[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 135 (Wednesday, October 25, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Pages S10964-S10965]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                       THE UNITED STATES AND NATO

  Mr. VOINOVICH. Mr. President, there has been an effort in recent days 
to score partisan political points by misrepresenting Governor Bush's 
commitment to NATO and southeast Europe. Unfortunately, some of my 
Senate colleagues have been involved in this effort.
  No one in the Senate has been more involved in our policy toward 
southeast Europe, and no one cares more than I do about that part of 
the world. I have traveled to the region three times this year--on a 
factfinding mission, to participate in the NATO Parliamentary Assembly, 
and to participate in the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly. I have been to 
Kosovo twice and visited with troops.
  I have been involved in efforts to bring about alternative leadership 
in Serbia--something that has finally happened. I have been a leader on 
the Stability Pact with the belief that its successful implementation 
is crucial to the long-term stability, prosperity, and peace in the 
region. I have also constantly watched the situation in Kosovo, 
outraged at the ongoing ethnic cleansing going on there today.
  With this background and involvement, I can say definitely that 
Governor Bush understands the importance of the region to our national 
security interests.
  I think it is important that we set the record straight. Governor 
Bush has said that he would systematically review our military 
commitments internationally upon his inauguration. He will look at them 
across the world. This will include a review of our deployments in the 
Balkans. He has said that he will work with our allies to develop a 
strategy to remove our troops from the region when it is possible to do 
so without threatening peace and stability in the region or our 
relationship with our European allies. He understands the important 
relationship we have with our NATO allies.
  There never was and never will be any statement by Governor Bush or, 
if he is elected, President Bush, regarding a reduced commitment to 
NATO. He understands how important NATO is.
  Vice President Gore has joined Governor Bush in saying that we should 
pull out of the Balkans when we are no longer needed.
  Governor Bush is committed to political stability and security in the 
Balkans. He emphasized this point repeatedly--that stability in 
southeast Europe is vital to Europe and hence to the U.S. In other 
words, we have strategic interests in southeast Europe, which are 
important to Europe and to the security of the U.S. and, for that 
matter, peace in the world. So Governor Bush is committed to political 
stability.
  Without the Governor's involvement in the Byrd-Warner debate on our 
troop commitment to Kosovo, the next President would be facing a July 1 
deadline to decide whether to stay or go. Governor Bush stood up and 
was counted at the time of the Byrd-Warner discussion in the Senate. He 
demonstrated leadership at a time when leaders from both parties were 
considering having the U.S. unilaterally withdraw from a NATO 
commitment. That was a very important thing that he did at that time, 
because if he had not stood up and said he thought it was overreach, we 
would have lost that on the floor of the Senate and would have done 
irreparable damage to our relationship with NATO.

  We must remember that the Clinton-Gore administration promised the 
American people in 1995 that our troops would not be in Bosnia for 
longer than a year. That promise was never kept. Rather than set a 
misguided deadline, Governor Bush is simply saying we should not, and 
will not, be in the Balkans forever. Nothing more.
  Governor Bush has said time and again that he would actively consult 
our European allies in the formation and implementation of our policies 
in NATO and in southeast Europe. I hope Lord Robertson, who heads up 
NATO, understands that. I made that very clear when I was at the NATO 
Assembly in Budapest. We understand how

[[Page S10965]]

important our leadership and our commitment is to NATO.
  Governor Bush is an internationalist who is committed to NATO and our 
European allies.
  These attacks are just partisan politics designed, in my opinion, to 
turn attention from a growing scandal involving Vice President Gore.
  Just this morning, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee held a 
hearing to examine Vice President Gore's dealings with former Russian 
Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin regarding weapons sales to Iran. It 
has been widely reported that the Vice President failed to fully and 
properly inform relevant congressional oversight committees regarding 
agreements reached with Russian officials. He has to be more 
forthcoming about what went on there.
  The hearing was in response to new and critical information on this 
matter which surfaced in the New York Times report dated October 13. 
Governor Bush remains fully committed to NATO and American leadership 
in Europe. Repeating, he remains fully committed to NATO and American 
leadership in Europe.
  He understands our unique role and is committed to maintaining that 
leadership. We know how important our leadership is to NATO. We 
certainly found that out during the Kosovo-Serbian war that we had. To 
suggest that he doesn't understand is just plain hogwash.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Massachusetts is recognized.

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