May 2012
153 posts
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Timor-Leste: A Hopeful Look to the Future
About the Author: Williams S. Martin serves as Deputy Director for Peace Operations in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs.
After a trip to Beijing to support U.S.-Chinese talks on UN peacekeeping, I recently made my way via Guangzhou, China and Perth and Darwin, Australia to Dili, Timor-Leste. I went to Timor-Leste to see if this tiny country — roughly the size of...
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Remarks With Danish Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal
Remarks
Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State
Eigtveds Pakhus
Copenhagen, Denmark
May 31, 2012
SECRETARY CLINTON: It is indeed a pleasure to be back here in Copenhagen. This is my first stop on a trip that will take me to several European countries over the next week to underscore America’s commitment to our transatlantic allies and our shared values. You are, after all, our partners...
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Fifty Years of Independence in Samoa
About the Author: David Huebner serves as U.S. Ambassador to New Zealand and the Independent State of Samoa.
Tomorrow will be a great day. I am in Apia, and will be participating in celebrations of the 50th anniversary of the former Western Samoa’s independence from foreign rule. I feel a particular connection to the event because New Zealand was Samoa’s former administrator, and...
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NATO Summit: Turning Vision Into Reality
About the Author: Ivo Daalder serves as U.S. Ambassador to NATO.
At the just-concluded NATO Summit in Chicago, the largest gathering of NATO nations and partners since the Alliance was founded, we delivered on the promises we made at our historic Lisbon Summit 18 months earlier. First of all, we added details to the Lisbon roadmap for how we will gradually and responsibly wind down the NATO...
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Remarks to the USAID Meeting on "From Policy to...
Remarks Maria Otero Under Secretary for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Washington, DC May 30, 2012
As Prepared for Delivery
Thank you. It’s wonderful to be here today with all of you representing civil society, as well as colleagues from across the U.S. government. I am, as you’ve heard, Maria Otero, and I have the pleasure of representing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton...
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Secretary Clinton Travels to Europe and Eurasia
More: Trip Page | Interactive Travel Map Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey from May 31-June 7. In Denmark, Secretary Clinton will hold bilateral meetings with senior Danish officials in Copenhagen. She will also participate in the kick-off event for Green Partnerships for Growth, a bilateral initiative to...
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American Quartet Hits All the Right Notes at...
About the Author: Kristin M. Kane serves as Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Dakar, Senegal.
There is something special about seeing American jazz played in Africa: The audience responds in a unique way — as do the musicians performing the music. Such was the case at the recent St. Louis Jazz Festival: St. Louis, Senegal, that is. The former capital of French Africa and a...
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Deputy Secretary William Burns Travels to...
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC May 30, 2012
Deputy Secretary Burns will depart May 30 for a trip to Singapore, arriving May 31. On June 1, he will meet with government counterparts and senior officials to discuss a broad range of bilateral, regional and global issues, underscoring the continued growth in our strategic partnership with Singapore.
June 2, the Deputy will...
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International Day of UN Peacekeepers
About the Author: Victoria K. Holt serves as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs.
As May 29 is International Day of UN Peacekeepers, it is an optimal moment to reflect on the work we support by peacekeeping missions, perhaps the best known symbol of the international community’s efforts for peace. As the UN has noted today, since the first UN...
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International Day of UN Peacekeepers
Press Statement
Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State
Washington, DC
May 29, 2012
I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the men and women who serve in United Nations peacekeeping operations around the world and to honor the memory of those who have lost their lives in the cause of peace. I would also like to recognize the many American personnel who have...
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Honoring Those Who Served in Afghanistan
About the Author: Mark Thornburg serves as Assistant Information Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.
U.S. Embassy Kabul commemorated Memorial Day with a ceremony held in the flag-lined courtyard in front of the main chancery. The Kabul Marine Security Guard detachment lowered the flag to the “retreat” bugle call and then re-raised it, as tradition dictates, to the...
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U.S. Department of State Hosts Twitter Briefing in...
Media Note Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC May 29, 2012
On Thursday, May 31, 2012, at 2:00 p.m., EDT, the U.S. Department of State will host a Spanish-language Twitter Briefing. Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Mike Hammer will take questions submitted to the Department’s official Spanish-language Twitter feed @USAenEspanol. Questions can be submitted starting today...
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Commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam...
On May 28, 2012, President Barack Obama delivered remarks at Arlington National Cemetery and at the Vietnam War Memorial to commemorate Memorial Day. In recognition of this day, President Obama also authored an op-ed, which appeared in the Military… more »
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Remembering the Fallen on Memorial Day
About the Author: Adrian Pratt serves as a Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in New Zealand.
Today Frank Zalot Jr. came back for the first time to the place he saw 10 of his shipmates drown on a dreadful day in 1943. This Memorial Day the people of Kapiti Coast on the North Island of New Zealand unveiled a memorial to the 10 U.S. sailors who died during a training exercise while...
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FACT SHEET: Memorial Day and Commemoration of the...
The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 25, 2012
This Memorial Day, we honor the men and women who have defended our nation, and mark the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War. On Memorial Day, President Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama will participate in an event at Arlington National Cemetery. The President, Vice President, First Lady and Dr. Biden will also...
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Food Security Open Data Challenge
About the Author: Maura O’Neill serves as Chief Innovation Officer at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and Kat Townsend serves as Special Assistant for Engagement at USAID.
Recently, President Obama announced the G-8’s commitment to the “New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition,” the next phase of the G-8’s shared commitment to achieving...
Join in a Memorial Day Moment of Silence at 3 p.m....
usagov:
Memorial Day is a federal holiday observed in honor and memory of all the men and women who have died during military service for our country.
On May 5, 1866, a ceremony in Waterloo, NY honored local veterans who had fought in the Civil War. In 1966, Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo the “birthplace” of Memorial Day.
Pay tribute to the U.S. men and women who died...
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Photo of the Week: Discussing Human Rights
About the Author: Luke Forgerson serves as DipNote’s Managing Editor.
Our “Photo of the Week” comes to us from DipNote’s editorial assistant, Aaron Bruce, who captured a moment during today’s live Facebook chat with Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Michael Posner. During the discussion, Assistant Secretary Posner responded to...
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Statement on the Massacre in Haoula
Press Statement Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Washington, DC May 26, 2012
The United States condemns in the strongest possible terms yesterday’s massacre in the Syrian village of Haoula. United Nations observers have confirmed that dozens of men, women, and children were killed and hundreds more wounded in a vicious assault that involved a regime artillery and tank barrage...
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Educating the Workforce of the Future
About the Author: Paul Kruchoski serves as the Senior Education Officer in the Bureau of International Organization Affairs at the Department of State.
On May 13-16, I joined Assistant Secretary of Education Brenda Dann-Messier at the Third International Congress on Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), hosted by UNESCO and the government of China. Over the course of four...
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2011 Human Rights Report on Storify →
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Trade Is Not Just for the Coasts, It’s for the...
About the Author: Jose W. Fernandez serves as Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs.
When most Americans think of states that export, the ones on the coasts or those bordering Mexico or Canada are usually the first to come to mind. We tend to think of computer chips from California or beef from Texas. What most Americans are missing, however, are the export powerhouses...
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Hmong Returnees: Re-Building Lives in Laos
About the Author: Andrea Doyle serves as a Refugee Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok, Thailand, where she covers regional refugee issues.
Earlier this month, I walked through the marketplace at the Phonekam development village in Laos, with Ambassador Karen Stewart and several colleagues from U.S. Embassy Vientiane. As we observed residents going about their shopping, a young family with...
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Political Situation in Mali
Press Statement
Victoria Nuland Department Spokesperson, Office of the Spokesperson
Washington, DC
May 25, 2012
The United States strongly condemns this week’s violence and calls on Captain Sanogo and the Committee for the Restoration of Democracy (CNRD) to stand aside immediately and allow for the restoration of civilian rule. We call on Mali’s soldiers to return to their roles as...
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A Day in the Office of Children’s Issues
About the Author: Constantina Patronas serves as an incoming abduction officer in Overseas Citizen Services, Office of Children.s Issues.
My job as an abduction country officer in the Office of Children’s Issues is rewarding and challenging. International Parental Child Abduction (IPCA) cases are usually complicated, often heartbreaking, but also gratifying. Much work is involved in...
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The 2011 Human Rights Reports: Recording a Year of...
About the Author: Michael H. Posner serves as Assistant Secretary of State forDemocracy, Human Rights, and Labor.
Since 1977, the State Department has produced the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. Congress mandated these reports to establish the facts to inform their decisions on foreign military and economic aid. Today, governments, intergovernmental organizations, scholars,...
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Release of the 2011 Human Rights Report
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Washington, DC May 24, 2012
Good morning. Good morning, everyone. I’m very pleased to be joined here today by Assistant Secretary Posner to release our 2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices. These reports, which the United States Government has published for nearly four decades, make clear to governments around the world: We are...
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Illegal Wildlife Trade: A Survey of Greed,...
About the Author: Robert D. Hormats serves as Under Secretary of State for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment.
Since the beginning of 2012, over 250 elephants have been killed in Cameroon. Adults are being slaughtered for ivory to be used for jewelry, ornaments, and traditional medicine; young juveniles and infants are being killed indiscriminately or left orphaned to die without the...
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Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks at the Special...
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Tampa, Florida May 23, 2012
SECRETARY CLINTON: Good evening. Good evening. It is a great honor for me to be here with you this evening. I want to thank Admiral McRaven for that introduction, but far more than that, for his remarkable service to our country, from leading an underwater demolition SEAL platoon to heading the Joint Special...
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A 150-Year-Old Publication Enters the E-Book Age
About the Author: Joe Wicentowski serves as a historian in the Department of State’s Office of the Historian.
One year ago this month, Internet bookselling giant Amazon announced a landmark in the growth of e-books: the company’s sales of e-books had for the first time exceeded its sales of printed books. This event is only one of many indications that the age of the e-book has...
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Five Questions About the New Alliance for Food...
About the Author: Tjada McKenna serves as the Deputy Coordinator for Development for Feed the Future, and Jonathan Shrier serves as the Acting Special Representative for Global Food Security and as the Deputy Coordinator for Diplomacy for Feed the Future.
1. What is the New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition, and who is participating? The New Alliance for Food Security and Nutrition...
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A Multi-Faceted Approach to the Fight Against...
About the Author: Jennifer White serves as a Foreign Service Officer in the Office of International Health and Biodefense in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs.
Counterfeit, falsified, and substandard drugs are a dangerous threat to people around the world, including Americans. These drugs may include toxins or inert substances that do nothing at all....
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NATO Summit Concludes in Chicago, Illinois
The United States hosted the NATO Summit May 20-21, in Chicago, Illinois. President Barack Obama welcomed leaders from NATO member and partner nations to his hometown for the Summit of the world’s most successful Alliance. At the NATO Summit, leaders discussed the next major phase of transition in Afghanistan as well as steps to ensure NATO has the capabilities necessary to meet the...
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Violence in Lebanon
Press Statement Mark C. Toner Acting Spokesperson Office of the Spokesperson Washington, DC May 21, 2012
We are concerned by the security situation in Lebanon following the shooting of Sheikh Ahmad Abdul Wahad and Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Merheb near a Lebanese Army checkpoint in the northern region of Akkar. The United States expresses its sincere condolences for the loss of life. We welcome...
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U.S. Hosts G8 Summit
On May 18-19, 2012, the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, and the EU joined President Barack Obama at Camp David for the annual G8 Summit. The leaders met to address major global economic, political, and security challenges, including energy and climate change, food security and nutrition, Afghanistan’s economic transition and transitions taking place...
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Remarks by President Obama Before Working Session...
The White House Office of the Press Secretary For Immediate Release May 19, 2012 Camp David, Maryland
THE PRESIDENT: All right, everybody, listen up. First of all, I want to welcome all the leaders here. The press, you’re welcome as long as you don’t break anything. (Laughter.)
This is, by the way, the largest gathering ever of international leaders at Camp David, and...
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Secretary Clinton Delivers Remarks on Global Food...
Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Ronald Reagan Center Washington, DC May 18, 2012
Oh, thank you all. Thank you. Thank you. Well, that was really a wonderful introduction from someone who I’ve had the great pleasure of working with on a number of important issues and am delighted to be working so closely with Senator Lindsey Graham again, as he is the ranking member on the...
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Afghanistan’s Progress Heading into the NATO...
About the Author: Dan Feldman serves as the Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Department of State.
In Afghanistan, the Administration has implemented three mutually reinforcing surges — military, civilian and diplomatic — to fulfill the national security imperative of ensuring that Afghanistan never again serves as a safe haven for al-Qaida. We are...
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Journey to TechCamp Lima
About the Author: Sean Boda serves as the Digital Media Officer in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs at the Department of State.
I stepped onto South American soil for the first time to participate in TechCamp Lima, the tenth such TechCamp. TechCamps are the pillar of Secretary Clinton’s Civil Society 2.0 initiative and organized and run by the Secretary’s Innovation team and...