The United States warmly welcomes the Representative on Freedom of the Media (RFoM), Mr. Harlem Désir, back to the Permanent Council and expresses our appreciation for his comprehensive report.
On November 24 we mark a somber occasion, the 85th anniversary of Holodomor, when the brutal Soviet regime engineered and executed a catastrophic manmade famine and starved to death millions of innocent Ukrainians.
The Russia-manufactured conflict in eastern Ukraine shows no sign of abating. This is a conflict in which exceptionally deadly and destructive weapon systems are used daily and where just one ceasefire violation can have a catastrophic effect on people in the area.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is at a critical juncture. On December 23, 2018, the DRC has a historic opportunity to carry out a credible election leading to a peaceful, democratic transfer of power.
Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of African Affairs Tibor P. Nagy will travel to Ethiopia, Djibouti, Eritrea, Kenya, and Germany from November 27 to December 8, 2018. During his trip, Assistant Secretary Nagy will focus on promoting stronger trade and commercial ties between the United States and Africa, harnessing the potential of Africa’s youth, advancing peace and security through partnerships, and underscoring the United States’ enduring commitment to the people and nations of Africa.
The United States reiterates its call for all parties to support UN Special Envoy for Yemen Martin Griffiths by immediately ceasing hostilities and engaging in direct talks aimed at ending the conflict.
The United States strongly condemns the attack in Kabul today at a religious gathering that killed at least 40 and wounded over 60 civilians. We send our deepest condolences to the families and friends of the victims.
Russian Myth: We gave the Americans fully detailed information about when and at what distance tests of this missile had been conducted.
Fact: Russia has repeatedly changed its cover story regarding its violating missile, and this claim represents only the latest iteration.
Thank you, Mr. President. And we thank Secretary-General Guterres and Commissioner Chergui for their briefings.
I, too, would like to begin by saying a few words in special tribute to the Malawian and Tanzanian UN peacekeepers and soldiers from the Congolese armed forces who were killed in the Congo last week.
Moderator: Greetings to everyone from the U.S. Department of State’s Dubai Regional Media Hub. I would like to welcome our callers who have dialed in from across the region. Today we are joined by the Secretary’s Special Representative for Syrian Engagement, Ambassador James Jeffrey. Ambassador Jeffrey is a senior diplomat with experience in political, security and energy issues in the Middle East, Turkey, Germany and the Balkans.