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  • Strengthening The Transatlantic Alliance: An Overview Of The Obama A

    STRENGTHENING THE TRANSATLANTIC ALLIANCE: AN OVERVIEW OF THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION'S POLICIES IN EUROPE
    Philip H. Gordon

    US Department of State
    http://www.state.gov/p/eur/rls/rm/2009/12487 0.htm
    June 17 2009

    Statement before the Subcommittee on Europe of the House Foreign
    Affairs Committee

    Chairman Wexler, Congressman Gallegly, members of the Committee, thank
    you for the opportunity to speak to you today about Administration
    policies and priorities in Europe and strategies to further strengthen
    the transatlantic relationship.

    President Obama, Secretary Clinton, and I are committed to
    reinvigorating and deepening the traditional relationships of
    confidence and trust we share with Europe. Europe is eager to
    reciprocate and increase the breadth of our close relationship, one
    that is based on shared values, including an enduring commitment to
    democracy, transparency, accountability, respect for human rights,
    and the rule of law. Today, I will highlight some examples of what the
    United States and Europe have achieved and what our policy objectives
    are going forward. To do that, I will touch on three strategic
    priorities for the Administration in Europe: European engagement
    on global challenges; a Europe that is whole, free, and at peace;
    and a renewed relationship with Russia.

    Many of our European partners are among the most prosperous,
    democratic, and militarily capable countries in the world. Working
    with our European allies both bilaterally and multilaterally will
    remain critical to success in tackling the many global challenges
    we face together. The United States cooperates with Europe on all
    of the most important global challenges, including restoring growth
    and confidence in the world financial system; fighting poverty and
    pandemic disease; countering terrorism and nuclear proliferation;
    advancing peace in the Middle East; promoting human rights; and
    combating trafficking in persons. Still, there are other areas where
    our cooperation with Europe needs to increase. We can and must do
    more to address challenges like ongoing operations in Afghanistan
    and Iraq; instability in Pakistan; Iranian and North Korean nuclear
    weapons programs; energy security and climate change. As President
    Obama has said, "The United States is ready to lead, and we call upon
    our partners to join us with a sense of urgency and common purpose."

    Critical Partnerships

    One of the Administration's most important priorities will be to
    continue the historic American project of helping to extend stability,
    security, prosperity, and democracy to all of Europe and Eurasia. The
    objective of all Presidents since World War II, both Democratic and
    Republican, has been to work with Europe to realize a joint vision of
    a Europe whole, free, and at peace. One of the ways the United States
    seeks to further this goal is through our critical partnerships
    in Europe - which include the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
    (NATO), the European Union (EU), and the Organization for Security
    and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).

    NATO

    In April, NATO, the most successful alliance in history, celebrated
    its 60th Anniversary. Allies initiated a discussion of the Alliance's
    future and tasked the Secretary General to launch a review of NATO's
    Strategic Concept to insure that NATO is both prepared and equipped
    to meet the new security challenges of the 21st Century, including
    extremism, terrorism, proliferation, insurgency, failed states,
    piracy, and cyber threats.

    Also at the Summit, Allies welcomed Albania and Croatia as
    NATO's newest members, reinforcing the message that NATO's door
    remains open. The United States joined Allies in welcoming France's
    return, after over 40 years, to the integrated NATO military command
    structure. France's full participation in NATO is a symbol of a renewed
    European commitment to NATO. Finally, Allies selected former Danish
    Prime Minister Rasmussen as the next Secretary General of NATO, to
    lead the reform of the Alliance so that it retains the flexibility
    and resources required to meet the new challenges of our time.

    The United States also remains unequivocally committed to our Article
    5 commitment; we will not waiver from the enduring premise that an
    attack against one is an attack against all. As NATO Heads of State and
    Government reaffirmed at the Summit in Strasbourg-Kehl, "the strong
    collective defense of our populations, territory, and forces is the
    core purpose of the Alliance and remains our most important security
    task." We will continue to support adequate planning, exercises, and
    training to ensure NATO has the capabilities to remain as relevant
    to the security of Allied populations in the 21st century as it was
    in the 20th century.

    Some of the most pivotal outcomes of the Strasbourg-Kehl Summit
    dealt with Afghanistan. On March 27, the President announced a new
    strategy for ensuring vital U.S. national interests in Afghanistan
    and Pakistan. This strategy for the first time integrates our
    civilian and military efforts in both countries, with the goal of
    disrupting, dismantling, and defeating al-Qaeda and eliminating its
    safe-havens. The Alliance unanimously endorsed this new strategy in
    Strasbourg. While the Summit was not a pledging conference, Allies
    and partners committed to provide 3000 new forces for Afghan election
    security and over a thousand new trainers, troops and civilians to
    support this new strategy. These new contributions will support
    political growth and security transformation in Afghanistan and
    contribute to regional stability.

    Despite all of these positive developments, I do not wish to understate
    the enormity of the challenges we face - or the consequences of
    failure. Although Allies and Partners currently contribute over 32,000
    troops to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in
    Afghanistan (ISAF), we look forward to their additional contributions
    in the form of troops, civilian assistance or funds. The UK, Germany,
    Canada, France, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, and Turkey provide
    especially valuable support to the Afghanistan mission. Allied troops
    are deployed throughout Afghanistan, although some nations continue
    to impose "caveats" that restrict where their troops can go and what
    missions they can conduct. Our commanders in the field have asked for
    maximum flexibility in deploying Allied troops assigned to ISAF, and
    we continue to press Allies to eliminate caveats. The United States
    currently provides approximately 29,000 troops to ISAF. Most of our
    additional deployments will also come under ISAF.

    We recognize that there is not a purely military solution to the
    conflict, and that we must complement the security NATO provides
    by increasing international civilian assistance to Afghanistan. In
    partnership with the NSC, Special Representative for Afghanistan
    and Pakistan Richard Holbrooke is leading the overall effort for the
    Administration and has assembled an interagency team in Washington
    to coordinate with our military and to implement the President's new
    strategy more effectively.

    EU

    Another increasingly important partnership for the United States is
    with the European Union, which has become one of our most crucial
    partners in addressing regional and global challenges in Europe and
    around the world. Our priorities for U.S.-EU cooperation cover almost
    all major U.S. foreign policy concerns including: energy security,
    climate change, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and the Middle East. The
    President raised each of these issues with his European counterparts
    at the April 5 EU Summit in Prague. He also assured them that the
    United States will be a ready partner on all these issues.

    We are listening to our European partners and consulting
    with them closely, but also calling on them to bear their fair
    share of responsibilities for defending and promoting our common
    interests. During the Swedish EU Presidency that will begin on July
    1, we look forward to continued close, results-oriented U.S.-EU
    cooperation. In July, I will meet with counterparts from the 27 EU
    member states, the European Commission, and the Council Secretariat.

    The United States and the EU have the largest economic relationship
    in the world. Together, we generate 60 percent of world GDP. We will
    continue to work with the EU to promote the growth of our own market
    and support free trade and open investment around the world through
    the Transatlantic Economic Council. We will also cooperate with the
    EU to mitigate the effects of climate change, an issue that is now
    front and center in our foreign policy. The Department's Special Envoy
    for Climate Change, Todd Stern, will work with our partners in Europe
    and around the globe to craft environmentally sound, scientifically
    driven, and pragmatic solutions to the world's toughest environmental
    challenges and to lay the foundation for a successful outcome at this
    December's UN climate conference in Copenhagen.

    The EU also shares our concerns on security issues, such as Iran,
    including its nuclear activities, support for terrorism, and the
    domestic human rights situation. The EU-3 (France, Germany, and
    the United Kingdom) have worked closely with us in the P5+1 (the
    permanent members of the UN Security Council and Germany), while
    EU High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy
    Javier Solana has served as the representative of the P5+1 in direct
    negotiations with the Iranians on the nuclear issue. In addition to UN
    Security Council resolutions, the EU has also implemented additional
    autonomous sanctions intended to press the Iranians to come to the
    negotiating table.

    The United States and the EU are coordinating closely on providing
    significant financial, political, and military support for Afghanistan
    and Pakistan. Among other priorities, we are working to alleviate the
    refugee situation in Pakistan, and to monitor upcoming elections and
    train police in Afghanistan.

    The EU is also a crucial partner in our efforts to bring peace to
    the Middle East. As the largest donor to the Palestinian people,
    the EU worked closely with us earlier this year on the resolution of
    the conflict in Gaza, and it has consistently been a strong partner
    for us within the Quartet (the United States, Russia, the EU, and
    the UN). The EU has offered to reactivate and expand its dormant Gaza
    border monitoring mission while maintaining an ongoing police and rule
    of law training mission in the West Bank designed to complement our own
    efforts to improve the capabilities of the Palestinian security forces.

    Energy is increasingly at the heart of U.S. and European security
    concerns. The mutual focus on energy independence and new energy
    technologies - combined with the ongoing Russia-Ukraine gas issues,
    energy price volatility, the financial crisis and ongoing climate
    negotiations - necessitates deeper transatlantic energy cooperation. We
    are committed to working with the EU to develop access to alternative
    sources of gas, such as the Southern Corridor, which could tap into
    Caspian and Middle Eastern supplies, delivering gas to many of Europe's
    most vulnerable markets. European energy security is strengthened when
    prices for natural gas, a key strategic commodity, are determined by
    market rather than monopoly forces. Increasing such market efficiencies
    requires greater competition in European gas markets through increased
    diversified supplies of gas from the Caspian region and Iraq, as well
    as via liquefied natural gas; interconnections of European natural gas
    networks; and application of European competition policy to prevent
    manipulation of gas prices. The President appointed Ambassador Richard
    Morningstar to be Special Envoy for Eurasian Energy and has asked him
    to take the lead in coordinating our work with Europe to enhance and
    strengthen our cooperation to address European energy security.

    OSCE

    The OSCE is an important regional organization for promoting security
    defending human rights, and supporting democratic development
    throughout Europe and Eurasia. Our challenge is to reinvigorate the
    OSCE as a key promoter of fundamental freedoms, human rights, and
    civil society as necessary components of security in the region. The
    Secretary will initiate a structured dialogue on priority security
    issues when she attends the informal OSCE ministerial in Corfu later
    this month.

    G-20

    We also continue to work closely with our European partners through
    the G-20. At the April G-20 London Summit, the United States and
    the EU committed to steps that will address the global financial
    crisis. We are now following through on those commitments, which
    include strengthening international financial institutions, including
    the International Monetary Fund and the Multilateral Development Banks,
    in preparation for the next meeting of G-20 leaders in Pittsburgh
    this September. Together with the other G-20 participants, we are
    resisting protectionism and promoting global trade and investment.

    Europe Whole Free & at Peace

    Over two decades ago, the United States set out a vision for working
    with our European allies and partners on a Europe whole, free, and
    at peace, extending the zone of peace and prosperity throughout all
    of Europe. Many Central and Eastern European countries are now full
    members of NATO and the EU - this reality is one of Europe's most
    significant post-Cold War accomplishments. Yet we still have unfinished
    business in extending that vision and prosperity to Europe's south
    and east. Critical challenges remain, and only through collective
    action will we continue to make progress.

    The global economic crisis has created additional pressures on our
    European friends and Allies and particular challenges for accomplishing
    our shared objectives in Europe and around the world. Europe's
    stability and prosperity affect its strength as a global partner of
    the United States. Economic uncertainty may also aggravate Europe's
    internal questions of identity, including those related to immigration,
    race, globalization, and trade. The economic crisis has hit certain
    parts of Europe especially hard, and we may very well see conditions
    get worse before they get better. Still, we must not allow this crisis
    to derail the critical work of pursuing a Europe whole, free, and
    at peace. Our collective security objectives will not be reached by
    decreasing capacities or turning increasingly inward. On the contrary,
    we must continue to make the case to our friends and Allies that,
    despite the devastating effects of the economic crisis, the many
    global and security challenges we face are too critical to ignore.

    Turkey

    Turkey is crucial to success in many of our most important foreign
    policy priorities, including stability and prosperity in Afghanistan,
    Pakistan, and Iraq, achieving a lasting peace in the Middle East,
    securing European energy diversity and resolving frozen conflicts
    and regional disputes. We support Turkey's aspirations for eventual
    membership in the EU as Turkey advances reforms that will make
    it an even stronger partner. We encourage the EU to reach out to
    Turkey to demonstrate real prospects for membership. Doing so will
    serve as a catalyst for additional internal reforms. We are also
    encouraging Turkey to make additional needed reforms required to meet
    membership criteria, reforms that will strengthen Turkey's democracy
    and economy. We encourage Turkey to take steps that will bolster its
    relations with its neighbors by re-opening the Halki Seminary and
    normalizing relations with Armenia, including a candid exploration
    of the two countries' sometimes tragic history. We must also work to
    resolve outstanding disputes in the Aegean, to reduce prospects for
    heightened military tensions in a strategic area. Turkey is also at the
    center of U.S. and European Union efforts to diversify European gas
    supplies by expanding a "Southern Corridor" of energy infrastructure
    to transport Caspian (and eventually Iraqi) gas to Europe.

    Armenia

    The United States seeks to help Armenia strengthen its security
    and prosperity by settling Armenia's conflict with Azerbaijan over
    Nagorno-Karabakh and by encouraging Turkey and Armenia to normalize
    their relations. We believe these two processes should proceed
    separately, but in parallel, and at different speeds. Armenia and
    Turkey announced in their April 22 joint statement they had "agreed
    on a comprehensive framework for the normalization of their bilateral
    relations." This represents an historic opportunity as Turkey and
    Armenia are closer than ever before to normalizing relations and
    re-opening their border. Meanwhile, the United States has helped
    invigorate progress towards a Nagorno-Karabakh settlement through
    its mediation as a Co-chair of the OSCE's Minsk Group. The meetings
    of Armenian President Sargsian and Azerbaijani President Aliyev
    on May 7 in Prague and June 4 in St. Petersburg cleared the way to
    accelerate efforts to finalize a framework agreement by the end of
    2009. We also seek to advance democratic and market economic reform
    in Armenia, including through the Millennium Challenge Corporation
    Compact with Armenia.

    Azerbaijan

    Azerbaijan is an important partner of the United States on regional
    security (especially counterterrorism) and on helping our European
    allies diversify their supplies of natural gas. Azerbaijan also exports
    nearly one million barrels of oil per day to global markets via the
    Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, free from geographic chokepoints (such as
    the Turkish Straits and the Straits of Hormuz) and from monopolistic
    pressures. As noted above, the United States has helped generate new
    progress toward a settlement of the Nagorno-Karabakh conflict. Our
    U.S. Co-chair of the OSCE's Minsk Group, Deputy Assistant Secretary
    Matt Bryza, joined his Russian and French colleagues in facilitating
    five meetings between Presidents Sargsian and Aliyev over the past
    year. Secretary Clinton has been personally engaged in a series of
    discussions with Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders, including meetings
    with Foreign Ministers Mammadyarov and Nalbandian in Washington on
    May 5.

    I made my first trip to the Caucasus last week, where I visited
    Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia to pursue our objectives in the region.

    Cyprus

    We will also continue to support the current negotiations in Cyprus
    - led by the two Cypriot communities under the auspices of the UN
    Good Offices Mission. Resolution of the Cyprus problem will have a
    tremendous impact on the region by strengthening peace, justice and
    prosperity on the island, advancing Turkey's EU accession, improving
    NATO-EU cooperation and removing a source of friction between two
    NATO Allies, Greece and Turkey. As President Obama said, we are
    "willing to offer all the help sought by the parties as they work
    toward a just and lasting settlement that reunifies Cyprus into a
    bizonal and bicommunal federation."

    Greece

    Greece is an important NATO Ally and the people-to-people ties between
    our countries run deep, sentiments the President reiterated to Prime
    Minister Karamanlis when they met in April. We look forward to working
    with Greece on a host of global challenges ranging from piracy to non
    proliferation. We also recognize the role Greece plays in important
    regional issues, including in the Balkans, the Aegean and Cyprus,
    and through its current chairmanship of the OSCE. We support Greece's
    application for the Visa Waiver Program, and together, we are moving
    the process forward.

    Balkans

    We are showing renewed leadership in the Balkans where more than
    a decade after Western interventions, the forces of democracy,
    openness, and modernity still struggle against backward-looking ethnic
    nationalism and intolerance. In concert with our European partners,
    we are intensifying our engagement with the region's leaders and
    pressing for reforms that will advance their states toward the
    European mainstream. The Administration places great importance
    on completing the task of fully integrating the Balkan region into
    the Euro-Atlantic community. However, much work remains to secure a
    peaceful and prosperous future for the region.

    Macedonia

    Supporting Macedonia's integration into NATO and the EU remains
    a vital element in our efforts to promote peace and stability in
    the Balkans. As Allies reaffirmed at the Strasbourg-Kehl Summit,
    Macedonia will join NATO as soon the name issue is resolved. We would
    like to see this issue resolved soon. To that end, and in keeping with
    longstanding U.S. policy, we support a mutually acceptable solution
    to Macedonia's name through the ongoing UN process led by Ambassador
    Nimetz. Deputy Secretary Steinberg delivered that message personally
    during his visits to Athens and Skopje in May.

    Bosnia and Herzegovina

    In his recent trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, Vice President Biden
    made clear our continuing commitment to help the country overcome its
    wartime legacy and transition to a modern state that can join NATO
    and the EU. To do so, Bosnia's leaders must abandon divisive rhetoric
    and actions that threaten or violate the Dayton Peace Agreement, which
    remains the foundation for stability. Reforms that have been achieved
    must be protected, state-level institutions must be strengthened,
    and attempts to undermine them must stop.

    Bosnia's leaders must work across ethnic lines to reach compromises
    on governmental reforms that will enable the country to meet its
    Euro-Atlantic aspirations. Recently, while in Bosnia, Vice President
    Biden and EU High Representative for Common Foreign and Security
    Policy Javier Solana stressed that Bosnia's future is in Europe,
    and it is natural that the EU will take on a greater role in guiding
    the reform process consistent with EU accession requirements. But
    before the Office of the High Representative can transition to an EU
    Special Representative, the so called "five plus two" reform agenda
    of outstanding Dayton implementation and state building objectives
    and conditions must be completed.

    Serbia

    The Vice President also met with Serbian President Tadic, Prime
    Minister Cvetkovic, and Defense Minister Sutanovac to stress the
    Administration's intent to reinvigorate the relationship. He made
    clear that, despite our differences over Kosovo, we have extensive
    common interests, and the United States stands ready to support Serbia
    as it moves towards full integration into European and Euro-Atlantic
    institutions. This includes strengthened ties and membership in the
    European Union and closer cooperation with NATO, including eventual
    membership when Serbia is ready. The Vice President stressed that
    Serbia must uphold its commitment to work with the international
    community on practical humanitarian matters in Kosovo that will
    help improve the lives of all of Kosovo's citizens, including ethnic
    Serbs. Belgrade's full cooperation with the EU rule of law mission
    remains a key element in this. Vice President Biden also emphasized
    that we expect Serbia to continue its efforts to capture and extradite
    to The Hague the remaining war crimes fugitives Ratko Mladic and
    Goran Hadzic.

    Montenegro

    Montenegro is a new democracy, strongly committed to integration into
    Euro-Atlantic institutions, including NATO and the EU. In his May
    trip to Montenegro, Deputy Secretary Steinberg reaffirmed our strong
    support for Montenegro's NATO and EU aspirations and encouraged the
    government to continue to play a stabilizing role in the region. He
    also stressed the need to step up efforts to strengthen rule of law,
    as well as transparency and accountability in government.

    Kosovo

    Kosovo's success as an independent state within its current
    borders remains a critically important factor for stability in the
    Balkans. Yesterday (June 15th), Kosovo celebrated the one-year
    anniversary of the establishment of its constitution, and it
    has made tremendous progress during the sixteen months since its
    independence. Kosovo's independence is irreversible. To date, sixty
    countries from around the world have formally recognized Kosovo. The
    shareholders of the International Monetary Fund and World Bank also
    recently voted to admit Kosovo as a member. Membership in these
    international financial institutions will help Kosovo's efforts to
    achieve economic stability and prosperity for the benefit of all
    its citizens.

    Kosovo's leadership is upholding its commitments to build a multiethnic
    democracy, with far-reaching protections for Kosovo Serb and other
    minority communities. The government has demonstrated Kosovo is willing
    and able to play a constructive role as a responsible member of the
    international community. Of course, much work remains as Kosovo's
    leaders build for the future. The United States will support Kosovo as
    it re-doubles efforts to build governing capacity, develop a sound
    economy and environment for investment, and maintain momentum in
    creation of a robust, multi-ethnic democracy.

    Eurasia

    Furthermore, in promoting a peaceful, united, and democratic Europe
    and Eurasia, we must strongly support the sovereignty and independence
    of all European states, including those that emerged out of the former
    Soviet Union.

    Georgia

    The United States strongly supports Georgia's territorial integrity
    and sovereignty and its commitment to further democratic reform. We
    must work with our international partners, including the UN, OSCE
    and EU, to improve the security and humanitarian situation throughout
    Georgia and to increase international access to the separatist regions
    of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. We will maintain solidarity with the
    international community in refusing to recognize the independence of
    these separatist regions of Georgia. We regret that Russia blocked
    the extension of the OSCE and UN missions in Georgia. EU monitors
    play a crucial role in defusing tension along the administrative
    border between South Ossetia and the rest of Georgia. On June 22,
    2009, Secretary Clinton and Foreign Minister Vashadze will chair the
    inaugural meeting of the U.S.-Georgia Strategic Partnership Council,
    based on the charter our two countries concluded in January 2009,
    which reaffirms our commitment to deepen cooperation with Georgia.

    Ukraine

    The United States is committed to insuring a prosperous, democratic,
    and independent Ukraine by helping consolidate its democratic
    institutions and continue reforms. It is important for Ukraine's
    leaders to work together to address its serious economic crisis as
    well, including taking all necessary steps to implement the $16.4
    billion IMF Standby Program.

    The United States strongly supports the right of both Ukraine and
    Georgia to pursue their membership aspirations in NATO. To achieve
    NATO membership, both countries must complete rigorous reforms to
    meet NATO's performance-based standards. Under the auspices of the
    NATO-Ukraine and NATO-Georgia Commissions, Allies, including the United
    States, are working with both countries to provide concrete advice,
    assistance, and practical support to help guide these efforts.

    Moldova

    A country that has been a concern recently is Moldova, where repeat
    parliamentary elections will take place after the parliament failed
    to elect a president. We will urge the Government of Moldova to
    conduct the elections in a fair and transparent manner, seriously
    addressing concerns raised about the conduct of the previous
    parliamentary elections, including accurate voter lists and a free
    and independent media. This would increase confidence in Moldova's
    democratic institutions and demonstrate that Moldova remains on
    a path of reform and democratic development. We will continue to
    work for a negotiated settlement of the separatist conflict in the
    Transnistria region that provides for a whole and democratic Moldova
    and the withdrawal of Russian forces.

    Belarus

    In Belarus, we will encourage the regime to emerge from isolation
    and to respect the Belarusian people's basic rights and democratic
    aspirations through undertaking genuine political and economic
    reform. Our assistance program in Belarus complements these goals.

    Russia

    As we work to promote security, prosperity and democracy across
    Eurasia, the Obama Administration is committed to reinvigorating our
    relations with Russia and looks forward to building a relationship
    based on respect and mutual cooperation. President Obama and
    President Medvedev met in London on April 1, where they reaffirmed
    that Washington and Moscow share common visions of many of the
    threats and opportunities in the world today. The two presidents'
    joint declaration recognized that more unites us than divides us. The
    task is now to translate that sentiment into actual achievements as
    we look ahead to a July summit in Moscow.

    We also share major common interests and will work together on these
    important areas. In this regard, Presidents Obama and Medvedev agreed
    to develop a robust agenda for bilateral cooperation, agreeing to
    work together on a variety of issues, including reducing strategic
    nuclear weapons and enhancing nuclear security, and to cooperate on
    such issues as counterterrorism, counternarcotics, Iran, North Korea,
    the environment, strengthening civil society, and the global economic
    crisis. We also appreciate the Russian decision to allow non-lethal
    transit through their territory to assist international efforts in
    Afghanistan, a mission that has clear security implications for
    Russia and an area that offers the United States and Russia more
    common ground on which to constructively work together in the future.

    Another part of that agenda will be the negotiation of a follow-on
    agreement to the START treaty, which is set to expire on December 5,
    2009. So far, there have been two rounds of productive meetings in May
    and June. The negotiators are charged with reporting their progress
    to the Presidents during their meeting in Moscow in July.

    Russia and the United States bear a special responsibility for the
    future safety of the world. We are working very hard together to
    find practical solutions, including through the UN Conference on
    Disarmament, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, Cooperative Threat
    Reduction programs, and the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear
    Terrorism.

    One of the outstanding issues we face is the drift in relations
    between Russia and the NATO alliance, as well as the weakening of
    European security structures triggered by Russia's suspension of its
    implementation of the Treaty on Conventional Armed Forces in Europe. At
    the OSCE ministerial in Corfu, we will discuss ways to strengthen
    European security. We are pleased that the NATO-Russia Council will
    also meet at the ministerial level on the margins to resume dialogue
    and refocus on areas of shared interest. The Secretary spoke about an
    "all weather" forum for dialogue where areas of common interest and
    grave importance to our shared and global security can always be
    discussed. We welcome a dialogue with Russia in the OSCE about its
    ideas for a new European security architecture. We remain committed
    to working through and improving existing structures and mechanisms
    for joint cooperation on European security. The OSCE will serve as
    an important forum for such a discussion, as the sole multilateral
    organization in Europe that brings us all together on equal terms.

    At the same time that we reinvigorate our relations with Russia, we
    will not abandon our principles or ignore concerns about democracy
    and human rights. While we look forward to forming a more cooperative
    partnership with Russia, we have no illusions that this will be easy or
    that we will not continue to have differences. The United States will
    not recognize a Russian sphere of influence. The United States will
    also continue to support the sovereignty and territorial integrity of
    Russia's neighbors. They have the right to make their own decisions
    and choose their own alliances. The United States and Russia can
    still work together where our interests coincide while seeking to
    narrow our differences in an open and mutually respectful way.

    Western Europe

    As we recognize the many challenges that we face in spreading security,
    prosperity, and democracy to South and Eastern Europe, it is also
    important that we recognize and continue to work with our traditional
    friends and allies in Europe's West.

    The United States enjoys some of its closest and most productive
    partnerships with the countries in this region. President Obama made
    two visits to reinforce these relationships in the first five months of
    his presidency. Our Allies throughout Europe share an enduring set of
    common interests and values with us and they also possess the ability
    to bring real assets to the table - diplomatic, financial, and military
    - for joint action to promote and defend those interests. The United
    States is grateful to all of these countries and our NATO partners in
    other regions such as Australia for their significant contributions
    to the joint mission in Afghanistan, and looks forward to continuing
    our close cooperation as we begin implementing the new strategy
    there. Sixty years ago, our nations came together to fight a common
    enemy that threatened the freedom of the citizens of Europe. Today,
    we continue to work together with these important Allies on many new
    and emerging threats.

    Global Cooperation

    Finally, let me address several specific issues, some old and others
    very new, which pose significant challenges to the United States and
    our transatlantic friends. As President Obama said on his first trip
    to Europe, "America can't meet our global challenges alone; nor can
    Europe meet them without America."

    Foreign Assistance

    An integral part of working with our European partners on global issues
    is being a good partner ourselves. Specifically this involves making
    good on our foreign assistance commitments and maintaining them in the
    years to come. The job we started after the fall of the Berlin Wall
    - to help nurture democratic and economic reform among the states
    of the former Soviet Union -- is far from over. Many countries in
    Central and Eastern Europe have been phased out of foreign assistance,
    primarily because of their membership in the EU or NATO. Countries
    that are still receiving our help in making the democratic transition
    arguably present an even tougher challenge today, especially during a
    global economic downturn. U.S. foreign assistance invests in American
    security by contributing to European security and helping build stable
    and full participants in the transatlantic community.

    Our assistance is essential to bolstering the efforts of still-fragile
    reformers like Ukraine, Georgia, and Moldova to integrate into
    Euro-Atlantic institutions. In the Balkans, our Fiscal Year 2010
    request to Congress represents a re-balancing of aid levels to maintain
    robust funding for Kosovo, to increase aid to consolidate progress in
    Albania and Macedonia, to strengthen reforms in Serbia, and to ensure
    that Bosnia and Herzegovina gets back on the path to Euro-Atlantic
    integration. We are seeking additional resources to prevent or reverse
    further democratic backsliding in places like Belarus, Azerbaijan,
    and Armenia. In Russia, we focus on programs to promote democratic
    development and human rights to enhance cooperation with Moscow to
    counter nuclear proliferation, terrorism, and global health scourges.

    Our military assistance to Europe and Eurasia, for which we seek
    to restore funding following sharp cuts in 2008 and 2009, pays us
    dividends by building new capabilities in countries that support
    our security operations abroad, including Afghanistan, and by
    improving the professionalism of European forces, and developing
    their interoperability with NATO.

    Public Diplomacy

    One of the most important components of global cooperation in the 21st
    century is our Public Diplomacy strategy. That involves being able
    to effectively communicate with European governments and publics in
    a way that creates an understanding of our policy objectives, lays
    the groundwork for concerted action with European partners beyond
    Europe's borders, and engages Europe's young generation of "first
    time voters" to create a sense of common values and purpose with the
    United States. To do this, the Department is engaged in rapid and
    targeted delivery of policy messages to meet ever-shorter news cycles;
    developing innovative uses of new media to engage youth audiences;
    expanding programs that invite dialogue - listening as well as talking;
    and creating new exchange programs that allow us to engage Europe's
    future leaders, and in expanding our use of our soft power tools,
    like culture and sports, to open doors and begin dialogue.

    Engagement with Muslims in Europe

    Another crucial aspect of our strategy is to engage constructively
    with Muslim populations in Europe. As President Obama said during
    his trip to Turkey in April and in his Cairo speech earlier this
    month, the United States seeks a new beginning with Muslims around
    the world, one based on mutual interest, mutual respect, and the
    principles of justice, progress, tolerance, and the dignity of all
    human beings. The Department's engagement efforts in Europe seek to
    capitalize on these interests by improving understanding of the United
    States, helping to build networks of European and American Muslims,
    facilitating improved inter-community relations, and supporting
    peaceful grassroots organizations, with a particular focus on youth
    outreach. Our approaches are tailored to the different contexts and
    the variety of Muslim communities in different countries, and include
    engagement with students and community groups, internships, mentoring,
    exchanges and many others.

    Holocaust Issues

    Yet another aspect of our global cooperation involves engaging the
    countries of Europe to help those still-living survivors of one
    of the worst genocides in the history of the world, the Holocaust,
    achieve some belated justice. The upcoming Conference on Holocaust
    Era Assets offers us that opportunity. Former Deputy Treasury
    Secretary Stuart Eizenstat will head the U.S. delegation to the
    Prague Conference which will address five main themes: immovable
    (real) property restitution and compensation, Nazi-confiscated art,
    Holocaust education and remembrance, recovery of Judaica, and social
    welfare needs of Holocaust survivors.

    Counterterrorism

    Another critically important area where the United States and Europe
    work increasingly well together is counterterrorism. Steps taken
    by European governments, often in concert with us, and ongoing
    counterterrorism relationships with European countries have had
    a direct and positive impact on the security of the continental
    United States and our interests overseas. We cooperate closely on law
    enforcement, cyber security, intelligence gathering and information
    exchange, as well as on international transport security and border
    control, and on dealing with the consequence of terrorist attacks. We
    also work closely with European governments to freeze assets and
    designate individuals and organizations with financial links to
    terrorists.

    Conclusion

    The United States and Europe share the important responsibility of
    leading the international effort to address our most pressing global
    challenges. We also share core values - human rights, democracy and
    the rule of law - a strong foundation as we work together on our
    global agenda of advancing these core values as well as security,
    prosperity, and stability to the entire European continent and around
    the world. We must continue to embrace this responsibility to lead and
    recognize that our results are best, and our partnership strongest,
    when we work together.

    Mr. Chairman, Congressman Gallegly, members of the Committee, I am
    grateful for the opportunity to speak before you today, and I welcome
    the opportunity to respond to your questions.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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