Press Releases: Mauritania National Day Message


Press Statement

Rex W. Tillerson

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

November 28, 2017


On behalf of President Trump and the people of the United States of America, I am delighted to send my best wishes to the people of Mauritania on your 57th anniversary of independence on November 28.

The United States looks forward to growing our strong relationship with Mauritania in the coming year. We will continue our longstanding partnership by working together to strengthen our economic ties, address terrorist threats in the region, and build Mauritania’s democratic institutions.

The United States supports all Mauritanians as you work to build a country that is peaceful, prosperous, and united.






Press Releases: Under Secretary Shannon’s Meeting With Brazilian Secretary General of the Foreign Ministry Marcos Galvao 


Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

November 27, 2017


Ambassador Thomas A. Shannon, Under Secretary for Political Affairs, met today with Secretary General Galvao to address common interests in our bilateral relationship and the region. The Under Secretary reaffirmed the close partnership between the United States and Brazil and our shared commitment to increasing economic growth, investment, and job creation in both countries. The two leaders emphasized the importance of cooperation on security issues, including the challenges in Venezuela.






Press Releases: Albania National Day


Press Statement

Rex W. Tillerson

Secretary of State

Washington, DC

November 27, 2017


On behalf of the people of the United States, I offer my best wishes to the people of Albania as you celebrate 105 years of independence.

Albania is a valued friend and ally, and the United States looks forward to your continued progress towards greater Euro-Atlantic integration and EU membership. We deeply appreciate Albania’s contributions to NATO and the Defeat-ISIS Coalition and your promotion of regional stability. We commend the Government of Albania for its continued efforts to implement key reforms including judicial reform, combating public corruption, and the fight against organized crime. These are important steps towards ensuring a more secure and prosperous future for your people.

Congratulations to the people of Albania on your national day.






Press Releases: International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification (IPNDV) Fifth Plenary Meeting


Media Note

Office of the Spokesperson

Washington, DC

November 27, 2017


The International Partnership for Nuclear Disarmament Verification (IPNDV) will hold its fifth plenary meeting in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Arms Control, Verification and Compliance Anita Friedt will join counterparts from Partner states, both with and without nuclear weapons, to discuss the conclusion of Phase I of the Partnership’s effort to build international capacity for, and understanding of, nuclear disarmament verification.

This plenary meeting will review the Phase I results of the Partnership’s three working groups on monitoring and verification objectives, on-site inspections, and technical challenges and solutions. The discussions held over the last two years represent a realistic attempt to understand the challenges inherent in nuclear disarmament verification and begin to develop solutions to those challenges. The Partnership will also discuss a work program for its next two-year Phase II, which will expand on the work done in Phase I. After the conclusion of the plenary, the Nuclear Threat Initiative (NTI) will launch a new website to promote the next phase of the Partnership’s work.

For further information, please contact the AVC Press Team at AVC-Press-DL@state.gov. Join the conversation on Twitter at #IPNDV and visit http://www.nti.org/about/projects/international-partnership-nuclear-disarmament-verification/ for more information on the Partnership.






Press Releases: Romania: Proposals Affecting the Independence of the Judiciary


Press Statement

Heather Nauert

Department Spokesperson

Washington, DC

November 27, 2017


The United States notes with concern that the Parliament of Romania is considering legislation that could undermine the fight against corruption and weaken judicial independence in Romania. This legislation, which was originally proposed by the Ministry of Justice, threatens the progress Romania has made in recent years to build strong judicial institutions shielded from political interference. We urge the Parliament of Romania to reject proposals that weaken the rule of law and endanger the fight against corruption.