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news from Washington
Nomination Statement by Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns to the U.S.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee; Nomination to the Post of
Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs. Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C. Friday, March
11, 2005.
FOREIGN POLICY PRESS STATEMENTS
U.S., U.K., Russia
Reaffirm Support for Biological Weapons Pact
To mark the 30th anniversary on March
26 of the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention, the United
States, the United Kingdom and the Russian Federation have issued a
joint statement reaffirming their strong support for the pact and
their determination to press “for full implementation of the
Convention by all its States Parties.”
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State
Department Comments on U.S. Assistance to Kyrgyzstan The
United States “will continue to support economic and democratic
reform in Kyrgyzstan, including elections, humanitarian assistance,
law enforcement, and security, and will carefully watch for emerging
needs,” the State Department spokesman said March 24 in response to
a journalist’s question taken at the daily press briefing earlier in
the day.
United States Calls
for Capture of Kosovo President's Attackers
The United States wants to see the
perpetrators of the assassination attempt against Kosovo President
Ibrahim Rugova apprehended as soon as possible, Ambassador Stephan
Minikes told the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
in Vienna, Austria, March 17.
Democracy and Human Rights
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PRESS BRIEFINGS
Rice, with Greek Foreign Minister,
Discusses Kyrgyzstan Upheaval Calls for political dialogue leading
to stable, democratic Kyrgyzstan
Remarks by Secretary of State
Condoleezza Rice And Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis After
Their Meeting, March 24, 2005.
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Transatlantic Focus:
A U.S. Foreign Policy Newsletter
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Bush
to Commemorate End of World War II in Europe May 6-10
President Bush will visit Latvia, the
Netherlands, Russia and Georgia May 6-10 to commemorate the 60th
anniversary of the end of World War II and to highlight the common
commitment of the United States and the European allies and partners
to advance freedom, prosperity, and tolerance, the White House said
in a press release issued March 24. Bush will commemorate Victory in
Europe Day at the Netherlands American Cemetery and Memorial at
Margraten near Maastricht.
Deputy
Secretary Zoellick Travels to Europe March 28-April 5
Deputy Secretary of State Robert B.
Zoellick will visit 14 European capitals March 28-April 5 on his
first trip in his new post, the State Department announced March 24.
Zoellick’s itinerary includes stops in Belgium, Bulgaria, the Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Latvia, the
Netherlands, Portugal, Romania, Slovenia and Spain. He plans during
his trip to participate in meetings with the European Parliament's
Foreign Affairs Committee and with the North Atlantic Council at
NATO.
U.S.
Lauds Libyan, Albanian Efforts to Destroy Chemical Weapons
Ambassador Eric Javits, head of
the U.S. delegation to the Executive Council of the Organization for
the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) says the United States
welcomes the ambitious plans of the governments of Libya and Albania
to eliminate their stockpiles. U.S. , said the United States
strongly supports both nations in these efforts.
The
New Afghanistan: Progress and Accomplishments An
estimated 8.4 million Afghans turned out to cast ballots in
Afghanistan's historic presidential election October 9. Eighteen
candidates, including one female candidate, ran in the election.
According to the United Nations, more than 10 million Afghans
registered to vote, 41 percent of whom were women. The United States
provided $78 million — 40 percent — of the $198 million needed to
prepare for and carry out the election.
State
Department Releases Report on U.S. Support of Human Rights
[...] The defense of human rights is a universal
responsibility. We must all be defenders of human rights. I take
this opportunity to salute all of those who fight for personal
freedom and liberty, wherever you are. You each play an important
role in building a world that respects the inherent dignity and
equal and inalienable rights of all. Your work is an inspiration to
us all. [...] Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice
Free
States Must Create Conditions for Democracy, Rice Says
It is the responsibility of the
world’s democracies to create conditions in which all people have
the opportunity to participate in a free, democratic political
process, according to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. “Nobody
can impose this democracy. But it's our fundamental belief that you
don't have to impose democracy; you impose tyranny. Democracy comes
up when people have the belief that it's possible and when you can
create conditions in which it's possible,” Rice said during a March
24 interview with the Los Angeles Times. Rice touched on a number of
current international issues - Middle East peace, Iran,
nonproliferation, Sudan - during the interview
Building
U.S.- Muslim Understanding and Dialog: Public Diplomacy in the Arab
and Muslim Worlds Ambassador William Rugh (retired) Foreign
Press Center Briefing, March 16, 2005. Washington, DC