President Obama Delivers the 2013 State of the Union Address

Posted by DipNote Bloggers / February 13, 2013

President Barack Obama, flanked by Vice President Joe Biden and House Speaker John Boehner of Ohio, gives his State of the Union address during a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 12, 2013. [AP Photo]

More: White House Blog -- President Obama's 2013 State of the Union

President Barack Obama delivered the State of the Union address in the House Chamber at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., on February 12, 2013. In his remarks, President Obama addressed a number of foreign policy issues.

President Obama said, "Tonight, we stand united in saluting the troops and civilians who sacrifice every day to protect us. Because of them, we can say with confidence that America will complete its mission in Afghanistan and achieve our objective of defeating the core of al Qaeda.

"Already, we have brought home 33,000 of our brave servicemen and women. This spring, our forces will move into… more »

Posted under: Policy

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International Writing Program Sends Former U.S. Poet Laureate to Burma

Posted by Ann Stock / February 11, 2013

Former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass speaks with university students in Rangoon, Burma, January 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

For centuries, great writers have opened windows into other worlds, and allowed countries -- often for the very first time -- a glimpse into a different culture and a different way of living. Through their work, writers connect cultures on a people-to-people level. The art of creative writing is fundamental to freedom of expression and a reason why the U.S. Department of State has sponsors exchange programs like the International Writing Program.

This past month, the State Department sent four of the best American writers and poets on our first International Writing Program delegation to Burma. The group included former U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Hass, writers Brenda Hillman and ZZ Packer, and Christopher Merrill, director of the… more »

Posted under: East Asia and the Pacific

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Burma: Hoops for Change

Posted by Tara D. Sonenshine / January 24, 2013

Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs Tara D. Sonenshine and Ambassador Than Swe pose for a photograph with Burmese youth participating in a SportsUnited exchange program at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C., January 8, 2013. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]

They came off the bus in front of the Verizon Center in their white SportsUnited T-shirts. They were 12 Burmese basketball players -- six girls, six boys and two coaches -- participating in a sports exchange program that started last summer in Rangoon. Their excitement grew as they sat courtside to watch a real professional basketball game -- and see the pro's warming up beforehand. It grew even more when Washington Wizards Bradley Beal and Kevin Seraphin came over to greet them and pose for photographs.

Then they experienced the unique American pastime of a classic NBA basketball game -- complete with cheerleaders, acrobats, chants, crowd applause, and… more »

Posted under: East Asia and the Pacific

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Building on a Strong Foundation of Historic Ties With the Asia-Pacific

Posted by Kurt Campbell / January 18, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton poses for a photo with a member of the Tomodachi program youth in Tokyo, Japan, on July 8, 2012. [State Department photo by William Ng/ Public Domain]

Economic issues were also at the forefront of our engagement with the Asia-Pacific region in 2012, particularly fostering economic integration and open markets. On March 15, the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement -- the largest U.S. FTA in nearly two decades -- entered into force. This historic agreement is expected to increase goods exports by billions of dollars annually for both sides, supporting tens of thousands of new jobs in both countries. At the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) annual meetings,… more »

Posted under: East Asia and the Pacific

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Multilateral Organizations Play Important Role in the Asia-Pacific

Posted by Kurt Campbell / January 17, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton poses for the ASEAN family photo in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on July 12, 2012. [State Department photo by William Ng/ Public Domain]

Regional multilateral organizations play an increasingly important role in the Asia-Pacific and the United States further strengthened its engagement with these institutions. The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF), East Asia Summit (EAS), and the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) all play a vital role in mobilizing common action for shared concerns. President Obama made his fifth trip to the region in November to attend the East Asia Summit and meet the leaders of the 10 member states of ASEAN. The trip included… more »

Posted under: East Asia and the Pacific

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Demonstrating U.S. Commitment to the Asia-Pacific Region

Posted by Kurt Campbell / January 16, 2013

U.S. President Barack Obama and Daw Aung San Suu Kyi speak to the press at her residence in Burma, Nov. 19, 2012. [AP File Photo]

This was an historic and consequential year for U.S. diplomatic relations with the Asia-Pacific region. Following Secretary Clinton's announcement of a "pivot" to Asia in late 2011, the United States substantially increased efforts to refocus and strengthen its relationships across the Asia-Pacific. We witnessed dramatic improvements in our bilateral relationships and an unprecedented level of engagement with the region's multilateral institutions. As the Secretary said, the Asia-Pacific is a key driver of global politics and home to the world's fastest growing economies. As a Pacific power, the United States is irrevocably and geographically bound to the region and our future security and prosperity will be largely defined by events and developments there. With that in mind, the Bureau of East Asian… more »

Posted under: East Asia and the Pacific

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Advancing Human Rights Vital to U.S. National Interests

Posted by Michael H. Posner / January 07, 2013

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks with participants of the Lower Mekong Initiative Women's event in Siem Reap, Cambodia, on July 13, 2012. [State Department photo by Paul Watzlavick/ Public Domain]

As we start the New Year, I want to reflect on four events that took place in the last few months of 2012 that illustrate how the Obama Administration's human rights policies are achieving concrete results.

• In November, President Obama became the first sitting U.S. president to visit Burma. This visit was the culmination of 18 months of active diplomatic efforts between the United States and Burma focused significantly on political and economic reform and the protection of human rights. During the President's visit, the Burmese government announced a series of important human rights commitments, including access for the International Committee of the Red Cross to prisons and conflict areas, the opening of… more »

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Resolving the Plight of Persecuted, Uprooted People Around the World

Posted by Anne C. Richard / January 02, 2013

Afghan refugee children stand on their belonging loaded on a truck as they depart for Afghanistan at a UNHCR repatriation terminal near Quetta, Pakistan, Nov. 17, 2012. [AP File Photo]

2012 was a challenging year for humanitarians trying to help displaced people around the world. The following summarizes some of the challenges addressed by the State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration (PRM) last year.

Inside Syria, 40,000 people have been killed and over two million are displaced. Over half a million people have fled to neighboring countries. The U.S. government (the State Department and USAID) is providing $210 million in humanitarian aid to the region, and this aid is reaching millions.

Last year, refugees fled violence and drought in Northern Mali and… more »

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