First Lady Pool Reports of September 19, 2023

Foreign Pool #1 POTUS at the UN

Good Morning from Sunny New York city, rain has stopped, and the sun is out .

Pool is loaded in the motorcade, and we are on our way to the UN building. Main on the agenda is POTUS speech before the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly, WH press has already released excerpts to press.

President Biden is due to meet with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres who has already spoke in front of the assembly pointing to the immense challenges facing the world, whether it's conflict, war, food security or environmental and climate change which affects millions.

The meeting is expected at 11:30 am.

At 1:45 pm POTUS will host a meeting of the group of countries called the Central Asia 5 +1 US Mission UN.

The Central five were all part of the former Soviet Union and knows as the Stans, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan.

Foreign Travel Pool #2 POTUS speech at UNGA

The pool was rushed through the back doors just in time for the POTUS speech. The assembly was at full attendance.

POTUS maintained the same tone throughout his speech, except when he addressed Russia's aggression in Ukraine, he received his first applause at 10:41 in response to his remarks in support of Ukraine.

No new initiatives were announced, essentially reiterating the administration's policies.

Among the audience, President Zelenskyy of Ukraine was spotted, wearing his trademark military shirt and pants, next to him was Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office of the President.

King Abdullah II was also in the assembly heading his country's delegation.

Saudi delegation was represented by Foreign Minister Farman Ben Faisal. The Crown Prince didn't plan to attend after his participation at the G20 summit in India.

The UK delegation is represented by the Foreign Minister, James Cleverly. Prime Minister Sunak decided to skip, as did President Putin ( expected) and President Xi of China. President Macron of France also decided not to attend this year.

From my vantage point, I can see delegates checking their Instagram accounts and using Google Maps to plan their destinations while POTUS was speaking .

POTUS ended speech at 10: 42 , audience clapped.

The US delegation was presented by the list sent earlier by the White House .

Next is POTUS bilateral with the Secretary General.

Foreign Travel Pool #3 POTUS spray with C5 countries

After almost an hour of delay, the pool entered a crowded room. POTUS and the C5 Presidents were already seated. Next to POTUS was Secretary Blinken.

The flags of the five countries and the US were on display behind the leaders.

The press crew accompanying the Five Presidents took up most of the space, often blocking your pooler's vision for around the 3 minutes duration of the pool spray.

POTUS was the only speaker detailing the partnership with the Central 5

He said " today we're taking our cooperation the new heights first in our counterterrorism operation, including increased US security funding at 27% ."

"we're establishing business platform to complement our diplomatic engagement to better connect our private sectors for development. And we are also discussing potential for a new critical minerals dialogue to strengthen our energy security and supply chains. " please check against the transcript.

On the side of the room and as part of the US delegation, sat Jake Sullivan, Amos Hochstein, Samantha Power, and John Finer, facing two rows of the C5 country .

POTUS didn't answer any shouted questions.

The motorcade went back to the hotel through the short ride of NY streets , pedestrians were held back behind barriers while the convoy was in motion.

Some people took pictures and video of the motorcade .

We have a lid till 6 pm for the next event .

Here is some information about the C5 counties :

The Central Asia 5+1 (C5+1) is a diplomatic platform that brings together the five Central Asian countries of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan, with the United States. It was launched in 2015 and has met annually since then.

The C5+1 is a forum for the United States and Central Asia to discuss and work on common issues of concern, such as economic development, security, energy, and the environment. It is also an opportunity for the Central Asian countries to strengthen their ties with each other and with the United States.

The C5+1 has made some progress on a number of issues. For example, it has helped to promote regional cooperation on trade and investment, energy security, and counterterrorism. It has also helped to raise awareness of the challenges facing Central Asia and to mobilize international support for the region.

However, the C5+1 has also faced some challenges. One challenge is that the Central Asian countries have different interests and priorities. This can make it difficult to reach consensus on some issues. Another challenge is that the region is facing several complex problems, such as economic instability, security threats, and environmental degradation. It will take time and effort to address these challenges.

Overall, the C5+1 is a valuable forum for the United States and Central Asia to engage with each other and to work on common issues of concern. It has the potential to help promote stability, prosperity, and security in the region