Now, of course, we have not heard a substantive response or certainly any indication that the DPRK at present is seeking to take us up on that offer. But in the interim, we’ll continue to coordinate closely with our treaty allies and we’ll continue to impose costs and consequences should provocations continue to emanate from the DPRK.
QUESTION: Yes.
And my second question: is there any reason why I cannot find Ukrainian report? And there’s no Russia report either, which is totally fair given the sanctions, but why Ukraine?
MR PRICE: It went through the Greek judicial system.
Jenny.
MR PRICE: Well, that’s part of our – that’s part of the reason why you heard directly from the Secretary yesterday. The Secretary felt it important to be very clear about what a call with Foreign Minister Lavrov would entail and, just as importantly in some respects, what it wouldn’t entail. And so you heard directly from the Secretary that first and foremost he wanted to convey clearly and directly, personally to Foreign Minister Lavrov, the priority we attach and have always attached to the prompt return of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan, both of whom are held unjustly in Russia.
MR PRICE: When it comes to diversity visa applicants, there’s not much I can say on this front. There is litigation. These cases are pending before the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and, of course, we just have a policy of not commenting on any pending litigation.
There are a range of concerns we have with Russia. The continued wrongful detention of these two individuals is one of them, but there are other issues that are vital priorities to us and also to the international community. And I mentioned two of them already – concerns regarding potential annexation by force, and then the fact that it remains incumbent on Moscow to uphold its commitments to the international community, but specifically in this case to Turkey, to Ukraine, and to the UN regarding the grain deal.
PARTICIPANT: Yes.
MR PRICE: And there’s no report for Russia either.
QUESTION: And can I quickly follow up? Do you have any update on Marc Fogel’s case and whether he’ll be deemed wrongfully detained?
QUESTION: Griner and Whelan, is this a package deal or —
MR PRICE: Yes, thank you.
QUESTION: And then on Borrell’s proposal, you said earlier this week that the U.S. would be swift with its review. Has the U.S. shared its response with the EU yet?
Among the issues that the Secretary outlined that he would broach with Foreign Minister Lavrov first and foremost in this case is the continued wrongful detention of Brittney Griner and Paul Whelan. As part of that, the Secretary said yesterday that we had put forth a substantial proposal and that he would seek to use that call to attempt to move towards a resolution on the basis of that substantial proposal.
MR PRICE: Again, it is our priority to see both of them released as swiftly, as promptly as could be possible.
Yes.
QUESTION: Sorry, that question was about – I’m sorry, I was dealing with something else, but that question was about the Investment Climate Reports?
So the call, of course, has not happened. He has not had an opportunity to seek to do that with Foreign Minister Lavrov. But it is something that we are continuing to pursue, and we continue to expect that they’ll have an opportunity to speak in the coming days.
Yes.
And then third, the Secretary wanted to convey a very stark message on our continued concerns that Russia may seek to annex by force parts of sovereign Ukrainian territory. We have heard very concerning statements, including in some cases from Foreign Minister Lavrov himself. The Secretary quoted Foreign Minister Lavrov yesterday, who said just in recent days that Russia’s geographic aims go well beyond the Donbas and potentially include other regions. We thought it prudent that Foreign Minister Lavrov hear directly from Secretary Blinken the message that annexation by force would be a stark violation of the UN Charter, of international law, and that it would carry with it profound costs and consequences from much of the world.
MR PRICE: There’s nothing additional I’m in a position to offer at this stage. I addressed this issue broadly earlier this week, made a point of saying that we are providing all appropriate assistance to Americans who are detained in Russia. We continue to call on Moscow to provide regular, consistent consular access to our embassy to Americans who are in pretrial detention, to Americans who have been sentenced in Russia.
MR PRICE: Sure, we’ll stay on the same topic – sure.
MR PRICE: Well, we do expect to speak with Foreign Minister Lavrov. We request – we put in a call request yesterday before you heard from the Secretary. It remains our expectation that the two will have an opportunity to speak, but again, I don’t have any updates to add at this point in terms of specific timing.
MR PRICE: So I would say a couple things. One, on the proposal that’s been put forward by the EU high commissioner, again, we will be in touch directly and we have been in touch directly with our European partners on this. We’re reviewing that. We’ll convey any feedback directly to our European allies in this case. But it is our understanding that the proposal that Mr. Borrell put forward was based on the deal that has been on the table, that was painstakingly negotiated among the P5+1, and the deal that we have been prepared to accept since March, for months now.
MR PRICE: What I would say, Nike, is that in all relevant conversations with countries around the world, we raise cases of Americans who are wrongfully or arbitrarily detained or Americans who are otherwise unable to leave a particular country on their own free will. That is no exception in the case of the PRC, but it’s just not something that I’m going to be in a position to detail from here.
QUESTION: What does that “prepared” mean? Do you guys have a communication with the Iraqis on that?
QUESTION: Given that lack of movement, where does that leave the hopes for the other Americans detained in Iran, given that it’s been so long without Iran seemingly moving on these negotiations? And where does that leave it in terms of trying to get those Americans home?
MR PRICE: So as you heard from the Secretary yesterday, we have expressed interest, we have made clear to the Russian Federation, that we are seeking a conversation between Secretary Blinken and Foreign Minister Lavrov. Before the Secretary spoke yesterday, we had made contact with our – with the appropriate Russian counterparts to put in a call request. The Russians acknowledged that call request yesterday. We have continued to go back and forth.
QUESTION: Ned, can you talk about the Chinese Americans who are believed to be wrongfully detained by the Chinese Government or who are under exit bans? Was that addressed during President Biden’s call with the Chinese President Xi Jinping? And is there any progress to bring them home? Thank you.
MR PRICE: Well, this case went through the Greek judicial process. We’re respectful of that. We don’t have a comment beyond that.
What I would – the only element I would add is that – and this is a point we’ve said before – what binds the United States and our allies around the world with Hungary being an important ally, not only shared interests but also shared values. And the remarks that we heard from Prime Minister Orban are not reflective of the shared values that tether the United States to Hungary, that serve as a foundation between the relationship between our two peoples, and that serve as the basis for the relationship between the United States and our other allies, whether it’s in Europe, the Indo-Pacific, or elsewhere.
QUESTION: Okay, thank you. Happy day after the department’s birthday.
And I think the Iranian intransigence, the lack of constructive Iranian engagement has only underlined for us the uncertainty of this proposition. So even as we have discussed, via our European allies and other P5+1 parties, the modalities of a potential return to compliance with the JCPOA, we’ve worked on a separate track to seek to secure the release of these Americans.
QUESTION: A few on Iran if that’s okay. Do you see the release of Morad Tahbaz as a positive sign for the other Americans held in Iran, or is this strictly tied to the Oman-facilitated UK-Iran prisoner exchange?
MR PRICE: All options are on the table. We have consistently said that as long as the junta continues to stand in the way of a return to Burma’s path to democracy, we will continue to impose costs and consequences on the junta. We are, again, looking at all potential options to do so. We’re considering and discussing some of those options with partners in the region and beyond. We are also cognizant of humanitarian concerns and the humanitarian imperatives facing the people of Burma, so of course we’re going to calibrate our response consistent with what is in the best humanitarian interests of the Burmese people. But as long as the junta continues its repression, as long as its senseless violence continues against the people of Burma, as long as it continues to stand in the way of a return to Burma’s democratic path, we’ll continue to increase the costs.
QUESTION: And on another topic – on Israel too – Axios has reported that Israeli officials had a call with Senior Advisor Hochstein and White House Middle East Coordinator Brett McGurk on Tuesday and provided their updated position towards the maritime dispute with Lebanon. Per the report, the Israeli officials see a moment of opportunity to solve the dispute. What’s your assessment in this regard?
MR PRICE: I suspect you will see a readout from us later today, but Deputy Secretary Sherman is looking forward to welcoming the minister, and I suspect you’ll see a readout after the meeting.
QUESTION: Israel will allow Palestinians in the West Bank to travel abroad through the Ramon airport, and the PA is not excited at all about this idea and demanding that Israel allow the Palestinians to build a new airport in the West Bank. What is the U.S. view in this regard?
QUESTION: Thank you, and one more question on this one. Is there any concern that, given Russia’s previous behavior, the way they behave after they achieve what they want to seek, that this call, potential call, might embolden Russian actions in Ukraine, even though the Secretary made it clear it’s not going to be about Ukraine aggression in particular?
But in terms of a report, you may recall – I’m sure you do – that on July 4th, earlier this month, the State Department published a statement that summarized the findings of the U.S. security coordinator. That work on the part of the U.S. security coordinator was itself a summation of the investigations that Palestinians and Israelis at that time had undertaken. Our focus has been on bridging those investigations. We believe – we continue to believe that by bridging those investigations, as we’ve been able to do at least to some extent, that it will most effectively allow this process to culminate in accountability. And that’s what’s important to us, that this culminates in accountability.
MR PRICE: How much is reflected in this report?
And a few things to your question. The Secretary wanted to – and we wanted – to convey very clearly and directly to Foreign Minister Lavrov, so there is no mistake in Moscow, the priority we attach to the prompt resolution of these cases, meaning the prompt release of Paul Whelan and Brittney Griner. We believe that now that this message, this substantial proposal, has been conveyed directly and repeatedly through appropriate channels in recent weeks, of course without resolution, that now was the time for the Secretary to convey that message very clearly.
QUESTION: Thanks so much. Is there any scenario at this point that this call might not happen? Because the Secretary was very diplomatic yesterday; he said he expects to speak with Lavrov.
QUESTION: The North Korean leader Kim Jong-un announced through the Korean Central News Agency yesterday that he was making full preparation to deter nuclear war and warned of the annihilation of South Korean Government and military. He also warned that the war would break out on the Korean Peninsula if Korea – U.S. and Korea exercise was continued. What is your comment on —
Following up on the Secretary’s remarks from yesterday on the – on Russia, has there been any movement on either the proposal that you have submitted or on arranging the Secretary’s phone call with Foreign Minister Lavrov?
More broadly, we are reducing visa appointment wait times in all visa classes as quickly as we can. This is happening around the world, and in fact, visa processing is rebounding faster than even we projected after a near-complete shutdown and freezing of resources during the pandemic. Immigrant visa processing worldwide is almost back to normal levels, with pandemic-induced backlog already down about 25 percent and interview wait times vary by location and by visa categories, but as always, travelers should check the website of the nearest embassy or consulate for information.
Yes.
MR PRICE: Good afternoon. Happy Thursday.
With that, Matt.
With that, Matt.
With that, Matt.
With that, Matt.
With that, Matt.
MR PRICE: I couldn’t say. We’re continuing to discuss logistics. I don’t have anything specific to offer at this point.
MR PRICE: I’m not in a position to confirm that, but if we have anything to add or to confirm, we’ll let you know.
MR PRICE: I’m not in position to confirm the details of that report, but what I can say is that, as you know, Amos Hochstein was in the region, both in Israel and Lebanon, just a few weeks ago. Since then, he has remained in close contact with Israeli counterparts as well as with Lebanese counterparts. We have been able to help facilitate some progress, and that continued engagement with both parties is part of an effort to see to it that that momentum continues. And I suspect that he will remain in close touch with both governments going forward.
What we have not seen from Iran, whether in March or in the ensuing months, is an indication from them that they are prepared to make that political decision necessary to return to compliance with the JCPOA. That’s why we’ve continued to prepare equally for scenarios where we have a JCPOA, scenarios in which we don’t have a JCPOA.
What it is for us to do, on the other hand, is to provide members of Congress, including of course the speaker of the House, with relevant information and context for any potential travel. That includes security considerations; that includes geopolitical considerations. But we’re just not going to detail any such conversations.
QUESTION: Last one from me. And you said that you still – even though you haven’t heard back about the call, that you still expect it to happen in, quote/unquote, “the coming days.” So does that mean that you still think it will happen before the weekend or before next week?
MR PRICE: What we’ve said on this before remains true. We support the peaceful upholding of constitutional and democratic principles, including respect for human rights. We don’t support one political party over another. We support those broader principles of the rule of law and equal justice under the law.
QUESTION: But is it your analysis or is it the thinking of the administration that you don’t think the Russians will respond or there will be any movement on the proposal until after conversation between Blinken and Lavrov?
And finally, I am pleased today to announce that we are marking the 100th anniversary of unbroken diplomatic relations between the United States and Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania.
QUESTION: Ukraine, country commercial guide, on the Commerce – on the International Trade Administration Commerce website.
The United States underscores that attacks against UN personnel and facilities are contrary to international law. Freedom of expression, including peaceful protest, must be allowed, but not violence.
QUESTION: And my first question on implications for the other regions, the South Caucasus – so how much do you think current ongoing Russian war is affecting the region, and how much is it reflected in this report?
MR PRICE: Again, we – you’ve heard this from us in the aftermath of the attack just a few days ago. The principle of Iraq’s sovereignty is one that we uphold. We stand with Iraq. Foreign forces are in Iraq at the invitation of the Iraqi Government, consistent with the principle of Iraqi sovereignty.
MR PRICE: Which was?
MR PRICE: For that, I would need to refer you to the UN and the other parties responsible for this agreement. Our position continues to be that ships, in the first instance, never should have stopped. The effective blockade that Moscow has instituted against Ukraine never should have been put in place in the first case, but now that this deal has been reached, it needs to be swiftly implemented. And again, a deal on paper is different from a deal in practice. And it is incumbent upon Moscow to do everything it can not only to the letter of the agreement, but also consistent with the spirit of the agreement, to see to it that ships are able to leave, shippers have the confidence to be able to do so, and the millions of tons of grain that has been ready to go for weeks – in some cases, for months – can start to leave from Ukraine’s Black Sea ports.
QUESTION: On the Ukraine grain deal, are there any new estimates for when ships can start exporting grain out of the ports?
The deal remains on the table. We’ve heard from the high representative of the proposal that he’s put forward. We’ll engage privately with our European allies, but again we have been willing to accept the deal that has been on the table for some time now and Iran has not.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Okay. Well, in fact, Russia and Ukraine are in the Investment Climate Reports. They are listed. I haven’t gone and read them in detail, but there are a number of countries that are left out. The state sponsors of terror, terrorism, for example, are not included – North Korea, Syria, Iran, and Cuba. But of those four countries, the administration has actually moved to try to open up at least limited investment in Cuba. So why aren’t they included? And I realize that you might not be the best – the most authoritative person to speak about this. It might be a –Commerce – but why wouldn’t they? Also, Venezuela is not included; neither is East Timor. Are they just – they’re not even worth putting out?
Janne.
So we have sought to shine a spotlight on this, to shine a spotlight on it as one of the practices that is preventing the free flow of grain to the global marketplace, to a marketplace that would enable that grain to reach the people who need it most. It is part and parcel of the broader set of Russian actions that have exacerbated the challenge of food insecurity that has led to such devastating consequences throughout the world, from sub-Saharan Africa to Latin America to parts of the Indo-Pacific as well.
QUESTION: Okay. But presumably, the substantial proposal wasn’t submitted to Foreign Minister Lavrov, so I’m just curious if there’s been any – aside from a – or do you not expect there to be any movement on this until or at – until at least after they speak?
QUESTION: And then on a different topic, the G7 condemned Myanmar’s executions today. Is the U.S. planning on taking any additional steps, sanctions to further condemn the killings?
When it comes to specific countries, again, when conditions aren’t amenable to gathering this data, or in some cases given unique circumstances – inclusion on the SST may be one such consideration – reports aren’t compiled annually.
QUESTION: Thank you. On China —
QUESTION: And then the last one – the political deadlock in Iraq, Iraqis’ failure to form a government. Does that raise concern here? Just yesterday, protesters loyal to Sadr stormed the Iraqi parliament in protest of a new candidate for the prime minister.
Shaun.
QUESTION: I’m not sure if there’s a word for that. A kind of Boxing Day.
QUESTION: Okay, I’m looking at it right now.
QUESTION: Can we stay in Israel?
We call on the national and local authorities in the DRC to ensure the protection of MONUSCO sites and personnel and for protesters to express their sentiments peacefully. We appreciate the government of the DRC’s commitment to investigating these events and holding accountable those responsible.
MR PRICE: Your colleagues in the room have also pulled it up, so – but I can tell you there is no Ukraine country report or Russia country report this year. Regardless, in countries and economies where the situation on the ground makes gathering this information particularly difficult, we don’t publish these reports. Consistent with that, there is no Ukraine report this year. The – fully suspect when it comes to Ukraine that we will see reflected the brutal implications of Russia’s aggression in future reports.
MR PRICE: Well, again, our goal with engagement with the South Caucasus is to move forward towards that comprehensive peace that we’ve talked about. I’m not certain that Russia’s aggression against Ukraine – I think the reports will discuss if there’s any implication for market conditions in the South Caucasus, but would need to refer you to the reports for that.
And to that end, we continue to consult closely with Japan, with the ROK, and with partners throughout the broader Indo-Pacific region and beyond on the threat that is posed by the DPRK’s WMD programs.
QUESTION: You don’t regret that it didn’t go what’s perceived as the United States’ way?
MR PRICE: Again, if there was any such meeting, I just am not in a position to speak to it. We have – we remain engaged with a range of stakeholders in Pakistan, with those currently in government, and a broad array of others. But I’m just not in a position to speak to any such meeting.
MR PRICE: So you’re right that among the 160 or so economies included in these reports, Ukraine and Russia are not featured. We weren’t in a position to collect the appropriate data for Ukraine. And of course, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine has led to dramatic shifts in the marketplace conditions in Russia. It’s no secret – and you heard from the Secretary yesterday, in fact – that some 1,000 multinational companies have left the Russian marketplace. It’s a very quickly evolving set of market conditions, evolving in a way that is not conducive to business or international investments. So we were not in a position to write a country report for Russia.
And the other question I have about this is that – why are there two sections for China, one for China and one for Hong Kong? It’s my understanding that this administration, like the previous administration, essentially said that there’s no difference anymore.
QUESTION: Thank you so much. Jahanzaib Ali from ARY News, Pakistan. A couple of weeks ago, there were a few media reports in Pakistan claimed that close associate of Prime Minister Khan – former Prime Minister Khan – met with Assistant Secretary of State Donald Lu here in State Department and conveyed the message, like, to forget the past and move forward. Is it – any kind of meeting held here?
MR PRICE: The comments we’ve heard in recent hours are not categorically different from what we’ve heard from the DPRK regime over the course of recent months and recent years, unfortunately. We’re not going to respond to them. I think it is fair to say that the DPRK also won’t be surprised to hear the same message from us, and that is our commitment to the defense of the Republic of Korea and Japan, a commitment that remains ironclad.
The DPRK, as we’ve consistently said, constitutes a threat to international peace and security and the global nonproliferation regime. We have a vital interest in deterring the DPRK, defending against its provocation or the use of force, limiting the reach of the most dangerous weapons programs, and above all, keeping the American people, our deployed forces in the region, and our allies safe from any threat to international peace and security.
The United States is proud to join with Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania as we work together to support the democratic aspirations of their European neighbors and others around the world and stand with the Baltic nations in support for Ukraine amid Russia’s brutal invasion. Whether our countries are protecting the rule of law, sharing lessons of e-governance, or standing up for fundamental freedoms, the United States is more committed than ever to stand with you as our democracies rise to the challenge of this moment. And here’s to the next hundred years.
QUESTION: Supposedly the Israeli security minister is – has a meeting at the State Department today. With whom is he meeting and what topics are they discussing?
Anything else on this?
MR PRICE: We are in close contact with our Iraqi partners as a matter of course from our embassy in Baghdad, as well as senior officials here, and this is not a process in which we involve ourselves – the internal political process. But again, we stand ready to work with any Iraqi government that puts the interests of the Iraqi people at the heart of its agenda.
MR PRICE: Well, we are not, unfortunately, in a markedly different place than we have been in for quite some time. As you know, Janne, we’ve – we undertook in the early part of this administration a policy review to determine the most effective approach to the DPRK. The result of that policy review was and is a policy that seeks to advance our overriding objective of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula through dialogue, through diplomacy, through concerted partnership with our treaty allies.
MR PRICE: Well, let me back up. We have conveyed this substantial proposal directly and repeatedly to Russian counterparts. We have done so over the course of several weeks. It had been our hope that with the conveyance of this proposal that we would be – we would have been able to resolve these cases before we got to this point.
MR PRICE: That’s right.
MR PRICE: Well, throughout this, Simon, we’ve been very careful not to tie the fates to these wrongfully detained Americans to a potential mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA. We’ve always – we’ve been under no illusions that a return to the JCPOA would necessarily be in the offing. We knew this would be a tough set of negotiations, and we were careful not to tie the fates of these wrongfully detained citizens to what to our minds always has been an uncertain proposition.
As you know, Foreign Minister Lavrov is in the midst of travel, so I don’t have any update to provide in terms of when they may be able to connect, but we continue to discuss that in the appropriate channels.
MR PRICE: Sure.
QUESTION: Have you heard any response to this proposal since it was presented weeks ago to Moscow? Have there been any counter proposals from the Russians? And is the U.S. prepared to add more to the proposal on the table, if that’s what it would take to bring Griner and Whelan home?
At the same time, in virtually all of these engagements and consistently from here and elsewhere, we’ve made the points that we harbor no hostile intent towards the DPRK, and in fact, we seek to engage in the dialogue, in the diplomacy that we feel could be most effective towards advancing the goal we share with our treaty allies and with other partners in the region and around the world to promote that shared goal of the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.
So the holdup, to the extent we have not been able to achieve a mutual return to compliance with the JCPOA, has not been – we have not been the cause of that. There has been one country that has prevented a return to compliance with the JCPOA. That is Iran. We have made very clear that we are prepared to return to compliance with the JCPOA, assuming that Iran does the same. We have made that clear publicly. We have conveyed that message privately, if indirectly, to the Iranians.
QUESTION: On China.
MR PRICE: So I have to correct you. There is no report for Ukraine this year. There may be a placeholder for it, but there is no report for Ukraine this year.
QUESTION: Could I ask you two things in Europe unrelated? In Greece, the top court – I believe it was yesterday – ruled effectively in favor of Iran, which has complained about the seizure of a Russian-operated oil tanker with its oil on there. Does the United States have any comment on this? Where does it go from here?
Final question. Alex.
MR PRICE: So let me make a couple points. What you heard yesterday from the Secretary – of course, that isn’t something we do every day. But this is a horrifying practice that puts lives in the balance and, in cases, it calls for extraordinary tactics and measures.
QUESTION: Good afternoon.
The story of these steadfast relationships is a remarkable one. Our relationships have withstood the brutal and illegal Nazi and Soviet occupations of the Baltic States until Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania courageously reclaimed their independence, rebuilt their nations, and became active and committed members of the UN, NATO, and the EU. Today we stand together as close friends, strategic partners, and strong Allies, deeply committed to defending our democratic institutions, our human rights, and our freedoms.
MR PRICE: Well, let me just say on his release – and you may have seen this, but we welcome the news that Iran has released U.S.-UK citizen Morad Tahbaz from prison, that he has been since released on bail. We’re grateful to Oman. We’re grateful to the UK for continuing to press Iran to fulfill this commitment. It remains one of our upmost priorities to secure the release and the safe return home of wrongfully detained Americans, and that includes Morad Tahbaz.
QUESTION: Lastly, how is the United States approaching – currently approaching the North Korea? What – I mean, is – where are we now?
MR PRICE: So I’ll start with that last point. Of course, we’ll continue to communicate with Congress on this important matter. After all, this was the death of an American citizen, an American citizen whose fearless journalism had been a source not only of information but also inspiration for so many around the world. And so we’ll continue to communicate closely and privately with members of Congress on this case.
And then on immigrant visa for Iraqis who have – who are waiting for their interviews in Ankara, can you share anything on those? When do they resume?
