US Mission Geneva

The Foreign Ministers of the United States, United Kingdom, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates met today along with the UN Special Envoy and the Omani Minister Responsible for Foreign Affairs.

We are proud to live in a nation that has offered unparalleled freedom and opportunity to migrants, and reaffirm our commitment to assisting those who are most in need of protection and aid.

There is absolutely no justification whatsoever for the indiscriminate and savage brutality against civilians shown by the regime and by its Russian and Iranian allies over the past few weeks, or indeed for the past five years.

The United States welcomed the continued successful operation of the Gali and Ergneti Incident Prevention Response Mechanisms (IPRMs), as an independent contribution to peace and stability. The United States also congratulated the EU Monitoring Mission for its efforts to facilitate medical crossings and maintain the incident hotline, work that has helped to reduce tensions along the Administrative Boundary Line (ABL) and maintain relatively calm conditions on the ground.

Ambassador Hamamoto: I am pleased to express my government’s strong support for the 2017 Global Appeal update of the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

The United States supports the position of the Special Rapporteur on minority issues and wants to thank the current mandate holder for her tireless efforts.

Ambassador Samantha Power: “Instead of isolating Cuba, as President Obama has repeatedly said, our policy isolated the United States… After 50-plus years of pursuing the path of isolation, we have chosen to take the path of engagement.”

This fact sheet offers a snapshot of the State Department’s accomplishments in tackling the crime of modern slavery during the Obama Administration.

The United States urges participants to engage on all issues related to the conflict and to use the next round to take steps forward on security and humanitarian issues.