Briefing Skipper: Iran, Burma, North Korea, sex tape

Posted By Josh Rogin Friday, September 25, 2009 - 8:15 PM Share

In which we scour the transcript of the State Department's daily presser so you don't have to. Here are the highlights of today's briefing by spokesman Ian Kelly:

Regarding the news about the secret Iranian nuclear facility in Qom, Kelly said that despite the fact that the American intelligence committee has been watching it for years, "in and of itself the information that we announced today does not contradict the assessment that we made in the [National Intelligence Estimate] in 2007" which said that Iran was no longer working to make nuclear weapons. Really?
Amid all the news about Iran's nuclear ambitions, let's not forget their detention of American and Canadian citizens without due process, Kelly said. "Individuals in detention include Iranian-Canadian journalist Maziar Bahari, Iranian-American scholar Kian Tajbakhsh, retired Iranian-American businessman Reza Taghavi, and American hikers Joshua Fattal, Shane Bauer, and Sarah Shourd. American Robert Levinson has also been missing in Iran since March of 2007."
No release of the pending Burma policy review today, Kelly said. Should be "early next week," maybe even Monday. Has to be before Wednesday, when assistant secretary of state Kurt Campbell climbs the Hill to testify before Senator Jim Webb's subcommittee on the new strategy of engaging the junta.
In other Asia news, President Obama has announced his intention to nominate for House Foreign Affairs Committee staffer Robert King as the new Special Envoy on North Korean Human Rights. No word on whether or not King will actually get to be in any of the meetings with the North Koreans. "I think first we have to make the decision we're going to actually have the bilateral talks, and then we'll see who actually participates in it," Kelly said.
No announcement yet on whether Amb. Stephen Bosworth will be sent to meet with the North Koreans, but his right-hand man Sung Kim had meetings with South Korean negotiator Wi Sung-lac, which should mean that all the necessary "consultations" are done.
And finally, responding to e-mails from readers of The Cable about yesterday's Briefing Skipper, I hereby offer you the link to the (maybe) fake sex tape that is at the center of the scandal involving Kyle Hatcher, an aide to U.S. Ambassador John Beyrle in Russia and the Russian intelligence community/press. Warning: NSFW!