Dipnote - Entries By Category http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/index/ en U.S. Department of State 2009-11-20T23:01:01+00:00 Educational and Cultural Exchanges Create Lasting Friendships in U.S. and Russia About the Author: Michele Peters serves as Senior Advisor in the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

As we celebrate International Education Week (IEW), I am reminded of Secretary Clinton's remarks during her recent trip to Russia about the U.S. government’s interest in forming more people-to-people partnerships to lay a strong foundation for future cooperation. Each year hundreds of Russians and Americans learn firsthand about each other’s people and cultures though a broad range of U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ (ECA) exchange programs.

For example, Fulbrighters are studying, teaching and conducting research in each other’s countries. American undergraduate, graduate, and secondary school students are studying Russian in intensive language institutes in Krasnodar and Kazan, or on a study abroad program through the Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship Program.

Mid-career Russian professionals are building lasting ties with their professional counterparts through the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP) and Hubert H. Humphrey Fellowship Program. Through the American Council of Young Political Leaders (ACYPL) and Legislative Educational and Practice (LEAP) programs, young Russians are strengthening their understanding of the U.S. legislative process and the role of civil society in the political process. Russian and American teachers of English, math, science and other subjects are implementing what they’ve learned in the U.S - Russia Language, Technology, Math, and Science (LTMS), Teacher Exchange, Teaching Excellence and Achievement, and E-Teacher distance learning programs.

Russian teens are experiencing life with American host families and attending local high schools. Other young people in Russia are learning English after school though the English Access Microsholarship Program. Through the Department’s 14 EducationUSA centers throughout Russia, students interested in studying in the United States receive guidance on the American educational system and tips on how they can pursue study abroad opportunities. And American artists are performing to Russian audiences, leading workshops and master classes, and jamming with their Russian peers.

These programs allow individuals to exchange ideas and increase mutual understanding. Exchange participants experience the culture, traditions and lifestyles of their host countries. On returning home, they relay their exchange experiences to friends, neighbors and classmates, producing a positive multiplier effect.

Our bilateral exchange relationship continues to grow. In July, President Obama and Russian President Medvedev agreed to create a Bilateral Presidential Commission. This bilateral agreement also established a working group to promote relationships through academic, cultural, youth and sports programs.

Learn more about programs in Russia or hosting a Russian exchange participant at exchanges.state.gov.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/exchanges_russia/ 2009-11-20T14:16:10+00:00 Twenty Years After—Part 3: The Fall of the Berlin Wall About the Author: Dr. Peter Kraemer serves as a Historian at the U.S. Department of State.

Part 1: The Rise of the Berlin Wall | Part 2: The U.S. and the Berlin Wall

But the Berlin Wall also has a good side, if you will. In the sense that, remember I was talking earlier about the streams of refugees out of East Germany. The Berlin Wall did stop the flow of refugees. Five thousand people escaped over, under, and around the wall between 1961 and 1989.

But compare that with 2.7 million people leaving during the course of the 1950s. And without taking away anything from the suffering of those people who lived behind the wall, the Berlin Wall did bring a measure of stability to the situation. There may have been greater violence if the wall not been constructed, but we can only conjecture as to that.

One thing that I would say when we’re talking about the fall of the wall, we talk about the wall as an oppressive force. And there’s no question that the wall is… The Berlin Wall represents the failure to find to find a solution – not the failure of the west, but the failure of the communist governments to find a solution to their problems. Walls of any kind in history represent failures because they are ultimate solutions. They are non-negotiable entities, right? You cannot negotiate with a wall.

And so the fall of the wall is in many ways is the failure of the communist ideology, it’s the failure of centrally planned authorities to dictate to the people what they shouldn't and should think, what they should do and how they should practice their lives.

Related Information: Voices of U.S. Diplomacy and the Berlin Wall Online Exhibition]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/fall_of_berlin_wall/ 2009-11-09T14:21:18+00:00 Twenty Years After—Part 2: The U.S. and the Berlin Wall About the Author: Dr. Peter Kraemer serves as a Historian at the U.S. Department of State.

Part 1: The Rise of the Berlin Wall | Part 3: The Fall of the Berlin Wall

The original response of the U.S. government was cool. As you know, President John Kennedy was president at the time. Kennedy’s reaction first was, he said, “…It’s a hell of a lot better to have a wall than a war.” It was fairly clear early on that the United States was not willing to go to war over Berlin. Now, if the Soviets had marched into West Berlin, things might have been different. But simply the construction of a wall was not enough to provoke a U.S. military response.

On the other hand, there was a history that the United States had to live up to. In 1953, there was an East German uprising in the city of Berlin and across Germany that was violently put down by what was called a “fraternal intervention” by the Soviet Union. In 1956, the same thing happened in Hungary. And Chancellor, I’m sorry, Mayor Willy Brandt, who was at the time the mayor of the city of Berlin, was very agitated by the lack of a robust U.S. response to the crisis. And so, one of Kennedy’s first actions -- we don’t talk about it a lot or it’s not well remembered -- but, Kennedy appointed Lucius Clay, who was the former military governor for Berlin from 1945 to 1949. This person essentially administered occupied Germany after World War Two. He appointed Clay as an ambassador and sent him to Berlin with Vice President Johnson as goodwill ambassadors.

And then, what followed is from West Germany, Kennedy ordered the Berlin brigade to be relieved. So, there was a movement of troops across the frontier into East Germany on the autobahn to West Berlin to strengthen the garrison there. And this garrison was relieved, I think, steadily until 1967. So, there was a show of force and an attempt to demonstrate that the western powers had rights of access to West Berlin. That was a very important response.

The response we most often associate though, I think, was the political response that Kennedy made in June of 1963 when he traveled personally to Berlin and he stood at the square in front of the town hall of Berlin. It’s often said that he stood in front of the Berlin wall, but that’s not true. He stood in front of the town hall and made his famous speech in which he declared himself in solidarity with the Germans. He said, “All free people of the world looked to Berlin.” And he said, “As a free person, I take pride in the words ‘ich bin ein Berliner.’” (I am of Berlin. I am one of you.) Which was, certainly must be one of the high points of American political rhetoric of all time.

The fall of the Berlin Wall is one of these things; it’s an interesting meeting point of what one would say high politics and politics from below. In the United States, very often, we associate the fall of the Berlin wall with the trip made by President Reagan to Berlin in June of 1987 when Ronald Reagan gave his famous challenge to Mikhail Gorbachev. He said, “Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate and tear down this wall.” He made that statement in front of the Brandenburg Gate.

There are two ways to read that statement. One is, it is a challenge. That is, it is standing up to the dictatorship of communism and challenging them to tear down this wall. But you also have to remember that Ronald Reagan in his second term as President was the negotiator. He was someone who was actively working with Mikhail Gorbachev who wanted to bring openness and reform to the Soviet Union and to the Eastern Bloc. One of his famous statements is “glasnost then perestroika.” Reagan was a negotiator. So, one way to tear down this wall is, come and join us; join the open and free world. And so, there are two ways of reading that.

But nonetheless, Reagan’s part in this is not the only part in this. I mean, one of the greatest parts of this story is that governments were in fact behind the people, as it were, behind the curve of the people, I think, on this whole issue. And, the more and more the Eastern Bloc countries, the Soviet Union and the Eastern Bloc countries, liberalized, the more and more freedoms people wanted to take. And, even in the summer of 1989… You have to remember that in October of 1989, the East German, the German Democratic Republic, East Germany, was celebrating its fortieth anniversary as an establishment, as a state. And so, it was a time when Gorbachev visited the city. There was, there were a lot of ceremonies surrounding that. It was a very important public propaganda opportunity for the East German regime.

So, in the summer of 1989, no one could have imagined that -- despite all of this growing openness in the Eastern Bloc in 1989 -- no one could have imagined that this was going to lead to the collapse of the Berlin Wall or to the opening of borders. You only have to look at what happened, say for example, in China in the summer of 1989 at Tiananmen Square. There was very much a possibility that a popular uprising, a democratic uprising, could very well be met with force as it was in China and, in fact, the way it was Germany right after Gorbachev left in October of 1989. When he left East Germany, there were uprisings across the East that were met with police as counterforce. So, there was no guarantee that this was going to happen. And what eventually happened with the fall of the wall is that East Germans made a declaration that there would be an ability to travel freely between East and West and the people seized that opportunity. The heroes in this story were not necessarily the politicians but were the people themselves who took this opportunity, I think, to express the strength of their convictions, their confidence in the need for democratic reform.

Related Information: Voices of U.S. Diplomacy and the Berlin Wall Online Exhibition]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/us_and_berlin_wall/ 2009-11-08T06:13:56+00:00 Twenty Years After—Part 1: The Rise of the Berlin Wall About the Author: Dr. Peter Kraemer serves as a Historian at the U.S. Department of State

Part 2: The U.S. and the Berlin Wall | Part 3: The Fall of the Berlin Wall

To talk about the origins of the Berlin Wall, we have to go back to the end of the Second World War. You’d go back to the Yalta conference which was held between President Roosevelt, Premier Stalin, and Prime Minister Churchill in 1945 where the decision was made to divide Germany. There was not going to be an armistice or cease fire the same way there was at the end of the First World War. So Germany would require unconditional surrender and there would be a period of occupation. And so the decision was made at the Treaty of Potsdam later that year to divide Berlin along the lines of the four major powers, the four major allied powers.

Berlin, as a city, lay 110 miles within the borders of East Germany, or of the Soviet zone. It was not East Germany, but the Soviet Zone. And this created a problem because Berlin was then an isolated center of American, French, and British control within the Soviet sector. And so, as tensions rose between the west and the east, Berlin was always a vulnerable spot, a spot requiring the defense of the west. But it was also a place where East Germans could emigrate freely without much problem.

The borders between the two Germanys closed in 1952, but East Germans could still come to East Berlin and walk across the border into West Berlin and gain freedom that way. And between 1952 -- or throughout the 1950’s -- roughly three million Germans, East Germans, did just that. They voted with their feet against the East German regime, so to speak. And they were primarily young people, primarily intellectuals, technicians, engineers, scientists, people who would be valuable to the East German state. And so the situation grew to a crisis. The East German population actually decreased during the 1950’s because of this outward emigration. And so in 1961, the crisis came to a head and on August 13, 1961, the East German government constructed a wall that bisected the city of Berlin.

The Berlin Wall began in 1961 as a simple razor wire divide and the streets were cut off. There was an effort to impede movement obviously between the two halves of the city. And what’s important to remember is that the Berlin Wall constantly was improved by the East German government. That is, it was made more technologically sophisticated. It was increasingly militarized from 1961 to 1989.

Related Information: Voices of U.S. Diplomacy and the Berlin Wall Online Exhibition]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/rise_berlin_wall/ 2009-11-08T01:15:49+00:00 Voices of U.S. Diplomacy and the Berlin Wall About the Author: Priscilla Linn is the Senior Curator at the U.S. Diplomacy Center.

The U.S. Diplomacy Center invites you to view the online exhibition Voices of U.S. Diplomacy and the Berlin Wall. This exhibition commemorates the 20 years since the demise of the Berlin Wall on November 9, 1989.

We invite you to share your memories and reflections here of this important date in history and the events in Germany and former communist states over the past two decades.

If the Wall fell before you were born, we are interested in your thoughts about the Wall as part of 20th century history. What is the value of studying the history of the Wall?

Please also let us know what you think of the online exhibition and the diplomatic oral histories you will read and hear, as this marks the first time they have been used in a museum exhibition.
]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/berlin_wall/ 2009-11-06T23:55:40+00:00 Running for Food About the Author: Lillian deValcourt-Ayala serves as a Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to the UN Agencies in Rome, Italy.

We were not as fast as Carl Lewis in the Olympics nor did our team place first in 4th Run for Food this weekend, but runners from our three U.S. embassies in Rome got involved and showed our commitment.  That’s the difference we all can make in the real life race against hunger.

The UN’s largest technical agency, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), commemorated World Food Day on October 16 to refocus world attention on the need to achieve food security, even in times of crisis.  This year five new FAO Goodwill Ambassadors including Carl Lewis joined the effort, lending their star power to bring an end to wide-spread suffering.

At this time of year FAO honors one of America’s great anti-hunger champions, George McGovern, through a lecture series established in his name.  Our U.S. Mission has the honor to organize the participation of distinguished McGovern lectors like NYU’s Dr. Marion Nestle who spoke this year on the future of food.

What about the future of food?  In the United States, there is a growing awareness about the importance of knowing our farmers, knowing our food, and improving our diets – not only for ourselves as individuals and for our families and communities, but also for our planet and in support of the world’s hungry.  As Ertharin Cousin, U.S. Ambassador the UN Agencies in Rome, told an international audience gathered for the McGovern lecture, “In times of crisis we have a window of opportunity to re-examine not only our ways of doing business, and the structure of our institutions and our food systems, but also our personal relationship with food.”

So as our American team rounded Circus Maximus, we showed the flag of our country and with feet pounding the pavement acknowledged that our future depends on hunger awareness and personal action.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/running_for_food/ 2009-10-26T17:32:09+00:00 Montenegrin’s Journey Commemorates September 11 About the Author: Carlos Gallardo serves in the Public Affairs Section of U.S. Embassy Podgorica in Montenegro.

Today, Mensur Dzankovic, a citizen of Pljevlja, rode his bike over 180 kilometers from his hometown to the U.S. Embassy in Montenegro’s capital of Podgorica to pay tribute to the victims of the September 11 terror attacks in the United States. Mr. Dzankovic placed flowers he brought from Pljevlja in front of the embassy flagpole. Ambassador Moore thanked Mr. Dzankovic for his tremendous kindness and compassion.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/journey_commemorates_september_11/ 2009-09-12T00:54:55+00:00 University Scientists Use Multidisciplinary Approach About the Author: John Whittlesey serves as Environment, Science, Technology and Health Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in London.

Late last month I visited the University of Sheffield and York University, both in England, in order to learn more about their science-related programs and partnerships.

Multidisciplinary research is a major theme, as traditional academic specialties now have to work together laterally to make progress on the issues of the day such as pollution, climate change, and regenerative medicine. The classic lone scientist, even a brilliant one, working alone in his/her lab is seen as less valuable than an interactive team. They call it translational research, using academic tools to solve practical problems. High-resolution imaging and computer modeling are cross-cutting themes, as are the need for public outreach and for networking with other institutions and businesses. The importance of basic research was clearly shown when my host told me that Nobel Prize winner Harry Kroto (from Sheffield) said he had “no idea” of the ultimate results from his original research on carbon chemistry when he started. It took decades for the value to become apparent.

Sheffield, a former rust belt town heavily dependent on coal mining and steel mills, has emerged with a modern economy and average unemployment after a painful restructuring. A Boeing-supported Center for Advanced Manufacturing has re-oriented the steel industry around high-end alloys, specialty parts, and cutting. The economic contribution of the steel industry hasn’t changed much but the number of people in the industry has dropped significantly. Nearly 20 percent of Sheffield’s students and staff come from outside the U.K., mostly because U.K. budget rules make foreign students a very attractive source of tuition income for the university. While in Sheffield I visited a tissue generation lab (for helping victims of burns), an environmental science lab looking at pollution remediation and soil formation using Genetically Modified Organisms, and several very cool electron microscopes that can scan down to the atomic level.

Later during my visit to York University, I found it has an interesting specialty: using micro-organisms to break down explosives (think firing ranges and mine fields). They are also doing some great work on how climate change affects the range of species. The fabulous data sets dating back to Victorian times created by generations of British bird-watchers, butterfly fans and other naturalists is a huge resource in this endeavor. The Chemistry Department is doing some cool work with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA on measuring international transport (dispersal) of pollutants in the atmosphere. York University prides itself on being a forum for collaborations between university and business. After my visit to York University, I also did an interview on BBC Radio York. My visits to both universities proved quite fascinating and it was great to see their scientists and students utilizing new tools and strategies in their research. Their willingness to partner with others truly sets an example and will hopefully lead to the long-term solutions to such pressing issues as climate change.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/scientists_international_partnerships/ 2009-07-27T14:15:47+00:00 A Hopeful Reset Today, President Obama delivered remarks at the New Economic School in Moscow, Russia. President Obama said:

"[T]here is sometimes a sense that old assumptions must prevail, old ways of thinking; a conception of power that is rooted in the past rather than in the future. There is the 20th century view that the United States and Russia are destined to be antagonists, and that a strong Russia or a strong America can only assert themselves in opposition to one another. And there is a 19th century view that we are destined to vie for spheres of influence, and that great powers must forge competing blocs to balance one another.

These assumptions are wrong. In 2009, a great power does not show strength by dominating or demonizing other countries. The days when empires could treat sovereign states as pieces on a chess board are over. As I said in Cairo, given our independence, any world order that -- given our interdependence, any world order that tries to elevate one nation or one group of people over another will inevitably fail. The pursuit of power is no longer a zero-sum game -- progress must be shared.

That's why I have called for a 'reset' in relations between the United States and Russia. This must be more than a fresh start between the Kremlin and the White House -- though that is important and I've had excellent discussions with both your President and your Prime Minister. It must be a sustained effort among the American and Russian people to identify mutual interests, and expand dialogue and cooperation that can pave the way to progress."

The President also spoke on that central issue of his visit, nuclear non-proliferation:

"This is the core of the nuclear challenge in the 21st century. The notion that prestige comes from holding these weapons, or that we can protect ourselves by picking and choosing which nations can have these weapons, is an illusion. In the short period since the end of the Cold War, we've already seen India, Pakistan, and North Korea conduct nuclear tests. Without a fundamental change, do any of us truly believe that the next two decades will not bring about the further spread of these nuclear weapons?

That's why America is committed to stopping nuclear proliferation, and ultimately seeking a world without nuclear weapons. That is consistent with our commitment under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty. That is our responsibility as the world's two leading nuclear powers. And while I know this goal won't be met soon, pursuing it provides the legal and moral foundation to prevent the proliferation and eventual use of nuclear weapons.

We're already taking important steps to build this foundation. Yesterday, President Medvedev and I made progress on negotiating a new treaty that will substantially reduce our warheads and delivery systems. We renewed our commitment to clean, safe and peaceful nuclear energy, which must be a right for all nations that live up to their responsibilities under the NPT. And we agreed to increase cooperation on nuclear security, which is essential to achieving the goal of securing all vulnerable nuclear material within four years."

The White House Blog provides more on the President's visit to the New Economic School in Moscow, Russia.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/hopeful_reset/ 2009-07-07T17:56:23+00:00 In Russia, Defining the Reset In Russia, President Obama participated in a press conference with President Dmitry A. Medvedev today at the Kremlin. President Obama said:

"I seek to reset relations with Russia because I believe that Americans and Russians have many common interests, interests that our governments recently have not pursued as actively as we could have. For instance, I believe that Americans and Russians both would benefit from fewer nuclear weapons in the world, greater control over nuclear materials around the world, a defeat of extremist elements in Afghanistan and Pakistan, an Iran that produces nuclear energy but not nuclear weapons, and a North Korea that refrains from launching missiles and exploding nuclear weapons and instead returns to the negotiating table. I also believe that Americans and Russians have a common interest in the development of rule of rule, the strengthening of democracy, and the protection of human rights.

As I said in my inaugural address: 'To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history, but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist.' I then emphasized in my Cairo speech that 'I do have an unyielding belief that all people yearn for certain things: the ability to speak your mind and have a say in how you are governed; confidence in the rule of law and the equal administration of justice; government that is transparent and doesn't steal from the people; the freedom to live as you choose. These are not just American ideas; they are human rights.' These are ideas embraced by your president and your people. I agree with President Medvedev when he said that 'Freedom is better than the absence of freedom.' So, I see no reason why we cannot aspire together to strengthen democracy, human rights, and the rule of law as part of our 'reset'."

Read the White House Blog for more on the President's visit to Moscow.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/russia_reset/ 2009-07-06T19:38:23+00:00 Spirit of Chicago Evokes American Experience in Brussels Secretary Clinton's 4th of July Message

About the Author: Kallie Knutson serves at the U.S. Mission to the European Union.

The annual Fourth of July celebration is special in Brussels. It is a “tri-Mission” event, noting that Brussels is home to three official U.S. representations, the U.S. Mission to NATO, the U.S. Mission to the European Union, and , of course, the United States Embassy to the Kingdom of Belgium. Accordingly, our celebration gathers guests from 27 member states of the EU and 28 members of NATO (many of which they share in common), and many celebrants from Belgian government, non-profit, academic, and media organizations. Brussels is also home to more than 1,000 international media and the largest number of think tanks in a single European city! This makes for an incredibly multi-cultural July 4.

For this year’s theme, we selected “Chicago” to show off a great American city and express support for its bid for the 2016 Olympics. But how does one reflect the vibrant spirit of Chicago in a party at the Ambassador’s residence in Belgium? The party planning committee thought big. After much preparation and inevitable last-minute adjustments, stunning 9-square meter photos of Chicago, highlighting Chicago’s past and present, adorned the 18th century residence, and an expanded banner of the Chicago skyline is neighbor to the Park Royal. Suspended at rue Zinner, it displayed to passersby our pride in a great American city and our celebration of our nation’s birth.

In-house, the unique character of a tri-Mission event was also in high evidence. Which Ambassador or Chargé speaks first on the program? In what order should the band play the various anthems? How many invitations does each mission send out? Procurement, construction, assembly, and securing the necessary donations further kept us busy. The party planners were a diverse set — political officers, local employees, public affairs officers, economic officers, management specialists, and interns — and through planning for this event, we discovered new ways to get in touch with our creative sides in celebrating the United States and Chicago with Brussels.

The final reception on July 2 at rue Zinner was a hit, as more than 500 guests marked our holiday and recalled their own special — and quite varied — memories of the United States: studies at our universities, tours of duty at military, diplomatic, or media postings, business exchanges, or driving down Route 66 with a special “Route 66” tie to prove it.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/chicago_spirit/ 2009-07-04T15:26:23+00:00 U.S. Embassy London Helps Return Lost Sea Turtle to U.S. Waters About the Author: John Whittlesey serves as Environment, Science, Technology and Health Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in London.

In 2007, a rare Kemp's Ridley sea turtle, whose normal habitat is the warm waters of the Caribbean and the southeastern United States, took a very wrong turn and swam all the way across the Atlantic Ocean to southern England. The turtle was found near Devon, England, nearly dead from starvation and hypothermia.

The turtle, later named Willy, was rescued, taken to the Sea Life Center in Weymouth, and nursed back to health.

In 2008, the NGO Marine Environmental Monitoring contacted the U.S. Embassy in London for help in shipping Willy back to the United States. The Embassy's Environment Section worked with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, wildlife authorities in the U.K., the Sea Life Center, and American Airlines to get Willy home. Here is her story.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/embassy_returns_turtle/ 2009-06-30T18:48:23+00:00 Ambassador Daalder on the NATO Defense Ministerial About the Author: Ivo Daalder serves as U.S. Ambassador to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

It was an extraordinary scene, today, in the NATO Council chambers. Gen. Stanley McChrystal, newly confirmed by a unanimous vote in the U.S. Senate just 36 hours earlier, was introduced by Secretary of Defense Gates to his 41 NATO and non-NATO colleagues who provide forces and military capabilities to the NATO-led mission in Afghanistan. Gen. McChrystal thanked the nations for the honor of leading their young men and women in bringing security and stability to Afghanistan. He will travel to Afghanistan on Saturday and immediately take up command of ISAF operations.

Afghanistan dominated the proceedings of the Defense Ministerial. The NATO Ministers agree to stand up a robust training mission for Afghan Army and Police forces. They also agreed in principle to restructure the command of ISAF to better address the implementation of President Obama’s new strategy, which NATO endorsed at the 60th Anniversary Summit.

The challenges in Afghanistan remain great – ensuring successful elections, enhancing Afghanistan’s governing and security capacity, defeating the insurgency. But NATO remains united in trying meet these challenges in the months and years ahead.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/daalder_nato_ministerial/ 2009-06-12T17:25:20+00:00 Commemorating the 65th Anniversary of D-Day In Normandy this morning, President Obama spoke at the D-Day 65th Anniversary Ceremony.

"Lyndon Johnson once said that there are certain moments when '...history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom.'

D-Day was such a moment. One newspaper noted that 'we have come to the hour for which we were born.' Had the Allies failed here, Hitler's occupation of this continent might have continued indefinitely. Instead, victory here secured a foothold in France. It opened a path to Berlin. It made possible the achievements that followed the liberation of Europe: the Marshall Plan, the NATO alliance, the shared prosperity and security that flowed from each.

It was unknowable then, but so much of the progress that would define the 20th century, on both sides of the Atlantic, came down to the battle for a slice of beach only six miles long and two miles wide.

More particularly, it came down to the men who landed here -- those who now rest in this place for eternity, and those who are with us here today. Perhaps more than any other reason, you, the veterans of that landing, are why we still remember what happened on D-Day. You're why we keep coming back.

For you remind us that in the end, human destiny is not determined by forces beyond our control. You remind us that our future is not shaped by mere chance or circumstance. Our history has always been the sum total of the choices made and the actions taken by each individual man and woman. It has always been up to us."

Read more on the White House Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/d-day/ 2009-06-06T22:04:20+00:00 Buchenwald In Germany today, President Obama met with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and visited the Buchenwald Concentration Camp.

In Germany today, President Obama held meetings and a press conference with German Chancellor Angela Merkel. President Obama and Chancellor Merkel also visited Buchenwald Concentration Camp, where they were joined by Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel and Bertrand Herz, a survivor of the camp.

The President said: "I've known about this place since I was a boy, hearing stories about my great uncle, who was a very young man serving in World War II. He was part of the 89th Infantry Division, the first Americans to reach a concentration camp. They liberated Ohrdruf, one of Buchenwald's sub-camps.

And I told this story, he returned from his service in a state of shock saying little and isolating himself for months on end from family and friends, alone with the painful memories that would not leave his head. And as we see -- as we saw some of the images here, it's understandable that someone who witnessed what had taken place here would be in a state of shock.

My great uncle's commander, General Eisenhower, understood this impulse to silence. He had seen the piles of bodies and starving survivors and deplorable conditions that the American soldiers found when they arrived, and he knew that those who witnessed these things might be too stunned to speak about them or be able -- be unable to find the words to describe them; that they might be rendered mute in the way my great uncle had. And he knew that what had happened here was so unthinkable that after the bodies had been taken away, that perhaps no one would believe it.

And that's why he ordered American troops and Germans from the nearby town to tour the camp. He invited congressmen and journalists to bear witness and ordered photographs and films to be made. And he insisted on viewing every corner of these camps so that -- and I quote -- he could 'be in a position to give first-hand evidence of these things if ever in the future there develops a tendency to charge these allegations merely to propaganda.'

We are here today because we know this work is not yet finished. To this day, there are those who insist that the Holocaust never happened -- a denial of fact and truth that is baseless and ignorant and hateful. This place is the ultimate rebuke to such thoughts; a reminder of our duty to confront those who would tell lies about our history."

Read the President's full speech or more on the White House Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/buchenwald/ 2009-06-05T21:55:20+00:00 Online Exhibit Explores Legacy of Marshall Plan About the Author: Priscilla Linn is the Senior Curator at the U.S. Diplomacy Center.

The Marshall Plan is one of the most effective examples of U.S. diplomacy in 20th century American history. To mark this accomplishment, the U.S. Diplomacy Center at the Department of State has created an online exhibit The Marshall Plan: The Vision of a Family of Nations to explore Marshall’s vision, the leadership and motivating forces behind the plan.

The exhibition examines the ingenuity of the Marshall Plan and how its implementation served as the genesis of peacetime cooperation among former enemies.

After living through a World War, no one understood the importance of diplomacy better than the great American statesman and former Secretary of State George C. Marshall. In a commencement address delivered at Harvard University on June 5, 1947, Secretary George Marshall laid a diplomatic vision in which he proposed U.S. assistance to aid Europe's failing economies after World War II and challenged war-torn nations to work together. The vision resulted in the European Recovery Act (ERA), otherwise known as the Marshall Plan.

Explore the different exhibition chapters to learn how the Marshall Plan projected a new vision of Europe -- one with open borders, free trade, freedom to travel and cooperation and peace among all European countries. Today, Europe’s ever increasing economic and political unity reflects the legacy of the Marshall Plan.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/exhibit_marshall_plan/ 2009-06-05T17:29:20+00:00 President Obama Holds Conversation With Turkish Students in Istanbul About the Author: Preeti Shah serves as Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Istanbul, Turkey.

As President Obama, with his trademark smile, graciously shook the hands of the young participants, I took a deep breath. The town hall discussion with 100 Turkish students and students studying in Turkey had gone off without a hitch. Assigned as the press site officer from the U.S. Consulate General here in Istanbul, I watched as an old cannon factory, first built in the 15th century, transformed over the last two weeks into a television studio and audience venue. Complete with bright lights, multiple camera positions and an open press invitation that resulted in over 100 journalists vying for angles, the event demonstrated our President’s willingness to talk openly not just to Americans but also to students all over the world.

Chattering nervously before the event, several students told me how they couldn’t sleep last night, for fear of getting up late and missing the event. Some of the students were alumni of Department of State programs, but for many, this was their first interaction with anyone representing the United States. I became aware of just how monumental this day had become, particularly for these students. They had been given an unscripted and unrehearsed opportunity to ask questions of President Barack Obama. No topic was off limits, and President Obama shared his thoughts in his characteristically warm and open manner. He fielded his first question about climate change and moved on to topics including Turkey’s possible membership in the EU, nuclear proliferation and the possibility of peace in the Middle East. Watching the faces of the Turkish students as they had the chance to talk with the President, my President, I was in awe. After the event, the students who participated in the town hall created their own Facebook group. They are using this social network to share videos and pictures of the event and continue the conversation begun by the President.

Coming at the tail end of his Europe trip, that included the G-20 meeting in London, Turkey represents President Obama’s first visit to a Muslim country, the significance of which has not gone unnoticed by both the Turkish and international media. Living in Istanbul, I have seen the effect of the President’s popularity firsthand – an Obama look-alike graces billboards in the metro and along the roads touting low interest rates at a Turkish bank. Public opinion in Turkey regarding the U.S. has been on an upswing for the past few months. President Obama’s visit, and specifically his gregarious interaction with students, has served to highlight the enduring friendship and cooperation between the two countries.

Read more about the President's conversation with Turkish students or watch his remarks to them at the White House Blog.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/conversation_with_turkish_students/ 2009-04-09T15:06:58+00:00 Secretary Clinton’s Message on International Roma Day In recognition of International Roma Day, Secretary Clinton delivered the following message via video:

International Roma Day is an opportunity call attention to the history, experience, and human rights of Europe’s largest ethnic minority.

Promoting and protecting the rights of Roma has long been of personal interest to me. I saw firsthand the plight of the Roma – particularly Romani women and children – when I visited Roma communities in Central and Eastern Europe as First Lady. As a member of the Helsinki Commission, I urged governments to do more to protect and promote the 10 million Roma who live in Europe.

Despite important progress that has been made in the past decade, many Roma still live on the margins of society. They continue to experience racial profiling, violence, discrimination and other human rights abuses. Too often they lack identity documents or citizenship papers, which excludes them from voting, social services, education, and employment opportunities that would enable them to participate more fully in the countries in which they live.

The United States is committed to protecting and promoting the human rights of Roma through our bilateral relations and through our involvement in organizations such as the United Nations and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.

Governments have a special responsibility to ensure that minority communities have the tools of opportunity they need to succeed as productive and responsible members of society. I urge governments throughout Europe to continue their efforts to address the plight of Roma, end discrimination and ensure equality of opportunity in education and employment so that Roma can fulfill their greater promise of success and achievement.

Roma have a rich artistic and cultural heritage, which has left an indelible mark across Europe and the world. It is in the interests of the larger European and global community to create conditions that maximize success for all people within our borders and beyond. I hope that events taking place at our embassies and missions around the world on International Roma Day will be one more step on the path to helping Roma reach a better, brighter future.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/international_roma_day/ 2009-04-08T04:54:40+00:00 With President Obama at the Sultan Ahmed Mosque in Istanbul About the Author: Eric F. Green serves as Principal Officer at the American Consulate in Adana, Turkey.

Since his election, President Obama has stressed his desire to put America’s relationship with the Muslim world on a new footing. Yesterday in Ankara, he pledged to seek a new relationship based on mutual interest and respect. Today the President showed his respect by visiting one of Islam’s most celebrated sites, the Sultan Ahmed Mosque (also known as the Blue Mosque) in the heart of Istanbul’s old city, accompanied by Prime Minister Erdogan who as former mayor and son of Istanbul had offered to escort the president and share his vast knowledge of his beautiful hometown.

After removing his shoes at the main entrance, President Obama entered the mosque with Istanbul’s mufti and the mosque’s imam. While these leaders had guided numerous VIP visitors over the years, this visit was clearly different.  The imam, looking resplendent in black robes and white skull-cap, was positively glowing as he showed the president the mosque’s treasures, such as the 20,000 hand-painted tiles, exquisite samples of classic Islamic design – including 50 distinct depictions of tulips, an enduring symbol of Istanbul.

Serving for the past two years at the U.S. Consulate in Adana, in religiously conservative southeastern Turkey, I have lived the encounter between America and Islam first hand. To my frustration, many local media constructed an image of a non-existent “war.”  As Obama’s candidacy progressed, the mood changed.  I recall a conversation with a business contact who said, “If America elects someone with my name, Hussein, my view of America and of democracy will change completely.” This conversation was hardly unusual. Turks of all ages and backgrounds have told us how they trust President Obama and wish him well.

Back at the mosque, President Obama lingered.  He gazed upward at the central dome, which towers 43 meters high and is supported by four massive pillars known as the elephant’s feet.  After stepping out of the front door, putting on his shoes and strolling back through the courtyard, the President looked back once more at the mosque’s majestic exterior, a series of domes rising gently like a small mountain.  As the motorcade pulled away, I was happy that President Obama’s visit to the mosque so perfectly reflected his foreign policy by conveying respect and a desire for mutual understanding.

]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/president_istanbul/ 2009-04-08T04:16:40+00:00 Briefing the President in Ankara About the Author: Douglas Silliman serves as the Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara.

As the Deputy Chief of Mission (number two) at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey, I had the honor of coordinating President Obama’s April 6-7, 2009, visit to Ankara and Istanbul. We had several waves of advance and security teams arrive over two weeks. We negotiated with the Turks the minutest details of the visit. We worked on schedules, timing, press coverage, and substantive issues to cover. Over and over again until we had it all agreed.

Then came the morning of game day for Ankara, April 6. The White House trip director asked me to come with him for a few minutes. We walked through passages to a remote part of the hotel where the President’s motorcade was parked. “Get in the car,” he said motioning to a huge black vehicle. “You’re going to brief the president about his morning events.”

The Secret Service let me into the car, where I sat – alone except for the driver – for several minutes trying to collect my thoughts. What do I say to the President? How formal do I have to be? Can I remember all the details of his program?

After about five minutes, the President hopped in, saying “Good morning, Doug. I’m Barack Obama.” I shook his hand and introduced myself, then explained his first event of the day – laying a wreath at Anitkabir, the tomb of Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey. We then walked through his second event, a complicated arrival ceremony and series of meetings and press conference with Turkish President Abdullah Gul. At one point in the welcoming ceremony – after the national anthems, after the 21 gun salute, while reviewing the assembled troops – the President was supposed to stop at a microphone and say “merhaba, asker” (“hello, soldier”). He practiced it several times. He got the correct pronunciation very quickly.

He asked me about my family – was I married, did I have kids. I proudly told him about my wife and about my two sons and their prowess in wrestling and soccer. He then commented that Ankara seemed well put together – good infrastructure, industrious people – and asked several probing questions about Turkey’s desire to join the European Union and the process of social change in the country. Then we rode in front of a school where several dozen children pressed against the fence to get a glimpse of the motorcade. The President immediately perked up, put on a broad smile, and waved at the kids. We pulled into the parking lot of Anitkabir. The President thanked me, exited the car, and launched into his first event.

In the Foreign Service, I have met every U.S. president since Ronald Reagan. But I had never even dreamed of sharing 10 minutes one-on-one with a president. There are very few careers that offer you such opportunities. Today I was very glad that I had joined the Foreign Service.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/briefing_president_ankara/ 2009-04-08T03:26:40+00:00 Turkey Welcomes President Obama With Enthusiasm About the Author: Victoria O’Connell is the Deputy Spokesperson for U.S. Embassy Ankara.

President Barack Obama’s visit to Turkey has tremendously improved the way the United States is viewed in this country. Yesterday, in the motorcade, Turks lined the streets to wave, cheer, and salute our President, Barack Obama. Our first stop of the day was at Anitkabir, the memorial to the founder of modern day Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. As the motorcade passed an elementary school that is located across the street from the memorial entrance, all of the children from the school were lined up and cheered our president. Some were even climbing up the side of the fence that surrounded their school so they could get a better view. During our drive to the presidency, one woman was waiting on the side of the road and held up an American flag with the word “Yes!” written across the red and white stripes. As we rushed along the ring road to the airport, two Turkish policemen stood together in the pouring rain and saluted every car in the motorcade.

The Turkish press was abuzz with enthusiasm for our new president, too. “Amazing” was the word one journalist friend used to greet me prior to the press availability at the presidency – and then she threw her arms around me in an embrace that nearly knocked me over!]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/turkey_welcomes_obama/ 2009-04-08T03:06:40+00:00 Behind the Scenes: NATO’s 60th Anniversary Summit About the Author: Kurt Volker serves as U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO.

President Obama scored a huge success at his first NATO Summit -- a strong sense of transatlantic unity, a common strategy and some significant new contributions on Afghanistan, two new NATO Members, France reintegrating into NATO military structures for the first time since the 1960's, and the decision to write a new NATO strategic concept to focus NATO on the security threats of the future. NATO even picked a new Secretary General -- pretty big stuff.

Getting these kinds of results is the culmination of months of diplomatic efforts -- building trust and consensus with Allies, identifying key challenges (such as training Afghan security forces), pinpointing political obstacles and figuring out how to remove them, working with military and colleagues in NATO's military headquarters and in Afghanistan, and building public support around Europe.

We had teams of people:

• A three-embassy logistics team to put together a massive Summit meeting held by NATO, taking place in both Germany and France.

• A strong interagency team of Washington officials from the State Department, Pentagon, and National Security Council.

• A team of military, DoD civilian, and Foreign Service officers, all with experience in Afghanistan, working out of the U.S. Mission and putting the diplomatic, military, and policy pieces together.

• A team of public diplomacy experts identifying our key messages and using a variety of means -- from videos to blogs to TV, radio, and print interviews to even getting the original NATO Treaty out of the National Archives and across the Atlantic -- to reach out to a wide public audience.

In the days prior to the Summit, we worked country-by-country to nail down contributions of military training teams for the Afghan National Army. And on the day of the Summit itself, there was tremendous anticipation as leaders reached consensus on the selection of NATO's next Secretary General.

Senior officials were called into a side room to strike an agreement on missile defense, while elsewhere diplomats hammered out the final points that sealed the deal on French reintegration.

The public image of a summit often masks an enormous amount of work and productivity that lead to the kind of results we saw in Strasbourg and Kehl.

Read Ambassador Volker's previous entry about the NATO Ministerial in Brussels.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/natos_60th_summit/ 2009-04-07T13:43:40+00:00 President Obama Addresses Turkish Grand National Assembly The White House Blog shares about President Obama's visit to Turkey:

Today the President visited Turkey, a country that lies at the nexus of several cultures, and accordingly the President had several core messages. He emphasized his support for Turkey’s bid for membership in the European Union. In response to questions about whether there was a message being sent through the visit, he stated emphatically that there was indeed, namely that Turkey is a critical ally, vital in issues ranging from energy to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. And addressing another element of Turkey’s culture, he spoke to the majority-Muslim population in a speech to the Turkish Grand National Assembly:

"I know there have been difficulties these last few years. I know that the trust that binds the United States and Turkey has been strained, and I know that strain is shared in many places where the Muslim faith is practiced. So let me say this as clearly as I can: The United States is not, and will never be, at war with Islam. (Applause.) In fact, our partnership with the Muslim world is critical not just in rolling back the violent ideologies that people of all faiths reject, but also to strengthen opportunity for all its people.

I also want to be clear that America's relationship with the Muslim community, the Muslim world, cannot, and will not, just be based upon opposition to terrorism. We seek broader engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect. We will listen carefully, we will bridge misunderstandings, and we will seek common ground. We will be respectful, even when we do not agree. We will convey our deep appreciation for the Islamic faith, which has done so much over the centuries to shape the world -- including in my own country. The United States has been enriched by Muslim Americans. Many other Americans have Muslims in their families or have lived in a Muslim-majority country -- I know, because I am one of them. (Applause.)

Above all, above all we will demonstrate through actions our commitment to a better future. I want to help more children get the education that they need to succeed. We want to promote health care in places where people are vulnerable. We want to expand the trade and investment that can bring prosperity for all people. In the months ahead, I will present specific programs to advance these goals. Our focus will be on what we can do, in partnership with people across the Muslim world, to advance our common hopes and our common dreams. And when people look back on this time, let it be said of America that we extended the hand of friendship to all people.

There's an old Turkish proverb: 'You cannot put out fire with flames.' America knows this. Turkey knows this. There's some who must be met by force, they will not compromise. But force alone cannot solve our problems, and it is no alternative to extremism. The future must belong to those who create, not those who destroy. That is the future we must work for, and we must work for it together."

Read more about the President's visit to Turkey.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/obama_turkish_grand_national_assembly/ 2009-04-06T16:03:40+00:00 Cricketers’ Gift Evokes Memories of Cold War Diplomacy About the Author: Priscilla Linn is the Senior Curator at the U.S. Diplomacy Center.

The words, written in 1950, on the silver plaque holding the cigarette lighter, shaped like a cricket ball, are formal, simple and true: "To their excellencies the Ambassador and Mrs. Briggs with the appreciative good wishes of the cricketers of Prague."

Who were the “cricketers of Prague,” and why were they so appreciative?

This group of diplomat sportsmen, assembled from various embassies in the Czech capital, had nowhere to play in Prague during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Soviet leaders reacted harshly to all Czech citizens having cultural contact with the capitalist West, including observing “decadent sports.”

Ambassador and Mrs. Briggs rescued the team by inviting them to play on the grounds of their residence, or “Petschek Palace,” the name used at the time. Thick shrubbery around the property’s perimeter protected the players’ privacy. The cricketers alternated with a joint embassy baseball team, each playing alternate weeks. According to Ambassador Briggs, the stand-out cricket star was the Indian embassy’s maharajah of Alirajpur.

When sports and diplomacy gain media attention, the news is usually good, such as the ping pong diplomacy with China in the 1970s, or bad, like the armed attack of the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore, Pakistan on March 3, 2009. The cricket ball shaped cigarette lighter tells a story about the complexities of diplomacy.

The gift came about because relations between the governments of the U.S. and then Soviet-dominated Czechoslovakia were badly strained. Ambassador Briggs commented in his memoir, Proud Servant (1998 edition, page 281) “it became impossible for non-Communist diplomats to enjoy any kind of social relations with the citizens of the country. . . .” Non-Communist diplomats did not want to endanger the lives or well-being of Czech citizens, and as a result, spent virtually no time face to face in public diplomacy. The diplomatic corps of Prague had to rely on each other for information, intelligence and recreation.

The gift — the cricket ball shaped lighter — represents multinational friendships among a stalwart diplomatic corps managing during adverse times.

The Diplomacy Center would be pleased to hear from anyone who knows anything more about any of the sports played at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in then Czechoslovakia or the origins of the silver lighter at usdc@state.gov.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/cricketers_gift/ 2009-04-06T14:41:40+00:00 President Obama Discusses Afghanistan During Town Hall in France Today, President Obama participated in a town hall event in Strasbourg, France. President Obama said:

"The United States of America did not choose to fight a war in Afghanistan. We were attacked by an al Qaeda network that killed thousands on American soil, including French and Germans. ... So I've made a commitment to Afghanistan, and I've asked our NATO partners for more civilian and military support and assistance. We do this with a clear purpose: to root out the terrorists who threaten all of us, to train the Afghan people to sustain their own security and to help them advance their own opportunity, and to quicken the day when our troops come home."

Read more about the President's town hall in Strasbourg. The conversation touches on the most fundamental issues surrounding America's role in the world.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/obama_town_hall_france/ 2009-04-03T20:58:40+00:00 U.S., U.K. Prepare for Meeting of G-20 Nations Yesterday, President Obama held a press conference with Prime Minister Brown at the Foreign and Commonwealth Building in London. President Obama said:

"All of us owe Prime Minister Brown an extraordinary debt of gratitude for his preparations in what I believe will be a historic and essential meeting of the G-20 nations. ... Both of us greatly value the special relationship between our nations. The United States and the United Kingdom have stood together through thick and thin, through war and peace, through hard times and prosperity -- and we've always emerged stronger by standing together. ... And I know that we both believe that the relationship between our two countries is more than just an alliance of interests; it's a kinship of ideals and it must be constantly renewed."

Read President Obama's remarks here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/prepare_meeting_g20_nations/ 2009-04-02T14:38:40+00:00 U.S., Northern Ireland: Working for a Better Future Yesterday, Secretary Clinton met with Northern Ireland First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness. Following their meeting, Secretary Clinton said:

"Northern Ireland has made such remarkable progress since the signing of the Good Friday Accord. We’ve had more than a decade of peace and progress and prosperity for many. Recent acts of violence cannot be allowed to undermine that progress and the progress that is yet to come as these two leaders and those who work with them continue to move into the future. The violence that has occurred with the killing of the two young soldiers and the police officer are an affront to the values of every community, every person who believes in the power of peace and reconciliation.

The two men standing on either side of me led Northern Ireland through the last days in a commendable manner. Along with the governments of Ireland and the United Kingdom, they have confronted these acts of violence with boldness and statesmanship. And they have responded to actions intended to sow fear and division with unity and courage.

So we are here after ten years of peace, and we’re committed to looking forward to a future where we, the United States, working with them, can create a better life so that every child growing up in Northern Ireland has a chance to live up to his or her God-given potential."

Read the Secretary's full remarks here. Learn more about the Northern Ireland peace process.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/northern_ireland_future/ 2009-03-18T11:51:45+00:00 Dubliners Celebrate St. Patrick’s Day About the Author: Sheila Paskman serves as the Public Affairs Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Dublin.

On this St. Patrick's Day as Secretary Clinton and Irish Foreign Minister Martin met with President Obama and Irish Prime Minister (An Taoiseach) Cowen to celebrate the deep Irish-American relationship, the people in Ireland were taking a festive approach to the day. This morning’s St. Patrick’s Day parade highlighted the new ethnic diversity in Ireland, with groups from as far away as India marching in the parade.

The strong American connections in Ireland remain ever-present. One of the big celebratory events of the day will be a special showing of a new episode of The Simpsons that will premiere in Ireland before it will be shown in the United States. Cast members from The Simpsons and the show’s producer James L. Brooks were at the parade this morning to launch the episode, which is about the Simpson family visiting Grandpa’s favorite Irish pub.

The cast from The Simpsons weren’t the only big name Americans in town. For the past two days, the Today Show’s Meredith Viera and Al Roker have been in Dublin broadcasting stories about Ireland. Not to be outdone by the Simpsons, they were also present at today's parade.

The U.S. Embassy in Dublin decided to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day a little early by inviting one of the parade’s featured American groups, Shades (an a cappella group from Yale), to perform at the embassy last week. We invited choral members from several high schools around the city to celebrate the rich African-American rhythms of this amazing group. Needless to say, kids and teachers alike were thrilled with the event. The audience surrounded the Shades' singers immediately after the performance to ask how they had come to be involved in the group.

The St. Patrick’s Day celebrations will be continuing all week here in Dublin. As people hoist a pint of their favorite brew, they will undoubtedly be indulging in one of Ireland’s great pastimes: figuring out their family connections to famous Americans. This St. Patrick’s Day, President Obama’s Irish connections may take a back seat to the discussions about who can claim connection to the newly named U.S. Ambassador to Ireland, Dan Rooney.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/dubliners_celebrate_st._patricks_day/ 2009-03-17T18:44:45+00:00 U.S., Ireland Share History, Friendship Today, Secretary Clinton met with Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin. Following their meeting, Secretary Clinton said:

"I am delighted to welcome the foreign minister here today. I know this comes a little early, but, Minister Martin, I wish you and the people of Ireland and all people who are connected to the wonderful Irish history and traditions a very happy St. Patrick’s Day.

I had the great honor of representing a very large Irish American citizenry in New York for eight years, and I know well the contributions that Ireland and Irish Americans have made to the United States. They’re so numerous, they’re impossible to quantify. And indeed, we now have a President and a Vice President who trace some of their family roots back to Ireland.

So I am grateful that the foreign minister could join us here today ahead of the holiday tomorrow to acknowledge both the history and friendship that we share, but also the working relationship that we have enjoyed on a number of important issues that are really significant to both the people of Ireland and to Americans.

I told the foreign minister how much we appreciate that strong partnership. And we discussed and had a very productive meeting about a range of issues. Our countries share a vital economic relationship that has created tens of thousands of jobs in Ireland and the United States. We need to coordinate closely to preserve those benefits in the face of global economic challenges."

Read the Secretary's full remarks here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/ireland_history_friendship/ 2009-03-16T23:45:45+00:00 Young Europeans React to Secretary Clinton’s Visit Young European leaders share their thoughts following Secretary Clinton's remarks with European Parliament President Hans-Gert Pöttering in Brussels.

Related Entry: "Secretary Clinton Engages Young Europeans in Town Hall Meeting" by Dana Francis, the Political and Refugee Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to the European Union.

PARTICIPANT: My name is Michael Geary. I’m from Ireland. I’m working in the European Council. And as a (inaudible), it’s probably – will be the highlight of our five months here in Brussels. And so, yes, we’re looking forward to it. She has this megawatt star quality. And hopefully, we’ll, you know, experience some of that here today.

PARTICIPANT: And I expect the performance, as always, strong statements and a clear view of where the U.S. is going.

PARTICIPANT: I thought it was a wonderful event today. I believe it was the highest – one of the highest officials to visit the European parliament since 1985, since Ronald Reagan, so it’s wonderful to see her here today.

PARTICIPANT: The main thing that I got from it was just to see the strengthening of the EU-U.S. relationship. I mean, just the fact that she was here full stop shows that.

PARTICIPANT: I can describe with one word: inspirational. It was really incredible to see her and also to feel the spirit of dialogue, the openness that she was here to listen and to have ideas, and to get reaction from the young people. And also it was a recognition for the role the European parliament plays as a democratic institution in Europe.

PARTICIPANT: Well, it’s very encouraging today what she said on the environment and climate change, the fact that that’s still top of her agenda, even though there’s the economic crisis going on.

PARTICIPANT: This kind of event should be – happen often, more often, also in the States and also in Europe – young people and politicians talking about problems. I think this is the best option to try to approach politicians and young people.

PARTICIPANT: I think the world is a safer place with Hillary Clinton as the Secretary of State. That’s one positive aspect. And I think the town hall-style events, while they work great in America, are also working quite well here because people want to get engaged.

PARTICIPANT: Well, there was opportunity for interaction. This is a American type of doing politics that the European politicians could learn from. I think she was particularly articulate on democracy, as well as the issue that is very important and dear to Europeans, especially ahead of the parliamentary elections in June and with the new commission and all of the struggles we have in Europe.

PARTICIPANT: I was really surprised by the one – I didn’t expect too much of an answer to the question that I posed, because most people would say, yes, the EU is complex, you know, we try and deal with it and move on. But actually, she brought it right to the point that we need not to get caught up in the process. She really reengaged and reconfirmed the kind of transatlantic link that I thought which was very, very important at this time.

PARTICIPANT: I think she’s an excellent Secretary of State and will do great things for our country and for the rest of the world.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/europeans_react/ 2009-03-13T17:13:45+00:00 Veronika Marchenko: “We are Ready for a Long Fight in Order To Make the Law Prevail” About the Author: Ruth Bennett serves as the Public Affairs Advisor for the Office of International Women’s Issues. This entry is one in a series of profiles of the 2009 International Women of Courage Award recipients.

Veronika Marchenko started the “Mother’s Right” Foundation in 1990, while she was still a student. She worked out of a small room in downtown Moscow, with one table, one chair, and a telephone.

When her activism brought public attention to hazing in the then-Soviet armed forces, the small foundation became an NGO with a mission of exposing the true circumstances surrounding peacetime deaths in the army. It provided moral and legal support to surviving families and lobbied against corruption in the armed forces.

Ms. Marchenko still presses for the elimination of hazing and bullying, which she claims each year take the lives of up to 3,000 of the men obligated to serve. “The basic postulate from the Soviet era until now says a conscript is a nobody,” Ms. Marchenko told an LA Times reporter. “He’s a cogwheel in a machine, and this cogwheel is a very inexpensive element of that machine which, if it breaks down, can be replaced very easily.”

Because most of these deaths are classified as suicides regardless of additional or contributing factors, these soldiers’ families encounter difficulty in receiving survivors’ entitlements. Ms. Marchenko’s group leads investigations into the circumstances of conscripts’ deaths, often helping to prove that a suicide was actually a provocation to suicide or a murder, bringing accurate information to grieving families as well as a means of support. “When we don’t win quickly,” she told French reporters, “we are ready for a long fight in order to make the law prevail.”

Lawyers from Mother’s Right participated in 132 pro bono litigations in 21 cities across Russia in 2007 alone. That same year, the foundation assisted 5,323 families of servicemen who died during noncombat military service.

The organization led by Ms. Marchenko is an outstanding example of a grass-roots endeavor that began with little more than a commitment to social justice, and evolved into an influential and powerful group. Ms. Marchenko’s courage in defying the pressure of authorities and her perseverance over nearly 20 years allowed this to happen. Today, Mother’s Right is a whistleblower organization that brings public scrutiny of human rights abuses to a large and opaque bureaucracy, giving vindication and sustenance to families and support and improved conditions to young men serving their country.

]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/veronika_marchenko/ 2009-03-09T19:45:45+00:00 Turkish Coffee on NTV Turkey’s “Come Along with Me” About the Author: Tom Leary is the Public Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

NTV just taped a special edition of the popular show “Come Along with Me” (“Haydi Gel Bizimle Ol”) with Secretary Clinton. The show’s usual format was modified so that the Secretary could meet with young people over coffee. That's the way you traditionally welcome a guest here. But that wasn't the only change. The show was moved from its studio in Istanbul to the Rahmi Koc Museum's cafe in Ankara, which is housed in a 16th century merchant hotel.

When Secretary Clinton walked though the audience of seventy-five young public diplomacy program alumni at the start of the show, she stopped to greet guests. Our audience of twenty-somethings came from as far away as Istanbul to the west and Van on Turkey's border with Iran to the east. Life stories were equally diverse, running the gamut from young entrepreneurs (bee keepers) from rural Van to recently returned Fulbright graduate students. The “Come Along with Me” hosts brought a similar diversity of perspective. Ciğdem Anad is a journalist, Pınar Kür a novelist, Müjde Ar an actress, and Aysun Kayacı a model.

Not surprisingly, the questions covered a lot of ground. For example, a guest from the audience asked the Secretary about similarities and differences between Turkish and American culture. The Secretary responded that one way in which our two countries are similar is that America and Turkey rank first and second in the world in the number of Facebook users. People in both countries network. The Secretary admitted that there are many misconceptions, and that’s why she just announced a new program to send more Turks to the United States and bring Americans here. The Secretary also fielded a question about how violence in the Middle East and in Gaza specifically affected her as a woman and mother.

“Come Along with Me” gave the Secretary a great forum for connecting with Turks on a personal level, underlining in a very human way that we’re listening to Turks’ concerns and how enduring our friendship is. Secretary Clinton connected with her Turkish audience big time.
]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/turkish_coffee_ntv/ 2009-03-07T18:53:45+00:00 Secretary Clinton Visits Mustafa Kemal Atatürk Mausoleum About the Author: Ann Kim serves as a Consular Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

Today is the eve of International Women’s Day, and I have had the privilege of witnessing Secretary Hillary Clinton pay her respects to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk at Anitkabir, where Turkey’s hero is laid to rest. It is an interesting coincidence that Clinton — a individual who has tirelessly advocated democracy and women’s rights and proudly wears the badge of “first woman to accomplish…” in her own right (first female chair of the Legal Services Corporation, first female partner at Rose Law Firm, etc.) — pay her respects to a man who also tirelessly fought for democracy and women’s rights; one of his hallmark reforms was to give Turkish women the right to vote in 1934, shortly after American women fought for and won their right to vote in 1920.

When Secretary Clinton arrived at the site, energy filled the air. I’ve been to Anitkabir before, but the crowd was larger for a Saturday morning. She continues to be a favorite American among Turks, which is really important right now when Americans are not always looked upon favorably by a number of countries. But this crowd was clearly excited... they said hello and waved. She waved and said hello back… It has been a while since Turks have been excited about an American so it was a moving scene to behold.

The Turkish dignitaries greeted her, and they all proceeded toward Ataturk’s mausoleum for the wreath laying ceremony. The excitement when she arrived contrasted with the solemnity of the ceremony was striking. I was amazed at how quiet things got, even though there were many people around. The slow walk, the dignity of the soldiers leading the procession, and the reflective expression on Clinton’s face underscored the uniqueness and importance of Turkish-American relations. .

For her entry in the Guest Book, Clinton wrote: “It is an honor to visit once again on behalf of my country to show our honor and respect for the founder of this great country and demonstrate the friendship of the American people.” These words reflect the nature and importance of this bilateral relationship. Though at first glance it might appear to some that Americans and Turks do not have much in common, upon reflection, it is easy to see that the democratic values of both nations bind the two countries together.

]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/a_visit_to_anitkabir/ 2009-03-07T17:47:45+00:00 Meet & Greet at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara About the Author: Binnur Tekiner is from Turkey and servers as the Assistant to the Public Affairs Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.

Secretary Hillary Clinton’s last stop this afternoon was the Ambassador’s Residence, where she met the Embassy community. I arrived early to cover the event, which took place in the reception lounge. We all crowded in, lining up later to meet the Secretary. This was a memorable moment for embassy employees and families who had the opportunity to meet the Secretary in person. And it’s a wonderful way to reward all the Embassy employees who have worked very hard for the last week to make this happen. The drivers, interpreters, computer technicians, American officers who arranged the meetings, and others; everyone has worked long hours to make this visit a success.

The Secretary expressed her appreciation for all the hard work that went into preparing for the visit. Employees, spouses and their children who wished to be photographed with the Secretary were impressed by her friendly, outgoing manner and her charisma. I also had the privilege of shaking hands with her for the second time, and even asking for her signature on a Public Affairs photo taken when she visited us as First Lady in 1999.

During her meeting, I thought that the Secretary was a true role model and wished her to be one for women in my country who believe that women must be respected as equals in a modern Turkey. International Women’s Day will be celebrated tomorrow in Turkey in many different ways. It’s a well-timed commemoration following Ms. Clinton’s visit.

8 Mart Dünya Kadınlar Günümüz Kutlu Olsun!

]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/friendly_meet_greet/ 2009-03-07T10:01:45+00:00 Reflections on U.S.-Turkey Relations About the Author: James Jeffrey serves as the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey.

I’m waiting for Secretary of State Clinton to arrive at Ankara’s Esenboga airport. So, I have a moment to reflect on how Turkey has developed and how our relationship has evolved. I’ve spent much of the last 27 years working in Turkey or on issues related to Turkey. Since my first tour in Adana in 1983, I’ve witnessed Turkey’s economy take huge strides, her democracy mature and her society grow to take on the challenges of the 21st century.

A visit to Ankara so soon after taking over at the State Department shows that Secretary Clinton recognizes the importance of our bilateral relationship. We have been allies and friends for over 50 years and we have faced numerous challenges together, side by side. Today, our relationship is more important than ever. We are working jointly to defeat the PKK, achieve peace in the Middle East, help Afghanistan recover, bring a lasting solution to Cyprus and make sure that Iraq becomes a reliable neighbor in the region.
When Secretary Clinton steps off the plane tonight, it represents an opportunity to renew our commitment to the values our two countries share, and explain to the Turkish public why the Turkish-American partnership matters. Everyone in our Embassy is excited about this visit. The cars are in place, the media is waiting, and the plane is landing. It’s time to begin.


]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/tarmac_ankara/ 2009-03-06T21:55:45+00:00 Next Generation Takes the Floor - A Town Hall With Future European Leaders About the Authors: Rachel Miller and Clarissa Unger serve as U.S. State Department Interns posted at the U.S. Mission to the European Union.

When someone thinks about Brussels, waffles, chocolates, NATO and the European Union usually come to mind. Secretary Clinton is likely to hit each of these while she is here (with only the waffles and chocolates being questionable!). Though her main purpose for coming to Brussels was the Foreign Ministers’ meeting at the NATO Headquarters, Secretary Clinton also made a point to speak not only with the current leaders of the European Union, but with the future leaders of Europe as well.

At a town hall meeting in one of the buildings of the European Parliament, the home to the world’s only democratically elected international institution representing 27 member-states, Secretary Clinton addressed nearly 400 young people, who are making an impact in Europe today and will be the movers and shakers on this side of the Trans-Atlantic relationship tomorrow. Participating in the conversation with the Secretary were young professionals, EU, NATO and other interns; think tank staff; students and others.

Before the Secretary spoke, there was great excitement in the crowded room that had completely filled 45 minutes before she was scheduled to speak. Close to 800 others began gathering in various overflow rooms throughout the EU Parliament. One guest from Ireland even told us that after working as “stagiaire” (the French term for interns) for five months, getting to see Secretary Clinton speak would definitely be the highlight of his time in Brussels.

The excitement only grew once Secretary Clinton and the President of the EU Parliament Hans-Gert Pöttering entered the room. President Pöttering opened the town hall thanking the Secretary for her life-long contribution to public service, calling her a role model for generations old and new.

Secretary Clinton then gave brief remarks to the young professionals stating, “The future we are attempting to shape is one that certainly poses many challenges…It will be up to you, the next generation, to take it to the next level.” Before taking questions from the participants, the Secretary encouraged the next leaders of Europe to continue to work with the U.S. to strengthen the Trans-Atlantic alliance and to tackle global issues.
As soon as the Secretary opened the town hall for questions, hands went up around the room. Questions ranged from the U.S./NATO relationship with Russia to combating climate change in the midst of the global economic crisis. To a question posed by a Moldovan wearing an “I love Hillary” t-shirt, the Secretary’s response that “human rights is one of the pillars of our foreign policy” drew warm applause.

The town hall ended with a standing ovation for the Secretary. For these two interns from the U.S., it was exciting to see one of our highest officials so well received by our peers on this side of the Atlantic. We agreed with a participant from Bulgaria who called the town hall with Secretary Clinton and the next leaders of Europe “inspirational.”]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/town_hall_leaders/ 2009-03-06T18:50:45+00:00 Secretary Clinton Engages Young Europeans in Town Hall Meeting About the Author: Dana Francis serves as the Political and Refugee Affairs Officer at the U.S. Mission to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium.

Related Entry: Watch video of young Europeans' reactions to the Secretary's visit.

Secretary Clinton engaged hundreds of young Europeans in a Town Hall meeting March 6 in Brussels, calling modern Europe a “miracle” of peace and prosperity and citing the European Union as a key U.S. partner in facing global challenges. The European Parliament hosted the event for the next generation of potential European leaders, several hundred of whom packed the main room while some 800 others watched a video link in nearby auditoriums. Clinton walked about the stage responding to questions ranging from how to engage Russia to how to fight terrorism. The young EU officials eagerly asked about key challenges, including climate change, a state for Palestinians, and genocide in Darfur. A Moldovan man sitting in the front row wearing an “I Love Hillary” T-shirt seemed delighted when the Secretary called on him to ask a question, which concerned gay and lesbian rights and increased funding for HIV/AIDS. Secretary Clinton drew laughter from the crowd when she ducked a Welch questioner’s inquiry regarding independence for Wales, Scotland and Catalonia, saying she would not interfere in the internal affairs of any state. When asked by an Irish questioner whether the complexity of the EU was a barrier to good transatlantic relations, Clinton said democracy is by definition complex and contains inherent tensions between the need for efficient decision-making and the need for consensus-building. Running behind schedule, Clinton seemed reluctant to end the discussion and wanted to answer “just one more question” before she had to leave for a working lunch with EU leaders.

]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/clinton_european_town_hall/ 2009-03-06T17:27:45+00:00 U.S. Firmly Committed to NATO Interactive Travel Map | Text the Secretary

Following today's meeting with NATO foreign ministers, Secretary Clinton said:

"I came here to deliver a clear message: The United States is firmly committed to NATO, and the Obama Administration will work vigorously to renew a real dialogue within this alliance. We look forward to listening, to consulting, and to working in concert to devise and deliver smart solutions to our shared challenges."

You may read the Secretary's full remarks here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/firmly_committed_to_nato/ 2009-03-05T23:12:45+00:00 Building a Stronger Transatlantic Community: That’s Diplomacy Interactive Travel Map | Text the Secretary

About the Author: Kurt Volker serves as U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO.

Meetings at NATO can look like a series of speeches at the table by foreign ministers. With the Secretary General and 28 countries at the table, if each one speaks only once for five minutes, it can take nearly 2 ½ hours to discuss one subject. And the reality can be even longer. But that is just one layer of the event. Another is the work going on around the margins of the room and in the corridors, as senior officials hammer out deals on behalf of their governments.

At one point, working through a particularly difficult issue, some 20 senior diplomats from as many countries were crammed into the ante-room off the main conference room trying out wording to chart a way forward, necks craned to look at one piece of paper in the center of the pod. When they failed to reach a conclusion, they flooded into the main room, as one group, making a great ruckus. The Secretary General then convened ministers-only to negotiate directly – the foreign ministers themselves doing the hard work of diplomacy. Some 200 senior officials milled about in the hallway trying to think up ideas.

In the end, the ministers broke for lunch, wording was formulated, and after agreement was reached, the Secretary General delivered the news to the media.

Another step forward for NATO. A better policy for having been debated. And another example of the United States and European allies working brick by brick to rebuild a stronger, more unified transatlantic community. That’s diplomacy.

Read Ambassador Volker's previous entry about the Secretary's NATO meeting.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/stronger_transatlantic_community/ 2009-03-05T17:46:45+00:00 Secretary Clinton Meets With NATO Counterparts in Brussels Interactive Travel Map | Text the Secretary

About the Author: Kurt Volker serves as U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO.

It is remarkable – and heart-warming – to see the enthusiastic reception European allies are giving Secretary Clinton at her first meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers. As we entered NATO headquarters this morning, members of the NATO international staff and national delegations lined the corridor to catch a glimpse of the Secretary and shake hands. At one point, there was spontaneous applause.

What is clear is that America’s determination to re-engage with Europe and rebuild our alliance is met with equal determination, enthusiasm, and good will from Europe to re-engage with America.

This is important because the challenges that confront our NATO family are significant, and it will take all of our solidarity and mutual commitment to meet these challenges effectively together. The situation in Afghanistan, and Pakistan, is at the top of this difficult agenda.

Secretary Clinton’s meeting with our allies takes place exactly 29 days before President Obama meets the NATO leaders for the first time in Strasbourg, France and Kehl, Germany. This is not only the 60th Anniversary of NATO – the most successful alliance in history, for ending the Cold War peacefully and preserving freedom and prosperity for nearly a billion people in Europe and North America – but it is also a chance to re-launch NATO to tackle the security challenges of a new era. And for this, the kind of reception Secretary Clinton received from her NATO colleagues today is a good omen that our transatlantic community is up to the challenge.

Read Ambassador Volker's next entry about the Secretary's meeting with NATO counterparts.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/secretary_clinton_meets_with_nato_counterparts_in_brussels/ 2009-03-05T16:55:45+00:00 Welcome to Brussels, Madame Secretary! Interactive Travel Map | Text the Secretary

About the Author: Tim Forsyth serves as the Economic Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Brussels.

Secretary of State Clinton has just arrived at the elegant Egmont Palace in downtown Brussels, coming straight from the airport and the Middle East portion of her trip. Belgian Foreign Minister Karel De Gucht greeted her warmly as she entered the building from the cobblestone courtyard of the Palace for an informal dinner with her counterparts from EU and NATO nations, plus the Secretary-General of NATO and senior EU officials Solana and Ferrero-Waldner. The reality of being involved in a small part of a visit for what I imagine must be one of the busiest offices – and for one of the busiest people – in the world is that all of those involved must be willing to adapt to unexpected changes and events beyond their control, and then adapt – quickly! It’s one part routine, one part diligence, with a touch of flexibility and a dash of exhilaration.

Being the ‘site officer’ means that over the last few days I have been coordinating closely with the Secretary’s Advance staff and the Government of Belgium’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) about the movements of the Secretary (and her staff) throughout this event at the Egmont. There could be worse places to be a site officer, believe me – I would be crazy not to appreciate the Palace, one of the showcases of the MFA, with stunningly beautiful 17th century Belgian (of course!) tapestries throughout, an exquisite red, black and grey marble staircase leading upstairs to the meeting rooms, which in themselves are also more than attractive – the Hall of Mirrors, where a pre-dinner reception occurred – can only be described as resplendent.

While my responsibilities required only that I and others visit the Palace a few times before tonight, at each visit I still quietly marvel at its large and small beauties – whether a remarkable tapestry or a small portrait or a piece of furniture. The Kingdom of Belgium acquired the Palace in the 1960’s from the city of Brussels, which in turn had had the property since 1918; the Palace’s roots hail back to the Egmont family in the 16th century. The Belgians spent years renovating the building, and as a result they have a diplomatic center that matches the marvelous hospitality that they put on display this evening. These are not your average digs, to say the least.

Tonight’s dinner event – which has stretched well beyond the scheduled two hours and fifteen minutes – is the beginning of several busy – no, make that extremely busy – days here in the capital of Europe for the Secretary. In addition to serving as host nation for NATO and the EU, Belgium is a major trading and investment partner of the United States, has forces in Afghanistan, Kosovo, Lebanon and Africa, cooperates with us on a number of important issues, and will have the EU Presidency for the second half of 2010 – a valuable interlocutor.

So tonight’s event is done, with the Secretary and the other Foreign Ministers and officials walking one last time through the Hall of Mirrors down the marble stairs to the vehicles below. A few minutes later it’s good-bye to the Palace for me, too. I’m sure other colleagues will be blogging about the Secretary’s upcoming NATO and EU events occurring nearby over the next two days, where she will have many important discussions, much as she did tonight. But they won’t have the Egmont!]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/welcome_to_brussels/ 2009-03-05T16:26:45+00:00 Secretary Clinton Speaks With Reporters En Route to Europe Interactive Travel Map | Text the Secretary

En route to Brussels, Secretary Clinton reflected on her travels in the Middle East and looked ahead to her visit to Europe. She responded to reporters' questions on Iran, Russia, Afghanistan and Pakistan. Secretary Clinton said:

"I just wanted to make a couple of points as we head to Europe. I think that the message out of the last three days is that the United States is fully engaged and committed to play a vital role in an effort to achieve a comprehensive peace and two states, Israel and the Palestinians, living side by side in peace and security. We accomplished what we set out to achieve. We went to Sharm el-Sheikh and pledged over $900 million in humanitarian aid for both Gaza and the West Bank. We also consulted widely with Arab, Israeli, and Palestinian leaders on the way forward. We very strongly supported the Palestinian Authority as the only legitimate government for the Palestinians and the only partner for any negotiations. We also laid the groundwork for the comprehensive peace settlement that we’ll be working toward by sending two representatives to Syria.

And importantly for me, we tried to highlight why we’re doing all of this. The meeting with the women entrepreneurs in Israel, the meeting today with the young Palestinian students really illustrate both what we think is the real hope for the future, but also the necessity of the role that the United States intends to play. This is obviously my first trip back as Secretary of State, but I will be back often, and our special envoy will be back as soon as there is an Israeli government.

Looking ahead to Europe, this will be my first meeting with the NATO Council, and I’m looking to demonstrate that the United States intends to be an active participant within NATO and with our NATO partners. I will certainly be raising issues that are important to the United States such as our plan going forward for Afghanistan and Pakistan, the NATO-Russia relationship, some of the old problems and the new threats that we are going to confront together. I will end the week with a meeting in Geneva with Foreign Minister Lavrov, and then going on to Turkey for consultations with the leadership there.

There’s a lot of work to be done, but I’m not only very committed but eager to see that work take off in a meaningful way. I think we laid the groundwork over the last three days."

You may read the full transcript of the Secretary's conversation here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/en_route_europe/ 2009-03-05T16:05:45+00:00 Secretary Clinton, Czech Foreign Minister Affirm Transatlantic Alliance Yesterday, Secretary Clinton met with Czech Republic Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg, whose country currently holds the Presidency of the European Union. Following remarks, they took questions from the press on Iran, North Korea and missile defense.

Secretary Clinton said: "The minister and I just had a wide-ranging, good discussion about global, European, and bilateral issues. The Czech Republic is an important ally of the United States and, of course, our two nations share a strong commitment to defense, development, and human rights. And we are dedicated to strengthening our transatlantic alliance. I also welcomed the foreign minister in his current European Union presidency role. The U.S. and Europe have great responsibilities in the world, especially at this time of global challenges and opportunities. And the United States appreciates Czech leadership on such key issues as Afghanistan, energy security, and the Middle East.

It was also a pleasure for me to particularly thank the Czech Republic for being at the forefront of the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, with a commitment of 500 troops and leadership of the Logar Provincial Reconstruction Team. Europe and the United States, the Czech Republic and the United States, we have a big, important agenda before us. And I’m confident, as I told the minister, that our shared values, our common objectives, our commitment to freedom will continue to strengthen and deepen our partnership."

When asked about Iran, Secretary Clinton said: “We have been very clear that, as the Vice President discussed in Munich over the weekend, as the President said again last night, there is an opportunity for the Iranian Government to demonstrate a willingness to unclench their fist and to begin a serious and responsible discussion about a range of matters.

We still persist in our view that Iran should not obtain nuclear weapons, that it would be a very unfortunate course for them to pursue. And we hope that there will be opportunities in the future for us to develop a better understanding of one another and to work out a way of talking that would produce positive results for the people of Iran.”

You may watch video or read the full transcript of the Secretary's remarks.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/czech_minister_transatlantic_alliance/ 2009-02-11T13:38:36+00:00 Europe Cheers President Obama About the Author: Renee Earle serves as Minister Counselor for Public Affairs at the U.S. Mission to the European Union.

Hello from Brussels, the administrative capital of the European Union, and, for many, the heart of Europe. Last night, that heart was broadly given to our new President, Barack Obama.

TV channels across Europe carried the ceremonies, and this morning it was hard to find a newspaper without a front cover carrying the image of the U.S. inauguration. Some papers ran 20 pages of coverage, and “open letters” from Foreign Ministers and school children detailed recommendations and aspirations for a world that can be renewed. From small towns to the European Union’s principal institutions, all shared in the significance of the moment. Braine- le-Comte, a small town south of Brussels, gathered its citizens around a large-screen showing of the inauguration in its town square while Jose Manuel Barroso, the President of the European Commission, issued a public statement: “I personally believe that the election of President Obama was a defining, turning point for America. It may now also be an important turning point for the rest of the world.”

Both the U.S. Mission to the EU and our “bilat,” the U.S. Embassy in Belgium, hosted standing-room-only receptions to view the inauguration. Smilingly enthusiastic, our European guests, like the editorial comment across Europe and Belgian Defense Minister, Pieter De Crem, in his speech at the Embassy event, hailed a new era, a renewal of America and its place in the world. European officials, media, NGO leaders and other friends tried also to focus some attention on the challenges ahead and the great, perhaps unrealistic, expectations for one president, who would have to be “a cross between Gandhi and Superman,” but last night the emphasis was on jubilation and hope. This morning, an email from a European think tank contact summed up the feelings, “You may not believe it yet, but America is back.”]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/europe_cheers_president_obama/ 2009-01-21T15:14:01+00:00 Un Moment Historique About the Author: Adnan Siddiqi serves as Information Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Paris.

Throughout this weekend and heading toward today’s Inauguration ceremony in Washington, the air waves, metros and sidewalk cafes of Paris have been abuzz. Media commentators, politicians, professors, corporate leaders, movers, shakers, immigrants and young people will all be focused on one historic news story -- Barack Obama’s swearing-in on the Capitol’s steps, live on TF1, France 2 and France 24. French bloggers will also be typing away overtime, exchanging thoughts and hopes about what lies ahead.

There are multiple reasons behind Obama-mania in France (some not entirely rational), but we’re not complaining. It’s nice to hear the refrain “Yes, we can” (especially in a French accent by people who barely know English). Nearly everyone in Paris seems to agree -- according to published polls as well as anecdotal feedback we get at our Embassy and Consulates -- that January 20, 2009 is a turning point, a genuine “moment historique.”

President-elect Obama visited France as a candidate last July. Local media are comparing him to some historical greats: to Roosevelt and Lincoln for bravely taking on monumental challenges, and to Kennedy for his energy and uplifting oratory. At last summer’s press conference at the Elysee, French president Sarkozy told Obama that “your adventure is a story which speaks to the heart of French people, to the heart of Europeans.” When the election results came in on November, the City of Light lit up with posters of Obama and excited talk of “turning the page” on race. Now the much-anticipated day of “Inauguration” is here – “L’investiture” in French -- and indeed for many in France, the ceremony is an “investment” in hope, democracy and world peace.

Yesterday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), our Embassy economic and political officers participated with French officials and scholars in a colloquium sponsored by the National Assembly’s U.S.-France Friendship Group, headlined “Where are transatlantic relations headed under an Obama presidency?” The mood was upbeat, the sense of hope and optimism palpable.

Today, many of us from the Mission will be heading toward the Mayor’s office for a gala event being described as “the hottest ticket in town” – a live transmission of Inauguration on large screens at the historic Hotel de Ville, followed by speeches and a concert by the Golden Gate quartet. More than 1300 French guests, including 90 journalists will attend the event, sponsored by the city of Paris in partnership with Democrats and Republicans Abroad.

For those Parisians who can’t get into either of the above events, they will still have plenty of venues to choose from, according to This French Life. Several restaurants and bars in exclusive neighborhoods are advertising themselves as the “place to be” to watch the live transmission from Washington and to share a glass of champagne. For those more soberly minded, the American Church in Paris is offering a special worship service and a gospel choir. And for the espresso-sipping intellectual crowd, the American Library of Paris is offering a book display and panel discussion chaired by a leading political analyst. Political discussions and festivities are expected to continue into the night, not only in the capital, but also in Marseille, Toulouse, Avignon and Strasbourg. All in all, it promises to be a remarkable day in France, or as the banners flying in Cannes joyfully claim: “Yes, we Cannes!”]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/un_moment_historique/ 2009-01-20T16:46:01+00:00