[Congressional Record Volume 156, Number 71 (Wednesday, May 12, 2010)]
[House]
[Pages H3418-H3420]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


                COMMENDING THE COMMUNITY OF DEMOCRACIES

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I move to suspend the rules and agree to the 
resolution (H. Res. 1143) commending the Community of Democracies for 
its achievements since it was founded in 2000, as amended.
  The Clerk read the title of the resolution.
  The text of the resolution is as follows:

                              H. Res. 1143

       Whereas the Community of Democracies is a global 
     intergovernmental organization of democratic countries which 
     aims to promote democracy and strengthen democratic norms and 
     institutions around the world;
       Whereas the Community of Democracies was founded in June 
     2000 at a ministerial conference in Warsaw, Poland;
       Whereas the Warsaw Conference was convened upon the 
     initiative of then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and 
     then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Bronislaw Geremek;
       Whereas delegations from 106 countries signed the final 
     declaration of the Warsaw Conference on June 27, 2000, 
     endorsing an agreed list of core democratic principles and 
     practices, and committing themselves to the promotion of 
     those principles and practices;
       Whereas since the Warsaw Conference, there have been four 
     subsequent ministerial conferences of the Community of 
     Democracies in Seoul, Korea, in November 2002, Santiago, 
     Chile, in April 2005, Bamako, Mali, in November 2007, and 
     Lisbon, Portugal, in July 2009;
       Whereas since its founding the Community of Democracies has 
     been guided by a Convening Group, today consisting of Cape 
     Verde, Chile, Czech Republic, El Salvador, India, Italy, 
     Lithuania, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Philippines, 
     Poland, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, and the United 
     States;
       Whereas in June 2009, Lithuania assumed the Presidency of 
     the Community of Democracies for a two-year term;
       Whereas upon the initiative of the Government of Poland, 
     the Community of Democracies established a Permanent 
     Secretariat in Warsaw in January 2009, with the goal of 
     strengthening the institution and enabling it to more 
     effectively fulfill its mission of promoting democracy 
     worldwide;
       Whereas the Permanent Secretariat in Warsaw has established 
     itself as a vibrant institution of the Community of 
     Democracies, with an active agenda and effective operation;
       Whereas under the leadership of the Convening Group, the 
     Lithuanian Presidency, the Permanent Secretariat, and the 
     International Steering Committee, the Community of 
     Democracies has mounted recent efforts to promote democracy 
     in such countries as Iran, Burma, and Afghanistan, and passed 
     resolutions, issued position statements, and committed itself 
     further to missions assisting democratic advancement in those 
     countries and societies which desire it; and
       Whereas on the 10th anniversary of the Warsaw Conference, 
     the Community of Democracies will convene in Krakow, Poland, 
     to re-launch the Community and adopt a work program to 
     advance democracy worldwide: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
       (1) commends the Community of Democracies for its 
     achievements since it was founded in 2000;
       (2) applauds the recent establishment of the Permanent 
     Secretariat of the Community of Democracies and expresses its 
     appreciation to the Government of Poland for the support it 
     has extended to the Permanent Secretariat and for hosting it 
     in Warsaw;
       (3) appreciates the energy and initiative that the 
     Lithuanian Presidency has committed to the Community of 
     Democracies and its Working Groups; and
       (4) extends its best wishes for the success of the 
     Community's ongoing efforts to promote democracy worldwide, 
     and of the Krakow Conference, which will be held on the 10th 
     anniversary of the founding of the Community of Democracies.

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Pursuant to the rule, the gentleman from New 
York (Mr. Engel) and the gentlewoman from Florida (Ms. Ros-Lehtinen) 
each will control 20 minutes.
  The Chair recognizes the gentleman from New York.


                             General Leave

  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I ask unanimous consent that all Members may 
have 5 legislative days in which to revise and extend their remarks and 
include extraneous material on the resolution under consideration.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Is there objection to the request of the 
gentleman from New York?
  There was no objection.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I rise in strong support of this resolution 
that commends the Community of Democracies for its many achievements 
since the organization's founding a decade ago, and I yield myself such 
time as I may consume.
  I wish to thank my good friend, the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. 
Quigley), for his leadership in introducing this measure and bringing 
it forward for our consideration today.
  Mr. Speaker, in January 1999, then-Secretary of State Madeleine 
Albright told the Los Angeles Times that her highest priority before 
leaving office was to create a global community of democracies. That 
objective became a reality in June 2000 when she, along with then-
Polish Foreign Minister Geremek, convened ministerial delegations from 
106 countries in Warsaw to sign a declaration entitled ``Toward a 
Community of Democracies.''
  This declaration sought to demonstrate methods of support to 
countries that strive for freedom and democracy. It also established a 
global, intergovernmental coalition of democratic countries that are 
committed to promoting democratic rules and strengthening democratic 
institutions around the world.
  I think it is somewhat ironic that this inaugural meeting was in 
Warsaw, because we know Warsaw has had a long history of being occupied 
and not being free. Since Warsaw, ministerial conferences have been 
held in Seoul, Korea; Santiago, Chile; Bamako, Mali; and Lisbon, 
Portugal. In addition, a Permanent Secretariat was established in 
Warsaw in order to strengthen the institution and further its mission 
of democracy promotion.
  In early July, on the 10th anniversary of the organization's 
founding, the Community of Democracies will meet in Krakow, Poland to 
relaunch the Community and adopt a work program to advance democracy 
worldwide. This gathering, which will be hosted by Polish Foreign 
Minister Sikorski, will undoubtedly be one of the most prominent 
international gatherings of democracy decision-makers this year.
  It is fitting that this meeting once again will be held in Poland, 
not only because it was the location of the Community's founding and a 
real success story of post-Cold War democratization efforts, but also 
because the world is grieving with the Polish people following the 
tragic loss of their President in the plane crash.
  As the United States is one of the founding members of the Community 
and a participant in its convening group, it is appropriate that the 
House adopt this resolution that commends the Community of Democracies 
for its achievements and wishes it much success in its upcoming 
conference.
  Mr. Speaker, I urge my colleagues to support this resolution.
  I reserve the balance of my time.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may 
consume.
  Mr. Speaker, I also rise in support of this resolution, and I thank 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley) for providing us with this 
timely opportunity to recognize the work of the Community of 
Democracies. Next month will mark the anniversary of the founding of 
that intergovernmental organization 10 years ago in Warsaw, Poland.
  Unlike the United Nations, the governmental participants in the 
Community of Democracies are not distinguished merely by the fact that 
they hold power in a country. They are bound by their commitments to 
the core democratic principles set out in the Warsaw Declaration, 
including, among others: the right of citizens to choose their 
governments through regular, free, and fair elections; freedom of 
opinion; freedom of expression; freedom of conscience; freedom of 
religion; freedom of peaceful assembly; freedom of association; the 
right to be free from arbitrary arrest and detention; and the 
importance of a competent, independent, and impartial judiciary.
  Furthermore, Mr. Speaker, as outlined in the Seoul ministerial 
meeting in 2002, the Community has developed criteria and procedures to 
help ensure that only practicing democracies are participants. 
Maintaining those standards is critical, as they give the Community a 
moral authority and a substantive voice that is so badly needed in 
today's world.
  The promise and possibilities of the Community have become even more 
important at a time when other multilateral bodies have been poisoned 
by membership without standards. We need look no further than the 
discredited U.N. Human Rights Council. When

[[Page H3419]]

a so-called human rights body counts China, Cuba, Saudi Arabia and 
other abusive regimes as members, we cannot claim to be surprised at 
how ineffective it has become in protecting and advancing fundamental 
freedoms.
  The U.N. Human Rights Council is a feckless and ideologically 
manipulated talk-shop that expends most of its energy not on the North 
Korean gulag or genocide in Sudan or repression in Burma or the brutal 
dictatorship in Cuba or the beatings of the peaceful Damas de Blanco, 
or Ladies in White, oh, no. They spend their time attacking the 
democratic Jewish State of Israel.
  In this environment, the need for a cohesive, energetic, multilateral 
voice that truly stands for and defends political freedom and 
fundamental human rights is greater than ever. This is where the 
Community of Democracies can step in and fill that need.
  The Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democracies began 
operating just in January 2009 and is located where the Community 
issued its founding declaration: in Warsaw, Poland. We continue to be 
grateful to the government and the people of Poland for hosting the 
secretariat and for their living witness to the democratic ideals, 
ideals nurtured even during their trying experience of communism and 
Soviet domination in the 20th century.
  I also want to express my appreciation to the Government of Lithuania 
for its presidency of the Community of Democracies since last July. 
Looking ahead, I sincerely hope that the Community will maintain its 
distinctive voice.
  We must help ensure that the regional groups of the Community will 
make additional, concrete progress, such as on the Inter-Arab 
Democratic Charter discussed by members of the Middle East group at the 
2005 ministerial meeting in Santiago.
  Finally, we must help ensure that the Community will emphasize 
democracy and human rights as predicates for efficient, responsible, 
economic development, and not as luxuries that can only be expected in 
affluent societies.
  And as the more than 100 participating countries prepare to meet in 
Krakow in July, let us all recommit ourselves to promoting the ideals 
of freedom to which we all aspire.
  Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, it is my pleasure now to yield 2 minutes to 
the gentleman from Illinois (Mr. Quigley), the author of this 
resolution.
  Mr. QUIGLEY. Mr. Speaker, I thank my colleagues for their kind words 
on this matter.
  I rise today in strong support of H. Res. 1143, a bipartisan 
resolution commending the Community of Democracies on its 10-year 
anniversary.
  The Community of Democracies is a truly global, intergovernmental 
organization of democratic nations. The organization seeks to promote 
democracy and strengthen democratic institutions around the world. 
Spearheaded by former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, the 
overarching goal was to create a global community of democratic 
nations. Secretary Albright's vision became a reality in 2000 when 106 
nations came together in Warsaw to launch the Community of Democracies.
  This July marks the 10-year anniversary, and my resolution honors 
their achievements over the last decade. The resolution also expresses 
hope for success at the anniversary conference to be held in Krakow 
this July. Honoring the Community has always been important, but in 
light of the recent tragedy in Poland, the significance of this 
resolution has dramatically increased.
  The Community of Democracies has deep ties with Poland and Polish 
leaders. The organization was founded in Warsaw, Poland, under the 
leadership of then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Bronislaw 
Geremek. It was the Government of Poland that initiated the 
establishment of a Permanent Secretariat in Warsaw in January 2009 to 
strengthen the institution. It is fitting, therefore, that Poland will 
host the anniversary conference.
  Poland has endured much sorrow recently, but we know the country and 
her people will find the resilience to emerge stronger, as they have 
before, following this unimaginable tragedy.
  This resolution honors those democratic institutions exemplified by 
Poland and by every other democracy throughout the world. I urge my 
colleagues to support H. Res. 1143, commending the Community of 
Democracies.
  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I am very pleased to yield such time 
as he may consume to the gentleman from Florida (Mr. Lincoln Diaz-
Balart), the ranking member of the Rules Committee Subcommittee on 
Legislative and Budget Process.
  Mr. LINCOLN DIAZ-BALART of Florida. Mr. Speaker, I thank my friend 
for yielding me the time and Mr. Quigley for introducing this important 
resolution.
  The Community of Democracies, a global intergovernmental coalition of 
over 100 democratic states, has proven its support for the promotion of 
democracy in civil society over the decade since its founding.
  I would like to take this opportunity to highlight, as Ms. Ros-
Lehtinen appropriately mentioned before, the leadership of the Republic 
of Lithuania, which took over the presidency of the Community of 
Democracies in July 2009. Lithuania has shown remarkable leadership in 
pressing forward with the Community's agenda of promoting democracy, 
human rights, and freedom in oppressed lands such as Burma, Belarus, 
and Cuba.
  Under the guidance of Ambassador Zygimantas Pavilionis, chief 
coordinator of Lithuania's presidency of the Community of Democracies, 
the Community created a Parliamentary Forum in March of this year. I 
have been impressed by Ambassador Pavilionis' exceptional leadership 
and commitment to strengthening the role of the Community of 
Democracies in fulfilling its mission of promoting democratic 
institutions and civil society.
  In March of this year, I was privileged to attend the convening 
meeting of the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies in 
Vilnius, Lithuania. At the first meeting of the Parliamentary Forum, 
Emanuelis Zingeris, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the 
Seimas of Lithuania, was elected as the first president of the 
Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies. Mr. Zingeris is a 
charismatic and brilliant leader who will doubtless be an effective 
president of the Parliamentary Forum throughout his term.
  Also at the Parliamentary Forum, I had the great honor of being 
elected one of the seven vice presidents of the new entity, along with 
fellow vice presidents Michal Tomasz Kaminski, Polish member of the 
European Parliament and chairman of the European Conservatives and 
Reformists in the European Parliament; Michael Gahler, German member of 
the European Parliament of the Group of the European People's Party; 
Alexandr Vondra, a senator from the Czech Republic; Adriana Gonzalez 
Carrillo, a senator of the Republic of Mexico; David Kilgour, former 
member of Parliament and a well-known human rights activist in Canada; 
and David Bakradze, speaker of the Parliament of Georgia.

                              {time}  1930

  Notably, the Parliamentary Forum's first adopted resolution at its 
convening meeting on March 12, 2010, called for the support of Cuba's 
pro-democracy movement. I have a copy of that resolution, Mr. Speaker 
here. I will insert it into the Record.
  And the Parliamentary Forum's international solidarity, as 
demonstrated by this resolution, a strong and very appropriate, well-
written resolution that, for example, honors, and I read from it, Cuban 
pro-democracy fighters such as the martyr Orlando Zapata Tamayo and 
expresses its admiration for the efforts of other heroes such as 
Guillermo Farinas. This is a concrete, specific demonstration of 
genuine solidarity by the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of 
Democracies with the suffering people of Cuba and the freedom fighters 
who, within Cuba, are struggling to bring democracy and freedom to that 
land.
  Orlando Zapata Tamayo was assassinated by the Cuban dictatorship, and 
he died after over 80 days on a hunger strike protesting the tortures 
that he was continuously subjected to as a political prisoner.
  And Guillermo Farinas is, as we speak, on a hunger strike in Cuba. 
This

[[Page H3420]]

institution, the Parliamentary Forum of the Community of Democracies, 
expressed its solidarity with these Cuban rights fighters, fighters for 
freedom. And in that way, demonstrated its genuine commitment to 
furthering democratic institutions and assisting those who are fighting 
for freedom.
  The resolution today, Mr. Speaker, that will be passed by the 
Congress of the United States in support of commending the Community of 
Democracies on its 10th anniversary is timely. I wholeheartedly support 
it. I commend the Community of Democracies for 10 years of leadership, 
and I urge all of my colleagues to vote for this resolution.
  Again, thank you, Mr. Engel. Thank you Ms. Ros-Lehtinen. This is an 
important and timely resolution. These are friends of freedom that 
we're commending today, an institution that, as Ms. Ros-Lehtinen 
pointed out, is not there for cocktail parties or press releases. And 
it doesn't allow itself to be tarnished, like abominable institutions 
such as the so-called Human Rights Council of the United Nations, to be 
tarnished by, in effect, defending tyrannies. The Community of 
Democracies is that, a community of democracies that stands for and 
believes in freedom and democracy. That's why it's appropriate to 
commend them on their 10th anniversary.

            The Community of Democracies Parliamentary Forum


 resolution calling for support of Cuba's pro-democracy movement, The 
                    convening meeting, 2010 March 12

       Whereas the pro-democracy movement in Cuba has grown at a 
     rapid pace over the last three years, and specific 
     expressions of the movement are evident today in the 
     explosion of bloggers on the island, independent journalists, 
     musicians, artists, writers, and others, who are using their 
     talents to denounce the atrocities of the dictatorship all 
     while putting forth new ideas for the transition to 
     democracy;
       Whereas there are still extraordinary obstacles to overcome 
     such as the continued repression by the totalitarian 
     dictatorship, extremely limited access to the Internet and 
     ``texting'' capabilities, and a lack of a coherent message of 
     solidarity from the international community;
       Whereas the dictatorship is fearful of the growth of the 
     pro-democracy movement;
       Whereas the message of the Movement is coherent and clear 
     in demanding freedom for all Cuban political prisoners, 
     beginning with those who are gravely ill inside the prison, 
     freedom of expression and free, fair multi-party elections 
     with international supervision;
       Whereas this common position of the Cuban pro-democracy 
     movement requires greater recognition, dissemination and 
     solidarity on the part of the Community of Democracies;
       Whereas now more than ever the Cuban pro-democracy movement 
     requires that the democratic community takes concrete steps 
     to demonstrate its solidarity; Now, therefore be it
       Resolved, That the Community of Democracies Parliamentary 
     Forum--
       condemns the brutality of the Cuban regime against Cuban 
     political prisoners;
       expresses its full support for the Cuban pro-democracy 
     movement;
       honors Cuban pro-democracy fighters such as the martyr 
     Orlando Zapata Tamayo and expresses its admiration for the 
     efforts of other heroes such as Guillermo Farifias;
       calls for the immediate release of all Cuban political 
     prisoners and free multiparty elections in Cuba; and
       calls on the democratic community to take concrete steps in 
     demonstrating their solidarity with the Cuban pro-democracy 
     movement by providing humanitarian and technological 
     assistance to the pro-democratic movement, urging certain 
     foreign diplomatic posts in Havana to strengthen contacts 
     with pro-democratic activists on the island, encouraging 
     foreign dignitaries to visit Cuba for the sole purpose of 
     meeting with pro-democratic activists, and looking for 
     opportunities to reiterate and support the common position of 
     the Cuban pro-democracy movement in the international 
     community.

  Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time.
  Mr. ENGEL. Mr. Speaker, I yield back the balance of my time as well.
  The SPEAKER pro tempore. The question is on the motion offered by the 
gentleman from New York (Mr. Engel) that the House suspend the rules 
and agree to the resolution, H. Res. 1143, as amended.
  The question was taken; and (two-thirds being in the affirmative) the 
rules were suspended and the resolution, as amended, was agreed to.
  A motion to reconsider was laid on the table.

                          ____________________