Today’s Qs for O’s WH – 9/18/2009

Dr. Susan Rice, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, joined White House press secretary Robert Gibbs at the briefing to preview the president’s week in New York for the convening of the United Nations General Assembly.

TAPPER:  Are there other meetings going on around that you could tell us about either out State or out of your office in terms of the Middle East peace process or in terms of lower-level outreach to other governments, including some in the Middle East that you could tell us about?

RICE:  Well, first of all, this week at the United Nations General Assembly is full of all kinds of meetings — bilateral, multilateral, small group, large group — some of which are chaired and hosted by the United States that we're participating in. I have outlined for you what we're doing at the presidential level.  For the most part the secretary of state has her own very full schedule.   I, too, will be joining in those meetings with the president and the secretary to a substantial extent and doing some meetings of my own, as will other U.S. government officials at various levels.   It's a very busy time. And then, of course, other countries are hosting their own set of meetings. So there's no shortage of activity and an opportunity to advance our agenda on all these fronts.  With respect to the Middle East, I'm not in a position to announce anything other than what I've just described.  But I think it's fair to say when the State Department is in a position to outline the secretary's schedule, you'll see a variety of meetings related to that region and every other.

Helen Thomas, Hearst Newspapers:  What's the main theme of his address to the U.N.?

RICE:  I think I shared with you, the main theme is that we face a pressing array of global challenges, we need the kind of cooperation and leadership from a wide range of countries to meet those challenges effectively. We can't afford to get bogged down in the traditional north-south or other customary divisions that have hindered effective international cooperation.  Everybody has a responsibility.  The U.S. is leading anew.  And we are looking to others to join.

TAPPER:  Could I just do a quick follow-up?  I'm sorry. Could you tell us any other meetings going on that have to do with Cuba, Iran or Syria?

RICE:  Not aware of meetings related to Cuba. With respect to Iran, this is a topic that I think will come up in a number of different meetings. We've talked about taking stock of where we are with Iran with our partners during this period of time.  That will happen not only in a format of P-5-plus-1, the permanent five members of the Security Council — Russia, China, France, the U.K. and the U.S., plus Germany — there will also be discussions at the G-8 level. So I think this will…

TAPPER:    Any meetings with Iran?

RICE:  No.

**

TAPPER:  Robert, the announcement yesterday was heavily based on intelligence about Iran's missile system:  what they're building with, what they're struggling with.  How can you be confident, given the track record of our intelligence agencies, that that is accurate information?

GIBBS:  Well, the president, the national security team have confidence in the information and the assessments that they were given about — without getting specific — the current development, where Iran is focused, and where they're having some challenges.

TAPPER:  Have there been major changes in the intelligence capabilities the United States has for that region of the world? I don't think I need to point to you — point you to failures that they've had in the past when it comes to Iran, Iraq, other countries in that area.  What makes you think that this intelligence is correct?

GIBBS:  I think what's important is that a series and a group of people have confidence in it. Again, something I'd stated yesterday, we have the very — the very same players in Secretary Gates and in General Cartwright, the vice chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, who, based on intelligence and based on technological assessments, determined in '06 and made a recommendation to then-President Bush, who have, based on newer intelligence assessments and upgraded and better and more tested technology, made a recommendation to President Obama that he accepted. It's the — the same team.  It's the same players that are making those judgments.  And they have confidence in — again, without getting detail in those assessments.

TAPPER:  And then, does the president have any response to the fact that when he mentioned the Baucus bill yesterday in College Park the Baucus bill was booed?

GIBBS:  Not that I know of.

-jpt