Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities Victorino Mercado Media Engagement on Landmine Policy

Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities Victorino Mercado Media Engagement on Landmine Policy Jan. 31, 2020 Victorino Mercado, Performing the Duties of Assistant Secretary of Defense for Strategy, Plans and Capabilities, briefed reporters on landmine policy at the Pentagon. Read More

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Secretary Pompeo’s Visit to Kazakhstan

You are subscribed to Collected Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Pompeo's Visit to Kazakhstan 02/01/2020 08:27 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Secretary Pompeo will travel to Kazakhstan on February 1-2, where he will meet with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, First President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi to reaffirm our enhanced strategic partnership and discuss avenues to increase bilateral trade and investment. THE UNITED STATES AND KAZAKHSTAN ARE PARTNERS IN COUNTERTERRORISM AND FORCES FOR REGIONAL SECURITY The United States is a long-time strategic partner of Kazakhstan. The United States was the first nation to recognize Kazakhstan's independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, and our bilateral relations have flourished ever since. The United States and Kazakhstan closely cooperate to fight transnational terrorism and violent extremism to ensure the safety and prosperity of our peoples – and people across the globe. We applaud Kazakhstan's leadership in repatriating almost 600 foreign terrorist fighters and associated family members from northeast Syria and Iraq and rehabilitating and reintegrating some individuals back into society. The United States has provided border security assistance to help Kazakhstan mitigate transnational crime and outflows of foreign terrorist fighters, including providing x-ray scanning machines, explosives detection equipment, all-terrain vehicles, radios, body armor, and night vision systems. S. authorities work with Kazakhstan's law enforcement agencies to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, narcotics abuse and trafficking, and human trafficking. Kazakhstan has played a helpful role to support peace in Afghanistan, including providing logistical access to Afghanistan, educating the next generation of Afghan professionals, and strengthening all of Afghan civil society through efforts such as the 2018 Women's Empowerment Conference in Nur-Sultan. In August 2019, Kazakhstan hosted a C5+1 High-Level Security Discussion in Nur-Sultan, where top officials from the United States, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their support for the C5+1 platform as a valuable forum for addressing common threats. OUR COOPERATION IN NUCLEAR SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION HAS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States has assisted Kazakhstan in the removal of Soviet-era nuclear warheads, weapons-grade materials, and supporting infrastructure. At its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan had the fourth largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world. Kazakhstan renounced its nuclear weapons in 1993 and removed its last nuclear warheads in 1995. Kazakhstan continues to show global leadership in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and as a sponsor of a UN General Assembly resolution to establish an International Day Against Nuclear Tests. Kazakhstan participated in Nuclear Security Summits in Washington, DC (2010 and 2016), Seoul (2012), and The Hague (2014). For decades, the United States has assisted Kazakhstan with mitigating the damaging effects of the Soviet Union's nuclear tests on Kazakhstan's civilian population and environment. More than 25 percent of all the nuclear tests in the world were conducted on Kazakhstani soil. The United States has helped Kazakhstan seal 200 nuclear test tunnels. The United States has worked with Kazakhstan to strengthen capabilities to deter, detect, and investigate the smuggling of nuclear and radiological materials by providing the expertise and tools needed to respond to smuggling events and has increased safety and security for more than 13,000 radioactive sources. The two countries have also removed or down-blended more than 200 kilograms of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) – more than enough for eight nuclear weapons – and are working to convert the last two HEU reactors in Kazakhstan. ROBUST ENERGY AND TRADE TIES BENEFIT OUR ECONOMIES AND PEOPLES A U.S.-Kazakhstan Bilateral Investment Treaty has been in place since 1994. In 2018, U.S.-Kazakhstan bilateral trade was valued at $ 2.1 billion, a 57 percent increase from 2017. The United States is one of the largest sources of foreign investment in Kazakhstan. As of July 2019, U.S. foreign direct investment comprised 18.5 percent of the total foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan, with cumulative investments by American companies of about $31.23 billion. The United States and Kazakhstan signed an Open Skies civil air agreement in December 2019, which, once in force, will apply to all international airports in Kazakhstan. American businesses, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, are at the forefront in assisting Kazakhstan to achieve its tremendous potential in the energy sector. In July 2016, Chevron and partners announced a $37 billion (now estimated at more than $45 billion) expansion of the Tengiz field, expected to be completed in 2022. These companies work continually to develop Kazakhstan's human capital, improve infrastructure in the communities where they operate in cooperation with local government, and maximize the life and production of Kazakhstan's world-class oilfields. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.    Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This email was sent to stevenmagallanes520.nims@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

Secretary Pompeo’s Visit to Kazakhstan

You are subscribed to South and Central Asia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Pompeo's Visit to Kazakhstan 02/01/2020 08:27 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Secretary Pompeo will travel to Kazakhstan on February 1-2, where he will meet with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, First President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi to reaffirm our enhanced strategic partnership and discuss avenues to increase bilateral trade and investment. THE UNITED STATES AND KAZAKHSTAN ARE PARTNERS IN COUNTERTERRORISM AND FORCES FOR REGIONAL SECURITY The United States is a long-time strategic partner of Kazakhstan. The United States was the first nation to recognize Kazakhstan's independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, and our bilateral relations have flourished ever since. The United States and Kazakhstan closely cooperate to fight transnational terrorism and violent extremism to ensure the safety and prosperity of our peoples – and people across the globe. We applaud Kazakhstan's leadership in repatriating almost 600 foreign terrorist fighters and associated family members from northeast Syria and Iraq and rehabilitating and reintegrating some individuals back into society. The United States has provided border security assistance to help Kazakhstan mitigate transnational crime and outflows of foreign terrorist fighters, including providing x-ray scanning machines, explosives detection equipment, all-terrain vehicles, radios, body armor, and night vision systems. S. authorities work with Kazakhstan's law enforcement agencies to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, narcotics abuse and trafficking, and human trafficking. Kazakhstan has played a helpful role to support peace in Afghanistan, including providing logistical access to Afghanistan, educating the next generation of Afghan professionals, and strengthening all of Afghan civil society through efforts such as the 2018 Women's Empowerment Conference in Nur-Sultan. In August 2019, Kazakhstan hosted a C5+1 High-Level Security Discussion in Nur-Sultan, where top officials from the United States, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their support for the C5+1 platform as a valuable forum for addressing common threats. OUR COOPERATION IN NUCLEAR SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION HAS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States has assisted Kazakhstan in the removal of Soviet-era nuclear warheads, weapons-grade materials, and supporting infrastructure. At its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan had the fourth largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world. Kazakhstan renounced its nuclear weapons in 1993 and removed its last nuclear warheads in 1995. Kazakhstan continues to show global leadership in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and as a sponsor of a UN General Assembly resolution to establish an International Day Against Nuclear Tests. Kazakhstan participated in Nuclear Security Summits in Washington, DC (2010 and 2016), Seoul (2012), and The Hague (2014). For decades, the United States has assisted Kazakhstan with mitigating the damaging effects of the Soviet Union's nuclear tests on Kazakhstan's civilian population and environment. More than 25 percent of all the nuclear tests in the world were conducted on Kazakhstani soil. The United States has helped Kazakhstan seal 200 nuclear test tunnels. The United States has worked with Kazakhstan to strengthen capabilities to deter, detect, and investigate the smuggling of nuclear and radiological materials by providing the expertise and tools needed to respond to smuggling events and has increased safety and security for more than 13,000 radioactive sources. The two countries have also removed or down-blended more than 200 kilograms of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) – more than enough for eight nuclear weapons – and are working to convert the last two HEU reactors in Kazakhstan. ROBUST ENERGY AND TRADE TIES BENEFIT OUR ECONOMIES AND PEOPLES A U.S.-Kazakhstan Bilateral Investment Treaty has been in place since 1994. In 2018, U.S.-Kazakhstan bilateral trade was valued at $ 2.1 billion, a 57 percent increase from 2017. The United States is one of the largest sources of foreign investment in Kazakhstan. As of July 2019, U.S. foreign direct investment comprised 18.5 percent of the total foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan, with cumulative investments by American companies of about $31.23 billion. The United States and Kazakhstan signed an Open Skies civil air agreement in December 2019, which, once in force, will apply to all international airports in Kazakhstan. American businesses, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, are at the forefront in assisting Kazakhstan to achieve its tremendous potential in the energy sector. In July 2016, Chevron and partners announced a $37 billion (now estimated at more than $45 billion) expansion of the Tengiz field, expected to be completed in 2022. These companies work continually to develop Kazakhstan's human capital, improve infrastructure in the communities where they operate in cooperation with local government, and maximize the life and production of Kazakhstan's world-class oilfields. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.    Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This email was sent to stevenmagallanes520.nims@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

Secretary Pompeo’s Visit to Kazakhstan

You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Secretary Pompeo's Visit to Kazakhstan 02/01/2020 08:27 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson Secretary Pompeo will travel to Kazakhstan on February 1-2, where he will meet with President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, First President Nursultan Nazarbayev, and Foreign Minister Mukhtar Tileuberdi to reaffirm our enhanced strategic partnership and discuss avenues to increase bilateral trade and investment. THE UNITED STATES AND KAZAKHSTAN ARE PARTNERS IN COUNTERTERRORISM AND FORCES FOR REGIONAL SECURITY The United States is a long-time strategic partner of Kazakhstan. The United States was the first nation to recognize Kazakhstan's independence from the former Soviet Union in 1991, and our bilateral relations have flourished ever since. The United States and Kazakhstan closely cooperate to fight transnational terrorism and violent extremism to ensure the safety and prosperity of our peoples – and people across the globe. We applaud Kazakhstan's leadership in repatriating almost 600 foreign terrorist fighters and associated family members from northeast Syria and Iraq and rehabilitating and reintegrating some individuals back into society. The United States has provided border security assistance to help Kazakhstan mitigate transnational crime and outflows of foreign terrorist fighters, including providing x-ray scanning machines, explosives detection equipment, all-terrain vehicles, radios, body armor, and night vision systems. S. authorities work with Kazakhstan's law enforcement agencies to combat money laundering and the financing of terrorism, narcotics abuse and trafficking, and human trafficking. Kazakhstan has played a helpful role to support peace in Afghanistan, including providing logistical access to Afghanistan, educating the next generation of Afghan professionals, and strengthening all of Afghan civil society through efforts such as the 2018 Women's Empowerment Conference in Nur-Sultan. In August 2019, Kazakhstan hosted a C5+1 High-Level Security Discussion in Nur-Sultan, where top officials from the United States, Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan reaffirmed their support for the C5+1 platform as a valuable forum for addressing common threats. OUR COOPERATION IN NUCLEAR SECURITY AND NON-PROLIFERATION HAS BEEN THE CORNERSTONE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP Since the fall of the Soviet Union, the United States has assisted Kazakhstan in the removal of Soviet-era nuclear warheads, weapons-grade materials, and supporting infrastructure. At its independence in 1991, Kazakhstan had the fourth largest stockpile of nuclear warheads in the world. Kazakhstan renounced its nuclear weapons in 1993 and removed its last nuclear warheads in 1995. Kazakhstan continues to show global leadership in nuclear disarmament and non-proliferation, as a party to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), the Biological and Toxin Weapons Convention (BWC), the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, and as a sponsor of a UN General Assembly resolution to establish an International Day Against Nuclear Tests. Kazakhstan participated in Nuclear Security Summits in Washington, DC (2010 and 2016), Seoul (2012), and The Hague (2014). For decades, the United States has assisted Kazakhstan with mitigating the damaging effects of the Soviet Union's nuclear tests on Kazakhstan's civilian population and environment. More than 25 percent of all the nuclear tests in the world were conducted on Kazakhstani soil. The United States has helped Kazakhstan seal 200 nuclear test tunnels. The United States has worked with Kazakhstan to strengthen capabilities to deter, detect, and investigate the smuggling of nuclear and radiological materials by providing the expertise and tools needed to respond to smuggling events and has increased safety and security for more than 13,000 radioactive sources. The two countries have also removed or down-blended more than 200 kilograms of Highly Enriched Uranium (HEU) – more than enough for eight nuclear weapons – and are working to convert the last two HEU reactors in Kazakhstan. ROBUST ENERGY AND TRADE TIES BENEFIT OUR ECONOMIES AND PEOPLES A U.S.-Kazakhstan Bilateral Investment Treaty has been in place since 1994. In 2018, U.S.-Kazakhstan bilateral trade was valued at $ 2.1 billion, a 57 percent increase from 2017. The United States is one of the largest sources of foreign investment in Kazakhstan. As of July 2019, U.S. foreign direct investment comprised 18.5 percent of the total foreign direct investment in Kazakhstan, with cumulative investments by American companies of about $31.23 billion. The United States and Kazakhstan signed an Open Skies civil air agreement in December 2019, which, once in force, will apply to all international airports in Kazakhstan. American businesses, including Chevron and ExxonMobil, are at the forefront in assisting Kazakhstan to achieve its tremendous potential in the energy sector. In July 2016, Chevron and partners announced a $37 billion (now estimated at more than $45 billion) expansion of the Tengiz field, expected to be completed in 2022. These companies work continually to develop Kazakhstan's human capital, improve infrastructure in the communities where they operate in cooperation with local government, and maximize the life and production of Kazakhstan's world-class oilfields. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.    Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This email was sent to stevenmagallanes520.nims@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

Furthering Our Relationship with Belarus

You are subscribed to Europe and Eurasia for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Furthering Our Relationship with Belarus 02/01/2020 08:08 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson "The United States is a steadfast supporter of the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Belarus. Respect for human rights and freedoms, as well as the continued development of democratic principles, are key to building prosperous, resilient, and peaceful nations." – Secretary Michael Pompeo, July 3, 2019 The Secretary will travel on February 1 to Minsk, where he will meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka and discuss the continuing normalization of bilateral relations and the exchange of ambassadors. The Secretary will also meet with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei to discuss human rights, economic cooperation, and information sharing on threats to regional and international security. THE UNITED STATES AND BELARUS BUILD CLOSER TIES ON AREAS OF SHARED INTEREST The United States has been a sustained supporter of Belarus. We were one of the first countries to recognize its independence in 1991, and remain strongly committed to a sovereign, stable, prosperous, and independent Belarus. The United States respects Belarus' desire to pursue its own partnerships, to chart its own course, and to play a constructive role in the region. At a time when we are seeing increasing anti-Semitism in Europe, the United States recognizes the efforts of the Belarusian government to acknowledge the atrocities of the past. The United States agrees with Belarus that they must never be repeated. The United States encourages Belarus to continue making progress on human rights and to address the goals outlined in the Belarus Democracy Act. The Belarusian presidential election later this year represents an opportunity to address the spirit of the concerns outlined in the Belarus Democracy Act. Advancing democratic principles will reinforce Belarusian sovereignty and independence, which the United States unequivocally and firmly supports, and pave the way to enhanced bilateral ties. The United States congratulates Belarus on the dynamic growth of its information technology sector, which demonstrates the potential for economic transformation. THE UNITED STATES AND BELARUS COOPERATE ON A RANGE OF BILATERAL ISSUES The United States welcomes Belarus' increased cooperation on issues of non-proliferation, border security, economic cooperation, and information sharing on matters of regional and international security. The Government of Belarus has signed agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Agency to bolster cooperation in fields such as border security, cybersecurity, and counternarcotics. U.S. assistance to Belarus prioritizes respect for human rights, development of a stronger civil society, and freedom of the media. U.S. private sector assistance supports the growth of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and the middle class. U.S. assistance programs support vulnerable populations, such as people with disabilities and victims of human trafficking, and strengthen the capacity of non-governmental organizations that provide services. The United States looks forward to a prosperous, bright future for the citizens of Belarus, building on its diverse history, rich culture, vibrant economic potential, and talented people. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.    Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This email was sent to stevenmagallanes520.nims@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520

Furthering Our Relationship with Belarus

You are subscribed to Press Releases for U.S. Department of State. This information has recently been updated, and is now available. Furthering Our Relationship with Belarus 02/01/2020 08:08 AM EST Office of the Spokesperson "The United States is a steadfast supporter of the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Belarus. Respect for human rights and freedoms, as well as the continued development of democratic principles, are key to building prosperous, resilient, and peaceful nations." – Secretary Michael Pompeo, July 3, 2019 The Secretary will travel on February 1 to Minsk, where he will meet with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenka and discuss the continuing normalization of bilateral relations and the exchange of ambassadors. The Secretary will also meet with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei to discuss human rights, economic cooperation, and information sharing on threats to regional and international security. THE UNITED STATES AND BELARUS BUILD CLOSER TIES ON AREAS OF SHARED INTEREST The United States has been a sustained supporter of Belarus. We were one of the first countries to recognize its independence in 1991, and remain strongly committed to a sovereign, stable, prosperous, and independent Belarus. The United States respects Belarus' desire to pursue its own partnerships, to chart its own course, and to play a constructive role in the region. At a time when we are seeing increasing anti-Semitism in Europe, the United States recognizes the efforts of the Belarusian government to acknowledge the atrocities of the past. The United States agrees with Belarus that they must never be repeated. The United States encourages Belarus to continue making progress on human rights and to address the goals outlined in the Belarus Democracy Act. The Belarusian presidential election later this year represents an opportunity to address the spirit of the concerns outlined in the Belarus Democracy Act. Advancing democratic principles will reinforce Belarusian sovereignty and independence, which the United States unequivocally and firmly supports, and pave the way to enhanced bilateral ties. The United States congratulates Belarus on the dynamic growth of its information technology sector, which demonstrates the potential for economic transformation. THE UNITED STATES AND BELARUS COOPERATE ON A RANGE OF BILATERAL ISSUES The United States welcomes Belarus' increased cooperation on issues of non-proliferation, border security, economic cooperation, and information sharing on matters of regional and international security. The Government of Belarus has signed agreements with the U.S. Department of Defense, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Drug Enforcement Agency to bolster cooperation in fields such as border security, cybersecurity, and counternarcotics. U.S. assistance to Belarus prioritizes respect for human rights, development of a stronger civil society, and freedom of the media. U.S. private sector assistance supports the growth of entrepreneurs, small businesses, and the middle class. U.S. assistance programs support vulnerable populations, such as people with disabilities and victims of human trafficking, and strengthen the capacity of non-governmental organizations that provide services. The United States looks forward to a prosperous, bright future for the citizens of Belarus, building on its diverse history, rich culture, vibrant economic potential, and talented people. Stay connected with the State Department:   External links found in this content or on Department of State websites that go to other non-Department websites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.    Update your subscriptions, modify your password or email address, or stop subscriptions at any time on your Subscriber Preferences Page. You will need to use your email address to log in. If you have questions or problems with the subscription service, please contact subscriberhelp.govdelivery.com. This email was sent to stevenmagallanes520.nims@blogger.com using GovDelivery Communications Cloud on behalf of: U.S. Department of State · 2201 C Street NW · Washington, DC 20520