There are new books out about the history in he would say look at the cost of cotton is a great team 49 until the turn of a greater Economic Freedom of in the 80s. Of course, i speculate that the glove was lost before chide have found itself in a more prosperous direction and. But then the utopia and fantasies. Antidash has gotten beyond that. But with all of that loss had we not been so naive fet mao was the agrarian reformer. As an undergraduate in the 60s we learnt china west it was there culture and anyone who said tidies tidies, buddhism is terrible was a little hysterical. We did not learn about the great famine and the professor described right date about this where tens of millions died analogous to the gulag this was say headed the history and did not get my chair time or attention to. With its parallel to of china and russia. Hoover was so concerned to with the history of the dangers of the historical trends that people bird of the cost as he would have been frustrated to think in to find out from the papers led to of which 40 years before. But we suspect of the league out of sorts. Why could it take so long . The he is trying to be a historian bu the teacher he were getting about the fax so we have a question and what is sure feisty on scholars who might follow . What the message should they use . They could look fresh to the history of free to take a fresh look. Id like to quote certain phrases by british historian that nothing can udc if like a doctorate. I urge young historians for what seems to be the face value in a dig deeply in and did not except to the standard narrative of the conventional wisdom . That is from the communists period with the earth a conventional wisdom the interpretation of those events has been terribly wrong. So i would urge young historians. I would point out that the best kind is to say very factual and very magnanimous he always sees that they do that for work rather than on a divisive to be selfish only interested in his own name beyond the academic accomplishment he knew he was right in sometimes as dr. Nash shows he was. Thank you to the cspan viewers for this time and also dr. Nash. [inaudible conversations] and good afternoon ladies and gentlemen, take you for being here today for the briefing. I have a couple of guests with me today. Susan rice and the National Security adviser that are here to give you a preview of the president s Upcoming Trip and then we will take questions on that trip. Then we will start with an overview of the schedule and ambassador price will provide a systematic overview then we will take questions on those topics areas. Then i will stick around for questions. I will start with the interview with the president over the course of the trip on sunday night in arrived on it a 8 00 in the morning said he will go to the museum where he will meet with the Prime Minister of the netherlands. They will then have the bilateral meeting there as well. Following that the president will go to the soviet side id have a bilateral meetings to initiate the meeting with trade and this is the first since the g20 in september and they could agree to this is obama today. Then the president will go into this session there will be an opening followed by the policy discussion in the afternoon and following the president will attend the g7 meeting at the residence this has been added on as of response to the situation in the you craig the president will consult with the leaders of the g7 out to support the government in the media is part of the isolation of russia for its actions. Paul levine does it g7 meeting the president will see the katy of the netherlands then have a working dinner. On tuesday the 25th the president will participate in the summit we anticipate the opportunity to have some beatings with additional leaders with the interaction said at the conclusion obama will have a joint press conference then following that will have additional meetings with a bilateral treaty from the united arab emirates, one of the key relationships in the gulf to discuss gulf security to support the opposition in syria have the update of the Nuclear Negotiations with iran in and middle east peace negotiations than a very important trilateral beating with the private mr. Of japan this is an Important Message to show the United States is allied with the two most important allies to signal the commitment of the security authorities station when the allies came together we are all much stronger. Then the president will go to brussels and spend the night. On wednesday march 26 he will begin going to one of the most important battlefields of world war i. This is the Centennial Anniversary of world war i had is a critical history in the world hear the president will reach with the cane of belgium and the private mr. So there will be a private meeting then a tour of the battlefield for people of United States and europe as well. Following that the president will attend the United States use of it summit here we have a very broad agenda with the e. U. I am sure the situation of the ukraine will be front and center with the ongoing discussions of a partnership with the iran negotiations with the e. U. Following that seven and working lunch he will have a joint press conference with of peters. After that meeting the president will meet with the secretarygeneral of nato and of course, this is our single most joint Security Alliance frankly is as important as ever given the situation in europe and the ukraine. So not just to discuss that situation but the steps were taking to reinforce the security of our allies with the Vice President s trip and to the Baltic States and poland as well. There will be full discussions of the defense and the preparations. Following the meeting with the secretarygeneral the president will give a speech in brussels the president will have the chance to discuss his vision of European Security obviously the situation will factor heavily into his presentation italy reinforces the United States to remain committed to a Strong Alliance with the integration of europe with the values United States stands for including a probe individual liberty but to make their own decisions to have the integrity respected. Following that speech the president will the bar where he will spend the night on march 27 the president will begin his day with the audience with pope francis he has long looked forward to meeting him he has acquired his leadership as his first year as pope to address issues like income inequality and his leadership so that will be an important time to have personal interaction with the pope to hear about his agenda he has launched in his first year. The president will be to with the secretary of state to discuss what the vatican and is doing. After a visit to the vatican he will meet with napolitano said he had them a good series of discussions with him on the phone to discuss the situation but also broader cooperation. , make that press conference the president will have the opportunity to tour the coliseum in rome and he is looking forward to that opportunity. Then we go to saudi arabia the president will have a bilateral meeting with King Abdullah with another opportunity to invest in our most important relationship in the middle east gulf region with a broad agenda in terms of our ongoing support with the Syrian Opposition with the ongoing peace discussions as well as both the Nuclear Negotiations with iran but the joint concern for destabilizing actions across to the patient then the president will spend the night in saudi arabia and returning to the United States on saturday. Good afternoon. Over the course of this trip to the president will mobilize the International Community and some of the most important partners in the world at a time when we deal with the number of important challenges. If there is a common theme is the fundamental strength id importance of alliances and partnerships. Not that they can be overstated from europe to asia to the middle east it is essential to making progress. To be but the most important Institutional Partners the g7 European Union and nato to have bilateral engagements all traditionally strong allies these take place against the backdrop of the russian intervention of ukraine it is clear for the entire world to say to see it leaves the International Community to support the government of the ukraine and with the imposing cost against ukraine. At the same time we are building a strategic cooperation by moving forward that was of vital engine. In job creation. By strengthening nato as the worlds leading instrument of collective security by advancing efforts to have nuclear arterial so around the globe through the president said pitcher initiative of the security summit. Read while we continue to focus on the rebalance to asia. After tension through to the closest allies the republic of korea and japan with the trilateral meeting to send a powerful message about americas commitment to the security of North East Asia but the president will also meet with the president of china to finance efforts to cooperate where we can on a range of issues from a Climate Change to the korean peninsula. We will begin enforcing our most important relationships in the middle east. On the margins of the Nuclear Security so that the president will have the opportunity to spend time with the crown prince of the uae bin to travel to riyadh for a very important meeting with king of delilah that we are very much looking forward to. Added time to engage in the Nuclear Negotiations with iran working to try to bring tuition to middle peace negotiations and it collective efforts to strengthen the Syrian Opposition. By a investing in the core partnerships to make progress on the agenda. We are investing traditionally with strong and flexible coalition the to these regions that are full small force will the players we should not bear all the burden alone and we dont because that group of alliances i and confident to manage the complex mix of International Issues like the ukraine or ivory and or syria. Also continue in our ability to make progress on key elements like the a share rebalance with us at issue so with that i am happy to take refuge questions a few questions. Is a your gold next week to get the europeans to agree to the same set of sanctions or the unwillingness of the russian economy . And will you lay out clear lines for the steps they would have to take to trigger those . We arent in constant communication as i talk to my counterparts we have been on the phone so coordination already we saw that yesterday when the European Council on the same day we made our announcement came out with a strong decision of its own which included the only Additional Support for the ukraine but the designation of individuals as well as a strong statement of readiness to impose broad economic sanctions in the event the situation escalates. That matches the theory behind the executive order that obama signed yesterday that it gives us the ability as needed to target sectors to be designated within the russian economy should circumstances necessitate. We are quite closely coordinated with our partners said g7 could deepen that coordination even as we have the chance to step up the collective support and consider the optimum disposition Going Forward in light of recent developments. The wall street journal said the white house canceled the planned meetings in saudi arabia because of a rift with the persian gulf leaders. That is not accurate there was never a formal meeting schedule. We had contemplated a few weeks back to begin preliminary consultations but then the situation the members has grown more complex. While we maintain a strong and cooperative relationship with each country we did not think from their point of view the time was up the wall for a collective meeting. With that fundamental reassessment. In the years since the ending of the cold war with the International Community we have made clear our interest was a more fully integrating into europe and the fabric of the international system. That was predicated on the expectation that russia would play by the rules. Economic and security rules and International Bodies and the principles that governed international action. We have seen with the ukraine is a very egregious departure causing the countrys in people in the International Community what does this mean and what are the implications . Use saw a stark example of the u. N. Security council last weekend when the shell was alone. Even without china with there is no legitimacy the world said absolutely they reject they would not accept the annexation it was hidden blatant violation of the territory of the ukraine and will have consequences and it already has been back russia obviously is a big participant do you have an idea who is represented . I know there is some speculation of secretary kerry and is there anything you want to use to talk about isolation and . Nuclear security is where the indicted states has an enduring interest with other important countries where the security of Nuclear Materials remains of a concern. The Nuclear Security summit is an opportunity for countries to come together to levants a very important agenda through this administration National Security policy to make it harder and harder for those who may wish to use Nuclear Materials for terrorist purposes to get their hands on them. There is a series of steps that has led to serious improvement with the security materials around the world. They will cooperate with russia even if we have differences. The foreign minister that represents russia i think that was there plan spinet United States sends the commander in chief civic that is there choice to make it has been for a while. I dont think there is ever the expectation that president putin or president ned did have one dash megabit have would come to this one. Ambassador bryce what do you think Vladimir Putin is up two . Overnight he said they should hold off on countermeasures in response to sanctions is he trying to rewrite the end of the cold war through confrontation with the obama to elevate his status . I will live speculate about president threatens motives. His actions are clear. We have expressed our opposition to his invasion and annexation of korea with crimea and our view is that the situation in should be escalated and resolved through dialogue and diplomacy and we believe that it can be of that is the choice the Russian Federation makes even as we impose cost to signal it could increase to support in the credible efforts. Would the president delivered a message to russian leadership . Secretary hagel has had two important calls with the ukraine minister of defense he encourage them to show restraint. How concerned are you about the ukrainians been pushed into responding to give putin an excuse to take more territory . And also a phone call to the Russian Defense minister that 20,000 troops are on the border. It was explained there is a military training exercise. Do you believe the russians . How do you believe them at this point when they said they had no intention in to take clivia of . I think we are characterizing what the secretary counterpart said to him yesterday i would not describe the value but what secretary hagel has been doing with close consultation with his ukrainian counterpart similarly to what secretary kerry has been doing with the Prime Minister and the foreign minister as the ongoing effort to to show support in partnership to the people of the government with diplomatic support a hint increased economic support and that is the reason for our efforts to work with congress to work quickly to implement the legislation and the Million DollarLoan Guarantee which is critical to support the ukraine. And is ongoing with russian counterparts. Are you concerned about ukrainian restraint . He said are you concerned the ukrainians will push back to give putin an excuse to do more . Than it this is a fragile situation but we have been an admiring of the posture the ukrainian people have taken to exercise enormous restraint in the face of obvious provocation and have made clear their interest is in the unified democratic future to live in existence with russia and western europe and the United States. The president said that is not necessarily intended to. Of the ukraine has a history to let it be simultaneously working constructively with russia. There are reports today there are more than the 20,000 number gathered along been the segments of the ukrainian border. What have you said to russia at . We have been taking note of developments along the Ukraine Border in the russian border. That was part of the substance of secretary hegels telephone conversation with his counterparts becker things getting worse . It is not clear. The russi