STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING BRIEFER: MARK TONER, DIRECTOR, STATE DEPARTMENT PRESS OFFICE ( Part 2-final )
Q This group has been one of the sources of previous intelligence on the same subject?
MR. TONER: I’m sorry, is that a question?
Q With the — with the Iranian nuclear site — MR. TONER: I believe they’ve made claims in the past, yes.
But I’m not — Q Have they provided you — the State Department, the U.S. administration — with any
— MR. TONER: Not that I’m aware. I can’t say a yes or no. I don’t know.
Go ahead.
Q They have asked that the secretary of State remove the blacklisting of Iran’s main opposition, the People’s Mujaheddin Organization of Iran. Any plans to do that?
MR. TONER: This is the MEK? Q Correct.
MR. TONER: The so-called MEK? I believe they’re still deemed a foreign terrorist organization. No plans that I’m aware of to change that.
Q Okay.
MR. TONER: Go ahead, in the back.
Q Different topic. Yesterday at CFR, Secretary Clinton said, "We reaffirm our bonds with close allies like South Korea, Japan and Australia," and some Japanese media is taking this wording a little bit seriously. Before, in the past, it’s been said "Japan, South Korea, Australia," so we’re wondering if the switching in terminology has any effect on — is there a change in policy?
MR. TONER: (Laughs.) I think I can state pretty unequivocally that there’s no change in policy. We love them all.
Q Thank you. (Laughs, laughter.) MR. TONER: Anything else?
That’s it? Great.
Nobody will say thank you?
Q All right. (Laughter.) MR. TONER: Great
Federal News Service, FEDNWS
