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Regional Affairs

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov

Release: The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel.


Regional Affairs

Under Secretary Fernandez’s Travel to Canada

Release: Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment Jose W. Fernandez is traveling to Toronto, Canada, April 3-4 where he will represent the United States at the U.S.-Canada Summit, hosted by the Eurasia Group and the Bank of Montreal (BMO) Financial Group. In Canada, Under Secretary Fernandez...


Regional Affairs

Hong Kong’s Declining Rule of Law

Release: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) continues to erode Hong Kong’s judicial independence and the rule of law. This past year, PRC and Hong Kong authorities have further criminalized dissent, undermining the human rights and fundamental freedoms of people in Hong Kong and dismantling the city’s promised...


Regional Affairs

2023 Hong Kong Policy Act Report

Release: Consistent with sections 205 and 301 of the United States-Hong Kong Policy Act of 1992 (the “Act") (22 U.S.C. 5725 and 5731) and section 7043(g)(3)(C) of the Department of State, Foreign Operations, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 2023 (Div. K, P.L. 117-328), the Department submits this report and the enclosed certification on conditions in Hong Kong from April 2022 through January 2023 (“covered period").


Regional Affairs

Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken at an Event Thanking Members of the State Department Workforce Who Helped Welcome 222 Political Prisoners from Nicaragua

Release: SECRETARY BLINKEN: Well, this is really a moment to just drop the mic and leave because - (laughter) - a few things I wanted to share with all of you, but I think the first and most important is this: Moments like this are important. We don’t usually take the time, even half an hour, 45 minutes, to just...


Regional Affairs

U.S. Welcomes Norway’s Repatriation of Nationals from Northeast Syria

Release: This week, Norway repatriated two women and three children from displaced persons camps in northeast Syria. We are grateful to Norway and our local partners working to resolve the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in al-Hol and Roj camps through this repatriation.


Regional Affairs

Special Online Briefing with U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO, Ambassador Julianne Smith

Release: U.S. Permanent Representative to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Ambassador Julianne Smith, discusses NATO and strengthening relationships with South Asia and the Indo-Pacific. She then takes questions from participating journalists.


Regional Affairs

Assistant Secretary Pyatt’s Travel to Belgium and France

Release: The Department of State’s Bureau of Energy Resources Assistant Secretary Geoffrey R. Pyatt will join the U.S. delegation traveling to Brussels on April 4 to participate in the U.S.-EU Energy Council and hold other bilateral meetings on energy security, support to Ukraine, and the clean energy transition.


Regional Affairs

U.S. Welcomes Norway’s Repatriation of Nationals from Northeast Syria

Release: This week, Norway repatriated two women and three children from displaced persons camps in northeast Syria. We are grateful to Norway and our local partners working to resolve the ongoing humanitarian and security crisis in al-Hol and Roj camps through this repatriation.


Regional Affairs

Secretary Antony J. Blinken Virtual Remarks on Russia’s Accountability for the Crimes in Ukraine

Release: SECRETARY BLINKEN: Hello, everyone. President Zelenskyy, Foreign Minister Kuleba, thank you for bringing together so many partners and friends of Ukraine for this important and solemn summit. One year ago today, when Ukrainian forces liberated Bucha, they discovered a massacre. Hundreds of men, women ...


Regional Affairs

Intent to Open U.S. Embassy Port Vila, Republic of Vanuatu

Release: To further strengthen the bilateral relationship, the U.S. Department of State has conveyed the U.S. intent to the Ni-Vanuatu Government to open an embassy in the Republic of Vanuatu, subject to Congressional notification.


Regional Affairs

Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for European and Eurasian Affairs Dereck Hogan on the Secretary’s Upcoming Travel to Belgium

Release: MR PATEL: Hey, everybody. Good afternoon. Thanks so much for joining us on this trip preview call for the Secretary’s trip to Brussels on Monday for the U.S.-EU Energy Dialogue, as well as the NATO foreign ministers ministerial. Joining me today is Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Ambassador Dereck ...


Regional Affairs

Invocation of the OSCE Moscow Mechanism to Examine Reports of the Russian Federation’s Forcible Transfer and Deportation of Ukraine’s Children

Release: The United States and 44 other countries, with the support of Ukraine, invoked the Organization of Security and Cooperation in Europe’s (OSCE) Moscow Mechanism requesting that the OSCE’s Office of Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) establish an expert mission to examine allegations of the ...


Regional Affairs

Secretary Blinken’s Call with Israeli Minister of Foreign Affairs Cohen

Release: The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel.


Regional Affairs

Secretary Blinken’s Travel to Belgium

Release: Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken will travel to Brussels, Belgium, April 3-5, to attend the NATO Foreign Ministerial and the tenth U.S.-EU Energy Council meeting. During the NATO Foreign Ministerial, Secretary Blinken will emphasize continued U.S. support for Ukraine and our commitment to transatlantic ...


Regional Affairs

Instability and Democratic Backsliding in Somaliland

Release: The United States is increasingly concerned by the continuing violence in Lascanood and joins other international partners and neighbors in calling for de-escalation, adherence to the agreed ceasefire, unhindered humanitarian access, and resumption of constructive dialogue towards peaceful resolution. Continued violence will increase the potential for extremist groups to sow broader instability and further exacerbate the ongoing humanitarian crisis.


Regional Affairs

Russia’s Arrest of a U.S. Citizen

Release: We are deeply concerned over Russia’s widely-reported detention of a U.S. citizen journalist. We are in contact with the Wall Street Journal on this situation. Whenever a U.S. citizen is detained abroad, we immediately seek consular access, and seek to provide all appropriate support.


Regional Affairs

The Dissolution of Political Parties in Burma

Release: We strongly condemn the Burma military regime-controlled Union Election Commission’s decision to abolish 40 political parties, including the National League for Democracy (NLD).


Regional Affairs

Judgment in Certain Iranian Assets Case

Release: Today the International Court of Justice issued a judgment in the Certain Iranian Assets case rejecting the vast majority of Iran’s case under the now-terminated Treaty of Amity. This is a major victory for the United States and victims of Iran’s State-sponsored terrorism.


Regional Affairs

Deputy Secretary Sherman’s Meeting with Vietnamese Vice Minister Ngoc

Release: The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Vedant Patel.