[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 85 (Wednesday, June 29, 1994)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: June 29, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                   RUSSIA JOINS PARTNERSHIP FOR PEACE

                                 ______


                           HON. NEWT GINGRICH

                               of georgia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 28, 1994

  Mr. GINGRICH. Mr. Speaker, I want to take this opportunity to welcome 
Russia as the newest member of the Partnership for Peace. A free, 
democratic, and economically strong Russia is in America's vital 
interest, and this historic moment is a major step in bringing security 
and prosperity to the world.
  The majority of people in Russia are committed to democracy, free 
enterprise, and change. The Russian people have told us they want to be 
``normal and civilized,'' basically America without the violent crime. 
They truly want the rule of law, the right to own property, contract 
rights, the right to work hard and keep what they have earned, the 
right to free speech, and free elections. We have an unparalleled 
opportunity to work with them to achieve these goals.
  Depending on our actions, Russia faces several possible futures. How 
much we are willing to help is contingent upon what kind of future we 
want for our children and or grandchildren. It is possible that Russia 
could slide into an authoritarian dictatorship, and we could return to 
another cold war with a single identifiable enemy competing for 
influence around the globe. Or, Russia could collapse into a situation 
similar to the civil war now occurring in the Balkans, except that 
nuclear weapons will be involved. But, if we seize this opportunity, 
there is a chance that we can assist Russia in evolving into a 
relatively stable, open, and democratic society committed to similar 
ideals as ours. We gain the benefits of stable political systems, 
emerging open capitalist oriented markets, and political allies in a 
very important region of the world. We won the cold war; it is now time 
to win the peace. The Partnership for Peace is a tremendous step in 
United States relations with Russia, and I hope that we can continue to 
build on our successes and work together for a peaceful and more secure 
world.

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