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QUESTION: Can we switch to Mexico?
MR. TONER: Yeah.
QUESTION: Ambassador Carlos Pascual. You have announced that the Ambassador Carlos Pascual, the U.S. Ambassador to Mexico, have resigned. Is he another victim, high-profile victim of WikiLeaks?
MR. TONER: He made a personal decision. He, I believe, said in his statement that he didn't want to be a distraction to what is one of our most important bilateral relationships. He enjoyed all along the support of the Secretary and, obviously, the President. We feel he accomplished a great deal in his role, but he made the decision that he didn't want to impede this important relationship. I'm not going to characterize it in any way whatsoever. It's really his decision.
QUESTION: Is he going to be doing something else at the State Department? According to the press release, he was going to come and perform some other duties within the State Department. Can you share something about --
MR. TONER: I believe that's what the statement said. I don't have any more details at this time.
QUESTION: And do you expect any other maybe other governments to complain because the ambassador because of the reports of WikiLeaks and perhaps face similar situations?
MR. TONER: We've said all along that it's a difficult time for us. It's going to make our work more difficult. But at the same time, we demand or we ask that our embassies rather provide us with candid assessments, and that's going to continue.
Go ahead. And then --
QUESTION: Did (inaudible) dissuade him from resigning?
MR. TONER: I would just say that he enjoyed the support of the Secretary and the President all along during his tenure.
Go ahead, in the back.
QUESTION: Can you tell us, do you have an idea when he made official, transmitted his decision to Secretary Clinton?
MR. TONER: The first part of your question again?
QUESTION: Can you tell us when he made official or transmitted his decision to Secretary Clinton?
MR. TONER: On March 19th.
QUESTION: Thank you.
QUESTION: Let's say have you taken us steps --
MR. TONER: Can we just (laughter.) That's okay.
QUESTION: -- for the future? I mean, what are you telling the other governments now for the future, that WikiLeaks-like things will not happen?
MR. TONER: I'm not sure I know how to answer that, Goyal.
QUESTION: I mean --
MR. TONER: I'm sorry. WikiLeaks --
QUESTION: That WikiLeaks took place, now what are you telling to the governments now, that no more in the future something like this will happen? Or how are you protecting the information?
MR. TONER: That's a broader topic for discussion. And we're obviously taking measures that to protect our classified information in light of WikiLeaks.
[...]
QUESTION: -- the Hindu newspaper in India is coming out with a WikiLeaks publication, the last one week. Has there been any high-level contact between the U.S. and India after that on those issues?
MR. TONER: Not that I'm aware of. |
