Intervention at the London Conference on Somalia

Intervention

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Lancaster House

London, United Kingdom

February 23, 2012

 

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(In progress) parliament and electing a president and speaker. Now that it has agreed to these tasks, we must help them accomplish those. The Transitional Federal Government was always meant to be just that: transitional. And it is past time for that transition to occur and for Somalia to have a stable government.

The outcome out last week’s meeting of Somali leaders in Garowe is an encouraging signal that more progress will be forthcoming soon. And I am pleased to see representatives from so many Somali political groups here today in a sign of their dedication to this effort. But time is of the essence, and I want to be clear: The international community will not support an extension of the TFG’s mandate beyond the date set in the roadmap, August 20^th.

Now, yes, the goals we expect to achieve under this timeline are ambitious, but the people of Somalia have waited many years. They have heard many promises, they have seen many deadlines come and go, and it is time – past time – to buckle down and do the work that will bring stability to Somalia for the first time in many people’s lives. The position of the United States is straightforward: Attempts to obstruct progress and maintain the broken status quo will not be tolerated. We will encourage the international community to impose further sanctions, including travel bans and asset freezes on people inside and outside the TFG who seek to undermine Somalia’s peace and security or to delay or even prevent the political transition.

As we proceed with political action, we must also keep advancing security, and there has been progress this past year. The AU mission in Somalia and the Somali National Security Forces are now in control of all of Mogadishu and are expanding their control beyond the capital. And a few weeks ago, the United States announced that the famine that killed tens of thousands of Somalis and displaced tens of thousands more has ended – though food security remains a serious concern. Now we must keep the pressure on al-Shabaab so that its grip on Somalia continues to weaken. The UN Security Council’s vote on Wednesday to increase AMISOM’s troop ceiling by nearly half and expand its mandate significantly is an excellent step.

More and more Somalis are seeing the threat that al-Shabaab poses to Somalia’s peace and security, as well as to the peace and security of Somalia’s neighbors. Especially in south-central Somalia, it has turned an already bad situation into a nightmare. It has dragged fathers and sons from their homes, forced them to fight in a hopeless, bloody conflict. It has forced young girls to marry foreign fighters. And when extreme food shortages struck last summer, al-Shabbab mercilessly helped turn those food shortages into a famine by blocking humanitarian assistance and letting children starve.

With its recent announcement that it has joined the al-Qaida terror network, al-Shabaab has proven, yet again, it is not on the side of Somalis but on the side of chaos, destruction, and suffering. It has also proven something else as well. It is weakening. Al-Shabaab and al-Qaida have turned to each other because both are embattled and isolated, especially now as the democratic revolutions, underway in many countries, are showing young people who might once have been attracted to extremist groups that a more constructive path is open to them. That is the future; Al-Shabaab and al-Qaida are the past.

Now all those who have not yet joined this effort to unify Somalia, who are sitting on the sidelines or actively obstructing progress, have a choice to make. They can support this movement and join their fellow Somalis in moving past the divisions and struggles for power that have held their nation back or they can be left behind. For our part, the United States will engage with all Somalis who denounce al-Shabaab’s leadership and the violence it espouses and who embrace the political roadmap and the fundamental rights and freedoms that all Somalis deserve. But we adamantly oppose negotiating with al-Shabaab.

Now the international community has a responsibility to provide effective help, and when I say international community, I include the people of Somalia, whether they live within Somalia in refugee camps outside the country, or as members of the large and thriving diaspora here in the UK or the U.S., Canada, Italy, Kenya, and elsewhere. Our success depends in no small measure on their participation, because after all, they are the ones with the most at stake.

I want to briefly mention three specific issues: First, we must cut al-Shabaab’s remaining financial lifelines. One of the reasons that they apparently agreed to join with al-Qaida is because they think they will obtain more funding from sources that unfortunately still continue to fund al-Qaida. We welcome the Security Council’s decision to impose an international ban on imports of charcoal from Somalia and urge the international community to begin implementing it immediately. The illicit charcoal trade provides funds to al-Shabaab while also causing environmental harm and threatening food security.

Second, we must seize this opportunity to strengthen development, particularly in areas recently liberated from al-Shabaab. Somalis need to see concrete improvements in their lives. For our part, the United States will work with Somali authorities and communities to create jobs, provide health and education services, build capacity, and support peace building and conflict resolution. And today I am announcing the United States is providing an additional $64 million in humanitarian assistance to the Horn of Africa countries, bringing our emergency assistance since 2011 up to more than 934 million, including more than 211 million for lifesaving programs in Somalia.

Third, we must continue to fight piracy, which is still rampant off Somalia’s shores. The United States supports programs that strengthen the Somali judicial system so it can tackle piracy from onshore. We are considering development projects in coastal communities to create alternatives to piracy for young men. And we support additional international coordination, for example, to the regional anti-piracy prosecutions intelligence coordination center, soon to be launched in the Seychelles. We welcome the increased willingness of many of Somalia’s neighbors to incarcerate pirates. And as the UN helps build judicial and prison capacity in Somalia, it is imperative that more nations step forward to jail and prosecute pirates who have been caught seizing commercial vessels that are flagged, owned, and crewed by citizens of their countries. And we welcome the UK’s initiative to create an international task force to discourage the payment of ransoms to pirates and other groups to eliminate the profit motive and prevent the illicit flow of money and its corrosive effects.

As the security and political situation improves, the U.S. will look for ways to increase our involvement in Somalia, including considering a more permanent diplomatic presence. We will continue to deliver support of all kinds and to help build a broad and durable partnership with both the Somali Government and people.

For decades, the world focused on what we could prevent from happening in Somalia – conflict, famine, terrorism. Now, we are focused on what we can build. I think the opportunity is real, and now we have to work with the TFG as it transitions out of power to build a durable peace for the Somalia people and to support a government that delivers services and offers democracy and prosperity, uniting Somalia after so many years of division and chaos.

Thank you. (Applause.)

Public Schedule for February 23, 2012

Public Schedule

Washington, DC

February 23, 2012

 

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SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

Secretary Clinton is on foreign travel to London and North Africa, through February 26. In London, Secretary Clinton will attend a conference hosted by Prime Minster David Cameron, dedicated to building stability and peace in Somalia. The Secretary is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Carson, Assistant Secretary Feltman, Special Representative Grossman and Director Sullivan. Please click here for more information.

10:00 a.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton participates in the London Conference on Somalia Opening Session, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOLED PRESS COVERAGE)

11:40 a.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with UK Prime Minister David Cameron, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOL CAMERA SRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

12:30 p.m. LOCAL Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOL CAMERA SRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

TBD PM Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOL CAMERA SRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

TBD PM Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Mohamed Kamel Amr, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOL CAMERA SRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

TBD PM Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOL CAMERA SRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

TBD PM Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOL CAMERA SRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

TBD PM Secretary Clinton holds a bilateral meeting with Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, at Lancaster House, London.
(POOL CAMERA SRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

TBD PM Secretary Clinton holds a solo press availability, at the Foreign Commonwealth Office, London.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

Public Schedule for February 22, 2012

Public Schedule

Washington, DC

February 22, 2012

 

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SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

Secretary Clinton departs on foreign travel to London and North Africa, through February 26. In London, Secretary Clinton will attend a conference hosted by Prime Minster David Cameron, dedicated to building stability and peace in Somalia. The Secretary is accompanied by Assistant Secretary Carson and Director Sullivan. Please click here for more information.

Yemeni Presidential Election

Press Statement

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

February 21, 2012

 

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On behalf of the United States, I want to congratulate the people of Yemen on today’s successful presidential election. This is another important step forward in their democratic transition process and continues the important work of political and constitutional reform.

Today’s election sends a clear message that the people of Yemen are looking forward to a brighter democratic future. But there is still more work to be done. As part of the GCC Initiative, Yemenis will convene a National Dialogue Conference to address critical issues of national unity and the fundamental structure of Yemeni government and society, while taking steps to address urgent economic, social, and humanitarian challenges. The United States, along with its partners in the international community, will continue to support Yemen as it works to implement these reforms and confront these challenges so that all Yemenis will have the opportunity to realize their potential.

I knew this was coming, but do not like posting travel plans before they are confirmed by the State Department.  So,  it is now official.  She will  be wheels up and down for the second time this week and on two continents.

Have a safe and successful trip, Mme. Secretary.  You are always in our prayers.

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Travel to the United Kingdom, Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco

Press Statement

Victoria Nuland
Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

February 21, 2012

 

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On February 23, Secretary of State Hilary Clinton will begin a four-nation trip to London and North Africa. In London, the Secretary will attend a conference hosted by Prime Minster David Cameron, dedicated to building stability and peace in Somalia. Heads of state and foreign ministers from over 50 countries as well as representatives of the United Nations and the African Union will attend. The timing of the conference is significant as it convenes six months prior to the end of Somalia’s political transition which is set to take place by August 20, 2012.

Secretary Clinton will then travel to North Africa. In Tunisia on February 24 and 25, she will participate in the first meeting of the “Friends of Syria” group as part of our ongoing efforts with our friends, allies, and the Syrian opposition to crystallize next steps to halt the slaughter of the Syrian people and pursue a transition to democracy in Syria. She will also meet with Prime Minister Jebali and members of civil society to discuss bilateral cooperation and Tunisia’s progress in its democratic transition. In Algeria on February 25, Secretary Clinton will meet with President Bouteflika to discuss domestic developments, preparations for the May 10 parliamentary elections, and challenges facing the region. In Morocco on February 25 and 26, she will meet with Prime Minister Benkirane, as well as members of civil society, before presiding over a groundbreaking for the new U.S. Embassy in Rabat.

 

Remarks With Guatemalan Foreign Minister Harold Caballeros Before Their Meeting

Remarks

Keynote Address at Global Business Conference

Address

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Benjamin Franklin Room

Washington, DC

February 21, 2012

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Well, thank you and welcome to the State Department. I want to thank Bob Hormats for his leadership here in implementing the agenda that he just briefly described, and I also want to thank Tom Nides for his work pulling the conference together, and to all of our friends and colleagues from not only the State Department but across our government and the private sector who have been participating over these past two days, coming together on behalf of our common objective. I particularly want to acknowledge Secretary Bryson from the Commerce Department, U.S. Trade Representative Ron Kirk, Mike Froman from the White House, Tom Donohue from the Chamber, of course our friends from Boeing who you’ll hear from in a minute, and so many more.And I am particularly pleased that this luncheon is being held in the Ben Franklin Room with Ben staring over us, because it is named for a man who was both one of America’s first diplomats and also one of our earliest innovators and entrepreneurs. He understood that our country’s greatness would depend on both public excellence and private enterprise.

And it is in that spirit that we gather today to discuss how America’s foreign policy can champion U.S. businesses abroad and drive recovery here at home, and also help provide a strong foundation and effective economic tools that can strengthen and sustain America’s global leadership.

Now, here at the State Department, we call this Economic Statecraft. And we have worked to position ourselves to lead in a changing world where security is shaped in financial markets and on factory floors, as well as in diplomatic negotiations and on the battlefield. That’s why more than 1,000 economic officers on six continents are working with American companies, chambers of commerce, local businesses and local and national governments to open markets and find new customers. At the same time, we’re forming new partnerships with companies, universities, NGOs, and philanthropies to put private sector ingenuity to work solving some of our most difficult global challenges and driving sustainable development.

Now, I think it is fair to say, and I see a lot of my very experienced diplomatic colleagues here in the room, this has not always been a traditional focus for us. So why, you might ask, is the Secretary of State now spending as much time thinking about market swings as missile silos?

Well, to put it very plainly, Americans need jobs. And every $1 billion of goods we export supports more than 5,000 jobs here at home – even more in industries like telecommunications and aerospace. That’s why President Obama set a goal of doubling America’s exports over five years. And I’m very proud that we now expect to hit that target ahead of schedule, thanks in large measure to the passage of the free trade agreements with South Korea, Colombia, and Panama; the tireless efforts of our diplomats, trade representatives, and commercial service officers around the world; and, of course and most importantly, the resilience of America’s business community.

We also understand that America’s economic strength and our global leadership are a package deal. You’re not going to have one without the other. Our power in the 21st century depends not just on the size of our military but also on what we grow, how well we innovate, what we make, and how effectively we sell. Rising powers like China, India, and Brazil understand this as well, and we can’t sit on the sidelines while they put economics at the center of their foreign policies.

Finally, we fundamentally believe that increasing trade and growing prosperity will benefit not just our own people, but people everywhere. Our economies are interdependent as never before, and so are our fates. America’s economic renewal depends to a large degree on the strength of the global economy, and the global economy depends on the strength of America.

Now, I will be the first to admit that in some ways we are playing catch-up here. Let’s be honest. We had fallen behind some other countries—some of them our friends and allies—when it came to using diplomacy to promote economic interests. American companies haven’t always seen the federal government as an ally, and I know the State Department has not always been the first call when you’re looking for help. So we can and we will, and in fact we are doing better.

That’s what this conference is all about. We do want to hear your concrete suggestions based on your experiences about how we can be better partners. And we want to share with you the steps we are taking here in Washington and around the world.

I have made “Jobs Diplomacy” a priority mission at the State Department, with a clear goal: Just as our companies are ready to out-work, out-innovate, and out-compete their rivals, so we intend to be the most effective diplomatic champions for prosperity and growth.

What’s our plan?

Well, it begins with good people and good partners.

We’re changing the way we do business to better advance and support the way you do business. We need to see the world like you do, crisscrossed not just by national borders but by global supply chains.

So we are improving training for diplomats in economics, finance, and markets, and working more closely with colleagues across our government to leverage the best possible skills and resources.

I’ve directed all our senior diplomats to conduct business outreach and advocacy when they travel overseas.

We have created a new, unified under secretariat for economic growth, energy, and environment under Bob Hormats’s leadership.

And I am also proud to announce that we will name Heidi Rediker as the first-ever chief economist at the State Department. She has a deep knowledge of financial and other markets and extensive experience in both the private and public sectors, and I look forward to her contributions to our team.

Effective Jobs Diplomacy also requires partners on the ground with deep knowledge and extensive networks – and that’s where all of you come in. American chambers of commerce and other bilateral trade associations are at the heart of our effort.

When I was in Zambia last summer, I met members of the local Chamber – some of whom are here today. One woman told me about her job as a local manager for Citibank. Yes, she is helping an American firm navigate a growing market, but she’s also helping her fellow citizens start their own businesses or buy their first homes. That’s the kind of win-win that American business-support organizations deliver all over the world.

So we train our people, we find our partners, but the real question is: Can Jobs Diplomacy deliver results that make a difference to Americans throughout the country, to the bottom line of companies and to the daily lives of our citizens?

We are pursuing three lines of action to do just that: first, promoting U.S. businesses; second, attracting investment back to the United States; and third, leveling the playing field for fair competition.

Let’s start with how we advocate for U.S. companies trying to win contracts and make sales. Let me start by saying this is not about picking winners and losers. It’s about helping all American companies put the best foot forward overseas to get a fair shot in every market.

When we think about this, of course we think about our very large multinational corporations. As you’ll hear in a minute from Jim, he can offer a firsthand experience about how this works. The Obama Administration has gone to bat for Boeing and its workers – and many others – all over the world. And as a result, they have hired thousands of new engineers, machinists, and factory workers right here at home. And as Jim likes to point out, every Boeing jet comes with millions of parts produced by more than 10,000 suppliers, many of them American small- and medium-sized businesses.

That’s Jobs Diplomacy in action. Consider Russia. From our first days in office, we started talking with Jim and others at Boeing about their interest in doing more business in Russia. In October 2009, I toured Boeing’s design center in Moscow and pressed the case with Russian officials. Our Embassy kept at it, arguing that Boeing is the global gold standard. And it worked. In late 2010, the Russians agreed to buy fifty 737s, for almost $4 billion. To build those planes, Boeing is creating tens of thousands of well-paying American jobs.

Now, this story has been repeated again and again and again around the world, from Turkey to Brazil to Vietnam, with our advocacy. In fact, just this month, an Indonesian airline officially signed a contract for more than 200 planes – a deal that President Obama helped seal on his trip in November.

Now, I think the truth is that Jobs Diplomacy, though, is not just about giants like Boeing or GE or Caterpillar. We are just as committed – and I want you to be as well – to helping small- and medium-sized businesses. Because after all, that is where most of the jobs are in the United States. For example, when Iceland began looking for help converting its vehicles to electric power, our Embassy championed a dynamic startup from Loveland, Ohio that does this work as well as anyone in the world. And in the end, they won a contract worth $100 million and sold 1,000 electric SUVs.

Now, because international trade has to be a two-way street, we’re also working to attract direct foreign investment – we call it “Global Investment” – into American communities. And this is the second focus of our Jobs Diplomacy.

To make this a priority across our government, President Obama launched the SelectUSA Initiative last summer, which I’m sure you’ll hear more from Secretary Bryson about later today. The Departments of State and Commerce are actually working hand-in-hand on this program and we are already seeing results. For example, last year we brought together American and Chinese governors and other state and local officials to discuss investment opportunities. And not long afterwards, one of the largest heavy equipment manufacturers in China announced a $60 million investment in Peachtree City, Georgia, with plans to add an additional $25 million across the state and hire 300 engineers in the next five years.

We’re working with local leaders to help them replicate this success.

Now, these are important and worthwhile efforts. But signing one-off deals – even for dozens of airplanes or hundreds of SUVs – will only get us so far. We need to think bigger and broader. And that’s why the third focus of Jobs Diplomacy is leveling that playing field for all, so American companies can compete and succeed everywhere.

We recognize that for all the tantalizing opportunities of foreign markets, there are still significant obstacles that make it harder for American businesses. Some of these are familiar hurdles: corruption, red tape, outdated protectionist policies. But we are also confronting new challenges, like the so-called tollbooths that force unfair terms on companies just to enter or expand in a market, like forced technology transfers, government-abetted piracy of intellectual property, and preferential treatment for state-owned or state-supported enterprises.

The United States is committed to a global economic system that is open, free, transparent, and fair. And we’re working to institutionalize those norms in regional and global trade agreements and institutions. We’re pushing for reforms that allow more people in more places to participate in the formal economy – especially women, who represent enormous untapped economic potential but are still marginalized in many markets. And as President Obama said in the State of the Union, and as Vice President Biden reinforced at our recent lunch with Chinese Vice President Xi, we will not stand by when our competitors don’t play by the same rules.

This Administration has already brought trade cases against China at nearly twice the rate of our predecessors – and now a special new Trade Enforcement Unit is being established to go after unfair trading practices. Last Friday, the President announced that when other nations provide unfair financing for their exports, we will offer matching support to competing U.S. firms. Every day, all over the world, our diplomats are pressing governments to comply with international standards and to treat our companies fairly.

And we stand up for entire industries, like when our team in Australia helped beat back unwarranted legal action against American pork producers, leading to a significant increase in exports last year.

And we stand up for small companies, like the bedding producer in Washington state that faced a crisis when Canadian regulators hit their products with a higher tariff. After the State Department, working closely with the Canadian Embassy, intervened, the Canadian regulators realized they had made a mistake and reversed their decision.

Big or small, we’re standing up for an economic system that benefits everyone, like when our Embassy in Manila worked with Filipino authorities on new intellectual property protections or when our negotiators ensure that the new Trans-Pacific Partnership requires that state-owned enterprises compete under the same rules as private companies.

So my message is, I hope, clear: We’re here, actually, to help. We want to come with you as we open new markets and create new opportunities for jobs and investments. So when you confront unfair regulations, when you need help cutting through red tape, or if you just want advice on local customs, come to us. To make this even easier, in key markets across the world, our ambassadors are now holding monthly conference calls with the U.S. business community. We’re standardizing commercial information on all of our embassy websites so U.S. companies can find the answers they need in one place, which will complement the newly launched BusinessUSA website, a virtual one-stop shop for the services and information companies need to help them grow, hire, and export.

So these are all the ways in which Jobs Diplomacy is helping deliver results. And in the days and months ahead, we’re going to push even harder. We will not rest until the U.S. Government is the most effective champion of business and trade anywhere.

And I want to close by asking you to consider how you can help us help you.

American companies today have the best, most productive workers in the world. They have the best technology, the most talented innovators. And many, many are sitting on large cash reserves. Foreign leaders often say to me, “Where are the American businesses? How come they’re not here competing for this construction contract or that mining deal? What are they waiting for?” As I’ve described today, this Administration is doing everything we can to help American companies, large and small, compete and succeed. But ultimately, we know it’s up to you. We can’t help you if you’re not hungry enough to get out there and compete for the business that is going to be available. So it’s up to American business leaders to hire, to train, retrain your employees, to invest, to support education in America – all of which are key factors in our future success, our innovation, the kind of economy we’re creating for the 21^st century. But we also need you to take informed risks that have always been the key to success. We need to recapture America’s dynamism and sustain our global leadership.

So we appreciate greatly your traveling from everywhere on the globe to be part of this important work and joining us here today. We really believe that our best years are ahead of us if we’re willing to do what it takes to grow our own economy and compete for opportunities that may be challenging but which I have no doubt we can win and succeed in doing.

Now it’s my pleasure to introduce Jim McNerney of Boeing. Under his leadership, Boeing is soaring, which is only appropriate. Last year, orders for commercial aircraft rose by more than 50 percent and the company hired 13,000 workers. Now, we talk a lot about Boeing because we still lead in the aerospace industry, and despite some competition from our European friends, we have the best planes and we can produce the best products. And as President Obama said on Friday at Boeing’s plant in Everett, Washington, “This company is a great example of what American manufacturing can do in a way that nobody else in the world can do.”

So we asked Jim to come here to talk not only about Boeing but about his leadership of the Export Council, because we want to send a clear, unmistakable message that we are open for business and we can together achieve the results we are seeking. Thank you all very much. (Applause.)

Public Schedule for February 21, 2012

Public Schedule

Washington, DC

February 21, 2012

 

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SECRETARY HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

9:15 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with the assistant secretaries, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

12:40 p.m. Secretary Clinton meets with Boeing CEO James McNerney, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

12:45 p.m. Secretary Clinton delivers the keynote address at the Global Business Conference, at the Department of State. Please click here for more information.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)

2:30 p.m. Secretary Clinton participates in a bilateral meeting with Guatemalan Foreign Minister Harold Caballeros, at the Department of State.
(CAMERA SPRAY PRECEDING BILATERAL MEETING)

5:55 p.m. Secretary Clinton hosts a reception for the Global Business Conference, at the Department of State.
(POOL PRESS COVERAGE)

Presser Los Cabos, posted with vodpod

Press Availability Following the G20 Ministerial Meetings

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Los Cabos, Mexico

February 20, 2012

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good afternoon. And let me begin by thanking our hosts. It was an absolute pleasure to be here, and I want to express my appreciation to President Calderon, to Secretary Espinosa, and to the entire Mexican team for putting together what has been a quite informative and important gathering. And now that I’ve seen this beautiful place for myself, I can understand why so many whales come here to visit. It is, however, less clear to me why they ever leave, but that’s up to them I suppose.

This has been, for our team coming from the U.S., a great opportunity to discuss matters of important – importance to the bilateral relationship with Mexico, but also to catch up on the full range of regional and global issues that concern us with our – with my colleagues. And I think it’s fair to say, as I made the point in the first working session yesterday, Mexico is emerging as a leader in bringing nations together to solve problems that none of us can solve on our own. And this meeting of foreign ministers from G-20 and beyond is yet another example of that.

Now more than ever, foreign policy and economic policy are inseparable. Prosperity has to be a core foreign policy goal for all of us, and economic forces virtually impact every aspect of how our nations engage. And what’s more, we are increasingly seeing strong connections between traditional G-20 financial issues and questions about economic development, the environment, and good governance. In an age when more people in more places can participate in the global economy, we have to expand the range of partners working to take on our most pressing shared challenges and to work together to take advantage of these new opportunities.

So this has been a very excellent and all too rare chance to connect informally. It was, for me, a great opportunity to kick-off yesterday’s first session on breaking deadlocks in the multilateral system. I discussed some of the challenges to open, free, fair, transparent – transparency in the system of competition that we need if we’re going to continue to expand prosperity and include everyone in it.

Today’s sessions focused on all kinds of issues of great importance. I’ll just mention a few. The role that green growth can and should play – and again, I commend President Calderon, Secretary Espinosa, and the Mexican Government, because they have been leaders in this. The work that came out of Cancun was absolutely essential to what was then the follow-on work in Durban. The very creative idea that President Calderon put on the table back in ’09 for a green growth fund was given more specificity. So across the board, whether it was talking about how we grow our economies, how we create both energy security and a market for renewable energy, how we include more women across the world as full participants in the economy, we covered a lot of important matters.

And then finally, this morning, Secretary Salazar and I were proud to represent the United States as we signed a groundbreaking agreement with Mexico regarding oil and gas reserves in the Gulf of Mexico. For too long, uncertainty in this area about the reservoirs of oil and gas has impeded our progress and created grounds for dispute instead of cooperation.

Today, the agreement we signed will remove the uncertainty. It will make exploration and production safer, more efficient, more equitable for companies in both countries. It will advance energy security in our hemisphere and help us handle our energy resources more responsibly. And for the first time, American energy firms will be able to collaborate with PEMEX, their Mexican counterpart. That’s a welcome benefit for both Mexico and the United States in these challenging economic times.

So it’s a great pleasure to be here and to renew friendships with a lot of my Mexican contacts and counterparts. I particularly appreciate working with both the president and the secretary, but what is most important is that both of us are intent upon delivering concrete, positive results for the American and Mexican people.

So with that, I’d be happy to take your questions.

MS. NULAND: We’ll take two today. First one from Indira Lakshmanan of Bloomberg.

QUESTION: Thank you, Madam Secretary. We wanted to ask, if the Arab League or others were determined that they had to arm the Syrian opposition to stop the government violence being inflicted upon the people, would the U.S. accept that?

And in Egypt, American NGO workers have been charged and a trial date has been set. Are you confident the situation can be resolved before a trial and avoid a cutoff of U.S. aid to Egypt?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Indira, first with respect to Syria, I had the opportunity over the last two days to discuss Syria with a number of my colleagues. And we are all working toward the planned Friends of Syria meeting at the end of this week, which we think will give us a chance to come together and chart a way forward.

I think, like the UN General Assembly resolution that passed overwhelmingly last week, the upcoming meeting will demonstrate that Assad’s regime is increasingly isolated and that the brave Syrian people need our support and solidarity. Their suffering has to be addressed, so we have to focus on humanitarian issues and think of the best ways to deliver the necessary humanitarian aid. We have to work toward an inclusive, democratic process to lead a transition. Every group of Syrians needs to feel that they are represented, that their interests will be respected. We have to prepare for the likelihood that the Syrian regime is going to be under increasing pressure, which will create perhaps more space for all of us to push hard on a transition. And we will intensify our diplomatic outreach to those countries that are still supporting the Assad regime.

This is a challenging process, but mostly for the people of Syria, who every day are living with the results of this brutal crackdown that they are suffering under. So I don’t want to get ahead of the meeting that will be a very large gathering that will demonstrate, once again, the international unity in the face of the Assad regime. We’ll send a clear message to Russia, China, and others, who are still unsure about how to handle the increasing violence, but are, up until now, unfortunately, making the wrong choices. And I think we’ll have more to say as we go through this week and after the meeting.

With respect to Egypt and the NGO situation, I’m not going to speculate on the next steps based on press reports. I want you to understand clearly that we are not only deeply concerned about the situation as it affects not only Americans who are working in NGOs in Egypt, but other nationalities and even Egyptians who have been charged in this case. We’ve had a senior team in Cairo in recent days trying to work through the issues so that they can be resolved as soon as possible. And I think it’s probably better just to continue the hard work of our engagement and hope that we’ll see a resolution soon.

MS. NULAND: Last question, Silva Garduno of Reforma.

QUESTION: Hello.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Hi.

QUESTION: Good afternoon. My questions are related to organized crime. How do you think a forum like this, like G-20, should address transnational organized crime? In this sense, well, last week President Calderon sent a very graphic message about stopping the traffic of arms from the U.S. The sign actually read, “No more weapons in the border.” What is your answer to that message?

And finally, and very briefly, what do you think about organized crime infiltrating the highest levels of government in Mexico? And by this, I mean Mexican former governors of border states with the U.S. currently being investigated. Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, those are very important questions. And I want to begin by underscoring our support for the courage that President Calderon, the Mexican Government, law enforcement officials, and others have shown in their struggle against these criminal cartels. This is an important struggle, and we are doing all we can to support the Mexican Government as they, slowly but surely, gain ground against transnational crime.

We also believe strongly that transnational crime is a global threat. It’s not just a threat in Mexico or – name any other country. These gangs certainly operate across national boundaries. They pose a serious danger to law-abiding people and governments everywhere. So we are determined to assist the Mexican Government in their very courageous struggle against the cartels. And that means helping to stop the flow of illegal drugs and weapons to and from the cartels that fuel the violence here and elsewhere.

We’ve certainly increased our cooperation, and I would argue we’ve improved our assistance to be responsive to what Mexican Government officials tell us is needed. We are in much more close contact and really following the lead of our Mexican counterparts. We have an aggressive pursuit of illegal gunrunners who operate in the United States. Our goal is to end all illegal movement of guns across our border.

And in fact, President Obama has placed and increased emphasis on stemming the outbound flows of weapons and the flow of criminal proceeds from both weapons and, more significantly, the drug trade. Specials Customs – special Customs and Border Protection teams at the U.S. border are screening outbound rail and vehicle traffic for weapons and bulk currency. We are using cutting-edge technology to screen 100 percent of rail traffic headed into Mexico, and we’ve placed Border Enforcement Security teams along the border to investigate the organizations that are involved in cross-border smuggling.

The United States and Mexico share responsibility for our common border. Most of the times, it’s a border that a billion dollars a day in trade passes across, literally millions of contacts between people, and we want to keep it a vibrant, dynamic border while we work continuously to eliminate the threats that pass back and forth into both of our countries.

So I think we’ve made a lot of progress, but we have a long way to go, because these are violent, vicious gangs. It’s heartbreaking what they are willing to do to fellow human beings. There has been a lot of progress because of the Mexican Government’s leadership in bringing down a lot of the leadership of these gangs.

But we have no illusions about the necessity for the United States to be a strong partner with Mexico. And that includes, certainly on our side of the border, seeking out and arresting corrupt officials and supporting Mexican officials to do the same. Because it is just totally unacceptable that any officials would be profiting from this kind of violence and the terrible results that it has had for so many people in Mexico.

But I just want to end by saying that I think – I have a lot of confidence in the Mexican people and I have no reason to doubt that, as we’ve seen in other countries, Mexico will be successful.

MS. NULAND: Thank you very much.

Remarks at the Signing of the U.S.-Mexico Transboundary Agreement

Remarks

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Los Cabos, Mexico

February 20, 2012

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Good morning. It’s a great pleasure to be here for the signing of this groundbreaking agreement. And I am honored that President Calderon is here with us. Thank you, sir, for being here. It is under your leadership and the leadership of President Obama that we pursue this important agreement. And I want to thank my friend and colleague, Secretary Espinosa, with whom I have worked very closely over the last years, for all of her important participation. And thanks, too, to Secretary Herrera and Secretary Salazar and all of our teams who worked tirelessly to achieve this.

I often say that foreign policy must deliver concrete results for the people of our countries, and today we are doing just that – following through on the commitment that Presidents Calderon and Obama made in 2010 to improve energy security for both countries and to ensure a safe, efficient, responsible exploration of the oil and gas reservoirs in the Gulf of Mexico.

At a time when we are working hard to both secure energy supplies and shift to more environmentally appropriate means of extracting fossil fuels, but also adding immeasurably to our search for renewable energy, this agreement is a win-win. These reservoirs could hold considerable reserves that would benefit the United States and Mexico alike.

But they don’t necessarily stop neatly at either of our maritime boundaries, which could lead to disputes that would then interfere with our countries and companies doing the hard work of discovering what is available to us. If a reservoir straddles the boundary, then there would be disputes over who should do the extraction and how much they should extract. The agreement we sign today helps prevent such disputes. It also helps promote the safe, efficient, and equitable exploration and production of cross-boundary reservoirs. Each country maintains its own right to develop its own resources.

But this agreement creates new opportunities. And for the first time, American companies will be able to collaborate with PEMEX, their Mexican counterpart. In tough times like these, we need to make the most of every opportunity to create jobs, to foster economic growth and energy security, while managing our resources and our environment responsibly for future generations.

Our actions today are further proof of how Mexico and the United States come together to solve shared challenges. From our earliest days, the Gulf of Mexico has been a source of unity for our peoples and our countries. And the steps we are taking today will help make sure it remains that way for decades to come.

Again, thank you very much to all who helped make this agreement a reality. (Applause.)

TBA, posted with vodpod