The following is attributable to Spokesperson Ned Price:
Deputy Secretary of State Wendy R. Sherman met today with Papua New Guinea Foreign Minister Justin Tkatchenko in advance of the White House Pacific Island Country Summit. The Deputy Secretary congratulated the Foreign Minister on Papua New Guinea’s formation of a new government after its recent elections. They discussed our shared goal of strengthening our bilateral security relationship to ensure peace and security in the Indo-Pacific. The Deputy Secretary highlighted the U.S. commitment to work alongside Papua New Guinea to implement the U.S. Strategy to Prevent Conflict and Promote Stability. The Deputy Secretary and Foreign Minister talked about our shared commitment to defending human rights and ending all forms of gender-based violence. They also discussed Russia’s unprovoked war in Ukraine.