Hi, all. Today's report features:
• The President in Arizona: Online and TV coverage of the President's speech.
• VPOTUS in Afghanistan: The Vice President appears with President Karzai and discusses transitioning to Afghan control of security; he visits U.S. troops and an Afghan army training center.
• Veterans' education bill: Summary of Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Bill that the President signed last week.
• Haiti earthquake: The President’s statement on the one year anniversary of the disaster; a look at the First Lady's and Second Lady's trip to Haiti last spring.
• State news: Secretary of Clinton delivers remarks with Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh; Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and Ambassador Princeton Lyman deliver special briefing on the Southern Sudan Referendum.
• Defense Secretary in China: Defense Secretary Gates discusses his Tuesday meeting with President Hu.
• THE PRESIDENT IN ARIZONA •
C-SPAN.org, Jan. 12, 2011:
President and First Lady Honor Victims
President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will travel to Tucson, Arizona today to attend a memorial service for the victims of this past weekend's shooting. The President, along with Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer (R) and others will speak to an audience at the University of Arizona Tucson.
C SPAN's coverage of the event will begin at 7pm ET with a simulcast of the KGUN-TV newscast.
White House, Jan. 12, 2011:
The White House will broadcast live audio of the speech at 8 p.m. ET.
CinemaBlend.com, Jan. 12, 2011:
8 pm ET - The PBS NEWSHOUR website is offering live streaming video of the Memorial for the Victims of the Tucson, Arizona attended by President Obama shooting in partnership with Ustream.
9 pm ET - 1-hour SPECIAL BROADCAST of the PBS NEWSHOUR anchored by Jim Lehrer and featuring excerpts of President Obama's remarks, additional excerpts from the service and studio guests commenting on the service and the issues raised by the shooting. Please note – the special broadcast replaces what is normally the NewsHour’s West Coast broadcast.
Check your local listings for the 9pm ET broadcast. This program will also be carried on THE WORLD at 10 pm ET.
• VPOTUS IN AFGHANISTAN •
Associated Press, Jan. 11, 2011:
Biden: U.S. Won't Cut and Run From Afghanistan
Vice President Joe Biden said Tuesday that America will not cut and run in 2014, when the U.S.-led military coalition plans to hand over control of security to Afghan forces.
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan 11, 2011:
Remarks by Vice President Biden and President Karzai of Afghanistan After Meeting
PRESIDENT KARZAI: (As Translated) Good afternoon. Members of the media, Afghan media and international media, in the name of the God, I’m delighted and honored today to welcome His Excellency Joe Biden, Vice President of the United States.
This is the fourth or fifth -- his visit -- to Afghanistan. His first visit was at the very beginning of Afghanistan’s interim administration, where we met in a very cold room. There was no electricity, nothing. But because of his help and their assistance, we have electricity and everything today. So today we had all the things, and we are in a lot improved situation for which we are grateful to their contributions.
Today, His Excellency Joe Biden, me -- (inaudible) --and met in presence of our delegations. We had a working lunch, and we spoke on many issues, including on several issues of mutual importance to both the countries. And then it was followed by a one-to-one meeting that lasted for over an hour and which was also centered on the strategic partnership between Afghanistan and the United States; security in Afghanistan and in the region, as well as the transition process of security responsibilities to Afghan forces; on ways how to intensify and how to do that process and transition in the best possible manner.
So we had discussions, and I’m pleased of the conclusions and of the results of our meetings, and I once again welcome him to Afghanistan. And I thank you for all the cooperation and for all the contributions that you have given to the people of Afghanistan.
Thank you, Mr. Vice President.
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: Well, Mr. President, thank you. It’s a delight to be back. Let me start by thanking you and your team for the great hospitality that you’ve extended to me and my crew I brought from Washington. I know you know you get to see General Petraeus and Ambassador Eikenberry frequently, but it’s not as often as I get to come and visit you.
You know, the President reminisced very briefly on the telephone -- I guess it was a week ago or 10 days ago -- and again today about the first time I was here in Kabul nine years ago this month, as a matter of fact, and after the Taliban had been driven out, just when you were moving into the palace. And it was under a very, very difficult circumstance that the President was taking over, and I witnessed that legendary hospitality with which the Afghans are so well known. I really mean that. There was no heat. There was very little electricity that kept going on and off. There was no paid staff –
PRESIDENT KARZAI: Yes.
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: And yet you treated me as if I were an honored guest and that you had –
PRESIDENT KARZAI: You were, you were.
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: The hospitality, the food, the dinner, it was exceptional, and I kept thinking, Mr. Ambassador, "My Lord, how is he able to do this?" (Laughter.)
But I also want to point out and pay tribute to not just your leadership, Mr. President, but in those days, in the circumstances, people forget is the extraordinary personal courage, physical courage, you showed. It is -- it was notable then and it’s worth noting now. And that's why I am pleased to -- was pleased to have President Karzai as a guest in my home in Washington on two different occasions. And both times I apologized to him because it wasn’t nearly as lavish and wasn’t nearly as significant, but it was an opportunity to return the hospitality. And I look forward, Mr. President, to being able to do that again.
When I was last in Afghanistan just before our administration took office -- it was two years ago this month, and President-elect Obama asked me, as you recall, Mr. President, to once again get a firsthand look and have a discussion with you. And now since then we have with the leadership of my -- the team that's here on the right, the President’s team, we have a strategy and the resources in place to accomplish the goal of a stable and growing and independent Afghanistan able to provide for its own security, and in the process to be able to, at the same time, to disrupt and dismantle and defeat ultimately al Qaeda in Pakistan and the little appearance there is in Afghanistan.
A stable, sovereign Afghanistan that is not a haven for terrorists is critical toward that goal. And to that end we’re engaged in working -- and I had the opportunity to go to a training facility today -- working with your military to train up a first-class military organization that will be eventually in the position to meet all of the Afghan security needs. And toward that end I'd like to thank your Minister of Defense for taking me on the tour earlier today.
In the meantime our military is breaking the momentum of the insurgents and the radicalized portion of the Taliban. Our diplomats are working hard along with the President to promote regional cooperation, including with your neighbor, Pakistan.
And I want to recognize the contribution toward this effort over the past several years of a significant American diplomat who passed away, Ambassador Richard Holbrooke, who had unparalleled skills and tenacity that -- where he spent almost two years as our special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan before he passed away last month.
And over the past two years the United States has sent some of America’s most capable troops into enclaves where -- that have long been operated -- the insurgency and the Taliban of being able to operate with impunity. And we’ve also substantially increased our civilian effort here in Afghanistan with diplomats and development experts side by side with our military and your soldiers and your police and your personnel, Mr. President. And as a result, I think it’s fair to say we have largely arrested the Taliban momentum here in some very important areas, particularly in Helmand and Kandahar.
But these gains, as you pointed out to me, Mr. President, as we know, are fragile and reversible. And as the President knows, sustaining them is going to require the Afghans to assume the responsibility for security and governance. And it’s going to require more pressure -- more pressure on the Taliban, from Pakistan’s side of the border, than we’ve been -- we’ve been able to exert so far. And there are many hard days that lie ahead.
But we know that in order to maintain the support and commitment of the people of Afghanistan and the American people, we must work with our Afghan partners to improve the provision of basic services, to promote transparency and accountability, to strengthen the institutions, and advance the efforts of reconciliation with the Taliban of which we spoke for some time; the Taliban who’ve rejected Al Qaeda and renounce violence and are prepared to embrace the Afghan constitution.
None of this, as the President has pointed out to me and we have discussed and we know, is going to be easy. But, Mr. President, in concert with your government and our NATO allies, we now have a viable path outline to move forward. And again, I'd like to compliment you publicly on Lisbon. I think it was a very, very useful conference, and I think we’re finally all on the same page.
And this year, NATO is going to begin to transition responsibility over the security in certain provinces to the government of Afghanistan, while the United States begins a condition-based reduction of our forces starting in July. And all of this will advance our shared U.S.-Afghani objective of having an Afghan National Security Force in the lead throughout all of Afghanistan by 2014, as President Karzai wisely proposed -- there was a first to move forward on.
Together, we will work on a framework for future bilateral relations and a lasting friendship with the Afghan people and the American people. And going forward, we’ll continue to train and advise the forces and to provide civilian assistance.
Let me say it plainly, Mr. President, it is not our intention to govern or to nation-build. As President Karzai often points out, this is the responsibility of the Afghan people, and they are fully capable of it. As President Obama said it in a slightly different way, he said, "It’s Afghans who must secure their country. And it’s Afghans who must build their nation." And we stand ready to help you in that effort. And we will continue to stand ready to help you in that effort after 2014.
PRESIDENT KARZAI: Wonderful.
VICE PRESIDENT BIDEN: We have moved into a new phase -- a new phase -- in Afghanistan; a transition to a full Afghan lead that begins this year and will conclude in 2014, as we prepare a framework for our future bilateral relations. This is President Obama’s vision for the future. It’s a vision expressed by our allies at the Lisbon Conference. And I believe, based on our conversation today, it clearly reflects the vision of President Karzai.
The United States, if the Afghan people want it, are prepared, and we are not leaving in 2014. Hopefully we will have totally turned over the ability of the -- to the Afghan security forces to maintain the security in the country, but we will -- we are not leaving, if you don't want us to leave. And we plan on continuing to work with you, and it’s in the mutual self-interest of both our nations.
And so, Mr. President, again, I want to thank you for a very, very good conversation. And I look forward to seeing you and returning the hospitality in Washington. Thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you, gentlemen. I appreciate it....
Department of Defense, Jan. 11, 2011:
Biden in Afghanistan
Vice President Joe Biden continued his trip to Afghanistan, meeting with troops and visiting an Afghan army training center.
Department of Defense, Jan. 11, 2011:
Biden Meets Karzai, Visits Troops in Afghanistan
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Jan. 11, 2011 – Vice President Joe Biden today spoke with Afghan national and local leaders as he continued what White House officials described as a visit to assess progress and reinforce the U.S. commitment to Afghanistan.
Biden arrived in Afghanistan yesterday on an unannounced visit. Today, he met with Afghan President Hamid Karzai and toured a military training site near Kabul with Army Gen. David H. Petraeus, senior commander of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan.
Speaking to the press after lunching together and before a longer one-on-one meeting, Biden and Karzai both said the visit had given them an opportunity for "good conversation."
After the meeting, Biden echoed the administration’s recent Afghanistan review, saying "we have arrested Taliban momentum here in some very important areas, but these gains ... we know are fragile and reversible."
Sustaining those gains will require strong Afghan security forces eventually taking the lead and for Pakistan to make more of an effort to root out terrorist enclaves along the border, the vice president said....
The administration's plan to begin drawing down U.S. troops in July 2011 and the U.S.-Afghanistan-NATO agreement for Afghan forces to assume the security lead in 2014 offer a "viable path going forward," Biden said....
"This is President Obama’s vision for the future," he added. "It’s a vision expressed by our allies at the Lisbon Conference. And I believe, based on our conversation today, it clearly reflects the vision of President Karzai."
Earlier in the day, the vice president visited the Kabul Military Training Center, where U.S. and coalition troops train Afghan soldiers in a variety of basic and officer training.
In the afternoon, Biden traveled to Forward Operating Base Airborne in Wardak province, described in pool reports as "a sprawling fortress, surrounded by snow-capped mountains."
Accompanied by Petraeus, Biden met with Wardak officials and coalition forces to discuss the success of coalition and Afghan operations to eliminate the insurgent threat in the region.
Biden spoke to Wardak governor Halim Fidai as the meeting began.
"Governor, how are you?" Biden said, shaking hands. "I've heard really good things about you."
After the meeting, the vice president shook hands with several service members working at the forward operating base and handed out some vice presidential coins. He asked each troop where he or she was from and thanked them for their service.
Biden then flew by helicopter to Bagram Air Base.
• VETERANS' EDUCATION BILL •
The White House Blog, Jan. 11, 2011:
What the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Bill Means for Our Veterans
Posted by Darienne Page, Director of Veterans Outreach in the White House Office of Public Engagement
Last Tuesday, President Obama signed into law the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Bill. The bill represents another step in the Administration’s continued commitment to ensuring that the men and women of our Armed Forces, who have served our country with distinction, receive the benefits they have earned. It provides Veterans the ability to use their benefits for vocational and on-the-job training, expands eligibility for the benefit to National Guardsmen and women who are activated for domestic assistance, provides Active Duty troops with additional assistance to purchase books, and allows for severely injured Veterans and their caregivers to have additional time to use their benefits.
Since the implementation of the Post-9/11 GI Bill, over 400,000 Veterans and their families have taken advantage of the opportunity to pursue a higher education. The Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Bill will expand that opportunity, furthering the President’s promise to take care of our nation’s Veterans.
As the Director of Veterans outreach and Veteran myself, I meet with Veterans, their families, and Veteran advocates. Time and time again, I hear from Veterans looking for more support regarding education upon their return. Education is the bedrock of this country and having accessible education for our troops is a top priory for the Administration. The passing of the Post-9/11 Veterans Educational Assistance Improvements Bill last week was a great example of bipartisan teamwork combined with the potent advocacy of our Veterans Service Organizations. It was another great step towards honoring the service of our Nation’s Veterans and providing our troops with the education they deserve.
The Obama Administration looks forward to continuing to support our troops in the weeks, months and years ahead. As President Obama’s said "It’s about how we treat our Veterans every single day of the year. It’s about making sure they have the care they need and the benefits that they’ve earned when they come home. It’s about serving all of you as well as you’ve served the United States of America."
• HAITI EARTHQUAKE •
Office of the Press Secretary, Jan. 11, 2011:
Statement by President Barack Obama on the One Year Anniversary of the Earthquake in Haiti
As we mark one year since the catastrophic earthquake in Haiti, we honor the memory of the quarter of a million Haitians who were lost, along with more than one hundred Americans, many United Nations personnel and citizens from dozens of nations. We recall how Americans, civilian and military, joined with people from around the world in one of the largest humanitarian efforts ever attempted. And we continue to be inspired by the Haitian people, and our vibrant Haitian American community, who have faced unimaginable loss with extraordinary courage and faith.
Since the first moments of the disaster, the United States has helped to rally international support for Haiti’s recovery and reconstruction and respond to new challenges, such as the outbreak of cholera and Hurricane Tomas. This global effort, led by the Haitian government, continues today and has been matched by the tremendous compassion of the American people, who in difficult economic times have given generously to help.
Over the past year, countless lives have been saved and many Haitians affected by the earthquake now have better access to food, water and health care than they did before the disaster. Still, too much rubble continues to clog the streets, too many people are still living in tents, and for so many Haitians progress has not come fast enough. As we have said all along, helping the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere recover from one of the worst natural disasters ever to strike our hemisphere will take years, if not decades.
So on this day when our thoughts and prayers are with the Haitian people, my message is the same as it was last year. Haiti can and must lead the way, with a strong vision for its future. The international community must now fulfill the pledges it has made to ensure a strong and sustained long-term effort. And as they forge ahead with the hard work of rebuilding their proud country, the people of Haiti will continue to have an enduring partner in the United States.
(View slide show the First and Second Ladies' April 2010 visit to Haiti.)
White House, April 19, 2010:
First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden in Haiti
Exclusive footage of First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden on their surprise visit to Haiti on April 13, 2010. While they encounter glimpses of hope and resilience, the footage also reminds us that Haiti still needs the world's attention and aid as it continues down its long road of recovery. Please consider donating to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund.
White House Blog, April 14, 2010:
An Incredibly Moving Trip to Haiti
Posted by Dr. Jill Biden
Yesterday, I was honored to join the First Lady on an incredibly moving trip to Haiti.
Like many of you – I have watched news reports and have read numerous accounts of the crisis in Haiti since the earthquake in January. Witnessing the impact of the devastation on the people of Haiti as well as the relief efforts of Haitians, Americans, and dozens of other countries and organizations was powerful for both me and Michelle.
There is clearly much work to be done in Haiti, but after seeing the situation first-hand, I left with a sense of tremendous hope. The will of the Haitian people and the strong commitment of partners from around the world will help Haiti build back better.
As a teacher, I was particularly gratified to visit an organization called Children's Place, which is supported by Mrs. Preval. The First Lady and I met teachers and students who are using empty school buses as classrooms in an innovative effort to ensure that their education continues, even amidst terrible destruction. We also visited College St. Pierre, a secondary school where many students were killed when the building was destroyed three months ago. There we saw Haitians and dozens of volunteers working to rebuild a school that will once again educate Haiti's future leaders.
It was an incredible honor to meet the many individuals who have been at the core of the relief and recovery work, and to relay President Obama’s message that Haiti will have a steady and reliable partner in the United States of America throughout these efforts.
I hope this visit helps to remind everyone that we can all still play a role in helping Haiti restore its future – please visit the Haiti Earthquake Relief page on WhiteHouse.gov for ways that you can help from wherever you are.
Thanks for reading, and for taking action.
• STATE NEWS •
Department of State, Jan. 11, 2011:
Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks With Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton delivers remarks with Yemeni President Ali Abdallah Saleh in Sanaa, Yemen, on January 11, 2011.
Department of State, Jan. 11, 2011:
Secretary Clinton’s remarks with Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh after their meeting
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, first let me thank, on behalf of my entire delegation, the president for his very warm hospitality today. As I told the president, we are committed to a broad relationship between our two countries. We face a common threat posed by the terrorists and al-Qaida, but our partnership goes beyond counterterrorism. We are focused not just on short-term threats, but long-term challenges. Yemen has announced a number of reforms that we in the international community look forward to supporting in the economic, social, and political sectors. We support an inclusive political process that will, in turn, support a unified, prosperous, stable, democratic Yemen.
And above all, the United States is committed to the people of Yemen, Mr. President. We want this to be a relationship not just between leaders and governments, but between the people of Yemen and the people of the United States of America. Thank you again, Mr. President.
PRESIDENT SALEH: Thank you.
SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, sir.
Department of State, Jan. 11, 2011:
Special Briefing on Southern Sudan Referendum
Assistant Secretary for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and Ambassador Princeton Lyman deliver special briefing on the Southern Sudan Referendum at the U.S. Department of State in Washington, D.C., January 11, 2011.
Department of State, Jan. 11, 2011:
Briefing on the Southern Sudan Referendum with Johnnie Carson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of African Affairs, and Ambassador Princeton Lyman
MS. FULTON: Good afternoon and welcome to the special press briefing on the Southern Sudan referendum. As you know, voting in Southern Sudan began on time on Sunday, January 9th. Day three of the polling has just concluded, and today we are pleased to have two of our senior diplomatic officials on hand to discuss this historic milestone in implementing the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement. Joining us today are Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson and Ambassador Princeton Lyman, who is just back from Sudan, for a firsthand account. Each will make brief remarks, and then we will open it up for about 20 minutes of questions....
ASSISTANT SECRETARY CARSON: Thanks, Heide. Thank you and good afternoon. The referendum on Southern Sudan’s independence is going extremely well, and we are pleased with the cooperation that we have seen from the leaders on both sides. The polling process is scheduled to last seven days and end on January 15th. Thus far, we are pleased with the high level of turnout and the cooperation of officials in both North and South Sudan.
The process has been peaceful with only a handful of reported disturbances in Abyei and north of the 1956 North-South border. There is no reported conflict in the areas of Southern Sudan other than in Abyei. Officials from the North and South should be commended for their collaboration and handling of this monumental challenging and historical task.
As we all know, this referendum is a historic moment for Sudan, for Africa, and for the international community. The people of Southern Sudan are determining whether they will remain a part of a united Sudan or become an independent sovereign state. The referendum marks the last major phase of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement signed by the representatives of the Governments of North and South Sudan in January of 2005.
More critical work needs to be done in the coming months to ensure final implementation of the agreement. Issues related to Abyei, to citizenship, to boundaries, and wealth-sharing remain to be worked out. But the Sudanese Government and people of the South have defied all of their skeptics in coming this far. Just as few days remain before the polls close, and we are hopeful that the Sudanese people will continue their efforts to ensure that the process remains on course. The United States is committed to doing everything possible to ensure that the referendum and the final implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement lead to an outcome in which the Sudanese people can prosper peacefully under a single or under two separate states.
As many of you are aware, President Obama and his foreign policy team, especially Secretary of State Clinton, UN Ambassador Susan Rice, Deputy National Security Advisor Denis McDonough, and Special Envoy Scott Gration are putting enormous efforts into supporting the outcome, the successful outcome, and conclusion of the current referendum. They have been aided and assisted by Ambassador Princeton Lyman and more recently Dane – Ambassador Dane Smith, who is working on the Darfur issue. And I might also say that while we have focused very hard on ensuring the completion of the CPA, we have not taken our eye off of the issue of Darfur.
We have also in recent months significantly expanded our diplomatic presence throughout Southern Sudan, placing a very senior officer, Ambassador Barrie Walkley, as our consul general there, and substantially increasing our staff. As these elections move forward over the next several days, we have American officials located in five of the 10 Southern states where they have had an opportunity to observe more closely the voting. We have also had officers traveling into the other states to observe the election process. A successful referendum is in the best interests of Sudan, of Africa, the United States, and the international community. And we are committed to do as much as we can to ensure that the Comprehensive Peace Agreement is fully implemented, and that whatever results will lead to a better relationship between the United States and the people of Southern Sudan as well as the people of Sudan who remain a part of the North.
I will now turn it over to my colleague, Ambassador Princeton Lyman.
AMBASSADOR LYMAN: Thank you very much. As Ambassador Carson said, we are very pleased at the ability of the Government of Sudan, the Southern government, and particularly I want to pay credit to the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission for reaching agreement, making all the arrangements that would make it possible to have this referendum begin on time, January 9th. And I know some of you are quite aware that for some time, people have questioned whether that would be possible, whether it was possible politically or whether it was possible technically. And the fact that it’s come off is a credit across the board.
I’m particularly impressed with the willingness of people in Sudan to make a very tough decision because to contemplate a split of your country and to reach a decision to go ahead with that is a courageous act. Second, I’m impressed with the international community and the role it’s played to make it possible for this referendum to take place. The work of the United Nations and its mission in Sudan has been extremely important in providing technical and logistical support for the referendum as well as for security.
The American agencies working to make this possible – very impressive. You had the USAID mission, you had IFES, you have the Carter Center, you have NDI, you have IRI all working out there, all knowing their jobs, all working as a team to support the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission to make it possible. And Chairman Khalil, the chair of the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission, who had to pull that commission together, make them work as a team, work out the arrangements, work with the international community, fend off a lot of pressures and criticisms to say, "Well, you can’t really do this," and to pull it off. So a lot of people deserve credit for making this possible.
As Assistant Secretary Carson has said, this is one big step, but now, the two parties, based on the results of the referendum, have to work out all those post-referendum issues, which frankly were not addressed very far in the period before. The parties simply were either not ready or not in a position to address them before the referendum. So we have big issues out there to be resolved, and these are going to be tough negotiations. It has to do with the management of the oil sector, finalization of some of the disputed border areas, questions of citizenship, working out banking and currency arrangements, security arrangements, international legal operations, debt, et cetera. So these are all tough issues.
Now, a lot of technical work has been done. There have been technical committees called cluster groups which have been working on all these issues, getting a lot of technical input, both domestic and foreign. So a lot of work has been done on it, but the tough political decisions on these issues remains to be done.
Now, there has been in Abyei some clashes recently. Abyei is not taking part in the referendum, and nothing in these unfortunate situations is impacting on the referendum. Nevertheless, this is a worrisome situation. Abyei, as you know, was scheduled to have a referendum also to start on January 9th. It was to be a referendum in which the people of Abyei decided whether they wanted to continue to be part of the North, which they are now, or to become part of the South. And there couldn’t be – there was no agreement on voter eligibility; the referendum couldn’t be held. This remains an extremely important and sensitive issue to be resolved in the future.
This is also a historically tense time within Abyei as the migration begins. And because the migration hasn’t been fully worked out between the Ngok Dinka and the Misseriya, there’s a lot of tension on the ground. And some of the violence that we’ve seen, some of these clashes is a product of that tension. We’re pleased that the government, the Ngok Dinka, the SPLM are all working in meetings in Abyei today and tomorrow to resolve these issues, bring things under control, work out the arrangements for this year’s migration, et cetera, and hopefully contain the situation. But the long-term resolution of Abyei is obviously a political decision that has to be made.
Just finally on the atmosphere, I was visiting polling stations in the North – all very well organized, no problems, no security problems, people walked in and out not feeling any pressures one way or another. Voting has been light in the North, probably as we had suspected. In the South, as you’ve heard, a lot of people coming to the polls very excited. That’s where the bulk of the voters are, and it’s gone very well. There has been no problems at all throughout the area.
We have people and lots and lots of other observers in Southern Sudan. You have observer groups from, of course, the Carter Center, from the EU, from the Arab League, from the Africa Union, from other groups, IGAD, and thousands of domestic observers. We watched in the North – northern polling stations, as many as ten observers sitting at each station – more observers, in some cases, than voters coming in and out. But it was a good sign. People were organized. They were eager to make this a success. So the mood in both North and South in the way the voting’s going has been very positive....
• DEFENSE SECRETARY IN CHINA •
Department of Defense, Jan. 11, 2011:
Gates Meets Chinese President
Defense Secretary Robert Gates met with the Chinese President in Beijing January 11.
Department of Defense, Jan. 11, 2011:
Media Roundtable with Secretary Gates from Beijing, China
.... SEC. GATES: I had two good meetings today, one with the foreign minister and obviously just with President Hu. We covered the full gamut of the relationship, particularly from the military-to-military side.
As with each of my meetings, we spent some time on North Korea and the importance of some concrete measures on the part of the North Koreans to demonstrate they’re serious about proceeding with negotiations and exchanges. I discussed with both the idea of the strategic security dialogue. It was clear from President Hu that they’re taking the proposal seriously. I think they’re trying to work their way through how it would relate to the other mechanisms of dialogue that we have in the military and security arena and what the agenda would be.
We promised to get back to them and work with them on this. And our hope is that we can get such a dialogue started or such a mechanism started before the Strategic and Economic Dialogue next meets I think in five months, thereabouts.
I think that now that my substantive meetings are complete, I feel that it’s been a very positive visit. I think that the hospitality that has been extended to me certainly is superior to any previous visit that I have had here in China. All of the conversations have been very cordial and friendly and I think it sets the stage for making further constructive progress in the military-to-military relationship.
I’d make just one further comment before taking your questions: I think this is an arena where we have to play the long game. This is not an area where I think you will see dramatic breakthroughs or big headlines, but rather the evolutionary growth of relationships and activities together that over time have a positive effect on the overall relationship.
I’m not someone who believes that these kinds of relationships are prone to, if you will, the big breakthrough. And I think we’ve made some real progress here. I think there is a desire to move forward. Clearly, the relationship was interrupted, as has been made evident all along the way, by the arms sales to Taiwan early in the year.
But it is equally clear to me that the Chinese, including the PLA, are prepared to move forward with a much richer agenda of cooperative activities....
Q: China has apparently made the first test flight of the J-20 today because there are pictures of it flying. Your reaction? And you think that it was timed in any way to coincide with your visit? If so, what do you think the message is?
SEC. GATES: Well, I asked President Hu about it directly.
Q: And?
SEC. GATES: And he said that the test had absolutely nothing to do with my visit and had been a pre-planned test. And that’s where we left it.
Q: Could I follow up on that? You’re a man of candor and you’ve been around a long time. Did you believe that?
SEC. GATES: Coming from President Hu, yes.
Q: Could I follow up? Do you feel that there’s a -- we asked you on the plane coming over about the difference -- about a gap between the Chinese civilian leadership and its military leadership. Now that you’ve had these meetings and you’ve been here two days, do you perceive a gap? Do you perceive that the military is acting independently at times of the civilian leadership?
SEC. GATES: I’ve had concerns about this over time. And, frankly, it’s one of the reasons why I attach importance to a dialogue between the two sides that includes both civilians and militaries. I think that there is great merit in bringing the civilian side and the military side together to discuss these issues because there is obviously -- it is hard to compartmentalize many of these security issues into either just purely military or purely civilian....
Q: Mr. Secretary, yesterday Minister Liang said that the United States also has to do some things to ensure that the military relationship remains stable. And he seemed to be specifically referring to -- well, he said remove obstacles, referring to Taiwan arms sales. Do you see the U.S. changing its policy on Taiwan arms sales at all in order to sort of meet the Chinese half way somehow on this issue?
SEC. GATES: Well, I suppose that one of the virtues of age is that I was actually in the White House when normalization took place. So I know something about the details of this. And I have made clear when this subject has been raised that, first of all, we do consider -- we do have a one-China policy.
We do consider the relationship to be based on the three joint communiques -- I always add "and the Taiwan Relations Act." Again, this is not policy. This is law. That we do not support independence for Taiwan and at the same (time) that we have certain obligations under that law.
But I have also added that under both President Bush and President Obama we have been certainly cognizant of Chinese sensitivities. And I believe that the decisions that have been made have focused on defensive capabilities.
And certainly, over time, if the security environment changes, I also indicated to the Chinese that we would -- we were not going to change our policy, but clearly over time if the environment changed and if the relationship between the China and Taiwan continued to improve and the security environment for Taiwan changed, then perhaps that would create the conditions for reexamining all of this. But that would be an evolutionary and a long-term process, it seems to me. I don’t think that’s anything that’s going to happen anytime soon.
So they made their point and I made mine....