The United States is looking forward to timely, free and fair elections in Pakistan, a State Department official said on Friday, after the announcement of the schedule of the national elections in Islamabad. ...
08:46 AM, Mar 23, 2013
The Obama administration on Monday rejected accusations of any US involvement in a plot to assassinate a Venezuelan opposition leader. "Let me say it here extremely clearly, looking right at you, the United States categorically rejects allegations of any US government involvement in any plot to destabilise the Venezuelan government or to harm anyone in Venezuela," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said at a regular press briefing. ...
02:57 AM, Mar 19, 2013
As Hyderabad was hit by twin blasts on Thursday, India's top diplomat Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai was in the US outlining terrorism as a significant security challenge. Mathai said that India could face an increased terror threat from Afghanistan in the years ahead. ...
08:27 AM, Feb 22, 2013
Washington: The United States will raise concerns with China over a new map in Chinese passports which details claims to disputed maritime territory, alarming some of its Southeast Asian neighbors, the State Department said on Tuesday. "We do have concerns about this map which is causing tension and anxiety between and among the states in the South China Sea," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland told a news briefing. "We do...
03:40 AM, Nov 28, 2012
Washington: The US aid to India has dropped by over 25 per cent since 2010, as the country goes through a grave economic crisis but the Obama Administration has adopted a new model of assistance to focus on poverty alleviation and addressing security challenges like terrorism. From a total assistance of $126.7 million in 2010, the proposed US aid to India for the year 2013 has dropped to $98.3 million....
04:56 AM, Nov 11, 2012
Washington: Amid reports of Indian External Affairs Minister S M Krishna's resignation, US refrained from expressing its views on the resignation as this has not been formally announced, the State Department said. "We've seen the press reports that he's offered to resign. To my understanding, there are still ongoing discussions inside India, so we'll withhold comment until there are decisions," Victoria Nuland, the State Department spokesperson said during a conference...
08:14 AM, Oct 27, 2012
The Obama administration has accused WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange of making wild assertions against the US and say it's to deflect attention from the sexual misconduct allegations he faces in Sweden. ...
10:05 AM, Aug 21, 2012
Washington: Downplaying the significance of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's upcoming visit to western sanctions hit Iran, the US has hoped he would convey to Tehran the importance of meeting its international obligations. "We would hope, as we always do when our partners and allies are involved in any kind of intersection with Iran, that the larger points are made about the importance of Iran coming back into compliance with...
11:03 AM, Aug 15, 2012
Washington: Welcoming the arrest of Abu Jundal, a key planner of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attack, the United States has vowed to continue to support India's efforts to bring its perpetrators to justice. "We are aware of these reports that one of the suspected planners of the 2008 terrorist attack in Mumbai has been arrested," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters Monday when asked to comment on Hamza's arrest...
05:44 PM, Jun 26, 2012
Washington: With India threatening to drag the US to the WTO against its discriminatory visa fee hike,a senior state department official has said professional Indians are welcome in America. "We understand that the demand (for professional visas) is even greater. We're working through those issues. But we continue to fully support the admission of qualified Indians under these programs," spokesperson of the US State Department Victoria Nuland said on Wednesday....
02:27 AM, May 11, 2012
Washington: The US has said it continues to work with Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani as it believes that he remains leader of the democratic government there. "There was a court decision. He was given a 30-second sentence, I believe, and he remains the prime minister of Pakistan," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters at her daily news conference. "And as such, we continue to work with him,...
09:53 AM, Apr 28, 2012
Washington: Welcoming the Delhi meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari, the United States has expressed the hope that the two South Asian neighbours continue their dialogue. "We hope that India and Pakistan continue to build on this progress, and we look forward to more such meetings," State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland told reporters on Monday. The US was "very pleased" at the Sunday meeting between...
06:17 PM, Apr 10, 2012
Washington The US was pleased by the willingness expressed by Afghan President Hamid Karzai to talk directly to the Taliban, State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland has said. "I think we have been gratified to see President Karzai speaking out publicly in support of Afghan-to-Afghan reconciliation," she told reporters at a briefing on Tuesday, adding that the US had been working on this "for some time". Her comment came after Karzai...
01:25 PM, Feb 22, 2012
Ireland, The United States has said it was "deeply concerned" at the news that dozens of activists including 19 Americans could go on trial in Egypt over the alleged illegal funding of aid groups. "We have seen media reports that judicial officials in Egypt intend to forward a number of cases involving US-funded NGOs to the Cairo criminal court," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said. "We are deeply concerned by...
11:50 AM, Feb 06, 2012
Washington: US has termed as 'untrue' sentiments inside Pakistan that it was being sidelined by the Obama Administration in peace talks with the Taliban. "Absolutely untrue", State Department spokesperson Victoria Nuland said, when asked there was a feeling inside Pakistan that they are being sidelined in these talks with Taliban. "We have at every opportunity been clear that we think that Pakistan has a very important role to play in...
09:03 AM, Jan 27, 2012
Washington: The United States has expressed satisfaction that various wings of the establishment in Pakistan are talking to each other to resolve the ongoing stalemate. "We are pleased to see that the groups are talking to each other and trying to work through these issues," Victoria Nuland, State Department spokesperson told reporters. Nuland reiterated that the US supports a civilian government in Pakistan. "We support the civilian government. We want...
08:09 AM, Jan 25, 2012
Washington: Amid controversy over popular TV host Jay Leno's remarks on the Golden Temple, the US has defended his right to free speech terming his comments as "satirical" while applauding contributions of Sikh-Americans. "I think that Leno would be appreciative if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech, and frankly, they appeared to be satirical in nature," State Department spokesperson...
01:24 PM, Jan 24, 2012
Washington: The US has asked Iran to cooperate with the International Atomic Energy Agency when their inspectors visit the country, even as Tehran threatened to close down the strategic Strait of Hormuz in retaliation for oil sanctions. "We call on Iran to cooperate fully with the IAEA on this trip," State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, said. "The IAEA is going in a constructive spirit, and it's asking Iran to display...
11:40 AM, Jan 24, 2012
Washington: The US has expressed concern over reports that Syria has inked a $ 550 million contract to purchase advanced training fighter jets from Russia. "If it is accurate, it would be quite concerning," State Department spokesperson, Victoria Nuland, told reporters when asked about reports that Russia would be supplying combat jets to Syria. A top US diplomat visiting Moscow would raise this issue with Russian authorities, Nuland said. The...
10:19 AM, Jan 24, 2012
Washington: The Obama Administration on Monday praised the contribution of Sikh-Americans to the United States, as it termed the controversial remarks of a popular television host on the Golden Temple as "satirical" in nature. "I think that Leno would be appreciative if we make the point that his comments are constitutionally protected in the United States under free speech, and frankly, they appeared to be satirical in nature," State Department...
02:20 AM, Jan 24, 2012
