SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: Public Appointments Schedule for August 19, 2010

Public Appointments Schedule for August 19, 2010

Washington, DC

August 19, 2010

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SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON

9:15 a.m. Secretary Clinton meets with the Assistant Secretaries of the Regional Bureaus, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

10:30 a.m. Secretary Clinton tapes interviews with Pakistani TV, at the Department of State.

2:00 p.m. Secretary Clinton meets with Pakistani Foreign Minister Qureshi, at the United Nations Headquarters.
(POOLED CAMERA SPRAY AT THE TOP)


2:40 p.m. Secretary Clinton meets with United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon, at the United Nations Headquarters.
(POOLED CAMERA SPRAY AT THE TOP)


3:00 p.m. Secretary Clinton attends the United Nations Plenary Session on Flood Relief for Pakistan, at the United Nations Headquarters.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE)
Secretary Clinton is scheduled to deliver remarks at approximately 4:00 p.m.

Hillary Clinton: Images from the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue

Clearly the Secretary of State had a very busy day in the middle of a very busy week. She was "on" all day as host of this conference, and, as a result, there is a ton of pictures to be viewed. Since Wednesday is always my busiest and longest day, I just now at 10:15 p.m. finished collecting all the photos. The best (and fastest) way for me to post them is via a bulk upload, so here is a slideshow of her remaining breathtakingly beautiful throughout a breathtakingly busy day.

Sexretary Clinton's Remarks With Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi At Reception for the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue

Remarks With Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi At Reception for the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Richard Holbrooke
Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan

Benjamin Franklin Room

Washington, DC

March 24, 2010

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AMBASSADOR HOLBROOKE: Welcome to the State Department, and come on up as close as you can. My name is Richard Holbrooke. I am the Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and it is my great honor today to welcome you, the largest group of Pakistani Americans ever assembled in the State Department, and to introduce our honored host and our honored guest.
Of course, she needs no introduction to this audience. As First Lady, as senator, as Secretary of State, Pakistan and the Pakistani American community are always not far from her heart. Five times she has traveled to Pakistan in these jobs. She knows so many of you personally. She and Foreign Minister Qureshi are the two people who collaborated to lead to the creation of the American Pakistan Foundation, many of whose members and supporters are here today. And that is a creation to which I think history will pay full record.
She is an inspirational leader, a great Secretary of State, especially for Pakistan, and I’m proud to say my dear friend. She’s also my boss, but I didn’t have to say that. (Laughter.) Please join me in welcoming the 67^th Secretary of State of the United States of America, Hillary Rodham Clinton. (Applause.)
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, thank you very, very much. And thanks to Ambassador Holbrooke, who has done an extraordinary job as our special representative and who you wouldn't believe it, is too modest by far giving me the credit for so much of what we’ve done this past year.
It’s a real pleasure to welcome all of you here to the State Department on an absolutely beautiful spring day. I hope you take advantage of the view out there, which is one of the best in Washington. I know that Secretary – or that Senator Dick Lugar was here. I think he had to leave for votes. I believe that Congresswoman Sheila Jackson-Lee is still here, and we’re so happy she is here. (Applause.) And I want to be sure – I can’t see them all the way back, but I know that others who are intending to join are Senator Ted Kaufman, Congressman Chris Van Hollen, Congressman John Tierney, and Congressman Ike Skelton.
We’ve had an excellent day for Pakistan-United States relationships with the kickoff of this high-level Strategic Dialogue. And I want to thank Foreign Minister Qureshi and all the members of his delegation for making today’s events possible. Those of us who have experienced Pakistan’s famous hospitality firsthand are delighted to welcome you as our guests. And we hope we will have many more occasions to do so in the future.
Today does mark the beginning of a new stage in the relationship between Pakistan and the United States. With this Strategic Dialogue, we are addressing the full range of interests and concerns that matter to the Pakistani and American people, including national security, economic growth, agriculture, energy, education, health, social progress, with a new level of commitment and focus.
Now, some might ask what really has changed, what makes this dialogue so special. Well, to begin with, this is the first time ever that such a dialogue has been led by a foreign minister and the Secretary of State. We’ve also established new procedures. With this dialogue, we have identified projects in key areas and created a roadmap for making consistent progress. Working groups consisting of experts and policy makers from both countries have been meeting today and will continue meeting tomorrow and will continue meeting for the months ahead. Foreign Minister Qureshi and I will be overseeing that work and we will stay involved in it, and our teams intend to meet again later this year, this time in Pakistan.
But I would add that one of the real features that differentiates this effort from others is all of you. We are joined today by board members from the U.S.-Pakistan Business Council, the American Pakistan Foundation, Pakistani Americans who work for the United States Government, including many who work here at the State Department, and people from across the broader Pakistani American community – business leaders, academics, professionals, citizens from every walk of life. And your presence reminds us of the bonds of friendship and family that connect our countries, the vibrant community that sustains and strengthens this relationship. Ours is a partnership not only between governments, but between people. And people can help us achieve our goals in ways that governments simply cannot.
So we today are charting a new course for the future together, one that is strategic and substantive and that will yield tangible benefits. One of the ingredients for that success will be investments, investments of all kinds. And I am looking at some of the most successful people in our country as I look out and see so many friends here. Business investment is absolutely essential. In this past year, we have seen Pakistan’s economy begin to recover, thanks in part to remittances from Pakistanis and families living overseas. Remittances reached record levels in 2009 and they helped to spark critical economic activity.
But the opportunity to work, to go to school, to start a business, to build a career are still out of reach for too many. And business investment will be absolutely critical for Pakistan’s long-term progress. We all have a stake in Pakistan’s success. And I know that there are so many of you who have Pakistan in your heart and there are so many of you who have business interests in Pakistan, and I would encourage even more of that. We announced today a flight from Pakistan to Chicago via Barcelona, so many of my friends in Chicago will be very happy to hear that. (Applause.)
It is for me a great pleasure to be working on this Strategic Dialogue and to be helping to shape our partnership going forward. And to that end, I have an excellent partner in the foreign minister. He and I have worked so well over the last 15 months during my tenure, and I’m very grateful for his creativity and his leadership. Foreign Minister Qureshi. (Applause.)
FOREIGN MINISTER QURESHI: Thank you, Madam Secretary. Thank you for the support that I have received from you and your team. Ladies and gentlemen, I will not be exaggerating if I say that today, the 24^th of March, will be recognized in days to come as a important day in U.S.-Pakistan relations. Because today, we have tried to redirect this relationship into a partnership. And this could only come about realizing that a strategic partnership can only be strategic if it is people-centered. And your presence and your support is what I seek.
I remember the first meeting that many of you attended in New York when we were discussing the idea of the Pakistan American Foundation. There were many who said don’t even venture this way, it’ll not work. But I believe in perseverance, and I believe if you persevere, it commands success. And I have faith and I believe in you, the Pakistani Americans, because I have interacted with some of you. I am getting to know more of you. And the more I interact with you, the more I realize how much you care – how much you care about Pakistan. You are American citizens now, but you still have your heart and soul very much in Pakistan.
And that is why we’ve created a vehicle for you that you will own and direct and give leadership to. We will facilitate. We will not guide nor are we bosses. I’m a democrat and democracy believes in people. I think the best ambassadors Pakistan can have are you people who have done it in a competitive environment, in a challenging environment. You’ve proved your mettle and I am proud of you. And I request you to help Pakistan to strengthen democratic values in Pakistan. After many years, we are back on track.
Today in Pakistan, we have a functioning democracy. Today in Pakistan, I can proudly say we have a very independent judiciary. Today in Pakistan, we have a very independent media. Today in Pakistan, we have a growing, a vibrant civil society. And collectively, we can take Pakistan to the level it ought to go to. We are not a poor country. We are a rich country. We are rich in human capital. We are rich in resources. We only need to utilize them better. And if we can do it, I am confident that we will grow. And very soon, we will grow by 6 to 7 to 8 percent.
And we are determined to push poverty down. We are determined to achieve the goals that the founding fathers of this country – the vision they had for Pakistan and the founder of my party – the economic change, the social change that he promised. We are going to achieve that. And you will help us achieve that goal.
Corporate America can help Pakistan. Today, we’ve created a vehicle to which you can help Pakistan. There are great business opportunities in Pakistan. Yes, there are challenges. Yes, there are difficulties. Yes, we are going through a difficult time. Yes, there is a security situation. I do not deny that. But we will change it. And the last two years of this democratic government, we have shown and we have provided the leadership to bring about that change.
Today, the Taliban are on the run. Today, the militants know that there is a government, and the people of Pakistan and the public opinion of Pakistan are united, and collectively, they are going to defeat them. The armed forces of Pakistan have performed heroically and we are proud of their performance. The ordinary citizen has suffered. Innocent citizens have suffered on account of terrorism. But that has not weakened our resolve. Every casualty makes us more determined to defeat terrorism and to reverse extremism. And we will succeed, because defeat is not an option.
With your help, with your support, and with this new partnership that we are building, I think we will achieve our objectives sooner than expected. So thank you, thank you for being here, thank you for supporting us. (Applause.) Thank you for caring about Pakistan. Whether it was the earthquake or any natural disaster, you have stood out. And taking the lead from the response I got, Madam Secretary, from the Pakistani Americans, your response encouraged me.
And let me share with you, I’m trying to reproduce this model in the United Kingdom. I’ve spoken to David Miliband and I have a group together and we are working, and Inshallah, the next foundation is going to be the Pakistan-UK foundation, because I want to mobilize. I want to mobilize the diaspora – the diaspora that we have all over Europe – educated Pakistanis, capable Pakistanis, caring Pakistanis, to care for our Pakistan. Thank you. (Applause.)

Video & Text: Secretary Clinton & Foreign Minister Qureshi Opening Session of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue

Opening Session of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Remarks With Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi

Benjamin Franklin Room

Washington, DC

March 24, 2010

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SECRETARY CLINTON: Good morning and let me welcome all of you, particularly our distinguished colleagues and friends from Pakistan. Welcome to the Ben Franklin Room. His portrait is above us over the fireplace. He’s one of our great heroes in the founding of our country. And I know that Pakistan just had its national day, so we are delighted that during this week we could hold this extremely important Strategic Dialogue.

As you can see I am joined by a number of officials from the United States Government, including Secretary of Defense Bob Gates; Admiral Mike Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff; USAID Administrator Dr. Raj Shah; Deputy Secretary of State Jack Lew; Deputy Secretary of Agriculture Kathleen Merrigan; Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Demetrios Marantis; many other distinguished officials from across our government; and of course, our Ambassador Anne Patterson, who we’re always happy to see here in Washington. And together we welcome Foreign Minister Qureshi and the other distinguished members of the Pakistani delegation.

We have been looking forward to this meeting for a long time. It is the culmination of months of work by people in both our countries. It is the next step in a relationship that stretches back to Pakistan’s earliest days, but it is also the start of something new – a new phase in our partnership, with a new focus and a renewed commitment to work together to achieve the goals we share: stability, prosperity, opportunity for the people of both Pakistan and the United States.

Now, this is not the first Strategic Dialogue between our countries, but it is the first led by a Foreign Minister and a United States Secretary of State, and it reflects our government’s commitment to its success. During my visit to Pakistan in October, Foreign Minister Qureshi and I agreed that it was time for a Strategic Dialogue of this caliber to ensure that the work we do together will yield real and lasting benefits for our citizens. So during the next two days, we will determine concrete steps that our countries will take to advance our work in key areas, including addressing Pakistan’s urgent energy needs and helping communities damaged by violence to rebuild. More broadly, we will discuss our goals and vision for our partnership’s long-term future and set forth a schedule for that future.

Pakistan and the United States have come together at critical moments throughout our history. We have provided aid and support to each other at trying times. We have faced wars and responded to natural disasters together. Over the years, our relationship has been tested, but it has always endured. And I am pleased we have come together again – at this critical moment – to reinforce our ties and recommit to building a partnership that will last.

The United States comes to this Dialogue with great respect for the nation and people of Pakistan. We recognize the central role that Pakistan plays in promoting security and prosperity. And that is not only for itself but throughout South Asia. Pakistan’s stability and prosperity is in the best interests of people everywhere. Its struggles are our struggles. Its future and ours are entwined. And its people and our people share many of the same dreams, dreams we are more likely to achieve working together.

On a personal note, Pakistan is close to my heart. I have relished my visits and especially last October, when I spent several days meeting with people from across the country, hearing their views and sharing my own. Pakistan is also home to dear friends of mine. And it is the homeland of several members of my staff, as well as tens of thousands of Pakistani Americans, many of whom I was proud to represent as a senator for New York. So I have both a personal and a professional interest in Pakistan’s future. It’s one of the reasons why I was so pleased to set up a special representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan for the first time with Ambassador Holbrooke and the first-class team that he has compiled. And I am committed to the success of this Dialogue, which offers a chance to accelerate our efforts to promote security and opportunity in Pakistan and beyond.

Let me just say a few words about security, and I see General Kayani and members of the military, and we are very pleased that you here with us. Pakistan stands at the front line of a struggle against violent extremism, which has inflicted terrible costs on the people of Pakistan. For months, the Taliban has waged war against the Government of Pakistan. Thousands of soldiers have given their lives to protect their country. Innocent men, women, and children have been killed in markets and schools, at police stations, and even in mosques. This violence is both senseless and part of a larger perverse strategy to destabilize Pakistan and allow extremist groups the freedom to consolidate power and plot further violence in Pakistan and beyond.

But the people and Government of Pakistan have responded to these attacks with courage and resolve. The Pakistani authorities have recently arrested key leaders of the Taliban. The Pakistani Army continues to fight the extremists. And the democratically elected Government of Pakistan and the Pakistani people have shown extraordinary strength in their determination to rebuild their communities and rid their country of those who seek to destroy it.

So to the people and Government of Pakistan, the United States pledges our full support. You are fighting a war whose outcome is critical; first and foremost, of course, for the people of Pakistan, but it will also have regional and global repercussions. And so strengthening and advancing your security remains a key priority of our relationship.

But security means more than defeating an insurgency. It also means creating the conditions that allow people to participate fully in their communities and to lead healthy, productive, fulfilling lives. I often say that talent is universal, but opportunity is not. And until opportunity is available to all citizens, the kind of progress Pakistan deserves will remain elusive.

During my visit to Pakistan last October, people shared with me their stories of the challenges they face every day. They told me about the scarcity of clean water, the energy shortages that cause regular blackouts that last for hours. They told me about the farmers who were struggling, the young people who want to work and contribute but can’t find a job.

With this Dialogue, we want to think about security in the broadest possible terms – not just what we commonly think of as national security, but the full range of political, economic, and social issues that shape the daily life of people everywhere. Here in the United States, we call these “kitchen table” issues, because families across our country often gather around the kitchen table to discuss them. Now, while we may not sit down at a kitchen table today, we will be focusing on these critical issues and planning the next steps we will take together to achieve them.

The United States is demonstrating our commitment to supporting the people of Pakistan. In addition to our humanitarian assistance to citizens displaced by violence, we have significantly increased our overall non-military assistance through the Kerry-Lugar-Berman initiative, the legislation passed last year. That was a landmark, long-term investment in Pakistan’s economy and its civilian institutions. Now, we are redirecting our assistance to priorities identified by Pakistan’s democratically elected civilian government, including energy and water initiatives. And under the leadership of the United States Agency for International Development, we are increasing our efforts to promote sustainable development and broad prosperity.

These are urgent goals, but they can only be achieved through patient, persistent efforts. So let me be clear: today’s Dialogue is not a one-time event. It is the first in a series of continuing, substantive discussions that will continue in the months ahead, as representatives from both our countries meet to look at the goals that we set and to figure out how we can make progress together. And it will continue later this year, when our teams will go to Islamabad for the next round of the Strategic Dialogue.

Now, while meeting is in itself an important first step, we cannot be satisfied with talking alone. Our success will be determined not by how often we gather in government summits, but in how well our partnership translates into lasting progress for the millions who live in cities and villages far from the halls of power and whose lives will be shaped by our actions. Bettering the lives of people must remain the motivation for everything we do. And our partnership must also foster a greater understanding between our nations and our people.

We know that, in recent years, misperceptions and mistrust have grown between our countries, on both sides of the relationship. Foreign Minister Qureshi and I have worked hard to overcome that. Other of our colleagues, both on the civilian and the military side, have worked equally hard to build greater trust and begin a new chapter in our relationship. Yet I am aware that some skepticism still remains.

So I want to say a word directly to the people of Pakistan. Our countries have had our misunderstandings and disagreements in the past. And there are sure to be more disagreements in the future, as there are between any friends or, frankly, any family members. But this is a new day. For the past year, the Obama Administration has shown in our words and our deeds a different approach and a different attitude toward Pakistan. This was a personal priority of President Obama’s and mine from the start of this Administration, and it will continue to be one.

The dialogue we seek is not only with the government of Pakistan, but with you, the people of Pakistan. This was one of the purposes for my trip in October. And together, we began a conversation that has continued, including earlier this week, when I met with journalists from Pakistan. It is a dialogue that we hope will expand and endure, and include more and more Pakistanis and Americans because we believe there is no limit to what the Pakistani and American people can accomplish together, particularly in this interconnected age, when it is so easy to communicate and collaborate, government-to-government, business-to-business, student-to-student, and citizen-to-citizen. So I urge every Pakistani and every American following our work here today to take on this mission as your own. Our countries are poised to deepen our partnership for our mutual progress, but we can only succeed with your support.

There is much work to be done, and that work is both exciting and somewhat overwhelming, because we know that nothing changes overnight. It doesn’t change with the best of intentions; it doesn’t change because we wish it to change. It only changes with hard work. In fact, I remember when I read about and had my staff pull for me the words of the sister of Pakistan’s founder, Muhammad Allah – Ali Jinnah – Fatima Jinnah – who was a great carrier of his legacy after his early death. She continued his mission for many years, always urging the people of Pakistan to press ahead. It won’t surprise you that I often turn to women and their quotes and their work when I look through history, because their voices are too often forgotten. But what she said on Pakistan Day in 1952, the fourth anniversary of independence, was so telling to me. She noted the achievements that Pakistan had already made, though they were, as she put it, “an unaided people in their march toward their destiny.” And she concluded by quoting Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s words, his recipe for progress: Work, work, and more work.

Well, Pakistan is no longer unaided, marching toward your destiny. The United States is proud to stand and march with you. But now we are called, all of us, to work, work, and more work, today, tomorrow, and the months ahead for the citizens of our countries and many others whose futures will be influenced by our partnership.

I’m very pleased now, and it’s a great honor for me to introduce my partner and my counterpart, someone who I have very much appreciated working with over the past many months now, Foreign Minister Qureshi.

FOREIGN MINISTER QURESHI: Thank you. Secretary Clinton, dear colleagues, ladies and gentlemen, let me begin by thanking you for your warm words of welcome and your reaffirmation of the vital importance of Pakistan-U.S. relations. My colleagues and I myself have been touched by the gracious hospitality extended to us since our arrival in Washington. I bring with me the warmest greetings of the leadership and people of Pakistan for the friendly government and friendly people of the United States.

We are meeting today in the special backdrop of the 70^th anniversary of adoption of the Pakistan Resolution, a landmark event in the history of South Asia and a defining moment in our struggle for freedom. The people of Pakistan remember with gratitude the valuable contribution made by the freedom-loving American people to our quest for independence and to forging close ties with our young nation. Consistent with its own values and principles, Pakistan made a conscious choice at the outset to join the free world alliance at a time when sitting on the fence was rightly considered immoral. Pakistan and the United States have since been close friends and allies.

On several occasions, our partnership has had a profound impact on the course of history. Pakistan’s role in the promotion of Sino-American rapprochement decisively tilted the East-West balance in favor of the free world. Our successful joint endeavors drove back the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, helped end the Cold War, and usher in a new era in world politics. In the post-9/11 period, our two nations have joined hands again to defeat the dark forces of extremism and terrorism that threaten us all.

As we recall these shining examples, we must also remember that many of these brooked sacrifices from the people of Pakistan. Red marks were placed on Pakistani cities, thousands of our innocent citizens became victims of foreign-sponsored sabotage, our society was exposed to massive refugee influx, as well as the devastating effects of illicit weapons and drugs, which continue to afflict us to this day.

Our resolute fight against militancy is evoking a stiff backlash manifested in repeated attacks and suicide bombings targeting our valiant security personnel and innocent civilians. Our economy continues to incur losses to the tune of billions of dollars, yet our resolve remains undiminished because it is a matter of standing up for your principles and facing the consequences that come in its wake.

I should also mention that the Pakistan-U.S. bilateral relationship did not always enjoy a sunny side. In fact, over the past six decades, it has seen all seasons. We’ve had development assistance, as well as crippling sanctions; engagement as well estrangement; spring punctuated with periods of autumn. But one lesson from this longstanding partnership is clear: Whenever the relationship between the United States and Pakistan has frayed, the interests of both our nations have suffered. Whenever we have worked together, both our nations and the world have benefited.

I, therefore, venture to stress that this is a dictate of our shared history that the Pakistan-U.S. relationships remain deep and sustainable, Madam Secretary. It is with this sense of history that we are approaching this renewed Strategic Dialogue. The two countries have started the structured dialogue process in April 2006 and rightly focused on priority areas like the economy, energy, education, science and technology, and agriculture. In several rounds of discussions in Washington and Islamabad, proposals and specific measures for closer collaboration in these sectors were outlined. However, despite best efforts on both sides, time and resource constraints prevented us from achieving concrete results.

Now is a time for look forward. Our renewed upgraded dialogue offers great hope. We believe it presents a great opportunity to reaffirm a longstanding alliance, to rededicate ourselves to the principles and values that have guided our relationship in the last six decades, and to craft together the vision of a broad-based, long-term, and enduring partnership for the 21^st century.

Such a partnership we are convinced is good for Pakistan, good for America, and good for international peace, security, and prosperity. Such a partnership is important because Pakistan is a pivotal state with over 170 million people, rich in human and national endowment, full of huge untapped natural and energy resources awaiting extraction, strategically located at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East, and representing a democratic and moderate voice in the Islamic world. Such a partnership is necessary because Pakistan and the United States have a whole range of convergent interests, including fighting the twin menace of extremism and terrorism, stabilizing Afghanistan, promoting peace and stability in South Asia, linking the economic potential of South and Central Asia, curbing nuclear proliferation, and advancing progress and prosperity in the region and beyond.

Madam Secretary, under a new democratic leadership inspired by the ideals of Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan remains engaged in a consequential effort to turn the tide against extremism and build a future of promise and hope for its people. For us, this is and will remain a strategic and moral imperative. We recognize that the United States also wants a stable, prosperous, and democratic Pakistan making steady progress towards the realization of the vision of its founding fathers. We have welcomed President Obama’s commitment to build a richer relationship with Pakistan, based on mutual respect, mutual interest, and mutual trust. We value the Kerry-Lugar-Berman initiative, which contains the potential to fundamentally transform the nature of our relationship and make it broad-based and people-centered.

It is our earnest hope that the Strategic Dialogue we are upgrading today would help both sides take the relationship truly to a strategic plane. In this regard, our point of departure must remain that positive and robust engagement between Pakistan and the U.S. is critical for peace, stability, and prosperity in the region and beyond.

We must also remember that an enduring partnership can only be built and sustained on the strength of a close people-to-people relationship. Indeed, strong public support is indispensible for any initiative to bring our two nations closer and jointly promote our common goals. A Pakistan-U.S. relationship that touches the lives of ordinary people, responds to their vital needs, and makes a positive difference in the pursuit of their aspirations for a better life would form the solid foundation as well as a best guarantee for a sustained strategic partnership between our two nations. As such, we hope that, together, Pakistan and the U.S. can build a robust economic partnership which rests primarily on increased trade and market access, so that we can expand economic opportunities in Pakistan and fight extremism strategically. We hope non-discriminatory access to vital energy resources will also be available to us so that we, too, can pursue our economic and industrial development plans. We recognize that education is the bedrock of a progressive and democratic society. We hope there will be adequate resources to reinforce our efforts in this vital social sector.

Regionally, Pakistan is committed to doing its part to facilitate the world’s community effort for peace and stability in Afghanistan. We hope the world community will be equally responsive to our legitimate concerns and help advance common interests. Pakistan will continue to seek a peaceful resolution of all outstanding disputes in South Asia, including Kashmir. We hope the United States will maintain its constructive engagement to encourage this process.

Madam Secretary, there are great expectations from the enterprise we are launching today. I’m conscious that it will not be without its challenges or complications either. There could be doubt from within, there will be smear from without, and there may be setbacks on the way. But I am confident that we have the requisite political will on both sides to pursue it successfully and to achieve concrete results because at the end of the day, it is in the mutual interest of our two nations to work together to advance our shared objectives. I assure you, Madam Secretary, that in the worthy cause of building an enduring partnership of mutual benefit between our two countries, we will meet you more than half the way. I thank you.

SECRETARY CLINTON: Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you very much, Foreign Minister. (Applause.)

I think at this point in the program, the press is going to be departing, as will some of our participants for other meetings during the day. So we’ll just take a minute so that we can give the press time to move and we can say goodbye to those who are leaving and then we’ll get back and begin the program.

SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON Daily Appointments Schedule for March 24, 2010

Daily Appointments Schedule for March 24, 2010

Washington, DC

March 24, 2010

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SECRETARY OF STATE CLINTON

8:00 a.m. Secretary Clinton hosts the Opening Session of the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, at the Department of State.
(OPEN PRESS COVERAGE FOR OPENING REMARKS)

10:00 a.m. Secretary Clinton chairs a Millennium Challenge Corporation Board Meeting, at the Department of State.
(CLOSED PRESS COVERAGE)

2:30 p.m. Secretary Clinton holds a Bilateral Meeting with Pakistani Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi, at the Department of State.
(PRESS AVAILABILITY)

4:30 p.m. Secretary Clinton attends a Reception for the U.S.-Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, at the Department of State.
(CAMERA SPRAY)

Upcoming: On Hillary Clinton's Agenda

We all hope the Secretary of State is getting some rest after her very busy week past since she has another taxing week ahead of her! Piecing it together from a variety of press releases from the past week, here are a few events to look forward to over the coming week.

First thing Monday morning. (I used this picture because Bibi Netanyahu has not done much to make her smile lately. She looks beautiful, but firm).

Secretary Clinton to Deliver Remarks to AIPAC on Monday, March 22

Washington, DC

March 19, 2010

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Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver remarks to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee Annual Policy Conference Monday, March 22 at 9:10 a.m. at the Washington Convention Center.

AIPAC’s annual policy conference will bring approximately 7,000 of its supporters to Washington, D.C. March 21-23, 2010. For more information on the 2010 AIPAC Policy Conference, click here.

The Secretary’s remarks will be open to press coverage and live-streamed on www.aipac.org.

Rapidly followed by:

Secretary Clinton to Deliver Remarks on World Water Day on March 22, 2010

Washington, DC
March 19, 2010

Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will deliver remarks on World Water Day at the National Geographic Society, in Washington, D.C. at 10:00 a.m. Under Secretary for Democracy and Global Affairs Maria Otero will introduce Secretary Clinton. The event is co-hosted by National Geographic and Water Advocates.

One out of every six people lacks safe drinking water and two out of every five people lack adequate sanitation. By 2025, nearly two-thirds of the world’s population will be living under water stressed conditions and approximately one billion people will face absolute water scarcity. Implications are widespread ranging from health, gender equity, child survival and education to the environment, poverty and peace and security. World Water Day raises public consciousness of these challenges and seeks to ensure that safe, affordable and sustainable drinking water, sanitation and hygiene is accessible for all people around the world.

National Geographic Society
Grosvenor Auditorium
1600 M Street NW
Washington, DC 20036

This event will be open to the press and live-streamed on www.state.gov

I found this little related tidbit in a news feed.

Netanyahu to meet Gates, possibly also Clinton

Published:

03.20.10, 20:14 / Israel News

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet with US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on Monday, during his visit in Washington. It is also highly possible that the prime minister will meet with US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during his US visit.

Netanyahu sent a letter to the US administration detailing Israeli gestures to the US and the Palestinians. (Roni Sofer

Then it's off to Mexico. The Secretary of State will lead a high-powered delegation of cabinet members to a conference south of the border.

Secretary Clinton Leads Cabinet-Level Delegation to Mexico

Philip J. Crowley
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of Public Affairs
Washington, DC
March 17, 2010

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will travel to Mexico City, Mexico for the Merida U.S.-Mexico High Level Consultative Group meeting on March 23, 2010. The Secretary will be joined by Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates; Secretary of Homeland Security Janet A. Napolitano; Director of National Intelligence Dennis Blair; Assistant to the President for Homeland Security and Counterterrorism John O. Brennan; Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Michael G. Mullen; Immigration and Customs Enforcement Assistant Secretary for Homeland Security John Morton; Acting Deputy Attorney General Gary G. Grindler; Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) Director Adam Szubin; Office of National Drug Control Policy Acting Deputy Director of the Office of Supply Reduction Patrick Ward; and Drug Enforcement Administration Acting Administrator Michele M. Leonhart.

This is the second formal meeting of the High Level Consultative Group and has been in preparation for several months; the first was held in Washington in December 2008. Secretary Clinton and Mexican Foreign Secretary Patricia Espinosa will chair an interagency discussion on the evolution of the Merida Initiative that focuses on enhanced engagement in support of our shared goals of breaking the power of drug trafficking organizations; strengthening the rule of law, democratic institutions and respect for human rights; creating a 21st century border; and building strong and resilient communities.

But that will be only a day-long visit since she has a big day ahead on Wednesday.

The United States and Pakistan Strategic Dialogue

Office of the Spokesman
Washington, DC
March 17, 2010

On March 24, the United States and Pakistan will hold their first Strategic Dialogue at the Ministerial level in Washington, DC. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Foreign Minister Makhdoom Shah Mahmood Qureshi will co-chair the talks. Topics for discussion will include economic development, water and energy, education, communications and public diplomacy, agriculture, and security. High-level officials from both governments will come to the table to discuss issues of common concern and shared responsibility.

President Obama and Secretary Clinton have repeatedly stressed the breadth and depth of the U.S.-Pakistan relationship, a partnership that goes far beyond security. The Strategic Dialogue represents the shared commitment of both nations to a strengthening the bilateral relationship and building an even broader partnership based on mutual respect and mutual trust.