[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 31 (Tuesday, March 15, 2005)]
[Senate]
[Pages S2728-S2729]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 RUSSIAN SUPPORT FOR THE SYRIAN REGIME

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, the Helsinki Commission, which I chair, 
held a hearing last week that examined the close relationship between 
Russian Federation and Syria. The Commission heard testimony detailing 
their intricate financial and military dealings that began in the 
earliest days of the Cold War and continue to this day. This 
relationship allows Syria to continue to support numerous terrorist 
groups, groups that have terrorized Lebanon for the past three decades 
and fuel the insurgency in Iraq. In addition,

[[Page S2729]]

we heard details about Syria's support of terrorist organizations who 
operate around the world. Finally, we heard from both Lebanese and 
Syrians committed to freedom and democracy who have become victims of 
the Assad regime and are now languishing in the prison cells of 
Damascus.
  The Commission's concern regarding Russia's involvement with Syria--a 
country that has been listed as a state sponsor of terrorism since 1979 
by the State Department--rises from the Helsinki commitments that 
Russia has freely accepted as a participating State of the Organization 
for Cooperation and Security in Europe OSCE. The OSCE Charter on 
Preventing and Combating Terrorism was agreed to at the Porto 
Ministerial in 2002. Russia then committed to refrain from instigating 
or providing active or passive support or assistance to, or otherwise 
sponsoring terrorist acts in another state. Russia also committed to 
reducing the risk of terrorists gaining access to weapons and materials 
of mass destruction and their means of delivery.
  Russia's support for the terrorist regime in Damascus flies in the 
face of these commitments. Russia is an active enabler of the Assad 
regime, whose Ba'ath Party was described by one of our witnesses as the 
richest terrorist organization in the region. The Syrian regime has 
received untold amounts of military hardware, much of which are 
currently being used by terrorists in Iraq against our American troops 
and our allies. Additionally, Syrian intelligence supports terrorist 
units in Iraq, composed not only of Syrians, but including Egyptians, 
Sudanese, Moroccans, and other Islamic mujaheddin.
  Even more alarming is Russia's plan to sell an unknown number of Igla 
SA-18 shoulder-held missiles to Syria. Such a sale to this terrorist 
state is more than criminal. This sale will put in the hands of 
terrorists some of the most sophisticated shoulder-held missiles in the 
Russian inventory, and increases the likelihood that they will get into 
the arsenals of other terrorist organizations around the world. Despite 
Russia's denials, indicators are that this sale will go forward soon, 
putting at risk every airline flight, every military flight, with the 
potential for massive loss of life and the shutting down of modern 
transportation around the world.
  We must focus on the fact that, while there is no apparent direct 
Russian involvement in Iraq, this direct support of Syrian military and 
intelligence operations, coupled with Syria's support for Hezbollah in 
Lebanon and the long list of evil deeds coming out of Damascus, cast 
Russia as a suspicious party to these terrorist activities. We should 
not sit idly by and allow this to transpire without comment. We must 
call upon President Bush and Secretary Rice to reiterate U.S. demands 
that Russia disengage from its support of Syria, a state sponsor of 
terrorism. It is not enough to stop the sale of the missiles. Complete 
cessation of financial and military support to this rogue regime is 
necessary.
  On the eve of the Helsinki Commission hearing, a courageous group of 
human rights activists and pro democracy reformists held a 
demonstration in Damascus, a daring display of dissent quickly broken 
up by the security forces. One of the protesters held up at banner that 
read: ``Freedom for Prisoners of Opinion and Conscience.'' According to 
the Syrian Human Rights Committee, the Assad regime in Damascus has 
executed nearly 17,000 Syrian and Lebanese prisoners. Additionally, 
there are over 600 prisoners of conscience in Syrian jails, champions 
of human rights, accountability and transparency who are still 
languishing under horrible conditions.
  I would like to highlight a few of these prisoners of conscience 
whose names were submitted to us by one of the witnesses and call for 
their immediate release: Riad Seif, member of parliament; Aref Dalilah, 
economist; Maamun al-Homsi, member of parliament; Abdul Aziz al-Khayer, 
physician; Habib Issa, lawyer; Walid al-Bounni, physician; Mohammad 
Bashir al-Arab, student leader and doctor; Muhanad al-Debs, student 
leader; Mahmoud Ammo, activist; Mahmoud Abou Sader, activist; Mazid Ali 
Al-Terkawi, businessman; and Fawaz Tello, engineer.
  I was pleased to hear of Syria's promise to a U.N. envoy to withdraw 
its troops and intelligence agents from Lebanon, but as the counter-
demonstrations yesterday against Syria demanded, Damascus must follow 
through with actions as soon as possible. I am hoping that details of 
the withdrawal plan from U.N. envoy Terje Roed-Larsen after his talks 
with Syrian President Bashar Assad and Lebanese President Emile Lahoud 
will allow the people of Lebanon to hold their parliamentary elections 
in May without any interference from the Syrians and to do so in a 
manner that is free, timely, and transparent.
  What would be unacceptable is the kind of warning issued by Prime 
Minister-designate Omar Karami that polls may have to be postponed if 
the country's political opposition fails to enter a dialogue with the 
government. Such an effort will surely ignite the kind of violence that 
the Lebanese people have been yearning for so many years to avoid.
  It is time for the international community to lend support for the 
slogan that defines the people's revolution in Lebanon and in the 
region: ``Kifaya,'' which means ``enough.'' Let's listen to what the 
people in Lebanon are saying for what they are saying is now being 
heard not only in Beirut but in Damascas, in Cairo, and in Riyahd: 
enough of autocrats, enough of the corruption, and enough of the 
repression.

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