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Published on 05-23-2019 07:15 AM
Briefing by U.S. State Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus, May 22, 2019 | site |
Washington, DC - - (May 22, 2019) - - Today, the U.S. Department of State's Office of the Spokesperson provided the following transcript of a special briefing Department Spokesperson Morgan Ortagus presented:
MS ORTAGUS: Thanks, everybody, for having me. I appreciate it. Hopefully, the first of many. I just got something for you on Africa Day that I’m going to read and then we’ll jump into the questions, if you’re ready.
Okay. This Saturday marks Africa Day, the annual commemoration of the founding of the Organization of African Unity, now the African Union. In the 56 years since the AU was formed, the continent has made significant democratic and economic strides. We reaffirm our unwavering commitment to the AU’s vision for a free and prosperous continent, and the United States will continue to promote stronger trade and commercial ties with Africa. We are proud of our partnership with the governments and people of Africa, and we’ll continue to work with them to advance our common interests and goals. There you go.
Mr. Lee, I’m sure you have something for me.
QUESTION: Okay. That was – yeah, but let’s talk about Africa Day. Welcome.
MS ORTAGUS: Thank you. It’s lovely to be here.
QUESTION: I do hope that it will be the first of many.
MS ORTAGUS: Me too.
QUESTION: I’m going to start with something that has come up within the last hour or so, and I’m pretty sure we can dispense with this pretty quickly, and that is there’s concern from Democrats on the Hill, particularly Senator Murphy, that you guys are going to use an emergency authorization provision of the Arms Control Act to circumvent congressional approval of some arms sales to Saudi Arabia —
MS ORTAGUS: Yes.
QUESTION: — and that it could happen this week. What do you say about that?
MS ORTAGUS: The only thing is we do not confirm – we do not comment to confirm or deny potential arms sales or transfers until Congress is formally notified.
QUESTION: So you can’t say if anything is in the works, if his concern is justified?
MS ORTAGUS: That’s it, sir.
QUESTION: Okay. Is there an emergency exemption?
MS ORTAGUS: We do not comment to confirm or deny arms sales.
QUESTION: Does the law contain a provision that allows you to bypass congressional – the answer is yes, it does.
MS ORTAGUS: Thank you. I’ll look that up.
QUESTION: That’s all for me.
MS ORTAGUS: Go ahead.
QUESTION: I actually wanted to ask what you can tell us about sort of what your plans are for briefing, returning to briefings.
MS ORTAGUS: Oh, okay, sure.
QUESTION: And if you’re going to do this, off-camera but on-the-record gaggles, for a few days, or if you could tell us what you have in mind –
MS ORTAGUS: Sure.
QUESTION: — and how often you think they may happen.
MS ORTAGUS: I think that we’ll do this or maybe even perhaps off camera from the podium tomorrow. I was planning on taking Friday off. That may or may not happen given world events. But then I think next week – so I’m in town Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday next week before
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