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MR PRICE: Good evening. Happy Thursday.

MR PRICE: In the last four days, there have been protests against MONUSCO in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many of these protests turned violent, resulting in the deaths of UN peacekeepers, UN police officers and Congolese protesters.

The United States extends our condolences and sympathies to the families, friends, and colleagues of the victims and to MONUSCO and the United Nations. MONUSCO plays an important role in providing peace and security, protecting civilians, and providing humanitarian aid.

We call on the national and local authorities of the DRC to ensure the protection of MONUSCO facilities and personnel and the protesters to express their views peacefully. We appreciate the efforts of the DRC government to investigate these incidents and hold those responsible accountable.

The United States emphasized that the attacks on UN staff and facilities are against international law. Freedom of expression, including peaceful protest, must be allowed, but not violence.

After that, today the Ministry of Foreign Affairs published the annual investment situation data, which describes the investment situation of more than 160 countries and economies around the world.

Investment Climate Information helps US companies make better business decisions. They are also a beacon for foreign governments seeking to mobilize sustainable investment as they continue to recover from the pandemic. A welcoming investment climate can help attract quality, sustainable investment and support the global economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The reports highlight areas where countries have improved their domestic investment climate, as well as other barriers that may hinder American business opportunities.

The successful recovery of the global economy from the epidemic must be based on sustainable development, balance and progress. Therefore, the statements are not only about market conditions, they assess how governments uphold international labor standards, enable responsible business practices, fight corruption, and implement policies to mitigating and adapting to the effects of climate crisis.

The comments can be found online on our website.

Finally, I am pleased to announce that we are celebrating the 100th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the United States and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.

The story of these strong relationships is amazing. Our relationship withstood the brutal Nazi and Soviet occupation of the Baltics, until Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania courageously regained their independence, rebuilt their nations, and became members of the United Nations, NATO, and EU. Today we stand together as close friends, strategic allies, and strong allies, committed to protecting our democratic institutions, our freedoms, and our freedoms.

The United States is proud to join with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as we work together to support the democratic aspirations of our European neighbors and others around the world and to stand with the Baltic nations in support of Ukraine in its brutal invasion. Russia. Whether our countries are protecting the law, sharing governance lessons online, or standing up for basic liberties, America is committed more than ever to standing with you as our democracy rises. the challenge of this time. And here’s to the next hundred years.

QUESTION: Well, thank you. A happy day after the department’s birthday.

QUESTION: I’m not sure if there’s a word for that. A kind of Boxing.

Following the Secretary’s comments yesterday on Russia, is there any movement on either the proposal you presented or on arranging a phone call between the Secretary and Foreign Minister Lavrov?

MR PRICE: So as you heard from the Secretary yesterday, we have expressed interest, we have expressed to the Russian Federation that we are looking for talks between Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Lavrov. Before the Secretary spoke yesterday, we made contact with our Russian counterpart to enter the call request. The Russians accepted this request yesterday. We kept going back and forth.

As you know, Foreign Minister Lavrov is in the middle of a trip, so I don’t have any updates to provide when they can meet, but we continue to discuss it in the appropriate channels.

Among the issues that the secretary stated that he will discuss with Foreign Minister Lavrov first in this case, including the continued detention of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan by mistake. In a part of this, the Secretary said that yesterday we presented an important proposal and he will try to use this call to try to reach a decision on this important proposal.

So the call, of course, didn’t happen. He did not get a chance to ask to do that with Foreign Minister Lavrov. But it is something that we continue to follow, and we continue to expect that they will be able to speak in the coming days.

QUESTION: Well. But probably, no major proposal has been presented to Foreign Minister Lavrov, so I’m curious if there’s any — other than — whether you don’t think there’s going to be any movement on this until or if — until at least after that. are they talking?

MR PRICE: Well, let me come back. We delivered this great process directly and regularly to our Russian counterparts. We did this over several weeks. It is our hope that by delivering this proposal we will be able to resolve these issues before we get to this point.

QUESTION: But is it your research or is it the government’s thinking that you don’t think the Russians will give an answer or there will be any movement on the proposals until after the talks between Blinken and Lavrov?

MR PRICE: I will leave it to the Russians to speak at their discretion. It has always been our hope – we have sought to resolve these cases to see Paul Whelan, Brittney Griner freed as soon as we begin working on these cases. So the truth is, we are now taking this step to the position of the Secretary in the hope that this will be moved to a resolution, but again, this important proposal has been on the table for weeks. There is no reason to delay this. Every day that Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner remain in prison, the injustice increases. Our goal is to see these issues resolved as soon as we can.

QUESTION: Last from me. And you said you still – even though you haven’t heard back about the call, that you still expect it to happen in the, quote/unquote, “coming days.” So does that mean you still think it will happen before the weekend or before next week?

MR PRICE: I can’t say. We continue to discuss strategies. I don’t have anything specific to offer at this time.

QUESTION: Thank you. Of China –

QUESTION: Can we stick to one topic —

MR PRICE:  Sure, we’ll stick to the same point – sure.

QUESTION: Thank you very much. Is there any situation at this time when this call may not happen? Because yesterday the secretary was very diplomatic; He said he was looking forward to talks with Lavrov.

MR PRICE: Well, we look forward to speaking with Foreign Minister Lavrov. We need – we put in a call request yesterday before you hear from the Secretary. It lowers our expectations that the two will have a chance to talk, but again, I don’t have any updates to add at this point in terms of specifics.

QUESTION: Thank you, and another question on this. Is there any concern that, given Russia’s past behavior, the way they go after they get what they want, that this call, a potential call, could strengthen Russia’s actions in Ukraine, even The Secretary has clearly stated that he will not be. about the violence in Ukraine in particular?

MR PRICE: Well, that’s in our – that’s why you heard directly from the Secretariat yesterday. The secretary felt that it was important to be clear about what the call with Foreign Minister Lavrov would include and, just as importantly, what it would not include. And so you heard directly from the Secretary that he first wanted to convey clearly and directly, personally to Foreign Minister Lavrov, the priority that we attach and always attach to the speedy return of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, who they are all running. oppression in Russia.

Second, he wanted to repeat what Foreign Minister Lavrov has heard from most of the world about the message about food and, more precisely, food insecurity that has worsened due to Russia’s brutal aggression against Ukraine. The secretary intends to emphasize the message we sent before, that other countries also have it, that we welcome this agreement, but an agreement is different from the agreement in practice, and we want to see that this agreement is fully implemented. And an important part of that is to see that Russia has accepted the commitments it made with Turkey, the United Nations, and Ukraine.

And then thirdly, the Secretary wanted to convey a strong message about our continued concern that Russia may seek to occupy parts of Ukraine by force and force. We have heard statements related to the issue, including at times from Foreign Minister Lavrov himself. The secretary quoted Foreign Minister Lavrov yesterday, who said in recent days that Russia’s policies go beyond Donbas and may include other regions. We thought it was good that Foreign Minister Lavrov heard directly from Secretary Blinken the message that an invasion by force would be a serious violation of the UN Charter, of international law, and would bear the costs and consequences of many world.

That is what the Secretary expects to be able to deliver. Importantly, however, you heard from Secretary Blinken yesterday that this will not be a discussion about Ukraine. This will not be a return to business as usual. In other words, Ukraine took over Russia. And our friends in Ukraine have made it clear that they are ready and have – they have a clear understanding that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine will end, it must end, through dialogue and diplomacy. At the same time, we do not see any indication from Russia that it is currently interested in engaging in meaningful diplomatic dialogue.

Therefore, we will continue to support Ukraine until Russia is ready to deal with them through diplomacy, effectively through dialogue. You heard from the Secretariat yesterday about the high levels of this support to strengthen Ukraine’s hand on the battlefield, the evidence of which we continue to see every day, and ultimately to strengthen Ukraine’s hand at every negotiating table that emerges.

QUESTION: So I asked the Secretary earlier this month at the G20 meeting specifically if there is a price to be paid to Americans like Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, for not interacting with his Russian counterpart. He said one thing is right – Russia is not ready to engage in meaningful diplomacy. Can you tell us where this list goes? Also, that important decision – that is for the freedom of Griner and Whelan – do you see a situation where the United States concludes a deal where one of the detainees comes home?

MR PRICE: So let me make two points. What you heard yesterday from the Secretary – of course, this is not something we do every day. But this is a terrifying practice that puts lives in the balance and, at times, calls for extraordinary tactics and measures.

A few things to your question. The secretary wanted – and we want – to convey directly and directly to the Minister of Foreign Affairs Lavrov, so there is no mistake in Moscow, the priority we propose for the urgent resolution of these cases, meaning the quick release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner. . We believe that, now that this message has been delivered, this important proposal, directly and repeatedly through the appropriate means in recent weeks, without resolution, it is now time for the Secretary to convey this message clearly.

There are many concerns we have with Russia. Continuing to detain these two people illegally is one of them, but there are other issues that are important to us and the world. And I have already mentioned two of them – the concern about the possibility of invasion by force, and then the fact that it is necessary for Moscow to fulfill its commitments to the international community, but especially in this case to Turkey , to Ukraine, and the United Nations regarding the issue. grain agreement.

Therefore, this is not an opportunity for the foreign ministers of the two countries to enter into discussions. This is an opportunity for Secretary Blinken to deliver it clearly, directly on these areas that are important to us.

QUESTION: Sorry, second part of the question.

QUESTION: Griner and Whelan, is this a package deal or –

MR PRICE: Again, it’s our priority to get them all released as quickly, as quickly as possible.

QUESTION: Have you heard any response to this proposal since it was presented a few weeks ago in Moscow? Are there any statistical tips from the Russians? And is America ready to add more advice to the table, if that’s what it takes to bring Griner and Whelan home?

MR PRICE: Jenny, it is not our intention to negotiate publicly. It is not in our interest to do so. It has – there is one overwhelming desire that we have, and that is the speedy release of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. We will be careful in everything we do and everything we say not to neglect this great priority; don’t do anything, don’t say anything that can bring back this great cause. I will not elaborate beyond what you heard from the Secretary yesterday.

We take this as an important decision. We presented it repeatedly, directly over the course of several weeks. The fact that now several weeks later we are where we are – I think you can read into that as something that shows the fact that this did not move the way we wanted, and we want to make it clear to the Russians directly. , in this case in the discussion with Secretary Blinken, the priority we give to this.

QUESTION: And can I fast track? Do you have any updates on the Marc Fogel case and whether he will be charged?

MR PRICE: I have nothing more to offer at this stage. I talked about this issue a lot earlier this week, I made a point that we are providing all necessary assistance to Americans who are being held in Russia. We continue to call on Moscow to allow regular access to our embassy for Americans who are in pre-trial detention, for Americans who have been sentenced in Russia.

Also, there has been a discussion on this process to determine if someone has been detained illegally. What I will say is that in any case we are constantly analyzing the totality of things. And without going into a particular case, I will say that we always look at the things that are happening; we always look at those situations to determine if someone can be wrongly detained.

Yes. Anything else on this? Carry on.

QUESTION: And President Biden met with President Xi of the PRC this morning. But the spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China – the spokesperson of the ministry announced that today China will take important steps when the Speaker of the House of Representatives Nancy Pelosi visits Taiwan. Do you know what the important jobs are?

MR PRICE: When it comes to President Biden’s conversation today with President Xi, the White House has issued a press release a few moments ago. I think you or your colleagues will have an opportunity to hear more about this call from my colleagues at the White House. So I will refrain from commenting on that.

Moreover, we have all heard these words from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. I suspect they also heard our words. It is not for us to talk about any travel of any member of parliament, which also includes the speaker of the parliament in this case. I understand that her office has not announced or confirmed any travel.

What we need to do, on the other hand, is to provide members of parliament, including the Speaker, with the right information and the context of any trip. That includes the issue of security; which includes geopolitical considerations. But we will not go into detail about such discussions.

QUESTION: The leader of North Korea Kim Jong-un announced through the Korean Central News Agency yesterday that he is making a full plan to prevent a nuclear war and warned of the destruction of the South Korean government and its army. He also warned that the war will break out on the Korean Peninsula if the Korean-US-Korea exercises continue. What do you think about-

MR PRICE: The statements that we have heard in the last few hours are no different from what we have heard from the DPRK government in the last few months and the last few years, unfortunately. We will not answer them. I think it is fair to say that the DPRK will not be surprised to hear the same message from us, and that is our commitment to protect the Republic of Korea and Japan, a commitment that remains strong.

The DPRK, as we have repeatedly said, is a threat to international peace and security and the global anti-epidemic system. We are critical to deterring the DPRK, preventing its provocation or use of force, limiting the delivery of dangerous weapons programs, and above all, protecting the American people, our troops deployed in the region, and our trusted allies. . from any threat to the peace and security of the world.

Therefore, we continue to consult with Japan, with the ROK, and with partners throughout the Indo-Pacific region and beyond on the threat posed by the DPRK’s WMD programs.

QUESTION: Finally, how is the United States dealing with North Korea at the moment? What – I mean, is – where are we now?

MR PRICE: Well, we’re not, unfortunately, in any particular place other than what we’ve been in for a while. As you know, Janne, we did – we sponsored at the beginning of this administration a policy study to determine the best way to deal with the DPRK. The result of this policy review is a policy that seeks to advance our ultimate goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through dialogue, through diplomacy, through cooperation with our treaty partners.

We were able to implement an important element of this, deepening our relationship with our partners – in this case, Japan and the ROK – both bilaterally, and trilaterally. The President, Secretary Blinken, Deputy Secretary Sherman, our Special Representative on the DPRK Sung Kim – all of them have been able to convene our counterparts in Japan and South Korea in a three-way process to discuss the gravest threat to international peace and security. . DPRK showed.

At the same time, in almost all of these engagements and repeatedly from here and elsewhere, we have suggested that we have no intentions towards the DPRK, and in fact, we are seeking to engage in dialogue, in proper diplomacy. we feel it can be more effective in continuing the goal we share with our treaty partners and other partners in the region and around the world to promote this common goal of denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

Now, of course, we have not heard any concrete response or any indication that the DPRK is currently looking to take us up on this offer. But in the interim, we will continue to coordinate with our allies and will continue to impose costs and consequences if provocations continue to come from the DPRK.

QUESTION: Can you talk about Chinese Americans who are believed to be wrongfully detained by the Chinese government or who are on the embargo? Was it discussed during President Biden’s call with Chinese President Xi Jinping? And is there any progress that will bring them home? Thanks.

PRICE: What I would say, Nike, is that in all the discussions that are appropriate with countries around the world, we raise cases of Americans who are being detained illegally or illegally. not or Americans who cannot leave another country voluntarily. This is not an exception in the case of the PRC, but it is not something that I will be in a position to detail from here.

QUESTION: Is there any important advice for the Chinese like Russia?

PRICE: What I would say is that the international community that is involved in this knows the priority that we place on seeing that — to see that Americans who are being held illegally or are being held illegally are released. they are not allowed to leave the country. in cases of enforced curfews, for example, they know the priority we give to this. They know that we will continue to seek to resolve these issues based on both sides.

QUESTION: I understand that the White House is going to have a brief briefing on the Biden-Xi call, but to go back to that for a second. Your counterparts in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China have already released an additional statement on the call, and they failed to use the meaningful word to describe the discussion, which they used some time ago. I’m just wondering – the previous times for the Biden and Xi talks. I’m just wondering: does the State Department believe that this call is beneficial in light of the high level between the United States and China? And I was just wondering if I could get your assessment of the current state of US-China negotiations.

PRICE: I’ll just say one thing. Secretary Blinken attended the meeting. He was at the White House for that call, but again, I’ll let my White House colleagues explain that call. What I can say from our side here at the US State Department – of course, Secretary Blinken two weeks ago had the opportunity to meet with the director, the state congressman and the foreign minister Wang in Bali.

We have found that cooperation is beneficial and beneficial in important areas, but perhaps there is no future more important than the fact of this cooperation, open communication, making sure that we are doing everything we can able to ensure that the competition reveals that the relationship between the United States and China – the relationship between the two most influential countries we have – does not go from competition to conflict.

So again, I’ll give advice to my colleagues in the White House, but this is our experience, including recently with the foreign affairs — that Secretary Blinken did with Foreign Minister Wang.

QUESTION: Can I ask you two unrelated things in Europe? In Greece, the high court – I believe it was yesterday – ruled in favor of Iran, which complained about the seizure of a Russian oil tanker there. Does America have any comment on this? Where did he go from here?

MR PRICE: Well, this case went through the Greek legal system. We respect that. We don’t have any comments beyond that.

QUESTION: Don’t you regret that he didn’t follow what is considered to be the American way?

MR PRICE: He went through the Greek legal system.

QUESTION: On a different matter, Hungary. Prime Minister Orban has attracted criticism, some comments talk about how Europeans are not – I think his words are “a race mixed with other people – of non-European ancestors.” Does the United States have any — does the United States want to consider this?

MR PRICE: Well, the individuals in this building have made comments. Deborah Lipstadt, our special correspondent, commented on this. She called these words – she said she was shocked by these words. She pointed out that statements of this nature are inexcusable some 75 years after the end of the Holocaust.

What I will – the only thing I will add is – and this is a point that we have talked about before – what binds the United States to our allies around the world with Hungary being an important ally, not only mutual interests but also values . . And the words we heard from Prime Minister Orban did not refer to the values ​​that unite the United States and Hungary, which are the foundation of the relationship between our two nations, which are the foundation of the relationship between the United States. States and our other friends, whether in Europe, Indo-Pacific, or elsewhere.

QUESTION: A little bit about Iran if that’s correct. Do you see the release of Morad Tahbaz as a good sign for other Americans detained in Iran, or is it closely related to the exchange of prisoners between the UK and Iran through Oman?

MR PRICE: Well, let me just say about his release – and you may have seen this, but we welcome the news that Iran has released Morad Tahbaz, an American-British citizen, from prison, that he has since been released on bail. We are grateful to Oman. We are grateful to the UK for continuing to put pressure on Iran to fulfill this commitment. He has been one of their top priorities in securing the release and return of illegally detained Americans, including Morad Tahbaz.

We’ve talked about this before — and I think Secretary Blinken alluded to it just yesterday — but the fact is that Iran is illegally detaining Americans and other innocent people and they should be released in emergency. Iran should also account for the fate of Bob Levinson. This is an issue that Secretary Blinken, Special Representative Malley, and our Special Representative for the President on Kidnapped Affairs Roger Carstens – speak regularly to the families of these people who are being held illegally. They inform them about the efforts we are making to bring them home, one of the priorities we have given to this. I will not guess what Morad Tahbaz’s anger might indicate other than to reiterate that the release of Americans illegally detained in Iran is not our highest priority.

QUESTION: And on Borrell’s proposal, you said earlier this week that the United States would quickly review it. Has the US shared its response to the EU yet?

MR PRICE: We were with our European friends. We remain in close contact with our P5+1 partners in this regard, including, of course, our European allies in this regard. We are reviewing the draft understanding. We plan to do this quickly. We will share any feedback we have with the EU directly.

QUESTION: Regarding the grain agreement with Ukraine, is there a new estimate of when ships can start to export grain from the port?

MR PRICE: So, I will need to refer you to the United Nations and other parties responsible for this agreement. Our position remains that ships, in the first instance, should not stop. In the first case, there should be no effective influence established by Moscow on Ukraine, but now that this agreement has been reached, there is a need to quickly implement it. And again, an agreement on paper is different from an agreement in practice. And it is necessary for Moscow to do everything it can not only to the letter of the agreement, but also in accordance with the spirit of the agreement, to see that the ships can leave, the shippers have the confidence to be able to do so. therefore, millions of tons of grain that are ready to go for weeks – in some cases, for months – can begin to depart from the ports of the Black Sea of ​​Ukraine.

But it is not for us to provide an update on when this may happen, but we will continue to do everything we can to facilitate the implementation of this agreement as soon as possible. But ultimately, the responsibility for its successful implementation rests with Russia.

QUESTION: And on a different topic, the G7 condemned the death penalty in Myanmar today. Is the United States planning to take more measures, sanctions to further condemn the killings?

MR PRICE: All options are on the table. We have repeatedly said that as long as the military regime continues to stand on the path of returning Burma to democracy, we will continue to impose costs and consequences on the military regime. We, in turn, are looking at all possible options to do so. We are considering and discussing some of these options with partners in the region and beyond. We are also aware of the humanitarian and humanitarian issues facing the Burmese people, so we will of course tailor our response to the humanitarian needs of the Burmese people. But as long as the military government continues to repress, as long as their infidel violence continues to harm the Burmese people, as long as it continues to stand on the way to return to Burma’s democracy, we will ahead of spending more.

QUESTION: Thank you very much. Jahanzaib Ali from ARY News, Pakistan. Two weeks ago, some journalists in Pakistan claimed that a close associate of Prime Minister Khan – former Prime Minister Khan – met with US Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu here at the US State Department and deliver the message, like, forget the past and move on. Is – any kind of meeting held here?

PRICE: Again, if there is such a meeting, I am not in a position to speak to it. We have – we continue to be with stakeholders in Pakistan, with those who are in the current government, and many others. But I am not in a position to address any such gathering.

QUESTION: Prime Minister Khan is leading the campaign in Pakistan, and his campaign slogan is, he will not be a servant of America. But with the political storm in Pakistan backing Khan, is America thinking of opening a window to talk to him?

MR PRICE: What we said about this earlier was true. We support the preservation of constitutional principles and peaceful democracy, including respect for human rights. We do not support one political party more than another. We support these broad principles of rule of law and justice under the law.

QUESTION: So last question. Last week, Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif met the Deputy Secretary of Foreign Affairs here. Can you confirm this event, that it really exists?

MR PRICE: I am not in a position to confirm that, but if we have anything to add or confirm, we will let you know.

QUESTION: The Israeli Defense Minister is having a meeting at the US State Department today. Who is he meeting with and what topics are they discussing?

MR PRICE: I think you will see more information from us today, but Assistant Secretary Sherman looks forward to welcoming the minister, and I think you will see more information after the meeting.

QUESTION: A few questions about Iraq. On various visa applications, there are few people who are waiting for questions at the embassy in Baghdad. Is there a plan to continue the talks there?

And then on the immigrant visas for the Iraqis who have — who are waiting for their interviews in Ankara, can you share anything on those? When will they continue?

MR PRICE: When it comes to various visa applicants, I have nothing to say on that front. There is a case. These cases are pending before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia District, and, of course, we have a policy of not commenting on any pending litigation.

When it comes to immigrant visa applications, including those pending in Ankara, we are committed to facilitating legal travel to the United States for both immigrant and non-immigrant travelers. Our visa service is fully open for business. Almost all US embassies and consulates have resumed full visa operations. Embassy of Baghdad, for your question, exclusively, as of January 1, 2020, embassy services, including in-person visa inquiries, have been suspended due to the attack on our building. We have a guide on our website for Iraqi residents to apply for their case in other posts.

Moreover, we are reducing visa waiting times in all visa classes as quickly as possible. This is happening all over the world, and in fact, visa processing is recovering faster than we predicted after the near complete shutdown and freeze of resources during the disaster. Immigration visa processing around the world is almost back to normal levels, with the outbreak already down by about 25 percent and interview wait times varying by location and visa type, but as always, travelers should check the embassy’s website or the nearest embassy for information. .

QUESTION: So, if I may, where does the government stand on the Iraqi government’s call to withdraw all Turkish troops from Iraq?

MR PRICE: Again, we – you heard this from us after the attack a few days ago. The rule of law in Iraq is the one we maintain. We are with Iraq. Foreign troops are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi government, which is in line with the principle of Iraqi sovereignty.

QUESTION: And the last one – the political crisis in Iraq, the failure of Iraq to form a government. Is that a concern here? Yesterday, Sadr’s supporters stormed the Iraqi parliament to protest against the new prime minister candidate.

MR PRICE: Regarding the issue of protests, whether in Iraq or elsewhere, we believe that public protests are an important part of any democracy, but there is no place for violence in these protests. , either by the security forces or by the protesters. We continue to affirm our commitment to a strong, stable, and prosperous Iraq. A long-term deep, deep, interesting, partnership with Iraq serves our needs and Iraq’s interests. We urge all parties to remain calm.

On the big question of forming a government after the elections, we are ready to work with a government that puts the power of Iraq and the best interests of the Iraqi people in its agenda.

QUESTION: What does this “preparation” mean? Do you have anything to do with Iraq?

MR PRICE: We are contacting our Iraqi partners as a matter of course from our embassy in Baghdad, and senior officials here, and this is not a process that we involve ourselves in – a domestic political process. But again, we are ready to cooperate with any Iraqi government that puts the interests of the Iraqi people in its agenda.

QUESTION: I just want to come back to Iran. I wonder, based on the analysis of the text that Borrell brought, do you see the possibility of returning to the discussion? What kind of certainty do you have that this could be like a new opening? Iran has welcomed the EU’s diplomacy, but there is also a situation where Britain’s top intelligence official was in the US last week and is saying he doesn’t think Iran really wants a deal. Where do you stand on that?

MR PRICE: So I will say two things. One, on the proposal presented by the EU High Commissioner, again, we will consult directly and we have consulted our European counterparts directly on this. We are looking into that. We will pass on any feedback directly to our European friends in this case. But we understand that Mr. Borrell’s presentation is based on the agreement on the table, which was negotiated in depth between the P5+1, and the agreement that we have been preparing to accept since March, for months now.

So the holding, to the extent that we cannot achieve mutual return to comply with the JCPOA, we are not the reason for that. There is one country that has refused to go back to complying with the JCPOA. That is Iran. We have made it clear that we are ready to return to compliance with the JCPOA, assuming Iran does so. We have made that clear. We have conveyed this message secretly, if indirectly, to the Iranians.

What we have not seen from Iran, whether in March or in the coming months, is an indication from them that they are ready to make the political decisions necessary to return to compliance with the JCPOA. That’s why we continue to plan according to the situations where we have the JCPOA, the situations where we don’t have the JCPOA.

The deal was on the table. We heard from the chief representative of the proposal that he presented. We will go in secret with our European allies, but we are also ready to accept the agreement that has been on the table for a long time and Iran has not got it.

QUESTION: Considering this lack of movement, where does that leave hope for the rest of the Americans who are detained in Iran, considering that it has been a long time since Iran has not acted on these proposals? And where does that leave him in terms of trying to get these Americans home?

MR PRICE: Well, throughout this, Simon, we have been careful not to tie the fate of these illegally detained Americans to the possibility of mutual return to comply with the JCPOA. We’ve always — we’ve never been of the mindset that going back to the JCPOA is not necessarily going to work. We know this will be a tough negotiation process, and we are careful not to attach the fate of these illegally detained citizens to what in our hearts has always been an uncertain decision.

And I think the stubbornness of Iran, and the lack of good relations with Iran shows us the uncertainty of this statement. So even as we have discussed, through our European friends and other P5 + 1 parties, ways to return to compliance with the JCPOA, we have worked in a different way to ensure the release of these Americans.

QUESTION: And it’s a different kind of thing with speed. Since the Secretary met with the family of Shireen Abu Akleh a few days ago, is there any information on whether you will support the United States to conduct its own investigation – or when you will do it – will you wait for this account that you will do? Has it been talked about? And I just see today that some members of parliament are suggesting that they can ask the US State Department to report on the matter. Is this something the State wants to do?

MR PRICE: So I’ll start with that last point. Of course, we will continue to discuss this important matter with the Congress. After all, this is the death of an American, an American whose fearless journalism has been a source not only of information but also of inspiration to many around the world. Therefore, we will continue to discuss this matter privately with members of Congress.

But in terms of reporting, you may recall – I’m sure you do – that on July 4, earlier this month, the State Department published a statement summarizing the findings of the US intelligence agency’s investigation. This work on the part of the American security director himself limited the investigation of the Palestinians and the Israelis at that time. Our focus is on coordinating these findings. We believe – we continue to believe that by combining these findings, as we were able to do at least to some extent, that it would be better to allow this process to end in accountability. And this is what is important to us, that this ends in the calculation.

When the Secretary met with the family of Shireen Abu Akleh earlier this week, he not only expressed his condolences to his family, but also expressed the priority we give him to ensure that the responsibility for her death is taken. In this case, to see that measures are taken to put protection so that something like this will not happen again, or at least more measures to prevent this kind of thing from happening.

QUESTION: Can we live in Israel?

QUESTION: Israel will allow Palestinians in the West Bank to travel abroad through Ramon Airport, and the PA is not at all happy with this idea and is asking Israel to allow it. The Palestinians should build a new airport in the West Bank. What does America think about this?

MR PRICE: Well, without addressing this specifically, we will welcome all efforts that allow Israelis and Palestinians to enjoy a measure of freedom, prosperity, and democracy. This includes all measures to facilitate the Palestinian people’s freedom of travel.

QUESTION: And on another topic — again on Israel — Axios reports that Israeli officials held a call with senior adviser Hochstein and the White House’s Middle East coordinator. House Brett McGurk on Tuesday and gave an update on their position on the maritime dispute with Lebanon. According to the report, Israeli officials saw an opportunity to resolve the dispute. What do you think about this?

MR PRICE: I am not in a position to confirm the details of this report, but what I can say is that, as you know, Amos Hochstein was in the area, both in Israel and Lebanon, a few weeks ago. Since then, he has continued to interact with his Israeli and Lebanese counterparts. We have been able to help facilitate some progress, and continuing to engage with both parties is part of an effort to see that progress continue. And I think he will continue to consult with the next two administrations.

QUESTION: And my last question about Lebanon. The Reuters news agency reported that a ship sanctioned by the Syrian government stopped in the city of Tripoli in Lebanon with grain stolen from Ukraine. Do you have any comments on that?

MR PRICE: I am not in a position to comment on any particular ship or this report in particular. I saw him soon after I came out here. But what I can say is that we were in a position to prove the fact that the Russians looted Ukrainian grain. Tons of Ukrainian grain made its way to the international market that has – on Russian ships, grain of the people of Ukraine.

So we tried to shed light on that, to shed light on it as one of the issues that prevent the free entry of grain to the world market, to the market that will make this grain reach the people who need it. more. It is part of a large-scale program of Russian actions that have exacerbated the challenge of food insecurity that has had devastating consequences all over the world, from sub-Saharan Africa to Latin America and the Indo-Pacific region as well.

QUESTION: Ned, yes, refer to the Investment Climate Statement. To everyone involved in this, thank you, because it is an interesting report. I read reports on Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Georgia. I’m just wondering: how much do they reflect the new situation when considering the events of Russian aggression in the region?

And my second question: is there any reason why I can’t get the Ukraine report? And there is no Russian report either, which is completely fair given the sanctions, but why Ukraine?

MR PRICE: So you’re right that out of the 160 or so economies included in these reports, Ukraine and Russia don’t come out. We are not in a position to collect the relevant information for Ukraine. And of course, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has caused dramatic changes in the market conditions in Russia. It is no secret – and you heard from the Secretary yesterday, in fact – that some 1,000 international companies have left the Russian market. It is a fast changing market situation, it develops in a way that is not suitable for international business or investment. So we are not in a position to write a national report for Russia.

QUESTION: And my first question about what is happening to the rest of the region, the South Caucasus – how do you think the current Russian war is affecting the region, and how much is reflected in this report?

MR PRICE: How much is disclosed in this report?

QUESTION: In these reports released today, they are due to the 2022 reports.

QUESTION: I wonder how much they reflect the current situation in the region.

MR PRICE: Well, again, our goal with cooperation with the South Caucasus is to move towards that complete peace that we talked about. I’m not sure that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – I think the reports will discuss if there is any impact on the market situation in the South Caucasus, but it needs to refer you to the reports for that.

QUESTION: Sorry, this question was about – I’m sorry, I’m dealing with something else, but is this question about the Investment Climate Report?

QUESTION: Well. Well, actually, Russia and Ukraine are in the Investment Climate Report. They are listed. I didn’t go and read them in detail, but there are many countries left out. Countries that sponsor terrorism, terrorism, for example, are not included – North Korea, Syria, Iran, and Cuba. But of those four countries, the government has actually moved to try to open up at least a small amount of investment in Cuba. So why are they not included? And I realize that you probably won’t be the best – the best person to talk about this. It could be -Business – but why wouldn’t they be? Venezuela is also not included; as well as East Timor. Are they just names – not even worth getting out?

And the other question I have about this is – why are there two parts of China, one for China and one for Hong Kong? I understand that this government, like the previous government, really said that there is no difference anymore.

MR PRICE: So I have to correct you. There is no report for Ukraine this year. There may be an installer, but there is no report for Ukraine this year.

QUESTION: Well, I’m watching now.

MR PRICE: And there was no report to Russia either.

QUESTION: I’m watching now.

MR PRICE: Maybe you’re looking at last year or previous years, but –

QUESTION: Ukraine, the country’s business guide, on Business – on the World Business website.

MR PRICE: You may be looking at something else, but there is no –

QUESTION: This is the link in the release.

MR PRICE: Your colleagues in the room have also pulled it, so – but I can tell you there is no Ukraine report or Russia report this year. However, in countries and economies where the situation on the ground makes gathering this information particularly difficult, we do not publish these reports. Corresponding to this, there is no Ukraine report this year. The – the perfect suspect when it comes to Ukraine that we will see shows the negative influence of Russia in future reports.

When it comes to specific countries, again, when the conditions are not suitable for the collection of this information, or in some cases given special circumstances – the inclusion of SST may be such a consideration – the reports are not included every year.

(The information was completed at 3:07 p.m.)

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