11 June 2009

Remarks by Clinton and Zimbabwean Prime Minister Tsvangirai

Diplomats to discuss human rights and economic opportunities for Zimbabwe

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U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Office of the Spokesman

June 11, 2009

REMARKS

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and

Zimbabwean Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai

Before Their Meeting

June 11, 2009

Treaty Room

Washington, D.C.

SECRETARY CLINTON: We are very pleased to have the prime minister with us today. Prime Minister Tsvangirai has been a longtime advocate for his country and the people of Zimbabwe on behalf of human rights and economic opportunity. As you know, he is now in a unified government that is attempting to move Zimbabwe forward into a better future. And I will be meeting with the prime minister today. He will be seeing the President tomorrow.

And I’m anxious to hear about the plans and the work that your government is undertaking and to look for ways that we appropriately can be supportive.

PRIME MINISTER TSVANGIRAI: Thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Welcome, Mr. Prime Minister.

PRIME MINISTER TSVANGIRAI: Thank you very much. Thank you very much.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, sir.

PRIME MINISTER TSVANGIRAI: It’s a pleasure.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you all.

QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, have you prepared any comment on the shooting in the Holocaust Museum?

SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, it was a terrible tragedy, and the kind of hatred that the killer evidenced over many years toward different groups within our society is deplorable. And I hope that we will be able to send out a clear, unmistakable message that hateful rhetoric, violence based on any kind of discriminatory attitude toward any group in the United States is not acceptable, and that any groups or individuals who foment that kind of rhetoric, that unfortunately we see on the internet, or here on broadcast media, or shows up in pamphlets need to think very hard about the consequences of that kind of incitement. And my heart goes out to the victim’s family and those who were injured, and I hope that all of America will stand united against that kind of terrible action on the part of anyone who harbors those feelings and attitudes.

Thank you.

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