chair on the safety of nuclear power in the united states. that is live at 1:00 p.m. eastern on c-span2. >> monday night on "the theunicators," kindle will, columbia law school professor who coined the term net neutrality, on how to manage the internet. >> i have long felt that one of the things that is getting -- notked in this debate everyone is overlooking it, but generally -- the question about, what about people without broadband? how are they going to get it? i would say no one is addressing that. title to does give the agency more power to try to do things like mandate universal service, like we did for telephone service in the 20th century. it collects money, which right now goes to subsidize rural telephone service, which could be repositioned to create rural broadband service.

there are possibilities with that a future fcc chairman could say, we need a universal service program, and people need to have broadband. at 8:00 eastern on "the communicators" on c-span2. >> the british house of commons was not in session last week. prime minister's questions will not be seen tonight. wrappedt obama whack -- up his weeklong tour of the asia-pacific region with a stop in brisbane, australia. in a speech at the university of queensland, the president vowed to strengthen ties with the region and spoke about u.s. relations with china, north korea's nuclear program, and regional territorial disputes. this is about 40 minutes.

>> thank you. thank you so much, everybody. please, take a seat. hello, brisbane. it is good to be back in australia. i love australia. i really do. the only problem with australia is every time that i come here, i've got to sit in conference rooms and talk to politicians instead of go to the beach. story,ncellor's distinguished guests, ladies and gentlemen, and most of all, the students of university of queensland, it is great to be here at uq. i know we are joined by students across the city and some high school students, as well.

i want to thank all of the young people for welcoming me here today. on my last visit to this magnificent country three years ago, i had the privilege to meet some of the first australians. we are joined by some today. i want to acknowledge the traditional owners of this land and pay respects to your elders past and present. this university is recognized as one of the world's great institutions of science and teaching. your research led to the vaccine that protects women and girls around the world from cervical cancer. your innovations have transformed how we treat disease and how we unlock new discoveries. your studies have informed the world about the urgent threat of climate change. last year, i tweeted one of your -- to myo one of them 31 million followers on twitter. just bragging a little bit. [applause]

i don't think that is quite as much as lady gaga, but that is still pretty good. it's still not bad. i think prime minister abbott and the people of brisbane and queensland for hosting us of the g 20 summit. this part of australia is just stunning. beautiful one day and then perfect the next. that is what i understand. [applause] we travel a lot around the world. my staff was very excited for b risbegas. arrived, they advised i needed some 4x. you have some? [laughter] part of the reason i have fond memories of australia was

because i spent some time here as a boy when i was traveling between hawaii and indonesia, years, lived for several and when i returned three years ago as president, i had the same feelings that i remembered as a child. the warmth of the people of australia, the sense of humor. i learned to speak a little strine. i'm tempted to give it a burl. that is about as far as i can go actually. but i do want to take this opportunity to express once again the gratitude of the american people for the extraordinary alliance with australia. i tell my friends and family and people that i meet that there is an incredibly commonality between australia and the united states. whether that is because so many of us travel here as immigrants, some voluntary, some not, whether it's because of the wide open spaces and the sense of a frontier culture, there is a

bond between our two countries, and australia really is everything that you would want in a friend and in an allied high -- in an allied. we are cut from the same cloth -- immigrants from an old world who built a new nation. we are inspired by the same ideals of equality and opportunity, the belief that everybody deserves a fair go, a fair shot. same spirit, that confidence and optimism, that the future is ours to make, that we don't have to carry with us all the baggage from the past, that we can leave this world a better, safer, more just place for future generations. that is what brings me here today, the future that we can build together here in the asia-pacific region. this week, i've traveled more than 15,000 miles from america to china to burma to australia.

i have no idea what time it is right now. [laughter] i'm completely upside down. that distance, we know that our world is getting smaller. one of australia's great writers spoke of this day chez son of brisbane and a graduate of this university, david malouf. in that shrinking a distance that is characteristic of our contemporary world, even the pacific, largest of oceans, has become a lake. even the pacific has become a lake. you see it on this campus where he welcomes students from all across asia and around the world, including a number of americans. and we arexchanges, proud to welcome so many of you to the united states. you walk the streets of the city, and you hear chinese, vietnamese, indonesian, corian,

handy. in many neighborhoods, more than half the people you meet were born somewhere else. this is a global city in a globalized world. i often tell young people in america that even with today's challenges, this is the best time in history to be alive. never in the history of humanity have people lived longer, are they more likely to be healthy, more likely to be enjoying basic security. the world is actually much less violent today. you wouldn't know it from watching television. that's true here in the asia-pacific, as well. countries once ravaged by war like south korea and japan are among the world's most advanced economies. from the philippines and indonesia, dictatorships have given way to genuine democracies. region, and across the hundreds of millions of people have been lifted from poverty in the span of one generation,

joining a global middle class. technology, you, the young people of this region, are connecting and collaborating across borders and cultures like never before as you seek to build a new future. the opportunities today are limitless. i don't watch a lot of australian television, so, as you might imagine, because i'm really far away -- [laughter] i don't know whether some of the same tendencies that we see in the united states, the focus on problems disasters and dominate what is fed to us , butlly every single day ,hen you look at the facts

opportunities are limitless for this generation. you are living in an extraordinary time. true, alongside this dynamism, there are genuine dangers that can undermine progress. and we can't look at those problems through rose tinted glasses. north korea's nuclear and missile programs, that's a problem. territory, remote islands and rocky shoals that threaten to spiral into confrontation. the failure to uphold universal human rights, denying justice to citizens and denying countries their full potential. and extremequality poverty that are a recipe for instability.

energy demands and growing trendsthat also hasten towards a changing climate. indeed, the same technologies that empower citizens like you also give oppressive regimes new ent.s to stifle diss the question we face is, which of these features will define the asia-pacific in the centrica,? doing move towards further integration, more justice, more piece -- peace? or do we move towards disorder and conflict? conflict our choices, or cooperation, oppression or liberty. here and australia three years ago in your parliament, i made it clear where the united states stands. we believe the nations and peoples have the right to live in security and peace, that an

effective security order for asia must be based not on spheres of influence or coercion or intimidation where big nations believe the small, but on alliances and mutual security, international law, international norms that are upheld, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. we believe in open markets and trade that is fair and free, a level playing field where economies play by the same rules, or the purpose of trade is not simply to extract resources from the ground but to build true partnerships that raise capacity and living standards in poor countries, where small business owners and entrepreneurs and innovators have the freedom to dream and create and flourish, and how well a country does is based on how well they empower their individual citizen. and we believe in democracy, that the only real source of legitimacy is the consent of the people, that every individual is

born equal with fundamental rights, andienable that it is the responsibility of governments to up hold these rights. that is what we stand for. , the futurevision america is working toward in the asia-pacific with allies and friends. now as a pacific power, the united states has invested our blood and treasure to advance this vision. when i assumed office -- we don't just talk about it. we invest in this vision. generations of americans have served and died in the asia-pacific so that the people of the region might live free. no one should ever question our resolve or our commitment to our allies. when i assumed office, leaders

and people across the region were expressing their desire for greater american engagement. that,sident, i decided given the importance of this region to american security, to american prosperity, the united states would rebalance our foreign policy and play a larger and lasting role in this region. that's exactly what we've done. today, our alliances, including with australia, are stronger than they have ever been. american exports to this region have reached record levels. we didn't our cooperation with emerging powers and regional organizations, especially in southeast asia. we expanded our partnerships with citizens as they've worked to bolster their democracies. we've shown that whether it's a sin on the or earthquake or typhoon, when our friends are in need, america shows up. we are there to help. in good times and bad, you can

count on the united states of america. there have been times when people have been skeptical about this rebalancing. wondering whether america has the staying power to sustain it. it's true that in recent years pressing events around the world demand our attention. as the world's only superpower, the united states has unique responsibilities that we gladly embrace. we are leaving the international community in the fight to isiroy the terrorist group we arel leading in dealing with evil and west africa. and in opposing russia's aggression against ukraine. a threat to the world, as we saw in the college a tragedyof mh 17, that took so many lives, among them your fellow citizens. friend,- your ally and america shares the grief of these australian families, and

we share the determination of your nation for justice and accountability. yes, we have a range of responsibilities. that's the deal. it's a burden we gladly shoulder. but even in each of these international efforts, some of our strongest partners are our allies and friends in this region, including australia. meeting these other challenges in the world is not a distraction from our engagement in this region. it reinforces our engagement in this region. our rebalance is not only about the united states doing more in asia. it is also about the asia-pacific region doing more with us around the world. today to say that american leadership in the asia-pacific will always be a fundamental focus of my foreign policy. it won't always make the headlines. it won't always be measured in

the number of trips i make, although i do keep coming back. day in and day out, steadily, deliberately, we will continue to deepen our engagement using every element of american power, diplomacy, military, economic, development, the power of our values and our ideals. i want to describe specifically what americans intend to do in the coming years. first, the united states will continue strengthening our alliances. with japan, we will finalize defense guidelines and realign our forces for the future. the republic of korea, we will deepen our collaboration on missile defense to deter and defend against north korean threats. with the philippines, we will train and exercise more to fromre for challenges counterterrorism and piracy to humanitarian crises and disaster relief. in australia, more u.s. brains

will rotate through to promote regional stability alongside you. when i went out to darwin to inaugurate the renew rotation of our u.s. outnes there the mayor took a crocodile insurance, which disturbed me. [laughter] i was flattered that he took out insurance on my behalf, but i did ask my ambassador what this is all about. he described to me how crocodiles kill more people than and there are a lot of things in australia that can kill you. that's an aside. [laughter] we have an ironclad commitment to the sovereignty, independence, and security of every ally. we will expand cooperation between allies.

we believe we are stronger when we stand together. the united states will continue to modernize our defense posture across this region. we will deploy more of our advanced military capabilities to keep the peace and deter aggression. our presence will be more distributed, including in southeast asia with partners like singapore, and we will increase training and education, including working with the military partners we have in the region around the respect for human rights by military and police. decade, a of this majority of our navy and air force fleets will be based on the pacific because the united states is and always will be a pacific power. withoutmind we do this any territorial claims. we do this based on our belief a region that is peaceful

and prosperous is good for us and is good for the world. the united states will continue broadening our cooperation with emerging powers and emerging economies. we intend to help you pursue economic reforms and new maritime capabilities. we will continue to move ahead with our comprehensive partnership with indonesia, which is a strong example of diversity and flora was on. we will expand ties with malaysia, a growing center of entrepreneurship and innovation. we support a greater role in the asia-pacific for india, the world's largest democracy. the united states will continue expanding our engagement with regional institutions. sharedr, we can meet challenges from preventing the horror of human trafficking to countering violent extremism to

stemming the flow of foreign terrorist fighters. we can improve maritime security, upholding the freedom of navigation and encouraging territorial disputes to resolve peacefully. we will work with partners to develop the east asia summit into the regions leading for him -- forum. effort support asean's in the south china sea. speaking of china, the united states will continue to pursue a constructive relationship with china. by virtue of its size and its remarkable growth, china will inevitably play a critical role in the future of this region. the question is, what kind of role will it play? i just came from beijing. there, the united states welcomes the continuing rise of a china that is peaceful

and prosperous and stable and that plays a responsible role in world affairs. it is a remarkable achievement that millions of people have been lifted out of poverty in china because of the extraordinary growth rates they have experienced. that is a good thing we should want and welcome. if in fact china is playing the thatof a responsible actor is peaceful and prosperous, that is good for this region. it is good for the world. it is good for the united states. we will pursue cooperation with china where our interests overlap or overline. there are significant areas of overlap. investment, more communications between our militaries to prevent misunderstandings or conflict, more travel and exchanges between our people, and more cooperation on global challenges from ebola to climate change.

this engagement, we are encouraging china to adhere to the same rules as other nations, whether in trade or on the cds -- seas. in this engagement, we will continue to be frank about where there are differences. america will continue to stand up for our interests and principles, including our unwavering support for the fundamental human rights of all people. we do not benefit from a relationship with china or any other country in which we put our values and our ideals aside. here,e young people practicality is a good thing. there are times where compromise is necessary. that is part of wisdom.

but it is also important to hang onto what you believe, know what you believe and be willing to stand up for it. what is true for individuals is also true for countries. the united states will continue to promote economic growth that is sustained and shared. we are going to work with apec to combat the corruption that steals from so many citizens. oppose cyber theft of trade secrets. we will work with partners to invest in the region's infrastructure in a way that is open and transparent. it will support reforms that help economies transform to models that boosts domestic demand and invest in people and their education and their skills. we will keep leading the effort to realize the transpacific partnership to lower barriers and export goods and create good jobs for our people. tpp the 12 countries of the

making up nearly 40% of the global economy, this is about something bigger. it is our chance to put high standards in place for the 21st century that uphold our values. we are pushing new standards in this trade agreement requiring countries to participate to protect their workers better and to protect the environment better and protect intellectual property that unleashes and meet baseline standards to ensure transparency and rule of law. a future where instead of being dependent on a single market, countries integrate their economies so they are innovating and growing together. does,s let -- what tpp that is why i believe we need to get it done, but that is also why it is hard. we are asking all of these countries and various stages of development to up their game.

it requires big transitions for a lot of these countries, including the united states. tpp is just one part of our overall focus on growing the global economy. as with the g20 is all about. the united states has put more people back to work than all other advanced economies combined. america can't be expected to just carry the world economy on our back. , the g20 has ae responsibility to act to boost demand and invest more in infrastructure and create good jobs for the people of all of our nations. develop, as we focus on our economy, we cannot forget the need to lead on the global fight against climate change. [applause] i know there has been a healthy

debate in this country about it. asia-pacific, nobody has more at stake when it comes thinking about and acting on climate change. here a climate that increases in temperature will mean more extreme and frequent storms, more flooding, rising seas that submerged islands. in australia, it means longer droughts, more wildfires. the incredible natural glory of the great barrier reef is threatened. worldwide, this past summer was the hottest on record. immune, and every nation has a responsibility to

do its part. you will recall at the beginning i said the united states and australia have a lot in common. one thing in common we have is we produce a lot of carbon. oft of it is this legacy wide-open spaces and the frontier mentality and this incredible abundance of resources. historically, we have not been the most energy efficient donations, which means we've got to step up. states, our carbon pollution is near its lowest levels in almost two decades, and i'm very proud of that. plan,our climate action we intend to do more. in beijing, i announced our ambitious goal, reducing our greenhouse emissions by 186%-20 8% below 2005 levels by 2025, which will double the pace at which we are reducing carbon pollution and united states.

-- in the united states. in an historic step, china made its own commitment for the first ,ime, agreeing to slow, peak and then reverse the course of china's carbon emissions. the reason that is so important is because of china as it develops adapts the same per capita count -- carbon emissions as advanced economies like the united states or australia, this planet doesn't stand a chance. they've got a lot more people. a target sends a powerful message to the world that all countries, whether you are a developing country, developed country, were somewhere in between, you've got to be able to come -- overcome old divides, look at the science, and reach a strong global climate agreement next year. if china and the united states can agree on this, then the world can agree on this, and we can get this done.

[applause] it is necessary for us to get this done. because i have not had time to go to the great barrier reef, and i want to come back, and i want my daughters to be able to come back, and i want them to be able to bring their daughters or sons to visit, and i want that there 50 years from now. [applause] today, i am announcing that the united states will take another important step. we are going to contribute $3 billion to the green climate fund so we can help developing nations deal with climate change. [applause] along with the of the other

nations that have pledged support, this gives us the opportunity to help vulnerable communities with an early warning system, with stronger defenses against storm -- storm surge, climate-resilient infrastructure. it allows us to help farmers plant more durable crops, and it allows us to help developing countries break out of this false choice between development and pollution. let them leapfrog some of the dirty industries that howard our development -- howard our development. go straight to a clean energy economy that allows them to grow, create job, and at the same time, reduce their carbon pollution. we are very proud of the work that we have already done. the great workof that still has to be done on this issue. let me say to the young people

here, combating climate change cannot be the work of government alone. citizens, especially the next generation, you have to keep raising your voices, because you deserve to live your lives in a world that is cleaner and that is healthier and that is sustainable, but that is not going to happen unless you are heard. things, the nature of it is in the nature of the world that those of us who start getting gray hair are a little set in our ways, the interests are entrenched, not because people are bad people, but it's just that's how we've been doing things. we make investments, and company start depending on certain energy sources, and change is uncomfortable and difficult. that is why it's so important for the next generation to be able to step in and say, no, it doesn't have to be this way.

-- thee to power to power to imagine a new future in a way that some of the older folks don't always have. the same is true when it comes to issues of democracy and human rights. when we speaks , and we are issues told that democracy is just a western value. i fundamentally disagree with that. [applause] japan, taiwan, south korea, they have built thriving democracies. filipinos showed us the strength of people power. indonesians just voted in a historic election. . just came from burma this is a place that for 40

of a was under the grip military junta. one of the most closed and oppressive nations on earth. was inspired by citizens in civil society and nowiamentarians who were working to sustain a transition to a democratic future. i had a town hall meeting with young people like you, in which they were asking, what does it mean to create rule of law, and how should we die -- deal with ethnic diversity? what does a free press look like, and how does it operate? how do we make sure that journalism is responsible? debate thatedible is taking place. want young people, they the same things you do. the notion that somehow they are

less interested in opportunity or less interested in avoiding arbitrary arrest or less iserested in being censored fundamentally untrue. today, people in hong kong are speaking out for their universal rights. around thea and world, america supports free and fair elections. citizens must be free to choose their own leaders. in thailand, we are urging a quick return to inclusive civilian rule. we support freedom of assembly and freedom of speech and freedom of the press, a free and open internet, strong civil societies, because the voices of people must be heard, and leaders must be held accountable. even though it's uncomfortable sometimes. i promise you if you lead a country, there are times that your aggravated with people

tocing opinions that seem think you are doing something wrong. [laughter] you would prefer everybody just praises you. i understand. that is not how societies move forward. we support strong institutions, independent judiciaries, and open government because the rule of force must give way to the rule of law. in that same fashion, the united states will continue to stand up for the inherent dignity of every human being. that dignity begins with the most basic of needs, a life free of disease and hunger and want. yes, we will speak up on behalf of human rights, but we are also going to invest in the agriculture that allows farmers to feed their families and boost their incomes. we will invest in the

development that improves growth and helps and the injustice of extreme poverty in places like the lower mekong delta. intend to partner with all the countries in the region to create stronger public health systems and new treatments that save lives and realize our goals of being the first aids-free generation. what we have learned from the is that in this globalized world where the pacific is like a lake, if countries are so poor that they cannot afford basic public health infrastructure, that threatens our health. a moat aroundd our countries, and we shouldn't try. what we should be doing is making sure that everybody has some basic public health systems that allow for early warning

when outbreaks of infectious diseases may occur. that is not just out of charity. it is in our self-interest. again, i want to speak to young people about this. when we talk about these issues of development, when we invest in the well-being of people on the other side of the globe, when we stand up for freedom, including occasionally having to engage in military actions, we don't do that just because we are charitable. we do that because we recognize that we are linked and that if is strickenme child with a curable disease on the other side of the world, at some point, that could have an impact on our child. dignity byance human standing up for the rights of minorities because no one see

quality should never be denied. we will stand up for freedom of religion, the right of every person to practice their faith as they choose because we are all children of god, and we are all fallible. majorityn that we as a or the state should tell somebody else what to believe with respect to their faith is against our basic values. we will stand up for our gay and lesbian fellow citizens because they need to be treated equally under the law. [applause] we will stand up for the rights of our wives and daughters and i believe thate the best measure of whether a nation is going to be successful

is whether they are tapping the talents of their women and treating them as full participants in politics and society and the economy. [applause] we are going to continue to invest in the future of this region, and that means you. this region is you, all of you. your optimism, your idealism, your hopes. i see it everywhere i go. i spend a lot of time with young people. i spent a lot of time with old people, too, but i prefer spending time with young people. i meet them in tokyo and manila and jakarta. it is a spirit of young men and women in kuala lumpur and rangoon who are participating in our young southeast asian leaders initiative. unlike you, they're ready to leave. the young woman with an idea who dreams of starting her own

business, if she just has the network and capital, america wants to be her partner. we believe in the entrepreneur that you can be, the innovations you can spark, and the jobs you can create. when you succeed, we will all the more prosperous. to the young man working late in the clinic tending to the patient who dreams of preventing diseases, if i just had the resources, we want to be your partner. we believe in the attic it that you can be in the families you can reach and the lives you can save. when you succeed, our world will be better. to the young woman tired of the tensions in her community who dreams of helping her neighbors see beyond differences, if she could just start a dialogue, if she knew others had walked the same path, america wants to be her partner. we believe in the activist you can be and the empathy you can build and the understanding you can foster between people.

when you succeed, our world will be a little more peaceful. to the young man who believes his voice isn't being heard, who dreams of being people like him across his country if he just knew how to organize and mobilize, we want to be your partner. we believe in the leader you can be and the difference you can make to ignite positive change. when you succeed, the world will be a little more free. that is the future we can build together. it is the commitment america is making in the asia-pacific, a partnership not just with nations that with people, with you, for decades to comment, bound by the values we share, guided by the vision we see. i'm not totally confident we can advance the security and prosperity and the dignity of people across this region. in pursuit of that future, you will have no greater friend than the united states of america. thank you very much, god bless australia, god bless america,

and god bless our great alliance. thank you. [applause] [captioning performed by national captioning institute] [captions copyright national cable satellite corp. 2014] >> on his final day in australia, the president held a news conference. he offered his impression of the summit meetings and answered questions on a number of topics, including immigration, russian president putin, ukraine, isis, and the keystone xl pipeline. this is about 30 minutes. thank you, everybody. please have a seat. good afternoon. i want to begin by thanking prime minister abbott, the people of brisbane, and the people of australia for being such extraordinary hosts. all of the arrangements were terrific.

as always, the people of australia could not have been friendlier and better organized. i very much appreciate everything that you've done. we had a lot of the discussions during the course of the g20, but as our australian friends say, this doesn't -- this wasn't just a good old chin wag. [laughter] i really love that expression. it was a productive summit. i want to thank tony for his leadership, and the people of brisbane truly did shine throughout this process with their hospitality. this is the final day of the trip that has taken me across the asia-pacific. this visit comes as the backdrop of america's renewed economic strength. the united states and the longest stretch of on interrupted private sector job growth in its history. over the last few years, we have put more people back to work in

all of the other advanced economies combined. this growing economic strength at home sets the stage for the progress we have made on this trip. it has been a good week for american leadership and american workers. we made important progress on our efforts to open markets to u.s. goods and to boost the exports that support american jobs. we continue to make progress towards the transpacific partnership. our agreement with china to extend visas for business people, tourists, and students is going to boost tourism, grow our economies, and create jobs for americans and chinese alike. we also agreed with china to pursue a bilateral investment treaty, as well as agreeing on an approach to the information technology agreement that may support some 60,000 american jobs. here at the g20, china committed to greater transparency on its economic data, including its foreign exchange reserves.

this is a step towards the market-driven exchange rate we've been pushing for, because it would promote a level playing field for american businesses and workers. g20 in brisbane, all the countries announced strategies to increase growth and put people back to work, including an initiative to support jobs by building infrastructure. our nations made commitments that could bring another 100 million women into our collective work force. it took steps towards strengthening our banks, closing tax loopholes for multinational companies, and stopping tax evaders and criminals from hiding behind shell companies. these were specific provisions, not just goals that were set without any substance behind them. we have made very concrete progress during the course of the last several g20 sessions in preventing companies from avoiding the taxes that they owe in their home countries, including the united states, and

making sure we've got a financial system that is more stable and that can alto fail ws bailing them out. the brick through the united states achieved with india allows for a resumption of talks on a global trade deal that would mean more growth and prosperity for all of us. this week, we took historic steps in the fight against climate change. the ambitious new goal i announced in beijing will double the paceerica reduces its carbon pollution while growing our economy and creating jobs and strengthening our energy security and putting us on the path to a low carbon future. combined with china's commitment, china for the first time committed to slowing and then peaking and then reversing the course of its emissions, we are showing that there is no excuse for other nations to come together to achieve a strong climate agreement next year. the $3 billion contribution to the green climate fund i announced yesterday will help

developing nations deal with climate change, reduce their pollution, and invest in clean energy. i want to commend prime minister abe in japan for their $1.5 billion pledge to the fund, and following the steps we've taken in the united states, many of the g 20 countries have worked to improve the efficiency of heavy-duty vehicles, which would be another major step in reducing emissions. finally, i'm pleased that more nations are stepping up and joining the united states in the effort to end the ebola epidemic. come in on the heels of our global health security agenda, the g 20 countries commited to helping nations in west africa to build their capacity to detect and respond to future outbreaks before they become epidemics. from trade to climate change to the fight against ebola, this was a strong week for american leadership. the results will be more jobs for the american people,

historic steps towards a cleaner and healthier planet, and progress towards saving lives not just in west africa but eventually in other places. if you ask me, i would say that is a pretty good week. the american people can be proud of the progress we have made. i intend to build on that momentum when i return home tomorrow. with that, i'm going to take a few questions. i've got my cheat sheet. matt going to start with of reuters >>. thank you, mr. president. g 20 leadersfellow took an in-your-face approach with president clinton. >> with president -- >> with president clinton -- putin. you had brief discussions with him. how confrontational were those encounters? did you have further exchanges with him here? what progress within did you

make on the ukraine issue? of course, you have now met with eu leaders. did you agree on further sanctions? to staterepared unequivocally that if congress does pass a keystone pipeline bill that you would veto it if it comes to your desk? >> i have naturally several interactions with president put in during the course of the apec summit and then here at the g20. i would characterize them as typical of our interactions, businesslike". -- businesslike and a blunt. russia has the opportunity to take a different path, to

resolve the issue of ukraine in a way that respects ukraine's sovereignty and is consistent with international law. that is our preference, and if it does so, then i will be the first to suggest that we rollback the sanctions that are frankly having a devastating effect on the russian economy. if he continues down the path he is on violating international law, providing heavy arms to the separatists in ukraine, violating an agreement that he ago,d to just a few weeks the minsk agreement that would have lowered the temperature and the killing in the disputed , providing us a pathway for a diplomatic resolution, then the isolation russia is currently experiencing will continue. with european

leaders, they confirm their view that so far, russia has not abide by the spirit or the letter of the agreement that mr. , and signed or agreed to as a consequence, we are going to continue to maintain the whileic isolation maintaining the possibility of a diplomatic solution. it is not aware preference to see russia isolated the way it is. we would prefer a russia that is fully integrated with the global economy, that is thriving on behalf of its people, that can once again engage with us in cooperative efforts around , but we areenges also very firm on the need to uphold core international principles. one of those principles is that you don't invade other countries

or finance proxies and support them in ways that break up a mechanisms fors democratic elections. >> [indiscernible] sanctions point, the that we have in place are biting plenty good. we retain the capabilities, and we have our teams constantly looking at mechanisms in which to turn up additional pressure as necessary. with respect to keystone, i have said consistently, and i think i repeated it in burma, but i guess i've got to answer it one more time, we are going to let the process play itself out. the determination will be made in the first instance by the i won'ty of state, but hide my opinion about this,

majoris that one determinant of whether we should approve a pipeline shipping canadian oil to world markets, not to the united states, is, does it contribute to the greenhouse gases that are causing climate change? >> [indiscernible] >> i've got to move on. everybody wants to go home. other people have questions. jim acosta? ask you about the climate deal that you agree to with chinese president xi. also, adding, but in your executive action on immigration, you are taking an executiveaction -- actions on multiple fronts. what is stopping a future republican president or even a

democratic president from reversing your executive orders, and are you expanding the powers thate presidency in ways could eventually backfire on your agenda down the road? on the battle against isis, general martin dempsey -- [no audio] theow you have ruled out possibility of having ground forces, u.s. ground forces engaged in combat. thatu are thinking on changes, mike general dempsey be able to convince you otherwise? >> with respect to the climate agreement, the goal that we have -- [no audio] the need for additional action.ional

i want to be clear. action. it is an authority that has been repeatedly upheld by the supreme court. obviously, it is supplemented by a bunch of stuff that we are doing that nobody suggested. for example, the doubling of fuel efficiency standards on cars is something we negotiated companies.r

what i think has changed is the reaction of some of the folks in to exercise our normal and fairly typical exercises of presidential authority. you're absolutely right that the very nature of an executive action means that the future president could reverse those actions, but that has always been true. that was true when i came into office. if president bush had a bunch of executive actions that he had signed, it was part of my authority to reverse them. that is why, for example, on immigration reform, it continues to be my great form --

preference to see congress pass comprehensive legislation. that is not going to be reversed -- [no audio] that is why i showed extraordinary patience with congress in trying to work a bipartisan deal. that is why i was so encouraged the speaker endorsed a bipartisan immigration deal and why i waited for over a year for speaker john boehner to call that bipartisan bill in the house. as i've said before, i can't wait in perpetuity when i have authorities that at least for the next two years can improve the system, can allow us to shift more resources to the border rather than separating families and legal immigration system -- families, improve the legal immigration system.

with respect to syria, chairman said in his testimony, and i would agree -- [no audio] what he said in testimony, and what i suspect he will always say is that, yes, there are circumstances in which he could envision the deployment of u.s. troops. that is true everywhere, by the way. that is his job, is to think about various contingencies, and, yes, there are always circumstances in which the united states might need to deploy u.s. ground troops. if we discovered that isil had gotten control of a nuclear weapon, and we had to run an operation to get it out of their has,