[Joint House and Senate Hearing, 112 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
IRELAND'S CHAIRMANSHIP
OF THE OSCE
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
FEBRUARY 8, 2012
__________
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COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS
HOUSE
SENATE
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland,
Chairman Co-Chairman
JOSEPH R. PITTS, Pennsylvania SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island
ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama TOM UDALL, New Mexico
PHIL GINGREY, Georgia JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
MICHAEL C. BURGESS, Texas RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi
LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER, SAXBY CHAMBLISS, Georgia
New York MARCO RUBIO, Florida
MIKE McINTYRE, North Carolina KELLY AYOTTE, New Hampshire
STEVE COHEN, Tennessee
EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS
MICHAEL H. POSNER, Department of State
MICHAEL C. CAMUNEZ, Department of Commerce
ALEXANDER VERSHBOW, Department of Defense
[ii]
IRELAND'S CHAIRMANSHIP
OF THE OSCE
----------
February 8, 2012
COMMISSIONER
Page
Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Chairman, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.......................................... 1
WITNESS
Eamon Gilmore, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign
Affairs and Trade, Republic of Ireland......................... 4
APPENDICES
Prepared statement of Hon. Christopher H. Smith.................. 20
Prepared statement of Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin.................... 21
[iii]
IRELAND'S CHAIRMANSHIP
OF THE OSCE
----------
February 8, 2012
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Washington, DC
The hearing was held at 11:30 a.m. in room B-318, Rayburn
House Office Building, Washington, DC, Hon. Christopher H.
Smith, Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation in
Europe, presiding.
Commissioner present: Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Chairman,
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Witness present: Eamon Gilmore, Deputy Prime Minister and
Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Republic of Ireland.
HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Good morning. And we know that some members of the
Commission are en route, so I don't want to delay you, Mr.
Foreign Minister, so we will start but they will be here
shortly.
I want to welcome everyone joining us this morning,
especially Minister Gilmore, the Foreign Minister of Ireland
and Chair-in-Office for the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe.
It is a privilege to have you testify before the Helsinki
Commission today, Mr. Minister, on Ireland's leadership of the
OSCE. You are continuing a tradition that we have followed for
more than a decade of hearing directly from the country holding
the chairmanship of the OSCE.
While today many countries in Europe are inwardly focused
on economic crises--and that goes for the U.S. as well--the
world still cries out for global leadership, and Ireland has
stepped up to the plate, accepting the 2012 chairmanship of
Europe's largest regional security organization, the OSCE,
which does its best work in promoting human rights, democracy,
the rule of law and free elections.
Ireland has, for a long time, been one of the most
constructive countries within the OSCE, enhancing the
credibility of the organization it now leads. Mr. Minister, I
thank you and your government for taking on the
responsibility--and it's a huge responsibility--to lead the
OSCE.
Mr. Minister, the Helsinki Commission has a long history of
engaging with the OSCE, both through and in cooperation with
the U.S. Department of State, and independently. And, as
Chairman, I am very happy with the priorities you have set for
the Irish chairmanship, particularly the emphasis on Internet
freedom and your plans to hold a meeting this year on that
issue.
I've recently introduced and am preparing to mark up a bill
in my subcommittee, the Global Health, Global Human Rights and
Africa Subcommittee, known as the Global Online Freedom Act,
which counteracts the efforts of many governments, including
some in the OSCE, to purchase U.S. technology to transform the
Internet into a tool of censorship and surveillance.
Earlier versions of this legislation were also introduced
in the European Parliament, so I look forward to working with
you on this issue, and I think we now have the best draft ever,
that really and very incisively goes after this witting or
unwitting cooperation with dictatorships in finding,
apprehending and putting into prison dissidents and people who
are seeking democracy.
Your ideas for drawing on Ireland's experience in Northern
Ireland's peace process in reference to protracted conflicts
elsewhere in the OSCE region also connects a long-standing
Commission priority.
Since the mid-1990s we have held, either in this Commission
or in my subcommittee--I chaired those hearings--13 hearings on
Northern Ireland's peace process, keeping a special focus on
the police reform. And the problem of policing, if it went
unaddressed, would have probably unraveled the entire peace
process and the Good Friday Agreement.
Perhaps the key issue the Commission will be pursuing in
the OSCE this year is international parental child abduction.
Last year the Parliamentary Assembly passed a resolution urging
the OSCE to take up the issue of international parental child
abduction, and urging a ministerial decision on that issue.
I believe the U.S. government agrees that this is an issue
which could benefit from a ministerial decision this year. That
is, the benefit would go to the children, who suffer greatly.
``Parental alienation'' is the term of art given to us by the
experts in psychology. It is a very real and a very significant
form of child abuse. And governments and national courts need
to do more to live up to their obligations under The Hague
Convention.
Another important issue will continue to be the fight
against anti-Semitism, which, following a Commission hearing in
May of 2002, we worked to get the issue of anti-Semitism as a
front-burner issue, resulting in a series of high-level and
ministerial conferences on anti-Semitism and a ministerial
declaration on combating anti-Semitism, the implementation of
which has been sadly lacking. Many countries have been very,
very infirm in terms of their response, even to the chronicling
of this horrific millenniums-old abuse.
The work of battling anti-Semitism is now being led by the
Personal Representative Rabbi Andy Baker, and I can't emphasize
too strongly how important it is to support his work, and I
know you do, and the work of the other personal representatives
to do--and to do otherwise by any of us would be a tragic step
backwards.
I know Rabbi Baker personally. I've known him for many
years. He was instrumental in helping us craft the Berlin
language. I remember when certain impasses were being reached
as to what the actual text ought to look like. Now, he was, you
know, brilliant in coming up with the language that really made
all the difference in bringing that consensus to bear on
combating anti-Semitism, which is only getting worse, as we all
know.
I plan on chairing a hearing on UNRWA very shortly, and the
textbook issue. I've done it before. We'll be doing it again,
which, sadly, in the Palestinian refugee camps where the
textbooks are rife with anti-Semitic, anti-Israeli and anti-
American rhetoric. And even when Fatah was in charge of the
PLO, they too allowed Hamas--or Hamas had control of education.
And if you train kids to hate--remember that famous song in
``South Pacific''? You must be taught about hatred being passed
on generation to generation. I've read the textbooks, of course
the English translations, and they are true and authentic. We
even had a witness right here, standing where Mr. Glynn is
standing, who brought textbooks with him and read from them,
and they were rife with anti-Semitic hatred.
And if you tell 12-year-olds and 8-year-olds and hold pep
rallies about how blowing oneself up is in the interest of the
Palestinians and the interest of Islam, you will get radical
child soldiers, as we've seen with Joseph Kony's group in
Uganda and elsewhere, the Lord's Resistance Army. They get
radicalized.
So we will be focusing on that further in our Commission
with a hearing that's set--Mark, do we have a date for that?
Mr. Milosch. We have early March.
Mr. Smith. Early March for that hearing. So it's something
I think we all need to be looking at.
Anti-Semitism is an aspect of larger problems of religious
freedom in the OSCE region today. A recent example of
intolerance took place in Macedonia. I met with a number of
parliamentarians from Macedonia just last week, where a local
Muslim set fire to a local church, reportedly in response to
the mocking of their own faith by other locals.
We're all against the mocking of anyone's faith, but
setting fire to a church, that is outrageous. It takes the evil
to a whole new level, and I note with sadness how few political
leaders outside of Macedonia responded by condemning this
violence against a Christian church.
I'm particularly concerned about the Coptic minority in
Egypt. As the largest and one of the oldest minorities, they're
suffering portends suffering throughout the region. And make no
mistake about it, they are suffering. Coptic women and girls,
some as young as adolescents, are being systematically lured
from their families or kidnapped off the street corners and
forced to change their religion and forced to marry outside of
their community.
They frequently suffer physical and psychological abuse,
including rape, beatings, forced isolation, and lack of
personal freedom, both before and after their so-called
marriage/conversion. The drugging of victims appears to be
commonplace.
Michele Clark, who is well-known in OSCE circles for the
great work she did at ODIHR, working on human trafficking--she
is an internationally recognized anti-trafficking expert and
advocate on behalf of vulnerable women--estimates that this
happens to thousands--thousands of Coptic women and girls each
year. And we believe it is getting worse with the rise of
Islamist groups, particularly now after the elections in Egypt.
We know of no instance where the government has prosecuted
anyone connected with disappearances. And of course Egypt is
part of our Mediterranean partnership and hopefully a real
focus will be placed there.
Punitive tax on Copts was commonplace under Mubarak, and I
and many colleagues have raised that with Mubarak both in
Cairo, on trips there, and every year when he made his trip
here, but now it's becoming the hallmark of the new regime. We
had hoped for better. We still hope. And we have tied Egypt's
1.3 billion [dollars] in aid to its treatment of religious
minorities.
There are a number of conditionality clauses in the most
recently enacted foreign ops bill. One of them is that there be
no abrogation of the Israeli-Egyptian peace treaty. Another is
religious freedom and especially the focus on religious
minorities. We expect attacks to be prosecuted and attackers to
spend significant time in jail.
Mr. Minister, one of the reasons the United States so
values the OSCE is that its work touches on so many human
rights issues. And I believe it's why you and the Irish
Government, which certainly values human rights just as highly
as the U.S. government--you are truly a beacon--will find your
work this year rewarding. And I look forward to your
presentation.
I would like to note, in the audience--I'm very pleased to
note that the Minister is joined here today by David Donoghue,
political director of Ireland's Department of Foreign Affairs;
Brian Glynn, the deputy head of Ireland's OSCE task force.
And we are also joined by Ian Kelly, Ambassador Kelly, the
head of the U.S. mission to the OSCE. Ambassador Kelly, thank
you for the good work you are doing on behalf of the United
States. And, as always, you are welcome and considered a great
friend of this Commission.
Foreign Minister Gilmore, please proceed.
EAMON GILMORE, DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER AND MINISTER OF FOREIGN
AFFAIRS AND TRADE, REPUBLIC OF IRELAND
Chairman Smith, Commissioners, ladies and gentlemen. Thank
you, Chairman, and thank you for your introduction and for your
opening statement.
I'm delighted to be here today as Chairperson-in-Office of
the OSCE. The Helsinki Commission has made a hugely important
contribution to the work of the OSCE throughout the years, and
I wish to pay tribute to the dedication of the Commission and
all of its staff who have participated in these efforts.
The United States is a crucial player within the OSCE, and
I know I can rely on its support during our chairmanship. It is
of course always a pleasure for me to visit Washington, given
the special ties which link our two countries. And I will
particularly like to thank you, Chairman Smith, long-time
friend of Ireland, champion of human rights in Northern Ireland
and around the globe, for your kind invitation to me to join
you today.
This is Ireland's first time to chair the OSCE. We view the
task as a unique opportunity to make a tangible contribution to
the promotion of European peace and security.
In 1975, the Helsinki Final Act heralded a new vision in
European security, pledging to end East-West divisions and to
build a more secure Europe. I think we can all agree that that
vision has largely been realized. The cooperative and inclusive
nature of the OSCE is its best asset, and it continues to play
a significant role in conflict resolution and in the promotion
of peace, security and respect for human rights and the rule of
law.
That being said, there is no room for complacency. The need
for effective multilateralism is as compelling today as it was
all those decades ago, particularly now as we faced the most
challenging political and economic crisis of recent times.
As we look towards the 40th anniversary of the Helsinki
Final Act in 2015, we have an opportunity to reflect on the
contribution which the OSCE can make in tackling these global
challenges and in ensuring its continuing effectiveness.
Mr. Chairman, I want to turn to some of the priorities of
the Irish chairmanship. We will be ambitious in progressing
work across all three dimensions, and we will strive to achieve
concrete results and to deliver tangible benefits through a
small and balanced package of decisions and declarations for
adoption at the Dublin Ministerial Council in December.
Ireland has always attached a particular importance to the
human dimension, and we will aim to make progress in this
field. Of course, the Helsinki Commission has made a hugely
important contribution in this area.
The continuing threat to fundamental freedoms and human
rights in a number of OSCE participating states is a cause of
real concern. You have mentioned some of the issues of greatest
concern. I can assure you that the Irish chairmanship is
committed to addressing specific instances where OSCE human
dimension commitments are not being met, working closely with
the relevant OSCE institutions.
As you know, in Astana, participating states reaffirmed
categorically the human dimension commitments are of direct and
legitimate concern to all participating states and do not
belong exclusively to the internal affairs of states.
Our key priority in this dimension will be Internet
freedom. As in other parts of the world, the threat to freedom
of expression online is ever-present in the OSCE region and
regrettably appears to be growing.
Our intention is to highlight the simple fact that human
rights and fundamental freedoms do not change with new
technologies but extend into the digital age. We will work to
ensure that existing OSCE commitments in relation to freedom of
expression and freedom of the media apply to all forms and
means through which they are exercised.
As part of these efforts, we intend to organize a human
dimension meeting in Dublin in June, with involvement of key
stakeholders such as civil society and ICT companies. I do not
think it is an exaggeration to say that many governments,
including my own, are still grappling with the implications of
rampant technological change. We can all benefit from an in-
depth discussion of this kind.
Human dimension meetings are also planned on a range of
other topics. I believe that there will be particular interest
in our proposal to focus on racism, discrimination, and
intolerance in sport, in view of the European soccer
championships in Poland and Ukraine this year, and the Olympic
Games in London.
We are all too familiar with the manifestations of racism
and other forms of discrimination and intolerance against
sportsmen and -women. The risk that younger sports fans may
inherit prejudices or have them reinforced by their role models
is all too evident.
Nor is this problem restricted to the sports field. We
should work harder to address racism, intolerance and
discrimination in coaching, management, and other areas in the
sporting world. Happily, sport lends itself to bringing forward
good practices, and we aim to highlight some of these
practices.
We don't need to look very far for good examples. A very
good one is the work of Ambassador Dan Rooney, the United
States ambassador to Ireland, who, in introducing the Rooney
Rule in the NFL helped to achieve a large increase in the
number of African-American coaches.
As chairmanship, we will also continue to prioritize the
OSCE's efforts to fight intolerance and discrimination based on
religion or belief, a subject which you addressed
comprehensively in your opening remarks.
One of the first decisions I made in January was to appoint
three personal representatives to deal inter alia with
intolerance and discrimination against Jews, Muslims,
Christians and members of other religions.
I am very pleased that Rabbi Andrew Baker of the United
States agreed to continue his excellent work in combating anti-
Semitism alongside Senator Akhmetov of Kazakhstan, and Mrs.
Justice Catherine McGuinness, a retired judge of the Irish
Supreme Court.
I was also delighted to appoint a special representative on
gender issues, Ms. June Zeitlin. Ms. Zeitlin, who currently
works at the Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights
here in Washington, DC, has been a leader on women's issues for
more than 30 years, with extensive public policy experience in
the United States and globally. We look forward to her work in
the year ahead to promote women's rights and gender equality in
the OSCE region, working together with the Gender Section in
the OSCE Secretariat and the gender advisor in ODIHR.
Our other human dimension priorities include trafficking in
human beings, freedom of association and assembly, professional
and ethical standards in democratic life, and freedom of
religion or belief. It is my hope that an early agreement can
be reached on the package of meetings so that detailed planning
for the individual events can begin as soon as possible.
Ireland is also committed to taking forward, in parallel,
the process of review of human dimension meetings, which was
begun under the Lithuanian chairmanship. We will provide a
space for discussion of all proposals aimed at improving the
functioning of human dimension meetings, with a view to
concluding these discussions in the second half of 2012.
The chairmanship is conscious that hard choices may have to
be made and that delegations will be called upon to show
flexibility and a spirit of compromise. We hope that you will
put your trust in the chairmanship.
I should like to mention just one more area of work in this
dimension that is so crucial to the OSCE's work as a community
of states committed to respect for human rights, democracy and
the rule of law.
Ireland will strive to provide all necessary support to
ODIHR and the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE in the crucial
area of election observation. As has been the case to date, we
hope that states holding elections in 2012 will issue timely
invitations to ODIHR to organize election missions. Of course,
the United States itself holds elections later this year, and
we trust that the U.S. authorities will meet their OSCE
commitments in this regard. We will also work to ensure
appropriate followup to recommendations made in election
observation mission reports.
Mr. Chairman, the confidence and security-building measures
adopted within the political-military dimension remain central
to the enhancement of security in the OSCE region. Our
collective goal, as agreed in Astana, is to work towards a
genuine security community.
To help us to reach that goal, we will call on
participating states to reflect on the building blocks
available to us in the areas of arms control, conflict
prevention and resolution, and transnational threats. This will
be the theme for the Annual Security Review Conference in June.
We will also continue the good work carried out last year
in updating the Vienna Document, and we'll work with the 2012
FSC chairs in this regard. We will take forward work on
tackling transnational threats such as organized crime, cyber
threats, drugs, terrorism and trafficking, challenges which we
face in all of our societies.
The economic and environmental dimension has a particular
resonance today, given the global economic and environmental
challenges with which we are all confronted. Our central theme
for the economic and environmental forum will be the promotion
of security and stability through good governance. There will
be a particular focus on measures to counter corruption, money
laundering, and terrorist financing.
The first preparatory conference took place in Vienna
earlier this week, entitled ``Anti-Money Laundering and
Countering the Financing of Terrorism.'' The next will be held
in Dublin in April. We will also initiate a review of the 2003
Maastricht Strategy Document to ascertain whether it needs to
be adopted, and to take into account evolving economic and
environmental challenges.
Conflict resolution remains at the core of the OSCE's
mandate, a fact which was highlighted by the agreement of the
conflict cycle decision in Vilnius. We will take forward the
implementation of this decision, which will assist the OSCE to
deepen its involvement in all phases of the conflict cycle, and
to strengthen its capacity to tackle conflict, from prevention
to resolution.
As Chairperson-in-Office, I will seek to make progress
towards lasting settlements of a number of conflicts in the
OSCE area. I have nominated two special representatives,
Ambassador Padraig Murphy and Ambassador Erwan Fouere, to
assist and advise me on these issues. They are cooperating with
international actors on the ground, as well as maintaining
close contact with the parties. The chairmanship will seek in
particular to promote confidence-building measures and to
address humanitarian needs.
As regards Moldova and Transnistria, we look forward to
welcoming the participants in the 5-plus-2 talks to Dublin
later this month. We stand ready to build on the momentum
created following the successful resumption of official talks
at the end of last year.
Ireland strongly supports the Geneva discussions as the
best forum for facilitating engagement and providing a way
forward in relation to the situation in Georgia. The first
discussion under our chairmanship will take place next month.
We also commend the continuing work of the Minsk Group co-
chairs in addressing the long-running dispute over Nagorno-
Karabakh. I look forward to working closely with Ambassador Bob
Bradtke and the other co-chairs and members of Minsk Group
throughout my term in office.
Mr. Chairman, as you well know, we in Ireland can empathize
only too well with those who are engaged in seemingly
intractable conflicts. In Northern Ireland, the courage of
leaders on both sides to negotiate and make compromises in the
interests of peace, together with the perseverance of the Irish
and British Governments, as well as international support, in
particular from the United States, has resulted in a lasting
settlement.
While each conflict situation is different, I believe that
sharing this experience can support and encourage efforts to
resolve conflicts in the OSCE region. With this in mind, I will
host a conference in Dublin on the 27th of April, which would
present aspects of the Northern Ireland example as a case
study. I will be joined at the conference by the deputy first
ministers of Northern Ireland, and I am pleased that Senator
George Mitchell will also share his experience with us.
Mr. Chairman, I will now turn to some current issues within
the OSCE region. As I stated earlier, I am committed to
addressing specific instances where OSCE commitments are not
being met, and we will work closely with all participating
states to ensure that their commitments are being fulfilled.
I would like to mention briefly the situation in Belarus.
Continuing erosion of human rights in Belarus is a cause for
concern. By prosecuting human rights defenders and limiting
freedom of association, Belarus is regrettably falling short of
its OSCE commitments.
There is no doubt that a reinstatement of an OSCE presence
in Belarus in some form will be an important step in the right
direction and will send a positive signal to the international
community. I will maintain an open channel to the Belarus
authorities throughout our chairmanship.
Turning to our wider neighborhood, we can see the changes
that are underway in the Southern Mediterranean. The OSCE
stands ready to share its experience with democratic
transitions, where sought, and through a partnership approach.
I welcome the positive Ministerial Council decision on
Mongolia's application to become a participating state, and we
will aim to move this forward during our chairmanship.
As we approach 2014, the OSCE will have an increasing role
to play in providing assistance to Afghanistan, building on the
work achieved to date. We will work to implement the decision
on expanding the OSCE's engagement with Afghanistan through
concrete projects across all three dimensions, and in close
cooperation with other international actors and organizations
in the region.
As I said at the beginning, the cooperative and inclusive
nature of the OSCE means that it is uniquely positioned to play
a significant role in building a comprehensive security
community. A busy year lies in store, both for the OSCE and the
chairmanship, and I will be in New York tomorrow to present our
program to the United Nations Security Council.
I am confident that through effective cooperation with all
relevant actors, we can achieve good progress during 2012.
Thank you for your attention.
Mr. Smith. Chairman Gilmore, thank you very much for your
excellent statement--very comprehensive. And I know my
colleagues and I are all looking forward to your leadership. We
know it will be robust and very effective. Just a couple of
questions, if I could, on some specific issues.
You mentioned Belarus, and Belarus has been the subject of
not only hearings but trips on our behalf. I and some 11 other
members were in Belarus a couple of years ago--met with
Lukashenko. It was a very disappointing, to say the least,
meeting. It was more of a he spoke, he expected us just to
listen. And it was more of a diatribe rather than a discussion.
But, that said, you know, last year 14 OSCE states invoked
the Moscow Mechanism. And I'm wondering if there's any
indication that Belarusian authorities have acted upon any of
the reports, recommendations.
And, secondly, just good news. On January 3rd, the Belarus
Democracy Act--and I am the sponsor of that legislation--was
signed into law by President Obama. It reiterates, strengthens
a number of provisions of our original law that we passed in
2004.
And the fact that both the Europeans and the United States
have lists of abusers that are denied visas, I think it makes
it very clear that we're not kidding, that Lukashenko
increasingly is isolated. And obviously many of your friends
and mine today are languishing in Lukashenko's prisons.
We had a hearing a few months ago, and one of the
presidential candidates testified, and he talked about how he
was stripped virtually every day, humiliated and degraded by
the KGB, and talked about just the awful treatment that he and
other political dissidents--candidates, men and women who just
simply sought to leave their country because of that--found
themselves in prison.
He was one of the lucky ones who got out. There were many
others who received long prison sentences. So maybe if you
could spend a little time on the mechanism, the report, and
what you think we can do even further to promote democracy and
respect for human rights in Belarus.
And I'd just say, parenthetically, I have applied for a
visa. I've been denied. I would love to go and meet with
Lukashenko again--I'll give him a copy of our bill--and bring
some focus, if you will, and Congress' angst to his ongoing
persecutions of people simply because they disagree with his
dictatorship.
Sir.
Mr. Gilmore. Thank you. I thank the Chairman.
I want to address first of all an issue which you raised in
your opening statement, and that is the issue of international
parental child abductions.
As a party to the Hague Convention, Ireland shares concerns
about international parental child abduction, and we are keen
to use the chairmanship to raise awareness of the Hague
Convention and to highlight the importance of ratification and
implementation of the convention by all OSCE participating
states.
Regarding the possibility of us seeking a Ministerial
Council decision in Dublin, we need to assess whether it will
be possible to build the necessary consensus. Obviously, to
move forward without the strong possibility of securing
agreement could be counterproductive, and we're encouraging
participating states who wish to see ministerial decisions on
specific topics adopted at Dublin to work closely with other
member states--participating states in the year ahead to build
support.
With regard to Belarus, there is no doubt that the
situation with regard to human rights and fundamental freedoms
in Belarus has continued to deteriorate since the presidential
election in 2010. The Moscow Mechanism, as you have said, has
been invoked, but the Belarus authorities have not acted on the
recommendations that have been made.
The election observation mission, which is organized by the
OSCE's office, ODIHR, was extremely critical of the
presidential election, which was characterized by fraudulent
activities. Many opposition figures and human rights activists
were arrested after the election.
Since then, the environment for the opposition has become
more difficult, with legislation adopted on the legal
requirements for gatherings and the prohibition on political
parties and NGOs from keeping assets abroad. This has been
accompanied by increased harassment of human rights defenders.
I recently issued a statement expressing concern about the
case of the human rights defender, Ales Bialiaski, whose appeal
against his conviction for tax evasion on charges that were
almost certainly politically motivated was rejected. Bialiaski
is now serving a sentence of four and a half years in a prison
camp.
Ireland condemns the harassment of opposition and human
rights organizations in Belarus. I regret that the situation in
Belarus has deteriorated. Nevertheless, as OSCE Chair-in-
Office, I have to keep a channel open to the Belarus
authorities.
And I might add that the situation in Belarus is discussed
regularly at the European Union Foreign Affairs Council, of
which obviously I'm a member state, and sanctions have been
considered there; indeed, decisions made in relation to
sanctions.
And, obviously, in our capacity as a member state of the
European Union, we identify and support with those. But in my
capacity as Chair-in-Office of the OSCE, I think it's important
that we keep the channel open to Belarus, maintain that
communication and hope that we can use our good offices--
because at the end of the day, what we are talking about, our
standards which have been agreed by all participating--
including Belarus.
The OSCE--what has been agreed by the OSCE, agreed by
consensus--it's right across the board--and the obligation is
on Belarus to comply with those standards.
Mr. Smith. Thank you for that excellent answer.
Let me ask you, with regards to--and I thank you for your
comment on international child abduction. In 2000 I actually
wrote a law on international child abduction. I and many
members of Congress thought that, you know, with the Hague
convention it was largely taken care of, that the issue, you
know, had a mechanism--while not enforceable, it binded
countries that signed it.
And I got my big education on a case that arose out of New
Jersey. A man by the name of David Goldman was not even allowed
to see his own abducted son. His wife had passed away. A man,
not the father, had custody. And an expert on the Hague
Convention in Rio actually used his knowledge of the Hague
Convention to the detriment of all attempts to get his son
back--David Goldman.
I traveled with him several times. I met with members of
the supreme court. There were some very good jurists in both
Brasilia and in the supreme court and in Rio de Janeiro. But at
the end of the day, where there was a determined abducting
party, they were able to use--and this happens all over the
world, as you know--appeal after appeal until the child ages
out and then there's almost no chance, other than a voluntary
reuniting, to get that son or daughter or siblings back.
I found, to my shock and dismay, that we had very few tools
in the U.S. Government to--other than jawboning and pretty much
pleading, to say please send our kids back--we've got about
2,500 children--Japan never sends anybody back. There was a
recent case but it was filled with extenuating circumstances.
But once those kids get there, they don't come back. And Japan
obviously is not a signatory.
In two weeks I'm marking up a bill--maybe it will be
three--again, International Child Abduction Prevention Act of
2012. It was my lessons learned and my staff's lessons learned
from what we can't do as a government to try to effectuate the
return of these children.
And as I said earlier, it is under-appreciated just how bad
parental alienation is, the poisoning of that child's mind vis-
a-vis the left-behind parent. And so it's been a wakeup call to
me and I think many of my colleagues.
Our embassy did a great job with welfare and whereabouts.
They're totally empathetic to the left-behind parent. The
bottom line is I know that--and, you know, Ambassador Kelly is
working hard. It would be very important if that could be a
ministerial decision, because we need to relook at this.
The Hague Convention reads beautifully, but how do you
enforce it? We're going to take some of our penalties that we
learned work on religious freedom and in the area of
trafficking--and I wrote the trafficking laws for the U.S., and
I know they're working--to try to get states to realize it's a
government-to-government fight. Otherwise if it's left-behind
parent versus government indifference or complicity, they lose.
They lose almost every time.
So I would ask you and appeal to you--and I know you're
empathetic--do everything you can to get that on the docket
because these kids are being hurt. It is child abuse in plain
sight. That if we do more in the OSCE--who better than the OSCE
to do so? So that's pretty much an appeal as well as a
question.
Internet freedom, if I could. I know that you're very
strong on that issue. I know Russia blocked the ministerial
decision on this subject in Vilnius last December. If you might
want to speak to that further because obviously we have a
Global Online Freedom Act that we will mark up in a few weeks
as well.
I'm the one who chaired the hearings that had Google,
Microsoft, Cisco and Yahoo all taking the oath. And most of it
was focused on China, but we know that Belarus--we know that
many countries are using the Internet increasingly to
completely stop dissidents and human rights activists, and to
find and put them into prison as a result of what they post
online or what their emails might contain.
So that's a very important issue, and I would hope that at
the meeting that will be held on the Internet, there will be a
focus on anti-Semitic hate and some of the other issues that
continue to exacerbate that problem. If you just want to
comment or----
Mr. Gilmore. Well, thank you, Chairman.
First of all, in relation to the issue of child abduction--
and you have, I think, described very well what can happen and
what is happening in practice and how courts are used in
different countries. The time elapses and the child grows up
and alienation from parents is exacerbated.
I have some experience of this as foreign minister of my
country where our consular services are called upon. And this
is something of course--we're dealing with this in, I suppose,
a more modern and sometimes more complex set of circumstances
where people's parentage of children of different countries--
parents from different countries, family arrangements, are
somewhat more complex; in some cases perhaps sometimes less
stable than had traditionally been the case. Very, very complex
sets of circumstances arising and ending up in the courts, and
very real human problems associated with it.
Can we get a decision in relation to child abduction issues
through the OSCE again? We operate on the basis of consensus,
and if there's a willingness obviously on the part of
participating states to work towards a decision on this, then
certainly as chair-in-office I will be happy to work with that
and to facilitate that. So it is an area that we have to keep
under review.
You raised the wider issue of human trafficking, and I
referred to that in my contribution. I know that all of our
OSCE partners are unanimous in the view that it is vital that
the public is made aware, first of all, of the existence of
this terrible crime, and that national authorities take the
necessary step, legislatively and operationally, to deal with
the perpetrators.
Ireland has made significant progress in fighting this
crime, which knows no boundaries. Our intention would be to
organize a human dimension meeting during 2012, focused on
labor trafficking, which is really a modern-day form of
slavery.
And in this regard, it's vitally important to highlight
that perpetrators are not limited to those involved in the
physical transfer of victims from one country to another, but
includes those who recruit them, those who employ them, and
those who exploit them in many other ways.
In relation to the issue of Internet freedom and our
intention to hold a conference on Internet freedom, I'm sure
you regret that it wasn't possible to get agreement on this
issue in Vilnius. The conference on Internet freedom which we
planned to hold is scheduled to take place in Dublin in June.
Our intention is to bring together experts from OSCE states
from industry, from civil society, and to look at how the OSCE
commitments, in relation to freedom of expression and freedom
of the media, are being applied to the online world.
Now, we're not seeking to agree to new commitments, but to
ensure that the existing commitments apply seamlessly between
offline and online worlds. The intention is to shine a
spotlight on particular issues which might need more attention,
such as the need for greater transparency by states in their
request to--the various requests that they make to Internet
companies for data.
But I think the general principles that we've got to apply
here are the principles in relation to freedom of expression or
freedom of the media, which have already been agreed and
accepted by the OSCE, and to look at how that can be applied to
online media.
Mr. Smith. OK. Part of what we're going to be doing in our
Global Online Freedom Act is to focus on the censorship issue,
but even more so on the selling of those capabilities by U.S.
companies, and what due diligence, or lack of it, those who
list on the U.S. Stock Exchange are doing relative to
surveillance capabilities, to dictatorships and countries that
really are using that capability just as they would use any
other weapon to undermine or arrest and jail people who are
just calling out for freedom of religion and democracy.
On trafficking, if I could share a best practice which I'm
sure you're familiar with but ask you if, during you chair in
office, you could put some additional push behind it. At the
parliamentary assemblies I've raised the issue repeatedly, as
the OSCE special rep for trafficking, of what is a high-impact,
low-cost effort to train flight attendants and others as to how
to spot, whether it be labor or sex trafficking, while it's
happening.
And some outstanding flight attendants have actually saved
people en route. One case was from Moscow to New York, where
they noticed six women who were with one man, and it just
looked awful and suspicious. En route, while the ladies were
using the restroom, struck up a conversation, was sufficiently
suspicious that they had the pilot call upon offloading. They
interviewed and found out that all six were being trafficked.
That has morphed into a very, very robust effort of
training by Delta Airlines. Carlson, Hilton, Global Exchange
Tours, others are all doing it. We've had some hearings here
where we've heard just how--you know, situational awareness,
how well it is working.
Now the U.S. Department of Homeland Security has come up
with a very fine training package which should be shared, I
think, with all the OSCE countries, every country in the world.
In talking to our friends in the Netherlands, some of our
Parliamentary Assembly friends have brought that. And KLM is
now doing it, or have made commitments to do so, as have a few
other countries.
So, you know, it's something Aer Lingus, all of us should
be doing. And I think, you know, just perhaps having
something--we'll give you all the information, as well as the
new initiative by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security,
which is outstanding. And it works. Eyes and ears--you know,
close out the number of places. And they've got to transport
them.
You mentioned the labor trafficking, which is equally
covered by U.S. legislation and Palermo protocol as well. When
Rabbi Baker and I and Ambassador Kelly were in Prague for a
very important summit on public discourse and anti-Semitism, I
learned while I was there that there were a number of
Vietnamese laborers of questionable origin in terms of how they
got there.
And I would note I've had two hearings on human rights in
Vietnam. And Vietnam, like China, is now becoming one of the
worst violators of labor trafficking and are sending people all
over the world--mostly in Asia, mostly in Taiwan, but also, we
believe, to Europe.
And when I learned that--I have a bill up in two hours
called the Human Rights in Vietnam Act, and it focuses on
trafficking and the fact that we need to do much more to find
out who these people are, how they got there.
And we think there's a suspicion--we haven't been able to
prove it--that many of those people in Prague, in and around
obviously in the Czech Republic--may have been trafficked,
because labor trafficking has become an extremely lucrative
endeavor for the Vietnamese government.
They're selling their people all over the world. And the
first case prosecuted my law, the Trafficking Victims
Protection Act of 2000, was a case involving Vietnam and
American Samoa--labor trafficking, ultra-big sweatshop. So we
know they're doing it, and they have not abated. They're
getting worse.
So if you could look into that, I'd appreciate that. But
the airlines issue, it's camera-ready. It's all ready to be
just rolled out, and that training can be extremely useful to
everyone.
Mr. Gilmore. Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Chairman.
And, first of all, can I agree with you about the fine work
that the Parliamentary Assembly is doing. And I think this is a
very important dimension of the OSCE's work that the
Parliamentary Assembly--which elected representatives of the
people like you and I touch the concerns that people have. And
that brings a particular perspective and a real focus to the
work of the OSCE.
It certainly is my intention to work closely with the
Parliamentary Assembly during this year. And only last week we
had president and the secretary general of the Parliamentary
Assembly with us in Dublin and had very good discussions with
them.
I think in particular, and I think in relation to human
trafficking, I think it is important that we use the best
practice which is available, and I very much welcome the
initiatives that are being taken on airlines, in training of
flight attendants and so on to be on the lookout for the
trafficking of people.
Of course, not all of the trafficking is by air. You know,
it may not be as easily detected. But it is difficult to travel
from one end of a continent to another--one end of a land mass
to another, however one does it, by road or rail or air,
without somebody being aware that something is going on. And I
think you're absolutely right that we do need to develop a best
practice sense in that area.
On the labor trafficking area, as I've indicated, this is
an area where we intend to hold an event or a meeting on labor
trafficking particularly. And, again, I think it's important
that we look here at--that there is the trafficking, the actual
trafficking aspect of the problem, where those who are directly
involved in the trafficking per se. But I think there are
issues here which we can address about the employment of people
who are trafficked.
People--individuals, households, companies, organizations
who employ people who they know are from overseas, whom they
know are in difficult circumstances and who employ them very
often in pay and conditions which are significantly less than
applied generally in the local economy, they must know that
they are dealing with people who--I believe that they know that
they are exploiting those people, and they must have doubts as
to how those people came to be in the country in the first
place.
And I think that, you know, we need to put some focus on
the employment side of labor trafficking. People, for example,
who end up in domestic service in the homes of some of the
great and the good sometimes, we need to--we need to sharpen
our focus on that and to deal with that problem at source, at
the point of employment.
So I think there are obligations on participating states of
the OSCE, who in many cases have minimum legal standards of
labor protection to ensure that those are applied in a way that
people who are trafficked are not--[inaudible].
Mr. Smith. Thank you.
Let me just ask one final question on the Ukraine, and with
regards to former Prime Minister Tymoshenko's arrest. And with
the upcoming October elections, can the Ukrainians meet a free
and fair standard if that incarceration--or that
disqualification, if you will, from even participating is not
reversed?
And, you know, your thoughts on that, because we're very
concerned about the trend line, and I'm sure you are as well,
in Ukraine. Freedom House has downgraded Ukraine from free to
partly free because of this deterioration, and it seems to me
that, you know, all of us are in favor of a free and democratic
Ukraine and don't like the trend lines. Your thoughts?
Mr. Gilmore. Well, thank you. I'm deeply concerned about
the case of the former Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia
Tymoshenko. And these concerns relate to the outcome and
conduct of her trial as well as the outcome of the appeal that
concluded in December. Concerns have also been widely expressed
about reports of the conditions of her detention, and I
continue to encourage the Ukrainian authorities to address and
to resolve these concerns.
And I'm conscious of the fact that Ukraine will succeed
Ireland as the Chair-in-Office of the OSCE. I believe that
Ukraine's role in the OSCE is important, and I hope that in
preparing for this role, the authorities in Kyiv will
appreciate the need to address the significant concerns that
have been widely expressed.
There is, as you know, a proposal for an association
agreement between Ukraine and the European Union that's
currently awaiting initialing. I have long favored bringing the
EU and Ukraine closer together. I think that's a sentiment
shared by the great majority of the Ukrainian people.
But this, however, is not an uncritical engagement, and the
Ukraine-EU summit which took place in December was the occasion
for some strong messages from the EU side, including some
strong messages on the issue of Ms. Tymoshenko's case. It is an
issue, certainly, that we're going to give very much to the
fore or our talks and our discussions.
Mr. Smith. Again, in closing, if I could just reiterate
that strongest appeal to--and I know you will do this, so I'm
talking to the choir but, to the greatest extent, backing the
three religious freedom representatives. Many of us who follow
religious freedom--and I've been in Congress now 32 years--I
think it is getting worse, and demonstrably worse everywhere.
You know, the number of anti-Semitic acts that are
occurring in the U.S., particularly on our college campuses, is
rising. And, you know, it's worth noting that--you know,
sometimes people say, well, why the emphasis on anti-Semitic
hate? In the United States--and you probably know this--the FBI
tracks these acts of hate, and in their annual report,
traditionally just under 75-or-so percent of all the incidents
are directed against Jews, and under 10 percent directed
against Christians, and under 10 percent against Muslims.
And when you look at the disproportionality of the number
of Jews that actually live in the U.S., the number far
exceeds--any way you look at it, the focus is there, and we're
seeing a rise in it. And you know as well in Europe it's the
same.
A few years ago we had a hearing with Natan Sharansky, the
great leader, obviously, who was finally let out--and you know
this; everyone knows it--by the KGB, did this zigzag because he
just wouldn't follow orders that the Soviet Communists imposed
upon him.
Well, he came here twice and testified, and he brought with
him a soap opera clip, two of them. And seeing is believing. I
had never seen this before. And, as a matter of fact, I
actually went to Perm Camp 35 where he was in the 1980s, right
after he got out, and to see what this man had endured, the
torture and the isolation, and to see how he never once wavered
in his commitment to freedom.
Well, he showed this video that is being now broadcast
throughout Europe through satellite television, and all the
modern means of communications. And he said, this is what they
feed on--``they'' being many people in the Muslim world--and
this gross, grotesque caricature of Jews that is painted.
And they actually showed this little boy named Christopher
having his throat slit and the blood pouring into matzoh. And
he talked about blood libel and the other outrages committed
against the Jewish people. This is Sharanksy. And he said, then
they turn it into humor and they turn it into documentaries.
And he said, this is what they feed on. And you wonder why
these kids are so filled with hatreds towards Jews.
And even Ahmadinejad's most recent statement, and the Great
Leaders website, which I went and checked out, which talked
about the justification for the destruction of Israel because
Israel is an impediment to Islam, and all of this--you know,
this hatred giving some kind of religious basis.
You know, more than ever we need to be backing--and we
certainly do in the United States--Rabbi Baker's mission, as
well as the other two, which I'm so glad you have picked people
who will really do the work. But this Commission remains
absolutely committed in a bipartisan way to pushing these
issues, because they are getting demonstrably worse.
As I said before, we will be holding a hearing in March on
the textbooks and the anti-Semitism that is rife in UNRWA
camps, which, again, feeds into this whole combustible stew of
hatred that is just exploding.
So I thank you so much for your leadership. And we look
forward to working with you. Any final thoughts before we
conclude?
Mr. Gilmore. Well, thank you. Thank you very much,
Chairman. It's been a great privilege to have the opportunity
of exchanging questions and answers----
Mr. Smith. Yeah.
Mr. Gilmore. ----and thoughts with you.
I think that we have to work through 2012 and beyond to
ensure that the commitments which have been entered into by the
OSCE participating states are honored by all participating
states, and that we deepen those where we can and that--I think
we also, I think, as we approach the 40th anniversary of the
Helsinki Final Act, I think it is worth reflecting on the huge
contribution that the OSCE has made to peace and security in
Europe and in that whole region, from--as we say, from
Vancouver to Vladivostok.
You think of the--when the Helsinki Final Act was
concluded, the state of tension that there was between two
superpowers and all of the attendant issues that surrounded
that, and the progress that has been made over that period of
time.
We have the continuing conflicts, the protracted nature of
those conflicts. We still have to deal with them and make a
contribution to that this year. But we also have to deal with
the new issues which are emerging, some of which we touched on
today. And I think we have to work to find practical solutions
to those.
And I think some of the talks that we've exchanged here
today and some of the suggestions that you have made, Chairman,
I think will be extremely useful to us in carrying that work
forward. So, again, I thank you for----
Mr. Smith. Thank you.
Mr. Gilmore. ----the huge interest that you have taken and
that you are taking, and the work of the OSCE, and finally, in
particular, the interest that you have taken over many years in
our issues and affairs in Ireland. And it's great to be here
among friends. Thank you.
Mr. Smith. That's great. And I would like to thank you for
Michael Collins, your ambassador. Again, I've been here over
three decades, interfaced with ambassadors and people
representing their countries. Nobody does it with greater
professionalism and integrity than he does. He has been a joy
to work with. And I know members on both side of the aisle feel
that way. So, thank you so much for Michael Collins.
The hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 1:30 p.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
=======================================================================
Prepared Statements
----------
Prepared Statement of Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Chairman, Commission
on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Good morning and welcome to everyone joining us this morning,
especially Minister Gilmore, the Foreign Minister of Ireland and Chair
in Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
It is a privilege to have you testify before us today, Mr.
Minister, on Ireland's leadership of the OSCE. You are continuing a
tradition that we have followed for more than a decade of hearing
directly from the country holding the chairmanship of the OSCE.
While today many countries in Europe are inwardly focused on
economic crises, the world still cries out for global leadership. And
Ireland has stepped up to the plate, accepting the 2012 chairmanship of
Europe's largest regional security organization, the OSCE, which does
its best work in promoting human rights, democracy, the rule of law,
and free elections.
Ireland has for a long time been one of the most constructive
countries in the OSCE, enhancing the credibility of the organization it
now leads. Mr. Minister, I thank you and your government for taking on
the responsibility to lead the OSCE.
Mr. Minister, the Helsinki Commission has a long history of
engaging with the OSCE, both through and in cooperation with the State
Department and independently, and as Chairman I am very happy with the
priorities you have set for the Irish chairmanship--particularly the
emphasis on Internet freedom and your plans to hold a meeting this year
on that issue. I have recently introduced and am preparing to mark up a
bill on this issue, the Global Online Freedom Act, which counteracts
the efforts of many governments, including some in the OSCE, to
purchase U.S. technology to transform the Internet into a tool of
censorship and surveillance. Earlier versions of this legislation were
also introduced in the European parliament. So I look forward to
working with you on this issue.
Your ideas for drawing on Ireland's experiences in the Northern
Ireland peace process in reference to protracted conflicts elsewhere in
the OSCE region also connects to a long-standing Commission priority--
since the mid-1990s we have held 13 hearings on Northern Ireland and
the peace process, keeping the issue of police reform on our
government's and the British government's agenda.
Perhaps the key issue the Commission will be pursuing in the OSCE
this year is international parental child abduction. Last year the
Parliamentary Assembly passed my resolution urging the ``OSCE to take
up the issue of international parental child abduction,'' and urging a
ministerial decision on the issue. I believe the U.S. government agrees
that this is an issue which could benefit from a ministerial decision
this year--that is, the benefit would go to the children, who suffer as
the number of international parental abductions continues to climb,
while governments and national courts do not always live up their
obligations under the Hague convention.
Another important issue will continue to be the fight against anti-
Semitism, which, following a Commission hearing in May 2002, I and a
number of other commissioners, including Co-Chairman Cardin, worked
successfully to put on the front burner of the OSCE--resulting in a
series of high-level and ministerial conferences on anti-Semitism and
in a ministerial declaration on combating anti-Semitism--the
implementation of which has been sadly lacking.
The work of battling anti-Semitism is now being led by the Personal
Representative, Rabbi Andy Baker, and I can't emphasize too strongly
how important it is to support his work and the work of the other
Personal Representatives--to do otherwise would be a tragic step
backward.
Mr. Minister, one of the reasons the United States so values the
OSCE is that its work touches on so many human rights issues--I believe
this is why you and the Irish Government, which certainly values human
rights just as highly as the U.S. Government, will find your work this
year rewarding. I look forward to hearing your presentation.
Prepared Statement of Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Co-Chairman, Commission
on Security and Cooperation in Europe
I welcome today's Helsinki Commission hearing with Ireland's
Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, His Excellency Eamon Gilmore,
currently serving as the Chair-in-Office of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe.
Ireland assumes this important leadership role amid numerous
challenges, especially in the human dimension. Like other members of
the Commission, I am grateful that the OSCE will benefit from clear-
headed Irish leadership amidst this host of trials. These include the
ongoing crackdown in Belarus and lingering, unresolved issues stemming
from the outbreak of conflict in Kyrgyzstan in 2010. The unsettled
political situation in Russia, with presidential elections set for
March, also warrants our close attention.
The recent shooting of protesters by security forces in Kazakhstan
may mean that Kazakhstan's repressive government is not or is no longer
as stable as it has long claimed, and human rights violations may
contribute to instability there. I want to express agreement here with
the U.S. Representative to the OSCE, Ambassador Ian Kelly, who last
year called 2010 a year of missed opportunities for reform in
Kazakhstan--reform that could have put the country on a more secure and
democratic footing today.
I am also concerned about some of the areas that are not
necessarily on the front pages right now. I have visited many of the
countries in the Balkans in recent years, including Serbia last July.
The OSCE has done so much to foster peace, security, and human rights
in this part of the OSCE region--we must not leave business in the
Balkans unfinished now. Bosnia and Kosovo are of particular concern to
many of us right now.
And while I am greatly interested in exploring ways to transfer
lessons learned in the OSCE region to other areas, particularly in
Mediterranean Partners, where the prospect of meaningful democratic
reform is now before us, we must not overlook serious human rights
problems that remain in some participating States. Turkmenistan and
Uzbekistan remain the most repressive countries in the region, and
their egregious human rights records deserve more attention.
Even countries that have already achieved great accomplishments in
advancing democracy and human rights can sometimes experience
backsliding--as the United States knows all too well. In its most
recent annual report on Freedom in the World, Freedom House voiced
particular concern about backsliding in Hungary, Ukraine, and Turkey,
warning that ``the democratic credentials of each is coming under
question.'' Clearly, more must be done to ensure not only democracy's
advancement, but to prevent it from slipping away. Like the United
States, the European Union must openly address the situation in
countries among its ranks if it hopes to be a credible voice for change
in other OSCE participating States.
I believe the OSCE has the potential to make significant
contributions in all these areas, and I support the Irish Chairmanship
as it seeks to maximize this potential.
As Ireland takes on this task, I urge you to work with--and protect
the independence of--your partners in this endeavor: the High
Commissioner on National Minorities, the Representative on Freedom of
the Media, and the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights.
Each of these institutions are making important contributions every
day, from the High Commissioner's Bolzano Recommendations on Inter-
State Relations, to the ODIHR's on-going implementation of the EU grant
for Roma integration in the Balkans, to the Representative on Freedom
of the Media's tireless reporting on the day-to-day threats to
journalists and free speech.
Field Missions need to be given similar independence if they are to
address the real challenges of post-conflict recovery and democratic
development, including respect for the rule of law.
I welcome the reappointment of the Personal Representatives focused
on combating anti-Semitism and other forms of intolerance. The OSCE has
developed a singular body of commitments in this area, but concrete
implementation of them needs improvement. I am encouraged by Ireland's
intention to continue work toward that goal.
Finally, this year I am concluding my second three-year term as a
Vice President of the Parliamentary Assembly. Before taking this
position, I also served as a Committee Officer for several years. I
have enjoyed this active engagement in the OSCE process and believe
that parliamentarians and diplomats are both essential to its success.
I hope you agree, Mr. Minister, and will strive to maximize the impact
of both.
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