On behalf of the Government of the United States of America, I offer congratulations to the people of the Republic of Nauru as you celebrate the 50th year of your nation’s independence this January 31, 2018.

The Republic of Nauru and the United States have enjoyed longstanding friendship and valuable cooperation. We look forward to strengthening our relationship during this landmark year and beyond as the Republic of Nauru assumes the role of chair of the Pacific Islands Forum.

Congratulations and warmest wishes for peace and prosperity in the year to come.

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Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs Alice Wells will travel to London, United Kingdom and Tashkent, Uzbekistan from January 30–February 2. Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Wells will stop in London on January 30, to discuss regional issues at the International Institute of Strategic Studies, as well as meet with United Kingdom government officials and international media at the State Department’s London Media Hub. In Tashkent, she will meet with senior government officials to review progress made under President Mirziyoyev’s reform agenda, international and regional affairs, as well as economic and security cooperation.

For further information, please follow her activities @State_SCA or contact SCA-Press@state.gov.

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.

We are deeply concerned that Swedish citizen Gui Minhai was detained on January 20. We call on Chinese authorities to explain the reasons and legal basis for Mr. Gui’s arrest and detention, disclose his whereabouts, and allow him freedom of movement and the freedom to leave China. The United States and our European partners are bound by shared principles of liberty, equality, and human dignity. We will continue to coordinate with our partners, allies and regional organizations on promoting greater respect for human rights in China.

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.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: On behalf of the American people, I’m honored today to recognize, along with our Polish friends, and commemorate the 73rd anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau. Auschwitz-Birkenau was a place of unimaginable horror and tragedy, and it – but we must remember what happened there and in similar camps under the Nazi reign of terror. We acknowledge the many survivors, the loved ones, the friends of those who walk in grief today, and we walk along their side, holding them up with our prayers and our support at their time of remembrance. We also honor the many heroic actions taken by those who gave shelter to the many who were condemned and risked – put themselves at risk in doing so.

On this occasion, it reminds us that we can never – we can never – be indifferent to the face of evil. The Western alliance which emerged from World War II has committed itself to ensuring the security of all that this would never happen again. One of Poland’s greatest sons, Pope John Paul II, understood the face of evil when he said, “No one is permitted to pass by the tragedy of Shoah.”

As we mark this day in solemn remembrance, let us repeat the words of our own commitment: Never again. Never again.

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Deputy Secretary of State John J. Sullivan will travel to Iraq on January 27 to lead an interagency delegation to participate in the Higher Coordinating Committee meeting and reinforce our long-term partnership with Iraq and the Iraqi people. The Deputy Secretary will focus discussions on expanding US-Iraq economic ties and increasing foreign investment to facilitate Iraq’s reconstruction.

The Deputy Secretary will also meet with senior Iraqi officials in Baghdad and Erbil to discuss joint efforts to maintain an enduring defeat of ISIS, regional strategic priorities, the upcoming Iraqi elections, and progress surrounding the Iraqi Kurdistan region.

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.