[Congressional Record Volume 166, Number 157 (Friday, September 11, 2020)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E832-E833]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    ONGOING TRANSATLANTIC ENGAGEMENT THROUGH THE OSCE PARLIAMENTARY 
                                ASSEMBLY

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. RICHARD HUDSON

                           of north carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                       Friday, September 11, 2020

  Mr. HUDSON. Madam Speaker, I rise today to update my Congressional 
colleagues on my continued consultations with transatlantic partners to 
address critical challenges in European security.
  On September 2nd, I joined a video meeting of the leadership of the 
Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation 
in Europe (OSCE PA), in my capacity as Chairman of that body's 
Committee on Political Affairs and Security. The meeting included about 
one dozen parliamentarians from across Europe. Senator Roger Wicker of 
Mississippi also participated in the discussion.
  The news of the confirmed poisoning of Russian political figure 
Alexey Navalny broke during our meeting, and I am pleased to report 
that my colleagues and I immediately agreed to unanimously condemn this 
heinous act, whose origins can be traced directly to the Putin regime. 
There are now reports that some in Germany are reconsidering the 
Nordstream 2 pipeline deal with Russia. I have long argued against this 
project in the Parliamentary Assembly on grounds that it jeopardizes 
Europe's energy security.
  The Assembly's leadership continues to monitor the deeply concerning 
developments in Belarus in the wake of the falsification of the results 
of the presidential elections in Belarus on August 9. Detentions and 
brutal treatment of protesters, members of the media, and bystanders 
continues unabated even as the Belarusian people rise in defense of 
their fundamental rights, rights the Belarusian government has pledged 
itself to uphold under the Helsinki Final Act. I am honored to 
represent the U.S. Congress in discussions with our European partners 
as we try to encourage a peaceful and democratic way forward for the 
people of Belarus.
  Among the other issues under discussion was the outbreak of fighting 
along the Armenia-Azerbaijan border in mid-July and the role that 
regional powers may be playing in the tense security situation. We 
agreed that the parties should continue to look for ways to de-
escalate, and to resume negotiations under the auspices of the OSCE 
Minsk Group. The Assembly has generally backed the work of the Minsk 
Group Co-Chairs, the agreed international format for addressing the 
conflict; the

[[Page E833]]

Co-chairs have called for all sides to refrain from provocative 
statements and actions. We were asked to look into troubling reports 
that, following the devastating August 4th Beirut port explosion, de 
facto Armenian authorities in Nagorno Karabakh are resettling displaced 
Lebanese Armenians to disputed or occupied territories. While any 
reasonable person witnessing that horrible event would welcome the 
Armenian Government's efforts to provide relief and resettlement 
support to displaced Lebanese Armenians, I fear that resettlement in 
disputed or occupied territory could damage prospects for a peaceful, 
negotiated resolution to the Nagorno Karabakh conflict. The Assembly's 
leadership agreed to consider additional steps it could take towards 
supporting peaceful resolution of this conflict.
  The OSCE, including the Parliamentary Assembly, engages in election 
observation efforts, primarily with the goal of encouraging good 
practices in countries still in the process of democratic transition. 
In Montenegro during the last week of August, the Assembly deployed its 
first observation mission since the pandemic struck. I welcomed that 
effort in our NATO ally, not only to strengthen the democratic 
institutions that fundamental to NATO membership but also to support 
that country as it faces malign outside influences, including from 
Russia.
  The OSCE also intends to observe our general elections in November, 
demonstrating that all countries, not just those in transition, should 
be open to observation and willing to consider ways to improve their 
respective electoral processes. I noted the extensive debates we 
Americans have on this same subject, including now the issue of mail-in 
voting. In discussing the situation in the United States, I made an 
effort to note that our country is facing challenges but is still 
strong. I believe it is important to present a complete picture that 
counters perceptions of a more dire situation when viewed across the 
Atlantic, as well as malign messaging that seeks to separate us from 
our friends and allies.
  The OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, Madam Speaker, provides Members of 
Congress with a unique, bipartisan opportunity to work with our friends 
and allies to help resolve pressing global issues while promoting our 
shared values. Because it also includes delegations from Russia, 
Belarus and other countries who disregard the OSCE commitments to which 
they gave their consent regarding democratic government and respect for 
human rights, it is also uniquely suited to speaking to their 
representatives directly and making clear that their behavior is 
unacceptable and negatively affects our bilateral relationships.
  Madam Speaker, I hope all my colleagues agree and join me today in 
condemning Lukashenko's cruel repressions in Belarus and the Putin 
regime's sinister efforts to silence its critics, as well as in 
recognizing the importance of continued Congressional engagement with 
the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE as a means to address these 
important matters.

                          ____________________