We would hope that the Russian Government would try much more sincerely, with much more effort, to make sure they are not dislodging large numbers of innocent civilians. Chairman GILMAN. Thank you, Mr. Gejdenson. Mr. SMITH. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I thank you for placing H.Con. Res. 206 on the agenda today. This resolution addresses an issue of increasing urgency, the war in Chechnya and the plight of innocent people caught in the conflict. Mr. Chairman, following two armed incursions into the neighboring Republic of Dagestan by Islamic extremists, based in Chechnya but independent of the Chechen Government, the Russian Government sent the full weight of its military regime into Chechnya, a region that gained de facto independence from Russia as a result of the bloody war from 1994 to 1996. While Russia, on the one hand, is justified in rebuffing armed aggression against its territorial integrity-in combating terrorismone can sympathize with Russia's frustration over the unsolved bombings that killed almost 300 persons in Russia around the same time as the Dagestan incursion. The government of Chechnya, too, has not been entirely blameless in the situation since achieving de facto independence from Russia in 1996. Chechnya has degenerated into a morass of lawlessness and violence with a government powerless to establish law and order. But, Mr. Chairman, these arguments do not justify a war against innocent civilians. Noncombatant villages, homes, and farms have been subjected to artillery shellings and air raids. The death toll now is in the hundreds, and the number of internally displaced persons who have sought refuge in neighboring regions is around 200,000. Mr. Chairman, for this reason, I, together with Mr. Wolf and Mr. Forbes, introduced this resolution; and we have been joined by Messrs. Hoyer, Cardin, Engel, and Stark as cosponsors. Specifically, the resolution urges the government of the Russian Federation and all parties to cease the indiscriminate use of force against the civilian population in Chechnya. It further urges the government of Russia and all parties to enter into negotiations and to avail itself of the capabilities of the OSCE which helped broker an end to the 1994-1996 war. Additionally, the resolution calls upon Chechen authorities to make every effort to deny basis to radical elements committed to violent actions in the Northern Caucasus and urges Chechen authorities to create a rule-of-law environment with legal norms based upon internationally accepted standards. Finally, the resolution calls upon our own government to express to all parties the necessity of resolving the conflict peacefully and to express the willingness of the U.S. to extend appropriate assistance toward such a resolution, including humanitariar assistance as needed. Mr. Chairman, this resolution is not anti-Russian, and it is not pro-Chechen. Many observers who wish to see a prosperous and democratic Russia have been deeply disturbed by Russia's actions in Chechnya. Yesterday, the State Department accused Moscow of failing to meet human rights standards set out both in the Geneva Conventions and the Codes of Conduct of the OSCE. Unfortunately, when Attorney General Reno visited Moscow last month, her evasive comments about the war in Chechnya prompted the October 23rd edition of the Moscow Times to say, and I quote, "Reno's quiet gave war a green light." Hopefully, the Administration will speak with one voice in the future, and avoid any mixed messages. The last thing the Russian military needs now is the slightest encouragement for its present action. Let me just remind Members that the last time this war was going on, we had hearing after hearing, many of them held in this room. We heard from Yulana Bonner and many others who said we had given the green light, however unwittingly, to the Russians when they were doing their "scorched earth" policy in Chechnya last time. Let us not have deja vu again. Let us go on record trying to find a peaceful outcome to this despicable mess in Cehchnya. The killing is going on, and the internally displaced people and the refugees who have made it across the border are at great risk of dying or of being very, very severely malnourished as a result of this war. It has got to come to a halt. I yield back the balance of my time. Does any other Member over here seek recognition? Mr. ROHRABACHER. Thank you very much, Mr. Chairman. I would be voting in favor of this motion, of course, but I would like to remind Members of the Committee, while we are here waiting for our quorum, that for about 2 years I have been suggesting, unless we pay attention to what is going on in Afghanistan, that it would have severe repercussions in Central Asia. I believe that at least part of the problem in Chechnya can be traced back to the massive drug production that is going on in Afghanistan today, and the drug money that is being produced there is having its impact throughout Central Asia. Although I do think, of course, we have to be tough on our Russian friends not to have a "scorched earth" policy, we also must understand that the Chechens themselves could well have sources of money coming from Afghanistan and this drug money. So we should be a force for peace. We should be a force for stability in the region. I appreciate that is the purpose of this resolution and will support it. But again, I think that this Administration has got to understand that their current policy in Afghanistan is having very serious repercussions, and this is one of them. Let me again state for the record that the response of this Administration for well over a year, for the documents that I requested concerning Afghanistan has not been-they have not been forthcoming. They have been obstructionist. Even to this date, even after a very contentious hearing in which this issue was vocalized, they still have not come forward with the documents that I have been looking for for well over a year. So I assume, and I am assuming, that what we are facing here in Chechnya could well be just another off-shoot of the failed policy in Afghanistan, or should we say, the Administration's policy of Afghanistan coming to its natural conclusion. So with that, I yield back the balance of my time. Mr. SMITH. I have an amendment at the desk. Chairman GILMAN. Mr. Smith has an amendment at the desk. The clerk will read the amendment. [The information referred to appears in the appendix.] Ms. BLOOMER. En bloc amendment offered by Mr. Smith, page 2, in the first Mr. SMITH. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment considered as read. Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the amendment is considered as read. Mr. SMITH. Mr. Chairman, these are just perfecting amendments, some recommendations that have been made by our embassy in Moscow by Ambassador Collins, and by both majority and minority staffs. I do think it just tightens and makes what I hope was a good resolution even better. I urge the adoption. Mr. GEJDENSON. We have no objection. Chairman GILMAN. All those in favor of the amendment signify in the usual manner. Opposed? The amendment is carried. Mr. SMITH. Mr. Chairman. Chairman GILMAN. Mr. Smith. Mr. SMITH. Just if I could announce to the Members that we are still hoping to have a vote on the Smith-Gejdenson language, the legislation on sex trafficking. So if Members could stick around, we do need a quorum to report it out. It is a matter of if and not when-when and not if. So we hope to get this as soon as possible. As soon as we have the quorum, the roll call will occur, if that is OK by you. Chairman GILMAN. Thank you. Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Chairman. Chairman GILMAN. Yes, Mr. Gejdenson. Mr. GEJDENSON. I am not trying to cutoff anybody's ability to speak here, I would suggest if maybe we could limit it to 5 minutes on each side on each proposition, so if you have an amendment, you have a point of order, you get 5 minutes on each side, so we can just get through these. Because what I am afraid of is, we will lose our time. So unless there is objection, I ask unanimous consent Mr. BEREUTER. I object. Chairman GILMAN. Objection is heard. Mr. Bereuter is recognized to offer a motion. Mr. BEREUTER. Mr. Chairman, I move the Chairman be requested to seek consideration of the pending resolution on the suspension calendar. Chairman GILMAN. As amended. The question is on the motion of the gentleman from Nebraska. As many as are in favor of the motion, say aye. As many as are opposed The ayes have it and the motion is agreed to. Further proceedings on this measure are postponed. Chairman GILMAN. We will now proceed to H.Con. Res. 222, the concurrent resolution condemning the assassination of the Armenian Prime Minister and other Armenian Government officials. The Chair lays a resolution before the Committee. The clerk will report the title of the resolution. [The information referred to appears in the appendix.] Ms. BLOOMER. H.Con. Res. 222, a resolution condemning the assassination of Armenia Prime Minister Vazgen Sargsian and other officials of the Armenian Government and expressing the sense of the Congress in mourning this tragic loss of the duly elected leadership of Armenia. Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the preamble and operative language of the resolution will be read in that order for amendment. The clerk will read. Ms. BLOOMER. Whereas on October 27, 1999, several armed individuals broke into Armenia's Parliament and assassinated the Prime Minister of Armenia, Vazgen Sargsian, the Chairman of the Armenian Parliament, Karen Demirchian Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the resolution is considered as having been read and is open to amendment at this point. The resolution is in the original jurisdiction of the Full Committee. I support this resolution introduced by Congressman Rogan of California, which is identical to the language of the resolution introduced by a bipartisan group of Members of the Senate, which I hope will have the support of our colleagues on this Committee and in the House as a whole. The killings that took place in Armenia on October 27th were deplorable. While the perpetrators claimed to be acting on October 27th on behalf of the Armenian people, their means of acting, the murders of top officials. is not the way to build true democracy in Armenia or in any other such struggling nation. This resolution properly calls for the trial of those accused of those murders. Of course, they should indeed have their day in court so that all Armenians can better understand their motives. That should be as much a part of democracy in Armenia as it is here, but they should, and I am sure will, face a thorough prosecu tion. True democracy is not created by such senseless atrocities. Armenia faces serious difficulties, not just the academic and political difficulties that face all the states of the former Soviet Union, but also the need for peaceful resolution of the conflict with neighboring Azerbaijan that has been merely suspended by a cease-fire for the past 5 years. The murders of top officials in Armenia did not help that small nation resolve those serious problems, but the adoption of this resolution by the House may be helpful by making it clear to the Armenian people that our Nation continues to support democracy in their nation and opposes such acts of terrorism. Accordingly, I fully support the resolution. Mr. Gejdenson. Mr. GEJDENSON. Mr. Chairman, I join with you in supporting this resolution. One of the reasons I wanted a markup in the Committee is to have the Committee clearly on record in support of democracy in Armenia. The Armenian people have suffered so much since the genocide earlier in the 1900's, and suffered under Soviet control. They now have their own democracy, and all of us are saddened to see this brutal and senseless act. Chairman GILMAN. Thank you, Mr. Gejdenson. Mr. RADANOVICH. Mr. Chairman. Chairman GILMAN. Mr. Radanovich. Mr. RADONOVICH. I do have a statement for the record. For the sake of time, I would like to submit it into the record. [The prepared statement of Mr. Radanovich appears in the appendix.] Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the statement will be made a part of the record. Is any other Member seeking recognition? If not, I recognize the gentleman from Nebraska, Mr. Bereuter, to offer a motion. Mr. BEREUTER. I move the Chairman be requested to seek consideration of the pending resolution on the suspension calendar. Chairman GILMAN. The question is on the motion of gentleman from Nebraska. As many as are in favor of the motion, say aye. As many as are opposed, say no. The ayes have it, and the motion is agreed to. Further proceedings on this measure are postponed. Chairman GILMAN. We will now proceed to H.Con.Res. 211, a concurrent resolution expressing the strong support of the Congress for the recently concluded elections in the Republic of India.. The Chair now lays a resolution before the Committee. The clerk will report the title of the resolution. [The information referred to appears in the appendix.] Ms. BLOOMER. H. Con. Res. 211, a resolution expressing the strong support of the Congress for the recently concluded elections in the Republic of India and urging the President to travel to India. Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the preamble and operative language of the resolution will be read, in that order, for amendment. The clerk will read. Ms. BLOOMER. Whereas the Republic of India is a long-standing parliamentary democracy Chairman GILMAN. Without objection, the resolution is considered as having been read and is open to amendment at any point. This resolution was considered by the Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific and was reported without amendment. Who seeks recognition? Mr. Gejdenson. Mr. GEJDENSON. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I will be brief and be able to yield to the rest of my time to Mr. Ackerman. The most populous democracy on this planet is an important friend to the United States. We need to continue to develop this relationship beyond the geopolitical considerations of the region. Both |