Feb. 2, 2013. DOD photo by Glenn Fawcett

 
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
In Munich, Carter Details Sequestration's Reckless Reality
By Cheryl Pellerin
American Forces Press Service

Munich, Feb. 2, 2013 - Before one of the world's largest gatherings of foreign and defense ministers, Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter took time to detail the grim consequences a second round of severe and potentially imminent budget cuts could have on the Defense Department.

Carter spoke as part of an expert panel that took the stage here late in the afternoon on day two of the Munich Security Conference, also called the Wehrkunde Conference on Security Policy.

Their topic was the future of European defense, and Carter was joined on the panel by Netherlands Defense Minister Jeanine-Antoinette Hennis-Plasschaert, Russian Federation Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov, European Union Commissioner for Internal Market and Services Michel Barnier, NATO Supreme Allied Commander for Transformation Gen. Jean-Paul Paloméros and others.

As the deputy secretary neared the end of his talk, he remarked on what has become nearly a routine occurrence at Munich security conferences -- a U.S. defense secretary urging allies to meet their agreed-on NATO benchmarks for defense spending.

"At this point at Wehrkunde," Carter said, "it's traditional for the DOD leader of the U.S. delegation to emphasize, as [former Defense Secretary] Bob Gates did memorably a few years ago, the need for allies to provide the necessary resources for defense."

"'In the final analysis,'" the deputy secretary quoted Gates as saying, "'there's no substitute for nations providing resources necessary to have the capability they need when faced with security challenges.'"

This time at Wehrkunde, Carter told the audience, "I have to add my own country to this exhortation because we're facing the very real prospect of a huge and reckless additional cut in our defense budget."

The department absorbed a budget cut of $487 billion over 10 years beginning in fiscal year 2012, crafting as a result, and with input from every part of DOD and the services, a defense strategy for the 21st century that President Barack Obama and the Defense Department leadership launched in January 2012.

The looming March 1 threat of another half-trillion dollars slashed from military spending over 10 years will happen unless Congress manages to avoid the "huge and reckless cuts," he said, that sequestration would generate.

"What's tragic is that this is not a result of economic emergency or recession," the deputy secretary said. "It's not because defense cuts are the answer to the fiscal challenge -- do the math. It's not in reaction to a change to a more peaceful world. It's not due to a breakthrough in military technology or a new strategic insight. It's not because paths of revenue growth and entitlement spending have been explored and exhausted. It's purely collateral damage from political gridlock."

In response, as the Defense Department's chief management officer, Carter said he has directed "that we take some immediate steps ... to protect the department as best as it is possible to do in this eventuality."

One action will be to freeze the hiring of civilians, he said, adding, "And I'll just remind you that the Department of Defense hires between 1,000 and 2,000 people a week," 44 percent of them veterans.

He'll also reduce temporary-term employees and defer maintenance contracts, among many other actions.

Sequestration will affect every function in every state and every district, he said, producing economic inefficiency and needless waste.

"The result over time, in fact very quickly, would be a readiness crisis. And the effect over a longer period of time would be to threaten the [new defense] strategy itself," Carter said.

On the European side of the Atlantic, he added, "I know that, in myriad ways that are different for every country, something similar is happening -- a political dynamic that threatens spending."

That's why, in his Wehrkunde address today, Carter spoke to Europeans and Americans, he said, "about the level of investment they're willing to make to protect our great countries and the great unity and values represented by our countries."

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK LOANS $1 BILLION TO FINANCE MANUFACTRUING EQUIPMENT EXPORT TO GERMANY

Part of Schloss Cecilienhof where the Potsdam Conference - which established post-World War II order in Europe - took place in the summer of 1945.

FROM: U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

Ex-Im Approves $1 Billion Direct Loan to Finance Export
of U.S. Manufacturing Equipment to Germany


Washington, D.C. – In a decision that will support nearly 10,000 high-tech jobs, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (Ex-Im Bank) has approved a $1.03 billion loan to GLOBALFOUNDRIES to finance the export of American-made semiconductor manufacturing equipment to Germany.

The transaction, which is Ex-Im Bank’s third with GLOBALFOUNDRIES and its related entities, will support approximately 9,700 jobs, according to Bank estimates derived from Departments of Commerce and Labor data and methodology.


Four American exporters from California, Massachusetts, and Oregon will participate in the transaction.

Ex-Im Bank’s credit will support the expansion of the GLOBALFOUNDRIES Fab 1 silicon-wafer-fabrication facility in Dresden, Germany. The expansion will increase the company’s capacity to manufacture semiconductor products, which are critical components of personal computers, tablets, and smart phones.

"Our financing allows American manufacturers to capture a larger share of a growing market," said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. "The export sales will in turn support U.S. jobs and increase American competiveness in a vital industry."

Launched in March 2009 and based in Milpitas, Calif., GLOBALFOUNDRIES is the second largest dedicated semiconductor foundry in the world. Its global footprint is supported by major facilities for research, development, and design enablement. GLOBALFOUNDRIES is owned by the Advanced Technology Investment Company.

Applied Materials Inc., one of the exporters involved in the transaction, is a global leader in providing innovative equipment to enable the manufacture of advanced semiconductors. Headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., Applied Materials has more than 7,000 employees in the U.S., located primarily at corporate, manufacturing, and research-and-development facilities in California, Massachusetts, Montana, and Texas.

"The ability of our customer GLOBALFOUNDRIES to access this financing benefits Applied Materials’ manufacturing and R&D in the United States, as well as our supply chain, at a time of tremendous global competition for high-tech jobs," said Mike Splinter, chairman and CEO of Applied Materials, Inc.

Atradius of the Netherlands is also lending to GLOBALFOUNDRIES as part of an export-credit-agency facility totaling $1.5 billion.

EARNING COMBAT SKILLS

Airmen assigned to the 606th Air Control Squadron based at Spangdahlem, Germany, carry simulated casualties to a safe location during combat readiness training, Nov. 15, 2012. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Dillon Davis

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Face of Defense: Airmen Practice Vital Combat Skills
By Air Force Staff Sgt. Nathanael Callon
52nd Fighter Wing
SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany, Nov. 21, 2012 - Crack! Crack! Crack!

Excitement and confusion whirled across the base camp, as gunfire echoed through the tents and airmen scrambled to find cover.

The airmen peered out from the safety of makeshift bunkers as they searched for the source of the sounds.

Reports flooded across the radio of a team outside the wire with an unconscious young captain in tow.

"Get positive control of the casualty and return to base immediately," the voice on the radio commanded.

Just then, the alarm for incoming mortar fire sounded, and the airmen outside the perimeter hit the ground and braced for an explosion.

The cold, soggy ground quickly turned to mud and the wind managed to cut through the bundles of layers, uniforms and chemical protective gear they wore. Water engulfed one poor airman as he dove for the ground and landed in a puddle of water, the cold of which he would have to endure for the next 12 hours.

Although this was a controlled scenario and not an actual combat environment, airmen from the 606th Air Control Squadron here spent 72 hours braving the frigid German weather and spending every minute of it guarding their base to prepare them for the real thing.

The exercise prepares the airmen for the worst, said Air Force Staff Sgt. Robert Messing, a Bremerton, Wash., native who runs the combat readiness training course these airmen experienced.

The course combined two weeks of classroom instruction with three days of practical exercise. The trainees set up a base camp and defended it at all costs, surviving scenario after scenario featuring mock enemy combatants.

"They can set up in the middle of nowhere, deploy a radar site and have to defend their own base," Messing said.

The field exercise requires participants to apply the lessons they've learned in the classroom over the past two weeks. They must react to exercise challenges by implementing the proper use of force, securing unexploded ordnance and being aware of their surroundings.

The field exercise is designed to overwhelm the trainees, creating a sort of stress inoculation, Messing said. It is also unique because the 606th has many airmen in support roles who normally would not experience combat or austere deployments.

"Not everyone gets training like security forces, but when these airmen come to an [air control squadron] you have to learn how to fight and defend" against the enemy, he said. "If they can survive here with what we throw at them, they have a better chance when the real thing happens."

The 606th is a rapidly deployable unit that can quickly pack up and convoy to any location in the European theater to set up radar sites and control air assets from strategic remote locations. Because the unit is self-sufficient, it needs everyone at the same combat readiness level. Every new member must complete the training.

Air Force Staff Sgt. Amanda Bailey, a data systems technician from Cocoa Beach, Fla., said she's never experienced training like this, but she enjoyed working with other airmen from around the squadron.

Bailey said she learned critical combat skills.

"You're going to mess up, but the beauty of it is that it's a controlled learning environment," she said.

A FLYING PARALEGAL

FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Air Force Lt. Col. Rich Radvanyi goes over the incentive flight route with Airman 1st Class Nicholas Fennen, at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, June 22, 2012. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Chad Thompson

Face of Defense: Airman Realizes Dream of Flying
By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Chad Thompson
86th Airlift Wing
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany, Aug. 10, 2012 - An airman with the 86th Airlift Wing Judge Advocate office here has realized his dream of being a pilot, at least for one exciting mission over Germany.

Airman 1st Class Nicholas Fennen, a discharge paralegal, was selected to participate in the Ramstein Daedalians Aviation Incentive Flight program, which gives deserving young airmen the chance to live out a childhood fantasy of flight.

Fennen might spend his days processing administrative discharge paperwork, but he has a history of being close to planes. "My cousin and his dad were both pilots ... and my uncle flew planes during Vietnam," Fennen said.

Flying seems to be in his blood, which might also explain why one of his initial experiences with a plane came when he was young. "My cousin owned his own plane and he would take me flying around the farm all the time," Fennen, a Katy, Texas, native said. "As a child I loved the feeling of flying, the takeoff was the most thrilling experience as a kid." Those early flights gave him a thirst for being in the clouds.

With two brothers already in the military -- one in the Army, the other in the Air Force -- Fennen said the choice was easy when it came to joining the Air Force. It has always been his dream to be a pilot and a leader. "The drive to become a pilot is more than just the flying aspect," he said. "The leaders of our Air Force are mostly pilots. I want to lead."

With about 15 months in service, Fennen has already proven his dedication to the mission, which is why his supervisor, Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Frank Portillo, submitted him for this opportunity.

Fennen has shown a maturity that normally takes time for a young airman to develop, Portillo said. "He started at legal assistance where he worked at scheduling clients and working power of attorney worksheets," Portillo said. "We felt he was ready to move up because he had the work ethic and attention to detail to move on and do more tasks."

Portillo said Fennen has excelled at every aspect of the job. Submitting him for this incentive flight was just a small thank you for all his hard work and dedication.

When Fennen first heard he was getting the chance to fly, he said he was surprised to be getting the opportunity to fulfill a dream, but for a while it seemed like it wouldn't happen. The flight was plagued by bad weather and cancellations until, after about a month of waiting, he got off the ground June 22.

During his one-hour flight, Fennen took the controls of the Cessna 172 and performed basic maneuvers including climbs, descents, turns and even flew most of the final approach to the runway. "Fennen did fantastic," said Air Force Lt. Col. Rich Radvanyi, pilot and president of the Coleman Aero Club. "This incentive program is designed to give these young airmen a taste of what it's like to fly and show them some basics in navigation."

Radvanyi said a lot of work goes into keeping a small plane on the proper heading when there are strong winds involved and, despite the weather, Fennen was able to keep it on course. "It was bumpy and a little rocky," Fennen said. "It was a lot more work than I thought it would be."

For someone who is only 20, Fennen has already done a lot. He has traveled Europe, has hopes of playing soccer for the base intramural team, and with the right motivation he may one day have his name painted on the side of his favorite aircraft, the A-10 Thunderbolt II.

"It was surreal to be flying over Germany," Fennen said. "When I was a kid I would have never dreamed I would be flying a plane over the Rhine River and castles. It still amazes me ... all the things I'm accomplishing."

PRESS ROUNDTABLE IN ATHENS, GREECE WITH PHILIP H. GORDEN

FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Press Roundtable in Athens, GreecePress Availability
Philip H. Gordon
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs
Athens, Greece
July 27, 2012

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: Thank you. It’s very nice to be back in Athens. It’s nice to see some of you again. I think I’ve seen you on a number of occasions including in this very room.

I am here to express our support and solidarity of the Greek people, and the Greek government as it undertakes some very difficult but we think really important economic reforms. We’re following these developments very closely and have a great stake in the outcome, not just for the sake of our friends and partners in Greece, but for the sake of the entire European area and the U.S. economy and the world economy. So we have great interest and we admire what the government is doing in undertaking, again, what we consider to be essential reforms, not just to convince world markets and European lenders of the soundness of the Greek economy, but for the sake of the Greek economy itself. In other words, we think these reforms are worth undertaking because they will lead to a more prosperous and sound Greek economy, let alone stabilize the eurozone.

We also appreciate Greece’s continued partnership with the United States on a number of regional and global issues, notwithstanding the economic difficulties. I had a chance to meet with the Foreign Minister. I also met earlier today with some of the other party leaders in the coalition. The latter mostly to talk about the economic situation, but obviously with the Foreign Minister, not just the economic situation but regional and global affairs. And as we discussed, world events don’t -- you don’t get to hit the pause button while you deal with the economy. There are still a lot of issues between Greece and Turkey and the Balkans, Afghanistan, Iran, Syria, so we exchanged views on those and I expressed our appreciation for Greece’s partnership in dealing with those, even as it faces the economic difficulties.

So again, a big agenda. It’s very important to the United States, so I came here to try to get a better understanding of what’s going on in Greece and the region. I’ll be going on to Turkey from here. But as I began with, I also came to express support for what the government and the people of Greece are doing.

With that, I’ll be happy to take any questions.

QUESTION: One of the priorities of the new Greek government in foreign policy is to declare the exclusive economic zone. Do you believe it can go ahead with this or before that have an agreement or something like that with Turkey?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: I think it’s important to avoid unilateral steps. The United States recognizes countries’ rights to declare exclusive economic zones but these things aren’t done in a vacuum and you’d have to understand the full context. We don’t think it would be in Greece’s interest to do it without full cooperation with neighbors including Turkey.

Fortunately you have mechanisms in place, and over the past number of years have developed bilateral channels in which these things can be discussed and I know that they have already contributed to progress and we would strongly encourage Greece to use those channels to have these conversations so that any steps in this area are done cooperatively in the interests of all parties.

They’re complicated issues and it’s not as simple as being able to declare an EEZ or not being able to declare an EEZ, and that’s precisely why it should be done cooperatively.

QUESTION: In order to get the economy started, which is the big issue for Greece, it is crucial to attract more and more investment. What do you believe should be the main reforms that Greece has to make in order to attract investment?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: That’s a good question, because attracting investment is clearly a critical aspect to turning the Greek economy around. You need foreign investment. I think frankly over the years there has been a perception in Greece that it wasn’t friendly enough to foreign investment, that there were too many rules, too much bureaucracy, too slow approval rates, and investors need certainty and transparency. They want to be sure what the rules are, the regulations -- that they’re not going to be changing. So I think creating a more investor-friendly climate is critical.

There are other less direct measures, but are still important measures, and those are the ones that I think the government is already working on in strengthening the overall economy so that you get growth and buying power, purchasing power, so that it’s worth making the investments. But I would start with the question of bureaucracy, rules and regulations. I think you can look at, there are rankings of countries in terms of, for example, how quickly an investment can be approved and I think Greece needs to advance on that list.

QUESTION: I will stick to the economy because that’s what’s troubling us. I don’t know if you could say a few words about the meetings that you had with the other two governmental partners. And we had the Assistant Secretary of the Treasury a few days ago and I was wondering, the idea is, especially ahead of the American elections, there is this notion and I think it’s understandable that the United States is beginning to lose patience not with Greece, but the way the European leaders are handling the crisis since Greece and Ireland are not a problem right now. Nothing compares to what will happen if Spain or Italy fail or these growing costs continue.

So it would be great if you would give us your insight on this, and what is worrying the United States, and apart from declarations of support, which are good, or that you have to do something. If you have any other idea of how you could convince the European leaders to move on the next step and do something decisive.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: Sure. As I said right from the start, we are following it extremely closely because we have such a great stake in the outcome. We have a great stake because we care about the hundreds of millions of people who live in Europe and their prosperity, but we also even have a more direct national interest at stake, our economy is so dependent on growth and stability and that of our largest trading and investment partner in the world by far. I think it’s accurate to say that some of the drag on the U.S. economy right now are questions about the eurozone, and so that’s why we’re so committed.

We acknowledge also that we don’t have a direct say in some of the key decisions to be made in Europe. The question of how big is the firewall or whether there are bailout funds or whether the ECB should be buying bonds at a certain level are not issues on which we get a vote. But because we are so engaged and so committed and so intertwined with Europe, we have views and we share those views and I can tell you at the highest levels, including our President there are regular conversations with European leaders about the way forward.

You mentioned American impatience. I wouldn’t describe it as impatience. I would acknowledge that --

QUESTION: Losing patience. I think it’s right.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: That’s different. Yes. We would like a comprehensive solution tomorrow or yesterday, but we also understand these are complicated decisions. They’re not easy. The reforms will take time. I think Angela Merkel but other leaders across Europe keep trying to explain that as well, that there is no magic bullet and there is no quick solution to this problem and we understand that. At the same time, we are urging leaders and I think have been for some time to be as decisive as possible as quickly as possible because the stakes are so great.

In terms of what -- you asked about my meetings with the party leaders and what needs to be done -- I would say I was encouraged from what I heard in the sense that the coalition members seemed determined to implement the agreements that have been reached. They seemed to have an appreciation that markets and governments need to see results and real efforts and structural reforms before they will respond positively. It goes back to the question that I was asked about investments.

Of course they took the opportunity to explain to me how difficult it was on the Greek people and the Greek economy, which we know and appreciate, but they also demonstrated a real understanding that only by taking these difficult measures will eurozone governments, the European Central Bank, and private investors be convinced that they can really put their money in Greece.

That’s what I encourage them to do as well, as quickly as possible and as decisively as possible, demonstrate in deed as well as in word, that there really is a new Greece, that Greece gets it, that it’s doing the things that are necessary to make clear that this is a place that you can really do business, and in this highly competitive globalized world there are a lot of places where you can send your money, as investors and hedge funds and others demonstrate every single day. And if they have the slightest doubts about a country’s ability to pay its debts or about what would be the fate of their investment, they’ll just go elsewhere.

That’s why it’s really incumbent on the country in question to take decisive, necessary measures. But as I say, from my meetings here I was convinced, I think it was in the first place encouraging to see the Greek people vote for parties that understood that, because the alternative would, in our humble estimation, really not serve Greece’s interests well. And it was encouraging to hear from those party leaders that they understand that and they’re determined to finish the job.

QUESTION: I would like to insist on the European economy matters. Are you worried about the possibility of a eurozone breakup and how possible do you find it? Because you see there were, even from German official, statements the past days about Greece leaving the eurozone, so --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: I would say a couple of things. First, we’re confident that the eurozone will stay together, that the governments have the commitment and the means to keep it together, and we believe that’s in our common interest. So we don’t want to see a breakup of the eurozone.

I would add that we’re not alone in thinking that. I think it’s worth pointing out that notwithstanding all of the questions about the viability of the eurozone, all of the costs involved to certain countries in keeping it going, all of the real pressures on certain members including Greece to do difficult things to stay in, notwithstanding all of that, every single member of the eurozone and governments across the European Union remain committed to it. If you want to simplify, both the lender countries and the debtor countries, they still remain committed. Even in Greece where we know you’ve borne great costs to do the necessary things to stay in, the Greek government is committed to it, and the Greek people voted consciously for parties who are also committed to it, notwithstanding the costs. I think that shows a real recognition of the values of preserving the eurozone.

You point to German leaders speculating about a breakup. If you listen carefully -- first of all the main German leader, the Chancellor, has been absolutely clear that she wants to preserve the eurozone and I think you see that in her actions when Germany puts up money to keep everybody in the eurozone -- and so what you’ve had is a couple of leaders most recently say they’re no longer appalled by the notion of one country leaving the eurozone. That’s still a very long way from saying we should abandon the eurozone, it’s not in our interest. On the contrary, I think all evidence points to a real recognition that it’s in everybody’s interests.

Then take I think even just yesterday Mario Draghi, head of the ECB, saying we’ll do -- you can check the quote exactly -- but something along the lines of whatever it takes. So I think there’s a recognition among all key actors that as painful and difficult as it is, it is really worth preserving. That will in itself I think help support the eurozone.

QUESTION: I would like to ask two questions. One is [inaudible] be positive on an extension of the Greek adjustment program from two years to four years so that it’s easier for the people to accept it. The second is the situation in Syria seems to get out of control. The Obama administration has shown that any action that could possibly be taken should be in a collective manner. But do you believe that the only way to do this is through the UN Security Council? Or possibly if the situation gets even worse we should explore other possibilities like a coalition of the willing?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: Thanks. Two separate things. First, on the question of an extension of the timetable for Greece’s program, that’s really between Greece and the Troika, which is the source of the original deal. It’s not for us to say what schedule it should be on.

That said, I would share my sense that the first thing Greece needs to do is demonstrate that it’s committed to the program and it is undertaking real reforms. I think, being perfectly frank, it’s too soon to start asking for an extension. Your election was what, less than two months ago. The government has started to undertake a number of important steps, but I think that receptivity in Europe to any talk of extensions now is premature. On what basis would they do that? So I don’t think it’s something that should be ruled out, but I think in terms of sequencing it should be first things first. Demonstrate over a period of time that you are genuinely committed to these difficult steps in implementing the program, and then on the basis of that effort I think the prospects for discussing timetables or flexibility would be much better than doing it in the other order.

As for Syria, we’re obviously very concerned about the situation in Syria. It has become clear to us for some time that there needs to be a political transition in Syria, that Syria will never be stable and peaceful under Assad who has used violence against his own people. And yes, we have gone to great efforts to work with the international community. This is not just a U.S. view. The international community, including most importantly all of Syria’s neighbors practically and the Arab League, are focused on a political transition as well.

Yes, our strong preference has been to work on it through the UN Security Council, that’s why we’ve been back to it three times for proposing different resolutions focused, as we say, on political transition. Unfortunately, every single time it didn’t pass in the Security Council because there was a veto by Russia and China, including most recently just two weeks ago, and, I might add, by nobody else. There were two abstentions and two vetoes. In the previous one it was 13 to 2. We regret that Russia and China have stood in the way of what clearly the rest of the international community believes to be the need for a resolution supporting political transition.

So yes, in that sense the Security Council route is blocked. We will continue to act with our international partners. There have been a number of meetings of the Friends of the Syrian People with participation of 40, 60, 80 countries and international entities, and we’ll continue to work through that channel and others to increase the pressure on the regime, change the balance on the ground, and support and coordinate the opposition so that when Assad does go, and he will, there is a better prospect for a more stable, inclusive government in Syria than otherwise. And we’re going to continue to work it. On that, we appreciate Greece’s support in those efforts.

QUESTION: Mr. Gordon, do you believe that the Greek-Turkish relations could be deteriorated, could be affected in some way because of the Syrian crisis and the complicated issues that emerge in the region with say the efforts of the Israeli and the [inaudible] to be more close to [inaudible], for example?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: I don’t see any reason why the developments in Syria should be harmful to Greek-Turkish relations. In fact I think Greek and Turkish interests in Syria, and even policy in Syria, is aligned, which is aligned with the United States as well, to increase pressure on Assad and foster a political transition and support the opposition. There’s no reason that Turkish policy in Syria should be a problem for Greece or vice versa.

I’m encouraged that even with other complicated things going on in the region and even with political change in Greece, the Greek-Turkish relationship seems to continue to improve. That’s an important factor of stability throughout this region, especially at a time when unfortunately the Turkey-Israel relationship is not improving, it remains frozen at best for the past couple of years. Obviously relations between Turkey and Cyprus are complicated and potential tensions over energy. So this is a region that needs more progress in bilateral and trilateral and quadrilateral relationships and it’s all the more important for Greece and Turkey to be preserving their relationship.

QUESTION: Are you now more optimistic about Greece’s future in the eurozone than you were before coming to Athens? And I’m wondering, if you had a vote, you said the U.S. is not a member of the eurozone. If you have a vote, what would you say to the Germans? We all see there is a strong conflict between the U.S. and Germany.

QUESTION: You have a vote in the IMF.

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: We do have a vote in the IMF, and that’s really the only sort of direct way that we have a role. But the IMF is only one-third of the troika and we’re only, I won’t say one vote because we are more than one vote in the IMF, but one voice within the IMF.

On the first part of your question about optimism, I would just repeat what I said. I was encouraged to hear from the party leaders I met with their commitment to the reforms that we think are necessary to stabilize the Greek economy and to persuade markets and governments to work with Greece moving forward. That’s most critical of all, because obviously the coalition was elected to do certain things and it needs to stick with its agreements, it needs to demonstrate that, and so to hear directly from those party leaders that they get it, that they’re committed to doing it, they know how difficult it is, but they are not wobbling under these pressures is critically important. In that sense I am optimistic.

I think it matters less what I think than what the markets think and I think markets are voting in favor as well. You’ve seen some money start to flow back to Greece, whereas there was great question, especially the run-up to the election, that you would see bank runs and see money start to flow out. I think since the election of the government some of the steps that they’ve taken, people are more confident that Greece really is on the right track. So that is reassuring.

As for the latter, I won’t speculate on -- you asked hypothetical membership in the European Union, but I think I’ve already said and the President and Secretary of Treasury and State have indicated the types of things that we think are necessary. We have urged more decisive action on the part of eurozone governments, I think we have stressed that while fiscal consolidation is critical, the entire weight of the reform effort can’t be borne by fiscal consolidation alone. You can’t just cut your way out of this crisis. I think that evidence over the past two years gives some credence to that notion, that there needs to be also an emphasis on growth, on liberalization and other structural reforms that will restore Europe to growth and competitiveness and jobs. I think that view is growing throughout the European Union, which we’re encouraged by.

We have urged that a substantial firewall be put in place not because we want it to be used, we don’t. The point of a firewall is precisely so that it will not have to be used and that you reassure markets that they can put their money somewhere and there’s less of a risk of default.

So I think in general while it’s not for us to give a precise prescription as to what Europeans should be doing, we’ve given general indications of what we think is the right direction. I think it’s fair to say that things have largely moved in that direction over time and they continue to do so, and if that balanced package continues to move forward, reforms and fiscal consolidation in the countries under pressure and solidarity and support from the countries in a position to do so, I think the future looks much more positive.

QUESTION: Are you worried about the moves of the Russian navy in the Eastern Mediterranean and the relation that [inaudible]has with Moscow ?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: On the first point, we’ve been very clear about the question of Russians arms deliveries to Cyprus -- Sorry, let me be clear, to Syria. I’m not breaking any news here. [Laughter].

QUESTION: [Inaudible].

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: Exactly. Russian arms deliveries to Syria which we think are only fueling a government that is using violence against its own people. And you heard Secretary Clinton talk about the attack helicopters that the Russians were planning to deliver. The Russians say they’re not signing new arms deals with Syria, just fulfilling old ones. Obviously we welcome that they’re not signing new ones but we regret that they’re fulfilling old ones because we think the last thing anyone needs is more arms in the hands of the Syrian government. So on that we’re clear.

Russia says it’s not taking sides, it wants to be balanced. But it’s hard for us to interpret arms deliveries to the Assad regime as anything else than supportive and lending legitimacy to a government that we think has clearly lost its legitimacy.

On Cyprus, I’m not sure if what you’re getting at is the loan question. We’re aware that Cyprus is considering a loan from Russia. It’s obviously up to the government of Cyprus where it gets its loans if it needs loans. We know they’re also obviously talking to the European Union and others. We would just hope that, there’s always a concern that financial dependency can lead to political dependency and that’s clearly something we wouldn’t want to see, but it’s really in the end a decision for the government of Cyprus if it wants to pursue a loan from some other sources.

QUESTION: Russians are concerned about the so-called Islamic bowl that emerged after Arab Spring in relations. How do you comment this [inaudible]?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: There are different aspects to it. You may be referring specifically to Egypt and the trend in Egypt, election of a Muslim Brotherhood government in the wake of the fall of the Mubarak regime.

I think the first thing to keep in mind on questions like this is a certain sense of humility about our own role in the future of this region. It’s not up to us. It wasn’t up to us whether Mubarak stayed in power or not. It wasn’t up to us who the Egyptians chose to represent them, and once Mubarak was gone we felt there should be free and fair elections and it’s up to the Egyptian people who to support and they supported a Muslim Brotherhood government, and we reached out to that government. Secretary Clinton was there within the past couple of weeks. And we’ll look forward to working with them.

So we stand by our principles in those terms. When it comes to what we want to see is rule of law, fair treatment of all citizens of the countries including women, minorities, transparent elections, peace with neighbors. And if a government is willing to abide by those principles, then it’s up to the people what government should be in place.

Russian concerns about extremism we share. That’s a difference that we have with them when it comes to Syria where they talk about the risks that if Assad goes you could have extremism and al-Qaeda. Obviously that’s something we’re concerned about as well, but in our view that’s all the more reason to accelerate the transition or put the opposition and strengthen those groups that support the principles that are dear to us, as opposed to either do nothing or support the Assad regime which we fear will just lead to ongoing violence, civil war, and precisely the extremism that they’re worried about.

Thanks everybody. It’s nice to talk to you.

QUESTION: You’re going to visit the Halki School?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: I am.

QUESTION: It’s the first time American officers visit the Halki?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: I think our current Ambassador was there during his current tenure. President Clinton went to the Halki Seminary. So it’s not the first and it’s just a continued --

QUESTION: You’re going to press [inaudible].

ASSISTANT SECRETARY GORDON: That’s my point about it being consistent with our longstanding policy. We’re encouraged by what we’ve heard out of Turkey in terms of hopes to open it. It’s been our longstanding position that it should be open, so it’s just an opportunity to express our support for that.