President Barack Obama and President Mikhail Saakashvili gave the following remarks at the White House

President Obama. Well, I want to welcome President Saakashvili and his delegation here, and it's a wonderful occasion to have him here as we'll be celebrating this year 20 years of independence for Georgia and the eighth anniversary of the Rose Revolution.

I think Georgia should be extraordinarily proud of the progress that is made in building a sovereign and democratic country. And one of the first things that I did was express my appreciation for the institution-building that's been taking place in Russia—in Georgia—the importance of making sure that minorities are respected; the importance of a police and system of rule of law that is being observed—the kinds of institution-building that is going to make an enormous difference in the future of not just this generation of Georgians but future generations of Georgians.

And so I want to express my appreciation for the work that's been done in the past, but also anticipating fair and free elections here; the formal transfer of power that will be taking place in Georgia, which I think will solidify many of these reforms that have already taken place.

We discussed how we can continue to strengthen the strong bilateral relationship between our two countries. Part of this is economic. Obviously, Georgia has made strides in creating a effective free market system and more progress needs to be made. The United States wants to help in that progress.

And so one of the most important things that we're doing in addition to things like the MCC and OPIC loans is also what we've agreed to is a high-level dialogue between our two countries about how we can continue to strengthen trade relations between our two countries, including the possibility of a free trade agreement. Obviously, there's a lot of work to be done and there are going to be a lot of options that are going to be explored. The key point, though, is we think it's a win-win for the United States and for Georgia as we continue to find opportunities for businesses to invest in Georgia, for us to be able to sell Georgia our goods and services, and Georgia to be able to sell theirs as well.

On defense and security, I expressed my gratitude to the President for the extraordinary contributions that have been made by the Georgian military in Afghanistan. They have been one of the most dedicated contributors outside of NATO to the ISAF effort, and in fact have taken on some significant casualties as a consequence of those efforts.

We have talked about how we will continue to strengthen our defense cooperation, and there are a wide range of areas where we are working together. And I reaffirmed to the President and assured him that the United States will continue to support Georgia's aspirations to ultimately become a member of NATO.

Finally, I wanted to say to the President that we appreciate the model of democracy and transparency that they've been setting not just for their own country but also for the region as a whole. And we think that with continued progress over the next several years that a lot of countries will say to themselves that if Georgia can perform these transformations, then we can as well. They've been a responsible player on the world scene and in multilateral fora.

And so under the President's leadership, I think that they've made enormous strides. And we will continue to look for opportunities to strengthen what is already a very strong bilateral relationship.

So welcome, Mr. President. Thank you so much for being here.

President Saakashvili. Thank you so much. Thank you.

Well, Mr. President, I'm incredibly honored to be back in the Oval Office. And I can tell you we are incredibly grateful as a nation for continued support and strong basically cooperation that we'll be getting from your administration and from the United States of America at every level. And for my country's independence, for its future, for the future of our democracy, for the future of our region, that has been absolutely decisive and key in all different directions.

Obviously, there's a very good understanding at a number of levels. We are grateful for your support for our NATO aspirations. We are very grateful for elevating our defense cooperation further and talking about Georgia's self-defense capabilities and developing it, because that's also of course an important message back to my nation.

It's very important that you mentioned, obviously, the prospect of a free trade agreement with Georgia, because that's going to attract lots of additional activity to my country, and basically helping our nation-building process.

Thank you again for complimenting us on our reforms. Obviously, the reform process is never over, but these reforms would not have happened without strong commitment and support and advice from your administration and from the United States and your people on the ground. We deeply appreciate all this.

Obviously, next—this year we have parliamentary elections which will mark also bringing in another political system, constitution system with more parliamentary government. And as you rightly mentioned, there is—well, there will be—next year a new President will be elected in Georgia. And that's also important because that's also—will move our democracy forward and will generally get much more to a diversified and pluralistic political scene.

And obviously, I will continue to cooperate with you in all these directions that these gains get solidified, irreversible. And nothing can take Georgia away from this track of progress. Nothing can bring us back to a less democratic, corrupt, retrograde political system or political actors.

And obviously, this was very, very—from my point of view, I'll be—again, my personal gratitude. I'll be leaving this office very happy because we basically got what we wanted to get.

President Obama. Congratulations. Thank you.

President Saakashvili. Thank you.

Secretary Hillary Clinton and Foreign Minister Zalmai Rassoul gave the following remarks in Washington, DC

Secretary Clinton. Good morning, everyone. I am very pleased to welcome back to the State Department Foreign Minister Rassoul. He and I have worked closely together for several years. We have developed a very constructive, productive relationship, which I greatly appreciate.

Before I discuss the serious and important business that the minister and I are doing together, I want to commend the United Nations Security Council for its strong statement on Syria this morning in support of the six-point plan put forward by the UN and Arab League Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan. This is a positive step. The Council has now spoken with one voice. It has demanded a UN-supervised cessation of violence in all its forms, beginning with a pullback from population centers by the Syrian Government forces, humanitarian access to all areas in need, and the beginning of a Syrian-led political process to address the legitimate aspirations of all the Syrian people that will lead to a democratic transition.

We call on all Syrians who love their country and respect its history and understand the tremendous potential that working together provides for the kind of peaceful and prosperous future in freedom and democracy that Syrians deserve to call for and work for the immediate implementation of the Annan plan. And to President Assad and his regime, we say, along with the international community: Take this path, commit to it, or face increasing pressure and isolation.

And now with respect to Afghanistan, I know this has been a difficult period. And as I have publicly stated, as President Obama has also, we deeply regretted the unfortunate incidents regarding the Qu'ran and the recent killings of innocent Afghan men, women, and children. This has been very personally painful to me and to the President. It does not represent who the United States is, who the American people are, and we appreciate the understanding and response of the Afghan Government and the Afghan people.

Foreign Minister Rassoul has come to Washington today to participate in the 10^th Anniversary Celebration of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council. I will be joining Laura Bush and others for this anniversary commemoration, and I want to thank the minister for being with us.

In the past decade, the women of Afghanistan have made strong progress by many measures. Life expectancy has increased dramatically. Fewer women are dying in childbirth. More children are surviving. The numbers of girls in school and women in universities has increased significantly. Maternal, infant, and under-five mortality for children have dropped. And on the political front, the 2004 constitution enshrines equal rights for all Afghan women, who are serving in the government, in the parliament, important positions in business, academia, and so much else. And as I will emphasize at the anniversary celebration, our goal must be to secure and build upon this progress, not only for the women of Afghanistan but for the men and children, who represent the future.

We've entered a critical period of transition. There is no question we have a lot of work to do. But over the past decade, our two countries have built a relationship that is both tough and resilient. We cooperate every single day in so many ways to work toward a future of security, peace, and prosperity for the people of Afghanistan.

These fundamentals are what guides us. We've invested a great deal in the relationship, and the United States is committed to a strong, stable, secure Afghanistan and committed to working through together the very difficult issues we face together in a way that reinforces Afghan sovereignty. We're working toward turning over full responsibility for security nationwide to Afghan forces by the end of 2014, in accordance with the commitment we made, along with our allies and partners, at the Lisbon summit. As the Afghans take the lead on security, we will be moving into a supporting role, and we will be discussing this in more detail at the upcoming NATO summit in Chicago and then at follow-on meetings in Kabul and in Tokyo.

At the same time, we are committed to supporting Afghan reconciliation. Our only goal is to open the door for Afghans to sit down with other Afghans and to work out the future for their country. Our position has been consistent; we have been clear about the necessary outcomes. Any negotiation must require the Taliban to break ties with al-Qaida, to renounce violence, and to abide by Afghanistan's constitution, including the protections of women's and minority rights. We've also made clear that the steps the Taliban must now take to advance the process. They must make unambiguous statements distancing themselves from international terrorism and committing to a process that includes all Afghans.

So the Taliban have their own choice to make, but let there be no doubt that the United States is prepared to work with all Afghans who are committed to an inclusive reconciliation process that leads toward lasting security. And we will continue to support economic and educational opportunities so all the Afghan people have the chance to build better futures for themselves and their nation. And of course, we will continue to defend the rights of Afghan women.

We are committed to a long-term, productive, and mutually beneficial partnership with the government and people of Afghanistan. And again, I thank my colleague and friend, the foreign minister, for the many contributions he has made and is making to the future of your country.

Foreign Minister Rassoul. Thank you very much, Honorable Madam Clinton, for those kind words, and thank you for the warm welcome and generous hospitality that you have extended to myself and my delegation during this important visit. It's always a pleasure to be in D.C., especially during this year, cherry blossom season.

And it's an honor also to be here with you, Honorable Madam Secretary, to celebrate the 10^th anniversary of the U.S.-Afghan Women's Council. Thank you for inviting me to participate in this important event. Let me just underline once again that our commitment to the right of the Afghan women is solid and will continue in accordance with our constitution and Afghanistan international obligations.

Thank you also for being outstanding friend of Afghanistan. As Madam Secretary pointed out, we spoke about a number of important topics. And as you mentioned, we spoke about the recent tragic event in Afghanistan of the—from the burning of the Holy Qu'ran to the killing of Afghan civilian in Kandahar. We appreciate very much the statement that President Obama and you, Madam Secretary, and other government congressional leaders in this town have made and condemned this event. We know we are awaiting for the swift and transparent investigation of this case and the punishment of anyone involved. That will greatly reinforce the Afghan people's confidence and the existence of strong friendship and partnership with the United States.

Indeed, the great shared sacrifices in blood and treasure to the American and Afghan people have given in Afghanistan in the past decade in the fight against terrorism and for the country's peace development and young democracy have created solid foundation for a close, long-term friendship and partnership between our two governments, our two nations. I have no doubt about that.

We have also discussed about the transition issues. We know that we are starting the third phase of transition and we'll continue to commit to that. We have discussed the issue of Strategic Partnership. We have made lot of progress recently on two issues of detainees and special forces action, and we are very hopeful that we'll be able to sign the Strategic Partnership as soon as possible, hopefully before the Chicago conference.

We have discussed, as Madam Secretary mentioned, the peace process, and we are happy to see that you fully support an Afghan-owned and Afghan-led peace process and we are going to continue despite the difficulties in this path.

We have also discussed the regional issues, the economy, political and security, our relation with our neighbors in the region, upcoming conferences in the month to come on the RECCA conference in Dushanbe and the conference of Kabul conference, Chicago conference, and Tokyo conference.

Thank you very much again, Madam Secretary, for your friendship

Secretary Clinton. Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.

Q. Thank you. Madam Secretary, I just wanted to follow up quickly on your Syria statement. You did call it strong and positive. But is it really workable? Who will enforce that, especially pulling back and the humanitarian two-hour break?

And then on Afghanistan, you mentioned reconciliation. The Taliban are saying that they don't want to talk essentially, so where do you go from there? Is there any prospect of that reconciliation continuing?

And Foreign Minister Rassoul, just wanted to ask you—President Karzai says that the U.S. is not cooperating on this investigation of the shooting. Is that still—is that—do you share that opinion? Is that the official opinion still of the Afghan Government, that the U.S. is not cooperating?

And if I could just—you mentioned the security agreement. Night raids are a big issue right now. It looks like there might be some progress on having a warrant system for the night raids. Are you—is that—is there some progress? Are you—is that hurdle over?

Thank you.

Secretary Clinton. Well, those are, I think, four questions.

Let me start with Syria. The Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan's team is in Damascus discussing implementation of his plan which has now been endorsed by the Security Council. He will be, obviously, meeting with the government—or his team will be meeting with the government but also with community and opposition leaders as well. The unanimous support by the Security Council for this plan will add quite significant import to the discussions.

In the meantime, we are coordinating with the United Nations on the delivery of humanitarian aid. We're working with the Syrian opposition to strengthen its preparation to participate in the Syrian-led transition process that the council has endorsed. Obviously, we're doing a lot of work in preparation for the upcoming meeting of the Friends of Syria in Istanbul, and we are also calling on the Syrian military to refuse orders to fire on their fellow citizens. And we're also calling on members of the business community who still support the regime to work on behalf of implementing the Security Council statement and Kofi Annan's mission. So we are moving on multiple fronts, but we think it is quite significant that we are now all united behind Kofi Annan's mission, and I will continue to be in close touch with my colleagues from the Security Council and the United Nations as we go forward.

I think with respect to reconciliation, this is going to be a very long-term process. There's nothing quick or easy about it. And I think both the minister and I know that you are going to have bumps in the road, but as I said at the outset, our role is to support the Afghans. It's Afghan-led, it's Afghan-owned. And so after consultations with President Karzai, we articulated several steps that the Taliban must take in order to advance such an Afghan peace process, including opening a political office in Qatar, where everyone could test their presence and commitment. They have to make clear statements distancing themselves from international terrorism. That's not just an Afghan request. It is a request of the international community. And they have to support a political process.

Now, what the Taliban do is up to them. We have been clear we are prepared to continue discussions, and our goal is to open the door so that Afghans can be negotiating among and between themselves. And as I've said from the very beginning, if there are Taliban insurgents who have no interest in reconciliation, they will continue to face military pressure. We are not stopping our efforts to support the security of Afghanistan while we try to see whether there is an opportunity for negotiations. So, really, at this point, Jill, the choice is up to them.

Foreign Minister Rassoul. On your first question, I believe in the first stage of the incident, it was not clear if there is a full cooperation or not. As I mentioned to you, the Afghan Government and the Afghan people expect to see an investigation which is credible and be informed. So the real investigation is starting now, and we hope that we'll be informed on the fallout of this investigation.

On your second question, we have made progress on the framework of a special operation at night. The next meeting will happen tomorrow in Kabul, and I'm confident that we'll reach soon a conclusion, but it's premature to give you details of the content of that agreement.

Q. Thank you, Mister Minister. Thank you, Madam Secretary. As you mentioned about the recent tragic events in Afghanistan, burning of Qu'ran and killing of 16 civilians there, can you give us a sense of where do we stand on the progress on the strategic partnership document? And what should the people of Afghanistan expect out of it? Do you expect this to be signed before the Chicago summit?

And secondly, on Pakistan, there are a few conditions that Pakistan is asking U.S. to fulfill after this November 26^th incident. Is U.S. willing to accept those conditions? And Mister Minister, what kind of impact Afghanistan is having on because of the strained relations between the U.S. and of Pakistan?

Secretary Clinton. Well, first with respect to the strategic partnership agreement, I agree with Minister Rassoul that we are making progress. The United States is committed to a long-term relationship with the Government and people of Afghanistan. We're continuing our discussions to negotiate an agreement that is in the best interests of our countries and reflects the commitment we have to an enduring relationship. We've made good progress the last few weeks resolving some of the few outstanding issues. The recent memorandum of understanding on detention operations was signed. As you heard the Minister, we are looking forward to finalizing the so-called night raids agreement. These are complicated issues, but we are resolving them. We're clearing the way toward a strategic partnership agreement. We would very much like to be in a position to sign such an agreement at—either before or at the Chicago summit, and I think we are on track to do so.

With regard to your question concerning Pakistan, we have made it clear we respect the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Pakistan. We also respect the democratic process that Pakistan is engaged in. We think it is actually quite significant that the democratically elected government, the democratically elected parliament, is engaging in these matters. We want an honest, constructive, mutually beneficial relationship with Pakistan. We remain committed, through the recent ups and downs. We've been working through these difficulties and challenges. We believe we have shared interests. We believe we have the same enemies. We believe that it's important to support counterterrorism against the insurgents who kill and maim tens of thousands of Pakistani people, who send teams across the border to kill and maim people in Afghanistan and to kill and main our soldiers and others.

So we actually think we have a very strong security interest and mutually shared objectives with Pakistan, but we also think supporting democracy and prosperity in Pakistan and stability in the region is good for Pakistan, it's good for Afghanistan, and it's good for the United States. So we're waiting to see the results of the parliament's debate, their recommendations to the government. Since it is ongoing, I think it would be not appropriate for me to comment at this time. They should be able to engage in their debate. But we stand ready to continue our work with the government and people of Pakistan.

Foreign Minister Rassoul. I think Madam Secretary responded to your question from my side too. United States is a friend and allies of Afghanistan, and Pakistan is a neighbor of Afghanistan and a brotherly neighbor. So as Madam Secretary mentioned, at the end of the day, you have the same interest. A peaceful, stable, democratic Afghanistan is definitely the interest of Pakistan. And a destabilized Pakistan is not the interest of Afghanistan, neither United States. So we need to work together to come out with a full understanding that we have a common enemy, and we are linked to each other, and the stability and prosperity of one is the interest of other.

Secretary Clinton. Thank you all very much.

Secretary John Bryson gave the following remarks in New Delhi, India

Secretary Bryson. Thank you, Donald Lu. It is great to be with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry.

This is my first trade mission as Secretary of the U.S. Department of Commerce. It is wonderful to be in India with all of you.

I have been here several times, but the most memorable visit was my first, which was 37 years ago on my honeymoon.

As you know, President Obama came here in 2010. He described the U.S.-India relationship as one of the “defining partnerships of the 21^st century.” I agree.

I am particularly excited about the potential for U.S. businesses to foster new partnerships here. The 16 that came with me specialize in project management, engineering services, transportation and energy.

Could all of you please stand?

These businesses have deep experience playing significant roles to support the complex U.S. infrastructure. They have found creative and innovative solutions to America's challenges.

Today, they are ready to use that knowledge and to work with businesses like yours to help meet India's pressing infrastructure needs.

I am also pleased to be joined by three other U.S. agencies: the Export-Import Bank, the U.S. Trade and Development Agency and the Overseas Private Investment Corporation.

All of us in the Obama administration are focused on fostering a stronger economic relationship with India–and stronger overall ties between our people.

There are many examples of how we are already working together.

For example, India's Ministry of Earth Sciences and the Commerce Department's National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), have worked together to improve how we forecast monsoons.

And, through our Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) we have partnered to share best practices on protecting intellectual property of our entrepreneurs and businesses.

The bonds between our governments and our people become stronger each day as we uncover even more avenues for cooperation.

Our mutual progress is built on India's increased openness over the past two decades. This started back in the early '90s when then-Finance Minister Singh led the effort to open up India's economy.

India's entrepreneurial spirit was then unleashed for the world to see. And, for the past 10 years, it's no coincidence that India's economy has grown quickly–at an annual rate of around 8 percent.

Millions of people have been lifted out of poverty and India's top companies are now known worldwide.

This growth has resulted in demand for American-made products and services. U.S. exports to India have grown from less than $4 billion in 2001 to over $21 billion last year.

And America has reciprocated. The US.–an exceptionally open market–imported $36 billion in goods from India in 2011.

While we must remain vigilant to ensure strong and balanced trade growth, it is clear that we are on a path that is mutually beneficial for each of our economies.

I'm here today because we can do more. We can find areas where it makes sense for the U.S. and India to collaborate more closely.

There is perhaps no greater opportunity to do so than in building India's infrastructure.

India's trillion-dollar commitment to infrastructure over the next five years is both ambitious and admirable. As I understand it, this includes as many as 600 major projects, with a strong emphasis on public-private partnership.

I would like to offer four concrete reasons why it makes sense for the U.S. and India to work together in this area:

Reason number 1 is roads: The U.S. has the largest road system in the world, and India plans to dramatically expand its own road network. American companies have built, maintained, and upgraded America's highway system for more than 50 years—and those companies can help. For example, one of the companies on this mission—Mead West Vaco—offers a special asphalt that has a longer life than others.

Reason number 2 is rail: Indian Railways is one of the largest railroad networks in the world. It's India's largest employer. It has embarked on a massive expansion and modernization plan. America has a long history of driving invention and innovation in rail.

Reason number 3 is aviation: The fourth-largest civil aviation network in the world is here in India. Recently, we reached an agreement for U.S. participation in the development of three regional airports. In addition, one of the companies on this mission–CH2M Hill–is already providing services for the Mumbai airport upgrade.

Reason number 4 is energy: India is the fastest growing electricity market in the world. We are already collaborating through the U.S.-India Energy Cooperation Program. American businesses stand ready to help improve energy transmission and distribution, and to help develop renewable energy. And I'm very excited about the two new grants from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency that tackle those challenges.

In summary, U.S. companies want to work with companies like yours to help pave the roads, lay the rails, build the airports, and bring energy to people throughout India. By doing so, we can provide opportunities and improve the quality of life for millions of people.

One final note before I move on. Our commitment will not stop with the four major metros.

I am particularly pleased to be the first-ever U.S. Commerce Secretary to visit Jaipur, which will show our strong commitment to fostering partnerships–and inclusive growth–in all parts of India.

A second area where I see great potential to grow our partnership is investment. The bilateral investment relationship between the U.S. and India is stronger than ever.

Many American companies have invested in India over the past five years. Our direct investment is now over $27 billion across a wide range of sectors, including services, manufacturing, information technology and more.

At the same time, India is a fast-growing source of direct investment into the United States. You employ tens of thousands of American workers in professional, technical, and scientific and other services.

For example, in September, Tata announced a joint venture with a New Jersey-based company to do manufacturing in Wyoming. They will make products that help with pollution control.

We need more stories like that, because while India's direct investment is growing quickly, it remains only about $3 billion, or $7 billion when you include investments made through other countries.

My hope is that more India—based companies Select the USA. In fact, the name of our new worldwide initiative is SelectUSA.

America has world-class universities, cutting-edge R&D, deep supply chains, a strong patent system, and a talented work-force–a workforce which includes many Indian-Americans who drive global innovation and entrepreneurship.

Through SelectUSA, our commercial service officers are doing more to connect Indian businesses with the tools they need to invest in America.

We will serve as an information clearinghouse for Indian CEOs and investors. We will help you navigate America's rules and procedures. And we will tell how the U.S. is a great place to put your next facility.

And I want to personally invite all of you to the First Annual SelectUSA Investment Summit this fall in Washington. Companies from around the world will come and meet with America's federal, state and local officials.

They want to talk with you about how America is a great place to invest, to hire, and to help build the future of your business.

With trade and investment, it is clear that we have great opportunities. But I would be remiss not to mention that barriers still exist to building our economic relationship.

For example, there are many tariffs on American products that are still too high. Capital goods such as power-generating equipment face a basic duty of 7.5% and an effective rate of 22 percent when taxes are added. Some medical products also have a 7.5 percent rate. Grapes, citrus, and other fruits face a 30 percent duty.

Also, we are concerned about measures that interfere with U.S. sourcing decisions in areas like IT, electronics and solar energy. This makes it harder to invest in India.

If India is not able to readily access U.S. products or attract strategic investments from U.S. businesses, our progress together could slow down. In the long-term, this could cause significant harm.

In addition, we must work to foster greater fairness and a more level playing field for all of our businesses.

I encourage India to build on its efforts to support more accountability, transparency, and integrity in its commercial actions. And I applaud the use of tools such as integrity pacts among contractors, e-procurement, and your ratification of the U.N. Convention Against Corruption.

I also encourage India to allow for more international competition by joining the World Trade Organization's Agreement on Government Procurement. This agreement has important provisions that support greater openness.

In sum, I believe strongly that India-the world's largest democracy—can also have one of the world's strongest business climates.

And my hope is that business and government leaders in both our countries can join together to send one very clear message. And that is this: Our two democratic countries are serious global business leaders in the 21^st century, and we are jointly committed to the principles of fairness, openness, transparency, and a level playing field.

On that note, I am very pleased to close with an important piece of news.

Through hard work over the past few months by the Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry as well as the Commerce Department's ITA, the U.S.-India Commercial Dialogue has been renewed for 2 additional years.

As you know, this dialogue brings together both of our public and private sectors. They discuss the top issues of doing business in each other's markets.

I'm pleased to say that we will now seek to expand into new areas of engagement on smart grids, intelligent transportation systems, and sustainable manufacturing.

This is a key component of our commercial relationship—and a great example of how we must move forward.

In all of our efforts, we must continue to come to the table to exchange ideas on how we can broaden and deepen our relationship.

This will ensure that we find, illuminate, and maximize win-win situations that benefit both the U.S. and India. If we are successful, our futures will indeed be bright, our people will indeed be prosperous, and the global economy, indeed, will be much stronger.

Thank you.

President Barack Obama and President Nursultan Nazarbayev gave the following remarks in Seoul, South Korea

President Obama. It is wonderful to see once again President Nazarbayev from Kazakhstan. And I want to first of all congratulate him on his leadership for the issues that are going to be discussed over the next two days.

Twenty years ago, Kazakhstan made a decision not to have nuclear weapons. And not only has that led to growth and prosperity in his own country, but he has been a model in efforts around the world to eliminate nuclear materials that could fall into the wrong hands. So I very much appreciate his leadership.

In fact, one of the major deliverables that will take place at the summit is a outstanding effort to deal with nuclear materials that were carried over from the Soviet era. Working with Russia and the United States, Kazakhstan has been able to secure those materials, and that makes us all safer.

I know that we'll have an opportunity during this bilateral meeting to also discuss some of the other efforts that Kazakhstan has made when it comes to highly-enriched uranium, plutonium, their efforts at helping to develop a international fuel bank that can lessen the need for countries to pursue their own enrichment capabilities.

So across the board, Kazakhstan has been a key leader on these issues and is appropriately going to be featured during the next two days at this nuclear security summit.

The close relationship between our two countries extends beyond just the nuclear security issue, so this meeting will give us an opportunity to discuss the cooperation that we have built over the last several years with respect to Afghanistan and the help we've received in supplying our troops and helping to assist the Afghan government.

We obviously have commercial tie as well, and we'll be discussing how we can deepen those. I'll be interested in discussing with the President efforts to further expand democracy and human rights within Kazakhstan, which will help to lead to further growth and prosperity in the future.

And so I very much appreciate his leadership and his efforts. And I look forward to continuing to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.

President Nazarbayev. Well, I'm very grateful for this opportunity to participate in this important summit in Seoul. We are discussing a very crucial issue of nuclear security. And I am very grateful to you, Mr. President, for the invitation to participate at the Washington summit, and now we are here in Seoul to discuss a very important issue.

Mr. President, I support your call to all nations to struggle for a nuclear-free world and we fully support the nuclear strategy of the United States, and we say that all the countries that support the Non-Proliferation Treaty will get the support of nuclear powers and will never be threatened by any nuclear state. And I think this is very important.

You discussed in detail your plan—the joint work that we carry out between our nations. And Kazakhstan 20 years ago was the first country to close its nuclear test site—in Semipalatinsk we voluntarily renounced our nuclear arsenal. And you know very well that at that time, on the territory of Kazakhstan, there was 1,100 warheads were deployed on the intercontinental missiles.

And in the last years we have worked closely—Russia, the United States and Kazakhstan—to demolish the infrastructure that was left over on the polygon, and we did a lot to rehabilitate the part of the Kazakhstan territory that was radiated. And the people of Kazakhstan who suffered a lot and who lost many lives in that tragedy, they appreciate that effort very much.

And we work very closely with the United States, and we have achieved a lot. We work jointly on many projects. About $20 billion U.S. dollars have been invested in the Kazakhstan economy so far. And 80 percent of all foreign investments that were directed to Central Asia ended up in Kazakhstan. And I always show this collaboration as a very shining and proud example of good collaboration. And I talk to all the nuclear powers and those who are threshold countries, and I talked to the leaders of Iran and I explained that they can get better collaboration with the two countries and start to peace.

And of course we work very closely on stopping terrorism, on Afghanistan, and the issues of transportation and transit through the territory of Kazakhstan that we discussed two years ago.

And, Mr. President, we hope that the good and strong relations between us and the United States will strengthen further in the future, especially in economics and politics. And we're ready to work shoulder to shoulder on this particular issue of nuclear safety and in other—all of the issues that we believe that will involve our part of the world.

President Obama. Thank you, everybody.

President Barack Obama, President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and President Dmitry Medvedev gave the following remarks in Seoul, South Korea

President Nazarbayev. Well, probably as all of you know that Semipalatinsk nuclear test site was one of the largest nuclear test sites in the world, together with Nevada. And about 500 nuclear tests have been carried out on this test site, 70 of them in the open air.

And the polygon was closed by my first decree as the President of Kazakhstan 20 years ago, and since then, together with Russia and the United States, we have been working to rehabilitate the territory around the Semipalatinsk test site. And since 2004, we were able to rehabilitate from radiation about 3,000 square kilometers of the polygon. The total polluted area is about 40,000 square kilometers. And as a result of tests in the past, about 1.5 million people have been radiated.

And this is a very good example of close collaboration when all three countries also work on getting rid of the military infrastructure on the polygon. And you probably know that about 1,100 warheads have been deployed on military missiles on the territory of the polygon in military launching shafts. And we closed that also, together with the help of Russian and American partners. And we are very grateful, the people of Kazakhstan are very grateful for that assistance, and we hope that we'll be able to work together in the future for a safer world on nuclear non-proliferation.

President Obama. Well, I'm going to just make a very brief statement here. We wanted to do this brief appearance to highlight one of the most significant examples of what we've been doing through this Nuclear Security Summit, and what our three countries have been able to accomplish through some painstaking cooperation over the last several years.

As President of Kazakhstan indicated, this was a major site for nuclear operations during the Cold War. There was a lot of loose nuclear material that was vulnerable to potential smugglers, to potential infiltration. And as a consequence of extraordinary cooperation between our three countries that actually predates my administration, but was accelerated as a consequence of this Nuclear Security Summit, we've been able to effectively lock down and secure all this vulnerable material.

So we have been able to do this in part because of the outstanding leadership of President Nazarbayev and the people of Kazakhstan. We've also been able to do it because the United States and Russia over the last several years have shown ourselves to have a mutual interest in making sure that nuclear materials are secured and that they do not fall into the wrong hands.

And so this kind of multilateral cooperation is being duplicated as a consequence of this Nuclear Security Summit. And it gives you a specific example of the kind of progress that we're making. We're going to need to make more progress over the next several years. But I am confident that we can actually meet the goal that we set in the first Washington summit, which is in four years to have made extraordinary progress in making sure that loose nuclear material is not vulnerable to smuggling or to potential terrorist plots.

President Medvedev. Summits are held not only to conduct meetings, not only to shake hands, not only to declare good goals, but it is also held to demonstrate examples, concrete examples of cooperation. I believe that this is precisely one of such concrete examples.

From 2004, the three countries—United States, Kazakhstan and Russia—have been cooperating to eliminate the remnants of the past activities within the territory of the Semipalatinsk test site. We were all aware of the threat coming from the test site. And at the moment, now, we can state with confidence that all the threats have been liquidated, and that the Semipalatinsk test site can now develop in a new capacity. The country of Kazakhstan can look into the future. So I believe that this is a good example of practical cooperation that should be highlighted.

I would like to thank my partners, in particular President of Kazakhstan Nazarbayev, for his proactive stance and for creating favorable conditions to accomplish those goals. The Russian Federation and the United States are precisely those countries which have a special responsibility for ensuring nuclear security of the world, and they managed to join efforts in this good example of cooperation.

Although we're aware that the situation we had was the result of the mindset of the past that countries had, we managed to show this good example of cooperation, and such example I believe should multiply, should be reproduced, and should also lead other countries to ensure nuclear security.

President Obama. Thank you very much.

Q. Mr. President, can I ask you quickly about the open mic? Can you clarify what you meant by having flexibility on missile defense in a second term, what you wanted to have passed on to Mr. Putin? And isn't it presumptuous to be talking about a second term?

President Obama. First of all, are the mics on? Look, what I said yesterday, Ben, is I think something that everybody in this room understands, which is—I'll just go ahead and then you can translate at the end.

Arms control is extraordinarily complex, very technical, and the only way it gets done is if you can consult and build a strong basis of understanding both between countries as well as within countries. And when you think about the New Start Treaty that Dmitry and I were able to hammer out and ultimately get ratified, that was a painstaking two-year process. I don't think it's any surprise that you can't start that a few months before a presidential and congressional elections in the United States, and at a time when they just completed elections in Russia and they're in the process of a presidential transition where a new president is going to be coming in in a little less than two months.

So it was a very simple point, and one that essentially I repeated when I spoke to you guys yesterday, which is that we're going to spend the next nine, 10 months trying to work through some of the technical aspects of how we get past what is a major point of friction—one of the primary points of friction between our two countries, which is this whole missile defense issue. And it involves a lot of complicated issues. If we can get our technical teams to clear out the underbrush, then hopefully, in 2013, there's a foundation to actually make some significant progress on this and a lot of other bilateral issues.

So I think everybody understands that—if they haven't they haven't been listening to my speeches—I want to reduce our nuclear stockpiles. And one of the barriers to doing that is building trust and cooperation around missile defense issues. And so this is not a matter of hiding the ball, I'm on record. I made a speech about it to a whole bunch of Korean university students yesterday. I want to see us, over time, gradually, systematically, reduce reliance on nuclear weapons.

And as Dmitry said, the United States and Russia, because of our history and because we are nuclear superpowers, have a special obligation. That doesn't make it easy, because both countries are committed to their sovereignty and their defense.

And last point I'll make—the only way I get this stuff done is if I'm consulting with the Pentagon, if I'm consulting with Congress, if I've got bipartisan support. And frankly, the current environment is not conducive to those kinds of thoughtful consultations. I think the stories you guys have been writing over the last 24 hours is probably pretty good evidence of that. I think we'll do better in 2013.

All right. Thanks, guys.

Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Director J. Alexander Thier gave the following remarks before the House Subcommittee on National Security, Homeland Defense and Foreign Operations on the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform

Director Thier. Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the potential impact of Afghanistan's Presidential Decree 62 upon the safety and security of development programs and personnel in Afghanistan. As Assistant to the Administrator and Director of the United States Agency for International Development's (USAID) Office of Afghanistan and Pakistan Affairs, I oversee the strategy and execution of our programs and operations in both of these countries.

Over the past 19 years, working in both the public and private sectors, I have toiled side by side with thousands of American, Afghan, and international public servants in Afghanistan. These dedicated people risk their lives for the greater good, and their efforts have improved the lives of millions. But I also have lost many friends, and place enormous personal importance on the safety and security of our staff and partners.

The safety and security of both USAID staff and implementing partner personnel who work with USAID in Afghanistan are of the highest priority to our Agency. Many people working with USAID in Afghanistan have sacrificed to support U.S. national security and to help bring stability to the people of Afghanistan. We must not forget that these gains have come at great cost. These partners are people with whom we work every day. They are friends and colleagues.

For this reason, since the passage of Decree 62, the United States Government, and our Agency in particular, has devoted significant energy to working with our partners on the transition required under that law.

USAID maintains a significant effort in Afghanistan and our programs there are delivering results. USAID's development assistance to Afghanistan continues to remain a critical component in supporting our core U.S. national security objective: to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al-Qaida, and prevent Afghanistan from ever again becoming a safe-haven from which extremists can attack the U.S. and our allies. USAID's efforts are a critical component of a whole of government, civil-military effort to advance this strategic objective. Together, we are committed to promoting the development of a stable Afghanistan by partnering with the Afghan government and the Afghan people to solidify a foundation of sustainable economic growth and effective, legitimate governance.

Over 380 American USAID staff, hundreds of other American civilians, and thousands of Afghans take risks every day to implement USAID programs and turn the tide against violent extremists. Since 2003, 387 people working for USAID partner organizations in Afghanistan have been killed in action and another 658 wounded in action. Between 2009 and 2010, there was a two-fold increase in the number of attacks on partners, from an average of 29 a month in 2009 to 57 a month in 2010.

Despite these enormous challenges, our mission in Afghanistan is delivering results.

It is important to keep in mind the situation Afghanistan faced a decade ago. I first served in Afghanistan for nearly four years from 1993-1996, as a civil war was literally dismantling every vestige of a functioning state.

A third of the populations were refugees, and more were leaving.

Another third were dependent on food aid from the international community for their survival.

Half of the population, Afghan women, were about to be plunged into darkness and destitution by the Taliban.

The world had largely abandoned Afghanistan.

But since 2002, we have supported Afghanistan's impressive development progress in vital areas despite operating under some of the world's toughest conditions. For example:

Agricultural production and employment have helped to transform insurgent strongholds into productive communities.

Enrollment in schools has increased from 900,000 boys under Taliban rule (with nearly 0% girls) to eight million children in schools today, 35 percent of whom are girls.

Per capita income has increased from $200 per year to $500, and annual economic growth has averaged 8-10% for the last decade.

The Afghanistan Mortality Survey—a landmark comprehensive health study—was released publicly in November. The survey shows:

64 percent of the Afghan population now has access to a health care facility, up from less than 10 percent a decade ago;

Adult life expectancy has increased from approximately 44 to 62 years—likely the largest increase of any country in the world in the last decade; and Maternal mortality is now less than 500 deaths per 100,000 live births, three times lower than the 1,600 deaths out of 100,000 live births reported by UNICEF in 2002.

While these gains are significant, Afghanistan remains one of the poorest countries in the world. And these gains remain fragile as Afghanistan is a high-risk environment and our efforts continue to face considerable challenges.

Over the last 18 months, USAID has been adjusting both our programming and our business model to ensure that our portfolio reflects the most cost-effective priorities. Last June, Administrator Shah issued Sustainability Guidance that mandates that all of our programs in Afghanistan be reviewed and adjusted to ensure they are implemented according to our driving principles of accountability, sustainability, and social and gender inclusion, and that they be implemented in partnership with the Afghan government. Allocation of aid resources will increasingly be based on maximizing capacity-building initiatives and development impacts as aid budgets shrink to enable a viable Afghan transition.

In June of last year President Obama announced the U.S. will transition security responsibilities to the Afghan government by the end of 2014. Afghans are already assuming more operational and financial responsibility for the security of their own people. This is a necessary and positive development.

As part of this process, Afghan President Hamid Karzai issued Presidential Decree 62 in August 2010, calling for the disbandment of Private Security Companies (or PSCs). These security firms provide guards and other security services for a variety of international and domestic organizations engaged in civilian development, including USAID implementing partners. We respect the sovereignty of the Afghan government and its right to regulate the provision of security services within Afghanistan.

Under Presidential Decree 62 (PD 62), responsibility for security services for civilian development programs and projects transferred to the Afghan Public Protection Force (APPF) as of March 20, 2012. USAID has been part of an interagency U.S./Afghanistan International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) team working to ensure that the security needs of USAID implementing partners, and others, using APPF guards are addressed and that our critical efforts to stabilize Afghanistan continue.

USAID has made a concerted effort with its partners to reduce overall reliance on PSCs. Many of our partners do not use PSCs, or have reduced their need for these services through community engagement and other tested approaches. As of March 1, 2012, only 32 out of the 91 USAID projects required protection by PSCs, compared to the 43 programs that utilized PSCs just this past summer. The remaining 59 projects do not require armed security and therefore will not utilize the APPF for guards.

USAID has worked intensively with those partners requiring APPF and with NATO Training Mission-Afghanistan's (NTM-A's) APPF Advisory Group (AAG) to manage this transition without sacrificing security. The APPF is a “state-owned enterprise,” managed by the Afghan Ministry of Interior. A joint Afghan government-ISAF assessment of APPF last year concluded that additional support was needed to develop APPF's business and operations practices before it would be fully self-sufficient. The AAG has been working intensively to create an APPF capable of fulfilling its mission.

The transition model is a two-part process. First, partners contract with the APPF for services, and their PSC guards have converted to APPF guards. Same guards, different uniforms. Second, the partner may choose to contract with a Risk Management Company (RMC) to provide security advice and consulting. Employees of these firms may be lightly armed and work closely with the senior management of the firms that have hired them. In many cases, the private security companies that previously provided guard services to our partners formed new affiliates to operate as risk management companies. So far 15 firms have been granted RMC licenses to operate in Afghanistan.

In recent months, the APPF has significantly improved its capabilities, and many of the necessary milestones for the APPF transition have been reached. Of the 32 USAID projects that have indicated that they will contract with the APPF, as of this week, 18 have signed contracts with APPF, and the remaining projects are at various levels in the negotiation process with the APPF. The APPF is already operational in several key sites, and interim licenses granted by the Ministry of Interior have provided additional time for remaining programs to find a solution to their security requirements. Enormous credit must be given to the NATO team and the AAG, which worked tirelessly with the Afghan government and USAID and our partners. Ensuring that transition to the APPF does not create a gap in security for our development projects has been a central and continuing goal of this effort.

In addition to addressing security concerns, USAID has also been carefully monitoring costs. We have conducted an assessment of security costs for 15 projects that have converted from PSCs to APPF and RMC contracts. Data included cost information for RMCs, Logistical Support, APPF, and PSC cost for one month prior to transition and one month after transition. This initial assessment indicates that the overall average cost, based on side-by-side comparison, is 16% higher with the APPF/RMC model. As the process of transition to APPF proceeds, we will continue to monitor costs and seek opportunities to reduce overall expenses without sacrificing security.

We remain in constant contact with our implementing partners, working together to address mutual concerns. Thus far, all of our partners have chosen to continue to operate in Afghanistan through this transition.

We are committed to a continued joint effort, working closely with AAG, NTMA, Congress, the Afghan Government, and international partners to sustain and improve on the development investments made during the past decade.

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss this important issue, and I welcome your questions and guidance.