[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 56 (Tuesday, May 10, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 10, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   SUPPORTING THE KRUEGER NOMINATION

 Mr. DURENBERGER. Mr. President, I rise to support the recent 
confirmation of Robert Charles Krueger to be Ambassador to Burundi. 
Senator Krueger is exceptionally well qualified to represent the United 
States in that African nation.
  He is a Shakespeare scholar, a businessman and rancher, a former 
Member of the House of Representatives and the Senate of the United 
States, and a former Ambassador-at-large during the Carter 
administration.
  He is a true Renaissance man, combining scholarship with those 
practical qualities necessary for success in the world of business and 
commerce. But above all, he has served his country very well in public 
life.
  Robert Krueger was born in New Braunfels, TX, during the depths of 
the depression. He graduated from Southern Methodist University in 
1957, where he was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He holds advanced degrees 
from both Duke University and Oxford University.
  In 1961, Robert Krueger returned from Oxford to teach English 
literature at Duke University. While at Duke, he redesigned the 
undergraduate curriculum, and at the age of 36 was appointed dean of 
arts and sciences by Terry Sanford, then president of Duke University 
and former Governor of North Carolina.
  Robert Krueger returned to his home State of Texas in 1973, upon the 
death of his father, to oversee the family businesses and to run for 
Congress. In 1974, he was elected to the House of Representatives, and 
was reelected in 1976. While in Congress he established an impressive 
record, especially in the field of energy and natural resources.
  In 1978, he left the House to run for the U.S. Senate. He missed 
narrowly--losing to our late colleague John G. Tower by fewer than 
12,000 votes.
  Robert Krueger is far from a novice in the world of foreign 
diplomacy. During the Carter administration, he was appointed 
Ambassador-at-large, and coordinator for Mexican affairs. He served in 
this position from 1978 to 1981, when he returned once again to Texas 
and to the business world.
  Robert Krueger's dedication to public service has been constant. In 
1990, he was elected to the Texas State railroad commission. When our 
former colleague Lloyd Bentsen was selected to serve in the Clinton 
administration as Secretary of the Treasury, Robert Krueger was 
appointed by the Governor of Texas to fill the Senate vacancy until a 
special election could be held. He served with us for only a short 
period of time, but his presence was felt by all who had a chance to 
work with him.
  He has now been asked again to serve his country, and his appointment 
comes at a crucial time in the development of Burundi.
  After many years of military dictatorships, in March 1992 the people 
of Burundi approved a democratic constitution by an overwhelming 9 to 1 
margin. In order to stand for election as president under the new 
constitution, Buyoya resigned from the military. His main opponent in 
the election was Melchoir Ndadaye, a Hutu with a background in banking.
  In June 1993, 2.8 million voters went to the polls and elected 
Melchoir Ndadaye president in the country's first ever multiparty 
elections. Buyoya accepted his defeat gracefully, and is now leading a 
freedom foundation to encourage economic development in Burundi.
  Then tragedy struck. On October 21, 1993, I came to the floor of the 
Senate to express my shock and dismay at events that had just occurred 
that morning in Burundi. Elements of the Burundian army had staged a 
military coup, and murdered President Ndadaye. This tragic action 
motivated ethnic attacks throughout the country, killing thousands of 
Burundians. As a result of this turmoil, approximately one-tenth of the 
population of Burundi had fled to neighboring Rwanda, Tanzania, and 
Zaire.
  But within this tragedy there is reason for hope. The people of 
Burundi did not permit factions within the military to rob the nation 
of democracy. The military was unable to consolidate its power. The 
people of Burundi--Tutsi and Hutu--together with the international 
community, condemned this action, and the coup failed.
  Since the tragic events of last fall, Burundi has continued its 
journey along the path of democracy and national unity. More recently, 
the tragic deaths of the new President of Burundi, Cyprien Ntarymira, 
and the President of Rwanda has led to a violent and bloody crisis in 
Rwanda. To the credit of the people of Burundi, this crisis has not 
spread, as yet, to Burundi.
  However, the situation in Burundi remains fragile, and for that 
reason, I am very pleased that an individual of the stature of Robert 
Krueger will be representing the United States in Burundi during this 
difficult period in that region of Africa.
  I am certain that Robert Krueger--in the position of Ambassador to 
Burundi--will represent America well, and will serve as an inspiration 
to those in Burundi who want that country to remain a free and 
democratic nation. My thoughts and prayers go with Robert Krueger, his 
wife Kathleen and his two daughters, Mariana and Sarah, as they 
undertake this very important posting.

                          ____________________