state antony blinken (6do encyclopedia)



Antony Blinken is a prominent figure in American politics known for his extensive foreign policy experience and strategic approach to global affairs. He was born on April 16, 1962, in New York City and grew up in France, where he lived until the age of 18. Despite his French upbringing, Blinken would go on to become a dedicated American public servant, serving in various high-level positions throughout his career.

Throughout his life, Blinken has demonstrated a deep passion for international affairs, which began during his undergraduate studies at Harvard University. He subsequently earned a law degree from Columbia Law School and began his professional career in the mid-1980s as a clerk for the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit.

After his tenure as a clerk, Blinken began working for the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee, where he quickly rose through the ranks to become a top advisor to Committee Chairman Joseph Biden. It was during this time that Blinken first forged a close relationship with Biden, who would later become President of the United States.

In the years that followed, Blinken served in a number of high-profile positions in both the public and private sectors. From 1994 to 2001, he was a member of the National Security Council staff in the Clinton administration, where he played a critical role in negotiating the Dayton Accords, which ended the Bosnian War.

Following his time in government service, Blinken worked as a partner at the international law firm O’Melveny & Myers, where he focused on international law and practiced in both the United States and Europe. In 2002, he co-founded a strategic consulting firm called WestExec Advisors, which provided advice and assistance to companies seeking to navigate complex international markets.

In 2013, Blinken returned to government service, this time serving as Deputy National Security Advisor to President Barack Obama. In this position, he was responsible for helping to develop and implement U.S. foreign policy in a number of key areas, including the response to the Russian annexation of Crimea, the negotiations with Iran over their nuclear program, and the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

Blinken’s extensive experience and expertise in foreign policy made him a highly valued advisor to both President Obama and Vice President Biden, who he had worked closely with for over a decade. In 2015, he was nominated by President Obama to be the Deputy Secretary of State, the second-highest ranking position in the State Department.

As Deputy Secretary of State, Blinken played a critical role in shaping American foreign policy during a time of great international turmoil. He worked tirelessly to promote American interests around the world, while also fostering stronger relationships with our allies and partners.

After leaving government service at the end of the Obama administration, Blinken returned to his consulting firm, where he continued to advise private sector clients on international affairs. He also remained close to Vice President Biden, who he believed would be a strong candidate for President in 2020.

In 2020, Blinken joined the Biden campaign as a senior foreign policy advisor, helping to shape the candidate’s positions on a range of international issues. Following Biden’s victory in the 2020 election, Blinken was nominated to be Secretary of State, the highest ranking position in the State Department.

As Secretary of State, Blinken has taken a strategic approach to American foreign policy, emphasizing the importance of diplomacy and cooperation with our allies and partners. He has also worked to rebuild relationships with key allies and to restore American leadership on the global stage.

One of Blinken’s top priorities as Secretary of State has been to address the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had a devastating impact on communities around the world. He has worked to strengthen global health partnerships and to ensure that all countries have access to vaccines and other critical resources.

Blinken has also emphasized the importance of addressing global climate change, which he believes is one of the greatest threats facing the world today. He has committed to rejoining the Paris Agreement and to working with other countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean energy.

Throughout his career, Antony Blinken has demonstrated a deep commitment to public service and to promoting American interests and values around the world. His extensive knowledge and experience in foreign policy have made him one of the most respected and influential voices in American politics, and he continues to play a critical role in shaping American foreign policy in the years ahead.


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South Africa summons US envoy over Russia arms accusation

Deutsche Welle

23-05-12 18:33


The US Ambassador to South Africa, Reuben Brigety, has been summoned by the country's foreign ministry over allegations he accused South Africa of supplying arms to Russia for its war in Ukraine. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa said that an investigation into the matter was already underway, although the South African Foreign Ministry said in a statement that there was “no record of an approved arms sale by the state to Russia related to the period/incident in question." Germany’s Foreign Minister, Annalena Baerbock commented that the German government is taking the reports on the matter "very seriously.” South Africa and Russia are long-time allies, dating back to the fight against apartheid and South Africa has not condemned Russia's invasion of Ukraine, claiming neutrality in the war. However, earlier this year South Africa held joint military exercises with Russia and China in February, which political experts said broke with the country’s traditionally neutral stance.

https://www.dw.com/en/south-africa-summons-us-envoy-over-russia-arms-accusation/a-65607028
Wendy Sherman, No 2 US diplomat and China point person, to retire

South China Morning Post

23-05-12 17:47


Wendy Sherman, an important member of the Biden Administration developing an Indo-Pacific strategy to respond to China, is retiring from her position as Deputy Secretary of State. Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, thanked her in a statement for overseeing efforts to strengthen the country’s bonds with Japan, South Korea and the European Union, and for managing relations with China. Sherman is the highest-ranking State Department official from the Biden administration to have travelled to China. Beijing gave her two lists earlier this year, one outlining remedial action for the US to take towards China, and the other stating Beijing’s key concerns.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3220420/us-deputy-secretary-state-wendy-sherman-top-china-negotiator-biden-administration-retire
Lasting Peace Between Armenia and Azerbaijan Will Reduce Russia’s Influence

Foreign Policy

23-05-12 15:32


Russia's grip on the South Caucasus region has been fraying, as evidenced by the recent outbreak of violence between Armenia and Azerbaijan in Nagorno-Karabakh. The province is recognized as the sovereign territory of Azerbaijan under international law, but is occupied by Armenian military following the First Nagorno-Karabakh War in 1994. Following the second war in 2020, Azerbaijan reclaimed most of the territory that Armenia had occupied. Russia brokered a cease-fire agreement that paused hostilities, but experts believe that Russia wanted to keep the conflict frozen to maintain its influence in the region. Russia recently appointed General Alexander Lentsov as the new head of its Nagorno-Karabakh peacekeeping force — one of the country's most experienced military figures. This escalation has heightened concerns in Washington, London, and Brussels, considering each of the conflicts where Lentsov has been involved has ultimately ended in favor of Russia and contrary to Western values and interests. Regional experts widely accept that Russia will act as a spoiler in the South Caucasus. A peace agreement would lend towards Western interests by opening up the possibility of increasing oil and gas supplies from Azerbaijan, and strengthen Georgia, in a region that Moscow regards as its own backyard. Therefore, the West needs to seize the opportunity to overstretch Russia on two fronts, pushing through a peace deal before Lentsov's maneuvers muddy negotiations.

https://foreignpolicy.com/2023/05/12/peace-armenia-azerbaijan-russia-nagorno-karabakh/
Number 2 US diplomat to retire after decades in government service

The Toronto Star

23-05-12 15:11


Deputy Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, a key figure in the Biden administration's efforts to compete with China in the Indo-Pacific, is set to retire this summer. Sherman has been involved in several of the most consequential foreign policy decisions during Democratic administrations since Bill Clinton and has been praised for her leadership during her more than three decades of government service. Secretary of State Antony Blinken credited President Joe Biden with choosing Sherman for the deputy diplomatic post because he believed she could revitalize America’s alliances and partnerships and manage the US's complex relationships with competitors.

https://www.thestar.com/news/world/us/2023/05/12/number-2-us-diplomat-to-retire-after-decades-in-government-service.html
Will latest talks help open a new chapter in US-China relations?

South China Morning Post

23-05-12 15:00


US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan met with China’s foreign policy chief Wang Yi in Austria this week in what diplomatic observers say may mark the beginning of a returning thaw in relations between the two economic superpowers. The discussions were described as “candid” and “constructive”, with Beijing adding they included “discussions on removing obstacles in China-US relations and stabilising the relationship”. The US explicitly denied any intention to seek conflict or confrontation, with both sides agreeing to keep open the “strategic communication channel” to build on the engagement between President Biden and President Xi in Bali last year. Despite some progress, icy relations between the two nations may mean any progress in negotiating issues, such as Taiwan, is limited.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3220409/will-latest-high-level-talks-help-open-new-chapter-us-china-relations
House GOP lawmaker readies contempt charge over Afghanistan dissent cable

Associated Press

23-05-16 00:23


The chair of the US House Foreign Affairs Committee has said he will push forward a legislative effort to hold US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, in contempt of Congress if he does not release a classified cable sent from US diplomats in Kabul shortly before the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Rep Michael McCaul, a Republican from Texas, has been demanding access to the cable as part of a larger inquiry into the withdrawal. Should a contempt of Congress charge go ahead, it would be voted on and require a full committee vote and while not leading to prosecution, the charge would be referred to the US Department of Justice to consider charges.

https://apnews.com/article/blinken-mccaul-afghanistan-withdrawal-kabul-e5710fb04c170739b3de1bec02d15daa
Summit a ‘major diplomatic event’ to boost China’s ties with Central Asia

South China Morning Post

23-05-15 22:00


China is expected to boost its diplomatic and economic ties with is neighbouring region of Central Asia, providing security guarantees and promoting trade as tensions with Russia and the West mount. President Xi Jinping will host the two-day summit in Xian in Shaanxi with his counterparts from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The leaders will sign "important political documents" while discussing key issues such as Ukraine and Afghanistan, and strengthening coordination on internationals matters. China has long viewed Central Asia as critical for its trade expansion and energy security, and in the decade since President Xi launched the Belt and Road Initiative, trade between the six nations has grown rapidly, reaching $70.2bn last year, an increase of 40% year on year. The leaders' meeting will be a "milestone in the history" of China and Central Asia and will "open a new era of cooperation," according to the Chinese foreign ministry.

https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3213710/summit-major-diplomatic-event-boost-chinas-ties-central-asian-nations-amid-ukraine-afghanistan
US defence pact to strengthen military, police -PNG leader

Reuters

23-05-16 03:57


US President Joe Biden will visit Papua New Guinea on Monday, and the two countries’ leaders will sign two security agreements: one on defence co-operation and another on maritime surveillance. The US is seeking to build greater security ties with Pacific island nations in order to challenge China’s growing influence in the region. Last year, China signed a security agreement with the Solomon Islands. Papua New Guinea is strategically located near key sea routes between the US, Australia and Japan.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us-defence-pact-strengthen-military-police-png-leader-2023-05-16/
US asks In­dia to check ‘con­tin­ued tar­get­ed at­tacks’ on mi­nori­ties

Al Jazeera

23-05-16 08:06


The US State Department has called on India to condemn persistent violence against religious minorities, ahead of a visit by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating in its annual report on religious freedom that there have been ongoing attacks in the country against Christians and Muslims. A senior US official said he was "saddened" by the situation and called on India to condemn the "dehumanising" language used in relation to the country’s religious minorities and hold violent actors accountable. Muslim citizens comprise almost 14% of India's 1.4 billion population.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/16/us-asks-india-to-check-continued-targeted-attacks-on-minorities
State Department offers Republican lawmaker a chance to view Afghanistan dissent cable

The Independent

23-05-17 19:30


The US State Department has offered to allow the Republican chairman to the House Foreign Affairs Committee to view a classified cable from US diplomats in Kabul sent shortly before the chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Previously the chairman had threatened to hold Antony Blinken, Secretary of State, in contempt if he did not turn over the "dissent cable". The State Department said the chairman would be invited to view the cable "with appropriate personal information redacted", although it was not immediately clear whether the offer would be sufficient.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/ap-state-department-house-foreign-affairs-committee-antony-blinken-afghanistan-b2340895.html
Quad cancellation a ‘self-inflicted wound’ on the US: experts

The Sydney Morning Herald

23-05-17 18:30


The last-minute cancellation of US President Joe Biden’s trip to Australia has thrown efforts to entrench the Quad grouping as a powerful democratic alternative to China into disarray. The third in-person Quad summit, and the first to be held in Australia, has now been postponed indefinitely. The leaders will try to make progress on climate change, critical minerals and maritime security initiatives amid a crowded schedule in Japan. Foreign affairs experts have called it a “self-inflicted wound” by the US, which presented it as evidence that countries in the Indo-Pacific could not rely on the US.

https://www.smh.com.au/politics/federal/quad-cancellation-a-self-inflicted-wound-on-the-us-experts-20230517-p5d96o.html
Biden administration looking at arranging high-profile visits to China by senior officials

CNN

23-05-17 22:17


The US administration is considering planning visits to Beijing by top White House officials as part of its efforts to re-engage with China on substantive issues, according to multiple US sources. The talks come after US Secretary of State Antony Blinken postponed his own trip in the wake of the Chinese spy balloon incident. The group of officials being considered for the visit include Blinken, Secretary of the Treasury Janet Yellen, Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo and Climate Envoy John Kerry, although there is said to be no agreement as to the order of these visits. Raimondo and Yellen are viewed as possible candidates to visit Beijing ahead of Blinken.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/17/politics/biden-administration-china-visits/index.html
China woos Central Asia as Ukraine war weakens Russian influence

CNN

23-05-18 07:21


Leaders from Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan, are meeting in Xi’an, China, to discuss trade, regional stability and security. It is the first in-person meeting of the Central Asian heads of state together with China since the establishment of diplomatic relations after the fall of the Soviet Union. China hopes to expand its influence over the region, which has long been considered Russia’s sphere of influence. China presents these meetings with the Central Asian leaders as the “first major diplomatic activity” it has hosted this year and an opportunity to draw a “new blueprint” with the post-Soviet states that lie between its western borders, Europe and the Middle East. Beijing and Central Asian nations are expected to sign agreements on economic co-operation, as the region suffers from the knock-on economic effects of Russia's war in Ukraine. The leaders will also discuss security co-operation and ensuring stability in the wake of unrest and militant threats, with China seeking to ensure security but not take up Russia's broader regional security role.

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/05/18/china/china-central-asian-states-summit-xian-xi-jinping-intl-hnk/index.html
Kishida and Biden hail ‘evolution’ of alliance as leaders meet in Hiroshima

Japan Times

23-05-18 12:39


US President Joe Biden and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida have praised the progress of their countries' bilateral relations after discussions in Hiroshima ahead of the G7 summit. The two leaders spoke of the strength of their alliance in the face of challenges posed by Russia, Ukraine, and China, with Biden praising Japan's robust response to the increasingly complicated regional security situation. They discussed a range of issues, including the joint response to the conflict in Ukraine, bilateral ties with South Korea, and the importance of a solution regarding cross-Strait issues with Taiwan. Both parties expressed their commitment to building broader economic ties. Cooperation was pledged on sectors such as quantum computing, biotech, and energy. However, the senior Japanese official reporting on the talks stated they did not single out China, Tokyo's largest trading partner, in discussions surrounding supply chain resilience and the restriction of advanced technology exports to Beijing.

https://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2023/05/18/national/politics-diplomacy/g7-biden-kishida-bilateral/
GOP pauses Blinken contempt push after gaining access to classified Afghanistan cable

Associated Press

23-05-18 21:31


Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Representative Michael McCaul, has agreed to pause an attempt to hold US Secretary of State Antony Blinken in contempt of Congress after the US State Department offered to let McCaul review a classified cable from US diplomats in Kabul from July 2021. It reportedly warned of the potential fall of Kabul via a special dissent channel. The offer was made with the names of those who signed it redacted. The same offer was made to the top Democrat on the panel, Representative Gregory Meeks of New York, but McCaul urged State to grant access to all committee members.

https://apnews.com/article/afghanistan-dissent-cable-contempt-antony-blinken-9f10cbd21e5b633c700fd120abdceae6
US House member 'pauses' subpoena attempt over Afghanistan cable

Reuters

23-05-18 19:39


The chairman of the U.S. House Foreign Affairs Committee, Republican Representative Michael McCaul, has agreed to pause attempts to enforce a subpoena for a classified cable related to the August 2021 withdrawal from Afghanistan after the State Department agreed to let both McCaul and committee Democrat Gregory Meeks view a redacted version of the cable to protect the identity of those using its "dissent channel". McCaul is investigating the withdrawal and had scheduled a committee meeting next week to consider a contempt of Congress charge against Secretary of State Antony Blinken over his refusal to release the cable despite the subpoena.

https://www.reuters.com/world/us/us-house-member-pauses-subpoena-attempt-over-afghanistan-cable-2023-05-18/
‘Up­set­ting’: Shireen Abu Ak­leh fam­i­ly re­jects Is­rael’s ‘sor­ry’

Al Jazeera

23-05-18 18:37


Relatives of Al Jazeera journalist Shireen Abu Akleh, who was shot dead while covering an Israeli raid on the Palestinian city of Jenin last year, have rebuked Israel’s “sorry” statement but with no accountability or acknowledgment of responsibility. Abu Akleh’s niece Lina Abu Akleh claims that the Israel army did not apologise for the killing and said it was “deeply upsetting” that on the anniversary of the killing the military “re-victimised the family”. Numerous media outlets and rights groups have acknowledged there was no fighting when Abu Akleh was shot.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/5/18/upsetting-shireen-abu-akleh-family-rejects-israels-sorry
Blinken to visit Papua New Guinea and sign defense, maritime agreements

Reuters

23-05-18 23:56


US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Papua New Guinea on 21-22 May, aiming to bolster defense and maritime security ties via bilateral agreements, and to meet Pacific Islands Forum leaders. President Joe Biden had cancelled his own visit to Papua New Guinea due to the unfolding US debt ceiling crisis. Blinken hails planned talks with Pacific Islands leaders about addressing the pressing shared priorities of tackling climate change, and fostering "inclusive economic growth for the people of the Pacific Islands".

https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/blinken-visit-papua-new-guinea-sign-defense-maritime-agreements-2023-05-18/
China warns against ‘geopolitical games’ as US announces Blinken trip to Papua New Guinea

Associated Press

23-05-19 09:54


China has warned against the US playing "geopolitical games" in the South Pacific. At a press conference on Friday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Wang Wenbin, said that while China did not oppose "normal exchanges and cooperation between relevant parties and Pacific Island countries, we also oppose any introduction of any geopolitical games into the Pacific Island country region." The comments came after US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, announced plans to visit Papua New Guinea next week amid escalating tensions between the US and China over increasing Chinese influence in the Pacific region.

https://apnews.com/article/china-blinken-papua-biden-debt-limit-solomon-6bcfcfc6ea5c6bd179c072295c87b145