| EGYPT | |
| 1-8 | US has been working cooperatively with government at all levels on airliner crash investigation. US concerned by outlandish conspiracy theories being posited in the media, both here and in Egypt. Unfounded, unnecessary speculations about the investigation's conclusion do no good, and can cause harm to families of victims. A very senior Egyptian security official is expected to meet with Acting Secretary Pickering today. Today an effort to construct a transcript of the cockpit voice recorder has begun. |
MR. RUBIN: Welcome to the smallest State Department briefing in modern memory on this here Thursday. We will not be briefing tomorrow so I wanted to give you a chance to ask any questions you might have today.
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I know some of you are very interested in the EgyptAir issue and so let me just start with a couple of comments on that.
The main point here is that we and Egypt have been working very, very closely together at all levels in the investigation. There are a number of different Egyptian officials that have been working with the investigators from the beginning. Secretary Albright has spoken to Foreign Minister Moussa. Under Secretary Pickering is in daily contact with officials from the Embassy here and others who are sent here by the Egyptians. They are in meetings or on the telephone. There are additional Egyptian officials arriving today to examine further evidence. They include senior security officials and technical experts.
So what we have been trying to do is work with Egypt at all levels as this investigation continues. Let me say that we are troubled by the tremendous amount of inaccuracy, wild speculation and outlandish conspiracy theories coming through in a variety of media. That means both those here who speculate about the conclusion that is going to be reached before a conclusion has been reached, and those in the Egyptian media who put forward outlandish conspiracy theories. We think all of that does a great, great disservice to the families, both in the United States and in Egypt, who are obviously the real ones suffering from this tragedy.
We do have confidence that Egypt and the United States will work together on this investigation, that our long and close friendship will not be harmed because we have confidence that the Egyptian Government, like the United States Government, wants to get to the bottom of this crash and find out what happened. And we believe Egypt will work and has been working cooperatively with us in putting together the evidence that has developed so far and pursuing all of the leads that are developed during the course of this investigation.
In short, we would appeal for calm both in those who speculate about what caused the crash here and appeal for calm in those who put forward wild conspiracy theories that do a great disservice to the families involved.
QUESTION: Well, do you want to share with us the more outlandish theories that you've heard?
MR. RUBIN: Well, I've seen a number of them in the press about this was - there were military causes, that this was part of a plot, that the United States is blaming Egyptian pilots because we did it ourselves -- you know, the normal fare of the Arab -- conspiracy theories. But we just think it really has no place in a situation where there are so many families that are so affected by such a tragedy.
QUESTION: Jamie, a lot of those conspiracy theories in the Egyptian press have appeared in what are commonly recognized as officially aligned newspapers, or newspapers that are aligned with the Egyptian regime. I wondered, given your statement that the US and Egypt have been collaborating at all levels throughout, how do you explain that --
MR. RUBIN: Right, I would disagree with your characterization. My understanding is that the vast majority of the kinds of statements that I'm referring to are not in publications that are regarded as organs of the government. We have found that in our work directly with the government, that it is highly cooperative. It is based on a joint mission and a joint determination to follow the evidence where it leads. We have not found any - if anything, we have been very heartened by the extent to which Egypt shares our desire to get to the bottom of this wherever the evidence might lead.
QUESTION: Jamie, these rumors and the speculation and a lot of the leaks that have come out from US officials in this investigation, has that led to any kind of a strain in the US relationship with --
MR. RUBIN: Well, I think what I was suggesting, perhaps right before you walked in, is that there has been a lot of speculation in this country about what the cause of this crash was. We don't think that's very helpful. We think that does a great disservice to the investigators who have not reached conclusions, to the families who are going through the real pain of this tragedy. There is an echo chamber effect when we see speculation here and what effect is has in the Egyptian press and the Arab press.
But just as we're concerned about speculation and troubled by speculation here, we're equally concerned - if not more concerned and troubled by the wild conspiracy theories that have appeared in a number of Arab media.
So, yes, there is an unfortunate aspect to this. I do not believe that the US-Egyptian cooperation or the US-Egyptian relationship is going to be affected because we believe the government - like us - shares the same objective, which is to do an honest, careful, prudent, determined investigation to follow the evidence wherever it might lead. We have seen no indication in any way, shape or form that the Egyptian Government has a different view on that that we do.
QUESTION: Is there any doubt that these leaks that have come out have been coming from the US side? Or do you think that it might be coming from somewhere else?
MR. RUBIN: I'm sure that journalists would be the last to want me to begin to speculate on the cause of an ultimate source of leaks because that would put all of our ability to operate in jeopardy. Let me suffice it to say that we are concerned and troubled by speculative conclusions coming out of those in the United States involved in this general investigation. We are doubly troubled and concerned by wild conspiracy theories coming out in the Arab media.
QUESTION: But the speculation, if I can just - the speculation is based on information that is coming out of the investigation itself. And certainly you don't say that journalists are in the room listening to these tapes; they are getting it from people who were in the room listening to the tapes.
MR. RUBIN: Again, the issue isn't just the tape. For those who understand this investigation's comprehensiveness, it involves voice, it involves technical information, it involves radar, it involves a number of pieces of the puzzle. This is what investigators have to work on.
So what I am suggesting to you is that we are calling for calm. We are appealing for calm. And calm can only come if there is a minimum of speculation about conclusions here in this country and a minimum of wild, exaggerated, unfounded conspiracy theories in other media in the Middle East.
QUESTION: Has the State Department specifically asked the NTSB to stop leaking this information to the American press, which is where the information is coming from?
MR. RUBIN: I am not, and if any of you interpret anything I said as an attack on the NTSB, you will be wrong. That is not what I am suggesting. We all know the complicated ways in which speculation develops in the media and I do not believe the NTSB has put out any conclusion or allowed there to be formal conclusions reached. I am not suggesting that the NTSB has done anything wrong in any of the comments I am making. I am merely describing a reality and the reality is that speculation about what conclusions will be drawn is premature by anybody in this government -- in all of the agencies, not any one agency. And it is equally if not doubly wrong for there to be wild, exaggerated conspiracy theories put forward in the Arab world.
QUESTION: Since, Jamie, as you pointed out, there have been Egyptian officials in on the investigation from the very beginning and now they are sending a lot more, does there need to be - and there has also been a lot of FBI people from the very, very beginning quietly working. Does there need to be any change in the structure of the investigation? Or would you expect it to remain the same?
The Egyptians are concerned that the structure not be changed.
MR. RUBIN: I think the decisionmaking on how the investigation is structured, namely who leads the investigation, is something that will come as a result of intensive discussions between all of the relevant agencies and the Egyptians. But whatever agency is leading the investigation, both we and the Egyptians, I believe, and my sense is, will be prepared to pursue all the leads wherever they go regardless of who leads the investigation.
QUESTION: I want to get back to this. I realize that you are not making an attack on the NTSB.
MR. RUBIN: No, but somebody obviously interpreted it that way and that was not my intention.
QUESTION: No, but there are members - investigators or people close to these investigations with the NTSB and the FBI who have been saying things and have been drawing their speculations in the press. Does the Department consider these inferences that they are making which have been all over the front pages and everything to be irresponsible at all?
MR. RUBIN: Let me be very clear. I think it would be irresponsible for unnamed officials to allow for conclusions to be drawn before conclusions have been drawn, whether they are in the State Department, the NTSB or any other investigative organization, any agency. And I am not suggesting, and nothing I have suggested should be interpreted as suggesting, that this concern is directed at one agency or another.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) - the leaking itself should stop? Are you saying that that - you don't have a problem with that?
MR. RUBIN: I am certainly suggesting that unfounded speculation and unnecessary speculation about conclusions only leads to a situation where the temperature is raised, where it makes it harder to pursue a competent, prudent but determined investigation at a determined and deliberate pace. And it also feeds the exaggerated, wild conspiracy theories that often appear in the Arab press that are unjustified. And so our call for calm is both on those who are rushing to judgment about what happened and those who are putting out what are obviously wild and ridiculous theories about what happened as well.
QUESTION: But they are basing -
QUESTION: We're beginning to beat this to death in the sense that, if you want to answer the question, please. We're not asking about speculation and conclusions. Clearly, you know, that's wrong. We are asking whether the State Department and, obviously, in some sense, protective of Egypt, we can leave that out if you want in your answer - is the State Department upset that information is being leaked from which reporters and editorial writers and bizarre people, all sorts of people, maybe the same people, draw conclusions and speculation? They're basing it, in many cases, on things they were told. They don't make it up.
MR. RUBIN: I don't think reporters make up sources. I've never suggested that.
QUESTION: I know you're not saying that.
MR. RUBIN: So let me answer this as best as I can. We've had a lot of history now of investigations of unfortunately airplane crashes and they tend to have a cycle of one direction and another. And what we've found is that those cycles are not helpful to the investigators themselves, let alone in a situation where it has the potential of creating an echo chamber in the Arab world where these wild, ridiculous conspiracy theories are put forward.
That is not, and should not in any way be perceived as a criticism of the Egyptian Government because what we found is that the Egyptian Government and we are working very comfortably, very cordially. There is not tension. A lot of these suggestions that there is a big problem between the Egyptian Government and the United States, nobody here can detect the bases for those suggestions. So what I am saying is that what we would like to see less of in the furtherance of the investigation, and in respect for the families concerned, is less speculation about the cause from those who may or may not be close to the investigation.
You know, the phrase "close to the investigation" is one of those words that has a very, very wide berth. And I think - and I hope that all of you understand that. And, secondly, that even as we try to avoid that, that we would certainly urge those in the media who have put forward these wild conspiracy theories in various Arab media, to avoid that as well in deference to the families involved, because that really is a direct - causes direct harm to them.
QUESTION: Jamie, are you all or is the US Government in any way going to try to counter these stories in the Egyptian press? Is the embassy going to --
MR. RUBIN: I don't think we're into that kind of thing. What we are just trying to urge people to do is please be responsible. You know, we haven't ruled any causes out. We're at a phase of the investigation where we're trying to find out what happened and draw conclusions in a deliberate way. And so I don't think there is going to be a rapid reaction process put in place in Egypt other than to urge responsible media outlets to avoid the needless pain they cause to the families.
QUESTION: A practical question. Can you tell us who the most senior Egyptian investigator or official, law enforcement official who arrived in Washington today is?
MR. RUBIN: I will have to check on that but I believe a very senior security official is expected to meet with Under Secretary Pickering today.
QUESTION: Do you know what level it is?
MR. RUBIN: I will check on that, yes.
QUESTION: In her conversation with Foreign Minister Moussa and Pickering's conversation with the ambassador, can you give us an idea of what - you say that there is no big problem and you can't detect any big problem between the US and Egyptian governments on this. So is the concern then - A, can you give us an idea of what the concerns of the Egyptians have been in those meetings; and, B, is it your concern directly - is that concern directly related to the families or is there something else in the investigation --
MR. RUBIN: There are several things we're trying to do here. We will, at the State Department, be following the discussions between technical and investigative experts and their counterparts in Egypt. There are a variety of experts gathering from the various agencies - the NTSB, the Government of Egypt, the FBI, the State Department. Their group began today to prepare a literal, factual transcript of the cockpit voice recorder. That's where the focus is right now. The NTSB can describe that further.
With respect to our discussions, we have been in close and regular contact in order to coordinate these efforts, including by Ambassador Pickering, by Assistant Secretary Indyk, by the Secretary and others, and there are a wide range of discussions.
If you're interested in asking the Egyptians what views they express in these meetings, or finding out what their views are, I really would urge you to talk to the Egyptians. But let me give you as much as I can from our perspective.
My sense of this from talking to Under Secretary Pickering and Assistant Secretary Indyk is that the Egyptians have been doing precisely what we and they want to do, which is doing this in a deliberate way, not wanting to rush to judgment, asking questions, trying to make sure they have the best expertise brought to bear and avoiding a situation where there is a rush to judgment. We don't want a rush to judgment. We want to pursue this at a deliberate pace.
QUESTION: At some point the FBI may want access to Egypt itself to ask questions and so forth. This was a problem with the Saudis two -- three years ago. Has this hurdle been cleared with the Egyptians?
MR. RUBIN: They, as I understand it, authorized the United States to take the lead. So far we have been working hand in glove with them. So there's no reason to believe that the process of cooperation that has existed so far would end at any point.
QUESTION: Have FBI officials been in Egypt doing any work?
MR. RUBIN: I wouldn't be able to comment on that. But I would welcome your directing that question to the FBI.
QUESTION: You and some pretty high-powered State Department officials have been involved.
MR. RUBIN: Right.
QUESTION: I thought you were going to give us a list of objectives. But the first one, clearly is the first objective, to figure out what the transcript suggests, what it means, in fact what's being said.
MR. RUBIN: That was at the expert level. That's at the expert level.
QUESTION: That's number one. But that's expert level?
MR. RUBIN: Yes.
QUESTION: So kind of, I'm wondering is there State Department interest in this beyond technical -- arranging for technical - why not be direct about this? Don't you have an objective or an interest, at least, in making sure that the US relationship with Egypt isn't jarred, or isn't hurt in any particular way?
I know we're going to let the facts go forward and - I know all that. I mean, I'm sure - this wouldn't be America if that weren't true. But aren't you concerned what impact this might have - again, without suggesting or speculating about terrorism or fundamentalism or foes of globalization or madmen or whatever the possibilities are - you know, there's going to be an impact on tourism. There's going to be lots of aftershock. Isn't the Start Department kind of thinking about this a little bit and talking to the Egyptians about that, too?
MR. RUBIN: Well, it depends on which syllable you put the emphasis on.
QUESTION: Well, you're putting it on expertise, and I understand that.
MR. RUBIN: The syllable I would put the emphasis on is that we think that the best way to get the best and most effective and most comprehensive investigation is to use the expertise we at the State Department have in working with Egypt. That's what we do every day. We work with the Egyptian ambassador. We work with the Egyptian Foreign Ministry. We know many of the senior officials involved here. We can talk to the Foreign Minister. We can talk to the President of Egypt.
So one job of the State Department is just to use its diplomatic expertise to ensure proper coordination between two countries that have different --
QUESTION: Cultures.
MR. RUBIN: -- cultures. So that is one job. That is the positive way of describing it. You've just asked the question would we like to avoid negative affects on the US-Egyptian relationship from this investigation? Obviously.
But what we have been trying to do -- and we think successfully-- is ensuring that a close friend, Egypt, which has obviously gone through a great trauma when its national airline crashed, that in so doing that the investigation is done with the maximum degree of cooperation intact, so that we can get the best chance of getting to the bottom of this. And, obviously, wherever the investigation leads, minimize the impact on the US-Egyptian relationship, but not at the expense of getting the facts.
Other subjects.
QUESTION: Just one more. A day or two following the crash, a columnist in Algomhuria in Egypt, which is one of the more prominent publications, wrote a column addressing some of these conspiracies, missiles, et cetera. And the American ambassador to Egypt felt it necessary to write a letter thereafter to try to correct the record. I am wondering if you all will be doing anything else with the Egyptian press.
MR. RUBIN: I think Betsy asked me that question just a few minutes ago and I think obviously when we think it's appropriate, we will do so. But there isn't a - as I said to her - a rapid reaction press response team that has been put together as some new action item in this process. At least, I haven't heard about it and I probably would have.
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(The briefing concluded at 2:05 p.m.)[end of document]