[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 122 (Tuesday, September 27, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1949-E1950]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

[[Page E1949]]


REMARKS OF JACK ROSEN, CHAIRMAN OF THE AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS/COUNCIL 
                    FOR WORLD JEWRY, HONORING PAKI-
                    STANI PRESIDENT PERVEZ MUSHARRAF

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. TOM LANTOS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                      Tuesday, September 27, 2005

  Mr. LANTOS. Mr. Speaker, just a few days ago, it was my great honor 
and pleasure to join my dear friend, Jack Rosen, the Chairman of the 
American Jewish Congress and the Council for World Jewry at a dinner in 
New York City honoring President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan. The 
President gave an outstanding speech reflecting his standing as the 
quintessential Muslim leader who has fostered moderation, reason, and 
pluralism.
  Mr. Speaker, this remarkable event would not have taken place without 
the extraordinary leadership of Jack Rosen. He met President Musharraf 
some time ago when he was conducting business in Pakistan. At that 
meeting the seeds were planted that eventually blossomed into the event 
in New York a few days ago.
  This event honoring the Pakistani President is only the latest 
example of Jack Rosen's visionary leadership and indefatigable 
commitment to public service. In the short time that he has served as 
Chairman of the American Jewish Congress, he has made an important 
difference in broadening and deepening the work of this important 
Jewish organization.
  Mr. Speaker, at the event in New York last week, Jack introduced 
President Musharraf to the audience at the dinner in his honor. Jack's 
comments were particularly insightful on U.S.-Pakistani relations and 
the worldwide struggle against terrorism.
  My colleagues in the Congress should have the opportunity to read the 
excellent remarks he made. I ask that his address be placed in the 
Record, Mr. Speaker, and I urge my colleagues to give it thoughtful 
attention.

         Introduction of President Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan

  Mr. Jack Rosen, Chairman American Jewish Congress/Council for World 
                                 Jewry

       This is an unprecedented evening, and we are delighted to 
     welcome not only our keynote speaker, but more than 60 
     Pakistani-American leaders who have joined us. We demonstrate 
     tonight, by example, something that happens every day in 
     hundreds of communities across the United States--Muslims, 
     Jews and Christians sharing a meal, talking about our desires 
     and dreams and even our differences.
       President Pervez Musharraf's presence here tonight is the 
     culmination of two years of preparation. In the summer of 
     2003, President Musharraf surprised many people in his own 
     country and across the Muslim world when he offered a new set 
     of ideas--first in Washington, then at the United Nations, at 
     the Islamic Summit in Malaysia, and finally in Pakistan. He 
     told his most important audience, his own community, that the 
     extremist path to which some Muslims had turned to would 
     bring nothing but misery and degradation.
       He said of the scourge of terror: ``The unfortunate reality 
     is that both the perpetrators of these crimes and most of the 
     people who suffer from them are Muslims.'' Then he offered a 
     vision of an alternative, which he called ``Enlightened 
     Moderation.'' He proposed a new Islamic society based on 
     pluralism, openness, and tolerance, in order to reach what he 
     called ``socioeconomic uplift--to drag ourselves out of the 
     pit we find ourselves in, to raise ourselves up by individual 
     achievement and collective socio-economic emancipation.''
       Just a few months prior to giving that speech, President 
     Musharraf broke new ground when he suggested that Pakistan 
     might need to rethink its refusal to establish diplomatic 
     relations with Israel, although official diplomatic ties 
     could come only after an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal.
       These remarks came as the Moslem world was being rent by 
     extremist pressures, amidst cascading violence in the Middle 
     East and dangerously mounting anti-Semitism. Difficult to say 
     at any time, President Musharraf's words were all the more 
     courageous coming at the moment they did.
       The extremists in his own country and beyond were quick to 
     recognize the threat to them expressed in his message of 
     hope. Within months, terrorists in Pakistan made two major 
     attempts on his life, and they very nearly succeeded. We must 
     ask ourselves: What if the terrorists had succeeded? What if 
     the vitally important country of Pakistan, with its huge 
     Muslim population, its nuclear arms, its many extremist 
     factions and its critical location in the region known as the 
     arc of crisis, had tumbled into chaos, or gone the way of 
     Iran?
       When you think about this, you can see why the terrorists 
     believed it so important to silence him.
       President Pervez Musharraf's decision to be with us tonight 
     is an act of individual courage, leadership and vision.
       Our process that brings him here also began two years ago, 
     resulting from informal talks we held with Pakistani 
     officials and members of the Pakistani-American community. 
     This led to an invitation to visit Pakistan and meet with 
     President Musharraf. In May, I made a quiet trip to Islamabad 
     with the Vice Chairman of our Council on World Jewry, Mr. 
     Phil Baum, and with our very fine Director, David Twersky. 
     Because we were aware of politically sensitive issues 
     involved, we first consulted with senior officials in 
     Washington and Jerusalem.
       Several weeks ago, I spoke with President Bush about this 
     initiative in Crawford. President Bush said he saw this as an 
     important opportunity and understood the significance of this 
     step by President Musharraf. President Bush was enthusiastic 
     about the opportunity.
       Since its inception, the American Jewish Congress-Council 
     for World Jewry, working with Jewish communities around the 
     world, has sought to build bridges to the Muslim world by 
     pursuing contacts with authoritative, moderate Muslim 
     political and religious figures in America and around the 
     world.
       We approach this mission with sobriety and a hard 
     headedness about the Jewish cause, with a realism about 
     current conflicts and impending threats. But we are also 
     driven by the compelling and urgent necessity to reach out 
     and engage leading individuals in the Muslim world who, by 
     meeting us at least halfway, can accelerate the process by 
     which the Muslim world finds its way into a healthy and 
     productive relationship with contemporary life.
       Our dialogue with Muslims starts with an understanding that 
     true moderation begins with tolerance among peoples. 
     Christians, Muslims, and Jews come from a shared common 
     heritage, and we are three branches of one tradition and one 
     set of core values.
       We recognize the vital role that mass media and education--
     in both public school systems as well as madrasas--plays in 
     teaching and advocating values of moderation, tolerance and 
     understanding. We need to ensure that tolerance is more 
     accurately reflected in Muslim media and education systems, 
     including in Pakistan.
       This must be the last generation educated to be hateful of 
     Jews. Demonization of the Jewish people is a scourge that 
     offends people of all racial and religious backgrounds. It is 
     troubling that anti-Semitism has reemerged in some quarters 
     in Europe just 60 years after the Holocaust. This is sparked 
     by extremism. We all have an obligation to eradicate anti-
     Semitism from all our societies.
       This must be the last generation educated to be hateful of 
     Israel. We reject the Arab boycott against Israel and we 
     support every effort of diplomacy and dialogue in the quest 
     for peace and security.
       This must be the last generation educated to believe it is 
     acceptable to denigrate people of other cultures and 
     religions. For our part, Jews must work to prevent Islam from 
     being attacked with impunity. Unfortunately, many Muslims 
     believe attacks against Islam are fomented by us. There 
     exists a conspiracy-theory mindset among many Muslims that 
     seeks to blame the Jews for the ills of the Muslim world. 
     Jewish leaders must be more active and visible to prevent 
     attacks against Islam, and Muslims leaders, in turn, must 
     help dispel unfounded conspiracy theories.
       And, finally, this must be the last generation educated to 
     believe that terrorism is a legitimate means to achieve 
     political ends. Acts of terror have no place in civilized 
     societies and terrorists can never be honored as freedom 
     fighters or martyrs.
       President Musharraf, you are an important voice in the 
     Muslim world. You can carry this message to places and people 
     that I, that we, cannot.
       President Musharraf's appearance with us tonight is a 
     symbolic act of his determination to take the struggle 
     forward. But it is not an isolated one. Following positive 
     reaction in Pakistan to the announcement of this meeting, he 
     initiated other important steps toward Israel.
       Two weeks ago, on September 1, his Foreign Minister, 
     Khurshid Kasuri, met openly with Israeli Foreign Minister 
     Silvan Shalom.
       Pakistan is taking a stand, supporting the struggle of the 
     Palestinian people to have a state of their own, but at the 
     same time, affirming such a state will exist alongside of--
     and not seek to replace--the Jewish state of Israel. It has 
     said it will now ``engage'' Israel, a step forward from 
     Pakistan's previous policy. President Musharraf recently

[[Page E1950]]

     praised Prime Minister Sharon as ``courageous'' for 
     unilaterally disengaging from Gaza. For its part, Israel has 
     agreed to loosen trade restrictions for imports of Pakistani 
     products. On Wednesday, President Musharraf shook hands with 
     Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon--something that would 
     have been impossible even a year ago.
       We are proud to be part of this historic drama. But tonight 
     represents only a beginning of what we hope is a long process 
     of dialogue and engagement. Organizations like ours have a 
     continuing role to play, and we invite all of you here 
     tonight to join with us. We would like to explore with 
     President Musharraf opportunities to bring together 
     Pakistani, American and Israeli citizens in a dialogue about 
     our shared futures through a program of on-going exchanges 
     and visits. The more our people interact with each other, the 
     easier it will be for government leaders to act.
       Let me share with you some personal information about our 
     special guest. President Musharraf was born in Delhi in 1943. 
     He spent his early years in Turkey, where his father served 
     in the Pakistani Foreign Ministry. Beginning his military 
     career in 1964, he rose through the ranks as a highly 
     decorated soldier and officer, becoming head of the Armed 
     Forces in 1998. The following year he assumed his country's 
     political leadership. He is married and has a son and a 
     daughter.
       He is a critical ally and partner of the United States in 
     fighting terrorism. Under his leadership, Pakistan's economy 
     is growing, it is reducing friction with its Indian neighbor, 
     and his country is increasing its presence on the 
     international stage.
       I must tell you many people expressed doubt that tonight 
     would happen. The gap is too wide; the differences are too 
     stark, they said. I am reminded of a famous passage from 
     literature that describes the wide chasm which separates 
     western and eastern cultures:
       ``Oh East is East and West is West and ne'er the twain 
     shall meet.''
       So it stands, engraved in conventional wisdom, as if 
     decreed by heaven. But its author, Rudyard Kipling, who wrote 
     as an Englishman in the Indian subcontinent--the land that 
     includes modern day Pakistan--did not accept this insight as 
     destiny. Instead, his poem continues:
       ``But there is neither East nor West,
       Border nor breed nor birth,
       When two strong men stand face to face
       Tho' they come from the ends of the earth.''
       These elegant words remind us that leadership and character 
     are indispensable to the progress of Man. Mr. President, we 
     thank you for being here with us tonight, and we look forward 
     to hearing your thoughts on how the cause of Enlightened 
     Moderation will be carried forward.
       Ladies and gentlemen, it is my very great honor to 
     introduce to you the President of the Islamic Republic of 
     Pakistan, the Honorable Pervez Musharraf.

     

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