SECRETARY HAGEL APPLAUDS DEFENSE AGREEMENTS BETWEEN U.S. AND INDIA

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Hagel Praises New Defense Cooperation Agreements With India
DoD News, Defense Media Activity
WASHINGTON, Jan. 25, 2015 –

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel issued a statement today applauding agreements on defense cooperation between the United States and India, announced by President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Hagel's statement reads as follows:

"Today, on his historic visit to India, President Obama and Prime Minister Modi announced new, ground-breaking agreements on defense cooperation between India and the United States that promise to open a new chapter in our defense relationship and mark an important milestone in the U.S.-India strategic partnership.

"By finalizing the renewal of our 10-year framework for the U.S.-India Defense Relationship, we will continue to build on the growing momentum in our defense cooperation over the last decade. This renewed framework will support stronger military-to-military engagement, including deeper maritime cooperation and increased opportunities in technology and trade.

"By establishing a new military education partnership, we will help shape the next generation of military leaders in both our nations, fostering relationships that will draw our defense establishments closer together for years to come.

"And by agreeing under the Defense Technology and Trade Initiative (DTTI) to focus on four 'pathfinder' projects; form a working group to explore aircraft carrier technology sharing and design; and explore possible cooperation on development of jet engine technology, we will begin to realize the enormous potential of the U.S.-India defense industrial partnership. We have further strengthened this partnership with an agreement that will allow us to continue science and technology collaboration for the next 15 years.

"Taken together, the president's announcements signal a new depth and sophistication in our defense and security cooperation, ensuring that it continues to be one of the strongest pillars of our nations' broad strategic partnership - a partnership that will help forge security and stability in Asia and across the globe."

DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL SPEAKS ABOUT TRANSITIONS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Right:  Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel speaks to Marines and sailors aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., Jan. 13, 2015. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. Melissa Eschenbrenner.  
Hagel Discusses Transitions at Miramar Troop Event

By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Jan. 14, 2015 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel spoke about transitions with Marines and sailors at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miramar, California, yesterday.

Hagel, who himself transitions upon confirmation of his successor, Dr. Ashton B. Carter, spoke about transition in Afghanistan, transition to the Asia-Pacific region and the dynamic nature of the world that requires a U.S. military that can capably perform during peace or war.

The United States is transitioning around the world, the secretary said. In Afghanistan -- where many of the Marines and sailors served -- the United States is working with Afghans as they assume control of their country. And, U.S. Marines are transitioning back to their maritime roots..

Building Capabilities, Capacities in Asia-Pacific

All service members will participate in the U.S. military’s transition to the Asia-Pacific, Hagel said. A cornerstone of that shift will be to build capabilities and capacities of allies in the region, he said. This will become “more and more a critical component of our own strategic interests as we continue to help our allies build their capabilities,” the secretary said.

The United States will support those countries, “but we can't take on all of the challenges by ourselves,” Hagel said. “They must do it as well.”

The world is a dynamic, ever-changing place, and the American military must be ready, the secretary said. A year ago, he said, no one would have forecast the advance of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant or the Ebola crisis in West Africa or the Russian actions in Ukraine.

Cybersecurity Concerns

Other actions need to be countered as well, the secretary said. Cyberspace remains vulnerable, Hagel said. The cyberattack on Sony Pictures, and the cyberattack on U.S. Central Command public sites are two of the more recent examples of the vulnerability, he said.

The Defense Department’s people are key to success, Hagel said. The secretary urged Marines and sailors in the audience to take care of each other.

“We don’t take care of each other just on the battlefield,” Hagel said. “We’ve got to take care of each other in dorms, in bars, on bases, at parties. You take care of each other, you trust each other, and you have to rely on each other, again, not just in war, but this is a family, and we let each other down if we don’t do that.”
The secretary thanked the service members for what they do for the United States every day. He also thanked the families.

“Again, I want to thank you for what you do for this country, what you’ve done for our country, what you will do for this country,” Hagel said. “It’s been a privilege to be your secretary of defense.”

SECRETARY HAGEL CALLS SERVICE MEMBERS ON CHRISTMAS DAY

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Hagel Calls Service Members on Christmas, Thanks Them for Service to Nation
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Dec. 25, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today called service members taking part in U.S. operations around the world to wish them a Merry Christmas, according to Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby.

In a DoD News Release, Kirby said “Secretary Hagel expressed his appreciation for their service in defending the United States, and supporting our allies and partners.

“In each of the calls, Secretary Hagel noted that he knows how difficult it is to be away from home on this holiday and thanked the service members and their families for their sacrifice for the nation,” Kirby said.

Hagel spoke with representatives from each military service, including:
- Army Spc. Randolph A. Priest, of Barren Springs, Va. Priest is a communications specialist serving in Afghanistan, who is responsible for ensuring reliable communications between the headquarters and soldiers.
- Air Force Capt. Laura A. Klepper, of Palmdale, Calif.  Klepper is an F-15E weapon system officer deployed to the Central Command area of responsibility, providing combat airpower in support of regional missions. She was selected as her squadron’s flight commander of the year.

- Marine Corps Cpl. Thomas A. Vasko, Jr., of Medina, Ohio.  Vasko is an infantry advisor in Afghanistan, training allies in how to conduct patrols to prevent enemy freedom of movement and indirect fire attacks. He is also an assistant patrol leader.

- Navy Petty Officer 1st Class Taylor A. Porter, of Dayton, Wash. Porter is deployed to the Central Command area of responsibility and leads an 11-person team in ensuring aviation equipment is maintained and safe for flight. She was selected as her squadron’s maintainer of the year and led the stand-up of a unit supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.

“The secretary was delighted to be able to reach these service members, forward deployed as they are, and to wish them his best for the holiday,” Kirby said. “He asked that each pass on his best wishes to their units as well. The secretary was very grateful for the time these young leaders gave him.”

DOD VIDEO: SECRETARY HAGEL ON DELAY IN WITHDRAWING TROOPS FROM AFGHANISTAN

CHUCK HAGEL RESIGNS AS U.S. DEFENSE SECRETARY

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT
President Announces Hagel’s Resignation as Defense Secretary
By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jake Richmond
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 24, 2014 – Praising Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel’s “class and integrity,” President Barack Obama announced today at the White House that Hagel will leave his post.

The president said Hagel has agreed to remain in his position until a successor is nominated and confirmed. For that, Obama said, he is “extraordinarily lucky and grateful.”

“When I asked Chuck to serve as secretary of defense, we were entering a significant period of transition,” Obama said. That transition included the drawdown in Afghanistan, the need to prepare our forces for future missions, and tough fiscal choices to keep our military strong and ready.

Last month, Obama said, Hagel came to him to discuss the final quarter of his presidency. It was then that Hagel initially determined that, having guided the department through this transition, it was an appropriate time for him to complete his service, the president added.

A Steady Hand

“Over nearly two years, Chuck has been an exemplary defense secretary,” Obama said, crediting Hagel for providing a steady hand during the modernization of the administration’s strategy and budget to meet long-term threats, while still responding to immediate challenges such as ISIL and the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

Hagel said he is “immensely proud” of what the department has accomplished during his tenure.

“I believe we have set not only this department, the Department of Defense, but the nation on a stronger course toward security, stability and prosperity,” the secretary said.

Privileged to Serve

Hagel called his opportunity to serve as defense secretary the “greatest privilege of my life.”

In the meantime, Hagel said, “I will stay on this job and work just as hard as I have over the last couple of years, every day, every moment, until my successor is confirmed by the United States Senate.”

The United States of America can proudly claim the strongest military the world has ever known, Obama said.

“That’s the result of the investments made over many decades, the blood and treasure and sacrifices of many generations,” he said. “It’s the result of the character and wisdom of those who lead them as well, including a young Army sergeant in Vietnam who rose to serve as our nation’s 24th secretary of defense.”

SECRETARY HAGEL SAYS RUSSIA'S ACTIONS "DANGEROUS AND IRRESPONSIBLE"

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Right:  Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel talks to U.S. Marines assigned to the 2nd Marine Expeditionary Force (Forward) on Camp LeJeune, N.C., Nov. 18. 2014. DoD Photo by U.S. Marine Corps Sgt. Cassandra Flowers   

Secretary: Russia’s Actions ‘Dangerous And Irresponsible’
By Nick Simeone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 18, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today called Russia’s actions in Ukraine “dangerous and irresponsible” and said the tensions provoked by Moscow have probably done more to unify NATO than anything else in years.

“It has brought the world together in a way where they are isolating themselves by their actions,” Hagel said of Russia, as he took questions from Marines during a visit to North Carolina’s Camp Lejeune.

‘Very Dangerous’ Actions

One service member asked the defense secretary if he envisioned the United States becoming more involved in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. Russia’s actions toward Ukraine, as well as stepped-up Russian military air flights over European airspace and plans for similar flights over the Gulf of Mexico are “very dangerous,” Hagel said.

“The violations of sovereignty and international law that the Russians have perpetuated continue to require responses,” the defense secretary said. The United States is working with NATO “in shifting our entire rotational rapid deployment focus,” he added.

U.S. European Command chief Air Force Gen. Philip M. Breedlove , who is also NATO’s supreme allied commander for Europe, has said Russian military equipment continues to flow across the border into Ukraine, something Russia denies.

DOD SECRETARY SAYS ISIL "STALLED"

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 
Hagel: ISIL Degraded But Remains Dangerous
By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jake Richmond
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 13, 2014 – United States and coalition forces have made progress in recent months against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, but the campaign will be “a long and difficult struggle,” Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel told Congress here today.

“We are three months into a multi-year effort,” Hagel said in testimony before the House Armed Services Committee. In some parts of Iraq, ISIL’s advance has been stalled and even reversed by Iraqi, Kurdish and tribal forces supported by U.S. and coalition air strikes. But ISIL still represents a “serious threat” to American interests, Hagel said.

The secretary stressed the importance of sustaining the regional and global coalition, which includes 16 more countries since Hagel’s last congressional testimony in September. More than 60 nations are now contributing to the fight against ISIL, Hagel said, with assistance ranging from air support to training to humanitarian aid.

“Coalition partners have carried out 130 airstrikes against ISIL in both Iraq and Syria,” Hagel said. “Coalition nations have also pledged hundreds of personnel to support our mission to train, advise, assist, and help build the capacity of Iraqi forces.”

Methods and Results

The comprehensive strategy to stop ISIL also focuses on supporting inclusive governance, undercutting ISIL’s flow of resources, countering ISIL’s messaging, and constricting the flow of foreign fighters, Hagel said.

The combined effort has yielded results in degrading and destroying elements of ISIL’s warfighting capacity and denying safe haven to its combatants. The secretary said that ISIL fighters have been forced to maneuver in smaller groups, hide their large equipment, and change their communication methods.

“Sustaining this pressure on ISIL will help provide time and space for Iraq to reconstitute its forces and continue going on the offense,” Hagel explained. “And as Iraqi forces build strength, the tempo and intensity of our coalition’s air campaign will accelerate in tandem.”

Governmental Factors

However, ISIL “will not be defeated through military force alone,” Hagel said. In Iraq, he said, “much more needs to be done to achieve political reform.” And in Syria, since there is no partner government to work with, Hagel said, military strategy will demand time, patience and perseverance to deliver results.
“The position of the United States remains that [Syrian President Bashar] Assad has lost the legitimacy to govern,” Hagel said. The U.S. and coalition goal, he explained, is to ultimately create conditions for a political settlement in Syria.
“We are still at the front end of our campaign against ISIL,” Hagel told the House panel. “Congressional support -- your support -- is vital for this campaign to succeed.”

DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL ANNOUNCES INCREASED INVESTMENT IN NUCLEAR DETERRENT TO FIX PROBLEMS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT   
Hagel Announces Changes to U.S. Nuclear Deterrent Enterprise
By Jim Garamone
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Nov. 14, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel has announced a series of measures to increase investment in America’s nuclear deterrent after reviews found evidence of systemic problems in the enterprise.
Hagel announced the changes at a Pentagon press conference today before traveling to Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, to speak with missileers about them.  The changes are the result of internal and external reviews Hagel ordered after a series of Associated Press stories disclosed problems in the nuclear force.
Retired Air Force Gen. Larry D. Welch and retired Navy Adm. John C. Harvey Jr. co-chaired the external review.

Nuclear Arsenal Safe

Hagel prefaced his remarks by assuring Americans that the nuclear arsenal is safe and secure. It can and must be better though, he said. “As long as we have nuclear weapons, we will and we must ensure that they are safe, secure and effective,” Hagel said.

Hagel said underfunding and a focus on two wars allowed the status of the nuclear deterrent to degrade. Service members accomplished the missions in the nuclear enterprise thanks to their own “heroic efforts.”

“The internal and external reviews I ordered show that a consistent lack of investment and support for our nuclear forces over far too many years has left us with too little margin to cope with mounting stresses,” Hagel said.
The reviews found evidence of systematic problems. These include manning, infrastructure and skill deficiencies. The reviews found “a culture of micromanagement and over-inspection,” the secretary said. Finally, the reviews found inadequate communication, follow-up and accountability.
Root Cause

“The root cause has been a lack of sustained focus, attention and resources, resulting in a pervasive sense that a career in the nuclear enterprise offers too few opportunities for growth and advancement,” Hagel said.

The secretary vowed to hold senior leaders accountable to ensure words match actions. “We must change the cultural perception of a nuclear enterprise, which has particularly suffered in the Air Force,” he said. “We must restore the prestige that attracted the brightest minds of the Cold War era, so our most talented young men and women see the nuclear pathway as promising in value.”

As part of this, the commander of the Air Force Global Strike Command will now be elevated to a four-star.

More funding is also crucial. The Air Force established a force improvement program for Global Strike Command and reallocated over $160 million in fiscal 2014 and $150 million in fiscal 2015. These will address some of the most urgent shortfalls. Hagel said missileers had to Fed-Ex a special wrench used in fastening warheads to missiles from base to base.

Some of the money will go to incentive pay for critical nuclear assignments.

Long-term Changes

Long-term changes are on the way, the secretary said. DoD is updating and standardizing inspections. The department wants to eliminate micromanagement, redundancies and administrative burdens that overtax the force and ultimately harm the mission.

“The Navy is reducing administrative distractions and is planning to both hire more than 2,500 workers and overhaul aging infrastructure at public shipyards, strategic weapons facilities and reactor training systems,” the secretary said.
The Air Force is planning construction to improve weapons storage facilities, will replace its Vietnam-era helicopters for ballistic missile security forces and is revamping training, evaluations and management of the nuclear force.
“Both services are elevating and reinforcing the nuclear mission, including in the budget request they’re preparing for fiscal year 2016,” Hagel said. “We will need to make billions of dollars of additional investments in the nuclear enterprise over the next five years.”

The secretary said the services are looking at a 10 percent increase in funding over five years. Today, the U.S. spends about $15 billion to $16 billion on our nuclear enterprise.

DOD LEADERS PRAISE PROGRESS MADE AGAINST ISIL

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel holds a press briefing with Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon, Oct. 30, 2014.  DoD photo by Army Staff Sgt. Sean K. Harp. 

Pentagon Leaders Laud Progress Against ISIL

By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr.

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 30, 2014 – Defense Department leaders today praised the progress made against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Iraq and Syria as implementation of the broader comprehensive strategy in the Middle East continues.

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, discussed progress and strategy during a Pentagon news conference.

Hagel began the news conference by highlighting the recent transfer of two NATO bases – Camp Leatherneck and Camp Bastion -- to Afghan security forces as part of “significant progress” in Afghanistan. He praised U.S. forces for their service in Afghanistan, as well NATO partners, for their contributions.
“I also want to thank our [International Security Assistance Force] partners for what they’ve done,” he said, “and in particular, the Afghan national security forces as they have continued to make progress -- significant progress in defending their country.”

Turning to Iraq, the defense secretary said he spoke with Iraqi Defense Minister Khaled al-Obeidi last week about Iraqi force preparations to take the offensive against ISIL.

Gains in Northern and Central Iraq

“Over the past week, we’ve seen Iraqi and Kurdish forces begin to do that,” Hagel said. “And they’ve made some gains in both northern and central Iraq. Their initial progress is encouraging, but these are just first steps … in what we have said will be a long and difficult multiyear effort against ISIL by the local Iraqi forces on the ground [with] support from the U.S, as well as coalition partners.”

Tomorrow, Hagel said, the U.S. Army’s 1st Infantry Division headquarters will take command in Baghdad, coordinating all U.S. forces in Iraq.

“But our military campaign is only one part of the broader comprehensive strategy required to defeat ISIL,” he said, “choking off its resources and recruits, and supply lines and de-legitimizing its murderous ideology are just as important as [Iraqi] Prime Minister [Haider al] Abadi’s efforts to build an inclusive Iraqi government that must earn the trust and confidence of the Iraqi people.”

The Future of Syria

Hagel said the realities of ISIL controlling vast areas of Syria and Iraq are forcing a coalition of more than 60 countries to come together to deal with this “immediate threat.”

“The future of Syria,” he said, “which the nations of the Middle East have a significant investment in that stability, is going to require all elements, not only of our government, but all of the countries in the Middle East and others working together to find a solution to bring peace in Syria, to stabilize that region of the world.”

Officials constantly are assessing, adapting and working through different options, Hagel said, because the situation is complicated and long-term, and there are no short-term easy answers to it.

“That’s why we meet so often on this issue,” he said. “This is why we are building, and continue to build, an effective coalition in the Middle East to deal with these issues.”

Training and Equipping Moderate Opposition Update

The chairman was asked to provide an update on the status of the department’s program to train and equip the Syrian moderate opposition.

“The command-and-control apparatus is in place,” Dempsey said. “The sites have been selected, and the reconnaissance conducted to determine what infrastructure we’ll need to accomplish the mission.”

Coalition partners are beginning to contribute trainers to the efforts, he added, though the recruiting and vetting has not yet begun.

Expanding Mission Area in Iraq

Dempsey discussed the possibility of expanding the train-advise-assist mission of U.S. forces in Iraq, currently oriented around Irbil and Baghdad, to include Anbar province.

“There’s three components to the train-advise-assist mission,” he explained. “Initially, the Iraqi security forces, and I include in that the [Kurdish peshmerga forces], … mostly oriented around Baghdad and Irbil, and then there’s the issue of the tribes and trying to find a way to … enable them.”

Also, Dempsey said, a program is in place to begin to restore some offensive capability and mindset to Iraqi security forces. “We need to think about how to do that with the tribes,” he added. “We also need to make sure that the Iraqi security forces are not spread out in ways that prevent them from supporting each other.”

Dempsey pointed to areas such as al-Asad, and Iraqi units such as the 7th and 9th Iraqi army divisions, which he said are “somewhat isolated.”
The Iraqi security forces, he said, need help with planning and executing and with linking up groups that are isolated. “And then,” he said, “I think that becomes a platform for reaching out to the tribes.”

The third component, Dempsey said, is the national guard concept, which -- if the Iraqi government takes a decision to form it and passes a law -- probably would begin to be implemented in 2015.

“You need all three of those, eventually,” the chairman said. “Right now, we’re focused on the Iraqi security forces.

SECRETARY HAGEL PROVIDES INSIGHT INTO HIS APPROACH TO NATIONAL SECURITY

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Hagel Offers Perspective on ‘Historic, Defining Times’

By Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jake Richmond

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 29, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel today provided perspectives on his approach to national security issues during an interview at the Washington Ideas Forum here.

“I think we are living through one of these historic, defining times,” Hagel told James Fallows, national correspondent for The Atlantic. “I think we are seeing a new world order.”

Hagel said the multitude of issues confronting the nation “affects us now, [and] will continue to affect us into the future,” especially the conflicts involving the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

“What we’re seeing in the Middle East with ISIL is going to require a steady, long-term effort,” Hagel said. “It’s going to require coalitions of common interests, which we are forming.”

The secretary also cited pandemic disease, relationships with China and Russia and climate change as major issues affecting national defense.

Emphasis on relationships

Navigating those issues, Hagel said, requires not only large-scale cooperation, but also a greater emphasis on individual, personal relationships.

“We all know that nations always respond in their own self interests. That’s predictable. That’s good,” he said. “But personal relationships are the lubricant. It doesn’t change a policy, but it makes it better.”

The secretary said his approach is heavily influenced by his experience as an enlisted veteran of the Vietnam War. Nothing else has made him more aware of being careful of unintended consequences and good intentions, he added.
“It’s made me cautious,” Hagel said. “[I] always think through the whole sequence of questions. What happens? Where’s this going? What’s the end result? And what could go wrong?”

And caution is good up to a point, he said, “but then you’ve got to make decisions.”

DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL, PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA STATE COUNCILOR JIECHI MEET AT PENTAGON

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel, right, meets with Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, second from left, at the Pentagon, Oct. 20, 2014, to discuss matters of mutual importance. DoD photo by U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz.

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

 Hagel, Chinese Leader Discuss Strengthening Cooperation

DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Oct. 20, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel met in the Pentagon today with People's Republic of China State Councilor Yang Jiechi, Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby reported.

In a statement summarizing the meeting, Kirby said the two leaders discussed the importance of maintaining the positive momentum that has developed in the military-to-military relationship between the United States and China.

“They also reaffirmed their shared interest in strengthening cooperation on regional and global challenges,” he added, “and noted the potential for greater cooperation in several areas, to include providing humanitarian assistance and disaster relief when crises arise, and containing the spread of Ebola in West Africa.”

Hagel and Yang both highlighted the importance of President Barack Obama's trip to Beijing in November and expressed a shared desire that the trip be a success, Kirby said.

DOD VIDEO: HAGEL, DEMPSEY TESTIFY ON ISIL STRATEGY

DEFENSE SECRETARY HAGEL WORKS WITH TURKEY TO COORDINATE RESPONSE TO ISIL

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Right:  Turkish Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz escorts Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel after their meeting at the Ministry of National Defense in Ankara, Turkey, Sept. 8, 2014. DoD photo by Glenn Fawcett  


Hagel Reaffirms Turkey’s Pledge to Help Defeat ISIL
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 9, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel yesterday held a series of meetings with government and defense leaders in Turkey’s capital of Ankara to begin coordinating that nation’s role in the NATO coalition forming to defeat the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, or ISIL.

Hagel was in Turkey as part of a six-day trip that included participation in the NATO summit in Wales last week and meetings with government and military leaders in Georgia. The secretary’s 16th international trip began Sept. 3 and ends today.

In Ankara, Hagel met with Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Affairs Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Defense Minister Ismet Yilmaz and Chief of the General Staff Necdet Ozel.

Afterward, during a roundtable with reporters traveling with him, Hagel noted the consistency of the Turkish government’s commitment to the country’s role as a critically important NATO partner and as a leader in their part of the world.

A democratic, Muslim Turkey

“They are a democratic Muslim country that has done an exceptional job over many years of building an economy and opportunity for their people,” Hagel told the reporters. “When we look around the world … Turkey, I think in many ways, can be seen as a model for engaging and practicing a vibrant democracy.”
Hagel said Turkey will be involved in all efforts, as President Barack Obama articulated on the last day of the NATO Summit, to build a broad international coalition to combat the threat posed by ISIL. The secretary later named the “core coalition” countries as the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Italy, Poland and Turkey.

“ISIL is a threat, as President Obama [and other leaders] have said, to its own region of the world first,” Hagel said. “It's a threat to every country, it’s a threat to every society, and Turkey lives right here.”

Productive discussions

The secretary said his conversations with the Turkish leadership were productive.
“I didn't come here to ask for specific missions that they would take on or specific roles they would perform,” he said. “It’s up to every country to decide what's in their interest, as well as the collective interest of the region and, in Turkey's case, NATO. The main reason I was here today was to start coordinating with the leaders of Turkey on working through some of the challenges as we go forward and think through how we are going to deal with ISIL.”

He said Obama would detail the strategy for dealing with the terrorist group from the U.S. perspective later this week.

“It was very clear to me in my conversations today with the Turkish leaders that they clearly saw that as the overall objective here, when we start thinking through what we're dealing with, both short term and long term,” the secretary said.

Reaffirming Turkey’s commitment

Hagel described the meetings as a reaffirmation of Turkey's commitment to be part of the effort to destroy ISIL and everything ISIL represents to the local region and to all countries.

“Foreign fighters came up in the discussions I had with all the leaders, as did every dimension of what we're dealing with here,” he said. “The issue of foreign fighters has [come] up in every conversation I've had in the last month, whether it was in Australia or India.”

The issue also was a big part of the conversation in Wales, Hagel noted.
All nations are examining the threat of citizens of their own countries participating with ISIL and other dangerous terrorist groups in the Middle East, the secretary added, and are looking for ways to work together to address the threat of foreign fighters. “That's not a military responsibility only,” he added. “It’s law enforcement -- it's all of the departments of each of our governments.”
Resolving the ISIL threat

Hagel said it was clear in his conversations with the president, the prime minister and the defense minister in Ankara that resolving the immediate ISIL threat will involve good, responsible governance.

“That’s what President Obama has talked about in Iraq,” Hagel said, “and I'm looking forward to hearing fairly soon that that a new government under Mr. Abadi in Iraq has been formed. It's the anchor [by] which these countries will have opportunities to go forward.” Last night, several hours after the secretary’s remarks, Iraq's parliament did approve a new government headed by Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi.

Obama called the prime minister yesterday to congratulate him and the Iraqi people on the new government, according to a White House statement, and applauded the efforts of Abadi and other Iraqi leaders to form a new, broad-based government.

Fighting a common enemy

The president also underscored the need for the United States and Iraq to continue working closely with the international community to build on recent actions to counter the threat posed ISIL, and the Iraqi prime minister expressed his commitment to work with all communities in Iraq and with regional and international partners to strengthen Iraq’s capabilities to fight against the common enemy, the statement said.

Hagel said good governance is important in Iraq, “because the military part of all this is … important, but it's not the only part.” It includes economics and diplomacy, he added, “and … the ability for countries to govern themselves and find opportunities for all their people.”

SECRETARY HAGEL COMMENTS ON GEORGIA'S STATUS AS ENHANCED NATO PARTNER

FROM:   U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT 

Right:  Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel is escorted past an honor cordon by Georgian Minister of Defense Irakli Alasania during a ceremony welcoming Hagel to the defense ministry in Tbilisi, Georgia, Sept. 7, 2014. DoD Photo by Glenn Fawcett. 

Hagel: U.S. Backs Georgia’s New NATO Standing, Boosts Defense Support
By Cheryl Pellerin
DoD News, Defense Media Activity

WASHINGTON, Sept. 7, 2014 – Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel made his first official visit to Georgia today following his participation at the NATO Summit in Wales, meeting with government and military leaders and congratulating the U.S. military partner on its new status as an enhanced NATO partner.
Hagel began his 16th international trip Sept. 3; a six-day visit that included participation in the NATO Summit in Wales last week and meetings with government and military leaders in Georgia and Turkey.

Meeting with the defense minister

This morning, after an official welcoming ceremony at the Ministry of Defense in Tbilisi, Hagel met with Defense Minister Irakli Alasania. During a press conference that followed the meeting, both reaffirmed their nations’ close defense partnership and the shared goal to build even stronger military ties.
“I also expressed the gratitude of the American people for the … significant contributions Georgia has made to operations in Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. Over more than a decade of fighting together, our two militaries have forged a deep and enduring friendship and a strong and vibrant partnership,” Hagel said.
In 2012, the U.S. and Georgian presidents agreed to an enhanced defense cooperation program to accelerate Georgia's defense reforms and modernization, increase Georgia's level of NATO interoperability and improve the nation's defense capabilities.

As a result of the agreement, the United States and Georgia have increased cooperative training events and dialogues among subject matter experts.
Because Georgia is a committed and dependable U.S. partner, the defense secretary said, the Defense Department fully supports Georgia's defense modernization efforts and will continue to help the nation fulfill its Euro-Atlantic aspirations -- including membership in NATO.

New NATO status

Hagel and Alasania discussed how the substantial package of measures for Georgia that NATO leaders endorsed at the Wales summit will strengthen the country’s relationship with NATO, Hagel added. These include expanded defense capacity-building efforts, more joint training exercises and enhanced interoperability capabilities.

Georgia was one of five nations to achieve the new elevated status of NATO enhanced-opportunities partners, and Hagel said the United States would make a substantial contribution to the new alliance effort and to continuing bilateral U.S.-Georgia capacity-building efforts.

“Today the minister and I discussed the necessary steps for Georgia to acquire the U.S. military helicopters that they have requested,” Hagel said, adding that Georgia's new status would help the nation advance its preparations toward NATO membership.

Russia

Hagel said the deepening ties between NATO and Georgia are especially important given the “dangerous and irresponsible actions of President [Vladimir] Putin toward Ukraine.”

Putin’s illegal annexation of Crimea, which the United States does not recognize, the secretary noted, “and the ongoing military campaign that Russia is mounting in eastern Ukraine, pose grave threats to regional stability, as had its actions inside Georgia's internationally recognized borders.”

The United States continues to call on Russia to fully withdraw its forces from Georgia's borders, Hagel said, adding that the United States welcomes the restraint Georgia has shown in this situation.

“Russia's actions here and in Ukraine pose a long-term challenge that the United States and our allies take very seriously. But President Putin's actions have also brought the United States and our friends in Europe, including Georgia, closer together,” Hagel said.

Battling terrorism

“We will need a close partnership to counter another key security challenge -- the growing threat of violent extremism,” the secretary added.

Hagel said he and Alasania discussed ways Georgia could play an important role in a partnership with the United States, Iraq and coalition partners to destroy the ISIL threat.

“This is a galvanizing moment for NATO and our partners,” Hagel added. “I believe that the summit in Wales put us on the right path to respond to President Putin's challenge over the long term, as well as the threat of ISIL.”

After the press conference, Hagel made his way to a meeting with Georgian Prime Minister Irakli Gharibashvili, stopping first at Heroes Square to lay a wreath.

Heroes Square

Heroes Square, built in 2009, honors those who died protecting Georgia’s territory. Etched into the main monument, a tall pillar of marble and methacrylate, are the names -- about 4,000 in total -- of Georgian military cadets who died fighting the Red Army in 1921, the leaders of an anti-Soviet revolt in 1924, and those who died during military actions in Abkhazia in 1992-1993 and in the five-day war in South Ossetia in August 2008.

Across the street, facing the obelisk, an eternal flame is flanked by an honor guard of two soldiers.

Afterward, Hagel met with the prime minister at the State Chancellery and later in the day at the President’s Palace with Georgian President Giorgi Margvelashvili.

Pentagon Press Secretary Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby provided readouts of the meetings.

In his meeting with the Georgian president, Hagel thanked Margvelashvili for his leadership and for the contributions Georgia continues to make in Afghanistan and other peacekeeping missions.

Georgia in Afghanistan

Georgian armed forces members have served in Afghanistan since 2004. The first full Georgian unit deployed to Afghanistan in 2010. Georgia is the largest non-NATO troop contributor to the International Security Assistance Force, with more than 10,000 soldiers having operated with Marines in Helmand Province.
To date, 29 Georgian soldiers have died and 276 have been wounded during their service in Afghanistan. Beyond 2014, Georgia has agreed to train, advise and assist the Afghan National Security Forces and has pledged financial assistance.
Meeting with the defense minister

Kirby said Hagel also praised the efforts of Defense Minister Alasania in helping the two militaries maintain a strong defense relationship, and reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to working with Georgia on a range of bilateral and alliance initiatives.

The two leaders discussed a host of regional security issues, the admiral said, including Russia's continued aggression inside Ukraine and the threat its actions pose to the regional and international order, and the threat posed by ISIL in the Middle East.

Common concern

One concern was common to Hagel’s meeting with Margvelashvili, and earlier in the day with the prime minister, Kirby said; the problem of foreign fighters flowing into Syria to join extremist groups and the threat those fighters represent to their homelands.

Hagel updated Margvelashvili and Gharibashvili on U.S. efforts to build a coalition of nations willing to contribute to continued operations inside Iraq and against ISIL, Kirby added. And the secretary thanked the Georgian leaders for their willingness to consider ways to support that initiative.

“In both his meetings this afternoon,” the admiral said, “Secretary Hagel pledged to continue the close dialogue and cooperation between our two countries.”

DOD VIDEO: HAGEL: U.S. ALLIES FOCUSED ON DESTROYING ISIL CAPABILITIES

SECRETARY HAGEL MAKES REMARKS WITH AUSTRALIAN MINISTERS

FROM:  U.S. DEFENSE DEPARTMENT

Remarks With Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Australian Minister of Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop, and Australian Minister of Defense David Johnston

Remarks

John Kerry

Secretary of State

Admiralty House

Sydney, Australia

August 12, 2014

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FOREIGN MINISTER BISHOP: Ladies and gentlemen, today we have welcomed to Sydney and to AUSMIN Secretaries John Kerry and Chuck Hagel, and this is the second AUSMIN meeting that the four principals here have participated in. The United States alliance is the most important security relationship for Australia, and AUSMIN is an annual opportunity for us to take stock of this relationship. And today’s discussion was broad in its scope. We were frank in our exchanges, and there was a clear instinct for collaboration across a wide area of endeavor. There’s a desire to share the burden of implementing our mutual vision and mutual goal of regional and global peace and prosperity, security and stability.

At a bilateral level, we signed the Force Posture Initiatives, the formal, legally binding document about a presence of U.S. Marines in the north of our country, and we focused particularly on the humanitarian disaster relief aspects of having the assistance of the U.S. in our region, which is, sadly, prone to natural disasters and other tragedies. Now at a regional level, we discussed the tensions in the South China Sea. Secretary Kerry and I have just returned from the East Asia Summit and the ASEAN Regional Forum, where the South China Sea was discussed at length, and we went over some of those issues. But we also discussed the tensions on the Korean Peninsula and our mutual desire to see North Korea denuclearized in a verifiable way and returned to the Six Party Talks.
We discussed the regional architecture and the need for the East Asia Summit to be the premier regional forum. It has the right mandate, the right membership to discuss matters of regional strategic significance. We talked about the importance of the Trans-Pacific Partnership. This is where the U.S. rebalance finds its economic expression and how important the TPP will be to opening up and liberalizing markets in our region. We discussed the emergence of China and other major powers in our region.

Globally, in the wake of the downing of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-17, we talked about the situation in eastern Ukraine and Russia’s intentions and the behavior of Russia in recent months and weeks involving the breach of sovereignty in Ukraine and elsewhere. We had a long discussion on the Middle East and the significant conflicts there, whether it be Syria, Iraq, or in Gaza, and we also talked about Afghanistan and our commitment to Afghanistan post-2014.

A considerable focus of our discussion was on counterterrorism and, more specifically, on the issue of foreign fighters. People going to fight in conflicts around the world, leaving their countries, going to Syria, Iraq, and elsewhere and becoming radicalized and taking part in extremist terrorist activities is, in fact, an international problem. It’s a concern for Australia, it’s a concern for the United States, but it’s a topic that’s raised increasingly in countries in our region and across Europe. It’s an international problem, but the barbaric ideology that these extremists embrace is, in fact, a threat to our way of life, a threat to our values, and we discussed ways that we can bring this issue to international attention. So a major focus on the issue of foreign fighters.

Overall, it was a most productive and most useful exchange from Australia’s point of view. We came up with a number of significant initiatives. The communiqué sets out the detail of it, but I want to thank both Secretary Kerry and Secretary Hagel for making the trip down under. We are always delighted to see you in our part of the world. You’ve been in Asia and Southeast Asia on so many occasions, and we always want you to come to Australia and count us in on your discussions. The relationship has never been stronger, and we have appreciated your commitment and focus on the issues that are of mutual concern and of concern to Australia’s national interest.

I’ll ask the Minister for Defense to say a few words and then pass over to our American friends.

DEFENSE MINISTER JOHNSTON: Well, thank you, Julie. To Secretary Kerry and Secretary Hagel, firstly, thank you for the magnanimous, generous, and gracious way that you’ve entered into our discussions. I must say I know I speak for Julie, it’s an absolute delight to be with you in your busy schedules to discuss matters that are regionally significant, but also in the wider area of world events, the problems we both are worried about, how best to confront them and how best Australia can help the United States in its very excellent leadership, particularly in this region.
Part of that is, of course, the rebalance, and we’re delighted to have 1,200 – approximately 1,200 U.S. Marines in Darwin. That, ladies and gentlemen, is going very seamlessly, very well, and it is a classic win-win situation. So today’s discussions have gone very cordially, very constructively, and very frankly as you would expect with partners and friends of long standing. So the rebalance has been, from our point of view, delivering the Marines into Darwin very, very successful so that our region has, of course, benefitted – and I reiterate this to the Secretaries – benefitted from the stability of the past 20, 30 years. That stability has been delivered by U.S. leadership and of course the booming middle class of Southeast and East Asia has been the end dividend of that stability.

And so today we’ve enjoyed discussing the challenges, what we perceive coming over the horizon in the future, matters such as counterterrorism, foreign fighters, which we both, as two countries have to deal with. Can I say that both Secretary Hagel and Secretary Kerry bring enormous amount of wisdom and wit to our discussions. And I must say to you the discussions have been most enjoyable. We share interoperability across so many fronts. We have very large numbers of people embedded in the United States in the U.S. military. We’ve got 400 people still in Afghanistan working with the Americans and our other ISAF partners going forward. I want to end on that note by just saying thank you very much for the trust. When we are doing things together in the defense space, trust is a really important part of that, and trust leads to great friendship, and I think we have great friendship, and I thank you both for that.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much, Julie. Good afternoon to all of you. And let me just – let me begin by saying that I am really delighted to be here with Secretary Hagel at the Australia-United States Ministerial Meeting. This is my first AUSMIN, as we call it, in Australia, and I really want to thank Foreign Minister Bishop and Defense Minister Johnston for their unbelievably warm welcome over the course of these two days. We had a very productive dinner discussion last night just over the way from here, and today we both join together in thanking Governor-General Cosgrove for opening up his magnificent residence to us. It afforded a really superb venue to be able to sit here quietly and be able to really dig in in very personal ways to very complicated issues, and we thank them for this special venue and special friendship that goes with it.

Secretary Hagel and I both want to begin any comments that we make here today with an expression of our deepest condolences to the families and the loved ones of the 38 Australians who lost their lives in the Flight 17 – Malaysia Airlines Flight 17. We both want to affirm to Australia and to the world that we absolutely demand, as does Australia, justice for this unconscionable crime. And just as we stand together on so many issues from the Asia Pacific to the Middle East to Afghanistan and beyond, we will see this through together.

I’ve also had the very good fortune to work with our Australian friends for many years, 29 years in the United States Senate and a number of years as chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee. So when Secretary Hagel and I served in Vietnam – slightly different times, but we both served there – we also fought alongside, side by side, with our Australian brothers who are great soldiers and great friends. In fact, Australian men and American men and women – men and women on both sides – have fought side by side in every major conflict since World War I, and we’re proud of the friendship and the trust, as Minister Johnston was just saying, that has grown out of this longtime relationship.

I was very privileged to join Secretary Hagel and Foreign Minister Bishop and Defense Minister Johnston last year at Arlington National Secretary where we honored this special bond between Australians and the United States, a bond that can only be forged through the sacrifice of war, which we both understand. So I thank Australia at this moment, particularly for stepping up yet again with their offer of humanitarian assistance in Iraq at this moment of crisis. The new Iraqi leadership has a very difficult challenge. It has to regain the confidence of its citizens by governing inclusively, but also by taking steps to demonstrate their resolve, and we’re going to continue to stand with the Iraqi people during this time of transition.

And though we live in different hemispheres and at opposite ends of the globe, the United States could ask for no better friend and no closer ally than Australia. Australia is a vital partner in so many different endeavors. It is vital as we deepen the U.S. economic engagement throughout the Asia Pacific, as we engage in the rebalances of – both ministers have referred to it, which will bring the United States even more to the effort to help create a larger economic transformation in the region and to bring about a rule of law-based structure where everybody understands the rules and where it is a race to the top, not to the bottom. We also are working hard together to try to complete a critical component of that race to the top, which is the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade agreement.

We also discussed, as has been mentioned by both ministers, difficult regional and global security challenges. We didn’t need to struggle to find commonality in our understanding of the fact that we are living in one of the most complicated moments of transformation and transition all across this planet. Instant communications, massive numbers of mobile devices, massive amounts of information moving at lightning speed around the globe informing everybody about everything all of the time. And that has changed politics, and it has changed international relations. It raises expectations among people all over the world. And it challenges politics in terms of building consensus around decisions.

So we face a lot of these challenges together in today’s world, and that is why it is so important to have the kind of discussion that we had here today where we lay out every one of those challenges and try to figure out how do we do this better, how can we have greater impact, how do we bring more people to the table in order to affect change. It has enabled both of our countries to stand with the people of Ukraine, support long-term progress in Afghanistan, reduce tensions in the South China Sea, collaborate in the United Nations Security Council on everything from Iran to Syria to restricting trade in illicit small arms and weapons and even in our fellow human beings.

Today’s session allowed us to consult and coordinate in depth on these issues and on the challenges that we face in Iraq and Gaza, and we also agreed in conjunction with our discussion about the foreign fighters that Julie raised a moment ago that we are going to work together to assemble a compendium of the best practices in the world today regarding those foreign fighters, and we intend to join together in order to bring this to the United Nations meeting next month and put it on the agenda in a way that will elicit support from source countries as well as those countries of concern.

Earlier today, as you all know, we signed a Force Posture Agreement that will further strengthen and deepen the U.S.-Australian defense relationship, and we agreed to expand our trilateral cooperation with Japan. So you can see that we covered a range of very important issues in the Asia Pacific region, including our commitment to the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. And the United States – I want to make this clear – is absolutely prepared to improve relations with North Korea if North Korea will honor its international obligations. It’s that simple. But make no mistake we are also prepared to increase pressure, including through strong sanctions and further isolation if North Korea chooses the path of confrontation.
So I join Secretary Hagel in thanking Foreign Minister Bishop and Defense Minister Johnston for very productive discussions over the past day, and we all look forward to continuing our work together in the years to come in order to address these complex challenges.

SECRETARY HAGEL: John, thank you, and I, too, appreciate an opportunity to be with Secretary Kerry here for the AUSMIN meetings that we are concluding this afternoon. I want to add my thanks as well to our hosts, Minister Bishop, Minister Johnston, and also to Governor-General Cosgrove for his hospitality here at Admiralty House. So thank you.

On a visit to the United States in 1960, the great Australian prime minister, Robert Menzies, said that strength is admirable, but only for the responsibilities it accepts and discharges. America, Australia, and this historic alliance has always, always sought to live up to those responsibilities around the world. Today’s agenda for the U.S.-Australia alliance, you have heard, span issues ranging from the South China Sea to Iraq where Secretary Kerry and I expressed our appreciation for Australia’s offer to contribute to the humanitarian and relief operations and where America is prepared to intensify its security cooperation as Iraq undertakes and makes progress towards political reform.

We also addressed the crisis in Ukraine as has been noted and Australia’s tragic loss of 38 citizens and residents aboard MH-17. And as I have said, as Secretary has – Secretary Kerry has expressed, our condolences to the people of Australia and especially the families of those who were lost in that tragedy. America will continue to work with Australia as we have said clearly and plainly to provide requested support and assistance.

Today we have reinforced the foundation of our alliances, defense, and security cooperation by, as Secretary Kerry noted, signing the U.S.-Australia Force Posture Agreement. This long-term agreement on rotational deployment of U.S. Marines in Darwin and American Airmen in northern Australia will broaden and deepen our alliance’s contributions to regional security and advance America’s ongoing strategic rebalance in the Asia Pacific. At today’s AUSMIN having just come from New Delhi and having consulted closely with our Japanese and Korean allies and ASEAN defense ministers, I see a new, committed resolve to work together, to work together to build a security system across this Indo-Pacific region, recognizing the independent sovereignty of nations, respecting that sovereignty, but also recognizing the common interests that we all have for a stable, peaceful, secure world.

The U.S. Australia alliance is spurring this progress and will remain a bedrock for a stable and secure order. Along with Secretary Kerry, let me again thank our hosts, Minister Bishop, Minister Johnston, and Governor-General Cosgrove for hosting this year’s AUSMIN and what they continue to do as we continue to collaborate and work together on some of the great issues of our time. As Secretary Kerry has noted, we live in an immensely complicated world, but a world that is still full of hope and promise if we endeavor to bring resolute, strong leadership, leadership that is committed to these virtues and values and principles that we all share and living up to the highest responsibilities as Prime Minister Menzies once said. Thank you very much.

MODERATOR: Okay. Thank you. We’re now going to have four questions, and I think Laura, you’re going to kick off. Thank you.

QUESTION: Laura Jayes from Sky News. Secretary Kerry, Secretary Hagel, thank you. Ministers, thank you. I wanted to first go to Russia, and our Australian Government has talked about greater sanctions on Russia, leaving that option open, uranium perhaps. Secretary Kerry, is that a path you would like to see Australia go down? There’s also the question of Vladimir Putin attending the G20 Summit. I wondered if you have a comment on that.

And also, as I guess a little bit out of that direct realm, China in all of this. We’ve seen the U.S. and EU impose quite strong sanctions against Russia in the last couple of months, but China has, I think, helped to dilute that in some ways, if you, Secretary Kerry, could address those questions, also, Minister Bishop as well.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much. On the subject of sanctions with respect to Russia, we are very understanding of our friend, Australia’s deep, deep anger and its need for justice with respect to what has happened. This is an unconscionable crime on a huge international order that findings already, without the full investigation being done – and we are pressing for a full investigation, because nothing is complete until you have a full investigation. But there is no question – and we’ve said this publicly previously, but that this type of weapon and all the evidence of it was seen on our imagery. We saw the takeoff. We saw the trajectory. We saw the hit. We saw this airplane disappear from the radar screen. So there’s really no mystery about where it came from and where these weapons have come from.

But we need to have the complete investigation, obviously, to legitimize whatever steps are going to be taken as we go down the road, and that’s why we’re all pressing so hard for that. The foreign minister of Australia traveled to New York, made an eloquent plea working with our ambassador and others there, Frans Timmermans of – the Dutch foreign minister spoke eloquently about what had happened. And the world can’t just sort of move by this and gloss by it. People need to remember this, because holding people accountable is essential not just to justice for what happened, but to deterrence and prevention in the future, and we don’t want to see these kinds of things ever repeated again.

So we’re open, but we haven’t made any decisions. I’m not sure Australia has either yet. We need to see what’s happening, but our hope and prayer – our hope is that in the next days and weeks we can find a way for President Poroshenko and Ukraine to be able to work with the Russians to provide the humanitarian assistance necessary in the east to facilitate the thoroughness of the investigation, to begin to bring the separatists to the degree that they are Ukrainian into the political process, and for those who are not Ukrainian, they need to leave the country, and there needs to be a process worked out where the supplies stop coming in both in money and arms and support and people and Ukraine is allowed to begin to protect its sovereignty and define its future. Our hope is that that can happen through the diplomatic process, but we’ve all learned that we need to be cautious and strong at the same time in our responses and clear about what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.

With respect to the G20 Summit, et cetera, no decisions have been made at this point in time. I think a lot of the attitudes about the – about that issue from the various countries attending can, frankly, be determined and impacted to some degree in what happens in these next days and weeks.

And finally, with respect to China and what is going on, we have said again and again – and we just had a Strategic and Economic Dialogue in China, Secretary Jack Lew of the Treasury and I were there, with two days of discussions, and we made it very clear to China that we welcome the rise of China as a global partner, hopefully, as a powerful economy, as a full participating, constructive member of the international community, and we want China to participate in constructive ways, whether it’s in the South China Sea or with respect to Japan and South Korea, with North Korea, with other issues that we face. We are not seeking conflict and confrontation, and our hope is that China will, likewise, take advantage of the opportunities that are in front of it to be that cooperative partner.

And so there are always differences, shades – there are differences with respect to certain issues, and we’ve agreed to try to find those things where we can really cooperate. We’re cooperating in Afghanistan, we’re cooperating on nonproliferation with respect to Iran, we’re cooperating to get the chemical weapons out of Syria, we’re cooperating on counterterrorism, we’re cooperating on nuclear weaponry and on the reduction of nuclear arms. So there are plenty of big issues on which we cooperate with Russia even now every day, and our hope is that on those things where we’ve obviously had some disagreements with China or with Russia that we can both find a diplomatic path forward, because everybody in the world understands the world will be better off if great power nations are finding ways to cooperate, not to confront each other.

FOREIGN MINISTER BISHOP: If I could put this question of sanctions in context, MH-17 was a commercial airplane flying in commercial airspace carrying 298 civilians. Passenger numbers included 80 children, and this plane was shot down, we believe, by a surface-to-air missile just inside eastern Ukraine. The deaths of so many people, including 38 Australian citizens and residents was shocking, and the implications for international aviation are profound. So after completing our humanitarian mission of removing the remains and personal effects from the crash site, we are now focused on the investigation into how this came to be, how this plane was shot down, and who did it, because those culpable for creating the circumstances or for actually causing the downing of this plane must be held to account, and the grief of our citizens demands answers. They must be held to account, the perpetrators, and brought to justice.

All the while, when Australian and Dutch teams, unarmed police, humanitarian teams were seeking to get to the crash site, all the while, Russia was supplying more armed personnel, more heavy weaponry over the border into eastern Ukraine. They didn’t cease, and in fact increased their efforts. And instead of listening to international concerns about a ceasefire and the need for a humanitarian corridor for us to conclude our work, on the very day that Australia was holding a national day of mourning to grieve the loss of so many Australian lives, Russia chose to impose sanctions on Australia through an embargo on our agricultural exports.
We are rightly focused on the investigation, supporting the Netherlands, Malaysia, Belgium, and Ukraine as part of an investigation team. But on the question of sanctions, we will consider the options available to us, but our focus at present is to bring closure to the families who are still grieving over this barbaric act of shooting down a plane that killed their loved ones.
As far as the G20 is concerned, as Secretary Kerry indicated, there’s been no decision. The G20 is an economic forum. There would have to be a consensus view as to whether or not steps should be taken in relation to President Putin’s presence here in Australia.
On China, I must say that China was extremely supportive of our resolution in the United Nations Security Council. As you’d be aware, it was a unanimous resolution. It was supported by all 15 members of the UN Security Council, and China has suffered a great loss through the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight MH-370. Australia has done what we can to help in that search effort, and I have committed to Foreign Minister Wang Yi last weekend that Australia will continue to help search for that missing plane. So China grieves with us over the loss of people aboard airplanes that have crashed or disappeared in such extraordinary circumstances.

On the question of China’s support beyond MH-17, Russia’s behavior in recent months has been to breach the sovereignty of Ukraine, a neighbor, and this is not behavior that China, one would think, would condone. It’s behavior that China has pointed out to others would be unacceptable if it were to occur in China’s sphere of the world. So we’ll continue to consult, discuss with China the impact of the Russian-Ukrainian tensions, the conflict, the need for ceasefire, the need for humanitarian assistance and hope that China sees it as we do, an unacceptable breach of Ukraine’s sovereignty and urge Russia to stop the flow of weapons, stop the flow of armed personnel. Russia claims to be concerned about a humanitarian situation in Ukraine when the first thing it should do is stop sending weapons and armed personnel to the so-called separatists.

QUESTION: I’m (inaudible). I’m a reporter with Bloomberg News. Questions on Iraq first to Secretary Hagel: What kind of direct military assistance is the Pentagon prepared to offer the Kurds, and does it include sending heavy weapons to them?

And if I can ask Secretary Kerry: Can you talk a little bit more about what the United States is prepared to do once there is a new Iraqi Government? And both of you, do you share any concern that directly aiding and supporting the Kurds could potentially encourage them to break away from a united Iraq in the future?

And to the Australian officials, the U.S. has said it will assist and train Iraqi troops to combat ISIL. And have you been asked and are you prepared to send any of your troops to train the Iraqi forces? Thank you.

SECRETARY HAGEL: The United States Government is working with the Iraqi Government, the Iraqi security forces to get military equipment to the Peshmerga. That is Iraqi military equipment. We – our American forces through CENTCOM are helping get that equipment to Erbil. As to your question regarding a breakaway status of the Kurds into an independent Kurdistan, I think it’s important that – and we have taken this position and Secretary Kerry, who has been directly involved in this, may want to amplify on this point – but it’s important to note that America’s position is a unified Iraq.

You all know that the Council of Representatives announced today that it had selected a new prime minister, a new Shia prime minister. That then completes the new senior officers that the Counsel of Representatives have put forth, a new speaker of the parliament, a new president, a new prime minister. That’s good news. Now the next step has to move forward in getting that government ratified and in place, and we look forward to working with that new government.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well – sorry, go ahead. No, please.

DEFENSE MINISTER JOHNSTON: With respect to the Australian contribution to those people who are in the mountains around Erbil, we are going to be participate and deliver humanitarian relief in the nature of being able to drop supplies to them, and that is a (inaudible) capability we have long held probably since East Timor. And that’s the role that we’ll carry out, and we’ll fit into and be part of the planning of the United States and other partners who want to assist on that humanitarian basis, and that’s the way we’ll go forward. Sorry, John.

SECRETARY KERRY: No, no, no. That’s important, and I appreciate it. Let me just begin by congratulating Dr. Haider al-Abadi on his nomination, which now offers him an opportunity to be able to form a government over the next 30 days. And we urge him to form a new cabinet as swiftly as possible, and the U.S. does stand ready to fully support a new and inclusive Iraqi Government, particularly in its fight against ISIL.

Now I’m not going to get into the details today before a new prime minister is there and a government is there and we’ve talked to them and we know what they think their needs are and how they define the road ahead, but I will tell you that without any question, we are prepared to consider additional political, economic, and security options as Iraq starts to build a new government and very much calculated to try to help stabilize the security situation, to expand economic development, and to strengthen the democratic institutions. Those will be the guidelines.

We also would note that there are already a significant group of programs in place under the strategic framework agreement, and we, with a new government in place, would absolutely look to provide additional options, and we would consider those options for sure in an effort to strengthen an effort. Let me be very clear we have always wanted an inclusive, participatory government that represents the interests of Shia, Kurd, Sunni, minorities, all Iraqis. That’s the goal. And our hope is that when there is a new government, we will all of us in the international community be able to work with them in order to guarantee that outstanding issues that have just stood there absolutely frozen for years now, like the oil revenue law or the constitutional reform, all of these things need to be resolved, and that will really determine the road ahead.
Now with respect to the Kurds, we welcome increased coordination and support between the Iraqi security forces and the Kurdish forces. That is taking place right now. It’s quite unique, and we think that’s a signal of a growing potential for cooperation between Baghdad and Erbil. So as we’ve said last week, ISIL has secured certain heavy weaponry, and the Kurds need additional arms, and what is happening now is through the government in Baghdad, some of that assistance is being provided directly to the Kurds. I think that raises as many questions about the possibility of greater cooperation as it does with the possibility of further efforts for separation.

What I do know is from my own meetings with President Barzani recently, he is very committed to this transition in Baghdad, in Iraq, in the government. He is committed to trying to be a force for a strong federal government that works for all Iraqis, and that’s the only subject on the table at this point in time.

QUESTION: Secretaries, Ministers, Greg Jennett from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. This is to any or all of you, but perhaps starting with you, Secretary Kerry. Following on from that question on Iraq and noting that you don’t want to get into details, but that stabilizing security is an option that the U.S. is prepared to explore with the government there, what are the circumstances in which the U.S. could look to allies, including Australia, to support security with further military commitments, if you could outline at least the parameters in which you would start that conversation.

And also on homecoming jihadists from the Middle East, what is the shared approach? Practically, what sort of initiatives are we talking about? As this – things before prosecution, after incarceration, before interrogation, is there any example of the types of actions you’d like to see the world take jointly?

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, let me let a couple of my colleagues – I’ll turn to Julie to address the issue on the foreign fighters, because we had a pretty robust discussion, and perhaps even Mr. Johnston and Hagel want to tackle that. So let me just answer the first part of the question, and they can answer the second.

The question is: How can we look towards this issue of stabilization and military assistance? And you said: Where would the discussion begin? Well, let me tell you in the simplest terms where the discussion begins. There will be no reintroduction of American combat forces into Iraq. That is the beginning of the discussion. This is a fight that Iraqis need to join on behalf of Iraq, and our hope is and the reason President Obama has been so clear about wanting to get the government formation before beginning to tackle ISIL in the most significant way excepting the kind of emergency circumstances that have arisen is because if you don’t have a government that is inclusive and that works, nothing else will work plain and simply.
So you have to have a government that can begin to be inclusive where the forces of Iraq are not a personal force defined by one particular sect and sworn to allegiance to one particular leader, but they truly represent Iraq, and Iraq’s future in a broad-based sense. And I think that everybody understands that is the direction that we have to go. Lots of countries who have an interest in stability in the region have already offered different kinds of assistance of one kind or another, but nobody, I think, is looking towards a return to the road that we’ve traveled. What we’re really looking for here is a way to support Iraq, support their forces with either training or equipment or assistance of one kind or another that can help them to stand on their own two feet and defend their nation. That’s the goal. That’s where the conversation begins, whoever is prime minister, and I think everybody is crystal clear about that.

We are convinced that with a unified effort by Iraqis, and particularly if there is a return to the kind of localized efforts that existed in the Sons of Anbar or the Iraqi Anbar Awakening, as it’s referred to, that there will be plenty of opportunity here for a pushback against ISIL forces which is why the restoration of a unified, inclusive government is so critical as a starting point. I think the President felt that that process was well enough along the way with the selection of a speaker, the selection of a president, and the clear movement of people towards a candidate for prime minister that he felt comfortable that the urgency of the situation, of protecting potential people moving towards Erbil or the extraordinary atrocities that were beginning to take place with respect to the Yazidis that it was critical to begin to move in that regard, and that’s why he made that decision, and I think it was a wise decision.

FOREIGN MINISTER BISHOP: Australia has long joined the international community in calling for a more inclusive government in Iraq, and the political instability that we have seen that hasn’t addressed the concerns of the Sunnis, hasn’t addressed the concerns of minorities, is of course a matter of grave concern. So political stability is the key for Iraq encountering the influence and impact of these extremist groups, including ISIL. And that brings me to the issue of foreign fighters. The Australian media has, this week, published some truly shocking photographs I assume have been verified of an Australian family in the Middle East holding up a severed head, a seven year-old child is involved in this barbarous display of ideology, and they’re Australian citizens.

So when the government says that there is a real domestic security threat from the phenomenon of foreign fighters, we have evidence that there are a significant number of Australian citizens who are taking part in activities in Iraq and parts of Syria, extremist activities, terrorist activities. Our fear is that they will return home to Australia as hardened, homegrown terrorists and seek to continue their work here in Australia. And it’s not a concern just of this country. As I mentioned earlier, at the East Asia Summit, a number of countries raised this issue of foreign fighters leaving countries, going to fight in these conflicts and coming home with a set of skills and experience as terrorists. That truly poses one of the most significant threats that we’ve seen in a very long time.

Our discussion today focused on what we can do to counter this risk. Australia, as the Australian media would be well aware, has announced a series of legislative reforms that deal with matters including the burden of proof for people’s presence in prescribed areas like Mosul, and why Australian citizens would be defying the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade advice to not go to Mosul demands explanation. We are looking at issues involving passports and the cancellation and the ability to suspend passports so that we can investigate the activities of people within Australia and deal with them on their turn.

We know that one of the Australian citizens involved in these activities in the Middle East in Iraq had, in fact, been convicted of terrorist activities in Australia, had served time and then left Australia under a false identity. We also know that in coming weeks and months, a significant number of those convicted of terrorist activities in Indonesia will be released. Now the question is: Have they been de-radicalized in their time in prison? Clearly in the case of the Australian citizen, not. And we hold similar fears for those inmates leaving Indonesian jails. So the whole question of what we can do when these people are detained and what we can do if they’re prosecuted and found guilty and spend time in jail, they are matters that we have to look at. The whole question of reaching out to the communities in Australia and getting communities to assist us in fighting this extremist threat is important.

So as we were discussing these issues, Secretary Kerry said this is something we’ve got to bring to the attention of the international community. It’s a shared issue across Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Europe, in Pakistan, in Great Britain, Canada. There are a number of countries across the globe reporting instances of citizens becoming extremist fighters in the Middle East. And so this idea of having a forum, discussion at UNGA Leaders’ Week is something that I believe will be well supported because so many countries are facing this threat, and if we can exchange ideas and practices and suggestions as how we can deal with it, then I think we will have made a great step forward, and so we certainly will support the United States and work very hard to ensure that we collectively deal with this growing threat to the security of our nation.

SECRETARY KERRY: Can I add one thing to that?

FOREIGN MINISTER BISHOP: Sure.

SECRETARY KERRY: I apologize, but I just want to underscore this image, perhaps even an iconic photograph that Julie has just referred to is really one of the most disturbing, stomach-turning, grotesque photographs ever displayed, this seven year-old child holding a severed head out with pride and with the support and encouragement of a parent with brothers there. That child should be in school, that child should be out learning about a future, that child should be playing with other kids, not holding a severed head and out in the field of combat. This is utterly disgraceful, and it underscores the degree to which ISIL is so far beyond the pale with respect to any standard by which we judge even terrorist groups, that al-Qaida shunted them aside. And that’s why they represent the threat that they represent. And it’s no accident that every country in the region is opposed to ISIL.

So this threat is so real, an African – north African president of a country recently told me that 1,800 identified citizens of that country have gone to Syria to fight. Believe it or not, 1,100 of them they knew had already been killed because their bodies had been returned or they were tallied as killed. Well, that leaves 7 or 800 still out there that they fear are going to return to that country knowing how to fix an IED, knowing how to arm weapons, knowing how to explode a bomb, knowing how to build a suicide vest or something like that. And this ideology is without one redeeming quality of offering people a job or healthcare or an education or anything other than saying don’t live any other way but the way we tell you.

So this is serious business, and we understand that, and I think the world is beginning to come to grips with the fact, the degree to which this is unacceptable. And we have a responsibility to take this to the United Nations and to the world so that all countries involved take measures ahead of time to prevent the return of these fighters and the chaos and havoc that could come with that, and I just wanted to underscore that with the – with Minister Bishop, because we’re all joined together in this effort, and that’s why we’re going to take it to the United Nations in the fall and try to get best practices put together by which all countries can begin to act together in unison in order to react to it.

QUESTION: Leslie Wroughton from Reuters. Please excuse if I don’t stand up. I’ve got too much equipment going here. Turning back to Iraq, you said that the U.S. was prepared to consider security, political, and economic options as Iraq forms this new government. Can you get into more specifics about that? We’ve heard some vague statements on how you ought to prepare to support. Does this include further airstrikes to push back ISIS? Once the government comes in, how do you secure that stability?

And then number two, on Ukraine, NATO Secretary General Rasmussen said today there’s a high probability of a Russian intervention in Ukraine. What specific steps, again, are you taking through diplomatic channels to address this. You talked about your hopes in the next days and weeks to – that you could find a way for President Poroshenko and Ukraine to be able to work with the Russians. Are you talking about a new diplomatic effort here? And what are you talking about? Thanks.

SECRETARY KERRY: Well, let me make it clear with respect to Ukraine, diplomatic efforts have never ceased. It’s not a question of a new one; it’s a question of ongoing diplomatic efforts. We have never stopped. The President has not stopped, the Vice President, myself have all been in touch with the top leadership of Ukraine, with leadership of Russia, and others. The President of the United States talked to President Putin a few days ago. I talked to Foreign Minister Lavrov just a couple days ago. I talked to President Poroshenko a few days ago. There are a lot of conversations taking place.

And even now as we stand here, there are efforts being made with our friends, with Germany, with the Ukrainians, with Russia, with others to try to see if there’s a way to work out a way forward on the humanitarian delivery with direct contact with the ICRC. There is direct contact with the Germans and others in this effort, and the hope is that through the meetings that will take place this week, there is a way to find a means that is acceptable to deliver humanitarian assistance without the guise of a military delivery in an effort to do so against the will and wishes of the country where it is being delivered and against the norms of the ICRC, the International Red Cross, and how it would react to that.

So that’s the effort that’s underway now. It’s been a consistent, continued diplomatic effort to try to find a way forward, but obviously the humanitarian assistance needs to get there, and there are a clear set of meetings scheduled, so there’s a timeframe within which we think we’re operating, which is why I mention that.

With respect to Iraq and the stability, I want – I think Chuck Hagel should speak specifically to any of the security components of that, but I’d just say on the economic and political front, the best thing for stability in Iraq is for an inclusive government to bring the disaffected parties to the table and work with them in order to make sure there is the kind of sharing of power and decision making that people feel confident the government represents all of their interests. And if that begins to happen, then there is a way for both investment, trade, economic, other realities to help sustain and build that kind of stability.
But if you don’t have the prerequisite, which President Obama identified at the outset, of an inclusive, working government, there’s no chance for any of that. That’s why we think the steps taken, the selection of a speaker, the selection of a president, and now a prime minister-designate who has an opportunity to be able to form a government are just essential prerequisites to this process of providing stability.

Do you want to talk to the security?

SECRETARY HAGEL: I’ll just mention a couple of things. One, as you know, it was the Iraqi Government that requested the U.S. Government’s assistance with humanitarian delivery on Mount Sinjar. And we complied with that request, agreed with that request for carrying out those missions. It was also the Iraqi Government’s request of the United States Government to assist them in transferring, transporting military equipment to Erbil to help the Peshmerga. As Secretary Kerry noted and as President Obama has said, as a new government begins, takes shape, we would consider further requests from that new government.

But I would just also reemphasize what Secretary Kerry has already noted, and President Obama has made this very clear, the future of Iraq will be determined by the people of Iraq. It will not be determined by a military solution. It will require a political solution, and I think Secretary Kerry’s comments about an inclusive participatory, a functioning government is critically important to the future of Iraq. So we would wait and see what future requests that this new government would ask of us, and we would consider those based on those requests.

FOREIGN MINISTER BISHOP: Just on Ukraine, Australia welcomes the efforts of the United States to assist in preventative diplomacy between Ukraine and Russia. As I made, I hope, very clear to Vice Minister Morgulov in Naypyidaw over the weekend, yes, there is a humanitarian situation in Ukraine that is serious, and it’s likely to worsen. But if Russia were concerned about the humanitarian situation in Ukraine, the first step is to stop the flow of fighters and weapons into eastern Ukraine and the so-called separatists are very professional, very well armed with the most sophisticated of weaponry and equipment, so to cease that flow of personnel and weapons would be a start.

I also hope I made very clear that any intervention by Russia into Ukraine under the guise of a humanitarian crisis would be seen as the transparent artifice that it is, and Australia would condemn in the strongest possible terms any effort by Russia to enter Ukraine under the guise of carrying out some sort of humanitarian mission. Clearly that kind of support must come from donor countries, from the UN, from the International Red Cross, and that is our expectation.
I think that’s it, (inaudible). Yes, ladies and gentlemen, thank you very much. We will now depart, and I just want to place on record again our thanks to Secretaries Kerry and Hagel for taking part in this AUSMIN, and we look forward to seeing them next year.

SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you.