Transatlantic Focus:
A U.S. Foreign Policy Newsletter

NATO FOREIGN MINISTERS MEETING, BULGARIA

Secretary Rice’s Press Conference, April 27 [...] NATO is a central and critically important forum for political discussion among the alliance members and we will, of course, continue those discussions tonight with members of the European Union. NATO is involved in places that I'm quite certain its founders would never have imagined: in support of the African Union mission in Darfur; in training Iraqi security forces; of course, in the extensive operations that we have undertaken in Afghanistan. We are looking at further training initiatives to extend the partnership that we have around the world, including to extend the Mediterranean dialogue that we have with countries of the Middle East. [...]  more

Sofia a building block for Riga, says Secretary General Briefing reporters on the meeting of Foreign Ministers in Sofia, 27-28 April, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer said the meeting will shape the subjects that will be discussed at the Riga Summit in November. The Secretary General highlighted NATO’s partnerships, enlargement and a new training initiative as some of the key issues that will be discussed. more | Opening remarks

US-BULGARIA BASE AGREEMENT

Rice Signs U.S. Shared-Base Agreement with Bulgaria An agreement allowing U.S. troops to share Bulgarian training bases as part of a plan creating an American military task force in Eastern Europe was signed by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Bulgarian Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Ivailo Kalfin April 28. more

TERRORISM REPORT

New Report Cites Integrated Efforts To Combat Terrorism. State Department Country Reports on Terrorism 2005, released April 28. more | full report

TRANSATLANTIC RELATIONS

State's Fried Says NATO Not "Counterweight" to United Nations The good news is that the United States and Europe are cooperating again; the bad news is that they are facing some of the world’s most dangerous, intractable problems, a senior U.S. diplomat says. “Unilateralism is out. Effective multilateralism is in,” Daniel Fried, assistant secretary of state for European affairs, said May 2 at a national conference of editorial writers in Washington. Fried said the United States and Europe are “working to make NATO the centerpiece alliance through which the trans-Atlantic democratic community deals with security challenges around the world.” more

Assistant Secretary Fried Speaks to Journalists at the Brussels Forum, April 29 Press Briefing By US Assistant Secretary of State for European & Eurasian Affairs Daniel Fried at US Mission to NATO in Brussels. more

Political Progress in Iraq

Rice Visits Baghdad To Consult New Iraqi Leaders Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice made an unannounced visit to Baghdad April 26 to consult with Iraq’s newly chosen government officials and review operations at the U.S. Embassy to ensure it is in a position to provide the new Iraqi government with the support it needs. Rice told Iraqi reporters that she came to offer congratulations to Prime Minister-Designate Jawad al-Maliki and to pledge the United States’ support for the new government. more

Press Availability with Secretary Rumsfeld and Secretary Rice in Baghdad, Iraq.  US Department of Defense, Baghdad Iraq. April 26, 2006. more

Iraqi Unity Government a "Real Blow" to Terrorists, Bush Says President Bush pledged continued U.S. support to Iraq’s leaders, saying the formation of the country’s national unity government is "an important milestone" toward democracy, and a "real blow" to terrorists and insurgents in the country. Bush said the new government "marks the beginning of a new chapter in America's involvement" in Iraq, and said he and other members of his administration have "all been impressed by the Iraqi leaders' commitment to maintain the unity of their country and effectively represent the Iraqi people." more

Darfur CRISIS

President Bush Meets with Darfur Advocates President George W. Bush meets with Darfur advocates, including former slave Simon Deng, in the Roosevelt Room Friday, April 28, 2006. "I just had an extraordinary conversation with fellow citizens from different faiths, all of who have come to urge our government to continue to focus on saving lives in Sudan," said the President to the press. "They agree with hundreds of thousands of our citizens that genocide in Sudan is unacceptable." more

U.S. Calls for Strong International Security Force for Darfur. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice says President Bush feels "very strongly and very passionately" about the need to get a robust international security force to protect the innocent people of Darfur. At a press conference in Washington May 1 Rice said the NATO countries are very favorably disposed to support the African Union and the United Nations in sending a security force to Darfur, the western region of Sudan, where militias have been massacring civilians. more

State's Zoellick Travels to Nigeria for Darfur Talks. Deputy Secretary of State Robert B. Zoellick departs May 1 for Abuja, Nigeria, to help the African Union (AU) mediation team find solutions to the remaining issues regarding a peace agreement for Darfur. In a written statement, department spokesman Sean McCormack said the United States has worked closely with the AU and other international partners to energize the Abuja peace negotiations, and welcomed the comprehensive negotiating text presented by the AU on April 26. more

NEGOTIATING WITH IRAN

Rice Remains "Hopeful" Diplomacy Will Work with Iran U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice responded April 25 to the latest statements of defiance from Iran over its nuclear program by saying she remains hopeful diplomacy eventually will succeed. more

FACT SHEET: The Iran Regime: A Challenge to the World  U.S. Department of State, May 1, 2006. more

Transatlantic Focus: A U.S. Foreign Policy Newsletter
is published and distributed by the Public Affairs Section of the United States Mission to NATO - Brussels.