>> the kalb report is funded by a grant. >> from the national press club, this is the kalb report with

marvin kalb. [applause] hello and welcome to the national press club. i am marvin kalb. our subject tonight is diane sawyer. i do not remember the exact day, but about 35 per 40 years ago, a very bright young woman walked into the cbs news room in washington. everybody looked up bewrayed they realized instinctively that someone special had just entered. abc news has kindly provided us with a brief promotional film about diane's career. let's take a look. >> for more than three decades,

diane sawyer has been one of the most respected and passionate journalist on television. as anger of good morning america, -- as anger -- anchor, she has shown the worst that sheet -- there is nothing but she cannot do. her career began in 1968 with a literature graduate decided to take a noun likely turn -- unlikely turn. she practiced shooting with a camera herself. she next went to washington to observe a presidency firsthand. she stayed on to help nixon write his memoirs.

in 1978, she returned to the news, cbs. in 1984, she made history by becoming the first woman on "60 minutes." in 1989, she joined abc news to create an innovative new magazine program. every week, she traveled the world and interviewed newsmakers. for the years, as she has done award winning investigations into racism, fraud, and the care of a vulnerable. >> they search for someone to help them just a few hundred dollars, but the church is portrayed no money can be found. >> i am never going to get it. >> i am diane sawyer from

louisville, kentucky, the new kid on the block. >> in 1999, the she added another job. two years later, she and charlie would watch and report on 9/11, as it played out live. she would soon make her way down to ground zero. >> it is a curious scene. >> in december 2009, after 11 years, she moved on from good morning america and became anchor of world news. as always, she has her bags packed for the big story. >> people are asking, what will help arrived? i have covered a lot of disasters around the world and have never seen this.

>> she has won every award. it she is on the respective or viewers -- of her viewers. >> have you ever personally killed someone opposed to? >> a sense of wonder for the news of the day. they can turn on the television and diane will be there every night. [applause] >> it is my pleasure to welcome you to the kalb report. as we open this conference. many members are in the audience eager to hear about your career, your take on the news business which remains indispensable of a functioning free society.

you are clearly at the top of your career. first and foremost, you consider yourself a journalist. you are also an anchor. describe for us what is so special about being an an chor. >> it is very special just be sitting here with you. i want to say something. you have to hear this. [laughter] when i first walked into cbs news, all i remember is when i was sent to cover the state department with marvin kalb. i came in and secretaries of state for calling you and i could not get a phone call returned from an answering machine. for me, this is a true panicle.

this is a dream to be back home. highjacking your interview, is that what you are worried about? it is to try as much as possible to be the 360 degree radar of the day, of the morning, of the driving question that has to take you through a broadcast. it is such a gift to be able to throw to incredible correspondents, it is such a gift to be able to reports the stories of some of the women you have here in the conference, reports with such incredible bravery. it seems to me that to be an

anchor is to be a witness to the questions lansbury in and the way it presents itself in terms of priorities. it is a chance to make decisions that you hope someone will look up and say, i did not know that. the single first and most wonderful question. the second thing is, this has helped me with my life. now i understand. this week's me up. it wakes me up to the world. i see the job as to say, how do we wake up ourselves, our questions, and are reporting? >> waking up the world, what do you see is your own special responsibility? when you arrive in your office, what is it that you were looking

for? >> i am persistent. i strong opinions. -- i have strong opinions. to have strong opinions that can excited conversation. i do not make all the decisions. we are very much a collegial con -- production. we are a group of people sitting around a room every day. my job is sometimes to try to be as fearless as i can be and say, let's do this. let's try this. heaven knows i am old. what have i got to lose? let's do something fearless today. let's try something today. >> has a general or a president called you and said, hey, diane,

i know you guys are about to run a story. please do not do that. what was your response? has that ever happened to you? >> i know that it happened in the capacity of world news. charlie has told me in the past about the dilemma. i do think that everyone is a careful decision weighed heavily with our dual responsibility not to put lives at risk and to stay true to our contract with the american people. >> according to the research center, more americans under the age of 30 get their news from the internet, not from television. holiday you a--- how do you adjust to this new reality? >> we are on twitter.

i am not on twitter. but i am on facebook. i think it is the most exciting vitality during the day to see all the different ways and we can see it right at world news. we can see all the different conversations going on at once. at the same time, i interviewed secretary clinton today, the picture is going out. we are saying something about what is happening at that moment. it is a great opportunity to take people behind the scenes and to hear that -- i cannot tell you how often we hear from facebook or something coming into the world news tweets. of course, that is a question. the giant cacophony, the giant

democracy, the giant chorus that is the " country can reach through. >> do you see the new world of the internet is your major competition? >> it is still you. i'm going to go back to the state department. i do not see it as a competition. i really do not. if we do not think about what we do, that is the forum of ideas. we have to be out there creating a unique and importanct conversation so that you also want to come to us. >> i do notice that you do carry on a conversation with the audience as opposed to the old days.

is that deliberate? >> that is just me. i do not have one of those voices. no, i do not. i said to charlie, the opening of the show, tonight, on world news. i said, i cannot do that. i always wish i had one of those, but i do not have its crude some of this -- some of that is just a function of the physiology of the vocal cords. >> what i'm trying to get at, at do you make world news -- how do you persuade so many people in the new world of information and communication not to perceive you as a relic of the past? [laughter]

>> a relic of the past? >> the program, not you. >> there was a gesture my way. i saw that. emerging from archaeological dig. let me tackle the question. by breaking some of the conventions and the formulas, we are still in the moment when the news is breaking and to come to broadcast television. we are as immediate and alive. when you are there with us, we do not have to -- >> that is a good point. you recently come back from a trip to japan. we're now here in washington talking as we tape this.

you were there to cover another extraordinary story overseas. what i am trying to understand is, why did you make that trip? if you answer me, because it was a great story, that is done enough. you have so many responsibilities that cut into a decision. why you do that? why did you make the trip to japan? >> i wish i could say that it was a science and theory. a lot of it is, i feel compelled to go. it is not his that i covered the tsunami in indonesia or southeast asia, but i felt it was a story i had to experience tangibly. this incredible constellation of

disasters -- at that moment, i felt there was a reason for the entire broadcast to be there. part of being an anchor is a decision, where are your best their anchoring? the anchor of a really race. -- relay race. when is the best for you to take the whole broadcasting go overseas? it does change that balance. in the middle east, there were a host of correspondence to rivera and you were fantastic. " -- who were there and who worked fantastic.

it is a case by case decision, but it is so much about the entire podcast. >> tell me about the cuts setter being made at networks these days. people need to be cut from world news? >> everybody was involved. >> how many people are on the staff? >> kathy, where are you? i think we have close to 100. we have freelance people coming in, freelance editors. we did have to cut from that number. it was anguishing. >> the program itself lose money? >> i do not know. i do not to the budget.

i have never asked how much it cost to go to japan. i did not want to know. [laughter] it is not my problem. >> do the cuts in staff affect the quality of what it is that you are giving to the american people? >> i think sometimes initially it has and does the fact -- affect our exhaustion. and our attention. and our feeling of, though, a jal and mary did this. how are we going to do this in any way?

this is in no way to say that it was not a true heart breaks for everybody who's colleagues left, our responsibility is to look at what we are doing and his said, are we deploying our resources? to sharpen and home those within it. i always look back. one of the first stories ever did was in africa and i remember that i was awake in the middle of the night and the desert and we were going out and exploring. i looked up and we had a crane that had been flown in and the crane this opinion over the trees -- was sobbing in over the

trees. it never occurred to anyone to say, is this the right expenditure of money? should be weak -- should we be concentrating on the story that we want to bring you? i still remember them standing there. they have those beautiful faces. they're going -- [laughter] some of the task force us to rededicate to the things we know r a part of what we should be doing. >> at this particular point, there is a lot of -- an eruption of stories over the world. we have seen just in the first three months of the gear -- of the gear -- year.

the think that the american people are interested in foreign news? at that does not include american casualties and american troops. are the american people absorbed in the world? >> i believe the american people are absorbed in anything new and that will make them feel smarter or more part of the community. give them better grasp of the globe. i will believe it until the last count down of the last broadcast. i know it is true. >> do you believe that there is -- do you divide up the show? but in on a normal day, do you

divide it up? foreign, national? >> no. there is no explicit or implicit quota of any kind. it is only the complex of what we are telling you. are we world news? are we doing what world news does? i remember someone saying to me when i was called with richard nixon working on his memoirs, this is not the book, this is a book. we know that this is not the broadcast. we have to mylonite. this is a broadcast and we will be back again tomorrow night. -- if you dogot not look after the budget, do you look after the ratings? >> i know you will not believe this. [laughter]

rating sale and to me because someone looks -- i did not check them. i did not check them myself. i told are accepted producer to check them someplace else because the study is face afterward. i would rather not. i would rather -- i get as excited as anyone that i know something we cared about connected with an audience. i love that. but i simply do not want to be hostage to that. >> what about abc, the corporation itself? >> i assume they do. >> but they do not talk to you about it? >> only in the most general terms. >> they are not going to sit down and say, diane, if we had done this -- >> no.

>> but that simply does not matter. >> i honestly can say to you -- i do not know of a single time in my entire career when i could not cover the story i wanted because of money. never have heard it. ever. >> do you remember 30 years ago, you could do these kinds of things without anybody questioning you. the budget was so much larger. and there were fewer people watching after you on monday. but there are many more people today, watching after you on monday. but you seem to be in the middle of the storm without it affecting you. >> i am not insulated. there are broadcast decisions

all around me. all i am saying is, if we go to the management's and we say, we need to cover the story, we get to cover that story. >> ok. >> there are decisions probably made that always did not come to me, but you can bring them to me. if we feel this is central to what we do, we can say, let's do it. look at the way we cover the middle east. the number of people deployed on the number of countries and the number of nights, i have no idea how much that cost. it was never passed. it was never a question and never doubted. she has interviewed mubarak more

than i have. if anyone can get through to mubarak -- >> she is extraordinary. let's take a quick break selecting reminder viewing and listening audience is that this is the kalb report. i am talking to diane sawyer. women, at the feel that women in the business -- do you feel that women in the business of police arrived? they no longer -- have finally arrived? they no longer have to break ceilings. >> i think that women have arrived in many ways, in many venues. i think you look around at management. the the this is part of what we do is not as a celebrated as the on air parts of what we do.

-- accelerated as the on-air part of what we do. you can see who is doing what's on television. you can make your decision on the air. there is a feeling that it is still sometimes a bit of a struggle. heaven knows around this globe, there is an inconceivable mountain that we'll have to climb together. looking at a duty woodruff and thinking about those days, i wonder how many women there were ramiro out on those convention floors. not so many of us were there. i do believe that every broadcast on it abc news has a

female anchor now. i do think that is an achievement and it makes a big difference. i had to do a conference once at sun valley. i called jack welch and i said, tell me what you have learned about putting rocket fuel behind women in the workplace. what do you know about it? you have a direct correlation to the success of the company. it is a business piece of evidence that you've got. he said, numbers. it is not about to having women, but it is about having some number of women. if you get women in a room and

you have a certain number, it is a different news room. he said, that is what we have to concentrate on. it is that number that actually controls the gps of a great organization. >> if you look at the number of women you are now covering some any of the war zones, my sense is that there are more women out there than men covering the news. i do not know if that is right. i am sure the foundation could provide the numbers on this. that is my impression. there has to be extraordinary progress in one area. >> i do not think there is any hesitation anymore.

>> when you were first at cbs and you were the first female reporter at "60 minutes," what was it like? >> i had no idea what i was walking into. mike wallace. i knew i was in trouble when an entire group of us walk down the hall ended ended in the men's room. it must be very useful to know what they're going to do. all i can say is that i had a certain obliviousness because i think -- not because it was a female, but new kids always got a bit of initiation.

>> when you went over to abc, was a much better? >> it was different because i had walked in as the first on- air correspondent there. it was a lot of learning. it was hilarious and wonderful, too. i would like to think that it was like just going into a circus training course. -- circuit training course. when i got to abc, i was a co- anchor with sam donaldson. it was understood that we were there and we were starting to gather and it was nail biting. it was a disaster at the beginning. we were actually a "saturday night live" skit. >> you were not that bad. >> we were pretty bad. we had to figure it out as we

went along. >> i want to ask you about social media. we have seen and discussed a lot of that and it has played a rather major role in the coverage of some of these stories melodies. -- in the middle east. you have used footage provided by people you do not know pointing in this direction when something even more important might have been happening behind the person has -- holding the camera. how do you feel about using that kind of material on your show when you really do not know the origin of a lot of the stuff? >> we always tell you where we got it. that we got it through youtube.

>> that does not mean -- and >> by understand that. but are be worse do know the different frames of pedigree that you have. we do also call and do our very best to verify everything that we're putting on the air. >> it is a question when you get into something so fast-moving and to pick up footage because you do not have your own people. the tendency on television is to show something. if you have something, it seems to me that the temptation sometimes would be to use it, even without that extra check.

>> we really do try to be as judicious as the time when we are looking at something that is not a lot of people singing on ""american idol." we try to be as careful as we time because we have seen it and we have seen it in situations where we never want to change the story based on something we do not know as much about as the time. >> it is interesting. i do not know -- talking about the power of this new means of communication. in terms of fashioning the new political outcome or attempting to. that new communications revolution has had more to do with the changes in the middle

east than anything else. from your vantage point, do you share that feeling? >> it is impossible not to see and be stunned by the immediate pilot light of hope that goes on when people are hearing from people who are connected to them. when those first signal starts coming out and somebody is responding and you know there is a voice in there and that voice is hearing you, it is impossible not to believe. it is a holding a force in the world. mark zuckerberg said, this will

be a giant force for democracy. you can call me all you want and you can hammer me all you want for believing that we have to go big, bold, and abroad rather than being driven by such privacy constraints, by driven by such considerations of privacy, he would take his chance on friending the world. he believes it. absolutely believe that this would happen. >> in this whole new world of communication, there is fox news. [laughter] i was wondering what you thought of fox news. [laughter] >> i watch boxing is. -- i watch fox news.

i watch cnn, too. i am going to be in rehab some day. i think you can learn so much from the excitement of the people on fox news about what they are telling you. and about what they are bringing to every story. i think the american people are enormously smart and they are enormously, collectively so discerning about making their own judgments that they move from -- and i do not think ideas can be labeled with the people who hold the money spectrum. people can make their mind up

about ideas. i do think that the people who hear something are surrounded by a lot of information. and can check it in a lot of ways. i am not going to -- i am a universal watcher and i learned. >> it is a noble sentiment. [laughter] >> do you not watch? >> i watch it all the time. i'm just kidding. what i am getting at is opinion in the world of news and you have a stunningly -- >> the think people know they are getting opinion in the world of news? >> i think they know. i think people like to be challenged.

just as you like to be challenged by someone at the dinner table, you like to say, i disagree with you. that is also how we learn, too. >> there is no question about that. i am talking about the world of news. were you were raised and where you have then -- has been set for a long time. people might like to believe that then this is where you get information, not opinion. we are now in a world where there is so much more opinion than straight, hard news. no matter how gloriously intelligent every person is, it may be difficult on occasion to distinguish one from the other. i am listening to you say, the american people make that

distinction. >> i believe they do. i do not know about news. we know that we have to bring the fact that we seek out every day the same degree of passion and enthusiasm. you do not know this, but i cannot wait to tell you this. i know how pollyanna this might sound to you, but i feel the way for us to strengthen how much we believe in the fact that will anchor your opinion and keep introducing those. we are not --

>> i hope you are right. what are your sources of information? >> i do not know where to begin. i read much about six papers morning. i watched "good morning america." i did not have to give up at 3:45 in the morning anymore, which i did for 11 years. i get into the office and we stand the e-mail that are coming in. there are fantastic. i wish we could introduce you'd sometime to the debates that go on at abc news between -- that

alone is worth stopping everything you are doing. i read "the daily beast." i stay all day long, i can see a complete quilts of screens and i can see what is going on. >> do you have a favorite website? a place where you feel you must check in every day? >> i checked in with each of them. before i go to bed at night, i checked into those three. >> do you eat during the course of the day? >> copiously. >> let me ask you a couple of questions.

the wikileaks story, if you or bill kellie and you had the chance to get thousands of interesting, fascinating, top- secret cables from the u.s. government, what would you do? would you do what keller did? >> each of us has our own star we steer by. we reported on them. we did put them on the air. if they had come to us, i would like to think we would have done what bill did. but we would of been deliberate about it. he most trusts sad revolutionaries and that you

have to some whites live in the contradiction in these moments in journalism. -- and you have to sometimes live in the contradictions in these moments in journalism. if you are reluctant to do anything that my even inadvertently compromise a life because you do not know who was being exposed, that is sure beginning. i assume they did everything they could predict then you just have to make your individual decision about how much time you have and what the proportion is. there was a lot of it that was -- you and i know this.

i am sure he assumed no one had read his cable. i think that what we learn from them and we would have broadcast from them would have been what we thought eliminated -- eliminated -- illuminated the world. >> bill argued that he did it because it was news and after due diligence, he felt that however embarrassing invited into the u.s. government, it was news and he wanted to run with it. he did it and he is not sorry. do you buy into that? >> thank you except his reasoning? perhaps. i do. >> does that mean that almost anything after due diligence is publishable or broadcast of

pullbacks --broadcastable. >> no, and we do not know where the no is. we did make decisions. we make decisions that they are not to broadcastable by our guidelines. i think we have to watch out for universal's. we are in the business of looking at the constellation of the question presented to us every time. if i thought there were universal standards, i am not sure i would know how to behave as a reporter. we do make judgments about what encourages copycat criminal

behavior. we make those judges. >> -- we make those judgments. >> it is not only universal values, but there are national interests that are involved. i am wondering whether you also has anchor responsibility to the national interest of the country. does that run through your mind also? >> yes, of course. of course. >> to the point of saying that because of that, i am not going to run those cables? they were put out basically to embarrass the united states and i do not want to participate. >> would you have run the pentagon papers? >> different story. >> would you have done it?

>> absolutely. >> because? >> pentagon papers was released to the public by one person angry at one more body fat was unjust. -- that he thought was ingest -- unjust. is julian assange a journalist? >> does someone have to be certified journalist before you will except the information? >> no. wait a minute. i am interviewing you. [laughter] wait a minute. let's go to another subject. [laughter] you worked for

president nixon, you were both in the white house and you followed him not to california. those were extraordinary times. you had a great scene on history as a was unfolding right in front of you. please help me understand your continuing loyalty to a president who had embarrassed the country, had lied to the american people, gave birth to the watergate scandal -- help me out. >> it wasn't about that. in a funny way, it was how i lived up what my father had always taught me. if you walk away from someone at the worst time, that is also a

choice that has implications for you are and to you want to be. i had been there to go to china with your brother. i had been there through all the times, the end of the signing of the treaty of the vietnam war. i'd been there for those times. there were a handful of us who were asked to go. i was asked to go for a very specific reason, which was mysteriously, i did read some anything's -- i had read so many things for the first round. one of the lawyer said, you can tell us if what we are saying is not true based on what the reporting has been. that kind of traffic light on what we are saying are not saying. for me to say no in that

moment, it was for me to assume that i had, i guess, some personal sanctimony that i do not have. i do believe that people can redeem themselves. i saw what was done. i saw it. i saw it on the inside. we all know what a ghastly bruise that was. i was one person out of five in the worst moment for them. i just wouldn't have known. >> i understand. obviously, there was another answer. >> i could have said no. i did think i was going out for a few months.

i did not know what was going to happen in each stage. the choices that were made tuesday. -- that were made. there were people resigned, they wrote books, letters, i will never do that. i just won't. >> president nixon had an enemies list. i know it because i was on hand. [laughter] for example, would you have known about an enemies list at the time? >> no. >> how difficult for it you to make the journey from political partisanship to objective journalism? you've done that quite well. >> even though my father was into republican politics in kentucky, not many people were. believe it or not, i did not go

to the white house as a partisan. i went because i had been a weather girl and a very bad weather girl and my father died and i was with my mother for a here at home. she asked me if i would go and do something else because she felt that i was staying there for her. i began to look at other things. truly, i thought the white house would be interesting. i interviewed with the news division at the same time and was rejected. i ended up at the white house because i thought it would be interesting. to me, it was not one president or the other. it was to learn what the crucible could possibly be like. >> if you have one more

interview to do, who would be with? >> well, i think the pope. >> i would have liked the other pope. >> john. this " would be very interesting, too, -- this pope would be very interesting, too. we have written letters. i suspect that i won't. i am not at the top of his list. >> what is your sense of the future of american journalism? >> i think every one of these students in this room is going to go out and change the world. >> really? [applause]

>> i think we do not begin to know the enormous power of of passion delivered and all of these different for oft -- fora -- online and off great -- off. what we say here on the air is going to make a difference and help those women who are dying in afghanistan. if we simply believe we can do it. i think we have not yet experienced what it is to stand arm and arm as journalists on facts that we know can be the leader in which you can move the

globe. >> diane, we are out of time. i am very unhappy to the knowledge that. let me thank our wonderful audience, including the international women's media foundation. [applause] the many people all over the country and the world who watched the kalb report. for those is still cherish the role of a free press in stimulating a free society and finally my thanks to diane sawyer. bless you. thank you so much. [applause] i am marvin kalb. good night, and good luck. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute]

[captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011] >> we will have 15 minutes of questioning. your opportunity to ask diana question. you know what that means, of course. you ask the question, you do not make a speech. if you go on too long, i will be impolite. please give us your name and any organizational association that he may have. >> i am sarah snyder. i am a sophomore.

what is the most fun part of your job? what is the most difficult part of your job? >> the most fun is getting to wrestle a story together. that is how you know you are intellectually alive. the hardest part is hair and makeup. if i could do radio, i would be doing radio. when they come at you, at 4:00 in the morning comment it was misery. i have never liked the growing part of television. -- grooming part of television. people are paying you to be curious. you have to tell me more about that. what is greater career bless

them that every day? >> thank you very much. >> i am a freshman at george washington. you've had such a great career. was there any definitive moment for opportunity that you had that got your career jump started? >> looking at this, my first story was three mile island. when i got to cbs. i had been there a few months and i've been so paralyzed with fear because of all the people that were there, the great history. the first thing they gave me to do was a radio story to write. susan came into me and said, ok,

i threw up a lot my first year. she helps me. this is really true, i am speeding in my car to three mile island. i think, the reactor is going to blow up. wait a minute. they think i am a expendable. i started there. i covered the story. my knees were knocking, but i covered the story. it was a lot of information to impart. i decided to take the list of everybody i could get a hold of, everybody who knew anybody and i would call them and i would see what they knew. eventually, i worked my way

through to people who told me really what was going on. >> yes, please. >> my name is james. i am a student at george washington university. my question is in regard to [inaudible] i member of the college republicans. i know earlier you were involved in republican politics popping nixon write his memoirs. i am wondering today what role you have in politics aside from reporting. i know that your colleague keith o. birdmen was recently booted off the air for donated the campaign. what involvement do you have? >> one of my proudest things is that my husband -- and he will tell you if you want to call them -- is that he will tell you he does not know my politics.

he has no idea. [applause] i did not come as a partisan. i love it. i love it as someone who loves hearing all sides of the time. >> my name is emily. i am a freshman. what advice do you have for young people, especially women, looking to break into the realm of media? >> i am a big believer that you can still go to small markets and learn a whole lot about the truth about coming a reporter. i set my godson to a teeny little market someplace in nebraska. he wrote me a note and said you told me how to handle everything except the sheep and my

microphone. [laughter] that was way out and nebraska. i'd love local coverage. i love what you learn in local coverage. the more you can actually believe in your heart that it is not about technique and it is about what you have to say. it is about the confidence in your eyes and whether you love the subject matter. if they are not curious, then they do not have the stamina and try to answer the question -- do what do this for a living. >> lot is a grayback the profession. [applause] -- law is a great back the profession. >> i am a senior at the george washington university. there was a point when mentioning that you were working in "good morning america. i'm curious how you are able to manage both of those at the same

time. >> really ground chili -- grouchily. after 11 years on "good morning america," it was sometimes a physical achievement just to make it out in the morning. there were six different wake up calls. i am just bone tired. sometimes i think i cannot make it through a day, interview -- some of you have seen me as recently as today. some days i think i cannot do it. when i get there and start reading and think about what if i'm going to get to learn and answer, i swear it is therapy. it is better than eight b-12 shot. that is the only thing that enables me to do it.

i just came back from south dakota on a story i was doing. i stayed up all night appeared i came back. japan happened. i went to japan. i stayed up all night and then went to libya. if i did not love the material, i do not know what i would do. >> ask for a raise. [applause] >> my name is a jean claude. i'm a freshman. my question is, in the beginning of your career, being a pioneer for women, the few ever anticipate the amount of success he had acquired thus far? >> you are very kind. i never thought in those terms at all. i did not know where it was selling. i was always just doing a modicum of panic. i remember -- i won't give

you his name. he pulled me in one day. he said, are you sure you want to do this because i do not think he will be able to go very far here. i remember looking at him and thinking, that is ok. that is all right. i never saw a career. i just saw what i got to do that day, that year. quite good for you. >> zek -- i am an alum. my question would be, when martin asked where you give your information, you only mentioned u.s. or american base media. is that to say you do not obtain information from foreign based media outlets? >> i do, but i tended to do

that through our overseas bureaus spew report in every newspaper, what they have been seeing on television, what the stories are. they are really good. >> we have about four minutes left. i notice at least 15 questioners. what i'm going to arbitrarily decide is, let me hear some of the questions from you -- the first three people in a row. >> i am curious -- i heard a lot of stories about reporters to reported at 9/11 or hurricane katrina to have a difficult time doing their job because of the human suffering they were witnessing. have you had this moment in your career. what were they? >> to many of us here, you are

our role model. i want to know when your our age or a college student, who is someone you admired and found influential? >> i am from taiwan. i would like to know -- when you were at age 25, why do think the white house wanted to hire you [unintelligible] [laughter] [applause] i really want to know. >> see if you can do all three in one minute. >> the woman admired the most -- i have a mother and an aunt who are as intrepid as exists on the face of the earth. at the white house, i have no idea what they thought i was

going to do. i did not either. as i said, i was not just a bad weather girl, i did not have contact lenses and did not even bother with the west coast because i cannot see it. it was so unimportant to me. go look it up yourself. [applause] the other one was in school -- thinking about what you would do? a friend of mine said i still have a photographic memory. i just do not have same-day service. >> the tragedy. >> thank you very much. you young whippersnappers. sure. it pulverizes you. it practically takes you down.

if you believe that your job is to make other people feel something and maybe respond, then you pick yourself up and go do it. sure. >> 3 in a row. >> we are going to go in here. we have not heard from any delicate yet. >> please. >> i am from palestine. i'm not a student. as a woman, have you had moments when he felt discriminated against as a woman? >> i come from europe. would you be interested to pay attention to this country when

it isn't the worst position now? people are kidnapped and killed theire. 56 people are facing years in jail. would you come there? it would. i did a story once and "have a nice day racism." we were sitting outside saddam hussein's palace appeared we were always wondering if we capture the altar at high- frequency racism. we did this story. i believe it is still being shown in some universities. i've always felt that there were reflexes that i encountered that

were not discrimination as such but were reflexes. you have to sometimes steer around them. come back three times or four times. i know that it is there in big ways. it is part of the job of all of the rest of us to make sure tht we go out and be those hands who go out and say "we know what you are experiencing. we are here a billion strong to be on your side." ok.t o>> >> over the years, if you have

reported on so much devastation, whether it be a disaster or killings. how do you remain so strong when reporting such a wrenching stories? >> again, they are the people who need us the most. that is why we do it. they are the ones counting on us the most. how come we possibly say it is too tough for me? you cannot say that. >> my name -- i am a journalism student at ithaca college. i am interning here. i think what a lot of students think if they are worried about was so much downsizing, it seems like the only way to break into the journalism industry and make it a career is to be unpaid for very long periods of time. i am wondering how you suggest as to break into the industry and get our foot in the door making a career residents of

think we are likely to be paid to do? >> my name is rosemary. i'm the president of "hope for tomorrow." thank you so much. i have admired you throughout your career appeared as a woman -- career. as a woman, how do you look at africa being [inaudible] you look at women in africa compared to men and generally? how can you work with them locally in africa? >> one more question. we only have a minute left the time. >> i am 17-year-old. he mentioned that student

journalists are inheriting a new media that can change the world. what would be your advice to someone like me a consummate community that is full of negative press like gang violence? >> you have 30 seconds. [applause] >> it is like television. i just want to say to the woman in africa, it is the most profound respect. we salute you. when they travel, we depend so much on the women journalists to be with us and being our eyes and ears. not being paid, i do think that there is a seismic shift. it is a whole lot of anxiety about getting the job that locks in. there is still legible uncertainty out there. if you possibly can, sometimes

try to even spent those two weeks or a month doing something even if they cannot pay you. i know too many people in those two weeks for that month who got the job. it is simply someone getting to see what you can do and willing to come in and do anything. i know that there is that uncertainty. i also know that a lot of the people at abc news had a door opened it that way. the gang violence, for another time. >> we are really out of time. i apologize to all of you who did not have a chance to ask a question. we are out of time. i want to extend the buys to all of the people, all of the women reporters and executives, who were here tonight. you continue to do all of the

word you are doing. [applause] >> thank you all very much. >> thank you for joining us tonight. [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011]

>> are looking back at the shooting of president ronald reagan. the panel includes the secret service agent who purrs -- who pushed president reagan into the

limousine and the doctor operated on him. up next, we will hear from iraq's ambassador to the west. today the special representative from the mission and afghanistan said the priority will be afghan lead security forces. later, joe biden talks about fixing high school dropout rates. >> beginning april 1, we will feature the top winners at the c-span stood in camera competition. they submitted documentary's focusing on a topic that help them understand the role of the federal government. meet the students it created them. trim all the winning videos any time online at studentcam.org.

>> now conversation on u.s./iraq relations with the ambassador to the united states. this was a knoxville, tennessee and earlier this month. >> we value this very much. this offers as a very special opportunity to engage in a conversation with his excellency. >> well done. about q is the embassador whitby ambassador into will talk to less about a very important question. is iraq still important to the

u.s.? before introducing the ambassador formally come out like to extend a welcome to former unitedd states senators. they have done this for today's lecture. one of them is senator [unintelligible] [applause] i'm glad he hails from the great state of tennessee. certification in the and i did states senate from 1967 to 1985. he is the person in his long and distinguished public service 6 to honor through the works that so proudly bears his name. inouye it is always a privilege to have you with us.

i will note from the great state of kansas, who served with distinction in the united states senate from 1978 to 1978, who i now claim to be at least well grounded in tennessee is still rooted in kansas. we are very glad to have you here. one of the ambassadors with us here today is money coming. hero after numerous years of great service serbs as the night did states ambassador to 1984- 1989. the thank you for your service. the other ambassador was

appointed to serve as our ambassador to japan. he did so with distinction from 2001 to 2005. it is this service that inspired as far lecture series. two other people who i like to mention -- they are sitting at the head table. they are native of iraq. i am pleased to say that they are meeting for the first time and not still.

and led to a subsequent liaison. they now make knox build their home. we are fortunate. it is through their good bodices that we had the pleasure to welcome the ambassador samir suaiidai to the university of tennessee. thank you for this. you see a little pamphlets with the united states constitution. this has been made available. it is very generous.

i've been talking with them. our plan will be to add to our collection the bill of rights of the republic of iraq as well. we think that'll be a fitting addition to what i think will be a continuation of the collection at the baker's center. we so badly and tried to honor them. with that, i turn to my special privilege. he currently serves in washington, d.c.

he is working with the baghdad electricity board. this was before this. it is ultimately for the best interest. he left the country and return to the uk. during his exile, the ambassador became a successful businessman and an active member of the opposition to the regime. he founded an agency.

you will see some wonderful examples of his designs. during the mid-'90s expanded it into china. as a political activist, who co- founded the association of the rocky democrat and later the democratic party of iraq. he attended practically every opposition conference throughout the world during this amount of time. he would become the principal political leaders.

he served as the minister of the interior and baghdad. he managed domestic security forces. he served as a member of the devaney council. he played an integral role in the founding of the iraqi telecoms and media commission. here is appointed a prominent representative to the united nation, assume the responsibilities well until he assumed his current position in 2006. apart from all of this, he

enjoys a wide variety of cultural interests. one is including arabic poetry. for though the use -- for those recommend you- i to the website. he is also interested in arabic calligraphy. there is a mournful and separate -- there are some wonderful examples of this on his website. please come and join me in a warm welcome to professor samir suaiidai. [applause] >> thank you. thank you.

thank you. thank you very much. ellis sitting there listening. have i done all of this? i like to start by thanking the senators. let me start by saying that's that it is still controversial.

we will leave this to historians to examine this in the decades to come. be,ever the judgment qill we cannot c hange that the intervention has taken place. we cannot change the fact that the interest of the united states and the interest of my country are intertwined. i think they will be and will continue to be for the foreseeable future. this year will prove to be a very important one for the center interested in the middle east.

it will be seen for many years to come. why is this region importance? why is iraq important for the united states? look at it from the perspective of the united states. it is necessary to keep the wills of the international economy. the wheels of the international economy turning. it is also the source of considerable concern.

the conflict has taken considerable patience across the islamic world. it is extremely important to have the ability which will directly impact the security of the united states. it is very important. it is also important because it is one of the areas which is the backdrop of the history of western culture.

and you will find them in that region. of the things we take for granted in everyday life here started in that region. that may take my country for a start. many people say iraq is the cradle of civilization. they do not realize how much it has contributed to civilization. the first ever states of an organized society has regulations.

writing was invented in iraq. the first time human beings have their activities they did that. we had the first ever school with teacher/didn't relation -- teacher/student relationships and a timetable for graduation. let me take one more example.

let's take the concept of a week. it is really a arbitrary. the month we understand. the year is obvious. they first discovered or recognized that a week is good for people to take care of family chores. this was long before they establish this. this was the pattern of life.

we take it for granted. it was actually adopted. our contribution to civilization was more than what they recognized. i measure this to illustrate how much they contributed to modern civilization. that continued. it is referred to as the dark ages. baghdad was the center.

they did not have the united states. people now take their kids to harvard and london. they send their kids to baghdad to study. this is importance. within the arabic culture, they

are here. in modern times, that established the breakup of the ottoman empire. after the 1920 uprising, it became very clear to them that they have to be independent. they started making considerable progress. there was parliament. we were ahead of all the countries in the region, education, art.

be back medical school -- medical school and baghdad was recognized especially in britain. they could go and practice without the necessity of any further examination. it is also the land of this.

we have about 70,000 registered ones. we have villages in the north. today it is a living language. it is religious tourism. it is likely to be as important if not that important. now we come to my is it important to the united states?

it to be impacted by political and social development in baghdad. americans decided to intervene. i am one of the people who campaigned to encourage this.

it is in washington and new york. who would want the foreign power to come and attack his country? we reached the conclusion that cannot be dislodged by any other means. we have more than 3000.

they drove saddam hussein out of kuwait. there was an uprising. iraqis rose up. in some managed 68. some of them are still in exile. they seek outside help to rid ourselves of this.

for these that are partly, the united states decided to intervene. they intervened. the intervention was not managed very well. the new one iraq took has been impacted by certain decisions in the early stages of the

intervention. they really wanted to create this. there were well-informed about the nature of the country and society. they simply came with their own baggage. they can turn this country into a democracy resembling what they have at home. it is a rather nice eve outlook. the push toward this. there is privatization of public sectors. it is before we were ready for that. you have a tradition.

you have governments. people have learned how to do this. in iraq, we do not have this capacity. the council did not know what to do. they had no idea about how to create a budget. they spent the time arguing amongst themselves. this has been a learning process both for our american friends and for us. democracy is not a tangible

object to give to someone. it is a democracy. it is a complex system of relationships. it is a personal attitude. democracy cannot be reduced to just the exercise of elections. democracy has to involve looking up from minorities. if a tax everyone's right. democracy means accommodation. compromise. adjustment. the ability to live with

someone who is radically different, very different. it is a complex structure. it does on a mind set of the people. it is the awareness. the choices matter. there are lines they must not cross. when all this happen, we reached

the level of democracy. it continues to be improved all the time. they are still struggling. i nurses the supreme court made a judgment about the question about that. this is an ongoing process to adjust and approved. we are on the very early stages of all that.

we are going up against all odds in challenges to carry it it has turned up. this demonstrates a keen as to participate. there is an achievement. we defeated al qaeda in iraq. there is some opposition to al qaeda.

this will not happen in iraq. they would never tolerate the formal dictatorship which is separate from. [unintelligible] the kurds in iraq have their region. some might say there is too

much. we are not proud of that. we believe they have pared far better than our neighboring countries. we do have a feared a far better than our neighboring countries. they have fareda have better than our neighboring countries. that is an important achievement. it cannot be resolved through violence. we have to work through them. all these things and have achieved.

they remain in this struggle. they have spilt this together. we have made this. during the years of the sanctions, the institutions really collapse. corruption took root.

rebuilding the structure is the easy part. iraq has a largely young population. about 40% of the population is 15 years or younger, children. certainly more than 60% of the population now was born and raised the same. they are experiencing peace and normalcy. many were sent to fight against for years.

they were traumatized. you have to work to improve education, to provide working opportunities. it is extremely tough. looking around them feel secure. they are surrounded by friends. it is difficult for you to imagine the mine said.

they are leaving his or her house every morning not known. sinden and children to school done knowing if they are coming back or they will be kidnapped or hurts. this permanent state of terror is pretax thing. -- very taxing. it makes people behave not totally normally and 80, -- and they, prone to extreme positions. we have to deal with all of that. one thing on our side is the

resiliency of the iraqi people. they have demonstrated such resilience and such perseverance that make me really proud. when i was minister of interior in baghdad, i saw the most horrific examples terrorism. but i witnessed great heroism by ordinary people, by women who insist every day on going out and helping others. at great risk to themselves. i lost also a number of my closest friends to terrorists. one of them lost three sons and they were both killed. he told the me when i was

talking to him and asking him whether saw -- whether he thought it was worth its if they could still go on. he said, the idea of stopping it never crossed my mind. they're going through a lot. they are determined to complete the course. the question is whether the americans will complete the course with them. i think this great country and the great people of america know instinctively what is right and what is wrong.

they know they have done a great deal to help iraq in respect of of whether they were against the war or with the war. they know that success is within sight and it can be achieved if they can stand by a this young country. ultimately, although they have a lot of concerns, a lot of issues, ultimately, i think we will continue to have the support of the united states. a final few remarks about the reasons development and the middle east. the middle east is now on fire.

mes others james -- regin that were secured -- we never expected to have shaken -- they are now blowing in the wind. leaders who fought they can prepare their countries for their sons to take over have already left with their sons. has this got anything to do with iraq? maybe iraq was an inspiration. maybe this site of millions of people going to elections in which the outcome is not predetermined inspired some, but

this is part of the story, not the whole story. the story also has the elements of young people who are computer savvy, well-informed, know what is going on in the world. they have decided that they had had enough. they will not stand and they deserve something better. they will stand up and fight for it, and a dead. in tunisia, in egypt, now in libya, and bahrain and again and -- and yemen, right across the middle east. this is good news. this is good news. they have been behind the rest of the world in terms of democracy, freedom, women's

rights, education, the economy, growth. the system had to be unblocked this development, despite the fact that the outcome is not preordained, despite the fact that we might have a lot of hiccups and setbacks, ultimately, it will be opening up the region. the regional reintegrate with the rest of the world and move forward. iraq will be a cornerstone of that process. iraq, despite all the things i said, is not yet out of the woods. we still have serious challenges, but i am on optimistic.

very optimistic. i have to accept that there might be some serious setbacks. i believe it is in the interest of the united states to continue to stand with us. i believe that iraq really matters to the united states. if the united states loses the war in afghanistan, this would not be a major long-term strategy goal. if the united states loses its objectives in iraq. that would be a fatal blow for the united states. with that, i will stop. i will answer questions. thank you very much. [applause]

>> the ambassador does welcome questions. he had a wonderful afternoon, fielding questions from the students. please just wait for a microphone to, to you. >> ambassador, i want to thank you. i understand my own democracy better than i did before. which is humbling, the very true. thank you. i wonder if as you talked about the success with the kurds, what your thoughts are in the kind of short-term pluralistic issues. >> thank you. this question of attention -- tension was played up by the

americans. traditionally, iraq is not a sectarian country. it is not the same as lebanon, for example. for northern ireland. we grew up not knowing -- we of not less than 30% of marriages in our towns and cities are mixed marriages. a large number of our children have different parents. it was part of being a rocky. -- iraqui. americans came to iraq as part of this naive attitude. thinking that, iraq is made up -- it was taken for granted that the three communities are at

each other's throats. if only we can get them, we can solve the problem. it was not like this. however, a political system which gives us much greater prominence that it should have been given. in my humble view. when people were talking in washington years ago about a civil war, i kept saying, there is built civil war in iraq. there is, however, a war on civilians, by malicious and extremists -- militias and extremists. the iraqi people defeated.

extremists and militias were slaughtering ordinary citizens with no reason other than the fact -- people have turned against those extremists. have reduced their impact. they still can do harm, but i do not believe they can change the political system. having said that, at least some of our neighbors have a stake in this. they can derive more power and influence if they stop this

fire. unfortunately, they do. >> [inaudible] and one about the integration in the north. -- i am wondering about the integration in the north with the rest of the rock. -- iraq. i'm wondering how well you assess -- >> let me tell you how well. the biggest city is baghdad. the biggest number of kurds live in baghdad. my boss, the foreign minister, is occurred -- a kurd. how much more integration do you

want? [laughter] >> [inaudible] there are a lot of refugees from iraq. do you see them coming back to iraq? >> thank you for this question. this is a very important question, actually. over the past two decades, iraq has been bleeding. the educated segment of society have been leaving in droves. college professors, the entrepreneurs, industrialists have been leading the country

for a combination of reasons. this has reduced our ability and capacity to manage the transition and move forward and rebuild the country. i always say that a whole society -- we have two iraqs. the professional, there are productive, educated. they are in rocky -- iraqi, but not in iraq. they are practicing medicine in the united kingdom.

that makes it extremely difficult. when will enough of them go to help us? only when conditions improve inside the country, we answered cheap -- with security and improved the level they feel safe. i believe we're getting there. when there are opportunities for them to make real contributions. somebody who has specialized in a very prime branch of science and is working in an industry to go back to iraq, there is no infrastructure for that person to continue. it is not going to be the people going back unsettling in the country directly, but it will be surgeons going back to iraq to do operations for the month of the year.

professors going to teach for a semester. gradual process. this is beginning to happen. industrialist investors going back to take part in progress. i want to take this opportunity to encourage american investors and businessmen to go to iraq. sees opportunities that are becoming available. this year, and the next years, the emphasis will shift to the economy. there will be many good opportunities for business. at the forefront, we hope that art expand its -- expatriate's -- i see more participation by

european, chinese, indian, businesses and american, unfortunately. we would like to see america in front. thank you. >> you touched on this a little bit. i was interested in your assessment of the concern that is expressed in many circles with the impact of iran's influence on iraq and how it would affect u.s. interests. >> you can change many things, but you cannot change -- we have more than 1,000 kilometers of

border between iraq and iran. several thousand years of history. for better or for worse, we are going to have to deal with it. we also have families who are connected. some of our labor comes from iran. we have a very close and almost integrated relationship with iran. but we have different political systems. we continued to insist that our relationships rebuild on mutual respect. we do not want to exports our democracy to the improved we don't want them to interfere. however, that is easier said

than done. as you know, the best way to stop interference is not simply to admonish and to demand, but to build our own institutions and to build our own community. -- our own community. because we are in a vulnerable stage of our transition, we are still prone to influence and interference. the stronger our political system becomes, the more routine becomes in the integration of the government and the governors, the more immunity we will have. this myth that a rocky -- ir aqi are automatically subservient. this is not true.

they have proved that to be the case. there might be some political elements who derive influence of power from iran, but as soon as any of that becomes known, they lose their clarity. in the long term, iraq will be ok. in the short term, [inaudible] >> serve, right here. >> mr. ambassador, could you update us on this situation in the oil industry? have the questions regarding the ownership of oil and the disposition and distribution of oil revenues, has that been

resolved? i have not seen much about that in a long time. >> thank you. that is an important question. the constitution has made it clear that ownership of all oil and gas belongs to entire nation. wherever it is found. that is already in the constitution in black-and-white. were there is a dispute, -- when there is a dispute, it is about the rights to award contracts, the right to manage the export of oil. some local benefits of labor-

management, not when you will sold, -- not when the oil has sold. to export oil, when that is done, payments for that go into our central -- there is no question about that. we have now awarded major contracts to major countries to come and rebuild the oil and the structure and increase the capacity to produce oil and export it. iraq has huge reserves of oil and gas. gas is -- we want to actually

use it. to adjust to burn it is bad for the environment. we want to do is gas to generate electricity and then we will have plenty more to export. ground --l out of the is the cheapest in the world to get out of the ground. but getting it out of the ground is the easy part. we need an infrastructure, pipelines, stations to get it exported. that old take a while. we are well on the way in not ambitious project. major contracts have been awarded. we expect our oil production will increase. it is well above the levels of pre 2003. we are on course to increase,

hopefully to double our current level within two or three years. >> but we recognize the last question on the far side. -- let me recognize the last question on the far side. >> mr. ambassador, could you tell us how well prepared to the security forces are prepared to maintain law and order once the u.s. forces have departed? especially leadership of the government. >> thank you. they have already been maintaining law and order. law-and-order inside iraq for the last year or year-and-a-half have been maintained by security forces exclusively. american forces have been almost compliant.

very few operations have been conducted by the american forces. that is the import question. the real important question is counter security forces -- has not our security forces defend the country against all possible outside aggression after the americans leave? we have to look at that more closely. when the americans came, they disbanded our military. even disbanded the police. now we are building a new military. to build a new air force, for example, that is not something you can do in a couple of years. to order fighter jets, you have to wait five, six, seven years until they are delivered. when they are delivered, you

need to have complete and the structure for maintaining them treading the pilots, train the maintenance people. the communications and radar systems to put them on the grounds. these are very sophisticated systems. we have to build the human infrastructure to support it. on that front, which are not there yet. we need a navy to defend our shores. it will take a few more years. we have to enter into some kind of security arrangements to vote us protect our air space and our shores -- protect our air space and our shores. if we do not, we will be vulnerable. thank you very much. [applause]

>> one order of business. [applause] just bear with me for one additional words. as i came to know the ambassador as a politician and we at the bigger center still regard that as an honorable profession, a business person, as a diplomat to, but i also came to know them as a person with a lot of design as an artist. we also have a senator baker who is an absolutely lover of design and an artist. as a gesture of our appreciation to you, ambassador, for being here, i want to present to of an example of a wonderful design captured by a wonderful artist.

signed by our own senator baker. [applause] >> is this a self portrait? >> the integrity of the leadership, i will acknowledge there is a resemblance. this has been wonderful. susan and john, thank you very much. we also have some smaller mementos of east tennessee that we will share with you. we at -- a wonderful gathering, thank you for being here. here.very glad you were thank you for c-span for making this available to a much larger audience. thank you very much. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2011]

>> the priority in the coming months will be a transition to afghan led security forces. that is next on c-span. after that, a vice president joe biden talks about reducing high school dropout rates. later, an interview with diane sawyer. >> on "washington journal, we will talk about the coalition military strategy against libya. then the u.s. export-import bank.

after that, rebecca adams will discuss the health care law and with the changes mean. "washington journal, each morning at 7:00. later, a couple of events about the political unrest in the middle east. talkso's foreign minister about the challenges his country faces great live coverage from the brookings institute at 10:30. endowment of international peace, the president of the american university of cairo will get his perspective on the recent changes in egypt and the arab world. that is at 1:00. >> the c-span video library is even more valuable. committee hearings are now being gathered and archived in one place. find out more. watch what you want, when you

want. >> the united nations representative for afghanistan said the u.s. led a surge in that country is working. staffan de mistura also expect confidence in afghan led reconciliation efforts. he spoke at the middle east institute in washington as the u.n. voted to extend its afghan mission by one year. this is 55 minutes. >> he is not often hear it in d.c.. he has come from new york city when he was talking about afghanistan on the eve of the un decision to renew the mandate in afghanistan. i believe the security council is voting today. is that correct? it is done. it did pass.

on thursday, and he was talking about the u.n. role in afghanistan and its commitment to the development and the security of the country. the un plan is a very important role there. there are 34 of -- the u.n. is represented in 34 of the afghanistan provinces. millions of afghans benefit from u.n. support for food programs, help services, and infrastructure development. afghans are asking today to take a greater lead in all aspects of government and development. he made it very clear in his speech that the u.n. takes these calls of sovereignty very seriously. house said this transition take place? what are the challenges of handing over greater responsibility? how can they do in support this process as well as maintain its commitment? these are some of the questions

that will be part of what our speaker will be discussing with us today. he is one of the u.n.'s most accomplished officials, having served in the organization for over 30 years. the 40 years. even more reason to take everything he says very seriously. under challenging conditions, he has promoted political dialogue and development and humanitarian assistance efforts. his work is taking him from somalia to the middle east to afghanistan and to many places in between. before taking up his current position, he served as the deputy executive director for the world food program in rome. prior to that, he served in iraq. andrea's leadership, his team of 1000 people held overseas

successful elections in iraq. those are just a few of his many accomplishments. it is a great honor to have you here. i want to invite you to the podium. [applause] >> thank you. good to see many friends and colleagues here. what we keep it short so that you will have an opportunity of raising questions. on on threeinstead areas. the three areas are security, because that is the first priority for everyone in afghanistan.

the second priority is security. the second issue is that what we mean and what can we do and what it means for the transition. the other key word is reintegration and the next word is reconciliation. you are having the words which mean and lots and should be meeting even more during this year. in terms of events, we have the announcement by the president. we have the istanbul conference. prior to that, there will be an announcement by president obama sometime in july. then there will be a -- these are the stepping stones.

we are in a very fluid environment. we are not the only ones creating steppingstones. that is the plan. let's go back on security. the situation in terms -- there is always a lot of debates. are we getting -- the search is working. we can see that happening in the sense that there is clearly a change in afghanistan. you could say, yes, there are so many casualties and violence. this is unfortunately a reality. there was a moment when the peak

of the so-called pressure did attract -- there were many more troops on the grounds. the issue is to see that after six months, this is producing what it should be producing. in iraq, after a period of bad news, you suddenly started seeing the first beginning. in afghanistan, we will have to see what is happening in july. obviously, the outcome of a military intensified operation cannot be how many people on the other side you are killing.

more than last year or more the must month, but whether that has produced. every word was hardly calculated speech by the secretary of state hillary clinton. the military surge, the need for a diplomatic political surge. that needs to be seen taking place during this year. otherwise, but military aspect alone cannot be an indicator of anything. we all have agreed that there is no military victory in afghanistan. let's move to the next point.

what a transition period transition is a key word. it sends a message. it is also a reality. we will see whether it does, but we have to be optimists. it's a when-when? --'s give you some elephants some elements print president karzei is ecstatic about their own national survival. we afghans have been in charge of our own country for 4000 years. the russians went through, alexander the great, the foreigners are helping us. at the end of the day, we are profoundly nationalistic. in that case, it is time for them to start feeling that it is

moving in the direction of them all and more of their future. that comes with accountability. it comes with responsibility. therefore, it is a challenge. on the other side, and lisbon, there was a decision that 2014. it gives a feeling to everyone, let's go for an extra mile if needed. let's go beyond 2011. at the same time, there is a message to parliament's. it is worth trying harder, but there is a light there. there is a plan there.

from that point of view, the message in the direction of those who were contributing. it is a message to the taliban. we have started gradually passing on that. if you are thinking about chased -- waking everyone out, the way to not may not take the place quickly. is that a great opportunity? it might be better to start looking at something different. no one intends to be there forever. at the same time, we are not going to see what happens to

the afghans. they are traumatized by that. been abandoned for a third time after having an intense attention and suddenly goodbye. let's go back to what is a military surgeon? hopefully, a political surge. that means reconciliation that mean some talking and talking not only about jobs. it is to be sufficiently reassuring to all afghans and our neighbors. that type of processing is already taking place.

there is a high-level peace policy. nominated by the afghans. it is led by a person who is extremely high style to the taliban. -- hostile to the taliban. some people have been arguing that this is the wrong decision. you do not want to have someone as hostile to them. my mother's argument is, that is exactly the person you need. you remember begging for that? you need to have someone who has official credentials and 82 -- and able to make some concessions and not be accused of being a betrayer of any community. bottom line, the high-level peace consul is quite a good bet on our side in terms of

moving forward on reconciliation. no one is perfect. nothing is perfect. they want to be in charge of their own discussion and we should not be appearing to pay lip service. the next point is reintegration. you have to schools of thought. bottom-up or bottom down. people come and lead and abandon the taliban environment in order to be able to be offered a job, security, are reassurances. hopefully, by doing so, its fans of the insurgency. unless there is some reconciliation and some agreement, the action will be afraid that we are not

trustworthy in terms of moving. the two theories [inaudible] they have already moved into that. we need to reach -- if we get to moving on to reconciliation, having this package ready and not waiting for six months i just reconciled and try them. it would have been unwise. bottom line, reconciliation, they're supposed to be supporting each other. the next point are two other elements that we have seen.

timing is crucial. the secret is to try to have some settings done so that you can give a feeling that you have to deliver. 2014 is crucial and 2011 is essential. this is where the music and the town of the music will be played. -- tone of the visit will be played. when are these opportunities? it will be in july, the beginning of redeployment. it will be sending a message in the direction of reconciliation. they will have an opportunity in this temple at the conference -- is simple at the conference. any reconciliation taking place in afghanistan without having a

comfort zone. it is crucial. regional conference in istanbul, followed by the conference in december, which could be the opportunity of taking stock of what has been done during this year. kudos? even more than that. i will stop there. i would rather expose myself to your. of questions. so that -- to your brutal questions. i have to be a u.n. official in front of the media. therefore, you will have to answer -- you'll have to understand that some questions i may not be able to answer. >> thank you very much for that

analysis. this is what we should be looking ahead at afghanistan. i am going to open up the floor and ask people to state their names and affiliations. keep your questions to one question only. we have a question cards that you can fill out and give them to an intern. we will start with barbara in the back. >> [inaudible] >> thank you. [inaudible] >> you tariff a meeting of regional ambassadors. -- you chaired a meeting of regional embassadors. can you talk about whether he will do something like that? is that constructive? should the u.n. set up another process like that? if you could comment a little bit about what iraq has been up to.

>> [inaudible] we had to find it a like name for that. otherwise, it is very difficult to decide what you consider a neighbor. a neighbor can be geographic. a neighbor can be remote. it can be influential neighbor. the type of meeting taking place in kabul on monday ambassadors includes those normally that would not be considered neighbor. but they have a lot at stake. we go from india all the way to turkey. passing through russia.

obviously, the immediate neighbors. they are interested -- many of them have also communities that are very close to them and can be influenced by them and start influencing them. the secret is to be able to make sure that the type of dialogue, it is only a bilateral discussion. that is what we have been doing great how to make sure that the arguments are not just political. they will all said, we all agree about stability in afghanistan.

what is your concern about the future of and pakistan -- of afghanistan? they may tell you, for instance, drugs. a lot of drugs going to -- they may tell you, we may be concerned about long-term. it gives us a feeling of threats. that helps all of us to fine- tune the message that we give to everyone. the way you present the future is in agreement that is going to be taking place between the united states and afghanistan. will ever be permanent. they will only be active from

the government. and removal by the government. and so on and so forth. making them feel comfortable with it. the other areas are economic. the roads, the water, the grids, the minerals. there was a very good agreement that was sponsored by richard holbrooke. it took years to get that. it made a big difference in the terms of interaction. iran is a big country. i am stating the obvious. as a long border with afghanistan. it is a strategic concern about

what happened in afghanistan. they have a community within they are feeling in touch. they had a big problem. the taliban did affect them very badly when they were in charge in afghanistan. they killed nine or 10 of their own diplomats. ignoring iran would be a big mistake. engaging them effectively is the only way. pakistan is not more important than just an engagement. there is a lot to work on there. i do not see this as a show stopper at all. they are all worried about afghanistan that returns to kill. none of them wants afghanistan

to go back into the hands of the taliban. the pakistanis have been suffering enormously. long answer to a very good in short question. i'm sorry. >> thank you. i'm a journalist. i want to follow on what you said at the beginning about the strategy. you look at the violence in the south and the situation and the delay of any sort of military operation in that area. it is hard to see results there. you're talking more about the diplomatic -- >> i know that what time looked at it from so many points. except the fact that i am looking at it from one angle.

the people you have a substantial cost -- you understand that the taliban has attempted to separate areas in order to send a signal that this is not enough to make the so- called momentum reverse. you start seeing that they are doing spectacular at bats. -- attacks. in places where you do not expect it. by doing so, they are making mistakes. he started doing horrific attacks in the middle of the square on a friday in the markets.

we have seen more and more of this taking place. 24 people killed in the back and 32 wounded by a person shooting in front of a video camera. it is the national game of the afghans. you had it close to a school. most of them were civilians. these are mistakes produced by the feeling that there is a need to produce a counter narrative to the reversal of the momentum. if you look at it from the incident point of view, -- when you look at it from the operational point of view, these are explosions.

you can see from the afghans that there are the feelings that the hold by the taliban is not there. of course, they may return. but they may not find the cave where they actually were putting their weapons. when the spring would have shown whether the taliban was able to do a counter offensive or not. therefore, the securities would have been changing. >> thank you. we have a question from the l.a. times. he is asking about the bilateral talks between the u.s..

how should they be structured? >> where are you? i need to have a visual. thank you. i think that the speech by the secretary of state hillary clinton was -- in order to produce, if you need to talk to someone else as well. therefore, one day, it will be essential that a top takes alk takes place. the first winter needs to talk

to each other are the afghans. -- the first ones that need to talk to each other are the afghans. the american society, which has so much at stake, everyone else needs to be involved. they are important. they are part of what should be, one day, the sooner the better, the beginning of the so-called political surge. >> you know did the potential -- you noted the potential key role of the hawaii piece, so in moving the -- high peace consul. it obviously has relatively limited capacity at the moment

and i was wondering about your colleagues could do to support the work of the peace council and what specific support they might need or might be interested from you or an official group? >> let's start from the assumption -- i've been there 22 years in afghanistan there is one thing that unifies all afghans. it sends the same message. we are very proud people. the future is ours, okay? it needs to the afghan-lead. it needs to the afghan-lead.