State Department press briefing for those who have doubt that our military has completely messed up US plans in Egypt. Go ahead CC. There are men at your back. QUESTION: Egypt? MS. PSAKI: Uh-huh. QUESTION: Do you have any update about Deputy Secretary Burns’ visit, trip to Egypt, and did he return back home? MS. PSAKI: I do. I do have an update. So, Deputy Secretary Burns has returned to Washington. Over the course of the last several days, envoys of the United States, the EU, the U.A.E., and Qatar provided constructive ideas to the Egyptians in order to help prevent further violence and help advance the transition to a democratically elected civilian government. We believe these ideas are a strong basis to create an environment in which Egypt can move forward for the sake of all Egyptians, and we believe that any solution will require both sides to make compromises. These decisions -- QUESTION: (Off-mike.) MS. PSAKI: Let me just finish. These decisions, of course, will only be made by Egyptians for Egyptians. We certainly hope that they will make them soon. QUESTION: Yes, please. The – Egypt -- QUESTION: So why is the interim government calling the past several days’ efforts a failure? MS. PSAKI: Well, we are certainly concerned about the statement from the Egyptian presidency. Now is not the time to assess blame, but to initiate a dialogue that can help restore calm for the long term. This is – as I mentioned, they put another – a number of constructive ideas out there. It’s ultimately up to Egyptians to decide, but we will continue the dialogue in the days ahead. QUESTION: But they have assigned blame, naming in particular the Muslim Brotherhood and issuing in the past couple of hours essentially a threat to all of the people in Nasser City and in other places around Cairo that basically if they don’t pack up and go home, that they’re sending in the troops to clear all of these squares. Is the U.S. very concerned at this point about the prospect of violence? MS. PSAKI: Well, we’re always concerned about the prospect of violence. We’ve been very public about our concerns, both about actions that have been taken on the ground and public statements that have been made. And we definitely view the absence of a dialogue and compromise as it would be detrimental to the future of Egypt. And that’s why we continue to encourage, we continue to provide constructive ideas, and will continue the dialogue. QUESTION: Were Senator McCain’s comments on Tuesday helpful, calling the situation the result of a coup? MS. PSAKI: I’m not going to give you an analysis of his comments. I would point you to his office. We, of course, had Deputy Secretary Burns on the ground. He was representing the United States Government. The Secretary certainly welcomes and hears from members of Congress who have different views. Some agree with him, some don’t. And he encourages that, given his 29 years in the Senate. But beyond that, our focus is on the steps I just outlined that Deputy Secretary Burns and other officials from other countries are focused on. QUESTION: But certainly the Senator’s comments engendered some anger from those who support the interim government and the military’s actions on July 3rd and have emboldened the MB and their supporters. Does this make it harder for Washington act as an honest broker? MS. PSAKI: Well, the person who was representing the U.S. Government was Deputy Secretary Burns. I outlined for you what his goals were there, what we – what he did while he was there, and we would just reiterate that he was our representative. While we certainly welcome different points of views, and that’s something the Secretary feels is important, our agenda and our goals were conveyed through Deputy Secretary Burns. QUESTION: The Qatari Foreign Minister told our channel, as it happens, that there was an expectation that all of the envoys would have a chance to meet with former President Morsy, and that they essentially were discouraged or prevented from doing so. Is that this building’s understanding of why Deputy Secretary Burns may not have met with Mr. Morsy? MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything more to read out for you on that. As you know, he met with officials and representatives from all sides, including the Muslim Brotherhood. He did not meet with President Morsy. EU Representative – High Representative Ashton, as you know, met with him just a week ago -- QUESTION: Mm-hmm. MS. PSAKI: -- but we’ve continued to work with all sides, as I mentioned, to encourage a constructive dialogue and reduce the violence. Go ahead, Nicole. QUESTION: Regarding the -- MS. PSAKI: Oh, one moment. QUESTION: (Inaudible.) MS. PSAKI: Oh, sorry. Go ahead. Go ahead. Go ahead. QUESTION: So, I mean, I’m trying to interrupt somebody, but I cannot. (Laughter.) MS. PSAKI: It’s okay. Go ahead. Go ahead. QUESTION: With my stuttering mind, you know. The question regarding the presidency – the Egyptian presidency announcement that it failed, EU representative or one of the of spokespersons said that we will try again -- MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. QUESTION: -- that we’ll try – is United States saying the same thing, or it’s like just ignoring the -- MS. PSAKI: No. We absolutely do not believe that the time for dialogue has passed. We will continue this conversation, and it certainly remains a priority of ours and obviously a priority of the EU and other officials around the world who have been involved. QUESTION: And then the other question related to the – what was McCain said – I believe and I know that he’s a private citizen in Congress with his experience and his different point of view. But what was heard yesterday and was the talk of the town yesterday and today is a voice of United States, of whatever you can call it, was the voice of – and the views of Senator McCain, not Assistant Secretary Burns or Secretary Kerry. So how do you see this? It was something you have to handle it, it’s because you are trying to handle crisis, managing crisis. Now you have to damage control. Do you agree with this assessment? MS. PSAKI: Well, what we can do from here is to continue to reiterate who was the – speaking on behalf of the United States Government, and that is Deputy Secretary Burns, in terms of his private conversations and his work with all of the officials I mentioned, and we rely on all of you to report that. QUESTION: Yes, please. And then the last question, or maybe the last – one of the last questions -- MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. QUESTION: Any phone calls from the Secretary Kerry to Mr. Baradei or Nabil Fahmy, the Foreign Minister, in the last few days? MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. I believe – let me check on that. I don’t have the list in front of me. I believe there has been, but we will venture to get that to all of you after the briefing. QUESTION: Jen, my understanding is that Senators McCain and Graham went to Egypt at the request of the White House; is that not correct? MS. PSAKI: I would point you to the White House on that. QUESTION: You can’t answer for – you can’t speak for the Administration on this question? MS. PSAKI: I don’t – I don’t have -- QUESTION: They didn’t just show up there on their own because they felt like it; is that correct? MS. PSAKI: Well, we certainly have officials from Congress going to a range of countries, including Egypt, and that’s something we communicate with them on and coordinate with them on. But the -- QUESTION: All right. Well, the White House has -- MS. PSAKI: -- Deputy Secretary of State was on the ground at the same time. QUESTION: Okay. MS. PSAKI: And so I’m conveying that his message was what is being conveyed from the United States Government. QUESTION: Did the Embassy in Cairo facilitate the senator’s press conference? MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any details on the logistics of his trip. QUESTION: Why – this just boggles my mind -- MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. QUESTION: -- and it’s either stunningly bad planning or just incompetence. If your point is that Deputy Secretary Burns conveyed the Administration’s message and that message is somehow different than that which Senators McCain and Graham made in their press conference, why didn’t Deputy Secretary Burns give a press conference? MS. PSAKI: Well, Matt, his focus was on working with the officials, as I mentioned, and -- QUESTION: You have a -- MS. PSAKI: -- Egyptian officials on the ground. QUESTION: You do – you have a serious problem on the ground with perception of the Egyptian public, as you just heard from that question, who are now confused, as I think maybe some of us are, too, who were under the impression that Senators McCain and Graham went to Egypt at the behest of the White House. If they did not go at the behest of the White House, that’s one thing, but it’s my understanding that they did. And to have the – to have your designated – the person who you now say was the duly – due – duly authorized representative of the Administration to go there and to be completely silent in public and to allow two freelancers, who I don’t think were freelancing, to have all the public spotlight, that’s just a – that’s just – do you think that that’s an effective way to communicate the Administration’s message to the Egyptian people? MS. PSAKI: I’m communicating what our message is. I’m not going to do an analysis of logistics of media availabilities on the ground. QUESTION: Well, it -- QUESTION: New topic? QUESTION: It just – I don’t understand. Why didn’t Deputy Secretary Burns get up before – and speak to the Egyptian people? Why did he only have closed-door meetings? MS. PSAKI: He spent his time working on the issues I just outlined. QUESTION: All right. And then one more. Can I just ask you – you say that you, along with the European –say you will continue this conversation. MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. QUESTION: Exactly who are you continuing this conversation with? MS. PSAKI: Well, we’ve continue – we remain in touch with a range of officials. I’ve – we’ve provided to you in the past days the individuals Secretary Kerry has spoken with. Obviously, Secretary Hagel is in touch with others. QUESTION: So you believe that despite the government or the presidency’s statement, comments today that you say you’re disappointed in and now is not the time to assess blame, you think that they are still willing to engage in this conversation? MS. PSAKI: Well, we are certainly hopeful that the dialogue will continue. QUESTION: Jen, a quick follow-up on Roz’s question regarding the threat by the military to go into Rabaa al-Adawiya and Nasr City. And they normally come through on their threats, and so on -- MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. QUESTION: -- the Egyptian military. Are you cautioning them not to use the claimed pretext of failure, or the failure that they said as a pretext, to go in and actually go and enforce with tanks and maybe halftracks and so on? MS. PSAKI: I think -- QUESTION: Are you cautioning them right now not to? MS. PSAKI: Said, you’ve seen the Secretary’s own statements expressing concerns about violence -- QUESTION: So you’re telling them clearly -- MS. PSAKI: -- respect for peaceful protests, and our concerns about the ongoing bloodshed. QUESTION: So the U.S. Administration told them in no uncertain terms they should not go into these areas, correct, with force? MS. PSAKI: We’ve expressed our concerns very publicly. QUESTION: Jen, one more on Egypt. Do you think that the statements made by congressmen in Egypt has complicated the mission that Deputy Secretary Burns was doing in Egypt? MS. PSAKI: I don’t have anything more for you on that, other than to say that Deputy Secretary Burns was in Egypt conveying our message to the officials from all sides. We’re hopeful that dialogue will continue. QUESTION: And was the statement made by Secretary McCain a reason for Secretary – or Deputy Secretary Burns to return back to Washington? MS. PSAKI: No. I would not draw a connection there. He had been there for several days and had a range of meetings, and he just returned this afternoon. Nicole. QUESTION: Jen, I just wanted to ask if you have anything for us on the next round of Middle East peace talks, if there’s a time or a place yet. MS. PSAKI: Mm-hmm. I don’t have an update for you on that today. We’re continuing to work with officials from both sides. We expect we’ll have more to share soon.
Posted on: Thu, 08 Aug 2013 10:39:13 +0000