On behalf of the Government and people of the United States of America, I congratulate the people of Austria on the occasion of your National Day.

Austria’s role as a European leader, center of international business and diplomacy, and scientific and cultural hub is recognized around the world. A trusted partner of the United States, Austria shares our commitment to strengthening democracy and human rights and our goal of a peaceful and prosperous Europe.

We deeply value Austria’s contributions toward those goals. Our bilateral relationship ranges from military and security cooperation to our trade and economic partnership and robust cultural and people-to-people ties. On this day, we reflect on 180 years of our diplomatic relations and friendship. We look forward to further strengthening our enduring ties in the years to come.

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The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert: ‎

Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo spoke with Adil Abd al-Mahdi, Iraq’s new Prime Minister. The Secretary congratulated Abd al-Mahdi on his official confirmation as Prime Minister and for his successful efforts on the formation of the Republic of Iraq’s new government. The Secretary pledged to work closely with him to help his government deliver stability, security, and prosperity for all Iraqis. The Secretary underlined his support for the government’s efforts to ensure security so that Christians and other minority groups can return to their ancestral areas which were devastated by ISIS.

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.

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:‎

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo met yesterday in Washington with United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. They discussed global efforts to achieve the denuclearization of North Korea, the importance of making irreversible progress towards a political resolution in Syria by convening the constitutional committee in November, and a cessation of hostilities in Yemen. The Secretary condemned the outrageous and disruptive behavior the Cuban and Bolivian missions to the United Nations staff exhibited during a U.S.-hosted event on Cuban political prisoners on October 16.

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.

The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

Secretary Michael R. Pompeo spoke with UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura and discussed the Special Envoy’s progress on convening a constitutional committee. The Secretary thanked de Mistura for his efforts in de-escalating the military conflict and re-invigorating the political peace process. The Secretary also thanked de Mistura for his more than four years of service on behalf of the Syrian people, as well as his many years of UN service around the world.

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.

The U.S. Department of State, the Smithsonian Institution, and the Member Agencies of the Cultural Heritage Coordinating Committee (CHCC) will host Building Bridges: A Symposium on Global Cultural Heritage Preservation on October 23-24, at the Smithsonian Castle located at 1000 Jefferson Dr. SW, Washington, D.C. 20560.

The Symposium will cultivate an open dialogue about cultural heritage preservation and protection among government and non-government organizations, the private sector, and the university and research community. Attendees will explore how the United States can better help protect and preserve culture around the world and the role cultural heritage protection plays in advancing foreign policy.

State Department Spokesperson Heather Nauert and Smithsonian Provost John Davis will deliver opening remarks at 9:15 a.m. on Tuesday, October 23.

Assistant Secretary of State for Educational and Cultural Affairs Marie Royce, Chair of the CHCC, will lead the closing panel discussion, which is open to the public, A Discussion on Cultural Heritage Preservation and Foreign Policy, on Wednesday, October 24 at 4:00 p.m. Four current and former U.S. ambassadors will describe how they leveraged cultural heritage to advance foreign policy in the Near East, Balkans, South Asia, and Southeast Asia.

The opening remarks and closing panel discussion are open to the press, with limited space available. Media must RSVP to attend at ECA-Press@state.gov.

The closing panel discussion will be livestreamed at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/si-public and a full agenda for the Symposium can be found here: https://www.si.edu/events/building-bridges. Follow the event on social media at #CulturalHeritage and #CHCCBuildingBridges.

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.