not the least of which is the situation in liberia. liberia and, long a problem in africa, now becoming a significant part of the solution. just use one example of where the president is providing direct assistance and counsel next door as it tries to work is back to a civilian and constitutional rule. we have a succcssful engagement recently with that later, and then you've gone done playing a significant role in the passage of u.n. resolution 1929 last week, and so there are many news stories here as well. the man who has led this effort, sometimes with very direct diplomacy, it is our very for speaker, the enormously capable assistant secretary for african affairs and my friend and colleague, johnny carson, to begin our discussions today. -- johnnie carson, to begin our discussions today. [applause] >> p.j., thank you very much for the kind introduction. i would also like to thank cheryl benton who has put this program together. i also would like to extend my warm welcome to congressman payne, the chairman of the house subcommittee

liberia is not open for this type of business. there is brought -- the united states and libya are united and strong partnership to combat the international drug trade. also in africa, the united states is troubled by the government of bear run the's decision to expel a human-rights watch researcher from the country. human-rights watch and other duly accredited non-governmental organizations in grundy -- burundi must be afforded the legal right to engage and report freely on political and human rights conditions. they should reconsider their decision. and just before taking youu questions, a couple of items left printing from yesterday's meeting. we have been access -- we been granted access to palin grows in cuba five years -- five times, the most recent consular access being on may 25, and we continue to ask that mr. gross be released immediately on humanitarian grounds and be allowed to return to his family. also our next round of russian adoption talks are scheduled for june 14-16 here in washington. we are still awaiting fina

liberia has is not open to this type of business. the u.s.re united in a strong partnership to combat the national drug trade which poses a serious threat to both of our countries. alss, the africa is troubled by the government of perinde's decision to eject him a human rights worker. they are a nonprofit organization that is observing the human rights decision. we cannot approve of this decision and we urge them to allow the worker to return to the country. we have been granted access to alan gross in cuba five times. the most recent access was on may 25th and we continue to ask that he be released immediately on humanitarian grounds and be allowed to return to his family. also, our next round of russian talks are scheduled for june 14th-16th here in washington. finally, regarding georgia's municipal elections from the weekend, gradually the people conducting these and are monitored by the -- they will be looking to meet the standards for democratic elections. there were improvements in the administration of these elections although we did o

turning to africa, africa gradually and commend the government of liberia for its commitment to the rulef law. the message being sent a strong and clear. we are united in a strong partnership to combat a threat to both countries. also in africa, the u.s. is troubled by the government of peron the's decision to expel a human rights researcher from the country. she and other police accredited organizations and the run they must be afforded the ability to engage, operate and report freely on conditions within the country. the government should reconsider its decision to expel the researcher and allow the researcher to return to continue her work for human rights watch. just before taking your questions, a couple questions pending from mr. de's briefing. we have been granted access five times in cuba to the detainee. we continue to ask that he be released immediately on humanitarian grounds and he be allowed to return to his family. our next round of russian adoption talks are scheduled for june 14 through 16 here in washington. we are still awaiting final confrontation from russia on those

next phone call, new liberia, louisiana. republican line, charles.s listening to all this crap. look, i raised out in the oil field as a young man, and those days, they blowed the well in you go back there today, ck. there's not a sign of it. it came from mother nature this. came from mother nature. give it time, it will go back to mother nature. host: what about that point? guest: well, you know, first of all, it did come. this is millions of years old natural life that has been compressed and noo we're trying to use it again. i think the natural world is resilient, but i think that it's also a world that we depend on. so, you know, look at the shrimpers and the oystermen. they're out of work. they don't know how long they're going to be out of work no. one really knows how long it will take for the natural world to recover. so it's absolutely critical to clean up as much as possible. i mean, a certain amount will evaporate into the air. a certain amount will disperse into the water column. but meanwhile, the oil that's coming up on shore and it's c

owned by swiss operated by companies flagged in liberia, the flag state inspects it. don't get me wrong, there are very capable flag states that inspect their fleets. not all of them are like that. not all of them are that good. host: let's go to louisiana. frank joining us on the democratic line. caller: i've been listening to your show. i would like to say i support this gentleman, i support the jones act even though it needs to be tweaked some. but offshore workers on the rigs because it don't cover them when they get hurt. and i support 100% american flag ships in american waters. the host: do you work in the business? caller: i've worked servicing the offshore oil industry on the boats. i've been a commercial fisherman most of my life. i'm 52 years old. i started on the water when i was just a kid . host: what are you doing right now? caller: now i'm part of the vessel opportunity program. host: so what does that mean? what are you doing? caller: well, i'm booming the oil so skimmers can come and collect it or the new vacuum systems that they are now putting in p

two raids mar in panama and three in liberia and two in [unintelligible] in given the public concern abt where they are registered, has he ordered a review of the safety of those rticular rigs? ifot, why not? >> that is precisely why, when we conducted the - review of our existing regime, w thought it was -- conducting the immediate review of our existing regime, we thought it was imperave that the rules and regulations that set out safety and environmental procedures are directly applied. at is actly what we have do. much of the shipping of the world is registered in what often seems to be exhausted -- seems to be exotic jurisdictions. whenever the basis of registration in u.k. waters, they have to be of two u. regulations and we will not take any risks. that inspection is under way. the increase in the pace -- there is an increase in the pace of inspection as i speak. >> on a more positive note, can i ask him if heas [unintelligible] >> i am grateful for his suggestion. some of the reporting back that i have heard from the united states suggests at ather british lawyers turning up

two raids mar in panama and three in liberia and two in [unintelligible] in given the public concern about where they are registered, has he ordered a review of the safety of those particular rigs? if not, why not? >> that is precisely why, when we conducted the -- review of our existing regime, we thought it was -- conducting the%+ immediate review of our existing regime, we thouuht it was imperative ttat the rules and regulations that set out safety and environmental procedures are directly applied. that is exactly what we have done. much of the shipping of the world is registered in what often seems to beeexhausted -- seems to be exotic jurrsdictions. whenever the basis of they have to be of two u.k. regulations and we will not take any risss. that inspectton is under way. the increase in the pace -- there is an increase in the pace of inspection as i speak. >> on a ore positive note, can i ask him if he has [unintelligible] >> i am grateful for his suggestion. some of the reporting back that i have heard from the united states suggests that another british voicelawyers turning up