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| | | Staying True to the Promotion of Democracy
Secretary Rice (Dec. 18): "The promotion of democracy is something that the United States has to stay true to, because ultimately, our values and our interests are inextricably linked. ...On any given day, on any day in policy, one has to balance the fact that, yes, sometimes you have to deal with authoritarian regimes. Sometimes you have to deal with friendly regimes that have not made as much progress as you want them to. But unless the United States keeps the lodestar out there of the end of tyranny and that every man, woman, and child deserves to live in a democratic society, it will fall off the international agenda." Full Text
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| Friday, December 19, 2008 | |
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|  | | U.S., Ukraine Sign Charter on Strategic Partnership
Secretary Rice (Dec. 19): "This charter underscores our principles of relations. It outlines a way to advance cooperation in defense and security, in economics and trade, in energy security, in democracy, and in people-to-people contacts and cultural exchanges." Full Text l Media Note l Charter | | |  | | U.S. and Mexico Reaffirm Commitment to Merida Initiative
Secretary Rice (Dec. 19): "In Merida, the United States and Mexico have reaffirmed a commitment to enhanced partnership, cooperation, training, assistance, information sharing, built on the premise that we have a shared responsibility to confront these criminals and protect our citizens, and that success requires increased cooperation." Full Text | | |  | | Zimbabwe Belongs to the People of Zimbabwe
Spokesman Sean McCormack (Dec. 19): "The governed should be able to determine who governs them and in what manner. And in a democracy, which Mr. Mugabe says Zimbabwe is, supposedly, they should be able to freely express their views through the ballot box. They clearly haven’t been able to." Full Text | | |  | | Moving Forward on a START Follow-on Treaty
Acting Under Secretary Rood (Dec. 17): "The current START treaty expires in a year. I think it’s important for us to continue to use the remaining time in this Administration to try to prepare the ground for the next administration to conclude an agreement before the START treaty expires in a year." Full Text | | |  | |  | |
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Japan
![Mount Fuji is Japans tallest mountain. Fujiyoshida, Japan, February 2, 2001. [© AP Images]](https://www.webharvest.gov/congress110th/20081220013446im_/http://www.state.gov/cms_images/fuji_140.jpg) Japan, a country of islands, extends along the eastern or Pacific coast of Asia. About 73% of the country is mountainous, with a chain running through each of the main islands. Japan's highest mountain is the world famous Mt. Fuji (12,385 feet). Since so little flat area exists, many hills and mountainsides are cultivated all the way to the summits. More l Nagoya: Post of the Month [PDF]
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