Washington, DC – U.S. State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller began a press conference yesterday by addressing Secretary Blinken’s meeting with department officials to discuss the task for us over the following 74 days until the President-Elect’s oath ceremony. Miller focused on two issues that Blinken highlighted.
The Secretary has nominated Ambassador Mull, who will collaborate with the President-elect’s staff to facilitate a smooth transition. The smooth transition of power is critical to our democracy and the country’s security.
Blinken has stated that he plans to use his remaining time in office to achieve concrete progress on numerous crucial issues, including sustaining a free, open, and prosperous Indo-Pacific, the Russia-Ukraine conflict, and the Israel-Palestine-Lebanon situation.
Miller responded to questions from various journalists on Ukraine’s financial and military assistance by the Biden administration before the office of President-Elect Trump, the US-India relationship based on the “U.S. Indo-Pacific Strategy” and increased alliances through the Quad, Russia-North Korea nuclear and security alliance, humanitarian aid to Gaza and Lebanon, Middle East conflicts, and China’s response to Russia-North Korea military alliance and deployment of North Korean soldiers in the battlefield.
A journalist questioned Miller on the oppression of minorities around the world, including the United States, Canada, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. He particularly emphasized the recent atrocities against the Hindu community in Bangladesh. He referred to President-elect Donald Trump, who warned about Hindus persecution in Bangladesh during his election campaign. He also mentioned that Bangladesh’s interim government chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, stated that if the attacks continued, he would resign from his position. But the attacks are still ongoing. He still serves as chief adviser. What is the United States’ response to the atrocities against Hindus in Bangladesh?
Miller expressed his views on matters we had previously addressed. In our interactions with Bangladeshi officials, we have clarified that “we want to see freedom of religion respected, and any attacks, we want to see people held accountable as is appropriate under Bangladeshi law.” That is true not only for our position in Bangladesh but also across the globe.
Representatives from prominent media outlets, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, BBC, and CNN, attended the briefing.