Assistant Secretary of State for Public Affairs Mike Hammer will travel to the Central Asian nations of Tajikistan and Uzbekistan from April 7 to April 15, the US State Department said Friday.
Hammer will "engage with journalists, government officials, civil society leaders, and students on public affairs issues and US support for democratic institutions, among other topics, and will underscore the US Government's commitment to the region," the department said.
During his stay in Tajikistan's capital city of Dushanbe, Hammer will meet with the Tajik Head of Communications and the MFA Spokesperson to discuss press and internet freedom.
In Uzbekistan, Hammer will participate in a conference on government transparency and press freedom with a panel of journalists, ministry spokespeople, and representatives from parliament. He will also host a Facebook chat and an on-the-record discussion with independent journalists.
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