treaty to help the alliance. russia is a european country and think. -- i think. it might be a possibility provided russia but fills the necessary -- fills -- fufills the necessary criteria. maybe it is a bit premature to make any predictions. a more realistic approach chair would be to develop a strategic partnership between nato and russia. . .

>> next, secretary of state's hillary clinton and at 7:00 your

calls and comments on washington journal. >> now secretary of state talks about the u.s. general assembly at the brookings institution. this is about an hour. >> the entrance you all came in

this morning may have had swinging doors but it may more correctly be revolving doors. since inauguration day, eight our former colleagues in other diplomatic missions around the world. i'm sure they are proud to be helping you in the important task you are doing. all of us at brookings are proud to be associated with them. starting monday, the secretary is going to plung into an annual week-long marathon of bilateral diplomacy. she will give us a preview of the challenges and objectives on

her mind. i haven't read her speech but this much i can predict because it is already a theme of her stu wardship. that is her conviction that promoting human security is related to national -÷security. it takes a strong community coming together to ensure the wellbeing of its weakest members

including the children. the u. n. represents that larger community. our country is represented by secretary clinton. after her opening remarks, i'll come back up here and join her while she takes some questions for all of you. madam secretary, over to you. [applause] >> thank you. thank you very much. thank you. well, it is a great delight to be back here at brookings through that revolving door when really does go in both

directions. sortly after i was asked to take this job, i began thinking about who needed to be in this administration. he rufully said, i know you are going to december i mate the place. >> i said, well, you know, that's right. that's a part of the resolving door. i am very grateful for this farm team you have lead so well for so many years and the opportunity to work for them now in this new capacity i want to say a word of personal

appreciation. most of you know he's been a friend of my husband's and mine starting with a friend of my husband at oxford. overall of these years. i'm pleased to a lookout and see aid reen and devon, the next generation. to all the core and ambassadors here. i thank you each and every one you.

>> i thank all of you for joining us on the even of u. n. g. a. it is a strange name. some have expressed their concern and disappointment with the united nations. i believe this is not only a critical, central institution but one which the united states has many equities. i am looking forward -- it has nothing to do with the fact that it is in new york and i get to go home, it is a personal

obligation. >> let me begin by saying to deploy a stronger and more comprehensive missile defense system in europe. this came after the assessment of the threat posed by iran. the technology we have today and what might be available in the future to confront us. we believe we are in a position to be stronger. let me be clear about what this new system will do. relative to the system which was many years from being deployed. we will deploy missile defense sooner than the previous

program. we will deploy missile defense that is more comprehensive. and with a better capacity to protect all our friends. we will deploy technology that is actually proven so that they do not waste time or taxpayer money. we will reserve the flexibility to our approach. make no mistake, if you support missile defense, which i did as a senator for eight years. than this is a stronger and smarter approach. it does what miss i'll defense is actually supposed to do. it defends america and our

allies. much of that criticism is not yet connected to the fact. we are not "shelving missile defense." we are shelving it sooner than the bush administration planned to do so and we are deploying a more xrensive system. we are increasing that and focusing on our best ability. we would never walk away from our allies. we have recommitted ourself to the article 5 obligation to

nato. we are deploying a system that enhances the security of our nato allies. it advances our cooperation >> through rotation of a patriot battery in poland and a development with czech republic. let me under score that we are bound together by our common

commitment as nato allies and also by deep historic and cultural tie that's will never be broken. this decision was not about russia. it was about i ran and the threat their missile program possesses. we believe we will be in a higher degree of confidence that what we pledge to do we can tultly deliver. my name reason for being here today is to give you a brief review of our a againeda from last month.

i saw a cartoon from the new yorker. the caption read. it's a birthday card. siep it and pass it on. i hope we can demonstrate that the united nations does not have to be just a diplomatic talk shop. at its best, it can be an insurance tooks to bring the world together to adhere to the rules and principals.

it is the responsibility of the 192 nation to capitolize on the responsibility that the united nation affords to each of us. by building and strengthening partnership, we can forge a global incentive to all nations to cooperate and live up to

their responsibilities united nations and this month's general assembly for this to work together and abide by international rules and security. i have in my office a picture of eleanor roosevelt, one of my particular heroins she is sitting at her desk working on something concerning human rights. i have said this before but channelling eleanor is not a bad idea. as was the resent book "the

great expirement." we have to have effective global institutions. the we ignore it and walk away from it at our par ill. that could have easily been ignored or marginalized in the

past. we believe it sets the template for what we should aspire to moving toward the world of zero nuclear weapons. it might not happen in our lifetime. the united states will maintain a safe, secure, effective deturnt cape ability. we want to be on record and do our best effort to hopefully arive some day at that future goal. next week, the president will chair a meeting at the un

security council. he will emphasize the important answer of the regime and the critical role the security council must play. the president has asked me to lead the conference. this will be the first time the secretary of state has attended. this will give me an opportunity to broaden us security interests. this means working to bring other nations into compliance, this includes north korea and iran. let me take a few moments to say a few words about i ran it is

important to recall what is really at issue and at stake. i ran has ignored for years to address the concern about its program. i ran's continue you'ded failur to live up to the condition for stablt in the persian gulf and middle east. our concern is not iran's right

to develop peaceful energy. but it is to ensure the program is intended for peaceful purposes. this is not hard to do. iran's continual decision not to respond. they have a choice. there will be a copping costs for their continued defiance.

the obama administration has clearly conveyed our readyiness to work with iran. we know our past refusal to engage yielded no progress. over the past eight months, the president has reached out to the iranian government and people. since june, we have seen the iranian government engage in a

campaign in politically motivated arrests. they seek a sense of justice in the world but stands in the way of the justice it seeks. to prepare for the talks arranged for the beginning of october. our message will be clear, we are serious. we will see if i ran is serious.

we will work with our partners to put iran's choice into focus and express that engagement must produce real results and we have no appetite for talk without action. we look forward to the parliamentary election.

as our military draws down, our agency increases to ensure a stable, sovereign and independent iraq. i am pleased that vice president biden recently returned. that partnership between our countries will continue to build security obligation and help to build stronger ties in commerce.

the administration, culture, healthcare through our agreement. i chair a coordinating committee along with prime minister maliky. also on the docket will be meetings related to afghanistan and pack tan. president obama has stated our core goal. to disrupt, dismantle the extremist al qaeda. this is a goal we share with afghanistan, pakistan and the international community. in fact, pursuing al qaeda was the basis of the u. n.góc resolution that authorized the military action our long term

security is connected with the security and well being of the people around the country. the resent afghan elections illustrate the promise and challenge of afghanistan. we will continue to encourage all parties to respect the international institution's charge with determining the final outcome of the election process. when the next president is

elected, we will work to increase relations. i will meet with the president of costa rica to continue our efforts to resolve the crisis in honduras. i will be meeting with donors and other stake holders to continue to help haiti respond to the situation and crisis for hurricanes for a history of challenges. i will continue discussions with our allies and other partners about the situation in burma.

so more people in more places can live up to their god-given potential. two specific areas are women and administration. these are extremely important to the point to security, international security ultimately rests on the development in the role and right of women. many of you have heard me plan the policy as well as events. i talked about the development.

next week, i will outline how we will aim to be effective and ee fish yept. in pursuing and executing the foreign policy goal. the foundation for our approach will be the top down system for those we are attempting to help. we will be looking for ways to

not only explain our approach but highlight our issues the acting administrator of the acting administrator. this is a broad illumination of our structure. our del gigs and i personally will work to add advance efforts in helping women as well to

address impediments to women particularly sexual and gender-based violence. we will endorse concrete measures to implement these ideas. i saw thescale of misery caused by this violence on my resent trip to the democratic of congo. having met with women who are the victims of the worst that humanity offers but also with women who are the strongest examples of what humanity offers. i saw that on our most recent

trip. our a againeda is ambitious. it's full from subsa harrah africa and more. it seems only fitting at the time we are celebrating the end of ramadan and the jewish high

holy day. this is a sign of reflection and renewal a time when we can take stock and reassess the values that move forward. it is in that spirit i am approaching not only next week's general assembly but the weeks and months ahead. the capacity you serve. i hope not only will we stin to have a partnership but to seek in the hopes and aspirationses

we continue to seek. thank you all very much. [applause] >> thank you so much. we have got a little over 15 minutes or so. why don't we go immediately to the first question.

you seemed to make a statement. the elections and option. he's made clear that the nuclea÷ program he wants to talk to. i was wandering about dividing up the world. what is the strategy of getting him to understand he has to reassure the community for the peaceful attention. >> there are no guarantees of results let alone success. we do believe that that the

opportunity presents itself for the kind of participation, the full participation to explore a range of issues now as you noticed, the iranians have a lot of issues. i'm not going to prejudge this. we made it very clear we are on a duel track. that is the process of engagement, we are about to commence that. i am not going to speculate on what comes of this effort. we have under scored as i did again today that we are not in this just for the sak of

talking. we don't check a box. i am well aware of the problems you have alluded to. i am willing to move forward to the actions >> i'm calling on you as a virtual member of the brookings

institute. she looks pretty real. >> what are the consequences? are there deadlines? secretary rice tried to negotiate. there were objections by russia and others that meant that the threat of sanctions really never could be carried out is there any indication that russia might take another view toward iran? are there other threats out there? >> it is fair to say that this has been a much more concerted out reach to both the iranian

leadership and president obama than we have seen in 30 years. it is not that other presidents didn't look for ways to engage iran but for a variety of reasons, it was never carried through in a long-term consistent manner. we did not participatefully until very recently. for many years, we out sourced our policy to others to intervene and persuade iran.

the potential of the program being other than peaceful uses and increasingly to the international community. we have been very clear about what we are looking for. the two tracks we are preceding on. we have certainlily be gun conferences with a number of international conferences. if you had asked us six months ago, could we get the strongest cooperation? not just on paper of china and russia but activen goresment of those sanctions.

many of you would not have thought that possible. why did it happen, we have spent enormous time listening and working with our partners who are partners with some maybe not all issues but looking for ways to broaden that sense of cooperation and looking to understand how our views can be more effectively communicated. looking to find common ground in our assessment in the threat we all face. )

i think there's been a lot of attention in resent weeks. what do you think we can do to make a difference on that issue? >> this is something i want vice from you at brookings. this is how i am seeing it. it's not only corruption in afghanistan, which i will come back to it is corruption as an epidemic. it is undermining the capacity in way that's would grow a middle class.

corruption that siffens off the natural resources corruption that has eaten away at the fabric of so many countries. i saw it throughout africa that was tragic. they said god must have loved africa because they were blessed with so many riches but then one has to ask, why are we so poor? you go to a country that is emensely rich the corruption is indemocratic but it is now a security problem.

we are looking at a tipping point when it comes to corruption in so many of these places. we have to take some of the responsibility. not for the fact that corruption was there predating us. i am very conscious of the difficulties that corruption possesses. it is one of my highest priorities. i no longer see it as a good government. wouldn't it be nice to stop

people from stealing from their own people? it would be very nice but isn't it absolutely essential to figure outweighs to do that. look at energy and know the possible repercussions both in terms of human missry and production. there's so many examples of that. in order to do this, we have to get a critical amount of major economies to be willing to work with us on this. to see this as an immediate threat and at least a medium and

long-term threat. that's what we will try to do. >> saddam secretary. thank you for the opportunity you gave us at the brookings institute. i was look forward to hear from you more about the peace efforts. your husband, president clinton has discussed a lot of bringing peace to the area. now president obama has brought almost that same kind of hope now what we have seeing is that whole problem strength evens down to the issue of the

settlement we see that israel is digging tunnels. they have -- emotions are getting really high along with a lot of anger. i don't know what your talk discover but one of your alliance in the area was warning that any training will lead to a result nobody would want to see. now i would like to hear from you what seems to be senator mitchell's effort to not make any xvñprogress.

how are you going to dole with this administration i understand the emotion and great hope that is at the heart of your question. i want to make several points. first, this president started on the very first day with a commitment to pursue a peace agreement to pursue. i can guarantee you that president obama and i are very patient and determined. we know this is not an easy road for anyone to travel i have

personal experience. i remember that brilliant, sunny afternoon on the lawn of the wout when two leaders shook hands. i remember the disappointment at camp david despite enormous efforts when trying to forge that peace agreement when it was not successful. expecting both sides to be ready to pursue that peace agreement is the best way for america to demonstrate our absolute belief that this issue is at the core

of so many other challenges we face and there for we are going to do all we can to persuade parties to make that agreement. it is up to the palestinians. to that end, it's up to both sides, not just one side, to be actively engaged and willing to work toward that resolution. i think that what george mitchell has been very valuable in sorting through a lot of the concerns. if you recall in the previous efforts of the bush administration through the road

map, the parties were encouraged to work themselves toward a resolution. the united states was not actively engaged in it as we were in the 90's. do i think maybe we've lost some ground? maybe it is a little more difficult because of that, i do. that is not going to encourage us. we are going to continue to do all we can working with everyone involved, most particularly the palestinians and israelis to reach that peace agreement we think is in the best interest of both countries. >> i would like to ask you about another issue you know well. that is healthcare. i would only put that question to you as secretary of state because many are concerned it

actually h actually has implications to the foreign -- >> nice try. >> i'm sure you want me to talk about our global health initiative. >> actually not. a lot of well wishers of yours and president obama's both in this country and around the world are concerned that if the healthcare debate goes badly and ends in a defeat for the president, it will have serious implications to get a cap and trade bill to take to copenhangen and krog res on global warming. you mentioned you are going to be playing a road in the prevention of the healthcare

treat y. insofar as you feel inclined to do so, we'd be very interested in the views of the merit on the issue and in terms of the president's domestic situation. >> based on my own experience and knowledge of the issue, i don't accept the premise of the issue. i will in no way under cut president clinton's ability to deal with the tough places in the world.

i don't see that. i don't accept that. i think the work that is being done. the expectations that are had. more people know what is at stake. >> one of the arguments was, you know, let the hmos handle it. that was not to be.

the number of people that have access to any insurance will diminish. is that what any one person would want, no. that's not the nature of the setting. we have an opportunity to produce an outcome that will significantly improve the important outlook, controlling costs. expanding coverage. it is interesting what we are proposing is so conservative

trying to do what we do in keeping the cost down. we have to calm down, take two aspirin, go to bed. think about it in the morning. it won't be pretty. it's like sauceage making but i think the president will end up with a bill to sign. the demands of our government and future well being of the wealth of our government. >> thank you. let me ask everybody to remain seated. i'll ask everybody to remain in this room while she leaves.

i want to escort her out. if you follow her out, i'm going to get nervous. >> please joint me in thanking secretary clinton for a great hour. [applause]

>> up next, your calls and comments on washington journal and then more on the commission on wartime contracting. >> still writing about the he'll discuss his latest, a fiery piece in a cold war. q and a sunday night on c-span. >> this morning, we'll talk with star parker. founder and president on the coalition about values voters and how they are responding to the obama administration. in an hour, georgetown university talks