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Excerpt from the U.S. State Department Daily Press Briefing
QUESTION: Can we go to Egypt?
MS. PSAKI: Sure.
QUESTION: I'm wondering, since Saturday's phone calls the Secretary made, has there been more contact, that you're aware of, between him and Egyptian officials? What do you make of the situation there today?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. There has been - and let me just make sure I get the full list here. So since Saturday, the Secretary also spoke today with Egyptian Interim Vice President ElBaradei. He spoke with EU High Representative Cathy Ashton this morning as well. And he's been in close contact with his counterparts in the region, including the Emiratis and the Turks and the Qataris as well, given they all have a stake in the outcome in events.
QUESTION: Those were foreign ministers? Sorry.
MS. PSAKI: Exactly, yes. Sorry, that was - I was shorthanding it there for you.
QUESTION: UAE, Turks, and Qatar?
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. Exactly.
QUESTION: Okay. Sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt.
MS. PSAKI: No, no, no, no. Not at all.
QUESTION: Go ahead.
MS. PSAKI: As you know, EU High Representative Ashton is in Egypt now. We fully support and appreciate her efforts to calm tensions, prevent further violence, bridge political divides, and help lay the basis for a peaceful, inclusive process. That was the discussion - the focus of the discussion this morning that the Secretary had with her. And we expect we'll be - continue to be in close contact.
Go ahead. Sorry.
QUESTION: No, no.
MS. PSAKI: I was just continuing - and you saw the comment - the statement, I should say - that we put out from the Secretary this weekend that highlighted - that strongly condemned the violence and called for restraint by all parties. That, of course, remains our focus.
QUESTION: Do you still believe that Egypt is on the brink, as it suggested in the statement from Saturday, or has it receded from the brink?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we've seen ongoing violence. I think what he said in his statement - and I'd have to pull it up in front of me - was he encouraged parties to pull back from the brink. So certainly --
QUESTION: Right. Which implies that they're on the brink, right?
MS. PSAKI: (Laughter.) Yes. This is quite an analogy on the brink.
QUESTION: You're not suggesting that it doesn't mean that, do you?
MS. PSAKI: I think the Secretary - I mean his statement made clear that we were concerned about the level of violence. It's something we're continuing to monitor. He's been in very close contact with his counterparts and with High Representative Ashton on these exact same issues. So we're continuing to press on that.
QUESTION: But do you think that - well, first of all, brink of what? And then - and second of all, do you think today that they have, in fact, pulled back from that brink, whatever it is?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I don't - this is one of the reasons why the Secretary is in close contact with High Representative Ashton. I don't have an analysis of what's happening on the ground. Obviously, we're continuing to call on all parties to exercise restraint and to focus on moving towards an inclusive process.
QUESTION: But I just - do you still think they need to pull back from the brink, or have they pulled from the brink sufficiently to assuage or ease any of your concern?
MS. PSAKI: Well, the Secretary remains focused on it, so we haven't - we were --
QUESTION: Right. Would you say the same thing today that you said, that - would he say the same thing today that he said Saturday?
MS. PSAKI: I believe he would. He's continuing to --
QUESTION: All right. Okay. So you still --
MS. PSAKI: -- call for all parties to exercise maximum restraint and --
QUESTION: Okay.
MS. PSAKI: -- focus on depolarization.
QUESTION: All right. Then just along those lines, is there any concern in this building or elsewhere in the Administration that you're aware of that the - that your decision last Thursday to avoid making any determination on whether this - whether President Morsy's ouster was a coup or not has essentially given the Egyptian military the green light to go ahead and do whatever it wants?
MS. PSAKI: No.
QUESTION: There's no concern about that --
MS. PSAKI: I don't want to - obviously there are a range of issues discussed, Matt, but that decision was made - and we talked about this quite a bit on Friday - with the goal in mind that our focus is encouraging Egyptians to take steps to enable the interim government to quickly and responsibly transition back to a stable, democratic, civilian, inclusive government.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS. PSAKI: We do not want to take sides. We still feel aid is in our national security interests. Nothing has changed from our position from Friday.
QUESTION: Well, if the goal in mind of not making a decision was to encourage an inclusive process, do you think the immediate - what happened in the immediate aftermath of your non-decision advanced that goal?
MS. PSAKI: Matt, I think we expressed pretty clearly our concerns about the violence that ensued this weekend.
QUESTION: Right. So instead of this non-decision promoting or advancing your goal, it in fact did not. Correct?
MS. PSAKI: I'm not making that --
QUESTION: It took it a step backwards.
MS. PSAKI: I'm not making that link between the two.
QUESTION: Okay. So you don't see - there is no concern that there is a link between the two?
MS. PSAKI: I have not heard from our team that that's something we're focused on.
QUESTION: Okay. But since - I just want to make sure that I understand, so we're starting from the same point here. Since Friday --
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: -- would you say that Egypt has advanced toward that goal or receded from that goal?
MS. PSAKI: Matt, we know that this process is going to take time. Obviously they're going through the process now.
QUESTION: Yes, but on Saturday the Secretary said they were at the brink.
MS. PSAKI: But I'm not going to give a day-by-day grade. Obviously, we're focused on it. The Secretary's --
QUESTION: Only on days that you feel like it?
MS. PSAKI: I don't think I have ever given a day-by-day grade.
QUESTION: Well, you did on Saturday.
MS. PSAKI: How did we give a day-by-day grade?
QUESTION: Well, he urged them to recede - to pull back from the brink.
MS. PSAKI: And we certainly continue to urge them to restrain violence --
QUESTION: All right.
MS. PSAKI: -- to focus on the inclusive process moving forward.
QUESTION: Is Lady Ashton taking a plan with her, to the best of your knowledge? Has she taken, like, a real concrete plan that - to put Egypt back on the road that you want her to?
MS. PSAKI: I would point you to her office. I don't have anything to read out in terms of the specifics.
QUESTION: Yeah, but the Secretary spoke with her this morning. And he also --
MS. PSAKI: She - he did.
QUESTION: Yeah.
MS. PSAKI: But again, I don't want to - I don't have more to read out for you about her plans or their private conversations, just that they're remaining in close contact, and we're very supportive, of course, of her efforts.
QUESTION: Is it logical to assume that she does have a plan that may have been coordinated with the United States?
MS. PSAKI: I don't want to jump to any conclusions. I would point you to her office to read out any specifics of her agenda there.
QUESTION: Jen, I'm a little confused because now there are reports that the White House is saying that Jimmy Carter is going to North Korea on a private trip. Is that correct?
MS. PSAKI: I've only seen, Jill, what the Carter Center put out, which was that he was not going on the trip. So we'll have to check and see what the actual status is here, but it sounds like his office would have the most up-to-date information.
QUESTION: (Off-mike.)
MS. PSAKI: Sure. Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) the High Commissioner visit Ashton to Egypt. Especially there are reports that she was going to meet, or at least as much as we know, that was planning to meet President Morsy --
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: -- and --
MS. PSAKI: I - go ahead.
QUESTION: -- and the possibility of asking some special treatment with him. Do you - what do you believe - how he is going to be - he has to be treated?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we certainly, of course, believe that the High Representative should have access to Mr. Morsy. And I think we've stated a number of times in here about our concerns about making sure that his treatment is at a high standard.
QUESTION: Are you --
QUESTION: Another question related - I mean, just still on - I'm still on Egypt. In the last few days, beside the violence, of course, there are some news outlets, especially related to Islamist organization or Islamist movements, were badly treated. Do you have anything to say about that? Or are you raising this issue, or the only issue is the security measures or the freedom of Morsy?
MS. PSAKI: I'm not sure I totally understand your question. Can you --
QUESTION: I mean, the issue of freedom of expression --
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: -- there are some concern by some journalist or news organization that they were treated badly in the last few days. Do you have anything to say about that?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I believe I've spoken about this before. But if not, let me reiterate our belief that the media should have every right to have - we believe in the freedom of media, certainly, in Egypt, anywhere around the world, just like we believe in the freedom of expression, and we're certainly concerned about any unequal or unfair treatment of media organizations. And that's something that we speak out about often.
QUESTION: It was reported a few days ago that Ambassador Patterson met two of the leaders of Muslim Brothers, who are mainly now - even they - last week even they met High Commissioner Ashton.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: And it seems that even they are - kind of I don't want to jump to conclusion, but there is like they are - they have their own reservations to be part of the political. Do you have a readout of that meeting or something?
MS. PSAKI: I'm not familiar - I can't even confirm that independently for you. I don't have any details on her recent meetings, but --
QUESTION: So the other question is related to the security or the issues of the instability of the Sinai. Generally, it was mentioned before that you are concerned about the security and stability of Sinai.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: But as a matter of fact, in the last two days or three days, more and more issues are coming out and as it was reported in today's Washington Post front page --
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: -- there is a big issue. Do you have anything to say about that?
MS. PSAKI: Absolutely, and we certainly saw those reports and have been following closely events on the ground. We remain concerned about the security situation in the Sinai, and more broadly we continue to believe that securing the Sinai is vital to Egypt's future and for the region. As we have said before, we condemn any violence in Egypt and any incitement to violence. Violence has not and will not achieve the Egyptian people's aspirations for dignity, democratic governments, and economic equality.
QUESTION: Egypt.
MS. PSAKI: Egypt?
QUESTION: Yeah.
MS. PSAKI: Oh, go ahead, Said.
QUESTION: A quick follow-up. Is the United States planning to submit requests similar to the EU on access to Morsy?
MS. PSAKI: I don't have any update for you on that. Again, we, of course, support and we believe she - that High Representative Ashton should have access to Mohamed Morsy while she's in Egypt.
QUESTION: Okay. But wouldn't that facilitate - help facilitate, bring about the things that you are seeking in Egypt by being able to see Mr. Morsy and that he's actually in good health and so on?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we've been pretty clear that allowing the full range of political parties as well as civil society organizations to take part is vital to a successful democratic process, and that's our focus, is an inclusive process moving forward and the interim government delivering on that in the months ahead. So that's, of course, very applicable to the arrests and the continued detainment of many members of the Muslim Brotherhood. It's hard to have an inclusive process if they're not able to participate.
QUESTION: Have you cautioned the military not to hold Mr. Morsy indefinitely under administration detention --
MS. PSAKI: I think --
QUESTION: -- under all kinds of charges?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we've been very clear that there should be a process put in place for his release that takes into account security and a range of other issues.
QUESTION: I'm just curious, on what grounds do you think Catherine Ashton should be allowed to have access to Mr. Morsy?
MS. PSAKI: How do you mean, "on what grounds?"
QUESTION: Well, I mean, what, because he was a former president? Why exactly should the Egyptian authorities allow her to visit him?
MS. PSAKI: Well, I think we've been very clear that we believe an inclusive process means the participation of all parties, and --
QUESTION: Right --
MS. PSAKI: -- certainly the detainment of many members of the Muslim Brotherhood, including Mr. Morsy, makes it difficult to move forward with that.
QUESTION: Right, but why - you're not calling for her to have access to any - I mean, he's been accused of crimes by the --
MS. PSAKI: Well, she has a - she has a range of meetings --
QUESTION: Right.
MS. PSAKI: -- there. That, of course, was the question that was asked, so I wanted to provide an answer.
QUESTION: Right. But I - but you believe that the Egyptians should allow her access to him because why?
MS. PSAKI: Well, she's going to be meeting with a range of officials. Obviously, as we all --
QUESTION: So he is still relevant? You believe that he is still relevant to the process?
MS. PSAKI: Well, we think the Muslim Brotherhood and all parties should have a role in the process moving forward.
QUESTION: All right. If you're getting called, I've got another subject real quickly.
QUESTION: I just wonder if it's more because you fear that his conditions of detention might not be up to standard.
MS. PSAKI: Well, again, that's obviously - we want to make sure that he is treated well, and that certainly is something that we're focused on and we've conveyed. But again, I really don't have any more to read out of her specific plans while she's there.
Somalia
QUESTION: And the last one. Al-Qaida affiliated groups attacked a Turkish mission in Somalia and their one security official was killed during the attack. Do you have a comment on that, any statement?
MS. PSAKI: Well, of course, we condemn all violence and certainly a circumstance like that as well. I will talk with our team and see if there's more I can provide you with an update.
QUESTION: Are you coordinating the efforts with the Turkish side? Because you are very involved in Somalia in terms of the fight against al-Qaida in the region.
MS. PSAKI: Well, certainly, as you know, the Secretary speaks with Foreign Minister Davutoglu, including this past weekend, on a very regular basis. I'll let you know if there's any update in terms of coordination to provide to all of you.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) I thought he spoke today with him.
MS. PSAKI: He spoke - sorry. Let me be clear. And I was talking about calls since Sunday, but I - or since Saturday.
QUESTION: Oh.
MS. PSAKI: This morning he spoke with High Representative Ashton and with interim Vice President ElBaradei.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS. PSAKI: The other calls happened over the course of Saturday and Sunday.
QUESTION: UAE, Turkey, and Qatar?
MS. PSAKI: Exactly. He's - those all three happened yesterday.
QUESTION: Okay.
MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MS. PSAKI: Thanks, everyone.
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