[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 17]
[Senate]
[Pages 23345-23347]
[From the U.S. 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

[[Page 23346]]

     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. 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

[[Page 23347]]

     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.
       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.

                          ____________________