BRIEFING FROM THE PENTAGON JUNE 5, 2012

Photo:  Pentagon.  Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Presenter: Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Media Operations Capt. John Kirby June 05, 2012
OD News Briefing with Capt. Kirby from the Pentagon
            CAPTAIN JOHN KIRBY:  Afternoon, everybody.
            First, as you -- just a couple of thoughts here.  First, as you know, Secretary Panetta continues his trip to the Asia-Pacific region this week.  Today he arrived in New Delhi, and he paid calls on both Prime Minister Singh and National Security Advisor Menon.  We provided you all a readout of those meetings, both of which the secretary appreciated.  And he continues to believe these meetings are valuable to helping us continue to improve the military relationship that we enjoy with India.

            You may also have seen that we reached agreement today with India to resume activities related to the recovery of remains of U.S. airmen lost in World War II.  We believe there's about 400 unaccounted-for service members from some 90 wartime crashes in northeastern India, and we have information on about 16 of known crash sites and continue to develop information about others.  As the secretary noted, the return of our fallen heroes remains a top priority for the department.  This agreement reached with India today is a critical first step to providing some comfort to the families of those American airmen, and we are grateful for the government -- to the government of India for their cooperation and understanding.
            With that, Bob.
            Q:  John, what can you say about the U.S. government's degree of confidence in having killed al-Libi in the airstrike yesterday?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Yeah, as you know, Bob, we don't talk about the specific of the counterterrorism operations, so I'm not going to be able to confirm those press reports.  But this is a very dangerous individual, and for him to no longer be walking the earth would be a good thing for everybody.  I think the leadership development program of al-Qaida is -- has some health risks and hazards that we think are good.
            Q:  (Off mic) -- drone attacks took place?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  No, as I said, we don't discuss the specifics of counterterrorism operations.  So I'm not going -- I'm not going to speak to specifics of operations.
            Q:  But can -- could you say if al-Libi, the al-Qaida number two in Pakistan, is one of the United States' targets?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Senior leaders of al-Qaida period, no matter where they are, by virtue of what they choose to do for a living, are threats to our security, the security of the American people, and the security of our friends and allies around the world.  They remain threats, and the president, the secretary of defense have made it very clear that we're going to deal with those threats wherever they are.
            Q:  So not responding specifically to this operation yesterday or anything that happened in the incidents yesterday, do you have any indication Abu Yahya al-Libi (ph) is less alive today than he was -- (inaudible)?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  I have nothing for you on that today.
            Spence.
            Q:  On India, the secretary asked the Indians to step up their involvement in Afghanistan.  How is that not potentially provocative to the Pakistanis at a time when the department is trying to get greater Pakistani cooperation on a range of Afghanistan-related issues?  And to what degree do the benefits of that deeper Indian cooperation outweigh those potential costs?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  I think the reports have been slightly exaggerated; I don't believe the secretary asked them to impress them to do more rather than expressed how much he appreciated the work they were doing to help provide support in Afghanistan and some of the things that they were -- that they have expressed interest in continuing to do in Afghanistan, but also in the region.  And so I think it was really more a statement of appreciation for everything they've done and the hope that they'll continue to stay involved as a leader in the region.
            And they're -- you know, this is a -- it's a vital part of the world, and our engagement in the region is not about bilateral relations only with any one particular country.  We've long said that security in Afghanistan is a -- is tied very closely to our relationship with Pakistan, as it is also with our relationship with other countries in the region, including India.  India is a global power, and they are meeting their responsibilities and we welcome that.
            Q:  So to clarify, did the secretary or did the secretary not ask the Indians for a deeper involvement in training the Afghan army and police?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  I think he expressed gratitude for what they have done and -- that his fervent hope that they'll continue to stay engaged in the region and in particular in helping Afghanistan as it moves forward.
            Tony.
            Q:  I'm going to shift gears to the F-22.  On May 15th, you and George Little came up here and announced the flight limitation.  Fast-forward three and half weeks later, where does that -- is there any new information you can impart about how close the Air Force is to divining a cause for the oxygen issue?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Well, I know that -- I don't have anything new to announce today, but I do know that their work continues.  They're working on this very, very hard.  We expect that they will be briefing the secretary, giving him an update, in the very near future.  But I wouldn't want to get ahead of that.  And I certainly would refer you to Air Force on any specifics.  Right now I don't have anything new to announce but -- other than to tell you that we do know that there has been a lot of work in the intervening weeks.  And again, they're preparing to update the secretary soon.
            Q:  What's the -- what's OSD's position on grounding the fleet if at some point a cause is not determined and it's still hanging out there -- as in an engineering problem that needs to be solved, using your words?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Right.  And I think the secretary -- the secretary takes this issue very, very seriously.  It's a safety-of-flight issue.  He understands that.  And he's not taking any options off the table with respect to the future of the aircraft.
            Right now he doesn't believe that grounding the fleet is the prudent course.  And he endorsed the way forward that the Air Force is pursuing, and also, as we announced, imposed some flight restrictions.  I think he wants to see how that's going and he wants to get updated from Air Force leadership, find out what they've learned before we take any more decisions moving forward.
  But no options with respect to this program are off the table right now.  Again, it's a safety-of-flight issue that he takes very, very seriously.
            Q:  (Inaudible) -- national weapons program in case -- if it is forced into combat would these limitations -- not cripple, but curtail its combat effectiveness?
            CAPT. KIRBY: Well, it's on an operational deployment, as you know, in the Middle East region right now, and we haven't discerned any operational impact as a result of the flight limitations that have been placed on it.  So right now the aircraft is performing very well in an operational setting, and again, we're just going to continue to watch this as we move forward.
            Yes, sir.
            Q:  Japan has a new defense minister.  Has the secretary spoken to him on the phone?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Not to my knowledge, they have not communicated, no.
            Q:  Captain, may I ask you something on Mexico?  Recently -- well, as you know, in the current situation the most reliable institution and the most respected institution in Mexico is the army, the Mexican army.  They are struggling against the drug cartels.  Mexico and U.S. have been working closer in this relationship between militaries.  But however, now there are allegations of corruption against four high-rank generals of the army.
            Do you have any concern about these allegations?  Do you think some -- how can harm the current relationship and the work of the -- of the -- of both countries against the organized crime?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  I don't have anything -- I've not heard anything about these allegations.  So this is the first I'm hearing that there are allegations against senior officers in the Mexican army.  So I wouldn't be able to comment on that specifically, except to say that we do value our relationship with the Mexican armed forces and we take very seriously our commitment across the interagency in the United States, not just in the Defense Department, to try to help stem the issue of narcotics flow and narco-violence and terrorism that has occurred inside Mexico -- again, to the degree the Mexicans want support.  I mean, we're not -- we're not doing anything without, of course, their invitation and their request and with their approval.  But it's -- but it's a serious issue we share across that border and that we both are taking very, very seriously.
            And without respect to these allegations that -- again, that I don't know anything about -- I would tell you that I don't see anything changing our commitment to continue to assist the Mexican armed forces to the degree that we can.
            Q:  Do you think there is something that must -- can be done, not only in Mexico but in some other countries to avoid the corruption of the military by these cartels?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Well, again, your question would imply that there is rampant corruption inside the Mexican military, and I certainly wouldn't make that change here today.  Again, it's a very important relationship that we take very seriously, on a very serious topic and issue, a security issue, for both our nations.  And we want to just continue to look for ways to get that cooperation even better, even closer, to continue to address this problem.
            Bob.
            Q:  NATO's announcement yesterday that they have an agreement with -- I think with Uzbekistan and other countries to the north of Afghanistan to -- for the removal of materiel out of -- out of Afghanistan --
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Right.
            Q:  Should this be seen as an indication that the U.S. has essentially given up persuading the Pakistanis to reopening the supply -- overland supply routes?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  No, I wouldn't take it that way at all.  This is an agreement that -- and I would let the alliance speak to it -- that the alliance made with these three nations.  As you know, we have bilateral agreements with them as well, through the Northern Distribution Network, to move goods in and out of Afghanistan.  We are very appreciative for those arrangements and continue to use them.
            We've also long said that we do believe having the ground gates open at Chaman and the Torkham gates open for the flow of coalition traffic in and out of Afghanistan is -- remains valuable.  And we continue to be in discussions with our Pakistani counterparts about the -- about trying to get those gates open and, in general, trying to improve the relationship with Pakistan writ large.
            But no, I would not take the pursuit of this deal and this agreement as any kind of repudiation of the importance of those gates or the larger relationship with Pakistan.
            Q:  The discussions with the Pakistanis about the two gates -- is it -- has it boiled down to a negotiation over money, or are there other issues?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Well, I wouldn't get into the details here from -- I don't want to be negotiating this in public.  But I mean, it -- certainly the gates are a topic of discussion here in these discussions.  There's no question about that.  But it is really, writ large, about trying to get the relationship, at a strategic level, on a better and more firm footing than it has been since the November 26th incident.
            Jeff?
            Q:  I'm just curious -- after 2014, will the Air Force have a role in supplying the Afghan army and police?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  The post-2014 U.S. presence and mission has yet to be determined.  We have long said and continue to believe that they'll be some U.S. presence in Afghanistan and a -- and a U.S. military mission of some kind after the ISAF mission ends at the end of 2014.  But the details of that are -- we aren't even at the point where, you know, we're starting to lay all that out.  It will most likely be in some sort of training, advising and assisting capacity that could involve Air Force personnel and Air Force capabilities.  But we just aren't there yet, Jeff; we just haven't gotten to that point.
            Q:  Now that NATO's moving so much stuff out of Afghanistan, are there any plans to activate the CRAF?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  The CRAF?
            Q:  Civil Relief Air Fleet.
            CAPT. KIRBY:  None that I'm aware of, but I learned a new acronym today.  (Laughter.)  I appreciate that.
            Yes, sir.
            Q:  Captain Kirby, a Chinese official recently described what the secretary announced about the U.S. Naval pivot to Asia as untimely.  What is DOD's reaction to that?  Are you concerned that this announcement could create more tensions with China?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  The secretary has made it clear on his trip that the defense strategy, which includes a rebalancing and more focus on the Asia-Pacific region, is not targeted at any one country in that region but rather the region as a whole -- and our firm belief that we have significant security interests in the Asia-Pacific, significant security commitments to allies and partners in the region.
            It's not aimed at rebuffing or trying to limit the growth and development of any one country.  In fact, he's also made it clear that the peaceful, prosperous rise of China is a good thing, not just for that region, but for the world.
            And as for the timeliness, I think we would all agree that the -- that the defense strategy as written and as endorsed by not only this department, but by the president, is absolutely timely.  This is the right time to be looking at the Asia-Pacific region for -- to renew our commitments there and to rebalance our resources and our attention there.
            Sir.
            Q: Could I just ask for -- on Syria, has there been any contact between the U.S. military and anyone involved with the Syrian Free Army?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  No.  No.  We work -- as I said last week, remain -- we still remain deeply concerned by the violence and by what the Assad regime continues to do to its own people.  They still have an opportunity here to do the right thing, step down, stop killing their own people.  We certainly -- that's the expectation.
            Sir.
            Q:  There are some reports in regards with the exercises of some military troops that are part of NATO before they go to Afghanistan near the border of Mexico.  Is there anything you can tell us about that?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  No, I'm afraid not.  I don't have anything for you on that today.
            Q:  Has there been any agreement with Canada, maybe, to provide some sort of terrain similar to Afghanistan for the training of their troops?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Is there an agreement with Canada about sending troops to Afghanistan?
            Q:  (Off mic) -- no, no, no, providing some training -- a place to train with similar conditions to Afghanistan, for example?  (Off mic) -- Arizona perhaps?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Oh, I'm not aware of anything like that.  I'm happy to take the question and look at that; but I have never -- I have not heard anything about that at all.
            Q:  (Off mic)?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Yeah.
            Q:  Can you comment at all about the CBS report that suggests that unmanned drones are collecting information on Americans that could be shared with law enforcement?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Not heard that; have seen that report.  I mean --
            Q:  Well, it's the Defense Department -- (inaudible) --
            CAPT. KIRBY:  -- the Defense Department does not spy on the American people.  But I've not seen that report.
            Q:  So it's not allowed to do this?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  That's right.  Yeah, the Defense Department does not spy on the American people here at home, and I mean, I just -- I've not seen the report, but I certainly wouldn't comment beyond that.
            Q:  Thank you.
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Yeah.
            OK?
            Q:  Thank you.
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Thanks, everybody.
            Q:  (Off mic) --
            CAPT. KIRBY:  Yep -- sorry, we had one more?
            Q:  I'll just take another bite at this apple.  (Laughter.)  Does the department wish to see India deepen its involvement in the Afghanistan war or maintain what its involvement already is?
            CAPT. KIRBY:  We have been -- we encourage all countries in the region -- and I think it came out of the Chicago summit -- encouraged countries around the world to continue to do more to invest in Afghanistan's future, and there was broad consensus at the Chicago summit by every nation attending to do just that.  But to characterize this -- the secretary's visit to India as some sort of poke in the chest to get them to do more would be -- would be to do his visit a disservice.  That's not why he's in India.  He's in India to thank them for their efforts at regional leadership and to look for ways to deepen our defense cooperation with India and our relationship with India.  That is something he would like to do more of.
            But we're very appreciative of India's efforts in the region and in Afghanistan in particular.  Did that help?
            Q:  Thank you.  Thank you.
            CAPT. KIRBY:  You're welcome.
            Thanks, everybody.

STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL'S REMARKS TO U.S.-INDIA WORLD AFFAIRS INSTITUTE

Photo Credit: Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
Remarks to the U.S.-India World Affairs Institute
Remarks Robert O. Blake, Jr.
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Washington, DC
June 4, 2012
Thank you Vinod [Jain] for bringing together this great group tonight and my thanks, as well, to the India-U.S. World Affairs Institute, the Asia Society, and the East West Center for hosting us and giving me the opportunity to preview the U.S.-India Strategic Dialogue which will take place here in Washington next week. The SD, as our governments call it, is an annual, high-level series of bilateral meetings chaired by Secretary Clinton and the Indian External Affairs Minister Krishna.

Before I get to some of the details, I would like to say a few words about the essential role of Indian Americans in what we’ve accomplished in partnership with India, and where we see ourselves in the future. As I look out at so many familiar faces, people who share our vision of Americans and Indians working together, learning together, promoting peace and security together, and prospering together, I am reminded that all of you play an invaluable role in helping take this relationship to the next level.

There is perhaps no country in the world with whom we have traveled faster and farther than India over the last ten years. While the extensive consultations we have on a government-to-government level are an essential part of our ever-expanding bilateral relationship, its heart, its core, is all of you – the incredible citizens of both countries.

We share with India a vibrant two-way exchange of entrepreneurs, executives, students, professors, and scientists that has come to serve as a model for others around the world. Our business ties have prospered. Our education and research partnerships have set the standard for innovation. And the common thread -- from the classrooms of Chennai and Charlottesville to the boardrooms in Mumbai and Minneapolis -- is the passionate and committed Indian American community. All of you are helping shape and guide one of the defining bilateral relationships of the 21st century.

Indian Americans have also helped write the story of this nation. President Obama reminded us just a few weeks ago at a gala celebrating our Asian Pacific American heritage of “the trailblazer” Dalip Singh Saund. As a young man in 1920 he came to the U.S.to study agriculture, stayed to become a farmer, and took on the cause of citizenship for all people of South Asian descent.

And once Mr. Saund earned his own citizenship, he stepped up to serve the country he loved -- and became the first Asian American elected to the Congress. Even the youngest Indian Americans are making their mark. Nine of the past 13 national spelling bee champions have been Indian American children whose abilities are surely the envy of all of us who must rely on our computers and smartphones to catch our spelling errors.

From Congress to the National Spelling Bee, the Indian American community is one of the most energetic and successful diaspora groups in the United States. You have one of the highest per capita incomes of any diaspora group, and Indian Americans are increasingly active in American politics as the success of Governors Bobby Jindal, Nikki Haley and so many others shows.

Indian Americans who work tirelessly to improve ties between the United States and India and the lives of their fellow citizens in both countries are a powerful symbol of the best of America: our commitment to community service, our idealism, and our optimism.

To support that unwavering commitment to philanthropy and service, one of my objectives as Assistant Secretary has been to facilitate American generosity towards India. India is home to about 1.5 million NGOs, but much of their work is not fully known here in the United States. In addition, it is not easy to identify the NGOs credible enough to receive a donor’s money.

We are helping to change this. We will soon launch, in partnership with the Indian non-profit – GuideStar India, an online searchable database of Indian NGOs. It will include organizations that have been vetted to ensure they are accountable and transparent so the maximum can go to the intended beneficiaries.

This site will also list all the intermediary institutions that can facilitate tax-deductible donations. We have signed on prominent participants including leaders in the India philanthropy space like GiveIndia, Global Giving, and Give2Asia. By matching a list of certified Indian NGOs with potential American donors, we hope to create an efficient philanthropy marketplace that will grow the overall sector, making it a win-win proposition for all. In today’s budget-constrained environment, such public-private strategies strengthen not only our international economic development efforts, but also the crucial people-to-people ties that bind our two great countries and form a network of partnership that undergirds everything we do.

Secretary Clinton calls it smart power. It’s impossible for any government, no matter how well-meaning, to meet all of the challenges we face, from natural disasters, to economic stagnation, to poverty or civil unrest. While we have a very strong force in our organized government efforts, fostering people-to-people exchanges is the core of smart power. It is also smart to prepare our rising leadership and workforce to know and understand India.

Our new Passport to India initiative is one way that the South and Central Asia Affairs Bureau is promoting smart power. The goal of Passport to India is to significantly increase the number of Americans who visit India for a study and learning experience abroad. The most recent data showed that while nearly 104,000 Indians study here in the United States, fewer than 4,000 Americans study in India. That number is far too low. Indian students in American communities and American students in Indian communities create the friendships and linkages we are working to build. Secretary Clinton and I see expanding opportunities for American students in India as a major investment in three key areas.

It’s an investment in U.S.- India relations, it’s an investment in the American and global economies, and it is an investment in our young people so they have the skills and experience they need to succeed in their professional lives. For our rising generation to be globally competitive, they must know and understand India. The Passport to India initiative is a public-private partnership. To date, we have pledges from both U.S. and Indian private entities to support 225 internship opportunities for American students over the next 3 years in India-based organizations, and we are working hard to generate more. Interns will work side by side with their Indian peers to work on software development in IT companies, on innovation and management practices in manufacturing firms, and on the needs of the marginalized and underserved with local NGOs.

It all comes down to one thing: By building the next generation of leaders who are well versed in each other’s culture, language and business, we will be better prepared to work together and resolve common challenges for the benefit of not only our two countries, but for the international community as well. All of you have already done so much to support the collaborations between Americans and Indians from which ideas come to life. You know the United States and you know India and you know the limitless potential that exists when we get together. Last month in New Delhi, Secretary Clinton re-emphasized that the United States and India are “two great democracies with common values and increasingly convergent interests.”

It is those common values and convergent interests that guide our strategic ties, and serve as our compass as we develop bilateral ties uniquely suited to the challenges of the century ahead. The U.S-India Strategic Dialogue helps us to build that consensus. Over the last three years, our two exceptional nations have expanded our areas of cooperation to reflect 21st century needs, partnering across areas as diverse as education, clean energy and defense. It’s not an exaggeration to say that even the sky is not the limit – we discuss cooperation in space, too!

Our regional and homeland security cooperation has never been stronger. On Afghanistan, the United States and India share a commitment to that country’s stable and prosperous future and have each signed Strategic Partnership Agreements with the Afghan government. The SD will give us a chance to together build on the momentum from the NATO Summit in Chicago, while preparing for the Tokyo Conference on Afghanistan in July. Our nations share a distinct vision for economic integration in the South and Central Asian region. This will be a theme that plays prominently in discussions between Secretary Clinton and Minister Krishna that are likely to include India’s Look East policy, integration opportunities between India, Bangladesh, and increasingly Burma; and developments in Afghanistan. Our partnership has paved the way for real-time information sharing of terrorist threats and sharing of best practices that keep our nations and our neighbors safe. We continue to support an unprecedented number of exchanges between city and high-level federal officials alike, which focus on port, border, and transportation security, illicit finance, and cyber crime issues.

On Friday, May 25, we held the 13th annual Counterterrorism Joint Working Group meeting in Washington. Ambassador Dan Benjamin, the State Department’s Counterterrorism Coordinator, and his Indian counterpart, Special Secretary Asoke Mukerji, along with representatives from across the interagency, met to discuss issues related to counterterrorism and homeland security. This dialogue has been the cornerstone of our counterterrorism relationship with the Indians since 2000. This year, the sides discussed efforts to counter violent extremism and terrorism finance, as well as to see the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai attacks brought to justice.

Our two national security councils will also host a second round of U.S.-India Cyber Consultations early next week to further advance our bilateral coordination on key cyber policy issues and to enhance information sharing between our governments in support of counterterrorism and cybercrime mitigation. Following these consultations, the U.S. and India will re-convene their longstanding Information and Communication Technology Working Group, which has a history of bringing government and private sector participants together to resolve challenges and identify opportunities for greater growth and collaboration in the ICT space.

On the margins of the Strategic Dialogue, we will have a day-long Higher Education Dialogue which is a follow on to last fall’s Higher Education Summit and will focus on two key areas identified there: advanced research and innovation and workforce development, specifically, community colleges.

With respect to higher education collaboration, I am delighted that we will announce during the Dialogue the first eight partnership projects to be funded jointly by the United States and India through the Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative. These three-year, approximately quarter-million dollar grants will be used for joint projects between American and Indian universities in the areas of food security, energy, climate change and public health, among others.

Representatives from across our science and technology communities will participate in a Joint Committees Meeting to review progress in advancing S&T cooperation, including retention and advancement of women in science and engineering, and STEM education. This is an area with unlimited potential.

Secretary Clinton and Indian Minister of External Affairs Krishna – the two co-chairs of the Strategic Dialogue – will highlight a series of grants for entrepreneurial projects that seek to improve health and empower citizens through innovation. These aren’t government handouts with strings attached; they are meant to spur legitimate economic growth and encourage the invention and scaling of disruptive technologies.

We are also hosting the Child Survival Call to Action, about which I’ll let Assistant Administrator Biswal say more. On the health and innovation side, Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius will brief on her trip to India earlier in the year, and ways that our two countries can address the most public health challenges of the 21st century. We have a great opportunity to work with India globally, to address chronic disease and strengthen health systems, a testament to both our countries’ global reach, which is only multiplied when we do so in tandem.

But, governments can only provide part of the solution. Our two countries – indeed, the world – need all of you to leverage their unique on-the-ground insights and expertise to help facilitate the collaboration that leads to the big ideas that yield real results. I applaud everyone here tonight for your efforts in helping to bring our two great nations – two great democracies – ever closer together. Because of you, the bond between the United States and India is stronger every day.

You do business with India, you conduct research in India, you teach Indian students. You know what the impact of a policy decision in Washington or New Delhi really is and how it matters to the work you do and the people with whom you collaborate. Thank you for having me here this evening and thank you for all you do to make the partnership between the United States and India successful, globally relevant, and enduring.

GEN, DEMPSEY SEES GROWTH IN U.S.-THAILAND PARTNERSHIP

Photo Credit:  U.S. Department of Defense.
FROM:  AMERICAN FORCES PRESS SERVICE 

Dempsey: U.S.-Thailand Partnership Holds Growth Potential

By Karen Parrish

ABOARD A MILITARY AIRCRAFT, June 5, 2012 - Geostrategic location and global commitment, paired with a maturing military and a growing economy, make longtime U.S. ally Thailand an attractive prospect for even greater bilateral cooperation, Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said today.

Dempsey left Thailand, the last stop on a weeklong Pacific visit, around midafternoon today local time, about a half-day ahead of the eastern United States. En route to Hawaii and then back to Washington, D.C., the chairman told American Forces Press Service the 179-year-plus U.S.-Thailand relationship is ripe for growth as the U.S. furthers its strategic rebalance in the Asia-Pacific region.

Thailand touches Burma, Laos, Cambodia and Malaysia, with Vietnam, India and China not much further away. It also has an eastern coastline on the Gulf of Thailand -- opening into the South China Sea -- and a west coast on the Andaman Sea, also known as the Burma Sea.

"They're in an extraordinarily key location," Dempsey said of Thailand. Thailand's people have used their growing economic and military strength to expand beyond their borders as a contributor to global security efforts, he added.

"For example, just today while I was there, they had a company return from a peacekeeping mission in Sudan," the chairman said.

With stops on his Thailand visit including meetings with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Defense Minister Sukamphon Suwannathat, Chief of Defense Forces Gen. Thanasak Patimaprakorn and the Royal Thai army, navy and air force chiefs, Dempsey said he gained a thorough sampling of how Thailand's leaders view U.S. strategic goals.

"They're a very credible, welcoming military partner," he said, adding Thailand's location and growing economy make it likely the Southeast Asian nation will "be able to, over time, do more."

The chairman noted, "We're always eager to partner with nations who have the potential to continue to do more."

An area of potential growth for both Thailand and the United States is under discussion, Dempsey said. The two nation's militaries, he said, are examining concepts for a center of excellence in Thailand devoted to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

The United States and Thailand co-host an annual military exercise, Cobra Gold, which began in 1980. The most recent of these exercises, held in January and February, drew Indonesian, Japanese, Malaysian, Singaporean and South Korean military participants.

The next Cobra Gold will serve as a proof of principle for the new center of excellence, Dempsey said. He acknowledged the two militaries haven't agreed on a framework yet, but noted a center of excellence typically brings together experts and resources to focus intensively on a particular problem set to achieve the fastest possible progress.

"This started with a conversation between the two heads of state, our president and the Thai prime minister, that then was passed to the military to develop a concept," the chairman explained. "So we've been talking conceptually. Cobra Gold will be a platform on which we can advance our thinking."

The new center may begin as a bilateral U.S.-Thai effort, or it could involve additional nations from the beginning, he said.

"We have to talk about the location, we have to talk about the size -- and we're not there yet, but that's the objective," the chairman added.

Dempsey noted severe weather and seismic events in the region have become increasingly common in recent years. He pointed out that the need to effectively anticipate and plan responses for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief needs "is one of those functions that nearly everyone can agree on."

Thailand is "perfectly placed" for a center than can pursue that function, he said.

"We think that they would be very interested in that," Dempsey said.

Beyond humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, the chairman said, Thailand's officials share some common concerns with representatives he's spoken with this week from Japan, Australia, South Korea, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore.

In all those places, he said, "there's a desire to improve on intelligence sharing, information sharing, maritime security, maritime awareness, counter-terror, counter-piracy, counter-narcotics and countering transnational organized crime."

These common interests provide United States' leaders opportunities to strengthen ties with nations and multinational organizations across the region, Dempsey said.

"As we rebalance ourselves, I think those interests in particular will provide the foundation on which we can build," the chairman said.

U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT FACT SHEET ON U.S. AND CHINA RELATIONS

FROM:  U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
U.S. Relations With China
Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs
Fact Sheet
June 5, 2012
U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS
The United States seeks to build a positive, cooperative, and comprehensive relationship with China by expanding areas of cooperation and addressing areas of disagreement, such as human rights. The United States welcomes a strong, peaceful, and prosperous China playing a greater role in world affairs and seeks to advance practical cooperation with China in order to build a partnership based on mutual benefit and mutual respect. The annual Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED) has served as a unique platform to promote bilateral understanding, expand consensus, discuss differences, improve mutual trust, and increase cooperation. The strategic track of the S&ED has produced benefits for both countries through a wide range of joint projects and initiatives and expanded avenues for addressing common regional and global challenges such as proliferation concerns in Iran and North Korea, the conflict between Sudan and South Sudan, and climate change. The United States has emphasized the need to enhance bilateral trust through increased high-level exchanges, formal dialogues, and expanded people-to-people ties. The U.S. approach to China is an integral part of reinvigorated U.S. engagement with the Asia-Pacific.

U.S. Assistance to China
U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) and State’s assistance programs in China focus on four principal areas: assisting Tibetan communities; addressing the threat of HIV/AIDS and other pandemic diseases; advancing the rule of law and human rights; and supporting environmental protection and climate change mitigation efforts. U.S. assistance programs are targeted, scalable with Chinese resources, and directly address U.S. interests such as limiting the transmission of infectious diseases such as tuberculosis, malaria, HIV/AIDS, and avian influenza that pose threats throughout the region and globally. Programs in Tibetan areas of China support activities that preserve the distinct Tibetan culture and promote sustainable development and environmental conservation in Tibetan communities through grants to U.S. organizations.

Bilateral Economic Relations
The U.S. approach to its economic relations with China has two main elements: the United States seeks to fully integrate China into the global, rules-based economic and trading system and seeks to expand U.S. exporters' and investors' access to the Chinese market. Total two-way trade between China and the United States grew from $33 billion in 1992 to over $503 billion in goods in 2011. The United States is China's second-largest trading partner (after the European Union--EU), and China is the fourth-largest trading partner for the United States (after the EU, Canada, and Mexico). During the economic track of the May 2012 S&ED, the two countries announced measures to enhance macroeconomic cooperation, promote open trade and investment, enhance international rules and global economic governance, and foster financial market stability and reform.

China's Membership in International Organizations
The People's Republic of China assumed the China seat at the United Nations in 1971, replacing Taiwan, and is a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Over the years, China has become increasingly active in multilateral organizations in particular through the United Nations. China and the United States work closely with the international community to address threats to global security, including North Korea and Iran's nuclear programs.

CIVIL ACTION FILED AGAINST THREE CONSOLE ENERGY, INC., EMPLOYEES FOR INSIDER TRADING

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
June 1, 2012
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that on June 1, 2012, it filed a civil action against three former employees of CONSOL Energy, Inc. (“CONSOL”) for illegal insider trading in CONSOL securities in advance of the company’s public announcement, on March 15, 2010, that it entered into an agreement to acquire the Appalachian Exploration and Production business of Dominion Resources, Inc. (“Dominion”). The Commission alleges that on March 9, 2010, both Charles E. Mazur Jr., CONSOL’s former Director of Corporate Strategy, and Joseph A. Cerenzia, CONSOL’s former Director of Public Relations, received a confidential email stating that the acquisition of Dominion was going to be announced prior to the opening of the market on March 15, 2010. Both individuals traded CONSOL securities after learning of the pending acquisition announcement. James S. Poland, CONSOL’s former General Manager of Engineering, conducted an environmental survey in connection with the of the Dominion acquisition. Poland also traded CONSOL stock after receiving nonpublic information about the acquisition and when it would be announced.

The Commission’s complaint alleges that Mazur violated Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (“Exchange Act”) and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder, and alleges that Poland and Cerenzia violated of Sections 17(a)(1) and (3) of the Securities Act of 1933 (“Securities Act”), Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rules 10b-5(a) and (c) thereunder, and seeks permanent injunctions, disgorgement, prejudgment interest and civil penalties.

The defendants agreed to settle the Commission’s charges, without admitting or denying the allegations in the Commission’s complaint. Under the settlements, the defendants consented to Final Judgments that will permanently enjoin Mazur from violations of Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; and permanently enjoin Poland and Cerenzia from violations of Section 17(a) of the Securities Act and Section 10(b) of the Exchange Act and Rule 10b-5 thereunder. Mazur agreed to pay approximately $97,171 in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. Poland agreed to pay approximately $19,600 in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. Cerenzia agreed to pay approximately $15,453 in disgorgement, prejudgment interest, and civil penalties. The settlements are subject to court approval.

COURT ENTERS FINAL JUDGMENTS AGAINST FORMER CFOS OF INFOUSA, INC.

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
June 1, 2012
Court Enters Final Judgments, Including Indemnity Bars, Against Rajnish K. Das and Stormy L. Dean, Former CFOs of infoUSA, Inc.
The Securities and Exchange Commission announced today that on May 29, 2012, the Honorable Laurie Smith Camp, Chief United States District Judge for the District of Nebraska, entered final judgments against Rajnish K. Das and Stormy L. Dean, two former chief financial officers of infoUSA, Inc., an Omaha-based database marketing company. The court entered final judgments against Das and Dean permanently enjoining them each from violating Sections 10(b), 13(b)(5), and 14(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; Rules 10b-5, 13a-14, 13b2-1, 13b2-2, 14a-3, 14a-9 thereunder; and aiding and abetting violations of Exchange Act Sections 13(a) and 13(b)(2), and Rules 12b-20 and 13a-1 thereunder. Das was also enjoined from violating Exchange Act Rule 13a-13.

The court also ordered that Das and Dean each were barred from serving as an officer and director of a public company for a period of three years from the date of the final judgments. In addition, the court ordered Das and Dean to pay civil penalties of $50,000 each, and specifically prohibited them from seeking payment, reimbursement, or indemnification from any third party for payment of the civil penalties or the cost of the bond required to stay enforcement of the civil penalties in the event of an appeal. The court also declared that Das and Dean each acted in bad faith towards the shareholders of infoUSA, Inc. and that the defendants each knew their actions were contrary to the interests of the company and its shareholders.

On March 2, 2012, after approximately two hours of deliberations, an Omaha jury found Das and Dean each liable on all claims. At trial, the Commission argued former chief executive officer Vinod Gupta used company funds to pay for his personal expenses including private jet flights, yacht expenses, private club memberships, credit card expenses, and expenses associated with his homes and cars. The Commission argued that Das and Dean each authorized the company to pay for Gupta's personal expenses and that they signed and certified Info's false public filings which underreported Gupta's executive compensation and related party transactions. In its Memorandum and Order on remedies, the court stated that "[t]he testimony and other evidence at trial clearly supported the jury's verdicts" and "[t]he wrongdoing giving rise to this action was not an isolated incident, but a continuing and systematic misuse of corporate funds and failure to abide by SEC reporting requirements for executive compensation and related party transactions. Das and Dean continue to deny wrongdoing, despite clear and compelling evidence of their misconduct." The case was prosecuted by Thomas Krysa, Gregory Kasper, and Nicholas Heinke of the Commission's Denver Regional Office.

CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL EXPRESSES CONCERN OVER U.S. REACTION TO SYRIA

FROM:  THE CONGRESSMAN RON PAUL WEBSITE
War Drums for Syria?
War drums are beating again in Washington. This time Syria is in the crosshairs after a massacre there last week left more than 100 dead. As might be expected from an administration with an announced policy of "regime change" in Syria, the reaction was to blame only the Syrian government for the tragedy, expel Syrian diplomats from Washington, and announce that the US may attack Syria even without UN approval. Of course, the idea that the administration should follow the Constitution and seek a Declaration of War from Congress is considered even more anachronistic now than under the previous administration.

It may be the case that the Syrian military was responsible for the events last week, but recent bombings and attacks have been carried out by armed rebels with reported al-Qaeda ties. With the stakes so high, it would make sense to wait for a full investigation -- unless the truth is less important than stirring up emotions in favor of a US attack.

There is ample reason to be skeptical about US government claims amplified in mainstream media reports. How many times recently have lies and exaggerations been used to push for the use of force overseas? It was not long ago that we were told Gaddafi was planning genocide for the people of Libya, and the only way to stop it was a US attack. Those claims turned out to be false, but by then the US and NATO had already bombed Libya, destroying its infrastructure, killing untold numbers of civilians, and leaving a gang of violent thugs in charge.

Likewise, we were told numerous falsehoods to increase popular support for the 2003 war on Iraq, including salacious stories of trans-Atlantic drones and WMDs. Advocates of war did not understand the complexities of Iraqi society, including its tribal and religious differences. As a result, Iraq today is a chaotic mess, with its ancient Christian population eliminated and the economy set back decades. An unnecessary war brought about by lies and manipulation never ends well.

Earlier still, we were told lies about genocide and massacres in Kosovo to pave the way for President Clinton's bombing campaign against Yugoslavia. More than 12 years later, that region is every bit as unstable and dangerous as before the US intervention – and American troops are still there.

The story about the Syrian massacre keeps changing, which should raise suspicions. First, we were told that the killings were caused by government shelling, but then it was discovered that most were killed at close range with handgun fire and knives. No one has explained why government forces would take the time to go house to house binding the hands of the victims before shooting them, and then retreat to allow the rebels in to record the gruesome details. No one wants to ask or answer the disturbing questions, but it would be wise to ask ourselves who benefits from these stories.

We have seen media reports over the past several weeks that the Obama administration is providing direct "non-lethal" assistance to the rebels in Syria while facilitating the transfer of weapons from other Gulf States. This semi-covert assistance to rebels we don't know much about threatens to become overt intervention. Last week Gen. Martin Dempsey, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said about Syria, "I think the military option should be considered." And here all along I thought it was up to Congress to decide when we go to war, not the generals.

We are on a fast track to war against Syria. It is time to put on the brakes.

U.S. OFFICIAL’S REMARKS AT OAS GENERAL ASSEMBLY

FROM :  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks to the 42nd OAS General Assembly
Remarks Roberta S. Jacobson
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs As prepared for delivery
Cochabamba, Bolivia
June 4, 2012
(Remarks delivered by Ambassador Carmen Lomellin, United States Permanent Representative to the OAS)
I want to begin by thanking President Evo Morales, Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca, Secretary General Jose Miguel Insulza, and Assistant Secretary Albert Ramdin for organizing and hosting this 42nd General Assembly of the Organization of the American States.

It is a pleasure to be with all of you in Cochabamba to advance this dialogue that is so important to all the citizens of our hemisphere, and indeed, all the citizens of the world.

Mr. Chair, the United States is deeply committed to food security. Shortly after taking office, President Obama identified addressing global hunger and food insecurity as one of the top priorities of this administration. Over the past three years, the United States has launched an unprecedented effort to forge a strong and swift global response to alleviate the misery of chronic hunger that affects an estimated 1 billion people around the world.

This global campaign began with the commitments made by President Obama and our partners at the G-8 Summit in L’Aquila, Italy in July 2009. The United States pledged $3.5 billion over three years to fight global hunger that helped to leverage and align resources from other partners and donors. Our efforts ultimately mobilized more than $22 billion for a global food security initiative to revitalize investment in the agricultural sectors of poor countries and increase food supply for the neediest among us.

In May 2010, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton launched “Feed the Future,” a comprehensive effort by the United States to enhance food security. We have focused on investing in nutrition and agricultural development to reduce hunger, while addressing critical emergency needs through humanitarian food assistance. At the Camp David Summit last month, President Obama announced the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, a shared commitment to achieve sustained and inclusive agricultural growth in Africa to raise 50 million people out of poverty over the next 10 years, in partnership with the G-8 countries, Africa’s leadership, and private sector support.

President Obama has described combating food insecurity as a moral imperative, an economic imperative, and a security imperative. And this imperative extends to the Americas, as our Bolivian hosts have so rightly recognized. Despite marked progress in reducing levels of malnutrition, the stark fact remains that the levels of food security in our hemisphere still do not match our natural abundance. Our region is now a major agricultural supplier to the world, but every day millions of people in the Americas still struggle to put food on the table, and every night too many children still go to bed hungry.

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, an estimated 53 million people in Latin America and the Caribbean were undernourished in 2010. And the repercussions of food insecurity go far beyond its impacts on health and life expectancy. Food scarcity can deepen social tensions, contribute to levels of crime and violence, and even undermine the quality of democratic governance. As a noted French essayist wrote nearly two hundred years ago, “The destiny of nations depends on the manner in which they feed themselves.” Today, those words still ring true.

If we can help the rural poor produce more food and sell it in thriving local, regional, and global markets, we can decrease chronic hunger today and build an ample food supply for tomorrow.

Our flagship “Feed the Future” program targets investments in poor rural areas of three focus countries in the Americas: Guatemala, Honduras, and Haiti. Over the next five years, these programs will assist almost one million vulnerable women, children, and family members—mostly smallholder farmers—escape hunger and poverty. We have advanced with Brazil our trilateral partnership in Honduras and Haiti, and we salute Brazil's leadership in our work together to improve health and food security in Africa. This cooperation provides concrete examples of how, working as equal partners, we can seek to spark positive economic growth that allows people and nations to rise from poverty.

Indeed, in addressing the problem of food security, we need to build on the important policy lessons learned over the past two decades. Governments must create sound policy environments that foster clear property rights and encourage domestic and foreign investment. Farmers need to have access to improved agricultural technology and the training to use it effectively. And, critically, real food security depends on lowering barriers to agricultural trade. While we all recognize that each government in this room, including my own, faces important political and economic constraints to further opening trade in agricultural products, this step would contribute markedly to hemispheric food security.

Moreover, fighting hunger is not an isolated challenge. Our efforts can only be sustainable when based in a strategy to promote socially inclusive economic growth. And this will require partnership between donor and partner countries, civil society, international organizations, and the local and multinational private sector.
Mr. Chair, the United States is certain that by working together, the members of the OAS can contribute collectively to food security at both the hemispheric and global levels. But to achieve that ambition, we must safeguard the political and economic progress that we have made to date.

In our work to contribute to global common goods – on issues as diverse as food security, climate change, or combating transnational crime – we know that our common cause does not compromise sovereignty, but safeguards it. As Secretary Clinton has said, “We must turn the Americas, already a community of shared history, geography, culture, and values, into something greater – a shared platform for global success.” That is why we must strive to strengthen the underpinnings of our democratic societies – good governance, responsive institutions, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms – that are essential elements of democracy and the founding principles of this Organization. As enshrined in the Inter-American Democratic Charter, we are bound to uphold the dignity of all persons by honoring their human, political, and civil rights to participate fully and freely in our societies.

This is a useful moment to remind ourselves that the Charter indicates that “freedom of expression and of the press are essential components in the exercise of democracy.” When citizens or media outlets speak out, dissent, or criticize, they are ensuring that this essential component is functioning as designed. We celebrate that our hemisphere has codified this profound truth, and undertake to ensure that these freedoms are always preserved. We should collectively value this record and seek to build upon it.

At this General Assembly in Cochabamba, we will adopt a Social Charter that, as a complement to the Inter-American Democratic Charter, will improve economic opportunity, social inclusion, and respect for human rights.

We will pass a resolution that continues the discussion on strengthening the Inter-American Democratic Charter, and we will agree on a document that ensures the autonomy and independence of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

We must stand together in full and robust support for these accomplishments along with our inter-American institutions and principles. In recent months, our discussions have sometimes seemed as if we are seeking to weaken the fabric that binds us together in the inter-American system, rather than focusing on how the countries of the Americas can work together to address the issues that most concern our citizens. I sincerely hope that this General Assembly will mark an inflection point that will guide us back to our core values and how we can work collectively to advance them.

Mr. Chair, let me conclude by reaffirming the commitment of the United States, and my personal commitment, to work with all of you in the spirit of genuine and equal partnership, to advance liberty and prosperity for all the citizens of the hemisphere.
Thank you.

JOINT BRIEFING BY U.S. AND VIETNAM

 FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
U.S. Defense Secretary Leon E. Panetta, left, shakes hands with Vietnamese Defense Minister Phung Quang Thanh, in Hanoi, Vietnam, June 4, 2012. DOD photo by Erin A. Kirk-Cuomo 


Presenter: Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and Vietnamese Minister of Defense Gen. Phung Quang Thanh June 04, 2012
Joint Press Briefing with Secretary Panetta and Vietnamese Minister of Defense Gen. Phung Quang Thanh from Hanoi, Vietnam

            (Note:  The defense minister's remarks are provided through interpreter.)
            STAFF:  The press conference on the occasion of the official visit of the -- of the Secretary of Defense of the United States to Vietnam now begins.  I would like to invite the two ministers to the podiums.
            And now I would like to invite Excellency Phung Quang Thanh, the Minister of Defense of Vietnam, to deliver a speech.

            MINISTER PHUNG QUANG THANH:  Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to warmly welcome the presence here of all Vietnamese and international press and all the reporters to be here to deliver the news about the visit by Secretary of Defense of the United States, Excellency Mr. Leon Panetta.

            We just had discussions of openness, friendliness, about all mutual concerns, issues about the cooperation and relations between the United States and Vietnam.  And we focused on the solutions to the implementation of the memorandum of understanding, was -- which was signed between the two countries at the end of last year -- the memorandum of understanding, which covers some of the following issues.
            The first one is the exchange of high-ranking dialogues between the two countries.
            The second area, which is search and rescue, and the third area, which is peacekeeping operations of the United Nations.
            The fourth area, which is the military management.
            And lastly is humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.
            And besides we have some other issues that we are now working on to further the development, which are firstly the war legacy, and the second area, which is the missing in action of the United States soldiers and Vietnamese soldiers in the war.  And we are now trying to exchange the artifacts of our two sides, however, in order to provide more information to the families of the lost soldiers.  And I would like to take this opportunity today to present to Excellency Mr. Secretary, the three letters which are the three artifacts of the United States soldiers in the war.

            And the two sides will continue to cooperate in the fields of bombs and mines clearings, and the United States will continue to support Vietnam with facilities and technology.  And we will also continue to cooperate in the fields of mitigation of Orange Agent -- (inaudible) -- in the areas of some airports and some areas which were affected in the war.

            So we will continue our cooperation between the Vietnam and the United States in the spirit of -- firstly, in the framework of the memorandum of understanding which was signed between the two countries; secondly, in the nontraditional security efforts; and thirdly is on the war legacy, HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster relief), and search and rescue.  And we both see the great potential of this cooperation between the two countries.  We will continue our bilateral cooperation in the spirit of mutual benefits, mutual trust, for the benefits of the two countries with respect to the sovereignty of the two countries of peace, stability and cooperation and -- for the peace and stability of the region and the world without doing harm to any third parties.  Thank you.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Mr. Minister.

            Now I would like to invite the Secretary of Defense of the United States, Excellency Mr. Panetta, to deliver his speech.

            SECRETARY LEON PANETTA:  Thank you very much general, and I want to express my deepest thanks to you and to your entire delegation for hosting me on my first trip to Vietnam as secretary of defense.  I also want to thank the Vietnam for giving me the opportunity yesterday to visit Cam Ranh Bay.  It was a first visit of a secretary -- United States secretary of defense to Cam Ranh Bay since the war.  It gave me the opportunity to visit a United States ship in Cam Ranh Bay, the Robert E. Byrd, which is being repaired by a Vietnamese business located in that area.  And we are very thankful for that level of cooperation that has been provided to our ships.

            It's been only 17 years since the normalization of United States-Vietnamese diplomatic relations, but we have taken some very important steps to advance that relationship in the meeting that we had today.  Our meeting today was an opportunity to take pride in how far we've come over this relatively short period in our bilateral defense relationship, a relationship based on mutual trust and understanding.
            And we discussed some very important steps for the future, like how --
            STAFF:  (In Vietnamese.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  Go ahead.

            STAFF:  (In Vietnamese.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  How we could improve together the effort to fully implement the 2011 memorandum of understanding to advance our defense cooperation.  We also discussed how the U.S. could work with Vietnam in the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) defense ministers group to try to improve the maritime rights of all nations.  And we also discussed our shared commitment to a peaceful and prosperous and secure Asia-Pacific region.

            As we -- as we move forward, General Thanh and I agree to expand some very important cooperation in five key areas: continued high-level dialogue; maritime security; search-and-rescue operations; peacekeeping operations; and humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.  I also noted in our discussion the importance of our establishing an Office of Defense Cooperation to enhance our cooperation in these areas and as a signal of the United States' enduring commitment to this important defense relationship for the future.
            Let me -- let me also take this opportunity to thank the general and his ministry for their long-standing assistance in efforts to identify and locate the remains of our fallen service members and those missing in action in Vietnam.  In particular, I want to thank him for his offer to open up three new areas for remains recovery.

            And I want to thank him for the letters that he will be giving me.  And I want him to know that we, in turn, are going to provide a diary that was recovered in war that can, hopefully, be given back to that individual's family.

            Our commitment to the effort to have an accounting of the efforts of both sides that were involved in the war, I think, is critical to our personnel serving today, to make clear that we stand by our pledge to leave no one behind.  Our continued progress in this area, as well as other legacies of war, reflects, I think, without question the growing maturity of our relationship between the United States and Vietnam.
            I want the general to know and the people of Vietnam to know that we will, in the United States, do everything possible to continue to work together to achieve our shared objectives and our common goals.  I believe that the United States and Vietnam can build a better future, not only for our people but for the entire Asia-Pacific region.

            Thank you.  (Applause.)

            STAFF:  Thank you very much, Excellency Secretary Leon Panetta.
            I would like to invite Excellency General Phung Quang Thanh to hand over the artifacts of the war to Excellency Secretary Panetta.  (Applause.)

            SEC. PANETTA:  Thank you very much.

            STAFF:  And now Excellency Secretary Panetta to hand over the artifacts of the Vietnam soldiers to Excellency General Phung Quang Thanh.  (Applause.)
            Thank you very much, Excellency.  And now we will start the Q-and-A session.
            First of all, I would like to invite reporter from the military department.

            Q:  (Through interpreter.)  Excellency, I'm a reporter from the People's Army Newspaper and have a question to Excellency Secretary Panetta.  So what is your feeling about the visit to Vietnam this time, Excellency?

            SEC. PANETTA:  Well, I have to tell you that for me personally, this has been a very moving experience.  I was an officer in the Army during the Vietnam War era.  And although I never fought here, I had many friends who did and who died in that war.

            A few days ago I was before the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington recognizing the 50th anniversary of that war.  Yesterday I visited Cam Ranh Bay, and today I visit Hanoi and recognize the normalization of our relations and the effort to improve our relations for the future.

            There were many lives lost in that war, both from the United States and from Vietnam.  If we can work together, both of our countries, to develop a better relationship between the United States and Vietnam, all of the sacrifice involved in that war will have proven worthwhile because we will improve the peace and prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region.

STAFF:  (Through interpreter.)  Thank you, Excellency.

            Now I would like to invite a reporter from an international press to raise your question.  And before you raise your question, please tell us your name and which press you are working for.  Thank you.

            STAFF:  First question from Dan De Luce of the -- of the Agence France-Presse.

            Q:  Yes.  First to the Vietnamese defense minister -- did you discuss today the possible sale of U.S. military equipment to Vietnam?  And would your government be open to expanding access to U.S. naval ships in Cam Ranh Bay, including the type of ships and the frequency of those ship visits?  And Secretary Panetta, when you spoke yesterday about wanting to take the defense relationship to a new level, to what degree are you concerned about human rights and threats to freedom of expression here preventing that from happening?

            MIN. THANH:  Thank you for your question.  Firstly, regarding the purchase of U.S. weapons, I would like to inform you that up to the moment the nonlethal weapons restrictions has been lifted but not the lethal weapons restrictions.  And we look forward to the United States to remove the lethal weapons restrictions to Vietnam and this would benefits the two countries.  And this would also have to fully normalize the relations between the two countries.

            And once when the lethal weapons restrictions is lifted, Vietnam has the demand to buy some facilities from the United States, firstly to repair, to overhaul the weapons that left from the war.  And after that depends on the financial capacity and the demands of our military, who will choose to buy -- to purchase certain kinds of weapons for the potential modernization of our military.

            And regarding the second questions, we welcome the logistic and logistic ships of the United States to be prepared -- to be repaired in the commercial port belonging to (inaudible) of Vietnam.

            And for Vietnam would have the advantage that in the repairing services in commercial ports of Vietnam, we have very skillful workers and the price is also very competitive.  This would help to promote the bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries and also help us to create more jobs for the Vietnamese workers.
 
          SEC. PANETTA:  The purpose of my trip is to do whatever we can to strengthen the defense relationship between the United States and Vietnam.  We have developed a new strategy -- a new defense strategy in the United States, and one of the keys to that strategy is to stress the Asia-Pacific region, but more importantly to stress the importance of developing the capabilities of our Asian partners, such as Vietnam.  And the whole -- the whole thrust of what we discussed in our meeting is to try to take this relationship to a new level with regards to not only a high-level dialogue, but also maritime security and increased Navy visits, to improve the search-and-rescue operations as well as increasing our humanitarian assistance and disaster relief and peacekeeping operations.  And we look forward to providing additional assistance and obviously that additional assistance will in part depend on the progress that is being made on human rights and on other reforms.  But we are very confident that the steps we are taking will in fact provide a stronger relationship and a stronger partnership between the United States and Vietnam in the future.

            Q:  Hello, sir, my name is -- (inaudible).

            I come from -- (inaudible) -- daily newspaper.  I'd like to ask you about the fear.  There is some fear that the U.S. military presence, which has been increasing in the region for the past few years might cause anxiety for the whole country.  So what is your response to those people who have this kind of fear?
            Thank you.

            SEC. PANETTA:  I want all people in this region to recognize that a fundamental goal of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region is to improve the chances for peace, prosperity and security for all nations.  Our goal is to work with all nations in this region, including China, to improve our military-to-military relationships and to help develop the capabilities of all countries to better secure and defend themselves.

            The United States is a Pacific nation, and we consider ourselves a member of the family of Pacific nations.  And our goal is to work with all of those countries to ensure that we advance the prosperity and security of all nations in this region.  And the key to that is that we have a shared -- a shared group of values and principles that all countries ought to abide by, that we will always continue to follow international rules, international regulations and an international rule of law.  If we all do that, then I think we can achieve the goal of a better and more secure region.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Mr. Secretary.  Now would like to invite an international reporter to raise your question.

            MR. LITTLE:  I understand this will be the last question.  Julian Barnes of the Wall Street Journal.

            Q:  To the minister of defense:  Do you see -- do you think Asian nations should have to make a choice between close relations with China and with the U.S.?  And do you worry about provoking China through closer relations or access to the United States?
         
 And to Mr. Panetta:  Some Asian countries have expressed the worry that the United States new strategy could potentially destabilize the region.  You know, given your last answer, how can you build a partnership without undermining regional security you're trying to secure or souring relations with China?

            MIN. THANH:  Thanks for your question.
            Thank you for your question.  And I would like to inform you about the foreign policy of Vietnam.  This is the foreign policy of independence and sovereignty, and we do not depend on any country.  And this is also the foreign policy of representation and multilateralization of our relations with all other countries.  And for Vietnam, we would like to expand the defense operations with all countries for peace and stability of the region and the world.

            And Vietnam would like to have fine relations with neighboring countries, with regional countries and with the major powers of the world, and especially for the United States and for China.  We look forward to having a stable and long-standing relations and cooperation for peace and stability.

            Vietnam would never go with one country to against another.  And we all know that China is a close neighboring country of Vietnam, which say a lot of similarities.  China is a comprehensive and a strategic partnership of Vietnam.  In the period of 16 months and -- (inaudible) -- between the two countries.  The relations between the two parties, between the two governments, between the two people and between the two armed forces is developing very fast.

            And we also look forward to having a very fine defense cooperation with the United States, in the spirit of friendship, stability, cooperation and for the mutual benefits of the two armed forces -- and comprehensively.  Thank you.

            SEC. PANETTA:  And the goal of the United States -- let me make clear -- is to advance exactly what the general referred to, advance the independence and the sovereignty of all nations in this region.  It is in the interest of stability -- it's in the interest of stability to have a strong Vietnam, a strong Indonesia, a strong Philippines, a strong Singapore and strong nations throughout the Asia-Pacific region.  Frankly, the most destabilizing situation would be if we had a group of weak nations and only the United States and China were major powers in this region.

            So the key to future stability, to future prosperity, to the future in which all of our people can enjoy a better life - the key to that is ensuring that all nations develop their capability, develop their economy, develop their trade and develop the kind of relationship that will bring these nations together, not apart.  That's the goal of the United States, and that's the reason I'm here in Vietnam.

            STAFF:  Thank you, Excellencies, and now I would like to announce that we will conclude the press conference on occasion of the visit by Secretary Panetta to Socialist Republic of Vietnam.  Thank you, Excellencies.

U.S. NAVY SPREADING MEDICAL KNOWLEDGE

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
Cmdr. Brice Nicholson performs cataract surgery on an Indonesian patient as Indonesian optometry residents observe in an operating room aboard the Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Mercy (T-AH 19) during Pacific Partnership 2012. Now in its seventh year, Pacific Partnership is an annual U.S. Pacific Fleet humanitarian and civic assistance mission that brings together U.S. military personnel, host and partner nations, non-government organizations and international agencies to build stronger relationships and develop disaster response capabilities throughout the Asia-Pacific region. U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Michael Feddersen (Released) 120601-N-GL340-085

EXPORT-IMPORT BANK WORKS TO GIVE LONG ISLAND BUSINESSES A GLOBAL COMPETITIVE EDGE

Photo Credit:  Wikimedia.
FROM:  U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK
Rep. Israel, Ex-Im Bank Chairman Hochberg Host Forum for Long Island Businesses to Help Them Gain Competitive Edge in Global Economy
Long Island, New York -- Today, Long Island businesses were told how they can successfully grow their sales and their businesses by selling their products around the world instead of focusing on just selling around the corner.

Representative Steve Israel (D-NY-2) and Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg hosted an exporter forum for local small businesses at the Long Island Association. More than 75 representatives from local companies attended the event, which focused on how American companies can gain a competitive edge when exporting their products overseas. Long Island small businesses also received one-on-one trade counseling from Export-Import Bank experts.

“Long Island small businesses should be aware of the enormous consumer base that exists beyond our national borders and take advantage of it when selling their products,” Rep. Israel. “I invited Chairman Hochberg to Long Island so our local businesses could learn about the resources available to them to help increase their exports and grow the economy in Long Island.”

“Our nation’s small businesses are the backbone of our economy, and it is critical that we give them the tools they need to compete in international markets,” said Ex-Im Bank Chairman and President Fred P. Hochberg. “Ex-Im Bank will continue to host Global Access forums throughout the country so we can provide businesses with the resources they need to expand globally and reach the President’s goal of doubling U.S. exports by 2015.”

“The Export-Import Bank is a vital tool to help the Long Island business community export more of its goods, which will strengthen those businesses, grow our economy and create jobs,” said Kevin Law, president & CEO of the Long Island Association. “The LIA is proud to host this forum, and I applaud Congressman Israel and Chairman Hochberg for their leadership on economic development issues.”

Chairman Hochberg gave an overview of Export-Import Bank's Global Access for Small-Business initiative, aimed at increasing the number of small businesses across the United States that export goods and services produced by U.S. workers. This is an integral part of the President’s National Export Initiative (NEI), led by the Commerce Department, to double U.S. exports by 2015.

Since 2009, Ex-Im Bank has authorized $80 million for Long Island businesses and supported approximately $515 million in export sales.

Small-business owners who missed the Global Access forum can still learn how Ex-Im Bank can enable them to generate new export sales by contacting the Bank's Regional Export Finance Center at (212) 809-2650, or by calling toll-free to 1-800-565-EXIM (3946). Ex-Im Bank offers information specifically designed to assist small-business exporters secure export financing on its website at http://www.exim.gov/smallbusiness/.

Global Access is supported by a wide variety of business, financial and government partners, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM), and the Bank’s 60-plus city/state partners located throughout the U.S. This year, Export-Import Bank plans to hold more than 40 Global Access forums around the country.

About Ex-Im Bank:
Ex-Im Bank is an independent federal agency that helps create and maintain U.S. jobs by filling gaps in private export financing at no cost to American taxpayers. In the past five years, Ex-Im Bank has earned for U.S. taxpayers $1.9 billion above the cost of operations. The Bank provides a variety of financing mechanisms, including working capital guarantees, export-credit insurance and financing to help foreign buyers purchase U.S. goods and services.

IT'S HURRICANE SEASON, BE PREPARED.

FROM:  U.S. NAVY
110828-N-ZZ999-001 ATLANTIC OCEAN (Aug. 28, 2011) A GOES-13 infrared satellite image provided by the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory, Monterey, Calif., showing the status of Hurricane Irene at approximately 6 a.m. EST Sunday, Aug. 28. Hurricane Irene made landfall near Cape Lookout, N.C. as a Category 1 hurricane and spun north along the Eastern seaboard. The storm made a second landfall near Coney Island, N.Y., and is expected to affect the New England region later today. (U.S. Navy photo/Released) 

Prepare Now For Hurricane Season 
By April Phillips, Naval Safety Center Public Affairs
NORFOLK, Va. (NNS) -- June marks the start of the Atlantic hurricane season and the time to prepare is now, before the season heats up, according to the commander of the Naval Safety Center.

Rear Adm. Brian C. Prindle, commander, Naval Safety Center, says preparations should include the whole family during the hurricane season, which continues through the end of November.

"While the forecast calls for a relatively light hurricane season, it only takes one storm making landfall on our coast to wreak havoc," Prindle said. "The time to prepare for a hurricane is now, not the day before a storm hits when store shelves are bare and checkout lines are long."

The National Hurricane Center advises there are two stages to hurricane safety. Prepare for a storm well ahead of time and then act on those preparations when alerted by emergency officials. The preparedness stage starts now with having a basic disaster kit on hand, including items such as: water, non-perishable food, flashlight and batteries, manual can opener and solar cell phone charger

Once it appears likely that a hurricane landfall is imminent, add items such as prescription medications, glasses, pet food and extra water, cash or traveler's checks, and important family documents.

"Involve the entire family in disaster plans as well, and know where you will all evacuate to should it become necessary. A little planning now will ensure the safety of your family with fewer headaches later," Prindle said.

                    Photo:  Aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.  Credit:  Federal Emergency Management Agency 

The dangers posed by a hurricane are not just high winds, but also heavy rains and flooding and tornados. Tropical storm Beryl, which recently made landfall in Jacksonville, Fla., proved that even smaller storms can cause problems. It weakened to a slow-moving tropical depression soon after making landfall, but heavy rainfall caused flash flooding up the eastern seaboard. The storm is blamed for four fatalities, with one person still missing.

U.S. JUSTICE DEPARTMENT WILL MONITOR JUNE 5, 2012 ELECTIONS IN CALIFORNIA, NEW MEXICO, SOUTH DAKOTA AND WISCONSIN

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Monday, June 4, 2012
Justice Department to Monitor Elections in California, New Mexico, South Dakota and Wisconsin

WASHINGTON – The Justice Department announced today that it will monitor elections on June 5, 2012, in the following jurisdictions to ensure compliance with the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and other federal voting rights statutes: Alameda, Fresno and Riverside Counties, Calif.; Cibola and Sandoval Counties, N.M.; Shannon County, S.D.; and the city of Milwaukee.

The Voting Rights Act prohibits discrimination in the election process on the basis of race, color or membership in a minority language group.  In addition, the act requires certain covered jurisdictions to provide language assistance during the election process.  Fresno County, Riverside County and the city of Milwaukee are required to provide assistance in Spanish.  Cibola, Sandoval and Shannon Counties are required to provide language assistance to Native American voters.  Alameda County is required to provide language assistance to Hispanic, Chinese, Vietnamese and Filipino voters.

Under the Voting Rights Act, the Justice Department is authorized to ask the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) to send federal observers to jurisdictions that are certified by the attorney general or by a federal court order.  Federal observers will be assigned to monitor polling place activities in Shannon County based on the attorney general’s certification and in Alameda, Riverside and Sandoval Counties based on court orders.  The observers will watch and record activities during voting hours at polling locations in these jurisdictions, and Civil Rights Division attorneys will coordinate the federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

In addition, Justice Department personnel will monitor polling place activities in Fresno County, Cibola County and the city of Milwaukee.  Civil Rights Division attorneys will coordinate federal activities and maintain contact with local election officials.

Each year, the Justice Department deploys hundreds of federal observers from OPM, as well as departmental staff, to monitor elections across the country.  To file complaints about discriminatory voting practices, including acts of harassment or intimidation, voters may call the Voting Section of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division at 1-800-253-3931.

ARIZONA POLITICIAN SENTENCED FOR FRAUD, TAX EVASION RELATED TO DEFRAUDING A CHARITY

FROM:  U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE
Monday, June 4, 2012
Former Arizona State Representative Sentenced to 27 Months in Prison for Wire Fraud and Tax Evasion Related to the Misuse of More Than $140,000 in Charity Funds
WASHINGTON – Former Arizona State Representative Richard David Miranda was sentenced today to 27 months in prison for defrauding a charity of more than $140,000 and evading income tax related to those unlawfully obtained funds, announced Assistant Attorney General Lanny A. Breuer of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division; Special Agent in Charge James L. Turgal of the FBI’s Phoenix Field Office; and Special Agent in Charge Dawn Mertz of the Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation (IRS-CI) Phoenix office.

Miranda, 55, of Tolleson, Ariz., served as a member of the Arizona House of Representatives for the 13th District from 2011 until his resignation, effective Feb. 20, 2012.  Miranda previously served as a member of the Arizona State Senate from 2002 until 2011, and the Arizona House of Representatives from 1999 until 2002.  Since July 2002, Miranda also served as executive director of Centro Adelante Campesino Inc., a non-profit charitable organization that provided food, clothing and educational assistance to persons in need, including migrant farm workers, in and around Maricopa County, Ariz.

On March 14, 2012, Miranda pleaded guilty to a two-count information charging him with defrauding Centro of more than $140,000 and evading income tax related to those unlawfully obtained funds.  As part of his plea agreement, Miranda agreed to resign from office.  Miranda was also ordered to pay a total of $230,342 in restitution ($212,220 for funds he unlawfully obtained from Centro, along with an additional $18,122 he unlawfully obtained from the Arizona Latino Caucus Foundation).

During his plea, Miranda admitted that, in May 2005, he initiated a scheme to wind down Centro, sell Centro’s sole remaining asset (a building), and use the proceeds of the sale for personal expenses.  To do so, Miranda removed the charity’s longstanding volunteer accountant as an authorized signer on the charity’s bank and credit union accounts, and assumed sole control of the charity’s accounts and financial records.  He also told the volunteer accountant that the proceeds of the sale would be used to fund scholarships.  In March 2007, the building was sold for $250,000, and on March 7, 2007, a significant portion of the profits of that sale, $144,576, were wired across state lines into Centro’s credit union account.

 Miranda also admitted that within one week of the wire transfer, he began to withdraw the proceeds from Centro’s credit union account without the authorization or knowledge of Centro’s board of directors.  For example, Miranda obtained two checks payable to himself totaling $37,000 and paid off personal credit card debts totaling more than $60,000.   By Dec. 31, 2007, Miranda had withdrawn the remaining proceeds (approximately $46,836) using checks, withdrawals and electronic funds transfers, and used the funds to pay off additional personal debts and make numerous purchases for personal travel, services, clothing, food and household items.  Miranda also failed to report the proceeds of the sale as income on his IRS Form 1040 for calendar year 2007.

This case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorneys Monique T. Abrishami and Brian A. Lichter of the Public Integrity Section in the Justice Department’s Criminal Division, and Assistant U.S. Attorney Frederick A. Battista of the District of Arizona.  The case is being investigated by agents from the FBI Phoenix Field Office and IRS-CI Phoenix Office.

MAN CHARGED BY SEC WITH ILLEGALLY SELLING STOCK

FROM:  U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
June 1, 2012
SEC Charges Controlling Person of Transfer Agent for Misappropriating Share Certificates and Illegally Selling Stock
On May 31, 2012, the Securities and Exchange Commission filed a settled civil action in the United States District Court for the Southern District of Texas, Houston Division, against Steven H. Bethke. In its complaint, the Commission alleges that, from January 2009 through May 2010, Bethke misappropriated share certificates from Bederra Corporation (now known as Zicix Corporation) while he controlled Bederra’s stock transfer agent, First National Trust Company. Bethke used the stolen certificates, which had been pre-printed with the signatures of Bederra officers and directors, to secretly issue over a billion Bederra shares, which he then sold in exchange for payments into his personal bank account of over $350,000. Among other things, Bethke signed purchase agreements falsely warranting that he had good title to the shares and that they were “freely tradable” when, in fact, he had orchestrated the misappropriation of the shares, and the sales were not eligible for any exemption from registration under the securities laws. To carry out his scheme, Bethke forged the signature of Bederra’s chief executive officer on certifications claiming that Bederra was aware of the sales when the company knew nothing about the transactions. Bethke also prepared letters falsely stating that he had obtained the shares from the company more than a year before, and that the sales were therefore exempt from registration under the securities laws.

Without admitting or denying the allegations in the Commission’s complaint, Bethke consented to a final judgment enjoining him from violations of Sections 5(a), 5(c), and 17(a) of the Securities Act of 1933, and Section 10(b) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and Rule 10b-5 thereunder; barring him from serving as an officer or director of a public company; barring him from participating in the offering or sale of a penny stock; and ordering disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, but waiving payment and not imposing a civil penalty based on Bethke’s financial condition. The judgment is subject to court approval. Bethke also consented, with respect to a related SEC administrative proceeding, to the entry of an SEC order barring him from association with any investment adviser, broker, dealer, municipal securities dealer, municipal advisor, transfer agent, or nationally recognized statistical organization.

ESA Portal - United Kingdom - ESA missions gear up for transit of Venus

ESA Portal - United Kingdom - ESA missions gear up for transit of Venus

Space presents new frontiers to Irish industry – Minister Sherlock

Space presents new frontiers to Irish industry – Minister Sherlock