http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/site/index/ en U.S. Department of State 2009-11-07T00:24:20+00:00 About the Author: Rebecca Goldenberg served as Deputy UNGA Coordinator for the Department of State.

After running around the 1950s-era United Nations Secretariat building, going through endless security checkpoints and literally bumping into heads of state, I finally found a TV carrying the scene from the UN General Assembly Hall. But I wasn’t alone. On a normal day, the Vienna Café in the bowels of Secretariat building would have been a quiet, if smokey, getaway from the buzz of the day-to-day work of the UN, with scattered diplomats from across the globe chatting over cups of coffee. A Starbucks to the world. Last Wednesday, however, dozens of the UN-accredited who were not so fortunate as to have the proper combination of badges, overlays and tickets to enter the actual General Assembly Hall had gathered in the café to hear President Obama’s first address at the United Nations.

As President Obama appeared on the TV screen, the diplomats grew silent. For 38 minutes, we watched as if it were game seven of the World Series. The nearly one hundred diplomats crowded into the Vienna Café focused intently on Obama’s powerful speech; a stark contrast to the buzz before his remarks that made it hard to hear yourself think. The quiet of the café was a powerful signal to me of how much the world is truly watching the United States.

The President's speech to the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) was the highlight of U.S. engagement during UNGA, but there was much more to come during the General Debate, a two week period when heads of state gather in New York to open the new UNGA session. As coordinators for the 64th UNGA, Doug Sun and I have been working for months. We’ve spent many late nights in the office drafting speeches and memos, determining schedules, and collecting and editing hundreds of papers for President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and other principals. Needless to say, it has been a busy time. The coordination came down to the wire, with last minute details still being arranged as we hopped on the train to New York City for the big event. By the time we arrived, the city was already bustling with motorcades shuttling heads of state, Secret Service and police officers on every street corner out-numbering pedestrians, and security barriers closing off various busy New York City streets.

This year, as it was President Obama’s first UNGA, everything seemed to have an added edge of anticipation, reflected in the assembled crowd at the Vienna Café. This also meant that the President's schedule was packed to the brim. Over the course of approximately ten days, I met and chatted with dozens of the world’s leaders at President Obama’s reception at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, found myself lost more than once in the labyrinthine UN Secretariat buildings, watched scrambling reporters drop and break their cameras in an effort to catch a statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, watched as an unnamed delegation was quickly pulled from a malfunctioning elevator to the horror of the security detail, and worked into the wee hours of the morning in our hotel-room-turned-control-office in the Waldorf Astoria with some of the most dedicated, capable, and funniest colleagues out there.

On Saturday, Secretary Clinton came through the control suite to thank us for all of our hard work. We all appreciated the visit, especially Doug. It has been an experience as rewarding as it has been exhausting, but absolutely worth it. And even though I’m nursing an exhaustion-induced cold, I hope to have the opportunity to do it all again next year.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/behind_the_scenes_unga/ 2009-10-01T14:23:20+00:00 Secretary Clinton delivered remarks on the adoption of a UNSC resolution to combat sexual violence in armed conflict.

Today, Secretary Clinton chaired a United Nations Security Council Session to adopt a strong resolution to end sexual violence against women and children in conflict-related situations. The resolution, drafted by the United States, outlines actions the UN and Member States can take to help prevent conflict-related sexual violence and end impunity. Secretary Clinton said:

"The resolution we passed today represents a step forward in our global efforts to end violence perpetrated against women and children in conflict zones, and it builds on two prior Security Council resolutions: Resolution 1325, which called on all parties in conflicts to respect women’s rights and increase their participation in peace negotiations and post-conflict reconstruction efforts; and Resolution 1820, adopted last year, which affirms the ambitions set out in 1325, and establishes a clear link between maintaining international peace and security, and preventing and responding to sexual violence used as a tactic of war to target civilians."

Secretary Clinton continued: "[T]his resolution identifies specific steps that the United Nations and member-states can and should take to improve the UN response to sexual violence committed during situations of armed conflict. It calls on the Secretary General to appoint a special representative to lead, coordinate, and advocate for efforts to end sexual violence. We expect that person to engage at high levels with civilian and military leaders to spearhead the UN’s activities on this front.

It also calls on the Secretary General to rapidly deploy a team of experts to work with governments to strengthen the rule of law, address impunity, and enhance accountability while drawing attention to the full range of legal venues that can be brought into play, including domestic, international, and mixed courts that bring local and international judges and prosecutors together to strengthen local justice systems.

We must also recognize that ending conflicts outright is the most certain path to ending sexual violence in conflict. So pursuing peace and successful post-conflict transitions should be our highest priority. In states where conflict is taking place and those that are moving beyond it, local police must receive better training, the rule of law must be strengthened, and survivors must be ensured full access to justice and protection throughout the judicial process. We envision that this team of experts called for in this resolution will help us strengthen initiatives like those.

Now, beyond the measures outlined in the resolution, the Security Council should take additional steps. Protecting women and children should be a critical priority for all troops who wear the blue helmet. To reflect this, new and renewed peacekeeping mandates should include language condemning sexual violence and giving further guidance to peacekeeping missions to work with local authorities to end it.

We must seek to ensure that our respective military and police forces, especially those who will participate in peacekeeping missions, develop the expertise to prevent and respond to violence against women and children. And this will be helped by increasing the number of women who serve in UN peacekeeping missions. When I visited the mission in Goma, I was very impressed at how integrated it was in every way, from every country, every kind of person represented, and many women in the leadership as well as in the ranks.

And let us not forget that it is often women who lead the call for peace in communities shattered by violence. We have seen women in this role from Liberia to Rwanda to Northern Ireland to Guatemala. Even when they suffer terrible losses in conflicts they had no part in starting, women have the will to reach across divisions, find common ground, and foster understanding. As they seek peace, so must we by making sure they are part of all efforts. So I urge UN member-states to make sure their foreign assistance programs include measures to prevent and respond to violence against women and children, and to ensure that women are included in designing and implementing those programs.

In his speech at the General Assembly last week, President Obama challenged nations of the world to assume responsibility for the challenges confronting us. Certainly, the challenge of sexual violence in conflict cannot and should not be separated from the broader security issues confronting this Council. It is time for all of us to assume our responsibility to go beyond condemning this behavior, to taking concrete steps to end it, to make it socially unacceptable, to recognize it is not cultural; it is criminal. And the more we say that over and over and over again, the more we will change attitudes, create peer pressure, and the conditions for the elimination of this violation."

Read the Secretary's full remarks here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/resolution_protect_women_/ 2009-09-30T21:49:20+00:00 Yesterday, Secretary Clinton spoke with UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about food security. The Secretary said:

"It is a great pleasure for me to be joining Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and all of you to exchange ideas and join forces against one of the most urgent threats facing our world: chronic hunger, and all of the consequences that it causes, some of which we saw in the short film leading into our conference today.

I wish that we had time to acknowledge every head of state and government minister here today, as well as all the representatives from foundations, non-governmental organizations, universities, and the private sector. But there are far too many of you -- which is the good news, that we have such an extraordinary turnout. And so, let me join with the Secretary-General in welcoming and thanking all of you for taking time out late on a Saturday afternoon to be here.

Yesterday, at the Clinton Global Initiative, I discussed the principles that the Secretary-General referred to: how we are going to fight hunger together and begin to alleviate and decrease poverty through sustainable agricultural development. We want to make sure that enough food is available, and that people have the resources to purchase it. That is a key foreign policy objective of President Obama and our administration. This is an issue that affects all of us, because food security is about economic, environmental, and national security for our individual homelands and the world.

As the Secretary-General mentioned, five principles were embraced at the G-8 summit in Italy. And these principles will guide our efforts.

The first of these principles is the need to invest in country-led plans. Few people know better the complex obstacles that hinder a country's food supply than the people who actually live and work in that country. And we will have the greatest chance at success if we pursue partnership, not patronage.

Second, we will address the underlying causes of hunger, by investing in everything from research to better seeds to insurance programs for small farmers to large-scale infrastructure projects that create sustainable, systemic change. And we will put women at the heart of our efforts, because most farmers of small holdings in the world are women.

Third, we will improve coordination at every level. Too often in the past, we have worked in silos, duplicating some efforts and overlooking others. Now we want to bring every partner from every sector together around a virtual one table across the world to discuss each country's plan, and then devise a way of executing it.

Fourth, we will leverage the benefits of multilateral institutions to support and help fulfill the country plans, because these institutions have the reach and resources to do more than any single country could do.

And, fifth, we pledge a long-term commitment, based on accountability. Now, we know that this is going to take years, and even decades, before we reach the finish line. But we have to stay committed. Because what we have seen, as illustrated in the film, is that international support for agriculture has declined, while contributions to emergency aid have increased.

We will continue, of course, to invest in the crises and the emergencies, but we want to begin to try to alleviate the crises and the emergencies by once again enabling people to feed themselves. Now, together, these principles represent an approach based on investments in our collective future. And they will help us achieve broad-based results that last."

Read the Secretary's full remarks here. Secretary Clinton and Secretary-General Ban will act to move this agenda forward in the coming months. To catalyze coordination and collaboration, while ensuring accountability, they have introduced a proposal titled “Partnering For Food Security: Moving Forward.” This is designed as a point of reference for diverse stakeholders as they align their efforts and amplify their actions.

Related Entry: Global Food Security: U.S. Commitment to Action]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/principles_food_security/ 2009-09-27T17:20:20+00:00 Secretary Clinton speaks out against sexual and gender-based violence.

Yesterday, Secretary Clinton gave opening remarks at the Combating Violence Against Girls Event hosted by the Government of the Netherlands during the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Next week, Secretary Clinton will chair a Security Council session on the epidemic of sexual violence against women and girls in conflict zones, and the United States will introduce a resolution to strengthen efforts to curb these atrocities and hold all those who commit them accountable. Secretary Clinton said:

"I want to start by saying something that I believe with all my heart, and, obviously, those of you who are here believe it also, that the issues related to girls and women are not an annex to the important business of the world and the United Nations, they’re not an add-on, they’re not an afterthought; they are truly at the core of what we are attempting to do under the Universal Declaration of Human Rights that is the guiding message of this organization and what each of us in our own countries is called to do on behalf of equal opportunity and social justice.

So for me, this is a tremendous opportunity to speak about an issue that has basically been relegated to the backwaters of the international agenda until relatively recently: violence against girls and women, and particularly today, violence against girls.

I wish that we could transport ourselves into a setting where we could be in the midst of girls and women who have been suffering from violence, but we don’t have to because it’s all around us. It is in the home, it is in the workplace, it is on the streets of many of the countries represented here.... And it is in the places that make the headlines from time to time, and then in the very bottom paragraphs, there’s a reference to the violence that is a tactic of war and intimidation and oppression to prevent girls from going to school by throwing acid in their faces, by raping girls as a way of intimidating them and keeping them subjugated and demonstrating power.

So this, for me, is one of the most important events that I’ve done at the UN."

Read the Secretary's full remarks here.

You may also read the Secretary's op-ed on her visit to Goma, where some 1,100 rapes are reported each month, and how the United States is responding to sexual and gender-based violence in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/combating_violence_against_girls/ 2009-09-26T18:14:20+00:00 Today, President Obama chaired a meeting of the United Nations Security Council in New York. President Obama said:

"[T]his very institution was founded at the dawn of the atomic age, in part because man's capacity to kill had to be contained. And although we averted a nuclear nightmare during the Cold War, we now face proliferation of a scope and complexity that demands new strategies and new approaches. Just one nuclear weapon exploded in a city -- be it New York or Moscow; Tokyo or Beijing; London or Paris -- could kill hundreds of thousands of people. And it would badly destabilize our security, our economies, and our very way of life.

Once more, the United Nations has a pivotal role to play in preventing this crisis. The historic resolution we just adopted enshrines our shared commitment to the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. And it brings Security Council agreement on a broad framework for action to reduce nuclear dangers as we work toward that goal. It reflects the agenda I outlined in Prague, and builds on a consensus that all nations have the right to peaceful nuclear energy; that nations with nuclear weapons have the responsibility to move toward disarmament; and those without them have the responsibility to forsake them."

Read the President's full remarks here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/world_without_nuclear_weapons/ 2009-09-24T22:35:26+00:00 Yesterday, President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed world leaders to the United Nations General Assembly during a reception at the Metropolitan Museum in New York. The President and First Lady posed for photos with the leaders, which you may view here. ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/president_welcome_unga/ 2009-09-24T21:42:26+00:00 Yesterday, Secretary Clinton spoke about Burma and the P-5+1 meeting at the UN.

Secretary Clinton gave remarks on two meetings she attended yesterday afternoon at the United Nations in New York. The first was called by Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon about policies and approaches toward Burma. Secretary Clinton said:

"A number of countries were represented, and I reported that our policy process, which has been underway for some time now, is almost complete, and I gave a preview. I had announced this review back in February, and the major messages are as follows. First, the basic objectives are not changed. We want credible, democratic reform; a government that respond to the needs of the Burmese people; immediate, unconditional release of political prisoners, including Aung San Suu Kyi; serious dialogue with the opposition and minority ethnic groups. We believe that sanctions remain important as part of our policy, but by themselves, they have not produced the results that had been hoped for on behalf of the people of Burma.

Engagement versus sanctions is a false choice, in our opinion. So going forward, we will be employing both of those tools, pursuing our same goals. And to help achieve democratic reform, we will be engaging directly with Burmese authorities. This is a policy that has broad consensus across our government, and there will be more to report as we go forward."

The second meeting included the P-5+1 members. Secretary Clinton said:

"Secondly, most of you were here when Foreign Minister Miliband read out the statement that has been negotiated among the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, China, Russia, and of course, the European Union as represented by the High Representative Javier Solana. Let me just make four points about this statement, which I hope you will get a copy of and peruse, because I think it’s a very powerful statement that expresses these specific agreements.

First, the group remains united in pressing Iran to comply with its international obligations on its nuclear program, and it has serious concerns about Iran’s lack of compliance to date, particularly on the unanswered questions about the possible military dimensions of Iran’s nuclear program.

Secondly, the countries remain united in support of a dual track of engagement and pressure as a means of persuading Iran to comply with its obligations.

Thirdly, the ministers expressed a clear expectation that Iran should come to the talks on October 1st, ready to engage in serious and substantive discussions with a sense of urgency and a review of the practical steps that need to be taken on the nuclear issue, and that we will decide next steps on the basis of the meeting’s outcome.

And finally, we are committed to this dual-track policy. No one should underestimate our intention to follow through on either or both of these tracks. It depends on Iran’s response. And some of you have heard me say this numerous times – this process is now firmly up to Iran. It is Iran’s choice as to how they choose to proceed. And we are looking to the meeting on October 1st to get a clear indication of their intentions."]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/clinton_p5_plus_1_meeting/ 2009-09-24T18:36:26+00:00 About the Author: David McKeeby is a Public Affairs Specialist in the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs.

In his speech to the UN General Assembly, President Obama pledged to strengthen U.S. support for international peacekeeping efforts, a commitment he further underlined later in the day by meeting on the sidelines with countries that contribute the largest number of police, civilians, and troops to UN peacekeeping operations worldwide.

“UN peacekeeping can deliver important results by protecting civilians, helping to rebuild security, and advancing peace around the world,” Obama said during the event, where he was joined by Secretary Clinton and U.S. Ambassador to the UN Susan Rice in recognizing the peacekeepers’ contributions with leaders from Bangladesh, Rwanda, Italy, Pakistan, Ghana, Senegal, Nepal, Uruguay and delegations from China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Jordan, and Nigeria.

The United States has long been the world’s top financial contributor to UN peacekeeping operations, providing about 25 percent of the international organization’s budget to support its 113,000 “blue helmets,” police, and civilians working to secure the peace and protect at-risk populations in 19 post-conflict stabilization missions around the world. In recent years, the United States has also joined in international efforts to meet a growing demand for more trained personnel and equipment to strengthen international efforts to stabilize some of world’s most challenging hotspots, from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, and Lebanon, to Somalia and Sudan.

A key component of this effort has been the State Department’s Global Peace Operations Initiative (GPOI), overseen by the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. GPOI was launched in support of the G-8 Action Plan to Expand Global Capability for Peace Support Operations, adopted at the 2004 G-8 Sea Island Summit. GPOI also provides support to the Italian-led Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units which provides “train-the-trainer” instruction, creating police unit trainers who can play a key role in post-conflict countries by helping reform local police forces to take on the long-term responsibility for safeguarding area residents and upholding the law. In all, the Center has graduated over 2,000 trainers from 29 countries.

For years, many critics dismissed GPOI’s goal to train and equip 75,000 peacekeepers worldwide by 2010 as unrealistic. But this summer, the Department announced that it surpassed their GPOI goal a year early, training more than 83,000 foreign peacekeepers as of August 31, and facilitating the deployment of nearly 50,000 peacekeeping forces to 20 United Nations, African Union, and other regional peace support operations around the globe.

While GPOI is worldwide in scope, African nations have been central to the partnership’s success. Nearly half of the 56 GPOI partner countries are located in Africa. The bulk of the training supported through GPOI has been conducted in Africa by the Africa Contingency Operations Training and Assistance (ACOTA) Program, a component of GPOI administered by our colleagues in State’s Bureau of African Affairs. Peacekeeping is truly a “whole-of-government” challenge, and Political-Military Affairs works closely with partners across the U.S. government to implement GPOI, including the Department of Defense and its regional commands, making the initiative yet another example of Secretary Clinton’s vision of “smart power” in action.

Starting in October 2009, the peacekeeping initiative will launch Phase II (FY 2010-2014), where it plans to build on its successful partnerships in Africa and elsewhere by shifting its focus from direct training by U.S. trainers to activities that increase the self-sufficiency of GPOI partners to train peacekeepers on their own. By doing so, GPOI will further multiply the number of future peacekeeping forces and empower partner countries to strengthen their own roles in the shared global challenge of increasing the peace.

“Over the last ten years, the demands on peacekeeping have grown, and operations have become more complex. It is in all of our interests to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of these efforts,” Obama said. “The United States is ready to do its part.” ]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/training_peacekeepers/ 2009-09-24T17:20:19+00:00 Today, President Obama addressed the United Nations General Assembly. The President said:

"In this hall, we come from many places, but we share a common future. No longer do we have the luxury of indulging our differences to the exclusion of the work that we must do together. I have carried this message from London to Ankara; from Port of Spain to Moscow; from Accra to Cairo; and it is what I will speak about today -- because the time has come for the world to move in a new direction. We must embrace a new era of engagement based on mutual interest and mutual respect, and our work must begin now.

We know the future will be forged by deeds and not simply words. Speeches alone will not solve our problems -- it will take persistent action. For those who question the character and cause of my nation, I ask you to look at the concrete actions we have taken in just nine months.

On my first day in office, I prohibited -- without exception or equivocation -- the use of torture by the United States of America. (Applause.) I ordered the prison at Guantanamo Bay closed, and we are doing the hard work of forging a framework to combat extremism within the rule of law. Every nation must know: America will live its values, and we will lead by example.

We have set a clear and focused goal: to work with all members of this body to disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda and its extremist allies -- a network that has killed thousands of people of many faiths and nations, and that plotted to blow up this very building. In Afghanistan and Pakistan, we and many nations here are helping these governments develop the capacity to take the lead in this effort, while working to advance opportunity and security for their people.

In Iraq, we are responsibly ending a war. We have removed American combat brigades from Iraqi cities, and set a deadline of next August to remove all our combat brigades from Iraqi territory. And I have made clear that we will help Iraqis transition to full responsibility for their future, and keep our commitment to remove all American troops by the end of 2011.

I have outlined a comprehensive agenda to seek the goal of a world without nuclear weapons. In Moscow, the United States and Russia announced that we would pursue substantial reductions in our strategic warheads and launchers. At the Conference on Disarmament, we agreed on a work plan to negotiate an end to the production of fissile materials for nuclear weapons. And this week, my Secretary of State will become the first senior American representative to the annual Members Conference of the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.

Upon taking office, I appointed a Special Envoy for Middle East Peace, and America has worked steadily and aggressively to advance the cause of two states -- Israel and Palestine -- in which peace and security take root, and the rights of both Israelis and Palestinians are respected.

To confront climate change, we have invested $80 billion in clean energy. We have substantially increased our fuel-efficiency standards. We have provided new incentives for conservation, launched an energy partnership across the Americas, and moved from a bystander to a leader in international climate negotiations.

To overcome an economic crisis that touches every corner of the world, we worked with the G20 nations to forge a coordinated international response of over $2 trillion in stimulus to bring the global economy back from the brink. We mobilized resources that helped prevent the crisis from spreading further to developing countries. And we joined with others to launch a $20 billion global food security initiative that will lend a hand to those who need it most, and help them build their own capacity.

We've also re-engaged the United Nations. We have paid our bills. We have joined the Human Rights Council. (Applause.) We have signed the Convention of the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. We have fully embraced the Millennium Development Goals. And we address our priorities here, in this institution -- for instance, through the Security Council meeting that I will chair tomorrow on nuclear non-proliferation and disarmament, and through the issues that I will discuss today.

This is what we have already done. But this is just a beginning. Some of our actions have yielded progress. Some have laid the groundwork for progress in the future. But make no mistake: This cannot solely be America's endeavor. Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world's problems alone. We have sought -- in word and deed -- a new era of engagement with the world. And now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges."

Read the President's full remarks here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/real_change_is_possible/ 2009-09-23T21:41:19+00:00 About the Author: William Strassberger serves as Public Affairs Officer in the Bureau of African Affairs.

September 22 was an historic day in New York City when President Obama hosted 25 African Heads-of-State for a working luncheon. The working luncheon took place at the Waldorf Astoria the day before the world leaders begin discussions at the annual United Nations General Assembly meeting.

President Obama led a discussion with the African leaders on the issues of job creation, trade and investment in Africa, and agriculture and food security.

At the New York City Foreign Press Center, National Security Council Senior Director for African Affairs Michelle Gavin said that the idea behind the lunch was to try to foster a dialogue and build on some of the themes that President Obama articulated when he was in Accra, “particularly ideas about the importance of partnership and creating opportunity, which was one of the big themes in his speech to parliamentarians in Ghana.”

Although President Obama led the discussion, many African leaders contributed to the conversation. As Gavin noted of the topic of job creation at the briefing, “Liberian President Sirleaf described very compellingly the challenge, the demographic challenge many African leaders confront with very large youth populations, and the kind of pressure that puts on labor markets as more and more young people are entering the labor market every year, and the need for job creation efforts to catch up with that, in addition to education efforts so people are ready to take on those jobs.”

President Kagame of Rwanda introduced the topic of trade investment to the group. Gavin noted that Rwanda had just been named the world's top reformer in the World Bank's "Doing Business" report – and Kagame talked about the Rwandan experience and what they're trying to do to create a favorable investment climate, and how the United States could be more supportive of initiatives that will create long-term growth.

President Kikwete of Tanzania led the discussion on agriculture and went through a very specific set of interventions that could lead to greater agricultural productivity and more agriculture-led economic growth.

Gavin noted that this was not intended to be a one-of-a-kind discussion. “I would just say is that President Obama really did stress that this is not kind of a one-off situation, but it's a start of a dialogue between his administration and African leaders.”]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/dialogue_africa/ 2009-09-23T21:15:19+00:00 Yesterday, President Obama met with Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian Authority President Abbas in New York.

Immediately following bilateral meetings with each of the leaders, and just before a trilateral meeting, President Obama said:

"And so my message to these two leaders is clear. Despite all the obstacles, despite all the history, despite all the mistrust, we have to find a way forward. We have to summon the will to break the deadlock that has trapped generations of Israelis and Palestinians in an endless cycle of conflict and suffering. We cannot continue the same pattern of taking tentative steps forward and then stepping back. Success depends on all sides acting with a sense of urgency."

U.S. Special Envoy for Middle East Peace George Mitchell spoke with the press about the President's meeting. He said:

"This was the first meeting between Israelis and Palestinians at this level in nearly a year. Even nine months ago, such a meeting did not seem possible. Less than a week before President Obama took office, conflict was raging in Gaza and southern Israel, causing deep suffering on both sides. Today the atmosphere is different. Both parties share the goal of a two-state solution and of comprehensive peace. And both parties seek the re-launch of negotiations as soon as possible, although there are differences between them on how to proceed. The United States stands with them to help advance toward these objectives.

We have made progress, on security and economic opportunity in particular, but we have much further to go. As the President said in his public comments, it's past time to talk about starting negotiations. All sides must summon the will to move forward. Permanent status negotiations must begin, and begin soon. This was a message that the President conveyed to each of the leaders in private, as well."]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/moving_forward_on_middle_east_peace/ 2009-09-23T14:22:19+00:00 Dr. Esther Brimmer serves as Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs.

Welcome to the 64th UNGA being held here at the United Nations in New York. This is going to be a very busy week, with the President of the United States and the Secretary of State visiting the United Nations.

We’ll be addressing some of the most important issues in American foreign policy. Those include dealing with climate change. The President just gave a major address on climate change here at the United Nations, which was heard by a packed hall — standing room only for that one.

Looking through the week, we will see other very important issues including dealing with nuclear nonproliferation. The President will chair a summit meeting of the United Nations Security Council. This will be the very first time that an American President has chaired a session of the Security Council. But at this venue we will also address serious human problems, including addressing world hunger. The Secretary of State and the Secretary-General of the United Nations will co-host a meeting addressing food security.

This is an important week for American foreign policy and for important steps toward international cooperation.

Thank you.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/greetings_from_unga/ 2009-09-23T03:18:19+00:00 About the Author: Andres Delgado serves as an Economic Officer in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.

Back in April, at the Summit of the Americas in Port of Spain, Presidents and Prime Ministers agreed to support a network of nations that would allow countries to share information and exchange best practices in reducing poverty. The Inter-American Social Protection Network is an opportunity for countries to listen and learn from each other. Today, Secretary Clinton joined the Presidents of Colombia and Chile and the Mayor of New York City in launching this network.

At this meeting, the speakers highlighted conditional cash transfer (CCT) programs. The concept of which is simple: give the poorest citizens a small monthly cash stipend if they ensure that their children get regular health check-ups and attend school. By giving people the choice about how to best spend the money, the government empowers its citizens. As Secretary Clinton said, “It isn’t charity, it’s an investment.”

In 1996, the Mexicans started a conditional cash transfer program called Oportunidades ("Opportunities"). According to the World Bank, Mexico’s CCT program has helped reduce poverty by 5 percent in Mexico – this within just one generation. New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg visited Mexico and based Opportunity NYC after Mexico’s Oportunidades. The Chileans are sharing experiences from their CCT program, Chile Solidario, with Caribbean countries to promote social protection programs in this region. Countries are working together to combat poverty. This is the goal of the Inter-American Social Protection Network.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/social_protection_network/ 2009-09-23T02:26:19+00:00 About the Author: Jane Carpenter-Rock is the Australia Desk Officer at the Department of State.

In her first day of meetings on the margins of the 2009 UN General Assembly, Secretary Clinton met with Australian Foreign Minister Stephen Smith and Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada for the fourth Trilateral Strategic Dialogue (TSD) Ministerial meeting. The TSD is a unique multilateral forum where the governments of Australia, Japan, and the United States come together at different levels to discuss issues of mutual interest in the Asia-Pacific region. With one-third of the world's population and one-quarter of the world’s GDP centered in Asia-Pacific countries, Secretary Clinton understands the future of the United States is inextricable tied to success in the region.

The TSD is a relatively new international mechanism, but an extremely important one for Japan, Australia, and the Unites States to accomplish substantive work on many of the most pressing security issues of our time, including nuclear non-proliferation and threats to democracy. The three nations share a wide swath of ocean and a strategic corridor from Hawaii to East Asia, within which are located major energy consuming and producing countries critical to long-term climate change and energy security strategies. During their wide-ranging discussions, the ministers proposed ways in which trilateral cooperation could be advanced to meet future challenges, and recommitted to the trilateral initiatives already underway, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief.

Although it was the fourth meeting of the TSD Ministerial, it was the first time Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Smith were able to meet together with Japan’s new foreign minister, Katsuya Okada. With a newly elected government in Japan, and Foreign Minister Okada in his position only a matter of days, it was an exciting opportunity to discover new areas of shared interest and re-commit to enduring ideals.

By the end of the productive session, it was clear the three ministers shared an easy rapport and common perspectives as they reaffirmed the value of holding regular TSD meetings to enhance coordination and cooperation for the future of the Asia-Pacific region. It was clear that this historic moment of leadership change would only serve to broaden and deepen their valuable relationship.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/trilateral_strategic_dialogue/ 2009-09-22T19:53:19+00:00 Follow Secretary Clinton's travel to the United Nations General Assembly.

Secretary Clinton is in New York City to attend the United Nations 64th General Assembly (UNGA). While in New York, Secretary Clinton will conduct a number of bilateral and multilateral meetings with her counterparts. Yesterday, Secretary Clinton started the day by ringing the Opening Bell of the New York Stock Exchange.

The Secretary also met with Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili. The Secretary said, "We are working to try to ensure that Russia abides by the 2008 ceasefire, and hopefully to eventually reintegrate your country as it should be. We also know that working toward democracy and the changes that you’re attempting to achieve are challenging, but we want to support and encourage the steps that need to be taken. And the United States supports Georgia, and we want to make that very clear and unequivocal statement here today."

The Secretary welcomed new Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada and said, "The alliance between the United States and Japan is a cornerstone of our foreign policy and indispensable to the security and prosperity of the Asia Pacific."

The Secretary met with Czech Foreign Minister Kohout. Before their meeting, the Secretary said, "The Czech Republic was very willing to work with the United States on behalf of missile defense in the past. We have, as you know, changed our approach, which we believe will actually provide greater coverage, and it will be rooted in technology that is ready to be employed. And we will be working with the Czech Republic again. We will be working within research and other approaches for the mutual and collective defense of our NATO allies. And we have a deep and long relationship with the Czech Republic, and I’m particularly pleased to have this opportunity to discuss a broad range of matters."

She also spoke with Costa Rican President Oscar Arias Sanchez and Costa Rican Foreign Minister Bruno Stagno Ugarte about Honduras and the return of President Zelaya and underscored U.S. support for the San Jose Accords that President Arias negotiated.

For the latest information from UNGA, follow the Secretary's travel to New York here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/clinton_travel_unga/ 2009-09-22T14:39:19+00:00 Today, Secretary Clinton delivered remarks in advance of the United Nations General Assembly. The Secretary said:

"As President Obama leads our U.S. delegation at this year’s General Assembly, I hope we can demonstrate that the United Nations does not have to be just a diplomatic talk shop on First Avenue. At its best, it can be an institution that brings the world’s nations together to solve global problems through adherence to rules and principles set forth in the UN charter. And it is the responsibility of the 192 member nations during the General Assembly and beyond to capitalize on the opportunity for global cooperation and progress that the United Nations affords to each of us.

I outlined earlier this summer at the Council on Foreign Relations the Obama Administration’s efforts to advance our interests and solve today’s problems through a global architecture of cooperation and partnership. And we must begin by taking responsibility ourselves, something that, under President Obama, we have already begun to do on issues from climate change to nonproliferation. And we have called on others to do the same. By building and strengthening partnerships, institutions, and international regimes, we can forge a global consensus and use that leverage to offer clear incentives to all nations to cooperate and live up to their responsibilities. And we can also devise strong disincentives for those who would act in isolation or provoke conflict.

The United Nations and this month’s General Assembly offer us a venue and a forum for nations to work together to live up to that founding charter and abide by and enforce international rules in service of global peace and security."

Read the Secretary's full remarks here.]]> http://blogs.state.gov/index.php/entires/clinton_previews_unga/ 2009-09-18T21:52:19+00:00