In which we scour the transcript of the State
Department's daily presser so you don't have to. These are the highlights of Friday's
briefing by spokesman P.J. Crowley:
Secretary of State Hillary
Clinton met Friday with Minister
of Foreign Affairs and Religion Dr. Rene
Castro of Costa Rica. "The foreign minister and I had a very
productive discussion about how we can work even more closely together, and we
thank Costa Rica for its defense at the United Nations of human rights in Iran
and North Korea, Libya, and elsewhere," she said. "We're also working together
to take on the transnational drug trafficking organizations that destroy lives,
destabilize societies, and prevent so many across our hemisphere from living up
to their own God-given potential."
On Libya, Clinton didn't say anything new, reiterated that the
administration is focused on the humanitarian situation, and reported that
USAID has charted additional civilian aircraft to help people from other
countries who have fled Libya to find their way home. There are two U.S. C-130s
on their way to Tunisia now with supplies and the U.S. has sent humanitarian
assistance teams to both border. "And we continue to consult with our NATO
allies, our Arab partners, our UN mission, to determine what are productive,
constructive ways forward to try to deal with the situation we see developing
there," Clinton said.
The Libyan opposition has been begging
for assistance in the form of weapons, but Crowley said they shouldn't hold
their breath. "Right
now we're focused on the humanitarian implications of what is occurring in
Libya. It may well be the case there are too many weapons in Libya already. You
know, we want to see this peacefully resolved. We want to see the violence and
the bloodshed stop. We are evaluating a range of options as things develop, but
at this point our preference would be to see a peaceful resolution of this," he
said. As for Muammar al Qaddafi? "He
is responsible for Libya still."
The U.S. is still "gravely concerned" about the
government's crackdown in Belarus, where 7 of the 9 presidential candidates
have been charged with crimes or jailed. "We urge the unconditional release of
those detained in the crackdown without trials, and the creation of space for
the free expression of political views, the development of civil society and
the ability of citizens to expand their contact with open societies," Crowley
said.
There are no plans to recall U.S.
Ambassador to Mexico Carlos Pasqualfollowing
comments by Mexican President Filipe
Calderon that the Mexican government can no longer work with Pasqual
following the "severe" damage to the relationship done by the release of
WikiLeaks cables criticizing Mexico's drug war. "Ambassador Pascual is working
effectively under difficult conditions to manage our bilateral relationship and
to help, you know, deliver the kind of assistance to Mexico that we have
pledged," Crowley said.
Ambassador Cameron Munter and other members of the embassy staff attended the
funeral Friday of Pakistani Minister Shahbaz
Bhatti,
who was gunned down due to his support for religious freedom. Crowley confirmed
that the State Department had urged the Pakistani government to provide him
with protection. "We encouraged the government of
Pakistan to do everything possible to provide for his security. But beyond that
we won't comment," he said.
Assistant Secretary of State Rich Verma's
farewell reception was Friday at the State Department. "He's certainly helped shepherd the effort throughout the
executive branch late last year that led to the ratification of the START
treaty," Crowley said. "So we will miss -- will bid a fond farewell to our
friend Rich Verma."
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