US ECONOMICS

VENEZUELA

THE WHITE HOUSE. March 5, 2020. FOREIGN POLICY. Message to the Congress on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Venezuela

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)) provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency unless, within 90 days before the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Registerand transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date.  In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692 of March 8, 2015, with respect to the situation in Venezuela is to continue in effect beyond March 8, 2020.

The situation in Venezuela continues to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  For this reason, I have determined that it is necessary to continue the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692 with respect to the situation in Venezuela.

DONALD J. TRUMP

THE WHITE HOUSE. March 5, 2020. FOREIGN POLICY. Text of a Notice on the Continuation of the National Emergency with Respect to Venezuela

On March 8, 2015, the President issued Executive Order 13692, declaring a national emergency with respect to the situation in Venezuela based on the Government of Venezuela’s erosion of human rights guarantees; persecution of political opponents; curtailment of press freedoms; use of violence and human rights violations and abuses in response to antigovernment protests; and arbitrary arrest and detention of antigovernment protestors, as well as the exacerbating presence of significant government corruption.

On August 24, 2017, I issued Executive Order 13808 to take additional steps, with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, to address serious abuses of human rights and fundamental freedoms; the deepening humanitarian crisis in Venezuela; the establishment of an illegitimate Constituent Assembly, which usurped the power of the democratically elected National Assembly and other branches of the Government of Venezuela; rampant public corruption; and ongoing repression and persecution of, and violence toward, the political opposition.

On March 19, 2018, I issued Executive Order 13827 to take additional steps, with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, to address actions taken by the Maduro regime to attempt to circumvent United States sanctions by issuing a digital currency in a process that Venezuela’s democratically-elected National Assembly denounced as unlawful.

On May 21, 2018, I issued Executive Order 13835 to take additional steps, with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, to address actions of the Maduro regime, including endemic economic mismanagement and public corruption at the expense of the Venezuelan people and their prosperity, and repression of the political opposition; attempts to undermine democratic order by holding snap elections that were neither free nor fair; and the deepening humanitarian and public health crisis in Venezuela.

On November 1, 2018, I issued Executive Order 13850 to take additional steps, with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, to address actions by the Maduro regime and associated persons to plunder Venezuela’s wealth for their own corrupt purposes; degrade Venezuela’s infrastructure and natural environment through economic mismanagement and confiscatory mining and industrial practices; and catalyze a regional migration crisis by neglecting the basic needs of the Venezuelan people.

On January 25, 2019, I issued Executive Order 13857 to take additional steps, with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, to address actions by persons affiliated with the illegitimate Maduro regime, including human rights violations and abuses in response to anti-Maduro protests; arbitrary arrest and detention of anti-Maduro protestors; curtailment of press freedom; harassment of political opponents; and continued attempts to undermine the Interim President of Venezuela and undermine the National Assembly, the only legitimate branch of government duly elected by the Venezuelan people, and to prevent the Interim President and the National Assembly from exercising legitimate authority in Venezuela.

On August 5, 2019, I issued Executive Order 13884 that imposed a full economic block on the Government of Venezuela, with respect to the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692, for its continued human rights abuses, including the arbitrary or unlawful arrest and detention of Venezuelan citizens, interference with freedom of expression, including for members of the media, and ongoing attempts to undermine the Interim President of Venezuela and Venezuelan National Assembly’s exercise of legitimate authority in Venezuela.

The circumstances described in Executive Order 13692, and subsequent Executive Orders issued with respect to Venezuela, have not improved, and these circumstances in Venezuela continue to pose an unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States.  Therefore, in accordance with section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act (50 U.S.C. 1622(d)), I am continuing for 1 year the national emergency declared in Executive Order 13692.

This notice shall be published in the Federal Register and transmitted to the Congress.

DONALD J. TRUMP

COLOMBIA

THE WHITE HOUSE. March 5, 2020. United States and Colombian Officials Set Bilateral Agenda to Reduce Cocaine Supply. Office of National Drug Control Policy

Today, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) led a counternarcotics dialogue with the Government of Colombia to set forth a bilateral, whole-of-government joint action plan to reduce the high levels of coca cultivation and cocaine production by 50 percent by the end of 2023.

The dialogue focused on increasing coca eradication and cocaine interdiction, improving security and economic opportunities in the rural areas most afflicted by narcotics trafficking, and targeting narcotics-related money laundering and illicit finances. A focus of the discussion was expanding the results of Colombia’s integrated coca eradication program by ensuring full use of all available tools, including manual eradication, alternative development, and a Colombian-led aerial eradication component, supported by rural development and rural security programs.

“When President Duque took office in 2018, he was faced with record levels of coca cultivation and cocaine production. With the support of the United States and our close collaboration during his 18 months in office, his policies have resulted in a stabilization of both,” ONDCP Director Jim Carroll said.

During the meeting, INL Assistant Secretary Kirsten Madison stated, “Colombia is our strongest counternarcotics partner, and U.S. counternarcotics assistance to Colombia is one of our most effective investments. These efforts have already demonstrated results as coca cultivation and cocaine production levels finally stabilized in 2018 and 2019 for the first time since 2012. At the same time, they show we still have a lot of work ahead of us to meet our joint goal to cut coca cultivation and cocaine production in half by the end of 2023.”

Today, ONDCP also released the 2019 Colombia coca cultivation and cocaine production estimate. According to the estimate, coca cultivation in Colombia remained stable at 212,000 hectares  in 2019, from 208,000 hectares in 2018, while potential pure cocaine production increased slightly by 8 percent to 951 metric tons in 2019, from 879 metric tons in 2018.

Where Colombian eradication activities were concentrated, coca cultivation substantially decreased, validating President Duque’s efforts. The Colombian government increased manual eradication by 57.7 percent compared to the same timeframe last year. Colombian security forces have shown great bravery, sacrifice, and commitment. In 2019, ten Colombians lost their lives and more than 50 were seriously wounded during manual eradication operations. Additionally, in 2019, Colombian police and military forces seized or assisted in the seizure of more than 492 metric tons of cocaine and coca base, the most in Colombian history.

“President Trump is focused on continuing to reduce the number of Americans dying of overdoses, and a key part of that mission is working with our international partners to curb the supply of deadly drugs. This upcoming year will be critical, and we look forward to seeing ramped up efforts, including aerial eradication, make a difference in reducing the coca cultivation and production of cocaine, which will eventually save the lives of the American people,” Director Carroll said.

According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) – the most recent year for which data is available – 1.949 million people use cocaine in the United States, a 42 percent increase from the 1.369 million cocaine users in 2011. The rate of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine more than tripled (from 1.4 to 4.5 deaths per 100,000 people) from 2012 through 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Fiscal Year 2019, the aggregate interdiction efforts of the United States and partner nations resulted in the seizure or disruption of more than 280 metric tons of the cocaine that would otherwise have been destined for the United States.

In an October 2019 event at the White House, ONDCP recognized members of Colombia’s military and law enforcement who have been severely wounded in the fight against drug trafficking and terrorism.

U.S. Department of State. 03/05/2020. United States and Colombian Officials Set Bilateral Agenda to Reduce Cocaine Supply

Today, the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) and the United States Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) led a counternarcotics dialogue with the Government of Colombia to set forth a bilateral, whole-of-government joint action plan to reduce the high levels of coca cultivation and cocaine production by 50 percent by the end of 2023.

The dialogue focused on increasing coca eradication and cocaine interdiction, improving security and economic opportunities in the rural areas most afflicted by narcotics trafficking, and targeting narcotics-related money laundering and illicit finances.  A focus of the discussion was expanding the results of Colombia’s integrated coca eradication program by ensuring full use of all available tools, including manual eradication, alternative development, and a Colombian-led aerial eradication component, supported by rural development and rural security programs.

U.S. counternarcotics assistance to Colombia is one of our most effective investments.  These efforts have already demonstrated results as coca cultivation and cocaine production levels finally stabilized in 2018 and 2019 for the first time since 2012.  Our joint goal is to cut coca cultivation and cocaine production in half by the end of 2023.

Today, ONDCP also released the 2019 Colombia coca cultivation and cocaine production estimate.  According to the estimate, coca cultivation in Colombia remained stable at 212,000 hectares in 2019, from 208,000 hectares in 2018, while potential pure cocaine production increased slightly by 8 percent to 951 metric tons in 2019, from 879 metric tons in 2018.

Where Colombian eradication activities were concentrated, coca cultivation substantially decreased, validating President Duque’s efforts.  The Colombian government increased manual eradication by 57.7 percent compared to the same timeframe last year.  Colombian security forces have shown great bravery, sacrifice, and commitment.  In 2019, ten Colombians lost their lives and more than 50 were seriously wounded during manual eradication operations.  Additionally, in 2019, Colombian police and military forces seized or assisted in the seizure of more than 492 metric tons of cocaine and coca base, the most in Colombian history.

According to the 2018 National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) – the most recent year for which data is available – 1.949 million people use cocaine in the United States, a 42 percent increase from the 1.369 million cocaine users in 2011.  The rate of drug overdose deaths involving cocaine more than tripled (from 1.4 to 4.5 deaths per 100,000 people) from 2012 through 2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Fiscal Year 2019, the aggregate interdiction efforts of the United States and partner nations resulted in the seizure or disruption of more than 280 metric tons of cocaine that would otherwise have been destined for the United States.

In an October 2019 event at the White House, ONDCP recognized members of Colombia’s military and law enforcement who have been severely wounded in the fight against drug trafficking and terrorism.

NICARAGUA

U.S. Department of State. 03/05/2020. The United States Sanctions the Nicaraguan National Police and Three Commissioners. Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State

Today, the United States announces new financial sanctions against the Nicaraguan National Police (NNP) and three NNP commissioners, Juan Antonio Valle Valle (Valle Valle), Luis Alberto Perez Olivas (Perez Olivas), and Justo Pastor Urbina (Urbina).  This latest action is further proof of the United States’ unwavering commitment to use all economic and diplomatic tools to promote accountability for those who play a role in serious human rights abuses and seek to silence pro-democracy voices in Nicaragua.

Today’s action, pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13851 (“Blocking Property of Certain Persons Contributing to the Situation in Nicaragua”) and the Nicaragua Human Rights and Anticorruption Act of 2018 (NHRAA), imposes asset-blocking sanctions on the NNP and the three NNP commissioners and generally prohibits U.S. persons from conducting transactions with them.  Concurrently with this designation, Treasury issued a general license to allow U.S. persons to wind down transactions with the NNP through 12:01 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time, May 6, 2020.

The United States is designating the NNP under E.O. 13851 due to its role in engaging in serious human rights abuses in Nicaragua.  The NNP is also being designated pursuant to the NHRAA for being responsible for or complicit in, or responsible for ordering, controlling, or otherwise directing, or having knowingly participated in, directly or indirectly, significant acts of violence or conduct that constitutes a serious abuse or violation of human rights against persons associated with the protests in Nicaragua that began on April 18, 2018.  The Ortega regime uses the NNP as its primary tool of violent repression against the Nicaraguan people.  The NNP has used live ammunition against protesters, participated in death squads, and carried out extrajudicial executions, disappearances, and arbitrary arrests.  The United States has previously sanctioned two NNP officials involved in targeted violence and human rights abuses.

The three NNP commissioners sanctioned today are Nicaraguan government officials and leaders of the NNP.  Valle Valle is the chief of the NNP’s Department of Surveillance and Patrolling; in 2019, he directed the harassment of citizens while they were sheltering in Metrocentro shopping center in Managua.  Perez Olivas is the chief of the NNP’s Judicial Assistance Directorate and Director of El Chipote prison, an infamous place of abusive practices.  Urbina is the commissioner of the NNP’s Special Operations Division, which has played a central role in repression throughout the country.

The United States urges the Ortega regime to immediately stop repressing the Nicaraguan people, respect human rights and fundamental freedoms, and allow the conditions for free and fair elections and the restoration of democracy in Nicaragua.

COUNTERTERRORISM

U.S. Department of State. 03/05/2020. Secretary Pompeo’s Remarks to the Press. Michael R. Pompeo, Secretary of State. Washington, D.C. Press Briefing Room

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Good morning, everyone.  I know you’re happy to see me twice in two weeks.  (Laughter.)

QUESTION:  More.  More.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  More, yes.  (Laughter.)

MS ORTAGUS:  You never say that about me.

QUESTION:  All the time, Morgan.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  I just returned from Doha.  I’ll talk about that in just a minute.  Then tomorrow I’ll be in New York at the United Nations.  I wanted to give you an update on a number of situations where America is once again serving as a force for good around the world.

Let’s start with our efforts, the State Department’s efforts on coronavirus.  The State Department continues to support President Trump’s strong leadership and whole-of-government approach to protect Americans.  There’s no higher duty for us.

I’m sure you’ve all seen the President’s briefings and updates from CDC and HHS, and the good news that Deborah Birx from our team here at the State Department is now serving as the White House Coronavirus Response Coordinator.  She will do an excellent job for the American people.  We’re proud to have her being part of that team.

The State Department has implemented aggressive travel restrictions, updated travel advisories, and worked with the private sector to ensure U.S. citizens and travelers are informed and safe.  And as I said in my last press briefing, we’re helping other countries keep their people safe, too.

For instance, we’re working with Italy and South Korea – two countries that have been hit especially hard – to create effective exit screenings for passengers coming to the United States.  We’ve also extended offers to help the Islamic Republic of Iran, and we hope that the Government of Iran will heed our offers of humanitarian assistance and medical supplies.

On Monday, our USAID announced $37 million in financing allocated for countries affected or at high risk of the Wuhan virus’s spread.  That comes on top of the $100 million in humanitarian assistance  and delivery of more than 17 tons of assistance that the United States has sent to the Chinese people back in January.

We are – the United States Government is – deploying humanitarian assistance and personal protective equipment to more than 25 countries around the world.  This assistance, along with the vast amounts donated by our private sector businesses and religious institutions, demonstrate once again the immense generosity of the American people and the fundamental goodness of our nation.

Turning to Afghanistan:  The signing of the U.S.-Taliban agreement in Doha, together with the realization of the U.S.-Afghan joint declaration in Kabul, laid the groundwork for the road ahead toward a lasting peace in Afghanistan.

We know that the road ahead will be difficult.  We expected it; we were right.  The upsurge in violence in parts of Afghanistan over the last couple days is unacceptable.  In no uncertain terms: violence must be reduced immediately for the peace process to move forward.  Indeed, President Trump discussed this very issue directly with Taliban deputy leader Mullah Berader on Tuesday of this week.

And while a reduction in violence is paramount, we also continue to press all sides to stop posturing, start a practical discussion about prisoner releases, knuckle down and prepare for the upcoming intra-Afghan negotiations.  The future of this peace process isn’t just about what we do, or what the Taliban does.  It’s about getting the Afghan people together to solve this problem that has plagued Afghanistan for now 40 years.

We, the United States, has opened a door for you, the Afghan people, to come to the table to determine the future of your country.  We’ll stand with you; we’re ready to support you.  Do not squander this opportunity.

In other news related, I received word this morning that the ICC Appeals Chamber authorized an investigation into the activities of the Taliban and U.S. and Afghan personnel there.  This is a truly breathtaking action by an unaccountable political institution masquerading as a legal body.

It is all the more reckless for this ruling to come just days after the United States signed a historic peace deal on Afghanistan, which is the best chance for peace in a generation.  Indeed, the Afghan Government itself pleaded with the ICC not to take this course.  But the ICC politicians had other goals.

I will reiterate one more time:  The United States is not a party to the ICC, and we will take all necessary measures to protect our citizens from this renegade, unlawful, so-called court.

This is yet another reminder of what happens when multilateral bodies lack oversight and responsible leadership and become instead a vehicle for political vendettas.  The ICC today stumbled into a sorry affirmation of every denunciation made by its harshest critics over the last three decades.

Moving on to another event, which our team here worked hard to ensure a good result for the American people:  The World Intellectual Property Organization election yesterday went in a way that will be good for the world.

I am pleased to congratulate Singapore’s Daren Tang on his election as the director general of the World Intellectual Property Organization.  Mr. Tang is a thought leader on intellectual property issues, and a vocal advocate for transparency and institutional integrity.  The U.S. looks forward to working closely with him to advance WIPO’s core mission of safeguarding intellectual property.

Secure property rights are critical for driving innovation, investment, and economic opportunity.  U.S. companies are the world’s most innovative, so they’ll be – derive a great deal of benefit from Mr. Tang’s sure stewardship of this important institution.

Turning to China:  Last week we applied a personnel cap on five Chinese state-backed propaganda outlets here in the United States.  We took this action in service of President Trump’s mission to establish greater reciprocity in our relationship with China.

We expect Beijing to take a more fair approach towards American and other foreign press inside of China.  Where the Chinese Communist Party has imposed increasingly harsh surveillance, harassment, and intimidation on our independent and world-class journalists, we will respond to achieve reciprocity.

A free press helps expose corruption and protect the people from cover-ups, as well as help the world understand the CCP’s thinking.  As I said when I spoke to you last time, censorship can have deadly consequences.  We urge the CCP to immediately uphold its commitments to respect freedom of the press.

A few other issues, starting with the Islamic Republic of Iran.

This past week, the IAEA issued two reports that the Islamic Republic of Iran is hiding nuclear material – its nuclear material and nuclear activities.

Iran is party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.  Iran’s safeguard agreements under that treaty require it to declare nuclear material to the IAEA and provide the IAEA inspectors with full access to verify those sites and those materials.

Iran’s intentional failure to declare such nuclear material, as reported by the IAEA this week, would constitute a clear violation of its safeguards agreements required by the NPT.

The regime must immediately cooperate with the IAEA and fully comply with its IAEA safeguards obligations.  All nations must hold Iran accountable to its commitments.  Otherwise, the NPT isn’t worth the paper that it’s written on.

The IAEA’s latest reports are all the more troubling, because Iran continues to lie about its past nuclear weapons program, just as it has lied about downing a civilian airliner and its suppression of the extent of its coronavirus outbreak.

Given Iran’s prior covert nuclear weapons program and ignominious record of duplicity, any undeclared nuclear material or activities in Iran is an extremely serious matter.

The United States remains committed to denying Iran any pathway to a nuclear weapon.  In light of Iran’s past nuclear weapons program, it is imperative that Iran verifiably demonstrate that it’s permanently abandoned all of its previous work.

Iran’s current expansion of its uranium enrichment program would have been permitted by the nuclear deal in 2031.  Here again we see the shortsighted nature of that deal.

More immediately, seven months from now we will see the lifting of the arms embargo on Iran. The UN Security Council must act to renew the arms embargo before it expires.

And one final note on the Islamic Republic of Iran – we’re heartbroken by the reports from Amnesty International that regime security forces killed at least 23 children in the course of the November protests.  The Iranian regime is truly an outlaw regime.

And with that, I’m happy to take a few questions.

MS ORTAGUS:  Go ahead, Matt.

QUESTION:  Thank you.  Good morning, Mr. Secretary.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Good morning, Matt.

QUESTION:  Thanks for coming down.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yes, sir.

QUESTION:  Just a couple very brief things.  One, on the – Afghanistan, have you seen – other than the signing of the agreement on Saturday, have you seen any evidence that the Taliban have, in fact, renounced, shunned, broken ties with al-Qaida?  And then on the ICC part of it, are – do you expect now to issue travel bans like you did for the prosecutor on the appeals court judges?

And then secondly, off the beaten track a little bit, but you mentioned it – the WIPO decision.  This was a victory for the administration over China.  And I’m just wondering if you see that that hope for your attempts to stem Huawei’s – if this is a signal that you think that there’s a recognition of that, the dangers.  Thank you.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Thanks, Matt.  I can’t say much about what we’ve seen the Taliban do in the aftermath since – what are we now? – a handful of days on, five days out.  But we have seen the senior Taliban leadership working diligently to reduce violence from previous levels during similar time periods.  And so we still have confidence that the Taliban leadership is working to deliver on its commitments.

We’re working to deliver on ours.  Ambassador Khalilzad is in Kabul today working to develop the confines against which we will begin the intra-Afghan negotiations with, the work to get the prisoner releases, the prisoner exchanges as part of that conversation as well.

So everything we’ve seen in the aftermath of both the declaration that was made in Kabul and the agreement that was signed in Doha indicates that we are still tracking.  We’re not naive.  Everything’s got to be verified.  There’ll be days when we stare at it and have to really drive this process forward.  But we’re determined to do that.

Your second question was about the ICC.  I don’t want to get in front of what actions we might take.  But we’ve come to know this ICC as a truly political body.  I know one of those Cs stands for court, and when we think about courts in America we think about independence and Article III.  This is not that.  And we have evidence suggesting that there has been – there have been efforts to provide misinformation to the court by foreign parties.

We’re going to take all the appropriate actions to ensure that American citizens are not hauled before this political body to settle a political vendetta.  So I’ll – we’ll do some work.  We’ll have some announcements probably in a couple weeks about the path that we’re going to take to ensure that we protect American soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, our intelligence warriors, the diplomats that have worked for the State Department over the years to ensure that the ICC doesn’t impose – doesn’t impose pressure on them in a way that doesn’t reflect the noble nature of the undertakings of every one of those Americans.

We have a solid system here in the United States.  When there’s wrongdoing by an American, we have a process by which that is redressed.  This ICC thing is not that.

And your last question was about the World Intellectual Property Organization.  This wasn’t about defeating China.  This was about the United States selecting the most capable candidate to deliver on intellectual property rights.  We all know the history of China, and property rights, and intellectual property rights, right.  They’ve stolen hundreds of millions of dollars of American intellectual property, harming citizens from Kansas to Iowa to Tennessee and Texas, destroying jobs here in the United States of America.  The institution that sets the path forward at the UN is the World Intellectual Property Organization.  We’re very pleased with the outcome from the election yesterday.  We think Daren Tang, the candidate from Singapore, will do a fantastic job of creating the standards, the rule of law, the transparency that that institution deserves when it’s at its best.

QUESTION:  Thank you.

MS ORTAGUS:  Humeyra.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Hi.

QUESTION:  Hello, Mr. Secretary.  Thanks for doing this.  I just want to follow up on what you said on the intra-Afghan deal, the intra-Afghan talks.  How are you planning to overcome the difficulties around the prisoner release?  Because as per the deal, this has to come, this has to precede the intra-Afghan talks that are slated to start on March the 10th.  Could this push it forward?  Obviously, that wouldn’t be such a surprise.

And my second question is:  Why is there a discrepancy between the two texts, the one that was signed with the Taliban and the one that was signed with the Afghan Government?  One talks about the feasibility of releasing a significant number of prisoners.  The other one mentions a specific number, up to 5,000.  Thank you.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yeah, those – yeah, I appreciate that.  Those aren’t remotely inconsistent.  These were heavily negotiated documents.  All the parties understand that it’s time for prisoner exchanges to take place.  A number of the prisoners being held have served their full sentences.  We need to move that process forward.

It will be political.  Both sides think they have leverage.  But what we have urged all the parties to do is stop posturing.  It’s time to move forward.  It’s time to reduce violence.  It’s time to sit down and talk; not just the narrow interests that you happen to represent, but the interests of all Afghan people will be best served if we get this peace process right.  We’ll have lots of voices being heard.  There will be lots of different views.  We know those will be hard-fought negotiations.  It’s why it’s been 40 years that the Afghan people have suffered from these levels of violence.

The President’s guidance has been unmistakably clear.  We’re going to do everything we can to assist the Afghan people at saving Afghan lives.  Taking down violence in Afghanistan and in the region while making sure, every moment, that we protect the homeland from the threat from terror that might emanate from Afghanistan, just as we do trying to take down the risk of terror in Syria, from Iran, from lots of places around the world.  We have an obligation to get that right not just in Afghanistan, but everywhere.  And this process that we’ve now set in motion has the opportunity to do that, and to reduce costs and the risks that American soldiers will have to go there multiple times, continue to serve, and put their lives at risk.

MS ORTAGUS:  Rich.

QUESTION:  Hi, Mr. Secretary.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Hi, Rich.  Good morning.

QUESTION:  Good morning.  Are you satisfied with the E3’s pace of addressing JCPOA violations?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  No, absolutely not.

QUESTION:  Okay.  And would the United States then petition the UN Security Council for a snapback in sanctions on the JCPOA?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yeah, I don’t want to get ahead of what decision we might ultimately make.  No, we – look, there’s no secret.  The reason I answered so quickly is there’s no secret.  We’ve chosen a different path forward than the E3 has with respect to the JCPOA.  That’s been public for an awfully long time.

Our view is this:  Our view is to isolate Iran, to put pressure on the Iranian regime, to deny them resources to foment terror in Lebanon through Hizballah or in the Gaza Strip through Hamas and the PIJ, or the Iraqi militia – the Shia militias in Iraq.  Those – that’s how we will ultimately convince the Iranian regime to change its behavior and provide an opportunity for the Iranian people to get the government that I know that they want.  That’s our theory.

The theory of the case – the E3 has a different one.  They think the JCPOA best serves that.  That’s been a sharp disagreement.  That hasn’t changed.  But we are – have been very pleased.  The E3 executed – or notified of the dispute resolution mechanism.  That’s a good step forward.  We think that’s positive.  We hope that as we approach this big demarcation that occurs in October, the very missiles that put American lives at risk in Iraq and the very missiles that fell on Saudi Aramco can be lawfully sold by China or Russia to Iran come October of this year.

This is consistent with the JCPOA.  This is the fundamental failing.  Iran will be free to buy conventional weapons systems from any willing seller come October of this year, just a handful of years after this ridiculous nuclear deal was signed.  We’re aiming to get that extended.  We’re aiming to get it fixed.  It is important.  It’s important not just for the United States, but for European countries as well.

I’ll take one more.

MS ORTAGUS:  Last question, Nick Schifrin.

QUESTION:  Thanks, Mr. Secretary.  I want to take you to Syria and —

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Yes, sir.  Sorry I didn’t see you back there.  Thanks, Nick.

QUESTION:  Sorry.  I want to take you to Syria and Turkey, and those borders.  Obviously, we’re watching the Russian president’s meeting with the Turkish president today.  I wondered if you could talk about whether and how much the U.S. is willing to try and change the balance of power in both Idlib and between Turkey and Russia.  So in Idlib, are you considering at all a Turkish request to take out Syrian air defenses?  They’ve obviously asked for Patriot missiles.  Are you in favor of providing those Patriot missiles?  And overall, is this a moment where you believe the U.S. can try and distance, perhaps, Turkey’s relationship with Russia?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  The President’s been pretty clear in his response.  He spoke with President Erdogan just a few days back.  I know that Russian and Turkish leaders are going to speak today.  Our requirement is that they move back to the Sochi agreement back from 2018, that they too enter into a ceasefire in the region.  As we know, hundreds of thousands of Syrians of all faiths, but predominantly Muslim, are being harmed by what the Assad regime, the Russians, and the Iranians are doing inside of Idlib.  And the Turkish Government has asked us for a handful of things.  We’re evaluating all of those requests.

Our team, along with the Department of Defense team, is trying to figure out how best to deliver less violence, more peace there, and stop the enormous humanitarian crisis that is – continues to take place.  We had two of our senior leaders from the State Department on the ground there yesterday, I think it was, our time in Washington.  Ambassador Craft and Ambassador Jeffrey were both there working to see how we can bring American and European resources to bear to mitigate this humanitarian crisis on the ground in Idlib and in the southern parts of Turkey.

QUESTION:  And the Turkey-Russia part?

SECRETARY POMPEO:  We believe firmly that our NATO partner Turkey has the full right to defend itself against the risk that’s being created by what Assad, the Russians, and the Iranians are doing inside of Syria.

MS ORTAGUS:  Thank you, everyone.

SECRETARY POMPEO:  Thank you, Nick.  Thank you all.  Have a great day, a great weekend too.

Note

On March 2, 2002, the U.S. Government committed $37 million in financing from the Emergency Reserve Fund for Contagious Infectious Diseases at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for 25 countries affected by novel coronavirus COVID-19 or at high risk of its spread.  This was the first tranche of U.S. Government funding committed from the pledge of up to $100 million announced by the U.S. Department of State on February 7, 2020.  The U.S. Government also provided a delivery of more than 17 tons of assistance sent to the Chinese people in January.[1]

U.S. Department of State. 03/05/2020. Warsaw Process Counterterrorism and Illicit Finance Working Group Convenes in Marrakech, Morocco

The United States, Poland, Morocco, and Kenya convened the Warsaw Process Counterterrorism and Illicit Finance working group, hosted by the Government of Morocco in Marrakech on March 4-5, 2020.  Fifty-five delegations, including international organizations, from around the world participated in the working group.  Delegations discussed the ever-changing threat posed by al-Qa’ida and its affiliates and acknowledged a range of efforts that can be employed to counter this still potent threat, including the promotion of a set of non-binding principles.  Participants shared their regional perspectives on countering al-Qa’ida and discussed threats from other terrorist groups.  A number of delegations also noted the destabilizing activities of Iran and its proxies, especially Hizballah, and the need to collectively confront Iran’s continued support to terrorist groups.

The Counterterrorism and Illicit Finance working group is the final working group meeting of the Warsaw Process in advance of the 2020 Warsaw Ministerial to be held in Washington D.C.  The Warsaw Process was launched by the United States and Poland in February 2019, following the Ministerial to Promote a Future of Peace and Security in the Middle East.  The initiative, which consists of seven expert-level working groups operating under the aegis of a Ministerial-level plenary, is promoting security and stability in the Middle East through meaningful multilateralism that fosters deeper regional and global collaboration.

FULL DOCUMENT: https://www.state.gov/counterterrorism-and-illicit-financing-working-group-summary-statement/

UN

U.S. Department of State. 03/05/2020. Secretary Pompeo’s Travel to New York City. Morgan Ortagus, Department Spokesperson

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo will travel to New York City March 5-8.  On March 6, Secretary Pompeo will meet with UN Secretary-General António Guterres to discuss a broad range of multilateral matters.  While in New York, the Secretary will also meet with U.S. financial sector leaders.

DIPLOMACY

U.S. Department of State. 03/05/2020. State Department Announces 26th Experience America Visit to Texas

The U.S. Department of State and the Office of the Chief of Protocol are proud to announce the 26th Experience America trip to Austin, Texas with members of the foreign Diplomatic Corps, March 8-10, 2020. More than 35 foreign ambassadors – representing countries across five continents – will join Chief of Protocol of the United States Cam Henderson to engage local business and community leaders and spotlight a vibrant American city. Led by the U.S. Department of State, Experience America connects foreign ambassadors with academic, business, community, and cultural leaders with the goal of building relationships to promote economic investment, commerce, and dialogue. Experience America takes diplomats out of Washington to show them our remarkable country and everything it has to offer. More than 100 countries have participated in Experience America trips since its inception in 2008. The capital of Texas, Austin is one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and serves as the center of an exciting range of academic, research, and technological activities in the American southwest. From the earliest settlers to today’s entrepreneurs, the American Dream thrives in Austin and has transformed the city into a global hub for technology, startups, and innovation. With pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies concentrating within the city in recent years, an increasing number of Fortune 500 companies have headquartered or launched regional offices within the city. In addition to a robust economy, Austin is a vibrant, high-energy cultural destination, home to many culinary, cultural, and historic landmarks that pay tribute to the people and traditions of the Lone Star State. Austin has Sister City relationships with cities in Australia, Brazil, France, Germany, India, Japan, Lesotho, Mexico, Nigeria, the People’s Republic of China, Peru, the Republic of Korea, Turkey, and the United Kingdom to promote cultural understanding and stimulate economic development. Over three days, participating diplomats will hear how research, technology, and entrepreneurship have transformed the region and powered innovation that changes and improves individuals, countries, and societies. Experience America will help to build relationships between the visiting ambassadors and companies and leaders across Texas, and in the process, open doors for local organizations eager to develop global partnerships and investment possibilities.

The following events are open to the press:

Sunday, March 8, 5:30 p.m. – Welcome Reception at the Driskill Hotel – Foreign ambassadors will meet and interact with the state’s top business and cultural leaders. The event will feature remarks by local and state representatives, including the Chief of Protocol of the United States Cam Henderson, Texas Secretary of State Ruth R. Hughes, and Mayor of Austin Steve Adler.

Monday, March 9, 8:00 a.m. – Discussion and Tour of Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library – The LBJ Presidential Library, located on the campus of The University of Texas at Austin, is one of 14 presidential libraries administered by the National Archives and Records Administration. Director of the LBJ Presidential Library, Mark Atwood Lawrence, a presidential historian and scholar on President Lyndon Johnson and the Vietnam War, will deliver remarks to the ambassadors and discuss President Johnson’s relations and diplomacy with other countries during his administration. Dedicated in May 1971, the Library’s mission is to preserve and protect the historical materials in its collections and make them readily accessible; increase public awareness of the American experience through relevant exhibitions and educational programs; and to advance the LBJ Library’s standing as a center for intellectual activity and community leadership while meeting the challenges of a changing world.

Monday, March 9, 10:00 a.m. – Visit to the University of Texas at Austin –- While at the University of Texas at Austin, ambassadors will visit the world-famous Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium and Frank Denius Family University of Texas Athletics Hall of Fame. Commemorating a storied tradition across Texas –- while highlighting current student-athletes across the 20-sport athletics program –- visitors are greeted by an impressive 8-foot tall, 1,200-pound Longhorn statue honoring one of the nation’s largest and most storied collegiate mascots and athletic programs. Ambassadors will be welcomed by UT Austin President Dr. Gregory Fenves and Senior Vice Provost for Global Engagement and Chief International Officer Dr. Sonia Feigenbaum before proceeding to the Texas Advanced Computing Center (TACC). There, ambassadors will witness some of the world’s most powerful computing resources, which enable discoveries that advance science and society and will have an opportunity to experience the interactive technologies at the lab. TACC Industrial Programs Director Melyssa Fratkin will present on the wide range of research topics TACC supports at UT Austin and around the United States — including Hurricane Harvey/Dorian, cancer, pandemics, rocket design, black holes, and opioid addiction.

Monday, March 9, 1:00 p.m. – Technology Briefing at Dell Technologies –- Rich Rothberg, General Counsel of Dell Technologies, will deliver remarks to the ambassadors about Dell Technologies’ history, vision, and 2030 social impact goals. Additionally, Dell Technologies’ Chief Technology Officer Paul Perez will discuss the positive impact of digital transformation and how it has the power to revolutionize various industries. Ambassadors will conclude their visit with a tour of Dell Technologies’ Solutions Center, witnessing the latest in virtual and augmented reality, cloud and hyper-converged computing, and how collaboration and technology are transforming workplaces globally. Ultimately, the ambassadors will see first-hand how Dell Technologies is contributing to the Austin community, and innovating around the world.

Tuesday, March 10, 8:15 a.m. – Breakfast Roundtable with Austin Chamber and the Leadership of Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center – Ambassadors will join the Austin Chamber, with the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, for a breakfast panel with key innovators across the Austin community.

Tuesday, March 10, 11:45 a.m. – Visit to Freedom Solar Power Company – Lila Ontiveros, Vice President of Business Development at Freedom Solar, will address the growth of solar power in Texas, one of the energy capitals of the world. Solar plays a key role in the global energy transition that is simultaneously solving for higher demand and a lower carbon footprint. Since 2007, Freedom Solar has been a market leader in Texas turnkey solar panel installations. By providing high-quality, cost-effective, reliable solar and backup power solutions for residential and commercial markets, Freedom Solar has installed more than 67 megawatts of solar power for more than 5,000 homeowners and hundreds of corporate clients including Whole Foods and The University of Texas at Austin. The company has donated solar to organizations in Texas and worldwide, including the installation of an off-grid system at A Child’s Hope orphanage in La Montagne, Haiti in 2017.

The ambassadors’ visit to Austin will also include closed-press activities, such as a briefing with the Texas National Guard, a tour of the Bullock Texas State History Museum, demonstrations at ICON, a tasting at Still Austin Whiskey Co., and other visits to the region’s top cultural attractions.

NUCLEAR NONPROLIFERATION

U.S. Department of State. 03/05/2020. The United States Celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT)

Today, the United States celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons and applauds its many milestones over the years in making the world a safer and more prosperous place. President Trump issued a statement today highlighting the success of the U.S. commitment to the NPT.

The United States, together with other depository states, the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation, hosted an afternoon of NPT panel discussions at the United Nations Headquarters in New York to mark this celebration. One of the highlights of this event was the release by the three depository states of numerous previously classified historical documents from the negotiation of the NPT. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation Christopher Ford led the U.S. participation with former Senator Sam Nunn, a champion of nuclear nonproliferation, delivering the opening remarks.

The 2020 Review Conference will take place April 27-May 22 in New York, and is an opportunity to recall the benefits of the NPT to the State Parties, to reaffirm commitments to the Treaty, and to rededicate efforts to preserve and strengthen the nuclear nonproliferation regime for future generations.

The United States encourages all NPT Parties to continue to focus on our common interests in the treaty, while making clear that the benefits of the treaty flow from the effectiveness of the nonproliferation regime. This includes helping create an environment for nuclear disarmament and for peaceful nuclear cooperation.

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LGCJ.: