'Take Steps To Lower Tensions'

Question: Very well. I don't know if you have anything fresh to say, frankly, about the violence which doesn't seem to stop, and now it's involved all sorts of people who couldn't possibly have anything to do with what happened.

Sean McCormack: Well, we --

Question: A lot of innocent bystanders.

Sean McCormack: We saw some violence occur, sadly, over the weekend which the Danish and Norwegian embassies in Damascus were burned. The Chilean embassy, I think, was damaged also. We saw also in Lebanon, in Beirut, the Danish embassy there burned. Now, I know that the Lebanese Government has expressed regret for that incident. The Minister of Interior, I believe, has resigned in the wake of that incident as well.

We condemn acts of violence related to this issue. Certainly we support peaceful expression, peaceful protest, as that is a fundamental right. But we strongly condemn acts of violence. We put -- the White House put out a statement with regard to Syria, the burning of the embassies in Damascus. I think that speaks for itself.

Question: All right. And is there any special diplomatic approaches involved here? Is there anything you can do quietly through diplomacy to try to reverse this tide?

Sean McCormack: Well, we did call in the Syrian Ambassador. David Welch, called in the Syrian Ambassador over the weekend to express our strong protest and condemnation of what happened in Syria. You know, Syria is a country where protests don't just occur spontaneously, certainly not of this sort, and not without the knowledge and support of the government. And to my knowledge, they have not expressed any regret or apology to either of those two governments for what's happened to their embassy.

Yes, Jonathan.

Question: Can I just follow up on that? I mean, you have -- am I right in saying -- condemned the publication, criticized the publication of the cartoons, but what about free speech and --

Sean McCormack: I'm not sure that that's what was said, Jonathan. I think we've said that we understood why many Muslims found the cartoons offensive. We found -- we talked about the fact that we found, on Friday, the cartoons offensive. But we also spoke out very clearly in support of freedom of the press. As to what appears in newspapers, what is broadcast over the air waves, those are decisions in free countries for a free media to make, for journalists as well as editors to make. So just you can finish your question but I just wanted to make clear what it is that we said on Friday.

Question: I mean, is there anything that you can do to support countries like Denmark that are facing these acts of violence?

Sean McCormack: Well, we put -- the White House put out a statement over the weekend talking about our support for the Danish Prime Minister and the statements that he has made on the subject. Secretary Rice has also spoken with the Danish and Norwegian foreign ministers over the weekend in the wake of the attacks on their embassy as well. What we can do is to speak out very clearly in support of freedom of expression, freedom of the press, and urge understanding and tolerance, tolerance not violence. And I think that is what you're hearing from many quarters around the world concerning this issue.

Yes.

Question: To follow up on Barry's question, do you have any other contact with some Arab countries you have good relations with, for an example Saudi Arabia or Kuwait, or do you have any special contact on that?

Sean McCormack: I'm sure that our embassies have been in contact with them on this issue. I don't have anything particular to report. Certainly we have spoken out many, many times, and I think our support for freedom of expression and nonviolent protest is well known. We certainly at this time urge governments to take any steps that they might to lower tensions concerning this issue, all the while recognizing that free speech is an important right. But along with free speech, that type of freedom of expression, comes responsibilities and we would condemn acts of -- any acts of violence that might be associated with this issue.

Question: Can we connect two of the dots there? Have you asked the Saudis, considering their position, their role in the area, the deference paid to them by Muslims generally, or at least Arab Muslims, have you asked the Saudis to lend a hand, to do anything to try to ease tensions?

Sean McCormack: Well, we think it's important for all governments -- you point out the Government of Saudi Arabia and there are many other leaders in the region who might take a leadership role in lowering tensions. Certainly the leaders of the Saudi Government might be some individuals who might fulfill that role. There are others -- others in the region who also might fill that role as well.

Question: Are you disappointed that they haven't been doing so?

Sean McCormack: As we said, we would call upon all governments to act in good faith to take steps to lower tensions on this issue. Certainly we have seen that there are some very raw emotions as a result of the publication of these particular cartoons. We -- certainly peaceful protests with respect to expressing a point of view, condemning those -- condemning the cartoons as something that is understandable, it's a right.

But when that turns to violence, that is where the problem lay and we would call upon governments to take steps to lower the tensions and, as I have said, that anytime you do have acts of violence of the sort that we have seen, we will come out and condemn those acts of violence.

Yes, sir.

Question: I'm from TV2 Denmark. Is there any supportive action from the U.S. Government that a staunch ally like the Danes, who have been supporting the U.S. in Iraq and Afghanistan, should expect -- I mean, supportive actions apart from kind words when its embassies are being burned down?

Sean McCormack: Well, we have stood shoulder to shoulder with Denmark in the wake of the violence against their embassies. It is a specific responsibility of a host state to provide the protection necessary for those foreign embassy compounds. That's a basic responsibility of any state that agrees to host an embassy. So we have stood shoulder to shoulder with Denmark on that issue.

As I said, Secretary Rice, over the weekend, called to express our thoughts to the Danish Foreign Minister and the fact that we stood with Denmark on this issue. And as I said before, in Lebanon, the Lebanese Government has said that they are taking -- going to take a look at the issue. They have apologized for the issue. The Minister of Interior has resigned. We haven't seen any such actions coming out of Syria, but we are -- the United States continues to appreciate the solidarity of the Danish people in the global fight against terrorism, including -- you mentioned -- in Iraq. They have taken a brave stance and we appreciate it.

Question: There has been some confusion in Denmark about the Friday statement from the State Department. Could you clarify if that statement came down on the side of freedom of speech or on the side of people who have been offended by the cartoons?

Sean McCormack: I don't know if you were at my briefing on Friday, but --

Question: I did.

Sean McCormack: -- I think it was very clear what I said and I'll refer you back to the transcript. Don't have anything to add.

Question: Any chance (inaudible) threats picked up against the United States or U.S. installations that you're going to let us know?

Sean McCormack: Barry, our folks are constantly doing threat assessments against our embassies and they're going to take whatever precautions they deem necessary in order to protect not only the facilities, but also our people stationed abroad.

Teri.

Question: Do you find any --

Question: Wait, can I follow up on that? Sorry, Teri. Just but as a result of the constant reassessment, has there been any action that any U.S. embassies have taken because of threats? I know you wouldn't want to be specific, but can you say that there were some or weren't any?

Sean McCormack: Well, I know, for example, on -- with respect to Saturday's events in Damascus, that our embassy took some additional steps in order to protect the facility and also to protect our people who are stationed over there. I don't know what -- if there are any continuing actions that they have taken, Charlie. Obviously, that's one example of when there is a threat, our security people overseas take steps to protect our facilities and protect our people.

Question: I'm just going to ask if you have any comment on the fact that Denmark is actually one of the most open countries in Europe in terms of Muslim immigrants. Do you find any particular misfortune in the fact that it's a country that actually was very welcoming to people of this faith? Does the fact it has such an open immigration policy give Denmark sort of more credibility in not -- in the fact that a country does not wish ill will to the Muslim faith?

Sean McCormack: In terms of how people interpret these cartoons, that is going to be for them to decide in terms of what particular motivations may or may not have been and what their reaction is, is of the cartoons. Certainly Denmark is a country well known for its freedoms and its openness and that's important and we're -- Denmark is a close friend and a close ally of the United States.

Yes.

Question: Should the countries where the cartoons are published apologize for printing them?

Sean McCormack: You know, it's -- in the places that I know of in Europe where these cartoons have been printed and reprinted, these are countries with free media and free press, freedom of the press. The governments in these countries don't control the printing presses. As for the decisions to print these, print the cartoons, print whatever images, whatever words may appear in the media, those who are the decisions of the journalists as well as their editors to make. It's not for the governments to make, certainly not for our government to decide what gets printed in American newspapers or is broadcast over American airwaves.