[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 67 (Monday, May 4, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1049-E1050]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




IN PRAISE OF THE TRANSATLANTIC LEGISLATORS' DIALOGUE MEETINGS HELD LAST 
                            MONTH IN PRAGUE

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. HOWARD L. BERMAN

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, May 4, 2009

  Mr. BERMAN. Madam Speaker, I would like to call the attention of my 
colleagues in the Congress to a successful meeting of the Transatlantic 
Legislators' Dialogue (TLD) that was held in Prague, Czech Republic, 
from April 18-20, 2009. Chairwoman Shelley Berkley, the gentlelady from 
Nevada, continues to provide this important interparliamentary exchange 
with enthusiastic leadership and a strong commitment to strengthening 
relations with our European allies. I commend this bipartisan 
delegation--which included Paul Kanjorski (D-PA), Dana Rohrabacher (R-
CA), Loretta Sanchez (D-CA), John R. Carter (R-TX), Phil Gingrey (R-
GA), Virginia Foxx (R-NC), Steve Cohen (D-TN), and Ron Klein (D-FL)--
for their contributions to an informed and productive exchange of views 
with Members of the European Parliament.
  The Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue serves as the formal response 
of the European Parliament and the U.S. Congress to the commitment in 
the New Transatlantic Agenda of 1995 to enhance legislative ties 
between the European Union and the United States. The TLD involves bi-
annual meetings between American and European legislators in order to 
exchange views on topics of mutual interest and foster transatlantic 
discourse. I welcome the discussion held by members at the Prague 
session about ways in which to deepen the dialogue and increase their 
communication beyond these formal meetings.
  Given the recent transition in the U.S. administration and the 
upcoming European Parliament elections, it is essential that 
legislators continue their collaboration on the important issues facing 
citizens on both sides of the Atlantic. The financial crisis was a 
central topic at the Prague meeting, with presentations by European 
experts as well as representatives of the EU and U.S. administrations. 
The TLD emphasized the need for a strong and coordinated transatlantic 
policy response, while reiterating the importance of the Transatlantic 
Economic Council (TEC) as a framework for cooperation. Members also 
addressed pressing foreign policy issues. Particular attention was 
devoted to Afghanistan and Pakistan, as TLD participants engaged in a 
dialogue with Richard Boucher, U.S. Assistant Secretary for South and 
Central Asian Affairs, about President Obama's comprehensive new 
strategy. Other foreign policy debates focused on the status of 
diplomatic initiatives regarding the Iranian nuclear threat, the Middle 
East peace process, and relations with Russia. In addition, the 
delegates talked about the challenge of climate change, the importance 
of energy security, and President Obama's decision to close the 
Guantanamo detention facility.
  Madam Speaker, I would like to commend Representative Berkley for 
bringing the American delegation to Estonia and Lithuania in advance of 
the TLD meeting for important bilateral visits with these important 
NATO and EU allies. In both countries the delegation met with the 
President, Prime Minister, Speaker and parliamentarians to reaffirm our 
country's friendship and support for the Baltic states. These high 
level discussions focused on regional security, responses to the global 
financial crisis, and the importance of energy diversification. In 
Estonia, members raised the issue of citizenship laws and the 
importance of good relations between ethnic Russians and Estonians. In 
Lithuania, U.S. members thanked political leaders for their valuable 
contributions to the NATO mission in Afghanistan. They pressed them on 
the need to resolve longstanding problems with Jewish property 
restitution, protect a historic Jewish cemetery site, and cease 
investigations of Jewish partisans regarding their World War II 
activities. The delegation also spoke with a group of Belarusian 
opposition leaders who traveled to Vilnius from Minsk to brief members 
on the political and human rights situation in Belarus. The U.S. 
delegation assured them of our ongoing support of their brave efforts.
  In conclusion, I would like to enter into the Congressional Record 
the joint statement that was agreed upon by American and European 
legislators at the 66th TLD meeting held in Prague. This document 
highlights the importance of continued transatlantic dialogue and 
cooperation in addressing pressing financial and foreign policy crises.

          Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue Joint Statement

       Shelley Berkley, Chairwoman, United States Congress 
     Delegation, Phil Gingrey, Acting Vice Chairman, United States 
     Congress Delegation, Ron Klein, Acting Vice Chairman, United 
     States Congress Delegation, and Jonathan Evans, MEP, 
     Chairman, European Parliament Delegation.
       We, the Members of the European Parliament and the United 
     States House of Representatives, held our 66th 
     Interparliamentary meeting (Transatlantic Legislators' 
     Dialogue) in Prague, Czech Republic, on 18-20 April 2009.
       Building on the joint statement issued following our last 
     meeting in Miami on 6-8 December 2008, we stressed the 
     importance of regular dialogue on a range of political, 
     social and economic issues that affect all of our citizens. 
     We agreed to report back to our parent bodies on the content 
     and outcome of our discussions, particularly in the areas 
     where joint efforts are likely to result in positive 
     outcomes.
       We discussed with Czech Minister of Foreign Affairs and 
     Council President-in-office Karel Schwarzenberg the Summit 
     held in Prague on 5 April 2009 between President Obama and 
     the 27 EU Heads of State and Government. We welcomed its 
     outcome and expressed our trust that this meeting will 
     provide a strong impetus for strengthening the transatlantic 
     relationship and furthering a common agenda.
       The Transatlantic Legislators' Dialogue agreed that we 
     should build on this political momentum to improve and renew 
     the framework of the transatlantic relationship. In this 
     context, we called for greater collaboration between 
     legislators in the US House of Representatives and the 
     European Parliament on issues of common concern and 
     legislation that affects each side of the Atlantic. We also 
     expressed our intention to have increased communication 
     between our biannual meetings, using mechanisms such as 
     periodic video conferences and the formation of working 
     groups to address specific topics in greater detail.
       With regard to foreign policy and security issues discussed 
     during our TLD meeting, we agreed that joint action is the 
     most effective way to approach problems which affect both 
     sides of the Atlantic. In particular, we considered that:
       a) peace in the Middle East requires a durable ceasefire, 
     an end to attacks on Israel from Hamas and other terrorists, 
     a functioning and effective government in the Palestinian 
     Territories. We also expressed our support for the 
     appointment of George Mitchell as Special Envoy to the Middle 
     East Peace Process;
       b) the comprehensive new strategy for Afghanistan and 
     Pakistan announced by President Obama on 27 March 2009 
     constitutes a good basis for a regional approach to security, 
     combating terrorism, and economic development. The EU and the 
     US should enhance their cooperation and support, work to 
     improve the coordination and effectiveness of Provincial 
     Reconstruction Teams (PRTs), and seek to help build critical 
     infrastructure across Afghanistan;
       c) the dialogue affirmed that a nuclear armed Iran is 
     unacceptable. We also agreed that relations with Iran should 
     involve both incentives for Iran to build constructive ties 
     with the international community as well as concerted 
     pressure on Iran if it continues to fail to comply with its 
     international obligations in the nuclear area and human 
     rights; and
       d) relations with Russia should involve constructive 
     cooperation on challenges, threats and opportunities of 
     mutual concern, including security matters, disarmament and 
     non-proliferation, and respect for democratic principles 
     including human rights standards, and adherence to 
     international law. The dialogue expressed concerns about

[[Page E1050]]

     Russia's recent behaviour in regards to the recent conflict 
     with Georgia and energy dispute with Ukraine. We also cited 
     the need to enhance mutual trust between the transatlantic 
     partners and Russia.
       On energy and climate change, we stressed that the EU and 
     the US should work together to address these issues at the UN 
     negotiations in Copenhagen later this year. We discussed cap-
     and-trade systems and the feasibility of setting up mutually 
     compatible systems. We noted the link between tackling 
     climate change and addressing energy security and economic 
     growth, recognizing that the fight against climate change 
     could also be an opportunity to create new jobs and sustain 
     economic growth.
       We examined the consequences of the global economic and 
     financial turmoil. We agreed that the crisis requires a 
     strong and coordinated policy response by the US and the EU. 
     Recovery plans currently being adopted are critical in 
     mitigating the effects of the crisis: approaches chosen 
     should be compatible, avoid protectionist measures, and not 
     give rise to distortions of competition in the transatlantic 
     market place. We considered that global financial regulation 
     and supervision should be strengthened, including better 
     crisis prevention and management, and that EU and US should 
     cooperate on the reform of international financial 
     institutions.
       We stressed the importance of the Transatlantic Economic 
     Council (TEC), including its utility as a framework for 
     macro-economic cooperation between both partners. We welcomed 
     the progress made over recent months in promoting 
     transatlantic economic integration, including investment, 
     accounting standards, regulatory issues, the safety of 
     imported products, and the enforcement of intellectual 
     property rights.
       We insisted that transatlantic economic cooperation must be 
     more accountable and transparent. In particular, the 
     schedules of TEC meetings, agendas, roadmaps and progress 
     reports should be agreed upon between the core stakeholders 
     as early as possible and then made public. Such measures are 
     crucial to developing a clear and transparent process for 
     setting the agenda of the TEC, extending the TEC to new 
     sectors, and establishing a long-term roadmap of activities. 
     We called on the EU and US executive branches to facilitate 
     more active participation by members of the US Congress and 
     the European Parliament in the TEC process, in particular via 
     the TLD.
       We considered that both partners should use the full 
     potential of the TEC in order to overcome the existing 
     obstacles to economic integration. To this effect, 
     legislators on both sides of the Atlantic should convey their 
     views on legislative and bureaucratic obstacles to the TEC 
     leadership and conduct a regular review of the situation. We 
     emphasized once more the concerns raised by the 100 percent 
     cargo scan requirement, as well as the need to resolve 
     remaining disputes with regard to the REACH regulation and 
     access to the EU market for American poultry.
       We discussed President Obama's signing of an executive 
     order leading to the closure of the Guantanamo detention 
     facility within a year. We also considered that the US and 
     the EU Member States should cooperate in finding solutions 
     wherever necessary, including accepting Guantanamo inmates in 
     the European Union.
       The dialogue also focused on the negotiations between the 
     US and the EU Member States to extend access to the US visa 
     waiver programme. We welcomed the extension of the programme 
     to seven EU Member States, and encouraged the EU and US 
     executive bodies to continue activities with regard to the 
     Member States not yet included.
       Finally, the dialogue took note of a 2008 European 
     Commission report on legislation passed by the US Congress in 
     2006. The report found that the legislation was not in 
     compliance with World Trade Organization policies as they 
     apply to internet gambling. The TLD expressed strong support 
     for ongoing discussions between the US and EU to resolve the 
     situation in an effort to avoid potential sanctions against 
     the US and the loss of export markets for US business 
     sectors.

  In conclusion, both sides renewed their commitment to make the TLD's 
work more relevant to the European Parliament and to the U.S. House of 
Representatives. We also agreed to further improve the effectiveness of 
our dialogue in order to realize the full potential of our 
interparliamentary relationship.

                          ____________________