UN / RICE

While saying the US stands for "openness and transparency," US Ambassador Susan Rice says that private communications and classified documents are a basic element of diplomacy and calls the WikiLeaks publications, "reprehensible and inexcusable." UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:46
• Production Date: 2 December 2010
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: POLITICAL CONDITIONS; POLITICAL MOVEMENTS; INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS; PEACE AND SECURITY; DISARMAMENT
• Geographic Subject: UNITED STATES
• MAMS Id: U101202a

Description

STORY: UN / RICE
SOURCE: UNTV
TRT: 2.46
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 2 DECEMBER 2010, NEW YORK CITY/ FILE

Shotlist

FILE – RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, exterior UN building

2 DECEMBER 2010, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, dais
3. Med shot, reporters
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan E. Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“It is our strong interest to see, as is the case in Somalia, the UN - or in the case of Somalia the AU - best equipped to deal with what is a potentially volatile security situation in the case of Sudan and a clearly volatile one in the case of Somalia. So we would look on any such recommendations with urgency and seriousness, and would like the see the Council take actions that would reinforce security in both places.”
5. Med shot, reporters
6. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan E. Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“We have coming up next week, as you know, a P5+1 meeting in Geneva. We hope that would prove to be an opportunity for the P5+1 and Iran to have an important and productive exchange on a range of issues, most pressingly and importantly Iran’s nuclear programme. And we look to Iran to come to those discussions in the spirit of seriousness that befits the importance of that opportunity.”
7. Med shot, reverse view of the dais
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan E. Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“The United States has been very clear in our view that the work of the Tribunal needs to continue, it needs to be continued unobstructed and unabated. We are very strong in our support for that work as was requested originally, as you know, by the Government of Lebanon and mandated by the Security Council.”
9. Med shot, reporters
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Susan E. Rice, Permanent Representative of the United States to the United Nations:
“We have taken, as an administration, many unprecedented steps to increase the amount of openness and transparency in government, and we are quite proud of that. But that doesn’t mean that there isn’t a place for private communications and for classified communications. That’s an essential element of national security, foreign policy making and diplomacy around the world. You have heard my colleagues condemn the alleged leaking of cables by WikiLeaks and others and it is a reprehensible act that is completely inexcusable and counterproductive.”
11. Med shot, reporter
12. Wide shot, dais

Storyline

United States (US) Ambassador Susan Rice briefed journalists today (2 December) on the work of the Security Council for the month touching on a number of issues.
Asked about possible troop increases in both Sudan and Somalia, Rice, who will hold the presidency of the Council in December, said that the US has a “strong interest” to see both missions “best equipped to deal with what is a potentially volatile security situation in the case of Sudan and a clearly volatile one in the case of Somalia.”

She added that the US “would like the see the Council take actions that would reinforce security in both places.”

Regarding the upcoming meeting of the P5 + 1 group with Iran in Geneva, Rice expressed hope that it will prove to be an “important and productive exchange,” mainly on the issue of Iran’s nuclear programme.

She said she expected Iran “to come to those discussions in the spirit of seriousness that befits the importance of that opportunity.”

The P5 + 1 group is comprised of the five permanent members of the Security Council, the US, the United Kingdom, France, China and Russia, plus Germany. The group and Iran have not met in over a year.

Responding to a question on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, the US Ambassador expressed strong support for its work and said that it “needs to be continued unobstructed and unabated.”

The Special Tribunal for Lebanon was mandated by the Security Council in response to a request of the Government of the Republic of Lebanon to try all those allegedly responsible for the attack of 14 February 2005 in Beirut that killed the former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri and 22 others.

On the issue of the classified US embassy cables released by WikiLeaks, Rice said that the Obama Administration has taken ”many unprecedented steps to increase the amount of openness and transparency in government,” but stressed on the need for “private communications and for classified communications” as an “essential element of national security, foreign policy making and diplomacy around the world.”

She said that the release of those “is a reprehensible act that is completely inexcusable and counterproductive.”