Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. At today's wreath-laying ceremony at the Lithuanian Parliament, the United States joined Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Baltic States’ reestablishment of their independence from the Soviet Union, and honored the brave men and women who sacrificed for their countries’ freedom.

In January 1991, thousands of ordinary Lithuanian citizens surrounded the Lithuanian Parliament for weeks to protect those inside as the nation worked to secure its freedom. Fourteen Lithuanians lost their lives defending the institutions of their fledgling democracy. Latvians and Estonians banded together to repel efforts by the Soviet Union to reestablish power in their countries. Today, we look back on this event as the first step in the collapse of the Soviet Union and a seminal moment in the restoration of freedom and democratic values throughout Central and Eastern Europe.

Today, as the United States commemorates the reestablishment of Baltic independence after years of Soviet occupation, we also celebrate the tremendous transformation that Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania have made over the past twenty years. As NATO allies and European Union members, the Baltic countries have become strong, effective partners committed to democratic principles and values.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks with President Dalia Grybauskatie in Vilnius, Lithuania

President Grybauskatie. In the international stage and also in bilateral relations we have many mutual points of contacts, and our interests were in the progress of our conversation. Firstly, (inaudible) security, military security, and also the neighborhood, democratization processes, and opportunities to help those countries who need our help.

It is in the framework of NATO and the European Union and also in direct relations with the United Nations, Lithuania sees energy security as of primary urgency. I am very pleased that our nuclear energy projects has attracted interest of—to foreign companies, including an American company, and Lithuanian Government will be now assessing the bids. I am happy that the project has attracted international interest.

We also discussed the wish of the neighboring countries to build a nuclear power plant around Lithuania. We need to ensure their nuclear safety, not only Lithuania, but also beyond this border. And I heard the Secretary's support in this respect. We also spoke about military security and the challenges that face us in the global space, firstly in the near neighborhood, and also in the far neighborhood. We also discussed cooperation and the benefits that both of our countries have when our people travel and have close personal contacts, and we discussed people-to-people contacts.

So, there was a range of issues that we discussed. And I am delighted that the Secretary of State expressed the support and understanding of the United States on all the issues that we discussed.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you very much, Madam President, and it is a great honor for me to be once again in Lithuania, an example to the world of what democracy can deliver for people, and also a strong ally and partner.

We did have a broad-ranging discussion, and I appreciate greatly the cooperation that exists between the United States and Lithuania. Lithuania is making a major contribution in Afghanistan, where it trains police and helicopter pilots, and leads a provincial reconstruction team in Ghor Province.

Lithuania also takes seriously its responsibilities as a NATO ally, and so do we. So that is why we are working together, not only to advance security and democracy, but most importantly to emphasize the core mission of NATO: our solemn commitment to each other under Article V of the Washington Treaty to collective self-defense.

We also discussed Lithuania's efforts to achieve a secure, sustainable, and safe supply of energy. We strongly support Lithuania's energy independence strategy, which includes regional development of nuclear power, liquefied natural gas, unconventional oil and gas, as well as gas and electricity links between the Baltic States and the rest of the European Union. By focusing on regional cooperation and energy security, Lithuania is strengthening its own independence, but also the independence and security of its neighbors. And we are especially pleased to see United States companies being considered to take part in these important projects.

2011 is a banner year for Lithuania on the world stage. As chair of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, Lithuania has been instrumental in raising awareness of the very difficult situation in Belarus. Together, we demand that Belarus release political prisoners and embark on a path of democratic reform, because it seems very sad for the people of Belarus that they stand in such stark contrast to their neighbors. And it reminds us that building a whole and free Europe is still an unfinished task.

We look to Lithuania for its leadership as host of the OSCE ministerial conference in December. All of us are inspired by the progress we have seen over the last 20 years in Lithuania. But we know that there is still more to be done, and we appreciate greatly all of the steps that Lithuania is taking.

I am especially pleased to be here for the Community of Democracies, and to have this opportunity to strengthen our bonds as fellow democracies. And I greatly appreciated the President's co-hosting of the forum yesterday on women and democracy. So, for me it is a personal pleasure to be here in Lithuania and to see the great progress that is being made on behalf of the people of this country. Thank you.

Q. Good morning. The State Department said earlier this week that the opposition meeting in Damascus signaled a step in the right direction for the Syrian regime. Then yesterday we saw troops sweep into new villages in the northwest and protests erupting in Aleppo. So, what, Madam Secretary, is your assessment of this situation? Was allowing this opposition meeting a real move toward (inaudible) change, or just a sham? Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, Christophe, it doesn't appear that there is a coherent and consistent message coming from Syria. We know what they have to do. They must begin a genuine transition to democracy. And allowing one meeting of the opposition in Damascus is not sufficient action toward achieving that goal. So I am disheartened by the recent reports of continued violence on the borders and in Aleppo, where demonstrators have been beaten, attacked with knives by government-organized groups and security forces.

It is absolutely clear that the Syrian Government is running out of time. There isn't any question about that. They are either going to allow a serious political process that will include peaceful protest to take place throughout Syria and engage in a productive dialogue with members of the opposition and civil society, or they are going to continue to see increasingly organized resistance. We regret the loss of life, and we regret the violence. But this choice is up to the Syrian Government. And right now we are looking for action, not words, and we haven't seen enough of that.

Q. I would like to pose two questions, one to Madam Hillary, and then perhaps to the Lithuanian President. Firstly, why is it that the United States supports the nuclear power plant that is soon to be built in Belarus? This question is of great concern to Lithuania.

And the second question is with respect to the events in (inaudible) today. We are now speaking about democracy, human rights. And in this context in Lithuania we still have some accusations that have not been dispersed. Only several kilometers off from there was a secret CIA imprisonment facility where human rights might have been violated. Does the United States think that the transparency should exist in this sphere as well? Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, first, let me say, with respect to the proposed plant in Belarus, we have made clear that even though Belarus, like any country, has a right to explore civil nuclear power as an energy option, we have deep concerns about safety and security. Any plant would have to operate under the full IAEA safeguards. The plant would have to be initiated and established in a transparent, commercial process.

And so, any support that you have heard from us is abstract, because it is contingent on all of the conditions that I have just mentioned. And we understand—the President has made very clear—Lithuanian concerns about the location of the plant, in addition to the safety, the security, the maintenance operation, and all the other issues that we also have raised. Part of what we hope to see are guarantees about safety and security, and we certainly encourage that there be consultations about any location issues that could be considered problematic for Lithuania. I think we are a long way from that, but if Belarus were to pursue this idea of a plant, we would expect the international community to demand the highest standards of transparency, safety, and security.

With respect to your second question, I cannot comment on that. And I think it is clear that in the Obama Administration there has been a very transparent process that we have followed with respect to the problems that we all face because of the global terrorist threat.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks in Vilnius, Lithuania

Secretary Clinton. Thank you very much, Minister Azubalis, and thank you for your vigorous leadership of the Community of Democracies during the Lithuanian chairmanship. And I especially appreciate the president being here to welcome all of us, and to be joined by so many distinguished representatives of government, civil society, business, young people, and women.

I think it is important that we use this session to take stock of where we are 10 years on, after the Community of Democracies was begun. And it is a perfect place to do that, here in Lithuania. Today the streets outside this hall are peaceful. But 20 years ago they were filled with Soviet tanks. And they rang out with the chants of protestors and the shouts of soldiers. The world held its breath.

Thankfully, those tanks retreated, and the Soviet empire began to crumble. But the future was far from certain. The transitions to democracy in Central and Eastern Europe were fraught with challenges. In the former Yugoslavia, ethnic strife sparked years of war. In some former Soviet republics—including next door in Belarus—authoritarianism retained an iron grip. And in nearly every newly-free nation, wrenching economic and social changes tested the resolve of people.

But today, here in Lithuania and across most of Europe, democracy is thriving. Protesters who helped bring down Communism went on to raise up strong democratic institutions and civil society. Leaders put the needs of their countries and their peoples ahead of their personal interests. So this region has become a model for the world, and its experiences—both the struggles and the successes—have taken on new relevance in recent days, because the world is once again holding its breath.

This year we have seen citizens across the Middle East and North Africa demand the same universal rights, dignity, and opportunity that Eastern and Central Europeans claimed two decades ago. Again, the future is uncertain. It is too soon to tell whether democratic institutions, pluralism, and the rule of law will emerge, or if those hopes will prove little more than a mirage in the desert.

What we do know is the outcome will be determined by the people themselves. And this moment belongs to them, particularly the young people who have inspired the world with their courage.

But I would argue that all of us here in this Community of Democracies have a stake in that outcome and a responsibility to help. We see our own stories in theirs. And we know that, just as any one democracy depends on people working together, a community of democracy depends on all nations, not only working together, but renewing our commitment. And we believe that established democracies have a special duty to help those that are emerging because these new democracies are fighting for their life. There are vicious autocrats clinging to power. There are interest groups pretending to support democracy, and only waiting until they can assume power. This is an hour of need, and every democracy should stand up and be counted.

Unfortunately, there is no playbook that we can pass on to those struggling to form their own democracies with a clear outline of the steps that can be taken and the results that will be assured, like a recipe in the kitchen. Every transition in every country in every era is unique. Here in the Baltics, citizens could draw on centuries of democratic traditions. People in the Middle East and North Africa are, in many ways, navigating uncharted territory.

But for all the differences, there are shared lessons. And we need to be sure we learn them and apply them, to take that hard-earned wisdom and put it to work. Because from Europe to Latin America to Africa to Asia, people have learned the fundamentals of successful democratic transitions: accountable institutions rooted in the rule of law; equal protection and participation for all citizens, especially women; a vibrant civil society; a free press; an independent judiciary and economic opportunity; integration into the international community and its norms and institutions; and leaders who understand that legitimacy flows from consent, not coercion.

Today I want to say a few words about these lessons and how they can help bring new members into the Community of Democracies.

First, we have learned that sustainable democracies are built on the strength of institutions that guarantee the rule of law and universal rights, including freedoms of assembly, association, expression, and religion.

Amid all the graffiti that covers the public spaces in Libya today, one message painted on a wall in the town of Derna stands out. It reads: “We want a country of institutions.” That means, among other things, independent courts, a free press, competitive political parties, and responsive government agencies. And yet, in my conversations with so many who are so eager to help lead the way to democracy in their own countries, these concepts are very difficult to understand and to apply.

But there are examples. In the 1990s, Estonia used cutting-edge technology to deliver unprecedented accountability and transparency. Twenty years on, expenditures from the budget can be tracked online in real time, government archives are paperless and open, investors can register a business in a matter of minutes— the quickest in the world—and citizens can vote online.

So today, Estonians are helping more than 25 countries around the world follow their example, including a number of projects in the Middle East, where in too many places bribery is rampant, institutions are corrupt, and political parties are repressed.

The region's new democratic transitions can change that. I want to acknowledge Tunisia establishing an independent Electoral Commission, made up of jurists and civil society leaders. And we hope that transitional authorities in Egypt will invite international observers to witness their upcoming elections. Because while democracy is about far more than voting, free and fair elections are essential. And they require a level playing field for political parties, a free press, and transparent voting procedures. That's the standard that all citizens have a right to expect, whether they are voting in Tunis, Cairo, or Moscow, for that matter.

Now, a second lesson of successful transitions is that democracy only works when there is equal protection and equal participation for every citizen, including women, ethnic and religious minorities and young people, because transitions can be particularly perilous for these groups. They are often the first to be excluded. But when they are included, they enrich and strengthen new democracies. We saw this in Poland, where women kept Solidarity alive when thousands of men were imprisoned. And after the revolution, they kept organizing. They ran for office. And the underground newspaper they started in the Gdansk shipyard became one of the most important publications in a free Poland.

In the Middle East and North Africa, women have marched, blogged, and put their lives on the line. But as I discussed last night, they have seen their participation limited in this transition period. One Egyptian woman recently remarked, “The men were keen for me to be there when we were demanding Mubarak should go. But now that he has gone, they want me to go home.”

This is not just a problem for women. It's a problem for men too. It's a problem for every citizen. And it's a problem for the community of democracies. I hope that what we will do is make it very clear that, as parties are organized, as platforms are written, as campaigns are waged, and elections are won, no one can claim to be representing the democratic will if their intention is to marginalize women. We are watching closely the parties that are forming in countries like Tunisia and Egypt, and we have said we are, in the United States, willing to engage with parties that are pledged to non-violence and the political process. But we expect every party in a democracy to recognize the rights of women.

We are also watching closely to make sure that what happened in the Balkans in the 1990s does not reoccur. Ethnic and religious minorities are at risk. I remember talking with a group of Bosnians shortly after the Dayton Accords were agreed to. It was a group of Serbs, Croats, and Muslims. And one woman said that when the violence started she asked a friend, “How could this be happening? We've known each other for so long. We've been at each other's families’ weddings and funerals. Why is this happening?” And her friend replied, “We were told that if we didn't do this to you, you would do it to us.” That's what they read in the newspaper, and that's what they heard on the radio. It's what extremists whispered in the night.

Today, the people of North Africa and the Middle East need to resist those whispers. This year, violent attacks from Egypt to Iraq to Pakistan have killed scores of religious and ethnic minorities. These fault lines cannot be permitted to open up. They will swallow the hopes for a better future for all.

And finally, young people cannot be left behind when the action moves from the streets to the parliaments. In many of these countries today, young people actually represent a majority. And transitional authorities must work with them to meet their aspirations. But young people themselves must enter the political process. When I visited Cairo this spring and met with young activists, they were still searching for unity and for their next goal. They need to organize and be part of politics, if they expect to see change take hold and be sustainable.

It also takes far-sighted leadership for this to work. And that is the obvious third lesson. We have seen great examples of leadership in transitions. Nelson Mandela is certainly the prime example. But too often we see leaders who derail the transitions, who put their own interests or the interests of their group ahead of the national interest, leaders who think democracy is one election, one time, or who rig elections to favor those already in power. That is not democracy. That is the path back to dictatorship. And we have seen revolution give way to repression in places like Iran.

So we need leaders to be held accountable. And we need to ensure that they know what is expected of them in a democracy. We saw it here in Central and Eastern Europe, as poets and professors rose to become presidents and prime ministers, and then stepped aside for other statesmen to take their place.

Fourthly, healthy democracies depend on healthy civil societies. We see it here in the Baltic States, where journalists are exposing official corruption and helping bring accountability to government. We see it in the Middle East and North Africa, in so many examples of people who are putting everything on the line.

But we have to protect civil society. And I thank the Community of Democracies for establishing a new alert system to galvanize a global response when governments propose laws that would restrict civil society. Five times we have raised the alarm, and five times the law has not passed. We have also worked with partners to establish a fund to help NGOs resist repression. We call it the Lifeline. And I thank all of the countries who are supporting this effort.

We think that engaging with civil society, as the United States is doing in our new strategic dialogue with civil society, helps us know better about how to help them. They are the ones going to prison, they are the ones being beaten up, they are the ones on the front lines of democracy.

And the fifth lesson is that democracy has to deliver for people a sense of dignity—intangible, but essential—and economic opportunities. In post-Communist Europe, governments made difficult decisions as they refashioned the social safety net and opened their markets. They knew that painful though it was, free markets unleashed human potential. Today, in so many of those places struggling to become democracies, the economies are stunted by cronyism and corruption. So we have to also work for economic reform.

We are hoping to launch Enterprise Funds to invest in Tunisia and Egypt, as we did in the Baltics at the beginning of their transitions. We are working with our European partners to refocus the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development to support economic modernization in the Middle East and North Africa. And we join with the EU and the G8 to offer a new vision for regional trade and economic integration.

Democracies flourish when they are connected to and supported by other democracies. That is why this organization is as important as it has ever been. It was created almost as a looking back at how much had been accomplished in 2000. But now it needs to be vibrant and responsive to what lies ahead. And I applaud the Lithuanian chairmanship for the reforms that the community has adopted under its leadership. And we need to be doing more to prepare for the next meeting under the chairmanship of Mongolia.

I think it's critical that the new partnership challenge formed by the community will include, as the first two participants, Tunisia and Moldova, who each will be paired with an international task force of activists and experts. And we thank the Dutch and the Slovaks for taking the lead in Tunisia. And Poland and the United States will co-chair the task force for Moldova. We will contribute $5 million from USAID to support this new initiative.

So, as we look forward to help those who are emerging, let us also be clear that we must prevent any setbacks to democracy in our own countries and regions. We should speak out when countries like Belarus brutally repress the rights of its citizens, or where we see opposition figures facing politically-motivated prosecution, or governments refusing to register political parties.

So, we have a very healthy agenda. But I don't know of any more important work that could be done in the world today. Let us be sure that we support these new democracies, and we keep moving ourselves toward perfecting our own democracies. I think we are up to the challenge, but it does need a community of democracies to make sure we meet it. Thank you all very much.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks with Minister Trinidad Jiménez in Madrid, Spain

Minister Jiménez. Hola. Buenos días. Dear Secretary of State, dear Hillary, let me start by expressing my personal satisfaction for receiving you here in Madrid. We are extremely pleased to have this opportunity for receiving you, and to see how is our collaboration and our friendship. So I want to thank you for being here, and to have this opportunity to strengthen our relationship and our friendship.

(Inaudible) agenda. The relations between Spain and the U.S. are very sound, and also very broad-ranging. We work together on subjects such as counterterrorism, but also in the areas such as justice, without forgetting all of the economic and international exchange, all our cultural cooperation, as well. In addition, in the multilateral framework, we have worked together on climate change, and developing alternative energies.

Trade (inaudible) and direct investment have grown very strongly. Traditionally, the United States has always been one of the first direct foreign investors in Spain. But one thing that you may perhaps not know is that Spain has become a major investor in the United States and in companies, in sectors that are tremendously important: teaching sectors, for example; infrastructure; financial services; or renewable energy.

In the economic sphere, the Secretary of State and myself have reaffirmed our intention to continue strengthening our relations and our efforts in order to overcome the global economic crisis, in order to consolidate recovery and achieve sustainable development.

We have looked at all our different agenda items, among which, of course, Afghanistan, where we have reaffirmed our commitment to make progress in the transitional process, according to the established calendar in order to make Afghanistan a safe, secure, and stable place. And I am sure that—in this regard I can assure you that the Secretary of State has expressed her condolences because of the recent loss of the lives of Spanish soldiers in Afghanistan.

We have also talked about North Africa in depth, especially the situation in two countries that—about which we are optimistic, each—and Tunisia. And the work we are doing in the European Union, but also bilaterally from Spain in order to help these countries strengthen their democracies.

We also talked about Libya, where we have been working very closely in a coordinated way in these recent months. We will continue exerting pressure, both militarily and politically, in order to help the Libyan people to achieve their legitimate aspiration for democracy, security, and safety—peace, (inaudible).

We have also spent time on the Mideast peace process, where the United States has traditionally played an essential role, as it continues to play, with both sides, Palestine and Israel, in order to get them to return to the negotiating table, and in order to lay solid foundations for an agreement that enables both people to live in peace. In July, the (inaudible) will be meeting in Washington, and we are working most intently in order to be able to make progress in such an important matter to the entire international community.

We have also had the opportunity to talk about Latin America. The Secretary of State knows that Spain has very strong ties, traditional ties, with Latin America. We enjoy a privileged relationship that enables us to talk to them very directly, because we are very close. And we have once again stated that we are ready—we are both ready—to work together in cooperation, as we have done recently in South America in the security conference that was held in Guatemala two weeks ago. That was a (inaudible) conference that was a tremendous political success, because what it required in terms of coordination and (inaudible) efforts in—coordinated efforts in security.

We have also talked about the possibility of stretching our cooperation in other matters, such as Haiti, where we have also worked together, and we would like to continue doing so. In this regard, two cooperation agencies, USAID and (inaudible), have to work on how we can coordinate our actions together.

We talked about Palomares and the progress made. Ever since I met with the Secretary of State in Washington I saw the goodwill of the Department of State and the United States to work on this, and all the technical teams that have been—since then come over. We have—and the technical assistance, and we are very appreciative of all those efforts.

So, dear Secretary of State, dear Hillary, I know we will now have the opportunity to meet with the President of the Government, with His Majesty, the King, and this is—comes to prove how important this visit of U.S. to Spain is, and it is a token of our friendship, of the excellent cooperation between our two countries, and of course, looking forward to the future, hoping to strengthen this excellent relationship even further, if possible.

So, on behalf of the Spanish Government, this is my—I would like to extend my warmest and heartfelt welcome in this very important visit of yours to Spain. Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you so very much, Trini, for those warm words, and also for the excellent working relationship that we have. And the meeting we just completed demonstrated that once again. It was a wide-ranging, comprehensive discussion of so many of the important issues, not only the bilateral issues, but regional and global issues, as well. And it underscores the enduring relationship between the United States and Spain.

We are very grateful that the ties between our two nations run deep. Our alliance is rooted in enduring bonds of history and heritage, and they spring from our shared values. Spain is a trusted partner and a valued friend. And together we are leading members of a Transatlantic community that remains an unrivaled force for peace, progress, and prosperity in the world.

As the Foreign Minister said, we not only discussed a wide range of issues, but we enhanced our cooperative relationship in a number of areas. Let me just mention a few.

I thanked the Foreign Minister for Spain's contributions to the NATO/ISAF mission in Afghanistan, and expressed my condolences to the government and to the families of those Spanish soldiers killed and injured in the last week.

This month we are beginning the transition to Afghan responsibility, and it will be completed in 2014. I want to applaud the Spanish forces for their bravery and skill, and especially for the excellent work that is being done training the Afghan police force. I am also grateful for the Spanish investment in health care services in Badghis Province, including the construction of a maternity and pediatric center. We agreed on the importance of moving forward with unity and urgency on all three tracks in Afghanistan: military, civilian, and diplomatic.

We also discussed our shared conviction that Qadhafi needs to stop the assault on the Libyan people, and leave power. We appreciate Spain's contributions to enforcing the no-fly zone and the arms embargo. The NATO-led mission is on track. The pressure on Qadhafi is mounting. And the rebels have been gaining strength and momentum. We need to see this through, and we are in complete agreement that we will.

There is hardly a major global challenge that we are not working on together. Spain is a strong presence at the G20 as a permanent participant. And we are partners at the nuclear security summit and in food security, climate change, and shared endeavors in Haiti and elsewhere. We work especially closely throughout Latin America and the Caribbean, where Spain's continued investment in strong democracies and economies is having a real impact.

Earlier this month, both the foreign minister and I were together in Guatemala, where we joined with other donors to announce a major package of support for Central America's fight against drug traffickers and criminal organizations. And today we continued our conversation about how together we can enhance citizen safety across Latin America.

Our close connections extend to our economic relationship. Under President Zapatero's leadership, the Spanish Government has taken important steps to strengthen its finances, restructure its banking sector, and improve its competitiveness. We understand how difficult those steps are, and we know that Spain still faces significant challenges as it works to consolidate its finances, bring down unemployment, and overcome the legacy of the global economic crisis.

So, I know that the Spanish Government will continue the process of reform, and I want publicly to say how much we understand that this takes time and patience to make these changes, and to see them through. It is our hope that European leaders continue to make sure that Europe's response to the crisis is strong, flexible, and effective.

As I told the foreign minister, Spain can count on the unwavering friendship, not only of the United States Government, but of the American people. Spain is the second-fastest growing investor in the United States, and the United States is one of Spain's largest trading partners. As we each seek to create jobs for our people and grow our economies, we will work together to expand investment and trade between our countries. I had the chance yesterday evening to take a walk in beautiful Madrid, and I saw so many Americans. So I know that American support for the Spanish economy is strong.

So, my friend, my colleague, this is a full agenda. And I am delighted to be working so closely with you. Our interests and our values converge, and I thank you again for your hospitality and friendship. And I thank also the Spanish people for their commitment to our very strong alliance.

Q. Hi, Madam Secretary. The United Nations top human rights official recently criticized China for not arresting Sudan's president, Omar al-Bashir, during his visit to their country. I would just like to know where you stand on that and whether you agree with the UN on this position.

Secretary Clinton. Well, I think we have made our views clear, that countries should not be welcoming the Sudanese president because of the outstanding charges against him from the international criminal court. We believe that there are important principles to uphold, when it comes to international justice. And, of course, we are also urging all countries to convince the Sudanese Government to fulfill its responsibilities under the comprehensive peace agreement, to make sure that, as South Sudan becomes an independent nation next week, that the ground for a positive relationship between north and south will be established.

So, I hope that other countries will not offer the opportunity for a visit, but I hope all countries will give a clear, unmistakable message about what needs to be done to finish the comprehensive peace agreement between north and south.

Q. Good morning, Secretary of State, ministers. (Inaudible) said that you talked about Palomares during your meeting. Beyond the goodwill of the United States Government, will it contribute economically to this contamination of that beach because of an American accident in 1966? (Inaudible) Secretary of State applauded President Zapatero's efforts, and (inaudible) in his forming work. You will be meeting the (inaudible) leader of the opposition, Mr. (Inaudible). What do you expect in that meeting?

And Mr. (Inaudible) in recent months has called for early elections. Do you think that would be good for Spain, or do we have to wait and see what the fruits are of President Zapatero's reform process?

Secretary Clinton. Well, first, with respect to Palomares, we understand the sensitivity within Spain toward this issue, and we have, in recent months, brought together a team from the Department of Energy to come to Spain to work with your experts on a collaborative solution to what has been a long-standing legacy issue. Our work is continuing. But I think, as the foreign minister said, the Obama Administration is taking the Spanish concerns very seriously.

Second, I do not comment on internal Spanish politics; that is for the people of Spain to decide. I—as I travel around the world, I meet with governmental officials and opposition representatives. That is part of our ongoing outreach to the entire country and the political system in various nations. So I have no basis for making any comment about the internal decisions.

As I said in my opening remarks, I know how politically difficult many of the actions that the current government has taken are. As you probably know from following the news in the United States, President Obama has taken some very difficult political issues, and has been roundly criticized because these are controversial. But I think each country, in terms of its own economic recovery from the global crisis of 2008, has to make responsible decisions, regardless of the political controversy or consequences. And, of course, we hope, as we do in our own country, that these decisions will be continued, and that they will bear fruit, in terms of the positive economic outcomes that we are all seeking for our people.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks with Minister Sergey Lavrov in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. Well, thank you very much. And again, it's a pleasure for me to welcome the Foreign Minister back to Washington, and we've had a very constructive day of conversations. Before I begin on what we have discussed, I want to say a few words about today's bombings in Mumbai, India. We condemn these despicable acts of violence designed to provoke fear and division. Those who perpetrated them must know they cannot succeed. The Indian people have suffered from acts of terrorism before, and we have seen them respond with courage and resilience. We are continuing to monitor the situation, including the safety and security of American citizens. Our hearts are with the victims and their families, and we have reached out to the Indian Government to express our condolence and offer support.

I will be traveling to India next week as planned. I believe it is more important than ever that we stand with India, deepen our partnership, and reaffirm our commitment to the shared struggle against terrorism. Neither of our countries—the Russian Federation or the United States— unfortunately are strangers to terrorism. And it has been a mutual goal of both of our presidents to increase our cooperation in order to prevent terrorists from wreaking their violence on innocent Russians, Americans, and others, and to bring those who do so to justice.

I also would like to convey condolences on behalf of the American people, to those who suffered from the tragic sinking of the boat on the Volga River. I am particularly, as a mother, extending my thoughts and prayers to all those mothers and fathers who are suffering the terrible loss of children.

Let me begin by saying that the past two and a half years has been a time of great strides in the relationship between our countries. We have signed a historic arms control treaty and opened a vital new land and air supply route to Afghanistan. We are cooperating on addressing Iran's nuclear threat, working to coordinate our diplomatic approach to Libya, consulting closely on the changes unfolding in the Middle East. Across the world, we are not only working bilaterally but multilaterally on so many important issues, from counterterrorism to nonproliferation.

Our challenge now is to continue and maintain the momentum in order to deliver more results for both of our people. To that end, Minister Lavrov and I discussed missile defense cooperation. I believe we do have an opportunity to address common challenges in a way that makes Russians, Europeans, and Americans safer, and we are committed to working with both Russia and our NATO allies to do so.

We also, of course, discussed the broader range of issues on which we are cooperating beyond security and arms control. For example, we strongly support Russia's accession to the World Trade Organization. Russia's membership would allow us to increase trade and deepen our economic ties. This is a high priority, and a priority for President Obama and the Administration. It's part of our broader global effort to promote a rules-based system of economic competition.

We also discussed the increasing emphasis within Russia on democracy, and we obviously, as I have said many times, as our two presidents have discussed, support the rights of Russian civil society to assemble and speak freely, of Russian journalists and bloggers to monitor and report on official actions, and of lawyers and judges to work independently to uphold the rule of law.

I am especially pleased that we were able to reach several new agreements. First, we are signing an agreement on inter-country adoptions. We take very seriously the safety and security of children that are adopted by American parents, and this agreement provides new, important safeguards to protect them. It also increases transparency for all parties involved in the adoption process. And I want to thank Senator Mary Landrieu, the leader of the adoption caucus in the Senate, as well as Congresswoman Karen Bass, who are present with us.

Second, our negotiators have now concluded a visa agreement. We think this is especially important for our businesses, so that business men and women can travel multiple times between our two countries over 36 months on a single visa. This is a big deal for those who are doing business, and we are laying the groundwork for even more trade and travel.

Third, we exchanged diplomatic notes on the U.S. Plutonium Management and Disposition Agreement. This brings into force a protocol that Sergey and I signed last year that commits both of our countries to dispose of no less than 34 metric tons of weapons-grade uranium on each side, the equivalent of some 17,000 nuclear weapons.

And fourth, we are renewing the protocol on the effects of radiation, which allows our scientists to collect and analyze epidemiological data together with the cancer risks that come with exposure to radiation.

Fifth, our national aviation agencies today signed an Air Navigation Services Agreement that will increase air traffic control cooperation, enhance information sharing, and ultimately make even more air traffic between our countries even safer.

This relationship, then, now involves cooperation in many different areas, and the Bilateral Presidential Commission that Presidents Obama and Medvedev began, that Minister Lavrov and I have the honor of co-chairing, has emerged as an important vehicle for pursuing our common interests. And we are very committed to continuing to move our relationship forward. And again, I thank the minister for the excellent work that we have done together.

Minister Lavrov. Ladies and gentlemen, first of all, I would like to say that I fully support the words of Hillary Clinton about the shelling in Mumbai. We condemn the people who organized this act, and we extend our condolences to India and the Government of India.

Counterterrorism has a special place in our cooperation with the United States, and we will be building up this cooperation everywhere, including Afghanistan, Middle and Far East, and other regions in the world. Also, I would like to express my gratitude for the condolences that Madam Clinton has just pronounced about the tragic shipwreck on the Volga River. We appreciate these feelings of the American people towards us, and we are grateful for the warm reception to me and my delegation in the framework of this official visit.

This was a very useful visit and very busy visit. I met Mr. Obama in the White House, and I had negotiations with the State of Secretary yesterday. Yesterday, I had a meeting with the Senate of the United States of America, and yesterday, I also met Russian Americans who have a lot of interesting projects that aim to promote closer cooperation of our countries and also went to the broadcaster who is a Russian broadcaster, Voice of America, and they are starting broadcasting in English in Washington. So we thank you very much for all the cooperation.

And speaking about our talks, I fully agree with the assessment of presidential commission. This was a very effective tool created by the two presidents as being coordinated by the State Department and the foreign ministry. There are 18 working groups who are working to the fullest extent in cooperation—in cooperating. And they have created two additional groups, one for innovation, which is very important for the positive agenda and our cooperation, and the second one is for legal issues, which is also very important in our bilateral dialogue.

We have considered the current priority issues in our relationship, including the situation with—I hope that we will be concluding the process of Russia's accession to the WTO. And just recently here in Washington, Minister of Economy of Russia Elvira Nabiullina, was here, and during her meeting with President Obama today in the White House, we have fully agreed on the necessity to conclude all the necessary formalities.

We have all the opportunities to do so, and as far as I understood today, there is the political will from the United States, and now experts must be working and they must use the political impulse and translate it into practical agreements on paper. We have paid a lot of attention to strategic stability, and we see that the agreement is being followed closely, is being executed, and the mechanism is functioning quite effectively. This is a bilateral consultative committee which has made a number of practical steps that are being stipulated by the agreement. And we also discussed the importance of mutually acceptable solutions on missile defense. We have noted that President Obama has confirmed his readiness to reach understanding—together with Mr. Medvedev to reach an understanding of common policy and creating strong political framework that will let us to start practical cooperation in this important sphere.

And I would like to also highlight the fact that today, we have signed a number of very important agreements. First of all, I would like to note the agreement on adoption issues. Our negotiating teams have been working very effectively. This was the Russian Foreign Ministry, Ministry of Education and Science, and Ombudsman for the Rights of Children Mr. Astakhov, who is today present here. And I think that we will be going towards implementing this agreement, and this will help us get rid of the irritants that have been emerging quite rightfully in the public opinion connected to the destiny of Russian children who were adopted in America. We are very grateful to our American partners for helping us to reach this agreement.

And there are yet—there are two and other agreements that we have signed and prolonged. They have very long names, but they are all about very simple and necessary for everyone. Every person things—those are lowering, minimizing of risks that are connected with radioactive contamination, on health and environment. And the second thing—the second agreement concerns plutonium. It is a very real contribution to nonproliferation regime and enhancing nuclear security.

As the Secretary has just said, we have completed our work on visa regime. It will be formalized very soon. Everything is ready, everything has been agreed, and I may say even that this will open the way to developing our dialogue towards visa-free regime. This aim had been mentioned during Vice President's—Biden visits to Moscow, and although two years ago probably this idea would have been deemed impossible, today we see that we have all the opportunities to have this kind of aim in our cooperation with the United States, which is being discussed by the European Union today. And about 100 states all over the world have visa-free regime with Russia, including Israel, and this is the precedent.

So concerning bilateral issues, we have made an important stride today towards exercising all those agreements and instructions by the presidents, made at their recent meetings about adoption and visa simplifications. The international part of our discussion concerned not only some specific questions, but systematic problems—the new situation in the international relations, the problems that emerge in different regions, and that are very much connected with the discussion of the way we can use the democratization and rule of law principles to our policies. And I believe it was a very useful conversation about what role of—the United Nations has in these processes. The United States and Russia have confirmed that the—as permanent members of the Security Council, we are very much interested in promoting peace and security globally.

We have discussed many other topics; for example, the situation of the Iranian nuclear threat and Korean Peninsula. This is very important for nonproliferation regime, and this will help us avoid other conflicts. And we also talked about Libya and situation in other eastern and African countries about the situation in Afghanistan. We have been operating— cooperating very closely in various areas. And in the light of Quartet's meeting yesterday in Washington, which was very useful and it helped our experts to prepare specific documents. We have also discussed the topic of conventional arms in Europe. We are very much interested in finding mutually accepted framework to reach an agreement on the new control of conventional arms in this very important treaty and—which is crucial for Russia and the United States. And I would like to note that we had a very useful—we also talked about our cooperation in the Arctic and Antarctic, which is also very important. Also we identified that there is a possibility to bring our positions closer in the issues where we still have some misunderstandings like bilateral cooperation and international agenda. And in comparison to previous years, we see these problems as workable, and we understand that in some spheres we do not have converging interests, but we promote same aims, and we maintain dialogue about how to most effectively move to those aims.

And in the end, I would like to say about one symbolic thing. It is 13^th of July today, and in 1728 this day, the first expedition of Vitus Bering to Kamchatka started, which proved that Eurasia and America are divided by a gulf. And these days, a group of Americans and Russians are going through the Bering Gulf in commemoration of this historic date. And the day after tomorrow, on the 15 of July, we will mark another memorable day. It's 270 years since the second St. Paul ship crew headed to Kamchatka leaded by Aleksei Chirikov.

And we talked about Alaska a lot today, and we have a principled solution of presidents about the necessity to develop cooperation in our trips through Bering Gulf, and we spoke about specific projects and events that might be organized that would be very much interesting for people who live in Alaska and Chukotka, and we discussed this today. And also I think this means that we have a new quality to our cooperations. We not only think about strategic things; we also care about our citizens, and I think that this is a lesson for us—the lesson for our cooperation for many years ahead.

Q. My question is to the leaders of the both delegations. You have just signed the adoption agreement; does that mean that the moratorium for adoption by the American families will be lifted soon? And why did it take so long to draw up this document? You even spent less time to work out the START agreement than this issue. Why does it happen so?

Minister Lavrov. First of all, statistically speaking, it's not right to say that we worked longer than at the START agreement. I think we managed to do it a bit quicker. And speaking about the second thing, this is the first agreement of such nature that we agreed with Italy, and we prepared it for four years; and today we are going to sign such kind of agreement with Israel. And we reached agreement with the United States not overnight because we had to take into account the legal peculiarities of American legal system, because there are different states who have different legislations that, even for the beginning of the negotiations, we needed to take a very serious political will about American partners.

And that's why this agreement has become equal, absolutely bilateral; it has guarantees and safeguards for the both sides that would allow people to make sure that an adoptive parent is psychologically stable, that the family has come through a special filter of authorized bodies authorized by the United States Government, and that the adoptive parents provide access of Russian diplomats to the children living in the United States. These are the most important components of this issue, and it is going to be in force very soon. It is now going to be ratified in U.S., but we will be ratifying it so we discussed some technical details that will allow us to speed this process up.

Secretary Clinton.—is that I think it was a useful process to share common problems. We both want the same outcomes. We want all children—whether they be Russian children or American children—to be able to have loving homes with families that will take good care of them. And, of course, the United States wants to be sure that we meet all of the concerns that the Russian side raised, and we believe we have.

Q. Question is to the—both leaders. You said that you're going to sign a new visa agreement. Would you please specify the terms of the signing? And what is your prognosis about some obstacles on the way to this agreement, knowing that businesspeople and citizens support the visa simplifications?

Minister Lavrov. Well, the answer is simple. This will happen this year, this is for sure, and it will happen before Christmas, even Catholic Christmas. Speaking about obstacles, there are no such. As I have said, the agreement is absolutely ready. We just have to follow through some formalities, some technical issues. That's it.

Secretary Clinton. That's absolutely right, and we are very pleased about this step toward greater visa liberalization between our two countries, and look forward to all the Christmas travel that we'll see. Thank you all very much.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks with Minister Stavros Lambrinidis in Athens, Greece

Minister Lambrinidis. Madam Secretary, welcome (inaudible) so it is my great pleasure to welcome Hillary Clinton here in Athens. I am very happy. I am especially happy because she is the first foreign minister to come to us after I have taken over, therefore you are lucky for us, Hillary.

Madam Secretary, I think that we have had very good talks, so we have touched upon many issues. Let me highlight the most important one. Greece and the U.S. are natural friends and allies, and I am not only talking about mutual economic interests, which are, of course, important, but I'm talking about our joint passion for freedom and liberty. And this is something which comes—overcomes national borders. Friends prove themselves in difficult times, and as we know, Greece is doing through difficult times right now. The United States (inaudible) firm and steadfast manner, in a decisive manner. We have—we believe that we shall come out of this difficulty victorious. Many on both sides of the Atlantic have bet on the collapse of Greece, and they have been proven wrong. We will continue to prove them wrong, and this—and to this, our collaboration will be very important.

We have also discussed the opportunities which appear in this country for investment, for tourism, which we expect and we hope will interest—is of interest to everybody in this hall. We have also discussed issues relating to our normal job, the foreign affairs issues. We have reviewed the discussions, political discussions and the Contact Group for Libya. We will be in touch and we will be in touch in September in our efforts to revise the peace process.

We have also talked about the Balkans, which is a top priority for Greece, but this is a vision which we share with the U.S. We want peace, stability, and security in our region. We want to do away with the nationalist feelings of the past and for all the countries in the region to build a relationship of cooperation under our joint European home. I have told the Secretary of State that instead of trying to rewrite history, this is a good opportunity for us to write history, to make history, and this is something we should all try to achieve.

Also, we have the 2014 agenda which we have also discussed. I also had the opportunity of informing the Secretary about the negotiations on the Cyprus issue. I believe that it is possible to make progress, but this, of course, mainly requires political will on the—on behalf of Ankara. We have also discussed the efforts to normalize Greek-Turkish relations, the progress achieved, the remaining difficulties. And I am especially happy in conclusion, my dear Hillary—I'm especially happy to say that later on today we will be signing an MOU to do away with the smuggling of antiquities. And with this opportunity, we will have—we will visit the Acropolis museum together with my friend, minister of culture of Greece.

Ladies and gentlemen, here beside me stands a lady who is a friend of Greece, a friend of Hellenism, a person who has forged strong bonds of trust with the Greek-American community, which is a permanent bond linking Greece to the United States. Welcome to Greece, Madam Secretary.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you very much, Stavros, and it is a great pleasure for me to be here for this meeting, and I am greatly honored that I am your first foreign minister visitor. But you are becoming quickly a veteran in just one month in office. And I am also pleased to be here during these challenging times to demonstrate unequivocally the strong support that the United States has for Greece. We know that we are your friend and we are your ally and we are proud to be both. We stand by the people and Government of Greece as you put your country back on a path to economic stability and prosperity.

It is, for us, essential because we have a lot riding on our relationship together. As a NATO ally, we appreciate Greece's partnership on a shared agenda that spans the globe. The foreign minister and I have just completed a very productive conversation, not just about Greece's immediate challenges but about the full range of issues that form the core of our enduring alliance. We discussed our ongoing efforts in the NATO coalition operations to protect civilians and help the Libyan people claim a better future. Our diplomatic and military efforts are gaining momentum, and we are grateful for Greece's engagement and support, especially your willingness to host coalition military assets at Souda Bay and other sites close to Libya.

We also are concerned about what's going on in Syria, and we have condemned the violence. And I appreciate Greece's support in speaking strongly against the attack on our Embassy and the French Embassy in Damascus. We will work together as part of the international community to support a vision for a Syria with representative government, respect for civil liberties, equal protection for all citizens under the law.

We will also continue to work with Greece to support democratic transitions across the Middle East and North Africa. We commend the Greek Government for seeking a constructive approach in consultation with the United Nations to addressing the humanitarian needs of the people of Gaza and working to avoid the risks that come with attempts to sail directly to Gaza.

At a moment when domestic issues are rightly taking center stage here in Greece, we remain grateful for Greece's continued engagement in meeting the shared challenges we confront. I appreciate the work that Prime Minister Papandreou and the government are doing to resolve many longstanding issues and integrate the Western Balkans into European and transatlantic institutions.

Now, of course, Greece and the United States are bound together by far more than our shared challenges. We are bound together by our shared values. In fact, we are grateful for Greece's contribution to those values and their enduring legacy. Millions of Americans claim Greek ancestry, and last year President Obama was pleased to welcome Prime Minister Papandreou to the White House to celebrate Greece's entry into our Visa Waiver Program. That makes it easier for Greeks to visit family and friends in the United States. And later today, as the minister said, we will be signing a cultural preservation agreement to make it more difficult for looters and smugglers to make that same trip carrying Greece's historic treasures. That will protect tourism and ensure that the remarkable cultural heritage of this country remains in the hands of the Greek people.

And finally let me say just a few words about the economic situation in Greece. Americans know these are difficult days, and again, we stand with you as friends and allies. The United States strongly supports the Papandreou's government's determination to make the necessary reforms, to put Greece back on sound financial footing, and to make Greece more competitive economically. Committing to bring down the deficit and passing the medium-term fiscal strategy were vital first steps. We know these were not easy decisions. They were acts of leadership. And those acts of leadership will help to build a better economic future.

Now the challenge will be to keep moving forward with the same determination and commitment to make good on the fiscal targets and continue to deliver reform that drives future growth. Now, in many cases, these changes will require immediate and sustained implementation. And while the payoff for these sacrifices may not come quickly, it will come. We know that. We can look around the world and point to successful examples. And we also know that the price of inaction would have been far higher now and far into the future. The steps ahead will not, they cannot, be pain-free, but there is a path forward to resolve Greece's economic stability and to restore Greece's economic strength. I have faith in the resilience of the Greek people and I applaud the Greek Government on its willingness to take these difficult steps. Greece has inspired the world before, and I have every confidence that you are doing so again. And as you do what you must to bring your economy back to health, you will have the full support of the United States.

And so again, Minister, thank you for this opportunity to visit with you and thank you also for this chance to express from my heart our strong support for what Greece and particularly the Greek people are facing, but also to reiterate our confidence that this will be the path forward that will pay off, not only now but for generations to come.

Q. Good morning, Madam Secretary. You have said that rising deficits are a national security issue for the United States, so it's presumably also the case for Greece and parts of the EU. Are you concerned that the Europe crisis, the debt crisis, might undercut NATO's ability to finance its missions? Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Christophe, I am not. I think the NATO alliance is undergoing some very important analysis about how we will continue to be the strongest military and operational alliance in the history of the world. The NATO allies know how important this alliance is to our own security and to those problems that are over the horizon but which affect the security and stability of the Euro-Atlantic community. So yes, will there be some changes that we will foresee in the future? Of course. What has made NATO such a strong, vibrant, enduring alliance is that we have had to evolve and reform our own internal processes from time to time. But the United States not only has great confidence in NATO, we are committed to the fulfillment of the strategic vision that was adopted unanimously at the Lisbon summit and which we think provides the foundation for what needs to be done in the future.

Q. I have a question to both of you. You referred to the economic crisis. Both the U.S. and Europe are suffering because of an economic crisis. This— last year we were talking about Greek crisis. This year we're talking about European crisis. You did mention some things, nevertheless society is feeling gloomy, and I would like to ask you politicians can you offer an optimistic message to society, tell people that what they are sacrificing will pay off?

Minister Lambrinidis. There is no question that today's Greece has nothing to do whatsoever with Greece of two years ago. There is no question that despite the doomsayers, we are proceeding and that we shall come out of this victorious. Of course, we have no magic solutions, but there is no question the sacrifices that the Greek people have made have not only done away with the very real past risk of default but will create a sound basis for recovery.

And of course, we need the Greek measures, but we also need European solidarity. The European solidarity, which we believe and hope will express itself in a key manner in the near future, is very important because in a united Europe, hope or the light at the end of the tunnel is not about each individual country, but it is about our immense economic power when we all stand together more than 500 million people in 27 countries. This message was a bit lost on—was almost lost in some member-states recently, but the fact that Greece has regained in credibility with the sacrifices and the important measures that we are taking has brought us back to the forefront of—to the center of discussion and has brought us, I believe, at the forefront of a Europe of growth which will offer jobs to our citizens, to their citizens.

Secretary Clinton. Well, of course, I agree with what the minister said, and let me just put it into context from what we see looking from the United States toward Greece. We believe that the recent legislation that was passed will make Greece more competitive, will make Greece more business-friendly. We think that is essential for the kind of growth and recovery that is expected in the 21^st century when businesses can go anywhere in the world and capital can follow. We think that will provide a firm financial footing on which Greece will be able increasingly to attract businesses and create the jobs that Stavros said are absolutely important for the Greek people. Because businesses seek consistent, predictable regulatory and taxation regimes. Investors seek a level playing field. They expect transparency, streamlined procedures, protection of commercial and intellectual property rights, effective contract enforcement, all of which was part of your reform package.

Therefore, I am not here to in any way downplay the immediate challenges, because they are real, but I am here to say that we believe strongly that this will give Greece a very strong economy going forward. There are lots of analogies—having to take the strong medicine that tastes terrible when it goes down and you wish you didn't have to, or the chemotherapy to get rid of the cancer. There are all kinds of analogies. But the bottom line is this is the best approach and we strongly support it.

Minister Lambrinidis. Thank you very much. Hillary, thank you so much.

Secretary Hillary Clinton conducted this interview in Athens, Greece

Q. Well, Madam Secretary, it is a pleasure to see you in Athens.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you.

Q. First of all, what is the main message that you carry with you?

Secretary Clinton. It is a message of support and solidarity with the Greek Government, and most importantly, the Greek people, as you go through this very difficult period. We think what has already been done is important. But we know more also has to occur, with privatization and tax reform. But I want people in Greece to understand that we recognize the difficulty of these decisions, we know that there will be painful sacrifices, but we are absolutely confident that Greece will emerge from them even stronger.

And the future for Greece is so filled with potential, because of your strategic location in a part of the world that is changing so rapidly, that I came with a message of real hope that this can be done, and done in a way that will strengthen Greece, and for years to come.

Q. Now, I know that you like talking to the average person on the street. The last time, before your visit with consulate, I was (inaudible), so you could talk about (inaudible). There are a lot of angry people here in Greece. They are angry at the market, they are angry at the rating agencies, they are angry at their politicians. If you had the chance to meet with one of them, what would you say to them?

Secretary Clinton. Well that I understand the anger and the deep concern that the global economy has presented to all of us. We have angry people in my own country right now. And I am a very sympathetic person to what people are going through.

But you cannot deny the reality of what must be done. I used the analogy this morning with the foreign minister. If you are given a diagnosis of cancer, you could be angry or you could seek treatment. And sometimes the treatment makes you sick before it makes you well. And radiation, chemo, those are terrible things for the body to go through. But what we have learned is that, if you are willing to do that, very often in today's modern world with modern medicine, you can be cured.

Well, what we know now about the global economy is that we cannot escape from it, and it is a hard task master. So the kinds of physical disciplinary policies that the current government is pushing are a necessary medicine. Does anybody like it? Of course not. But there is no alternative. Because Greece is an essential part of Europe. It has benefitted from its membership in the European Union and the euro. And now there are steps that must be taken.

But it is not only for the government to take them. I have been talking with government officials, but I also have, as you know, many Greek-American friends. And it is clear that there are steps that individuals have to take, as well. But it will be in the best interest not only of the nation, but of the people, if this pathway that has been laid out can be followed now.

Q. Well, as you know, there has been a lot of (inaudible) depends on what kind of measures to be taken, and so on. Of course you have the same problem with (inaudible). Do you think that (inaudible), and do you think it's actually compatible, to have a working (inaudible) and also to be able to (inaudible) compete with China, and India, and everybody else?

Secretary Clinton. Absolutely. I mean here we are, in the birthplace of democracy, and there is, in my opinion, no doubt that functioning democracies with transparent governments, with the consent of the governed, with the kind of responsible decision-making that Greece is exhibiting now, are, for the long run, in much stronger positions, not only economically, but also where we all live and feel, and our individuals rights and freedoms. There are other systems in the world. But no one that I know of would want to change places to take up where others are, because you would sacrifice so much.

So, yes. Are we testing democracies today? Are we testing political leadership, and whether or not people actually want to solve the problems or just exacerbate it for their own personal and party-political gains? That is, unfortunately, all too common across the world in our democracies. But it is, by far, the best system. Winston Churchill's famous old saying is, “The worst system that has ever been devised, except for all the others.”

Well, as hard as it is to get people in a room, to make the compromise, to decide on a consensus, it is the best approach. And what the government here did in getting the votes necessary to move forward was a great tribute to the Greek political system. And I am very admiring of how hard that was, because I am, as you know, a recovering politician. I spent a lot of my time in the political trenches. So I know how difficult it is.

But this is what leaders are for. These are the historic moments that test whether one is a leader or just a politician. And we see leadership from the prime minister here, leadership from our President back home, leadership in those who are stepping up and accepting responsibility. It is not of the current generation's making; they inherited a lot of this. But it is up to them to resolve it. And I don't think there is any better alternative.

Q. I know you (inaudible). And I wonder, can the Greek people expect anything (inaudible) assistance from the U.S. Or perhaps investments, once the systemic risk is over and the country is stabilized? Do you see any of that?

Secretary Clinton. Well, of course. And because the United States is the single largest contributor to the IMF, the IMF assistance that is coming to Greece is very much a part of America's commitment.

But we also—and I have been trying to send this message—want to see more American businesses invest in Greece. We think there are great opportunities. It is not only the beauty and the tourism, the hospitality industries that can benefit. But I think Greece is well poised in clean, renewable energy. Some countries are going to capture this market. They are going to be market centered, as leaders. Greece can do that. And I think there are investments that Americans would be interested in.

I also think that as you have reformed your business sector with more transparency, more contract enforcement, making it possible for businesses to feel as though they are on a level playing field with Greek and other businesses, I think that will be very attractive to American business.

So, both from the public side, with our commitment to the IMF, and on the private sector side, we think there is opportunity here, and we want to be part of making that happen.

Q. There are various reports about the large reserves of natural gas or even oil (inaudible). Do you give any credence to those? (Inaudible) business community?

Secretary Clinton. Absolutely. And they aren't yet well documented, but I think that exploration is beginning, and we encourage that. There are also ways that Greece can become a hub for conventional energy with oil and gas and pipelines that would be transacting or transecting Greece.

So, yes, and we have encouraged American companies to look at this. We know about the big gas finds off of Israel and Lebanon. And it seems that Mother Nature has her way, and it may take a long time, but all of the development of gas and oil fields that we are discovering around the world, it seems like there are very geographic limits to them.

Q. Well, our whole area is changing (inaudible) what is happening in Syria, and what is happening in Libya, and so on. Has this changed your political view of Greece, or Greek relations with Turkey, or Greek relations with Israel? How do you see this whole (inaudible)?

Secretary Clinton. Well, you are right, that this has been a time of very rapid change in the Middle East and north Africa. And if you just look at the map, and where Greece is situated, its strategic advantage is apparent. There is work to be done, work to ensure that you continue the efforts to try to resolve Greek-Turkish problems, that there be the continuing efforts on the unfinished business of the western Balkans, that we all work to try to support the transitions going on in Egypt, in Libya, Tunisia.

But I don't think there is any doubt that with Greece's strong strategic location, coupled with your historic relations with these countries in the Mediterranean, that there is a great opportunity here for Greece, which is why, as we were discussing with the ministers with whom I met, if you think about the industries of the future—and energy will certainly continue to be one—how Greece positions itself on renewables, on clean energy, and on traditional sources of energy, will be a major impact on what will happen in the region.

So, yes. I think that Greece is very well positioned, and that is why I hope that, as the Greek people go through this economic crisis, you don't lose sight of what is over the horizon. Because getting through this crisis, making the reforms that are necessary, will really strengthen you.

Other countries have gone through these kinds of changes. I think of South Korea, which is now, I think, the 12th largest economy, it is a member of the G-20, it is absolutely on very strong economic footing and exercising influence around the world. Brazil went through IMF restructuring. If you could look around the world, you could see there is a direct line from taking the medicine, making a hard decision, and the kind of pay-off, economically, that other countries are enjoying.

Q. Coming from Turkey—you were there for two days—

Secretary Clinton. Yes.

Q. Do you see any potential for sort of real progress in Greek-Turkish relations, or do you think these are not compatible (inaudible)?

Secretary Clinton. No, I do. I don't think that the diplomatic efforts should be shelved during the economic crisis. I think you need to be proceeding on both tracks. And I really believe that there is an opening here.

I know that Prime Minister Papandreou has already met with and visited with Prime Minister Erdogan and the Turkish leaders. And I encouraged him to continue that, even though I know that he has to put the economic challenge first and foremost, because I think that helps Greece. I think in the medium-term, not just the long-term, working to resolve Greek-Turkish tensions and a lot of the leftover issues from the past, clears the path for Greece to play that strategic leadership role in the region that I think you can.

Q. Well, finally, let me ask you—as you know, there is another issue, the famous issue (inaudible). And now, you have been talk to the (inaudible) Skopje. Do you see any sense of having progress there, or—

Secretary Clinton. Well, we have made it very clear that we support the negotiations that have gone on between Skopje and Athens. We think that there is an opportunity here. And the government in Skopje needs to know that it will not be able to move forward on its European integration until it does resolve this. And, obviously, Greece has to be willing to accept how the name is resolved.

So, we have encouraged as strongly as we can that this matter be finally taken care of. Whether that will happen or not, we will have to wait and see.

Q. (Inaudible) a lot of (inaudible). Are you really concerned about (inaudible) in the next few months?

Secretary Clinton. I think it matters, what Greece does now. I think half of the package that was required has been passed. It is beginning to be implemented. But the other half has not yet been carried through. And if you look at it, the need for tax reform, a broader tax base, ending special favors, trying to make sure that Greece has the resources that it needs, that is a very important piece of it. And I know it is hard, but it has to be done.

So, I think that a fair assessment would be Greece has come a long way, but is not yet where it needs to be, in order to reassure the markets, to avoid the kind of economic disaster that could occur, and to reassure your own citizens that you are on a path that will pay off for them. Because, ultimately, that is what people have to believe.

And there will always be opposition, there will always be naysayers. You cannot please everybody in a democracy; everyone knows that. But you have to make the case that what you are doing is not to satisfy some bond holder or satisfy some European government, or the IMF. You are doing what you must do in order to secure the future of Greece, and the next generation of young Greeks. And I don't think there is any doubt that you can do that. I have absolute confidence that you can. But it is not going to be easy, and everybody just needs to take a deep breath here and begin to do everything you can—not just in the government, but in the citizenry—to move this along, and try to make the tough decisions that are necessary.

Q. And so that will be your message to (inaudible) when you see him.

Secretary Clinton. Yes, it will be. It is my message to everyone, my public and my private message.

Q. Okay. Thank you very much.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you very much.

Q. Appreciate it.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you. My pleasure.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. The United States welcomes the arrest of Goran Hadzic by Serbian authorities. We commend President Tadic, the Serbian security services, and all others who worked to finally bring Hadzic to justice. We look forward to his earliest possible transfer to the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) in The Hague so that justice may be served.

This arrest closes a horrific chapter in the region's history and it helps demonstrate Serbia's commitment to reconciliation and to the rule of law—critical elements for progress toward accession to the European Union.

A powerful message has been sent to those around the world who would break the law and target civilians: you will not escape judgment. None of the 161 individuals indicted by the ICTY for serious violations of international humanitarian law have been able to evade the Tribunal's judicial process. This arrest serves as the latest proof that international justice works.

We send our deepest sympathies and extend our thoughts and prayers to all those who have suffered from the atrocities charged to Hadzic. We hope that this arrest will be an impetus for lasting peace and reconciliation, resulting in a stable and prosperous future for the entire region.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. The United States strongly condemns today's attacks in Oslo and Utoya Island. We stand with the people of Norway in this moment of sorrow and offer our deepest sympathies to the families and loved ones of those injured and killed.

The United States condemns all forms of violence against the innocent, wherever it occurs. We will continue to work with the international community to combat violence that threatens peace-loving people everywhere.

The United States will continue to consult closely with our Norwegian partners as the investigation unfolds. We remain ready to support the Norwegian Government as it seeks to bring the perpetrators of this violence to justice.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered these remarks with Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. Good morning, and I apologize for the delay, but we had a long agenda, as I always do when I meet with my colleague. I want to welcome the foreign minister once again to the State Department. And this has been a very productive and wide-ranging discussion.

Before I begin about the matters that we were discussing, I want once again to offer our deepest sympathies on behalf of the American people to our friends in Norway, especially the families of those who lost loved ones. In the days since those terrible events, the whole world has once again witnessed the resilience and dignity of the Norwegian people as they have comforted the bereaved, healed the wounded, and pulled together on behalf of a nation whose values we so greatly admire.

Once again, we see Norway setting an example for the world as a strong, generous, far-sighted member of the international community. But that is not a surprise because we see it on a regular basis. As food shortages, for example, threaten millions of lives in the Horn of Africa, we see Norway's global leadership in development assistance and disaster relief. Norway has already contributed nearly $50 million in this crisis. In fact, every year Norway dedicates a full 1 percent of its GDP to promote sustainable development around the world, and that is a remarkably generous amount.

Norway's commitment to this work is rooted in the understanding that it is not just the right thing to do, but as I said in my speech yesterday, it is the smart thing as well because of the direct impact that development has on global stability, security, and opportunity. This is an insight we should remember here in Washington as we have our own discussions about how best to allocate our budgetary resources. And today, the foreign minister and I discussed development priorities, and in particular the situation in the Horn of Africa.

Norway is rightly respected as a peacemaker and a peacekeeper, and I thanked the foreign minister in particular for Norway's strong support of the people of Afghanistan, its commitment to achieving a comprehensive peace in the Middle East, its contributions to the NATO mission to protect civilians in Libya. And we discussed the importance of supporting the Libyan people as they plan for a post-Qadhafi reconstruction and stabilization period.

In addition, we discussed Syria, where we both remain acutely concerned about the Asad regime's campaign of violence against their own citizens. Norway and our other European allies have been strong, consistent voices on behalf of the Syrian people, and I commend them for their advocacy. The Asad regime's continued brutality is galvanizing international opinion. There has been a crescendo of condemnation not only from the world but in particular from the region.

After the Security Council statement, we've seen movement in rapid succession from the Arab League, the GCC, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and others. The United States will continue to work with our partners to turn this growing consensus into increased pressure and isolation for the Asad regime. In particular, we urge those countries still buying Syrian oil and gas, those countries still sending Asad weapons, those countries whose political and economic support give him comfort in his brutality, to get on the right side of history. President Asad has lost the legitimacy to lead, and it is clear that Syria would be better off without him.

Yesterday, the United States imposed new sanctions and Ambassador Ford delivered a clear message to the Syrian Government: Immediately stop the violence, withdraw your security forces, respond to the legitimate aspirations of the Syrian people for a democratic transition in concrete and meaningful ways. Now, it is something that we are watching closely and we are consulting closely with partners around the world, and we expect to see action.

So whether it's promoting sustainable development or standing up for universal rights in the face of political violence, the United States and Norway are working together on so many important issues. And I thank the foreign minister for his partnership and his friendship and this visit, and I look forward to our continuing work together.

Minister Stoere. Thank you, Madam Secretary. Let me say on behalf of all Norwegians that the messages of comfort we have received from the President and the Vice President, yourself, on behalf of the American people and from American friends all over the United States, has been heartening. I can tell you as a foreign minister, I have seen it as my task to transmit these warm words to the families, and I have been going from funeral to funeral to follow young teenagers who ended their lives because they went to a political summer camp. So this is a very dramatic moment when Norwegians are coming together, and we feel that the support we get, which is heartfelt, is strong and important. So I thank you for that.

You gave an excellent summary of our discussions. I'd just like to say how much I appreciate these regular opportunities we have to compare notes. It happens almost monthly when we meet somewhere out traveling, but I appreciate these opportunities here at the State Department to do a systematic rundown.

We met in Greenland last time for the Arctic foreign minister meeting, illustrating that that is a new part of the world where we need good political stewardship to manage resources, look after the environment, and keep security and low tension. And we are succeeding in that. I think it's an area where we will see a lot more attention in the future. It's a priority in our foreign policy because it's close to us as Norway in the north.

But as you said, we also have a partnership with the U.S. on a number of other issues and agendas, and the strength of that partnership is that open dialogue and the trust that you also have been showing as Secretary, and I thank you for that.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you, Jonas.

Q. Madam Secretary, yesterday in your interview with CBS, you said that what really needs to be done to bring pressure to bear on Syria is to sanction its oil and gas industry. What progress, if any, are you making in persuading European nations or India or China to curtail their significant investments in the oil and gas industry, and what countries in particular are still buying their oil and gas that you'd like to see them stop?

And then also on Syria, you talked about—it seemed as if yesterday you really are not leaning toward explicitly calling for Asad to go. It's as if you want there to be a greater consensus among your allies to do that. What is the sort of hesitation on that? Are some of your partners like Turkey urging you not to do this, to give Asad a little more time, despite the acceleration of violence in the last week, ten days? Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, Arshad, I think it is fair to say that we have been engaging in intensive outreach and international diplomacy with many countries in the region and beyond to encourage and persuade them to speak out, number one, and then to join us in taking action, number two.

You're aware that it took an intense effort to get the presidential statement, which we did finally see issued just about two weeks ago. And that statement was the first international statement that really captured what has become a growing consensus about Asad's brutality and his refusal to follow up on any of the reforms that he has claimed to be supporting. Then, as I said, we saw in quick succession the Arab League, which reversed its position, the Gulf Coordinating Council, which made a very strong statement led by an important and welcome statement from King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

So we are watching the growing crescendo of condemnation that I referenced, and I don't think you should assume anything other than we're trying and succeeding at putting together an international effort so that there will not be any temptation on the part of anyone inside the Asad regime to claim that it's only the United States or maybe it's only the West. Indeed, it's the entire world.

And we're making the case to our international partners to intensify the financial and political pressure to get the Syrian Government to cease its brutality against its own citizens and to make way for positive change. At the same time, we and others are reaching out to members of the opposition inside and outside of Syria to encourage them to create a unified vision of what an inclusive, participatory, democratic system in Syria could look like. So there's a lot of work going on, and I think that that work is paying off.

Q. Are you making progress on the oil and gas (inaudible)?

Secretary Clinton. Stay tuned.

Q. Have you—

Secretary Clinton. Stay tuned.

Q. Madam Secretary, thank you for your ongoing and continued support after the terrorist attacks in Norway. Norway, your ally in the Middle East, will not add her voice to Syrian President Asad to step down at this moment because there are no clear alternative. How helpful is this in your ongoing diplomatic effort—the Norwegian position?

And if I may, in Afghanistan, U.S. is about to pull out a certain number of troops and Norway is concerned that the troop withdrawal will have an effect on the Norwegian forces on the ground. In what respect will Norway's concern be taken into consideration when you decide from which areas to pull your troops? Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, I will let Jonas address your first question because that is a matter for Norway to respond to.

On the second question, I can assure you there will be intensive consultations at all levels, bilaterally and through NATO ISAF, as the withdrawal occurs. We have been not only grateful for, but very impressed by the Norwegian presence in Norway, and we are well aware of the sacrifice and commitment that Norway has provided to the coalition efforts in Afghanistan, and there will be a very clear path forward that we will all travel together.

Minister Stoere. If I may just on Syria say that I think we are part of that broad and emerging international voice sending clear message to the regime in Damascus. The Secretary and I attended the Human Rights Council in Geneva in early March when Libya was emerging as a real problem. And I think we both used—coined this version that a regime which is turning its army on its people is losing legitimacy to represent that people. That is, to me, a lead-up to expressing a clear view on that leadership. And I think we see a similar process in terms of sending a very strong, normative message, which is follow-up that presidential statements, a number of sanctions.

And I would in particular salute the regional organization's clear message. We have been missing that, but it is starting to come from Syria's neighbors and from Syria's own organizations, and that is of great importance to—building that alliance is part of the work which is needed now.

Q. Hi. Good morning to you both. Question for the both of you, but particularly for the Secretary, if you don't mind answering, on the Middle East peace process. Can you tell us how much progress has been made among the Quartet in developing the document that could provide some way forward in hopes of staving off the Palestinian vote at the United Nations in September?

And if I may ask, Madam Secretary, about reports that the talks with the Taliban have collapsed, what can you tell us about that? What—how serious were these efforts and how far did they get, and where do you go from here? Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, with respect to Middle East peace, Jonas and I had a very good discussion of all the issues concerning the Middle East today. I applaud Norway's continued leadership and commitment to the peace process and also its chairmanship of the Ad Hoc Liaison Committee, which has been the principal international support for a lot of the work that's been done on the ground by the Palestinian Authority to improve the lives, the security, the well-being of the Palestinian people.

President Abbas has said on numerous occasions that substantive negotiations are his preferred course, and we take him at his word. That is why we're working very hard with our Quartet partners to come up with a platform for the resumption of negotiations. And we're doing so based on President Obama's May remarks, which very clearly set out parameters for the two major issues that have to be addressed: on the one hand, territory, on the other hand, security.

We have continued to support strongly a two-state solution and the negotiations are absolutely imperative for us to reach that two-state solution. We believe that UN resolutions, no matter what they say, are no substitute for the difficult but necessary give and take that can occur only in a negotiating process. So we are going to oppose that approach and strongly support every effort to resume negotiations.

Q. And on the Taliban talks?

Secretary Clinton. I have no comment on that.

Minister Stoere. Well, I—I'll just like to rally my voice to the Secretary. When it comes to a two-state solution, that should come about through negotiations. Norway has been associated with Oslo, and Oslo was all about negotiating the painful way to that two-state solution so they could leave side by side in peace. One should not ignore the steps which have been taken on that road, but a lot still remains to be done. And we as an international community must do whatever we can to support that road.

That being said, we will have to wait and see what the Palestinians will present for September, and it is Norway's view that we have to view their plans in detail when they are ready to come up with it. We support any initiative from the Quartet that may bring negotiations forward. It is not Norway's view that it is illegitimate to turn to the UN to get an expression. That has been regular in the Middle East peace process since the creation of a state of Israel.

But no matter how many resolutions you pass, negotiations will be needed to solve the tricky issues. That I understand is also the view of the Palestinian president, who, in my—to my knowledge, has shown every readiness to engage in that negotiation. It takes two to make this, and we will have to work on both sides to make that difficult task possible.

Q. Thank you. Once again, Madam Secretary, thank you for your support after the terrorist attacks. I was just wondering, what do you think of the response from the Norwegian Government and Norwegian people to the attacks? And how has American authorities assisted Norwegian authorities after the attacks? And last, how should the international community deal with these kinds sort of homegrown terrorism threats in the future? Are there, for instance, any lessons that we can take from the Oklahoma bombings in ’95? Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, I deeply admire the resilience of the Norwegian people, and we saw it once again in the aftermath of this terrible terrorist attack of July 22^nd. It is almost hard for me as a mother to imagine. And when Jonas told me about going to funerals, it was a terrible flashback to having gone to Oklahoma City following the attack there, going to funerals and events after 9/11, where it is a—just a terrible human tragedy that you are part of as a member of the human family, and particularly of countries like ours that really cherish our values of openness and believe strongly in the opportunity that exists for people of different backgrounds, different beliefs to live and work together, to compete in the arena of ideas.

And I think though hearts are certainly broken in Norway, the response that we have seen to hatred and to the viciousness of the terrorist's message that was posted on the internet has been in keeping with the strength of the Norwegian people and the values that you exhibit around the world. And these values of tolerance and solidarity and democracy and openness are the very values that these young people were believing in because they had chosen to become involved in the political process of your country. And it's a terrible loss for Norway, but it is a loss for all of us as we think about those young lives that were cut short.

So we stand with you now and always. We have offered our continuing support. Members of our law enforcement community have been in touch with counterparts in Norway. And where we've been asked to provide information, we've been more than willing to do so. We stand ready to offer any assistance that you may require.

This is a reminder that, in our democracies, we have to be balancing liberty and security all the time. That is not an easy balance. We made some changes after Oklahoma City, we made other changes after 9/11, but in our democracy we have to keep balancing those apparently contradictory values, but in my view, you cannot have one without the other. And so how do we define each in ways that maximize the potential for the people of our countries to realize their own dreams and aspirations. So we are looking to deepen our discussion about these challenges going forward.

Thank you all very much.

Secretary Hillary Clinton and Minister Teodor Baconschi made this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. Good morning, everyone. And I am very pleased to welcome the foreign minister here back to the State Department as we celebrate another important milestone in the long history of cooperation and friendship between our two countries.

Thanks to the diligent work of our negotiating teams and the personal commitment of President Basescu and President Obama, the foreign minister and I have just signed the U.S.-Romanian Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement. This represents a critical step in implementing the Phased Adaptive Approach to missile defense in Europe.

The proliferation of ballistic missiles that are more lethal, more accurate, and can cover greater distances poses a growing threat to the people and security of both Europe and the United States. Our governments worked closely together to select Deveselu Air Base in Romania to host a ballistic missile defense system, and the agreement we have just signed will position Romania as a central player in NATO's evolving missile defense capability.

Once the agreement is ratified, the United States will build, maintain, and operate in Romania the land-based Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System, a system we have assiduously tested and have proven effective over the last decade, and which will help protect the entire continent and augment the security of the United States. With the support of the Romanian parliament and people, we anticipate deploying the completed system as part of the second phase of European missile defense in approximately four years.

This agreement reflects the commitment of the United States to our allies in NATO, and specifically to our Article 5 responsibilities for collective defense. On Sunday, we marked the 10^th anniversary of the September 11th attacks. The day after those attacks, for the first time in its history, NATO invoked Article 5 for collective security. Ten years later, we still remember that commitment and solidarity, and how our allies did not hesitate to stand by our side in our time of need. With the agreement the foreign minister and I sign today, we again strengthen our resolve and our promise to protect each other in very concrete ways.

Romania has been a strong partner in NATO's actions around the globe, from peacekeeping in Kosovo to enforcing the arms embargo of Libya, and we honor the commitment and sacrifice of the Romanian soldiers who served alongside American troops in Afghanistan.

Now there are many areas where Romania and the United States collaborate. Before this ceremony, the foreign minister and I had a wide ranging discussion covering the full depth and scope of our bilateral relationship, from promoting government transparency to creating free market opportunities worldwide, and I want to particularly to thank Romania for its work supporting emerging democracies as well. Drawing on the lessons of its own recent history, Romania has offered valuable guidance and expertise to countries that are working to build sustainable democratic governments and improve the lives of their citizens.

Finally, I congratulate the foreign minister and the president on achieving the Joint Declaration on Strategic Partnership between Romania and the United States. This declaration further solidifies our key regional cooperation and marks another milestone in our relationship.

Teodor, I look forward to continuing to build the bonds of friendship with the Romanian people and government, as we have done for more than 130 years. Neither of us were around at the beginning, but I hope we're around for many years to come—(laughter)—as we see Romania assume even greater responsibilities on the world stage through the European institutions, the United Nations, and forums such as the Community of Democracies. And with this missile agreement, we are jointly building a safer, more secure future for us all.

Thank you very much.

Minister Baconschi. Thank you. Thank you, Secretary Clinton, dear Hillary, for the warm welcome, visit to the United States, just two days the entire world commemorated in deep sympathy with you American people the horrible terrorists attacks of 9/11. We stand by you, as we have always done.

The wind of change in the Arab world demonstrates that democracy is worth fighting for, and once gained it must be jealously protected. As a member of the free world and as a strategic partner of the United States, Romania is determined to participate in the effort towards global security. President Traian Basescu's visit to Washington confirms this common approach to global security and a signature today of this agreement which is one of the focal points of this visit expresses our commitment most eloquently.

It also sets a new stage in our relation, confirming that our strategic partnership has broadened and deepened. The provisions of the agreement allow for the establishment of the territory—on the territory for Romania of elements of the U.S.-European phased adaptive approach to missile defense. This is an integral part of the effort to implement the decision NATO took last November in Lisbon. In this context, the Romania air base at Deveselu represents an extremely valuable contribution to that NATO, and for the time being, bilateral program. I'm also happy to hail the adoption of the Joint Declaration of the Strategic Partnership for the 21st Century, which was just issued. This is a concrete outstanding result of the meeting of our two presidents this morning.

It confirms our excellent long term and ever-developing partnership. It also sets the pillars of our relation, political dialogue, which is excellent, security, economy, people-to-people contacts, science and technology research, education, and culture. Indeed, substantive trust in the bilateral relation is an incentive for trade and investment—more American investments in the Romanian market, which is very much investment-oriented. It is so therefore our wish to pursue deeper and broader this kind of cooperation in any bilateral register, and we shouldn't be afraid when we assist to this turbulent, contemporary world.

We have, due to our strategic partnership, enough opportunities to put more substance in our economic exchanges and cultural mobility. I am confident that endorsement by President Obama of co-sponsored legislation modifying the criteria for the visa waiver program, shall trigger rapid inclusion of strong allies like Romania in this program, which is designed to help to encourage much more people-to-people contact between our nations.

So, dear Hillary, we are modestly making history today. I am very much impressed and honored to be here at the State Department, and I congratulate all those who have hard worked for this successful agreement between our two nations. Thank you so much.

Q. Good morning. Madam Secretary, I want to turn your attention to the Middle East, if possible. Beyond pleading with the Palestinians not to go to the UN with a bid for statehood, what are your envoys, Dennis Ross and David Hale, able to offer the Palestinians at this stage, either on behalf of the United States or on behalf of the Israelis, if they've had any interesting discussions with the Israelis, to try to convince the Palestinians not to go forward with their plans to go to the UN? And following up on that, has the United States considered that a veto at the UN Security Council or a no-vote at the General Assembly, under these circumstances, would be more damaging than an abstention?

Secretary Clinton. Well, Kim, let's look first at the big picture, because clearly you raise a number of important issues, all of which we are focused on intently. But we need an environment that is conducive to direct negotiations. We all know that no matter what happens or doesn't happen at the UN, the next day is not going to result in the kind of changes that the United States wishes to see that will move us toward the two-state solution that we strongly support. The only way of getting a lasting solution is through direct negotiations between the parties, and the route to that lies in Jerusalem and Ramallah, not in New York.

So instead we are redoubling our efforts with not only both sides, but with a broad cross-section of the international community, to create a sustainable platform for negotiations that can produce the two-state outcome that we seek within the framework that President Obama laid out in his speech last May.

So we are working very hard at all levels on this. I recently have spoken with President Abbas, with High Representative Cathy Ashton, with Quartet Representative Tony Blair. I'm sending David Hale and Dennis Ross back to the region in the next days to meet with both Prime Minister Netanyahu and President Abbas.

And I think the issue is not simply that action in New York will not bring peace and stability, but it will create more distractions toward achieving that goal, which is certainly the commitment of the Obama Administration. And so we have to keep our eye on what the objective truly is. That's the point we're making to everyone. I'm not going to comment on what we see developing, because I think that is going to require even more diplomacy over the next week. But our hope is that we get the parties back into a frame of mind and a process where they will actually begin negotiating again.

Q. But may I follow up on a veto versus an abstention?

Secretary Clinton. You know, Kim, we've made our views known on that.

Q. Good morning. I have a question for both of you, first is for the Secretary of State. The security cooperation between our countries—it's at a high level right now, but many citizens are unhappy with the way in which visas are granted. You believe that there will be a solution to this problem in the near future?

Secretary Clinton. I want to tell the people of Romania, I'm unhappy—about the way the visas—the visa system operates. And the foreign minister and I discussed at length our hope in the Obama Administration to bring about changes in the congressional laws which determine how the visa system is run and who qualifies for visa waiver. You are not the only country that I feel very strongly about trying to change the criteria. Our Polish friends feel exactly the same way.

So as the minister said, we are working in our Administration to present legislation that would create a change in criteria that would enable us to have greater interactions between Americans and Romanians. Until we get that change, because if I could sign a document I would but I have to go through the Congress, we're going to be working closely with Romania to make sure that we provide whatever technical assistance is needed to try to improve the process in Romania, so we at least get as many people visas and we move closer toward the existing targets on visa waiver.

Q. Thank you. Second is—

Secretary Clinton. Yes. She has a question for the minister.

Q.—for Mr. Baconschi. We speak today about a new stage in the relationship between Romania and the United States. But how these things can be reflected in our economy cooperation?

Minister Baconschi. Well, as you might know, the United States is already one of the most important foreign investors in our economy, and we are looking forward to increase the volume of these, including already decided new idea and plans to be created in Romania, which is supposed to generate something like 3,000—well, jobs, new jobs. So we are very—because we have this very coherent political dialogue in energy security, in strategic affairs, in transatlantic files, and in the NATO framework, et cetera, we are supposed to send the right message to the business media here in the United States. We have enough political trust. We know each other very well, and we would like to see much more American enterprises invest in Romania. Yes.

Secretary Clinton. We would, too. Thank you.

Secretary Hillary Clinton and Minister Kostyantyn Gryshchenko delivered these remarks in New York City, NY

Secretary Clinton. If I could, let me just say a word about the importance of what we have just done together. It is, for me, a great pleasure to welcome my colleague, the foreign minister of Ukraine, as we take yet another step in the strategic partnership between our nations. And in particular today, we are advancing our shared interests in making the world safer and more secure.

Ridding the world of nuclear weapons is a priority for both of our countries. And at last year's Nuclear Security Summit, both President Yanukovych and President Obama vowed to work together to prevent proliferation and to secure all vulnerable nuclear materials. And in fact, President Yanukovych announced Ukraine's decision to get rid of all of its stocks of highly enriched uranium by March 2012, when the next Nuclear Security Summit will convene.

The United States matched that old commitment from Ukraine with commitments of our own. We are providing Ukraine with financial and technical assistance to modernize its civil nuclear research facilities. We are helping convert those facilities so they operate on safer low enrichment uranium fuel. The United States is also building a state-of-the-art neutron source facility in Ukraine, where scientists will be able to expand their nuclear research and produce more than 50 different medical isotopes to treat cancer and other diseases. At present, these are isotopes that Ukraine must import from other countries today. The United States is committed to meet all agreed milestones for construction of the neutron source facility by March 2012 and to provide a fully operational facility by 2014.

The Memorandum of Understanding we've just signed formalizes our intent to fully implement the commitments our presidents made last year. I think it's fair to say we've already made significant progress. Ukraine has already removed a substantial portion of its highly enriched uranium, and the United States has made progress on the neutron source facility project, and we expect to break ground in Ukraine soon. This deal is a win-win for both countries and both peoples. It provides tangible benefits for the people of Ukraine, and it makes the world safer for all people.

On another note, this year marks the 20th anniversary of Ukraine's independence, and it gives us an opportunity to reflect on another key aspect of the strategic partnership between our nations, our joint commitment to democracy and shared values. It's not been easy to build a strong democracy from the aftermath of the Soviet collapse, but Ukraine has made significant gains. As we know, democracies are built on checks and balances, fair and impartial institutions, judicial independence, sound election laws, and an independent media and civil society.

We believe Ukraine is on its way to achieving these goals, and we urge it to continue to press forward. We are very committed to democratic progress continuing in Ukraine. And therefore, it is vital that the government avoid any actions that could undermine democracy or the rule of law or political participation and competition. We believe that Ukraine stands at the cusp of achieving a stable, functioning democracy that will advance its prosperity and security, that will strengthen its relations with its partners and neighbors, and provide greater opportunities for Ukrainian citizens.

I enjoy working with the foreign minister and his government, and I look forward, on behalf of the United States, to continuing our work together. Thank you very much, Minister.

Minister Gryshchenko. Thank you. If I may, a couple of words. I fully share what my colleague, the Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, has just stated. We are working together to relieve Ukraine of the burden of having highly enriched uranium in the time when low enriched uranium is really an answer to many of the issues, to many of the challenges that Ukraine as a nation faces in the area of nuclear safety, future of nuclear energy, medical uses of isotopes, and many other areas of use of peaceful atom.

Today, we have signed a document that provides for practicalities, which clearly stipulates the obligations of each party, and we have full confidence in ability of both Ukraine and the United States to meet the stated goals and timelines.

On the issues of overall political dialogue and cooperation between two nations, I would like to stress that for us, United States has been for the last 20 years and will continue to be a major strategic partner in this global economy and in the politics of the world, where much of the risks happen or appear unexpectedly and need to have quick response from international community. The Ukraine has been active in so many of the problems where our role was crucial. The events in Cote d'Ivoire is just one example where, far from our borders, we were able to play a pivotal role in bringing peace and security to this African nation. But Ukraine is also participating in almost all peacekeeping operations led by United Nations, but also by NATO, among other institutions.

We believe that democratic developments in our country need to be based on an understanding that democracy brings with itself full responsibility of those who are elected or appointed to high positions in government. We believe that listening to the people, interacting with them, is important for our own future and our own success. In that respect, we are open and continue dialogue with the United States based on our common understanding of values and a future which should unite us in bringing the world to—closer to these standards for all.

Thank you.

Secretary Hillary Clinton and Minister Paulo Portas delivered these remarks in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. Well, good afternoon, everyone. And let me begin by welcoming the foreign minister and his delegation here to the State Department. This is his first visit as foreign minister, but he has been here many times, and we're always glad to welcome you back to Washington.

I was in Lisbon last when Portugal hosted several major meetings, including the NATO Summit and the U.S.-EU Summit. It was an extremely productive visit, and I must say that our bilateral relationship is very strong. Portugal has been a friend and an ally to the United States, and we greatly appreciate all the work that we do together around the world on key issues, and today the foreign minister and I discussed a number of those.

We discussed the economic challenges now facing Portugal and Europe. And I want to say very clearly that the Portuguese people and the Government of Portugal have demonstrated impressive resolve in putting aside political differences to implement difficult austerity measures that are helping to stabilize the Portuguese economy, but also to set it up for long-term economic success. As I expressed to the foreign minister, the United States will stand with Portugal as it continues to make economic reforms that return Portugal to a path of growth and sustainable opportunity for the Portugal—Portuguese people.

But even during this time of economic challenge, Portugal has continued to work with the United States and NATO ISAF to help stabilize and secure Afghanistan. Portuguese troops serve in Afghanistan, helping to train and mentor Afghan security forces, a high priority for our mutual mission there.

Portugal has also played a key diplomatic role in North Africa and the Middle East during the democratic transitions of the Arab Awakening. As head of the UN Libya Sanctions Committee, and as a member of the UN Security Council, Portugal has overseen the release of more than $16 billion in frozen assets to help fund UN and humanitarian activity in Libya and to allow the Transitional National Council to provide basic security and public services to the Libyan people.

And with respect to Syria, Portugal has worked diligently with its EU partners to roll out the seventh round of EU sanctions this past week. And we both hope that this strong message will compel Asad and his regime to change course and cease killing and detaining Syrians who wish to have a better life.

On these and many other critical issues of global security, prosperity, and peace, Portugal is a leader and a valued partner. And let me express my appreciation to the foreign minister for the work that he has done personally and to the work that his government has undertaken. I met him in Istanbul about two weeks after he took office. He was thrown into the midst of everything as we were meeting with the Libya Contact Group, and we've had a number of occasions since to trade impressions and look at what we needed to be doing together. And it's a pleasure to have you here.

Minister Portas. Thank you very much.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you.

Minister Portas. Portugal and the United States are old and very good friends. This visit reinforced our cooperation. In addition, it's a pleasure to meet again Secretary Clinton, who's a distinguished stateswoman. We had an overview over major global issues as well on the—our bilateral relationship. Allow me to highlight some of those issues.

First, I explained to Secretary Clinton what Portugal is overcoming—is doing— what Portugal is doing to overcome its economic and financial constraints. We are a very specific case, and our attitude as country—as a nation, as a government is as follows: to meet our goals on the fiscal consideration and economic reform, to honor our commitments to the international institutions, to fulfill the program with the European Union and the IMF. In the end of this very tough program, Portugal will be a success story. And we want Portugal seen in the international scene as unique story: Portugal delivers. Portugal honors its word and is making a tremendous effort to recover its autonomy.

We also spoke about Middle East and Palestine issue. As you know, Portugal is standing for a European consensual position. We believe in a two-state solution and we care about the security of everybody, namely the security of Israel. The Quartet's statement was a very relevant one. The Quartet's statement must be seen as a good framework to go to a table of negotiations. Both parties, both leaders must prepare their peoples to negotiations. To negotiate is to compromise. They must do their job on this issue.

So as you know, we don't believe in recognition without negotiations, but we think that negotiations are the way, the right way, to peace and a two-state solution where the Palestinians have the state they deserve and the Israelis the security they deserve.

Those were, namely, some of the issues we were talking about. And thank you very much, Hillary. It's really a pleasure. Thank you much—very much.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you. Thank you very much.

Ms. Nuland. We have time for two questions today. The first one on the American side, Andy Quinn.

Q. Madam Secretary, hi. Good afternoon. Madam Secretary, were you surprised by Israel's announcement today that it had approved 1,100 new settlement units for the West Bank? Does the timing of this announcement so soon after the Quartet urged both sides against provocative acts disturb you at all? And what is your message to the Palestinians who say it is precisely this kind of activity which makes resuming negotiations impossible?

And for the minister, if I heard you right, you just said that you, as Portugal, believe that there should be no recognition without negotiation. Are we to understand that Portugal would vote against recognizing Palestinian statehood if a vote was taken at the Security Council?

Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well Andy, first, let me say that we believe that this morning's announcement by the Government of Israel approving the construction of 1,100 housing units in East Jerusalem is counterproductive to our efforts to resume direct negotiations between the parties.

As you know, we have long urged both sides to avoid any kind of action which could undermine trust, including, and perhaps most particularly in Jerusalem, any action that could be viewed as provocative by either side. And we've been here before over many years, as you know, and I think it only reinforces what the foreign minister was saying: Our focus must remain on working to convince the parties to return to direct negotiations, because in the absence of direct negotiations, nothing changes on the ground. If there are negotiations that delineate borders, questions of where anybody builds are settled. But in the absence of such negotiations, there are going to continue to be perceptions on both sides that the other side is not willing to negotiate. So that's why the Quartet, of which, as you know, the United States is one of four members, called on Friday for a return to negotiations and set forth a timetable, and that is what we would like to see happen.

Minister Portas. Answering you, let me say as follows: after the declaration of the Quartet, you have a real chance to negotiations. And when you have a real chance to negotiations, you avoid hostile measure to negotiations. That means the settlements decision is not a good one.

The second point, I would love to—I would like to express is another one: you have the declarations of the Quartet. The Quartet is specifying that in 30 days, Israelis and Palestinians should be at table. This is my scenario: Negotiations to solve everything that must be solved. So I think it is the chance of a negotiation, and the chance is given by United Nations, European Union, United States, and Russia, who are the members of the Quartet, who are the key story in this moment.

Obviously, if there is a chance for negotiations, if there is a will to negotiations, as my prime minister said in the General Assembly, we could consider an upgrade of the Palestinian position in the United Nations as a sign of goodwill to negotiate. But, I repeat, the chance all the world and the Israelis and Palestinians they first have now is to become members of a negotiation, parts of a negotiation towards a peace treaty. And this is what interest to the world.

Ms. Nuland. Last question, Paula Santos, SIC TV.

Q. (Inaudible), Madam Secretary. Recently, President Obama said that the United States would help Portugal and Greece in which the crisis—the financial crisis is concerned. I'd like to know if you agree that Portugal and Greece are—stand on the same line in this crisis. And I also can—would like to remember you—President Obama's words from yesterday, when he said that the Europe—the crisis in Europe is scaring the world, and that he believed that the political leaders in Europe have not taken the measures good enough to deal with the crisis. I'd like to know if you are scared with the crisis too.

And for the Portuguese minister, I'd like to ask your comment on these words of President Obama, and I would like to know specifically if you think it's fair to say that the world is being frightened in any way, scared with the crisis in Europe.

Secretary Clinton. Well, as I said, we discussed these issues today, and we applaud Portugal's actions. In fact, my information is that approximately 85 percent of the Portuguese Parliament approved the prime minister's program for the next four years. That is a resounding show of support under difficult circumstances that included a package of austerity measures that actually went beyond what the IMF and the EU had demanded in the original agreement.

So we know that these are difficult decisions for governments to make, and we encourage countries to continue reform measures that will bring about renewed growth and improve competitiveness for the future. But as I said in my opening statement and as I repeat today, we think that Portugal is on the right track. Portugal has been given a very positive report in August by the so-called troika—the IMF, the EU, the ECB—following its first quarterly review. So it has already taken steps that has put it on the right path.

Other countries and governments are still working to take such paths, and we expect European leaders to continue to ensure that the response to this crisis is strong, flexible, and most importantly, effective. The United States, through our Treasury officials and State Department officials, have been in close touch with our European counterparts to discuss these matters.

So I think that, of course, it's a challenging time, and it does raise concerns on the part of everybody, first and foremost the Europeans themselves. But no one should doubt that we have the ability to get through this, and I personally have confidence in our partners to make the tough decisions that will enable them to weather this crisis, and that it will add to a renewed level of economic recovery and activity around the world.

We're facing a lot of the same challenges here in the United States, and I've heard European leaders say, “What is the United States doing?” Are we going to be able to return to growth, which is the engine that really propels the global economy forward. And we strongly support the common sense effective efforts that we see being taken here under President Obama and in Europe by various leaders. We just want to make clear that we have to continue down this path. There are no shortcuts. And it's not going to be easy, but it will, in my view, result in a return to economic prosperity in the future if we're willing to do now what is required of us.

Foreign Minister Portas. Let me tell you that's why it's so relevant to tell the Portuguese story in a detailed way to everybody who counts in the world. Portuguese is different story because of the attitude that we have as a country, as a nation, and as a government. And that attitude is to fulfill the program, to honor our word, to accomplish our commitments to the international community, and that means credibility. Tough efforts, but we know the goal is a better society, a better economy, and we'll win this battle against the debt. We'll win this battle against the debt.

The second point I would answer you is about economic transatlantic relations. We have in Europe a strong transatlantic link with the United States. In the past, we win huge battles against terrible enemies. We can win together the battle for a better economy, for jobs creation, and economic growth. We can reinforce our cooperation. My view is together—we can do it together, and I think we'll do it.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. On behalf of President Obama and the people of the United States, I am delighted to send congratulations to the people of the Republic of Cyprus as you celebrate your Independence Day this October 1.

Our two countries have enjoyed a long history of cooperation. Recently, you demonstrated your commitment to this relationship by opening your borders to hundreds of Americans and others who were fleeing unrest in the middle east, providing a safe haven to those in need.

The United States supports your efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement to reunify the island as a bizonal, bicommunal federation. We believe that negotiations are essential, and we urge all parties to intensify their work on behalf of peace and progress.

As you celebrate this special day, know that the United States looks forward to strengthening the bonds of friendship between our two countries as we work to build a more peaceful and prosperous future for both our countries.