Friday, May 10, 2013
U.S. ATTORNEY GENERAL HOLDER SPEAKS AT UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICEAuckland, New Zealand ~ Monday, May 6, 2013
Thank you, Vice-Chancellor McCutcheon, for those kind words – and thank you all for such a warm welcome. It’s a pleasure to be here in Auckland today. And I’d particularly like to thank our hosts at the University of Auckland for providing a forum for this important discussion – and for bringing together such a distinguished group. It’s great to be among so many students, faculty members, and current and future leaders of New Zealand’s legal community.
As one of this country’s leading universities, and one of the world’s preeminent centers of higher education, this institution has served as a training ground for generations of students who have gone on to shape every segment of Kiwi society; who have positively impacted countless industries – and individuals – around the world; and who have been instrumental in writing every chapter of the rich history of this island nation. Of course, despite this university’s well-deserved reputation as a place of academic rigor, and a meeting ground where issues of consequence are discussed and addressed – as your motto states, "by natural ability and hard work" – the University of Auckland first arose from humble beginnings.
When it was formally opened – 130 years ago this month – its population totaled less than a hundred, including just 4 teachers and 95 students. Its facilities consisted of an old courthouse and a disused jail. And its most popular programs helped to train teachers and law clerks, whose efforts – to expand educational opportunities and strengthen New Zealand’s legal system – undoubtedly had a profound impact on generations of Kiwis that followed in their footsteps.
Now, there’s no question that you’ve come a long way since those days. But I’m pleased to note that your noble mission – and ambitious vision for the future – remain very much the same. And that’s why, as we gather this afternoon – to confront current challenges, achieve common goals, and honor the values that have always joined our nations together – I can think of no better place to reaffirm the spirit of optimism that once drove your founders to assemble in an old courthouse, confident that their students would someday change the world – and then set out to make that dream a reality.
It’s a similar spirit that brings me to New Zealand this week, to meet with Attorney General Finlayson and our counterparts from Australia, Canada, and the United Kingdom. For the United States, and for our Quintet allies, these meetings present an important chance to exchange ideas and share expertise; to advance the principles of peace, security, and equal justice that form the common foundation for our respective legal systems; and to explore strategies for working together – to address both domestic and international challenges – in order to build the brighter, safer future that all of our citizens deserve.
Although we gather in a time of unprecedented difficulty – at a moment of true consequence – I believe we can all be proud of what our nations have achieved in recent years. By collaborating closely – in common cause, in good faith, and with mutual respect – we’ve addressed a host of transnational issues. From combating cybercrime, terrorism, and human trafficking, to fighting corruption and protecting our citizens from exploitation, abuse, and violence – together, we’ve made significant progress on a variety of fronts. And this week, we’re sharing best practices for protecting some of the most vulnerable members of society – and prosecuting those who commit acts of sexual violence against women and children. Together, we will examine how we can improve domestic investigations and prosecutions of these serious crimes, as well as how we can increase our joint response to transnational sexual violence – including in the contexts of human trafficking, online child pornography, and armed conflicts.
As we look toward the future of this work, I’m confident that we’ll be able to continue building on the record of achievement that’s been established – so long as we remain committed to working together. That’s why I’m so grateful for this opportunity to discuss just a few of our priorities with you today. And it’s why I’d like to begin with a shared challenge that demands international coordination, robust action, and constant vigilance: our ongoing efforts to combat terrorism and related security threats.
From the Quintet’s inception, working together to respond to terrorism has been one of our central themes. The importance of this work was brought into sharp focus just last month, in the most shocking and tragic of ways – when a deadly terrorist attack in the United States, along the route of the Boston Marathon, left three innocent people dead and hundreds badly injured. In the days that followed this heinous act – thanks to the valor of state and local police, the dedication of federal law enforcement and intelligence officials, and the vigilance of members of the public – those suspected of carrying out this terrorist act were identified. One person has been brought into custody and charged in a federal civilian court with using a weapon of mass destruction. And three others have been arrested in connection with this investigation.
Now, this matter remains open – and my colleagues and I are determined to hold accountable, to the fullest extent of the law, all who are found to bear responsibility for this attack. We will be resolute in our efforts to seek justice on behalf of the civilians and brave law enforcement officers who were killed or injured, and to bring help and healing to those who lost friends or loved ones. And we will continue to rely on the support, assistance, and critical intelligence and information-sharing capabilities of our Quintet allies as we advance this and other investigations – and strengthen our broader national security and anti-terrorism efforts.
Over the last four years, I’m proud to report that my colleagues and I have obtained considerable results in this regard. We have uncovered – and prevented – multiple plots by foreign terrorist groups as well as homegrown extremists. Alongside essential partners like the members of the Quintet, we’ve bolstered information sharing in a manner that’s consistent with the rule of law and with our most sacred values. We’ve brought cases – and secured convictions – against scores of dangerous terrorists. And, together, we have taken significant steps to fulfill our mutual obligation to protect and improve the lives of our citizens. The Quintet has been an important mechanism for advancing our joint efforts in this regard.
But all of this is only the beginning. Our governments have long recognized that regional and national problems invariably demand international solutions. Particularly in recent years, we’ve also found that transnational cooperation is frequently just as important when it comes to addressing domestic challenges. That’s another reason why we’ve come together this week to engage with – and learn from – one another, and to reinforce the ideals of fairness, tolerance, and inclusion that form the foundations of our legal systems and lie at the heart of our shared history.
This history, and these ideals, are on full display here at the University of Auckland, where tomorrow’s leaders are learning to grapple with the challenges – and thorny legal questions – that we’ll undoubtedly face together in the years ahead. Every day, you’re acquiring the skills and knowledge you’ll soon need to take up positions of responsibility in all sectors of society – not only here in New Zealand, but around the world. No matter how you choose to put this training to work – whether you build a career in business, science, politics, or the law; whether you envision a future defending the accused, bringing criminals to justice, ruling from the bench, leading a corporation, working for an NGO, or charting some other path altogether your own – each of you will soon be charged with upholding these principles in your own lives, and continuing the progress that this University’s founders set in motion 130 years ago. And all of you will be called upon – in a variety of ways – to help honor and preserve the values that our nations have always shared.
In the United States, my colleagues and I are working hard to live out these values – and to instill them in a new generation of American leaders – by fighting to protect the safety, and the sacred civil rights, to which of every member of society is entitled. We’re firmly committed to preserving the principles of equality, opportunity, and justice – from America’s housing and lending markets, to our schools and boardrooms, military bases, immigrant communities, border areas, and voting booths. And we’re striving to uphold the rights of every citizen – regardless of race, religion, gender, gender identity, economic means, social status, or sexual orientation.
In many ways, no single right is more fundamental to our democratic values than the right of every eligible citizen to participate in the act of self-governance – by casting a ballot. The U.S. Department of Justice is working diligently to safeguard this right by vigorously enforcing key voting protections in order to prevent discriminatory changes to elections systems. We’re working closely with elected leaders across America to make more fair – and to modernize – our voting systems; to expand access and participation in the electoral process; and to prevent and punish fraudulent voting practices – however rare they may be.
Beyond this work, we’re moving – both fairly and aggressively – to promote the highest standards of integrity, independence, and transparency in the enforcement of all civil rights protections. We’re combating exploitation, discrimination, intimidation, and bias-motivated violence. And we’re taking significant measures to address repugnant practices like human trafficking – and to prevent the gun-, gang-, and drug-fueled violence that afflicts too many communities across the United States, and too often decimates the lives of our most vulnerable citizens: our children.
Last December, a horrific mass shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut took the lives of 20 young children and 6 adults. It shocked our entire nation, and captured headlines around the world. Just days later, I traveled to the school where these unspeakable acts took place. I walked the halls, saw the blood stains, and met with first responders and crime scene investigators. When those brave men and women asked me, with tears in their eyes, to do everything in my power to prevent such a thing from happening again, I told them I would not rest until we had secured the changes our citizens need – and kept the promise that we’ve made to all Americans whose lives have been shattered by gun violence.
For me, for President Obama, and for our colleagues throughout the Administration – responding to this senseless violence, and working to prevent future tragedies, constitutes a top priority. We remain determined to achieve common-sense changes to reduce gun-related crimes, to keep deadly weapons from falling into the wrong hands, and to make America’s neighborhoods and schools more secure. More broadly, we’re also seeking ways to improve America’s criminal justice system as a whole – and to promote public safety, deterrence, efficiency, and fairness at every level. We’re leading historic efforts to expand vital legal services for those who cannot afford them – and to ensure that quality legal representation is available, affordable, and accessible to everyone, regardless of status or income. We’re tackling criminal justice challenges that are common to countries around the world – by exploring strategies to address sentencing disparities; to tear down barriers that prevent formerly incarcerated individuals from rejoining their communities; to consider potential reforms of sentencing policies in order to afford more flexibility to judges; and to ensure that incarceration is used to punish, to deter, but also to rehabilitate – not simply to warehouse and to forget.
Above all – throughout the Justice Department I’m honored to lead, and across the American government in which I’m privileged to serve – we’re working to safeguard the rights of every individual, to stand up for the rule of law, to protect our citizens, and to advance the cause of justice. Although our concerns, and our approaches, may differ at times from the precise challenges that all of you are called to contend with – as leaders and future leaders here in New Zealand – I know our priorities and values will always be the same. And our values – our common values – must always be our guides. Our joint commitment, and the bonds of friendship that unite us, are stronger than ever before. And that’s why – as I look around this crowd – I can’t help but feel confident in our ability to build upon the work that’s underway in both our countries; to continue the progress that the Quintet has convened to carry forward; and to extend the tradition of excellence that has always defined this University – and that must continue to drive our ongoing pursuit of justice – in New Zealand, in the United States, and around the world.
In this work, I am grateful for your leadership – and partnership. I know I speak for all of my colleagues and counterparts when I say we are proud of you. We are eager to see what your generation will achieve – and where you will lead us – in the critical days ahead. We are optimistic about the future you will surely help to build. With the gifts you have been given, with the training you will receive at this wonderful institution, comes a profound responsibility that you must feel, now and always. A responsibility to make the world better, more fair and more accepting. You will have that power and a unique 21st century opportunity to make this so. Use it wisely and for the betterment of our world. You are the best and the brightest – I am counting on you all.
Thank you.
FEMA RELEASES NUMBERS OF SANDY DISASTER ASSISTANCE TO NEW JERSEY
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| April 30, 2013 -- Keyport, N.J., April 30, 2013- A construction worker oversees the demolition of a Keyport marina restaurant devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Rosanna Arias/FEMA |
FROM: U.S. FEDERAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY
New Jersey Recovers From Superstorm Sandy: By The Numbers
Release date:
May 6, 2013
Release Number:
4086-154
TRENTON, N.J. -- Disaster assistance to New Jersey survivors of Superstorm Sandy by the numbers as of May 6:
$54.3 million for other needs
$307.3 million approved in FEMA Public Assistance grants to communities and some nonprofit organizations that serve the public
$3.4 billion in total National Flood Insurance Program payments made on claims to date
261,442 people contacted FEMA for help or information
182,226 housing inspections completed
123,416 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers made
CLOSING REMARKS AT U.S.-LIBERIA PARTNERSHIP DIALOGUE
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue Closing Remarks
Remarks
Wendy Sherman
Under Secretary for Political Affairs
United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
Washington, DC
May 7, 2013
I want to thank you, Minister Ngafuan, for sharing your reflections on the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue, they were indeed very eloquent.
I also as you did want to recognize the hard work of the U.S. Institute of Peace staff, of course its leader Congressman Jim Marshall, our Liberian colleagues, and my U.S. Government colleagues, including those in the State Department’s Africa Bureau, in making the inaugural session such a success.
Throughout today, as I understand from talking briefly to the Minister and with our staff, we have advanced the U.S.-Liberia bilateral relationship -- a relationship already deeply rooted not only in our historical ties, but our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, and economic advancement.
This joint statement that Minister Ngafuan and I just signed affirms our commitment to work together to address the challenges Liberia currently faces in its agriculture and energy sectors, and acknowledges their importance to Liberia’s overall economic development.
We have committed to hold the next session of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue in Monrovia, Liberia within the next year. At that session we plan to convene the first meeting of the Human Development Working Group.
The high-level participation from both our governments demonstrates the significance of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue to our bilateral relationship, and the importance of the sectors that were discussed today in the working groups.
In the Agriculture and Food Security Working Group, for example, colleagues discussed policy and institutional constraints to private sector-led development of Liberia’s agriculture sector, and ways to address these constraints. Together, we explored opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation to increase food security and nutrition, especially under the Feed the Future Initiative.
The Energy and Power Infrastructure Working Group reviewed Liberia’s efforts to meet its growing power generation, transmission and distribution requirements. We will continue to collaborate on how we can encourage private sector investment in Liberia’s energy sector by improving regulatory policies and to accelerate the development of a well-governed and inclusive Liberian energy sector.
Though the official government-to-government portion of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue has come to an end, I am delighted that the Foreign Minister and the rest of the Liberian delegation will participate in a public outreach event that will discuss how the Government of Liberia and its partners plan to transform Liberia into a middle-income country through an inclusive and equitable economic development strategy. This event, open to the press and public, will further highlight the achievement made today and will allow private sector, civil society, Diaspora, and others to engage with the Government of Liberia on its plan for Liberia’s economic future. We all have a role to play in Liberia’s progress toward a growing and sustainable economy. It is clear to me that this is led by the Liberians themselves, which is as it should be, with all the rest of us in support of your vision and your destiny.
Liberia’s future is full of promise and great opportunities. Thank you all for a very successful inaugural session of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue and for your friendship with the United States.
We look forward very much, I in particular, to meeting again in Monrovia. I commend to you Acting Assistant Secretary Yamamoto, who is going to take my place in any question and answer that follow. I greatly appreciate all the work done today.
Thank you very much.
U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue Closing Remarks
Remarks
Wendy Sherman
Under Secretary for Political Affairs
United States Institute of Peace (USIP)
Washington, DC
May 7, 2013
I want to thank you, Minister Ngafuan, for sharing your reflections on the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue, they were indeed very eloquent.
I also as you did want to recognize the hard work of the U.S. Institute of Peace staff, of course its leader Congressman Jim Marshall, our Liberian colleagues, and my U.S. Government colleagues, including those in the State Department’s Africa Bureau, in making the inaugural session such a success.
Throughout today, as I understand from talking briefly to the Minister and with our staff, we have advanced the U.S.-Liberia bilateral relationship -- a relationship already deeply rooted not only in our historical ties, but our shared commitment to democracy, human rights, and economic advancement.
This joint statement that Minister Ngafuan and I just signed affirms our commitment to work together to address the challenges Liberia currently faces in its agriculture and energy sectors, and acknowledges their importance to Liberia’s overall economic development.
We have committed to hold the next session of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue in Monrovia, Liberia within the next year. At that session we plan to convene the first meeting of the Human Development Working Group.
The high-level participation from both our governments demonstrates the significance of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue to our bilateral relationship, and the importance of the sectors that were discussed today in the working groups.
In the Agriculture and Food Security Working Group, for example, colleagues discussed policy and institutional constraints to private sector-led development of Liberia’s agriculture sector, and ways to address these constraints. Together, we explored opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation to increase food security and nutrition, especially under the Feed the Future Initiative.
The Energy and Power Infrastructure Working Group reviewed Liberia’s efforts to meet its growing power generation, transmission and distribution requirements. We will continue to collaborate on how we can encourage private sector investment in Liberia’s energy sector by improving regulatory policies and to accelerate the development of a well-governed and inclusive Liberian energy sector.
Though the official government-to-government portion of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue has come to an end, I am delighted that the Foreign Minister and the rest of the Liberian delegation will participate in a public outreach event that will discuss how the Government of Liberia and its partners plan to transform Liberia into a middle-income country through an inclusive and equitable economic development strategy. This event, open to the press and public, will further highlight the achievement made today and will allow private sector, civil society, Diaspora, and others to engage with the Government of Liberia on its plan for Liberia’s economic future. We all have a role to play in Liberia’s progress toward a growing and sustainable economy. It is clear to me that this is led by the Liberians themselves, which is as it should be, with all the rest of us in support of your vision and your destiny.
Liberia’s future is full of promise and great opportunities. Thank you all for a very successful inaugural session of the U.S.-Liberia Partnership Dialogue and for your friendship with the United States.
We look forward very much, I in particular, to meeting again in Monrovia. I commend to you Acting Assistant Secretary Yamamoto, who is going to take my place in any question and answer that follow. I greatly appreciate all the work done today.
Thank you very much.
FEMA,SBA HAVE APPROVED $7 BILLION IN DIRECT ASSISTANCE FOR THOSE AFFECTED BY HURRICANE SANDY
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| Credit: FEMA |
New York: By the Numbers
Release date:
May 6, 2013
Release Number:
NR-217
NEW YORK — The Federal Emergency Management Agency and the U.S. Small Business Administration have approved $7 billion in direct assistance to homeowners, renters, businesses, government agencies and nonprofits that were affected by Hurricane Sandy.
Individual Assistance
More than $967 million in FEMA grants approved for individuals and households
More than $139 million for other needs
Public Assistance
debris removal; and
repairing or rebuilding damaged public facilities
Other assistance
184,073 housing inspections completed
183,145 visits to Disaster Recovery Centers
More than 500 voluntary agencies involved in recovery
26 languages used to communicate assistance information to survivors
SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY'S REMARKS TO STAFF AND FAMILIES OF MOSCOW EMBASSY
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Meeting With Staff and Families of Embassy Moscow
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Spaso House
Moscow, Russia
May 8, 2013
AMBASSADOR MCFAUL: Well, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great privilege and honor to have with us today Secretary Kerry. I think we had an extraordinary day of diplomacy yesterday, and two things I just want to say in front of you Secretary Kerry.
Number one, with an incredibly productive, intense at some times, discussion with President Putin, and then later with a marathon day of diplomacy that I think ended at about 2:30 a.m. with Minister Lavrov, we got a new infusion and a new framing and a new strategic vision about how to talk about U.S.-Russian relations. And I want to tell you, Secretary Kerry, your trip could not have come at a better time, and I came away from that meeting thinking we have a very concrete set of issues to work with. We’re not always going to agree, as you said many times yesterday, but I thought the framing at the strategic level was at a very important time in U.S.-Russian relations.
And number two, I just want to say, on Syria in particular, we don’t know how it’s going to end, as you said yesterday many times, but I found it to be extraordinary the amount of time and effort that you are putting to work with our Russians on what I think is one of the biggest issues before our time. So for that infusion of new energy, I thank you greatly. I am enthused to be going back to work tomorrow. I’m glad that you all helped on this trip. And without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Secretary of State John Kerry. (Applause.)
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you Mr. Ambassador, Michael. Thanks for the job that you’re doing, and Donna. Where’d Donna go out there? She’s here? Hey, Donna. Thank you very much. I appreciate your work with disabilities and children and everything. Thank you. And that’s Luke. We got Luke here. And Cole’s at school, is that right?
MRS. MCFAUL: Model UN.
SECRETARY KERRY: Oh, no. He’s at the model UN. He’s Helsinki – what am I talking about? – which is very exciting. But anyway, thank you very, very much for what you do.
And it’s always nice to be in the humble home of an ambassador in a foreign country. (Laughter.) I’m looking around here. I was talking to the President the other day, because he’d been to a couple places and I’d been to a couple places. I said, "Boy, these ambassadors have better homes than any of the rest of us." The President said, "Even better than the White House in some cases." But thank you all for coming out here this morning.
And kids, thank you very much for being part of this. You all look terrific. Did I get you out of school? (Laughter.) Yeah. Pretty exciting. So that’s really worthwhile, right? You’ll remember this forever, the guy who got you out of school. You won’t remember who I am or what I do – (laughter) – but gosh, you got out of school for a day and that was really fun.
Anyway, it’s really special for me to be here. Spaso House is an incredible place, historic obviously, when I think that Ambassador Bullitt was here and George Kennan, Ambassador Kennan, and our own Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns. I was here once. I remember doing a big reception here with Bob Strauss when he was here. So historically, we have always had savvy, competent political players who also have a sense of history and an ability to do things in our ambassadors here, and Mike McFaul is no exception to that, and nor are any of you who work here, in terms of the tradition of the importance of this posting.
Russia is complicated, we all know, but vital. And the relationship with a Permanent Five member with as important a capacity to play a global role as Russia is is one of the most important diplomatic postings there is. We have had sort of a merry-go-round/rollercoaster ride over the last 20 years when the Soviet Union no longer – ceased to exist, and we’ve been transitioning. And I don’t think anybody can expect that kind of complicated transition to produce this ideal within this short span of time. It rarely does.
Look at the United States of America. I mean, you think of the 1700s and the turmoil between the Articles of Confederation and then later the Constitution, and then a civil war in the 1860s and then a civil rights movement in the 1960s, and we’re still trying to fill out the full promise of our own country’s Constitution. So we need to be thoughtful as we look at other countries as they go through their economic and social transformations.
And what all of you get to do is not just be sort of present at the creation, to think of a great book about diplomacy, but you get to be shaping the creation and involved in helping people to understand their way forward. There really isn’t a more exciting challenge, to be honest with you. And we can’t do it without you. It doesn’t matter what you do within the Embassy, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a Foreign Service Officer or a Civil Service or whether you are temporarily assigned to duty or whether you are here as a representative of a different agency of government among the many agencies that get housed under an embassy. We all have to work as a team.
And we particularly need the help of the locally hired, locally employed people. Those of you who are Russian or third-party, third-country employees are just as important as anybody else, because we can’t do it without your knowledge of the locality, your ability to guide us, the language abilities, knowing the social customs and the culture. All of that contributes to our ability to be able to be better diplomats.
I had the privilege, last Friday, I think it was – it’s a blur – to swear-in the newest class of young Foreign Service Officers. And it was really interesting. There were a group of former military personnel, former Peace Corps volunteers, former teachers, former journalists. Almost every one of them was coming to this mission with some other work experience behind them. Ninety-eight percent of the people that we brought in in this new class have lived abroad, traveled abroad, studied abroad extensively, and every single one of them had broad language skills.
So I think if you want to pick something to do in life in a world that is going through enormous change and enormous confrontation, there is no more exciting challenge than to be on the frontlines of representing the United States of America, our interests and our values, and working to build relationships with people in other countries. Every single one of you, whether you’re doing an interview in a consulate and you get tired doing it because you got too many people to process every day – you’re the face of America. In many cases, you may be the only government official people ever meet. You’ll be the impression and you’ll be the ambassador of our country to say to those people here’s how we behave in America, here’s what we believe in America, here’s how we treat people in America, here are the door of opportunities that we open to you because we are America.
So stand tall, don’t get tired, keep fighting. I know sometimes it’s frustrating. We’re just starting to get at the bureaucracy and all those kinds of issues. I hate bureaucracy. I’m sure you do too. We’re working hard to try to break down some of the walls and barriers, speed things up. I hope over the course of the next year you’ll begin to see some of those changes.
But from me, from President Obama, from the American people, thank you. A profound thank you to you for being here, for packing up your family, going to a new school. I remember what that was like. I was 11 years old when my dad was in the Foreign Service, and I thought it was the biggest adventure in a lifetime. I didn’t have a clue where I was, but it worked. And so somewhere here, maybe you’re a future Secretary of State. Would you like to be Secretary of State? (Laughter.) She’s nodding her head. Okay, guys. (Laughter.) We got – just wait a few years, when I’m finished. (Laughter.)
It really was a great adventure, and it’s something that has stayed with me all my life, because it helped to open my eyes so I could begin to look at other people not just as an American and not just through our view of the world, but begin to see things through their view of the world. And it’s better to balance things that way and have an understanding of how everybody else thinks works and doesn’t work.
So on behalf of America, thank you for being here in Moscow. And if you’re in a consulate somewhere else and happen to be visiting, thank you for that. But we are profoundly grateful to all of you, and I’m privileged to be here for a couple of days.
We, incidentally, did have a great day yesterday. I think we, hopefully, found a cooperative way forward to maybe try – I can’t guarantee you can – but try to bring people together to deal effectively with Syria and hopefully end bloodshed and see if there isn’t a way to find a way forward. It is not easy. Nothing is easy in this process.
I just met with a group of your civil society folks who are struggling to find their voice in their own country, who courageously stand up and fight for what we take for granted in many cases in America. And so you’re part of that journey too. Every single part of this is a mosaic, are the pieces that all come together to create the values and the policies that represent our great nation.
And I’m very proud to be at the State Department, where I promise you I will have your back. Let me count on you to have mine, and together we’re going to fight hard to make real the values that motivated most of you to join up in the first place. Thank you, and God bless. Appreciate it. (Applause.)
Meeting With Staff and Families of Embassy Moscow
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Spaso House
Moscow, Russia
May 8, 2013
AMBASSADOR MCFAUL: Well, ladies and gentlemen, it is a great privilege and honor to have with us today Secretary Kerry. I think we had an extraordinary day of diplomacy yesterday, and two things I just want to say in front of you Secretary Kerry.
Number one, with an incredibly productive, intense at some times, discussion with President Putin, and then later with a marathon day of diplomacy that I think ended at about 2:30 a.m. with Minister Lavrov, we got a new infusion and a new framing and a new strategic vision about how to talk about U.S.-Russian relations. And I want to tell you, Secretary Kerry, your trip could not have come at a better time, and I came away from that meeting thinking we have a very concrete set of issues to work with. We’re not always going to agree, as you said many times yesterday, but I thought the framing at the strategic level was at a very important time in U.S.-Russian relations.
And number two, I just want to say, on Syria in particular, we don’t know how it’s going to end, as you said yesterday many times, but I found it to be extraordinary the amount of time and effort that you are putting to work with our Russians on what I think is one of the biggest issues before our time. So for that infusion of new energy, I thank you greatly. I am enthused to be going back to work tomorrow. I’m glad that you all helped on this trip. And without further ado, ladies and gentlemen, Secretary of State John Kerry. (Applause.)
SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you Mr. Ambassador, Michael. Thanks for the job that you’re doing, and Donna. Where’d Donna go out there? She’s here? Hey, Donna. Thank you very much. I appreciate your work with disabilities and children and everything. Thank you. And that’s Luke. We got Luke here. And Cole’s at school, is that right?
MRS. MCFAUL: Model UN.
SECRETARY KERRY: Oh, no. He’s at the model UN. He’s Helsinki – what am I talking about? – which is very exciting. But anyway, thank you very, very much for what you do.
And it’s always nice to be in the humble home of an ambassador in a foreign country. (Laughter.) I’m looking around here. I was talking to the President the other day, because he’d been to a couple places and I’d been to a couple places. I said, "Boy, these ambassadors have better homes than any of the rest of us." The President said, "Even better than the White House in some cases." But thank you all for coming out here this morning.
And kids, thank you very much for being part of this. You all look terrific. Did I get you out of school? (Laughter.) Yeah. Pretty exciting. So that’s really worthwhile, right? You’ll remember this forever, the guy who got you out of school. You won’t remember who I am or what I do – (laughter) – but gosh, you got out of school for a day and that was really fun.
Anyway, it’s really special for me to be here. Spaso House is an incredible place, historic obviously, when I think that Ambassador Bullitt was here and George Kennan, Ambassador Kennan, and our own Deputy Secretary of State Bill Burns. I was here once. I remember doing a big reception here with Bob Strauss when he was here. So historically, we have always had savvy, competent political players who also have a sense of history and an ability to do things in our ambassadors here, and Mike McFaul is no exception to that, and nor are any of you who work here, in terms of the tradition of the importance of this posting.
Russia is complicated, we all know, but vital. And the relationship with a Permanent Five member with as important a capacity to play a global role as Russia is is one of the most important diplomatic postings there is. We have had sort of a merry-go-round/rollercoaster ride over the last 20 years when the Soviet Union no longer – ceased to exist, and we’ve been transitioning. And I don’t think anybody can expect that kind of complicated transition to produce this ideal within this short span of time. It rarely does.
Look at the United States of America. I mean, you think of the 1700s and the turmoil between the Articles of Confederation and then later the Constitution, and then a civil war in the 1860s and then a civil rights movement in the 1960s, and we’re still trying to fill out the full promise of our own country’s Constitution. So we need to be thoughtful as we look at other countries as they go through their economic and social transformations.
And what all of you get to do is not just be sort of present at the creation, to think of a great book about diplomacy, but you get to be shaping the creation and involved in helping people to understand their way forward. There really isn’t a more exciting challenge, to be honest with you. And we can’t do it without you. It doesn’t matter what you do within the Embassy, it doesn’t matter whether you’re a Foreign Service Officer or a Civil Service or whether you are temporarily assigned to duty or whether you are here as a representative of a different agency of government among the many agencies that get housed under an embassy. We all have to work as a team.
And we particularly need the help of the locally hired, locally employed people. Those of you who are Russian or third-party, third-country employees are just as important as anybody else, because we can’t do it without your knowledge of the locality, your ability to guide us, the language abilities, knowing the social customs and the culture. All of that contributes to our ability to be able to be better diplomats.
I had the privilege, last Friday, I think it was – it’s a blur – to swear-in the newest class of young Foreign Service Officers. And it was really interesting. There were a group of former military personnel, former Peace Corps volunteers, former teachers, former journalists. Almost every one of them was coming to this mission with some other work experience behind them. Ninety-eight percent of the people that we brought in in this new class have lived abroad, traveled abroad, studied abroad extensively, and every single one of them had broad language skills.
So I think if you want to pick something to do in life in a world that is going through enormous change and enormous confrontation, there is no more exciting challenge than to be on the frontlines of representing the United States of America, our interests and our values, and working to build relationships with people in other countries. Every single one of you, whether you’re doing an interview in a consulate and you get tired doing it because you got too many people to process every day – you’re the face of America. In many cases, you may be the only government official people ever meet. You’ll be the impression and you’ll be the ambassador of our country to say to those people here’s how we behave in America, here’s what we believe in America, here’s how we treat people in America, here are the door of opportunities that we open to you because we are America.
So stand tall, don’t get tired, keep fighting. I know sometimes it’s frustrating. We’re just starting to get at the bureaucracy and all those kinds of issues. I hate bureaucracy. I’m sure you do too. We’re working hard to try to break down some of the walls and barriers, speed things up. I hope over the course of the next year you’ll begin to see some of those changes.
But from me, from President Obama, from the American people, thank you. A profound thank you to you for being here, for packing up your family, going to a new school. I remember what that was like. I was 11 years old when my dad was in the Foreign Service, and I thought it was the biggest adventure in a lifetime. I didn’t have a clue where I was, but it worked. And so somewhere here, maybe you’re a future Secretary of State. Would you like to be Secretary of State? (Laughter.) She’s nodding her head. Okay, guys. (Laughter.) We got – just wait a few years, when I’m finished. (Laughter.)
It really was a great adventure, and it’s something that has stayed with me all my life, because it helped to open my eyes so I could begin to look at other people not just as an American and not just through our view of the world, but begin to see things through their view of the world. And it’s better to balance things that way and have an understanding of how everybody else thinks works and doesn’t work.
So on behalf of America, thank you for being here in Moscow. And if you’re in a consulate somewhere else and happen to be visiting, thank you for that. But we are profoundly grateful to all of you, and I’m privileged to be here for a couple of days.
We, incidentally, did have a great day yesterday. I think we, hopefully, found a cooperative way forward to maybe try – I can’t guarantee you can – but try to bring people together to deal effectively with Syria and hopefully end bloodshed and see if there isn’t a way to find a way forward. It is not easy. Nothing is easy in this process.
I just met with a group of your civil society folks who are struggling to find their voice in their own country, who courageously stand up and fight for what we take for granted in many cases in America. And so you’re part of that journey too. Every single part of this is a mosaic, are the pieces that all come together to create the values and the policies that represent our great nation.
And I’m very proud to be at the State Department, where I promise you I will have your back. Let me count on you to have mine, and together we’re going to fight hard to make real the values that motivated most of you to join up in the first place. Thank you, and God bless. Appreciate it. (Applause.)
THE MAWSON PEAK LAVA FLOW
FROM: NASA
Lava Flow on Mawson Peak, Heard Island
In October 2012, satellites measured subtle signals that suggested volcanic activity on remote Heard Island. These images, captured several months later, show proof of an eruption on Mawson Peak. By April 7, 2013, Mawson's steep-walled summit crater had filled, and a trickle of lava had spilled down the volcano’s southwestern flank. On April 20, the lava flow remained visible and had even widened slightly just below the summit.
These natural-color images were collected by the Advanced Land Imager (ALI) on the Earth Observing-1 (EO-1) satellite. Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory
Thursday, May 9, 2013
TARGETING IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM
FROM: U.S. STATE DEPARTMENT
State Department Actions Targeting Iran's Nuclear Enrichment and Proliferation Program
Press Statement
Patrick Ventrell
Acting Deputy Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
May 9, 2013
Today the Secretary of State imposed sanctions on four Iranian nuclear support companies and one individual as Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and their Supporters pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382. These entities and individual were designated because they provide the Iranian government goods, technology, and services that increase Iran’s ability to enrich uranium and/or construct a heavy water moderated research reactor, both of which are activities prohibited by UN Security Council Resolutions. These designations generally prohibit transactions between the named entities and any U.S. person, and freeze any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction. This action was taken in light of the ongoing concerns that the international community has with respect to Iran’s nuclear program, which Iran continues to refuse to address .
The designations of these entities and individual pursuant to E.O. 13382, an executive authority that targets entities in connection with Iran’s support for proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters, carry consequences under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA). Foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions to or from the sanctioned entities and individual are exposed to potential loss of access to the U.S. financial sector. We urge financial institutions to act in a manner that preserves their access to the U.S. financial system by cutting financial ties to these companies and individual.
Iranian private sector firms should heed the risks incurred by conducting business with those who support Iran’s proscribed nuclear activities and should choose to focus their activities on legitimate international commerce. The United States will continue to investigate and research similar activities, and additional companies making material contributions to the Iranian government’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery will likely be designated.
The Individuals and Entities Designated Today by the Department of State Pursuant to E.O. 13382 include:
Aluminat
AKA: Aluminat Production and Industrial Company
Address: Unit 38, 5th Floor, No. 9, Golfam Avenue, Africa Avenue, Tehran, Iran
Address: Factory – Kilometer 13, Arak Road, Parcham Street, Arak, Iran
Aluminat is an Iranian entity involved in the procurement of aluminum products for Iran’s nuclear program. For several years Aluminat has provided centrifuge components to sanctioned Iranian entities Kalaye Electric Company and Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA). In mid-June 2012, Aluminat attempted to procure a tube-rolling machine with direct applications for Iran’s proscribed heavy water-related activities.
Pars Amayesh Sanaat Kish
AKA: PASK
AKA: Vacuumkaran
AKA: Vacuum Karan
AKA: Vacuum Karan Co.
Address: 3rd Floor, No. 6, East 2nd, North Kheradmand, Karimkhan Street, Tehran, Iran
In late 2012, Pars Amayesh Sanaat Kish (PASK) worked with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to procure vacuum equipment, which is an essential component for the Iranian nuclear program. PASK is known to supply sanctioned items to Iranian industries. From late 2012 through early 2013, PASK has sought Western-origin vacuum pumps and accessories through Asia-based intermediaries.
Parviz Khaki
AKA: Martin
DOB: 26 August 1968
POB: Tehran, Iran
Parviz Khaki is an Iranian citizen who has procured and attempted to procure goods for Iran’s nuclear program that can be used to construct, operate, and maintain gas centrifuges to enrich uranium. Since at least 2008, Khaki attempted to procure C-350 maraging steel, 7075-O aluminum alloy rods, Arnokrome III (magnetic tape), mass spectrometers, magnetic gauging and vacuum system equipment, including certain pumps, accessories, valves, and gauges. These items can be used to construct a device capable of producing or utilizing atomic energy materials, such as a gas centrifuge to enrich uranium.
Pishro Systems Research Company
AKA: Pishro Company
AKA: Advanced Systems Research Company
AKA: ASRC
AKA: Center for Advanced Systems Research
AKA: CRAS
Location: Tehran, Iran
Pishro Systems Research Company (Pishro) is responsible for research and development efforts across the breadth of Iran’s nuclear program. The company is understood to be the replacement for the Kalaye Electric Company’s Research and Development Department, although it is not restricted to "enrichment research." Pishro is a subsidiary of Novin Energy, which was designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 by the Department of the Treasury on January 4, 2006. Pishro likely has or will have a facility in the Pars District of Tehran.
Taghtiran Kashan Company
AKA: Taghtiran Kashan Company
AKA: Taghtiran P.J.S.
Address: Flat 2, No. 3, 2nd Street, Azad-Abadi Avenue, Tehran, Iran 14316
Address: KM 44 Kashan-Delijan Road, P.O. Box Kashan 87135/1987, Iran
Taghtiran Kashan Company (Taghtiran) is an Iranian entity involved in the procurement of sensitive material for Iran’s proscribed nuclear activities. Taghtiran was involved in the procurement of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) containers on behalf of UN- and U.S.-designated Kalaye Electric Company. Taghtiran also has worked on behalf of U.S.-designated Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG) and Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA). In 2010, Taghtiran attempted to procure a flange heater for use at Iran’s Heavy Water Research Reactor, also known as the IR-40.
State Department Actions Targeting Iran's Nuclear Enrichment and Proliferation Program
Press Statement
Patrick Ventrell
Acting Deputy Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
May 9, 2013
Today the Secretary of State imposed sanctions on four Iranian nuclear support companies and one individual as Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferators and their Supporters pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13382. These entities and individual were designated because they provide the Iranian government goods, technology, and services that increase Iran’s ability to enrich uranium and/or construct a heavy water moderated research reactor, both of which are activities prohibited by UN Security Council Resolutions. These designations generally prohibit transactions between the named entities and any U.S. person, and freeze any assets the designees may have under U.S. jurisdiction. This action was taken in light of the ongoing concerns that the international community has with respect to Iran’s nuclear program, which Iran continues to refuse to address .
The designations of these entities and individual pursuant to E.O. 13382, an executive authority that targets entities in connection with Iran’s support for proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their supporters, carry consequences under the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010 (CISADA). Foreign financial institutions that facilitate significant transactions to or from the sanctioned entities and individual are exposed to potential loss of access to the U.S. financial sector. We urge financial institutions to act in a manner that preserves their access to the U.S. financial system by cutting financial ties to these companies and individual.
Iranian private sector firms should heed the risks incurred by conducting business with those who support Iran’s proscribed nuclear activities and should choose to focus their activities on legitimate international commerce. The United States will continue to investigate and research similar activities, and additional companies making material contributions to the Iranian government’s proliferation of weapons of mass destruction or their means of delivery will likely be designated.
The Individuals and Entities Designated Today by the Department of State Pursuant to E.O. 13382 include:
Aluminat
AKA: Aluminat Production and Industrial Company
Address: Unit 38, 5th Floor, No. 9, Golfam Avenue, Africa Avenue, Tehran, Iran
Address: Factory – Kilometer 13, Arak Road, Parcham Street, Arak, Iran
Aluminat is an Iranian entity involved in the procurement of aluminum products for Iran’s nuclear program. For several years Aluminat has provided centrifuge components to sanctioned Iranian entities Kalaye Electric Company and Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA). In mid-June 2012, Aluminat attempted to procure a tube-rolling machine with direct applications for Iran’s proscribed heavy water-related activities.
Pars Amayesh Sanaat Kish
AKA: PASK
AKA: Vacuumkaran
AKA: Vacuum Karan
AKA: Vacuum Karan Co.
Address: 3rd Floor, No. 6, East 2nd, North Kheradmand, Karimkhan Street, Tehran, Iran
In late 2012, Pars Amayesh Sanaat Kish (PASK) worked with the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran (AEOI) to procure vacuum equipment, which is an essential component for the Iranian nuclear program. PASK is known to supply sanctioned items to Iranian industries. From late 2012 through early 2013, PASK has sought Western-origin vacuum pumps and accessories through Asia-based intermediaries.
Parviz Khaki
AKA: Martin
DOB: 26 August 1968
POB: Tehran, Iran
Parviz Khaki is an Iranian citizen who has procured and attempted to procure goods for Iran’s nuclear program that can be used to construct, operate, and maintain gas centrifuges to enrich uranium. Since at least 2008, Khaki attempted to procure C-350 maraging steel, 7075-O aluminum alloy rods, Arnokrome III (magnetic tape), mass spectrometers, magnetic gauging and vacuum system equipment, including certain pumps, accessories, valves, and gauges. These items can be used to construct a device capable of producing or utilizing atomic energy materials, such as a gas centrifuge to enrich uranium.
Pishro Systems Research Company
AKA: Pishro Company
AKA: Advanced Systems Research Company
AKA: ASRC
AKA: Center for Advanced Systems Research
AKA: CRAS
Location: Tehran, Iran
Pishro Systems Research Company (Pishro) is responsible for research and development efforts across the breadth of Iran’s nuclear program. The company is understood to be the replacement for the Kalaye Electric Company’s Research and Development Department, although it is not restricted to "enrichment research." Pishro is a subsidiary of Novin Energy, which was designated pursuant to E.O. 13382 by the Department of the Treasury on January 4, 2006. Pishro likely has or will have a facility in the Pars District of Tehran.
Taghtiran Kashan Company
AKA: Taghtiran Kashan Company
AKA: Taghtiran P.J.S.
Address: Flat 2, No. 3, 2nd Street, Azad-Abadi Avenue, Tehran, Iran 14316
Address: KM 44 Kashan-Delijan Road, P.O. Box Kashan 87135/1987, Iran
Taghtiran Kashan Company (Taghtiran) is an Iranian entity involved in the procurement of sensitive material for Iran’s proscribed nuclear activities. Taghtiran was involved in the procurement of uranium hexafluoride (UF6) containers on behalf of UN- and U.S.-designated Kalaye Electric Company. Taghtiran also has worked on behalf of U.S.-designated Shahid Hemmat Industrial Group (SHIG) and Iran Centrifuge Technology Company (TESA). In 2010, Taghtiran attempted to procure a flange heater for use at Iran’s Heavy Water Research Reactor, also known as the IR-40.
ISAF NEWS FOR MAY 9, 2013
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| U.S. Defense Department contractors and linguists working with the Regional Corps Battle School watch as mortar increments burn near Camp Shorabak in Afghanistan's Helmand province, May 4, 2013. U.S. Marine Corps photo by Staff Sgt. Ezekiel R. Kitandwe |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Combined Force Arrests Haqqani Facilitator in Logar Province
From an International Security Assistance Force Joint Command News Release
KABUL, Afghanistan, May 9, 2013 - A combined Afghan and coalition security force arrested a Haqqani network attack facilitator and another insurgent in the Pul-e Alam district of Afghanistan's Logar province today, military officials reported.
The facilitator is responsible for procuring and distributing weapons, improvised explosive device-making components and other military equipment to insurgents. He also coordinates logistics for insurgent training in the area, and was planning a high-profile attack involving vehicle-borne IEDs and suicide bombers, officials said.
The security force also seized a pistol, two magazines, ammunition and IED materials.
In other Afghanistan operations today:
-- Also in Logar's Pul-e Alam district, a combined force arrested an insurgent during a search for a Haqqani network leader who is responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces and oversees the acquisition and distribution of money, weapons and military equipment.
-- Afghan commandos, advised by coalition forces, killed three insurgents and detained four others in Nangarhar province's Khogyani district during an operation designed to degrade insurgent activity in the area.
In other news, a combined force in Helmand province's Garm Ser district wounded an insurgent yesterday during a search for a Taliban IED expert responsible for attacks against Afghan and coalition forces. He also trains subordinate Taliban fighters on the construction, emplacement and employment of IEDs, and serves as an intelligence operative, relaying local operational information to senior Taliban leadership.
REMARKS BY SECRETARY OF STATE KERRY AND ISRAELI JUSTICE MINISTER LIVNI
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
Remarks With Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni Before Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Villa Taverna
Rome, Italy
May 8, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Thanks, all, for being patient. We appreciate it. I am really very pleased to welcome Minister Tzipi Livni to the American Ambassador’s residence, Villa Taverna, here in Rome, together with the Special Envoy from Israel on these talks, Yitzhak Molcho. And this is a continuation of a number of conversations that we’ve been having. Most recently, we had a conversation in Washington; we did not have time to complete the task. And so she is on her way back to Israel, and I am on my way back to the United States, and this was a convenient way to complete the conversation, which is important right now because we are really working with very serious purpose on the behalf of everybody who’s been part of this – Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Abbas, the folks working around them. I met last week in Washington with Saeb Erekat, the envoy for President Abbas.
And I think it’s fair to say that we are working through a threshold of questions, that we’re doing it with a seriousness and purpose that I think Minister Livni would agree with me has not been present in a while. And we all believe that we’re working with a short time span. We understand an imperative to try to have some sense of direction as rapidly as we can.
So I’m grateful for their ability to be here. I think the announcement by the Arab League last week was an important step forward. And I spoke again this morning with Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim of Qatar, who represented – who was the chairman of that committee. They want to keep the progress moving. They have asked for ongoing meetings, and we will have those ongoing meetings, but with a purpose. We don’t want to have a meeting for the sake of a meeting.
So over the course of the next weeks, we’re going to continue our work. I will be traveling back to Israel to meet with both Prime Minister Netanyahu as well as President Abbas around the 21st or 22nd of this month. So I’m grateful for the Minister for coming here, and we look forward to a productive session this afternoon.
JUSTICE MINISTER LIVNI: Thank you. I would like to express our appreciation to your efforts. We feel that peace between Israel and the Palestinians is in Israel interest, and I believe it is also in Palestinian interest. But yet we are, after some years of stalemate, and your determination and enthusiasm and efforts can change the realities. And I believe that what you are doing here will create hope in the region, because some of us lost hope. And this is something that we need, not just as a vague idea, but something which is concrete and thank you for (inaudible).
And I do believe that having the meeting with the Arab League and having the statement come from Hamad bin Jasim after the meeting was very good news, because there’s the need for the support of the Arab states. I hope that they would also support Abu Mazen in entering the negotiations room, giving the support of negotiations, and an understanding, which is very important for us that peace with the Palestinians means also peace with the Arab world. So I wish to congratulate you on this successful meeting with the Arab League.
MS. PSAKI: Okay. Thanks so much, guys. Thanks so much. Okay.
QUESTION: Minister Livni, is Israel thinking about reciprocating the Arab League gesture in any way?
SECRETARY KERRY: Folks, we’ll have more to say as we go forward here, I promise you.
Remarks With Israeli Justice Minister Tzipi Livni Before Their Meeting
Remarks
John Kerry
Secretary of State
Villa Taverna
Rome, Italy
May 8, 2013
SECRETARY KERRY: Thanks, all, for being patient. We appreciate it. I am really very pleased to welcome Minister Tzipi Livni to the American Ambassador’s residence, Villa Taverna, here in Rome, together with the Special Envoy from Israel on these talks, Yitzhak Molcho. And this is a continuation of a number of conversations that we’ve been having. Most recently, we had a conversation in Washington; we did not have time to complete the task. And so she is on her way back to Israel, and I am on my way back to the United States, and this was a convenient way to complete the conversation, which is important right now because we are really working with very serious purpose on the behalf of everybody who’s been part of this – Prime Minister Netanyahu, President Abbas, the folks working around them. I met last week in Washington with Saeb Erekat, the envoy for President Abbas.
And I think it’s fair to say that we are working through a threshold of questions, that we’re doing it with a seriousness and purpose that I think Minister Livni would agree with me has not been present in a while. And we all believe that we’re working with a short time span. We understand an imperative to try to have some sense of direction as rapidly as we can.
So I’m grateful for their ability to be here. I think the announcement by the Arab League last week was an important step forward. And I spoke again this morning with Prime Minister Hamad bin Jasim of Qatar, who represented – who was the chairman of that committee. They want to keep the progress moving. They have asked for ongoing meetings, and we will have those ongoing meetings, but with a purpose. We don’t want to have a meeting for the sake of a meeting.
So over the course of the next weeks, we’re going to continue our work. I will be traveling back to Israel to meet with both Prime Minister Netanyahu as well as President Abbas around the 21st or 22nd of this month. So I’m grateful for the Minister for coming here, and we look forward to a productive session this afternoon.
JUSTICE MINISTER LIVNI: Thank you. I would like to express our appreciation to your efforts. We feel that peace between Israel and the Palestinians is in Israel interest, and I believe it is also in Palestinian interest. But yet we are, after some years of stalemate, and your determination and enthusiasm and efforts can change the realities. And I believe that what you are doing here will create hope in the region, because some of us lost hope. And this is something that we need, not just as a vague idea, but something which is concrete and thank you for (inaudible).
And I do believe that having the meeting with the Arab League and having the statement come from Hamad bin Jasim after the meeting was very good news, because there’s the need for the support of the Arab states. I hope that they would also support Abu Mazen in entering the negotiations room, giving the support of negotiations, and an understanding, which is very important for us that peace with the Palestinians means also peace with the Arab world. So I wish to congratulate you on this successful meeting with the Arab League.
MS. PSAKI: Okay. Thanks so much, guys. Thanks so much. Okay.
QUESTION: Minister Livni, is Israel thinking about reciprocating the Arab League gesture in any way?
SECRETARY KERRY: Folks, we’ll have more to say as we go forward here, I promise you.
ARMY STAFF SGT. WISHES TO BE A DOCTOR
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| Army Staff Sgt. Megan Appleby, left, draws blood from a soldier during Warrior Exercise at Fort McCoy, Wis., May 4, 2013. The 4215th U.S. Army Hospital, based out of Richmond, Va., is providing medical support for the exercise. U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Tanya Van Buskirk |
FROM: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE
Face of Defense: Soldier Aspires to Medical Degree
By Army Sgt. Tanya Van Buskirk
78th Training Division
FORT MCCOY, Wis., May 6, 2013 - Taking care of the force is something Army Staff Sgt. Megan Appleby feels is her lifelong calling.
The 30-year-old Army veteran of 11 years, who has served both on active duty and in the Army Reserve as a laboratory technician, aspires to be an obstetric gynecologist.
A Lisbon, Iowa, native, Appleby is assigned to the 4215th U.S. Army Hospital command based in Richmond, Va. She said her passion for helping people started when she was very young.
"When I was little, the doctor that delivered my sisters and me was actually our doctor until we were 18 years old," she explained. "Having that doctor who knew you from inside your mom's stomach, and [having] that connection, is really amazing."
Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., was Appleby's first duty station from 2002 to 2006, and where she earned a bachelor's degree in microbiology. In mid-2006, she transferred to the Army Reserve and began attending battle assemblies with the 7229th Medical Support Unit. She then transferred to her current unit.
Appleby was deployed to Kuwait in 2003. Being in an environment where there is a feeling of constant danger was scary, she said, but knowing she was surrounded by medical experts allowed her to focus on her job of caring for patients arriving for lifesaving care. That, she added, is the driving force behind her pursuit of a medical career in the military.
Appleby is taking her medical school entrance exam and applying to the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences to continue her service and military career. The program is a 14-year commitment, she said: four years of classroom studies, three years of residency and seven years of service and commissioning as a captain.
"I look forward to the challenge," she added, "because I enjoy both medicine and serving my country."
EPA SAYS 26 MILLION AMERICANS LIVE WITH ASTHMA
FROM: U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
Nearly 26 Million Americans Continue to Live with Asthma, EPA says
SC, IN, TX programs honored as national models for asthma care
WASHINGTON – Throughout May, as part of Asthma Awareness Month, EPA is encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prevent asthma attacks while also honoring three leading asthma management programs for their efforts to improve the lives of people with asthma in underserved communities.
The economic costs of asthma amounts to more than $56 billion per year from direct medical costs and indirect costs, such as missed school and work days. During President Obama’s administration, EPA has made significant progress in improving air quality. In 2012, EPA strengthened the national standard for fine particle pollution, often called soot, which has been linked to a wide range of serious health effects including aggravated asthma. In 2011, former EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson signed the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which will help avoid 130,000 cases of aggravated asthma by 2016.
"Today one out of every 12 people suffers from asthma – and the numbers are increasing year after year," said EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "With President Obama’s support, EPA has taken commonsense steps towards cleaner air, which translates to fewer asthma attacks and instances of other respiratory diseases. As we mark Asthma Awareness Month, we call on all Americans to learn more about the easy ways they can avoid asthma triggers and prevent future attacks from happening to them or their loved ones."
Asthma is a national epidemic, affecting nearly 26 million people, including seven million children and disproportionally affecting low income and minority communities. The EPA is conducting a coordinated approach to promoting scientific understanding of environmental asthma triggers and ways to manage asthma through research, education and community-focused outreach.
Serving as a national model for asthma care, the following programs are leading the way in addressing asthma disparities and are the winners of the 2013 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management:
Greenville Health System (Greenville, S.C.): A multidisciplinary, multilingual, family-centered program that is able to, with partner collaboration, provide medical care, case management, school/daycare visits, and environmental control home visits for over 4,000 children and adolescents with asthma, especially those who have limited access to health care.
Parkview Health (Fort Wayne, Ind.): The program addresses the growing incidence of asthma-related illnesses in the communities they serve. Support services, resources and age-appropriate educational information on asthma are provided. Those that are a part of the Emergency Department Asthma Call Back Program, including a high number of low-income individuals, are provided home visits to assess and minimize environmental asthma triggers.
North East Independent School District (San Antonio, Texas): The urban, diversified school district’s Asthma Awareness Education Program targets the more than 8,000 students with asthma and provides direct case management strategies including counseling with families, home visits, coordination with asthma specialists, and asthma education.
State and local asthma programs across the country can take action throughout the month of May by holding community-based events to increase awareness of asthma triggers and the successful strategies for managing exposure to triggers.
American's who suffer from asthma can learn to control their symptoms and still maintain active lifestyles with these three simple steps:
1. Identify asthma triggers and avoid them. Air pollution, dust mites, secondhand smoke, mold, pests, pet dander can trigger asthma attacks. Identify and avoid personal asthma triggers – different people are affected differently. Work with your doctor to identify and avoid your triggers.
2. Create an asthma action plan. An asthma action plan will enable you to monitor your asthma on a daily basis and communicate important information about your personal asthma triggers and asthma control strategies. Ask your doctor to assist you in creating an asthma action plan.
3. Pay attention to air quality. Exposure to ozone and particle pollution can cause asthma attacks. When air quality is low, people with asthma may want to stay indoors, use air conditioning instead of open windows, and avoid outdoor activity. Check local air quality conditions and download an Air Quality Index app for smart phones.
Nearly 26 Million Americans Continue to Live with Asthma, EPA says
SC, IN, TX programs honored as national models for asthma care
WASHINGTON – Throughout May, as part of Asthma Awareness Month, EPA is encouraging Americans to take simple steps to prevent asthma attacks while also honoring three leading asthma management programs for their efforts to improve the lives of people with asthma in underserved communities.
The economic costs of asthma amounts to more than $56 billion per year from direct medical costs and indirect costs, such as missed school and work days. During President Obama’s administration, EPA has made significant progress in improving air quality. In 2012, EPA strengthened the national standard for fine particle pollution, often called soot, which has been linked to a wide range of serious health effects including aggravated asthma. In 2011, former EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson signed the Mercury and Air Toxics Standards (MATS), which will help avoid 130,000 cases of aggravated asthma by 2016.
"Today one out of every 12 people suffers from asthma – and the numbers are increasing year after year," said EPA Acting Administrator Bob Perciasepe. "With President Obama’s support, EPA has taken commonsense steps towards cleaner air, which translates to fewer asthma attacks and instances of other respiratory diseases. As we mark Asthma Awareness Month, we call on all Americans to learn more about the easy ways they can avoid asthma triggers and prevent future attacks from happening to them or their loved ones."
Asthma is a national epidemic, affecting nearly 26 million people, including seven million children and disproportionally affecting low income and minority communities. The EPA is conducting a coordinated approach to promoting scientific understanding of environmental asthma triggers and ways to manage asthma through research, education and community-focused outreach.
Serving as a national model for asthma care, the following programs are leading the way in addressing asthma disparities and are the winners of the 2013 National Environmental Leadership Award in Asthma Management:
Greenville Health System (Greenville, S.C.): A multidisciplinary, multilingual, family-centered program that is able to, with partner collaboration, provide medical care, case management, school/daycare visits, and environmental control home visits for over 4,000 children and adolescents with asthma, especially those who have limited access to health care.
Parkview Health (Fort Wayne, Ind.): The program addresses the growing incidence of asthma-related illnesses in the communities they serve. Support services, resources and age-appropriate educational information on asthma are provided. Those that are a part of the Emergency Department Asthma Call Back Program, including a high number of low-income individuals, are provided home visits to assess and minimize environmental asthma triggers.
North East Independent School District (San Antonio, Texas): The urban, diversified school district’s Asthma Awareness Education Program targets the more than 8,000 students with asthma and provides direct case management strategies including counseling with families, home visits, coordination with asthma specialists, and asthma education.
State and local asthma programs across the country can take action throughout the month of May by holding community-based events to increase awareness of asthma triggers and the successful strategies for managing exposure to triggers.
American's who suffer from asthma can learn to control their symptoms and still maintain active lifestyles with these three simple steps:
1. Identify asthma triggers and avoid them. Air pollution, dust mites, secondhand smoke, mold, pests, pet dander can trigger asthma attacks. Identify and avoid personal asthma triggers – different people are affected differently. Work with your doctor to identify and avoid your triggers.
2. Create an asthma action plan. An asthma action plan will enable you to monitor your asthma on a daily basis and communicate important information about your personal asthma triggers and asthma control strategies. Ask your doctor to assist you in creating an asthma action plan.
3. Pay attention to air quality. Exposure to ozone and particle pollution can cause asthma attacks. When air quality is low, people with asthma may want to stay indoors, use air conditioning instead of open windows, and avoid outdoor activity. Check local air quality conditions and download an Air Quality Index app for smart phones.
NAVY "MERLINS" AND "BLACKJACKS" RESPOND TO VENTURA COUNTY WILDFIRES
FROM: U.S. NAVY
130503-N-VN372-451 NAVAL BASE VENTURA COUNTY POINT MUGU, Calif. (May 3, 2013) Three flight crews from the San Diego-based "Merlins" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3 and the "Blackjacks" of HSC 21 provide firefighting support in response to wildfires at Naval Base Ventura County (NBVC) Point Mugu. The team dropped roughly 20,000 gallons of water using 360-gallon capacity precision helicopter firefighting Bambi buckets to help save vital areas of NBVC including portions of base housing. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Chris Fahey/Released)
In response to a wildfire on Naval Base Ventura County, three helicopters from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 3 and HSC 21, from San Diego, are providing firefighting support. Naval Base Ventura County has evacuated some residents due to smoke concerns as a fast-growing wildfire along the Pacific Coast Highway northwest of Los Angeles has forced residents to leave the area. U.S. Navy photo (Released) 130503-N-ZZ999-006
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