Secretary Clinton's Remarks at the Top of her Meeting with President Sargsian

Remarks at the Top of her Meeting with President Sargsian

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Presidential Palace

Yerevan, Armenia

July 4, 2010

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PRESIDENT SARGSIAN: (Via translator) I am confident that this long-waited-for visit by State Secretary of the United States of America to the Republic of Armenia (inaudible). And I am also confident it will also serve (inaudible) peace and security (inaudible).
I would also like to (inaudible) congratulate the people of the United States of America on the (inaudible) occasion of the Independence Day of the United States of America, and to wish peace, prosperity, and well being for the United States.
I wish to thank the Administration of the United States of America, and you personally, for the long-standing and continuous support (inaudible) politically, economically, and in all (inaudible).
And I would like to emphasize two particular aspects. For a long period of time, the United States of America has been bringing a significant contribution to the search for peace in the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. The single most important issue that is faced by the people of the Republic of Armenia and by the Armenians is the issue of the settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict on the basis of principles of (inaudible). The people of Nagorno-Karabakh have a right for free development and (inaudible). And the right for people for self-determination is one of the most fundamental principles of international law which has been at the basis of independence for many -- most countries in the world.
And I thank you for your support on the matter of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. I would also like to thank you and President Obama for your continued support on the issue of Armenian (inaudible) relations between Armenia and Turkey. And while Turkey was not ready -- is still not ready -- to establish relations without (inaudible) conditions, it has been very important for us to feel the support of the U.S. Administration.
I would like to once again re-emphasize that the Republic of Armenia (inaudible) relations with the United States of America, in which such high-level relations is an important contribution to the political and economic advancement of our country, as well as to the stability and peace in our region.
Once again, welcome and (inaudible).
SECRETARY CLINTON: Mr. President, it is a particular pleasure and honor for me to be here in the Republic of Armenia. It would be so on any day, but it's especially appropriate to be here on the celebration of our Independence Day. And I understand tomorrow is your Constitution Day. So it's another connection between the United States and Armenia.
I appreciate the very kind words about the efforts of the United States Government and the Obama Administration to work with you and bring about a peaceful, durable solution to the situation in Nagorno-Karabakh, based on the Helsinki Principles.
And I also appreciate the effort that you personally, along with your government, have expended on behalf of normalization of relations with Turkey. As you and I have discussed on previous occasions, the United States hopes to be able to support the eventual successful resolution of that, as well. We continue to believe that resolving these matters is in the best interests of the development and opportunities for greater regional peace and stability for the people of Armenia.
So, I look forward to our meeting today, and I thank you for the very kind invitation for me and my delegation to be here with you on our Fourth of July.

Hillary Clinton is Wheels Down in Yerevan

In case you missed this in my last post, the Secretary of State has already arrived in Armenia. Below she is seen being greeted by President Sargsyan.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrives in Yerevan

By Times.am at 4 July, 2010, 7:32 pm

On July 4, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Yerevan. At the airport she was met by Armenian Foreign Minister Edward Nalbandian, RA Deputy Foreign Minister Arman Kirakosyan, U.S. Ambassador to Armenia Marie Yovanovitch, Armenian Ambassador to the U.S. Tatul Margaryan.

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Secretary Clinton's Interview With CBS Sunday Morning's Tracy Smith

Darn! Not only did I miss this, I cannot find the video. If I do, I will post it here. She is already in Armenia (below with President Sargsyan) . *running in high heels to catch up with the Turbo-SOS*

Interview With CBS Sunday Morning's Tracy Smith

Hillary Rodham Clinton
Secretary of State

Washington, DC

June 15, 2010

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SECRETARY CLINTON: For an American performer or group to come gives people a chance to – in their own imagination, at least, think about what might be.
MS. SMITH: Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
Are there times when a musician can do your job better than you can?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Well, I think that there are certainly times when music conveys American values better than a speech.
MS. SMITH: It’s not a new idea. Beginning in the 1950s, the State Department sent musicians like Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, Louis Armstrong, and others to diplomatic hotspots overseas.
SECRETARY CLINTON: The interesting thing is at that time a lot of those guys didn’t agree with the policies of our government, but they still represented our government overseas.
PARTICIPANT: Right, because they weren’t representing the government; they were representing the people and they recognized that many times a government does not necessarily act with the will of its people.
MS. SMITH: Why would the State Department pay to send a hip-hop band overseas?
SECRETARY CLINTON: Hip-hop is America. I mean – and so is jazz, and so is every other form of music with American roots that tell a story.
[CUT AWAY TO ANOTHER AUDIO ARTIST]
SECRETARY CLINTON: I know it sounds like it’s very basic, but sometimes you’ve got to get back to basics and we have to rebuild the image of our country – who we are as a people. We are the most incredibly diverse, successful, freedom-loving people in the history of the world, and I want everybody to understand that.
MS. SMITH: You say it sounds a little basic. To some people it sounds a little kumbaya – like, oh, come on, let’s go to Syria and throw on a free concert and join hands in peace.
SECRETARY CLINTON: It may be a little bit hopeful, because I can’t point to a change in Syrian policy because Chen Lo and the Liberation Family showed up. But I think that we have to use every tool at our disposal. So we move a lot of different pieces on the chessboard every day. It’s multi-dimensional chess, if you will. Hip-hop can be a chess piece, absolutely.