[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 24 (Tuesday, February 15, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E228-E229]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                 UNITED STATES RELATIONSHIP WITH RUSSIA

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. DAVID DREIER

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                       Tuesday, February 15, 2011

  Mr. DREIER. Mr. Speaker, last month, The Economist exhorted Western 
Leaders to more openly and consistently criticize Russia for its sham 
democracy, its brutal treatment of human rights activists and political 
dissidents, and its utter disregard for the rule of law. It was a 
challenge that should be taken seriously.
  Our approach to Russia has been characterized, paradoxically, by a 
failure to be both sufficiently pragmatic and sufficiently idealistic 
at the same time.
  Russia is a key international player with whom we must engage. That's 
undeniable. It is a permanent member of the Security Council. It is a 
key actor in any united international effort to contain Iran's nuclear 
ambitions. It exerts great influence in regions, such as Central Asia, 
with implications for our struggle against violent extremism in 
Afghanistan and elsewhere. Keeping our engagement with Russia as 
constructive and effective as possible is essential to pursuing our 
vital national security interests.
  But this reality cannot preclude our commitment to promote democracy 
around the globe and condemn those who brutally suppress it. We must 
stand up for human rights and the rule of law, even when--especially 
when--they are undermined by major international players. We cannot 
remain silent when journalists and activists are killed or savagely

[[Page E229]]

beaten with impunity, while political prisoners face years of jail 
time. The new guilty verdict imposed on Mikhail Khodorkovsky late last 
year makes it appear that the only crime that's actually punishable in 
the Russian Federation is opposition to Putin.
  Days after the verdict was handed flown, opposition leader and former 
Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov was arrested for participating in a 
peaceful rally. He had committed the grave offense of expressing 
support for the protection of constitutional rights and condemning the 
sham Khodorkovsky verdict.
  Hostility to the rule of law extends beyond Russia's own borders, as 
we saw in the August 2008 invasion of our democratic ally Georgia. 
Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity remains under threat 
today.
  In our relationship with Moscow, we must learn to balance the twin 
imperatives of effective engagement and criticism of gross miscarriages 
of justice. This will only become more essential in the context of the 
coming debate on Russia's entry into the World Trade Organization.
  Russia has moved closer than ever to acceding to the WTO. We are 
likely to face this prospect in the coming year and the resulting vote 
on whether to extend Permanent Normal Trade Relations. We will need to 
have a full and robust debate on this issue. We will need to ensure 
that PNTR is not granted until we have confirmed that Russia has 
fulfilled the basic obligations that WTO membership demands.
  If those obligations are met, my view is that WTO accession would be 
a very positive step forward. Bringing Russia into a rules-based 
trading system would bind Moscow to the rule of law. It would create 
consequences and enforcement mechanisms for failure to live by its 
commitments. WTO membership is by no means a panacea, particularly for 
systems as deeply flawed as Russia's. But it would be a significant 
step in the right direction.
  Not only would it impose the rule of law in Russia's trading 
relationships. It would demonstrate that even Moscow recognizes the 
value of international rules of fairness. This should serve as a 
reminder that their presumed indifference to our criticism is no excuse 
for failing to voice that criticism. We need to engage with Russia, but 
Russia also needs to engage to with us. We cannot shy away from taking 
a public stand against increasingly brutal repression at the hands of 
those with whom we have important negotiations.
  Neither can we lose sight of the fact that supporting the rule of law 
is not just about promoting American ideals. One of the most important 
lessons of the last decade it that democracy strengthening is as firmly 
grounded in realpolitik as it is steeped in lofty, high-minded ideals. 
If our moral clarity helps to strengthen democracy advocates in Russia, 
we will further our strategic goals in the long run. A less corrupt, 
less autocratic regime in Moscow will result in a better international 
partner.
  As Vladimir Kara Murza has written in World Affairs, defending the 
rule of law is not just our right but our duty. Last week Vladimir 
wrote that statutes of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
Europe, to which both the U.S. and Russia are party, make this clear. 
The statutes state ``issues relating to human rights, fundamental 
freedoms, democracy, and the rule of law are of international concern, 
as respect for these rights and freedoms constitutes one of the 
foundations of the international order'' and ``commitments undertaken 
in the field of the human dimension are matters of direct and 
legitimate concern to all participating States.''
  As a member of key international bodies and an aspirant to the WTO, 
Russia has subjected itself to international norms. The U.S. and its 
Western allies must take seriously the responsibility to hold Russia 
accountable for its commitments and its actions.
  The Russian people have a long and tremendous history. Their 
government has very tragically tried to return this great people to a 
dark chapter of that history. But if we refuse to stay silent in the 
face of egregious human rights violations while constructively engaging 
in key negotiations, I believe we can effectively encourage positive 
change in Russia.

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