Embassy News
John Kerry Press Conference Transcript
December 13, 2008
PAO: I’d like to introduce Senator John Kerry from Massachusetts. He will give a brief statement followed by a few questions.
Senator Kerry: Let me just say first of all what a wonderful pleasure it is for me to be here in Georgia. I just had an interesting and very enjoyable lunch with President Saakashvili and his wife and we discussed a broad range of topics: Georgia, obviously, and the economic issues and other issues facing this country, but also the broader array of global issues which are important at this time. In the United States we have a transition taking place, and a new President, and obviously great concerns about the future.
Let me just begin by saying that the Congress of the United States and certainly the United States Senate will be deeply committed to continuing our assistance to Georgia, particularly at this time when the economy is stressed. We recognize the very real importance of Georgia and its ability to be able to sustain itself during these troubled economics times. This is more than just about the economy, this is about Georgia’s efforts to protect its sovereignty, to protect its people, and to stand as an example of what freedom and democracy can provide. We stand squarely behind those efforts.
Secondly, I will be discussing with other leaders back in Washington and with the President-elect the subject of a free trade agreement with Georgia, which I think makes a lot of sense. I think it would be important to the economic future as well as the long-term strength of the country.
And finally, we obviously will be engaging in discussions in the future with Russia, but I want to assure Georgians and the region that we remain deeply committed to the efforts by Georgia to protect its sovereignty. Whatever these discussions produce, they are not going to come at the expense of that effort or of our commitment to both NATO and the OSCE. We look forward to this new moment, a time for all of us in all of our countries to grab hold of a better future and to take advantage of the opportunities at this time. And again, I regret that this is such a brief visit but I intend to come back, my wife insisted that next time she is with me, and I look forward to being back here under those circumstances.
Question Number 1: (Georgian Public Broadcasting, Channel 1)
You are probably familiar with the Georgian security situation around Tskhinvali, as you know the Russian troops do not allow UN monitors into that area. What would be your judgment on that?
Senator Kerry: My judgment would be that the rights of Georgians as a sovereign country need to be upheld and protected, and the agreements which the Russians have signed up to need to be upheld. I think the international community needs to focus more on the human rights issues, on the issues of police officers being shot across the lines, and on the people who have been displaced during the course of the war. These are fundamental issues of human behavior and the international community - through the Sarkozy plan and otherwise - has expressed a set of conduct that the Russians have signed up to and they need to live up to the standards of that conduct.
I believe we need to get the focus back from the sort of discussions of the August events and how they may have unfolded, to the realities of what is happening on the ground today and what we need to do to go forward in the interest of protecting those rights and finding the appropriate accommodation that respects the law and sovereignty as we go forward into the future. And I hope that will take place. I will return to the United States and through the Congress will certainly put more focus on the issue of human rights and the standards that people ought to be living up to.
Question Number 2: (New York Times)
What do you think should be different in foreign policy towards Russia? What do you think Georgia should do differently to have the same strong political support from the U.S.?
Senator Kerry: The first part of your question is about Russia and what our behavior should be? Well President-elect Obama has made it clear - and I agree with him - that it is going to be important for the United States to engage in an ongoing dialogue with Russia because we all have mutual interests. But we also must make it crystal clear that the dialogue does not come at the expense of the security of Georgia, the sovereignty of Georgia, the independence of Georgia, the rights of its people, or our interests here that are expressed in unison with the European community and many other parts of the world.
Secondly, the dialogue with Russia, which is important because we do share interests and we obviously want to have a strong and good relationship with Russia, can’t come at the expense of the security arrangements in respect to NATO or the OSCE. So there are a clear set of principles on which we begin that kind of discussion and Russia understands that. President Bush, during his eight years, and certainly very much so in the beginning, had a clear relationship with now-Prime Minister Putin where it was understood how those interests were balanced. And I think we need to continue forward.
I believe we can have a good relationship with Russia and restore a balance with respect to the interest of this region so that the sovereignty of Georgia is properly respected and so we all go forward respecting the appropriate rights of each state. And that is what we need to achieve.
With respect to the second part, the differences:
Well I think it is important that the reform process here in Georgia continue. And I know that President Saakashvili said to me that he also believes that it is important that it continue. Obviously, there is progress to be made on the issue of electoral reform and the election process, but people are working on that. And let me say at the same time that we also have to make progress in the United States in a number of our states and in our national elections. So that is a universal effort and we all have to work at it.
I think the media needs to continue to be as open and free as it is becoming. I think progress has been made there but I think that most people would agree that more progress can be made than is being made.
So I think that really, there is a lot that has taken place here in terms of transformation. There is more yet to be done and it is important for all of us to have the transparency in the decision making and accountability in the media and with the public. And that’s what elections are for and you’ve just had an election, so I think that there is a lot of progress here that the people of Georgia should be very proud of. And I’m confident that the current government is very interested in continuing that progress and in undertaking further reforms and we look forward to working with them. I know that the national democratic institute and others are working very closely and we will continue working in that effort.
Question Number 3: (Imedi TV)
Mr. Senator, the opposition leaders have demanded early elections; how justified is this?
Senator Kerry: That is not for me to comment on. That is really a decision for Georgians to make. I would object to people interfering and suggesting what I ought to do, what we ought to do, and I think you would if I did. So I will respectfully leave that to Georgians to decide.
Thank you all very much. I look forward to coming back and spending more time.
