Daily Archives: March 20, 2019

@StateDept Dedicates the New U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia @usembassyjkt

March 20, 2019 By in Ambassadors, EAP|East Asia, Functional Bureaus, New Embassy, State Department, U.S. Missions Tags: , , , , , ,

 

Via State Department: 03/19/19 The Department of State Dedicates the New U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia

As a display of our enduring friendship and important partnerships with Indonesia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia Joseph R. Donovan Jr., Chargé d’affaires for the U.S. Mission to ASEAN Jane Bocklage, and Director of Overseas Buildings Operations (OBO) Addison D. “Tad” Davis IV, along with Indonesian Government officials, dedicated the new U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia today.

The new complex provides a secure, modern, sustainable, and resilient platform for U.S. diplomacy in Indonesia and the ASEAN region.

Davis Brody Bond Architects and Planners of New York, New York is the design architect for the project and Page of Washington, D.C. is the architect of record. B.L. Harbert International of Birmingham, Alabama constructed the facility.

Since 1999, as part of the Department’s Capital Security Construction Program, OBO has completed 154 new diplomatic facilities and has an additional 49 projects in design or under construction.

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Ambassador Donovan notes that “This celebration comes at a very opportune time, as this year we are also celebrating 70 years of diplomatic ties between the United States and Indonesia. The United States was one of the first countries to recognize Indonesia’s independence, establishing our first embassy on December 28, 1949. When President Truman appointed the first U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, H. Merle Cochran, he reaffirmed U.S. support welcoming Indonesia into the “community of free nations.”

He added that architects and designers took into consideration Jakarta’s climate and that the building uses the latest in environmental sustainability features that reduces energy consumption. The covered walkways are topped with solar panels  and the exterior metal sunshades limit sun exposure and reduce the demand for air conditioning. The building’s design reportedly also incorporates water conservation strategies to irrigate the green landscaped areas by collecting and re-using storm run-off.

The primary building is finished but the State Department is also constructing a heritage building on the site used by a Republic of Indonesia delegation during negotiations for Indonesia’s independence with the Dutch in 1949. It is estimated that the completion of that building as well as a consular pavilion will occur by the end of 2019.

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Secretary Pompeo and Susan Pompeo Travels to Kansas, then to Kuwait, Next to Israel and Lebanon

March 20, 2019 By in Mike Pompeo, Photo of the Day, Pompeo, Secretary of State, State Department, Trends Tags: , , , , , ,

 

Secretary Pompeo and his wife, Susan traveled to Kansas where he did the Keynote Address and Fireside Chat at the Road to GES Heartland Event. They’re now traveling to Kuwait, Israel, and Lebanon from March 19–23.

 

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Mrs. Pompeo participate in a television interview with Lily Wu from KAKE TV in Wichita, Kansas on March 19, 2019. [State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]

U.S. Secretary of State Michael R. Pompeo and Mrs. Susan Pompeo are greeted by U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait Lawrence Silverman, Kuwaiti Ambassador to the U. S. Ambassador Salem Abdullah Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, and Kuwaiti Assistant Foreign Minister for the America’s, Ambassador Reem Al-Khalid, upon arrival in Kuwait on March 19, 2019. [State Department photo by Ron Przysucha/ Public Domain]

 

Student journalist to Pompeo: Why you were doing this when you’ve provided cover for a president who has made light of violence against the press

March 20, 2019 By in Media, Mike Pompeo, Pompeo, Secretary of State, State Department, Trends Tags: , , ,

Via The Bulletin:

Sarah Spoon, Emporia State University:  Mr. Secretary, I do think this is an important question and I was just wondering if you could explain to us why you’re reaching out specifically to student newspapers on college campuses. As Mr. Kuros (the office of press relations for the State Department) put it to me today, this is a historic move for the Secretary of State as this is not normal for the Secretary of State to reach out to college campuses, but I wanted to know why you were doing this when you’ve provided cover for a president who has made light of violence against the press, has mocked disabled reporters and has even offered to pay the legal fees of supporters who assault members of the media?

Pompeo: Yeah, President Trump and I both understand how the importance of press freedom and the importance for students like you to have the opportunity to say things. What we value is when you say things that are truthful and that you don’t engage in political rhetoric as a journalist that is not reflective of reality. What’s important is that we make sure that we have facts and data and that we report things, that reporters report things that are truthful and accurate and that they work hard to make sure they get those facts right or determined to do that. And, I couldn’t tell you, you suggested that it is unusual for Secretaries of State to engage with reporters at academic institutions across America. I think that’s unfortunate. I think that’s sad. I wish my predecessors had taken some of their time to do it. They were certainly all busy people, I certainly have a full agenda as well, but it’s an imperative that we get this right, that you all have every chance to hear from America’s senior leaders, to take your measure of them, to ask us difficult questions. We have responsibility to answer for our actions and to speak the truth to you as best we know and the best we can deliver and I hope I’ve done that with y’all today.

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