Rubio arrives in Central Asia while other US officials hit foreign policy hot spots
By Gram Slattery and Simon Lewis WASHINGTON, Oct 18 (Reuters) - While the Iran war smolders, Saudi Arabia fights theHouthis and a new rift opens in US-Ukraine relations, Secretary of State Marco Rubio traveled on Sunday to Uzbekistan, a nation far removed from the biggest US foreign policy challenges. The top US diplomat landed in Samarkand on Sunday night to meet with top officials from the…
Marco Rubio, serving as the 31st Secretary of State, departed for a trip to Uzbekistan and India for the 31st time in his tenure. This journey, aimed at strengthening U.S. economic and security ties with Central and South Asia, has drawn attention due to the perception that the high-ranking diplomat might be sidestepping pressing global issues in favor of safer, more politically advantageous visits.
The State Department refutes the claims, asserting that the secretary's responsibility lies in advancing American interests and helping the president develop a strategy that does so. While involving himself in discussions about Iran, Gaza, Russia-Ukraine, and China, Rubio's role is primarily behind-the-scenes, with special envoys like Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner leading those matters.
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- Rubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he’s keeping the most pressing matters at a distance winnipegfreepress.com
- Rubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he's keeping the most pressing matters at a distance pbs.org
- US Goes on the Offensive in Central Asia kyivpost.com
- Rubio heads to Central Asia as some wonder if he's keeping the most pressing matters at a distance japantoday.com
