SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH GREEK FOREIGN MINISTER NIKOS KOTZIAS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Greek Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
April 20, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon, all. It’s my pleasure to welcome the Foreign Minister Kotzias of Greece. I think everybody knows what incredible, strong, and long ties the United States has with Greece, and obviously Greek-Americans make an enormous contribution to our country. We have a very large Greek-American community in the state I was privileged to represent in the Senate in Massachusetts, but in many parts of our country – New York, California, elsewhere.

So we have strong ties and we are NATO partners, and obviously we are in challenging times. We are very aware of the sacrifices the people of Greece have been called on to make because of the challenges of the economy and also the challenges of terrorism and counterterrorism, but particularly the economy right now. We’re confident about Greece’s ability with reforms and with effort to be able to chart a new course ahead. I would hope very much, Mr. Minister, that we have an ability to be able to maintain the strong U.S.-European partnership with respect to our support for Ukraine, the need to be able to encourage Russia in every way possible to live up to the Minsk agreement and to help bring about peace in the region, and also to work together on longer-term challenges like energy, energy supplies, and diversification for the region.

And our efforts on counterterrorism could not be more important together in the future. Obviously, we’re very concerned that those who have committed acts of terrorism who’ve been incarcerated need to remain incarcerated. And we hope that we can work through all of our policy issues, because the relationship between us is so important, and obviously we wish the new government in this moment of challenge we wish it well and we look forward to being supportive and being helpful in the days ahead. Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER KOTZIAS: Thank you, (inaudible). Thank you, Secretary Kerry. Thank you for your invitation to come here in Washington. I’m here as a friend – as a friend with somebody who’s working together with us for democracy and peace against terrorism (inaudible). And I hope that our relations will be deepened and that we will find new feat of cooperation.

I think I can – we can be sure that the new law in Greece about the prisoners will not let any terrorists become free. It will be not only a test of the detention of – the way of this detention, nobody will become free. I am very thankful for this invitation.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you, sir. Welcome.

FOREIGN MINISTER KOTZIAS: Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Good to have you. Thank you. Thank you very much.

SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH LITHUANIAN FOREIGN MINISTER LINKEVICIUS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks With Lithuanian Foreign Minister Linas Linkevicius
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Treaty Room
Washington, DC
March 9, 2015

SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everybody. It’s my pleasure to welcome my friend, Linas Linkevicius, the foreign minister of Lithuania, and I’m very, very happy to have him here in Washington. We have worked very closely together in any number of meetings and fora around the world. Lithuania may be small, but let me tell you, they are a very strong and important partner within NATO, one of the strongest partners with respect to holding people to high standards, particularly in the enforcement of the Minsk agreement and the need for Ukraine’s sovereignty and integrity to be respected.

They’re a NATO ally and a strategic partner, and I want to particularly confirm here that as an ally in NATO and as one of, frankly, the most thoughtful and outspoken with respect to the obligations of all of the member states, Lithuania is setting the example by increasing their defense spending and by assisting at the same time in other efforts that we have, not just within NATO but elsewhere. They’re helping to train troops in Iraq; they’re providing equipment. And I can confirm here with clarity that our, the United States, Article 5 obligations are firm and solid, and we will continue to work with Lithuania as a partner.

We also appreciate the efforts that Lithuania is making in energy diversification now, which is a very important part of a larger strategic need for countries not to be locked in to just one supplier or two suppliers. There needs to be a diversity, which really bolsters independence.

So I thank Linas for taking time to come here. We have a lot to talk about, and it’s my pleasure to introduce him.

FOREIGN MINISTER LINKEVICIUS: Thank you very much for being able to be here on the eve of our very important event, 25th anniversary of establishing of our independence. Excellent opportunity to express gratitude to United States for non-recognition policy for more than a half century or so Soviet occupation, for staunch support during our accession to NATO, which happened more than 10 years ago. We’re members now of this very important family, which has to do direct influence to the security guarantees of our country. Also, I’m very grateful for strategic partnership now, today, and implementing decisions which were taken in Wales at the NATO summit.

And we’re really trying to cooperate on various fields. Although we are a small country, as was mentioned, but we’re trying to be active and happy and proud that we can share the same priorities with United States, be it in UN Security Council, be it in the other (inaudible) forums, and indeed, we expect and needfurther leadership United States in implementing these assurance measures in our region, also in Lithuania.

Also, we would like to have more leadership of the United States in solving problems around Ukraine, because it actually has to do with not only about the fate of that country in the middle of Europe, but also with our credibility and what we have to do facing this very unusual situation in 21st century during the aggression against sovereign country. And we’re going to have to do the best in order to contain Russian aggression in Ukraine.

We expect as well further support in the accession process, in OECD, which is this year very priority task for Lithuania. And as was said, a lot of issues to discuss and we are looking forward to strengthen even more our ties to do our best because we have the same mission, frankly.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER LINKEVICIUS: Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Welcome.

FOREIGN MINISTER LINKEVICIUS: Thanks.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much, everybody.

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.