Placeholder Image

字幕列表 影片播放

  • >> President Obama: Good afternoon.

  • Bon après-midi.

  • Again, it's a great honor to welcome my friend

  • and partner, President Hollande,

  • back to the White House for this state visit.

  • It's always a pleasure to host François.

  • At Camp David two years ago, I was trying to make

  • the summit casual, and François -- in true French

  • style -- showed up in a necktie.

  • We tried to get him to take it off.

  • When I hosted him in Chicago for the NATO

  • summit, I thought he'd try some of our local

  • cuisine -- a Chicago-style hot dog.

  • I'm not sure he had one, but we do know that he has

  • sampled American fast food in the past, because this

  • happens to be the 40th anniversary of François's

  • first trip to America as a student.

  • And I understand he traveled across

  • our county studying the fast food industry.

  • So if back in 1974 you noticed a French guy

  • poking around your local McDonald's, that was him.

  • (Laughter)

  • Now he's back as the

  • 24th President of France.

  • And Michelle and I look forward to hosting him

  • tonight at a state dinner -- with a different kind

  • of American cuisine.

  • Alexis de Tocqueville -- that great son of France

  • who chronicled our American democracy --

  • wrote that even as we marvel at our freedom,

  • there's nothing harder than learning

  • how to use our freedom.

  • It's a lesson that our two countries have

  • learned over more than 200 years.

  • Standing together -- and using our freedom

  • to improve the lives of not only our citizens but

  • people around the world -- is what makes France

  • not only America's oldest ally,

  • but also one of our closest allies.

  • Our military and intelligence personnel

  • cooperate every day -- keeping our nations secure

  • and dealing with crises and challenges

  • from Africa to the Persian Gulf.

  • Our diplomats work side by side to help resolve

  • conflicts and promote peace, from Syria to Iran.

  • Our development experts help impoverished villages

  • boost their agriculture and lift themselves

  • out of poverty.

  • And this level of partnership across so many

  • areas would have been unimaginable even

  • a decade ago.

  • But it's a testament to how our two nations

  • have worked to transform our alliance.

  • And I want to salute President Hollande

  • for carrying this work forward.

  • François, you haven't just spoken eloquently about

  • France's determination to meet its responsibilities

  • as a global leader, you've also acted.

  • From Mali and the Central African Republic

  • to Syria and Iran, you have shown courage and resolve.

  • And I want to thank you for your leadership

  • and for being such a strong partner

  • to the United States.

  • And in that spirit, I'm grateful for the progress

  • that we've made today in four key areas.

  • First, we're standing shoulder to shoulder

  • on the key challenges to global security.

  • Our unity with our P5-plus-1 partners,

  • backed with strong sanctions, has succeeded

  • in halting and rolling back key parts

  • of the Iranian nuclear program.

  • We agree that next week's talks in Vienna will

  • be an opportunity for Iran to show that it is serious

  • about a comprehensive solution that assures the

  • world that its nuclear

  • program is for peaceful purposes only.

  • President Hollande and I agree on the need

  • to continue enforcing existing sanctions, even

  • as we believe that new sanctions during these

  • negotiations would endanger the possibility

  • of a diplomatic solution.

  • And we remain absolutely united on our ultimate

  • goal, which is preventing Iran from obtaining

  • a nuclear weapon.

  • Just as our unity on Syria -- and the credible threat

  • of force -- led to a plan for destroying Syria's

  • chemical weapons, we're united on what needs

  • to happen next there.

  • Syria must meet its commitments, and Russia

  • has a responsibility to ensure

  • that Syria complies.

  • And as talks continue in Geneva, we'll continue

  • to strengthen the moderate opposition,

  • and we call on the international community

  • to stem the flow of foreign fighters into Syria.

  • This week, we're working with our Security Council

  • partners to call for an end to indiscriminate

  • attacks on civilians and to ensure humanitarian

  • aid workers have unimpeded access to Syrians in need.

  • And we'll continue to work with France

  • and others to bolster our partners

  • in the region, including Lebanon.

  • More broadly, as Israelis and Palestinians move

  • forward with talks, we agree that France

  • and the European Union will have an important role

  • in supporting a final agreement.

  • And we also agreed to continue our cooperation

  • on Mali and the Central African Republic, where

  • leaders and communities need to show the courage

  • to resist further violence

  • and to pursue reconciliation.

  • Second key area -- as major trading partners,

  • we're working to boost exports and create jobs.

  • I'm pleased to announce that we're launching

  • a new economic dialogue to expand trade,

  • increase the competitiveness of our businesses,

  • spur innovation, and encourage new entrepreneurs.

  • And President Hollande's visit to Silicon Valley

  • this week underscores our commitment

  • to new collaborations in science and technology.

  • Related to this, we've agreed to continue

  • pursuing an ambitious and comprehensive

  • Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership.

  • I want to thank President Hollande for his

  • commitment to these negotiations.

  • We need to get this done because an agreement could

  • increase exports by tens of billions of dollars,

  • support hundreds of thousands of additional

  • jobs -- both in the United States

  • and the European Union -- and promote growth

  • on both sides of the Atlantic.

  • Number three, we've agreed to keep expanding the

  • cooperation and clean-energy partnerships

  • that make our countries leaders

  • in the fight against climate change.

  • And even as we take steps at home to reduce carbon

  • emissions, we'll work to help developing countries

  • move to low-carbon growth.

  • And next year's carbon climate conference

  • in France will be an opportunity

  • to forge a strong global agreement that reduces

  • greenhouse gas emissions through concrete actions.

  • And finally, we're moving forward together

  • on key global development initiatives: food security

  • and nutrition that can lift 50 million Africans

  • out of poverty; our determination

  • to replenish the Global Fund to fight AIDS, TB, and malaria --

  • and I'm pleased that we're joining with partners

  • around the world on a new global health security

  • effort to combat infectious diseases

  • and save lives.

  • So this is just some of the progress we're making

  • together, using our freedoms,

  • to borrow de Tocqueville's words, to advance security,

  • prosperity, and human dignity around the world.

  • And François, in this work,

  • I could not be more grateful for your partnership

  • and your friendship.

  • I especially want to thank you for honoring

  • our D-Day veterans today.

  • And I'm very pleased to announce that I have

  • accepted François's invitation and will travel

  • to France in June to mark

  • the 70th anniversary of D-Day.

  • I was there for the 65th anniversary and it was an

  • extraordinary experience.

  • I'm looking forward to returning to honor

  • our remarkable veterans and

  • to reaffirm this extraordinary alliance.

  • President Hollande.

  • >> President Hollande: (As interpreted)

  • Mr. President, dear Barack, you receive

  • me today as you had done the day after my election with

  • the same sincerity, with the same respect,

  • and with the same friendship for France.

  • You didn't know me back then -- I knew you.

  • There was a major difference there between

  • us because your election had been welcomed

  • in France, beyond any political views,

  • for it was a proof that America

  • was moving forward once more.

  • America was able to make something possible,

  • to make progress possible.

  • When you received me here, it was in Camp David.

  • Let's forget about the tie.

  • As you can see, I'm wearing a tie today.

  • But you welcomed me at a time that was challenging

  • for Europe because what was at stake was the very

  • existence of the Eurozone -- was the Eurozone going

  • to be able to come out of this doubt that prevailed

  • on the Eurozone and on financial markets.

  • And your call for solidarity

  • and for growth was heard, and was heard

  • and was extremely useful back then.

  • Since then, since this meeting in Camp David,

  • Europe has come out of its financial crisis.

  • It now has the relevant instruments

  • for stability and it has introduced banking union.

  • I also remember our meeting in Chicago.

  • I remember that in Chicago I had announced that

  • France would withdraw its combatting troops from

  • Afghanistan, but it wasn't an easy decision

  • to make and it wasn't an easy decision to understand.

  • And yet, you accepted.

  • And we remained in Afghanistan, in spite

  • of this, at a lower level to the level

  • we had anticipated in earlier times.

  • But you accepted this movement, all the more so

  • because this was part and parcel of a commitment I

  • had made before the French people,

  • similar to the one you made before the American people

  • when it came to Iraq.

  • You recalled our historic relations.

  • And I shall not mention again the warm reception

  • of yesterday at Monticello,

  • but I'd like today, here, to pay tribute to the American

  • Unknown Soldier fallen during World War II,

  • to the veterans -- American veterans of the Second

  • World War who enabled France to be liberated,

  • and, indeed, Europe.

  • We will commemorate the 70th anniversary

  • of D-Day landing.

  • I had invited you to come and join me

  • on the 6th of June, and you have just accepted this invitation,

  • which I welcome.

  • This will be a strong message because

  • we will commemorate the sacrifice made

  • by those soldiers, but we will also celebrate

  • reconciliation and peace.

  • This brings us back to our responsibilities

  • in terms of security.

  • France and the United States are two countries

  • which, due to their history, their place

  • in history, but also due to their seat

  • as permanent members

  • of the U.N. Security Council, can act on security throughout

  • the world for freedom, democracy,

  • the rule of law.

  • And this is precisely what France did, with the help

  • of our American friends, in Mali in order to make

  • it possible for Mali

  • to recover its territorial integrity.

  • This operation was successful, and it was

  • only successful because a decision was made

  • by the international community; it was successful because

  • Americans took part and because Europeans helped

  • as well as Americans, who also gave their support.

  • And a President has now been elected in Mali

  • and the Malian state has now found its authority again.

  • We also intervened in the Central African Republic

  • in a completely different context, admittedly,

  • but the idea was to prevent what could have been

  • a humanitarian disaster.

  • There had been already brutal actions that

  • affected a population that was already suffering

  • a great deal.

  • There are violence every day,

  • there are clashes every day.

  • But France does what it can with the help

  • of other European nations and with the help of Americans.

  • And this bears witness to an exceptional situation

  • in our history because our countries have always been

  • allies, have always been friends, but now we trust

  • each other in an unprecedented manner.

  • And this is characteristic of our personal

  • relationship but also of our goals -- common goals.

  • Barack Obama reminded us of our position on Syria.

  • We were prepared to resort to force.

  • But we found another option: negotiation.

  • We made it possible for part of the chemical

  • weapons stockpile to be destructed.

  • But we haven't found a political solution.

  • Geneva is a possible step in the right direction,

  • but we will have to make headway.

  • We will have to cooperate more, make sure

  • our services cooperate more.

  • We need to support the opposition.

  • We need to make sure that the choice is not between

  • dictatorship on the one hand and chaos

  • on the other -- chaos with

  • its lot of fundamentalists and extremists.

  • And we found this potential solution.

  • Identically, on the Iranian dossier,

  • we found common ground.

  • It's a challenging issue and finding a final

  • agreement will be challenging.

  • But the Iranian nuclear program has been

  • suspended, and this is precisely the outcome

  • of our collaboration -- collaboration between

  • France and the United States of America.

  • We also act in the Middle East, and I welcome the

  • American initiative to resume negotiations.

  • A framework of agreement needs to be signed now,

  • and France and Europe will certainly give their

  • support to that two-state solution.

  • We are also extremely attentive

  • to what happens in Lebanon.

  • Lebanon is a country with which France

  • has historic ties.

  • There again France and the United States stand side

  • by side in order to help this country resist this

  • massive inflow of refugees with this risk of clashes

  • that are ubiquitous and this risk

  • of return to civil war.

  • That is a reality.

  • So we need to support Lebanon and to make sure

  • that it is supported in its unity

  • and in its integrity.

  • We also help Jordan receive refugees.

  • So on all international issues we have convergent

  • views and we stand united.

  • Not that we never debate or that we never partly

  • disagree -- we might be allies and friends,

  • but we always respect each other's sovereignty.

  • That is a fundamental principle in our relation.

  • We also act on the economic front.

  • America experiences recovery in its growth

  • due to the policy and the political choices made,

  • due to steps made by the United States --

  • the United States of America

  • trust in innovation, energy.

  • It also benefits from a low cost

  • of energy and bold decisions.

  • This economic recovery in the United States is an

  • opportunity for Europe, but it also is an example

  • to be followed, a reference that should

  • encourage us to promote competitivity through the

  • necessary means, but also to promote

  • innovation and new energy.

  • And that is precisely the meaning of my visit

  • to the Silicon Valley tomorrow.

  • Finally, we agreed with our American friends

  • to sign a partnership agreement between Europe

  • and the United States with the best intentions

  • to open up markets, to remove NTBs

  • -- non-tariff barriers -- to make sure that the same

  • opportunities be offered to all companies so that

  • they can make proposals and tender for markets.

  • Of course, each country has its own position.

  • We all know what mandate was given

  • to the European Commission.

  • We all know how concerned we were when it came

  • to farming, agriculture or to cultural products.

  • But we really want to reach this agreement

  • because this agreement will contribute to growth.

  • Developing world trade in a balanced manner

  • is a precious contributing factor

  • to growth for companies.

  • And, now, climate change.

  • How not to mention climate change when France next

  • year will convene and host a conference?

  • It's not just about hosting a conference and

  • having our hotels full.

  • No, it's about defending a global --

  • reaching a global goal, because there is a danger.

  • We want a serious and comprehensive agreement,

  • one that will enable all countries

  • -- developing countries, developed countries --

  • to work together towards a number of common goals.

  • Food security, development, the struggle

  • against AIDS are three other issues on which

  • we work together.

  • But there are so many subjects I could mention.

  • And every single time I would mention one of those

  • issues I would have to bear witness of the

  • quality of our relations and of our trust,

  • including on the most delicate issues

  • and the most challenging ones.

  • I was referring to history earlier on.

  • It unites us.

  • Tocqueville is suddenly a reference.

  • Always a reference that is current in France:

  • How far can you go when it comes to equality and how far

  • can you go when it comes to freedom?

  • And the revolutionaries who wanted the

  • independence of America, those who wanted a

  • republic in France had this thing in common --

  • they wanted to be as bold as possible when it comes

  • to freedom and liberty, and they wanted to be as

  • respectful as possible when it comes to equality.

  • This is precisely what the American Dream is made

  • of -- and it is also what the French Dream is made of.

  • Even though many have their own little dream,

  • but the ambition remains exactly the same.

  • We want to be together again.

  • Thank you.

  • >> President Obama: We've got a couple

  • of questions each.

  • Let's start with -- where's Mark Landler?

  • There he is.

  • New York Times.

  • >> The Press: Good afternoon.

  • Both of you talked about Syria a good deal

  • in your opening remarks, and I wanted to ask

  • a bit about that.

  • The latest round of the Geneva II talks have

  • proven to be as unproductive

  • as the first round was.

  • The conventional -- the chemical weapons agreement

  • that you both alluded to has removed some weapons,

  • but by all accounts it's a small fraction

  • of the overall stockpile the Assad regime has,

  • and the Syrians have missed a couple of deadlines.

  • And as I don't need to tell you, the Syrian

  • regime is essentially starving thousands

  • of Syrians in Homs and elsewhere.

  • Everybody agrees that more pressure needs to be

  • brought to bear on the Assad regime to change

  • this deadly equation.

  • And so I wonder, beyond the general statements

  • you made, what additional, tangible steps

  • did you discuss in your meetings today to help the moderate

  • opposition to try to change that equation on

  • the ground?

  • And secondly, for Monsieur le Presidente, (speaks in French),

  • I forget my French,

  • I'm going to ask in English.

  • How is it okay for a trade delegation with 100 French

  • CEOs to travel to Tehran to explore business

  • opportunities when the P5 and the E3-plus-3 have

  • committed to maintaining the strength

  • and integrity of the sanctions regime?

  • Thank you.

  • >> President Obama: Why don't I take a stab first

  • at the Syria question?

  • We still have a horrendous situation

  • on the ground in Syria.

  • I don't think anybody disputes that.

  • And what is absolutely clear is that, with each

  • passing day, more people inside

  • of Syria are suffering.

  • The state of Syria itself is crumbling.

  • That is bad for Syria.

  • It is bad for the region.

  • It is bad for global national security, because

  • what we know is, is that there are extremists who

  • have moved into the vacuum in certain portions

  • of Syria in a way that could threaten

  • us over the long term.

  • So this is one of our highest national security

  • priorities, and I know that François feels the

  • same way, and many of our European partners

  • as well as our partners in the region feel the same way.

  • The Geneva process recognizes that

  • if we're going to solve this problem, then we have

  • to find a political solution.

  • And the first Geneva conference committed

  • to a transition process that would preserve and protect

  • the state of Syria, would accommodate the various

  • sectarian interests inside of Syria so that

  • no one party was dominant, and would allow us to return

  • to some semblance of normalcy and allow

  • all the people who have been displaced

  • to start moving back in.

  • We are far from achieving that yet.

  • I would not completely discount

  • the fact that in this latest round of negotiations

  • what you saw was a coherent, cohesive, reasonable opposition

  • in the same room for the first time negotiating

  • directly with the regime.

  • Now, the regime -- Assad's regime

  • wasn't particularly responsible.

  • And I think even some of their patrons were

  • disturbed by their belligerence.

  • But we are going to continue to commit

  • to not just pressure the Assad regime, but also

  • to get countries like Russia and Iran to recognize that

  • it is in nobody's interest to see the continuing

  • bloodshed and collapse that's

  • taking place inside that country.

  • Now you ask tangible steps that we can take.

  • Both France and the United States continue to support

  • a moderate opposition.

  • We are continuing to provide enormous amounts

  • of humanitarian aid.

  • One of the problems we have right now

  • is humanitarian access to deliver that aid.

  • And as we speak, today in the U.N.

  • Security Council, we will be debating a resolution

  • that would permit much greater access

  • for humanitarian aid workers to get food, water,

  • shelter, clothing, fuel to people who need it.

  • Now, there is great unanimity among most

  • of the Security Council on this resolution.

  • Russia is a holdout.

  • And Secretary Kerry and others have delivered

  • a very direct message to the Russians that they cannot

  • say that they are concerned about the

  • well-being of the Syrian people when there are

  • starving civilians, and that it is not just

  • the Syrians that are responsible; the Russians,

  • as well, if they are blocking

  • this kind of resolution.

  • So that is an example of the kinds of diplomatic

  • work that we are engaging in right now.

  • But, Mark, nobody is going to deny that there's

  • enormous frustration here.

  • And I think the underlying premise to the question

  • may be is there additional direct action or military

  • action that can be taken that would resolve the

  • problem in Syria.

  • I've said throughout my presidency that I always

  • reserve the right to exercise military action

  • on behalf of America's

  • national security interests.

  • But that has to be deployed wisely.

  • And I think that what we saw with respect to the

  • chemical weapons situation was an example of the

  • judicious, wise use of possible military action.

  • In partnership with France, we said we would

  • be prepared to act if Syria did not.

  • Syria and Russia came to the conclusion that they

  • needed to for the first time acknowledge the

  • presence of chemical weapons and then agree

  • to a very extensive deal

  • to get those chemical weapons out.

  • You're right that so far they have

  • missed some deadlines.

  • On the other hand, we've completely chronicled

  • all the chemical weapons inside of Syria.

  • A portion of those chemical weapons

  • have been removed.

  • There's been a reaffirmation

  • by the Syrians and Russia that all of it has

  • to be removed, and concrete steps are being

  • taken to remove it.

  • And we will continue to keep the pressure on.

  • But we now have a U.N.

  • mandate with consequences if there's a failure --

  • something that we did not have before.

  • Whether we can duplicate that kind of process when

  • it comes to the larger resolution of the problem,

  • right now we don't think that there is a military

  • solution, per se, to the problem.

  • But the situation is fluid, and we are

  • continuing to explore every possible avenue

  • to solve this problem, because it's not just

  • heartbreaking to see what's happening to the

  • Syrian people, it's very dangerous

  • for the region as a whole, including friends and allies and

  • partners like Lebanon or Jordan that are being

  • adversely impacted by it.

  • Let me just make one last comment with respect to

  • the Iran sanctions.

  • We have been extraordinarily firm that

  • even during this interim agreement, we will fully

  • enforce all applicable sanctions.

  • In fact, we have taken various steps just over

  • the last six, seven weeks to identify companies that

  • we felt were violating those sanctions and have

  • been very clear to the Iranians that there's

  • not going to be any let-up.

  • In discussions with President Hollande,

  • he feels the same way, as do all the P5-plus-1 members.

  • And so businesses may be exploring are there

  • some possibilities to get in sooner rather than later

  • if and when there is an actual agreement

  • to be had, but I can tell you that they do so at their

  • own peril right now because we will come down

  • on them like a ton of bricks with respect to the

  • sanctions that we control, and we expect full

  • compliance with respect to the P5-plus-1

  • during this interim.

  • We don't want new sanctions because the ones

  • we have in place are already squeezing Iran and

  • brought them to the table, but we also want to send

  • a message to the Iranians that if they don't resolve

  • this broader issue of their nuclear program that

  • there will be consequences and that the sanctions

  • regime not only will stay in place but will likely

  • be tightened in the event that these talks fail.

  • >> President Hollande: Barack gave you a very

  • comprehensive answer, so I shall now sketch the

  • French approach on the issues that were

  • mentioned only in a few words.

  • First of all, Geneva II -- the only purpose of this

  • conference is to make

  • political transition possible.

  • It's not about discussing

  • humanitarian measures only.

  • It's all about making sure that a political change

  • be possible, which eventually will have

  • to take place in Syria.

  • We encouraged the democratic opposition

  • to go to Geneva and to demonstrate that

  • they are prepared to commit themselves

  • to this process and to this approach.

  • And if some of them are blocking, there's no prize

  • for guessing who it is -- it is the Syrian regime.

  • One other observation, a conclusion,

  • as a matter of fact -- we should help along the humanitarian

  • situation, and that is why

  • a resolution will be voted at the NUSC.

  • And we will see again who speaks clearly

  • on the issue of the Syrian question

  • and who is partisan.

  • How you can object to humanitarian corridors?

  • Why would you prevent the vote of a resolution if,

  • in good faith, it is all about saving human lives?

  • So we decided to go all the way and

  • to get these clarifications.

  • Third question -- the

  • chemical weapons stockpile.

  • Barack Obama and myself, when we were presented

  • with a proof of the use that had been made by the

  • Assad regime of chemical weapons, we decided that

  • resorting to force was an option.

  • And it is precisely because we made this

  • decision that the option of a negotiation

  • was also kept on the agenda.

  • It is precisely for that reason that President

  • Putin made this offer in circumstances

  • you are all familiar with.

  • This led to the destruction of some

  • of the chemical weapons.

  • But I agree with you, it is a very long-winded

  • process, it's only partial destruction, and it

  • certainly doesn't go nearly far enough.

  • So rules were adopted, particularly within

  • the framework of the Security Council resolution,

  • in case of non-observants.

  • And we shall resort to these measures

  • and enforce them.

  • Chemical weapons have to be destroyed fully,

  • and pressure will be exerted fully.

  • And then there are choices.

  • We chose to support the democratic position.

  • We chose to make sure that the democratic opposition

  • is an alternative, even though negotiations will

  • have to take place at the Geneva Conference.

  • You asked me a question about French businessmen

  • in Iran, that trip to Iran.

  • For those of you who are unfamiliar

  • with the French situation, the President of the Republic

  • is not the President of the Employers Union in France --

  • and he certainly doesn't wish to be.

  • And I don't think anyone wishes for him to be so.

  • So companies just make those decisions when

  • it comes to traveling.

  • But I certainly let them know that sanctions

  • were in force and would remain in force.

  • And if contacts were to be made with a view

  • to a new situation in Iran, a situation where Iran would

  • have renounced the nuclear weapon fully

  • and comprehensively -- well,

  • unless such a new situation would prevail, no commercial

  • agreement could be signed.

  • That's what I told French businessmen and they are

  • very much aware of the situation.

  • And as far as sanctions are concerned, they will

  • only be lifted if and when there

  • is a definite agreement.

  • And during this period of an interim agreement, they

  • remain in force.

  • A French question, perhaps now?

  • Le Figaro.

  • >> The Press: You hav actually praised France

  • very warmly today and granted our President

  • the first state visit of your second term.

  • Does that mean that France has become the best

  • European ally of the U.S.

  • and has replaced Great Britain in that role?

  • >> President Obama: Oh, goodness.

  • (Laughter)

  • >> The Press: And if so, why not extend

  • to France the no-spying agreement that you have

  • with England after the big scandal

  • of the NSA's surveillance program?

  • (As interpreted) And, Mr. President,

  • you praised the Excellency

  • of the Franco-American cooperation.

  • But on Iran, are there differences in terms

  • of analysis between France and America

  • on the necessity to have an ambitious agreement?

  • Do you fear that Americans will be prepared

  • to make too many concessions?

  • Thank you.

  • >> President Obama: First of all,

  • I have two daughters.

  • (Laughter)

  • And they are both gorgeous and

  • wonderful, and I would never choose between them.

  • And that's how I feel about

  • my outstanding European partners.

  • All of them are wonderful in their own ways.

  • Now, to the serious part of the question,

  • what I do believe is, is that the U.S.-French alliance

  • has never been stronger.

  • And the levels of cooperation that we're

  • seeing across a whole range of issues

  • is much deeper than it was I think 5 years ago,

  • 10 years ago, 20 years ago.

  • And that's good for France, it's good for the

  • United States, it's good for the world,

  • because we share certain values and certain commitments

  • and are willing to act on behalf of those

  • commitments and values.

  • With respect to the NSA, obviously I expressed my

  • strong commitment to making sure that our rules

  • and how we approach intelligence and

  • surveillance, not just here in the --

  • not just with respect to any particular country but

  • worldwide, that we do it in a way that takes into

  • account the incredible changes in technology and

  • the new capacities that have evolved over

  • the last several years.

  • And the first place that we look to in terms

  • of how do we make sure that our rules are compatible with

  • our partnerships and our friendships and our

  • alliances were countries like France that have been

  • long-time allies of ours and some

  • of our closest partners.

  • It's not actually correct to say that we have

  • a "no-spy agreement" with Great Britain.

  • That's not actually what happens.

  • We don't have -- there's no country where

  • we have a no-spy agreement.

  • We have, like every other country, an intelligence

  • capability, and then we have a range

  • of partnerships with all kinds of countries.

  • And we've been in consultations with

  • the French government to deepen those commitments.

  • At the same time, what I've also said,

  • both publicly and privately -- and I want to reiterate

  • today to the French press -- is that we are

  • committed to making sure that we are protecting

  • and concerned about the privacy rights

  • not just of Americans, not just of our own citizens,

  • but of people around the world as well.

  • That's a commitment, by the way, that's fairly

  • unprecedented in terms of any

  • country's intelligence operations.

  • And what we've said is, is that we are putting rules

  • in place so that we're not engaging in what some

  • of the speculation has been.

  • When it comes to ordinary citizens in France, we are

  • respectful of their privacy rights, and we are

  • going to make sure that our rules are abiding by

  • concerns about those privacy rights.

  • We do remain concerned, as France is and as most

  • of the EU is, with very specific potential

  • terrorist networks that could attack

  • us and kill innocent people.

  • And we're going to have to continue to be robust

  • in pursuit of those specific leads and concerns, but we

  • have to do it in a way that is compatible with

  • the privacy rights that people in France rightly

  • expect just like they do here in the United States.

  • And the last point -- just because I know you asked

  • it of President Hollande, but I want to go ahead

  • and comment on this -- the reason Iran

  • is at the table is because we have a very high threshold

  • in terms of what we expect out of Iran to prove

  • to us that they're not pursuing nuclear weapons.

  • And we were able to stitch together an international

  • coalition to apply sanctions to make sure

  • that would be the case.

  • I don't think the concern during the course of these

  • negotiations is whether or not we are going

  • to be making too many concessions.

  • I think the concern is going to be whether

  • or not Iran can recognize the opportunity to prove

  • in a verifiable fashion to the world,

  • in ways that scientists and technical experts can confirm,

  • that any nuclear program they have

  • is for peaceful purposes.

  • And the facts are what

  • will guide these negotiations.

  • If they meet what technically gives

  • us those assurances then there's a deal

  • to be potentially made; if they don't, there isn't.

  • And it's not subject to a whole

  • lot of interpretation.

  • There are some judgment issues involved, but part

  • of the reason we're where we are right now

  • is because Iran hasn't been able to give those

  • assurances to anybody in the international

  • community that they weren't pursuing

  • a nuclear weapon.

  • That's why there was such unanimity

  • in applying the sanctions and keeping them in place.

  • >> President Hollande: In response to

  • your first question -- well, I have four children,

  • so that makes it even more difficult

  • for me to make any choice at all.

  • But we're not trying to be anyone's favorite.

  • There are historic links, we share common values,

  • and I can see that views converge on many issues.

  • But it's not about hierarchy.

  • It's just about being useful to the world,

  • because the friendship between the United States

  • and France is not just about strengthening

  • our ties -- economic ties, cultural or personal ties

  • -- and that already would be a great deal.

  • It's not just about bringing our two societies

  • closer to one another.

  • It's not just about sharing technology -- no.

  • What makes this friendship between the United States

  • and France is the fact that we can hold values at

  • a specific point in time with this American

  • presidency and with this French presidency,

  • if I may say so.

  • With regards to Iran, your second question,

  • just as the United States, we wanted to work on the

  • basis of the P5 scenario.

  • This was the basis of our action.

  • Nothing prevented us from having bilateral contacts,

  • and I had some bilateral contacts; in New York,

  • during the UNGA, I received President Rouhani

  • during the General Assembly.

  • So it is perfectly legitimate

  • for discussions to take place.

  • However, we had to meet together in order

  • to be strong together and in order to make sure that

  • our toughness brings about this interim agreement --

  • which it did.

  • But there is still work to be done.

  • Just because we signed an interim agreement

  • for a few months doesn't mean that there

  • is no longer an Iranian problem.

  • There is an Iranian problem, for we need

  • to make sure that Iran renounces the nuclear

  • weapon in a definite and comprehensive manner.

  • The NSA now.

  • I was going to say the question wasn't asked

  • to me, but President Obama answered the question,

  • so I'll answer the question too, even though if you

  • choose to ask me a more specific question,

  • I can be more precise.

  • But following the revelations that appeared

  • due to Mr. Snowden, we clarified things,

  • President Obama and myself clarified things.

  • This was in the past.

  • And then we endeavored towards cooperation.

  • We wanted to fight against terrorism.

  • But we also wanted to meet a number of principles.

  • And we are making headway in this cooperation.

  • Mutual trust has been restored, and that mutual

  • trust must be based on respect for each other's

  • country, but also based on the protection

  • of private life, of personal data; the fact that any

  • individual, in spite of technological progress,

  • can be sure that he is not being spied on.

  • These are principles that unite us.

  • >> President Obama: National Public Radio.

  • >> The Press: Thank you very much.

  • Mr. President, yesterday your administration

  • again delayed the ACA employer mandate

  • for mid-sized companies.

  • Last week, your economic advisor, Jason Furman,

  • talked about the new choices that people have

  • to find health care outside the workplace.

  • I wonder if you could first explain the delay

  • and then also talk about whether

  • over the long term you see a future where health insurance

  • is less tied to the workplace.

  • >> President Obama: Well --

  • >> The Press: And if I may --

  • >> President Obama: Oh, I'm sorry.

  • >> The Press: -- for President Hollande,

  • you both talked about the pursuit

  • of the Transatlantic Trade Agreement.

  • I wonder if you have followed the domestic

  • battle here over fast track authority,

  • and if that raises questions in your mind about whether

  • such a deal could be ratified.

  • >> President Obama: The announcement yesterday

  • was fairly straightforward.

  • The overwhelming majority of firms in this country

  • already provide health insurance to their

  • employees and are doing the right thing.

  • The small percentage that do not, many of them

  • are very small and are already exempted by law.

  • So you have just this small category

  • of folks who don't provide health insurance,

  • weren't exempted by law.

  • They are supposed to make sure that they meet their

  • responsibilities so that their employees aren't

  • going to the emergency room jacking up everybody

  • else's cost, and the employers

  • end up not having any responsibility for that.

  • What we did yesterday was simply to make

  • a adjustment in terms of their compliance,

  • because for many of these companies, just the

  • process of complying -- they're mid-sized, between

  • 50 and 100 folks -- it may take them some time,

  • even if they're operating in good faith.

  • And we want to make sure that the purpose of the

  • law is not to punish them, it's simply to make sure

  • that they are either providing health insurance

  • to their employees, or that they're helping

  • to bear the costs of their employees

  • getting health insurance.

  • And that's consistent, actually,

  • with what we've done in the individual mandate.

  • The vast majority of Americans

  • want health insurance.

  • Many of them couldn't afford it;

  • we provide them tax credits.

  • But even with the tax credits, in some cases

  • they still can't afford it, and we have hardship

  • exemptions, phase-ins, to make sure that nobody

  • is unnecessarily burdened -- that's not the goal.

  • The goal is to make sure that folks are healthy

  • and have decent health care.

  • And so this was an example of, administratively,

  • us making sure that we're smoothing out this

  • transition, giving people the opportunities

  • to get right with the law, but recognizing that there

  • are going to be circumstances in which people are trying

  • to do the right thing and it may take

  • a little bit of time.

  • Our goal here is not to punish folks.

  • Our goal is to make sure that we've got people who

  • can count on the financial security

  • that health insurance provides.

  • And where we've got companies that want

  • to do the right thing and are trying to work with us,

  • we want to make sure that we're working

  • with them as well.

  • And that's going to be our attitude about

  • the law generally -- how do we make it work

  • for the American people and for their employers

  • in an optimal sort of way.

  • What was the second part

  • of that health care question?

  • >> The Press: Long term?

  • >> President Obama: Long term in terms

  • of employer-based.

  • Well, look, we have a unique system compared to

  • many parts of the world, including France,

  • where, partly because of historical accident and

  • some decisions that FDR made during wartime back

  • in World War II, our health care has been much

  • more tied to employers.

  • That's not the case in most

  • other developed countries.

  • It has worked for a long time, but what

  • is also true is that it has meant for a lot

  • of U.S. companies a greater burden, more costs

  • relative to their international competitors.

  • That's a challenge.

  • It's also meant that folks who were self-employed,

  • for example, or were independent contractors

  • weren't always getting the same deal

  • as somebody who had a job.

  • It meant that folks who worked for small

  • businesses sometimes had more trouble getting

  • decent premiums and decent rates

  • than folks with large companies.

  • So it just created a great amount

  • of unevenness in the system.

  • I don't think that an employer-based system is

  • going to be, or should be, replaced anytime soon.

  • But what the Affordable Care Act does

  • do is it gives people some flexibility.

  • It says if I'm working at a big company like IBM

  • or Google, and I decide I want to start my own

  • company that I'm not going to be inhibited from

  • starting a new company because I'm worried

  • about keeping health insurance for myself and my family.

  • I can go make that move.

  • If I'm a woman who is -- and I'd really like

  • to work with him on the farm, but we can't afford health

  • insurance on our own, so I've been working

  • at the county clerk's office for the last 10 years --

  • now maybe I've got the opportunity to no longer

  • work in a different job and instead work

  • on that farm and increase the likelihood of economic

  • success for my family.

  • So it's giving people more flexibility

  • and more opportunity to do what makes sense for them.

  • And ultimately I think that's going

  • to be good for our economy.

  • But we understood from the state that there were

  • going to be some challenges

  • in terms of transition.

  • When you've had one system where a whole

  • lot of people did not have any health insurance

  • whatsoever for a very long period of time,

  • and we finally passed a law to fix that, we knew that

  • there were going to be some bumps

  • and transitions in that process.

  • And that's what we're working with

  • all the stakeholders involved to address.

  • >> President Hollande: The question on the TTIP, the

  • trade partnership, you wanted to know when

  • this partnership would be signed.

  • Well, we discussed it with President Obama.

  • I'm aware of the debate that

  • is currently underway in Congress.

  • But as long as principles have been set up, as long

  • as mandates have been decided and the interests

  • of everyone are known, speed

  • is not of the essence.

  • What we need is to find a solution.

  • Of course a speedy agreement would

  • be a good thing because otherwise there will

  • be fears and threats.

  • So if we act in good faith, if we respect each

  • other, and if we want to promote growth,

  • as we said a few moments ago, well, we can go faster.

  • >> The Press: Since last year, foreign investments

  • in France have been crumbling,

  • and we are not benefiting in France from the world recovery.

  • President Obama, do you think that Mr. Hollande

  • doesn't do much to encourage American

  • investors to invest in France?

  • And, Mr. Hollande, you will meet businessmen.

  • For them, you are a socialist, you think that

  • the world of finance is an enemy,

  • and you tax wealth at 75 percent.

  • So how on earth are you going to convince

  • businessmen here?

  • And what will you tell Pierre Gattaz, the head

  • of the employee's union in France, who said here

  • in Washington that he wanted no compensation

  • for the labor cost cuts?

  • >> President Obama: It's good to know that

  • reporters have something in common

  • in France and the United States.

  • (Laughter)

  • >> President Hollande: These would be?

  • Which one would these be?

  • >> President Obama: I think that

  • all of us were traumatized by the crisis of 2007-2008.

  • And the United States has to take responsibility

  • for its role in that crisis.

  • We made some quick decisions that allowed

  • us to stabilize the financial markets and begin the long

  • process of recovery, but it was painful,

  • it was slow.

  • And it was only because of the incredible resilience

  • of the American people and our businesses,

  • as well as, I believe, some well-timed policies that

  • we were able to begin a growth process that

  • we've now sustained for some time.

  • And we've brought our unemployment rate down.

  • But Europe has a different set of challenges because

  • of the Eurozone, because of the nature of a shared

  • currency but not completely shared

  • governance and supervisory authorities.

  • That has created some particular difficulties

  • that François and others have had to deal with that

  • we did not have to deal with as a country with

  • a reserve currency that could

  • make some independent choices.

  • Despite that, I think Europe actually has made

  • enormous strides over the last year.

  • France, in particular, has taken some tough

  • structural reforms that I think are going

  • to help them be more competitive in the future.

  • I think all of us in the developed world are having

  • to balance the need for growth and

  • competitiveness, to be -- what we say in America --

  • lean and mean, and make sure that we are

  • maximizing efficiency as well as innovation,

  • but also do it in a way that allows for the benefits

  • of growth to be broad-based and so that workers

  • are all benefiting from some sense of security and

  • decent wages and rising incomes and the ability

  • to retire securely.

  • And so each country is going

  • to have different circumstances.

  • The kinds of reforms we need in this country right

  • now revolve around things like investing

  • in infrastructure, where we have not made the kind

  • of strides that I'd like us to see and would actually

  • boost growth even faster.

  • We're going to have to invest in skills training,

  • which every country is going to have to do,

  • because businesses will locate where they think

  • they've got the most capable,

  • most highly skilled workers.

  • We still have to do more on the innovation front.

  • As innovative as we are, I think we're still

  • underinvesting in research and development.

  • So America has some inherent strengths

  • but we also have some areas where

  • we've got to make progress.

  • And I think François would be the first

  • to say that France is in the same position.

  • I would certainly encourage American

  • companies to look at opportunities

  • for investment in France.

  • I'd encourage them even more

  • to look at opportunities to invest money back

  • in the United States.

  • And I would welcome any French companies

  • who want to come here to do business.

  • But one of the great things about our

  • commercial relationship, which is also part

  • of the reason why I think the Transatlantic Trade

  • Partnership could be valuable, is a lot of the

  • growth is in small and medium-size businesses

  • and they are the ones who could stand

  • to benefit greatly from export.

  • They don't have the ability to decide where

  • to be invest; they're going

  • to be in their home countries.

  • If we can open up trade opportunities for them --

  • because they don't have a lot of lawyers,

  • they don't have a lot of accountants, they can't move

  • locations and open up new plants in different places --

  • if we expand trade opportunities for them, that can mean

  • jobs and growth in France; it can mean jobs and

  • growth here in the United States.

  • And so I'm hopeful that we can get this deal,

  • which will be a tough negotiation,

  • but I'm confident we can actually get it done.

  • >> President Hollande: France is one of the

  • world's countries that receives the largest

  • amount of foreign investments, one of the

  • world countries that is the most open

  • to foreign capital.

  • And I want to strengthen and enhance this

  • attractiveness of France.

  • If you look at physical investments,

  • real investments -- not just financial investments,

  • not transfers between companies --

  • if you look at genuine investments,

  • tangible investments in France,

  • factories, job creation -- well,

  • in spite of the crisis, in 2013, we maintained the level

  • of investment in France, which bears witness

  • to the confidence in France, in France's talent,

  • know-how, companies.

  • And this is nothing new.

  • There are more than 2,000 American companies

  • that work in France, employing 500,000 people

  • in my country.

  • And the United States of America

  • is one of the main investors in France.

  • And I hope that this trend will be confirmed

  • and strengthened in the future.

  • And Barack is perfectly right --

  • I have nothing to fear from French investments here

  • in the United States.

  • There are many French companies here in the

  • United States, and they create 500,000

  • jobs -- not all in the Silicon Valley; everywhere

  • in the United States.

  • And when talents come and invest in the U.S., well,

  • this is good for the United States

  • and this is good for France.

  • I don't have this vision of focusing on protection

  • and blaming anyone who invests abroad, because

  • that won't bring about new technologies and know-how.

  • And it will be useful, especially

  • if they come back.

  • So we need to make efforts when

  • it comes to attractiveness.

  • And soon I shall invite many foreign companies

  • to take part in an "attractivity council,"

  • which we call the Invest in France Council,

  • to see what can be done to improve the situation

  • in France, including when it comes to tax stability,

  • for this what is very often referred to --

  • or the stability of rules, because companies want

  • visibility, first and foremost.

  • But American companies that have operations

  • in France ask them why they stay,

  • why they invest in France.

  • Well, it is precisely because they find French

  • society particularly welcoming for them.

  • You also asked me a question on a statement

  • that was made by Mr. Gattaz, the employers

  • union president, on what I called

  • the "responsibility pact."

  • Well, this sound has nothing

  • to do with the declaration of a statement.

  • What is the responsibility pact?

  • I'm explaining mostly to American journalists

  • because French journalists are familiar with it.

  • This responsibility pact is about mobilizing the

  • entire country to reach one goal.

  • Barack Obama mentioned the American economy's

  • resilience following the crisis.

  • Well, there comes a point where, after an ordeal,

  • you have to be stronger than you were before

  • the ordeal, before the crisis.

  • You need to be able to mobilize

  • more strength, more energy.

  • You need to be able to make sure that the economy

  • focuses not on what it was before,

  • but on what will be after.

  • This is precisely what is at the very root

  • of this recovery in the American economy.

  • Companies mobilized their workers to go ahead --

  • and this is precisely the spirit of this

  • responsibility pact -- we have modernized

  • our labor markets, we have modernized

  • and updated vocational training.

  • There's a whole list of things that we have done

  • and are doing, but there are other things

  • we can do.

  • We want to strengthen competitivity,

  • lower labor costs, streamline regulations, create more

  • visibility in terms of tax regime.

  • But everyone has to do its bit.

  • The state is going to make an effort.

  • There are tax breaks that have already been granted.

  • We also need to look at fiscal policies in order

  • to have sufficient room for maneuver,

  • and commitments will have to be made.

  • But these commitments need to be shared by companies

  • and businesses in order to create jobs,

  • in order to improve vocational training, to fight against

  • the outsourcing of activities,

  • to promote investments.

  • And I hope that discussions will move

  • along quickly between employers unions and

  • employees unions, because this

  • is a prerequisite for confidence.

  • And that it the key word: confidence, trust.

  • It is true of international relations,

  • but it is also true of the economy.

>> President Obama: Good afternoon.

字幕與單字

單字即點即查 點擊單字可以查詢單字解釋

B1 中級

奧巴馬總統與法國總統奧朗德舉行記者會 (President Obama Holds a Press Conference with President Hollande of France)

  • 284 29
    陳政儀 發佈於 2021 年 01 月 14 日
影片單字