Vice President Joe Biden delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Vice President Biden. Good afternoon, folks. I want to give you a brief update on an extremely important development in Iraq. Early this morning on—early in the morning [April] 18th, Iraqi security forces with the support of U.S. forces killed the two most senior leaders of al Qaeda Iraq during a series of joint security operations near Tikrit, Abu Ayyub al-Masri and Abu Umar al-Baghdadi. The former leaders of AQI are the ones who plotted, planned, and executed terrorist attacks against the Iraqis in recent past, as well as against Americans.

Their deaths are potentially devastating blows to al Qaeda Iraq. But equally important, in my view, is this action demonstrates the improved security strength and capacity of Iraqi security forces. The Iraqis led this operation, and it was based on intelligence the Iraqi security forces themselves developed following their capture of a senior AQI leader last month.

In short, the Iraqis have taken the lead in securing Iraq and its citizens by taking out both of these individuals. This counterterrorism operation is the culmination of a lot of cooperation and very hard work by Iraqi and U.S. forces to degrade AQI over the past several months and years.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the family of the U.S. soldier who was killed while supporting this assault. I apologize. I hate to mention the death of an individual American without mentioning their name because I don't want it to sound like it's just a line. But the family has not been informed yet, and that's the only reason I'm not releasing the name of this young hero.

We also commend all the troops and civilians serving in Iraq who continue to put themselves in harm's way in service of our country, and in the service of a secure and peaceful Iraq.

To consolidate these security gains and honor the sacrifice that so many have made is now incumbent upon Iraqis’ political leaders to take the next and important necessary step to form an inclusive and representative government that meets the needs and aspirations of the Iraqi people.

We remain committed to end our combat mission in Iraq this summer, by the end of August 2010, and in accordance with the U.S.-Iraqi security agreement that was signed a couple of years ago to remove all U.S. forces from Iraq by the end of 2011.

As we complete this security transition, we will continue to work to build a lasting partnership with the Iraqi people and their government based on the many shared interests we have that go beyond the military cooperation we've had of late, including the economy, education, cultural exchanges, and the development of a strong economy for Iraq.

For today, I want to mark this important milestone as the Iraqi people stand up to those who would deny them peace, freedom, as well as security. There will be more difficult days ahead, but this operation is evidence, in my view, that the future of Iraq will not be shaped by those who seek to destroy that country, but belong to those who are building a strong and unified Iraq as I'm confident the Iraqis will do.

Thank you very much.

Secretary Hillary Clinton, and Secretary Madeleine Albright, delivered these remarks announcing Partners for A New Beginning in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. [I]t is my pleasure to announce a new partnership between the State Department and the fittingly named Partners for a New Beginning, a group of eminent Americans who have answered the President's call to join our outreach to Muslim communities around the world, by helping to engage the considerable resources, capabilities, and expertise of the U.S. private sector. This is a key element of our national strategy, and I am very grateful to the leadership of this effort and all who will participate in it.

Partners for a New Beginning will tap into the dynamism and innovation of U.S. industry in a number of ways—for example, by encouraging companies to contribute equipment or technology to the Centers of Scientific Excellence we are developing overseas, or by facilitating partnerships between universities here and those abroad to share knowledge and improve business education. They will also encourage investors and mentors in the United States to recognize the tremendous potential that resides in Muslim-majority communities, where many entrepreneurs are working against significant obstacles to turn their dreams into reality. More than 250 entrepreneurs from more than 50 countries are here in Washington for the Presidential Summit on Entrepreneurship; they represent just a tiny fraction of all those around the world who could, if given the chance, become partners for American entrepreneurs.

This group is led by an extraordinary team. Madeleine Albright will bring her considerable experience and stature, and it's wonderful once again to be working with her. Walter Isaacson, as the president of the Aspen Institute, will serve as vice-chair—and we can't imagine a better partner than the Aspen Institute, which will also serve as the Secretariat for Partners for a New Beginning. And Muhtar Kent, the chairman and CEO of the Coca-Cola Company, who couldn't join us today, will be the other vice-chair. But we're very grateful that Barclay is here, the vice president for government relations, and we're especially pleased to have the commitment of this iconic American company with unparalleled global reach. I remember very well working on HIV/AIDS in Africa and having the a-ha moment when Coca-Cola said, well, we go all over Africa, so we'll take—we can transport drugs because we have the facility to do so.

So this partnership is a high priority for us and it's one that I will be personally committed to as I announce it later this afternoon at the Entrepreneurship Summit. We really are committed to unleashing the potential, the individual and collective potential, of people around the world and particularly in Muslim-majority countries. You can look at the statistics and you can compare countries particularly but not exclusively in the Middle East and see that they are not growing at the rate that they should, given the extraordinary talent of the people. So we want to unleash that, and that's true in much of what we're trying to do, but certainly in this particular project.

Secretary Albright. Well, it's great to be here. Thank you very much, Madam Secretary, Hillary, and wonderful to be back at the State Department, and very honored to serve as chairman of the Partners for a New Beginning. I do think it is a remarkable—an innovative variation on the theme of public-private partnerships. And I hope that it really will make a major contribution to developing the ties between the United States and the international Muslim communities. And I congratulate the President and you, Madam Secretary, for hosting this week's summit. It sounds really exciting. And as we were talking about it, there already is a sense of kind of new beginnings in so many different ways, and I congratulate you. You've been working on it so hard.

Secretary Robert Gates and Minister Ehud Barak delivered these remarks in Arlington, VA

Secretary Gates. Thank you for being here.

I'm pleased once again to welcome my friend Defense Minister Barak to Washington. Ehud and I have been meeting for over 20 years in different roles, and it's always good to see him.

Today, Minister Barak and I discussed a range of important defense issues, both in our bilateral defense relationship and around the region. I appreciate, as always, his candor and forthrightness, and I look forward to continuing our discussions over the coming months.

As President Obama has affirmed, the United States commitment to Israel's security is unshakable, and our defense relationship is stronger than ever, to the mutual benefit of both nations. The United States and our ally Israel share many of the same security challenges, from combating terrorism to confronting the threat posed by Iran's nuclear-weapons program.

For years, the United States and Israel have worked together to prepare our armed forces to meet these and other challenges, a recent major example being the Juniper Cobra joint exercise held last October. Our work together on missile-defense technology is ongoing, and the United States will continue to ensure that Israel maintains its qualitative military edge.

Again, I thank Minister Barak for being with us today and invite him to make a few remarks before we take a couple of questions.

Minister Barak. Thank you, Secretary Gates. I'm always glad to be here. Thank you for the hospitality and for the interesting, important exchanges we could have.

The special relationship between Israel and the United States is unbreakable, built on mutual respect and shared values. This bond is most poignantly manifested by the unmatched support and cooperation that the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and the Israeli minister of defense share with the United States military and the Department of Defense.

In my conversation with Secretary Gates, we evaluated the threats and security challenges that the United States and Israel face.

I should tell you, we feel that we are living at the focal point of the main challenges that the free world is facing now: violent extremism accompanied by terror, the proliferation of nuclear military technologies and rogue and failed states.

And in the way that the individual cannot choose his parents, nations cannot choose their neighbors. We are living in an extremely tough neighborhood. But we are there to stay. And we will never sway or blink at the challenges.

And we are glad and proud to be supported by the American defense establishment and the American administration. It is keeping or standing as an outpost for these values. These threats have broad implications, not only to Israeli security but to the entire region's security and the very—any conceivable world order.

The purpose of my meetings with Secretary Gates and various U.S. administration officials is to provide diverse response to all the lurking challenges and threats and to therefore stress the strengthening and equipping of the IDF.

I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Congress and the president, President Obama, for American support for the security of the State of Israel. Thank you very much.

Q. Yes. First of all, on Syria, what did Syria transfer to Hezbollah that has sparked so much concern? Was it— was it Scuds—(inaudible)?

Minister Barak. We feel that the Syrians keep backing the Hezbollah in the—in a damaging way, that they convey to the Hezbollah weapons systems that can turn or disrupt the very delicate balance in Lebanon. And those balance-disrupting weapons systems, including the rockets or missiles, are considered to be a threat to the stability of the region.

We do not intend to provoke any kind of a major collision in Lebanon or vis-a-vis Syria, as it were mentioned, but we are watching closely these developments and think that they do not contribute to the stability in the region.

Secretary Gates. I would just say that, from our vantage point, Syria and Iran are providing Hezbollah with rockets and missiles of ever- increasing capability.

And we are at a point now when Hezbollah—where Hezbollah has far more rockets and missiles than most governments in the world. And this is obviously destabilizing for the whole region, and so we're watching it very carefully.

Secretary Hillary Clinton and Deputy Prime Minister Muhammad al-Sabah delivered these remarks in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. Good morning. Well, once again, it is an honor to welcome His Excellency the deputy prime minister to the State Department. I first met Dr. Muhammad when he was serving as Kuwait's ambassador to Washington back in the 1990s, and it is such a pleasure to work with him. Today as always, we had a very productive and constructive exchange of views that covered a wide range of common concerns.

Kuwait is a trusted and valued partner of the United States. Our countries share a bond forged during the U.S.-led liberation of Kuwait in 1991 and strengthened by years of partnership and mutual respect. We appreciate Kuwait's leadership as the chair of the Gulf Cooperation Council. We look forward to continuing to work with Kuwait on our shared goals of peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.

The deputy prime minister and I discussed recent political developments in Iraq and the ongoing process of forming a new government. The security and stability of Iraq is critical to the security and stability of Kuwait, but of indeed the entire region. The United States recognizes that there is still work to be done to address some of the outstanding issues related to the Iraq-Kuwait relationship, and we are committed to working with Kuwait and the new Government of Iraq and the United Nations in the months ahead.

I also updated the deputy prime minister on our ongoing efforts, along with our international partners, to secure a United Nations Security Council resolution on Iran. We discussed the importance of diplomatic efforts to encourage Iran to abide by its international nuclear obligations. On Monday, I will attend the conference in New York reviewing the Nonproliferation Treaty and we will be underscoring once again the importance of all nations upholding their responsibilities.

We also discussed our shared goal of achieving a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. As I said last night at the American Jewish Committee, the Middle East will never realize its full potential, Israel will never be truly secure, the Palestinians will never have their legitimate aspiration for a state, unless we create the circumstances in which positive negotiations can occur.

We are also seeking not only a two-state solution negotiated by the parties, but a regional peace between Israel and Syria, between Israel and Lebanon, and normal relations between Israel and the Arab states. We believe that through good faith negotiations, the parties can mutually agree to an outcome which ends the conflict and reconciles the Palestinian goal of an independent and viable state based on the ‘67 lines with agreed swaps and Israel's goal of a Jewish state with the secure and recognized borders that reflect subsequent developments and meet Israel's security requirements.

Simultaneously moving toward a broader regional peace will help set up the conditions for that outcome. I commend Kuwait for its support of the Arab peace initiative, which offers a vision of a better future for all of the people of the Middle East. And I look forward to seeing it advanced by actions as well as words.

Now, we are very committed—deeply committed—to a prosperous, secure, democratic future for the people of Kuwait. We will continue working together to broaden the partnership between our governments and deepen the friendship between our people. We are very grateful for Kuwait's support of our efforts with our troops and the many difficult challenges that have faced our ongoing actions in Iraq. And Kuwait has been a stalwart supporter and friend. So thank you again.

Deputy Prime Minister al-Sabah. Thank you, Madam Secretary. It's always great being back to the States and especially to the State Department. I value your friendship and your advice. We—I think I don't have to, again, say what we have discussed because that has been fully covered by the Secretary's statement. But I would like also to emphasize the kind of bilateral relations that we emphasized in our discussion. I also raised the issue of Kuwait's desire to acquire nuclear technology for peaceful purposes, and we are going to work very closely with the United States on that issue.

Also, we have raised the issue of our detainees in Guantanamo, and this is an area that is—present continuous hardship, I think both for the United States Government and the Kuwaiti Government and the people of Kuwait. And we have agreed on a ways to resolve this issue in the near future.

I thank you very much, Secretary Clinton, for your friendship and I look forward to work with you on all the issues that you have mentioned.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you. Thank you so much.

Deputy Prime Minister al-Sabah. Thank you.

Mr. Crowley. (Inaudible.) We have time two questions. One (inaudible).

Q. Madam Secretary, the Palestinians said they received a letter from President Obama about the peace process. And I'm wondering can you tell us if the U.S. is making any new commitments to President Abbas to get him back to the negotiating table, and are you confident that proximity talks may start again soon?

And for the deputy prime minister, Secretary Clinton last night made a pretty strong call for more help from the Arab states to get the peace process on track. I'm wondering from your perspective what you think the Arab states can do in order to get the proximity talks underway.

Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, Andy, I'm not going to comment on any correspondence between President Obama and President Abbas. I think we've been very clear in our efforts that the resumption of talks is absolutely essential for the progress we seek toward a two-state solution. We will be starting with proximity talks next week. Senator Mitchell will be going back to the region. And we look forward to the meeting of the Arab follow-up committee in Cairo tomorrow night to support the commitment by President Abbas to move forward with these talks.

Ultimately, we want to see the parties in direct negotiations and working out all the difficult issues that they must—they've been close a few times before. I remember very well the Camp David experience, and I know that President Abbas negotiated with former Prime Minister Olmert. So we are looking to see the resumption of those discussions.

Deputy Prime Minister al-Sabah. Well, the United States has indicated that peace in our region is of national security interest to the United States. We are strategic partners and strategic allies to the United States, so it is incumbent on us to help the United States achieve that. This is something that would benefit us and the people in the region as a whole. We have supported the proximity talks during early March. Unfortunately, the response from Israel was an announcement to build 1,600 houses in East Jerusalem, as if it was a response to our support for the proximity talks. Yet we did not be discouraged by that during the Arab summit in Tripoli where we confirmed our commitment to the proximity talk to help United States achieve this strategic objective by resuming the discussion on the parameters that was stated by President Obama during his speech to the United Nations. I think this is something that we all support, and that we support fully the position that the United States has taken.

Message to the Congress Continuing the National Emergency with Respect to Syria.

TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES:

Section 202(d) of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. 1622(d), provides for the automatic termination of a national emergency, unless, prior to the anniversary date of its declaration, the President publishes in the Federal Register and transmits to the Congress a notice stating that the emergency is to continue in effect beyond the anniversary date. In accordance with this provision, I have sent to the Federal Register for publication the enclosed notice stating that the national emergency with respect to the actions of the Government of Syria declared in Executive Order 13338 of May 11, 2004, and relied upon for additional steps taken in Executive Order 13399 of April 25, 2006, and Executive Order 13460 of February 13, 2008, is to continue in effect beyond May 11, 2010.

While the Syrian government has made some progress in suppressing foreign fighter networks infiltrating suicide bombers into Iraq, its actions and polices, including continuing support for terrorist organizations and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and missile programs, pose a continuing unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security, foreign policy, and economy of the United States. For these reasons, I have determined that it is necessary to continue in effect the national emergency declared with respect to this threat and to maintain in force the sanctions to address this national emergency. As we have communicated to the Syrian government directly, Syrian actions will determine whether this national emergency is renewed or terminated in the future.

BARACK OBAMA

Readout of the President's Call with Prime Minister Erdogan of Turkey

The President spoke today with Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan to express his deep condolences for the loss of life and injuries resulting from the Israeli military operation against the Turkish-flagged ship bound for Gaza. The President told Prime Minister Erdogan that the United States is working in close consultation with Israel to help achieve the release of the passengers, including those deceased and wounded, and the ships themselves. He also affirmed the United States position in support of a credible, impartial, and transparent investigation of the facts surrounding this tragedy. The President affirmed the importance of finding better ways to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza without undermining Israel's security. He underscored the importance of a comprehensive peace agreement which establishes an independent, contiguous, and viable Palestinian state as the way to resolve the overall situation and the United States’ continuing commitment to achieving that goal by working closely with Turkey, Israel, and others with a stake in a more stable and secure Middle East.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. I welcome today's action by the Iraqi Federal Supreme Court certifying the results of the national election. Voter turnout in the March 7th vote was strong across Iraq's 18 provinces. Iraq's electoral commission and security forces successfully organized and carried out a credible and competitive election. Since then, the electoral commission has worked in a careful, professional way to bring the process to this concluding point. This experience demonstrates that Iraqis want to use the political process to choose their leaders and settle differences.

With the election results officially certified, we call on Iraq's political leaders to move forward without delay to form an inclusive and representative government that will work on behalf of the Iraqi people.

In the coming months, we will work together as our partnership continues its transition with the goal of building a robust and long-lasting relationship between our two nations—a partnership that will contribute to growing peace and prosperity in Iraq and stability in the Middle East.

Vice President Joe Biden delivered this statement in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt

Vice President Biden. I am grateful to President Mubarak for his hospitality, and for the opportunity to discuss a broad range of issues. Egypt and the United States are partners in a shared desire to see peace and economic prosperity in the Middle East, North Africa, and Sudan. I thank Egypt for the leadership role it has played in supporting these priorities.

Today, President Mubarak and I reiterated our commitment to reaching a comprehensive peace in the region. The United States recognizes and appreciates Egypt's leadership in support for these efforts. The status quo is unsustainable for all sides. It is vital to make progress in the proximity talks between Israelis and Palestinians to enable the parties to move to direct negotiations as soon as possible that will result in an end to the occupation that began in 1967 and to a two-state solution to the conflict with Israel and a Palestinian state living in peace and security. In addition, we are consulting closely with Egypt, as well as our other partners, on new ways to address the humanitarian, economic, security, and political aspects of the situation in Gaza.

In addition to the pressing priority of reaching comprehensive peace, we also discussed other areas of regional concern. We appreciate the vital role Egypt is playing in Afghanistan and its support for a strong, independent, unified and democratic Iraq.

We discussed our serious concerns about Iran's nuclear program. The international community continues to witness Iran's noncompliance with its obligations to the United Nations Security Council and the International Agency for Atomic Energy, as well as Iran's unwillingness to engage seriously with the P5+1 on its nuclear program. The United States remains committed to a diplomatic resolution to these serious issues, but we will continue to hold Iran accountable for its continued violations of its international responsibilities, in accordance with our dual-track policy. We expect to see developments in the United Nations Security Council to hold Iran accountable very soon. In addition to concerns about Iran's nuclear program, we remain concerned about its destabilizing activities throughout the region, including with regard to its support for Hizballah and Hamas.

We reaffirmed our commitment to supporting stability in Sudan, including Darfur, and the full implementation of Sudan's Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) and preparing for the referendum on southern self-determination in 2011.

The United States looks forward to a continuing dialogue with Egypt on a broad range of interests, including Egypt's ongoing political and economic reform. Elements such as respect for human rights and the need to continue working for a vibrant civil society and more open political competition are vital for Egypt to remain strong and serve as a model to the region. Egypt has made commitments as part of the United Nations Human Rights Council's Universal Periodic Review, including accepting some of the Council's recommendations. These commitments are important and I encourage Egypt to move ahead swiftly to implement fully those commitments and build upon that agenda.

Fact Sheet on U.S. Assistance to the West Bank and Gaza

Today, the President announced that the United States will move forward with approximately $400 million in initiatives and commitments for the West Bank and Gaza that will help increase access to clean drinking water, create jobs, build schools, expand the availability of affordable housing, and address critical health and infrastructure needs. These initiatives result directly from the advocacy and guidance of President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad, whose leadership is making a difference for the Palestinian people, in Gaza as well as the West Bank.

The President has described the situation in Gaza as unsustainable, and it demands a significant change of strategy. While we work with our partners in the Palestinian Authority, Israel, Egypt, and the international community to put such a strategy in place, these projects represent a down payment on the United States’ commitment to Palestinians in Gaza, who deserve a better life and expanded opportunities, and the chance to take part in building a viable, independent state of Palestine, together with those who live in the West Bank. The projects announced today include:

- A $240 million investment by the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) in the AMAL mortgage finance program in the West Bank, which is designed to increase homeownership by offering long-term mortgages at fixed- and variable rates.

- $75 million in funding through the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) to support the Palestinian Authority's work to improve infrastructure throughout the West Bank and Gaza.

- $10 million in USAID-funded activities aimed at enhancing the Palestinian private sector's competitiveness.

- $40 million to support UNRWA's Emergency Appeal for Gaza and the West Bank, which will help improve educational and health services, increase job creation, and repair shelters in Gaza, while also addressing core humanitarian needs in the West Bank.

- $14.5 million in USAID projects for school rehabilitation, small-scale agriculture, the repair of a hospital facility and other community infrastructure in Gaza.

- $10 million for the construction of five new UNRWA schools in Gaza.

- $5 million to start nine USAID-funded projects to repair water distribution and wastewater collection systems in Gaza.

President Barack Obama and President Mahmoud Abbas delivered these remarks in Washington, DC

President Obama. Before I begin, I know that there was just a vote in the United Nations Security Council. I'm going to comment on that separately. I don't want to detract from the topic at hand here. So for reporters who are interested in that issue, I will be making a statement about that after our session here.

I just want to thank President Abbas for being here, and his delegation. We just concluded some very productive discussions on this issue. I commended President Abbas for the excellent work that he and Prime Minister Fayyad have been engaged in over the last several years in strengthening the security as well as improving the economic situation for his people. He's done so through hard work and dedication, and I think the whole world has noticed the significant improvements that we've seen as a consequence of his good administration.

But obviously there is a lot of work that remains to be done so that we can create a two-state solution in the Middle East in which we have an Israel that is secure and fully accepted by its neighbors, and a Palestinian people that have their own state, self-determination, and the ability to chart their own destiny.

Now, we've just gone through a difficult period in the region. We saw the tragedy with the flotillas, something that I think has drawn attention all around the world to the ongoing problems in Gaza. As part of the United Nations Security Council, we were very clear in condemning the acts that led to this crisis and have called for a full investigation. And it is important that we get all the facts out. But what we also know is that the situation in Gaza is unsustainable. I think increasingly you're seeing debates within Israel, recognizing the problems with the status quo. And so President Abbas and I had very extensive discussions about how we could help to promote a better approach to Gaza.

We agree that Israelis have the right to prevent arms from entering into Gaza that can be used to launch attacks into Israeli territory. But we also think that it is important for us to explore new mechanisms so that we can have goods and services, and economic development, and the ability of people to start their own businesses, and to grow the economy and provide opportunity within Gaza.

And so we are going to be working hand in hand to make sure that we come up with a better approach, and urge Israel to work with all parties involved—Egypt, the Palestinian Authority, and the international community—to find a resolution to this issue.

In the meantime, the United States— which is already the biggest humanitarian aid donor in Gaza—is going to be announcing an additional $400 million in assistance for housing, school construction, business development—not only in Gaza, but also in the West Bank, because we think it's important for us to reaffirm once again our commitment to improving the day-to-day lives of ordinary Palestinians.

Now, what we also discussed, though, and what we will continue to work on over the next several months is the fact that not only is the status quo with respect to Gaza unsustainable, the status quo with respect to the Middle East is unsustainable. It is time for us to go ahead and move forward on a two-state solution that will affirm the needs of Israeli citizens and will affirm the needs of Palestinian— Palestinians who are desperate for a homeland.

We have had very productive proximity talks. Senator Mitchell—who is here, I think standing in the back—has been very active, working with both the Palestinians and the Israelis to try to start moving this process forward. And I want to thank President Abbas for participating in these proximity talks even under some difficult circumstances. He has shown courage and tenacity in wanting to resolve this issue. And we believe that with Israelis and the Palestinian Authority coming together, making clear that a peaceful, non-violent solution that recognizes both the security needs of Israel as well as the legitimate aspirations of Palestinians is the right way to go, can yield real progress in the coming months.

It's important that we understand the sense of urgency that the Palestinian people feel in this process. Obviously you've got organizations like Hamas that have not recognized Israel, have not renounced violence, who are calling for a different approach. And we think it's important that, given President Abbas's commitment to a peaceful diplomatic solution to these issues, and I think the desire of people both in Israel and Palestine—Palestinian Territories for a peaceful solution, that we move forward. And the United States is going to put its full weight behind those efforts.

I did share with President Abbas, in order for us to be successful in these next several months, that both sides have to create an environment, a climate, that is going to be conducive to an actual breakthrough. And that means on the Israeli side, curbing settlement activity and recognizing some of the progress that has been made by the Palestinian Authority when it comes to issues like security. It means on the Palestinian side—and I was very frank with President Abbas that we have to continue to make more progress on both security as well as incitement issues.

And if we can over the next several months try to lift up what are the honest and legitimate concerns of both sides and if both Palestinians and Israelis can recognize that they have a common interest in moving off of what has been this dead end, then I believe that potentially we can make significant progress before the end of the year.

So I just want to let President Abbas know that I said when I took office this was an issue that I cared deeply about and I was willing to spend a lot of time and energy and political capital on. That commitment has not wavered. And I think the American people want to see a resolution of this issue that is equitable. We will continue to work side by side with you, as well as the Israelis, to resolve this in a way that is good for the children and future generations both in Israel and in a future Palestine.

So thank you very much.

President Abbas. Thank you, Mr. President. And we, indeed, have just held very important discussions that touched on the political process as well as the very important latest development that happened in Gaza.

Of course we value and deeply appreciate all the efforts of the United States, as well as the effort of President Obama, and all the assistance and help for pushing forward the economic and security levels. And we have reached a satisfactory picture of the economic and security levels. Yet we are determined to keep pushing forward in our efforts to bring it up to the next level.

And I also appreciate the attention and the determination of President Obama in seeing that we push forward the political process as soon as possible. And I assert and I affirm that we will not give up on this endeavor ahead of us, because it is in our interest, it in the interest of Israel, in the interest of the world, and also, most of all, in the interest of the United States.

We know that time is of essence; we know that we must not miss this opportunity. We affirm the importance of bringing about peace and security in the region.

And I would like to thank President Obama for the support that he will give to Gaza—and we have just talked about that now. This is a positive signal of the United States that the United States cares about the suffering of the people in Gaza and about the suffering of the Palestinian people.

And we also see the need to lift the Israeli siege of the Palestinian people, the need to open all the crossings, and the need to let building material and humanitarian material and all the necessities go into the Palestinian people. And also we appreciate the attention given to the formation of an investigation committee that would investigate what happened in the latest events, the events of what we call the Freedom Flotilla, or the Freedom Fleet.

And I say in front of you, Mr. President, that we have nothing to do with incitement against Israel, and we're not doing that. What we care about is to live in coexistence with Israel, in order to bring about the independent Palestinian state that will live side by side with Israel in peace and stability.

We adopt and we affirm the Arab Peace Initiative that was adopted in summits, in Arab summits, as well as in summits held by Islamic countries. Fifty-seven Arab and Islamic countries have said that they would recognize Israel if Israel withdrew from the occupied Arab land.

Mr. President, we thank you and we express our deep respect for all your efforts, specifically on the peace process and bringing about peace in the Middle East. We know the two-state solution you said is a critical interest of the United States. This is a slogan that we are proud of and we will pursue very seriously our efforts in order to bring about peace in the Middle East.

Q. Okay. Did President Abbas ask you to take a tougher line with Israel over the Gaza aid flotilla raid, and will you in fact do so in outright condemnation of Israel's actions? And do you support Israel's insistence on doing a flotilla investigation on its own, perhaps with some foreign involvement, or are you in favor of the U.N. proposal for a completely independent inquiry?

President Obama. Well, let me take the second question first. What the U.N. Security Council called for was a credible, transparent investigation that met international standards. And we meant what we said; that's what we expect.

I think everybody—people in Israel, people in Turkey, people within the Palestinian Territories, certainly people here in the United States—want to know the facts of this tragedy, what led to it, how can we prevent it in the future. And I think I've said to the Israelis directly and certainly my team has communicated the fact that it is in Israel's interest to make sure that everybody knows exactly how this happened so that we don't see these kinds of events occurring again. And we expect that the standard that was called for in the U.N. Security Council to be met.

With respect to the issue of taking a tougher line, I think President Abbas and I spent most of our time discussing how do we solve the problem. One of the things that we see is that so often rhetoric when it comes to issues in the Middle East outstrip actually solving issues. And our conversation was focused on how do we actually allow more goods, more services into Gaza? How do we allow businesses to thrive? How can we get construction moving? How can we put people to work in Gaza?

The Palestinian Authority is already doing a number of things inside of Gaza, providing employment opportunities, providing assistance to people directly. The United States is already providing assistance. But the status quo that we have is one that is inherently unstable. And I think the Israelis have come to recognize that.

The question now is how do we create a different framework so that people in Gaza can thrive and succeed; so that extremists are isolated as opposed to having an excuse for engaging in violent activities; but also, how do we do it in a way that Israel's legitimate security concerns are met.

We—and I think President Abbas agrees with this—recognize that Israel should not have missiles flying out of Gaza into its territories. And so there should be a means by which we are able to stop the flow of arms that could endanger Israel's security. At the same time, we're doing so in a way that allows the people in Gaza to live out their aspirations and their dreams both for themselves and their children. And that's something that we're going to spend a lot of time focusing on. And we've already begun some hard-headed discussions with the Israelis in achieving that.

Fact Sheet on the new UN Security Council Sanctions on Iran

Earlier today, in response to Iran's continued refusal to comply with its international obligations regarding its nuclear program, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 1929, imposing a strong, broad-based new set of sanctions on Iran.

Resolution 1929 increases the cost to Iran's leadership of their continued defiance of the international community, and aims to persuade Iran that it is in its interest to peacefully resolve concerns about its nuclear program. The Resolution builds on three previous rounds of UN sanctions on Iran by strengthening and expanding existing measures and breaking ground in several new areas. It is a clear and strong response to Iran's refusal to address international concerns over its nuclear program.

This resolution complements our diplomatic efforts to engage Iran. We will continue to work with our international partners to forge a peaceful solution. The United States remains open to dialogue, but Iran must live up to its obligations and clearly demonstrate to the international community the peaceful nature of its nuclear activities.

These sanctions have been carefully designed to target those individuals and entities that are most responsible for Iran's nuclear program. They are not intended to hurt the people of Iran.

What does the resolution do?

The resolution restates the Security Council's longstanding demand that Iran's suspend its enrichment program and other proscribed nuclear activities. It also highlights and clarifies Iran's existing obligations to accept and facilitate the implementation of rigorous international safeguards on its nuclear program.

The resolution imposes a series of new sanctions that will increase the cost to Iran's leaders of their current irresponsible policies. These measures include:

1. 1. Ban on Iranian certain nuclear and missile investment abroad. Iran is prohibited from investing in sensitive nuclear activities abroad, like uranium enrichment and reprocessing activities, where it could acquire nuclear technology and know-how, as well as activities involving ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. The ban also applies to investment in uranium mining.

2. 2. Conventional arms ban. States are prohibited from selling or in any way transferring to Iran eight broad categories of heavy weapons (battle tanks, armored combat vehicles, large caliber artillery systems, combat aircraft, attack helicopters, warships, missiles or missile systems). States are similarly prohibited from providing technical or financial assistance for such systems, or spare parts. States are also to exercise vigilance and restraint in supplying any other arms or related materiel to Iran.

3. 3. Ban on ballistic missile activities. Iran is prohibited from undertaking any activity related to ballistic missiles capable of carrying nuclear weapons and States are required to take all necessary measure to prevent the transfer of related technology or technical assistance.

4. 4. Additional items banned for transfer. The resolution updates and adds to the list of technical items related to nuclear and missile proliferation that are banned for transfer to and from Iran.

5. 5. New cargo inspection framework. Iran is subject to a new regime for inspection of suspicious cargo to detect and stop Iran's smuggling. States should inspect any vessel on their territory suspected of carrying prohibited cargo, including banned conventional arms or sensitive nuclear or missile items. States are also expected to cooperate in such inspections on the high seas.

6. 6. New procedures to deal with contraband items. Once prohibited items are found, States are now obligated to seize and dispose of the items.

7. 7. Ban on bunkering services. States are required not to provide critical support services (e.g., fuel, water) to ships suspected of carrying prohibited cargo.

8. 8. Measures to restrict the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines (IRISL) and Iran Air's cargo division. States must require their nationals to exercise vigilance over IRISL, a known sanctions violator. Three IRISL-related companies will have their assets frozen. States are requested to report any information on activities by IRISL and Iran's Air's cargo division to evade sanctions, including by renaming vessels.

9. 9. New tools to block proliferation finance. States are called upon to prevent any financial service—including insurance or reinsurance—and freeze any asset that could contribute to Iran's proliferation. This broad language will help states take action when there are suspected financial links to Iran's banned nuclear activities.

10. 10. Vigilance over all Iran's companies. States are required to ensure their nationals exercise vigilance when doing business with any Iranian firm, including IRGC and IRISL, to make sure such business does not contribute to Iran's proliferation.

11. 11. New banking measures. States are called upon to prohibit on their territories new banking relationships with Iran, including the opening of any new branches of Iranian banks, joint ventures and correspondent banking relationships, if there is a suspected link to proliferation. States also should prohibit their own financial institutions from opening branches in Iran if there is a suspected link to proliferation.

12. 12. New measures to limit the role of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The resolution highlights the IRGC's role in proliferation and requires states to mandate that businesses exercise vigilance over all transactions involving the IRGC. Fifteen IRGC-related companies linked to proliferation will have their assets frozen.

13. 13. Targeted sanctions on specific individuals and entities. Forty Iranian companies and one individual will be subject to an asset freeze. The individual—the head of a critical nuclear research program—will also be subject to a travel ban. Thirty-five additional individuals previously subject to “travel vigilance” will now be subject to a travel ban.

14. 14. Appointment of a UN sanctions monitoring panel. A UN “Panel of Experts” will be established to monitor states’ implementation of the sanctions, report on sanctions violations and recommend ways to continually improve enforcement. In addition to imposing these sanctions, the resolution highlights the potential linkage between Iran's energy sector revenues and procurement and its nuclear activities and proliferation. It also stresses the need to exercise vigilance over all Iranian banks—specifically including the Central Bank of Iran—to prevent proliferation-related transactions.

The resolution reaffirms the international community's willingness to resolve international concerns over Iran's nuclear program through negotiations, while laying out the steps that Iran must take to restore international confidence in its nuclear program, thereby allowing for the suspension or termination of these sanctions.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton delivered this speech in Bogota, Colombia

Secretary Clinton. This was a very important decision by the international community to demonstrate resolve and unity in the face of Iran's continuing defiance of the rules and norms of the IAEA and the expectations of the Security Council. This set of sanctions, the first agreed to under the Obama Administration, adds to and strengthens the sanction regime. We are gratified by the positive response that our year of engagement has produced.

When we started this effort, there was no appetite in the international community for further pressure in the form of sanctions on Iran. The challenge that President Obama faced in trying to reach out and engage Iran was politically difficult, but it served a very important purpose: to demonstrate clearly that the United States was willing to pursue diplomatic engagement and therefore our efforts were always on a dual-track approach.

And starting in September and October of last fall, we began to see greater awareness on the part of our P-5+1 partners, particularly China and Russia, about the continuing recalcitrance and refusal by the Iranians to abide by existing obligations or fully engage diplomatically as we had offered. As you remember, we disclosed the secret facility at Qom during the United Nations General Assembly and the G-20 meeting last September. And we held our first P-5+1 meeting in October in Geneva and there was unanimity among the P-5+1 about the way forward. If Iran would meet and engage on their nuclear program, there was receptivity.

Well, we know that Iran did not and would not. It refused to engage on the nuclear program, to hold another meeting with the P-5+1, denied the significance of the Qom facility of their reaction, which was very unsatisfactory, as to why they would need a secret, undisclosed facility if their program was committed to peaceful purposes. And then the Tehran research reactor proposal, which was meant as a confidence-building measure, initially seemed to draw Iranian receptivity, and then that was not realized.

So every step along the way, we have demonstrated that our goal is to ensure that Iran's nuclear program is only and can only be considered for peaceful purposes. And we set that goal and we said we would pursue it in various venues. But at the end of the day, it became clear that Iran was not willing to abide by the expectations of the international community.

Its announcement that it was going to move toward 20 percent enrichment was another wake-up call for a lot of countries that were undecided about how to proceed. So during the past months, in an intense diplomatic effort, we made a case along with others that we needed to take Iran back to the Security Council.

Simultaneously, Brazil and Turkey were pursuing an additional diplomatic effort and we appreciate their willingness to work very hard to get to some satisfactory outcome. At the end of the day, they were not successful, but we do recognize and acknowledge their good faith in pursuing their course.

So the sanctions have now been passed by an overwhelming vote, and we will move to implement them. I am appointing Bob Einhorn, our special advisor for nonproliferation, to head up our government-wide team to oversee the implementation of these sanctions. We want to be sure that we don't just pass the sanctions and then leave it to chance as to whether or not they are being implemented.

We continue, as the President just said in his remarks from the White House, to hold open the possibility of engagement to Iran. Our goal is not to punish Iran. Our goal is not to sanction Iran. Our goal is to end any doubts and questions about the purpose of Iran's nuclear program and to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons. And that is a goal that is widely embraced in the international community.

Q. You made the point—that the sanctions resolution come back to the bargaining table? Isn't that what your ultimate goal is?

Secretary Clinton. Well, our ultimate goal is to prevent them from getting a nuclear weapon. That is our ultimate goal. And we think these sanctions give us additional tools in our arsenal to be able to achieve that. Now, we can, we believe, slow down and certainly interfere with and make much more difficult their continuing nuclear program through these sanctions. So that, in and of itself, is an important accomplishment.

At the same time, we do want them back at the negotiating table. And whether they come back with the P-5+1 or they come back in some other configuration as yet to be determined—they say now they won't come back. But we think that the sanctions send a kind of message to the entire Iranian leadership, which is quite diverse in their assessments and reactions, that there is still an opportunity for you to participate and to work with us in the framework of being able to have a nuclear program for peaceful purposes, but to give up, as Brazil did, as others have, the potential of seeking nuclear weapons.

Q. And just—I'm sorry, just to clarify, you said P-5+1 or some other configuration. Are you open to adding the Brazilians and the Turks as part of some sort of—

Secretary Clinton. We're open to effective diplomacy. We're open to achieving our ultimate goal. And I think that's what everybody is. I mean, people may have come at this from different perspectives, and it was extremely difficult to make the case for a lot of members of the Security Council over the last months. But at the end of the day, there was a supermajoritywho believed that this was a necessary step to take on its own. But it was also a significant and important step to take to try to get back to diplomatic engagement and, hopefully, negotiations.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. I welcome today's European Council declaration, which announces the EU will adopt strong measures to implement and accompany UN Security Council Resolution 1929, including in the trade, financial, banking and insurance, transport, and gas and oil sectors, in addition to new visa bans and asset freezes. We look forward to the announcement of specific EU measures by the Foreign Affairs Council.

I am also pleased to welcome Australia's announcement that it is taking additional steps against key targets in Iran consistent with UN Security Council resolutions. These new autonomous sanctions will apply to Bank Mellat, one of the largest banks to finance Iran's nuclear and missile programs; the Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Line (IRISL), which has been involved in proliferation; and General Rostam Qasemi, a key leader of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps entity.

These measures are part of the international community's vigorous effort to build upon UN Security Council Resolution 1929 and address Iran's noncompliance with its international obligations. They send a clear message to Iran's leaders: uphold your international responsibilities or face growing international isolation and consequences.

As last week's P-5+1 Ministerial Statement reaffirmed, the United States and our partners are committed to engaging Iran in pursuit of a diplomatic resolution to the international community's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program and other issues. The Obama Administration will continue to work closely with the international community to hold Iran accountable. We hope that Resolution 1929 and these additional measures will affect the strategic calculus of Iran's leaders and influence them to take a more constructive course.

Secretary Hillary Clinton delivered this statement in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. I join President Obama in welcoming Congressional passage of legislation to strengthen sanctions against Iran. We support the broad aims of HR 2194, the Comprehensive Iran Sanctions, Accountability, and Divestment Act of 2010—constraining Iran's nuclear program, changing the calculus of Iran's leaders, and demonstrating that Iran's policies decrease its standing, and further isolate it in the international community. We are committed to fully implementing this legislation in a manner that advances our multilateral dual-track strategy of engagement and pressure.

These new measures, along with action by the European Union and Australia, build on United Nations Security Council Resolution 1929 and underscore the resolve of the international community to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons and to hold it accountable for its international obligations. The United States will work with our partners to maximize the impact of these efforts and to continue pursuing a diplomatic resolution to the international community's concerns regarding Iran's nuclear program.

In addition to increasing pressure on Iran's illicit nuclear activities, this legislation also addressed the Iranian government's continued violation of the fundamental rights of its citizens. A year after the Iranian people took to the streets to protest an election, the leadership continues to violate its most fundamental duties of government, denying its people the right to speak freely, to assemble without fear, and to the equal administration of justice. We support the Congress’ efforts to call attention to these violations, and the United States will continue to hold Iran accountable for its obligations to respect the rights of its own people.