We are saddened and disappointed by today’s court decision to proceed with charges against journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo for their alleged violations of the Official Secrets Act. This is a step backward for press freedom and raises questions about the rule of law in Burma. Burma should allow these journalists to return to their families and continue their work as journalists.

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On July 10, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Carl Risch will accompany Secretary of Homeland Security Kirstjen Nielsen to Guatemala City, Guatemala, to participate in a working conference co-hosted by the Government of Guatemala on security and migration issues in Central America. Secretary Nielsen and Guatemalan Foreign Minister Sandra Jovel will meet with government counterparts from Canada, El Salvador, Honduras, and Mexico to explore ways to promote a more secure Central America and address shared migration challenges. Assistant Secretary of State for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs Kirsten D. Madison and Acting Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs Francisco Palmieri will also participate in the meetings.

This working conference builds on discussions at the June 2017 Conference on Prosperity and Security in Central America in Miami and Vice President Mike Pence’s June 28 meeting in Guatemala with Salvadoran President Sánchez Cerén, Guatemalan President Morales, and Honduran President Hernández.

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On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, we extend our best wishes to the people of the Republic of South Sudan on the seventh anniversary of their nation’s independence.

This should be a day of celebration marking South Sudan’s emergence as an independent state and the beginning of a new era of greater peace and prosperity. Instead, the conflict that broke out in December 2013 continues to impose immense suffering on South Sudan’s diverse citizens. They have already paid a heavy price for their leaders’ divisions: driven from their homes, facing life-threatening hunger, and subjected to unspeakable cruelty.

As talks among the parties continue, we remember the struggle of generations of South Sudanese for a better future. But for July 9 to be a real celebration, the fighting must stop everywhere, and South Sudanese leaders must make the tough choices to put aside narrow self-interest and put the needs of the nation first. We call upon the Government of South Sudan and all parties to the conflict to immediately stop the bloodshed and genuinely resolve their differences through dialogue that reflects the voices of a broad spectrum of society. Only when the fighting stops can South Sudan begin on a path towards inclusive economic growth and genuine reconciliation.

The United States remains a friend of the South Sudanese people. We stand ready to work with responsible leaders who are willing to deliver the peace, opportunity, and justice the people of South Sudan have long awaited.

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The below is attributable to Spokesperson Heather Nauert:

On July 8 and 9, Secretary Pompeo met in Hanoi, Vietnam with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh.

The Secretary and Vietnamese leaders discussed our joint commitment toward the final, fully verified denuclearization of North Korea. The Secretary thanked Vietnam’s leaders for their strong commitment to strictly enforce UN Security Council Resolutions related to North Korea. ‎

They also affirmed their shared interest in upholding peace and security in the South China Sea‎, and their shared concerns over militarization and reclamation of features that runs counter to international law. Both sides welcomed cooperation to uphold the freedom of navigation and overflight, with Vietnamese leaders welcoming a strong U.S. role in ensuring stability in the South China Sea.

The Secretary and Vietnamese leaders also discussed ways to further strengthen the U.S.-Vietnam Comprehensive Partnership so as to advance our common bilateral and regional priorities and common efforts to promote peace, security, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region.

The Secretary also raised the case of William Nguyen and encouraged a speedy resolution to his case.

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Assistant Secretary of State for Energy Resources Frank R. Fannon will travel to Jeddah, Saudi Arabia; Zagreb, Croatia; and Brussels, Belgium July 6-13.

In Jeddah, he will join a delegation led by Director of Policy Planning Brian Hook to convey the Administration’s Iran policy, which seeks to address the totality of Iranian threats and malign activities.

Assistant Secretary Fannon will then travel to Zagreb to meet with senior Croatian government and private sector officials to discuss Croatia’s energy diversification efforts, including progress on the floating storage and regasification unit (FSRU) liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal off Krk Island in support of diversifying Europe’s energy sources.

Assistant Secretary Fannon will conclude his trip in Brussels, where he will accompany Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Secretary of Energy Rick Perry at the U.S.-EU Energy Council along with their European Union (EU) counterparts, including High Representative/Vice President Federica Mogherini, Vice President for Energy Union Maros Sefcovic, and Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Canete. The Energy Council is a high-level forum on U.S.-EU energy priorities, including promotion of energy security and transparent and secure global energy markets.

For further information, contact Vincent Campos, Spokesperson for the Bureau of Energy Resources, at CamposVM@state.gov or visit www.state.gov/e/enr. You can also find information on Twitter at @EnergyAtState.

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