seek from the government. >> and secondly, you mentioned >> i can get back to you on that particular case. >> okay. thank you. that would be helpful. and secondly, you mentioned that you'd raised issues about minority areas. specifically, was there any discussions about the uighur and what's happening in xinjiang province? >> yeah. on monday afternoon, we had a quite lengthy discussion, both of the issues relating to the uighurs in xinjiang as well as the tibetan population in the various places where they reside. and we discussed a range of concerns about both the self- immolations, which i mentioned with the tibetans, but broader issues that apply both to the uighur and tibetan community relating to discrimination in terms of language rights, ability to practice their religion freely, discrimination employment a range of issues involving their cultural rights, their religious freedom, et cetera. >> and sorry. just could i what was their response to raising these

concerns? >> again, i'm not going to characterize every aspect. we had a quite long discussion. our position is that these are these minority communities and representatives of religious minorities are entitled to live freely, to express their religious views, to practice their religion, to express their cultural differences and customs. and this is an area where clearly the chinese government has a different view. >> over here. >> comparing to the past u.s.sino, like, human rights dialogue, do you see any progress of chinese doing human rights and because you are saying that the human rights is kind of deteriorating. why you say that? >> i think that question was already asked and answered here, but i don't know if you want to >> i would say on the positive side, i think it is becoming a

more it's the discussion is now firmly embedded and one where we are raising these issues in a variety of ways and a variety of contexts. we are managing and as we should, to make human rights a priority along with a range of other priorities in the relationship. and i feel very confident that the more we raise these issues in different contexts, we're going to have an effect over time. it is a frustrating time in china because lawyers, bloggers, journalists are having a difficult time, and we raise those issues very directly. part of it is that there is a growing frustration, i think, among many chinese people that they don't have the ability to express their differences in a peaceful way. and our message to the chinese

government is you've made progress on the economic front; this is the moment to open up the space to allow people to dissent, to question government actions, and to do so without fear of retribution. >> i'm wondering if the one- child policy was raised. just yesterday, secretary clinton was at the holocaust museum and brought this issue up. >> yes, we did. we raised in particular the case of feng jianmei, who was beaten, detained, and then forced to have an abortion at seven months. and as a matter of u.s. policy, any coercive measures, including forced abortion, we deplore. there are a number of other cases, including some that have been reported recently. we did raise it and raised our concern about it. >> and what was their response? >> again, this is i'm not going to get into every back-

and-forth here, but this is clearly an issue we'll continue to raise with them. >> the u.s. congress always have a strong voice against the chinese human rights conditions. if there anyone from the congress participate in these talks? if not, have you passed their message to the chinese delegation? >> we've been eager, in fact, to have a broader discussion beyond the two governments, the two executive branches of government, that could include congress. it could also include nongovernmental organizations. to date, we haven't been able to persuade the chinese government to do that. so at this stage, it's a discussion among the executive branch from their side and ours, but we will continue to encourage that broader discussion to take place. and we will certainly inform members of congress of the discussion that we had. >> speaking of which, i'm told assistant secretary posner has

to be on the hill shortly, so we'll take two more -- >> yes, thank you. the u.s. state department included organ harvesting from falun gong practitioners -- >> can you just speak up a little bit? >> sorry. the u.s. state department included organ harvesting from falun gong practitioners in its human rights report this year. was that raised in the dialogue, and what was that response? what was their response? >> we did also raise in the context of religious freedom and other kinds of discrimination, we did raise the issue of some of the falun gong representatives. and again, i'm not going to go into every back-and-forth, but it's part of our discussion. >> how just a follow-up? >> follow-up on that one? >> yeah. >> go ahead. >> because i just wonder if you specifically talk about the organ harvesting, because we know, earlier this year, wang lijun, police chief, he went to the u.s. consulate in chengdu, and so there's evidence he's deeply involved in the crimes like organ harvesting. so i'm wondering if he provided

any useful material to the u.s. government on that aspect, and so -- >> there's no we have plenty of our own information from our own embassy and our own reporting, and we've relied on that for the discussions. >> thank you very much. >> thanks, everybody. >> we will take five minutes and we will be back out. >> tomorrow, the state department releases its annual report on international religious freedom. join us for live coverage beginning at noon here on c- span. later tomorrow, secretary of state hillary clinton idelivers a speech on international religious freedom. live coverage begins at 2:00 p.m. eastern on c-span. [applause]

[applause] >> thank you. thank you. [cheers and applause] thank you. >> governor and mrs. romney, distinguished, honored guests, friends of jerusalem, today is the ninth day of the jewish month of at. a day when jews around the world mourned the destruction of to terrorism -- of jerusalem and a

long line of tragedies that have befallen our people throughout history. as we conclude this day of fasting and prayer, we welcome new to a renewed, united, and thriving jerusalem, the heart and soul and the eternal capital of the jewish people in the state of israel. [applause] since its reunification in 1967, and after 2000 years, jerusalem has again become a desired destination for over 3.5 billion, p seeking tourists. israel has ensured the freedom of religion and friedman -- freedom of movement as never before for all faiths.

we are grateful to you, governor romney, for taking time out of your busy schedule in the final months before the election to bring a message of friendship and support from the american people to the people of israel. last we met, we explore the common values and concerns that unite america and israel. we discussed ways of making the world safer and better for our children and the importance of defending peace-loving citizens of the world from those nations and ideologies that would do less harm. -- do us harm. shared our common belief in the centrality of a strong economy to the actualization of our national goals. we look forward to hearing your thoughts and wish you a productive and meaningful visit to israel and to the holy city of jerusalem, the united capital

of the state of israel. [applause] ladies and gentlemen, let us warmly greet governor mitt romney. [applause] >> thank you. very kind. we appreciate that. thank you. thank you. [applause] thank you. thank you so much. thank you. thank you for that kind introduction, mayor barkat, and thank you all for that warm welcome. it's a pleasure and a privilege to be in israel again. to see so many dear friends. to step foot into israel is to step foot into a nation that began with an ancient promise made in this land. the jewish people persisted through one of the most monstrous crimes in human

history, and now this nation has come to take its place among the most impressive democracies on earth. israel's achievements are a wonder of the modern world. these achievements are a tribute to the resilience of the israeli people. you have managed, against all odds, time and again throughout your history, to persevere, to rise up, and to emerge stronger. the historian paul johnson, writing on the 50th anniversary of the creation of the jewish state, said that over the course of israel's life, 100 completely new independent states had come into existence. "israel is the only one whose creation can fairly be called a miracle," johnson wrote. it is a deeply moving experience to be in jerusalem, the capital of israel. [laughter] [applause]

[applause] our two nations are separated by more than 5,000 miles. but for an american abroad, you can't get much closer to the ideals and convictions of my own country than you do in israel. we're part of the great fellowship of democracies. we speak the same language of freedom and justice, and the right of every person to live in peace. we serve the same cause and provoke the same hatreds in the same enemies of civilization. it is my firm conviction that the security of israel is in the vital national security interest of the united states.

[applause] and ours is an alliance based not only on shared interests but also on enduring shared values. in those shared values, one of the strongest voices is that of your prime minister, my friend benjamin netanyahu. i met with him earlier this morning and i look forward to my family joining his this evening as they observe the close of this fast day of tisha b'av. it's remarkable to consider how much adversity, over so great a span of time, is recalled by just one day on the calendar. this is a day of remembrance and mourning, but like other such occasions, it also calls forth clarity and resolve. at this time, we also remember the 11 israeli athletes and coaches who were massacred at the munich olympics forty years ago. [applause]

ten years ago this week, 9 israeli and american students were murdered in the terrorist attack at hebrew university. and tragedies like these are not reserved to the past. they are a constant reminder of the reality of hate, and the will with which it is executed upon the innocent. it was menachem begin who said this about the ninth of the month of av, "we remember that day," he said, "and now have the responsibility to make sure that never again will our independence be destroyed and never again will the jew become homeless or defenseless." "this," prime minister begin added, "is the crux of the problems facing us in the future." so it is today, as israel faces enemies who deny past crimes against the jewish people and seek to commit new ones. when iran's leaders deny the

holocaust or speak of wiping this nation off the map, only the naïve, or worse, will dismiss it as an excess of rhetoric. make no mistake -- the ayatollahs in tehran are testing our moral defenses. they want to know who will object, and who will look the other way. my message to the people of israel and the leaders of iran is one and the same, i will nowl not look away, and neither will my country. -- will our country look away from our passion and commitment to israel. [applause] as prime minister begin put it, in vivid and haunting words, "if an enemy of people says he seeks -- of the jewish people says he seeks to destroy us, believe him." we have seen the horrors of history. we will not stand by. we will not watch them play out

again. it would be foolish not to take iran's leaders at their word. they are, after all, the product of a radical theocracy. over the years, iran has amassed a bloody and brutal record. it has seized embassies, targeted diplomats, and killed its own people. it supports the ruthless assad regime in syria. they have provided weapons that have killed american soldiers in afghanistan and iraq. it has plotted to assassinate diplomats on american soil. it is iran that is the leading state sponsor of terrorism and the most destabilizing nation in the world. we have a solemn duty and a moral imperative to deny iran's leaders the means to follow through on their malevolent intentions. [applause] we should stand with all who would join our effort to prevent a nuclear-armed iran and that includes iranian

dissidents. do not erase from your memory the scenes from three years ago, when that regime brought death to its own people as they rose up. the threat we face does not come from the iranian people, but from the regime that oppresses them. five years ago, at the herzliya conference, i stated my view that iran's pursuit of nuclear weapons capability presents an intolerable threat to israel, to america, and to the world. that threat has only become worse. now as then, the regime's claims that it seeks to enrich nuclear material for peaceful purposes are belied by years of malign deceptions. now as then, the conduct of iran's leaders gives us no reason to trust them with nuclear material. but today, the regime in iran is five years closer to developing nuclear weapons capability.

preventing that outcome must be our highest national security priority. i want to pause on this last point. it is sometimes said that those who are the most committed to stopping the iranian regime from securing nuclear weapons are reckless and provocative and inviting war. the opposite is true. we are the true peacemakers. history teaches with force and clarity that when the world's most despotic regimes secure the world's most destructive weapons, peace often gives way to oppression, to violence, or to devastating war. we must not delude ourselves into thinking that containment is an option. we must lead the effort to prevent iran from building and possessing nuclear weapons capability. we should employ any and all measures to dissuade the iranian regime from its nuclear course, and it is our fervent hope that diplomatic and economic measures will do so. in the final analysis, of course, no option should be excluded. we recognize israel's right to

defend itself, and that it is right for america to stand with you. [applause] these are some of the principles i first outlined five years ago. at the herzliya conference. what was timely then has become urgent today. let me turn from iran to other nations in the middle east, where we have seen rising tumult and chaos. to the north, syria is on the brink of a civil war. the dictator in damascus, no friend to israel and no friend to america, slaughters his own people as he desperately clings to power. your other neighbor to the north, lebanon, is under the growing and dangerous influence of hezbollah. after a year of upheaval and unrest, egypt now has an islamist president, chosen in a democratic election. hopefully, this new government understands that one true

measure of democracy is how those elected by the majority respect the rights of those in the minority. the international community use its considerable influence to ensure that the new government honors the peace agreement with israel that was signed by the government of anwar sadat. [applause] as you know only too well, since hamas took control of the gaza strip in 2007, thousands rockets have rained on israeli homes and cities. i have walked on the streets of sderot, and honor the resolve of its people. and now, new attacks have been sinai peninsula. with hezbollah rockets aimed at hamas rockets aimed from the south, with much of the middle east in tumult, and with iran bent on nuclear arms, america's

and demonstrated commitment to the defense of israel is even more critical. whenever the security of israel america's commitment to israel must be most secure. when the decision was before [applause] decision was before him in 1948, president harry truman decided without hesitation that the united states would be the first country to recognize the state of israel. from that moment to this, we have been the most natural of runs deeper than the designs of strategy or the weighing of interests. a world by the standards of this ancient region, rose up to become the dear friend of the of israel is among the and most hopeful in our nation's history.

different as our paths have qualities in one another. many one another. we both believe in democracy, in the right of every people to select their leaders and choose their nation's course. we both believe in the rule of its absence, willful men may incline to oppress the weak. are universal, granted not by government but by our creator. free has lifted people from poverty, enduring incomparable achievements and human flourishing. as someone who has spent most of his life in business, i am particularly impressed with israel's cutting edge technologies and thriving economy. we recognize yours as the "start-up nation" and the evidence is all around us. you have embraced economic

liberty. you export technology, not tyranny or terrorism. and today, your innovators and entrepreneurs have made the desert bloom and have made for a better world. the citizens of our countries are fortunate to share in the rewards of economic freedom and in the creativity of our entrepreneurs. what you have built here, with your own hands, is a tribute to your people, and a model for others. -- others throughout the world. [applause] finally, we both believe in freedom of expression, because we are confident in our ideas and in the ability of men and women to think for themselves. we do not fear open debate. if you want to hear some very sharp criticisms of israel and its policies, you don't have to

cross any borders. all you have to do is walk down the street and into a café, where you'll hear people reasoning, arguing, and speaking their mind. or pick up an israeli newspaper you'll find some of the toughest criticism of israel you'll read anywhere. your nation, like ours, is stronger for this energetic exchange of ideas and opinions. that is the way it is in a free society. there are many millions of people in the middle east who would cherish the opportunity to do the same. these decent men and women desire nothing more than to live in peace and freedom and to have the opportunity to not only choose their government but to criticize it openly, without fear of repression or repercussion. i believe that those who oppose these fundamental rights are on the wrong side of history. but history's march can be ponderous and painfully slow. we have a duty to speed and shape history by being unapologetic ambassadors for the values we share.

the united states and israel have shown that we can build strong economies and strong militaries. but we must also build strong arguments that advance our values and promote peace. we must work together to change hearts and awaken minds through the power of freedom, free enterprise and human rights. i believe that the enduring alliance between the state of israel and the united states of america is more than a strategic alliance: it is a force for good in the world. america's support of israel should make every american proud. we should not allow the inevitable complexities of modern geopolitics to obscure fundamental touchstones. individual should ever doubt this basic truth: a free and strong america will always stand with a free and strong israel. [applause]

and standing by israel does not mean with military and intelligence cooperation alone. we cannot stand silent as those who seek to undermine israel voice their criticisms. and we certainly should not join in that criticism. diplomatic distance in public between our nations emboldens israel's adversaries. [applause] by history and by conviction, our two countries are bound together. no individual, no nation, no world organization, will pry us apart. and as long as we stay together and stand together, there is no threat we cannot overcome and very little that we cannot achieve.

be above this country. of america. of the friendship -- i love this country. i love america. i love the french it that we share and value. -- the friendship that we share and value. thank you all. may god bless america, and may he bless and protect the nation of israel. thank you. [applause] [no audio]

>> republican presidential candidate mitt romney finishes his three-nation overseas trip tomorrow in poland. keep as -- he plans to visit the site of the first shots fired in world war ii and to meet with the former president of poland, lech kaczynski. >> the political parties are holding their platforms in advance of their summer conventions. democrats are holding public hearings in minnesota this

weekend, followed a few weeks later with their final recommendations in detroit. in mid-august, republicans will be in florida. c-span's coverage continues august 10 with the reform party in philadelphia, followed by the republican national convention with live gavel-to-gavel coverage beginning monday, august 27. the democratic national convention live from charlotte, north carolina, starting monday, september 3. >> it was clear that when that eighth amendment was ratified, the death penalty was not considered to be prohibited. indeed, the death penalty existed in all the states and was the only penalty for felony. for somebody today to say that someone -- somehow the american people have prohibited the states by ratifying the constitution,