October 5, 2015
Joint Press Conference by Secretary Carter and Spanish Minister of Defense Morenes in Madrid, Spain
MINISTER OF DEFENSE D. PEDRO MORENES EULATE: (UNTRANSLATED)
SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ASH CARTER: Well, Minister Morenes, Pedro, my friend and colleague, thank you. And I should tell everyone I understand just enough Spanish that even though I didn't have the headphones at the beginning, I could understand what you were saying, and I appreciate the gracious words not only for me, but most importantly, for the relationship, for the warm hospitality you show Americans at both Moron and at Rota. So thank you. It is very much reciprocal.
I am, in fact, looking forward to visiting our Marines at Moron, and I know that they are as grateful as I am for the hospitality extended by Spain and by all the Spanish people because in the end, as the minister said, these are -- these -- this is a relationship based on interests and -- but also values and principles, and really, that means two peoples. And so we always understand that we're here with the partnership and with the hospitality of all the Spanish people, and we're grateful for that.
I imagine many of you heard me speak earlier today on a wide range of topics. Since then, the minister and I have been able to have very productive and specific discussions on a -- the -- a wide range of ways that our alliance is operating and strengthening, and we reaffirmed our commitment to looking for yet more new opportunities to work together.
I want to thank the minister personally for his hard work in securing the latest amendment to our agreement on defense cooperation, which makes it possible for us to work together. Having additional U.S. military personnel at Moron Air Base over the long term will create new opportunities for joint cooperation. And it will be vital as we address the full spectrum of threats and challenges that our two nations and our values face to Europe's south and also its east.
One of the great, wonderful aspects about the U.S.-Spanish defense relationship is that it's not only about our bilateral cooperation, it's also about what we do for regional peace and global security. The United States and Spain both share a desire to see a Europe that is whole and free and at peace, and we both share a desire to counter the threats on the continent's southern flank.
To that end, Spain is making and will continue to make very valuable contributions. Spain has looked outward to the east by playing an active role in the enhanced Baltic air policing mission, of great importance. It's also looked outward to the south by contributing to humanitarian missions and to the global coalition to defeat ISIL.
And it's looked outward beyond Europe by supporting NATO's resolute support mission in Afghanistan and the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon. As I told Minister Morenes, the United States greatly appreciates all of these contributions.
As you know, Spain is also hosting Trident Juncture '15, which is a NATO Response Force exercise that will include over 4,000 U.S. service men and women alongside 30,000 troops from 30 other countries. Spain also has deployed a Patriot battery to Turkey to help defend allies from the threat of ballistic missiles, a contribution that we hope they can continue.
These are just a few examples of how Spain has been an example itself in NATO and why Spain will continue to be one of our strongest allies in Europe. Spain's leadership today reflects the enduring global character it has had throughout history. It's based upon its interests, but also its values: freedom, peace and the dignity of all people. Those are values we share.
And for Spain to continue that legacy as its economy steadily strengthens, it's important to continue to invest in the people and the capabilities that make that happen. As Minister Morenes and I noted, that includes meeting the pledge that all NATO allies made last year to invest 2 percent of GDP in defense. We all made that commitment to each other, and we have all have a responsibility to live up to it: Spain, the United States and every NATO ally.
So Minister Morenes, I want to thank you personally once again for your hospitality, for your partnership and for welcoming me to your ministry today, and I look forward to continuing our discussions over lunch.
MIN. MORENES: Thank you.
STAFF: Questions? (OFF-MIC)
Q: Mr. Secretary, considering the ongoing violence and the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan, what is your thinking on whether the United States should keep additional troops in Afghanistan beyond 2016, your commanders are -- requested? Can you just give us some of your thoughts as you get through that?
And Mr. Minister, do you think the United States is doing enough now to assist with the ongoing refugee crisis in Europe?
SEC. CARTER: So just to be clear about the -- not only the U.S. presence but the enduring presence of others after 2016 in Afghanistan, I think the most important thing to say is that the United States -- and this is true of all the NATO allies -- has indicated that they do intend to continue in -- a presence in Afghanistan after 2016. It's not a matter of whether, it's a matter of the composition of that, and also by the way, continuing to support and -- including funding the Afghan security forces. So it's not a matter of whether, but how many and how.
And to the -- so to your point, when will decisions about that be made, the president has indicated that he will be making decisions this fall about next year. You know the decision he made last March, which was to change from the plan made two years to retain 9,800 troops in Afghanistan. So that -- the president and all the rest of us are -- continue to respond to and adjust to circumstances there, and I expect that that will continue.
I don't know what the president's final decisions will be -- what decisions he'll make in that regard, but we continue to give him options. But I think the fundamental thing I want to stress is that there will be a U.S. presence and there will be a NATO presence in Afghanistan after 2016, no doubt about that. And there will be support to Afghan security forces as well.
And the missions of them and the taskings of them and the numbers of them are something that will be decided down the road. But they'll be there is not in any doubt.
MIN. MORENES: Well, I think that the United States and all of us, we are doing our best in the crisis of the refugees coming basically from Syria, from Iraq and from other areas of instability in -- (inaudible). And particularly, the United States -- and I have to say thank you for that because what we are doing in those countries is certainly to maintain, to promote and to enhance stability -- (inaudible) -- and peace and freedom.
And this is the -- we are fighting against the crisis which provoke the immigration of refugees (inaudible) and since many years ago. And we are committing our people, we are committing our military people and we are committing our resources certainly to avert the problem of the refugees not only in the area affecting Europe, but all over the world. And for that, I thank the United States because they are involved in this and instability in the world since many years ago, and we, the Spanish people and the European people, we are doing the same thing.
Q: (UNTRANSLATED)
SEC. CARTER: Can you hold on a second? I'm sorry.
Q: (UNTRANSLATED)
SEC. CARTER: My Spanish is good, but not that good.
(Laughter.)
Q: (UNTRANSLATED)
SEC. CARTER: Yes. I can -- I can just give you some examples of the kinds of things that we do together, and my guess is that as the world evolves, we'll continue to evolve as a partnership. But I'll give you a couple of examples.
One is that we work together with our law enforcement and borders and customs people both to strengthen the ability of other nations that -- whose governments struggle to control their borders and so forth to help them with training and so forth. We continue through NATO to partner -- and this is something we'll be talking about later this week with the European Union; the European Union has the lead on the refugee issue and humanitarian issues there. And there'll be discussions at NATO with the EU later this week.
So these are examples of the kinds of things that -- where defense organizations like the ones of Spain and the United States increasingly in today's world partner with humanitarian, law enforcement, borders and customs and, of course, our diplomatic colleagues and then all of those in the non-governmental organizations and humanitarian aid organizations.
So it's a very different world, and I said this in my speech that it was 30 years ago, when it was military deterrence in Europe. Military deterrence is still critical, but it's not enough anymore.
And so, we do lots of other things that we wouldn't have thought of doing 30 years ago. But they have the same purpose, which is to keep the peace, and to give our children a better world.
MIN. MORENES: -- (inaudible) -- add something? (UNTRANSLATED)
Mr. Secretary, as Russia carries out strikes in Syria, a Russian warplane has violated airspace of Turkey, the NATO ally. What is your message to Russia? And what steps is NATO willing to take to defend its airspace?
And then, I have a question for the Spanish minister.
SEC. CARTER: Well, the message to Russia about activities in Syria is what I've conveyed before, namely that their approach, which is to support Assad rather than a political transition, and meanwhile, fight the opponents of Assad of all different kinds -- is doomed to fail.
Why is it doomed to fail? Because it will only inflame -- I've used the phrase, "pour gasoline on the civil war of Syria."
Our approach is different. It is to pursue the defeat of ISIL and a political transition in Syria at the same time.
Russia seems to believe that you can have one without the other, and that's simply not realistic. So, theirs is not strategically well thought through, and is doomed to fail in its current form. If they can -- if they can and they're willing to adjust their approach, so that they're pursuing those two objectives simultaneously, we may be able to build a bridge to their position.
But right now, they're way off track.
With respect to the -- I don't want to leave to the Turkish government the issue of its airspace. That's obviously something that we're conferring with them about. And also, I will be -- since Turkey is a NATO ally, I'm sure discussed at the NATO ministerial coming up this week.
Q: And to the Spanish minister, since Spain has a Patriot battery in Turkey, what are your thoughts on this issue? I mean, do you think that NATO could be dragged into a conflict with Russia because of incursions in the airspace in Turkey or other actions?
MIN. MORENES: Well, we are in the -- in Turkey, with the Patriot battery, and that -- because of a conflict with Russia, we are very -- (inaudible) -- avoid a conflict with Syria. And Turkey, the preparation of Turkey, and following the instructions that we -- (inaudible) -- under the command of -- (inaudible) -- in NATO.
So, for us, in the situation, what has happened these days is an incident that will, hopefully never happen again. But what we are committed to do is to defend the Turkish preparation against attacks with missiles coming from Syria -- (inaudible) -- and for that, we have been -- (inaudible) -- where we continue, being that -- if the circumstances continue being like they are today -- (inaudible) -- we have been spoken about this.
And we had spoken about this, and we strongly believe that is an area, very sensitive, and we should keep an eye on our friends, our allies -- allies in Turkey, and Spain will continue facing its commitment towards NATO and towards Turkey.
Q: (UNTRANSLATED)
SEC. CARTER: I haven't made any specific request of Spain. In that regard, Spain is doing a very strong job already in both of those locations. That's something we constantly discuss, but I did not -- made any specific requests. Nor, to my knowledge, has anyone else of Spain in either of those situations.
And just to say again, we do very much appreciate what Spain is doing and has done, and is committed to continuing to do in both of those places, where we need the kind of strong solidarity that the United States and Spain have shown together for so long.
MIN. MORENES: Thank you.
SEC. CARTER: Thank you.
MIN. MORENES: (UNTRANSLATED)