Chairman's Press
Chairman Kerry on UN Security Council Vote
Washington, DC - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) released the following statement after the UN Security Council today unanimously passed a resolution condemning violence by the Syrian Government against its people and authorizing the deployment of monitors to Syria: "If the Assaad government had misled itself into believing that they had an escape hatch in China and Russia, they had better start thinking anew. Passage of this Security Council Resolution puts the Sy… Continue Reading
April 12, 2012
Chairman Kerry on North Korea’s Attempted Rocket Launch
Washington, DC - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) tonight issued the following statement after North Korea attempted to launch a rocket with an attached satellite into space. "Never before has so much been put in jeopardy for so little. This failure to launch should be a moment of reconsideration and introspection for the North Koreans. No one in the world, including North Korea's allies, believed this was just an attempt to launch a satellite and no one will accept… Continue Reading
March 16, 2012
Chairman Kerry on the DPRK Satellite Launch
Washington, DC - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued the following statement in response to the DPRK announcement that it plans to launch a satellite to celebrate the Great Leader's 100th birthday: "This wouldn't be a move in the real interests of the DPRK and it's troubling. It certainly violates the spirit of the commitments the DPRK made just last month in Beijing, and would seriously undermine the credibility of its pledge to cooperate with the United… Continue Reading
March 15, 2012
Chairman Kerry on the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement’s Entry-Into-Force
Washington, DC - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued the following statement on the Korea-U.S. Free Trade Agreement's Entry-Into-Force: "The KORUS FTA's entry-into-force reflects solid bipartisan support among Americans for balanced trade agreements with strong labor, environmental, and IP protections. I look forward to the Administration building on this momentum to bring a high-standard TPP trade agreement to completion. Now more than ever, our ability… Continue Reading
March 15, 2012
Chairman Kerry Statement at Hearing on Sudan
Chairman Kerry Statement at Hearing on Sudan Washington, DC - This morning, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) delivered the following statement at a hearing to examine the oil dispute between Sudan and South Sudan, humanitarian access in Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile, the potential for progress in Darfur, and developments in South Sudan since its independence. "We can and must continue to put our shoulder to this wheel, even as we acknowledge that the fate of … Continue Reading
March 01, 2012
Chairman Kerry on the Return of American NGO Workers from Egypt
Washington, DC - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued the following statement after it was announced that seven American NGO workers are returning home from Egypt following the Egyptian government's decision to lift their travel restrictions: "The release of these Americans helps defuse a crisis that was jeopardizing America's assistance with Egypt's democratic transition at a particularly volatile moment. Building a vibrant civil society in Egypt is integr… Continue Reading
March 01, 2012
Chairman Kerry Statement at Hearing on Crisis in Syria
Washington, DC - This morning, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) delivered the following statement at a hearing to assess the situation in Syria and all the international options available to address the crisis. "I am convinced the Assad regime is doomed. But the longer the endgame, the messier the aftermath. The prospect of a full-fledged sectarian civil war is a stark reminder that a terrible situation could become still much worse, with potentially devastating co… Continue Reading
February 28, 2012
Chairman Kerry Statement at Hearing on Foreign Affairs Budget
Washington, DC - This afternoon, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) delivered the following statement at a hearing on national security and the foreign policy priorities in President Obama's 2013 international affairs budget. "Our international affairs budget is a smart investment that yields outsized returns and saves us money over the long haul," said Chairman Kerry. "There's nothing conservative about starving our foreign policy budget of a billion dollars today on… Continue Reading
February 16, 2012
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Passes Resolution Condemning Violence by Government of Syria Against the Syrian People
Washington, D.C. - The Senate Foreign Relations Committee today passed by unanimous voice vote a resolution condemning violence by the Government of Syria against its people. Senator John Kerry, Chairman of the Committee, will seek to expedite its passage today by the full U.S. Senate. "Today's resolution underscores the strong commitment of the members of our committee to make clear as soon as possible our condemnation of the violence in Syria. Senators Casey and Rubio should be particula… Continue Reading
February 07, 2012
Chairman Kerry Statement at Nomination Hearing for Nancy Powell to be Ambassador to India
Washington, DC - This afternoon, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) delivered the following statement at the nomination hearing for Nancy Powell to be Ambassador to India. Chairman Kerry praised Ambassador Powell's efforts as the former Ambassador to Nepal and Pakistan, calling her one of the foremost South Asia experts in the Foreign Service. He also emphasized the strategic importance of our bilateral relationship with India: "There are few relationships that will b… Continue Reading
December 19, 2011
Foreign Relations Committee Releases Comprehensive Report on Central Asia and the Transition in Afghanistan
Foreign Relations Committee Releases Comprehensive Report on Central Asia and the Transition in Afghanistan Link to report: https://www.foreign.senate.gov/publications/ Washington, DC - As part of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee's ongoing oversight of U.S engagement in Afghanistan and the broader region, Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today released a report examining Central Asia's critical role in Afghanistan. "Central Asia matters. Its countries are critical to the outcome in Afghanista… Continue Reading
December 15, 2011
Senator Kerry Delivers a Speech on the Situation in South Sudan
Washington, DC - This afternoon, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) delivered a speech at the International Engagement Conference for South Sudan. "The future that President Kiir envisions depends upon the institutions and practices that are being established in Juba; it depends on transparent and inclusive government. That is why so many welcome that he has mandated disclosure standards for all his officials and undertaken other reforms to help establish the fo… Continue Reading
December 06, 2011
Kerry on Ambassador Ford’s Return to Syria
Washington, DC - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued the following statement on the Obama Administration's decision to send Ambassador Robert Ford back to Damascus: "Ambassador Ford's return underscores our solidarity with the Syrian people. He is an Ambassador who has helped expose the crimes of the Assad regime, and he's demonstrated enormous courage. Robert Ford is guts and grit personified, and his voice in Syria at a time of such turmoil has st… Continue Reading
December 01, 2011
Kerry Marks World Aids Day, Highlights Progress in MA
Kerry Marks World Aids Day, Highlights Progress in MA WASHINGTON, D.C. - Senator John Kerry (D-Mass.), Chairman of the Foreign Relations Committee, and long-time supporter of programs to fight and prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS, released the following statement today in recognition of World AIDS Day. "After three decades of battling HIV/AIDS, science has now brought us closer than ever before to winning. President Obama spoke this morning about the possibility of achieving an AIDS-free … Continue Reading
November 30, 2011
Kerry Congratulates the Kyrgyz Republic on the First Democratic Transition of Power in Central Asia
Kerry Congratulates the Kyrgyz Republic on the First Democratic Transition of Power in Central Asia Washington, DC-With Kyrgyzstan set to inaugurate its next President on December 1, 2011, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) issued the following statement in recognition of this historic achievement: "The people of Kyrgyzstan made history in October when they took to the polls in presidential elections. Tomorrow, they will inaugurate Almazbek Atambayev as the next Pres… Continue Reading
November 28, 2011
Kerry on Egypt’s Elections
Washington, DC-To mark the first day of Egypt's parliamentary elections, Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) released the following statement: "Last spring, the world celebrated the courage of the Egyptian people, but what comes next will establish Egypt's political, economic, and social framework for generations. I hope that today's elections mark the beginning of a new political order for Egypt. The work that began in Tahrir Square mustn't end there. "The Egyptian p… Continue Reading
November 23, 2011
Kerry on Bahrain's Bassiouni Commission Report
Kerry on Bahrain's Bassiouni Commission Report Washington, DC-- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued the following statement upon the release of the report of the Bahrain Independent Commission of Inquiry. "The release of the Bassiouni Commission report is an important moment for Bahrain. This year's events were highly traumatic. Emotions are still raw and many people continue to suffer. Citizen participation in the process has been vital to ensuring a f… Continue Reading
November 22, 2011
Kerry on Ambassador Husain Haqqani's Resignation
Kerry on Ambassador Husain Haqqani's Resignation Washington, DC-- Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today released a statement regarding the resignation of Pakistan's Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani: "I was sorry to learn of the resignation of Ambassador Husain Haqqani. He was a strong advocate for his country and the Pakistani people. I respect the Pakistani government's decision, but Ambassador Haqqani's wisdom and insights will be missed here in W… Continue Reading
November 18, 2011
Kerry on Burma
Kerry on Burma Washington, DC-Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today issued a statement on the National League for Democracy's (NLD) announcement that it will formally rejoin Burma's politics and contest upcoming by-elections: "Aung San Suu Kyi is a living, breathing embodiment of courage and democracy. Her party's decision to reengage will give the NLD opposition a hard-won seat at the table and help loosen Burma's tightly controlled political system. This potenti… Continue Reading
November 08, 2011
Kerry on IAEA Report and Iran’s Nuclear Program
Kerry on IAEA Report and Iran's Nuclear Program Washington, DC - Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman John Kerry (D-MA) today said that Iran must fulfill its international obligations and announced that the Committee will soon hold a hearing to examine the issue: "In the last days, I met with IAEA Director General Amano to discuss his upcoming report. He is a thoughtful man who is interested only in reporting the facts. He has no other agenda. In this case, the facts of the IAEA report … Continue Reading
