Hillary Clinton

Washington, DC -- October 28, 2009 -- Following her meeting with Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi at the Foreign Ministry in Islamabad today, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced a contribution of $125 million for the first phase of a Signature Energy Program in Pakistan aimed at increasing electricity output and conserving wasted energy and money.

The funding will be aimed at repairing generation facilities, improving the overall effectiveness of local utilities providers, replacing inefficient tube well pumps and promoting energy efficiency.

The six projects announced by Secretary Clinton today will begin reducing the frequency of electricity blackouts, that interfere with commerce and have plagued the Pakistani economy.

These six projects include:    » read more »

Michael H. Posner, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor

Washington, DC -- October 26, 2009 -- ASSISTANT SECRETARY POSNER: Thank you, Madame Secretary, for your remarks and for your leadership on this issue of religious freedom. I have recently been confirmed as the Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy, Human Rights and Labor. In this position, I’m charged with leading the bureau in which the Office of International Religious Freedom is a part.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- October 19, 2009 -- SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning. Good morning. Well, I’m very pleased to be joined today by our Ambassador to the United Nations Susan Rice and the President’s Special Envoy to Sudan General Scott Gration.

And let me begin by saying that the Sudan policy we are outlining today is the result of an intensive review across the United States Government that included the three of us, but many others as well. It reflects the Administration’s seriousness, sense of urgency, and collective agreement about how best to address the complex challenges that have prevented resolution of the crisis in Darfur and full implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- October 19, 2009 -- In the past, the United States’ approach to Sudan has been reactive rather than proactive and narrowly focused on emerging crises. The new strategy focuses on reinvigorating the international support that is critical to building peace and security in Sudan. The strategy is the first comprehensive U.S. policy on Sudan that recognizes the links between the Darfur crisis and implementation of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement.    » read more »

Office of the Spokesman -- Washington, DC -- October 19, 2009 -- Sudan is at an important crossroads that can either lead to steady improvements in the lives of the Sudanese people or degenerate into even more violent conflict and state failure. Now is the time for the United States to act with a sense of urgency and purpose to protect civilians and work toward a comprehensive peace.    » read more »

Letter urges Secretary of State Clinton to be a proponent of treaty to regulate interstate transfer of weapons

June 17, 2009 -- Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and seven of her Senate colleagues are urging Secretary of State Clinton to be a strong proponent of an international Arms Trade Treaty to regulate the interstate transfer of conventional weapons.

The second session of the UN Open Ended Working Group (OEWG) on the Arms Trade Treaty is scheduled to convene at the United Nations next month. The Working Group is tasked with creating international regulations on the export, import and international transfer of arms to help prevents the flow of weapons to world conflict zones.    » read more »

Hillary Rodham Clinton, Secretary of State -- Washington, DC, June 1, 2009 -- "Forty years ago this month, the gay rights movement began with the Stonewall riots in New York City, as gays and lesbians demanded an end to the persecution they had long endured. Now, after decades of hard work, the fight has grown into a global movement to achieve a world in which all people live free from violence and fear, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

In honor of Gay and Lesbian Pride Month and on behalf of the State Department, I extend our appreciation to the global LGBT community for its courage and determination during the past 40 years, and I offer our support for the significant work that still lies ahead.    » read more »

Sends letter after reports of mistreatment of students in Pennsylvania

May 26, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asia Affairs, today sent a letter to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urging her to investigate the Department of State’s oversight of U.S. youth exchange programs following reports of abuse and mistreatment of nine foreign exchange students in Pennsylvania.    » read more »

May 22, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, DC- U.S. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Subcommittee on Near Eastern and South and Central Asian Affairs, and Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD), Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, urged Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano to review procedures impeding the rapid resettlement of Iraqi refugees to the United States.    » read more »

May 19, 2009 -- James S. Brady Press Briefing Room -- MR. GIBBS: A renewed guest appearance. Thank you all for coming. As we talked last week here, you all know the national security priority that Pakistan is for this administration. President Obama asked all those in the administration to respond quickly to the conditions that we're seeing now in the Swat Valley and in Pakistan. And I will turn it over to the Secretary of State for an announcement on that.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much, Robert. And I appreciate the opportunity to provide some information about what our government and the people of the U.S. are doing with respect to the humanitarian crisis that is affecting Pakistan.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- May 8, 2009 -- The President’s FY 2010 International Affairs Budget for the Department of State, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and other foreign affairs agencies provides the resources to renew America’s global leadership through diplomacy and foreign assistance that enhances our security, advances our interests, and reflects our values. This budget totals approximately $53.9 billion, including food aid:

* Foreign Operations and Related Agencies (including food aid): $36.7 billion
* Department of State: $16.3 billion
* Other International Affairs: $0.9 billion

The President’s budget proposal:    » read more »

May 6, 2009 -- James S. Brady Press Briefing Room -- MR. GIBBS: All right, guys, let's come to order here. In an effort to keep you on your toes and to prevent the normal boredom of having to listen to me each and every day, we have a special guest, the Secretary of State, to give us a readout on her meetings this morning with President Karzai and President Zardari.

Madam Secretary.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you, Robert. You know, I successfully avoided this room for eight years. (Laughter.) But I'm very pleased to be here to discuss the series of meetings that we had this morning as part of our second trilateral with delegations from Afghanistan and Pakistan, and this time led by their respective Presidents.    » read more »

Washington, DC, March 31, 2009 -- Statement from Gordon Duguid, Acting Deputy Department Spokesman:
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice announce that the United States will seek a seat this year on the United Nations Human Rights Council with the goal of working to make it a more effective body to promote and protect human rights.

The decision is in keeping with the Obama Administration's "new era of engagement" with other nations to advance American security interests and meet the global challenges of the 21st century.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- March 11, 2009 -- The U.S. Department of State is pleased to announce the extension of the “Memorandum of Understanding between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Honduras Concerning the Imposition of Import Restrictions on Archaeological Materials from the Pre-Columbian Cultures of Honduras.” Ambassador Hugo Llorens, representing the Government of the United States, and Minister of Culture, Arts, and Sports Dr. Rodolfo Pastor Fasquelle, representing the Government of Honduras, exchanged diplomatic notes in a ceremony in Tegucigalpa on March 3, 2009, to extend the agreement.    » read more »

Washington, DC -- February 10, 2009 -- The U.S. Chargé d'Affaires to Belize, J.A. Diffily, signed a letter of agreement on February 9, 2009 with the Government of Belize implementing the Merida Initiative, a multi-year regional effort to combat organized crime, gangs, and the trafficking of narcotics and firearms.

Minister of National Security Carlos Perdomo signed the letter on behalf of the Belizean government. Also present was Chief Executive Officer of the Ministry of National Security, Lloyd Gillett. The signing of the letter provides an initial $1,008,000 in funding for the first year of the Merida Initiative.    » read more »