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Department Press Briefing – December 16, 2024 [ https://www.state.gov/briefings/department-press-briefing-december-16-2024/ ] 12/16/2024 07:08 PM EST
Matthew Miller, Department Spokesperson
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Department Press Briefing – December 16, 2024
December 16, 2024
1:26 p.m. EST
*MR MILLER:*  Good afternoon, everyone.  
*QUESTION:*  Good afternoon.
*MR MILLER:*  The Secretary returned this weekend from his latest trip to the Middle East, where he discussed the principles that he outlined early last week as essential for delivering on the aspirations of the Syrian people after the fall of the brutal dictator, Bashar al-Assad.  Those principles include that the transition process should be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned and produce an inclusive and representative government; that the rights of all Syrians, including women and minorities, should be respected; that humanitarian aid should be able to reach people who need it; that Syria should not be used as a base of – for terrorist groups and should have peaceful relations with its neighbors; and that chemical weapons stockpiles should be secured and safely destroyed. 
In a joint statement which I hope all of you saw issued after the meeting of foreign ministers that the Secretary attended in Aqaba, Jordan on Saturday, those principles were endorsed by a number of our partners in the region as well as a number of countries in Europe and the European Union.
Over the coming days, we will continue to engage with actors on the ground in Syria about the importance of adherence to those principles as well as with our partners in the region and around the world about what they can do to advance those principles as well.  
As the Secretary said on Saturday, our message to the Syrian people is this:  We want them to succeed and we are prepared to help them do so.  
And with that, Humeyra.
*QUESTION:*  Matt, Secretary during the trip also talked about direct communications with HTS.  Could you say who from U.S. Government talked to who at HTS and what was the message, what kind of feedback you got?
*MR MILLER:*  I’m not going to get into that level of detail, but we have had, I will say, more than one communication with HTS over the past week.  And those communications have been largely focused around, let’s call them, two buckets of issues.  The first is the importance of locating and returning Austin Tice to his family.  As you know, that has been a top priority for the United States Government.  We have a number of people engaged on trying to find Austin Tice and bring him home, and we communicated directly to HTS that anything that they could do to help us find him we would greatly appreciate.  And they committed to do that.
The second area of communications has been around the principles that the Secretary laid out publicly early last week and then you saw countries in the region coalesce around over the weekend.  Those are the ones I just went through, making clear to HTS that while we have heard them say in their public statements that they are committed to an open and inclusive and transparent government, that we believe it is important that they actually adhere to that as well as adhere to these other principles, and that we will be watching them closely over the coming weeks.  
*QUESTION:*  Right.  So at the moment it sounds like a number of things are being discussed – delisting HTS perhaps potentially, an eventual recognition.  A lot of these things are somewhat on the table, not immediately, but I am wondering – you did lay out your principles, but what is the first thing that you need to see from HTS to – for you take a step with – with one of these, and delisting specifically?  Because – because of the sanctions, it’s very hard for any investment to come to Syria right now.
*MR MILLER:*  So a few things.  Number one, with respect to all of the potential steps that we could take – delisting HTS, removing some of the other sanctions on Syria, formal recognition – all of those we are going to take based on actions, not by statements.  So just as a general guiding principle for all of you who are watching how the U.S. will respond, that’s what we’re going to base our actions on.  
I’m not going to get into trying to sequence which one of those could come first or which of those principles we’re going to look at to be implemented first by HTS.  We think they’re all important.  But we’re watching what they do now and certainly making clear that they want to be inclusive in dealing with other groups inside Syria, making clear that they respect women and minorities as they stand up interim governing authorities, making clear that Syria won’t be used as a base for terrorist groups.  We’re going to be watching all of those things over the coming weeks.
*QUESTION:*  Okay, a couple of more things.  On Austin Tice, you’ve been in touch with a number of groups that are on the ground in Syria.  Has any U.S. Government delegation been inside Syria for Austin Tice?  Are there any plans for anybody to go?
*MR MILLER:*  No U.S. Government organization has been on the ground in Syria as of yet.  We have been in communication with groups on the ground in Syria, and that includes not just HTS but other groups in Syria – including the White Helmets, of course, who do a lot of important work on locating detainees – and other civil society groups about the search for Austin Tice.  We feel that right now we are able to get good information.
I can tell you that over the past week there have been a number of times – and I think a lot of you know about this because I get questions from you about it sometimes – there have been leads that we have seen that we thought might lead to Austin Tice being located, and we have pursued those.  None of those leads have turned out as of yet.  I know at times you guys have found leads and reported on possible – the possible location of Austin.  
So we are getting information about what’s happening inside Syria, and we are able to pursue those leads now and able to run them down.  And as it comes – as it pertains to when someone from the State Department might actually be on the ground in Syria, I don’t have anything to announce today, but of course stay tuned.
*QUESTION:  *Okay, a couple of final things.  Have you – has any of the information you received from the contacts on the ground in Syria – have you received anything that would reinforce your working assumption that Austin Tice is alive?  
*MR MILLER:  *I am just not going to get into the underlying information that we have.  This has obviously been something we have been watching for some time, right?  We’ve been trying to get him home for years, and I think it’s best that I not speak to kind of our underlying assessments.  As the President said, we believe he’s alive.  We’re trying to locate him.  I don’t have any new information to speak to.  
*QUESTION:  *Okay.  And the Secretary today had a meeting with the family of Aysenur Eygi, the Turkish American woman who was killed by Israel – Israeli military in West Bank.  We understand the family has asked again for an independent U.S. criminal investigation into the killing.  But what did the – we understand the Secretary made no promises.  So can you talk a little bit about that meeting and why the U.S. isn’t basically giving that assurance that it will look into the killing of one of its citizens?  
*MR MILLER:  *Sure.  I will talk a little bit about that meeting.  I’m not going to talk about it in detail because it was a private meeting with the family.  
The Secretary in that meeting offered once again his deepest condolences to the family for Aysenur’s death.  It was a death that never should have happened, as he has said previously.  He told them that Israel has told us in recent days that they are finalizing their investigation into the matter, and he committed to them that as soon as we learn anything about the results of that investigation, we will report it to them.  
And then with respect to a United States investigation, it’s not a matter that the State Department can undertake or a matter that we can speak to.  As you know, when it comes to that type of investigation, that would be in the remit of the Justice Department.  We have an independent Justice Department for a reason inside our government.  So it’s ultimately something for the Justice Department to speak to, and the State Department can’t – can’t speak on behalf of an independent law enforcement agency as to what they may be doing or what they might – might do or might not do.  
*QUESTION:  *Okay, but just final thing.  Is it your opinion – I understand you cannot speak for DOJ, but would you say that it would be appropriate for the U.S. Government to carry out its own investigation?  
*MR MILLER:  *So to answer that question, I would have to violate one of the principles that at least this administration has felt is pretty sacrosanct, which is the independence of law enforcement investigations and other branches of the government not trying to put themselves in the shoes and speak for or encourage action by what is for very good reasons an independent law enforcement agency.  
*QUESTION:  *Thanks.  
*MR MILLER:  *Yeah, Nick.  
*QUESTION:  *I just wanted to clarify something.  You just said no U.S. Government organization has been on the ground in Syria since the fall of Assad.  That’s strictly with respect to searching for Austin Tice, correct?
*MR MILLER:  *So there are not – yes, of course the – there are – there’s the – there is the longstanding military personnel that’s been there in that counter-ISIS mission.  I wasn’t speaking to that.  I’m speaking to – with respect to diplomatic and other personnel that might have been engaged in the search for Austin Tice or other diplomatic activities.
Yes.  
*QUESTION:  *Yeah, just to follow up on something Humeyra said that – and then you said.  The French are sending a delegation to Damascus, to Syria.  The Brits are doing the same.  Could you just give us a reason why you would not want to at this stage?  I mean, there seems obvious reasons, but I’d like to hear you say why you wouldn’t be sending a direct delegation rather than the contacts that you’ve had that — 
*MR MILLER:  *Let me just say two things about that.  Number one, we have had the ability to date to be able to communicate with all of the relevant parties on the ground in Syria, including HTS.  And the second thing is I’m not ruling out that we won’t send personnel to Damascus.  Stay tuned over the coming days.  
*QUESTION:  *But why are you not ready to do so right now?
*MR MILLER:  *I didn’t say that we weren’t.  We haven’t sent any as of yet, and we will continue to assess the situation.  
*QUESTION: * Wait a minute.  Are they on the way?  
*MR MILLER:  *We will – no, there is no one there.  There is no one on the way.  We’ll continue to assess the situation, and when we decide it’s appropriate to send personnel in, I’ll come out and make an announcement about it.  
*QUESTION:  *Okay, another question related on Netanyahu on Sunday.  Well, the Israeli Government approved the doubling of the population in the Golan Heights, which, of course, they’ve annexed.  There’s a lot of backlash against that from all different sides and partners.  What are the U.S. thoughts on that?
*MR MILLER:  *Look, our policy with respect to the Golan Heights hasn’t changed, and I don’t have any comment on the announcement of people moving from inside Israel to the Golan Heights. 
*QUESTION:  *You don’t think it potentially – I mean, given the timing and all this, that it could complicate things in terms of Syria more larger?  
*MR MILLER:  *So these are not —
*QUESTION:  *At — 
*MR MILLER:  *Go ahead.  
*QUESTION:  *At this point in stage, you have everyone seems to want a piece of Syria, right?  Everyone is involved.  
*MR MILLER:  *So these are not – these are not people who are moving to the buffer zone that is covered under the 1974 —
*QUESTION:  *I understand that.  Yes.  
*MR MILLER:  *— disengagement agreement.  And we have made quite clear our opinion about the buffer zone is that we ought to – believe it ought to be upheld.  Israel has said that the deployment of forces into that buffer zone is temporary.  We believe that deployment ought to be temporary and the 1974 disengagement agreement ought to be upheld.  
And if you look at the statement that the United States signed on to along with our partners in the region and a number of European countries on Saturday, it called for the upholding of Syria’s territorial integrity, and we stand by that position.  
Go ahead.
*QUESTION:  *Can you give the latest update on the hostage negotiations in Gaza?  It seems that there’s a lot of optimism, but is — 
*QUESTION:  *Can we stay on Syria?  
*MR MILLER:  *Let me – I’ll take that and I’ll come – I’ll come – go ahead.  
*QUESTION: * On the region.  So there’s been a lot of optimism.  But do you see a deal in the offing, and is it a deal that the U.S. finds productive for moving to a post-conflict era? 
*MR MILLER:*  So the negotiations have been productive in recent days.  We have continued to try to work with the other mediators to narrow the differences.  We have been down this road so many times before, though, it’s hard to stand here and say we’re optimistic about it, because we are very much realistic about how difficult it has been to reach a deal.  There are really – and this has been true for some time – there are a very small number of differences that remain between the parties, and we continue to believe that those differences can be bridged.  We continue to work to bridge those differences.
The Secretary in his meetings with President Erdogan and the foreign minister of Türkiye last week, Hakan Fidan, emphasized to them that any influence that they have with Hamas, now is the time to use it.  And I can tell you that the foreign minister came back 24 hours later when he saw the Secretary in Aqaba and said that they had been pushing for a deal, and we know of course that Egypt and Qatar, who have relationships with Hamas, have been pushing Hamas for a deal.  We are not leaving anything – we are – we are pushing as hard as we know how to do at this point, and we believe we can get to a deal, but again, it remains incumbent on Hamas and Israel agreeing to those final terms and getting it over the line, and I can’t in good conscience tell you – stand here and tell you that that’s going to happen.  But it should happen.
*QUESTION:*  Syria?  Syria?
*QUESTION:*  (Off-mike.)
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah, go – Jenny – let’s stick with Jenny, and then we’ll go —
*QUESTION:*  Matt, are you conveying to HTS that they need to expel all Russian troops as perhaps contingent to lifting sanctions that we’ve – as we’ve heard from the EU?
*MR MILLER:*  I’m not going to get into the conversations that we have had with them.  Ultimately, as you heard me say last week, the disposition of those two Russian bases inside Syria is a matter for the Syrian people to decide.  But when you look at Russia’s history inside Syria, it is one of being complicit in the massacre of hundreds of thousands of Syrian civilians.  Russia propped up the brutal, murderous regime that gassed its own people, that murdered its own people, and so certainly I think that Russia has a lot to answer for for its actions inside Syria.
*QUESTION:*  So would you consider not lifting sanctions until there is an expulsion of Russian troops?
*MR MILLER:*  So I’m not going to get into – I’m not going to get into our internal deliberation process, but we have made clear what the factors are that we are looking at, and they are factors that relate to the – largely relate to the Syrian Government’s interaction with its own people, as well as things like not threatening its neighbors and not being a base for terrorism.
*QUESTION:*  And then I have another on transition if you want to come back.
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah, I’ll come back to you.
Nadia.
*QUESTION:*  Thank you, Matt.  Not actually on Syria and Gaza, but on Syria, just going back to Austin Tice, there were some reports indicating that he might be actually in Iran or Iraq, or might been taken by Maher al-Assad, which is the brother of Bashar.  Any truth to these reports that you know of?
*MR MILLER:*  I – no, not that I’m aware of.  I haven’t seen those reports and I can’t speak to their veracity.
*QUESTION:*  So you have information that he is in Syria?
*MR MILLER:*  We do not have specific information about where he is.  We continue to work to try to locate him, but we don’t have specific information about his whereabouts, or we would have tried – we would have been able to verify that information already.
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  The attacks that carried by Israel is almost 450.  One of the biggest attack was yesterday; it was described like an earthquake bomb.  The leader of HTS said that he is not seeking conflict with Israel.  Do you still believe that these attacks are justified?
*MR MILLER:*  Look, so Israel has spoken to why they have launched these attacks.  They’ve said that they are concerned at a time of great instability, when you have the Government of Syria that has fallen and an uncertain path ahead about who is going to control Syria and who is going to control the Assad regime’s quite significant military stockpiles, that they have taken steps to ensure that those stockpiles don’t fall into the hands of terrorists.  Now, we have been in conversation with them about that goal.  We also believe it’s important that no party take any actions that would further destabilize the situation in Syria at a time when we want to push to increase stability, and we’ll continue to have that discussion with them.
*QUESTION:*  And just on Gaza, another journalist, a colleague of us, has been killed yesterday.  That brings the number of journalists been killed in Gaza to 196.  How many times we can ask the same questions that journalists in Gaza needed to be protected, and how many incidents we still waiting for the Israelis to be investigated and for you to come back to us and said this person’s held accountable for the killing of Mohammed Balousha?
*MR MILLER:*  So journalists in Gaza absolutely need to be protected.  When it comes to Israeli Government investigations, you should ask the Government of Israel that question.  We obviously engage with them about that and press for answers, but you are certainly welcome to do so as well.  Those are Israeli Government investigations, but we have made clear that when it comes to journalists, they need to be protected.
I will tell you ultimately the answer to this is to get a ceasefire, which is why we continue to push for a ceasefire.  The journalists that are operating in Gaza are doing so with incredible heroism.  All of us in this room, including in many cases the United States Government, know what we know about actions on the ground because there are journalists there that are reporting on it.  The U.S. doesn’t have any personnel on the ground to verify reports, so we rely on journalists to bring that information forward, and we rely on the work that they do.  But as long as it is an active conflict zone, journalists are going to be at risk the same way other civilians are going to be at risk, which is why we believe the ultimate answer to this question is to reach a ceasefire and why we continue to use all of the diplomatic muscle that we can bring to bear to try to get one over the line.
*QUESTION:*  Sure.  I mean, the reason I asked you is because the United States value press freedom and the work of the journalists on the ground, but you don’t hear you condemning the killing of Palestinian journalists like you condemn the killing of other journalists in conflict zones. 
*MR MILLER:*  We absolutely condemn the death of any journalist.  We don’t want to see any journalist hurt anywhere.  Now, when it comes to the specifics of how any one journalist dies, while we object to the killing of any journalist, oftentimes we don’t know the circumstance under which they were killed, whether it is an accidental strike, whether they were somewhere where they were covering an incident and there was a militant nearby.  It’s difficult to speak to the motives behind a strike when we don’t know them.  But absolutely, we condemn the death of any journalist anywhere in the world. 
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  On the killing of civilians, there was a grandfather of a girl that was killed a year ago called Reem, two-year-old.  The grandfather was killed yesterday.  His name was Khaled Nabhan.  And he became an icon because he was very close to his granddaughter, and he was killed as well in Nuseirat camp yesterday.  Do you still think that this is also random killing, it was an incident that needed to be investigated?  How these civilians are dying every single day?  Whether it’s 50 or 60, it’s a number that we keep repeating all the time in every briefing. 
*MR MILLER:*  I think that there continue to be unspeakable tragedies happening in Gaza every day – not just the death of civilians, the maiming of civilians, the people who find it difficult to get enough to eat, the people that find it difficult to get access to medical care.  It is an ongoing tragedy, and the answer to stopping that tragedy is to reach a ceasefire, which doesn’t just require acquiescence by Israel; it requires acquiescence by Hamas.  And that is what has been so difficult to get over the past seven months – well, more than that – seven months since the President outlined the ceasefire proposal that we put on the table, but we’ve been pushing to get a ceasefire from long – since long before that.
There are two parties that have to agree to a ceasefire, and I know everyone always asks me questions in this briefing room about actions by the Government of Israel, but there are two parties to this conflict and they both have to agree to this ceasefire.  And we will continue to push both parties to come to an agreement because – precisely because the tragic deaths that you laid out, quite rightfully, continue to happen and need to stop. 
Said. 
*QUESTION:*  Thank you.  
*MR MILLER:*  I’ll come to you next. 
*QUESTION:*  Just to follow up on the journalist.  A hundred and ninety journalists – that’s all accidental, you think? 
*MR MILLER:*  I can’t speak to the – I can’t speak to any of those incidents without having full information.  But ultimately, Said, every one of those deaths is a tragedy — 
*QUESTION:*  (Inaudible.)
*MR MILLER:*  — which is why we need to stop more deaths from happening, which is why we need to get a ceasefire.  
*QUESTION:*  No, I understand.  I just want – you don’t think that all of them are accidents? 
*MR MILLER:*  I don’t offer — 
*QUESTION:*  Some – maybe some of them? 
*MR MILLER:*  I don’t offer – so, Said, I don’t offer opinions based on speculation from this podium.  I offer them based on conclusions that we’re able to reach after looking at a full assessment of incidents. 
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  Following up on the talks that you explained just a little while ago.  The Israeli “Maariv” newspaper just came out with a report that basically Egypt has reached an agreement with Hamas on some sort of a transitional committee that is not Hamas that could run Gaza and look after things and so on.  Would that be acceptable to you? 
*MR MILLER:*  I’m not going to speak to that report.  I’m not aware of it.  But I can tell you we have been having conversations with a number of parties in the region for some time, which you know because I’ve spoken to them from this podium before, about what the post-conflict period ought to look like in Gaza, including what governance ought to look like.  We have made clear that the status quo as it existed before October 7th cannot continue.  Gaza cannot continue to be governed by Hamas.  But as to what the governance looks like, it’s not something I can speak to today. 
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  Because Netanyahu said today, told the court that he will not be able to attend tomorrow, and normally there is something maybe big that – do you expect there may be an announcement tomorrow on a ceasefire?
*MR MILLER:*  I have no idea why he’s not able to attend the court hearing tomorrow. 
*QUESTION:*  A couple of questions on the Palestinian issue.  Israel is deploying dozens of autonomous weapons all throughout the West Bank that basically will not be able to discriminate between a perpetrator or a civilian and so on.  Is that – does that make – doesn’t that make every Palestinian in the West Bank potentially a target for Israel? 
*MR MILLER:*  I can’t speak – I can’t speak to that particular deployment, but I would say when it comes to the use of any weapons that our expectations are the same: that Israel must fully comply with international humanitarian law and protect civilian life.  
*QUESTION:*  All right.  On aid – on the aid.  The “Financial Times”, I guess, reported that aid is at its lowest point despite what you’re saying that they allowed it.  Can you explain to us the aid situation now? 
*MR MILLER:*  It continues to be extremely challenging.  We have seen some improvements.  There were a number of days last week when we saw hundreds of trucks go in, but then you have other days that the aid level is much lower.  Continue to be barriers to the delivery of aid inside Gaza that we work to try to overcome, but it continues to be really a crisis situation, and I think ultimately the conclusion that we lead to – that we have drawn is like the ongoing deaths of civilians in an active conflict zone, the provision of aid in an active conflict zone is very different – or is very difficult, and it’s another reason why it’s so critical that we reach a ceasefire.  
*QUESTION:*  Let me ask you on the appointment of ambassadors.  The coming administration named Mike Huckabee as ambassador to Israel, and Israel named Leiter, who is a well-known Kahanist and – as ambassador to Washington.  So I want to ask you, I mean, does it seem – doesn’t it seem like maybe the whole diplomatic – U.S.-Israel diplomatic engagement will focus on maybe settlements and annexation and so on with these — 
*MR MILLER:*  You mean – you mean — 
*QUESTION:*  — with these two and – yeah. 
*MR MILLER:*  You mean the post-January 20th diplomatic engagement? 
*QUESTION:*  Post-January 20th.  Yeah, of course I’m asking.  
*MR MILLER:*  I — 
*QUESTION:*  You’re – I mean, you always say there is one president at a time, one administration at a time.  And we always say the same thing.  But is there anything where you can actually say we will not accept, I mean, if he comes – I don’t know when Leiter is coming to Washington, but maybe something that this is not a good idea?
*MR MILLER:*  So —
*QUESTION:*  Or you issue a statement that this is not —
*MR MILLER:*  First of all, let me just say with respect to other countries, they are free and open to appoint ambassadors as they see fit.  It’s not a decision for the United States.  And when it comes for the policies that will be pursued by the Trump administration and the personnel appointed by the Trump administration, it’s just not something that I should speak to – speak to, Said.
*QUESTION:*  I think you – yeah.
*MR MILLER:*  I am happy to speak to our ambassadorial appointments, but not those made by the Trump administration.
*QUESTION:*  Yeah, but you do have – yeah, but you do have a view.  I mean, this is U.S. diplomacy at its finest, right?
*MR MILLER:*  I have a view that it is my job to stand up here and speak on behalf of the personnel that President Biden has appointed, and the policies that he is going to pursue, and not opine on whatever policy positions an administration that I will not speak for may choose to pursue.
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  So in principle, you think that the United States of America should have no say-so on the – as far as the character of said ambassador is, whatever crimes he may have committed —
*MR MILLER:*  If – if we started –
*QUESTION:*  — and whatever?  It’s all acceptable?
*MR MILLER:*  If we started trying to pick and choose and opine on every ambassador that 200 countries around the world appoint to the United States, we would be in this briefing room for a very long time every day, Said.
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  Can — 
*MR MILLER:*  Tom, go ahead.  I’ll come to you next, Nike.
*QUESTION:*  Just to follow up on Aysenur Ezgi and the meeting today.  Just on a point of fact, I mean, you’ve set out how you can’t speak for the Department of Justice and the call for a U.S.-led investigation.  But that’s not all the family are asking for.  And one of the things they want is some – just some basic information for the State Department to ask the Israelis, for example, for the name of the units involved, the name of the unit commander – things that they would want in the interest of transparency as American citizens who’ve seen their loved one killed.  I mean, are you asking for those things from the Israelis?
*MR MILLER:*  So we are asking for the results of their investigation.  I would assume, but we’ll see when we get the results of that investigation, you would expect that an investigation would talk about the unit that was involved as well as the things that have happened.  We will see what’s actually in that investigation when we get the report from the Government of Israel, but what we committed to the family is that we will brief them as soon as we get those answers.
*QUESTION:*  Some of these things are quite basic things that aren’t the result of an investigation.  I mean, knowing the units involved is a very basic piece of information.
*MR MILLER:*  I hear you, but —
*QUESTION:*  But they don’t even know.  The U.S. could ask the Israelis now, and then —
*MR MILLER:*  I hear you, but they’re – but look, they’re in the middle of an investigation.  And well, I shouldn’t say “in the middle;” they’re near the end of an investigation where we expect that they’re going to come to us and brief us on the results of that investigation.  And if we don’t get satisfactory answers to the questions that we have asked them, of course we will continue to press them for more information.
Said, is there something you’d like to share with the rest of the class over there?  (Laughter.)
*QUESTION:*  I actually would, I actually would.  I’m looking at the ministers that are being appointed to run Syria.
*MR MILLER:*  That’s fair.
*QUESTION:*  So maybe you ought to take a second look at that.
*MR MILLER:*  Maybe – maybe on silent mode — 
*QUESTION:*  On silent, yes. 
*MR MILLER:*  — for the rest of us.  (Laughter.)
*QUESTION:*  To continue, do you have any sympathy with an American family who look at this situation and, in their view, see differential treatment?  Because here you have an American who’s been killed by a strong ally of the United States, which is armed by the United States – those weapons go into the West Bank, they go into the use of live ammunition against civilian protests in the West Bank – and yet they see, they believe that nothing is being done.  They said they walked out of that meeting today and felt no further sense of optimism after the meeting with the Secretary.  Do you have any sympathy with that?
*MR MILLER:*  Of course we have sympathy for the family.  And the Secretary said that directly to the family.  And if you heard the Secretary’s public comments – not just what he said privately to the family, but you all heard his public comments after she was killed, when he made clear that her death was unacceptable, that it was an avoidable tragedy, that it was something that should not have happened and should not happen again, and that we will demand answers from the Government of Israel, and we are demanding answers from the Government of Israel.  Now, we also respect that when there is an ongoing investigation, it’s appropriate to get those answers at the end of the – of that investigation, not in the middle.  That’s the same thing our law enforcement agencies and our military would do, by the way, if they were responsible for the death of a citizen of another country.  They would complete an investigation and then talk about what they’ve found when that investigation ended, not when they were in the middle of it.
Now, if we don’t get appropriate answers to the questions that we have put to the Government of Israel when we’re briefed on the outcome of that investigation, we will absolutely go back and demand more.  We 100 percent understand why Aysenur’s family is demanding answers and is demanding accountability, and so are we.  We are doing it on her behalf and will continue to do so.  And I cannot in any way imagine the tragedy that they have had to go through, and I would be every bit as angry if – as they are if I were in their shoes.
*QUESTION:*  I guess their frustration is about, of course, what they see as the absolute injustice of her being killed by a military force while she’s at a civilian protest – not just that, but about the fact that she is – was an American citizen, and they don’t see their own government, in their view, doing enough to pressure or to get —
*MR MILLER:*  And I am in – and I am in – and I’ll just say I am in no way going to quarrel with anything that they have said, because if I were in their shoes, I would absolutely be demanding accountability, and I would be pressing my government for answers as well, and they were absolutely right to do so.  And what I can tell you is that we are demanding accountability, we are pressing the Government of Israel for answers, and as soon as we have those answers, as soon as that investigation is complete, we will provide them to her family.
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  And it’s just that then goes to the wider issue, which is – and again, the attorney for the family says this:  We have been here so many times before.  Shireen Abu Akleh, Rachel Corrie, Omar Assad, where American citizens killed by the Israeli military – and you have said the same things.  You’ve said we’ll wait for the outcome of investigation.  In the case of Shireen Abu Akleh, in the end you said that you have – you got the Israelis to change their rules of engagement.  But here we see live ammunition used against a civilian protest, in a village that has seen their land taken away by an illegal settlement outpost.  So they say this is systematic, this – the use of live ammunition against civilians, and it’s been going for a very long time.  This is your ally that you arm, and still nothing changes. 
*MR MILLER:*  And we have made clear to them the outcome was unacceptable.  We have made clear to them that they need to look at their rules of engagement, and we will continue to press that with them.  
Nike. 
*QUESTION:*  United Nations Special Envoy for Syria Pendersen has called for ending the sanctions on Syria to facilitate reconstruction.  Is the United States prepared to support their efforts in the United Nations Security Council?  And do you have any meetings to preview? 
*MR MILLER:*  I don’t have anything to preview today with respect to any of the sanctions that we, as the United States, or other entities have imposed on either the Government of Syria, the Syrian – the former Syrian regime, or with respect to HTS as a terrorist organization.  But we have made clear the principles that we want to see the transition process and a new government adhere to.  
And before we make any kinds of decisions about recognition or about lifting sanctions, we want to see their actions actually adhere to those principles.  We want to see them take actions on behalf of the Syrian people.  And we’re going to make our decisions when it comes to sanctions posture, when it comes to recognition posture, when it comes to all of the tools in our toolbox, based on what we see from HTS and other actors on the ground in Syria. 
*QUESTION:*  But given some of the conditions on the ground has changed in Syria, including some of the ground conditions stipulated in the United Nations Security Council Resolution 2254 has changed, is it fair to say the U.S. is open to lifting economic sanctions? 
*MR MILLER:*  We are going to make our decisions on economic sanctions based on the decisions by the interim authorities in Syria.  If they change – if they pursue – look, let me say it this way.  Our sanctions are never meant to be permanent.  We always impose sanctions to try to induce changes of behavior.  And if we see changes of behavior, of course we are open to lifting our sanctions.  And you’ve seen that in the past when the – when various governments have changed their behavior, and we have lifted sanctions in response to those changes in behavior.  That’s true in Syria as it is anywhere in the world. 
*QUESTION:*  I have a quick one on Ukraine, if I may. 
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah. 
*QUESTION:*  Do you have on anything on the – what Ukraine said, that North Korean soldiers casualty in Kursk, and then what happen if North Korean soldiers cross a border to Ukraine?  Are they becoming legitimate targets? 
*MR MILLER:*  So in our view, the North Korean soldiers who were deployed to Kursk are already legitimate targets.  They entered a war, and they are, as such, combatants and are legitimate targets for the Ukrainian military.  We have seen North Korean soldiers who have been killed in action on the battlefield inside Russia.  And if they were to cross the border into Ukraine, that would be yet another escalation by the Government of Russia and also an escalation by the Government of North Korean to send North Korean troops to prosecute a war of aggression against an independent, sovereign nation inside that nation’s borders.  That would absolutely be an escalation by the Government of North Korea. 
*QUESTION:*  Is China responding to the U.S. ask to use their influence to curb the military cooperation between Russia and North Korea? 
*MR MILLER:*  I’m not going to get into the conversations that we have had with the Government of China.  Ultimately China can speak to whether they have appropriately used that influence or not.  But I would say that there is certainly more that they can do with respect to encouraging Russia not to take not just this escalatory action by the long series of actions that they have taken. 
*QUESTION:*  Thanks. 
*QUESTION:*  (Off-mike.) 
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah. 
*QUESTION:*  Thank you.  On Serbia, I have a question.  Amnesty International said Monday in a report that Serbian officials installed homegrown spyware on the phones of dozens of journalists and activists.  How concerning is this for the U.S., which considers Serbia as a partner? 
*MR MILLER:*  So I can’t speak to that report.  I’m not in any position to verify it.  But just speaking broadly, we have made quite clear since the outset of this administration the concerns that we have about governments that use spyware to track journalists, to track dissident groups, to track other – to track others who legitimately oppose or report on government activities.  And you have seen the United States take action to stop the use of that spyware.  But as it comes to this specific report, I can’t speak to it.
Janne. 
*QUESTION:*  Thank you.  Thank you, Matt.  Excuse me.  A few questions about South Korea and Russia and North Korea.  Due to the impeachment, South Korean President Yoon’s duties have been suspended.  Do you think there will be a gap to U.S.-South Korea foreign policy and security sectors, established by President Biden and — 
*MR MILLER:*  No.  There will be no diminution in the alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea.  That alliance is not just a – an alliance between presidents.  It is an alliance between governments and an alliance between peoples.  And our commitment to that alliance remains ironclad.  
We have seen the Republic of Korea, over the past few weeks, demonstrate its democratic resilience.  That is democratic resilience that has – that was hard won several decades ago, and we have seen them follow peacefully a process that was laid out by the Republic of Korea’s constitution.  And we are ready to continue to work with the acting president and the Government of the Republic of Korea in the same way that we were acting and cooperating with President Yoon.  
*QUESTION:*  And also on North Korea and Russia made military cooperation publicly.  What is the United States response to North Korea and Russia’s – I’m sorry – what is Russia’s actualization of a military cooperation?  Like do you, regarding this issue, the sanctions against — 
*MR MILLER:*  So you have seen the United States just today impose additional sanctions to disrupt military cooperation between the DPRK and Russia.  We also, in recent days, issued a foreign ministerial joint statement with the G7, and we will continue to take appropriate measures to address our concerns with that unprecedented cooperation. 
*QUESTION:*  Thank you. 
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah.  
*QUESTION:*  Yeah, changing region – very quickly, do you have any (inaudible) on the devastating hurricane or cyclone in Mayotte in the Indian Ocean, a French territory?  We don’t know the number of casualties.  It’s very complicated and all that, but certainly a devastating cyclone.  Does the U.S. intend or have any assets that you could forward or that you are willing to forward to the region, or any contacts in particular that you might have? 
*MR MILLER:*  So I will say that, first of all, we offer our deepest condolences to those who have been affected by this deadly cyclone.  And we do stand ready to offer appropriate humanitarian assistance.  As to details, I have to take it back and get that for you, Leon.  
Alex.  
*QUESTION:*  Thank you, Matt.  Going back to the question of North Korean soldiers in Kursk, you said that if they cross a border that would be escalation.  Can you define what you mean by escalation?  What kind of reaction will that invite from you?   
*MR MILLER:*  An escalation means precisely that, Alex.  It means it would be an escalation.  We have already seen North Korea and Russia escalate this conflict by deploying North Korean soldiers in the first place to Russia.  It would be a further escalation to then send them onward to fight inside the borders of a sovereign country.  As to what the United States might do, as to what our allies and partners who also support the Government of Ukraine and in this conflict, I’m not going to preview that publicly, obviously.  
*QUESTION:*  Thank you.  Over the weekend, we heard the President spoke with G7 leadership, and he called G7 leaders to, quote/unquote, seize and “unlock the full value” of Russian frozen assets.  Can you please clarify – is it the first time you guys are raising this issue?  Secretary was in Italy a couple of weeks ago.  Why wait until the very last moment?  I mean — 
*MR MILLER:*  It’s something that we have been working on privately with our allies and partners for any number of months.  Sometimes we feel the best way to move the ball forward is to speak privately to a matter; sometimes we feel there is added value to speaking to it publicly.  I think I’ll leave it at that. 
*QUESTION:*  And on Georgia – I have a couple questions on Georgia. 
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah. 
*QUESTION:*  I want to get your reaction to what we have been seeing lately around Georgian president.  There’s literally a coup going on – Russian backed – to replace her.  Do you have any reaction? 
*MR MILLER:*  So I’m not going to speak to that specifically, other than to say that we have been greatly concerned about the state of Georgian democracy, the actions that Georgian Dream has taken to undermine Georgia democracy.  You saw us just on Friday impose 20 new visa restrictions on individuals affiliated with the government who have been responsible for undermining democracy in the country, and we will have other actions that we are prepared to take in the coming weeks.  
*QUESTION:*  On the visa restrictions, you guys have it – like two previous packages of visa restrictions, they did not help.  Clearly —   
*MR MILLER:*  Alex, we’re not done.  As we made – just as we made clear in that statement, we are – we have other sanctions that we are preparing to unfold in the coming weeks. 
*QUESTION:*  Coming weeks – but there are criticisms coming from the Hill saying that you are demoralizing protestors out there on the (inaudible).  
*MR MILLER:*  Alex —   
*QUESTION:*  They have been out there for three weeks now. 
*MR MILLER:*  Alex, we are – we could not be more clear, including a statement from Secretary Blinken a week before last and a statement from me on Friday, that we are preparing an additional sanction package that we will roll out in the coming weeks.  Now, these are not things in many cases that you can do overnight.  You have to make sure you get the letter of the law right when you roll out these sanctions, and that’s what we’re working on doing even as we speak. 
*QUESTION:*  Any concern you are giving —    
*QUESTION:*  (Off-mike.) 
*MR MILLER:*  What’s that? 
*QUESTION:*  You always say you don’t preview sanctions.   And now you’re telling us that —   
*MR MILLER:*  We make rare – we make rare exceptions.  
*QUESTION:*  Any concern, Matt, that you are giving some impression to Ivanishvili that he can’t get away with what he’s doing? 
*MR MILLER:*  I think that should be – Alex, I don’t know how many times to say it.  When we have said exactly what – you have been asking us to impose sanctions on the Government of Georgia.  When I come out here and tell you that we’re preparing to impose sanctions, I don’t think it could be any more clear.  
Jenny, I’ll come back with your – yeah. 
*QUESTION:*  The transition, do you have any updates?  Is the landing team here?  Has there been any communication between the State Department? 
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah, we have had communication with the incoming administration’s agency review team.  They have appointed members of the agency review team, an action that they took last week.  I will let them speak to the identities of those members, but we are having initial conversations with them this afternoon here at the State Department about the path forward.  We will reiterate to them, as we have been reiterating publicly for some time, that we stand ready to do everything that we can to support a successful transition. 
*QUESTION:*  Is that more of a policy-focused conversation, more logistical? 
*MR MILLER:*  So the initial meeting always – and I can tell you I’ve worked on two transitions – always the initial meeting of this nature is more of a logistics question, because people come in and they want to know – they want to know what resources are available to them.  They want to map out a series of meetings.  Oftentimes they have requests for information that they put to the incoming administration, and they will prioritize what is most important.  
So this is an initial meeting about how the process should unfold over the coming weeks, and then what usually follows that – what we have said we are ready to do with them – is to, as the incoming administration identifies its policy leads in different areas, to engage with them so they understand the actions that we have taken on various policies, what may be pending, things that we expect to happen either between now and the end of the administration, and then in some cases work that is ongoing on January 20th.  Because for all the focus on what we’ll do in the next few weeks, the vast majority of the work of government are things that just continue, things that are in process that continue and get handed over, and so you’d like to brief the incoming administration on what those are so they can be ready to take decisions.
*QUESTION:*  And are there any more planned conversations or meetings between the Secretary and Senator Rubio?
*MR MILLER:*  So the last phone conversation they had, they agreed that they would meet in person.  I don’t have a date to provide for that meeting, but when it does happen, we’ll of course make it public.
*QUESTION:*  Can I just ask a one-off on the drones over the skies of New Jersey and Pennsylvania?
*MR MILLER:*  You can ask.  (Laughter.)  
*QUESTION:*  I know that’s probably a DOD/DHS, but is there any indication this is the work of, like, a foreign entity or adversary from the State Department perspective?
*MR MILLER:*  I don’t have any assessment at all to offer from the State Department.  As far as I’m aware, this is entirely a law enforcement matter, and I would – and a law enforcement and Pentagon matter, so I would refer to the – to DHS and DOD to speak to it.
Let me go to – yeah.
*QUESTION:*  Thank you, Matt.  I have a couple of questions on Syria, but first I want to ask a quick, quick question about Secretary’s meeting with Aysenur Ezgi Eygi today.  Is there a reason why this meeting was not included in the Secretary’s public schedule today?
*MR MILLER:*  Usually we don’t make meetings with private individuals public on the Secretary’s schedule.  We put meetings – there are exceptions to that.  We put meetings with foreign governments, we put meetings with organizations, but in the past when the Secretary has met with private individuals, we don’t put it on his schedule.  That said, if the – and we also try to respect the wishes of the family, who don’t always want the meetings to be public, and we don’t talk about meetings if the family doesn’t want us to talk about them.  But then when we have meetings that they are comfortable with us speaking to, I’m free, as I am in this case, to come out and speak to it publicly.
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  One more on Syria, please – a couple more on Syria.  Secretary Blinken said in Ankara last week that there is a broad agreement with Türkiye and the U.S. on Syria.  I wonder is that include the northeast Syria, because you have – where you have a major disagreement because of the U.S.’s support for the YPG, which Türkiye considers the Syrian branch of the PKK, a designated terror group by both the U.S. and Türkiye.
*MR MILLER:*  So this continues to be an extremely delicate and extremely difficult issue that we are working on with our Turkish counterparts, and it was the – it was a large part – not all, but a large part – of the conversation between the Secretary and his Turkish counterparts, as – and it was of course a conversation at the meetings in Aqaba over the weekend.
Look, we understand Türkiye’s legitimate right to go after a designated terrorist organization which the United States continues – considers a terrorist organization as well.  We —
*QUESTION:*  So that’s what you consider the YPG?
*MR MILLER:*  I’m speaking with respect to the PKK.  We —
*QUESTION:*  And the YPG is widely accepted – considered as the Syrian branch of the PKK.
*MR MILLER:*  I understand.  We have designated the PKK and we respect their right to go after that organization.  I will just say what we have made clear to all of the parties that we have engaged on this issue, that it is – Syria is in such a fragile state right now that we don’t want to see any party take an action to pursue their own unilateral interests over the broader interests of the Syrian people; that this is a time to increase stability, not to further devolve into sectarian fighting.  
And in addition, the SDF does incredibly important work to – in the counter-ISIS coalition, a coalition of which Türkiye of course is a member.  It is in the interests of the United States, it is in the interests of Türkiye, it’s in the interests of the Syrian people and all the countries in the region that ISIS not rear its head again, that the ISIS fighters who are being held in SDF custody not be released.  And so we’re going to continue to work through the – it is an extremely difficult issue, but we’re going to continue to engage with our Turkish counterparts.  I suspect it’s something we’ll be talking with them about this week.
*QUESTION:*  So you say it’s the – it’s an important partner in the fight against ISIS, or Daesh, I might say, but Türkiye has been telling you that if you want to fight ISIS, work with us instead of using one terror group against the other.  And Türkiye is your NATO Ally.  Why don’t you work with your NATO Ally instead of a group that your NATO Ally designates as a terror group?
*MR MILLER:*  So we have been discussing this with our NATO Ally and trying to come to the best path forward, but as I said, even considering Türkiye’s very legitimate national security interests, at this delicate time what we are trying to avoid is Syria devolving once again into sectarian fighting – just came through the collapse of a regime that presided over a brutal, years-long civil war.  And we don’t want to see any actions that would further destabilize the situation and further lead to the suffering of the Syrian people.
*QUESTION:*  Does it include the actions by Israel?
*MR MILLER:*  We have made clear to all parties that we want to see actions that promote stability, not promote instability.
*QUESTION:*  Including Israel?
*MR MILLER:*  Every party in the region.  
Yeah.
*QUESTION:*  Thanks, Matt.  I just – because I want to – you used the words “no party” should take any actions – or any actions that are unilaterally in the interests of that other party over the broadest interests of the Syrian people.  There is no way that you could then see what Israel is doing that’s not a unilateral action in the interest of it over — 
*MR MILLER:*  I’m not – so first of all, we have made that clear to every party, including the Government of Israel.  I’m not sure that the – just to argue with the kind of logical – the logic train that you presented, I’m not sure that increased weapons stockpiles sitting around Syria is necessarily something that’s in the interest of the Syrian people at the end of a brutal civil war when they have seen those weapons stockpiles turned on their own people.
*QUESTION:*  What about the territory that is being invaded by Israel that is the buffer zone?
*MR MILLER:*  And we have made quite clear that we believe that action ought to be temporary.  Israel has said – and they can speak for themselves – that they took the action because they saw the Syrian army withdraw from that buffer zone and it created a vacuum that could be filled by terrorist groups.  They have said it’s temporary.  They can speak for themselves.  We have made clear that we believe it also ought to be temporary.
*QUESTION:*  In Washington later today, the Syrian embassy is raising the opposition flag.  My understanding is you guys signed off on that.  Did you —
*MR MILLER:*  This — 
*QUESTION:*  — know about that?
*MR MILLER:*  I have seen that reporting.  I don’t know what it comes from.  We don’t control that building.  We don’t control the operations that happen there.  So the raising of the flag decision is made by the Syrian permanent representative to the United Nations.
*QUESTION:*  And you haven’t recognized that new flag (inaudible)?
*MR MILLER:*  We have not.  No, we have not.
*QUESTION:  *Thank you.  
*MR MILLER:  *Tom, come back to you.
*QUESTION:*  (Inaudible) the point, there’s no change in status of the Syrian embassy in Washington, D.C.?
*MR MILLER:*  No, there is not.
*QUESTION:*  I think there’s probably an erroneous kind of thing that’s circulating online suggesting it could be reopening.  But I mean, there’s — 
*MR MILLER:  *No.  
*QUESTION:  *Obviously right now, I mean, it’s — 
*MR MILLER:*  No, no change.  
Humeyra, go ahead.
*QUESTION:*  Could I – just a clarification?
*MR MILLER:*  Yeah.
*QUESTION:*  So you’re saying that the destruction of Syrian arms and the Syrian army is actually in the benefit of the Syrian people?  
*MR MILLER:*  That’s — 
*QUESTION:*  I just want to – I want to hear — 
*MR MILLER:*  That is not what I said.  I said — 
*QUESTION:*  So what did you say on this?
*MR MILLER:*  This is the – I said this is what – the way the Government of Israel has explained the actions that they are taken.  I was just interrogating, as I said, the logic train of Willie’s question.  
*QUESTION:*  Yeah, but you said something akin to I think that the arms and so on that were used against the Syrian people — 
*MR MILLER:*  That have been turned on the Syrian – on the Syrian people.
*QUESTION:*  — that would be to their benefit.  That’s what you’re saying?  
*MR MILLER:*  That’s not what I said.
*QUESTION:  *Okay.  
*MR MILLER:  *Go ahead, Humeyra.
*QUESTION:*  Just on – just on a – SDF and Türkiye-backed SNA fighters, the United States brokered a ceasefire between them last week largely focusing on Manbij.  That seems to have ended today.  Could you first confirm that and tell us if there are any U.S. efforts to extend it?  
*MR MILLER:*  So I can’t confirm that, but what I can say is that we continue to engage in very intense diplomacy with all the parties in the region – the parties in northern Syria, our Turkish allies – about anything that we can do to increase stability in northern Syria and, as I said, try and avoid any actions that would lead to the SDF being distracted from their important fight against ISIS.
*QUESTION:*  Right.  But — 
*MR MILLER:*  I get the – I get the point of the question, but I’m just not going to get into the underlying details.
*QUESTION:*  But — 
*MR MILLER:*  I can just tell you it’s something that we are actively engaged in without saying more.
*QUESTION:*  Okay.  Are – is there – I mean, this was – this seems to be a short-term ceasefire thing.  Is the U.S. involved?  Are your conversations also targeted towards achieving something more permanent between those parties there?
*MR MILLER:*  So in the immediate term, we want to see the situation stabilize.  Long-term, of course we want to see a Syrian government established that has full control of the entirety of its territory, that governs in a way that is inclusive of all the organizations, all the various ethnic groups inside Syria.  But obviously we are a long way from that today.
Nick, go ahead, and then we’ll wrap today.
*QUESTION:*  To follow-up on the embassy question, there was a report that the U.S. would raise a new Syrian flag over the embassy here in D.C.  Is that accurate?
*MR MILLER:*  No.  So I was referring to that somewhat.  It’s not – it is not an action that the United States – we don’t have control of that facility.  It’s not a facility that is under our control.  We don’t decide what flags are raised or lowered there.  That is a facility that to my understanding is controlled by Syria’s permanent representative to the United Nations, and they make those decisions.  
So with that, we’ll wrap today.  Oh yeah, go ahead.
*QUESTION:*  One more.
*MR MILLER:*  Sorry, one more.
*QUESTION:*  Quickly on the – in Syria, the Israel military’s actions in Syria, is there any concern on the part of the U.S. that this could interfere with the search for Austin Tice or perhaps harm Austin Tice?  There is some reporting now that the family has reached out to Netanyahu’s office to request they pause operations.
*MR MILLER:*  I am not aware of those conversations.  I can’t speak to any concerns that we have about it, but obviously we continue to be intensely focused on trying to find him and return him home.  
Thanks, everyone.
(The briefing was concluded at 2:19 p.m.)
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