On First Trip, Clinton Strikes a Blunt Tone

(NEWSER) - Human rights in Russia are "under siege," and the Chinese government is engaging in "serious human rights abuses," the US State Department says. The finger-pointing, in an annual report released today, comes just a week after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton visited China and downplayed the US focus on rights abuses there in favor of economic and environmental challenges, Reuters reports. More»

Landmark visit to be first in more than 50 years

(NEWSER) - Hillary Clinton arrived in Burma’s capital of Naypyidaw today, kicking off the first visit by a US secretary of state to the country in more than 50 years. Clinton says her goal is to see for herself how serious Burma’s junta is about its halting steps toward democratic reform, according to the AP . “We and many other nations are quite hopeful that these flickers of progress ... will be ignited into a movement for change,” she said. More»

Protesters gather outside as talks begin in Washington

(NEWSER) - Chinese officials arrived in Washington today for a round of high-level talks, and were greeted with a light scolding from Joe Biden and Hillary Clinton for their government’s recent crackdown on dissent. “We have a vigorous disagreement in the area of human rights,” Biden said in his opening remarks, while Chinese Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dia Bingguo watched. “We have to be honest with each other.” Hillary Clinton, meanwhile, promised “candid discussions” about human rights, the Huffington Post reports. More»

American criticism just a 'political tool,' says Beijing

(NEWSER) - The US should take a hard look in the mirror before it criticizes other countries over human rights, China says. “The United States ignores its own severe human rights problems,” said a Chinese report, “treating human rights as a political tool to vilify other countries and to advance its own strategic interests.” The rejoinder comes after Hillary Clinton warned of “negative trends” in China amid the disappearance of activist artist Ai Weiwei, Reuters reports. More»

Secretary of State secured Arab buy-in, convinced prez to act

(NEWSER) - President Obama came late to the decision to authorize military force against Libya , but he did so based on the counsel and efforts of Hillary Clinton, reports the New York Times . The secretary of state was herself against intervention until she secured buy-in from Arab nations; she then joined a small cadre of administration advisers calling for action, and within hours had convinced her boss to act. Clinton “had the proof,” a top adviser says, “that not only was the Arab League in favor, but that the Emirates were serious about participating.” More»