[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 156 (2010), Part 11]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 14937-14939]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




  CONGRESSIONAL DELEGATION TO NATO PARLIAMENTARY ASSEMBLY MEETINGS IN 
                LATVIA AND BILATERAL VISIT TO MONTENEGRO

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. JOHN S. TANNER

                              of tennessee

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 30, 2010

  Mr. TANNER. Madam Speaker, from May 28-June 3, I led a House 
delegation to NATO Parliamentary Assembly (NATO PA) meetings in Riga, 
Latvia, and to additional bilateral meetings in Podgorica, Montenegro. 
The U.S. delegation to the NATO PA had a highly successful trip during 
which we examined a range of political, economic, and security issues 
currently confronting the Alliance, as well as NATO and U.S. policy in 
Montenegro and the Western Balkans.
  The NATO Parliamentary Assembly consists of members of parliament 
from the 28 NATO states, as well as members of parliament from 
candidate state Macedonia (or Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 
FYROM), and other associated states such as Russia, Georgia, and 
Ukraine. I currently have the honor of serving as President of the 
Assembly. In this capacity, I preside over meetings during which 
delegates discuss and debate a range of issues of importance to the 
Alliance. During the NATO PA's two annual plenary sessions, delegates 
also have the opportunity to listen to presentations by specialists on 
NATO affairs and to offer guidance to NATO leadership in Brussels. An 
additional element of the meetings is the opportunity to meet and 
develop relationships with members of parliament who play important 
foreign policy roles in their own countries. These responsibilities can 
include setting defense budgets and determining the operational 
restrictions placed on deployed forces. Some of the acquaintances made 
through the NATO PA can last the duration of a career, and are 
invaluable for gaining insight into developments in allied states.
  Discussions during the NATO PA's annual spring meeting focused on the 
key issues currently facing the Alliance. These include: the drafting 
of a new Strategic Concept for NATO; NATO's ongoing stabilization 
mission in Afghanistan; NATO's evolving relations with Russia; and the 
effects of the global economic downturn on national security and allied 
commitments to NATO. More specific issues such as the Alliance's 
nuclear weapons posture, missile defense, and emerging security 
challenges such as piracy and cyber and energy security were also 
discussed by the delegates.
  At NATO's 60th anniversary summit in April 2009, the leaders of 
NATO's 28 member states tasked the NATO Secretary General with 
producing a new Strategic Concept for the Alliance. The re-writing of 
the Strategic Concept, which was last updated in 1999, offers NATO a 
chance to lay out a clarified vision of its role in the 21st century 
security environment. Heads of state from the NATO member states are 
expected to approve a new Strategic Concept at their November 2010 
summit in Lisbon. In April 2010, NATO PA representatives presented NATO 
Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen with the Assembly's 
recommendations for a new Strategic Concept. There is broad agreement 
within the NATO PA that the new Strategic Concept should re-affirm 
NATO's primary role as a military alliance devoted to ensuring the 
collective defense and security of its members. In this regard, Article 
5 of NATO's founding North Atlantic Treaty--which states that an attack 
on one is an attack on all--remains NATO's core principle. Our 
delegation emphasized that in the face of new and emerging security 
challenges, the Alliance must also continue to broaden the traditional 
Cold War concept of collective defense to include security threats such 
as terrorism, proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, cyber-
security, and energy security. In this regard, territorial defense can 
no longer be separated from ``out-of-area'' security concerns. Members 
of our delegation also highlighted the importance of developing and 
maintaining the capabilities necessary to achieve NATO's stated 
objectives.
  The key issue facing the Alliance continues to be NATO's effort to 
bring security and stability to Afghanistan. Approximately 120,000 
troops from 46 countries currently serve in

[[Page 14938]]

NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, 
with NATO members providing the core of the force. Close to 80,000 U.S. 
troops are under ISAF command. NATO allies have generally welcomed the 
renewed U.S. focus on Afghanistan and have voiced their support of the 
Administration's new strategy in the region and the associated U.S. 
troop increases. In April, NATO Foreign Ministers reiterated previous 
commitments to shift ISAF's emphasis toward transferring responsibility 
in the country--first and foremost in the security sector--to the 
Afghan government. Our delegation made an effort to urge our 
counterparts from NATO parliaments to continue to support ISAF and to 
contribute the forces and resources necessary to stabilize Afghanistan. 
Our delegation also emphasized that success in Afghanistan will depend 
on more than just military efforts, and called on the Alliance to 
develop a more comprehensive political strategy for the region.
  Since NATO-Russia relations reached a low point in the wake of the 
August 2008 Russia-Georgia conflict, NATO and Russia have sought to 
improve ties and boost cooperation. Meetings of the NATO-Russia Council 
resumed in mid-2009 but while cooperation in some areas has resumed, 
disagreement persists on some issues. Officials from some member states 
within the Alliance express concern that NATO has not taken a strong 
enough stance against assertive Russian behavior. Others have attempted 
to view Russia as a ``strategic partner'' and call for more pragmatic 
cooperation and engagement. Our delegation contributed to a number of 
forceful discussions, including with our Russian counterparts, on the 
future of NATO-Russia relations. We emphasized that NATO should by no 
means recognize Russian spheres of influence outside Russian territory 
or tolerate Russian behavior that threatens the territorial integrity 
of independent nations. At the same time, we pointed out the importance 
of developing a unified approach toward Russia within the framework of 
a broader Alliance policy toward the east.
  During the four-day NATO PA session, our delegation participated in 
day-long meetings of the Assembly's five committees, in a meeting of 
the NATO-Russia Parliamentary Committee, and in a final plenary session 
attended by NATO Secretary General Rasmussen. During each NATO PA 
committee meeting, members of parliament from NATO member states 
present reports on a range of issues confronting the Alliance. 
Committee members discuss and debate the issues raised by the reports 
and are given the opportunity to make counter-arguments or recommend 
that amendments be made to the reports. Members of the U.S. delegation 
were present and active participants in all committee meetings.
  The NATO PA's Political Committee received three interesting and 
informative presentations from government officials and outside 
experts, as well as presentations from members of parliament on three 
committee reports. Alvis Ronis, Latvia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, 
gave an engaging briefing on Latvia's foreign and security policy 
priorities. Despite facing a severe economic downturn that has forced 
sharp budget cuts, Latvia remains committed to NATO operations, 
including in Afghanistan, where it has deployed 170 troops. The 
committee also heard from U.S. Assistant Secretary of Defense for 
International Security Affairs, Alexander Vershbow, who shared a U.S. 
perspective on lessons learned from the NATO mission in Afghanistan. A 
third presentation, given by Alain Deletroz, Vice President of the 
International Crisis Group, focused on Central Asia and current U.S., 
European, Chinese, and Russian policy in the region. The three 
committee reports presented included a report on security in the 
Persian Gulf region and on the Arabian peninsula written by our 
colleague, Rep. Mike Ross. Unfortunately, Mr. Ross was unable to attend 
the meeting. Italian Senator Sergio Di Gregorio graciously agreed to 
present Mr. Ross's report, which was well received by the committee. 
Other reports debated by the Political Committee included a report on 
Alliance cohesion and a report on NATO's relations with so-called 
``Contact Countries,'' countries outside the Euro-Atlantic region that 
are not formal NATO partners.
  Members of the Science and Technology Committee heard presentations 
from a former Latvian president and a senior political advisor at NATO 
headquarters and debated issues raised in three committee reports. 
Former Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga shared valuable insights 
on the Baltic states' relations with Russia. Michael Ruehle, Senior 
Political Advisor in the NATO Secretary General's Policy Planning Unit, 
gave a comprehensive assessment of efforts to strengthen the global 
nuclear non-proliferation regime. The most discussed of the three 
committee reports presented during the session was Rep. David Scott's 
report entitled, ``Nuclear/WMD proliferation and Missile Defense: 
Forging a New Partnership with Russia.'' Rep. Scott gave a lively and 
forceful presentation on this timely subject, outlining a broad range 
of perspectives on NATO, U.S., and European cooperation with Russia on 
non-proliferation issues, including efforts to counter Iran's nuclear 
program, and on missile defense. Additional discussions during the 
committee meeting centered on possible security challenges posed by 
climate change and on the appropriate role for NATO in energy security 
issues.
  The NATO PA's Defense and Security Committee discussed a range of 
security issues facing the Alliance, including NATO's engagement in 
Afghanistan and the role of non-strategic nuclear weapons in 
maintaining Alliance security. On Afghanistan, delegates heard sobering 
accounts of ongoing NATO efforts to develop and partner with the Afghan 
National Security Forces, and on measuring success in Afghanistan. 
During subsequent debate, delegates reaffirmed the importance of the 
mission in Afghanistan but acknowledged the significant challenges the 
Alliance is facing. In response to a report on U.S./NATO non-strategic 
nuclear weapons in Europe, Rep. David Scott made a well-received 
intervention emphasizing that any decision on the Alliance's nuclear 
weapons posture must be made by the Alliance as a whole. Rep. Scott 
highlighted the vital role that non-strategic nuclear weapons have 
played in affirming the allied commitment to collective defense and 
invited continued talks with Russia on global nuclear non-proliferation 
efforts.
  The meeting of the Committee on the Civil Dimension of Security 
focused on several issues of increasing importance to Alliance 
security, chief among them the role of governance and regional politics 
in ensuring long-term stability in Afghanistan. Delegates debated a 
committee report outlining a range of governance challenges in 
Afghanistan and agreed that the Afghan mission's success will hinge 
largely on the success of international efforts to improve Afghan 
governance. Additional reports presented to the committee focused on 
NATO's role in maritime security and on achievements and future 
prospects in the Western Balkans. On the Balkans, delegates emphasized 
the importance of outlining paths to eventual NATO membership for the 
countries of the region, but agreed that significant progress must be 
made before membership becomes a reality.
  Members of the NATO PA's Economics and Security Committee discussed 
various aspects of the global financial crisis and the associated 
global economic downturn. This included an in-depth presentation by the 
Governor of the Bank of Latvia on the Latvian economy and an assessment 
of the Greek financial crisis and its global implications by a 
professor from the London School of Economics. The reports presented by 
committee members focused on the impact of the financial crisis on 
Central and Eastern Europe, the impact of the global recession on the 
developing world, and a possible long-term shift in global economic 
power.
  On Monday, May 31, our delegation participated in a meeting of the 
NATO-Russia Parliamentary Committee. As President of the NATO PA, I 
chaired this meeting, which consists of members of the NATO PA's 
Standing Committee and members of the Russian parliament. The committee 
heard candid and insightful presentations on NATO-Russia relations from 
Professor Alexei Pushkov, Director of the Institute of Contemporary 
International Studies at the Diplomatic Academy of the Russian Ministry 
of Foreign Affairs, and from Alexander Vershbow, U.S. Assistant 
Secretary of Defense and former U.S. Ambassador to Russia. Arguing that 
``all military alliances are directed against something or somebody,'' 
Professor Pushkov asserted that the Russian government continues to 
view NATO's possible enlargement eastward as a security threat. Despite 
continued disagreement between NATO and Russia on this and some other 
core issues, Professor Pushkov maintained that the two sides can 
minimize the points of contention in their relationship by enhancing 
cooperation in areas ranging from counter-narcotics trafficking and 
counterterrorism to maritime security and nuclear non-proliferation. 
Assistant Secretary Vershbow expressed concern that the Russian 
government continues to view NATO as a security threat but reiterated 
the Obama Administration's fundamental commitment to enhancing NATO-
Russia ties. He emphasized that NATO and Russia have common interests 
and could each benefit from cooperation on many of today's most serious 
global challenges. As Monday was Memorial Day, the delegation visited 
Riga's Brethren Cemetery to commemorate Latvian soldiers who were 
killed during the First World War and Latvia's war of independence with 
Russia.

[[Page 14939]]

  On Tuesday, June 1, I chaired the closing plenary session of the NATO 
PA meeting. During the session, the Assembly had the opportunity to 
hear from NATO Secretary General Rasmussen, Latvian Prime Minister 
Valdis Dombrovskis, Afghan Defense Minister Abdul Rahim Wardack, the 
Commander of Allied Joint Force Command, General Egon Ramms, and the 
Speaker of the Latvian parliament, Gundars Daudze. Secretary General 
Rasmussen used his address to the Assembly to outline some key 
principles for NATO's new Strategic Concept and to urge delegates to 
remain committed to the mission in Afghanistan. On the new Strategic 
Concept, Secretary General Rasmussen emphasized the importance of 
adopting a document that explains in clear terms how the Alliance is 
enhancing security in the 21st century. He argued that NATO must remain 
committed to deterrence and collective defense, that the Alliance must 
cooperate with non-NATO member states such as Russia, and that NATO's 
approach to security must be comprehensive and must complement actions 
taken by other international organizations such as the European Union 
and the United Nations. The Secretary General added that in order to 
realize the strategic goals agreed by the Alliance, NATO headquarters 
must function efficiently and that NATO member states must develop more 
flexible and deployable military forces and capabilities.
  In sum, Madam Speaker, the 2010 spring session of the NATO 
Parliamentary session in Riga, Latvia was a great success. As President 
of the Assembly, I took pride in the deliberations and the informed 
engagement of the delegates from all NATO member states and our 
associate and observer members. For Members of the House and Senate 
interested in reading the committee reports or transcripts of the 
presentations mentioned in this statement, they are available on the 
NATO PA website at www.nato-pa.int. I would also like to take this 
opportunity to thank our Ambassador to Latvia, Judith Garber, and her 
staff for the excellent job they did assisting the delegation during 
our stay in Riga.
  On Tuesday, June 1, after the conclusion of the NATO PA meeting, our 
delegation travelled to Podgorica, Montenegro, on the invitation of 
Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. Since achieving its 
independence in 2006, Montenegro's key foreign policy goals have been 
European Union (EU) and NATO integration. Montenegro has moved quickly 
to advance its NATO membership candidacy and in December 2009, the 
Alliance invited Montenegro to join the Membership Action Plan (MAP), a 
critical step on the road to possible NATO membership. The United 
States strongly supported Montenegro's effort to gain independence from 
Serbia and continues to support its efforts to gain membership in NATO 
and the European Union. During one-and-a half days of meetings in 
Montenegro, our delegation observed first hand the steps being taken by 
the Montenegrin government to advance its NATO membership prospects and 
to ensure that membership will lead to a stronger Alliance and enhance 
stability in the Western Balkan region. We also took the opportunity to 
urge the Montenegrin leadership to continue to advance reforms in the 
area of democratic governance, to combat corruption, and to enhance the 
rule of law in the country.
  Over the course of our visit, the delegation met with numerous 
Montenegrin government officials, including Prime Minister Djukanovic 
and President Filip Vujanovic, and had the opportunity to observe 
Montenegrin troops as they trained in preparation for upcoming 
deployment to Afghanistan. We were also fortunate to meet with 
representatives of non-governmental organizations and media outlets, 
including several outspoken critics of the current Montenegrin 
government. Shortly after our arrival in Podgorica, we received a 
comprehensive briefing on U.S.-Montenegrin relations from our 
Ambassador to Montenegro, Roderick Moore, and his excellent staff. 
Ambassador Moore highlighted the record of strong U.S. support for 
Montenegro and emphasized the work he and his staff are currently doing 
to enhance democratic governance in the country. Our meetings with 
Prime Minister Djukanovic, President Vujanovic, Foreign Minister Milan 
Rocen, and Speaker of the Montenegrin Parliament Ranko Krivokapic 
focused primarily on the country's prospects for NATO and EU membership 
and on the government's democratic reform efforts, particularly in the 
rule of law area. The Montenegrin leadership stressed the importance of 
Euro-Atlantic integration not only for the country but for the Western 
Balkan region. Each of our interlocutors believes strongly that NATO 
and EU integration represent the best hope to bring lasting peace and 
stability to the region.
  Our delegation also had the opportunity to observe first hand the 
advances being made by the Montenegrin armed forces. Since gaining 
independence, Montenegro has had to create a military virtually from 
the ground up. The size and capabilities of the Montenegrin armed 
forces remain limited, but the government has made some notable strides 
in modernizing the military and creating more deployable units. Our 
delegation was especially impressed to learn of Montenegro's 
contribution to NATO's International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) 
in Afghanistan. In March of this year, Montengro deployed a 31-man 
infantry unit and a medical team to Afghanistan. One of the highlights 
of our trip was being able to meet with Montenegrin soldiers preparing 
to deploy to Afghanistan and to express to them our sincere 
appreciation for their efforts.
  In conclusion, I would like to acknowledge the hard work and 
dedication of Ambassador Roderick Moore and his staff, who went out of 
their way to organize an excellent visit for the delegation. The 
embassy team in Podgorica deserves high praise for the work they have 
done advancing U.S. policy in Montenegro and the Western Balkan region. 
As always, members of the United States military also contributed 
greatly to the success of this NATO PA trip. The logistics of such a 
trip, compressed into a tight time frame, are complicated and require 
lengthy and detailed preparation. Our military escorts were from the 
Air Force Legislative Liaison Office and the aircrew was from the 201st 
Airlift Squadron at Joint Base Andrews, MD. They did an outstanding job 
and I thank them for their hard work and dedication to duty.

                          ____________________