[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 162 (Tuesday, November 16, 1999)]
[House]
[Pages H12026-H12029]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       EXPRESSING UNITED STATES POLICY TOWARD THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
concurrent resolution (H. Con. Res. 165) expressing United States 
policy toward the Slovak Republic.
  The Clerk read as follows:

                            H. Con. Res. 165

       Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 
     concurring), 

     SECTION 1. FINDINGS.

       The Congress finds the following:
       (1) Elections held in May 1999 brought the first ever 
     popularly elected President of the Slovak Republic to office 
     and demonstrated the commitment of the Slovak people to full 
     economic reforms, democratic government, and western ideals.
       (2) The parliamentary elections held in September 1998 
     brought to office a coalition government in the Slovak 
     Republic which has shown its commitment to economic reforms 
     through economic austerity measures approved in May 1999, 
     increased foreign investments through privatization of 
     markets that were formerly state controlled, and discipline 
     in government and currency policies.
       (3) The Government of the Slovak Republic formed after the 
     elections of September 1998 has renewed efforts to ensure the 
     proper treatment of its citizens, regardless of ethnic 
     background, including those of ethnic Hungarian background 
     through the placement of three ethnic Hungarians in the 
     cabinet of the Government (including the Deputy Premier for 
     Human and Minority Rights), and through the passage of the 
     Minority Language Use Act on July 10, 1999, in accordance 
     with European Union guidelines, which will take effect on 
     September 1, 1999, to protect the rights of all citizens.
       (4) The Government of the Slovak Republic has made 
     Slovakia's integration into pan-European and trans-Atlantic 
     institutions, including the European Union and the North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the highest foreign 
     policy priority, and through active participation with the 
     Visegrad Four, the Slovak Republic has undertaken efforts to 
     promote stability in the region.
       (5) The Government of the Slovak Republic has stated its 
     continuing support for the mission of NATO in supporting 
     democratization and stability across Europe, and the 
     Government demonstrated its commitment to these principles by 
     fully cooperating with NATO during the recent conflict in 
     Kosovo, allowing NATO full access to Slovak airspace, 
     highways, and railways.
       (6) The Slovak Republic subsequently provided military 
     engineers to assist the peacekeeping force of NATO in Kosovo 
     (KFOR), approved a $2,000,000 humanitarian aid package for 
     Kosovo, and housed over 100 refugees from the conflict.
       (7) The Government of the Slovak Republic has continually 
     worked to retain civilian control of its military through 
     participation with NATO forces and has been an active 
     participant in the Partnership-for-Peace program.
       (8) The Slovak Republic has provided military personnel for 
     participation in and support of multinational peacekeeping 
     operations such as the United Nations operations in Rwanda 
     and Liberia.

     SEC. 2. POLICY TOWARD THE SLOVAK REPUBLIC.

       It is the policy of the United States--
       (1) to promote the development in the Slovak Republic of a 
     market-based economy and a democratic government that 
     respects the rights of all of its citizens, regardless of 
     ethnic background; and
       (2) to support the eventual integration of the Slovak 
     Republic into pan-European and trans-Atlantic economic and 
     security institutions.

     SEC. 3. SENSE OF THE CONGRESS.

       It is the sense of the Congress that--
       (1) the Government of the Slovak Republic formed after the 
     elections of September 1998 is to be commended--
       (A) for its efforts to address the issue of proper 
     treatment of its citizens, regardless of ethnic background, 
     particularly those of ethnic Hungarian background;
       (B) for its efforts to improve the economic situation in 
     the Slovak Republic and for its efforts to accelerate the 
     privatization of state-owned enterprises in a fair and 
     transparent process; and
       (C) for its support for the North Atlantic Treaty 
     Organization (NATO) in the recent conflict in Kosovo;
       (2) the Government of the Slovak Republic should continue 
     to implement programs that may qualify the Slovak Republic 
     for entrance into the European Union and NATO and is to be 
     commended for its continued support of the NATO effort to 
     ensure stability and democratization across Europe; and
       (3) the United States should support efforts for the 
     eventual integration of the Slovak Republic into pan-European 
     and trans-Atlantic institutions and should view such 
     integration as an important factor in consolidating 
     democratic government and economic stability in the Slovak 
     Republic.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Gilman) and the gentleman from California (Mr. Lantos) each 
will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman).


                             General Leave

  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members

[[Page H12027]]

may have 5 legislative days within which to revise and extend their 
remarks on House Concurrent Resolution 165.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  (Mr. GILMAN asked and was given permission to revise and extend his 
remarks.)
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to rise in support of House 
Concurrent Resolution 165 and to have joined the gentleman from Florida 
(Mr. Mica) in introducing this measure earlier this year.
  Slovakia is an important country in the region of Central and Eastern 
Europe; and for that reason, our Nation and our allies in the North 
Atlantic Alliance and the European Union have sought to build a 
stronger relationship with Slovakia.
  The collapse of communism is, however, a mere 10 years behind us, and 
the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Communist regimes in 
Eastern Europe in 1989 was just the start of a very difficult process 
for Slovakia and for many other countries in that region. Even the most 
prosperous of those countries, new democracies like Poland, like 
Hungary, and the Czech Republic, continue to face difficult issues and 
challenges to reforms. But Slovakia has had an added challenge, it has 
not really existed as an independent state for hundreds of years.
  After becoming independent in 1993, the newly independent state of 
Slovakia then experienced a political struggle that ensued between 
those who want to integrate Slovakia into pan-European and 
transatlantic institutions by carrying out real reforms, and those who, 
while calling for such integration, actually made such reforms 
difficult to achieve.
  The parliamentary elections of September 1998 brought to power a new 
coalition government, a government that appears to be working toward 
implementing genuine reform and ensuring that the rights of all the 
citizens of Slovakia are respected regardless of ethnic background.
  Mr. Speaker, I believe that this resolution is a timely expression of 
our support for the new government in Slovakia and for the process of 
economic and political reforms in that country. It also makes it clear 
that the United States supports Slovakia's eventual integration into 
the pan-European and transatlantic community of Democratic states.
  Mr. Speaker, I fully support the passage of this resolution, and I 
urge my colleagues to join in support.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume, 
and I rise in strong support of this resolution.
  First of all, I want to commend my friend and colleague, the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), for taking the initiative in 
introducing this resolution.
  Mr. Speaker, Central and Eastern Europe constitutes one of the most 
complex, intriguing, and difficult parts of this globe; and the Slovak 
Republic is no exception. During the Second World War, an independent 
fascist established Slovak Republic had a singularly dismal record, 
resulting in the mass murder of innocent people and the enthusiastic 
participation in Hitler's war efforts.
  For a long period during the Cold War, Slovakia, then part of the 
Czechoslovakia, represented an oppressive Communist dictatorship. And 
while there was a brief period in 1968, commonly referred to as the 
Prague spring, during which communism attempted to put on a human face, 
forces of repression prevailed. During the last months of the Cold War, 
Czechoslovakia represented one of the most repressive Communist regimes 
in Central and Eastern Europe.

                              {time}  1500

  With the leadership of Vaclav Havel, who was joined by both Czech and 
Slovak democrats, a Velvet Revolution unfolded and Czechoslovakia 
became part of the democratic world. Shortly thereafter, these two 
parts of Czechoslovakia separated peacefully.
  I think history will long remember the dramatic difference between 
the peaceful separation of the Czech and Slovak republics and the 
bloody separation of the constituent republics of the former 
Yugoslavia.
  For years, Slovakia was run by an individual of no democratic 
convictions, a man by the name of Meciar. Those of us who had the 
opportunity of visiting with him in Bratislava time and time again were 
appalled at his total failure, unwillingness, or inability to 
understand the new winds of democracy that are blowing throughout 
Europe.
  Last year, new parliamentary elections were held in Slovakia and a 
democratic coalition government came to power. We are here to 
congratulate and wish the very best to that democratic government.
  Earlier this year, Mr. Speaker, the people of the Slovak Republic 
chose in free elections their first ever popularly elected president; 
and we are here to salute him.
  The new government of the Slovak Republic has recognized the equal 
rights of all ethnic minorities. It has recognized the importance of 
the freedom of religion, freedom of press, freedom of speech, freedom 
of association, freedom to create political organizations to provide a 
vehicle for the people of Slovakia to advocate their views.
  During the recent engagement in Kosovo, the Slovak authorities 
granted NATO full access to Slovak airspace, highways and railways; and 
Slovakia provided military engineers to assist in our peacekeeping 
efforts in Kosovo.
  The greatest hope of the Slovak people at this time is to be fully 
integrated into Europe and to be accepted into NATO. If they continue 
in their democratic ways, which we are so delighted and pleased to 
observe on a daily basis, it is certainly our hope that the European 
Union will welcome them as a full and free member of the newly united 
democratic Europe; and, in due time, they will be entitled to NATO 
membership and participation, which will strengthen their security and 
add to the collective strength of NATO.
  I strongly support this resolution, Mr. Speaker.
  Let me just say, in conclusion, that last week a few of us had the 
pleasure of meeting the new prime minister of Slovakia, who represents 
the best democratic tradition of central and Eastern Europe. We look 
forward to working with him and with his government in making Slovakia 
a full, effective, and democratic member of a united and democratic 
Europe.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica) helped to arrange 
a CODEL visit for us to Slovakia last year at about this time. It was 
at his insistence that we were the first CODEL delegation to visit 
Slovakia since its independence. And we were grateful for that 
opportunity.
  Mr. Speaker, I am pleased to yield such time as he may consume to the 
gentleman from Florida (Mr. Mica), the sponsor of this resolution.
  Mr. MICA. Mr. Speaker, first of all, I would like to thank and 
express my appreciation to the gentleman from New York (Chairman 
Gilman) for both his expeditious consideration and handling of this 
resolution today and also for his personal support of Slovakia as it 
moves forward to take its place among the universe of free, 
independent, and democratic nations.
  It is my honor, as an American of Slovak heritage, to speak in 
support of and also to help author House Concurrent Resolution 165.
  I also want to pay tribute to the gentleman from California (Mr. 
Lantos), serving as the ranking member of the Committee on 
International Relations, and thank him for his kind words in support of 
this resolution and also in support of the great progress the Slovak 
Republic and Slovak people have made in the last few years.
  There are a few people on the Committee on International Relations or 
in the Congress who are more familiar with this area than the gentleman 
from California, so his words are particularly well taken today.
  Mr. Speaker, neither fate nor history could provide a better time 
than today, November 16, for consideration of this resolution by the 
United States Congress. It was exactly 10 years ago today that Slovak 
students took to the

[[Page H12028]]

streets of their capital, the city of Bratislava, to demonstrate 
against Communist domination and plead for freedom and self-rule.
  This month in the Slovak and also in the Czech capitals, the two 
presidents of those nations, their citizens, world leaders, and even 
our United States Secretary of State, Madeleine Albright, will gather 
to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution.
  And just in Washington during the past few weeks, we have been 
celebrating from the White House to the Congress to Embassy Row that 
special revolution that took place in the Czech and Slovak Republic. 
That occasion and this resolution by Congress are special for every one 
of the millions of Slovak Americans and also for the people of the 
Slovak Republic.
  This resolution properly recognizes the accomplishments of Slovakia's 
government during the past year. What many fail to comprehend or 
understand is the centuries of domination and difficulty that have been 
endured by the Slovak people to reach this day of recognition.
  After a millennium of domination from Prague, Vienna, Budapest, 
Moscow and Berlin, the sovereign Slovak Republic now stands as an 
independent, free, and democratic nation. Despite incredible attempts 
over those centuries to destroy the culture, heritage, and language of 
the Slovak people, their spirit has somehow miraculously survived.
  Since January 1, 1993, its first day of independence, Slovakia has 
worked to align itself with free markets and with Western security 
arrangements. With the great progress that we recognize in this 
resolution, it is my hope and the prayer of many that Slovakia will 
take its rightful place among the most respected nations of the world.
  Last week, the Slovak Republic's prime minister, Mikulas Dzurinda, 
placed the first bust of a patriot and freedom fighter in the Ronald 
Reagan Building's Woodrow Wilson Center. Thirty-one years ago, that 
Slovak freedom fighter, Alexander Dubcek, held the 1968 rebellion 
against Communism that was crushed by Soviet tanks.
  Today, we in Congress hope to remove some of those last shackles that 
have held back the Slovak people. It is my hope that this resolution 
will honor them as they march forward to meet their rightful destiny.
  I would like to at this time also pay some very special recognition 
to the first popularly elected Slovak president, Rudolph Schuster. As 
my colleagues heard, they elected their first independent president by 
popular election this spring.
  I would also like to recognize the accomplishments of Prime Minister 
Dzurinda, the former United States ambassador Ralph Johnson, the former 
Slovak ambassador Lichardus, and current Ambassador Butora and all of 
the Slovak parliamentarians from each of their parties who helped make 
this progress possible.
  Finally, the location of Slovakia in Europe is critical to the future 
of NATO and our Western security alliances.
  Please note, and I brought this along because many people do not know 
where Slovakia is, but it was part of the Czech Republic. It is located 
between Poland, Hungary, and Austria. Its capital, Bratislava, is less 
than 40 miles from Vienna. And we can see with that strategic location 
that it is so important that the Czech Republic, that Poland and 
Hungary, which are now part of NATO, have also included the Slovak 
Republic, which is in this island in between.
  For the future security of both Slovakia and this region, it is 
indeed important that we support Slovakia as it seeks to join Western 
security and international free markets in the West.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
  Mr. Speaker, in closing debate on our side, I too want to remember 
those heady days 10 years ago when the gentleman from Missouri (Mr. 
Gephardt), the distinguished Democratic leader, and I visited the 
capital of the then Czech-Slovak Republic. We had the opportunity of 
marching with the students as they were demanding democracy, as they 
were calling for their hero, Vaclav Havel, to be placed in the palace 
up on the hill, symbolically demonstrating that at long last democracy 
has returned to the Czech-Slovak Republic.
  It is indeed a joyous occasion when a democratic Czech Republic and 
the democratic Slovak Republic can come to the United States to be 
honored and congratulated for their achievements.
  As we close this debate, we all wish the Czech people and the Slovak 
people a truly democratic and prosperous future.
  Mr. SMITH of New Jersey. Mr. Speaker, as chairman of the Helsinki 
Commission, I watched for several years as the human rights situation 
in Slovakia deteriorated under the leadership of former Prime Minister 
Vladimir Meciar. I saw how the fledgling democratic institutions of 
that new country were undermined, how parliamentary and constitutional 
processes were threatened, and how the rule of law was slowly but 
surely choked. I, joined by colleagues from the Commission, raised 
these issues time and again with Slovak officials, as did other 
officials of the U.S. Government. Unfortunately, Mr. Meciar was not 
very receptive to our arguments.
  As it happened, however, the fate of the democratic process in 
Slovakia was not left to the tender mercies of Vladimir Meciar. A year 
ago, the people of Slovakia took matters into their own hands. In an 
election carefully monitored by the OSCE, voters returned to office a 
coalition government that ended Meciar's increasingly authoritarian 
rule.
  Initially, this broadly based--some might even say weak--coalition 
seemed to stand only for one thing: it was against Meciar. But in the 
year that has passed, we can not say that this government is not simply 
united in its opposition against the former regime, it is united in its 
commitment for democracy, for the rule of law, for a free market 
economy, for a transparent privatization process that is accountable to 
the people, and for a community of democracies dedicated to the 
protection of their common security.
  Mr. Speaker, the process of transition that Slovakia struggles with 
today is not an easy one. In fact, many of the commemorations held this 
month to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of communism 
have focused on just how difficult this transition has been, including 
for Slovakia's closest neighbors. In spite of this, the Slovak 
Government has proceeded to make some very tough decisions this year. I 
am particularly impressed by the willingness of Prime Minister Dzurinda 
to make decisions that, while necessary for the long term, economic 
well-being of his country, may be very politically unpopular in the 
short term. That takes courage.
  I know, of course, that Slovakia still has a lot of work ahead. As in 
most other European countries, there is much that should be done in 
Slovakia to improve respect for the human rights of the Romani 
minority. But there is much that Slovakia has accomplished in the past 
year and--especially as someone who has been critical of Slovakia in 
the past--I want to acknowledge and commend those achievements. Mr. 
Speaker, I hope others will join me in sending this message and will 
support H. Con. Res. 165.
  Mr. STUPAK. Mr. Speaker, I am pleased today to be able to speak on 
behalf of this resolution. I trace my own ancestry to an area of what 
is now the Slovak Republic, and I watch with interest and concern 
developments in this area of Europe.
  There are dangers and threats to these new democracies, which were 
created from the totalitarian governments of the former Soviet 
satellite nations. These threats stem from economic disparities, 
disappointment in the pace of growth, old ethnic animosities, and 
untested political structures.
  That is why, Mr. Speaker, it is important that the Congress of the 
United States, the world's foremost democracy, commend the government 
of the Slovak Republic for its efforts to address the issue of minority 
rights and improve the economic well-being of all its citizens.
  I would also like to commend the former government of Vladimir Meciar 
for its role in guiding the Slovak Republic through its early days of 
democracy. I know that politics often sharpens the public dialogues and 
that the many voices of democracy often contain words of rancor and 
ill-will. However, as outside observers, we can look with favor--and 
favor with our praise--peaceful transitions of power and the 
subservience of the machinery of government to the will of the people.
  I encourage all my colleagues to support this resolution with the 
same hope that I feel for the future of the Slovak Republic, of Eastern 
Europe, and of young democracies everywhere.
  I look forward to that best measure of success, the full integration 
of the Slovak Republic into the community of Europe.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. GILMAN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.

[[Page H12029]]

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Shimkus). The question is on the motion 
offered by the gentleman from New York (Mr. Gilman) that the House 
suspend the rules and agree to the concurrent resolution, H. Con. Res. 
165.
  The question was taken.
  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, on that I demand the yeas and nays.
  The yeas and nays were ordered.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to clause 8 of rule XX and the 
Chair's prior announcement, further proceedings on this motion will be 
postponed.

                          ____________________