Last weekend in Tunis, Secretary Clinton made a powerful statement supporting the revolutions that continue to impact North Africa and the Middle East, with a particular emphasis on backing the Syrian people in their ongoing struggle for freedom. One particular moment in her remarks stood out to me, which was her praise for the people of Tunisia, where the revolutions were first sparked. She said, "I think it was quite remarkable, especially on such short notice -- and thanks to Tunisian leadership and Arab League leadership -- that all of us gathered here today reached consensus."
I saw this same leadership firsthand when the Global Partnership Initiative hosted the Tunisia Partnerships… more »
Today, Department Spokesperson Victoria Nuland issued a press statement on bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea. The text of her statement follows:
A U.S. delegation has just returned from Beijing following a third exploratory round of U.S.-DPRK bilateral talks. To improve the atmosphere for dialogue and demonstrate its commitment to denuclearization, the DPRK has agreed to implement a moratorium on long-range missile launches, nuclear tests and nuclear activities at Yongbyon, including uranium enrichment activities. The DPRK has also agreed to the return of IAEA inspectors to verify and monitor the moratorium on uranium… more »
Since its independence, Senegal has been one of America's strongest and most consistent friends in francophone West Africa. Our relationship has been based on a shared set of principles and ideals: democracy and respect for civil liberty and human rights.
On Saturday, February 25, I was pleased to come back to Senegal, where I had the pleasure of leading a delegation of more than 50 American observers who traveled throughout Senegal, visiting many of the more than 10,000 polling stations, to watch as Senegalese citizens exercised their democratic rights.
This was definitely an important election to observe. In Washington, I had followed developments in Senegal with interest; watching as this traditionally peaceful model of stability had begun to erupt with protests, eventually leading to more than 10 deaths. I knew that I had to come and do my part to ensure… more »
Earlier today, I spoke before the United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva, where I joined many other nations gathered to demand an end to the Assad government's outrageous and ongoing crimes against the people of Syria. Syrian civilians and international journalists risk their lives daily to inform the world of the horrendous scale of slaughter and suffering, and the Commission of Inquiry launched by the UN Human Rights Council last August concluded that the Syrian government forces have perpetrated crimes against humanity. No one can deny that Bashar al-Assad and his regime are waging a brutal campaign of slaughter, bombardment, torture, and arrest that already has murdered thousands of women, men, and children, with more killed each day.
As I said earlier today, the Syrian government must… more »
About the Author: Andy Jay serves as Assistant Information Officer at U.S. Embassy Seoul.
Ambassador Sung Kim may be one of the most sought-after interview subjects in South Korea, but it is surprisingly easy to access him -- if you are a Korean university student.
Last week, Ambassador Sung Kim spoke to a standing-room only house of some 130 local undergraduate students for Seoul's 27th Embassy Youth Forum.
The regular forum, also called "Real People Talking" (RPT), gives young people a chance to sit down with U.S. government officials, often at fairly senior levels, for face-to-face conversations. Each event spotlights an American guest -- in this case, Ambassador Kim -- who conducts a panel discussion with five to six Korean students, moderated by the embassy's Public Affairs Officer. The in-house audience can also ask questions, many… 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 24: Secretary Clinton and Assistant Secretary for Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor Michael Posner will release the 2011 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices at 10:30 a.m. more »
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 »
![U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton speaks with civil society members in Tunisia. [State Department photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0229_clinton_tunisia_m.jpg)
![U.S. Special Representative for North Korean Affairs Glyn Davies speaks to journalists at a hotel after returning from talks with North Korean counterpart in Beijing Feb. 23, 2012. [AP Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0229_north_korea_us_talks_m.jpg)
![Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Johnnie Carson observes elections in Dakar, Senegal, February 26, 2012. [U.S. Embassy photo/ Public Domain]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0228_carson_senegal_m.jpg)
![Students use smart phones in Seoul, South Korea, Oct. 3, 2011. [AP File Photo]](http://blogs.state.gov/images/Dipnote/behind_the_scenes/2012_0227_korean_youth_m.jpg)
