[Congressional Record Volume 153, Number 129 (Tuesday, September 4, 2007)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11007-S11009]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
FOREIGN TRAVEL TO UNITED KINGDOM, FINLAND, RUSSIA, TURKEY, POLAND, AND
FRANCE
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, during the last 2 weeks of August, I had
occasion to travel to Europe to discuss with a variety of foreign
leaders subjects of mutual concern. The highlight of the trip was
visiting the museum in Warsaw on the Jewish uprising, which occurred on
August 1, 1944. That was a time when the Allies were making substantial
progress, with the invasion of Normandy having occurred on June 6,
1944. The Soviets were coming in from the east, and the uprising was a
valiant, heroic effort by the Jews in the Jewish ghetto to upset the
Nazi tyranny. Regrettably, it failed.
But for anyone who has any doubt about the Holocaust or about the
brutality of the Nazis in putting down the Jewish people, the 6 million
Jews who died--and you have preposterous statements coming forth with
some regularity, most recently from the President of Iran, doubting the
existence of the Holocaust--a visit to the museum in Warsaw on the
Jewish uprising will certainly quell any doubts.
The facts are established there, with the documentation, with people
speaking, those who survived, to tell the grim tale of the Nazi
brutality and the existence of the Holocaust.
Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the full text of my
report be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the material was ordered to be
printed in the Record, as follows:
Report on Foreign Travel to United Kingdom, Finland, Russia, Turkey,
Poland, and France, August 18-29, 2007
Mr. President, I have sought recognition to report on
foreign travel, as is my custom, I made to England, Finland,
Russia, Turkey, Poland, and France from August 18 to August
29, 2007. I was joined by my wife Joan, my aide John Myers,
Major Benjamin M. Venning, United States Marine Corps, and
Commander John Clayton, United States Navy.
united kingdom
On August 18, we departed Newark Liberty International
Airport, Newark, New Jersey. Our first stop was in London,
England, where we landed at Heathrow International Airport
after a flight of just over 6 hours. Upon arriving in London,
we were greeted by Richard Bell, First Secretary, U.S.
Embassy, London.
Mr. Bell briefed me on a number of important issues ongoing
in the United Kingdom and with new Prime Minister Gordon
Brown. Terrorism is the large problem in the U.K. and is
becoming more complex as terrorist threats are now
increasingly coming from their own citizens. Further, many
Britons have a negative perception of the United States due
to the war in Iraq and the continued detainment of
individuals in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
After a brief overnight stay, we traveled to Helsinki,
Finland.
finland
Upon arriving in Helsinki on August 19, we were greeted by
Ambassador Marilyn Ware and Greg Thome, Political Section,
United States Embassy Finland.
We had lunch with Ambassador Ware, originally of Lancaster,
Pennsylvania, at which I was briefed on a number of issues.
First, we discussed the recent disagreement between Estonia
and Russia, in which Estonia moved a statue honoring Russian
soldiers who died in World War II from a park to a military
cemetery. Russians were not pleased by this action and the
Russian government reportedly ignored the harassment of
Estonian officials in Russia. Finland played a leading role
in gathering European Union support for Estonia regarding
this matter. The Finnish effort resulted in a statement from
the European Union in support of Estonia's action.
Secondly, we discussed Ambassador Ware's efforts to improve
the energy diversity in Finland and surrounding areas. She is
working to organize a symposium with regional energy
officials to improve energy development in Finland.
We then discussed Finnish efforts to take a greater role in
NATO and the United Nations. While Finland is not a member of
NATO, it is a preferred partner. Currently, there are 240
troops serving in Lebanon, 105 in Afghanistan, 450 in Kosovo,
and 80 in Bosnia. There is a great sense of pride in Finland
that they are playing an important role in problem areas
around the world.
Following the briefing, I headed with Ambassador Ware to
the Parliament Building to meet with Speaker of Parliament
Sauli Niinisto. We discussed the prospect of Finland becoming
a member of NATO, to which the Prime Minister believed that
more time would be needed if such a thing were to happen. As
Finland shares a large border with Russia, there is great
hesitation to taking an action which Russia opposes. However,
there is a strong desire for Finland to continue as a
preferred partner in NATO and to increase their role in NATO
Rapid Forces.
Speaker Niinisto also noted concern among some Finnish
people about the war in Iraq. He suggested that it would have
been wiser to have the United Nations more involved after
Saddam Hussein was removed from power. I noted that I do not
believe that the United States would have received that
support from the United Nations. Though if there had been
better intelligence on weapons of mass destruction, we might
not have gone into Iraq.
That evening, I had dinner with Prime Minister Matti
Vanhanen at his home on the Baltic Sea. We were joined by
Ambassador Ware, State Secretary Risto Volanen and European
Union Affairs Advisor Riina Nevamaki. We discussed a number
of important topics. The Prime Minister offered hope that the
United States could remove troops from Iraq, though he would
not suggest a timetable for doing so. He also offered support
for Turkey entering the European Union, stating that doing so
would bind the Turkish people to Democratic values. However,
Turkey faces obstacles to becoming part of the European
Union; specifically they must address concerns regarding
human rights and freedom of the press. I was interested to
learn that Prime Minister Vanhanen also serves on his city
council in his home city of Nurmiyarvi.
We also discussed John Morton, a great Pennsylvanian of
Finnish descent. A member of the Pennsylvania Supreme Court
and Delegate to the Continental Congress, John Morton cast
the deciding vote in favor of the United States Declaration
of Independence. This important figure in American history
provides an excellent example of the importance of Finns in
America.
On Monday, August 20, we attended a breakfast hosted by
U.S. Ambassador Ware at her residence. The breakfast was
attended by a distinguished group of individuals including
Minister of Justice Tuija Brax, Chief Justice of the Supreme
Court Pauliine Koskelo, Kimmo Sasi, Chairman of the
Parliament's Constitutional Law Committee, and Pertti
Salolainan, Chairman of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs
Committee. I was interested to learn that the judicial system
in Finland is a non-political system and there are far less
ideological conflicts than in the United States. We also
discussed the need for the United States to be more engaged
in the Middle East and conduct bilateral discussions with
Iran.
russia
From Helsinki, we traveled to St. Petersburg Russia, where
Consul General Mary Kruger and Consular Officer Doug O'Neill
met us.
That afternoon, I met with a group of U.S. business
executives including American Chamber of Commerce--Russia
President Andrew Somers, American Chamber of Commerce--St.
Petersburg Chapter Executive Director Maria Chernobrovkina,
American Chamber of Commerce--Russia Vice President Tatiana
Ragnzina, American Chamber of Commerce--Russia Communications
Director Guy Archer, U.S. Department of Commerce Principal
Communications Officer Keith Silver, General Director
International Paper--St. Petersburg Larry Booker, Citibank--
St. Petersburg Commercial Director Ruslan Belyaev, EMC
Software Director Igor Agamirzian, and Boyden Managing
Partner Julia Nikitina. U.S. companies play an important role
in the economy of Russia employing 200,000 Russians. I
questioned the group about the level of government corruption
and how it affects their companies. They responded that
corruption has been drastically reduced; Russia is
encouraging foreign investment; and companies that are
investing are experiencing considerable growth.
Following that meeting, I met with the representatives of
non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Those in attendance
were Boris Pustyntsev, Citizens Watch, Vladimir Shnitke,
Memorial, and Ella Polyakova, Soldiers' mothers. Ms.
Polyakova explained the abuse that new members of the
military are facing, specifically the injuries to Roman
Rudakov, who as the result of beatings had to have most of
his intestines removed and has been systematically mistreated
by military and government.
They also noted their concern with a new Russian law that
allows the government to place requirements for reporting and
registration of NGOs. The requirements being placed on these
organizations are extensive and burdensome. Mr. Pustyntsev
explained that he was required to provide correspondence from
the last 14 years. There is great concern that this will
reduce the number of NGOs and harm human rights progress that
Russia has made.
On Tuesday, August 21, we were fortunate to examine the
country's rich cultural heritage. We toured the Petershof
Palace, the summer home of Peter the Great. We then
visited the Hermitage Museum, one of the best museums for
Russian and European art in the world. The museum is
located in the former winter home of the Czars.
On August 22, we departed St. Petersburg for Moscow, where
we were greeted by James Melville, Charge d'Affaires Ad
Interim, Kathleen Doherty, Deputy Minister Counselor, and
U.S. Department of Justice Resident Legal Advisor Thomas
Firestone. I was briefed on issues of concern by them. Habeas
corpus is gaining more prevalence in Russia with more cases
being appealed and more defendants being released on those
appeals.
[[Page S11008]]
However, the detention rate continues to be very high even
with the presumption of innocence.
Russia is currently dealing with the highly publicized
trial of Mikhail Khodorovsky, CEO, Yukos Oil Company. He was
arrested and sentenced to jail for 8 years for tax evasion,
fraud, and money laundering. Some believe this was an effort
to silence a political opponent of President Vladimir Putin.
While he was found guilty of these crimes it is likely that
there are many others that could be brought forward on
similar charges and his political opposition to President
Putin increased the scrutiny of him.
Russia is undergoing an economic boom and that has led to
high approval ratings for government officials. With this
economic upturn and prosperity, human rights concerns are not
at the forefront of societal concerns. If the economic
increase continues it may lead to a greater political
interest in human rights and general support for charitable
interests.
That afternoon I met with Deputy Minister of Justice
Nikolay Savchenko and representatives of the Ministry. First,
I asked the Deputy Minister if Russian authorities could
implement a wire tap without judicial authorization. He
replied that the system for wire tapping is similar to the
United States. To receive approval for a wire tap you must
meet certain standards and receive a court order. While there
are no statistics for usage, it is an important and necessary
measure.
I then questioned the Deputy Minister about the
advisability of the U.S. entering Pakistan to apprehend Osama
Bin Laden if we have information on his location. The Deputy
Minister asked that I offer my opinion first, which I did,
explaining that the U.S. should first approach President
Musharraf to seek approval for such action, but if not given,
then a preemptive action is warranted under international law
if there is cause to conclude that an attack by Iran is
imminent. The Deputy Minister noted that the problem is both
political and legal, but if there is proof of an imminent
attack then he would agree with me.
We then discussed the case of Mikhail Khodorovsky who is
currently appealing his conviction to the European Court of
Human Rights and the impact that will have on his case in
Russia. As a ratifier of the European convention on human
rights, he may have his case heard there, but a decision in
his favor by the European Court of Human Rights will not
vacate the Russian judgment. However, the European Court of
Human Rights may order the Russian government to pay monetary
damages.
That meeting was followed by a meeting with representatives
of U.S. based NGOs. Those in attendance were Second Secretary
Political Section U.S. Embassy Russia Daniel Wartko, USAID
Russia Deputy Director Erin Krasik, Elena Panifilova of
Transparency International, National Democratic Institute
Program Officer Ian Woodward, Carnegie Endowment for
International Peace Director Rose Gottemoller, Ford
Foundation Moscow Office Representative Steven Solnick,
International Republican Institute Russian Country Director
Joe Johnson III, USAID Russia Senior Advisor for Legal
Affairs Jonathan Kamin, and USAID Russia Legal Advisor Zoya
Kaitova. The representatives, similarly to those in St.
Petersburg, were very concerned with the new Russian law that
regulates NGOs. The NGOs have provided the required
information including future plans for their respective
organizations and they continue to inform the government of
their actions, but not asking permission. While the
organizations have not had any problems, there is great angst
that the information that they are providing now will be used
against them in the future to shut them down.
The American Chamber of Commerce hosted a breakfast on the
morning of Thursday, August 23. A number of representatives
of U.S. companies attended including American Chamber of
Commerce--Russia President Andrew Somers, American Chamber of
Commerce--Russia Vice President Tatiana Ragnzina, American
Chamber of Commerce--Russia Communications Director Guy
Archer, Merrill Lynch Head of Russia Global Markets Bernie
Sucher, Air Products General Manager Eastern Europe Vaclav
Harant, Sun Microsystems Managing Director Chris Morris,
Microsoft General Manager in Russia Birger Steen, Archer
Daniels Midland Company Director Vladimir Myrikov, and Alcoa
Russia President William J. O'Rourke, Rohm and Haas Country
Manager Michael Shukov, Backer & MacKenzie Partner Eugene
Arievich, Boeing Director of International Trade Policy
Business Strategy and Marketing Commercial Airplanes,
Keystone Foundation for Children and Families General
Director Maria Dolbunova, Keystone Foundation for Children
and Families President Dennis Felty, and GE Money Bank Russia
President and CEO Richard Gaskin. We discussed patent
protection in Russia, which had previously not been observed
but is now beginning to be upheld. Russia is starting
to prosecute intellectual property violators, bringing
those individuals to trial and a guilty verdict is
resulting in a jail sentence or compensation to the
intellectual property holder.
We also discussed the strong growth of the Russian economy
and the freedoms that Russians are experiencing as a result.
The U.S. company representative expressed concerns about a
recent U.S. law increasing the taxes of Americans living
abroad. This discourages companies from hiring well qualified
Americans who will have to be paid more to compensate for
that tax.
I then went to the Supreme Court Building of the Russian
Federation, to meet with Justice Stanislov Razumov of the
Supreme Court. The Russian Supreme Court has 125 Justices,
with three justices at one time presiding over primarily
appellate cases. I asked Justice Razumov what occurred if a
group of three Justices differed on a ruling from another
three judges on a case before them. He said that a dissenting
judge has the right to issue a separate dissenting opinion.
He also explained the mechanism by which the Supreme Court
provides guidance to lower courts, in the absence of a system
of case precedent. The Justices sit in plenary session where
they summarize cases, offer direction on cases they have
ruled on and vote on issues of disagreement. I then asked him
if they have votes that are so many one way to so many for
another. He said there is usually not a problem reaching
majority consensus in the plenary sessions and that the
dissenting vote is rarely more then 5 to 7 percent.
We then discussed the role of the Russian Supreme court in
ruling on cultural issues that are the subject of legal
disputes such as abortion, assisted suicide, and race. I
learned that the jurisdiction of the Russian Supreme Court is
different from that of the United States. Those decisions are
made by lower courts. If an individual believes that a law is
unconstitutional or does not comply with federal regulation,
then that case is taken to the Constitutional Court.
I then asked Justice Razumov if President Putin or other
government officials can order a wire tap in cases of
terrorism. He replied that he cannot without a court order
and citizens must be protected.
We then visited the Novodevichy Convent, a beautiful site
that housed a number of Russia's royal families, and Red
Square.
Turkey
On Friday, August 24, we traveled to Ankara, Turkey, where
we were met by Charge d'Affaires Nancy McEldowney. This was
an important day in Turkey as the parliament had its second
vote for President. The Parliament votes three times for
President unless a candidate receives a majority of votes
before that. Foreign Affairs Minister Abdullah Gul won the
election on August 28, though he did not obtain the majority
necessary to win on this day. I was scheduled to meet with
Foreign Affairs Minister Gul, but because we were delayed
departing Moscow by the airport authorities, we were not able
to meet.
We immediately traveled to the United States Embassy for a
brief discussion of issues of importance in Turkey. Iraq is
on the top of the list of concerns. Turkey does not want the
United States to leave in the near future to prevent the
destabilization of Iraq. Further, Turkey supports the current
boundaries in Iraq and opposes creation of three states. The
Turkish people are also greatly concerned about S. Res. 106
and H.R. 106, which would recognize the actions by Turkey
against Armenia in 1915 as genocide.
We then went to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Building where I had lunch with Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ambassador Undersecretary Ertugrul Apakan. The Undersecretary
voiced his support for the United States to remain in Iraq as
he would like to see the United States achieve success there,
for if the United States fails, then Turkey has failed. I was
intrigued by the possibility of United Nations military
assistance in Iraq. The Undersecretary believes that the U.N.
can bridge the views between the Shitte, Sunni and Kurds in a
peaceful manner. The possibility also remains that the U.N.
could provide an umbrella for troops to assist in the
stabilizing of Iraq. The entrance of U.N. troops may also cut
down on the insurgent anger directed at the United States.
On August 10, 2007, the U.N. Security Council adopted
Resolution 1770 to extend the United Nations Assistance
Mission for Iraq for one year and to provide assistance
regarding political dialogue and national reconciliation. The
Mission will also work to facilitate dialogue between Iraq
and other countries in the region. It is important for
neighboring countries to support Iraq in efforts to reduce
conflict and to build a functioning government. Turkey is
currently working to hold a convention with other countries
in the region to discuss problems facing Iraq. The countries
involved would include Syria, Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait,
Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Oman,
Yemen, Iraq and Turkey. Also invited would be the United
Kingdom, France, China, Russia, United States, Germany,
Canada, and Japan.
The Undersecretary then explained the Turkish opposition to
S. Res. 106 and H.R. 106. He did offer support for a joint
history commission regarding the issue and Turkey would
accept the use of the term genocide if that is what the
evidence states.
I then met with Special Envoy for Iraq, Ambassador Oguz
Celikkol. With the Ambassador we had a brief discussion
regarding the war in Iraq. I stated to the Ambassador that I
had voted for $100 billion in funding in support of the war,
but I must see a light at the end of the tunnel to continue
supporting funding. I informed him of my town hall meetings
across Pennsylvania during the first two weeks of August
where I met 4,000 people many of whom we are adamant about
leaving Iraq. The Ambassador repeated the importance of the
United States remaining in Iraq.
[[Page S11009]]
We then departed on a 45-minute flight to Istanbul where we
were greeted by Peter Barte, our State Department control
officer.
In Istanbul, we visited the Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace,
and the Grand Bazaar with Filiz Ozer, Professor of Art
History and Architecture at Istanbul Technical University and
Sevil Sezen, Cultural Affairs Specialist, U.S. Consulate
General.
poland
The morning of Sunday, August 26, we traveled to Warsaw,
Poland and were met by David Van Cleve, First Secretary,
United States Embassy of Poland.
We were fortunate to have the opportunity to tour Warsaw,
specifically the areas related to Warsaw's WWII and Jewish
history. We toured old town Warsaw, which was rebuilt after
World War II to its original beauty, the monument to the
Warsaw Uprising and the Warsaw Ghetto Uprising, commemorating
the Jews who fought against the Nazis. We then visited the
Jewish cemetery, with more then 200,000 graves including many
who perished in World War II.
That evening we had dinner with Ambassador Victor Ashe,
Senator Shelby, and Embassy and Senate staff at the
Ambassador's residence.
On August 27, we visited the Warsaw Rising Museum, a unique
museum that examines Poland in WWII, specifically the Polish
uprising and the Home Army. The facility is extremely
interactive with a recreated sewer system, which the Polish
Home Army used to travel through Warsaw and evade the Nazis.
The facility also had a number of documents from that time
including a pamphlet that was air dropped in Warsaw
encouraging the Home Army to wear markings that would
indicate that they are part of an army, so that the Nazis
could be prosecuted for war crimes by the United States.
I was particularly impressed with the story of Tadeusz
Ruman, a member of a flight crew that dropped supplies in
Warsaw to aid the Home Army. During the flight, their plane
suffered heavy damages from attacks and lost two engines.
After the drop of the supplies they had to pass over
mountains, which they only cleared by a few feet. After
taking attacks and injuries, the crew made it to Brindisi,
Italy, however, upon landing they realized that their brakes
had been damaged and were unable to stop. Taking quick action
they were able to steer the B-24 Bomber into vines and rocks
to bring the plane to a stop, a harrowing tale that displayed
the effort that the Allies made to assist the Polish Home
Army.
I was then briefed by Ambassador Victor Ashe, Deputy Chief
of Mission Kenneth Hillas, Political Counselor Mary Curtin,
Economic Counselor Richard Rorving, Counsel General Philip
Min, Public Affairs Counselor Ed Kulakowski, Defense Attache
Col. Richard Runner, and FBI Attache Jay Bienkowski. The
Polish economy is doing very well with annual increases of 6
percent. While this is below the increases of Russia and
other Baltic countries it is very encouraging given the
stable market environment in Poland for businesses, which is
not as strong in those other countries.
The relationship between the United States and Poland is
strong with left and right wing political groups, despite the
opposition to the Iraq war. The proposed missile defense
system in Poland is a point of ongoing discussions, with
Polish representatives desiring to speed up discussions.
Poland is putting forward a number of troops to assist the
United States in Iraq and Afghanistan, with 900 in Iraq and
1,200 in Afghanistan. While Poland is looking to reduce the
number of troops in Iraq, they may consider increasing the
number in Afghanistan.
I was scheduled to meet with Foreign Minister Anna Fotyga,
but could not do so because we left Wednesday early to return
to the U.S. to attend the funeral of a close friend. I spoke
to her by phone. I informed her of the United States'
appreciation for Poland sending troops to Iraq and
Afghanistan. I asked for her assessment of having the
United Nations involved in Iraq and if Poland would
consider sending additional troops to Iraq if it was under
the United Nations banner. She replied that she would have
to defer to the President, Prime Minister, and Minister of
Defense on that issue.
I met with Andrzej Duda, Deputy Minister of Justice, a
impressive 35-year-old gentleman. We discussed the
prosecutorial system in Poland which is similar to the United
States as Prosecutors are responsible for cases in a
geographical area. Prosecutors are required to graduate from
law school, serve a 3-year internship with a senior
Prosecutor, and then pass an exam.
I asked the Deputy Minister about crime in Poland. He
informed me that there are several hundred murders a year in
Poland, but less then one thousand. He also informed me of
the decreasing juvenile crime problem in Poland. While
juvenile crime is still a problem the improving economy of
Poland is increasing wages and employment, providing youth
with quality jobs. Poland as a member of the European Union
does not have the death penalty and has not used it since
1987.
I then questioned him about the use of terrorism and
wiretapping in Poland. The Deputy Minister noted that he has
not been involved in any terrorism cases, though the Ministry
is working with the United States on this important issue. He
believes wiretapping is a critical tool against crime. When I
asked him about the ability of government official's ability
to use wire tapping with out a judge's approval he stated
that it was not possible.
france
We departed for Paris, France that evening, where we were
met by our Control Officer Kim Krhounek and Logistics Control
Officer Chanh Nguyen.
On Wednesday, August 29, we were briefed by Ambassador
Craig R. Stapleton at the United States Embassy on a number
of issues. We were also joined by Deputy Chief of Mission
Mark Pekala, Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt,
Economic Minister Counselor Stuart Dwyer, Consul General
Catherine Barry, Public Affairs Minister Counselor James
Bullock, Defense Attache Col. Raymond Hodgkins, Foreign
Commercial Service Minister Counselor Raymond Connan, and
Head of Office Regional Affairs Michael Altoff.
We discussed new French President Nicolas Sarkozy and what
his views will mean to the United States. President Sarkozy
wants a culture of success in France. He is seeking to reform
the country and make it the leading country in Europe.
President Sarkozy views himself as pro-American, and has
stated that he wants to help the United States in Iraq. This
is likely to be through economic development and not through
placing troops in Iraq. On the possibility of France
providing troops for a United Nations military force, there
is little optimism. However, there may be an opportunity for
France to increase its assistance through NATO by training
Iraqi soldiers and policemen.
Regarding Iran, the French support diplomatic efforts to
prevent Iran from securing nuclear weapons capability. In
fact, France may be willing to take actions on this issue
outside of the United Nations Security Council.
From the Embassy we departed for Charles De Gaulle
International Airport and returned to the United States.
Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, in the absence of any Senator seeking
recognition, I suggest the absence of a quorum.
Mr. President, I withdraw that suggestion. I had not noticed the
presence of the Senator from Tennessee.
The ACTING PRESIDENT pro tempore. The Senator from Tennessee.
____________________