QUESTION: Okay. Mr. Secretary, thanks for doing this. We really appreciate it.

SECRETARY POMPEO: It is a blessing to be with you. Thank you.

QUESTION: Let me ask you – the ministerial conference coming up, the message you want to send on religious freedom. Explain why this event is so important.

SECRETARY POMPEO: So this is a big deal, the first time the State Department has ever hosted such a gathering. We’ll have folks from over 80 countries, 40-plus foreign ministers, all kinds of religious groups and NGOs all coming together on a common theme, which is that the advancement of religious freedom matters to every individual in every country. The human dignity, human rights attached to religious freedom, I feel personally and I know President Trump does as well.

So we want this administration to make religious freedom a true priority for the United States State Department in every interaction we have with our foreign partners. Not every country will achieve the level of religious freedom that we have here in the United States. We think we can advance it all across the world by bringing together folks from all faiths and frankly those who have no faith, but their capacity to practice religion in the way that they choose is important for the world.

QUESTION: A victory. What is a victory coming out of this? In other words, what are some tangible results that you hope will eventually take seed, take root, if you will?

SECRETARY POMPEO: So we have a number of initiatives that we’ll announce at the ministerial, some things that are concrete – not just talk, but real action. But second, we believe just the fact that we’ll get all these people together in a single room – we don’t believe this has happened before under the auspices of the United States Government. We know it has not. And their presence, the capacity to get to know each other and work together and understand that we know many countries struggle to give religious freedom to their citizens – they’ll see how other countries have overcome those challenges, how they have moved towards a more religiously tolerant society. We think those will demonstrate real, tangible, positive results in the weeks and months to follow this three-day gathering here at the State Department.

QUESTION: Explain a little bit about why this is personal for you. Because you – your faith I know is very, very important to you. You’ve talked about this in public before. So why – this seems – there’s a public policy aspect, but it’s also personal. Tell me a little bit about that.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Look, it’s very consistent with what the Trump administration is trying to achieve with respect to religious freedom, but it also fits with my worldview. I am an Evangelical Christian. I know that not everyone shares that faith, but it’s important. It’s important not only to Christians, but people of all faiths have the capacity to worship in the way that they desire, that they do so without fear of retribution from their government or the risk that they’ll be punished or not have the ability to raise themselves and their families in the faith the way that they want to. It is incredibly important that all faiths have the opportunity – that every individual have the opportunity to practice faith in the way they want. It’s central to my understanding of my religion; it’s central to understanding my role as the Secretary of State as well.

QUESTION: Pastor Brunson real quick, since it obviously ties in. What is your message to President Erdogan and Turkey on this specifically? This has been ongoing to the point of – many folks say – ridiculousness.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Time for Pastor Brunson to return home and to be free. We have worked diligently. The President personally has worked diligently on this issue. This is an example where a higher degree of religious freedom around the world would create less risk not only for the citizens of their own country but for Americans as they travel abroad. Pastor Brunson’s case is very much a focus of the team that I lead here at the State Department, and we’re optimistic that in the days and weeks ahead we’ll get a good outcome for Pastor Brunson, his family, and frankly for many of those that are held in places around the world.

QUESTION: While I have you here, obviously, as Secretary of State, I’ve got to ask you about what’s been going on with Vladimir Putin and Russia. So I just want to get that out. There has been talk at least about Putin wanting these U.S., American citizens interrogated somehow as part of the deal for election meddling and all of that, especially Mike McCaul, the former U.S. ambassador. And that’s why I’m asking you specifically – the former U.S. ambassador for Russia. Is that a nonstarter that American citizens like Mike McCaul can be interrogated by the Russians? It’s getting a lot of pushback.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, that’s not going to happen. There’s been a lot of heat and relatively little light in the past few days about the President’s visit to Helsinki. He went there with the objective to create an opportunity for leaders of these two powers that own enormous nuclear capacity to have a channel to communicate. There were places they found overlap. We’re going to work on counterterrorism together. We’re hopeful that on some of these grand arms control issues that are very important to the world that there may well be a path forward. But make no mistake; President Trump understands that Russia doesn’t share our interests in every place, and so he was very clear with Vladimir Putin about that.

With respect to the particular question, the administration is not going to send or force Americans to travel to Russia to be interrogated by Vladimir Putin and his team.

QUESTION: Fair enough. One last question as it relates to Russia. A little bit about what happens now exactly in terms of a lot of folks believe that, in essence, Russia is still spying on the United States. You’re a former CIA guy and now Secretary of State. What’s the answer to that?

SECRETARY POMPEO: There is a long history, decades of history, of Russia’s efforts to undermine Western democracy – the Soviet Union for decades, now Russia for the last few. I don’t expect that will stop. It is this administration’s mission to raise the costs for Russian activity of that kind to attempt to deter them. We’re eyes wide open about Russia’s efforts to undermine Western democracy. We’re going to do our level best to stop them. And when we don’t stop them, we will call them out for it and make sure they understand that that type of behavior is unacceptable. This administration has been incredibly tough on Russia. We’re proud of that, and I’m confident we’ll have to continue to do so as there is still Russian behavior that is inconsistent with a good relationship between our two countries.

QUESTION: Do you think the media and liberals are a little bit out of control on the treason stuff? I mean, they’ve been just hammering this President on open treason. What has been your view of that?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Yeah, it’s silly. I actually looked back at some of the senators’ statements when Obama was – the president was Barack Obama. They were talking about the need for important and good relationship between somehow – somehow they have either changed their mind, or they’ve become pure political hacks. I suspect it’s the latter and not the former.

QUESTION: And while I have you, last question on North Korea human rights. Do you trust Kim Jong-un? You’ve met him, obviously. What’s your sense of that? And how much of human rights and that discussion, religious freedom, ever come up in some of these discussions at all?

SECRETARY POMPEO: So I’m avoiding talking about the conversations I’ve had with the North Koreans as we’re in active negotiations with them, but I want your viewers to know that the United States rarely has an encounter with a country where we don’t raise human rights concerns where they exist. We know the history there in North Korea. We know the history of many countries with which we deal.

We have a broad range of issues with these nations, so there are times that we can’t make that the only issue upon which we focus. But your viewers should understand that religious freedom and human rights are something that the State Department puts at the center of our discussions with those countries that aren’t living up to what the appropriate standard for those types of behaviors ought to be.

QUESTION: Good luck with the ministerial.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you very much.

QUESTION: A very important event. Thank you.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Thank you, sir.

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From July 20-23, U.S. government officials met with senior delegations from the five Central Asian republics in Almaty, Kazakhstan, and Tashkent, Uzbekistan, to discuss progress under the three C5+1 Working Groups — Environment, Economic Connectivity, and Security. The C5+1 is the primary regional diplomatic platform through which the United States and the five Central Asian republics cooperate to advance economic integration, mitigate environmental vulnerabilities, and strengthen security cooperation.

Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs Manisha Singh led the U.S. delegation to the Economic Connectivity Working Group on July 20, in Almaty. During that event, Assistant Secretary Singh headed a conversation on bolstering connectivity and trade through increasing economic ties, during which USAID Deputy Assistant Administrator for Asia Javier Piedra also briefed participants on current C5+1 economic projects and identified opportunities for future engagement.

Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Central Asia Henry Ensher led the U.S. delegation to the Environment Working Group, held on July 20, in Almaty, which introduced the Central Asian Regional Electricity Market (CAREM) project to the C5+1.

Mr. Ensher also led the U.S. delegation to the Security Working Group on July 23, in Tashkent. Participants discussed regional counterterrorism efforts and border security cooperation, as well as efforts to counter violent extremism in the region and the launch of the first two Working Group projects. Those Working Groups projects focus on community engagement as a means to prevent radicalization to violence.

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The U.S. Department of State, with the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, is issuing this advisory to highlight the sanctions evasion tactics used by North Korea that could expose businesses – including manufacturers, buyers, and service providers – to sanctions compliance risks under U.S. or United Nations sanctions authorities. This advisory also assists businesses in complying with the requirements under Title III, the Korean Interdiction and Modernization of Sanctions Act of the Countering America’s Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA).

This advisory does not impose new sanctions on North Korea. The United States remains committed to the Joint Statement that President Trump and Chairman Kim signed June 12 in Singapore. As the President has said, sanctions will be enforced and remain in effect. The international community cannot let up on pressure until the DPRK denuclearizes.

Multiple U.S. and UN sanctions impose restrictions on trade with North Korea and the use of North Korean labor, potentially impacting a company’s supply chain operations. The two primary sanctions compliance risks are: (1) inadvertent sourcing of goods, services, or technology from North Korea, and (2) the presence of North Korean citizens or nationals in those supply chains, whose labor generates revenue for the North Korean government. This advisory also provides due diligence references for businesses.

Businesses should be aware of these deceptive practices in order to implement effective due diligence policies, procedures, and internal controls to ensure compliance with applicable legal requirements across their entire supply chain.

The advisory will be published in English, Chinese, French, Korean, Russian, and Spanish.

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SECRETARY POMPEO: Good morning, sir. It’s Mike speaking.

QUESTION: Good morning, Secretary Pompeo. It’s a pleasure to speak to you here and we thank you for taking the time to speak with us.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Oh my goodness, it’s an honor. I’m truly thrilled to be on the line with you.

QUESTION: Thank you. Mr. Secretary, you’re set to host the U.S.’s first summit on religious freedom with your counterparts from around the world. What do you hope to achieve with this meeting?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Well, look, it’s truly a remarkable thing. The State Department, under President Trump, has made religious freedom a true priority for this administration, and so we’re bringing together, this gathering, over 80 delegations. Forty-plus will be my counterparts, foreign ministers from around the world, the largest number ever gathered here at the State Department.

And our mission is really straightforward and important. It is to spread the word of the importance of religious freedom for every individual around the world. The – we want to press for that. There are countries that share America’s understanding of that, there are those who don’t, and we want to move each of them in the right direction towards increasing – increasing religious freedom. People of all faiths should have the right to worship as they please, or if they choose not to, they should be permitted to do that as well.

QUESTION: And what role do you see Pope Francis and the Catholic Church playing when it comes to promoting religious freedom?

SECRETARY POMPEO: We think they can play a central role. We think it’s incredibly important that not only governments – as in the State Department and the United States – but religious leaders too understand that they need to press for religious freedom for their particular faith and their beliefs, but that they should also play a role in ensuring that there’s religious freedom for those that share other faiths than the one. So we think the Catholic Church can play an important role in the mission that we’re attempting to achieve through gathering these folks in Washington in the days ahead.

QUESTION: And one last question: What relationship do you see between religious freedom, human rights, and economic interests?

SECRETARY POMPEO: Great question. I think they’re all deeply connected. Trump administration and I both agree that religious freedom has enormous benefits for countries. When individuals are permitted to act and behave freely with respect to their faith, they have the capacity for greatness. And so we see a deep connection between religious freedom as a fundamental human right, and the economic benefits that flow to countries that have this religious freedom. Investors prefer countries that have broad religious freedom. Commercial actors see places with religious freedom as places more open and with less risk. We think that religious freedom and human rights and economic success are deeply connected, deeply tied, and we think it benefits American foreign policy to reinforce this.

QUESTION: Okay, Mr. Secretary, I think that’s all we – the questions we have. So thank you very much again for talking with us.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Devin, great. Thank you so much. Have a wonderful day.

QUESTION: Thanks, you too.

SECRETARY POMPEO: Yes, sir.

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Finalists for the 2018 P3 Impact Award were announced today by the Office of Global Partnerships at the U.S. Department of State, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business Institute for Business in Society and Concordia. The Award recognizes exemplary public-private partnerships (P3s) that provide solutions to pressing issues in areas such as: economic development, housing, health and sanitation, and workforce.

A judging committee selected the following five 2018 finalists:

DREAMS Partnership —focused on reducing new HIV infections among adolescent girls and young women in 10 sub-Saharan African countries (eSwatini, Kenya, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, South Africa, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe), and 5 additional countries that are just beginning to implement DREAMS interventions (Botswana, Cote D’Ivoire, Haiti, Namibia, Rwanda). DREAMS is a partnership between the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, Johnson & Johnson, Gilead Sciences, Girl Effect, and ViiV Healthcare.

Griha Pravesh—aims to establish a sustainable ecosystem of affordable housing for disadvantaged communities in India. Griha Pravesh is a partnership between Saath Charitable Trust, Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, Brick Eagle, Indian Housing Federation (IHF), DBS Affordable Housing Pvt. Ltd., and Micro Housing Finance Corporation Ltd. (MHFC).

Kosmos Innovation Center—harnesses the power of technology-savvy youth to bring innovation into priority development sectors by providing business training, mentorship, and other resources for young Ghanaian entrepreneurs. Kosmos Innovation Center is a partnership between DAI Global, Kosmos Energy, and Ghana’s Meltwater Entrepreneurship School of Technology.

Lake Kivu Coffee Alliance—cultivates the re-emerging coffee industry in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Lake Kivu region and provides support and rehabilitation for victims of landmines and other explosive remnants of war. Lake Kivu Coffee Alliance is a partnership between the Polus Center for Social & Economic Development, Inc., Higher Grounds Coffee, Eastern Congo Initiative, and the Department of State’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs, Office of Weapons Removal and Abatement.

Mi Futuro— provides smallholder farmers in Guatemala access to a synthetic-free line of pesticide alternatives to combat pests and promote a healthier community and environment. Mi Futuro is a partnership between Feed the Future Partnering for Innovation, Agropecuaria Popoyán, Fintrac Inc., Universidad del Valle, and Genesis Empresarial.

The winner of the P3 Impact Award will be announced at the Concordia Summit taking place September 24-25, 2018, in New York City. During a strategic dialogue at the Summit on September 25, finalists will present, in front of a judges and an audience, a summary of their partnerships, including: partners involved, impact, metrics, results, innovation, scalability, and barriers. The P3 Impact Award winner, along with an audience choice winner, will then be announced at the Concordia Summit’s main plenary stage.

Additionally, each finalist will be featured in a special edition of the Darden School’s thought-leadership publication, Darden Ideas to Action, focused on the P3 Impact Award. The P3 Impact Award winner will also receive a full scholarship to send partnership representatives to attend a weeklong Darden Executive Education course.

For further information, please contact the Office of Global Partnerships at partnerships@state.gov or visit http://www.state.gov/s/partnerships/. For media inquiries, please contact Anita Ostrovsky at ostrovskya@state.gov.

Follow @GPatState, @IBiS_Darden, @ConcordiaSummit, and #P3Impact on Twitter for updates.

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