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Michele Kelemen A former NPR Moscow bureau chief, Michele Kelemen now covers the State Department. Her reports can be heard on all NPR News programs — from Morning Edition to All Things Considered.
Michele Kelemen 2010
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Michele Kelemen

Middle East

U.N. Security Council Approves Syria Chemical Arms Deal

The United Nations Security Council has broken its two-and-a-half-year deadlock over Syria, approving a resolution on the elimination of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal. The U.S. and Russia are now trying to move beyond that and will try to get the warring sides around the negotiating table in Geneva.

U.N. Security Council Approves Syria Chemical Arms Deal

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Middle East

Iran, U.S. Can Manage Differences, Rouhani Tells U.N.

Iran's new president has made his first appearance at the United Nations General Assembly. Hassan Rouhani has been signaling that his government wants a thaw in relations with the West, and may be ready to strike a deal on Iran's suspect nuclear program. There are, however, deep suspicions on both sides.

Iran, U.S. Can Manage Differences, Rouhani Tells U.N.

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Will The U.S. Grant A Visa To Sudan's Indicted Leader?

Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir, who faces genocide charges, has applied for a visa to come to the U.S. for the annual United Nations General Assembly next week. The U.S. has not yet said whether he'll be allowed in the country. Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters/Landov hide caption

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Mohamed Nureldin Abdallah/Reuters/Landov

Parallels

Will The U.S. Grant A Visa To Sudan's Indicted Leader?

The U.S. is supposed to allow everyone to come to the annual United Nations General Assembly, which opens next week. But Washington has yet to rule on the visa application by Omar al-Bashir, the Sudanese president who's been indicted on genocide charges by the International Criminal Court.

Will The U.S. Grant A Visa To Sudan's Indicted Leader?

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Europe

U.S. Allies Meet In Paris On Syria Plan

Diplomacy on Syria shifts to the United Nations, where the Security Council on Monday will hear what chemical weapons inspectors found when they visited the scene of last month's deadly gas attack. At the same time, Secretary of State John Kerry is in Paris to talk to allies about the U.S.-Russian agreement on getting rid of Syria's chemical weapons arsenal.

U.S. Allies Meet In Paris On Syria Plan

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World

U.S.-Russia Deal: Syria Has A Week To Detail Chemical Arsenal

Secretary of State John Kerry announced that the U.S and Russia have agreed on a plan to rid Syria of its chemical weapons by the middle of 2014. But the plan gives Syria only a week to detail its chemical arsenal.

U.S.-Russia Deal: Syria Has A Week To Detail Chemical Arsenal

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The U.S. Response To Syria

Senate Waits On Possible Diplomatic Solution In Syria

The U.S. and its allies await details of Russia's proposal to place Syria's chemical weapons arsenal under UN supervision. Meanwhile, senior Obama administration officials are continuing to press for congressional approval of a potential military strike against the Bashar al-Assad regime for its alleged use of chemical weapons in August.

Senate Waits On Possible Diplomatic Solution In Syria

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Middle East

Russia To U.S.: Follow U.N. Rules On Syria

As Congress debates whether to give President Obama the authority to attack Syria, Russia's ambassador told a U.S. think tank Friday that the United States should uphold international norms of war and peace.

Russia To U.S.: Follow U.N. Rules On Syria

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Middle East

Critics Say U.S. Strikes Would Delay Syrian Transitional Talks

The Obama administration says the goal of a limited strike on Syria is to deter and degrade Syria's ability to use chemical weapons again, not to shift the balance of power on the ground. To end the conflict, U.S. officials say all sides in the civil war need to agree on a transitional government. But many analysts are asking: Will a U.S. military strike help, or hurt, the chances of diplomacy.

Critics Say U.S. Strikes Would Delay Syrian Transitional Talks

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Middle East

Kerry: Syria's Chemical Weapons Use A Test Of American Resolve

Secretary of State John Kerry says there is clear evidence that the Syrian government used chemical weapons against its citizens. He laid out that evidence at a briefing at the State Department, and pledged a "tailored and limited" US response to hold the Assad regime accountable.

Kerry: Syria's Chemical Weapons Use A Test Of American Resolve

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Middle East

U.K. Position Makes Syria Strike More Complicated For U.S.

A UN weapons inspection team is due to leave Syria on Saturday, but it will take time for them to review all of the material they've gathered about an alleged chemical weapons attack. The British government now says it will wait to hear the report before taking any military action to punish Bashar al-Assad's regime. That leaves the U.S. in an awkward position. It has written off the UN route because of Russia's opposition to any action.

U.K. Position Makes Syria Strike More Complicated For U.S.

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Obama Struggles To Find Effective Egypt Policy

President Obama delivers a statement on Egypt at his vacation home on Martha's Vineyard on Thursday. Pool/Getty Images hide caption

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Pool/Getty Images

Political Crisis In Egypt

Obama Struggles To Find Effective Egypt Policy

The Obama administration is deploring the military-backed interim government's use of violence against protesters, but it's not punishing the Egyptian military by cutting off aid.

Obama Struggles To Find Effective Egypt Policy

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Kerry, Hagel Aim To Ease U.S.-Russian Tensions

Secretary of State John Kerry talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov at the State Department in Washington on Friday. Charles Dharapak/AP hide caption

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Charles Dharapak/AP

National Security

Kerry, Hagel Aim To Ease U.S.-Russian Tensions

The U.S. secretaries of state and defense met their Russian counterparts for a day of talks in Washington on Friday. They hope to find common ground despite U.S.-Russian friction over the Edward Snowden asylum case.

Kerry, Hagel Aim To Ease U.S.-Russian Tensions

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National

Kerry, Hagel To Meet Russian Counterparts On Friday

The U.S. has canceled plans for an Obama-Putin summit because Russia granted temporary asylum to NSA leaker Edward Snowden. But Secretary of State John Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel will go ahead with plans to meet their counterparts in Washington.

Kerry, Hagel To Meet Russian Counterparts On Friday

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Europe

Cancellation Of Putin Meeting Highlights Tensions

President Obama has decided against a one-on-one meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in September. The two leaders had tentatively planned to get together for talks in Moscow after they attend the G-20 meeting in St. Petersburg.

Cancellation Of Putin Meeting Highlights U.S.-Russia Tensions

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World

Ambassadors Question Decision To Close Mideast Embassies

The State Department is keeping many of its embassies and consulates in the Muslim world closed this week "out of an abundance of caution." U.S. intelligence sources have been raising concerns about threats "emanating from the Arabian Peninsula." Britain and France are also concerned and have temporarily closed their embassies in Yemen. The U.S. list of closures is longer in part because the threats aren't specific enough, but the State Department is also far more cautious in the wake of last year attack in Benghazi, where the U.S. ambassador to Libya and three others were killed.

Ambassadors Question Decision To Close Mideast Embassies

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