[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 81 (Thursday, June 23, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 23, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   RUSSIA JOINS PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from Missouri [Mr. Gephardt] is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. GEPHARDT. Mr. Speaker, yesterday, the Western alliance realized 
an extraordinary achievement of international peace and partnership. 
Russia, our bitter adversary for more than 40 years of cold war 
struggle, joined the Partnership For Peace, and pledged to work with us 
to secure our common goals throughout the world.
  Just 5 years ago, the thought that one day we would welcome Russia 
into the family of NATO would have been unthinkable. The thought that 
Russia would come to embrace democracy and freedom, and that it would 
come to pursue so many of our fundamental goals throughout the world, 
was unimaginable.
  In taking this historic step, Russia and the United States are 
working together to heal the wounds that have divided Europe since the 
end of the Second World War. We are working together to bring to 
Eastern Europe the security and the stability that NATO has given 
Western Europe for nearly half a century.
  In the coming weeks, Russia's relations with the West will continue 
to grow and to strengthen. President Yeltsin will sign an agreement 
with the European Union that will open European markets to Russian 
products. President Yeltsin will meet with the G-7 on a broad range of 
political and economic issues.
  I believe that this is the time to reaffirm our commitment to 
democracy and freedom in Russia--and to reaffirm our determination to 
help Russia make real the promise of its political and economic 
reforms.
  It's far too easy to take yesterday's progress for granted. But for 
half of this century, the fear of confrontation with Russia cast a 
shadow over all of our international relations, and all of our lives. 
Let's not turn our backs on this progress. Let's not take it for 
granted. Let's work to ensure that this unprecedented alliance grows 
even stronger, even closer, in the years and decades to come.

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