Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs

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The Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, headed by Assistant Secretary Daniel Fried, implements U.S. foreign policy in Europe and Eurasia. The Bureau promotes U.S. interests in the region on issues such as national security, NATO enlargement, coordination with the European Union and other regional organizations, support for democracy, human rights, civil society, economic prosperity, the war on terrorism, and nonproliferation.

President Bush Condemns Actions Taken by Russian President in Regards to Georgia
President Bush (Aug. 26): "The United States condemns the decision by the Russian President to recognize as independent states the Georgian regions of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. This decision is inconsistent with numerous United Nations Security Council Resolutions that Russia has voted for in the past, and is also inconsistent with the French-brokered six-point ceasefire agreement which President Medvedev signed on August 12, 2008. The six-point agreement offered a peaceful way forward to resolve the conflict. We expect Russia to live up to its international commitments, reconsider this irresponsible decision, and follow the approach set out in the six-point agreement." Full Text | Joint statement by Foreign Ministers | More on Situation in Georgia

U.S. Signs Ballistic Missile Defense Agreement With Poland
On August 20, Secretary Rice and Poland’s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski signed in Warsaw the Agreement Between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of Poland Concerning the Deployment of Ground-Based Ballistic Missile Defense Interceptors in the Territory of the Republic of Poland. Full Text | Declaration on Strategic Cooperation: Media Note | Text of Declaration | Secretary Rice's Remarks from Poland

Kosovo: A New Chapter Begins
U.S. Director of Foreign Assistance and USAID Administrator Henrietta H. Fore led the U.S. delegation at the International Donors' Conference for Kosovo in Brussels on July 11. Read her blog about the conference on the State Department's DipNote blog.  Full Text | Conference Remarks | More on Donors Conference

U.S. Perspectives on the Black Sea Region
Deputy Assistant Secretary Garber (June 10): "U.S. interests in the Black Sea are focused on advancing democratic and market reforms; on strengthening economic ties, energy diversity and a cleaner, more sustainable environment to preserve the Black Sea’s natural beauty and resources; and improving security throughout the region.  At its foundation, it follows from the same goals we have worked so hard to achieve in Europe for the past fifty years:  peace, democracy, and prosperity." Full Text

Looking Forward to the Medvedev Administration in Russia
Assistant Secretary Fried (May 8): "U.S. policy, however, will remain consistent: we seek to cooperate with the Government of Russia wherever our interests overlap, and we will do so in working with President Medvedev. And we will continue to stand by our principles and friends, dealing frankly with differences when these arise." Full Text

Interview With Greek Journalists on Energy Issues
Deputy Assistant Secretary Bryza (Apr. 30): "When we talk about a community of shared values and shared interests, which is NATO or the USEU, it’s not empty rhetoric. We know that our national security is best served in an economic sense when markets function efficiently." Full text

Bucharest: NATO and the Future of the Transatlantic Alliance
Acting Assistant Secretary Volker (Apr. 7): "If I can turn to the Bucharest Summit, what we’ve seen there is a furthering of this transformation process. We’ve seen invitations to new members -- Albania and Croatia; and a commitment to Macedonia; we’ve seen enhancement of partnerships, and particularly with Ukraine and Georgia. Here I think NATO took an extraordinary step by saying that we believe that Ukraine and Georgia will be members of NATO. They will become members of NATO." Full Text | View Video | More on NATO Summit

North Atlantic Council Summit Meeting
President Bush (Apr. 3): "For nearly six decades the NATO Alliance has been the hope of a world moving toward freedom and justice, and away from patterns of conflict and fear. During times of great challenge we have advanced our ideals. We've stood form in defending -- firm in defending them, and we have offered NATO's promise to nations willing to undertake the hard work and sacrifices required of its members....NATO's door must remain open to other nations in Europe that share our love for liberty, and demonstrate a commitment to reform, and seek to strengthen their ties with the transatlantic community." Full Text | Fact Sheet: 2008 NATO Summit | More on NATO Summit

NATO: Enlargement and Effectiveness
Assistant Secretary Fried (Mar. 11): "NATO provided a foundation for freedom’s victory in the Cold War. It is now evolving into its 21st century role: defending the transatlantic community against new threats and meeting challenges to our security and values that are often global in scope." Full Text | More on NATO

The Transatlantic Energy Challenge--Security, Prosperity, Climate
Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary Volker (Feb. 1): "… we have to diversify sources of energy so that we are not dependent solely upon fossil fuels. More coal, more wind, more sun, more everything. We have to diversify sources in terms of who the supplier is so we do not end up in monopolistic environments. We have to diversify routes of delivery of fuels so that we are not dependent on the geopolitical implications of it being one thing or another." Full Text

For speaking and interview requests on European and Eurasian Affairs, please fax your request to the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs' Office of Press and Policy Outreach at 202-647-5116.