FULL REMARKS: Marco Rubio Speaks on Iran War, China, Russia and Saudi Nuclear Deal at ASEAN | AC1B

[00:00:00]The bigger point to make in that regard is that the US will continue to we're never going to accept that international waterways are somehow under the control of other countries.

[00:00:09]We'll continue to sail through international waterways and freedom of navigation efforts of that kind and we'll continue to live up to our commitments, for example, with the Philippines and other countries in terms of the treaty commitments that we have.

[00:00:21]Um and I again, it speaks to areas of disagreement when it comes to our policies with China. They need those need to be managed very carefully because obviously a conflict be it economic or otherwise between the US and China would have a dramatic global impact. So, the difficult job of geopolitics and foreign policy is managing your differences and not doing anything that runs contrary to our national interest, but at the same time trying to avoid conflict that could lead to something really catastrophic for the world. And I think we have an obligation to do that, which is why it's important for us to continue to talk to China irrespective of our differences. It's important to you know, if you go back to the height of the Cold War, even in the height of the Cold War you know, at its most tense moments, the United States and the Soviet Union were communicating at least at a military-to-military level and even at a diplomatic level. And in many ways that prevented catastrophe.

[00:01:10]So, I'm not saying we're at that stage with China, but what I am saying is it would frankly be reckless and irresponsible for the US and China not to have a relationship given the impact and the and the our countries have on the global economy and on the world.

[00:01:23]>> Did you discuss with China with with Minister Wang Yi the the working group or any more details of the board of trade board of directors >> Yes, we did. We did and we we're moving towards implementation of that and I think that's one of the potential, you know, concrete deliverables that we can have before September when that visit happens. And again, those are good ideas and they they come in the aftermath of the visit we took to China earlier this year and so we did discuss that, yes.

[00:01:48]>> You said that Russia's Lavrov revealed that he's going to be meeting with you tomorrow.

[00:01:52]>> Yeah.

[00:01:52]>> If that happens, are you going to press him on Ukraine or are you simply keeping it to >> going to I don't know if the term is present. We're going to talk about it.

[00:02:00]You know, obviously, you know, the the the war in Ukraine I think has in many ways impeded the ability of Russia and the United States to find areas of agreement on other topics. That doesn't mean we won't seek to find other areas of potential cooperation. But by the same token, you know, we'd like to see that war come to an end. We think it would be good for Russia if that war came to an end. So, we'll raise it and as I said, the US remains open and willing to play a constructive role in bringing that war to an end if that opportunity presents itself. And and it might, you know, we're we're open to it to to playing that role because we think right now, and I think the Russians would agree, we're probably the only country in the world that can play that role uh in that in in trying to bring that to an end.

[00:02:39]>> What kind of role is the US playing right now in doing that? I mean, there's still some kind of quiet talks going on or average by >> Well, you know, I think that you sense kind of fall off a little bit over the last few months. Um perhaps there are now new conditions in place that will allow that conversation to happen. It's one of the things we'll explore tomorrow in our conversation. I saw the foreign minister Lavrov last night briefly. We didn't talk about any of this, but I saw him last night when he arrived at the opening dinner and um we'll talk more tomorrow.

[00:03:06]Obviously, you know, to be fair to you guys, I mean a lot of stuff I'll talk to him about I'm not going to like put in a press release because it undermines the ability to find understandings, but we'll talk about it and see if there's an opening now or an opportunity for us to play a constructive role, but there are other areas that we the US and Russia can cooperate on that we again, going back to the point I made about China, you know, this is very simple, you know, Russia possesses the we are the two largest nuclear armed countries on the planet. For us not to talk would be reckless and irresponsible. We have to have a relationship with the Russian government even though we have areas of disagreement. And in the case of Ukraine, perhaps an opportunity to if we can play a constructive role to bring it to an end. So, you know, I'm sure that'll come up tomorrow. There's no doubt, but we'll talk about some other stuff, too.

[00:03:50]>> The Secretary, the is reporting that um President Trump has approved a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia. Do you have any details on that?

[00:03:57]>> Yeah, I'm I'll I'll let the White House officials sort of put out an official statement about anything with regards to that, but um I saw the same reporting this morning, but um let me let that go through the I don't I don't I'd prefer it be, you know, put out when there is something to say that we'll say it in through official channels.

[00:04:16]>> Have the US and South Korea or other Asian allies to contribute naval assets or something you know >> We didn't ask them that today. We Look, I think it's to their benefit, right? If you look at the region, they heavily depend on oil and and natural gas that comes from this part of the world. Now, one of the interesting things you've seen is that the supplies that are reaching many of the countries in the region have begun to change. They're buying more LNG from us than ever before.

[00:04:40]Um they're also buying more oil from us than ever before. So, I think some of the changes you have seen in where people are getting their energy is are going to be permanent after what you've seen here. But nonetheless, the straits remain an important source of energy for many of the countries in this region.

[00:04:53]It's about 20% of the global oil that that's purchased. So, um I think we would we think it'd be to their benefit to participate in an effort >> today in >> We didn't ask directly today, but we've had those conversations with them in the past. Every country has different restrictions on what they need to do in order to authorize that. Some have to get legislative approval.

[00:05:12]Um some can do it unilaterally. Every country's different, but we've certainly raised it with different countries. We don't need them to do it, but we think it would be beneficial if they did. And some of these countries have unique capabilities in terms of mine clearing and things of that nature. So, it'd be great if they if they join the effort, and I think some of them may eventually do so. It's in their interest to do so, but um we we didn't reach any agreement on that today. Frankly, it wasn't the cornerstone of what our conversations were about.

[00:05:35]>> Mr. Secretary, a lot of the ASEAN countries have expressed how terrible the war in Iran is for them when it comes to economically and the energy crunch. Uh but Israel's finance minister sort of sort of struck a tone in a different direction said that the tit-for-tat is actually the best possible situation for Israel because it's weakening Iran.

[00:05:56]Does this show that there are some differences between the United States and Israel when it comes to how they view this war? The United States is trying to end this but the Israelis and hostilities continuing is in their benefit.

[00:06:08]>> Yeah, look I I can't comment on what some one individual in government said in Israel. You know, I can just generally tell you that by and large we think that a nuclear armed Iran is an unacceptable thing. It can't happen and that's what they were going to do if they hid behind this conventional shield that they were building and the president just was going to stand by and allow that to happen.

[00:06:28]Within 2 years Iran could say we're breaking out to a nuclear weapon, you can't do anything about it or we're going to overwhelm you with tens of thousands of drones and missiles which they were on pace to build. They can't do that now. That certainly weakened them.

[00:06:39]As far as the impact it's had on the global economy, I mean Iran is targeting global shipping in international waterway and demanding to control which ships can go and which ones cannot. That just is unacceptable.

[00:06:50]We're not going to accept that. We're not going to allow that to be the status quo.

[00:06:55]But ultimately there are other countries that should feel just as strongly as we do because they're actually more impacted by it than we are.

[00:07:00]>> Did you discuss with Minister Jaishankar? Did he raise it all any concern by India about the tariffs announced by the president on generic drug makers? A lot of Americans buy their generic drugs from Indian companies that import. Is that something that came up in your discussions at all?

[00:07:16]>> I mean not with me. I mean we we didn't get into depth on pharmaceuticals today.

[00:07:20]Obviously, I would expect them to be concerned about it but they didn't raise it today. But they might have with others in our system because we we obviously deal with the Indians. We're very close to them. So >> Mr. Secretary, you and the president are very blunt in your anti-communist language. Recently you put out that recent report on Cuba.

[00:07:34]Do you think it's inconsistent in that you haven't addressed the same issues with China? They're the largest communist party in the world, 100 million >> Yeah, but our issue is with communist interference inside of our country. Like that report was about what these different elements do to interfere in our country and to undermine our foreign policy and to >> talked about Chinese election interference in the US and there and as we know there are many other ways in which China has influence within the US.

[00:07:58]>> Well, again, what the president put out on Thursday that was a declassification of documents from our intelligence community. That's what he put out. He declassified intelligence assessments from our intelligence community. But your question was about communist Well, yes, yeah, the United States doesn't want to be a communist country. We're never going to be a communist country and we're not going to allow communist influences to undermine our politics or our society.

[00:08:19]Um so I don't know what the inconsistency you're referring to is.

[00:08:21]It's very clear. I don't you know, obviously we understand the Chinese system and other systems. But uh I can tell you our system doesn't want communism. And and we're certainly not going to allow communist efforts to undermine American society and drive wedges into our country and and that's what we're seeing. You know, and by the way, one of the leading, you know, culprits of that for many years, the intellectual authors of men particularly in our hemisphere is the Cuban regime which which our report on Monday outlined.

[00:08:48]>> I think our report is having a big impact on China.

[00:08:51]>> express concern regarding the crash between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea?

[00:08:56]>> Did we discuss it with >> Uh uh uh crash between China and the Philippines in the South >> Oh yeah, it's been a high-profile issue.

[00:09:03]We've all seen it and uh you know, it's a sort of an escalatory thing that that we think is very negative and uh you know, benefits no one and obviously we've reiterated in every meeting we've had that the US has a a treaty um arrangement with the Philippines. I believe we're the only treaty partner the Philippines has. We intend to live up to our treaty obligations and I think we've done so and we'll continue to do so.

[00:09:25]>> Mr. Secretary >> Speaking of escalation, how difficult is it to inspire confidence at these meetings such as the ones you've had today that the US can bring an end, a quick end to the war in Iraq?

[00:09:36]>> Um >> I'm sorry, you quite what was that?

[00:09:38]>> Is it difficult to inspire confidence that the U.S. can swiftly and effectively end the war with >> No, I think everybody here understands that the U.S. would love to reach a diplomatic settlement. We would love to reach an agreement if it were possible with Iran that would ensure they never have a nuclear weapon and obviously help stop them and and we would love to have an agreement where they they say, "We're no longer sponsoring terrorism and we won't and we will not pursue a nuclear weapon or the things you need for a nuclear weapon." I think if there's a lack of confidence is the lack of confidence that the Iranian regime will ever agree to any of those things. Um, that that would be the lack of confidence and the bigger lack of confidence should be that they've already made commitments very recently in a memorandum of understanding and within 2 weeks have violated it. So, I think if there's any undermining of confidence, it's confidence that the Iranian system as it currently is is structured can reach an agreement. And so, you you wonder whether they're serious about an agreement in the short term. But look, we always the president always prefers to negotiate and reach a deal on these things. And we're prepared willing to do that. We've tried to do that now for a year and a half, but we're also not going to sit by and let ships be blown up or Americans be attacked.

[00:10:40]>> Do you see Iran compromising? You know Iran refuses to negotiate seriously.

[00:10:43]>> Who's this?

[00:10:44]>> If Iran refuses to negotiate seriously, what is the next step? So, more sanctions, more military actions? Are you prepared for long-term confrontation?

[00:10:53]>> Well, the president has many options available to him if they continue to insist on not being cooperative and I won't get ahead of the president on any of those, but uh I think Iran knows we have many options as well.

[00:11:03]>> The business suggested that the business suggested that Iran should be added to Russia sanctions act. Is this kind of acknowledgement of Moscow-Tehran growing alliance? Of what now? You know, are you guys acknowledging this growing alliance between the two cuz you're adding suggestion to add Iran to Russia sanctions act?

[00:11:20]>> Oh, I just think the president views this as a legislative vehicle that's going to pass in Congress and provides some more authorities to impose higher economic costs on Iran if it's necessary to do so. So, I don't think it has I don't I think it's just the bill that's moving and it's a sanctions bill and so it makes sense if you're going to add additional sanctions to do it to that bill.

[00:11:38]>> On Cuba is the goal still creating regime change through economic collapse or is the military option >> the goal is to have a Cuba where the people of Cuba can experience prosperity, safety, security and a better life moving forward. The way you know Cubans are able to do all over the world when they leave Cuba. And um we're prepared to be you know very realistic about how you do that and and patient about how you know you got in a serious process that leads to that and we've engaged them from time to time in that regard and they know where we stand on that issue and hopefully that's where it arrives. The fundamental Cuba fundamental problem Cuba has right now is two things. Number one is their economic system doesn't work because it that economic system doesn't exist anywhere else in the world. It's completely backwards. It just doesn't work and that's why people have to leave that country. And number two, it's they're no longer getting free oil from Venezuela.

[00:12:25]That's their biggest problem. They're not getting free oil from Venezuela which by the way they weren't using for their power grid. They were taking about 60% of the free oil they were getting from Venezuela and reselling it for cash. So the biggest problem Cuba has is that their regime is a disaster. Their economic model doesn't work and the people who run the country don't know what the hell they're doing.

[00:12:45]All they're most interested in is holding on to power. They are afraid of economic prosperity because they are afraid that economic prosperity and economic liberties will they will lose control over people and that's always been the struggle they faced in recent times. But again, look we've been in Just today we began shipping over a hundred million dollars of humanitarian assistance to Cuba.

[00:13:05]Which will be distributed by non-governmental entities on the ground.

[00:13:08]So you know we're we're willing to engage with them. We've engaged with them in the past. We'll keep talking to them about the kind of changes they can make. But this is 90 miles from our shores. This is a a government that has spent in the a regime that has spent the better part of 30, 40, 50 years destabilizing the region and and and movements that they've supported and they've lost, I don't know, 10 to 15% of their population since 2021 because of how mismanaged the country is. We wanted to have a better future, and we're prepared to do things that help them get there. But, they have to decide they want to do that. The people that are in charge there right now just don't want to do it. That's unfortunate.

[00:13:41]It's very sad.

[00:13:42]>> was talking about how they expected the just to follow up to see regime change or to see big changes in Cuba, economic, political, by the end of this year. That's what a lot of them were saying.

[00:13:52]>> Who's the lot of them who was saying that?

[00:13:53]>> Um people within the administration who work on this issue. Um >> Like who? Cuz I work on this issue more than anybody else. I never said >> it, but like there was an expectation that Cuba was supposed >> No, look guys, I mean, you look this this global affairs are not like we're not a mini-series like you get in three episodes and it's over. I mean, global affairs are difficult. You're talking about a system that's been in place, you know, since 1959. You're talking about a country that's suffered tremendously because of poor leadership and a bad economic model. You're talking about a regime that survived all these years because they had a foreign sponsor, be it the Soviet Union or Hugo Chavez. They don't have that anymore. So, um you know, it's it's these are complex things that take time, and obviously we're prepared to do what we can do to effectuate a positive change in Cuba because it directly impacts our national security. Cuba matters to us because it's 90 mi from our shores and it has a direct impact on our national security, be it the things they've been involved in in the past, the countries they've aligned with in the past, and currently, or the threat of mass migration, which is always a a risk that you run when countries are as deeply destabilized as Cuba is. It's a failed state. It's a failed state, but I've never laid out any timeline as to what change would look like or when it would happen. So, I wish it was tomorrow because they deserve it. The people of Cuba deserve a better future.

[00:15:04]>> Mr. Secretary, on your argument that Iran has violated the MOU, isn't the MOU inherently flawed because in paragraph five it explicitly acknowledges Iran has power in the Strait of Hormuz, whereas no other formal agreement before had acknowledged or recognized >> No, I don't think that's what the MOU says. Certainly, that's not the way we interpreted it from the very beginning.

[00:15:21]We understood that to mean No, we understood that to mean that they would ensure that no ships were being blown up, and they chose to violate that. Uh the MOU does not give them the right to launch drones and missiles against commercial shipping vessels. That the MOU doesn't give them the right to do that. And uh and they chose to do it.

[00:15:37]>> over the strait to begin with in the MOU?

[00:15:39]>> Well, we don't acknowledge their power.

[00:15:40]Well, the only thing I tell you that No, they they have missiles and drones, and they're launching them against ships.

[00:15:45]The MOU doesn't say you're allowed to launch missiles and drones against commercial shipping in the in the Straits of Hormuz. Doesn't say that anywhere in the MOU.

[00:15:53]>> You said they have You mentioned, Secretary, that China has been cooperative in some ways uh with the issue of Iran. What what were you um >> Well, I'm not going to tell you about all of them, but I'm going to tell you one in particular, and that is they've been pretty clear that they don't support any tolling or restrictions on global shipping through an international waterway. And a statement like that from a country like China is important.

[00:16:13]>> How concerning is the Houthi threat um for uh the additional um uh shipments of energy from the Saudis?

[00:16:21]Uh are you worried that that could have a >> Well, the Houthis have done that in the past, as you know. They've threatened global shipping there in the past, and you know, again, anything that restricts shipping through the Red Sea would be problematic for the same reasons that the Strait of Hormuz is problematic. So, we're watching that closely, that situation. We've been engaged with the Saudis on a number of times over the last week in regards to that threat.

[00:16:40]It's not a new threat, um but it but it uh it's one that's manifested itself in the past. But at the gist of that issue is the fact that the again, Iran is in the middle of it. You talk about the troublemaker in the region, it's Iran.

[00:16:54]They chose They decided to send direct flights from Tehran into Yemen carrying IRGC elements and others into the country.

[00:17:04]Um and the Saudis responded to it, and that's what's led to the situation we're now facing. Um but we hope it can be de-escalated. Um you know, obviously, we're not particularly close to the Houthis, you You in terms of being able to influence the decisions they make. But I think it's just another example. The Houthis, Hezbollah, the militias in Iraq, Hamas.

[00:17:23]This is what Iran spends its money on.

[00:17:25]It's not on its people. It's on supporting terrorist organizations and destabilizing actors in the region.

[00:17:31]>> You mentioned a couple of times that other countries should join the US to protect shipping in the strait.

[00:17:37]>> Yeah, cuz it's still shipping.

[00:17:38]Yeah, we've had conversations. There are countries that have expressed interest.

[00:17:41]Again, some of them have different ways they have to get there in terms of how it's authorized. Some need an international flag, you know, they need to do it under the mandate of an international organization. Some need to go through the legislative process. But the reason why I mentioned it to you is because if you look at where that oil and you look at where that energy is destined, it's not to the United States. It's to other countries. And so, plus I think every country in the world has an interest in protecting the right of shipping in international waters and freedom of navigation.

[00:18:09]>> You don't have details on the Saudi civilian nuclear agreement, but just what's broadly for people who have nonproliferation concerns. For people who listen to US rhetoric about how dangerous it would be for another country to get a nuclear weapon.

[00:18:22]Doesn't having a less-than-gold-standard agreement in the Middle East run a risk >> Well, I'm not going to opine directly on that agreement. We're going to put out at the even when the moment is appropriate, we'll put out that in writing. We have to do it with Congress anyways. So, we'll certainly do it publicly. But suffice it to say the US is not going to reach any agreement with any country in the world that leads to the risk of proliferation.

[00:18:45]>> Did you discuss nonproliferation in the meeting with the Chinese or will you be bringing that up with Mr. Lavrov tomorrow?

[00:18:51]>> On nuclear?

[00:18:52]>> Yeah, just >> Well, we didn't talk about it this time.

[00:18:54]We've talked about it in the past. And I think the president's point, and he's right, is in in the modern era, if we're going to have a nuclear arms restriction talks and arms control talks, it has to include the Chinese side because they're rapidly building their own nuclear capabilities. I would imagine the Chinese will argue that once they catch up to the US and Russia, then they'll enter these negotiations, but until then, I think that's been their historic argument in the past, but I think the president rightly points out that in the 21st century, if you're going to have true arms control, it has to be tripartite. It has to be the US, Russia, but also China. But we didn't discuss it today.

[00:19:27]>> satisfied with what China's been China's been doing on that fentanyl issue? It was the basis for a lot of tariffs that appear to be they keep being destructive.

[00:19:34]>> Well, we continue to talk to them about that issue and and obviously I think we've made some progress. They've lifted some of the commitments that they made in earlier this year. They've begun to live by. Others are remain a work in progress and I know that as recently as today, uh our law enforcement is visiting China and we've had their law enforcement come to Washington earlier in the year. So we remain engaged with them and ultimately we think in the long term this poses a threat to China as well. So I would hope that they would have an interest in being cooperative because uh in the end these same elements that are shipping fentanyl precursors all over the world will eventually do the same if they're not doing it already inside of China and their neighboring countries. So it's a work in progress, but I think we've made some progress on that front, but not entirely where we need to be.

[00:20:16]>> Mr. Secretary, you met you met with the Japanese Foreign Minister.

[00:20:18]>> Yes.

[00:20:18]>> Um China has been is economic and military pressure on Japan. So how do you see the the worsening of Japan-China relationship?

[00:20:29]Uh uh how do you see the how do you view the the what the worsening >> Oh, the worsening, yeah. Yeah, so look, I mean obviously the we're very close to Japan. We understand what they're facing right now. They're facing you know, real restrictions, export controls and all sorts of things and obviously you talked about some of the aggressive measures that have been taken. You know, it's a troubling trend.

[00:20:50]Um I don't think that uh China-Japan relations are at their high point right now. Uh we're very close to Japan. We have treaty obligations with Japan. We have deep history of cooperation with Japan and that's going to continue. Um but we we see it with concern.

[00:21:06]>> You said that after the release after securing one American's release from Iran last week, can Americans expect more detainees to come home, including our colleague Bob >> they should all be home. I can't I can't I'm not going to predict or prognostic what others we may see released, but we would like to see them all all the wrongfully detained people released, not just from Iran, but all over the world. But, it'll always be a priority in our conversations, even when those restart.

[00:21:30]>> How is that channel working? There's so much hostility literally between Iran and the United States, uh yet you were >> Which channel?

[00:21:36]>> The the channel to get wrongfully detained people out. Uh obviously just saw some success. How is that happening amidst this warfare going on?

[00:21:46]>> Yeah, I mean, look, I think that's a valid point. I mean, I I It we were we were fortunate to see one instance in which one person who shouldn't have been there was was should not have been held there was released.

[00:21:57]We'd like to see more. Um it's a feature of our conversation with them. Um it would obviously be easier to have that conversation if somebody's life things weren't ongoing. But, I think the fact that we're even detained to begin with speaks volumes as to the nature of the regime that we're dealing with, but yeah, I mean, uh it's not the most productive moment for it, but we're very fortunate and blessed that that that that lady got out because she never should have been held in the first place.

[00:22:21]>> is there anything you can tell us about the pending US arms sale to Taiwan?

[00:22:25]>> About I'm sorry. Well, there was one late last year, and the other one continues to be under review. As I said, we had the largest single sale ever in December. So, um it's not like nothing has happened, but since I mean, there's a there's a second pending sale that's been notified to Congress, but it's still undergoing a review internally.

[00:22:42]>> Why is it under review? You're stating that >> Well, there's a lot of reasons. I know, but there's a lot of reasons why arms are under reviews under review, and that includes, you know, we have to look at our own stockpiles, we have to look at the availability of whatever it is we're promising to do. As you know, there's a huge effort on our part to restart our defense industrial base and restart its ability to produce. Um uh people ask us all the time. I mean, you know, we have a very extensive sales and I've continued to make sales, for example, to Ukraine. And before that, they were actually we gave them to Ukraine. So, all these things have an impact on your We do have our own domestic needs that have to be balanced with whatever commitments we make to other countries.

[00:23:17]So, it would be normal for a large sale to be reviewed in that context.

[00:23:20]>> Is one of the US attorneys mentioned you by name? I know one of the Tate brothers' lawyers mentioned you by name. Do you have plans to get involved with the extradition challenges?

[00:23:30]>> Mentioned me by name?

[00:23:31]>> Yes.

[00:23:32]>> Oh.

[00:23:32]>> Yeah.

[00:23:32]>> Um No, look, that extraditions, I don't know the details of this particular case. I've been overseas, but I mean, I know who you're talking about. I just don't know the details of it. These cases have a process that they go through in the courts.

[00:23:44]Uh my understanding is that they're involved in that judicial process. And so, that'll play itself out at this point and um there's no role for us to play at this moment or maybe ever in that regard. But it it I'm not going to opine on something that's still working through a legal process.

[00:23:58]>> Is the US trying to get Syria involved in fighting Hezbollah?

[00:24:01]>> Hold on. Go ahead.

[00:24:02]>> Is the US trying to get Syria involved in fighting Hezbollah as the president has suggested?

[00:24:07]>> Well, the Syrian authorities are not big fans of Hezbollah. But what we've encouraged Syria to do is to focus on its own internal challenges that it has in sort of building a nation-state. They still face pretty substantial challenges and threats from within. I mean, ISIS remains a threat there.

[00:24:22]Um there are other areas of cooperation.

[00:24:23]As you know, we've removed them from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, which we hope will lead to the sort of economic revival of the country desperately needs. Uh Syria is a country that has a history of different communities for many, many years living alongside one another Sunni, Sunni, Shia, uh Christian. I mean, it's a it's a country that Kurds. And uh but they have a huge project on their hands in that regard.

[00:24:46]And so, we've encouraged them to focus on that. But we understand the threat that Hezbollah may Hezbollah is an enemy of this of this new government in Syria.

[00:24:55]And they in ways have sought to will seek to undermine that government over time. And one of the best thing Syria can do to secure its future is to secure their border with Lebanon so that we don't have weapons and and arms coming back and forth across that border in in an effort to destabilize Syria. What were you asking?

[00:25:10]>> You know, many national security advisers have put their stamp on the NSC bureaucracy. Uh Scowcroft model, uh big large models in the Obama administration. How do you want to be remembered for the stamp that you're putting on this? Are you streamlining things?

[00:25:24]>> The NSC works for the president. And so the stamp we want to have is the stamp any NSC director should have. It's not my stamp. The NSC's there to serve the president. And each president will have different requirements for what they want the NSC's role to be. And so to the extent I want a legacy with regards to the NSC, it is an NSC that was responsive to the needs of this particular administration and this president's style of leadership. He's very hands-on. He's very involved. And uh and our job at the NSC is to coordinate the interagency to execute on the president's policies. And that's how I view the NSC. That's the way it should always be.

[00:25:56]>> Does it still have its convening power or has it been diluted so much that other agencies >> I think the NSC was way too large to begin with. 400, 300 people. We don't need 300 people in the NSC to coordinate the interagency. That's why you have career people and others at the State Department and at Treasury and at Energy and at the Department of War and in the intelligence agencies. And the job of the NSC is to coordinate the interagency so that it's executing on the president's foreign policy and developing options through the interagency. So the expertise should reside in in the in the different agencies of government. And the NSC's job is simply to be the the the coordinator of that effort to deliver on the president's intent. Either to present the president options or to execute on the president's directive.

[00:26:40]That's what the NSC is doing and I think quite successfully. You don't need a large bureaucracy to do that.

[00:26:45]>> Are there Americans in China that have been wrongfully detained? Chen Yulin and Min Tian. Did and and I mean, did today? Um >> Well, we always raise the case of Americans and we do so outside of these meetings as well and we do so through the embassy. We do it through multiple engagements.

[00:27:00]>> Do you expect that China should release them ahead of ahead of the meeting?

[00:27:03]>> them to.

[00:27:04]Well, we want them to. I mean, I won't precondition the meeting in September other than to say that we raise these issues every time and we raise it not just I mean at the we raise it all the time. I mean, we raise it through the embassy. We raise it through every engagement we have. Those are always a priority and we've had good news in the past and hope to have some good news in the future. All right, guys.

[00:27:20]>> wrongfully detained. He mentioned Min Zin, but >> Who?

[00:27:23]>> Min Zin who was arrested right after the summit, right after the Trump summit.

[00:27:26]>> The scientist?

[00:27:27]>> He was No, not the scientist. He was a researcher.

[00:27:29]>> Yeah, the researcher on geologist?

[00:27:31]>> And not geologist. He was researching Burma Myanmar and was arrested in Yunnan province, but it's it has even classified as wrongfully detained by the State Department.

[00:27:39]>> I don't believe so yet, but again, we have a process we go through to make those determinations. That doesn't mean he won't be. We just that process has to sort work its way through.

[00:27:47]>> What's the overall approach, Secretary, to Myanmar and to potentially re-engaging with the junta there or cooperating on issues like rare earths?

[00:27:55]>> What's the >> Uh uh the the position or the the approach of of the Trump administration towards Myanmar and re-engagement with the government?

[00:28:03]>> Yeah, no. I um well, I would I don't have any announcement for you on that today. It's a policy that we're still developing in many ways. Obviously, there's some conditions that have been shifting with regards to Myanmar or Burma uh over the last few months that we're keeping an eye on and see if there's opportunities to engage.

[00:28:20]Obviously, we still have many concerns about some of the things that have happened in that country historically and in the past and and there also remains a question of how receptive and open they are to a different relationship with the United States as well. So, these things are still being worked on, but I don't have any announcement on that today other than you know, they were here and they were present today and I'm glad they were here and I said that in our forum. Uh but um it's not a place we have a long history of engagement in recent times.

[00:28:43]So, um if If opportunity presents itself to do something that serves our national interests, we'll explore it. But, um uh there's still uh some work to be done in that regard. Okay, guys.

[00:28:54]>> You can confirm that the White House will be announcing a nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia today?

[00:28:57]>> I don't have any news for you on that today, but maybe later today, um once Washington wakes up or if there is an announcement, I promise you you'll know about it. Okay? Thanks. We're going to go that way.

[00:29:08]>> Thank you, sir.