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DS-160 Online Visa Form
Applicants applying for visas at the Embassy in London or the Consulate General in Belfast are required to complete the online DS-160. We will no longer accept the DS-156. Please follow this link for further information.

March 2010

17 March 2010 U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland announces $1M Partnership with American Ireland fund  The U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland Declan Kelly welcomed the announcement by the American Ireland Fund of its intention to seek to raise $1m over the next three years for a new endowment to support the Northern Ireland Science Park (NISP) CONNECT program. The initiative is in support of the Envoy’s economic mission in Northern Ireland in which the AIF is an active participant and working group member.

16 March 2010 Senator Offers Financial Reform Bill Despite Uncertain Outlook  Financial reform reappears on the congressional agenda as a key senator attempts to break an impasse in efforts to make the U.S. financial system less prone to crisis. Christopher Dodd, a Democratic and chairman of the Senate Banking Committee, unveiled ona bill that would rein in large financial institutions by imposing new requirements on their size, their capital reserves and the complexity of their financial products.

16 March 2010 Northern Ireland Offers Perspective for Mideast Peace Efforts  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said the United States is seeking the “full commitment” of Israelis and Palestinians to peace efforts, and visiting Irish Foreign Minister Michael Martin said the developing peace process in Northern Ireland offers the two sides a “useful template” for conflict resolution.

16 March 2010 U.S. Geological Survey to Help Devise Climate Adaptation Projects  The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) has unique knowledge of how rising global temperatures are affecting America’s natural resources. Lately, USGS scientists have been tapped to also help devise strategies that will help nature adapt to climate change. A number of USGS climate adaptation projects aimed at protecting the nation’s natural resources against ecological havoc are under way — and efforts to boost funding for such work is an indication of how significant this new mandate has become. 

16 March 2010 U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland Welcomes Q1 Labs Jobs Announcement for Belfast  U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland, Declan Kelly, has welcomed today's announcement by U.S. based security software company Q1 Labs that it will headquarter its European, Middle East and Africa operations in Belfast.

15 March 2010 Secretary Clinton's Interview with CNN’s Jill Dougherty  Discusses women's rights, Middle East peace process, Afghanistan and Iran.

12 March 2010 State Department on Persecution of Religious Minorities in Iran  Urges Iran to meet obligations under Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

12 March 2010 For Human Rights Heroine, “No Ordinary Arrest”   They came in the middle of the night asking for Jestina Mukoko. She did not even have time to put on her shoes and glasses before they seized and blindfolded her, taking her to an undisclosed location where the world would not know what happened to her for weeks. Ot is a story that is all too familiar for human rights advocates around the world, but Mukoko would not disappear so easily.

12 March 2010 Pakistan, Afghanistan Struggle to Protect Human Rights, U.S. Says  In two of the most complex political and security environments in the world, characterized by brutal insurgencies, Pakistan and Afghanistan achieved only modest advances in protecting citizens from violence and human rights abuses in 2009, according to the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, issued March 11 by the U.S. Department of State.

11 March 2010 Secretary Clinton's Remarks to the Press on the Release of the 2009 Country Report on Human Rights  "The idea of human rights begins with a fundamental commitment to the dignity that is the birthright of every man, woman and child. Progress in advancing human rights begins with the facts. And for the last 34 years, the United States has produced the Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, providing the most comprehensive record available of the condition of human rights around the world."
 • Country Reports on Human Rights Practices 2009
 • From the 2009 Human Rights Country Reports: United Kingdom

11 March 2010 U.S. Human Rights Report Has Far-Reaching Impact  The original purpose for the annual Country Reports on Human Rights Practices was to provide the U.S. Congress with information on countries to which the United States sends aid. “But it has become much bigger than that,” according to Michael H. Posner. “Today it is the single most comprehensive look at human rights around the world done by anyone,” Posner, assistant secretary for the State Department’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor, told America.gov in a recent interview. The report is “a baseline of information about what’s going on in human rights every year.”

11 March 2010 Video: The New U.S. Embassy Design: Open, Green and Coming to Wandsworth

11 March 2010 Biden Tells Israelis Status Quo Is Unsustainable  Reaffirming the U.S. commitment to Israel’s security, Vice President Biden told Israelis that peace with an independent Palestinian state is “profoundly” in their country’s interests.He urged both sides in the conflict to end the cycle of violence and distrust and move forward in good-faith negotiations to reach a final peace settlement.

11 March 2010 Obama Pledges Long-Term U.S. Commitment to Haiti   The reconstruction of earthquake-stricken Haiti could take more than a decade and cost between $8 billion and $14 billion, but the United States pledges a lasting commitment to the people of Haiti to see it through, President Obama says. “The situation on the ground remains dire, and people should be under no illusions that the crisis is over,” Obama said at a White House press conference with Haitian President René Préval at his side March 10. “Many Haitians are still in need, desperate need in some cases, of shelter and food and medicine.”

10 March 2010 Remarks by First Lady Michelle Obama at the International Women of Courage Awards

10 March 2010 New Israeli Construction in Jerusalem Weakens Trust  The announcement of new Israeli housing projects in East Jerusalem undermines the trust needed between Israel and the Palestinians to have profitable peace negotiations, Vice President Biden says. He pledged a continued active role by the Obama administration to encourage talks between the two sides.

09 March 2010 Statement by Secretary Clinton on Northern Ireland Assembly Vote on Devolution  "I commend the Northern Ireland Assembly today for its affirmation of the Hillsborough Agreement and its endorsement of the devolution of policing and justice, an important step in ensuring a peaceful and prosperous future for all of the people of Northern Ireland for generations to come. Devolution will mark a major milestone in achieving the aspirations of the Good Friday Agreement and the St. Andrews Agreement, and will help cement the hard-won gains of the past decade."
 • Remarks to the Press by Philip Crowley Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs

09 March 2010 U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland Welcomes Vote on the Hillsborough Agreement  U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland Declan Kelly, welcomed today’s vote by the Northern Ireland Assembly on the Hillsborough Agreement and praised the decision to move forward with the devolution of policing and justice powers.

09 March 2010 Gabon's President Meets Clinton, Calls Corruption Africa's Cancer  Gabon’s president, Ali Bongo, intends to use his country’s two-year seat on the United Nations Security Council to highlight democratic reforms and his fight against corruption, which he terms a “cancer” sapping Africa’s strength and potential. “Unfortunately, when it comes to the African body, we have many diseases — and corruption is one of them,” Bongo told America.gov in an interview after meeting with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton March 8 at the State Department.

09 March 2010 Defense Secretary Gates Cites Progress in Afghanistan  Defense Secretary Robert Gates told reporters in Kabul that long-term success in Afghanistan ultimately will be determined by how well the Afghan government, with international support, can respond to the Afghan people and “inspire their loyalty.” Gates, in Afghanistan to check on progress since operations were expanded late last year, met in the Afghan capital with Afghan President Hamid Karzai, U.S. Ambassador Karl Eikenberry and Army General Stanley McChrystal, commander of U.S. forces and the International Security Assistance Force.

08 March 20110 VIDEO: Secretary of State Clinton’s International Women's Day Message  Secretary Clinton commemorates International Women’s Day, March 8, 2010 with a special message. Read Secretary Clinton's remarks.

08 March 2010 Nuclear Treaty Still Curbs Spread of Weapons   While the threat of global nuclear war largely has passed, the danger of nuclear proliferation continues to make the 40-year-old Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty as relevant today as it was during the height of the Cold War, President Obama says. The treaty, which is commonly known by its initials NPT, came into force March 5, 1970, and was intended to limit the spread of nuclear weapons. It was proposed by Ireland and Finland, which were the first nations to sign it.

08 March 2010 Department of Energy Senior Adviser Discusses Climate Change  Transcript of webchat with Dr. Holmes Hummel from 24 February.

07 March 2010 President Obama’s Remarks on Iraqi National Election  Obama says today’s vote is clear, future of Iraq belongs to people of Iraq.

05 March 2010 Statement by President Obama on the 40th Anniversary of the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty  "Forty years ago today, in the midst of a Cold War, the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) entered into force, becoming the cornerstone of the world’s efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons.  Today, the threat of global nuclear war has passed, but the danger of nuclear proliferation endures, making the basic bargain of the NPT more important than ever: nations with nuclear weapons will move toward disarmament, nations without nuclear weapons will forsake them, and all nations have an “inalienable right” to peaceful nuclear energy. Each of these three pillars -- disarmament, nonproliferation and peaceful uses -- are central to the vision that I outlined in Prague of stopping the spread of nuclear weapons and seeking a world without them."

04 March 2010 In the Middle East, Modest Progress Made on Women’s Rights   A new report on women’s rights in the Middle East and North Africa finds some progress but “a long road ahead.” Of all parts of the world, it is this region in which “the gap between the rights of men and those of women has been the most visible and severe,” says the report by Freedom House, an independent, nonprofit organization that studies and advocates for human rights worldwide.

04 March 2010 Back from the Brink with Bank Loans Nearly a year and a half after the launch of the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP), the major banks that received more than $200 billion in TARP funds have repaid about $130 billion, and President Obama said the government soon will recover the entire amount that went to big banks. Congress originally provided $700 billion to fund the TARP. As of the end of 2009, the Treasury Department had created 11 TARP programs and committed nearly $550 billion dollars to fund them. Outside the financial sector, the programs included auto manufacturers, mortgage lenders and public works projects.

04 March 2010 United States Helping Countries Counter Illegal Drugs   The United States is committing resources to help other countries enforce anti-drug and money-laundering laws, said a top State Department official. “Our cooperative efforts are essential,” David Johnson said in a briefing at the department. Johnson is the State Department’s assistant secretary for the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs.

03 March 2010 Iran Could Face Further Economic Sanctions over Nuclear Program  The Iranian regime’s refusal to provide a full disclosure of its nuclear development program to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will leave the international community no choice but to pursue further, deeper economic sanctions, U.S. Ambassador Glyn Davies said March 3. The IAEA 35-nation board of governors is holding a weeklong meeting in Vienna, and the major topic has been Iran and its nuclear development program.

02 March 2010 United States Guided by Principles on U.N. Human Rights Council  The United States will support the work that the U.N. Human Rights Council does well, and it will work constructively on aspects that need change, Under Secretary of State Maria Otero says.Otero addressed the opening of the 13th session of the Human Rights Council (HRC) in Geneva. She presented three tenets that she said will guide U.S. participation: a commitment to principled engagement; consistent application of human rights law; and a commitment to the truth. Her remarks came during the opening of the 47-member forum's annual four-week session.

01 March 2010 The European Media Center presents the following videos on climate change and the U.S. position on the Copenhagen conference:
Europe's role at Copenhagen Climate Change Conference  
  The European Media Center talks to Andrew Light, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress, and Christina Simeone, Policy Director, Alliance for Climate Protection, about Europe's role at the climate change conference in Copenhagen. For more information on climate change, visit http://www.epa.gov/climatechange

01 March 2010 Christina Simeone on the American public's engagement on climate change  
  The European Media Center talks to Christina Simeone, Policy Director, Alliance for Climate Protection.

01 March 2010 Andrew Light on the American public's engagement on climate change
 The European Media Center talks to Andrew Light, Senior Fellow, Center for American Progress

01 March 2010 Secretary Clinton Delivering Communications Equipment to Chile   Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton is bringing communications equipment, including satellite phones, to Chile to help the country recover from a massive earthquake that struck February 27, and she said U.S. search-and-rescue teams are on stand-by in case they are needed and more technical assistance is on the way.

01 March 2010 New Law Makes Absentee Voting Easier for Overseas Americans   On October 28, 2009, Congress enacted the Military and Overseas Voter Empowerment (MOVE) Act.  This legislation amends existing law regarding overseas voting in federal elections, and should make voting easier for overseas Americans.

01 March 2010 Secretary Clinton on the Occasion of St. David's Day in Wales

01 March 2010 U.S. Science Envoys  A new diplomacy effort sends scientists to North Africa, Southeast Asia and beyond to strengthen partnerships and help solve global challenges.

February 2010

27 February 2010 U.S. Stands with Chile in Wake of Devastating Quake  The United States will “stand with our Chilean friends,” President Obama said, assuring Chile that the United States is closely watching developments in the wake of an extremely strong earthquake and is prepared to help in whatever way it can. The president, in a televised statement from the White House, said he had spoken with Chile’s president, Michelle Bachelet, to express the United States’ deepest condolences for Chile’s losses and offer U.S. help and support.

26 & 25 February 2010 Ambassador and Mrs Susman in Birmingham and Manchester
 • Ambassador Susman's Birmingham Business Speech
 • Ambassador Susman at Birmingham University
 • Ambassador Susman at the University of Manchester
 •  Ambassador Susman on Coronation Street
 •  Meeting with Lord Mayor of Manchester

26 February 2010 U.S. Embassy Consular Staff Volunteer at Thrive’s Battersea Garden Project

25 February 2010 Clinton: Concern over Iran Should Be Addressed with “One Voice”  The international community has “little choice” but to impose higher costs on Iran due to its provocative actions related to its nuclear program, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton tells congressional panels, adding that the Iranian leadership’s failure to respond to U.S. engagement efforts have helped to build international consensus in support of economic sanctions that some countries might have opposed otherwise.

25 February 2010 Pentagon Welcomes Restored Afghan Control of Marjah  The Obama administration welcomed the transfer of authority in the central Helmand province town of Marjah to the Afghan government as well as the return of Afghans to their homes, increased freedom of movement, and the reopening of bazaars.

24 February 2010 Women’s Advancement Seen as Key to More Prosperous Afghan Future  Investment in women is the single most effective development strategy globally, and Afghanistan is no exception, says a State Department official, who outlined for a Senate panel the ways the Obama administration is working to promote women’s rights as a powerful but underused force to improve Afghanistan.

24 February 2010 Bernanke: U.S. Economy Growing, Unemployment Persists  The U.S. economy is growing, but unemployment is expected to persist while inflation should remain low, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke told a congressional committee.

23 February 2010 Secretary Clinton's Remarks With Northern Ireland Secretary Shaun Woodward  Sec. Clinton condemned Newry bombing saying that “It was another cowardly act of violence by those who would prefer to plant bombs than to argue for votes and to participate in the political process.”

23 February 2010 Official Highlights U.S. Commitment to U.N. Human Rights Council  The Obama administration is reasserting a U.S. role and focus on human rights worldwide through its re-engagement and work with the United Nations Human Rights Council, says State Department Legal Adviser Harold Hongju Koh.

23 February 2010 NATO Has Transformed from Defensive Role to Expeditionary Force  U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates says the greatest evolution that has taken place in NATO in the past 20 years is its transition from a static, defensive force to a force ready to take on security missions well beyond its traditional trans-Atlantic borders.

23 February 2010 Winners of New U.S. Embassy Design contest announced!   U.S. Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Louis B. Susman, and Acting Director of the Bureau of Overseas Buildings Operations, Adam Namm, announced today that KieranTimberlake of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania has won the design competition for the New London Embassy.
 • High resolution images and video
 • Statement by Ambassador Susman
 • Remarks by James Timberlake
 • Remarks by Adam E. Namm
 • Winning Design Concept
 • Building Energy Efficiency and Environmental Design

23 February 2010 A New Way to Apply for Your Visa: The DS-160

22 February 2010 Secretary Clinton's Remarks on the Future of NATO   Speaking at the NATO Strategic Concept Seminar Secretary Clinton outlined some of the basic goals she hopes will define the new Strategic Concept.

22 February 2010 Gates, Mullen Regret Civilian Casualties  Expressing deep regret over civilian casualties resulting from a NATO air strike yesterday, Pentagon civilian and military leaders said today they support the strategy that puts as much emphasis on protecting the Afghan population as capturing or killing insurgents.

22 February 2010 Secretary Clinton’s Remarks at Black History Month Celebration  Secretary Clinton paid tribute to African Americans’ achievements and leadership.

19 February 2010 Full Participation Expected in Iraqi Election  Ahead of Iraq’s March 5 elections, the U.S. ambassador to Baghdad expects broad Iraqi participation in the vote, which he said can help contribute to political reconciliation in the country. He also said the United States must work with Iraqis to build political and democratic institutions, modernize the country’s economy, and help it establish productive relations with its neighbors.

19 February 2010 International Navies Coordinate to Deter Somali Pirates  An international naval flotilla of vessels from the European Union, NATO, Russia, China, the United States and other nations is patrolling the Gulf of Aden to deter Somali pirates.On an average day, 17 ships offer security in a sea corridor where an estimated 30,000 commercial cargo vessels sail each year.

18 February 2010 New Video: How Public/Private Partnerships Can Tackle Climate Change Whilst visiting the UK Paul Polizzotto, CEO of Ecomedia, talks about his company and how public/private partnerships can help tackle climate change.

18 February 2010 Remarks from First Lady Michelle Obama Meeting with British Essay Contest Winners  First Lady Michelle Obama met with ten students from schools across the London borough of Islington today. The visit to the White House is part of a tour of Washington D.C. funded by the American Embassy for the winners of a Black History Month essay competition held in the Islington secondary schools.
 • Related clips from news organizations: Sky News and  BBC News
 • Photos from the event (FCO on Flickr)
 • First Lady Michelle Obama to Meet London Students at the White House

18 February 2010 First Lady Michelle Obama to Meet London Students at the White House  The American Embassy in London is pleased to announce that First Lady Michelle Obama will meet with ten students from schools across the London borough of Islington today. The visit to the White House is part of a tour of Washington D.C. funded by the American Embassy for the winners of a Black History Month essay competition held in the Islington secondary schools. 

18 February 2010 Biden Discusses U.S. Nuclear Agenda  Vice President Biden says the United States will do everything in its power to keep nuclear weapons from falling into the hands of terrorists or spreading to states that do not already have them.But Biden also emphasized that the United States recognizes that as its own technology improves, researchers are developing non-nuclear ways to deter potential adversaries without relying on the nuclear weapons deterrence that characterized the Cold War period of the 20th century.

18 February 2010 Rebuilding Haiti May Cost $14 Billion, Study Shows  A preliminary study by Inter-American Development Bank economists indicates that it could cost as much as $14 billion to rebuild Haiti’s homes, schools, roads and other structures damaged by a devastating earthquake in January. The preliminary report is based on complex comparisons with nearly 2,000 other natural disasters around the world between 1970 and 2008; it factored in the number of dead and missing in Haiti — believed to be between 200,000 and 250,000 people.

18 February 2010 Nearly 100 Nations to Reduce Emissions Under Copenhagen Accord  Nearly 100 countries have signed on to the Copenhagen Accord, a nonbinding agreement crafted in the final hours of the U.N. climate change conference in December 2009, meeting the first official deadline of the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) secretariat. The UNFCCC is the international agreement ratified by 193 countries to control emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide (CO2) that drive climate change.

17 February 2010 Iranian Decisions Increasingly Being Made by Revolutionary Guard  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton’s observation that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is supplanting the country’s political leadership reflects an assessment by U.S. officials that the IRGC is increasing its responsibility well beyond Iran’s security sector. The IRGC is influencing the country’s decisions on the brutal suppression of Iran’s political opposition and on President Obama’s offers of engagement, U.S. officials say

17 February 2010 Capture of Taliban Leader “A Significant Win,” White House Says   The Obama administration confirmed reports that the Pakistani government has Afghan Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar in custody, saying the capture of the movement’s number two leader is a big success for U.S. and Pakistani cooperation against violent extremism in the South Asia region. White House press secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that Pakistan recognizes extremists within its borders pose “an existential threat” to their country.

17 February 2010 The DS-160 web-based nonimmigrant visa application form has arrived!   Non-immigrant visa applicants applying for a visa, on or after, 01 March 2010, will be required to complete the new DS-160.

16 February 2010 Obama Sets Funding Help for First New Nuclear Plant in Decades  U.S. President Barack Obama says the government will guarantee more than $8 billion in loans to help build the first new American nuclear power plant in decades.  The project is expected to produce roughly 4000 new jobs. The president says clean, safe nuclear power is vital to the nation's future. “To meet our growing energy needs and prevent the worst consequences of climate change, we will need to increase our supply of nuclear power.  It is that simple,” he said.

16 February 2010 Finding the Softer Side of Steel  People have been working with metal for thousands of years to make it harder, tougher, stronger. Afsaneh Rabiei has made it fluffier. Her invention promises to save energy and lives. Rabiei is an associate professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at North Carolina State University in Raleigh, and the metal foam for which she was awarded a patent in January is lightweight and strong but can absorb energy as it compresses.

16 February 2010 Concern Grows over Potential for Middle Eastern Nuclear Arms Race  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton wrapped up a three-day Gulf diplomatic mission after consultations with key Middle Eastern leaders in Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference as well as with regional business leaders and college students. Clinton told Saudi college students February 16 that the long-term goal of the United States is to see the entire Middle East, including Iran, free of nuclear weapons.

16 February 2010 U.S., Iraqi Partners Explore Potential of New Media Technologies  When officials of several leading U.S. technology companies visited Iraq in April 2009, they discovered that computer Internet access was limited and expensive, but cell phones had become ubiquitous. Their conclusion: expand the use of these mobile devices and their applications to empower and connect people, launch businesses and make the Iraqi government more accessible and transparent.

15 February 2010 U.N. Sanctions Against Iran Would Target Revolutionary Guard  The United States wants the Middle East ultimately to be free of nuclear arms, and while the Obama administration remains open to engagement with Iran, it is working with others in the international community on economic sanctions to discourage the Iranian government from pursuing those weapons.

14 February 2010 Secretary Clinton's remarks at the U.S.-Islamic World Forum
 •  Question & Answer session

13 February 2010 President Obama’s Remarks to U.S.-Islamic World Forum  U.S. seeks new partnerships in Muslim communities around the world.

11 February 2010 Statement by Secretary Clinton on Developments in the Middle East  "This Administration has, from the beginning, worked to bring about comprehensive peace in the Middle East, including a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. On that issue our approach has been three-fold: (1) to help build the economy and capacity to govern of a Palestinian state; (2) to renew political negotiations to enable the earliest possible establishment of that state; and (3) to achieve these in a manner that ensures the security of Israel and of the Palestinians."

11 February 2010  Video: RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch at Winfield House  RSPB members and guests join in the Big Garden Birdwatch by going to the American Ambassador's residence in London, Winfield House. Our Science Office, Jock Whittlesey, talks about the event on his blog.

10 February 2010 Rome Meeting to Mobilize Support for Haiti’s Agricultural Sector   Haitian Agriculture Minister Joanas Gue will convene a high-level international meeting at U.N. World Food Programme headquarters in Rome February 12 to coordinate support for Haiti’s agricultural sector. Cheryl Mills, counselor to Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, will represent the United States at the meeting, where Haiti’s medium and long-term agricultural development will be discussed in terms of the country’s overall redevelopment plan.

10 February 2010 Sanctions Against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Affiliates  Treasury freezes assets of supporters of weapons proliferation, terrorism.

09 February 2010 An Update on International Climate Change Negotiations  (Video from americanprogress.org) Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for climate change, spoke about the lessons of the COP-15 summit in Copenhagen last December, the significance of the Copenhagen Accord and the path forward over the coming year and beyond.

09 February 2010 Former President Clinton's Role in Haiti  "The United States is pleased that the UN Secretary-General has asked former President Clinton to take on an expanded role as UN Special Envoy for Haiti. We understand that President Clinton will assume a leadership role in coordinating international aid efforts from emergency response to recovery and reconstruction in Haiti. "

08 February 2010 Joint Statement by The European Union and The United States Calling On The Iranian Government To Fulfill Its Human Rights Obligations

05 February 2010 State Department background briefing on Northern Ireland

05 February 2010 Statement by Todd Stern, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, on the Copenhagen Accord's January 31 Inscription Deadline

05 February 2010 Statement by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton on Northern Ireland Agreement on Policing and Justice

05 February 2010 Secretary Clinton’s Remarks on the Situation in Northern Ireland

05 February 2010 Statement by Ambassador Louis B. Susman on Northern Ireland Agreement on Policing and Justice

05 February 2010 U.S. Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland Welcomes News of Agreement on Devolution of Policing and Justice.

04 February 2010 Ambassador Susman's Remarks on Achievements and Challenges:  Obama’s Foreign Policy and the Road Ahead

04 February 2010 Romania Agrees to Host Ballistic Missile Interceptor  The Romanian Supreme Defense Council’s agreement to host a Standard Missile 3 interceptor marks a “first step” in implementing the Obama administration’s revised missile defense plan to protect against short- and medium-range missiles that could be launched from Iran.

04 February 2010 Global Threat Reduction  Ambassador Bonnie D. Jenkins, Coordinator for Threat Reduction Programs, speaking at the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Transatlantic and International Security in London, UK.

04 February 2010 In U.S. Congress, Financial Reform Is a Work in Progress  A comprehensive regulatory overhaul designed to make the U.S. financial system less prone to crisis faces uncertainty as interested parties, policymakers and legislators maneuver for opportunities to push it through Congress, change it or kill it.

04 February 2010 Mobile Phone Donations Break Records for Haiti Earthquake Relief   After the devastating earthquake struck Haiti on January 12, millions of Americans grabbed their mobiles, but instead of calling friends or family they hit a number that automatically donated $10 to the American Red Cross, resulting in an unprecedented $31 million raised for Haitian relief through mobile phone technology. “To raise $31 million dollars, $10 at a time, with mobile phones is overwhelming and nothing short of amazing,” says Roger Lowe, senior vice president for communications at American Red Cross headquarters in Washington.

03 February 2010 Iran Urged to Inform U.N. Agency of Position on Nuclear Deal  Iran needs to inform the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on whether it has changed its position toward a proposed agreement that would enable it to have its uranium supply enriched for use in a Tehran medical research reactor, according to Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs P.J. Crowley.

03 February 2010 United States Congratulates New African Union Chairperson  The United States on February 2 congratulated Dr. Bingu wa Mutharika, president of Malawi, on his election by the African Union General Assembly to serve as chairperson of the African Union (AU), saying it looks forward to continuing the U.S. partnership with the AU to promote peace, prosperity and security for all Africans.

03 February 2010 Afghan Agriculture and Security Interrelated, U.S. Officials Say  Obama administration officials describe efforts to revitalize Afghanistan’s agricultural sector as the “Number 1 nonsecurity priority” in the country. But given that Afghanistan is 80 percent agricultural, they acknowledge that security and agriculture are “integrally related,” as farmers replace opium poppies with legitimate crops, and increased profitability and job creation act as a counterincentive to joining the Taliban.

02 February 2010 New Video: Apply for your visa early this year!  Don't miss out on this years holiday to the United States. The sooner you apply for your visa the better!

02 February 2010 Haitian Relief Shifting to Longer-Term Sustainability Projects  Nearly three weeks after the January 12 earthquake hit Haiti, U.S. officials say the relief effort is shifting from search and rescue toward sustainability and economic recovery, ahead of an international donors conference that is expected to be held in March at the United Nations.

02 February 2010 U.S. Plan Would Help Afghan Women Build Better Lives  Empowering women is critical to improving life in Afghanistan, and the Obama administration has unveiled a plan to do just that. The Women’s Action Plan for Afghanistan outlined by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the London Conference on Afghanistan on January 28 seeks to increase Afghan women’s security, leadership in the public and private sectors, access to judicial institutions, education and health services, and ability to take advantage of economic opportunities, especially in the agricultural sector.

02 February 2010 Sudan Tops Foreign Policy Concerns in Obama YouTube Appearance  While President Obama was delivering his first State of the Union address, thousands of Americans went online and submitted their own questions via the popular video Web site YouTube. People could also vote on the 11,000 questions that were sent in, and on February 1, Obama — who had not seen them in advance — responded to the questions with the highest approval ratings. His responses streamed live from the White House.

01 February 2010 2011 U.S. Budget Would Increase Security and Development Aid  When President Obama foreshadowed his budget priorities for the 2011 fiscal year, which begins in October, he stressed the importance of U.S. domestic concerns such as job creation, but he also said there would not be cuts to national security programs. The $52.8 billion budget request for the State Department unveiled February 1 reflects a $4.6 billion increase from fiscal year 2010 levels, with an emphasis on ongoing programs in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iraq, as well as global development programs to provide humanitarian, health and economic assistance around the world.
 • Remarks by the President on the Fiscal Year 2011 Budget (Whitehouse.gov)
 • Factsheet on the FY 2011 Budget (via GPO.gov, PDF, 1 page)
 • Budget of the United States Government (Fiscal Years 2010 and 2011)

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