US ‘Fully Immersed’ In Supporting People In MENA – Clinton

The U.S. government is “fully immersed” in trying to determine how it can best support the aspirations of people across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region “for their governments to be more open, accountable and responsive, to make sure they have a stronger voice in the affairs of their countries, and that they are treated fairly and with dignity,” U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday.
Clinton made her remarks at a forum held at the State Department for historically black colleges and universities.

The Secretary noted that she had just participated in a “web chat” with a young man who works for a website in Egypt.

“In two days they got nearly 7,000 questions for me, and they were asking a lot of them,” she said. “And I had the opportunity to express our very great admiration for the young people in Egypt, for their peaceful, nonviolent demonstration.”

“So there is so much going on today, and much of it is particularly important to young people here and around the world, because it is a new future that is being born, and a world that you will be taking yourselves into and leading your lives and making a living and making your contributions,” Clinton said.

In the 21st century, today’s young generation, because of social media and the power to connect, “have even more inherent power than your parents and grandparents did before, because now you do not have just to meet at a lunch counter,” she said.

“You can meet globally, and you can pursue your goals with those whom you may never meet in person, but who share your passion for justice and equality. So we are counting on you,” she added.