[Joint House and Senate Hearing, 114 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
GERMANY'S CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE OSCE:
PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
ONE HUNDRED FOURTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
MARCH 1, 2016
__________
Printed for the use of the
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
[CSCE 114-2-2]
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COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
LEGISLATIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS
HOUSE SENATE
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, ROGER F. WICKER, Mississippi,
Chairman Co-Chairman
ALCEE L. HASTINGS, Florida BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, Maryland
ROBERT B. ADERHOLT, Alabama JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas
MICHAEL C. BURGESS, Texas RICHARD BURR, North Carolina
STEVE COHEN, Tennessee JEANNE SHAHEEN, New Hampshire
ALAN GRAYSON, Florida TOM UDALL, New Mexico
RANDY HULTGREN, Illinois SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island
JOSEPH R. PITTS, Pennsylvania
LOUISE McINTOSH SLAUGHTER,
New York
EXECUTIVE BRANCH COMMISSIONERS
Vacant, Department of State
Vacant, Department of Commerce
Vacant, Department of Defense
[ii]
GERMANY'S CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE OSCE:
PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES
----------
March 1, 2016
COMMISSIONERS
Page
Hon. Christopher H. Smith, Chairman, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.......................................... 6
Hon. Roger Wicker, Co-Chairman, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.......................................... 1
Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Ranking Member, Commission on Security
and Cooperation in Europe...................................... 2
Hon. Joseph R. Pitts, Commissioner, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.......................................... 11
WITNESSES
H.E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Minister of Foreign Affairs,
Federal Republic of Germany.................................... 3
APPENDICES
Prepared statement of Hon. Christopher H. Smith.................. 16
Prepared statement of Hon. Roger Wicker.......................... 17
Prepared statement of H.E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier............... 18
[iii]
GERMANY'S CHAIRMANSHIP OF THE OSCE:
PRIORITIES AND CHALLENGES
----------
March 1, 2016
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe
Washington, DC
The hearing was held at 2:15 p.m. in room 334, Cannon House
Office Building, Washington, DC, Hon. Christopher H. Smith,
Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe,
presiding.
Commissioners present: Hon. Christopher H. Smith,
Chairman, Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe;
Hon. Roger Wicker, Co-Chairman, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe; Hon. Benjamin L. Cardin, Ranking Member,
Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe; and Hon.
Joseph R. Pitts, Commissioner, Commission on Security and
Cooperation in Europe.
Witness present: H.E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Minister of
Foreign Affairs, Federal Republic of Germany.
HON. ROGER WICKER, CO-CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Wicker. All right. It goes without saying that the
loudspeaker's working very well today, so I'll back up a bit.
My name is Roger Wicker, and I'm co-chairman of the
Helsinki Commission. Our chairman, Chris Smith, is casting a
recorded vote on the House Floor now and will be along soon. He
has asked that we go ahead and begin.
And I'm joined today by my dear friend Ben Cardin, whose
leadership at the Commission has been long capable. Ben, I
don't know about you, but it's good to be back in the Cannon
Building. It was my first office as a member of the House of
Representatives, and I'm glad to be back.
And I am pleased to join members of the panel in welcoming
Foreign Minister Steinmeier before the Helsinki Commission. So
welcome, sir. I appreciate having the foreign minister's views
and expertise as the Commission works to formulate U.S. policy
regarding the OSCE.
For 40 years the OSCE has worked to bolster security,
democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. In
recent decades, Europe has faced major changes, crises and
conflicts. These have included the fall of communism, the war
in the former Yugoslavia and the war on international
terrorism. In addition to the continued terrorism threat, OSCE
today must contend with new and ongoing challenges such as the
migration crisis, human trafficking, a resurgent anti-Semitism,
protecting other minority groups, and corruption in government.
As a 57-member organization that operates by consensus, the
OSCE is also not without internal challenges. Russia has
attempted to redefine European borders through force. It has
tried to use the power of veto and the power of the purse to
paralyze the OSCE's mission. These actions should be addressed
in a meaningful way. There are also differing views among OSCE
members on how to address the unprecedented migration of
refugees into Europe.
Mr. Foreign Minister, Germany's chairmanship of the OSCE
comes at a critical time in history. I wish you every success,
and I look forward to your insights and counsel on how we can
make a better world for future generations throughout the OSCE
region.
Senator Cardin.
HON. BENJAMIN L. CARDIN, RANKING MEMBER, COMMISSION ON SECURITY
AND COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Cardin. Well, Mr. Chairman, thank you very much.
And, Mr. Foreign Minister, it's a pleasure to have you
before the Helsinki Commission. I enjoyed our opportunity this
morning to have a conversation on many of these issues.
I think it is particularly important for OSCE that Germany
has stepped forward to take on the chair-in-office. And we
thank you personally, but we thank your country for being
willing to share your time with the security of Europe, Central
Asia and our own continent.
I've been working with the Helsinki Commission now for
three decades. One of my very first trips was to West Germany
to visit with the leaders of West Germany to better understand
the circumstances. I was able to go to West Berlin and take a
helicopter tour and see the contested Wall, and see how it was
dividing a country and dividing people; and then went through
Checkpoint Charlie, harassed a little bit by the East Germans.
And then into East Germany we went, talked to the people about
their fears, recognizing in many respects it was through the
Helsinki Commission, through the OSCE that we were their voices
to stand up against the oppression of their government. I
returned a little later when the Berlin Wall was coming down,
and I actually have a photograph in my office with my hammer
knocking down the Berlin Wall. It's one of the prize
photographs in my office. And I've been back many times since
to see a united Germany and see the strength.
And I go through that because it points out that the OSCE
principles work. It was the basic commitments within the OSCE
that raised the issues and brought Germany back together. And
it's so fitting that you today are the chair-in-office to help
us deal with the challenges.
I do want to acknowledge Spencer Oliver, who's here, the
recently retired secretary-general of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly. We take pride in the work of the OSCE Parliamentary
Assembly. My friend Senator Wicker is one of the leaders in
that parliamentary assembly and does an incredible job.
I also want to acknowledge Andy Baker, Rabbi Baker, who's
here, who's the special representative on anti-Semitism. I have
the opportunity of being the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly's
special representative on anti-Semitism, racism and
intolerance.
There's not a lack of challenges that you have coming in as
chair-in-office. I've been working with ODIHR--he was here
recently, Michael Link--on anti-Semitism. I have visited Paris
and Copenhagen, the sites of dramatic anti-Semitic activities,
and am working with the leaders of Europe or leadership,
particularly in improving the programming within the schools on
tolerance.
We also had a chance to talk this morning about the issues
of the migrants. And my task as special representative will
also take on discrimination against the migrant communities.
And I look forward to working with you. There's clearly great
risk.
On the Roma population, I would just urge you to continue
our effort. As someone who has long encouraged Germany to
address the genocide of Romas, I was deeply heartened by
Chairman Merkel's participation in the 2012 unveiling of a
memorial for the Roma and Sinti victims of National Socialism.
I would just urge you to continue to involve the Roma issues as
you move forward with your agenda this year, including the work
of the OSCE, and include the Roma population as members of the
OSCE mission. So I would just urge you to continue to do that.
I also might point out we are working with discrimination
against individuals of African descent. In our own country we
have problems with discriminatory policing, which we're going
to take on, but it's also a problem within Europe.
You are not going to have a lack of challenges. We talked
this morning about corruption generally, and specifically in
Ukraine. Clearly, corruption erodes all the principles of the
OSCE, and one in which we have to have special attention.
I would also just lastly point out I think we have the
traditional concerns of countries that have never really fully
complied with the OSCE commitments, from Belarus to Tajikistan.
But we have backslidings on some of our close allies--NATO
allies such as Hungary and Poland--that we have to be concerned
about.
So clearly the threat of extremism and ISIL is front in our
minds to protect our population, and I can assure you this
Commission looks forward to working with you and look forward
to your vision during this year.
Mr. Wicker. Mr. Foreign Minister, it is our honor to
recognize you for an opening statement.
H.E. FRANK-WALTER STEINMEIER, MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS,
FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY
Mr. Steinmeier. Senator Wicker, Senator Cardin, many
thanks, first of all, for inviting me and inviting us, the
German delegation, and for your kind words in the beginning.
Ladies and gentlemen, it's really a great honor for me to
address you today as chairman-in-office of the Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe. And it is a particular
honor to do this as a German, because we Germans know how much
we owe to this institution and to the CSCE process--looking
back on the path to detente between East and West, the end of
the Cold War, and finally the reunification of my country.
The Helsinki Commission, created almost 40 years ago, was
instrumental in that endeavor. My country will never forget the
unequivocal support of your country. We will not forget the
United States' steadfast commitment to regarding European
security as inseparable from its own security. That was the
decisive factor in ending the Cold War peacefully.
However, our hopes that the end of the Cold War would
herald an era of peace have not come true. The vision of the
Charter of Paris, of a Europe whole and free, has not yet
materialized. Yet again we find ourselves facing violent crises
and conflicts, even on our own continent. Russian aggression in
Ukraine has brought the devastation of war right back to the
heart of Europe, violating central provisions of international
law, the Helsinki Final Act, and the OSCE commitments.
At the same time, violence has spiked in regions of the
Middle East and Northern Africa. Terror, religious radicalism
and regional rivalries have led to immeasurable human
suffering.
That is particularly true for Syria. I hope that the recent
diplomatic initiative for a cessation of hostilities that is
being tirelessly promoted by Secretary Kerry and others will
bring the violence to a halt and pave the way for urgently
needed political negotiations.
The brutal conflicts in the Middle East have also reached
the European continent. Hundreds of thousands of people have
been forced to flee their homes and are seeking shelter in
Europe, many of them in Germany.
We live in turbulent times, ladies and gentlemen. I believe
that, in the light of these enormous challenges, we should
remember the crucial lessons we learned in overcoming the Cold
War.
The first lesson is simple, but critical: We are only
strong if we stand together. Secretary Kerry just reminded us
in Munich that the transatlantic community has faced numerous
challenges before, but we stood together to overcome them. And
we will continue do so--not only because there is only one
common transatlantic security, but also because we are a
community of shared values and of shared beliefs.
Another lesson I see is this: We need to make the best
possible use of our existing tools to help solve conflicts, and
to promote peace and security. In fact, we must strengthen
these instruments.
The OSCE is one of these tools, a crucial one. With its
unique and inclusive membership, its operational capacities and
established formats for dialogue, it is a central pillar of our
common security. To me, strengthening the OSCE and using its
full potential as a platform for dialogue is imperative,
particularly in these challenging times, with trust at a low
ebb.
This is why, ladies and gentlemen, ``renewing dialogue,
rebuilding trust, restoring security'' is the motto we have
chosen for our OSCE chairmanship in 2016. The dialogue we want
to renew is not one that sugarcoats our differences, nor is it
dialogue for its own sake. It is dialogue to engage one another
substantively, to face our differences, and to really effect
change.
In the conflict in and around Ukraine, we have condemned
Russian violations of international law and of OSCE principles
and commitments, and we have exerted political and economic
pressure in response. At the same time, however, we have
established formats for dialogue to avoid further bloodshed and
to help find a political solution.
I agree with many of you that the results of this--the
Minsk agreements--are far from being perfect. We are still
awaiting the complete implementation of their provisions by all
sides. But I remain convinced that the Minsk agreements are
still the best chance we have to overcome this conflict, and
the OSCE has been instrumental in bringing that chance about.
Senators, ladies and gentlemen, in the midst of the Cold
War in the 1970s, in the face of the real danger of military
confrontation between East and West, we put special emphasis on
the implementation of human rights standards in the whole Euro-
Atlantic area. It is my firm conviction that safeguarding human
rights and fundamental freedoms is a crucial and direct
contribution to a more stable international system and to
comprehensive security. That is why we will place a special
focus on the human dimension during our OSCE chairmanship. I
would like to name just a few of our priorities.
Freedom of the media is of particular importance to us. Our
societies should be able to communicate freely and without
interference from state propaganda.
We also need to intensify our fight against discrimination,
racism, xenophobia and intolerance. We need to address it
throughout Europe, including in my own country. In Germany,
people's overwhelming readiness to help arriving refugees has
recently been overshadowed by xenophobic assaults and
demonstrations. These are despicable acts that we must not and
will not tolerate.
We will also place a special focus on combating anti-
Semitism. I have reappointed Rabbi Andrew Baker as my personal
representative on combating anti-Semitism, and thank him for
his valuable work in this regard. We will support the work of
the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, ODIHR.
And we will also host a number of events in Berlin on combating
anti-Semitism, building on the OSCE conferences of 2004 and
2014.
Another emphasis will be on gender equality, as well as on
dialogue with civil society.
And finally, the pressing issue of migration should figure
more prominently and comprehensively on the OSCE's agenda.
There is a lot of expertise that the OSCE can bring to the
table on human rights standards, on best practices in labor
migration, and on combating human trafficking. We support the
efforts of the Special Representative for Combating Trafficking
in Human Beings.
Ladies and gentlemen, despite all the differences in the
OSCE area, we have to work on real solutions to the crises and
challenges we face in these turbulent times. In the long term,
we will need to return to a broader dialogue on European
security, and we should adhere to the vision of renewed arms
control and more cooperative security in Europe. The OSCE
provides a platform for such dialogue, and we should make use
of it.
Ladies and gentlemen, the OSCE is a unique organization.
But my hope is that its principles can provide a glimmer of
hope to other regions, particularly to the Middle East. Let us
remember that the road to Helsinki began when the Cold War was
at its coldest. At the start of the negotiations, who would
have dared to hope that at the end of it the Berlin Wall would
fall?
Of course, you can't transfer a security architecture to
another region, but perhaps our experiences can highlight
useful principles and processes. And maybe they can encourage
the parties in the Middle East to live up to their
responsibility and explore new paths to political settlements.
This is a discussion that we started at the OSCE conference in
Jordan last year, and which we would like to build on.
Ladies and gentlemen, in 1977, Ambassador Arthur Goldberg,
chairman of the U.S. delegation at the CSCE follow-up meeting
in Belgrade, held that, and I quote, ``A healing of the
divisions in Europe cannot be divorced from progress in
humanitarian matters and human rights. The pursuit of human
rights does not put detente in jeopardy. Rather, it can
strengthen detente and provide a firmer basis for both security
and cooperation.''
It is in this spirit that we will pursue our chairmanship,
and hope to make a contribution to peace and stability in the
OSCE area in 2016. Of course, rebuilding trust will not be
easy, and there will not be a quick fix in 2016. But in my
view, we have no alternative but to make every effort to do so
if we want to be able to look future generations in the eye and
hold that we did everything possible to return to peace in
Europe.
Many thanks.
HON. CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, CHAIRMAN, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Smith. Mr. Foreign Minister, thank you so very much.
Luckily, I read your statement in advance--[laughter]--so I
apologize on behalf of myself and my House colleagues that we
couldn't be here to hear you in person, but I, and my of course
Senate colleagues, deeply appreciate not only you being here,
but for your leadership. Germany certainly is in an ideal
situation at one of the most critical times in the OSCE
history, where not only the migration crisis, but obviously the
ongoing problems with Ukraine, Nagorno-Karabakh and other so-
called frozen conflicts--I mean, the world is a powder keg, and
we're grateful that we have a very steady hand at the helm as
chair-in-office. So I want to thank you.
I do have some opening questions, and then of course go to
our two distinguished senators for any questions they have.
And, without objection, I would ask unanimous consent that my
statement be made a part of the record; opening statements
can't be made after--[chuckles]--you're well into the hearing.
So I would ask you first of all, if I could, maybe to shed
some light on this--and perhaps you did, in addition to your
opening comments--but last November, via a vote of 418 to zero,
the House passed a resolution that I had introduced. It was co-
signed by Democrats and Republicans alike, a very robust effort
to say to our European friends that the security services of
all of our countries--in our case, Homeland Security and local
police, state police--need to more effectively partner with the
Jewish communities in each of our respective countries, right
down to the level of the synagogue and the Jewish community
center, to provide very tangible assistance--financial,
surveillance--partnering, you know, in every way to prevent,
hopefully, acts of anti-Semitic hate, but also when they do
happen to have a very quick mechanism in place to correctly
identify it for what it is and to go after the perpetrators of
those crimes to hold them to account, so that there is no sense
of impunity anywhere in the OSCE space. We called it the Safety
and Security of Jewish Communities in Europe Resolution.
We do work, as you know, very closely with Rabbi Andy
Baker, who thankfully you continue to keep as the personal
representative in combating anti-Semitism. And, of course, Ben
Cardin is the Parliamentary Assembly's Special Representative
for combating anti-Semitism. And I just would ask if you could
speak to any plans that you might have with regards to really
trying to get countries--I know the U.K. does it very well; I
hope and believe that Germany does it as well--to make sure
that that kind of law enforcement expertise is robustly brought
to bear.
Secondly, if I could, child exploitation is an interest of
all three of us and other members of the Commission. We've
worked very hard on combating human trafficking. And we know
that with this huge, huge refugee flow making its way into
Europe, that the traffickers are preying on women especially.
One estimate was that there were 10,000 unaccompanied minors,
and the number may be higher--it was a guesstimate. And I'm
wondering if you could speak to, you know, at the Border
Security and Management Conference in Berlin, will you focus on
making sure that these children and at-risk persons, especially
women, are protected from predators? We did pass legislation,
and President Obama signed, a bill called the International
Megan's Law, which we're hoping you will take a look at and see
if it might become part of your efforts. It is a noticing
provision so that countries of destination, when there's a
convicted pedophile, that country--whether it be Germany or the
United States--we're hoping will be told when those folks are
coming here so that we could either watch them or even perhaps
deny them entry into the country, because we know child sex
tourism is exponentially rising globally, including in the OSCE
area.
First two questions, if I could, and, please, any insights
you can provide.
Mr. Steinmeier. Yes, I was just mentioning in my opening
remarks that there are some reasons to take care about the
situation of human rights, and unfortunately not only beyond
our borders but also with regard to the situation in Germany. I
think Rabbi Baker will witness the situation in Germany very
carefully, and so far I think we were quite successful in our
fight against anti-Semitism and every kind of populist racism.
There were some events two years ago, and so therefore we
indeed renewed our engagement in the fight against anti-
Semitism. And now, being chairman of the OSCE, we have decided
to organize a meeting in June with special envoys on combating
anti-
Semitism. I think official institution will be part of that,
hopefully also police and servicemen from all around Europe.
And we will support a big ODIHR project to address anti-
Semitism, focusing on security needs of Jewish communities,
education, civil society, coalition-building and so on. So what
I want to say is Jewish security of the--security of the Jewish
communities will be actively followed up by our German
chairmanship.
On children's rights--children's rights, and this will be
part of our planned agenda. We will organize a special workshop
about the children's right, very important indicator for the
implementation of human rights because they are--that is our
view--the children are the most vulnerable group. So therefore,
we have to take care that especially children will not be
harmed in new developments in and outside the OSCE countries.
This is, you know, already the link with the third issue
you were raising--this is human trafficking. And trafficking of
human beings is certainly an important topic in the OSCE, not
only since we were overtaking the chairmanship also in the
Swiss chairmanship, I remember. We will host a special
conference in Berlin beginning in September 2016 on preventing
trafficking in human beings for labor exploitation in supply
chains, and the OSCE Special Representative and Coordinator for
Combating Trafficking in Human Beings has already been invited
to the next alliance against trafficking in persons. So
therefore, I think we are well-prepared to highlight this as
one of the priorities during our chairmanship in the OSCE.
Mr. Smith. Thank you.
Commissioner Cardin.
Mr. Cardin. Well, again, thank you, Mr. Minister.
I want to ask you a question about the nuts and bolts of
the OSCE. In my role on the Foreign Relations Committee, I have
the opportunity of working with the OSCE, with the Organization
of American States, ASEAN, African Union, a lot of the regional
organizations. And I think OSCE has been a real leader on the
effectiveness of a regional organization. As we talked this
morning, just looking at the role of OSCE in Ukraine and its
mission points out its valuable role. Its field missions have
been incredibly important. It's been able to be very effective
in changing the way of life in so many of the OSCE states.
But it does work on consensus, which can be very
challenging at times. The charter and operations are now many
decades old. And I'm just interested, under your chairmanship,
as to whether there are ways that we can make the organization
more effective and more efficient in responding to the
challenges that we face today.
I'd mention also, if I might, the budgetary issues. You
shouldn't have to go with tin cup in hand to try to get money
for special missions. There should be a more predictable way to
finance the operations of the OSCE.
Mr. Steinmeier. Starting with the budget, I think the
budget is far too limited because, you know, the challenges and
the tasks for the OSCE are increasing. So, therefore, what we
need is some more flexibility in our budget. But I will not
complain because for the first time since years we have an
agreed budget before the beginning of our chairmanship, and
that is really a sort of luxury because, you know--[chuckles]--
the chairman-in-office during the last years were fighting
during their chairmanship for the budget. This is done already,
so therefore we are now in the beginning of our chairmanship in
a better situation compared with former days.
But you're right, the OSCE is a very--how should I put it--
very traditional, one of the biggest regional organizations.
But to be honest, three years ago, five years ago, it was
nearly a forgotten institution. It was, you know, we had our
celebrations, but nobody was really aware that we are in need
of such a regional organization. That has changed since the
beginning of the conflict in and around Ukraine.
It was very clear that the OSCE was the only institution in
which East and West were still present. So therefore, it was
the only platform for a dialogue. And you will remember, it was
hard in the beginning to start a dialogue about Ukraine
because, you know, every side felt justified about what they
were doing. The Russians were trying to find arguments why
Crimea was forever part of the--of Russia, belonging to Russia.
And the Ukrainians were very clearly saying there is no need to
talk and to have dialogue with the aggressor.
So I think, without OSCE, we would never have been
successful to start this dialogue, which was leading to Minsk,
and from Minsk to the establishment of the OSCE observer
mission. Since then, we are still far away from a political
solution, but there is a significant de-escalation of the
conflict, which is, from the point of the view of the people
who are living in the eastern Ukraine, a real progress.
So a lot has to be done now. And we are just inviting--not
in the OSCE format but in the so-called Normandy format
together with France--we are inviting the foreign ministers of
Ukraine and Russia to Paris on Thursday of this week. And we
are now discussing the next steps. In the sequence of the Minsk
agreement, the next which has to be done is now an agreement
about a new election law which is, you know, able to organize
elections in the east of Ukraine, creating new legitimacy. And
there are still bigger gaps to bridge. And that is what we are
trying to do, accompanied by additional attempts to calm the
situation and to keep the security situation on the ground in
the eastern Ukraine more stable as it is.
So therefore, I think we learn--we all learned in Europe
that the OSCE is a still a needed organization. And my hope--my
personal hope is that this is an additional argument why we
have to modernize this organization a little bit. We have asked
Ambassador Ischinger, who is chairing the Munich Security
Conference with a group of experts, to give us some advice for
the modernization of the institution. And I'm just talking with
some of my colleagues yesterday evening, with Secretary Kerry,
about new formats inside the OSCE that we should have--that is
my idea--that we should have the opportunity to talk sometimes
in a more informal way.
And you know the procedures inside OSCE when 57 members are
sitting around the table and reading their notes. This is not
the discussion we are needing in difficult times. So opening
the discussion in perhaps a more informal format, that is what
we have--what we want to try to do during this year in our
chairmanship. I don't know if there is support from a relevant
number of member states of the OSCE, but we are trying to
convince, first of all, some of the bigger member states, and
then hopefully others will follow.
Mr. Cardin. Thank you. Thank you.
Mr. Smith. Thank the ranking member.
Chairman Wicker.
Mr. Wicker. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
And thank you, Mr. Minister, for your opening statement,
your testimony so far.
You know, with all that is going on, I think it is
important that you put the 40-year history of OSCE in
perspective. In 1976, I don't know that I ever expected the
people of Poland or Czechoslovakia or I could name any other
country, to have free elections, or to have the level of
independence that they have. And it was--actually, it was a
decade and a half before that came to fruition. But the fact
that you would mention the historical context of the entire 40
years gives me hope that things will improve.
Also, with regard to what Mr. Cardin said as to the nuts
and bolts and tools, I appreciate your thinking this through. I
can tell you, at the Parliamentary Assembly level, we are also
talking about a different approach to basically all we have.
And that is dialogue. We need to think of a better way to have
dialogue. We need to think of a better way to have consensus
building and to mobilize international opinion through the
power of words. We don't have policemen to send in. We don't
have judges to go in and do injunctions. And we certainly don't
have an army, nor would I want it to be. What we have is the
opportunity for better dialogue and to better use the power of
words.
Now, Chairman Smith and I have mentioned a number of issues
in which it seems that we're backsliding in the OSCE region. So
give me your opinion--and let's be honest here, we're on the
record and the TV cameras are here--it seems to me that with
regard to corruption, we are backsliding in the OSCE. It seems
that with regard to anti-Semitism there is not only a lack of
progress, we are heading the other way. And you know, to that I
would add other minority groups. I don't know that we're
progressing in the area of human trafficking. So let's talk
honestly about that. Let me get your opinion and let's get it
on the record. And if we are backsliding in one or all of these
areas, help us identify the reason why that situation is headed
in the wrong direction.
Mr. Steinmeier. Thank you. Only a few remarks to your first
issue about history of the OSCE. My impression now, at the
beginning of my chairmanship, is sometimes when I'm discussing
OSCE issues with the German public that history might be, you
know, looking to the younger generation, a sort of obstacle,
because from the point of view of the younger generation, the
OSCE is in a certain way linked to the times of the Cold War.
And they are not really aware that issues like human
trafficking, anti-
Semitism, corruption are higher now on our agenda.
So when you are asking are we backsliding, I think on the
surface that might be. But you know, this depends a little bit
from our effort, or let's say from our success, in dealing with
different crises around Europe. I think--and returning from
Ukraine last week--you know, many people in Ukraine are
completely aware that the fight against corruption in their own
country is the fight for democracy. And the main question is if
Ukrainians will be able, and if we will be able to support,
those who are really engaged in this, if we are able to create
conditions that the fight against corruption will be
successful.
I met a number of members of the parliament and so-called
reformists in the Cabinet who are really engaged and determined
to fight against corruption. And I hope that we will, and the
Ukrainians will, create conditions that their fight will be
successful. But you're right, corruption is not only an issue
in Ukraine. We are observing that in greater parts of Asia,
especially in some of the Central Asian states. And I think we
must be clear with the OSCE, and we will be clear during our
chairmanship, we will not allow backsliding in all the three
issues you were mentioning--
corruption, anti-Semitism, human trafficking.
But human trafficking is also linked to the conflicts in
the Middle East. And so therefore talking about migration or
human trafficking, I think we have the political and moral
obligation to try what we can in combination with all the
regional actors to find solutions for crises and conflicts
which are the cause, which are the source for migration and
human trafficking. And regarding especially the biggest crisis
in the Middle East, Syria, I'm far from being optimistic that
after five years of civil war, 250,000 victims, for the first
time there is perhaps a glimmer of hope that we are
progressing.
Mr. Wicker. Do you agree with me that we are backsliding
when it comes to anti-Semitism?
Mr. Steinmeier. Looking to Europe, you're right. We have,
and also in Germany, we're making the experience that populist
parties, some of them with a portion of anti-Semitism in their
programs, that they are becoming more influence in our
societies. I think this cannot only be the obligation and the
task of the OSCE to fight these new tendencies. This is also an
obligation of national governments and civil society. So far,
talking about Germany, I'm quite happy that a lot of people are
really standing up against these new kinds of populism. And
hopefully they will not have the expected success in the
parliamentary elections.
Mr. Smith. Thank you, Chairman Wicker.
Commissioner Joe Pitts.
HON. JOSEPH R. PITTS, COMMISSIONER, COMMISSION ON SECURITY AND
COOPERATION IN EUROPE
Mr. Pitts. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Welcome, Mr. Minister, and thank you for your testimony.
Let me ask you about Moldova. If you have one from your
government's new perspective as chair, can you offer us an
update on the five-plus-two negotiations with the Russian
Federation? Specifically, has there been any update on the
Federation's making good on its past promise to withdraw
Russian ammunition and military forces from the Transnistria
region within the Republic of Moldova?
Mr. Steinmeier. Yes. These are different aspects. And I'm
afraid for the time being I have not very much encouraging
signals to give. First of all, regarding the domestic situation
in Moldova, there is a sort of still-stand, as you know. A new
government is created and we have to wait if this new
government will have the needed support from the parliament,
and if this new government is really following the path of
former government, meaning a course of reforms including the
fight against corruption. There was some skepticism, as you
know, during the last weeks and few months.
On Transnistria, I have announced publicly that we will
make a new effort. I don't see any kind of progress on solving
these old--very old, frozen conflicts. And we will use all the
instruments inside and outside the OSCE to bridge the gaps, or
some of the gaps. But being honest, I think there is, for the
time being, not really justified optimism.
Mr. Smith. Thank you very much, Mr. Pitts.
Let me ask a few final questions. And again, Mr. Foreign
Minister, if you have any questions you have of us, you know,
this is a dialogue, we would appreciate those questions as
well. Let me--you know, Chairman Wicker mentioned the
backsliding and anti-Semitism. And the empirical data clearly
shows it's getting worse. In the United States it has gotten
worse, the last years for which we have statistics. Despite the
fact that men and women who happen to be Jewish comprise 1.9
percent of our population, 57 percent of anti-religious hate
crimes that were motivated by an offender's anti-Jewish bias
were committed against Jews.
And the comparison between Muslims and Christians pale in
terms of the numbers. And yet Jews comprise about 1.9 percent
of our population. And the Kantor Institute shows very similar
numbers happening all over Europe, including Germany, France,
the U.K. Italy has seen almost a doubling of the number of hate
crimes year over year. So it's a very, very troubling trend. So
all the more reason why your leadership on this--you know, it
was in this room more than a dozen years ago, almost 15 years
ago to be exact, that Gert Weisskirchen and I agreed to a--and
our Commission--but we did it right here, right where we sit
right now, to a coalition of the willing within the
Parliamentary Assembly to try to get other parliamentarians to
take up this cause.
And I have to tell you, it was a hard fight. Many people
wanted to just immediately make it include everything. And
everything does have to be included, but anti-Semitic hate, as
we all know, is of a very special form of virulent bias that
continues year over year.
Mr. Steinmeier. But your--if I may say, your common efforts
had some outcome, some result, because I remember you and Gert
Weisskirchen, you were initiating the first anti-Semitism
conferences. And we are now organizing the third one, I think.
Mr. Smith. And I can't tell you how grateful we are for
that and, again, for the work that Rabbi Andy Baker does. So
but I think all of us have to--including here in the United
States--we have a problem in our universities, where there's a
growing bias against Jewish people, Jewish students. So there
needs to be, I think, a redoubling of all of our efforts.
Let me ask you, with regards to the trafficking issue, when
we met with the chair-in-office from Ukraine, we asked him as a
commission if he would convene a conference that would look at
the overall issue, which you are doing, but also at very
specific parts of it, including the use of the airlines to
carry victims from one location to another. And many of our
airlines, as you know, Delta Airlines and others, have done a
situational awareness program. It's been incorporated into
what's called Blue Lightning that Homeland Security
promulgates.
A woman named Nancy Rivard, with the Airline Ambassadors
International, came up with one of the best, simplest ways of
being situationally aware on a flight, conveying information of
a suspected trafficking in progress to the pilot, who tells law
enforcement so when the travelers disembark, law enforcement,
not the pilot, not the flight attendants, can ascertain whether
or not there's a trafficking situation. And many, many women
have been saved, rings have been broken up. And I would ask--
you know, we're trying to get all of our airlines to do it.
They haven't all. It would be great if Lufthansa and all the
other European carriers would consider it. But if you could
look at, perhaps, including that in your conference as a
workshop?
And the other would be, if I could, with all due respect,
the whole of sex tourism for children. We know child sex
predators have a huge propensity to recommit those crimes. The
recidivism rate--and that's just for those who get caught--
approximates about a third, depending on the study you look at.
So for every one who gets caught, how many go undetected
because of the secrecy of the travel? Our new international
Megan's Law, which is named after a little girl from my
district, my hometown, named Megan Kanka, who was--lived across
the street from a convicted pedophile, nobody knew, he lured
her into the house, slaughtered her, raped her, and buried her
in a local park. That led to all 50 states enacting Megan's
Law.
We now have a very serious, well-vetted database of sex
offenders, including child sex offenders. And our new
international Megan's Law will systematize the noticing of
every country in the world when these individuals travel. And
then it's up to Germany to say: We will deny entry--I know we
have visa waiver and all of that--but we'll deny--you'll have
the actionable information in a timely fashion. I think it's
something--we've gotten Parliamentary Assembly resolutions
passed asking that states look at international Megan's Law, as
well as its core, of Megan's Law itself. And I would beseech
you to take a look at that yourself. It can provide you with
all kinds of data, because it is an idea whose time has come.
Mr. Steinmeier. Yes. Thank you for this information. I
promise you that we will integrate that in the preparation of
our conference.
And I have no question to you, but I want you to invite you
to Germany, to these conferences, or wherever they will take
place, so that you can directly influence the discussion during
these conferences. So I hope to see you.
Mr. Smith. That would be an honor. Thank you. And for my
colleagues, all of us, we would make every effort to be there.
Mr. Pitts. Mr. Chairman, let me just add a little bit on
what you've said. The Airline Ambassador Program, the staff on
the plane is trained to recognize or spot characteristics of
traffic victims. They do not intervene. They have a hotline
number which they call. And they're met when they get on the
ground. And the proper authorities then intervene, take the
people out of the queue and intervene. So they're really
serving as eyes and ears and alerts with their training, the
airlines. So if you could help facilitate training like that
with the airlines, that would be very good.
Mr. Smith. And it's low-cost and highly efficacious. If I
could, Mr. Foreign Minister, you know, Chairman Wicker led us
to a Parliamentary Assembly in Baku. And we had a very lively,
I can tell you, exchange between President Aliyev and our
delegation. We've been there twice as a commission. And we've
noticed, with alarm, as I know you have and I know many in the
European Union have, that Azerbaijan has now put behind bars
something on the order of 100 political prisoners. People in
opposition now are incarcerated.
And one of those journalists, Khadija Ismayilova, a woman
who we met with or interviewed by for Radio Free Europe. And
now she has a seven-and-a-half-year prison sentence for
exposing the excesses and, frankly, the corruption of the
Aliyev regime. My hope is that--I mean, I've introduced a bill
called the Azerbaijan Democracy Act. And it has a number of
things, like we did with the Belarus Democracy Act years ago,
targets individuals for denial of visas based on complicity in
crimes. And I'm wondering if you will, you know, use your good
offices to press the government to release this woman and the
others who have been unfairly incarcerated.
Mr. Steinmeier. Yes. Not only that, I met the President
Aliyev during the Munich Security Conference. I have already
announced my visit in Azerbaijan. And to be sure, we will urge
Azerbaijan to respect the freedom of media. And we are talking
about individuals. And therefore, we are taking care about
those people who are prosecuted, who are sitting 30 years in
prison. And I hope that we will find a solution to one or the
other case.
Mr. Smith. I would just point out that when we heard a
hearing on Khadija, it was incredible to me how the Azerbaijani
government, including their parliament, so grossly overreacted
and suggested absolutely wrongly--and I want this on the record
for everyone--that I, we, were put up to it by the Armenians.
They claimed that the Armenian lobby had written the
resolution. They didn't even know about it until after it was
introduced. It was all about, as you pointed out, protecting
journalists and political prisoners, so--
Mr. Steinmeier. We have completely similar experiences.
Mr. Smith. I know. I'm sure you do.
Mr. Steinmeier. Thank you.
Mr. Smith. Thank you so much. And I'm done.
Mr. Wicker. Thank you, sir.
Mr. Smith. Thank you. [Whereupon, at 3:10 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 afternoon and welcome to everyone joining us today--especially
to His Excellency Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
With the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine and the refugees from
Syria and nearby countries entering the OSCE region--as well as the
security threats the Syrian conflict is generating--I think it is safe
to say this will be a challenging year for the OSCE. We are grateful
that Germany has shouldered the responsibility to lead the OSCE at this
critical time.
Through its influence and the respect it has earned from all sides
among OSCE nations, Germany is ideally suited to lead the organization.
Never in the OSCE's history has its relevance been so clearly
necessary. Russia's latest and most egregious attempts to change
borders by force and expand its territory continue to reverberate
across all three dimensions of the OSCE in direct defiance of all ten
principles of the Helsinki Final Act.
That the OSCE is a consensus organization does not make it
powerless in the face of a Russian veto. Even as Russia walks away from
its OSCE commitments, undermines Europe's longstanding security
architecture, it is still able to bear witness--to speak truth to
power--and to convene and encourage negotiations.
The Chair-in-Office can persistently declare that Russia's illegal
annexation of Crimea will never be recognized by the international
community; that its flimsy denials of military intervention in Donbass
and Luhansk are fooling no one; that that even at home, imprisoning
voices of dissent will not silence them; and that the outsourcing
threats and attacks on those who would exercise rights Russia itself
recognized some forty years ago in no way absolves it of accountability
for the consequences.
We hope and fully expect that the Chair-in-Office will do this--and
we will give our full support. I'm confident that our government will
continue to do so, and certainly my Co-Chairman, Sen. Roger Wicker, and
I, and our fellow Commissioners will do everything in our means to
support you as well.
Your Excellency, I look forward to a conversation with you today on
your plans for your Chairmanship. As you know, a number of us will also
raise issues that we work on in the OSCE. I have spent much of my
career, both within Congress and the OSCE PA, in support of human
rights, including the fight against trafficking and anti-Semitism. You
may be aware that I offered the first OSCE PA resolution on fighting
human trafficking in 1999 in St. Petersburg, and the first resolution
on fighting anti-Semitism in 2002.
We are glad to see that these issues are high on your
Chairmanship's agenda as well. Unfortunately, despite our collective
best efforts, these problems have not gone away, and may be getting
worse.
One of the other issues I'll be raising is prisoners of conscience
held by OSCE countries.
I'd like to take this opportunity to announce that the Commission
will soon post a list of prisoners of conscience held by various OSCE
participating states--this list will be very carefully vetted, and we
will advocate systematically on behalf of the people who are on it, in
keeping with the Commission's mandate.
This list will be in response to a disturbing trend among a certain
states that find it easier to imprison dissenting voices rather than
engage in dialogue with them. After 1990 the situation with prisoners
of conscience dramatically improved in the OSCE--the reversal in the
past several years is deeply disturbing. I hope that the German
Chairmanship will be able to make the release of political prisoners a
priority as well.
I'd like to make a specific appeal on behalf of Khadija Ismayilova,
a prisoner of conscience in Azerbaijan. Khadija is an Azeri, and worked
as an investigative reporter for Radio Free Europe. She did outstanding
work exposing the corruption of the Aliyev family and for her work she
was sentenced to 7.5 years in prison. In December of last year I
chaired a hearing on her case and the repression in Azerbaijan more
broadly. I'd ask you to make her release, and the release of other
Azeri prisoners of conscience, a priority.
If you make a visit to Azerbaijan, please request to meet with her
personally. Azerbaijan has over 100 prisoners of conscience, and Russia
has a similar number.
Thank you, Your Excellency, for speaking to the Commission this
afternoon.
Prepared Statement of Hon. Roger Wicker, Co-Chairman, Commission on
Security and Cooperation in Europe
Thank you, Chairman Smith. I join you in welcoming His Excellency
Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier before the Helsinki
Commission. I appreciate having the Foreign Minister's views and
expertise as the Commission works to formulate U.S. policy regarding
the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE).
For 40 years, the OSCE has worked to bolster security, democracy,
the rule of law, and respect for human rights. In recent decades,
Europe has faced major changes, crises, and conflicts. These have
included the fall of communism, the war in the former Yugoslavia, and
the war on international terrorism. In addition to the continued
terrorism threat, OSCE today must contend with new and ongoing
challenges, such as the migration crisis, human trafficking, a
resurgent anti-Semitism, protecting other minority groups, and
corruption in government.
As a 57-member organization that operates by consensus, the OSCE is
also not without internal challenges. Russia has attempted to redefine
European borders through force. It has tried to use the power of veto
and the power of the purse to paralyze the OSCE's mission. These brazen
actions should be addressed in a meaningful way. There are also
differing views among OSCE members on how to address the unprecedented
migration of refugees into Europe.
Mr. Foreign Minister, Germany's chairmanship of the OSCE comes at a
critical time in history. I wish you every success, and I look forward
to your insights and counsel on how we can make a better world for
future generations throughout the OSCE region.
Thank you.
Prepared Statement of H.E. Frank-Walter Steinmeier
Chairman Smith, Co-Chairman Wicker, Distinguished members of the
Helsinki Commission, Ladies and gentlemen,
It is a great honor for me to address you today as Chairman-in-
Office of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe.
And it is a particular honor to do this as a German, because we
Germans know how much we owe to this institution and to the CSCE
process--looking back on the path to detente between East and West, the
end of the Cold War and finally the reunification of my country.
The Helsinki Commission, created almost forty years ago, was
instrumental in that endeavor.
My country will never forget the unequivocal support of your
country, ladies and gentlemen! We will not forget the United States'
steadfast commitment to regarding European security as inseparable from
its own security. That was the decisive factor in ending the Cold War
peacefully!
However, our hopes that the end of the Cold War would herald an era
of peace have not come true. The vision of the Charter of Paris, of a
Europe ``whole and free'', has not yet materialized.
Yet again we find ourselves facing violent crises and conflicts--
even on our own continent. Russian aggression in Ukraine has brought
the devastation of war right back to the heart of Europe--violating
central provisions of international law, the Helsinki Final Act and
OSCE commitments.
At the same time, violence has spiked in regions of the Middle East
and Northern Africa. Terror, religious radicalism and regional
rivalries have led to immeasurable human suffering.
That is particularly true for Syria. I hope that the recent
diplomatic initiative for a cessation of hostilities--that is being
tirelessly promoted by Secretary Kerry and others--will bring the
violence to a halt and pave the way for urgently needed political
negotiations.
The brutal conflicts in the Middle East have also reached the
European continent. Hundreds of thousands of people have been forced to
flee their homes and are seeking shelter in Europe--many of them in
Germany.
We live in turbulent times, ladies and gentlemen. I believe that in
the light of these enormous challenges, we should remember the crucial
lessons we learned in overcoming the Cold War.
The first lesson is simple but critical: we are only strong if we
stand together. Secretary Kerry just reminded us in Munich that the
transatlantic community has faced numerous challenges before. But we
stood together to overcome them, and we will continue do so--not only
because there is only one common transatlantic security, but also
because we are a community of shared values and of shared beliefs.
Another lesson I see is this: we need to make the best possible use
of our existing tools to help solve conflicts and to promote peace and
security. In fact, we must strengthen these instruments!
The OSCE is one of these tools--a crucial one. With its unique and
inclusive membership, its operational capacities and its established
formats for dialogue, it is a central pillar of our common security.
To me, strengthening the OSCE and using its full potential as a
platform for dialogue is imperative - particularly in these challenging
times, with trust at a low ebb.
This is why ``renewing dialogue, rebuilding trust, restoring
security'' is the motto we have chosen for our OSCE Chairmanship in
2016.
The dialogue we want to renew is not one that sugarcoats our
differences, nor is it dialogue for its own sake--it is dialogue to
engage one another substantively, to face our differences and to really
effect change.
In the conflict in and around Ukraine, we have condemned Russian
violations of international law and of OSCE principles and commitments,
and we have exerted political and economic pressure in response.
At the same time, however, we have established formats for
dialogue--to avoid further bloodshed and to help find a political
solution. I agree with many of you that the results of this--the Minsk
agreements--are far from perfect. We are still awaiting the complete
implementation of their provisions by all sides. But I remain convinced
that the Minsk agreements are still the best chance we have to overcome
this conflict!
And the OSCE has been instrumental in bringing that chance about!
Ladies and gentlemen,
In the midst of the Cold War in the 1970s, in the face of the real
danger of military confrontation between East and West, we put special
emphasis on the implementation of human rights standards in the whole
Euro-Atlantic area.
It is my firm conviction that safeguarding human rights and
fundamental freedoms is a crucial and direct contribution to a more
stable international system and to comprehensive security.
That is why we will place a special focus on the Human Dimension
during our OSCE Chairmanship. I would like to name just a few of our
priorities:
Freedom of the media is of particular importance to us.
Our societies should be able to communicate freely and without
interference from state propaganda.
We also need to intensify our fight against
discrimination, racism, xenophobia and intolerance. We need to address
it throughout Europe, including in my own country! In Germany, people's
overwhelming readiness to help arriving refugees has recently been
overshadowed by xenophobic assaults and demonstrations. These are
despicable acts that we must not and will not tolerate!
We will also place a special focus on combating Anti-
Semitism. I have re-
appointed Rabbi Andrew Baker as my Personal Representative on Combating
Anti-Semitism and thank him for his valuable work in this regard. We
will support the work of the Office for Democratic Institutions and
Human Rights (ODIHR). And we will also host a number of events in
Berlin on combating Anti-Semitism, building on the OSCE conferences of
2004 and 2014.
Another emphasis will be on gender equality, as well as
on dialogue with civil society.
And finally, the pressing issue of migration should
figure more prominently and comprehensively on the OSCE's agenda. There
is a lot of expertise that the OSCE can bring to the table: on human
rights standards, on best practices in labor migration and on
combatting human trafficking. We support the efforts of the Special
Representative for Combating Trafficking in Human Beings.
Ladies and gentlemen,
Despite all the differences in the OSCE area, we have to work on
real solutions to the crises and challenges we face in these turbulent
times.
In the long term, we will need to return to a broader dialogue on
European security, and we should adhere to the vision of renewed arms
control and more cooperative security in Europe. The OSCE provides a
platform for such dialogue, and we should make use of it.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The OSCE is a unique organization. But my hope is that its
principles can provide a glimmer of hope to other regions--particularly
in the Middle East.
Let us remember that the road to Helsinki began when the Cold War
was at its coldest. At the start of the negotiations, who would have
dared to hope that at the end of it, the Berlin Wall would fall?
Of course, you can't transfer a security architecture to another
region. But perhaps our experiences can highlight useful principles and
processes. And maybe they can encourage the parties in the Middle East
to live up to their responsibility and explore new paths to political
settlements.
This is a discussion that we started at the OSCE conference in
Jordan last year and which we would like to build on.
Ladies and gentlemen,
In 1977, Ambassador Arthur J. Goldberg, Chairman of the US
Delegation at the CSCE follow up meeting in Belgrade, held that--and I
quote--
``a healing of the divisions in Europe[,] cannot be divorced
from progress in humanitarian matters and human rights. The
pursuit of human rights does not put detente in jeopardy.
Rather it can strengthen detente, and provide a firmer basis
for both security and cooperation.''
It is in this spirit that we will pursue our Chairmanship and hope
to make a contribution to peace and stability in the OSCE area in 2016.
Of course, rebuilding trust will not be easy, and there will not be
a quick fix in 2016.
But in my view we have no alternative but to make every effort to
do so if we want to be able to look future generations in the eye and
hold that we did everything possible to return to peace in Europe!
Thank you.
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