Ambassador kelly kraft. Kelly craft. Doing a job amid a pandemic, which has created a bigger challenge. We will talk about the challenges the United States faces along with priorities for the United States and the western world. We will start with our relationship with china, and how the United States negotiates with a country that refuses to be transparent. Transparency would undermine the chinese government, so how do we deal with a country like that with so many important issues to address . We will talk about the roles of the World Health Organization and the pandemic, and the impact of covid19 on vulnerable relations, refugee camps, and in developing countries . This occurs while we have crises in venezuela and syria. We will talk to her about that. One of the things that has made the job more difficult is she talks about diplomacy u. N. Face, like a you ambassador has to do it. Welcome. Ambassador craft thank you for having me. What a nice change of pace, being teleconferencing with the a great council, and friend, and have this conversation to shed the light on what is happening amid the pandemic. Lets Start Talking about the who annual Assembly Held this week. A resolution was passed approving an investigation into how the who handled the coronavirus outbreak. It called for an impartial independent comprehensive evaluation of whos response, yet the Resolution Says it does not begin until the pandemic is actually over. Do you trust this process, this investigation . Ambassador craft the most important thing President Trump has highlighted is letting the world know the who ignored reporting on the virus, and the virus spreading in wuhan. They said there was not a case of human to human transmission, and not only did they make this withment, they continued this information. And trillions of dollars to mitigate this process. Us that demonstrated to the who and other Member States have not been up to the task to mitigate, present, use their transparency. They have a choice, they can become more transparent, they can change their ways if they would like to have the rest of the funding from the United States. Whosl is to restore independents. We want them to succeed because there are areas of the world where they are allowed in. Hey can mitigate in a country it is only to our benefit that they listen to President Trump, and follow through. They need to be they need to be transparent and accountable. 2005, the sars pandemic, following that, that was a time the who and china committed to be transparent and provide information almost immediately after a pandemic or virus begins. China and the who failed to and efficiently this time around. How can we trust the who will reform itself and china will reform itself yet ambassador craft good question. The president , we are going to have a checklist. We are going to have a message a method to be able to hold them accountable. I dont think anyone has ever brought this to light. This is what our administration has done so well, is to show the was misleading and has cost lives and until they show us differently, we will not be providing our funding. Havet them to transparency. I want them to have accountability, because they are needed. It has been a real issue with china as far as trying to cover withtuations with the who, the virus originating in wuhan. We are currently working on a global ceasefire within the Security Council, and china will andhas been a real issue other likeminded countries with china, not allowing us to talk about the importance of a global ceasefire. Instead, they want to talk about the importance of the who. Tos is an ongoing process set aside the who and what we. Ave now asked them to do we have china dealing with them and the Security Council. Heather no doubt the who plays an important role, but the uh oh has to work properly. The who has to work properly. We have seen such a failure on their part this type around. As we look at this investigation , is there any push to go deeper . We know china in the past has bribed senior officials in governments around the world in order to carry chinas water. Do you see any investigation that goes deeper to find out if china did that here . Ambassador craft our president outlined areas where the who failed to uphold its responsibilities. Whether that is being bribed or whatever method that was that holding up their responsibilities, that is something that we have asked them to change. We have asked them, they have a checklist and we will be watching them closely. Days. Ave to, they have 30 they will have to show us within 30 days that they are independent of china because we havent seen anything otherwise. Obviously we want them to be successful, but not at the expense of the lives of other people. Heather reading the news this past week about china destroying virus, whiche live could be so important for the world to have access to that, it is simply astounding. I would like to talk about some folks who got it right. Taiwan is an example of an area who really got this right. They were transparent, they communicated concerns about human to human transmission, very early on. There is a push for them to be admitted to the who. Do you see Something Like that happening . Ambassador craft we are obviously very supportive. This is the first time we have come out with a statement being supportive of taiwan. There he early on they were open with their dialogue. They are eager to share the best practices. It is unfortunate that they have been ignored and they have been treated in a way where china is trying to suppress them. Another example of what they have done within their own wuhan, withinin the labs. It is important that we are stressing for taiwan to be engaged and included and to be heard. Regardless of whether they are in the who, in the World Health Administration or the organization and the association, we are going to hold china accountable to make certain that they understand that taiwan deserves to be in the World Health Organization, they deserve to be heard and we will continue to support taiwan in what they have done in order to mitigate this virus. Heather taiwan has more International Backers now. Many traditional American Allies have started increasingly to support taiwans independence. China sees this as a real threat. Beijing just said yesterday, they will never leave room took for taiwans independence. I wonder where we see this relationship between taiwan and china headed. Ambassador craft what is more important is, our relationship with taiwan. Xi was promote, shoe just reelected, a bonus for the world has we have an administration with her presidency that will really stress democracy and the dialogue that we have seen that has helped us mitigate this virus. We will be very supportive regardless of where china is. China knows where we stand. This is the first time we have come out and promoted taiwan, and within the United Nations, something i am going to make certain that everyone knows where the u. S. Stance with taiwan. Heather we will continue to keep an eye on that. I want to talk more about chinas role at the United Nations. Withme of my conversations ambassadors with other countries, they talk about how china really tries to ingratiate itself to them. China providing staff assistance, china providing money. Some of those Foreign Missions can beef up their staffing in new york. While, to a lot of folks that may not sound like a big deal, it is really ingratiating those foreign governments with china. What conversations do you have with foreign ambassadors about how they see the role of china going forward, and chinas attempts to influence other countries . Ambassador craft the way i like to have dialogue when it comes to countries like the african countries within the Security Council is really to promote what we are doing, what the Trump Administration is doing. When we go into countries, we are obviously american taxpayers are the most generous people in the world and we go in with low disability but we leave with sustainability, high sustainability for the people. China goes in with high visibility and they leave areas with really low productivity because they are in there for such a short time. It is a big bang and then they leave. Having bettere practices, we leave people more independent. I try to stress what our administration is doing. Yes, it is a battle, because china is obviously donating more and more to the u. N. , the u. S. Is the largest contributor to the United Nations however they are clever about the areas which they do contribute so they are able to put their own people in. To highlight the United Nations, it is to be able to get themselves in in order to find more information on countries, in order to be able to enter areas that are in need. I have to deal every day, in the Security Council, with the chime chinese ambassador. There are other issues that we can agree on, whether that is fighting opioids and other areas. That know clearly where we stand they know clearly where we stand. I try to approach countries from the standpoint of what we are doing for them. We have to make certain every day that i keep an eye on the fact that china is making a real move into the United Nations system. They are undermining multilateral institutions to advance their own interests and we have to remember this daily with what their motivations are. Heather when you look at president xi and his announcement china would provide 2 billion to the who, what is the goal . They are getting good press. A lot of media organizations are failing to see i think what china intends to do with the money. Ambassador craft that is first of all, that pledge is short of what the United States has committed. We have a commitment of 9 billion over the next year. China obviously, their motivation is different than ours. Our mode their motivation is to get into the system. Their motivation is to be able what information does come out of the who. Undermining the independence of the who, which is one reason the Trump Administration is now requiring this checklist, because we want the who to be fully independent and this is another example of china, whether it is the who or the african continent or the latin american countries, another example of or they go in and their money is not used to help people. Heather you mentioned the phrase waking up. We see that across african thatns and other nations have gotten deeply engaged in the debt trap dispute diplomacy where china comes in with big promises to build infrastructure, then it ends up being shoddy and the countries learn what is really in the contract they signed with china. They become increasingly concerned. I am glad that is something you are focused on and working on communicating that to many nations around the world. I know one area you are passionate about his syria and the refugee problem that persists there. I think it was your last trip you went on, youre Left International trip before covid took hold but you went to the syrianturkish border. I saw video of you there and i thought, holy smokes. What a great representative of the United States, to have gone to syria at that time. Can you talk a little about the Security Council meeting that was held this week, where you addressed the spread of covid and what has come out of that . Ambassador craft absolutely. I was so happy i was able to take this trip before, because once i returned his and we were no longer traveling. We were able to travel to one of and we wererossings able to firsthand see the ngos that are registered come of it are able to go into syria and to the syrians that of volunteers of driving the humanitarian aid across the border. Thatimpressive was the way erdogan is treating Syrian Refugees on the turkish side. Tois giving them a pass citizenship, human dignity, the children are in school, they are working as a community. Something i will never forget is, they all still want to go home. They want to go back to syria. They want to be in the able to take their families. We as a country, our american taxpayers of the most general generous in the world. To syria, they all could not thank the Trump Administration enough. They were so grateful. At the same time, pleading with us to make certain we call out the bad actors, we call out iran for propping up hezbollah, we call out the entities, russia, countries that are promoting and propping up the assad regime. It is important with covid19, one of the reasons for this global ceasefire is to be about idlib area, the northeast, talking about our stress for a third Border Crossing in order to have the humanitarian aid going to the northeast, which are preference our preference would be a certain area. If i may pause you there, because i think that is delving worth delving into, there are more Border Crossings going into syria where humanitarian supplies were able to make their way in. That was reduced to 2. You are focused on trying to get that to open up again. One thing i am familiar with and curious about is, the assad regime required some of the humanitarian organizations delivering the aid to be approved of by the regime, the very regime that is killing its own people. Explain that to me, the rationale in allowing that to take place. Ambassador craft we have to prevent the regime from intercepting the humanitarian aid. This is why you have to have ngos that are properly registered, ngos that the u. S. Works closely with. Regime, the assad once the humanitarian aid was reaching their regime, it wasnt reaching the people that it was supposed to be helping. We are very hopeful that we started early enough, the mandate will come back in july so we are now starting talking about, possibly having a separate meeting, resolution just on this particular third , it is important if we are going to have humanitarian aid crossover to reach the refugees in the northeast. Russia and china are continuously holding the council hostage on this. It is strictly because of their geopolitical interests, and i have to shine a light on it. Obviously you have to keep the refugees in the back of your mind every day when you are fighting for this, because there are days when you think, i just know this is going to happen. You have to think about my trip there, the people pleading for us to help them. We are their best hope. It is more important that we really shine this light on china and russia. If they care about people, if they care about humanitarianism, then they will allow us to have this third Border Crossing. Even the who recently reported that there needs to be a third Border Crossing. So positive about the who, this is an area they should definitely be looking at. Health, theylobal shouldnt veto any kind of resolution that calls for the opening of another border into syria, you are right about that. There was recently, and i didnt get it didnt get a lot of attention because of covid but the opcw report that came out on the use of chemical weapons in released inreport early to mid april found that the assad regime backed by intelligence from russia used chemical weapons on its own people in march 2017 on several occasions. When we look at the situation in , soa, so many years later many examples of tragedy taking place and the killing of so many ocent people, when are we where are we going wrong . We are still engaged in this and assad still sits in his position. Ambassador craft we have to keep in mind that obviously, we called them out. The opcw did the report recently and we understand, we know we have to as a Security Council, hold the assad regime accountable. We have to stop the Disinformation Campaign coming from russia and china. That isanother area very contentious women within the council. More importantly, that you engage the country that once again, as we talked about, china has been helping with financial shortterm situations, that we be able to engage them so they understand the findings and the facts that we are holding the assad regime accountable. If we dont stop the Disinformation Campaign, it will be difficult to continue told them accountable, because this is against the syrian people. We have to highlight the use of chemical weapons by the assad regime. Heather the u. S. Is supporting a resolution that calls for a new constitution and elections. What can we do to reenergize that process . In fits and starts for several years now. Ambassador craft we really have to support our special envoy there. Heres an is someone that we are all supporting, the likeminded countries in the council. To stop thewe need Disinformation Campaign from china and russia because in the council when this is discussed, when anything is discussed about syria, it just doesnt seem, we cant make a move without china, theia trying to mitigate votes of the other countries. I really stress to people, we need to go to the countries that we know are being heavily influenced by russia and china. We need to see, we need to talk to them and tell them what the u. S. Is doing and what we are doing for their country. Heather can you give us examples of some of those countries that are buying into campaign ofmation the things russia and china are saying about the battle in syria . Ambassador craft sure. I think they believe assad is fully equipped to handle this crisis on his own. Obviously they would like to see the ngos delivering humanitarian regime and thed areas that assad dedicated to be able to accept the humanitarian aid. That cant happen because it is not going to reach the people. Whether it is the african countries within the council, we have south africa, niger, Different Countries that i feel a responsibility to speak to and really stress what the u. S. Does for them. More importantly, that they can make a real difference. The elected countries can make a difference in the council by standing up to russia and china and allowing them a voice. Otherwise, they dont have a voice. Heather there are some americans who feel like syria is so far away and we have been able to contain syria in a sense where it is not affecting us here. There is a real concern about proliferation of weapons. Can you address that proliferation of weapons, chemical weapons in the region, and how that could be distributed elsewhere, for example we see iran involved in places like venezuela . Ambassador craft we have to hezbollah areand deeply involved in orchestrating and providing direct support for assads horrific, barbaric attacks against the syrian people. You know if the chemical weapons, if we did not china like on them in syria, they would be everywhere. Irans behavior in venezuela, they are bad actors. There are bad actors all of the globe. We have a situation, as you china,ith maduro, russia, cuba, everybody propping regime. Aduro it has been highlighted recently. We have to continue to support guaido and stress promoting a free and Fair Election process it. I saw firsthand the plight of the venezuelan people. In all the Different Countries, the border countries, they are already taking care of their own situation, their own poverty, especially with covid19. Now, they have an influx. Columbia has millions of refugees that they have opened up and they are taking care of. It is a real burden on these border countries. It is important that venezuela does move forward with these free and Fair Elections so their people, their hospitals, their health care systems, all of their systems are broken because of the maduro regime. We have to look at the countries that are propping them up, apply sanctions, be very firm and continue to be relentless with our shining a light on the maduro regime. Heather not long ago i had a conversation with our special representative to venezuela and he talked about the democratic transition framework, which hopefully will be able to go out and vote in Fair Elections. It may not end up including guaido. They believe it up to the people to decide. Part of what makes the situation in venezuela difficult are all the outside actors, russia, iran, cuba, protecting maduro. What is it going to take, do you think, to get some of those other countries out of the sphere of influence of venezuela . Ambassador craft i think we have to maintain applying sanctions and a maximum pressure campaign, whether it is on iran, russia, china, cuba. We have to constantly highlight maduroe atrocities the regime is doing to the people. The people need to understand that we care, americans are there. We are helping the border countries. Especially, getting millions of refugees. They know the americans are there. Ombia isident of col doing and an amazing job helping refugees. They come for medical care and they walk for days to get health care come a especially women who are near delivery. They have an incredible clinic for prenatal care. And for maternal care. I think it is important that we do this, but at the same time we have to, these countries cant take everyone. This is why it is important we continue to shine a light on the regime. Obviously, lever is elected with free, fair, and transparent elections, we will support. Heather one of the challenges now with covid, although generoushas been so accepting migrants from venezuela and providing health care you mentioned, they are having difficulties themselves with covid. Some of those migrants are returning to venezuela as a result. Venezuela has imposed curfews on border towns and also brazil. Im wondering what we can do as the United States, a partner, to try to prevent the spread of coronavirus through that vulnerable population in venezuela, and as we look at a really concerning situation in brazil with coronavirus. What can we do . Ambassador craft i will tell you what we have done. What i think is once again americans always step up, when there are needs with the covid19, whether it is in perl, brazil, the countries, we try to provide the necessary equipment they need, whether it is ventilators, whether it is millions of dollars, i think we have 12. 3 million in assistance right now to the venezuelan people. We also give our assistance to the border countries. Not to allow the refugees to go across the borders, because sometimes that is their only escape, or their only way to reach help, whether it be, as we talked about, the health care come a especially the pregnant women coming in to give birth. That is the only place. They give birth and then they go back home. We need to make certain they understand they have a safe place. I have to tell you, from being there, i couldnt believe the that are young adults walking for weeks to cross the border into colombia. That is their only hope. I think it is important people know that americans are there, that we have requests for areilators from peru. We helping in every way. President trump, the leaders of the latin american countries know that we are here to help , to receive any sort of protective gear and equipment to be able to help with the covid19. Aboutr we talked sanctions several times. It is worth mentioning that sanctions dont cover medical. Quipment and medicine they are exempt from sanctions. Sanctions are a big hallmark of this administrations foreign policy, but i think it is worth mentioning. Ambassador craft think about iran. The president in his state of the union said we are here for you. We have made it clear to the government in iran that we are here to provide humanitarian aid in the form of medical supplies and different supplies, but not money. The money is used against the u. S. , against our military, against our allies, and we are, we will never apply sanctions on humanitarian aid. We made that very clear. Regardless of what the Disinformation Campaigns are out there. Iran knows, i have made that very clear that we are here to help them receive any medical supplies. We those people who think are applying sanctions on humanitarian aid, absolutely we are not. The president made that clear, the secretary has made that clear and we will continue to offer our help in the form of medical supplies to countries that really have rogue leadership. Heather thank you for clarifying that. You mentioned iran and that makes me think about the weapons embargo, the arms embargo on iran that expires in the fall. Where do you see china and russia coming down on that . President rouhani threatened countries that if they support an extension of the arms embargo, he will issue a response. Ambassador craft secretary pompeo today has imposed additional financial and visa restrictions on individuals and entities in iran. We are going to continue to call them out. They are broke, they are bad actors. They are thatgue, actors. We are starting to discuss the arms embargo because it is vitally important people understand that they have not this embargo, and they have at every turn, we have proved the fact that they are not following it. Will be working with other members of the council. Lding working day closely he is our expert on this and we will be starting early, making certain that they understand that we are they serious about this embargo. We are having to look at all the different areas that we had to apply restrictions. If then pointed out that extension fails, the less will put in sanctions. It makes me think about the fall as we look ahead. So many nations will be wondering, what happens with the General Assembly . Can you give us a preview of what that might look like . We would all hope that we could host a General Assembly in person because that would mean my conversation with the secretary general there has been no formal decisions made. To be prepared for whether it is in person or virtual, but we are working out the details now with the secretarygeneral and president of the General Assembly. We would love nothing more than to have people come into new york city. Keep in mind that there will be thousands of people coming in. If you do not want the virus starting back in the city and being carried home to the country. Every country around the world. It is a big decision that you have ahead of you. They were very diligent. Hey had been very clear they will be no one in there until the end of july for safety precautions. We are following very closely, Governor Cuomo and the state of new york, there restrictions. Lets make sure that we protect the people of the u. S. And people coming in from Different Countries. As the host country, it is up to us to. Itigate the process part of yourbig job or any diplomats job. Spending time together and picking up on the nuances of conversation. That has been taken away from you. How are you conducting diplomacy virtually . How has that changed . I first arrived, we first had our shutdown i thought this through. We were having a little bit of difficulty with our meetings. People could not get on and some people did not have a voice. It is not the same as being in person, but i have been reaching out to most ambassadors and checking on them. That personal touch of calling and saying, how are you . How is your family and your children . Is there anything that we can do . You Better Believe that they have questions. I do not have the answer, i have an incredible team. Our host country expert or we will reach out to the Governors Team in the state of new york. It is difficult, but everybody is in the same situation. The phone calls have served me well. It is a way to keep in touch. With the Security Council, we daily withlls different numbers, keep in touch with and we try to keep it light at times. About, what are you going to do with your kids this weekend . Instead, being more of that physical touch. How am i going to keep in touch with everyone . I am speaking more to the ones that i do not see, which has been a gift. You are a sincere and gracious woman. I cannot think of a better person for this job, at this time. Ambassador kraft, thank you very much. I hope that we can have these conversations more often. Before i let you go, let me ask you one more thing. The next country that you would once travelt restrictions are lifted. What would you like to focus on . Leave a country, whether south sudan, haiti or turkey, the border of syria, i do not get on the plane and leave everybody behind. I carry them here. Some of the countries, i promised the refugee camp that i would come back and i will to the border in syria. I hope that we are able to visit the border in the northeast. That syria would not be one of my first areas. Also to go back to south sudan. Say, there is no better demonstration that understands the importance of american top pain dollars in the country paying dollars in the country. We are all that spending and the results. It makes you fight even harder. Cannot there is not a better demonstration. Thee able to represent than Trump Administration. We do understand our obligation. It is to protect the taxpayers, protect the American Interest and we are always the first to help the rest of the world. Right are absolutely about that. Thank you for your time today. I look forward to chatting with you about all these issues again. Had a great day now. Have a great day now. Coming up friday morning, the Bipartisan Policy Center medical advisor discusses the latest on the u. N. 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