Extensions of Remarks 31399 Extensions of Remarks
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December 1, 1980 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS 31399 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS U.S. CONGRESS AND THE THE UNITED STATES AND WESTERN EUROPE: cance. The greater dependency of European EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT MEET FACING COMMON CHALLENGES states on trading relationships, particularly I. INTRODUCTION in regard to energy resources, with the East ern Bloc and the Persian Gulf will naturally Over the past year, following the seizure impact upon the character of their policies HON. DONALD J. PEASE of American hostages in Iran and the Soviet OF OHIO in dealing with this new threat to their invasion of Afghanistan, tensions have sur overall security. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES faced in the Atlantic Alliance, straining its Natural tensions within the Alliance have Monday, December 1, 1980 cohesion. been exacerbated by complex political, secu On the American side, many perceive that rity and economic problems to which there e Mr. PEASE. Mr. Speaker, I had the the European allies have not done their are no simple solutions. Power relation privilege last month of leading a 13- share to respond to Soviet challenges to the ships-between East and West, between Member delegation from Congress to entire Western world, that the Alliance has North and South, and within the Western the 17th meeting between the U.S. not adopted a coordinated strategy in con Alliance itself-have changed dramatically fronting Soviet ventures and that our allies in the past decade. Congress and the European Parlia are pursuing independent foreign policies ment. Held in Copenhagen, Denmark, which could operate to the detriment of II. DIAGNOSIS OF CURRENT ALLIANCE RELATIONS this biannual exchange of views was U.S. policies and of the Alliance itself. 1. Perception of the significance of the most successful. I thought it might be On the European side, based on greater Soviet invasion of Afghanistan helpful to my colleagues if I inserted moves toward European unity a~d impres It is important to note that there has in the CONGRESSIONAL RECORD the sive strides in economic progress and pros never been a disagreement that the Soviet perity, there is an increased feeling of asser invasion of Afghanistan constitutes a seri agenda which was followed during the ous threat to the Western world and to the 2 days of plenary sessions between the tiveness and independence. What is clear today is that the United Third World: we need to draw the line on two delegations. I would be more than States and Western Europe face common further Soviet expansion in the area. The happy to discuss with any of my col challenges which must be addressed effec Soviet invasion was thoroughly and leagues in Congress the substance of tively and to some extent collectively. unequivocably condemned by the various the discussions on any of these topics. Over the past year, political leaders, jour Western councils as a breach of internation Needless to say, the same willingness nalists and other observers of U.S.-Western al law and the basic rules of international European relations have pictured the Atlan behaviour. to discuss our meetings applies to my Many Europeans, it seems, have felt that distinguished cochairman, Hon. LARRY tic Alliance as disunited, in need of repair and revitalization, and hard put to respond the crisis in Afghanistan might best have WINN, and to the other Members of effectively to threats within and outside of been handled outside the East-West context our U.S. congressional delegation. Europe. and that the security and interests of the The agenda for the meetings is as This is not the first time-nor will it be Third World were at least as much in jeop follows: the last-that the Alliance is in disarray. ardy as those of the West because of the Soviet action. The Soviet invasion was as EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT Disarray seems almost a natural condition of an association of democratic states often much an issue of "East-South relations". FIRST WORKING SESSION OF DELEGATIONS having incompatible or competitive political 2. Response to the crisis Thursday, November 13, 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. and economic interests and similar and An important element in the current rift Exchange of views on political matters: common fundamental goals. As Newsweek in U.S.-Western European relations lies in (a) European Community and United columnist Meg Greenfield put it in May of the disagreements among the allies over the States views on East-West relations <Af this year: "I have been trying to think of a nature of appropriate responses to the ghanistan, Eastern Europe) and multilateral time when the alliance was in array.... I Soviet threat and Soviet actions in the resource matters. think what we are dealing with here is the Third World <outside the NATO treaty Cb) EC and US views on how, when and to essential, natural and rtormal condition of area). what extent they should act in concert and the alliance." The United States has given a higher pri how, when and to what extent they should The Suez crisis of 1956, the debates over ority to the threat and use of military force act independently. independent nuclear deterrents, the curren than most Europeans. The priority given to SECOND WORKING SESSION OF DELEGATIONS cy devaluations, monetary crises, and trade military means stems from a widely-held wars have been "crises" in their day. The perception in the United States that the Thursday, November 13, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Alliance has survived these quarrels. Look Soviet action has "strategic," worldwide Continuation of exchange views on politi ing back over the past year, it is clear that consequences for peace and stability. cal matters of mutual concern. the Alliance will endure and that, once On the other hand, the nations of West THIRD WORKING SESSION OF DELEGATIONS again, the U.S. and its Western European ern Europe have reacted in a more re Friday, November 14, 9 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. allies will be able to resolve their differences strained way. While recognizing that the in and undertake the tasks necessary to defend vasion has severe implications for world Review of the Madrid Conference on the Western interests. peace, they have stressed that stability in CSCE Helsinki Agreement, and in particular However, there can be no doubt that the the Persian Gulf and Southwest Asia can on human rights and humanitarian and world circumstances surrounding the cur best be achieved through political and eco other cooperation, and on cooperation in rent crisis are profoundly different than nomic mea.Sures designed to demonstrate the field of economics, of science and tech those of any other previous situation. The support for states in the area. In the Euro nology, and of the environment. reasons are many. First, the perception that pean view, such measures would be at least FOURTH WORKING SESSION OF DELEGATIONS the United States has overwhelming mili as effective in resisting Soviet influence and Friday, November 14, 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. tary and economic power no longer exists; preserving stability in the region. The Exchange of views on EC-US trade, mone- second, the United States can no longer nature of the American response has in tary and energy matters. exert as much pressure on key European volved an increased physical presence in the Summary and conclusions. states; third, Wes tern Europe has developed Gulf region through agreements for access a greater economic dependence on its trad to facilities; increased deployments of naval Mr. Speaker, I was privileged to ing relationships with Eastern Europe and and air forces in the region; development of present a paper for the American dele the Third World; fourth, for the first time, an enhanced capability to move forces gation on the second aspect of our ex the West is collectively threatened by the quickly into the region; and increased assist change of views on political matters; Soviet Union in an area of vital interest out ance to the states in the area. namely, European and United States side of NATO; fifth, Europe is more vulner ThIB response is designed to deter further views on important current issues and able on economic and energy grounds, be Soviet moves in the region that might cause of the instability in the major oil-pro threaten Western interests. The attention the degree to which the European ducing area of the world; and sixth, the paid to military means in the United States community and the United States image of coherent U.S. leadership is less does not mean that we do not consider eco should pursue similar, identical, or in prevalent today. nomic and political measures necessary and dependent policies in regard to those The economic dimension of the current useful in guaranteeing the security of the issues. The text of my paper follows: crisis may be what gives it a special signifi- region. Of course, the United States also e This "bullet" symbol identifies statements or insertions which are not spoken by the Member on the floor. 31400 EXTENSIONS OF REMARKS December 1, 1980 considers them important and uses them the United States in establishing a coordi press of time, the national interest, extraor itself. However, the position of the United nated response to Soviet actions around the dinary circumstances, and even sheer inad States-as the leader of the Western Alli world, and that Western Europe be per vertence may make timely and proper con ance and its greatest military power-re ceived as willing to participate fully in that sultation difficult. Such factors also apply quires that it undertake those measures task.