Marines of the US Embassy "troop the colours". Also pictured (L) Dr David Keegan, Embassy Chargé d'Affaires, (R) Dr. Wayne Mapp, NZ Minister of Defence.

U.S. Marines Remembered in Wellington on Memorial Day

On Monday, May 25 the New Zealand American Association hosted the U.S. Embassy, Embassy guests, dignitaries and members of the public at a Memorial Day commemorative ceremony at Wellington’s Old St Pauls.  The ceremony also marked the closing of A Friend in Need, an exhibition showcasing the US Marines in Wellington during World War II.   A Friend in Need has been on display at Old St Pauls for the last two years, and will now be moving to a new home at the National Army Museum in Waiouru.

U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Dr David Keegan spoke to the audience assembled at Old St Pauls, invoking memories of World War II U.S. Marines and servicemen gathered together 65 years earlier in that same place; of the bonds of friendship and camaraderie formed between the Americans and New Zealanders in those years; and of the special relationship that has endured ever since.

The Memorial Day ceremony included a trooping of the colours by Marines of the Embassy’s guard detachment, and the laying of memorial wreaths, such as those laid by Lt General Jeremiah Mateparae, the Chief of the NZ Defence Force, on behalf of the NZDF; by NZ Defence Minister Hon. Dr Wayne Mapp and leader of the Opposition Hon Phil Goff on behalf of the NZ government and parliament; and by Air Vice Marshall (Rtd) Robin Klitscher on behalf of the Royal NZ Returned and Services Association … (more)
 

President Condemns Nuclear Weapon Test

President Obama has condemned the North Korea’s apparent nuclear weapon test in violation of international law, describing it a “grave concern to all nations” and a “blatant defiance of the United Nations Security Council.” Members of the Security Council were unanimous in voicing their strong opposition to and condemnation of the nuclear test.

Stating shared concerns, President Obama and NZ Foreign Minister Murray McCully have both described North Korea’s actions as provocative, and as destabilising the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asian region.

The President has stated that North Korea’s behaviour “will only serve to deepen North Korea's isolation. It will not find international acceptance unless it abandons its pursuit of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery.”

Minister McCully said that New Zealand “remains fully supportive of dialogue through the Six-Party Talks process to resolve issues on the Korean Peninsula”.

The United States will continue to work with allies and partners in the Six Party Talks, as well as other members of the UN Security Council, to resolve the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
 

President Barack Obama bows his head for a moment of silence at  the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery  Monday, May 25, 2009.

President Honours America's Servicemen and Women on Memorial Day

President Barack Obama called on the American people to join him in paying tribute to America’s veterans, servicemen and women on Memorial Day – particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice - and their families.  America’s troops and their families embody what is best in America, and the American people have a responsibility to serve them as well as they have served us.

President Obama returned from camp David on Sunday so that on the morning of  Memorial Day he could host the families of those who had in died in service to a breakfast in the State Dining Room of the White House.  From the breakfast he traveled to the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery where he participated in a wreath laying ceremony, before moving on to speak at the Memorial Amphitheater.

In his address, he called on the American people to join him in paying tribute to America’s veterans, servicemen and women – particularly those who have made the ultimate sacrifice - and their families.

"Our fighting men and women – and the military families who love them – embody what is best in America. And we have a responsibility to serve all of them as well as they serve all of us," he said.

The President also dedicated his weekly address to honouring U.S. service personnel and their families, saying that Memorial Day is all about "doing all we can to repay the debt we owe to those men and women who have answered our nation’s call by fighting under its flag. It is about recognizing that we, as a people, did not get here by accident or good fortune alone ... It’s about remembering each and every one of those moments when our survival as a nation came down not simply to the wisdom of our leaders or the resilience of our people, but to the courage and valor of our fighting men and women."
 

A Culture Change on Climate Change

"…what everyone here believes, even as views differ on many important issues, is that the status quo is no longer acceptable…"

President Obama has announced a "historic agreement to help America break its dependence on oil, reduce harmful pollution, and begin the transition to a clean energy economy" at a White House gathering that included leading lawmakers and auto industry worker representatives and executives. The President described the agreement as representative of "not only a change in policy in Washington but the harbinger of a change in the way business is done in Washington".

A top auto industry executive agreed, stating in a pre-announcement release that "what's significant about the announcement is it launches a new beginning, an era of cooperation. The President has succeeded in bringing three regulatory bodies, 15 states, a dozen automakers and many environmental groups to the table… We're all agreeing to work together on a National Program."

The agreement proposes a more than 40% improvement in automotive fuel efficiency, both enhancing America's energy independence, and reducing U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by 900 million metric tons over 5 years. As yet another benefit, the President explained that that "over the life of a vehicle, the typical driver would save about (US) $2,800 by getting better gas mileage."  The program covers model year 2012 to model year 2016 and ultimately requires an average fuel economy standard of 35.5 mpg in 2016 with a projected reduction in oil consumption of approximately 1.8 billion barrels over the life of the program. Or, in the President’s words, "more oil than we imported last year from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya, and Nigeria combined."

As President Obama says, “The fact is everyone wins: Consumers pay less for fuel,” Obama said, and car companies “have new incentives to create the technologies and the jobs that will provide smarter ways to power our vehicles.” … [full text]

White House Readout of the President’s call with Prime Minister Key

The President spoke on May 13 with New Zealand Prime Minister John Key.

New Zealand is an important partner of the United States on a range of international political and economic issues, and the two welcomed the opportunity to have their first phone conversation since their election to office last November.  The President and Prime Minister discussed their respective responses to the global economic crisis, how they are dealing with its domestic and international impact, and the importance of trade in the Asia-Pacific region.

The President expressed his appreciation for New Zealand’s strong support to the allied effort in Afghanistan.  They also discussed how our two countries can cooperate further on global and regional issues such as nuclear non-proliferation and work more closely together at the United Nations, in particular on human rights.  [full text]

Dr Brian Linn Speaks at the U.S. Embassy in Wellington

Dr Brian Linn, Professor of History and Claudius M. Easley Jr. Faculty Fellow at Texas A&M University spoke to an audience assembled at the U.S. Embassy in Wellington.

Dr. Linn spoke on the recent history of America's defense policies, and examined how U.S. defense thinking is changing, and will continue to change, to meet current and future challenges.  [audio]

President: ...we can't just talk to our friends. As hard as it is, we also have to talk to our enemies...

Stand Up for the President

It is a part of Presidential protocol, that one stands up when the President enters the room; but recently it was President Obama doing the stand-up.

The White House Correspondents’ Association is a group of journalists who cover the White House, and for decades they have hosted an annual dinner.  For years, it's been a tradition that the President be the key note speaker.  Part of that tradition is that their ‘speech’ be more a comedic routine:  Self deprecating, but also satirizing their political colleagues and members of the press

President Obama followed this tradition perfectly, with jokes and poking fun at himself, Secretary of State Clinton, and Vice President Biden among others from within his own administration and from all sides of the political spectrum.

World Press Freedom Championed This Month

This month, World Press Freedom Day was observed with strong support from President Obama, Secretary of State Clinton, and the whole of U.S. Government.

President Obama underlined the vital importance of a free press, saying that on World Press Freedom Day "we celebrate the indispensable role played by journalists in exposing abuses of power, while we sound the alarm about the growing number of journalists silenced by death or jail as they attempt to bring daily news to the public."

Secretary Clinton also commented that a free press is a core value and a fundamental right.  "Wherever media freedom is in jeopardy, all other human rights are also under threat. A free media is essential to democracy and it fosters transparency and accountability, both of which are prerequisites for sustained economic development," she said.

Both the President and Secretary expressed support and concern for journalists operating in environments where press freedom is not as respected as it is in the U.S. and other similar countries.  The President spoke of not only those journalists who have been killed 'in the line of duty', but also of "the hundreds more each year who face intimidation, censorship, and arbitrary arrest – guilty of nothing more than a passion for truth and a tenacious belief that a free society depends on an informed citizenry."

The President and Secretary, using common language to underscore the importance, declared they are "especially concerned about the citizens from our own country currently under detention abroad:  individuals such as Roxana Saberi in Iran, and Euna Lee and Laura Ling in North Korea."
 

Election of the United States to the Human Rights Council

Today the United Nations General Assembly elected the United States to a three-year term on the UN Human Rights Council.

The promotion and protection of human rights is a fundamental value for our own society and, as such, an integral element of the Obama Administration’s foreign policy.  Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and U.S. Permanent Representative to the U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice are pleased with the outcome of the election and eager to take up the important work of the Council … [full text]

"Pacific Islanders strengthen the fabric of American society"

President Obama, has issued a Proclamation declaring May to be Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, to "remember the challenges and celebrate the achievements" of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders in the U.S.

"The vast diversity of languages, religions, and cultural traditions of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders continue to strengthen the fabric of American society," said the President.  He recognised that Asian and Pacific Islanders have had to endure much in American history, from early prejudice and discrimination during the Gold Rush years, through to "the darkness of the Exclusion Act and Japanese internment".

But despite these historic hardships and struggles, America has proved to be the land of opportunity for Asian and Pacific Islanders too, and their presence and successes have helped build the nation.  "Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders have contributed in great and significant ways to all aspects of society. They have created works of literature and art, thrived as American athletes, and prospered in the world of academia," continued the President.

In issuing his Proclamation, President Obama continues an annual tradition that dates back to 1990, when President H.W. Bush declared the first Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.  Prior even to this, the first week in May had been designated Asian Pacific American Heritage Week, through congressional Joint Resolution signed by the President. [Full text]