Wheels Down! Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton arrived at Don Mueang airport in Bangkok, Thailand on Tuesdsay July 21st. She was warmly greeted on the tarmac by U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Eric G. John upon her arrival.
The spoke to the press and took some questions, which has become pretty standard for the Secretary I am sure. Read the full text of their remarks here! This time around a question was asked in reguards to Hillary's comments on North Korea asking:
Now there are obviously a list of incentives and offers that could be made if the North Koreans evidence any willingness to take a different path than the one that they are currently pursuing. As of this moment in time, we haven’t seen that evidence."
Below is a video from MSNBC that is actually asking the question "Is Hillary being marginalized?" The main reason I pasted it below is actally for the footage of Hillary landing in Bangkok. But the commentary is actually pretty agreeable. They give her a lot of credit and praise her where it is deserved. Worth the watch if you can stand pundits arguing in circles.
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As she enters the Government House she autographs a book for Anchalee Vanich, Deputy Secretary General to the Prime Minister.
Before their bilateral meeting, the Secretary introduces Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to Jeffrey Bader of the NSC. Also present for the meeting are Ambassador Scot Marciel, Assistant Secretary Kurt Campbell, and Ambassador Eric G.John.
"I’d like to ask about unruly teenagers. Your new assistant secretary yesterday said that the five members of the Six-Party Talks are about to propose another package of incentives for North Korea. I wonder whether there are other benefits that you haven’t yet offered that you could. And doesn’t that send the wrong message to the North Koreans who have been things to misbehave in the past several months, and you’re now about to offer them more benefits?"
She tried to be as clear as concise as possible giving this response:
"I think that might be an over reading or a slight misinterpretation of what our position has consistently been. From the very beginning, my very first trip to the region shortly after I became Secretary, we have said that the United States stands ready to work with North Korea if, and only if, and when they are ready to resume the important discussions that will lead to the denuclearization of North Korea. That is still our position.
On her agenda for the first day in Thailand, is meetings with Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva at the government house in Bangkok.
The main goal of the entire Thailand trip is for a regional security conference focusing on the North Korean nuclear threat, Myanmar's rights record and terrorism. Following this meeting with Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the Secretary traveled on to Phuket Island, 600 kilometres south of Bangkok, on July 22nd to attend the ASEAN Security Forum on July 23rd .
1 comment:
This is great! Thanks for posting.
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