U.S. House of Representatives - 03.03.2004

United States Priorities in Europe

Hearing of the House International Relations Subcommittee on Europe

Participating: Republican Reps. Doug Bereuter (NE, Chair), Tom Tancredo (CO)  Democratic Reps. Robert Wexler (FL), Barbara Lee (CA), Eliot Engel (NY) Witness: The Honorable A. Elizabeth Jones, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs, U.S. State Department

Secretary Jones addressing NCSJ Board of Governors, May 2003

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Read NCSJ Summary

Read Written Testimony:
Rep. Bereuter
Secretary Jones

View Webcast Video

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SUMMARY

Opening Statements:

Rep. Bereuter applauded positive developments in Georgia, criticized elections in Armenia and Azerbaijan and pressed for a resumption of the Nagorno-Karabakh peace process. He expressed concern with Pres. Putin’s political domination of Russia, and “his handling of the [press], the opposition and [oligarchs] who oppose his policies.” He said democratic progress in Ukraine has stalled (although he retains a cautious optimism), while he sees no progress in Belarus. He promised that the U.S. would focus the spotlight of international scrutiny on Belarus’ upcoming elections.

Rep. Wexler urged the U.S. to promote democracy in the Caucasus, and said he has been encouraged by the outcome of Georgia’s revolution. He chided Ukraine and Russia for “democratic backsliding”, and strongly emphasized the need for the U.S. to offer assistance in Turkey’s bid to join the EU.

Sec'y Jones: U.S. priorities include cooperation with Europe on Iraq, Haiti and Afghanistan, especially with NATO members. Priorities also include counterterrorism, and addressing the spread of AIDS and WMD.

The Khodorkovsky case, pressure on the press, conduct of recent elections and policies toward Georgia and the Baltics states raise concerns about Russia’s commitment to democracy. Nevertheless, continued cooperation with Russia should be encouraged, to help promote reforms in Eurasia.

Free and fair elections are a necessary part of Ukraine’s future if it wishes to join NATO, and the U.S. is “working extremely hard in the run-up to elections” in Ukraine. The U.S. has had several conversations with Pres. Kuchma about such matters (She encouraged Rep. Bereuter to meet with him on upcoming Congressional visits to the region). In Belarus, the U.S. is also working to establish strong institutions to ensure free and fair elections, and will continue to talk with Pres. Lukashenko.

The U.S. is also working hard on anti-Semitism with European leaders, who are now addressing the problem “head on”, and looks forward to putting in place even more “practical solutions”.

Georgia’s new democratic government reflects the work of OSCE programs, although its success must be confirmed by monitoring civil society’s progress (in areas like anti-corruption and police training). The U.S. will work with Pres. Saakashvili to corral Georgia’s fringe regions into participating in building a new Georgia.

Q & A

Bereuter: Does Putin want to fold FSU republics into a new bloc dominated by Moscow?
Jones: Not as such. These countries are as equally in Europe’s “near-abroad” as Russia’s. It’s as much in Russia’s interest as Europe’s that the countries maintain strong internal stability, so that they don’t become areas where “criminality” and terrorism can occur (e.g., Transnistria). Russia’s response to working with these countries has been “quite positive”, particularly with the new Georgian government. Hopefully, withdrawals of troops from Georgia, and of munitions from Transnistria can be completed before the upcoming NATO summit in Istanbul.
Bereuter: The U.S. should continue to encourage and provide assistance to Georgia.

Bereuter: What is the formal U.S. stance towards Russia regarding the Conventional Armed Forces in Europe (CFE) Treaty?
Jones: The [additional] CFE commitments made by Russia in 1999 remain binding, and must be fulfilled before the U.S. and NATO ratify the treaty. The issue of the Baltics countries’ [accession to the treaty] continues to be raised in this context.

Wexler: How do the civil society needs in the former Soviet and Eastern Bloc states square with the drop in funding for these programs in the President’s budget?
Jones: There appears to be a drop in funding because the cost of exchange programs has been shifted from the State Department budget. In fact, the U.S. has increased funding for democracy building in Ukraine and Russia, and has to plead with the European Union to be more aggressive and engaged. The U.S. is also phasing out economic assistance to Russia, while maintaining civil society programs.

Bereuter: Is the Administration in favor of graduating Russia from the Jackson-Vanik Amendment?
Jones: “Jackson-Vanik has served its purpose” and “we think it’s time for Russia to graduate.” “There’s a variety of other ways to ensure Russia complies” with civil society standards, and it’s “quite appropriate” for Russia to be graduated.

Lee: How is the U.S. addressing the “crackdown and erosion of civil liberties” in Russia?
Jones: The U.S. knows that the state now controls all electronic media in Russia. We have questions about candidates’ access to media outlets and about the judiciary’s independence (as in the case of Mikhail Khodorkovsky). Sec. Powell emphasized these points in his editorial in Izvestia in January.

Tancredo: Are the Nunn-Lugar programs being properly administered? Reports have come back “from the field” claiming corruption, that money is in fact being siphoned off to fund Russian military programs.
Jones: Nunn-Lugar has been and continues to be very successful, and the U.S. government maintains very aggressive oversight of these programs.

Engel: Several Members of Congress are becoming concerned with the State Department’s inability to address Uzbek Pres. Islam Karimov’s continuing persecution of his ex-son-in-law, Mansur Maqsudi, including denial of his child visitation rights.
Jones: Maqsudi’s child custody case is very unfortunate, but it requires the cooperation of both parents. The U.S. continues working towards a resolution.

- Summary by David Shulman, NCSJ Program Assistant. 

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