The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:‎

Today U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson hosted Canada’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Chrystia Freeland at the State Department in Washington, DC. Foreign Minister Freeland is visiting Washington for the start of NAFTA renegotiations. In addition to NAFTA, the two leaders discussed North Korea, Venezuela, Ukraine, economic issues, and advancing the Columbia River Treaty.

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On behalf of the United States Government, our best wishes to the people of the Republic of Congo as you celebrate your 57th Independence Day. Our strategic collaboration on regional security, economic development, and health remains strong. The United States of America will continue to support the efforts of the Congolese people to build a more prosperous and democratic Congo.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and Secretary of Defense James Mattis will host Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono and Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera for a Security Consultative Committee (“2+2”) meeting on August 17 at 9:45 a.m., at the Department of State.

The meeting will focus on how the United States and Japan can coordinate their response to the evolving regional security environment, and strengthen their bilateral security and defense cooperation. The participants will also review the continued realignment of U.S. armed forces in Japan.

The U.S.-Japan Security Consultative Committee (“2+2”) is the premier forum for discussing issues related to the U.S.-Japan Mutual Cooperation and Security Treaty, including U.S. bases in Japan and Japanese Host Nation Support, as well as regional security issues.

There will be a pooled camera spray preceding the dialogue and a joint press availability following the dialogue.

Joint Press Availability with Secretary Tillerson, Secretary of Defense James Mattis, Foreign Minister Taro Kono, and Defense Minister Itsunori Onodera:

Pre-set time for video cameras: 12:45 p.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance.

Final access time for still photographers and journalists: 1:15 p.m. from the 23rd Street Entrance.

The press availability will be streamed live on www.state.gov and Facebook.com/usdos. Please follow @StateDept for more information.

Media representatives may attend this event upon presentation of one of the following: (1) A U.S. Government-issued identification card (Department of State, White House, Congress, Department of Defense or Foreign Press Center), (2) a media-issued photo identification card, or (3) a letter from their employer on letterhead verifying their employment as a journalist, accompanied by an official photo identification card (driver’s license, passport).

For further information, please contact the Press Office at 202-647-2492.

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External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Well, welcome.

FOREIGN MINISTER FREELAND: It’s great to be here, Secretary.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Welcome. I want to welcome Minister Freeland again to the State Department, and this is a continuation of a number of opportunities to meet here and around the world; most recently we were together in Manila, the Philippines, just about a week or so ago. This is just an extraordinarily strong relationship between the U.S. and Canada, built on strong security, economic values, and shared values around freedom and tolerance. And I think that’s why it’s appropriate to comment on the recent events in Virginia and our condemnation of that kind of hate and violence. There is just simply no place for that in our public discourse. And I want to add our own condemnation to that.

But again, welcome, Minister Freeland, to the State Department.

FOREIGN MINISTER FREELAND: Okay. Well, thank you very much, Secretary. And as Rex says, it’s barely a week since we last saw each other. I think we were both a little more jetlagged then. It is great to be here, and I’m particularly grateful for the chance to see the Secretary of State today, which is the historic day that we begin our modernization process for NAFTA. In my view, the Secretary knows more about Canada than many Canadians, and we consider him a really great friend of our country and someone who really understands the economic relationship.

And I do want to say to the Secretary and to all Americans, just to offer Canada’s deepest sympathy and condolences for the tragedy in Charlottesville. We absolutely share those values that the Secretary just expressed, and we are absolutely clear in the – unequivocal in our condemnation of racist hatred. And I also want to say Canada is not immune to these kinds of atrocious crimes. We had a dreadful incident in Quebec City not too long ago.

So it’s really terrible. It’s important for us to speak up publicly and condemn it, as we’ve done, and I want Americans to know that we stand in solidarity with all Americans who are condemning this horrible hatred and racism and intolerance. And let’s get through it together.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Indeed. Again, welcome.

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The Department of State has designated Hizbul Mujahideen—also known as Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, also known as HM—as a Foreign Terrorist Organization under section 219 of the Immigration and Nationality Act, and as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) under section 1(b) of Executive Order (E.O.) 13224. These designations seek to deny HM the resources it needs to carry out terrorist attacks. Among other consequences, all of HM’s property and interests in property subject to U.S. jurisdiction are blocked, and U.S. persons are generally prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the group.

Formed in 1989, HM is one of the largest and oldest militant groups operating in Kashmir. Hizbul Mujahideen is led by Specially Designated Global Terrorist Mohammad Yusuf Shah, also known as Syed Salahuddin. Hizbul Mujahideen has claimed responsibility for several attacks, including the April 2014, explosives attack in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, which injured 17 people.

Today’s action notifies the U.S. public and the international community that HM is a terrorist organization. Terrorism designations expose and isolate organizations and individuals, and deny them access to the U.S. financial system. Moreover, designations can assist the law enforcement activities of U.S. agencies and other governments.

A list of State Department-designated FTOs and SDGTs is available here: http://www.state.gov/j/ct/list/index.htm.

The Office of Website Management, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department.
External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.