R.I. Senate approves resolution to keep U.S. Consulate in Ponta Delgada open
This post is also available in: Portuguese (Portugal)
Providence — The Rhode Island Senate passed a resolution sponsored by Sen. Daniel Da Ponte (D-Dist. 14, East Providence, Pawtucket) requesting U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton to continue operations at the American Consulate in Ponta Delgada, Azores.
The U.S. Department of State has indicated it is currently reviewing its diplomatic missions worldwide, and the U.S. Consulate in Ponta Delgada, Azores, is under review for possible closure. The senator ex-plained that closing the Consulate would only create a hardship for American travelers, with the nearest services for American citizens located at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal.
“That’s 950 miles away,” Senator Da Ponte said. “The Consulate provides quintessential services to Americans visiting the Azores, including safeguarding their security and well-being. The staff there also administers visas and conducts other consular functions. It’s a real asset to the American people.”
The U.S. Consulate in the Azores is the oldest continuously operating U.S. Consulate in the world, servicing about 14,000 American travelers each year.
It also assists in educational, commercial and cultural exchanges between the two countries. Some of those exchanges involve key development in renewable energy, green technology, business and tourism.
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