Kazakhstan Adoption Story

Washington, DC 20520-2818 I. General Information The Role of the State Department: The State Department CAN: ... [Read More]

Europe and Eurasia

A program funded through the U.S.-supported Ukraine Citizen Action Network (UCAN) project significantly reduced the number of newborn infants who were abandoned in Crimea. Using a UCAN grant, a Crimean NGO launched an innovative program to counsel disadvantaged women and conducted a large-scale public information campaign in Crimea that encouraged adoption. The information campaign was covered by at least 100 local media outlets in Crimea and stressed, among other things, that adoption was not as legally complicated as people thought. As a direct result of these efforts, adoption rates increased seven-fold overall in Crimea during the year - and four-fold for children with disabilities. ... [Read More]

Globalization and Change in Central Asia

To come back to the political developments in Afghanistan, under the Bonn Agreement, the drafting and adoption of a new Constitution is one of the major tasks to be organized under the leadership of the Transitional Islamic State of Afghanistan during its two-year tenure.  The new constitution will form the legal foundation for the government of Afghanistan and thus, will be vital in defining the status of women in society.  In light of Afghanistan’s history, the establishment of a new Afghan constitution is an important opportunity to establish the necessary guarantees for women’s rights.  The Bonn Agreement stipulated that the new constitution and legal framework be drafted “ ... [Read More]

China in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG)

Mr. Chairman and Members of the Committee: I appreciate the opportunity to appear before the Committee today. Mr. Chairman, your letter of May 14 noted that you wish to focus the hearing on the decision by the Administration to support the membership of the People’s Republic of China in the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). I’m happy to address that issue as well as other questions that you or the Committee members may have. In my statement, I would like to address the status and overall direction of our relationship with China, our efforts to bring China into the international nuclear nonproliferation regime, the progress we have made in this area, and just how we came to see now as the appropriate time for China to join the NSG. [Read More]

Background Note: United Nations

Title: Background Note: United NationsPASource: Office of Public Communication, Bureau of Public AffairsDescription: Historical, Political and Economic Overviews of the Countries of the WorldDate: Oct, 15 199210/15/92Category: Country DataRegion: Whole WorldCountry: Ashmore and Cartier IslandsSubject: Travel, Human Rights, Arms Control, Security Assistance and Sales, History, International Organizations, Trade/Economics, Military Affairs, Cultural Exchange[TEXT]Official Name: United ... [Read More]

Money Laundering and Financial Crimes

Transparent government decision-making in procurement, regulatory, administrative and other decision-making processes inhibit bribery and corruption, both of which are nearly inescapable factors in criminal exploitation of financial systems and institutions. The adoption of laws, regulations, procedures and practices designed to promote integrity of public servants and to prevent or disclose and punish acts of official corruption is closely related to mechanisms that increase the integrity of financial systems used by the public and private sector alike. Implementing an initiative of the International Crime Control Strategy, in February 1999 in Washington, the Vice President hosted and chaired the first Global Forum on Fighting Corruption: Safeguarding Integrity Among Justice and Security Officials. Senior officials from ninety countries addressed Guiding Principles and practices that are effective to promote integrity and control or combat corruption in specific aspects of public serv ... [Read More]

Department of State Washington File: Transcript: Holum, Wolf Worldnet on Nuclear Non-Proliferation

MR. WOLF: I think with respect to those stories I would have to indicate the same answer that John Holum gave to a similar question: I know of no basis for that story, and to my knowledge there is no such plan to remove such weapons. ...

AMB. HOLUM: In fact, the total number of members of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty is now up to 187. Only four countries in the world -- India, Pakistan, Israel and Cuba -- remain outside the treaty. So this global agreement against the adoption of nuclear capability is getting stronger I think rather than weaker. And of course one of the most important developments in that trend was the decision by Ukraine as well as Kazakhstan and Belarus to completely give up their nuclear potential. ... [Read More]