SECRETARY KERRY'S REMARKS WITH UKRAINIAN PRESIDENT POROSHENKO

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
02/05/2015 12:56 PM EST
Remarks With Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko After Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Bankova
Kyiv, Ukraine
February 5, 2015

PRESIDENT POROSHENKO: Mr. Secretary, we are very pleased to welcome you, as the United States Secretary of State.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.

PRESIDENT POROSHENKO: It’s almost one year passed since your last visit in Kyiv and I still remember the very crucial and positive discussions we had at that time, and the whole world (inaudible) our country faced a critical changes in peace and security caused by the extremely cynical aggression against Ukraine, aggression against fundamental principles of international law, peaceful coexistence, respecting sovereignty and territorial (inaudible) and noninterference (inaudible). Present time become the test – Ukraine-U.S. strategic partnership.

In Ukraine, we highly appreciate the United States invaluable support to our nation and our people through all the time of Ukraine independence. The support has become most evident viewed in the Russian aggression on Crimea and on Donbas. It is important to underline strong and unanimous support of our country both from United States President, United States Administration, United States Congress, and United States Government. And it’s very important by American people. It’s very valuable – this support, Mr. Secretary.

The United States leading role in consideration of the transatlantic solidarity in support of Ukraine is critical for pushing of the peaceful solution, and we are grateful for the consistent engagement of the State Department and you personally, Mr. Secretary, into this effort. And I still remember that the historic Minsk protocol and Minsk memorandum – it was done on the 5th of September, where we met on the – in United Kingdom on the major summit and this is a key element and the main documents of our de-escalation of the situation and development of the peace process.

Today, we are facing another growing escalation of violence by terrorists directly supporting by Moscow, their refusal to fulfill obligation of the Minsk agreement, their barbarian attack on the civilian population, which led to multiple casualties every day. (Inaudible) Volnovakha, tragedy in Mariupol, tragedy in the Debaltseve, where they’re killing civilian people, is absolutely unacceptable in the 21st century in the center of Europe.

Nadiya Savchenko – illegal imprisonment, captain of the Ukrainian army, defending their own land, their own motherland, was captured, imprisoned, and today is the – her 55th day of the exhausted hunger strike and refusal (inaudible) her relatives is terrible violation of the human rights committed by Russia. This issue were a point of our discussion with the Secretary Kerry. We are working to find out ways for peaceful settlement and deprive Ukrainian people from ongoing horror on the aggression. This is a priority for all community of the civilized nation, for every civilized society.

At the same time, we are strengthening our security cooperation, a number of means could be used to enhance such cooperation. However, to find out the most effective way, the most effective medicine for the (inaudible) to help him to recover the principal task. A comprehensive support of reform in Ukraine also was discussed today, and we thank United States for the assistance, for the advisors, and for their cooperation. We are already demonstrating the most important and most urgent sphere of the Ukraine who need (inaudible). This is the fight against corruption, this is the rule of law, this is the build-up independent court and judge system, this is the building of the effective investment climate, and development of the democracy and freedom.

And in this particular sphere, this is crucially important our cooperation with the United States and we thank you for the – for this cooperation. Because the comprehensive support of Ukraine, also the crucial direction in Ukrainian-American partnership, which is equal important, it means political, economic, financial consulting support, and we are receiving maximum possible assistance from our American partners.

Today as you know, we have a mission of the International Monetary Fund most probably in the next hours, even not days, they finish their mission and they prepared a memorandum. And the effective cooperation with the IMF, with our reliable partner, such as United States, European Union, Japan, Canada, Australia, South Korea – all the countries of the world who are demonstrating their readiness to support Ukraine in this difficult time is vitally important for us.

And I thank Secretary Kerry for – and United States Administration for the decision to provide Ukraine with a significant economic assistance, both previous and (inaudible). I think this is very important for us, and the fact that Secretary Kerry come not with empty hands and this is just – today was the additional increasing of the financial support is very important and is right timeframe in need (inaudible).

And as the President of Ukraine, I can once more reaffirm my strong support of speedy implementation for the systematic reform, fighting corruption, rearranging all state governance to ensure priority of democratic society. These changes are the key prerequisite for a successful and democratic Ukraine, as well as prosperous and safe life for our citizens.

And today, voting of the – in the Ukrainian parliament and support my constitutional proposal, more than constitutional majority, for the removing the immunity of the members of parliament and immunity of the judges and helping us to fight against corruption. This is another step and another evidence of the – our decisive efforts to build up the new country with the European values, with the – based on the principle of freedom and democracy. And this is the same way how we can demonstrate our cooperation with the United States (inaudible).

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much Mr. President. First of all, thank you for welcoming me here today and thank you very, very much for the great leadership that you personally, your government, my friend, your foreign minister, who I’ve worked with closely in many meetings in the last year. And you are right, it is just about a year since I was here. And I want you to know that today I am here specifically to bring you the support and friendship and goodwill of the President of the United States, of the Administration, but most importantly the American people. The people of the United States share unwavering support for the Ukrainian people as they continue to display a very courageous journey towards democracy, towards freedom, independence, and most importantly towards the protection of the appropriate respect due for the sovereignty of your country. Your people have bravely and relentlessly pursued a sovereign democratic future; we admire that and we respect it.

I would emphasize to President Putin and to those Russians who obviously express concerns about the road that you’re on that we don’t view this as a zero-sum game. We have never viewed it that way. This is not meant to be nor should it be a divide between East and West. This is about rule of law. It’s about the norms by which nation-states behave. And it’s about the fundamental respect for the integrity of the sovereignty of Ukraine.

This morning, President Poroshenko and I had an opportunity to be able to discuss the necessary and promising reform steps that the President has been leading. This is a program that the Ukrainian Government is undertaking now. Even in the difficult circumstances of the conflict that is taking place, you just heard President Poroshenko restate his personal commitment and the steps that he is taking in order to implement these reforms in Ukraine. We spent some time talking about his political path ahead, the unity of his government, the commitment of his government to protect the interests of the people of Ukraine, but also we talked about the largest threat that Ukraine faces today, and that is Russia’s continued aggression in the east. There’s no other way to call it.

We’re not seeking a conflict with Russia; no one is – not President Poroshenko, not the United States, not the European community. That’s not what this is about. We are very hopeful that Russia will take advantage of our broad-based, uniform acceptance of the notion that there is a diplomatic solution that is staring everybody in the face. That’s what we want. We want a diplomatic resolution. But we cannot close our eyes to tanks that are crossing the border from Russia and coming into Ukraine. We can’t close our eyes to Russian fighters in unmarked uniforms crossing the border and leading individual companies of so-called separatists in battle. We can’t close our eyes to modern rockets and modern radar capacity and other capacity that has crossed the border in order to prosecute this conflict across sovereign lines, across international borders, against all the promises that were made in the Minsk ceasefire agreement.

So we want a peaceful resolution. And President Obama has asked me to come here and he has asked Vice President Biden and me to join together over this weekend in Munich in direct conversations where we will meet again with President Poroshenko, where we will meet with our European allies and friends in an effort to underscore our choice is diplomacy, our choice is a peaceful resolution. But Russia needs to make its choices, and those choices are not just declared by words; they have to be declared by actions. And that means engaging in a series of steps that will uphold the Minsk Agreement which was entered into last year and which they signed up to.

Regrettably, the violence in Donbas has accelerated since then, not diminished. Innocent people are dying every single day – innocent people, people caught in a barrage of artillery that comes into Mariupol, which has no business whatsoever being dragged into this conflict; families cowering in their basements with their children to avoid the shelling. So it is imperative that everybody make the right choices here. Russia needs to demonstrate its commitment to ending the bloodshed once and for all. And we would ask that it does so by honoring the agreement that it signed, the Minsk agreement. Everybody knows what the actions are that were expected from that agreement. It’s not complicated. And Russia needs to now cease this military support for the separatists and bring people to the table in an effort to achieve a lasting political solution.

So in order for this conflict to be resolved, certain things need to happen. The Russians need to undertake certain steps, and the separatists who act with their input have to also support those steps. First of all, there must be an immediate commitment now to a real ceasefire which is not just a piece of paper and words, but which is followed up by specific actions.

Namely, pull back the heavy weapons from the ceasefire line, from the border, beyond the range of artillery, beyond the range of certain munitions to be able to do harm to civilians. That would be the first confidence-building measure that would begin to allow for peaceful resolution. Second, remove foreign troops and heavy equipment from Ukraine. Which leads you to the third step: Respect the international border; close that border to the movement of these materials and tanks, which are the fundamental means by which this continued war is prosecuted, and by doing so, restore Ukrainian sovereignty, respect Ukrainian sovereignty. It is fully possible to be able to work through the interests that Russia has expressed about the people in Donetsk and Luhansk and to have those issues worked through, but the way to do it is not by fostering greater violence.

Both sides need to release the hostages who are currently detained, and in addition, it is important to note that President Poroshenko this morning, in my conversations with him, pointed out that he remains committed to supporting the special status law which is currently on the books, which provides greater economic and municipal and political rights to those particular to the Donbas area. And that’s important to remember – that he has also committed to pursuing real constitutional reform, and he is committed to holding new free and fair elections in Donbas, and if these steps are respected, it is fully appropriate to also expect that the full measure of the Minsk agreement can then also be respected and implemented. That is the outline of peace. And the United States of America, President Obama, is deeply committed to helping to assist all the parties to come together in an effort to try to achieve this. The fact that Chancellor Merkel and President Hollande are visiting Kyiv today underscores that together, the United States, France, Germany, and the rest of our international partners stand united with Ukraine in calling on Russia to take the steps that I just outlined, and to take those steps without delay. And that is exactly how this conflict can come to an end.

That is our choice. The Ukrainian people, President Poroshenko, the United States, European allies and friends, we are convinced that if diplomacy is given meaning beyond the piece of paper and the words that are on it, through the actions that follow to implement what those words lay out, there could be peace. So this is a critical moment for this region, for this country, and for the prospects of peace. It is really possible that this conflict could come to an end, but only starting with a ceasefire, moving the heavy equipment back, and beginning to deal with the real issues that we all know are on the table.

That is also the only way that Russia’s international isolation is going to be ended and eased, and it’s the only way that the Ukrainian people in all parts of this country will finally achieve the peace that they so deserve.

Let me just say that when I came here a year ago, I was deeply moved by my visit, deeply moved by the people that I met near the Maidan, as I visited the site where so many people were killed by snipers at that pivotal turning point in the struggle for freedom. It is really enormously impressive what the people of Ukraine have accomplished, broadly speaking, over the course of this year. They held an election under the most difficult circumstances, a peaceful transfer of power, the finding of a new government, a government that has worked hard in unity to try to end this conflict. And we hope that in the next days it may be possible, finally, to try to find a road ahead, and Mr. President, we’re grateful to you for your steadfast leadership and for the effort to reform things even in the middle of this conflict, which you have remained so committed to.

So we thank you for that, and I look forward to seeing you in Munich in a day or so. Thank you, sir.

U.S. PRESS STATEMENT ON TREATMENT OF AZERBAIJAN PRISONER LEYLA YUNUS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Detention of Human Rights Defender Leyla Yunus

Press Statement

Jen Psaki

Department Spokesperson

Washington, DC

October 15, 2014

The United States is alarmed that human rights defender Leyla Yunus remains in pre-trial detention in Azerbaijan, without access to necessary medical care, despite her deteriorating health. We are also especially concerned about continued threats to Leyla Yunus’ physical security. On humanitarian grounds, we urge the Government of Azerbaijan to immediately grant Leyla Yunus access to independent medical evaluation and care, security, and improved conditions. We also urge the Government of Azerbaijan to respect the rule of law and to release those incarcerated for exercising fundamental freedoms, starting with those with serious medical conditions. This would include Leyla and her husband Arif, whose deteriorating health make their release particularly urgent. It is in Azerbaijan’s interest to ensure that its citizens are afforded the dignity, human rights, and fundamental freedoms to which all citizens are entitled under Azerbaijan’s international obligations.

SECRETARY KERRY'S STATEMENT WITH SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD al-FAISL

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Joint Press Statement With Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal

Joint Statement

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Royal Terminal

Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

September 11, 2014

FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD: (Via interpreter) In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, we have held today a regional meeting to combat terrorism with the presidents of all of our states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in addition to Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and with the presence of the United States of America. This meeting comes in the light of our cooperation to face the threat of terrorism and with the increased activity of terrorist groups in the region.

This danger that is propagating in the region very fiercely, the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques has always warned against this danger from a long time ago. The last time he warned against this was in last August when he said that it was a shame that these terrorists undertake these activities in the name of religion. They kill innocent peoples and they cut their victims and they take pride in this in the name of religion. They are killing souls that God has forbidden to kill, and they have disfigured the face of humanity.

His Majesty then called upon all the (inaudible), all the scholars of the Muslim Ummah to do their duty in the face of terrorism and hate and extremism, expressing at the same time that his disappointment about this vis-a-vis the silence of the international community with regard to what’s happening in our region. He also urged the leaders of the world and expressed a message towards these leaders when he received ambassadors on August 29th that it’s important to fight against this legion with force, wiseness, and speed. He warned that neglecting it will lead to its wide spread in Europe and America in a few months.

I would like also to refer to the statement of His Excellency the President of the United States Barack Obama and its various contents that reflect the seriousness in the fight against terrorism, including its stress on following terrorists, pursuing terrorists wherever they are.

Our meeting today was a good opportunity to discuss – we have listened today – an outline, explained outline of His Excellency Secretary Kerry about the strategy laid down by the United States to combat terrorism. The meeting today was a good opportunity to discuss this phenomena from all different aspects and perspectives, and to go deep in its roots and causes and reflected keenness to come up with a joint vision to combat it through military means, security means, and intelligence, as well as economic and financial means, and intellectual means also.

The meeting sought to deal with this phenomena from a strategic, comprehensive perspective not only limited to a single country, but extends to deal with this terrorism that strikes Libya, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Yemen – these countries that have become safe haven for these organizations and their networks, in particular with regard to the transfer of weapons and ammunition to them and among them. A case in point: The ISIL terrorist organization, through their – and their infiltration to the borders between Iraq and Syria and their cancellation of these borders, moving freely to Syrian territory with forces and military weapons as safe as they want.

Another important item that we discussed today is the importance of being clear in our plans and policies and to share responsibilities – this, in addition to being serious and continuous in our action to eliminate and wipe out all these terrorist organizations. Inaction and hesitation will not help to uproot this phenomenon. On the opposite, it might encourage its return, and we have learned at great experience in the past years, and this is the best example of this. It’s needless to say that any security action against terrorism to be fruitful and to bear fruit, it has to be accompanied by another action to combat this ideology – erroneous ideology – and also to cut the resources from the terrorists, whether the financial or in terms of weapons, including arms control of the flows from some country that are only interested in destabilizing security and stability of the region and to meddle in its affairs.

In this meeting, we also discussed the volatile political situation in the countries that are plagued with terrorism, which requires the intensification and the strengthening of political efforts in order to support addressing the condition in this countries – in these countries in a way to achieve unity and solidarity between the citizens, whether – and to protect them from racial and sectarian affiliations, and to give them equality of rights and duties.

In conclusion, I would like to point out that within the framework of the efforts required to combat terrorism, we have underlined the importance of maintaining the unity and the sovereignty of the different states, as well as their independence and territorial integrity.

Thank you very much, and I give the floor to His Excellency Secretary Kerry.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, first of all, thanks you very, very much, Your Royal Highness. We are deeply appreciative to you, very grateful for your leadership, for His Majesty King Abdullah and Saudi Arabia’s commitment to this effort, and we thank you for bringing us together today in this very, very important meeting.

This meeting couldn’t happen at a more important time, and frankly, it couldn’t include a more important group of partners. Every single country represented here today, including – especially Iraq, will be a critical part of the effort to destroy ISIL’s ability to terrorize. We’re very grateful to His Royal Highness for helping to facilitate the invitation to Iraq immediately after the formation of the new government as a sign of recognition of the possibilities for a real transformation. And that in and of itself helped to make this meeting more meaningful and more comprehensive.

As all of us know, ISIL is an organization that knows no bounds. It is an organization that rapes and brutalizes women and sells even young girls as brides. They viciously and indiscriminately attack groups of all ethnicities, all sects, any religion, including vulnerable minorities like Christians and Yezidis. And they do so only because those people are not them, because they represent something different. They brutally murder innocent people, including most recently two Americans, whom they beheaded for the world to see in recent weeks. Their barbarity literally knows no limits and they have to be stopped.

Obviously, today is a particularly poignant day for this meeting. Today is September 11th. Thirteen years after the terrorist attacks of September 11th, 2001, the devastating consequences of extremist hate remain fresh in the minds of all Americans and so many of our friends and allies around the world. Those consequences are felt everyday here in the Middle East, where extremist ideology in groups like ISIL continue to tear apart communities, restrain growth, stop progress, pursue violence, and repress people, and ignore and oppose any sort of rule of law.

Last night, in response to ISIL, President Obama outlined a clear, unified global strategy to support the Government of Iraq in taking on and destroying ISIL wherever it is found. That strategy is centered in a global coalition of nations, and as I understand – underscored in the meeting that we had today, Arab nations play a critical role in that coalition – the leading role, really, across all lines of effort: military support; humanitarian aid; our work to stop the flow of illegal funds and foreign fighters, which ISIL requires in order to thrive; and certainly, the effort to repudiate once and for all the dangerous, the offensive, the insulting distortion of Islam that ISIL propaganda attempts to spread throughout the region and the world. ISIL attempts to tell people that what they’re doing is somehow based on their notion of Islam and their view of religion. No religion, certainly not a peaceful, great religion like Islam, ever condones the kinds of activities that ISIL engages in.

I’m very pleased to say that the countries that were here today that joined in the communique that is being issued today have all, each of them, committed to play a role in achieving this mission. In the days ahead I will continue to meet with leaders in the region and beyond as we work to build the broadest coalition possible. Developing this global coalition will also be a primary focus of the UN General Assembly later this month.

As my partners here and I discussed today, the world is obviously in the midst of an enormously challenging time. Nothing is easy right now, but the truth is we are moving in a direction that people in countries all across the world can understand in an effort to try to bring peace and stability and prosperity and opportunity, dignity, and respect to the lives of the people in our countries. This is a moment which is one of those rare opportunities in history where leaders making the right choices can actually bend the arc of history in the right direction in the goals – the direction of the goals that we share: peace and prosperity and security for all.

And if we take advantage of this opportunity, what we are doing now could actually become a model for cooperation. It becomes perhaps even a model for addressing extremism and isolating it, as it should be anywhere where it exists. We believe that we’re all up to this task, and we believe that this is what our citizens are asking of us. We believe we will beat back the evil of ISIL and we will fight for the peaceful and secure world that people of all nations, ethnicities, religions, and sects deserve.

And I’m very grateful for the leadership that Saudi Arabia has exhibited in bringing us here for this meeting, and I look forward to continuing to work with all of the colleagues who are part of today’s meeting. It was important; we made progress; the coalition is growing and it now has a clarity of purpose within this region which is essential to our possibilities of success.

So thank you very much, Your Royal Highness. We appreciate it.

FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD: Thank you.

QUESTION: I have two questions. My first question is for Mr. Secretary. Immediately after American President announcement with regards to the strategy, there was three reaction. First, the Russian who said that any military operation, even against the fundamentalists in Iraq and Syria, it has to get the UN mandate. The Bashar regime said any military operation without coordination with the regime --

MODERATOR: Your question, please. Your question.

QUESTION: So do you think that this will be a (inaudible) on your operation against the ISIL?

(In Arabic.)

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, first of all, Iraq, the Government of Iraq, has invited the United States of America and asked for help. It has asked for help from the United States and has asked for help from its neighbors, from other countries in the region. And under international law, when a country is invaded and a country invites somebody to come in and help them, we have every right in the world to respond to that request.

And I must say if it weren’t so serious, what is happening in Ukraine, one might almost laugh at the idea of Russia raising the issue of international law or of any question at the UN. And I’m really rather surprised that Russia would dare to assert any notion of international law after what has happened in Crimea and eastern Ukraine.

FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD: (Via interpreter) Regarding Turkey – and indeed there was no difference at all between Turkey and any member of this meeting. As for the training of the free army, it has areas of training where it conducts its training in all neighboring countries.

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) My question is for you from Al Arabiya. What is the role required from the regional countries, especially for Saudi Arabia, especially with regard to this coalition?

My other question for the foreign minister of – no, the Secretary of State. What are the (inaudible) that you (inaudible) to engage (inaudible) any ground force intervention apart from airstrikes? Or what can be done as far as land intervention is concerned?

FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD: (Via interpreter) Yes, there are efforts undoubtedly from Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has always taken initiatives with regard to a firm position towards terrorists and against them. So there is no limit to what the Kingdom can provide in this regard. So this is the position of the Kingdom. I have not heard from any party to this meeting today, they have not expressed any reservation with regard to the role required from them. So this shows that the Kingdom is determined to face and overcome this scourge.

SECRETARY KERRY: Did you ask about ground troops in Syria or in Iraq? What was your question?

QUESTION: (Via interpreter) Yes, my question is: What are the (inaudible) that the American Government can support, or at least this coalition, as far as ground troops intervention?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, the current plan, as the President said, no country is talking about placing ground troops, nor do we believe there’s a need to. Iraq has a very sizable army. Some of it needs to be reconstituted and retrained. There will be major efforts to do exactly that. But the current plan of the President is not to engage with foreign troops engaging in this fight. This is a fight where the Syrian opposition and the Iraqi forces themselves have significant capacity. Some of it has to be retrained and refocused; but we are confident that together with the efforts of other countries involved, that will happen and it will be sufficient to the task.

Thank you.

QUESTION: One, Foreign Minister, from the American press? Will you take a question, sir?

FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD: If it’s one.

QUESTION: Your government has been quite critical of the United States over the last year or so for not entirely seeing things – the crisis in Syria – the way you did, and I know you were deeply disappointed by President Obama’s decision last summer not to move ahead with airstrikes then. In light of that, do you feel that President Obama and the United States now see the situation as dire – as being as dire as you did then?

FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD: I only see agreement. I don’t see disagreement. (Laughter.) I see the agreement that we have about the present situation.

Thank you.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.

PUERTO RICO JUDGE, BUSINESSMAN INDICTED IN CONSPIRACY AND BRIBERY CASE

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge and Local Businessman Indicted on Conspiracy and Federal Programs Bribery Charges

A current Puerto Rico Superior Court Judge and Puerto Rico businessman were charged with orchestrating a criminal scheme in which the businessman paid bribes to the judge presiding over the criminal case against the businessman according to an indictment unsealed today.

Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, U.S. Attorney Rosa Emilia Rodríguez-Vélez of the District of Puerto Rico, and Special Agent in Charge Carlos Cases of the FBI’s San Juan Division made the announcement.

“The outcome of a criminal case should be determined by the evidence and the law, not by paid-for bias,” said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell.  “When citizens can’t have faith in the very people who are sworn to uphold the law, confidence in the entire system is shaken.  We are committed to restoring that faith by rooting out corruption wherever it may be found.”

“A fair and impartial criminal justice system is one of the cornerstones of our democracy,” said U.S. Attorney Rodríguez-Vélez.  “Judges, in particular, are expected to protect the public’s trust in the fairness of the judicial system.  Investigations such as the one leading to today’s indictment are crucial to deter corrupt officials influenced by greed from breaking their oath to uphold the rule of law.   This case should serve as a strong warning to those who might consider similar behavior.  No one is above the law and everyone is accountable for their misdeeds.”

“Rogue justice as the one allegedly imparted by Judge Manuel Acevedo-Hernández will not be tolerated by the FBI,” said Special Agent in Charge Cases.   “The FBI will continue vigorously to investigate allegations of corruption at all levels.”

The indictment, returned yesterday by a federal grand jury in the District of Puerto Rico and unsealed today, charges Manuel Acevedo-Hernandez, 62, and Lutgardo Acevedo-Lopez, 39, with conspiracy to commit federal programs bribery.  Acevedo-Hernandez was also charged with receipt of a bribe by an agent of an organization receiving federal funds, and Acevedo-Lopez was charged with paying a bribe to an agent of an organization receiving federal funds.

According to the indictment, Acevedo-Hernandez, a Supervisory Superior Court Judge in the Aguadilla judicial region of Puerto Rico, allegedly accepted bribes from Acevedo-Lopez and others, knowing that the payments were made so that Acevedo-Hernandez would use his official position as a Superior Court judge for Acevedo-Lopez’s benefit.    In particular, Acevedo-Hernandez presided over a criminal trial of Acevedo-Lopez and acquitted Acevedo-Lopez of all charges pending against him, including vehicular homicide.   In exchange for the acquittal, Acevedo-Lopez, through an intermediary, bribed Acevedo-Hernandez by paying taxes owed by Acevedo-Hernandez, paying for construction of a garage, and providing him with a motorcycle, clothing and accessories, including cufflinks and a watch.

The charges contained in the indictment are merely accusations.   The defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

The case is being investigated by the FBI’s San Juan Division and is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney Peter Mason of the Criminal Division’s Public Integrity Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Timothy Henwood and Jose Capo of the District of Puerto Rico.

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL'S REMARKS ON ILLEGAL TRAFFICKING IN WILDLIFE

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Opening Statement of the United States at the 23rd UN Commission on Crime Prevention and Criminal Justice

Remarks

Todd Robinson

Deputy Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

Vienna, Austria

May 12, 2014

---

Mr. Chairman, thank you for the floor. The United States joins our distinguished colleagues in congratulating you on your election, and my delegation looks forward to a productive week under your leadership.

The United States delegation would like to associate ourselves with the remarks of Ambassador Galuškova and others, regarding our deep sympathy over the tragic deaths of Clément Gorrissen and Simon Davis, in Puntland, Somalia, and of Luis Maria Duarte, in Afghanistan. These men were dedicated public servants who worked tirelessly to help the governments of Somalia and Afghanistan to build peace, security, and the rule of law. They were respected and admired by their American colleagues who worked with them and we will miss them. The Government of the United States extends its sincere condolences to their families and loved ones.

Normally at the opening of these Commissions, delegations call attention to urgent priorities in need of remedy, with heavy emphasis on gaps in the international community’s collective response. This time, I’d like to begin on a different note, and recognize progress that has been achieved over the past year in addressing the theme of last year’s Commission—confronting the challenge of illegal trafficking in wildlife.

The United States is encouraged by how many governments have taken action on this issue since we last met, and by the spirit of cooperation among countries to reduce demand for these illegal products and prosecute the organized criminal networks involved. Since our last meeting, in February, President Barack Obama released our government’s “National Strategy to Combat Wildlife Trafficking” with three key pillars: reducing demand for illegally traded wildlife, strengthening domestic and global enforcement, and strengthening international cooperation. The National Strategy also closed loopholes in U.S. law to achieve a near complete ban on the commercial trade of elephant ivory in the United States. In November 2013, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced the first reward offer under my government’s new Transnational Organized Crime Reward Program. The reward offers up to $1 million for information leading to the dismantling of the Xaysavang Network - a major transnational crime syndicate facilitating wildlife trafficking across Africa and Asia. Much work still needs to be done, and the trafficking in threatened and endangered species remains a crisis that needs urgent attention from all governments. But we should recognize that this Commission has played an important role in generating positive change, and we need to build on this momentum.

This year, to further advance the Commission’s work, the United States has introduced a resolution in partnership with Norway to encourage additional cooperation against illicit trafficking in timber and forest products. Our resolution highlights the nexus between trafficking in timber and corruption, and encourages additional international cooperation, including cross-border information sharing and investigative efforts to counter trafficking in timber. On behalf of our Norwegian partners, we invite all delegations to take part in an informal meeting to discuss the resolution at 2:30 today in Room M4. We also invite all Commission participants to attend a U.S.-sponsored side-event on international cooperation to combat criminal elements in illicit trafficking in timber and forest products, scheduled to take place today from 1:00 to 2:00 pm.
Mr. Chairman, I would now like to turn my remarks to this Commission’s focus on International Cooperation in Criminal Matters. This broad topic covers much of the mandate of this Commission, and the United States looks forward to hearing examples of good practices and successful strategies for extending and improving criminal justice cooperation across borders from our partners. For our part, the U.S. delegation will describe our experiences with cooperation on mutual legal assistance, with particular emphasis on the critical role of effective national central authorities. The United States will also describe our work to provide technical assistance to those seeking to enhance legal frameworks and mechanisms to facilitate mutual legal assistance. We look forward to UNODC’s event at 1pm tomorrow to describe its efforts to promote regional networks of central authorities, including the West Africa Central Authorities and Prosecutors Network, a program my government is pleased to support.

Thank you very much for this opportunity.

ALLEGED DRUG TRAFFICKER EXTRADITED FROM HONDURAS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 

Extradition of Carlos Lobo

Press Statement

Jen Psaki

Department Spokesperson

Washington, DC

May 9, 2014

The Honduran Supreme Court authorized the extradition of Carlos Lobo to the United States on drug trafficking charges. His extradition took place yesterday. We commend Honduras’ resolve in taking this historic step to extradite one of its own citizens, which strikes a blow against impunity for organized crime and narcotics trafficking. Mr. Lobo’s extradition is an important affirmation of the rule of law in Honduras and a strong signal that President Juan Orlando Hernandez is fully committed to stopping the use of Honduran territory for illicit activity.

The Government of Honduras, including its Supreme Court, has sent a clear message that those accused of crimes that jeopardize the safety of Honduran citizens will not be allowed to hide from justice. The United States fully supports Honduran efforts to strengthen the rule of law and improve the quality of life for all Hondurans.

AG HOLDER'S REMARKS AT UKRAINE FORUM ON ASSET RECOVERY

FROM:  U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT 

Attorney General Holder Delivers Remarks at the Ukraine Forum on Asset Recovery

~ Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Thank you for those kind words – and thank you all for such a warm welcome.  It’s an honor to join so many dedicated leaders, committed public servants, and distinguished policymakers from around the world for this important Forum.  It’s a pleasure, as always, to be back in London.  And it’s a great privilege to be here at Lancaster House – where history has brought others together many times before to address fundamental questions about the right of self-determination and the necessity for the rule of law.

 I would like to thank Her Majesty’s Government, Prime Minister [David] Cameron, my good friend and esteemed colleague Home Secretary [Theresa] May, and the British people for welcoming me, the entire U.S. delegation, our Ukrainian counterparts, and all of our foreign and agency partners to this beautiful city – and for co-hosting this week’s critical gathering.

The goals that bind together every nation represented here are, as ever, rooted in our long shared and defining values.  For well over a century, our mutual commitment to cooperation has played an indispensable role in ensuring stability, international security and bolstering global collaboration.  And today, once again, this community of nations stands as one – our ranks strengthened by partners, old and new, from around the world, and our peoples united by a joint and pressing obligation:  to respond to the challenges of this day, to help resolve the conflicts of this hour, and to stand with the people of Ukraine in this moment as they rightfully chart their own, independent course to safety, prosperity, and peace.

By our presence here today and participation in this vital Forum on Asset Recovery, we reaffirm our dedication to supporting Ukrainian leaders and citizens as they strengthen law enforcement efforts, reinforce key institutions, and build and improve systems that will help guarantee the economic stability, the vital political independence, and the national sovereignty of a strong and free Ukraine.  As President Obama said in the Oval Office early last month, the interests of the United States – and the interests of our friends and allies around the world – are squarely consistent with the overwhelming desire of the Ukrainian people, as with peoples around our world, to determine their own destiny.  Their desire is not a unique one and is as old as recorded time.  And today’s gathering should send a powerful message to those in every region of Ukraine – and others across the globe and in the region – who are striving to move their country forward:  that they have, and can continue to expect, the strong and unwavering support of every nation represented here.

Together, we are committed to providing much-needed aid and supporting economic reforms.  We’re determined to offer technical assistance to help ensure free and fair elections.  We will do all that we can to bolster investigative efforts to locate and return stolen assets coopted by members of the previous regime.  And wherever our partnership can make a positive difference, we will not hesitate to use every tool and resource at our disposal to enable Ukraine to rebuild, reform, and refocus on its future.

We gather this morning, in part, in recognition of the fact that this process will be anything but easy.  The challenges we face are both numerous and profound.  As the President said last month in Brussels, this is “[a time] of testing for Europe and the United States and for the international order that we have worked for generations to build.”  And the adversity we must confront is exacerbated in no small part by the rampant corruption of Ukraine’s previous regime, which deprived the country of vital resources and lined the pockets of unscrupulous leaders with ill-gotten gains.

This state of affairs underscores the reality that many of us have seen firsthand throughout our careers – including during my own service, decades ago, as a young prosecutor in the Public Integrity Section of the United States Department of Justice:  that official misconduct and corruption is acutely corrosive.  And I saw, as you all have seen, that the costs of this corruption can be both immense and long-lasting.

We now know that, worldwide, the cross-border flow of proceeds from criminal activity, including corruption, has been estimated to be as great as $1.6 trillion per year.  Corruption often serves as a gateway crime, paving the way for money laundering, transnational organized crime, and in some cases even terrorism.  It’s no exaggeration to say that it undermines the fundamental promise of democracy and legitimate self-rule.  It siphons precious resources away from those in need.  It imperils development, security, stability, and faith in financial markets.  And it profoundly weakens that which is the basis of the desired modern society – the rule of law.

Unfortunately, there are no easy solutions.  As you know, fighting corruption and retrieving stolen assets requires a great deal of patience and persistence.  Investigations of, and prosecutions against, corrupt officials are inherently complex and resource-intensive.  International corruption cases are even more so.  And all too often, the processes necessary to refine laws and law enforcement modalities are cumbersome at best – and arcane or even nonexistent at worst.

 These obstacles are real – and they can be daunting.  But I have been proud to work with my British counterparts to convene this Forum – and bring this community of nations together – precisely because I believe that we can, but more importantly must, create out of this significant challenge an even greater global opportunity:  to discuss our respective experiences, to share knowledge and expertise, to refine our understanding of best practices, and to seek new avenues for communication and cooperation, both in Ukraine and far beyond.

This effort will be bolstered by the great work we’ve already done, and the infrastructure we’re currently building, to carry similar efforts through to completion around the world.  Fourteen years ago, officials from many of the nations represented here gathered in Washington, D.C., for the very first Global Forum on Fighting Corruption and Safeguarding Integrity.  That meeting marked a groundbreaking new start – and the culmination of a growing international willingness to acknowledge corruption as a problem that every country, every region, and every people, must learn to confront.

In the decade and a half since, international leaders and luminaries have repeatedly come together – in a variety of ways – to foster widespread consensus on the need for collective action in the face of shared challenges.  And our nations have accomplished a great deal.

In recent years, we’ve worked together to draft and bring into force the United Nations Convention Against Corruption – the first-ever global anti-corruption treaty – which has transformed transnational cooperation on issues ranging from anticorruption to counterterrorism.  More recently – as the world watched winds of change sweep across the Middle East – we gathered in Doha and in Marrakech for the first and second Arab Forums on Asset Recovery.

In Colombia and other nations, the United States has helped set up vetted units within key government institutions to ensure that those very bodies tasked with rooting out crime and corruption are not themselves tainted.  These lessons are valuable ones and should be passed on to Ukraine and other countries seeking to cope with the legacy of endemic corruption.

And today, as we open the Ukraine Forum on Asset Recovery, we also reaffirm our enduring commitment to the ideals that characterized those earlier gatherings and endeavors.  And we assert our unyielding determination to fight corruption wherever it exists and in whatever form it exists – however long it may take.

 Of course, if this work is to be successful, each of us must be willing to meet our individual responsibilities – and to serve not as just productive partners, but as leaders, of our comprehensive global effort.  This is why, as my country’s Attorney General, I have made certain that anticorruption and asset forfeiture have consistently stood as top priorities for my colleagues across the U.S. Department of Justice.  I launched a Kleptocracy Asset Recovery Initiative within the Department – in 2010 – to combat large-scale foreign official corruption and help recover funds for their proper and intended use:  ensuring the welfare and well-being of the citizens to which they rightly belong.

Through this initiative, my colleagues and I have assembled a team of highly-skilled prosecutors to enhance our anticorruption activities and deny corrupt officials the benefit of the funds they’ve stolen.  Already, our Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section has initiated a number of cases targeting hundreds of millions of dollars in corruption proceeds – including, most recently, over $550 million that was stolen by the Nigerian dictator and notorious kleptocrat Sani Abacha.

 As we turn our collective attention and resources to the situation in Ukraine, it’s clear that we face a variety of new dangers and unprecedented challenges.  The importance of our cooperative work has been brought into stark focus.  The untenable situation currently confronting the Ukrainian people clearly impels the international community to further action and engagement.  And that’s why, within days of the fall of President Yanukovych’s regime, the U.S. Department of Justice had a response team on the ground in Kyiv to assess the needs of Ukraine’s investigation into stolen assets belonging to its people; to provide assistance with document review and preservation; and to help initiate and coordinate any and all efforts required by further investigations.

We have also deployed significant resources from the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section; from our Office of Overseas Prosecutorial Development, Assistance, and Training; from the Federal Bureau of Investigation; and from the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network – or FinCEN – to help gather information, analyze data, and look into potential leads.  This represents an extremely promising start.  But if we are to be successful in our effort to help the people of Ukraine realize their own destinies – and help create the basis for a more fair and more just society that they desire and that they deserve – the international community must stand together, once again, to do even more.  And today, just as we have in the past, the people and government of the United States are ready and willing to do our part.

Last week – at President Obama’s direction, and in order to build on the work that’s already ongoing – Vice President Biden announced that the United States is committing an additional $1 million in technical assistance to aid the Ukrainian investigation for equipment and other developing needs.  Among other things, these funds will place a Justice Department attorney on the ground in Kyiv to work exclusively with Ukraine and its partners on asset recovery and mutual legal assistance issues.  As we’ve learned from providing similar assistance and support to Arab Spring countries, this move will be critical to augmenting vital information-gathering and communications capabilities in order to enhance asset recovery in both the short and long term.

 Fortunately, this is just the beginning.  This morning, I am pleased to announce the creation of a dedicated Kleptocracy squad within the FBI.  This specialized unit will partner with our Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section to aggressively investigate and prosecute corruption cases – not only in Ukraine, but around the world.  The squad of about a dozen personnel will consist of case agents and forensic analysts who are capable of unraveling the intricate money laundering transactions commonly employed by kleptocrats.  Their sophisticated work will be supported by deputy marshals from the United States Marshals Service and analysts from FinCEN, which is our financial intelligence unit.  And this new initiative will provide the United States with increased capacity to respond rapidly to political crises as they arise – so we can help prevent stolen assets from being dissipated or secreted away by deposed regimes.

 I thank you all for your partnership, and your steadfast support, of this and other work that’s currently underway.  And I urge every nation to join the United States in helping to solidify and institutionalize the collaborative efforts of investigators, prosecutors, and other practitioners in tracing, freezing, confiscating, and repatriating proceeds of corruption and other financial crimes not only in Ukraine, but around the world.  We will need the leadership of both practitioners, sharing evidence and expertise, and policymakers, who hold the keys to unlock resources for these complex investigations – and the legislative remedies to remove obstacles to efficient cooperation in asset recovery.

This, after all, is the clear mission and the singular focus of this Forum: not to rest on our laurels or extol past achievements, but – through common cause and, primarily, collective action – to help sovereign nations chart their own courses for transparent and accountable government in order to secure the better and brighter futures that they and their citizens deserve.

It is only by working together, learning from one another, and striving to move forward as a community of nations – united by our means as well as our objectives – that we can help fulfill the promise of democracy, and ensure respect for the rule of law, throughout Europe and in every corner of the globe.  And today we declare once again – with one voice and one purpose – that we must not, and we shall not, settle for anything less.

The United States is proud to stand with you in taking up this charge.  We are fortunate to count each of you as a friend and ally in this vital effort.  We will continue to count on your partnership and leadership.  And we join millions around the world in expressing our admiration for the boundless courage and tenacity of the Ukrainian people – to speak out against corruption; to stand up for their right to be free from foreign intervention; and to insist on a government that’s committed to democracy and the rule of law.

We can all be encouraged by the swift action that’s being taken by a broad coalition of countries to strongly condemn unwarranted aggression and violations of international law.  And we pledge this morning that we will never stop fighting alongside Ukraine and its partners to make the progress we need – to ensure accountability, to strengthen transnational cooperation, and to meet instability and irresponsibility with resolve – and robust diplomacy.

 Thank you, once again, for all that you do.  I look forward to a most productive Forum, but caution you that – though our joint work begins here in London – our continuing efforts will take place in many venues around the world.  And our ultimate success will be dependent on the commitment to both action and perseverance with which all of the nations gathered here are capable.  We owe the Ukrainian people – and others watching around the world – nothing less than our best efforts.  We must not fail them.  Thank you.

WHITE HOUSE ISSUES U.S.-EU COUNTERTERRORISM COOPERATION FACT SHEET

FROM:  THE WHITE HOUSE 

FACT SHEET: U.S.-EU Counterterrorism Cooperation

The United States and the European Union are committed to working together to protect our citizens against terrorist attacks.  We work in close cooperation, bilaterally and multilaterally, to safeguard the security of our citizens in keeping with our shared values and to offer assistance to other countries to build their own capacity.

Collaboration in the Global Counterterrorism Forum Framework

The United States and the EU are among the most active members of the Global Counterterrorism Forum (GCTF), a multilateral counterterrorism body with 30 worldwide members, designed to address counterterrorism threats and build international capacity.  The United States and the EU jointly support work in all areas of the two working groups focused on Africa:

• Horn of Africa Region Capacity-Building Working Group:  focuses on law enforcement, criminal justice and the rule of law, border management, countering violent extremism, and countering terrorist financing.  
• Sahel Region Capacity-Building Working Group:  focuses on police cooperation, building legal and judicial cooperation, border security, community engagement to counter extremism, and countering terrorism financing. 

The United States and the EU also continue to collaborate on three GCTF-inspired institutions, and will serve on the governing boards of and provide financial support to all three institutions:

• Hedayah:  Hedayah is the first and only international center of excellence on countering violent extremism (CVE).  We will jointly support Hedayah’s efforts, and the United States is funding curriculum development and CVE training.
• Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund:  This fund, a public-private global venture, will support grassroots efforts to counter violent extremism.  The United States and EU have committed to supporting this fund’s development and operations. 
• International Institute for Justice and the Rule of Law:  Headquartered in Malta, this institute will train criminal justice officials in North, West, and East Africa, with a particular focus on countries in transition, to counter terrorism and handle transnational security challenges while respecting human rights.  The United States and the EU have agreed to provide resources and technical support.

Cooperation on Countering Violent Extremism and Foreign Fighters

We share a common understanding of how terrorists exploit underlying conditions to recruit others to their cause.  The United States and EU have increased transatlantic cooperation on both stemming the flow of foreign fighters and reintegrating them when they return.  We aim to counter violent extremism by providing positive alternatives to communities most at risk of recruitment and radicalization to violence; counter terrorist narratives; and build the capacity of government and civil society to counter violent extremism.

• Balkans:  The United States and the EU are committed to building the capacity of Balkan governments and civil society to counter violent extremism – from counter-messaging/counter-recruitment to the reintegration of returning fighters.
• Dutch-Moroccan-led Foreign Fighter Project:  We jointly support a year-long GCTF initiative, launched February 19, led jointly by Morocco and the Netherlands, to address the phenomenon of foreign fighters.
• U.S. Regional Strategic Initiative Foreign Fighter Project:  The United States, with EU support, will complement the Dutch-Moroccan initiative by focusing on implementation of the Rabat Good Practices to address the criminal justice aspects of prevention, disruption, and prosecution of foreign fighters, mainly focused on the Balkans, Maghreb, and Sahel countries.

Coordination on Combating Terrorist Organizations

We are committed to preventing and countering efforts by terrorists and their networks to travel freely in our territories and finance their illicit activities.  We are continuing this work with the European Union and will rely on a number of critical agreements to accomplish this.

JUDICIAL REFORMS IN PANAMA

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT 
Amid Challenges, INL Helps Judicial Reform in Panama Take Hold

In 2011, with assistance from INL and the American Bar Association Rule of Law Initiative’s “Culture of Lawfulness” program, Panama began a phased transition to a U.S.-style accusatory justice system, to accelerate case processing and enhance transparency. Prior to the transition, Panama operated an inquisitorial criminal justice system based on a Napoleonic procedural code. To date, Panama has implemented the new system in four of its nine provinces.

Panamanian police, prosecutors, and judges are generally united in their support for the new accusatory system, with some calling the transition an unqualified success in improving speed and transparency in the criminal justice system. According to prosecutors, the changeover to public oral hearings has resulted in a substantially faster turnover of cases. Moreover, judges are saying that “the only way anyone can oppose the system is because they don’t know anything about it.” Meanwhile, police officers are calling the new system the “future of the country.”
In addition to being popular among justice sector professionals and civil society activists, the transition has sped up the cumbersome process to access justice. Pre-trial detention rates are dropping, and case processing times have been reduced by 85 percent, with 95 percent of new cases being resolved before trial through mediation, alternative sentencing, and plea bargaining. Judges are granting pre-trial release on bond for approximately two thirds of new defendants. Under the prior system, virtually all defendants were held in preventive detention for the duration of their case processing, often up to two years.

The reform process still has significant challenges to overcome. Nearly 70 percent of prisoners in Panamanian jails are in pre-trial detention. Panamanian justice sector institutions suffer from underfunding, resulting in personnel shortages, uncompetitive pay, and inadequate facilities. Some judicial institutions have less than half of the funding they need to run effectively. Due to funding and other concerns, the reform effort’s expansion to Panama’s remaining provinces – originally planned to be completed by spring 2014 – has been pushed back to 2016. Implementation of the new legal system in these high-population, high-crime provinces will be challenging and costly, but the reforms will yield concrete improvements to the Panamanian criminal justice system providing more rapid access to justice for Panamanians.

WILL IRAQ BE AN ALLY OF THE UNITED STATES?

Iraq Location Map.  Credit:  CIA World Factbook.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE

Too Early to Tell Whether Iraq Effort Created Ally, General Says

By Jim Garamone
American Forces Press Service

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24, 2012 - It's still too early to tell whether the U.S. effort in Iraq has created an American ally, the commander of U.S. Army Europe and 7th Army said here yesterday.

Lt. Gen. Mark P. Hertling, who served many tours in Iraq, told the Defense Writers Group that it took years for a democratic government to emerge in West Germany following World War II, and he expects many of the same difficulties happening with Iraq.

"I don't know what's going to happen in Iraq," the general said. "I'm hopeful for increasing positive signs."

The Iraqi government still is fighting a complex insurgency in a very tough environment, the general noted. "My friends in Iraq ... are all very hopeful," he said, "but they also understand the challenges they are encountering."

The most encouraging step to date in Iraq is the potential for the rule of law to develop, Hertling said.

"[Iraqi] security forces are competent, but still feeling their way," he said. "Their politicians are increasingly becoming effective in understanding the representative process, but it certainly can't be compared to our government, or even our government 10 years after the Revolutionary War."

Iraq will continue to have struggles in three main areas, the general said: security forces, rule of law and the primacy of political control. "They are still struggling, and it pains me to watch it," he added.

How Iraq does in the future is something that will haunt U.S. veterans of the Iraq war, the general said. "There was a lot of blood and sweat and tears and hard work put into that country by American soldiers," he said. He noted that as U.S. troops leave bases in Germany they have been in since 1945, many Germans have come to thank them for what they and their predecessors did to save the country.

The current generation worked hard in Iraq, and is not feeling particularly appreciated, Hertling said. "That's unfortunate," he added. "It's something that all of our veterans from Iraq, and eventually our veterans from Afghanistan, will struggle with. They worked hard, they fought hard, and they did what they were trying to do to establish workable solutions in those two countries."

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL'S REMARKS ON BUSINESS AND HUMAN RIGHTS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Implementation Workshop on the Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights
Remarks Maria Otero
Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights George C. Marshall Auditorium
Washington, DC
April 30, 2012
hank you, Mike. I want to take a moment to recognize your leadership particularly in the area of Business and Human Rights. Not only have you created a team that focuses exclusively on the intersection between business and human rights, but your leadership has helped create the space to develop and maintain tools which encourage corporations to respect human rights while ensuring economic prosperity.
We are grateful to have Professor John Ruggie with us today. As you all know, John was the Secretary General’s Special Representative on Business and Human Rights. There is no better person to discuss implementation of the Guiding Principles than the author himself.

Our strategy for promoting respect for human rights through our foreign policy must reflect the world as it is, not as it used to be. Private companies are some of the world’s largest economic actors. Clearly, building bridges between government and business is not only smart, it’s necessary.

At the heart of this collaboration is the unique role business plays in bolstering innovation. Indeed, innovation is the core of what businesses do. From technology, to energy, to manufacturing, to health, business investments -- both domestic and international -- impact peoples’ lives. We must leverage this innovation and investment to help solve global challenges and improve the welfare of people. But in order to achieve our shared goals we must be sure such innovation is rooted in a respect for human rights. That is of course why we are all here today.

We must establish clear guidelines and reliable processes so that business can do their part in respecting human rights. The U.S. government uses our foreign policy to help strengthen the rule of law and human rights, which in turn improves the environment for prosperous business. It also ensures investment and innovation don’t violate standards of stable and democratic society.

But this is something neither government nor the private sector can accomplish alone. By working together across sectors, in partnership, with mutual respect, we can leverage our collective strengths to support business respect for human rights. We will be far more successful in achieving our shared goals if draw our solutions from all realms -- governments, private companies, multilaterals, universities, and nonprofits. What I know from my career -- and I suspect many of you know the same -- is that innovation occurs at the intersection of worlds that are newly connected. When you bring people together, tapping new expertise and resources from every corner, and think outside of your respective box, perspectives shift and challenges break down.

For example, Barrick Goldand BP, as well as Marathon, Newmont, Shell and Rio Tinto; are working to develop a set of key performance indicators for the Voluntary Principles (or VPs) on Security and Human Rights. The VPs provide guidance to extractive companies on maintaining the safety and security of their operations while also respecting human rights.

Another partnership with great potential is the International Code of Conduct for Private Security Service Providers. Work is now underway to translate the code’s principles into clear standards, and to establish a governance and oversight mechanism. Over 300 members of industry have already signed, and we encourage your participation. Why? Because again and again, we see that when we work together, our capacity for innovation is nearly limitless.

The UN Guiding Principles provides an important framework through which we engage in these areas.

The United States is seeking to institutionalize and broaden support for the Guiding Principles in multilateral fora. For example, we have encouraged the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development to incorporate language from the GPS into their human rights chapter of the newly revised (OECD) Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises. We are looking at other regional and global multilateral organizations to incorporate the principles in similar ways, furthering the GPs as the authoritative standard framework on business and human rights.

We also working with the UN Working Group on Business and Human Rights as it disseminates the Guiding Principles. We are exploring ways to support the work of the UN Working Group through targeted high impact projects, and intend to launch a $500,000 program to promote awareness and implementation of the UN Guiding Principles.

I know you have a robust agenda today, and I look forward to hearing about your exchanges. Your contribution will help inform our policies, and how we move forward the GPs. In so doing, we not only positively influence the respect for human rights but also enhance the success of businesses.

Thank you, and it’s my pleasure to introduce to you our next speaker, Assistant Secretary for Economic and Business Affairs, my friend Jose Fernandez.