U.S. Department of State : The Week at State | November 6-12

 

The Week at State  |  November 6-12

In “The Week at State,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken continues his travels with stops in Ankara, Tokyo for the G7 Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, Seoul, and New Delhi. Head over to state.gov for the latest on all the Secretary’s travel.

Secretary Blinken Meets with Allies and Partners Türkiye In Ankara, Secretary Blinken met with Turkish Foreign Minister Fidan. The two discussed expanding NATO, supporting Ukraine, and preventing the spread of the Israel-Hamas conflict. Throughout the region, Secretary Blinken met with leaders on the need to prevent the conflict from spreading, protect Palestinian civilians, and increase the flow of humanitarian assistance.  Japan Secretary Blinken headed to Tokyo for the Group of Seven (G7) Foreign Ministers meeting.   “The G7 is more united than ever,” Secretary Blinken said. “We stand united in our condemnation of Russia’s war in Ukraine, in support of Israel’s right to defend itself in accordance with international law, and in maintaining a rules-based international order.” In Japan, Secretary Blinken thanked Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio for his government’s strong leadership of the G7 during this very difficult year and for its pledge to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Gaza. Republic of Korea Next, Secretary Blinken traveled to Seoul where he met ROK President Yoon, Foreign Minister Park Jin, and National Security Advisor Cho. In their discussions, Secretary Blinken addressed the U.S.-ROK collaborations on preserving peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula and throughout the Indo-Pacific. They also condemned the DPRK provision of military equipment and ammunition to Russia for use in its war against Ukraine.   India Finally, Secretary Blinken traveled to New Delhi where he met with Prime Minister Modi and was joined by Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin for the annual 2+2 consultations with their Indian counterparts. Secretary Blinken congratulated the Prime Minister on India’s successful G20 presidency, and reaffirmed our shared vision for close partnership in the Indo-Pacific and on issues of global importance.

Energy Accelerating the Adoption of Clean Energy in Europe This week, the State Department launched Project Phoenix, a program to help convert coal-fired power plants to secure and safe, zero-carbon nuclear energy. The project, which is launching in the Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia, will carry out feasibility studies on installing small modular reactors into existing coal fired plants. This program will transition countries away from fossil fuels, promote clean energy solutions, and create jobs.  Science, Technology and Innovation Artemis Accords The Kingdom of the Netherlands and the Republic of Bulgaria became the 31st and 32nd countries to join the Artemis Accords. The Artemis Accords set out a practical set of principles to guide space-exploration cooperation among nations. Learn more about the Artemis Accords at State.gov. Holidays and Commemorations  Diwali Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Richard R. Verma hosted the State Department’s annual Diwali celebration. Diwali, the festival of lights, is celebrated across South Asian communities. The festival celebrates the victory of light over darkness and good over evil.    Fall of the Berlin Wall November 9 commemorates the fall of the Berlin Wall, a symbol of totalitarian tyranny and the Soviet Union’s division of Europe by force. Learn more about the history and importance of the wall.

This Week November 8-17: Under Secretary of State for Civilian Security, Democracy, and Human Rights Zeya will travel to Paris, Cairo, and Madrid November 13: Global Health Symposium Looking Ahead November 14: President Biden and Secretary Blinken will travel to San Francisco for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leader’s Week November 15: A Conversation with the First Native American Ambassador to the UN Human Rights Council, Keith Harper  November 15: Locally Employed Staff Appreciation Day

Useful links Travel advisories and updates on international travel for U.S. Citizens from the Department of State Did you know that you can invite a representative from the Department of State to speak at your school, business, agency or organization? Learn about what we do through the firsthand experience of one of our representatives.

Read More at State.gov