Prove, to find the truth. But we will continue to insist. Thank you. Secretary Rex Tillerson, i want to ask about your conversations with putin about syria. You predicted assad would leave power through political transition, how would you compel him to participate in a political transition that leads to his own departure. Our War Crimes Charges a table and how long will the us wait for russia to come around and four Sergei Lavrov if i make your government and United States governments seem to be miles on the syria issue, on ukraine and other issues. Did you feel you have cleared up any of those issues you mentioned earlier today . Since you had those discussions with Rex Tillerson. We discussed at length the future role for assad, whether it be ina the future role for assad, whether it be in a future political process or not. Clearly our view is that the brain of the assad family is coming to an end. They have again brought this on themselves with their conduct in the war at these past few years. We discussed our view that russia as their closest ally in the conflict perhaps has the best means of helping assad recognised this reality. We do think it is important that assad, his departure is done in an orderly way. So that certain interests and constituencies he represents field they have been represented at the Negotiating Table for a political solution. How that occurs, for a political solution. How that occuis, we for a political solution. How that occurs, we leave that to the process going forward. We do not think one has to occur before the other can begin. It will take a pace of its owii. Begin. It will take a pace of its own. But the final outcome in our view does not provide for a role for the assad family or for assad in a future government of syria. We do not think the International Community will accept that, we do not think the world would accept that. What about the War Crimes Charges . We discussed the issue that as time goes by and more and more evidence continues to be gathered, it is possible that the threshold necessary to charge individuals including assad may be achieved. As you know this is a very high legal hurdle in order to bring such charges against an individual. Sol would not suggest to you that all of that evidence is in place but i think the longer time goes by it is possible that the case will be made and there are certain individuals working to make that case. For my part i would want to say that ido for my part i would want to say that i do not think that we and the United States are at a distance that is, that we have hindrances that cannot be overcome. We have talked about maintaining and intensifying channels of dialogue both on syria and ukraine. As to the problem of syria, and assad in particular, we have talked about historical things and Rex Tillerson has said he prefers not to go back into history but to talk about current issues. But the road is such that if we do not draw lessons from the past we can hardly make progress in the present. A number of states and forced first and foremost western states, nato states were concentrated on liquidating this or that authoritarian leader for the sake of removing the former president of yugoslavia, slobbered on the loss of rich, and the war in Central Europe in 1999 which was the greatest violation of un status, they bombed the tv centre which is a military crime. By any way of interpreting the geneva convention, residential quarters. The Chinese Embassy was attacked, bridges and passenger trains for almost three months the bombing continued. And as a result when the ammunition and the targets eve n a result when the ammunition and the targets even remotely would be attributed as a double standard. Then they started talking of the Un Security Council, another dictator, saddam hussein, who was hanged after the intrusion, we all know how this intrusion was justified under tony blair. I think hes the only politician who publicly repented. But the dossier was fake and what is now happening in iraq, you know better than i do. Then it was gaddafi, his turn and people were saying this was a politician that should not be governing and look at what is happening now in libya, it isa what is happening now in libya, it is a state of the huge question and we we re is a state of the huge question and we were talking with the italian president trying to restore the libyan state through national agreements, trying to stop the situation where the country has turned into a channel of illegal immigration, slave trade, today there was a story in the media and more recent examples, not too distant examples, the sudan president , russia declared wanted by International Courts but then the Obama Administration decided that saddam was split into two parts. Southern sudan was created. Saddam has been split into parts according to the Us Administration. And a year ago the washington insisted on sanctions against its own brainchild. Southern sudan. So this obsession with the change of regime here and there after to tell a totally dictator, were fadiman examples, too many. And hardly any of them are positive. We have had too many examples. I cannot recall any where a dictator was overthrown and things moved smoothly. So in syria as President Putin publicity underlined, were not making a steak ona underlined, were not making a steak on a particular personality or individual. As in libya they are trying to focus on this or that leader. The same thing in syria, all the syrians need to sit down and ee, the syrians need to sit down and agree, it has to be inclusive internal dialogue. And the Un Security CouncilResolution Says syrians themselves should determine the fate of the country. The most important thing is not necessarily to re m ove important thing is not necessarily to remove this or that individual from the political scene but to agree about the future structure of the syrian state. So it is democratically secular, that many Opposition Leaders are opposing so that all the ethnic groups feel protected and fairly represented. And as soon as this consensus is reached, this needs to be done through the new constitution. The fate of separate individuals will be resolved much more efficiently and without any consequences for the people. Question to Rex Tillerson. Have you discussed today the question of russia and its alleged intervention in the president ial elections in the United States and how do you think the actions of russia in cyberspace are different from the american similar actions. For instance we know the us intruded into iran in the same way. The United States intruded into the Missile Project of korea. And a question to Sergei Lavrov, talk about reconstituting the work of the bilateral president ial convention. On the issue of Cyber Security and the challenges that it is placing on everyone in terms of a new threat and an emerging threat, i think i make a distinction when cyber tools are used to interfere with the internal decisions among countries as to how their elections are conducted. That is one use of cyber tools. Cyber tools to disrupt weapons programmes, that is another use of the tools. And i make a distinction between those. Clearly this is an issue that has emerged in ourtime and for this is an issue that has emerged in our time and for which we have yet as the International Community come to some conclusion around how we wa nt to some conclusion around how we want to respond to that. And so there will be further discussions and it is on the agenda, it is in the agenda that Sergei Lavrov asked me for us to have further discussions in the future. Me for us to have further discussions in the futurelj me for us to have further discussions in the future. I can only confirm that we are interested in cooperation in Fighting Crime in cyberspace. In November 2015 the Obama Administration has concerns about so called hacking, that sometimes they were using illegal means without judicial they were using illegal means withoutjudicial procedures between the two countries. Back then we said we are not interested in our citizens being involved in cyber crime. And suggested a coordination and bilateral contacts and the bilateral mechanism to Exchange Information about who, how and in what way violates existing International Norms between russia and the United States. The Obama Administration rejected a proposal or rather, ignored it. But then at the very end of his term they said lets meet. 0ur Colleagues agreed but at the last moment the Obama Administration changed their minds. They were probably too busy with undermining russian American Relations before the new administration came in. So our interest is there, and it is fully actual and we suggested that we renew contacts both on the level of special representatives of the Us Administration and russian president as well as on the level of corresponding governmental agencies. We fully support these contacts and we hope that this time the result of these efforts will result in such a channel. And the second question as to the president ial commission, we have not touched at issue. The president ial commission was buried, i hope it might be revived. It was buried by President Obama. And the channels in bilateral relations, we hope to create them without a special umbrella structure, to some people appointed to look at where we have complex issues, problems where we have grievances against each other and look at how these problems can be overcome. Primarily those created artificially. Secretary Rex Tillerson, did you discuss today with President Putin or Sergei Lavrov sanctions or other concessions that the United States might make in exchange for a Change In Behaviourfrom might make in exchange for a change in behaviour from the might make in exchange for a Change In Behaviourfrom the russian government and also speaking about what you just entered previously, did you present to President Putin or the Foreign Minister specific evidence to russian government interference in the us election and Sergei Lavrov, if an independent investigation by the Assam Government attacked his own people with Chemical Weapons, what will russia do. President putin says there is an effort to blame assad and plant evidence, did you present that evidence to secretary Rex Tillerson today and would russia refused to consider to agree to any circumstance that results in the ousting of assad . We discussed no change in status of sanctions that have been in place with russia as a result of certain actions taken in the ukraine as you know. I think as to the question of the interference with the election, that is fairly well established, the United States and with congress, it is a serious issue, it is one that we know is serious enough to attract additional sanctions. So we are mindful of the seriousness of that particular interference in our elections. And im sure that russia is mindful of that as well. Secretary of state was not threatening us with sanctions today. 0r threatening us with sanctions today. Or with anything else. We were frank in discussions about the issues on our agenda including those where we have problems. What will happen if the investigation proves that the Syrian Government was involved in Chemical Attacks, i believe this question is hypothetical. We do not Wa Nt Question is hypothetical. We do not want any guesses. And like those who raised this hysterical campaign to destroy, to bomb syria, both from the senate and the congress, house of representatives, they followed the us missile strikes. We do not wa nt the us missile strikes. We do not want to speculate on the very important issues. On the use of Chemical Weapons, on the efforts to justify somebody or to stage Chemical Attacks. We want to establish truth in full accordance with american russian legislation, legislation of any normal country. Presumption of innocence should be respected and if our official suggestions that were sent for the impartial investigation are hindered, we will draw conclusions about those who hindered these investigations. As to statements that the United States government are having irrefutable evidence about our intervention into us election campaigns, i should again underlined we have seen not a single fa ct. Underlined we have seen not a single fact. I do not know who saw them, we we re fact. I do not know who saw them, we were not shown anything, we were asked, we asked repeatedly please, please present facts that are the foundation of these accusations. I know but a platter of people who wa nt know but a platter of people who want to finally undermine our relationship for their own political ambitions. But this is the game with on a. Give us proof and then we will be prepared to respond. A question to both ministers. The United States sent to the Arabian Peninsula is Tracking Group with missile carriers. Did you discuss the situation and its risks. And Rex Tillerson, if this is true to the United States have plans against north korea . We are routinely in the Pacific Theatre and its movement in the pacific are made in a way that is planned by the military planners. There is no particular objective to its current course. Its sales up and down the pacific routinely and so i would not read anything into its current locations. I can only repeat that among other things, we discussed the situation in the Korean Peninsula. With all the new a nswe rs Korean Peninsula. With all the new answers and probably significant a nswe rs , we answers and probably significant answers, we have a joint intention to regulate the problem exclusively for peaceful means to reach denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula through negotiations. Effo rts peninsula through negotiations. Efforts are being undertaken by what we used to call a six party process. We have several ideas. 0ur chinese collea g u es we have several ideas. 0ur chinese colleagues have ideas. We should unite efforts in trying to resolve the problem through peaceful means. And the final question. Before these meetings you said you believed russia was either incompetent or complicit in these Chemical Weapons attacks. After your extensive meeting with Sergei Lavrov and Vladimir Putin, due know which one thatis Vladimir Putin, due know which one that is and what Concrete Thing can be done to rebuild that lack of trust. And Sergei Lavrov, if i could indulge you to answer in english if you would, President Trump has called assad and animal, this is the leader your government continues to back, can you tell us how long russia will be willing to risk the lives of soldiers and spend its money to protect him. With respect to russia and its complicity our knowledge of Chemical Weapons attack, we have no Firm Information to indicate that there was any involvement by Russian Forces into this attack. What we do know and we are very firm and have high confidence in our conclusion is that the attack was planned and carried out by the Regime Forces at the direction of assad. I can only confirm once again that as much as in the case with the so called Russian Hackers and the chemical incident in syria, we really want, apart from verbal statements, to receive at least some sort of factual evidence. So far we have not had any. And once again i want to say that in syria we work at