Today, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton spoke with Chen Guangcheng. Following their conversation, the Secretary released the following statement:
"I am pleased that we were able to facilitate Chen Guangcheng's stay and departure from the U.S. Embassy in a way that reflected his choices and our values. I was glad to have the chance to speak with him today and to congratulate him on being reunited with his wife and children.
Tonight, President Barack Obama delivered remarks at Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.
President Obama said, "Today, I signed a historic agreement between the United States and Afghanistan that defines a new kind of relationship between our countries -- a future in which Afghans are responsible for the security of their nation, and we build an equal partnership between two sovereign states; a future… more »
Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is on travel to China, Bangladesh, and India, departing Washington, D.C. on April 30.
In Beijing May 3-4, Secretary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner will join their Chinese co-chairs, Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo, for the fourth joint meeting of the U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (S&ED). As with earlier S&EDs, this year's event will be a "whole-of-government" dialogue that brings together cabinet members and agency heads, as well as other… more »
About the Author: Maja Boehm is an information specialist at the Public Affairs Section of the U.S. Embassy in Berlin, Germany.
The Afghan Ambassador to Germany, Professor Dr. A. Rahman Ashraf, smiles warmly at the group of four young Afghan civil society leaders. They smile back, timidly. "This is the best day in my life in the past eighteen 18 months since I became Ambassador to Germany!" he proclaims. The group now smiles with a more complex mixture of embarrassment at being in the spotlight and pride, obviously moved by his words. He continues: "When I was teaching at the university in Kabul, I was hoping that one day my students would go out and present Afghanistan to the world. And now you are doing just that."
The Ambassador's reaction was perhaps more personal than the reactions in some of the other meetings to which I accompanied the group, but it is hardly atypical. In their day in Berlin -- part of a week-long tour through Germany, Hungary, and Spain, from April 15-22 -- these four… more »
About the Author: Janice L. Jacobs serves as Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs.
I am pleased to join millions of our older citizens as they celebrate Older Americans Month. The theme of this year's celebration, "Never Too Old To Play!" puts a spotlight on the important role older adults play in sharing their experience, wisdom, and understanding, and passing on that knowledge to other generations in a variety of significant ways. International travel is increasingly one of the more popular ways that older Americans "play" as they visit new places and learn about new cultures. The experiences older Americans share with their families and friends upon return further enrich all generations in our communities.
One of the primary responsibilities of the Department of State's Bureau of Consular Affairs is to ensure the safety and welfare of our fellow citizens overseas. An estimated 6.3 million Americans live overseas and another 65 million travel abroad… more »
DipNote is the official blog of the U.S. Department of State —a place to share stories, discuss experiences, and inspire new ideas on the important foreign policy issues of the day. more »
Across the eastern Horn of Africa, more than 11 million people -- a number greater than the populations of Houston and New York City combined -- are now in need of emergency assistance to survive. Learn more about the current crisis, including how you can help.
May 23: The State Department, through its office of the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI), is pleased to announce $1.5 million in funding to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) to support open governance and political participation in the Middle East and North Africa. more »
May 23: Today, Russia was invited to join the Nuclear Energy Agency (NEA) at a ceremony hosted by its parent body, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris. ã more »
![Military personnel watch on a screen as President Barack Obama makes a live address at Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan, May 2, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0501_potus_afghanistan_m.jpg)
![Secretary Clinton boards plane in Beirut, Lebanon, April 26, 2009. [State Department Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2009_0716_clinton_departs_m.jpg)
![Afghan civil society leaders -- Ms. Razia Arooje, who is a national program officer for the Kabul office of an international development organization; Ms. Freshta Karimi, who is the director of Da Qanoon Ghushtonky, a legal organization supporting women and children; Mr. Mohammad Sadiq Mohibi, who is an advisor to the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs, Martyrs and the Disabled; and Dr. Mirwais Rahimzai, the country director for the Center for Human Services/University Research -- participate in a panel discussion in Berlin, Germany, April 2012. [State Department photo by John G. Self/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0501_civil_society_afghanistan_m.jpg)
![Travelers queue at the Duesseldorf International Airport on March 27, 2012. in Duesseldorf, Germany. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0501_travel_may_m.jpg)
