Clinton in Denmark in Scandinavia Tour
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton arrived in Copenhagen Wednesday on a trip to consult key U.S. allies and partners in Scandinavia on issues ranging from Syria, to the Arctic and the environment.
Denmark was the first stop on a nine day trip that will also take her to Norway, Sweden, Armenia, Georgia and Azerbaijan.
A senior State Department official said Clinton wanted to personally thank the Scandinavian countries for their support in places like Afghanistan and Libya and on global development issues where they also play important roles.
"Every time she turns around these Scandinavian countries seem to be standing shoulder to shoulder with us on all the global challenge we face," said the official, who briefed reporters on the flight from Washington.
Among the problems expected to come up in bilateral discussions in all three Scandinavian countries is Syria, where a massacre blamed on the regime of President Bashar Assad has outraged in the international community.
"We'll share views on the best way forward," said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
The United States and other countries have expelled Syrian diplomats, and in some cases closed Syrian embassies, in condemnation of the Assad regime. But diplomatic pressure has so far had little impact despite the presence of U.N. ceasefire observers.
Iran, Afghanistan and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict are also expected to come up in the bilateral talks.
Clinton also intends to use the trip, including a visit to Norwegian city Tromso north of the Arctic circle, to highlight the issues of climate change and the environment.
In Copenhagen, she will hold meetings Thursday with Prime Minister Helle Thorning-Schmidt and Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal.
She is scheduled to deliver a keynote speech to a conference on global health in Oslo on Friday, before traveling to Tromso for a day-long visit to the "high north."
In Stockholm, Clinton will meet various Swedish officials.
From Scandinavia, Clinton will head on to the turbulent Caucuses before winding up her trip in Turkey next week.
Source: Agence France Presse
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