DipNote: The Week in Review
![A protestor waves a flag at Tahrir Square in Cairo, Egypt, Jan 30, 2011. [AP Photo]](https://webarchive.library.unt.edu/web/20121019021419im_/http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/flag_m.jpg)
About the Author: Sarah Goldfarb serves as DipNote's Associate Editor.
Today, Secretary Clinton addressed the unfolding events in Egypt during interviews with ABC, CBS, CNN, FOX and NBC. The Secretary said, “…[T]his is an intensely complex situation. It does not lend itself to quick yes-or-no, easy answers, but instead, I think the path that President Obama has charted, that we are pursuing, that calls for no violence, that supports the aspirations and human rights of the Egyptian people, that stands behind concrete steps toward democratic and economic reform is the right path for all of us to be on.”
Secretary Clinton then traveled to Haiti to consult with members of civil society, political actors, Haiti's president, and international partners on the ongoing electoral situation, as well as reconstruction efforts.
Earlier in the week, Secretary Clinton joined President Barack Obama in condemning the terrorist attack at Moscow's Domodedovo Airport. U.S. Ambassador to Russia John Beyrle paid his respects to the victims of the bomb attack in a video.
Ambassador Goosby reinforced the President and Secretary's statements on the tragic loss of David Kato, who was at the forefront of the fight for human rights for all Ugandans, including members of Uganda's lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community.
President Barack Obama outlined his foreign policy goals in the 2011 State of the Union Address, noting that it will require us to approach that world with “a new level of engagement in our foreign affairs.”
Throughout the week, Secretary Clinton held a number of high-level meetings at the Department of State, including bilateral meetings with Spanish Foreign Minister Trinidad Jimenez, Sudanase Foreign Minister Ahmen Ali Karti, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh, and Colombian Vice President Garzon. She also traveled to Mexico last weekend, where she met with Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa to discuss regional and global issues.
With the unfolding events in Tunisia, Assistant Secretary Jeffrey D. Feltman traveled to Tunisia to meet with government officials, political party leaders, and civil society advocates in order to convey U.S. support for the Tunisian people. In Syria, Ambassador Robert Ford presented his credentials to President Bashar Assad.
After last week's visit by Chinese President Hu Jintao, Obama Administration officials created a high-tech bridge across the Pacific to discuss the recent trip and other important issues with Chinese bloggers.
In Pakistan, U.S. Ambassador Cameron Munter honored the winners of the Pakistan Fast Growth 25 Contest and highlighted their role as job creators. The Ambassador and his wife, Dr. Marilyn Wyatt, also held an open and candid conversation with 29 university students from underserved areas of Pakistan and covered issues such as U.S.-Pakistan relations, efforts to combat terrorism, and U.S. civilian assistance.
One year after the devastating earthquake, the first American Corner was inaugurated in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, giving Haitian children access to books and educational materials to help them prepare for the challenges ahead. We also saw award-winning writers from around the world converge on Jaipur, India, for a literature festival.
In Tanzania, we learned how microfinance is empowering Tanzanians, and in Washington, the Albanian-American Enterprise Fund (AAEF), recipient of a U.S. government grant, returned $15 million to the U.S. Treasury. This marks the successful completion of a 1995 USAID program to promote growth of the private sector in Albania and assist the country's transition to a market-based economy.
In Afghanistan, USAID is collaborating with the Ministry of Public Health to support midwifery education programs throughout the country, and is increasing the number of skilled midwives in an effort to reduce infant and maternal mortality. USAID Administrator Raj Shah announced this week that the United States and Russia are partnering to eradicate polio around the globe.
Captain Franchetti, mission commander of Pacific Partnership 2010, visited the State Department to express her gratitude for the Department's assistance in carrying out the mission of the Pacific Partnership -- to enhance relationships with host and partner nations through medical, dental, and engineering outreach projects.
Here at DipNote, we regret the postponement of the “Conversations With America: Recent Trends in Anti-Semitism Around the World,” but we will be sure to let you know when it is rescheduled.
We appreciate your feedback and comments, and we look forward to hearing you from you.
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Posted under: Behind the Scenes
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Comments
Eric in New Mexico writes:
@ John,
Nah, winter of 72-73 ( give or take a year, my memories of dates is like a faulty hard drive), it got down to -31F for a solid week here in the Southern Rockies, not allowing for wind chill which made it much worse.
It was "warm" compared to what the northern plains went through.
It's possible the Potomac river will soon look comparable to when Washington and his volunteers crossed it.
I just gassed up the 4x4 in a 45 mph "breeze" that took the temp down to at least -15...oh the joys of winter!
---
@ Sarah Goldfarb,
Idea #457;
RE: Dipnote sponsored games in diplomacy.
Or..."the great international snowball fight." If you'd like to bill it as such.
Query; Why leave Dupont circle to just the average citizen to conduct cold wars, when if there was to be found an interested sponsor to host it, one could perhaps watch all the diplomats of all the various embassies from around the world, residing in DC, on C-span.., Engaged in WW-III???....well Sarah, I will just let you picture the public response in you mind, and then ask yourself how much yopu'd be willing to bet that diplomacy would be well served, and I suppose the taxpayer wouldn't feel slighted if the Whitehouse picked up the tab for the "thawing out party" afterwards, as we'll definately have gotten our entertainment value's worth.
...and all those nation's repressed grievances won't be so suppressed, but in the non-supression of the use of good aim and propper packing, quite the bombardment of mirth will rein.
Then folks will compare notes for the next year while conducting more serious business.
Talk about a "reset button"...
Think of this more as physical therapy for a disfunctional world that needs to have a little fun for a change.
And if there's comercial advertizing for network air-time paid via a donation to disaster victims around the globe, then every nation taking part has done a small service for Humanity.
Now if Dipnote were to sponsor this as MC, with the interns as referees, that puts the blog on a whole new level of public diplomacy.
On a level playing field.
Turning the "Great Game" into an art form, because hey folks!....anything's possible right?
Looking forward to your thoughts on the matter,
EJ
Posted on Tue Feb 01, 2011
John P. in Greece writes:
@ Eric in New Mexico
Do you mean an "alert 5"? (CHUCKLE)
Cross check OK captain! (LOL)
Posted on Tue Feb 01, 2011
Ron in New York writes:
Escape from Tyrannies...........
This is the week of witness for the break-out by Arab Nations from the Tyrannies of the West and their surrogates. The people are hungry for freedom now.
Posted on Tue Feb 01, 2011
Eric in New Mexico writes:
...and if the Dipnote staff & State isn't having enough fun yet dealing with crisis in the world at large,
SNOWMAGGEDDON II - "The Dip-sickle" will be comming to your neck of the woods in about 36-72 hours.
Wed. forcasted low here in my neck of the woods is -11F ( not allowing for wind chill )
Layer-up and check your anti-freeze folks.
Posted on Mon Jan 31, 2011
Dr. G. in West Virginia writes:
Great summary. Egypt and Mexico is where the action is.
Posted on Mon Jan 31, 2011
Pamela G. in West Virginia writes:
This week has been full of events that affect the whole world. We wait anxiously to hear further reports.
Posted on Mon Jan 31, 2011
Jen in Virginia writes:
Thank you to DipNote for keeping us updated on the unfolding events around the world - it's been a busy week!
Posted on Mon Jan 31, 2011
Mark in Iowa writes:
I find it interesting that the United States has called for a continuance of Mubarak's rule in Egypt while waging a war in Iraq for 10 years to overthrow another authoritarian regime. Do we only like democracies if we create them?
Posted on Mon Jan 31, 2011
Palgye in South Korea writes:
Japan.
In a volcanic eruption in Japan, nearly 11cm of ash I've piled on the news. The ash is buried in a difficult situation, the activities of people difficult, coming through the roof of the basalt caused mass fear to think.
However, the number 11 is one of the numbers, but always maintained a parallel fall I think. Uncooperative, but a number of,
Now Japan's political world is experiencing a similar situation, I think. Not that much, but I think you want to reform the Democratic Party of Japan Prime Minister and been has led the Democratic Party of Japan by the court - the politics of the past have been accused of lack of funding forced saw the news.
However, the political capital of Japan and Asia, with a long history of problems, problems that nobody could be free, but now Japan's prime minister and some politicians in the political money issue I think is very free. that there was not at fault, the coalition government in the form of two people - one is to reform the Democratic Party's largest faction is the one person. The U.S. political system to build a new wind, do you want to evoke, if forced indictment, the current government emphasis on cleanliness, but the political structure of Japan is a very old structure, fat can not imagine a political and economic relations of the adhesion to form a think, are you going to have significant headwinds, this is gonna be hard to stick to easy, expectations are significant to the Prime Minister .
Someone to mediate the riders, will have created a new political history. I own a few attempts to stop the prosecution by the court? That, but others think for themselves, this view is that it was acting funny.
Any suggestions?
Posted on Mon Jan 31, 2011