Secretary Remarks

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Cabinet Exit Memo Washington, DC January 5, 2017     Introduction When President Obama took office in 2009, the United States was engaged in two costly wars, faced the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, and had a diminished standing with many of our allies and partners around the world. The starting point for this Presidency was one of the toughest I have ever seen in my decades of public service. Over the past eight years, President Ob...

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Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Global Health, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation, The Ocean and Polar Affairs, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State United Nations Headquarters New York City September 23, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: Mr. President, thank you. Thank you very much. Thank you for convening this meeting. To all my colleagues, friends, ladies and gentlemen, 20 years ago President Bill Clinton entered the General Assembly with a pen in hand, the pen that he had used to sign the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test- Ban Treaty, the same pen used by President John F. Kennedy decades earlier to bring the Limited Test Ban...

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Regions: Iran , Korea, North , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State The Palace Hotel New York City September 22, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon, everybody. Thanks for your patience. There are reports that even as we were meeting this afternoon, a regime offensive was taking place in Aleppo, which is exactly the kind of regime action that has done so much damage to this process and to the credibility of the concept of restraint or ceasefire. As I said yesterday in the UN Security Council, this is a moment of truth for Russia, i...

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Regions: Russia , Syria , United States

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Geneva, Switzerland September 9, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: So thank you all for tremendous patience during the course of a very long day which obviously has required a lot of detail work, and we appreciate everybody’s patience in hanging in there. Today, the United States and Russia are announcing a plan which we hope will reduce violence, ease suffering, and resume movement towards a negotiated peace and a political transition in Syria. And we believe that the pl...

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Regions: China, Iran , Korea, North , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Switzerland , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Paris, France March 13, 2016 FOREIGN MINISTER AYRAULT: (Via interpreter) (In progress) This is a conflict that next Tuesday will be completing its fifth year of existence. Now the intra-Syrian negotiations should resume tomorrow and they will be very difficult. But together we would like to restate the support we want to give to the moderate opposition. The moderate opposition has decided to attend the Geneva talks and to sit around the table for the negotiations. W...

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Regions: France , Germany , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Italy , Libya , Qatar , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States , Yemen

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Treaty Room Washington, DC February 29, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: Good evening, everybody. Well, Frank-Walter and I wanted to take advantage of Leap Year, the extra day in February, so we figured we’d get together once again. We are hardly, hardly strangers. We spent an enormous amount of time in Vienna, in Lausanne, in Montreux, in Geneva, and already in Munich this year, and we’ve spent a lot of time working together, cooperating, and talking about the cri...

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Regions: France , Germany , Greece , Iran , Jordan , Lebanon , Libya , Russia , Syria , Ukraine , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Global Health, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Treaties and International Agreements

Press Availability John Kerry Secretary of State Amman, Jordan February 21, 2016 FOREIGN MINISTER JUDEH: (Via interpreter) So, allow me to welcome the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. John Kerry. He is an intimate friend, and I would like to stress that we are jointly keen on to maintain these consultation and communication relationships, especially with respect to the joint challenges that we are facing in this country and across the world. This consultation comes within the historical – solid histor...

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Regions: Iran , Iraq , Jordan , Russia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Global Health, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, United Nations Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura Munich, Germany February 12, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good evening, everybody. Let me start by thanking Foreign Minister Steinmeier and the people of Germany for hosting this important meeting of the International Syria Support Group on the margins of the Munich Security Conference, and we’re very grateful to our colleague, Frank Walter, for his help and assistance in th...

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Regions: China, Germany , Iran , Iraq , Libya , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State State Department Washington, DC January 31, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: For almost five years, the world has watched in horror as Syria has disintegrated into a brutal conflict, killing hundreds of thousands and displacing millions both within and outside the country. Syria today is an unfolding humanitarian catastrophe, unmatched since World War II. In recent months, a new and broad-based diplomatic initiative was launched, for the first time involving all of the key cou...

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Regions: Syria

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Davos, Switzerland January 22, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: Klaus, thank you very, very much. Hello, everybody. Good morning to you. Klaus, first of all, thank you for your very warm, generous introduction. I especially want to thank you for your superb leadership of the World Economic Forum for many years. As you’ve said, it’s been my honor to come here. This may have been the hardest trip of all. I was looking up at the mountain, fresh snow, and I saw those b...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Chad , China, Cuba , France , India , Iran , Iraq , Japan , Korea, North , Korea, South , Libya , Niger , Nigeria , Norway , Somalia , Switzerland , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Global Health, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Press Availability John Kerry Secretary of State Vienna, Austria July 15, 2014 SECRETARY KERRY: Good morning, everyone. I want to first thank the extraordinary team of diplomats and experts who have been on the ground here for weeks and who have been working tirelessly, actually, for many months in these negotiations. And I’m talking about both our American team as well as our colleagues from the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Russia, China, and Iran, and particularly I would like to thank Baron...

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Regions: Austria , China, Egypt , France , Iran , Israel , Italy , Libya , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Energy

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Geneva, Switzerland November 24, 2013 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good very early morning to all of you. It’s been a long day and a long night, and I’m delighted to be here to share some thoughts with you about the recent negotiations. I particularly want to thank the Swiss Government. I want to thank the United Nations. It’s been a (inaudible) and we’re honored to be here, even at this very early hour of the morning. I particularly want to thank my colleagues from the U...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, France , Iran , Israel , Switzerland , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Bali, Indonesia October 7, 2013 The video is also available with closed captioning on YouTube.  SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good morning, everybody. I want to thank Foreign Minister Lavrov for joining me here today to sign this important agreement. Amending the NRRC agreement is another important step towards reducing risks associated with nuclear weapons, and I think both of us are cognizant of the fact that 26 years ago our predecessors from the United States and ...

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Regions: France , Indonesia , Iran , Libya , Russia , Syria , Tanzania , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State New York City September 27, 2013 The video is available with closed captioning on YouTube. Thank you very much, and thank you, Mr. Secretary General, distinguished minister members of the Security Council. Five weeks ago, the world saw rows upon rows of murdered children lying on a hospital floor alone or beside slain parents, all wrapped in un-bloodied burial shrouds. And the world’s conscience was shocked, but our collective resolved hardened. Tonight, ...

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Regions: Syria

Topics: Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Quai d'Orsay Paris, France September 16, 2013 The video is also available with closed captioning on YouTube. FOREIGN MINISTER FABIUS: (Via interpreter) (In progress) discuss the situation in Syria as well as the decisions to be taken over the next few days. And further to that meeting at the Elysee Palace, we held the first working meeting with my two colleagues. And we will be meeting in a minute after this press conference our colleague, the Mr. Davutoglu, Ministe...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Canada , France , Iraq , Lebanon , Russia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Press Availability Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Nay Pyi Taw, Burma December 1, 2011 SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon, and – mingalaba , is that how you say it? Yeah? How? QUESTION: Mingalaba . SECRETARY CLINTON: Mingalaba . Thank you. Let me start by saying that I want to emphasize that while I may be the first United States Secretary of State to visit in over a half century, our two nations are far from strangers. We’ve had a long history together, from the earliest American m...

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Regions: Burma , China, Korea, North , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Combating Drugs and Crime, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Renaissance Mayflower Hotel Washington, DC October 21, 2009 SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning. Thank you. Thank you very much. It’s a great honor to be introduced by Ambassador Moose. George and I have had the privilege of working together in the past, and I look forward to his good advice and counsel as we move forward on many of these important matters. I want to thank Ambassador Solomon. Dick has done an extraordinary job, as you all know, both in...

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Regions: Afghanistan, India , Iran , Korea, North , Pakistan , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Global Health, Science, Technology, and Innovation, The Ocean and Polar Affairs, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State United Nations Headquarters New York City September 30, 2009 SECRETARY CLINTON: The 6,195 th meeting of the Security Council is called to order. The provisional agenda for this meeting is before the Council in document S/Agenda 6,195, which reads, and I quote: “Women and Peace and Security,” end of quote. Unless I hear any objection, I shall consider the agenda adopted. The agenda is adopted.   I should like to inform the Council that I ...

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Topics: Energy, Global Women's Issues, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Press Availability Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Benjamin Franklin Room Washington, DC May 7, 2009 SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good afternoon. Welcome to the Benjamin Franklin Room here in the State Department. Foreign Minister Lavrov and I have just concluded another very constructive meeting. It built on the discussions we started several months ago in Geneva and obviously was very much part of the work that both of our presidents assigned to their respective governments coming out of the Lon...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Georgia , Iran , Korea, North , Russia , Ukraine , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Climate and Environment, Human Rights and Democracy, The Ocean and Polar Affairs, Treaties and International Agreements

Interview Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State The Hague, Netherlands March 31, 2009 View Video QUESTION: So on the conference today, the Afghan delegation and some of the people that we’ve heard from the Afghan delegation were talking about the fact that President Karzai didn’t stay to have a press conference as had been suggested he was going to do. I noticed that in his speech, he thanked almost everybody, except Ban Ki-moon before he thanked the U.S. He mentioned everybody else&rsqu...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, Iran , Japan , Korea, North , Netherlands , Russia

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier Remarks Following Meeting Washington, DC February 3, 2009 SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good afternoon. I’m very pleased to be here today with Foreign Minister Steinmeier. We have had an excellent and broad discussion. Germany is one of our closest allies, and we greatly value opportunities like today to discuss the issues that affect our nations and the international community as a whole. I conveyed to th...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Germany , Iran , Kyrgyzstan , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Climate and Environment, Energy, Treaties and International Agreements

Interview With the CBS News Editorial Board Secretary Condoleezza Rice New York, New York September 28, 2007 QUESTION: Okay, let's start. The Secretary has promised us a shrink hour, which is 50 minutes of the hour. Okay, so QUESTION: Only in New York could you say that. (Laughter.) QUESTION: A shrink hour. SECRETARY RICE: I haven't heard of a shrink hour, but I'll know to use that from now on. QUESTION: She's kind of on a tight schedule, so let's get going. Does somebody have a question to lead off, or...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, France , Germany , India , Iran , Iraq , Pakistan , Russia , United Kingdom , United States , West Bank

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Press Conference on Iraq Declaration Secretary Colin L. Powell Washington, DC December 19, 2002 [ audio ; DSL/cable ; dial-up modem ] (2:30 p.m. EST) SECRETARY POWELL: Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. On November 8th, the United Nations Security Council responded to the challenge issued by President Bush in his 12 September speech to the United Nations General Assembly. On that day, the Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 1441, requiring Iraq to disarm itself of its weapons of mass...

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Regions: Iraq , United Kingdom , United States , Venezuela

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Energy

Press Availability With Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller, EU High Representative Javier Solana, and European Union Commissioner Chris Patten Secretary Colin L. Powell Benjamin Franklin Room Washington, DC December 18, 2002 SECRETARY POWELL: Well, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. I would like to thank Foreign Minister Moeller, High Representative Solana and External Affairs Commissioner Patten for coming to Washington for our semiannual U.S.-European Union meeting of foreign ministers. As th...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Cyprus , Denmark , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Korea, North , Turkey , United Kingdom , United States , Venezuela

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Global Health, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Two Plus Two Ministerial: Joint Press Availability With U.S. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi, and Director General Shigeru Ishiba of the Defense Agency of Japan Secretary Colin L. Powell and Japanese Officials The State Department, Washington, DC December 16, 2002 [ audio ; DSL/cable ; dial-up modem ] SECRETARY POWELL: Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Wolfowitz and I have just completed very good meetings with o...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, Iran , Iraq , Japan , Korea, North , Korea, South , Russia , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Energy, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Treaties and International Agreements

United States Position on Terrorists and Peace in the Middle East Secretary Colin L. Powell Remarks at the McConnell Center for Political Leadership University of Louisville, Kentucky November 19, 2001 11:17 a.m. EST SECRETARY POWELL: Thank you so very much, ladies and gentlemen, for that warm welcome, and I thank you, Senator McConnell for that very kind and generous introduction. It is a tribute to you, Mitch, my friend, that we are all here today. The McConnell Center for Political Leadership carries...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, Egypt , Israel , Kuwait , Russia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States , West Bank

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Global Health, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks with President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan Secretary Colin L. Powell Islamabad, Pakistan October 16, 2001 PRESIDENT MUSHARRAF: (In Arabic: In the name of God most merciful and compassionate). Ladies and gentlemen, I welcome you to this press conference. Let me say that we have had very useful discussions. The visit of the United States Secretary of State comes at a time of great challenge for Pakistan. His presence here symbolizes the new, rejuvenated relationship between Pakistan and the Unite...

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Regions: Afghanistan, India , Iran , Pakistan , United States

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks with President Kocharian of Armenia, and President Aliyev of Azerbaijan at Key West Peace Talks Secretary Colin L. Powell Key West, Florida April 3, 2001 SECRETARY POWELL: It is a great pleasure to open this conference and to welcome our distinguished guests, the President of Azerbaijan and the President of Armenia, and our distinguished co-chairs from the Russian Federation and from France. It is a great pleasure for me to, on behalf of President Bush, welcome all here. This is a very important...

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Regions: Armenia , Azerbaijan , France , United States

Topics: Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance