The United States notes with deep concern the death of Azerbaijani blogger and activist Mehman Galandarov on April 28 while in the custody of Azerbaijani authorities. We urge the Government of Azerbaijan to conduct a full, transparent, and independent investigation into the circumstances of Mr. Galandarov’s death and to release all activists in Azerbaijan incarcerated for exercising their fundamental freedoms.

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Today, on World Press Freedom Day, we reaffirm our commitment to promoting the fundamental principles of a free press around the world. We honor those men and women who work tirelessly, often at great personal risk, to tell the stories we would not otherwise hear. They are the guardians of democratic values and ideals.

The United States has a strong track record of advocating for and protecting press freedom. The U.S. Department of State offers development programs and exchanges for media professionals, supports the free flow of information and ideas on the internet, and provides the tools and resources needed to keep journalists safe.

Ethical and transparent media coverage is foundational to free and open societies. It promotes accountability and sparks public debate. Societies built on good governance, strong civil society, and an open and free media are more prosperous, stable, and secure.

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: Your Excellency, welcome to the State Department again.

FOREIGN MINISTER AL-JUBEIR: Thank you very much. Always a pleasure.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Good to see you, indeed.

FOREIGN MINISTER AL-JUBEIR: Always a pleasure.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Indeed.

FOREIGN MINISTER AL-JUBEIR: Look forward to another productive conversation.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Indeed. Thank you. Thank you all.

QUESTION: Mr. Secretary, can you talk about your participation on the call with Vladimir Putin today and talk about how realistic it is that there would be progress on safe zones?

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Well, it was a very constructive call that the two presidents had. It was a very, very fulsome call, a lot of detailed exchanges. So we’ll see where we go from here.

QUESTION: How long did it last?

SECRETARY TILLERSON: I’m not sure I even kept track of the time.

QUESTION: Okay. Thank you.

FOREIGN MINISTER AL-JUBEIR: Thank you.

SECRETARY TILLERSON: Thank you.

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.

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson will travel to Fairbanks, Alaska, May 10-11 to attend the 10th Arctic Council Ministerial Meeting. At the Ministerial Meeting, representatives from the eight Arctic States will discuss issues of mutual interest and review the accomplishments of the U.S. Arctic Council Chairmanship. Additionally, Secretary Tillerson will officially pass the two-year rotating chairmanship of the Arctic Council to Finland. On the margins of the meeting, Secretary Tillerson will host a celebration of the 20th Anniversary of the Arctic Council, hold bilateral meetings with his counterparts, and meet with U.S. indigenous representatives to the Arctic Council.

The Arctic Council is an intergovernmental forum promoting cooperation, coordination, and interaction among the Arctic States, the region’s indigenous communities, and other Arctic stakeholders.

Follow Secretary Tillerson’s travel to Alaska via @StateDept and @USArctic on Twitter and visit the State Department’s Flickr account for the latest trip photos. Stay connected at https://blogs.state.gov/engage and keep track of all of the Secretary’s travels at https://www.state.gov/secretary/2017travel/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.

On May 1, 2017, the 1980 Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of International Child Abduction (the Convention) entered into force between the United States and Fiji. The United States now has 76 partners under the Convention.

The Convention is a valuable civil law mechanism for parents seeking the return of children who have been wrongfully removed from or retained outside their country of habitual residence by another parent or family member. Parents seeking access to children residing in treaty partner countries may also invoke the Convention. The Convention is critically important because it establishes a legal framework between partner countries to resolve parental abduction cases. The Department of State’s Office of Children’s Issues serves as the Central Authority for the United States under the Convention. We welcome this partnership with Fiji and look forward to working together on this critical issue.

For more information about international parental child abduction, please visit: https://travel.state.gov/content/childabduction/en.html.

For press inquiries, please contact CAPRESSREQUESTS@state.gov or (202) 485-6150.

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.