Tillerson: We Can’t Fix Human Rights in the Middle East Without First Defeating ISIS

EXCERPT:

WALLACE: Given that past rhetoric, why should Muslim leaders trust Mr. Trump now? And on the other hand, if the president is so concerned about human rights, why isn’t he talking about it publicly this weekend?

TILLERSON: Well, Chris, I think this is one of the great attributes of this president, is that he is willing to call issues out, confront them, speak very plainly and bluntly about them. And in many ways that motivates these countries to want to understand why the feelings in the U.S. are the way they are, but also to engage, to address those. And I think that’s what we are seeing in this visit to Riyadh, this visit to the country that is the custodian of the two holy mosques.

And the president himself has said he has learned a lot on this trip, and he’s learned a lot about the people, he’s learned a lot about their culture. And I think this is an — it’s a really important process in terms of how we move forward with this relationship between the Muslim world and the non-Muslim world.

And I think there’s great recognition among all the leaders of the Muslim world that they have to take responsibility for what has happened in many respects. And they are taking responsibility. And they’re ready to join with us and other nations in confronting this terrible face of terrorism.