Forward with resolve to make everything better for everyone, not just a few. Voices from the road on cspan. Secretary of state mike pompeo and Russian Foreign minister Sergey Lavrov held a News Conference with reporters at the state department. They spoke about what relations between the u. S. And russia. This is 45 minutes. Good afternoon, everyone. Welcome. Welcome, sergei. Before a recap the meeting that i had with foreign minister lavrov and his team of what to note that recently the Trump Administration has taken action human rights violators. Its only appropriate to and maintenance right on human rights today. These actions extend the commitment to hold individuals accountable for gross human right abuses all around the world. Ill speak more about that tomorrow. Now turning to our meeting. Last may at President Trumps request i made a trip to russia to meett with president putin ad foreign minister lavrov. The reason was pretty straightforward. We should have better relationship, United States and russian that weve had in the last few years and weve been working on that since that moment. Our bilateral ties are of course complicated. We cooperate in some areas. Inin other places we compete. Over the course of my visit, foreign minister lavrov and i agree to continue the hard work that diplomats engage in. We agreed to keep lines of communication open and to keep our conversations candid as well. Our talks today continued that. We touched on counterterrorism, counternarcotics, our intelligence and Law Enforcement professionals cooperate in these areas on a daily basis and will keep doing so. On syria we are committed to working through u. N. Security Council Resolution 2254 to find a political solution to the crisis there in syria. I think we agree there is no military solution and we both want to assure this area never becomes a safe haven for isis and other terrorist groups. That goes for afghanistan as well, talk of cooperation our countrys have had on the issues that face us in afghanistan. Today, too, we agreed on the final fully verified denuclearization in north korea as her joint objective. I raise the importance of sanctions enforcement with foreign minister lavrov today. These are all good positive areas where our two countries have cooperated and will continue to do so. There are other places where there are greater challenges. Venezuela is one of them. The longer that maduro hangs on to power, the deeper the misery of the venezuelan people. Weve asked the russian government to support the aspiration for democracy and legitimacy off interim president ial juan guaido, and the call that we have made for a free and fair president ial elections. We also spent a fair amount of time talking about ukraine. It was a major part of our conversations. Foreign ministerns lavrov just returned from paris where president putin and president zelensky had substantive conversations. Im proud ofm what this administration has done in the defense of that countries sovereignty and security. I reiterated to foreign minister lavrov s that crimea belongs to ukraine and the resolution of the conflict in Eastern Ukraine begins with adherence to commitments made under the minsk agreements. President trump is eager to pursue arms control with russia and with china. We talked about that at great length today. It has to be verifiable, enforceable, include all the partners who have the ability to infect Strategic Security around the worldfi and then i had the chance rize should use that since like paul wheeling who have been detained in russia, bring home our citizens abroad a sense possible is one of President Trumps highest priorities. We had a success this past weekend. And then on the question of interference in our Domestic Affairs, i was clear, its unacceptable and i made out expectations of russia clear. The Trump Administration will always work to protect the integrity of our elections, period. Should russia or any foreign act to take steps to undermine our democratic processes we will take actionr in response. And finally i want the russian people to know that sanctions the United States has leveraged, levied on russian i individuals and entities are in no way targeted at the russian people and we have no quarrel with lawabiding citizens and we will keep working on the diplomatic level to get t this relationship right. I want to thank you, sir kay, foreign minister lavrov, for coming to washington and i look for to our continued conversations in the future. Thank you, sir. [speaking in native tongue] translator to secretary pompeo, for the opportunity to meet here in washington. We have accepted the invitation to visit the United States as a response visit. After secretary pompeo traveled to the Russian Federation to sochi in may this year, there was a meeting with the president of the Russian Federation as well as our meaningful negotiations. We meet each other regularly and we regularly talk on the phone when necessary. Todays meeting has confirmed that it is useful to talk to each other. However difficult this. In a relationship is, and including the global affairs. Talking to each other is always better than not talkingth to eah other. We have thoroughly discussed bilateral situation in our affairs and we spoke about strategic stability, arms control, and we spoke frankly and businesslike. Were trying not only to listen to each otherer but to hear each other. Its an open secret that we have different views on Different Things and it would be naive to think that overnight we could achieve Mutual Understanding on key issues, what i believe that was always so, more or less. There is not 100 coincidence in positions, and diplomacy trying to find solutions that would not infringe on vested interest of each others side, but that would allow us to avoid conflicts and promote constructive cooperation. Indeed, we agree with our American Partners just like mike just said. The situation when two leading majorn Nuclear Powers have accumulated differences, that is not acceptable, it does not benefit our countrys or the international community. That creates additional tension and global arena and the world on the holder will continue our dialogue. We have reciprocal intent to do that and with opportunities how to normalize our bilateral relations. We understand that our joint workal was hindered and continus to be hindered by the wave of suspicions that has overcome washington. We have highlighted once again that all speculations about our allegedly interfered in domestic processes in the United States are baseless. There are no facts that would support that. We did not see these facts. No one has given as this proof because simple it does not exist. I would like to remind you that when the first statement on this topic began, it was on the eve of the president ial election in 2016. We use the channels that existed back then between moscow and washington together with barack obama. We have asked many times our American Partners aboutur the opportunity to deal with these suspicions that were expressed in october 2016. All the way up to President Trumps inauguration. There was noum response. All our appeals when we were saying, if you suspect us of something, please put the facts down on the table. Lets discuss it. Response. O so all that continued after the inauguration after the inauguration of President Trump we suggested to our colleagues in order to dispel all suspicions that are baseless, let us publish this close channel corresponded starting from october 2016 till november 2017 so all become very clear to many people. However, regrettably this administration refused to do so. I would like to repeat once again we are prepared to do that, to publish the correspondence that took place through that channel, with clear many matters that i believe. Nevertheless, we hope that the turbulence that appeared out of thin air will die down just like in 1950s, mccarthys came to not and the be an opportunity to go back to more constructive cooperation. Incidentally we have offered multiple times and were reminded aboutt that today to put on papr mutual obligations on noninterference in Domestic Affairs of each other using the example of the exchange of personal notes that took place in 1933 when diplomatic relations were reestablished between the United States and the ussr. President roosevelt suggested the american site suggested and we agreed to do that, to change letters between president roosevelt and our ministry of foreign affairs, to put it on paper, this obligation not to allow for any interference in Domestic Affairs of each other. That was the initiative of the american side, and we are prepared to do something similar at this point in time at this very crucial stage. We agreed that it would be incorrect to put our relations on hold, to pause them and post but our interaction on topical issues of modern times. We are prepared to do practical work on a whole range of issues that are for mutual interest, and we are prepared to do so with that level of intensity that is convenient today for our American Partners. One of the central topics of our discussion was strategic stability. We directed the attention of a partners, and negative consequences of the u. S. Stepping out of the inf treaty, and weve highlighted once again that in these conditions after this treaty stopped existing, we are interested in, in not letting this theme out of our advisors, and we suggested, president putin suggested to the u. S. And other partners as well, that russia is announcing a unilateral moratorium on deploying such missiles and they will not be deployed. Upep until then and in those regions, up until the point where the similar systems appear, that american systems appear. That suggestion was made to our western partners including the u. S. For such moratorium to become mutual. This offer remained on the table. We also spoke about the destiny of yetof another treaty that is still not expired, and it will expire automatically in februar. I mean the newth s. T. A. R. T. Treaty. Russia has reconfirmed its offer already know to make a decision to extend this treaty. President putin has expressed this position, reconfirmed it in his public speech. We are also confirming our proposal to yet again use the examples of the ussr in the u. S. To make a statement at the level of president about in acceptability of certain nuclear war. This suggestion is also on the table. As for a global affairs, we spoke about the ukraine. I have briefed thoroughly secretary pompeo and his delegation about yesterdays discussions in normandy, format in paris about decisions made there and about those issues that have yet to be settled in order to move on fully towards full observance of minsk agreements. And it is a principal importance that the outcome document that the president s of russia, ukraine, france and germany have endorsed reconfirms the viability of the minsk agreement and requires the fulll observance. That is 100 our position. We also spoke about the need, continue our discussion about the past, how to overcome the crisis around Iranian Nuclear program. We are well aware of our position. We believe it is necessary to do everything out in our power to save jcpoa to ensure the peaceful nature of Iranian Nuclear research. Naturally we arerc very concernd about the situation that has taken place in the persian gulf in the strait of hormones, and we also promote strait of hormuz and we also promote for all countries that want to ensure it security and safety of navigation of review that russian proposal we suggested to begin a dialogue about creating a system of collective security around the goal. At the level of political scientist, experts and scientific community, we heldiaa special seminar and moscow. Many countries of the region including the arab state of the persian gulf that of taking part in fso a number of european scientists. We also invited u. S. Representatives, and we hope that next time they will take part in such an event. As secretary pompeo has said, we spoke about the situation around venezuela. Russia consistently promotes the idea that it should be venezuelans led and the people should define the future, and those dialects that were first seen in the oslo format, that unfortunately is in limbo right now, and the dialect dialects e seeing in the roundtable between a moderate opposition and the government would yield a necessary result and the crisis willes be settled through peacel means only. We spoke about the situation in the korean peninsula. We are promoting denuclearization of the korean peninsula, and against that backdrop we see that we believe contacts between the u. S. And the prk are very important. We hope that the position that we have also discussed with secretary pompeo, the position of russia and china with coordinating our approaches with china on these matters will be useful in order for washington to define their future path, considering the current stalemate in the negotiation process. We believe that in order to get out of this impasse, it is necessary to move forward with the reciprocal measures, measure for measure. And we are prepared to actively aid on these tracks in order to overcome the current situation. We spoke about syria, resolution 2254 encompasses all frameworks that need to define the movement for word toward the settlements, anden all aspects, weve highlighted the need for the cooperation between russia and the u. S. As well as other stakeholders in order to finally eliminate terrorism on syrian territory in order to solve humanity issues as well as need for a sustainable, constructive, political process that has begup in geneva within the Constitutional Committee where the syrian sides have to agree about the future of their country. We spoke about other hotbeds of tension in the middle east and north of africa. There are many of them there. In particular, i believe with mutual interest about closert cooperation on the libyan a settlement. We are cooperating on the situation around jiminy and, of course, it is very important to keep in our eyesight the palestinianisraeli settlement that is p apparently stalling, d it is in critical condition. We also spoke about our Bilateral Affairs as ive always said. President of the u. S. And russia back during the summit in helsinki in 2018 and later at their meeting in osaka in june this year, agreed about a number of specific steps, and is one of the results there was renewed counterterrorism dialogue. It took place one year ago and some rounds have already taken place. That allows for a more efficient fight against this, but for russia, the u. S. , as well as community. As far as the economy. Despite the sanctions as its wellknown do not benefit anyone, the trade during President Trumps residing, we had continued growth from 20 Million Dollars that was president obamas level, now President Trump as of this year have helped reach the level of 27 billion, thats around that means more jobs in both countries, that means more profit for producers. Now, i believe that its koorps and then the results will be mutually beneficial. We have agreed to continue to find paths in order to alleviate certain triggers in bilateral and therefore the situation with the rest of russian citizens abroad and these are situations with allegations that take part in international events, the u. S. Territory as well as for diplomates, as well as the situation with diplomatic property. We have agreed that the deputies will continue the discussions of all the issues that we want to make them constructive and your results, most most important. In the end, id like to say with all difficulties and differences, there is potential cooperation in the economy and others as well and its in the interest of both countries to tap into that fully and to the benefit of our countries and the that is our intent and today, we felt there was the same commitment of the american side. Im thankful to mike pompeo, would like to continue this dialog and i would like to invite him to visit russia when it is possible. Thank you. Thanks for the invitation. Well start with rich edson, fox news. Good afternoon, mr. Secretary. On north korea and your discussions with north korea, are you satisfied with russian and other countries sanction enforcement and also within the past week, north korea warned after Christmas Gift for the United States. Is the administration prepared or expect north korea to return to more aggressive posture, perhaps want to terminate negotiations . Foreign minister lavrov in your discussions over paul whelan, are the u. S. And russia any closer to resolving that case . Is paul whelan any closer today to freedom . And also, mr. Foreign minister, do you believe that ukraine meddled in the u. S. Election in 2016 . And is that specifically something that you discussed with the secretary today . Thank you. Thank you. With respect to north korea, weve worked with the russians on enforcement. Ive told foreign minister lavrov repeatedly we appreciate the level that they have, theyve done good work. These are u. N. Security sanctions, not u. S. Per se. And theyre resolutions that the russians voted for themselves. Theres always more work to be done on enforcement. Theres a major event on the 22nd of december where every nation is required to have all north korean workers out of their country, we talked about that today and the importance that there are many north korean workers in russia and the u. N. Security resolution requires them to depart. Were hopeful theyll be able to com