MR PATEL: Hey, all people. Good afternoon and thanks a lot for becoming a member of this press briefing, previewing Secretary Blinken’s travels to Munster, Germany for the G7 Overseas Ministers assembly. This name is on the report; and becoming a member of us as we speak now we have Appearing Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Nerissa Prepare dinner of the Bureau of Worldwide Group Affairs, in addition to Appearing Deputy Assistant Secretary Howard Solomon for our Bureau of Eurasian Affairs as properly. We can have a while for query and solutions on the finish, however with that, first I’ll hand it over to Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Nerissa Prepare dinner.
MS COOK: Thanks very a lot, Vedant. I’m very happy to be with all of you as we speak and with my colleague, Appearing Deputy Assistant Secretary Howard Solomon from the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs. As Vedant has talked about, I’m Nerissa Prepare dinner. I’m appearing principal deputy assistant secretary within the Bureau of Worldwide Group Affairs.
Tomorrow, Secretary Blinken is touring to Munster, Germany to take part in a G7 Overseas Ministers assembly on the invitation of Germany, which holds the rotating presidency of the G7 this yr. I first wish to notice our due to Germany for internet hosting the G7 and the primary ever U.S.-German Futures Discussion board. On this name, I’ll preview very briefly a number of the issues to be mentioned on the G7 and notice a number of the key parts of the schedule.
The G7 Overseas Ministers conferences are vital alternatives to reveal management on shared targets and values, and tackle worldwide safety challenges. The Secretary is, as soon as once more, wanting ahead to the chance to interact with counterparts on a spread of vital points. The Secretary can have conferences centered on Russia’s battle towards Ukraine, (inaudible) on the world, strategic challenges and engagements in Africa, partnerships within the Indo-Pacific area, Iran, and Central Asia.
I’ll transfer now to the Secretary’s schedule, because it stands. He’s slated to reach in Munster on Wednesday, November 2nd. On Thursday, November third, he’ll be part of German Overseas Minister Baerbock on the U.S.‑German Futures Discussion board in Munster for a moderated dialogue entitled “The Way forward for Democracy in a Digital World.” The 2022 Futures Discussion board will convey collectively American and German consultants and next-generation leaders from civil society, academia, the non-public sector, and authorities for 2 days to deal with the interaction of democracy and know-how.
The Secretary will then take part (inaudible) overseas ministers, specializing in Russia’s battle towards Ukraine. The day will conclude with a reception for G7 overseas ministers, and a working dinner framed by a dialogue of the G7’s shared curiosity in a free and open Indo-Pacific.
On Friday, November 4, the Secretary will attend morning conferences centered on the continuing protests in Iran and the violent response by the regime. Different subjects of debate will embody regional stability, infrastructure, vitality, and local weather points in Central Asia. A working lunch with senior African officers from Ghana, Kenya, and the African Union will deal with regional subjects, together with the Sahel, northern Ethiopia, and the Nice Lakes. This will probably be adopted by a household photograph.
The Secretary will then take part in a day assembly on strategic challenges for the G7 and Africa. Attendees will talk about the worldwide penalties of Russia’s battle towards Ukraine, significantly on meals and vitality safety. The overseas ministers will conclude this G7 assembly with the general public launch of the chair’s assertion on the subjects mentioned in Munster, in addition to a joint assertion with African representatives on the challenges mentioned.
And that concludes a short abstract of the schedule of occasions for the G7 conferences, and with that I’ll flip it again over to you, Vedant.
MR PATEL: Thanks a lot. We are going to now try to take some Q&A. Our audio system do have a tough out, so we’ll maintain a watch out on time. However, Operator, would you please repeat directions for asking questions?
OPERATOR: As soon as once more, if you need to ask a query, press 1 then 0 in your phone keypad.
MR PATEL: Why don’t we first go to the road of Ed Wong with the New York Instances.
QUESTION: Hello, Vedant. And hey, everybody. Thanks. My query is: Are you able to give us a bit little bit of background on the energy-related discussions that can happen? I do know the G7 finance ministers had mentioned that they plan on implementing an oil worth cap, on the identical time that the embargo – the partial embargo takes place in early December in Europe. Are you able to talk about the place issues stand proper now and whether or not that will probably be a topic of dialog at this assembly?
MR SOLOMON: Yeah, that is Howard leaping in. So, positively there was plenty of shut coordination with the EU and with our bilateral European companions on the response to Russia’s reinvasion of Ukraine. As we’ve seen, there have been a variety of rollouts of sanctions by the U.S. There have been eight packages that have been launched by the European Union. And among the many completely different measures there was, after all, the concept of a worth cap. And so, I absolutely count on that – that is one thing that was lately adopted within the current European Council, I imagine, by way of measures that the European Union is placing into place, so I’m positive our different G7 companions, not solely the Europeans, are going to be troubled to proceed that dialogue.
Over.
MR PATEL: Let’s subsequent go to the road of Michaela Kuefner with DW Information.
QUESTION: Sure, hey. I’ve a query as German Chancellor Scholz will probably be heading to China, as Secretary of State Blinken will probably be holding talks with different G7 overseas ministers about strategic pursuits – additionally within the Asia Pacific area. What expectation will he convey of Germany, significantly towards the backdrop of Germany now permitting China to have a stake within the Hamburg harbor? And in addition there being discussions over a chip manufacturing facility being offered into – to an organization that’s Chinese language-owned? Does that match the expectations of a strategic associate? Will that be raised by Secretary Blinken, and does it match the expectations the U.S. has of Germany?
MR SOLOMON: Yeah, this – Howard once more leaping in. So, now we have a really strong dialogue with our German counterparts. And the Secretary, I’m positive, can have a superb dialogue with Overseas Minister Baerbock on a wide range of subjects, together with on the challenges and the alternatives introduced by the PRC. We’re properly conscious of the upcoming journey and, after all, the instances that you simply’ve laid out. However usually, not solely with Germany however with our different companions, there’s a rising convergence of views on approaches to the PRC, on the challenges which might be introduced and the doable alternatives, as properly.
I believe we’ve acknowledged that there’s, after all, a have to coordinate on problem starting from guaranteeing that now we have stability by way of the cross-straits tensions, and concern with a number of the statements that got here out from the current twentieth occasion congress on Taiwan. So, I’m positive – to not get forward of discussions, however there will probably be dialogue on that. After all, wanting on the problem of truthful commerce practices, at safety of mental property, on the human rights considerations in Xinjiang, Tibet, and different areas – and these are all areas the place we work carefully with Germany and different companions as properly.
So, I believe on this case we’re wanting ahead to an excellent dialogue within the framework of the G7. And as I mentioned, there appears to be a rising unity by way of positions and approaches. Over.
MR PATEL: All proper. That – it seems to be like – these are all of the questions now we have for as we speak. Thanks a lot everybody for becoming a member of. Really, wait, no – simply seeing one other one are available. Maintain on. Why don’t go to the road of Humeyra Pamuk from Reuters?
QUESTION: Whats up. Thanks for doing this. Actually, we will’t finish with two questions. Simply questioning on – I used to be simply questioning, on Ukraine, what the general message will probably be, as we enter the winter months – and which goes to have an effect on the battlefield. We’ve additionally seen a number of protests throughout Europe over the hovering vitality payments. It’s a recognized indisputable fact that there are disagreements on sure elements of the battle between U.S. and Europe. Are you – how assured are you that it is possible for you to to showcase transatlantic unity or, like, total, simply unity on the subject of Ukraine?
And secondly, I’m particularly curious if the U.S. will ask Germany to do extra by way of safety help to Ukraine. Thanks.
MR SOLOMON: Yeah, Howard leaping in once more. Thanks for that query. I believe there was actually, large cooperation by our European companions by way of the response to the present state of affairs in Ukraine. There are a variety of strains of effort, specifically as we head into winter. We proceed to speak about methods wherein we will assist Ukraine, and I’m positive this dialog goes to hold ahead inside the G7, issues from macroeconomic monetary assist, direct budgetary assist, to navy help, to humanitarian help, assist for refugees, and serving to Ukraine by way of reconstruction as properly. And we only in the near past had a summit or a gathering hosted by Germany October twenty fifth on this.
So sure, after all, there are challenges introduced. And with current developments, whether or not it’s with Russia’s unprecedented and heinous assaults on vital infrastructure of Ukraine and concentrating on civilian infrastructure and civilians, to addressing the difficulty of meals safety and sadly Russia’s withdrawal from the UN-brokered settlement, I believe there’s plenty of widespread positions and solidarity – I believe amongst populations as properly even inside Europe, inside the US, by way of the necessity to assist Ukraine’s heroic efforts to face as much as this invasion by Russia, or re-invasion. Over.
MR PATEL: Thanks. Subsequent let’s go to the road of Warren Strobel with The Wall Avenue Journal.
QUESTION: Yeah, thanks for doing this. I used to be questioning should you can discuss a bit bit extra concerning the discussions that can happen about Iran and its home state of affairs. Is it primarily aimed toward simply displaying assist for the goals of the protesters, or do you assume the ministers will talk about subsequent particular steps they will do to assist, reminiscent of assist with communications which have been severed and so forth?
MS COOK: That is Nerissa and I’ll take that. I believe the – one of many essential focus, as I mentioned upfront, will probably be on the continuing protests in Iran and the response by the regime. However I might not be stunned if different parts of Iran are mentioned, however we don’t wish to prejudge how that dialogue goes.
MR PATEL: Let’s go subsequent to Laurie Mylroie with K24.
QUESTION: My query was simply requested, however perhaps I may press Nerissa a bit bit extra. The Iranians are promoting important arms to Russia for its unprovoked and aggressive battle in Ukraine. Don’t you count on that that’s going to be a difficulty significantly as Europe is Ukraine’s neighbor; no entity is extra threatened by that battle than Europe. Don’t you assume Iranian arms gross sales to Ukraine – to Russia are additionally going to be a difficulty?
MS COOK: I believe that it’s more likely to be the case, sure.
QUESTION: Thanks.
MR PATEL: Laurie, I’ve little question that a variety of Iran’s malign actions within the area, particularly the proliferation of their UAV networks that we’ve seen being utilized in Ukraine, will probably be mentioned. However as Nerissa mentioned, we simply don’t wish to get forward of the assembly or the method, and as a few of these occasions can have extra strong readouts after they happen.
Thanks a lot once more, all people, for becoming a member of. That’s on a regular basis for questions now we have, sadly, for as we speak. As I acknowledged, this name is on the report, and we’ll discuss to you all once more very quickly.
