Press Releases: Secretary of State Rex Tillerson And Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra Before Their Meeting


Remarks

Rex W. Tillerson

Secretary of State

Treaty Room

Washington, DC

May 17, 2017


SECRETARY TILLERSON: Good morning, all. It’s really good to welcome you to the State Department. It’s a pleasure to have you here visiting.

FOREIGN MINISTER LAMAMRA: Absolutely. Thank you very much, sir. Thank you. My pleasure to be back in Washington, D.C. You know I have served here 20 years ago as an ambassador?

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Wow.

FOREIGN MINISTER LAMAMRA: Yeah, ambassador of Algeria, so I am back. So for —

SECRETARY TILLERSON: So you’re familiar with the place.

FOREIGN MINISTER LAMAMRA: Definitely. Glad to be here.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: It’s great to see you.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, Vladimir Putin is offering Congress a transcript of that Lavrov Oval Office meeting. Do you think the Russians were bugging the Oval Office?

SECRETARY TILLERSON: I would have no way to know that. Thank you.

QUESTION: What do you think of his offer?

QUESTION: Secretary Tillerson, do you stand by —

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, do you have any comment on the violent protest outside Turkey embassy?