Secretary richard thank you. Host in studio we have a Foreign Policy correspondent for reuters and a writer for the washington post. First question. Reporter 1 good morning. There was a recent eu report that suggested projected that by the end of next year the European Union could see as many as 3 million refugees arrive at his borders. Can you give us a sense of the scale of this crisis and how much worse it can get, even from now . Secretary richard we have seen hundreds of thousands of people from around the world flowing to europe over the last several months. This is not a new migration. There have been people taking these migration routes across the mediterranean, from libya to italy, from turkey to greece for years now. What is different is the scale of the crisis, that so many have moved in such a short time. Many in the western Balkans Route are coming from syria, but there also people from iraq and afghanistan and many from Subsaharan Africa as well. This is very much a mixed migration, people seeking asylum and could qualify as refugees under international law, but also people fleeing for economic motives, looking for a better life. That is what they have in common. All are seeking opportunity, seeking a better life in europe. Reporter secretary richard, just to talk for a moment about the u. S. Response to the refugee crisis from the syrian conflict, the numbers tell the story of a relatively slow response. As you well know in fy 11, fy 12, fy 13, the United States was taking in numbers in the dozens and it has increased only in the last couple years to 105 four fy 14 and 1682 four fy 15. Why has the pace been relatively slow . Secretary richard the u. S. Is a leader in helping refugees around the world. We provide the most assistance to refugees of anywhere on earth. That is an important piece of it. Less than 1 of the worlds refugees will be resettled. The new piece of what we are doing is the syrians. Most came in the fiscal year that just ended on september 30. So, we will expect to see the numbers climb in the coming months and years. This is completely in keeping with our leadership on this, working with the u. N. Refugee agency overseas. I think it is normal not to respond to a crisis in the early days by resettling refugees. Because in the early days of the crisis, we were really hoping that the syrians would be able to go home again. As the crisis has stretched on now, for years, coming up on the 50 Year Anniversary in march, it on the fifth Year Anniversary march, it is clear even if we are able to come to a piece, to a peace, returning to syria will be slow. So many places have been bombed. Hospitals, schools are gone. There will be no quick return to syria. We also tend to bring people who have suffered so much that going home again would not be in the cards for them rid im talking about would not be in the cards for them. Im talking about people with medical conditions, families with small children and no husband who need extra help. Those are the most Vulnerable People that the u. S. Can help, in part by bringing to the United States and providing extra services and care here. Reporter david miliband, i am well aware that the United States will take in more refugees, but he has called for the United States to take in as many as 100,000. Can you explain to us why from a moral or diplomatic or political point of view why the United States cant or shouldnt take in as many as 100,000 refugees . Secretary richard from around the world, we will be taking in 100,000 refugees, but the issue here is why cant we take more syrians in . I agree with the impulse to take and many more Syrian Refugees and provide a fresh start here. I think most of the leadership of the Obama Administration are also championing to help refugees. The problem is the process you used to screen them before they get to the u. S. And the resources we put behind that process it takes between 18 months and 24 months to get a refugee from being referred to us to interview them to get their medical clearance, to get their story, their case put together, to have that vetted by Law Enforcement, national agencies, and the allimportant interview by the department of homeland security. Then they get lined up to come on an airplane to the United States and start their lives over again, with the help of local groups across the u. S. That process right now is what is holding up bringing more. We are under direction from the white house now to take a very careful look at that process, see if we can accelerate it without cutting corners on security. Reporter the goal for this year is still 10,000, not 100,000 . Secretary richard we could have a very high number that would have some value, but the decision was made to stick with a number that was realistic where we could deliver on the commitment to bring 10,000. It puts the impetus on us to improve our process a lot this year so we can do even more next year, and it also means we have to do more in terms of leaving the world in refugees for the rest of the world and also providing assistance in the region where 4 million refugees live in turkey, lebanon, iraq, and egypt. Reporter the new canadian government announced they would bring in do you say that this is unrealistic . Secretary richard i cant comment on the canadian process. In talking to the people who run the process to bring people to the u. S. , here, we are working to bring in as many syrians as possible this year, to reach that 10,000 goal and build on that. And we will have a steep ramp up in the numbers that we bring. Could we do something bold like bring a lot of refugees on an airplane and fly them overnight to the u. S. . I dont think that is feasible in the postseptember 11 world that we live in. I go to the hill of a lot now and talk to members of congress, representatives and senators, and i find them getting two messages. One is we should bring a lot of refugees to the u. S. The other is we should not do anything to bring someone who has bad intentions for the u. S. That we must keep up very strict security screenings. So, we have to do both. We have to bring as many as possible while proving to members of congress and the American People we are not going to bring in people who could cause harms to them cause harm to americans. I know most refugees are good people and are innocent victims of terrorist. They are not terrorists themselves. Nevertheless, i have heard the message loud and clear from congress that we cannot cut corners on security in running this program. So, we have to do both. Host secretary richard, the images that americans see is that some of these or many of these refugees are young males, some say of fighting age, and that, some americans see, as a security issue. Address who these refugees are and how the United States decides which refugees are going to come to the United States. Secretary richard like i say, we run a program that is oriented to bring the most vulnerable cases to the United States. Certainly within that there are young men who are part of families. Only 2 so far are single, young men of fighting age. That is not the typical refugee we are bringing. I take exception to the idea that if you see young men walking from syria to europe that they are a threat. These are actually some of the most smart, motivated, entrepreneurial people. As americans, we see this in our history. The people who can survive a long journey like that, the people who want to flee war and not participate in its, the people who prefer a long life to a short sacrifice are the people who could make, potentially, great citizens. They want to work. They want to finish their education. They want to live in peace. They want stability in their lives. That is what they are seeking in europe. When people see that movement and see a threat, i see people who could be a force for good. Reporter you talked about the huge burden that the crisis placed on the countries neighboring syria a country like lebanon, almost a quarter of its population is refugees. Jordan is also facing huge burdens and strains because of the strain of accommodating such vast numbers of refugees. Turkey has over 2 million refugees in its borders. Eight billion and budget funds on the i am budget funds on the crisis. Eight billion dollars of unbudgeted funds on the crisis. What can the u. S. Due to help these countries as well . And how much of a crisis is it for the neighboring countries of syria . Secretary richard this is where our aid has gone and about half of our aid has gone inside syria to help the people avoid becoming refugees. We have been doing this for years now. We are, in some ways, the best partner to these countries in trying to call attention to their needs, trying to mobilize resources not just from the u. S. We are the leader in providing assistance to these countries, but also diplomatically, we are reaching out to other countries to convince them to join with us to provide assistance in these places where refugees have fled to so that they dont have to continue fleeing. What we have been able to do as the International Community the people who come across those borders have been fed, kept warm, sheltered. But there are too many children out of school. There are too many adults who are idle and cannot get jobs and are forced into the underground economy because they are not authorized to work. These are people who want to take care of their families. The more we can do to support the refugees to have fuller lives and the more we can do to help societies hosting those, i think that will really help the stability of this entire region in circling syria. Reporter in your testimony on the hill recently, you talked about the diplomatic process, pushing the countries who were not doing more. Who is not doing enough . Secretary richard i would like to see more aid come from the gulf states and are relatively wealthy like lebanon. Jordan. We would also like to see more from the socalled brics. Brazil, russia, india, china, and south africa. These are the nations that should and could be doing more on the humanitarian side. Arshad thank you for that. And if i am not mistaken, the numbers showing how much has been pledged has been going down and i believe in the current calendar year the pledge is only at 45 of the current need for this year and in previous years it was higher. Pledge is only at 45 of the current need for this year and in previous years it was higher. So, here is the question. As the magnitude of the crisis has worsened, the response of the Global Community appears to have diminished. Why is that . Secretary richard you are absolutely right the response to the appeal for syria, but also responses to appeals for crises all around the world have been weak and have left what we are calling the 60 gap of funding that ought to becoming in and is not. The fault is not the fault of americans. Like i say, americans are leading the world in providing assistance to these crises, but collectively the world is not doing enough. Now, we are seeing a quick turnaround in europe on this. They are trying to raise more money to provide to turkey and other countries in the region and to ensure that food ratios continue and there were not these certain cutbacks in assistance to the refugees as winter is going on. There is a shift going on. But its still not enough. That is why i would like to see more contributions from countries that are not traditional donors and more consistent funding year in and year out instead of one time contributions and we do not hear from countries for a while. We would really like to hear from countries that are engaged in this humanitarian endeavor. And also, we would like to see more private sector giving. Businesses are one of the few positives with the crises of the last few weeks and months. I think the public is now paying attention to what is going on and coming to realize how many innocent people, how many innocent families are caught up in this crisis and really deserving of support. So, we would love to build on the impulse by ordinary americans to do something and to see more private giving. Its not really the u. S. s government responsibility to collect those, but the u. S. Has set up a website, refugees. Gov, fugees. Gov, to do more. Host secretary richard, what could or should be done on the smuggling side of this . Winter is coming. It is getting colder. Those people are in more urgency to make his voyage. What can be done or what should be done by these countries about the smuggling situation . Secretary richard what i have found is, in talking to europeans and also people in other parts of the world in may, i was in Southeast Asia talking to governments about people getting into boats from bangladesh and from burma responding to smugglers, cracking down on smugglers is something that countries feel comfortable doing. They have lawenforcement. They have coast guard. That is one avenue and certainly one piece of the response that makes a lot of sense. But we need to make sure that when coast guards respond, they do that when coast guards response, they do that in a humane way. That the victims of smugglers, the clients of smugglers are not criminals. They are innocent people trying to survive. There has to be an appropriate response. Yes, we would encourage more work by coast guards and Law Enforcement and Border Patrol to be vigilant and to help people who are en route, seeking a better life. Host ishaan. Reporter as you suggested, the refugee crisis has been politically polarizing in the u. S. It has led to comments about the cultural threat that they pose. How dissapointing has this been to you . Secretary richard let me point out the difference between the discussions in the u. S. And the discussions in europe. In the u. S. , we have a tradition of taking in refugees and no one is challenging that tradition. On both sides of the aisle, as the rep and for numerous administrations, republicans and democrats support strong funding and the continuation of a program to bring refugees to the United States. What we are hearing our concerns about security from some members of congress, and many of them are unfamiliar with the program. The more they learn about the program, i am confident they will come out supporting it even more. But we have to give them the best possible answers. We have to convince them we are doing everything humanly possible to screen out bad actors and keep them out of this program. We brought 3 million refugees to the United States since the 1970s. In very, very few, a miniscule number, have had that intention. Most of made perfectly fine residence of the u. S. And many go back to become citizens and give back more than we give them by offering them this opportunity. Inside europe, as you pointed out, there is less of a tradition to do this, so, there is a lot more fiery rhetoric that we are hearing from all sides. So, for us, the challenge is what can the u. S. Due to be most helpful to our european allies as they try to come to terms with this enormous wave of people, walking in, seeking asylum. We have to work with the u. N. Refugee agency and other organizations. We are providing assistance through them to help like macedonia, like serbia, like greece, so we can make sure that services are provided to refugees as they cross borders and attempt to enter europe. Host secretary richard, we have time for a few more questions. In europe, the British Government yesterday said that the migrant crisis engulfing europe is likely to last for 20 years. What does that mean for europe . What does that mean for the United States . Secretary richard i think it is true there are no shortterm fixes to the situation that has developed over the past couple of years. And to the large numbers moving. What we want to see though is a whole range of things to help these people. Some of it is aid to countries to people that are not getting economic opportunity. Some of it is diplomacy in and around the Syrian Crisis so we can move toward an end to the horrible violence that has beset that country. And to calm down the situation in the neighboring countries. Some of it is continued humanitarian assistance. Some of it is resettling refugees. Some of it could be and should be the legal avenues for migrants to go to europe and work, to send money home through remittances, the legally working in these countries, and moving back home to retire and enjoy the rest of their lives. It is not one thing that is going to change the situation. I think it has to be moving in a smart way several Different Directions and wants. This is a role that the u. S. Can play. The u. S. Can foster looking at the Global Dimensions of the refugee and migration issue and also pull together the right people working with the United Nations, working with other World Leaders to develop smart approaches. It will not fix things overnight, but it will help to cut down on the number of people who are willing to take horrible risks, endanger their own lives, your familys lives, because they feel they have no other option. Arshad two quick questions. Food rations, have a they they already been cut in recent months because of the insufficiency of the pledges . And earlier in our conversation, you talked about the possibility there might be a diplomatic solution within months, but even if there were one, many of these people would not be able to go back home anytime soon because of the devastation within syria. One, what is your sense of what are the chances for a diplomatic solution within months . And two, is it essentially inevitable that most of these people will have to live through the winter not in their homes, and possibly not even in refugee camps, but rather living on the streets in neighboring countries . Secretary richard on the Food Assistance issue, the u. S. Is the leader in su