U.S. Department of State Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
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Recent News About U.S. Department of State Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Bangladesh
The constitution designates Islam as the state religion but upholds the principle of secularism.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Bhutan
The constitution recognizes Buddhism as the state’s “spiritual heritage,” provides for freedom of religion, and bans discrimination based on religious belief.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Uzbekistan
The constitution provides for freedom of religion or belief and separation of government and religion.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Afghanistan
The United States has not yet decided whether to recognize the Taliban or any other entity as the Government of Afghanistan or as part of such a government.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Pakistan
The constitution establishes Islam as the state religion and requires all provisions of the law to be consistent with Islam.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Sri Lanka
The constitution provides for freedom of thought, conscience, and religion, including the freedom to change religion.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Turkmenistan
The constitution establishes the republic as a secular country and provides for the freedom of religion and for the right of individuals to choose their religion, express and disseminate their religious beliefs, and participate in religious observances and ceremonies.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom:Tajikistan
The constitution provides for the right, individually or jointly with others, to adhere to any religion or to no religion and to participate in religious customs and ceremonies.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Kyrgyzstan
The constitution guarantees freedom of conscience and religion and bans religious groups from undertaking actions inciting religious hatred.
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2022 Report on International Religious Freedom: Nepal
The constitution establishes the country as a “secular state” but defines secular as the “protection of religion and culture handed down from the time immemorial.”
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Remarks for Deputy Secretary Sherman Indian Ocean Conference
Hello, and thank you to Prime Minister Hasina and Foreign Minister Momen for hosting the 2023 Indian Ocean Conference and for inviting me to speak to this esteemed group.
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Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Turkmenistan Foreign Minister Meredov
The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel:
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Secretary Antony J. Blinken And Turkmenistan Foreign Minister Rashid Meredov Before Their Meeting
Well, good afternoon, everyone. It’s a pleasure to be here with Foreign Minister Meredov.
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Special Envoy Fowler Travels to Davis, California
U.S. Department of State Special Envoy for Global Food Security Dr. Cary Fowler will travel April 23-26 to University California Davis to visit the Feed the Future Innovation Lab for Horticulture and the Innovation Lab for Markets, Risk and Resilience.
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Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of South and Central Asian Affairs Lu’s Travel to the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan
Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asian Affairs Donald Lu will travel to the Kyrgyz Republic and Tajikistan on April 22-27.
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Secretary Blinken’s Meeting with Foreign Minister Momen
Secretary of State Antony Blinken met yesterday with Bangladesh’s Minister for Foreign Affairs A.K. Abdul Momen.
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Secretary Antony J. Blinken and Bangladeshi Foreign Minister Abdul Momen Before Their Meeting
Well, good afternoon, everyone. It’s a pleasure to have Foreign Minister Momen here with us today at the State Department, and important to take account of the fact that the relationship between Bangladesh and the United States has grown tremendously over the last 50 years – economically, our people-to-people ties, work that we’ve been doing more recently on everything from climate to health, which we very much value.
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Joint Statement on the United States-Kyrgyz Republic Annual Bilateral Consultations
The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America and the Kyrgyz Republic on the occasion of United States-Kyrgyz Republic Annual Bilateral Consultations (ABCs) in Washington.
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After Action Review on Afghanistan
In December of 2021, I asked Ambassador Dan Smith to lead an After Action Review of the Department of State’s execution of its duties related to ending the U.S. military mission in Afghanistan.
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U.S. Conventional Weapons Destruction in South and Central Asia: Releasing Land, Preventing Accidents, Promoting Environmental Resilience
With support from the United States, South and Central Asian countries are securing weapons and ammunition stockpiles, clearing landmines and unexploded ordnance that threaten civilians, promoting peace and security, and strengthening ties in the region, all of which advances U.S. regional and global security priorities.