WEBVTT 00:06.650 --> 00:07.650 But in that , 00:13.420 --> 00:16.040 Baka , Prime Minister Baka , 00:17.209 --> 00:19.879 Secretary of Defense , ladies and 00:19.889 --> 00:22.479 gentlemen of the media , welcome to the 00:22.489 --> 00:26.190 press conference of the to leaders 00:26.200 --> 00:29.979 this afternoon . As you know , the 00:29.989 --> 00:31.989 leaders will start off with opening 00:31.989 --> 00:35.310 remarks before we open it up to the 00:35.319 --> 00:37.900 questions from the floor . And we also 00:37.909 --> 00:40.709 take this opportunity to welcome those 00:40.720 --> 00:42.619 who are with us through the live 00:42.630 --> 00:44.509 streaming of the Fiji government 00:44.520 --> 00:47.090 Facebook page . Welcome Baka . We'll 00:47.099 --> 00:49.210 start with the opening remarks of the 00:49.210 --> 00:50.599 honorable Prime Minister 00:53.069 --> 00:56.560 Secretary of Defense . Uh then we Lloyd 00:56.569 --> 01:00.369 Austin , um members of the Press corps , 01:01.569 --> 01:05.260 ladies and gentlemen , good morning 01:05.919 --> 01:09.139 and welcome to this uh post bilateral 01:09.949 --> 01:13.699 press conference . I'm 01:13.709 --> 01:17.620 sure you will agree that today marks a 01:17.629 --> 01:20.330 historic moment in the United States 01:20.360 --> 01:23.650 Fiji security relationship with his 01:23.660 --> 01:27.610 first ever visit by a United 01:27.620 --> 01:30.610 States Secretary of Defense 01:31.680 --> 01:34.769 to Fiji . And Fiji and the United 01:34.779 --> 01:37.510 States have a long standing bilateral 01:37.919 --> 01:40.910 defense and security relationship . So 01:40.919 --> 01:44.400 it's been uh my privilege and my 01:44.410 --> 01:47.720 honor to welcome the uh 01:48.779 --> 01:51.599 United States Secretary of Defense to 01:51.610 --> 01:54.919 this part of the world . You all pray 01:54.930 --> 01:58.330 that no pa uh it is 01:58.339 --> 02:00.709 not an indication that we are 02:02.629 --> 02:04.959 looking at some dangerous years ahead . 02:06.050 --> 02:09.330 We're here to talk about peace and how 02:09.339 --> 02:13.029 we guide and protect and promote that 02:13.039 --> 02:15.770 peace . It has been my privilege to 02:15.779 --> 02:18.699 welcome the Secretary General . Sorry , 02:18.720 --> 02:21.509 the uh Secretary Austin , he's a 02:21.520 --> 02:24.240 general . So I keep putting the , the 02:24.250 --> 02:27.410 general in and his deviation to assure 02:27.419 --> 02:31.089 us to discuss uh great issues of 02:31.100 --> 02:33.729 mutual importance to the two nations . 02:35.500 --> 02:38.369 And uh once again , welcome gentlemen . 02:45.149 --> 02:47.440 Our meeting today builds on a number of 02:47.449 --> 02:49.960 engagements that we have had with the 02:49.970 --> 02:53.589 United States this year including the 02:53.600 --> 02:56.350 signing of the new Fiji Us air 02:56.360 --> 02:59.539 Transport agreement in August in Tonga , 03:01.520 --> 03:03.576 the establishment of the USA Pacific 03:03.576 --> 03:05.409 Regional Office in Fiji with the 03:05.409 --> 03:07.353 signing of the bilateral framework 03:07.353 --> 03:10.940 agreement in October in Suva and the 03:10.949 --> 03:14.610 continuing close engagement and 03:14.619 --> 03:18.160 expansion with the peace Corps in Fiji 03:18.199 --> 03:21.839 and the region . These are Hallmark 03:21.850 --> 03:24.017 agreements between Fiji and the United 03:24.017 --> 03:25.960 States and it's indicative 03:27.929 --> 03:29.985 of the strength of the United States 03:29.985 --> 03:31.985 support towards Fiji's priorities . 03:32.880 --> 03:34.936 It's also very timely given that the 03:34.936 --> 03:37.047 Fiji government recently launched the 03:37.047 --> 03:40.339 Fiji National Development Plan NDP 03:40.360 --> 03:43.630 2025 to 2029 and vision 03:43.639 --> 03:47.380 2050 followed by own by our own 03:47.389 --> 03:50.360 foreign policy white paper in September 03:50.369 --> 03:54.229 of this year with these key 03:54.240 --> 03:57.759 policies in place . We welcome the 03:57.770 --> 03:59.937 active engagement of the United States 04:00.429 --> 04:02.485 and we look forward to continuing to 04:02.485 --> 04:05.559 work closely with the United States 04:05.570 --> 04:08.360 going forward , including with the new 04:08.369 --> 04:10.800 incoming Trump administration 04:13.020 --> 04:15.131 later today , we will see the signing 04:15.131 --> 04:17.298 of the acquisition and cross servicing 04:17.298 --> 04:19.600 agreement which will open doors in 04:19.609 --> 04:21.739 terms of the logistic support between 04:21.750 --> 04:25.000 Fiji . Fiji's Ministry of Home Affairs 04:25.010 --> 04:27.799 and Immigration and the United States 04:27.809 --> 04:31.390 Department of Defense . As the US is 04:31.399 --> 04:34.790 one of our longest standing defense 04:34.799 --> 04:38.369 partners , that agreement is a positive 04:38.380 --> 04:41.910 step towards a strengthened 04:41.920 --> 04:45.500 partnership . Fiji has benefited 04:45.510 --> 04:47.343 greatly from the US FI G defense 04:47.350 --> 04:50.809 relationship through many programs and 04:50.820 --> 04:53.679 joining and joint collaborations that 04:53.690 --> 04:55.980 has enabled us to protect our borders 04:56.320 --> 04:58.679 and uh marine resources and has 04:58.690 --> 05:02.390 assisted us in uh tackling transition 05:02.399 --> 05:05.769 uh transnational crimes . Today indeed 05:05.779 --> 05:09.040 marks another milestone in the Fiji 05:09.049 --> 05:11.609 United States relationship and we look 05:11.619 --> 05:13.940 forward to continued efforts to 05:13.950 --> 05:16.899 strengthen collaboration . And I thank 05:16.910 --> 05:18.130 you very much in our 05:21.480 --> 05:23.591 Mr Prime Minister . Uh thanks for the 05:23.591 --> 05:26.179 warm welcome and the Outstanding 05:26.190 --> 05:29.239 hospitality . And I'm very proud to be 05:29.250 --> 05:31.306 the first US Secretary of Defense to 05:31.306 --> 05:35.200 ever visit Fiji . It's an honor to be 05:35.209 --> 05:38.239 here . Our relationship is rooted in 05:38.250 --> 05:41.859 common values and our shared vision for 05:41.869 --> 05:45.579 free and open Indo Pacific . You 05:45.589 --> 05:48.390 know , the Indo Pacific is our priority 05:48.399 --> 05:50.779 theater and strengthening our 05:50.790 --> 05:52.959 partnerships with Fiji and other 05:52.970 --> 05:55.970 Pacific Island countries is vital to a 05:55.980 --> 05:59.589 free and open Indo Pacific . In our 05:59.600 --> 06:01.720 meeting today , we discussed the 06:01.730 --> 06:05.269 security environment and Fiji's role as 06:05.279 --> 06:07.899 a regional leader . We discussed how 06:07.910 --> 06:09.966 we're deepening our bilateral Cooper 06:09.966 --> 06:12.579 operation and this includes a new 06:12.589 --> 06:14.660 acquisition and cross servicing 06:14.670 --> 06:17.570 agreement and I'll sign that agreement 06:17.579 --> 06:19.746 with the Ministry for Home Affairs and 06:19.746 --> 06:23.089 immigration later today , this 06:23.100 --> 06:24.989 agreement will mean closer ties , 06:24.989 --> 06:27.049 closer logistics cooper between our 06:27.059 --> 06:30.010 forces including for humanitarian 06:30.029 --> 06:33.619 assistance and disaster relief . We're 06:33.630 --> 06:35.241 also announcing the start of 06:35.241 --> 06:37.186 negotiations on a status of forces 06:37.186 --> 06:40.529 agreement or sofa . Once complete , the 06:40.540 --> 06:43.100 sofa will expand our bilateral defense 06:43.109 --> 06:45.053 cooper operation through increased 06:45.053 --> 06:47.799 exercises and military to military 06:47.809 --> 06:51.720 engagements . We also covered the 06:51.730 --> 06:54.230 new security assistance that the United 06:54.239 --> 06:57.239 States is providing to Fiji including 06:57.250 --> 06:59.690 $4.9 million in foreign military 06:59.700 --> 07:01.690 financing pending congressional 07:01.700 --> 07:04.549 congressional approval . And finally , 07:04.559 --> 07:06.503 we discussed the unique and varied 07:06.503 --> 07:08.559 security challenges in the Pacific 07:08.570 --> 07:12.390 Islands region . Maritime security is 07:12.399 --> 07:15.260 essential . So I'm pleased that our 07:15.269 --> 07:17.970 first delivery of rigid hull inflatable 07:17.980 --> 07:20.529 boats will arrive in the next several 07:20.540 --> 07:24.170 months and soon after we'll deliver a 07:24.179 --> 07:26.250 new boat ramp to support maritime 07:26.260 --> 07:28.470 patrols like maritime patrols of your 07:28.480 --> 07:31.390 waters and we'll continue expanding our 07:31.399 --> 07:34.160 exercises and engagement together 07:34.959 --> 07:37.140 including through the annual cart rule 07:37.149 --> 07:38.927 exercise and through your close 07:38.927 --> 07:41.380 partnership with the Nevada National 07:41.390 --> 07:43.980 Guard . And later today , I'll meet 07:43.989 --> 07:47.529 with Secretary General Wang of the 07:47.540 --> 07:50.600 Pacific Islands Forum . This will be 07:50.679 --> 07:52.846 yet another opportunity to demonstrate 07:52.846 --> 07:54.846 America's growing commitment to the 07:54.846 --> 07:57.290 Pacific Islands . Mr Prime Minister , 07:57.299 --> 07:59.540 thanks again for your tremendous 07:59.549 --> 08:02.670 hospitality and I'm looking forward to 08:02.890 --> 08:05.750 advancing our close partnership and 08:05.760 --> 08:08.149 with that , we'll take some questions . 08:10.299 --> 08:12.466 Thank you , Secretary of Defense sir . 08:12.466 --> 08:14.649 You'll open up the question first to 08:14.660 --> 08:17.829 our Fijian colleagues , Laia from Fiji 08:17.839 --> 08:20.006 life . I think there's a microphone to 08:20.006 --> 08:22.359 your left . Your first question , 08:22.369 --> 08:23.369 please . 08:29.380 --> 08:31.436 Good morning , Prime Minister . Good 08:31.436 --> 08:34.039 morning , Secretary Austin 08:34.559 --> 08:37.090 Fiji has always considered climate 08:37.099 --> 08:41.008 change a national security and we 08:41.018 --> 08:43.828 have President elect Trump who 08:43.838 --> 08:47.189 considers uh climate change a hoax and 08:47.198 --> 08:49.708 who has also in the past pulled out of 08:49.718 --> 08:52.489 the Paris Accord . The question is , 08:52.669 --> 08:56.390 what does the Pacific who face real 08:56.400 --> 08:59.020 threats to their homeland expect real 08:59.830 --> 09:03.210 um leadership style from the US more so 09:03.280 --> 09:06.020 hard drugs . Um Methamphetamine has 09:06.030 --> 09:08.210 also become a serious issue in Fiji , 09:09.369 --> 09:12.840 particularly in Fiji in terms of 09:12.849 --> 09:15.510 technical support in the help to fight 09:15.520 --> 09:18.030 this epidemic . How does the US intend 09:18.700 --> 09:21.919 to assist Fijian authorities and to the 09:21.929 --> 09:25.500 Prime Minister um on the issue 09:25.510 --> 09:28.200 of immigration , have you considered 09:28.450 --> 09:31.570 Minister Tikun immediate stepping aside 09:32.049 --> 09:35.440 um in regards to uh what the issuance 09:35.450 --> 09:39.340 of um passports to grace roads ? Thank 09:39.349 --> 09:41.919 you , sir . Well , thanks for the 09:41.929 --> 09:45.119 question . Um And I can't tell you what 09:45.130 --> 09:48.950 the next administration uh will do in 09:48.960 --> 09:51.729 terms of policy adjustments or things 09:51.739 --> 09:53.961 of that nature . What I can tell you is 09:53.961 --> 09:56.128 that I'm , I'm absolutely proud of the 09:56.128 --> 09:57.906 work that we've done . Uh We've 09:57.906 --> 10:00.128 advanced uh things in a number of areas 10:00.130 --> 10:02.352 and we've strengthened our relationship 10:02.352 --> 10:04.408 and as you heard me just say , we're 10:04.408 --> 10:06.519 going to continue to invest uh in our 10:06.519 --> 10:09.280 relationship . Uh I think that's uh 10:09.760 --> 10:12.390 profoundly in both of our interests to 10:12.400 --> 10:14.622 continue to do so , to continue to work 10:14.622 --> 10:16.622 together and continue to strengthen 10:16.622 --> 10:19.059 relationship . Um I think our efforts 10:19.070 --> 10:21.299 to strengthen that relationship has 10:21.309 --> 10:23.900 made both of our countries uh safer and 10:23.909 --> 10:26.580 certainly promoted the interest of uh , 10:26.590 --> 10:28.812 of the people of Fiji and the people of 10:28.812 --> 10:31.099 the United States of America . I , I , 10:31.109 --> 10:34.239 and I truly believe that the strength 10:34.250 --> 10:37.659 of those relationships uh will 10:38.140 --> 10:41.309 endure far beyond uh 10:41.580 --> 10:44.070 transition of uh administrations . I 10:44.080 --> 10:46.270 think , you know , the United States 10:46.280 --> 10:49.929 enjoys uh the strongest um 10:51.489 --> 10:54.090 network of uh allies and partners in 10:54.099 --> 10:56.043 the world . You know , we have the 10:56.043 --> 10:58.210 largest network of allies and partners 10:58.210 --> 11:00.377 in the world and our relationship with 11:00.377 --> 11:00.250 allies and partners around the globe 11:00.260 --> 11:03.700 has uh has enabled us to uh to sustain 11:03.710 --> 11:07.190 our efforts uh and to uh and to endure 11:07.200 --> 11:09.859 uh a number of challenges globally . 11:09.969 --> 11:11.858 And I'm confident that our strong 11:11.858 --> 11:13.802 relationship that we have now will 11:13.802 --> 11:17.539 continue to blossom on our 11:17.549 --> 11:20.190 part . We uh we trust that the United 11:20.200 --> 11:24.169 States uh actions uh under whatever 11:24.179 --> 11:27.530 administration will dovetail well , 11:27.539 --> 11:29.595 with what we are trying to do in the 11:29.595 --> 11:32.890 Pacific . Uh Fiji will uh continue to 11:32.979 --> 11:35.799 uh advocate and look for support for 11:35.809 --> 11:39.369 the various programs that um 11:39.690 --> 11:42.849 come under the ambit of climate change . 11:43.140 --> 11:46.070 And I'm sure we will get uh good cooper 11:46.080 --> 11:48.419 operation from the United States of 11:48.429 --> 11:52.429 America on the uh the , 11:53.690 --> 11:56.929 the local issue on , on uh 11:56.940 --> 12:00.909 immigration . Uh that is a sad uh 12:00.929 --> 12:03.929 chapter and a sad uh uh 12:04.690 --> 12:07.109 reality of uh leadership and 12:07.119 --> 12:10.789 administration . And that uh one I will 12:11.190 --> 12:13.549 answer when uh I have the opportunity 12:13.559 --> 12:17.059 to talk to the acting Minister of uh 12:17.250 --> 12:19.969 Home Affairs and Immigration . Uh In 12:19.979 --> 12:23.099 the meantime , there has been uh some 12:23.109 --> 12:25.820 uh suspension of senior officials uh in 12:25.830 --> 12:29.039 relation to the , the Department of 12:29.049 --> 12:30.160 Immi of Immigration 12:33.979 --> 12:35.760 Moshe Gaines NBC News . 12:38.450 --> 12:40.394 Thank you both for doing this . Uh 12:40.394 --> 12:42.172 Secretary Austin , there's been 12:42.172 --> 12:44.228 reporting that a senior North Korean 12:44.228 --> 12:46.006 general was wounded in a recent 12:46.006 --> 12:48.339 Ukrainian strike . Can you confirm this ? 12:48.339 --> 12:50.506 And have you seen any indications that 12:50.506 --> 12:52.672 North Korean soldiers are currently in 12:52.672 --> 12:54.950 active combat against Ukrainian troops ? 12:54.950 --> 12:56.839 And then separately with the sofa 12:56.839 --> 12:58.783 agreement , in addition to growing 12:58.783 --> 13:01.006 exercises , can you elaborate at all on 13:01.006 --> 13:03.228 how the US force presence here may grow 13:03.228 --> 13:05.283 or change either permanently or on a 13:05.283 --> 13:07.450 rotational basis ? And have there been 13:07.450 --> 13:09.672 any specific requests or asks from Fiji 13:09.672 --> 13:11.172 in this regard ? Thank you 13:14.419 --> 13:17.809 uh regarding the uh injury of a 13:17.890 --> 13:21.500 senior North Korean official , I'm 13:21.510 --> 13:23.621 aware of the reporting most , but I'm 13:23.621 --> 13:25.950 not able to corroborate anything for 13:25.960 --> 13:28.609 you at this point in time in terms of 13:28.619 --> 13:31.770 whether or not the North Koreans have 13:31.780 --> 13:35.039 been actively engaged in combat while 13:35.049 --> 13:37.409 we've not seen significant reporting of 13:37.419 --> 13:40.979 that to date . I said a while a while 13:40.989 --> 13:43.200 ago , a couple of days ago that there 13:43.210 --> 13:46.580 are some 10,000 or so North Korean 13:46.590 --> 13:50.190 soldiers in the Kursk region and they 13:50.200 --> 13:52.330 were being integrated into the , the 13:52.340 --> 13:55.450 Russian formations and , and based upon 13:55.460 --> 13:57.571 what they've been trained on and what 13:57.571 --> 13:59.404 they , the way that they've been 13:59.404 --> 14:01.682 integrated into the Russian formations . 14:01.682 --> 14:04.349 I fully expect to see them engaged in 14:04.359 --> 14:06.429 combat soon . 14:07.270 --> 14:10.520 Regarding the sofa , the sofa 14:10.530 --> 14:14.380 will enable us to uh to 14:14.390 --> 14:18.369 deploy uh and , and redeploy forces uh 14:18.989 --> 14:21.780 in support of uh Fiji and , and help us 14:21.789 --> 14:24.130 train with the Fiji uh with the , with 14:24.140 --> 14:28.049 the Fijians are very uh uh on a very 14:28.059 --> 14:31.130 routine basis . I look for routine 14:31.140 --> 14:33.409 rotations , training rotations where 14:33.419 --> 14:36.650 possible to uh to be conducted . Uh 14:36.659 --> 14:39.169 There is no notion uh most of any 14:39.340 --> 14:41.690 permanent basing to be uh to be 14:41.700 --> 14:43.811 established here in Fiji . We did not 14:43.811 --> 14:45.978 have any , any discussions like that . 14:45.978 --> 14:48.710 So , but we do enjoy uh training with 14:48.719 --> 14:51.770 our uh our great partners here in , in 14:51.780 --> 14:53.947 Fiji and look forward to uh to more of 14:53.947 --> 14:57.080 that in the future . Our final question 14:57.090 --> 14:59.312 will go to Brad Denniston defense one . 15:01.739 --> 15:03.795 Thank you very much to you both . Um 15:03.795 --> 15:05.795 Secretary Austin . Uh This trip has 15:05.795 --> 15:08.017 seen many accomplishments . I wonder if 15:08.017 --> 15:09.906 you talk to us a little bit about 15:09.906 --> 15:12.128 things that you had hoped to accomplish 15:12.128 --> 15:14.350 but didn't manage to on this trip or in 15:14.350 --> 15:16.909 the region in general . Well , thanks . 15:16.919 --> 15:20.340 Um you know , this is my 12th trip to 15:20.349 --> 15:24.309 the region . And uh I think you've 15:24.320 --> 15:26.542 heard me say that every time we come to 15:26.542 --> 15:28.709 the region or every , every every time 15:28.709 --> 15:31.119 we travel , we have specific things uh 15:31.130 --> 15:33.200 that we set out to do and certainly 15:33.210 --> 15:35.840 that is the case with this visit . We 15:35.849 --> 15:38.109 accomplished uh those key things that 15:38.119 --> 15:40.750 we , we wanted to accomplish . But um 15:41.640 --> 15:44.070 you know , I , I would just point to 15:44.080 --> 15:46.191 the fact that in those 12 visits that 15:46.191 --> 15:48.609 we've made to the Indo Pacific , we 15:48.619 --> 15:51.609 have done a number of things that uh in 15:51.619 --> 15:53.619 some cases years ago would not have 15:53.619 --> 15:55.929 been imaginable . If you look at the , 15:56.090 --> 15:58.257 you know , the things that we're about 15:58.257 --> 16:00.423 to do , not only with Fiji , but , but 16:00.423 --> 16:02.534 also what we've done with Australia , 16:02.534 --> 16:06.369 Japan , Rok , uh Philippines , it , we 16:06.380 --> 16:08.669 really have accomplished a lot and 16:08.679 --> 16:11.099 we've been focused on working with the 16:11.109 --> 16:13.950 countries like-minded countries uh to 16:13.960 --> 16:17.760 promote a uh an open and 16:17.770 --> 16:19.830 secure Indo Pacific region where 16:19.840 --> 16:22.299 countries can protect their interests . 16:22.530 --> 16:26.469 Uh and , and also feel free to sail uh 16:26.479 --> 16:28.349 international waterways and fly 16:28.359 --> 16:30.479 international skies uh wherever 16:30.489 --> 16:32.590 international law allows . So , so 16:32.599 --> 16:35.400 we've accomplished a great deal and uh 16:35.409 --> 16:37.820 and again , I really have appreciated 16:37.830 --> 16:41.400 the ability uh to come to Fiji and uh 16:41.409 --> 16:45.130 not only uh close the uh A CSA 16:45.250 --> 16:47.472 agreement , which we've been working on 16:47.472 --> 16:50.000 for 10 years uh but also move forward 16:50.010 --> 16:52.232 as quickly as possible on the status of 16:52.232 --> 16:56.150 forces agreement . Ok . 16:57.070 --> 16:59.292 Well , again , we've accomplished a lot 16:59.292 --> 17:01.403 and uh we've , we've accomplished the 17:01.403 --> 17:03.570 things that we set out to accomplish . 17:06.030 --> 17:09.439 Good Prime Minister , sir , Secretary 17:09.449 --> 17:11.449 Austin . Thank you so much for your 17:11.449 --> 17:13.560 time . Uh All the questions have been 17:13.560 --> 17:15.560 answered uh from the media , uh 17:15.569 --> 17:19.459 representative and of Fiji as well as 17:19.469 --> 17:21.750 the American Media Corp . Thank you so 17:21.760 --> 17:24.189 much and go .