Recently, Ambassador Linda Thomas-Greenfield, U.S. Representative to the United Nations, spoke with journalists in New York. TCS presents the excerpts:
QUESTION: What diplomatic margins do you think are there to start negotiation in Syria right now?
AMBASSADOR LINDA THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Look, we have wanted those negotiations to take place for a very, very long time. It is the Assad regime who has ignored Security Council Resolutions and refused to come to the table. The current situation on the ground is concerning. We are watching that situation very closely, and we will continue to engage with partners in the region to find a path to an end to the conflict and for the situation to go back to calm. We have declared this entity a terrorist organization, and we want to find a path for the Syrian people to achieve security and peace.
QUESTION: You mentioned Gaza. Can you give us some sort of update on where the talks are at the moment to try and get a ceasefire in Gaza? What’s holding it up? What makes you think you can get this done by January 20? And also, what is the U.S. doing to improve the aid situation which is still as dire as ever?
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: As I said in my remarks, our diplomatic efforts continue. I can’t tell you exactly where the talks are. I can tell you that those efforts are continuing to be made with the hopes that we can get to a resolution. And on the humanitarian situation, again, the situation is dire. We are not in any way playing down how dire the situation is, but we’re also on the ground every single day working to find a solution, working to ensure that food and other necessary assistance is being delivered to the Palestinian people. And more needs to be done in that area, and we’re going to continue to work on that.
QUESTION: About Haiti. You (U.S.) and Ecuador have started negotiations to have the [inaudible] ask the Secretary-General to really reflect on the transformation of the MSS into a peacekeeping operation. The Security Council meeting a few days ago showed that some member-states are not really happy with that. So can you update us about the negotiation, and do you plan to put this resolution to a vote soon?
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Yeah, the negotiations are continuing. And as you mentioned, they are not easy because there are members of the council who have balked at the idea of a peacekeeping mission. But this is what the Haitian people have asked for. It’s what the former prime minister asked for; it’s what the new prime minister has asked for. And so we’re working with other members of the council, with the Secretary-General, as well as with others to work to get to a place where we can bring a peacekeeping mission forward. I can’t tell you when and how we will succeed. I can tell you that we’re continuing to work on it, and I know that we will eventually get there.
QUESTION: Will you be highlighting, spotlighting the situation in Sudan during the month? What do you have planned to do that? And President-elect Trump has nominated Elise Stefanik to succeed you. I just wonder if you have any advice for her.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Well, yes on Sudan – so we are looking at having a ministerial-level meeting on Sudan sometime around the end of our presidency. We’re looking at having this on the 19th as well. And on my replacement, I am here to give her – to answer any questions that she might have. I congratulate her for assuming this role, and I know that all of you and all of my colleagues in the Security Council will look forward to working with her.
QUESTION: Ambassador, the United States has threatened punitive measures against the International Criminal Court over its independent decision – both by the prosecutor and confirmed by the pre-trial chamber – to issue arrest warrants against Israeli leadership over the conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza. Some accusing the United States of undermining global justice efforts, and that it has the potential – U.S. action has the potential to damage not only the court but the conduct and the implementation of international law. The Japanese president of the court, Judge Tomoko Akane, said the court is being threatened by draconian economic sanctions by a permanent member of the Security Council as if it were a terrorist organization. How does the United States respond to this very specific criticism from allies of your own country?
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Look, I can’t respond to this other than to say that we have worked with the court in the past, but we do believe that this – this particular case against the Israelis is not justified.
QUESTION: And does that warrant sanctions? Does that warrant punitive measures – disagreeing with other institutions, allies – I mean, there have been specific countries named by certain Republican senators, including Canada, France, United Kingdom, 124 member – nations of members and party to the ICC.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: And we’re not a party to the ICC, as you know. But I’m not going to comment on the comments that have been made about the ICC by others.
QUESTION: Are sanctions – is the threat of sanctions appropriate?
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Not going to comment.
QUESTION: You have made over the years – the last few years – food security a flagship of this administration, and you’re looking to do it now. One of them was Black Sea Grain Initiative. There are a lot of other things that have had some success, some challenges, but there are now – and it’s another side of Sherwin’s question – there are now proposed major tariffs from the incoming President-elect. I’m not asking you to comment on them, but what do your colleagues tell you? I have no doubt – I mean, we’re all getting questions from them, like what does this mean. Do you have concerns about supply chains with – if the tariffs – I mean, with the new tariff proposals? And what are your colleagues saying to you about their concerns about what’s up next? Thank you.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Well, it hasn’t been raised yet by my colleagues. I think your question might inspire them to raise this. But look, we have accomplished a significant amount on food security. We got 120 countries to sign on to a roadmap to deal with issues of food security. We have made this an issue that the Security Council deals with, and so that’s not going to go away. I’m not going to – I don’t have a crystal ball on what the new administration’s policies will be in this area, but I know that what we have accomplished so far will have lasting value.
QUESTION: As you pointed out, this will be the last two months of your tenure. In hindsight, what would you have done differently? And is there anything you regret?
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: I – what I’m thinking about is what we have accomplished, and I believe that over the course of the nearly four years that I’ve been here, I have really worked diligently to reaffirm our relationships across the board. I came here with a policy that no one thought that I could achieve, and that was to have meetings with every single PR from every single country, and I did that – 188. There are four or five that we don’t meet with, but for all the countries – [laughter] – that we meet with, I have met one on one or country to country with every single one of those countries. And what they have all said to me is that they have appreciated that. It has shown to them that the United States cares, that I care, and I think those relationships have mattered.
So I’m very, very proud of having accomplished that, bringing back our leadership, bringing back the respect that we had – that had diminished somewhat. And so I know that when I walk out the door next month, that people will appreciate the efforts that I made with my team to show them respect and to work with them to accomplish issues of common interest.
QUESTION: But no regrets?
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: I’m not going to share my regrets. Yes, I have some regrets. As we look back on the world, the – we have the responsibility to bring peace and security. And as I walk out the door, there is conflict going on all around the world – Sudan, DRC, Gaza, Syria. People are suffering. Millions of people are still displaced. Millions of people are still suffering. So I do regret that and wish that I could have waved a magic wand to bring peace on Earth and goodwill to men everywhere.
QUESTION: Following the ceasefire between Israel and Hizballah, President Biden announced that his administration will be pushing for a ceasefire and to end the war in Gaza also. Will you be using your presidency this month to push maybe for a ceasefire draft resolution in the Security Council on this matter? And also, I would like to hear from you about how the U.S. administration is approaching the recent violation of the ceasefire between Hizballah and Israel. Thank you.
AMBASSADOR THOMAS-GREENFIELD: Look, what we will be working for is a diplomatic solution on the ground. We have people on the ground working around the clock to try to find a path to a ceasefire in Gaza and bring home the hostages and deal with the horrific humanitarian situation on the ground. We have never given up on that, and I can assure you this administration will be working on this until we succeed or until we walk out the door on January 20th. And I hope we succeed. We’re working to succeed.
And then on the situation in Lebanon, we’re moving forward. There has been an agreement. There have been some hiccups, but the agreement is still standing and we’re looking forward to monitoring the situation on the ground to ensure that the situation – the ceasefire continues to be honored.
