in asia at and malaysia going to tier 3? they see a lot of migrants from what we hear are being sold to a human traffickers. malaysia is traditionally a more open type of country. i am wondering what the reaction is to the downgrade is. >> i have not heard the reaction to the downgrade yet. what we're seeing in the last month or so is one organization did a study of the problems that you are pointing out. .

since you don't necessarily have a well structured immigration, professional immigration policing, it's devolved into this much more self-help with that particular militia being ip volved. -- involved. the response of the government to malaysia to the senate foreign committee report in the allegation that is were contained there and initially was positive. they said that they would be investigating the allegations. but we certainly would like to see more movement as far as their investigation of the

official complicity that's been reported. >> two more questions. >> oun burma itself, i notice that in areas of prevention, prosecution and protection, there was progress in all three categories. and i thought maybe that would be reason to bump it up to the tier 2 watch list. why not? >> i think that we are certainly heartened by the 2005 law that they passed. the penalties for both sex and labor trafficking are commensurate with the other grave crimes that are involved. i think one of the things that we see that we are concerned about are the number of prosecutions that they are reporting. it's unclear whether they are prosecuting folks who actually were holding someone in slaverry or whether or not they were prosecuting migrant smug. and one of the reasons is that most of the interdictions that they reported are with outgoing burmees nation yals as the victims.

they're one of the only countries that i know and having been a federal prosecutor doing these cases for years, the notion of being able to identify a trafficking case in transit as opposed to when you actually have the field, the factory, where people are being enslaved, it's almost impossible. it's very difficult. that seems to be what they're reporting on. so we have some questions as to their underlying numbers. but i think we also see that notion within burma and there's been some reporting as to some constitutional revisions that they're doing, which would actually enable them to sell the labor of their citizens. and so the notion that state could get into the labor broker market and actually then use the coercive power of the state to hold people in forced labor is something that we're very troubled by. >> i would like to ask you about the north korea and asian

countries. the situation has never been better. and the trafficking is it related to the china, do we have any suggestion or recommendations to the connection with the china and the north korea issue? >> this is actually, i'll take a point of personal and say i care a lot about, because it's a case that i prosecuted earlier in my career involved ethnicically korean women from the parts of china that are near north korea. and one of the things that we see with the ethnicically korean population in that part of china is that neither china or north korea wants to protect that population. north korea is tier 3 and has been for quite some time. one of the things we see as very necessary for north korea to do is to actually screen returnees for trafficking. a lot of people who are caught in china in labor situations or

in prostitution, first of all the chinese are not screening them as trafficking victims and we would like to see china do that. but when they deport them back to north korea, we are hearing from nongovernmental organizations and other observers that those victims are being punished for having left the country in the first place, rather than being given the kind of services and the kind of rehabilitation that a trafficking victim should get under international law and international norms. >> thank you, all. >> thank you. >> today on america tand courts, a few commencement addresses at this year's graduation ceremonies given by supreme court justice anthony kennedy, and georgia supreme court justice leea ward sears at 7:00 p.m. eastern here on c-span.

>> tomorrow on washington journal, a look at iran and the health care debate on capitol hill. >> how is c-span funded? >> through donations? >> i think you get a little from the federal government. >> grants and stuff like that? >> maybe from sponsors. >> might get some government funding. >> viewers? >> how is c-span funded? 30 years ago, america's cable companies created c-span as a public service, a private business initiative. no government mandate, no government money.

>> the u.s. ambassador to iraq said the military will fully comply with the security agreement that calls for u.s. forces to move out of iraqi cities by june 30th. chrishill spoke with reporters at the state department for 25 minutes. >> i'm delighted. one of the things i hope to do is when we have some of our key leaders from around the world in town, to find ways to bring them to you as we can. ambassador chris hill is one of our most seasoned diplomats.

and he is now the u.s. ambassador in iraq. he is here for consultations this week. and we thought it would be a good time to have him update you on the current situation in iraq. and i'm always delighted to welcome criss because he is one of the state department's finest red sox fans. >> thanks a lot. it's a pleasure to be here and not talking about north korea. that was a preemptive strike. but. no, i'm back for a few days of consultations and some personal travel and will be getting back to baghdad next week. obviously, it's an important month because we're getting to one of the major milestones of the security agreement, that is the outh of the city milestone

with our combat forces will be out of the remaining urban areas and in iraq. it's an important moment because, as we go forward with the security agreement, we will also be moving ahead on the strategic framework agreement. and this is an agreement which will really govern our relationship for, we hope, decades to come. it will involve our educational exchanges, economic relations, various political exchanges, things that we work on internationally. so we want to make this strategic framework agreement really the essence of the relationship and to get to that we need to get through the remaining elements of the security agreement. and certainly the one dealing with the provision dealing with our combat forces out of the urban areas, is obviously a key element of it.

so those. >> i have a question about iran. your predecessor met with the iranians about issues specifically related to iraq. what do you anticipate your role being with the iranians? >> hard to say. frankly, the issue hasn't come up as of now. i've only been there a couple of months. iran has a great interest in iraq. we certainly feel their interest in iraq. they're a historical neighbor of iraq. and obviously those two countries will have a relationship going forward. and, as i said in my confirmation hearing, i think it would be best if iran did all it could to respect the sovereignty of its neighbor. >> looking at change in the iranian activity in the last few days following the elections. >> with respect to iraq? >> not to my knowledge. >> is syria being more helpful

in terms of iraq? have you noticed a change? >> i think obviously it's -- this is syria's relationship with iraq has gone through some ups and downs in recent years. obviously, we are interested in syria and iraq having a better relationship. we are -- we have addressed that issue with the iraqis and will continue to do so and see if we can be helpful. and as the iraqi prime minister said to me, we'll try to coordinate what we're doing with syria. but making iraq have a better relationship with its neighbors is a key element of what we're trying to do in that country. >> have you noticed fewer crossing over? >> i can't really -- i can't really gauge it in a matter of days or weeks. i think we have to take a broader view of what that is.

>> the sit come's visit to syria? >> about the sent come visit. >> i'm not in a position to discuss the sent com visit. >> your impression. >> i'm not here to talk about syria relations. we have other people who do that except inso far as it relates to iraq. and certainly the iraqis have welcomed our interest in a dialogue with syria, and have expressed an interest in making sure that we're coordinated. and we are. >> ask you about the renewed violence over the last couple of months in iran. it definitely seems a concerted effort by the sunni extremists to go after the shia. they've been quiet so far. the shia not retaliating. but there is a huge concern that there would be, if there was like a mangor bombing, that there would be a huge renewed

sectarian round of violence. >> i think if you look at overall levels of violence in iraq, you will see an overall trending downward. and this trending downward includes some of the events that took place in recent weeks. i must say, as someone who is new there and when i see a couple of rockets at the green zone, those are a couple too many for my taste. but people who have had the benefit of more time there always tell me it's nothing compared to last year. so when you see the aggregate numbers put together by the u.s. military, you see there is an overall trending down. now, the real question is whether some of these attacks in one case an attack on iranian tourists, actually, whether these attacks on obvious shee united states populations are ones that -- shee its are going to be

reciprocated. whether it's concerted or not it's obviously in our view an attempt to stimulate tensions. and we're pleased to say that it has not had the desired effect. the overall level of violence continues to be low. we don't see any recreation of militia groups. there are still militia groups out there but there's certainly no growth in that pattern. whether we continue to have this, these positive trends i think is hard to say. except that we work very hard to make sure that there is dialogue among the various political interlock ters in the country. we continue to do what we can to help people get together. that is a country that's gone through six years of very, very painful violence, where everybody has lost a loved one. and one never wants to predict

when people are sick of this sort of thing. but since arriving there in the last couple of months, i do believe that people are trying to work their way through political process. >> but you don't see, i mean, the violence is down but the last couple of years violence seems to be more from the insurgency and from al qaeda type. you don't see a renewed level of sectarian tensions that gives you pause that there might be a -- dr no, we don't. actually, what we do see are in antigstisspation of parliamentry elections which are expected to be in january, we do see a lot of lockying for political position. we see shiite party reaching out to have a sunni partner and kurdish partner. these sorts of things are actually healthy. so what we see is a tendency to want to work welcome back the political system.

but i don't want to sound poly anish about that because these are trends that are fragile and one that is need to be nur turd every day. >> thank you. your predecessor talked about this a lot, whether the violence of iraq, the gains that you've seen are irreversible or not. and you describe it as fragile but reversible. do you share that assessment? do you think we've gone over the hump on that? and then on mosul where a lot of the recent violence has taken place, do you think they'll be able to pull out of mosul? >> what i know is we're going to comply fully with our obligations under the security agreement. i think we sign that agreement and we will absolutely comply fully with it. and that means pulling all compat bat forces out of the cities. and i think what's important to understand is that in most cities in iraq our combat forces are already out of the city. so this is not some brand new

model that we're not sure how it's going to work. but to some extent we left the best for last. that is, baghdad and mosul. i was up in mosul a few weeks ago, and to be sure it's a city that has a lot of tension in it, to be sure, there are various groups, whether it's the kurdish population there, the sune e, or -- and i want to emphasize this as well, christian groups that have concerns about what life will be like in the future. again, i think the way forward is through political dialogue. i met with members of the provincial council. i met with the kurdish delegation that is continuing to boy cot the provincial council. i met with others. and we just have to keep doing that. i think whether this is irreversible will depend on the people themselves. i have no doubt that iraq is a

better place for the fact that there's less violence and i think that's an insight most iraqis have every day. >> does the u.s. have any contingency plan in case the violence esclates after witsdrall? >> again, i don't want to discuss contingency plans. i'm not in charge with respect to security. what i am involved in is to make sure that we are complying with the security agreement. this is something that we want to do and must do, and it's something that's expected of us. >> egypt, just point, do you have any indications that saudi arabia might be ready to do this? >> not yet. obviously, this step by the egyptians, to send an ambassador is most welcomed, and i look forward to being there to welcome him or her. i think it's, we really want to see iraq reattach to its

neighbors as my comments earlier on syria would suggest and so we believe it's in everyone's interest to be present in iraq, present diplomatically, we believe it's in everyone's interest whether they're interested for economic purposes or for region jal stability. and anyone with an interest in it for stability, anyone with an interest in iraq's sovereignty and healthieness as a democratic state should be there. >> you have to ask whoever works in hello, and welcome back. >> did he ask king abdullah to send -- again, i'm not in a position to comment on what went on with the president and king abdullah. >> i don't know whether you've been to kirkuk or not. any resolution or any advancement of the problem with

solving kirkuk? and also, the oil revenue sharing. >> i think there's been some, there's a lot of discussion within iraq on oil revenue sharing and not so much revenue sharing but overall exploitation of oil. i know the government in baghdad has had renewed and i think positive discussions with the kurdish regional authority on this matter. i think you saw some fruits of this just a few weeks ago when oil from kurdish areas was exported out through the main pipeline and where the revenue sharing went according to the u.n. formula of 17%. i know that the iraqi government is working very hard to see what can be done to boost oil production, and they are in touch directly with international oil companies on this. there has been a lot of discussion about where the

so-called hydro car bons law is, and if you ask various political leaders in iraq, you get different answers as to the potential for getting this law through the parliament. right now, i must say the discussion in the parliament is very much geared to getting an election law through so that parliamentry elections can take place as scheduled on january 16. >> as we sit here now, how many u.s. troops are left in the cities and specifically how many in baghdad? >> again, i would ask that you direct that question to the pentagon. there are roughly 135,000 u.s. troops in the country. but as for their particular deployment, i direct that to the pentagon. >> could i just make sure i've got this straight. when you were asked about the syrian fighters coming into iraq, have you actually seen a diminishing of that number or is it not yet clear? >> i think it's too soon to

gauge the numbers except to assure you that we track this issue very closely. and compared to, say, a year ago, there's a substantial -- there are fewer such people coming over. now, whether there are fewer coming over because they understand the consequence of unlawful crossing of the border is greater now than it might have been in the past, that's hard to say. but the specific question had to do with the recent discussions with southeastern authorities and whether -- syrian authorities and whether there was a change of flow at that point. it's too soon to say. >> that was last weekend? >> the discussions with syria were just last week. so it's obviously a little early to talk about it. yes, ma'am. and then i'll go to you. >> recently there's been some discussion with turkey that this might be the year that the pkk may give up arms and move floot the political circle or

just give up violence. and the u.s. is putting pressure on the kurdish authorities as well as the central government. can you clarify what is going on? are you involved in the talks? >> i'm not in a position to discuss the -- that process that you're describing. this is reelly for our people who deal with turkey. i will say that with respect to iraq, turkey is very active. turkey has a number of economic projects under way in iraq. they've been very much bowl sterg their relationship with iraq. and i know, having talked to turkish visitors, there's a great deal of interest not only in the northern part of iraq but also in bolstering their relations with the shiite part or the southern part of iraq. so i see a turkey that is

increasingly interested in having a good relationship with iraq and we very much welcome this process. >> president obama's speech in cairo has produced a lot of renewed hopes for the arabs of the region and for america. the policies there. today, can you reiterate for us, for the arab audience, that you are looking forward for the day when america leaves iraq as a one country united and sovereign? i mean, united. not like what vice president biden in the past has looked for, a division of iraq and into three parts? >> we are very interested in having a long-term and successful relationship with iraq. and as our president laid out in the speech, we're interested

in a long term and positive relationship with the entire region. with respect to our relationship with iraq, we understand those of us who work on the issue understand that to have a long-term and successful relationship with iraq, we have to be very respectful of iraqi sovereignty. and so that is one of the real foundation points of that relationship. it's reflected in the security agreement, it's reflected in the strategic framework agreement which governs the nonsecurity areas. so we are very respectful of iraqi sovereignty. we're very respectful of iraqi territoryal integrity and respectful of iraqi une at this time. and that's been our policy and that will continue to be our policy. we will work very hard with iraqi authorities not to tell them what to do but to express our views and to listen to their views. and i think it's been especially important for a new ambass dor to do a lot more

listening than he does talkic and that will continue to be my role. >> the ministry has requested the u.s. move in the united nations to get iraq out of the u.n. charter and restore full sornty with no liltations that remain from the past dictatorship and so fords. what's the u.s. position on going ahead with that? >> as you know, the security council there's some eight or ten security council resolutions that deal with the so-called chapter 7 issue. according to article 25 of the security agreement, the one that deals with this issue of u.s. troops out of the cities, there's an article, article 25, that deals with the u.s. commiting ourselves to assisting iraq to get off chapter 7. if you look at the article 27, it refers specifically to our view that iraq is no longer a regional threat to peace and

security in the region. and on that basis, it's our desire to help them get off article 7. obviously, this also involved helping iraq, as i mentioned before, work to have a better relationship with its neighbors. and we would like to see an iraq-kuwait relationship that continues to improve. and we will continue to be engaged in that. >> is the u.s. going to take any steps to actually do that in the security council? >> we are working with as we look to these reviews, we're obviously in touch with our partners and we will see what steps we will take. again, i don't want to be stepping on the role that our people in new york play, ambassador rice and others. but we are obviously this is a time when we need to look at the review of the situation and make sure that we are complying with article 25 of our security

agreement with iraq but also working on with our partners in the u.n. and in the -- working with our partners in the u.n. security council and also working with the u.n. secktaret on this. >> the iraqi government says that it's forming a committee to assess some of its prisons and allegations of overcrowding and prisoner abuses. being that there will be some prisoners being transferred to iraqi prisons, can you tell me what the united states has if any in the assessment of the iraqi prisons? >> first of all, we have made a commitment and this is also part of our security agreement to transfer detainees from u.s. custody to iraqi custody. we are working with the iraqi prison authorities both in terms of training and helping them with the refur bishment of

prison facilities. indeed, we just opened up a new facility or a newly renovated facility just last saturday. in addition, i met with the minister of justice on sunday about the issue of the status of their prisons and of their capacity to not only receive prisoners but also to have a judicial system that has through-put, that is, gets the prisoners out with a -- through a legal process to determine guilt or innocence. so this is a very key element of what we call our rule of law initiatives at the embassy. and we are very much engaged on it. and the rule of law initiative where we have a number of person until from the justice department actually several hundred person until from the justice department including some 21 pr fessional lawyers