Call United Kingdom
United Kingdom (05/05)
By the mid-1990s, gestures toward peace encouraged by successive British governments and by President Clinton began to open the door for restored local government in Northern Ireland. An Irish Republican Army (IRA) cease-fire and nearly 2 years of multiparty negotiations, led by former U.S. Senator George Mitchell, resulted in the Good Friday Agreement of April 10, 1998, which was subsequently approved by majorities in both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Key elements of the agreement include devolved government, a commitment of the parties to work toward "total disarmament of all paramilitary organizations," police reform, and enhanced mechanisms to guarantee human rights and equal opportunity. The Good Friday Agreement also called for formal cooperation between the Northern Ireland institutions and the Government of the Republic of Ireland, and it established the British-Irish Council, which includes representatives of the British and Irish Governments as well as the de ... [Read More]
International Adoption United Kingdom
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Specific questions about adoption in United Kingdom may be addressed to the U.S. Embassy in United Kingdom. General questions regarding international adoption may be addressed to the Office of Children’s Issues, U.S. Department of State, CA/OCS/CI, SA-29, 4th Floor, 2201 C Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20520-4818, toll-free Tel: 1-888-404-4747. Useful information is also available from several other sources: Telephone: ... [Read More]
Embassy Riyadh Saudi Arabia
Riyadh, May 12. Ambassador Oberwetter initiated a telephone call to Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal on May 12. The Ambassador briefed the Saudi official on the actions the United States is taking with respect to allegations that the Quran was desecrated by U.S. military members at the detention facilities at Guantanamo Bay.An investigation into this matter is already underway. Standard practices at these facilities fully respect the religious beliefs of detainees. (complete text) ... [Read More]
United Kingdom
Laborers were trafficked actively by China-based criminal gangs, called "snakeheads" and through deception. In general migrants paid high fees to enter the country; however, those who could not pay were forced into servitude, often in London sweatshops run by the gangs. Some also worked in agriculture. The problem of "gangmasters" exploiting illegal migrant laborers in the agricultural sector received attention in the press, and led to calls for better protection for migrant laborers. ... [Read More]
Foreign Entry Requirements
AUSTRALIA - *Passport, Electronic Travel Authority (ETA) or non-electronic label visa, proof of onward or return ticket, and sufficient funds are required. An ETA or non-electronic label visa is required for tourist or business stays of up to 3 months. An ETA is an electronically stored authority to travel to Australia and can be obtained online at www.ETA.immi.gov.au or through participating travel agencies or airlines. Minors not accompanied by a parent or traveling with only one parent need notarized written parental consent from the absent parent(s). AIDS test required for permanent resident visa for applicants age 15 and older; tests taken in the U.S. are acceptable. More information about entry requirements to Australia (including for longer stays) is available on the Embassy of Aus ... [Read More]
Statement of the Atlantic Summit: A Vision for Iraq and the Iraqi People
We call upon the international community to join with us in helping to realize a better future for the Iraqi people. ... [Read More]
V. Country Narratives -- Countries Q through Z
Senegal is a source, transit, and destination country for women and children trafficked for the purposes of forced labor and sexual exploitation. Senegalese boys are occasionally trafficked from rural villages to urban centers for exploitative begging at some Koranic schools; young boys are trafficked to Senegal from The Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, and Guinea for the same purpose. Young girls are trafficked from rural villages to urban centers for forced domestic servitude. Young girls from both rural and urban areas are also involved in organized prostitution involving pimps, which is a form of trafficking. Senegal may be a transit point for women from surrounding African countries trafficked to Europe for the purpose of sexual exploitation. The Government of Senegal does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is maki ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: U.S., U.K., Spain Will Not Call for U.N. Security Council Vote on Iraq
United Nations -- The United Kingdom, United States, and Spain said March 17 they would not call for a U.N. Security Council vote on their draft resolution on Iraq in the face of a threatened French veto. ... U.S., U.K., Spain Will Not Call for U.N. Security Council Vote on Iraq ... [Read More]
Joint Statement by President Bush and Saudi Crown Prince Abdullah - Embassy Riyadh Saudi Arabia
The United States respects Saudi Arabia as the birthplace of Islam, one of the world's great religions, and as the symbolic center of the Islamic faith as custodian of Islam's two holy places in Makkah and Madina. Saudi Arabia reiterates its call on all those who teach and propagate the Islamic faith to adhere strictly to the Islamic message of peace, moderation, and tolerance and reject that which deviates from those principles. Both countries agree that this message of peace, moderation, and tolerance must extend to those of all faiths and practices. The two nations reaffirm the principles agreed to during the international conference on counterterrorism hosted by the Kingdom in February 2005. These principles were enshrined in the "Riyadh Declaration" which calls for, "fostering values of understanding, tolerance, dialogue, co-existence, and the rapprochement between cultures. . . [and] for fighting any form of thinking that promotes hatred, incites violence, and condones terrorist ... [Read More]
US Department of State – Home Page
For information about American citizens who may have been affected by the July 7 bombings in London, please call 1-888-407-4747 (toll-free in the U.S.) or 1-202-501-4444 (regular toll line from outside the U.S. and Canada). [also see public announcement] ... [Read More]
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