在2021年8月17日国务院新闻发布会的开场中,发言人内德·普赖斯的评论包括以下摘录的要点......
“国务院正在日以继夜地工作,协助迅速、安全撤离美国公民、特殊移民签证持有人和其他易受影响的阿富汗人。我们仍然致力于加快协助特殊移民签证持有人和其他易受影响的阿富汗人尽早飞离。美国政府雇员和海外美国公民的安全和保障也是我们的首要优先任务。
国防部已确保哈米德·卡尔扎伊国际机场的安全,以便恢复军事和商业航班。我们在当地的工作人员正在联系在喀布尔但不在机场的美国公民,指示他们何时和如何抵达。我们已经与第一批要求撤离援助的美国公民取得联系。我们的团队正与军方同事密切合作,协助尽快安全可靠地装载飞机。
我们现已完成所需的核心外交人员缩减,此时,将不再——此时不再需要协助使馆人员撤离。所有留下的使馆人员都将为离开阿富汗提供协助,国务院也增派资源和领事事务人员,以扩大美国公民和阿富汗特殊移民—特殊移民的重新安置,并在其他地方增加人员以协助P-1/P-2裁决的处理流程。
我们已经成功地重新安置了许多当地雇佣的工作人员,并正在与其余的人直接联系,以决定哪些人对重新安置及其流程感兴趣。
大使约翰·巴斯——经验丰富的职业外交官、前美国驻阿富汗、土耳其和格鲁吉亚大使——今天将前往喀布尔,领导后勤协调和领事工作。作为职业高级外交系统官员,巴斯大使有着数十年服务于美国七个驻外使团以及担任领导职务的经验,包括在华盛顿这里担任执行秘书。留在喀布尔的威尔逊大使将继续领导我们的外交工作。
与此同时,我们的阿富汗特别工作组正在开展大量工作——同事们在华盛顿和世界各地的使团昼夜不停地工作。这是举全政府之力的努力,我们将继续对不断变化的局势做出快速反应。
布林肯国务卿一直与国外对口官员保持联系。就在今天,他与卡塔尔副首相兼外交大臣穆罕默德·阿卜杜勒拉赫曼·阿勒萨尼以及科威特外交大臣艾哈迈德·纳赛尔·穆罕默德·萨巴赫进行了通话,感谢他们协助美国公民和喀布尔大使馆人员通过多哈和科威特城中转。他还继续与总统以及更广泛的国家安全和外交政策团队保持密切、定期的联系。”
本场新闻发布会的英文记录全文请见:https://www.state.gov/briefings/department-press-briefing-august-17-2021/
U.S. State Department Spokesperson Price says...
At the top of the August 17 Department of State Press Briefing,Spokesperson Ned Price comments included the following excerpted points…
“The Department of State is working around the clock to facilitate the swift, safe evacuation of American citizens, Special Immigrant Visa holders, and other vulnerable Afghans. We remain committed to accelerating flights for SIVs and other vulnerable Afghans as quickly as possible. The safety and security of U.S. government employees and U.S. citizens overseas is our top priority as well.
The Department of Defense has secured Hamid Karzai International Airport so that military and commercial flights can resume. Our staff on the ground is communicating with American citizens in Kabul who are not at the airport with instructions on when and how to get there. We have communicated to the first tranche of American citizens who have requested evacuation assistance. Our team is working hand-in-glove with military colleagues to help load planes safely and securely, and as fast as possible.
We’ve now completed our drawdown to the core diplomatic presence we need, and at this time we will no longer – at this time no longer need to facilitate departures for our embassy personnel. All remaining embassy staff will be assisting departures from Afghanistan, and the department is surging resources and Consular Affairs personnel to augment the relocation of American citizens and Afghan special immigrants – special immigrants, and elsewhere adding personnel to assist with P-1/P-2 adjudication processing.
We’ve successfully relocated many of our locally employed staff and are in direct contact with the remainder to determine who is interested in relocation and the process for doing so.
Ambassador John Bass – a seasoned career diplomat and former ambassador to Afghanistan, Turkey, and Georgia – is heading to Kabul today to lead logistics coordination and consular efforts. A career member of the Senior Foreign Service, Ambassador Bass brings decades of experience from service at seven U.S. missions overseas and in leadership positions, including executive secretary, here in Washington. Ambassador Wilson, who has remained in Kabul, will continue to lead our diplomatic engagement.
At the same time, there is intensive work by our Afghanistan Task Force – with colleagues working 24/7 here in Washington and at posts around the world. This is a whole-of-government effort, and we will continue to respond quickly to evolving conditions.
Secretary Blinken has been in constant contact with his foreign counterparts. Just today he spoke with Qatari Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohammed Abdulrahman Al-Thani and Kuwaiti Foreign Minister Sheikh Ahmad Nasser Al-Mohammad Al-Sabah, thanking them for assistance in facilitating the transit of U.S. citizens and Embassy Kabul personnel through Doha and Kuwait City. He has also continued to be in close and regular contact with the President and the broader national security and foreign policy team.”
To read full English transcripts of the press briefing:
https://www.state.gov/briefings/department-press-briefing-august-17-2021/
出处:美国驻华大使馆(微信公众号:USEmbassyChina)