Bahrain Landmark
Working for Women, Worldwide: The U.S. Commitment
The United States has led the way in advancing women's political empowerment worldwide through a wide range of programs and initiatives, including a landmark resolution on "Women and Political Participation," which it introduced at the United Nations. The resolution, which aims to promote and protect the rights of women to participate in political processes, was adopted by the full U.N. General Assembly with 110 cosponsoring nations in December 2003. (See www.state.gov/g/wi/rls/rep/28497.htm.) ... [Read More]
12. Middle East and North Africa
The assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Rabin on November 4, 1995, following a peace rally in Tel Aviv dealt a serious setback to the peace process. For the next several years, despite several U.S. attempts to jump-start stalled peace negotiations between Israel and the Palestinians, the parties made little progress. A new diplomatic push led by President Clinton in October 1998 resulted in landmark talks at the Wye River Conference Center in Maryland from October 15-23, 1998. President Clinton, Secretary Albright other U.S. officials brokered intensive negotiations between Israel and the PLO. A final, all-night session resulted in the Wye River Memorandum, which was signed at the White House on October 23 by PLO Chairman Arafat and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. (Document XII-8) The memorandum contained specific steps to facilitate the implementation of the Interim Agreement on the West Bank and Gaza Strip of September 28, 1995, and other related agreements steps in fi ... [Read More]
International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State, Economic Perspectives, October 2000 -- International Transportation: Moving The Global Economy Forward
The United States is moving forward on all fronts to open new opportunities for the global aviation industry, building on the successes of the past to meet the challenges of the future. We have made considerable progress already.Our efforts to liberalize the aviation regime began in Europe. In partnership with the Netherlands, we began forging the Open Skies path in 1992. As part of an initiative announced by then U.S. Transportation Secretary Federico Peña in late 1994, we concluded Open Skies agreements with nine other European partners in 1995: Luxembourg, Finland, Iceland, Austria, Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, and Belgium. The landmark Open Skies agreement with Germany followed in May 1996. Subsequent partners included the Czech Republic, Romania, Italy, Portugal, and Turkey. Today, nearly half of air traffic between the United States and Europe moves under Open Skies arrangements.At the same time, we are pursuing the possibility ... [Read More]
G8 Finance Ministers Agree to Cancel Debt for 18 Nations- U.S. Department Of State
As you know, development was a key focal point of our meetings. The Ministers were able to come to agreement on a proposal put forth by the United States and United Kingdom to cancel 100 percent of the debt obligations owed to the World Bank (IDA), African Development Bank (AfDF), and International Monetary Fund (IMF) by countries eligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative - building on the landmark agreement by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair earlier this week. Relieving poor countries from their debt burdens so that they can focus on meeting their development goals is an important element of President Bush's comprehensive development strategy for Africa. ... [Read More]
U.S., EU at "Moment of Opportunity" in Middle East - US Department of State
We share the goal of a peaceful, united and stable Iraq and will continue our cooperative efforts towards this end. The confirmation of the Iraqi Transitional Government following the successful election in January represents an important landmark in the political reconstruction of Iraq. We condemn the terrorist acts of forces seeking to disrupt the lives of the Iraqi people and the political transition process. ... [Read More]
Statement by Secretary John W. Snow - US Department of State
As you know, development was a key focal point of our meetings. The Ministers were able to come to agreement on a proposal put forth by the United States and United Kingdom to cancel 100 percent of the debt obligations owed to the World Bank (IDA), African Development Bank (AfDF), and International Monetary Fund (IMF) by countries eligible for the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative – building on the landmark agreement by President Bush and Prime Minister Blair earlier this week. Relieving poor countries from their debt burdens so that they can focus on meeting their development goals is an important element of President Bush's comprehensive development strategy for Africa. ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: Text: U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement Now in Effect, USTR Says
"As President Bush said when he signed the agreement, 'the U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement is a milestone in the history of our alliance,'" said Ambassador Zoellick. "This is the most significant immediate cut in industrial tariffs ever achieved in a U.S. free trade agreement, and manufacturers are the big winners. I am also pleased that U.S. workers, businesses, farmers, and consumers will now begin to enjoy the wide-ranging benefits of this landmark agreement. This is a 21st Century, state-of-the-art agreement that reflects the modern globalized economy. By opening trade in goods and services; eliminating barriers in the agricultural sector, investment, and government procurement; and increasing protection for intellectual property; the agreement will strengthen U.S.-Australian economic ties and has the potential to increase trade between our countries by billions of dollars." ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: Text: U.S., Australia Sign Free Trade Agreement
(Landmark agreement will go to legislatures for final approval) (1140) ... When implemented, the landmark agreement is expected to generate billions of dollars of increased trade between the two countries, with more than 99 percent of manufactured goods becoming duty-free as soon as it takes effect, the USTR said, adding that the agreement also will remove barriers to trade in several other areas. ... Washington - U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick and Australian Minister of Trade Mark Vaile signed a landmark Free Trade Agreement (FTA) today that will eliminate more than 99 percent of manufactured goods tariffs between the two countries from day one, open services and agricultural markets, and further deepen their already strong economic ties. ... [Read More]
Introduction
The Organization of American States adopted a landmark Inter-American Democratic Charter, which clearly states that "the peoples of the Americas have a right to democracy and that their governments have an obligation to promote and defend it." The date of the charter's adoption was, significantly, September 11, just hours after the terrorist attacks. ... There was other notable progress in human rights for women. In February the International Criminal Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia issued a landmark verdict that found that the enslavement of women and girls in the Bosnian town of Foca for the purpose of continuous rape rose to the level of crimes against humanity. Sixteen women and girls testified that they had been held as slaves and raped multiple times. ... [Read More]
Department of State Washington File: Text: "Landmark" U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement Hailed
The United States-Australia Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is a "landmark agreement" that will enhance the alliance between the two countries, putting their trade and investment relationship "on the same plane" as their longstanding political and security ties, says Deputy U.S. Trade Representative Josette Sheeran Shiner. ... Text: "Landmark" U.S.-Australia Free Trade Agreement Hailed ... There is no doubt that the U.S.-Australia FTA is a landmark agreement and one that is befitting the special partnership between our two countries and our shared commitment to free trade principles. The Agreement, which some have dubbed the "Manufacturing FTA" will eliminate more than 99 percent of the tariff lines covering U.S. manufactured goods exports to Australia on the first day the Agreement goes into effect. This is the most significant immediate reduction in industrial tariffs ever achieved in a free trade agreement. ... [Read More]
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