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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Regions: Afghanistan, Antarctica, Argentina, Canada , Chad , Chile, China, Cuba , France , India , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Italy , Korea, North , Libya , Nigeria , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Somalia , Sudan , Syria , Thailand , Ukraine , United Kingdom , United States , Western Hemisphere, Yemen

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 The Ritz Carlton Washington, DC November 29, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you very, very much, Karen. “Under the weather” is a polite word for the crud. (Laughter.) Anyway, thank you, Karen, for a wonderful introduction. And it’s with great pride that I accept the nomination. (Laughter.) Shh. It’s a little dangerous right now. (Laughter.) I am suffering from a bunch of grandchildren, all of whom are sniveling at...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Antarctica, China, Colombia , Cuba , Germany , Honduras , Iran , Japan , Korea, North , Lebanon , Libya , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Ukraine , United Kingdom , United States , Yemen

Topics: Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Global Health, Global Women's Issues, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation, The Ocean and Polar Affairs

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Chatham House London, United Kingdom October 31, 2016 MR NIBLETT: Welcome to Chatham House, excellencies, lords, ladies, and gentlemen, and welcome also to this 2016 Chatham House Prize ceremony. We’re delighted that so many of our members are here with us today; also supporters, guests, thank you very much for making the time. Our Chatham House Council members, our Panel of Senior Advisors, our Second Century Committee, representative of U.K. Government, oppo...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, France , Iran , Ireland , Israel , Qatar , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

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

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Hilton Chicago Hotel Chicago, Illinois October 26, 2016 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good evening, everybody. And thank you, very, very much to Ivo Daalder. Thank you, sir, Mr. Ambassador. And thanks to the Chicago Council for Global Affairs for inviting me here. And a profound thank you to Ambassador Lou Susman for his very generous introduction. And most importantly, Marge and Lou, thank you for many, many years of extraordinary friendship. I really value it. And I thin...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Canada , China, Iran , Israel , Japan , Korea, North , Nigeria , Russia , Rwanda , Saudi Arabia , Somalia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States , Vietnam

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

Press Availability John Kerry Secretary of State Revere Hotel Boston, Massachusetts October 13, 2015 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good afternoon. I’m delighted to welcome Secretary Carter and our friends from Australia, Foreign Minister Bishop and Defense Minister Payne. Julie and Marise, I’m really happy to have you here in Boston. We’ve been delighted to be able to give you a slight taste of this great city, which I have the privilege of calling home. And I think it’s been a very con...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Australia , China, India , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Philippines , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Syria , United Kingdom , United States , Vietnam

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

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State U.S. Chamber of Commerce Washington, DC December 8, 2014 Thank you very much, Myron, and I accept the nomination. (Laughter.) I am happy to be here with all of you. It’s got to be hard walking around with everybody calling you brilliant, don’t you think? (Laughter.) Not a bad way to go. Ladies and Gentlemen, Distinguished Guests all, Ambassadors, Your Excellencies, my great friend former Secretary General of the Arab League Amr Moussa, former Deputy Secr...

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Regions: Egypt , France , Iran , Israel , Italy , Jordan , Morocco , Qatar , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Tunisia , United Kingdom , United States , West Bank

Topics: Climate and Environment, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Press Availability John Kerry Secretary of State Vienna, Austria November 24, 2014 SECRETARY KERRY: Good afternoon, everybody, and thank you so much for your patience. We appreciate it very much. We know that this is a long process and there’s a great deal of waiting, and you have waited with great patience. I want to begin by thanking the Austrian Government, particularly, who have hosted us here in Vienna for these negotiations. We’ve had many visits now and they have been equally gracious...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Austria , China, France , Iran , Israel , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Paris, France November 20, 2014 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good afternoon, everybody. As you know, I’ve spent the last couple of days in Europe, in London, and now in Paris. And during the course of that time, I’ve had very worthwhile meetings with Foreign Secretary Hammond of Great Britain, Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal here in Paris today, and of course, with Foreign Minister Fabius, and other meetings that I have had during that time. During these meeti...

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Regions: France , Iran , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Energy

Interview John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC October 31, 2014 QUESTION: We’re here with the Secretary of State John Kerry. Welcome, Mr. Secretary. SECRETARY KERRY: I’m delighted to be with you. I’m honored to be with you on your first outing here. QUESTION: Well, thank you for joining us. SECRETARY KERRY: Thank you. QUESTION: We have so much to talk about. The deadline for the Iranian nuclear negotiations is November 24. What are the odds of having a deal by then or being clo...

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Regions: China, Hong Kong , Iraq , Korea, North , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Turkey , Ukraine , United Kingdom

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

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Treaty Room Washington, DC October 24, 2014 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good morning. I want to start by welcoming my friend and my colleague, Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se, back to Washington, who is here along with South Korean Defense Minister Han Min-koo. We had a very productive what we call 2+2 meeting this morning – it is the third such dialogue that we have conducted – during which Secretary Hagel and I restated the degree to which we are deeply commi...

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

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Energy, Global Health, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State United Nations Headquarters New York City September 26, 2014 Thank you, Fumio. Thank you very, very much. Mr. Secretary-General, let me begin by thanking you for an extraordinary week here at the United Nations. I think this has been an UNGA that’s been as seized with the issues of the day as forcefully and as directly as at any time, and we’re very appreciative for all of the UN’s efforts to make that happen. And I can tell you that everybody here...

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Regions: Iran , United Kingdom , United States

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

Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC September 21, 2014 The OPCW’s Fact-Finding Mission investigating chlorine use in Syria recently released a second interim report that concludes with a high degree of confidence that chlorine was used as a weapon “systematically and repeatedly” in attacks on three villages in northern Syria earlier this year. The report cites witness accounts indicating helicopters were used in the attacks—a capability the opposition lac...

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Regions: Syria , United States

Joint Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Royal Terminal Jeddah, Saudi Arabia September 11, 2014 FOREIGN MINISTER SAUD: (Via interpreter) In the name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate, we have held today a regional meeting to combat terrorism with the presidents of all of our states of the Gulf Cooperation Council, in addition to Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Turkey, and with the presence of the United States of America. This meeting comes in the light of our cooperation to face the threat of ...

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Regions: Iraq , Russia , Saudi Arabia , Syria , Turkey , United Kingdom , United States

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

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Naypyitaw, Burma August 10, 2014 Mr. Chairman, His Royal Highness Prince Mohamed Bolkiah, Fellow Ministers and Secretaries, As we approach the 10th anniversary of the East Asia Summit next year, this is a natural time to take stock of the direction of the EAS and our efforts to strengthen this critical institution. We support the discussions over the structure and mission of the EAS occurring right now and the mandate for senior officials to bring back their recomme...

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Regions: Burma , China, Indonesia , Philippines , Russia , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, The Ocean and Polar Affairs, Treaties and International Agreements

Interview John Kerry Secretary of State New Delhi, India July 31, 2014 QUESTION: Well, America-India relations have been in a bit of a rut for the last two or three years. Perhaps as a sign of an intent to change, we have two of the most senior important members of the Obama Administration. We have John Kerry, Secretary of State, and Penny Pritzker, Secretary of Commerce. It’s great to have you here. Thank you for being with us. SECRETARY PRITZKER: Thank you for having us. SECRETARY KERRY: Happy t...

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Regions: China, France , India , Israel , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Combating Drugs and Crime, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Human Rights and Democracy, Science, Technology, and Innovation

Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC July 18, 2014 As President Obama and our entire administration has made clear, we are committed to testing whether we can address one of the world’s most pressing priorities – ensuring that Iran does not obtain a nuclear weapon – through the diplomatic negotiations in which we and our international partners are currently engaged. This effort remains as intense as it is important, and we have come a long way in a short period ...

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Regions: Iran

Topics: Energy

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 Kabul, Afghanistan July 12, 2014 PRESIDENT KARZAI: (Via interpreter) In the name of God, (inaudible) media, welcome to today’s conference. You have been waiting since Iftar. I apologize for that. Today, we have His Excellency John Kerry, Secretary of State to the United States with us, as well as His Exellency Jan Kubis, Special Representative of the United Nations to Afghanistan. As you’re all aware that his visit to Afghanistan – John Kerry&rsquo...

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Regions: Afghanistan, United States

Topics: Energy, Human Rights and Democracy

Joint Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Secretary of Treasury Jacob Lew, Chinese State Councilor Yang Jiechi, and Chinese Vice Premier Wang Yang Great Hall of the People Beijing, China July 10, 2014 MODERATOR: (Via interpreter) Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the joint press conference of the sixth round of U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. I first give the floor to Vice Premier Wang Yang, Special Representative of Chinese President Xi Jinping. VICE PREMIER WANG: (Via interpreter) Frien...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, Iran , Iraq , Korea, North , Sudan , United Kingdom , United States

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

Press Availability John Kerry Secretary of State Treasury Secretary Jack Lew Beijing, China July 10, 2014 SECRETARY KERRY: Good evening, everybody. Thank you for being patient. We’re delighted to be here. Let me begin by thanking our Chinese hosts for their very warm welcome and for the depth and breadth of the discussions that we had in this year’s Strategic and Economic Dialogue. During our meetings with President Xi and Prime Minister Li, Secretary Lew and I discussed a number of importan...

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Regions: Afghanistan, China, Israel , Korea, North , United Kingdom , United States , West Bank

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

Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC July 10, 2014 Tonight I landed in Kabul where the United States is working intensely to help address an election crisis. I came here from Beijing after days of meetings on one of the world’s most important strategic relationships in the world’s most dynamic region. I am reminded every day as Secretary that the world demands our engagement more than ever before. But we can’t lead if we are not present. That’s why I want ...

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Regions: Burma , Cameroon , Israel , Qatar , South Africa , United Kingdom , United States

Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC July 7, 2014 I offer my deepest condolences on the passing of former Georgian President Eduard Shevardnadze. As foreign minister of the Soviet Union in the 1980s, Shevardnadze played an instrumental role with President Gorbachev, President Reagan, and Secretary Shultz in bringing the Cold War to an end. He reduced the risk of nuclear confrontation by giving new life to arms control negotiations. He opposed the hardliners and refused to use for...

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Regions: Georgia

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State U.S. Embassy Baghdad Baghdad, Iraq June 23, 2014 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, good afternoon. I have a quick comment I want to make on a topic other than the visit here to Iraq, and then I’ll proceed to make some comments about the visit here. And then I look forward to taking some questions. Today, the International Maritime Task Force completed the extraordinary mission of removing the final 8 percent of declared chemical weapon precursors from Syria. So I want to...

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Regions: Egypt , Iran , Iraq , Israel , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Energy, Human Rights and Democracy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance, The Ocean and Polar Affairs, Treaties and International Agreements

Press Statement John Kerry Secretary of State Washington, DC June 23, 2014 Today, the international maritime task force completed the critical mission of removing the last 8 percent of declared chemical weapons precursors from Syria. With this step, 100 percent of the declared chemicals are out of war-torn Syria. We congratulate the OPCW-UN Joint Mission and the entire international coalition, which operated under dangerous conditions to remove more than 1,000 tons of declared chemical weapons materials...

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Regions: Italy , Norway , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Energy, Refugee and Humanitarian Assistance

Remarks John Kerry    Secretary of State Catherine A. Novelli    Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy, and the Environment  Loy Henderson Conference Room Washington, DC June 17, 2014 Moderator: Under Secretary Catherine Novelli Guest Speakers: Kenred Dorsett, Minister of Environment and Housing, The Bahamas Ted Waitt, Founder and Board Chairman, The Waitt Foundation Elizabeth Wright-Koteka, Chief of Staff to Prime Minister, Cook Islands Mark Spalding, President, Ocea...

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Regions: British Indian Ocean, Chile, Cook Islands , France , Georgia , Norway , Palau , Peru , United Kingdom , United States , Vietnam

Topics: Climate and Environment, Energy, Global Health, Science, Technology, and Innovation, The Ocean and Polar Affairs

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

Remarks John Kerry Secretary of State Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov Intercontinental Hotel Geneva, Switzerland September 14, 2013 SECRETARY KERRY: Well, thank you very much for your patience, not just this morning, but over the last couple of days. We’re very appreciative and particularly grateful to Sergey Lavrov, who stayed extra time from what he had originally planned, hoping we’d finish sooner, and this gave us additional opportunity to be able to work through some of the issue...

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Regions: France , Iran , Korea, North , Russia , Switzerland , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Combating Drugs and Crime, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Treaty Room Washington, DC October 3, 2012 The video below is available with closed captioning on YouTube SECRETARY CLINTON: Good afternoon, everyone. I am delighted to welcome a very well known figure here to the State Department and to have this opportunity to greet him as Foreign Minister. But before I turn to the issues that bring us together today, let me say a few words about a subject that I know is on many people’s minds. There are continui...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Iran , Kazakhstan , Syria , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Energy, Human Rights and Democracy, Treaties and International Agreements

Press Availability Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Brussels, Belgium December 8, 2011 SECRETARY CLINTON: Very much like the logo, a great image of the skyline, which I know very well. I want to thank the Secretary General as he leaves, for his outstanding leadership and the opportunity that we’ve had to work together. And we’ll continue to be working closely together in the run-up to our summit in Chicago next May. This year has been one of great change, and we see democratic trans...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Belgium , Iran , Libya , Pakistan , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Human Rights and Democracy, Science, Technology, and Innovation, The Ocean and Polar Affairs, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State LitExpo Conference Center Vilnius, Lithuania December 6, 2011 Thank you and the president of the Republic of Lithuania and the government and people of your country for hosting this year’s for hosting this year’s OSCE Ministerial and for your steadfast global leadership in support and defense of human dignity and democracy. I appreciated your reference to the continuing importance of human rights – not simply as a moral imperative, but ...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Armenia , Azerbaijan , Belarus , France , Georgia , Lithuania , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Human Rights and Democracy, Treaties and International Agreements

Remarks Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State James S. Brady Press Briefing Room Washington, DC December 16, 2010 12:00 P.M. EST SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, good morning. I appreciate very much the President’s words about Ambassador Holbrooke. It was a week ago this morning that he and I and members of our team were meeting about this review and the conclusions to be drawn. As many have observed, he was certainly a giant of diplomacy, but he understood how difficult the mission that he’d be...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Iraq , Pakistan , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Energy, Human Rights and Democracy, Treaties and International Agreements

Interview Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Lisbon, Portugal November 21, 2010   QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, welcome back to Fox News Sunday. SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you so much, Chris. Good to talk to you. QUESTION: NATO has now agreed to a goal of 2014 for turning over security responsibility to the Afghans. Does that mean that the U.S. will have combat troops there for the next four years and possibly beyond? SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, Chris, I think what happened today was a real vote o...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Australia , Portugal , Russia , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Treaties and International Agreements

Interview Hillary Rodham Clinton Secretary of State Lisbon, Portugal November 21, 2010   QUESTION: Secretary Clinton, welcome back to the program. SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you very much, David. QUESTION: I want to talk about this showdown between the President and Senate Republicans over the START Treaty. The President, in his comments to reporters, made it very clear he thinks politics is being played here, saying to reporters, “Nobody’s going to score any political points to 2012.&rdq...

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Regions: Afghanistan, Portugal , United Kingdom , United States

Topics: Arms Control and Nonproliferation, Countering Terrorism, Economic Prosperity and Trade Policy, Science, Technology, and Innovation, Treaties and International Agreements