Congressional Hearings/Resolutions

Hearing on Pakistan

Excerpts from: Fiscal Year 2001 State Department Foreign Affairs Budget
Hearing of the House International Relations Committee

February 16, 2000

Chaired by: Senator Benjamin A. Gilman (R-NY)

Witnesses: Secretary of State Madeleine Albright

REP. SAM GEJDENSON (D-CT):

I commend the president for going to India, and I hope that you'll go there soon, as well. I think we have an opportunity to build a new relationship with India, as we have ended the Cold War. And I think the president is right to go to India.

I know that the Pakistan issue is before us. But I think that, as we see the military ruler in Pakistan removing the court system, trying the elected president, it would be the wrong signal to send.

There is one area where I wish this administration would be doing a little more, and that's in heating oil. And part of that is your responsibility in some of the countries that America went to war for and protected; some is my old friend Secretary Richardson. And I have written to him to release the Strategic Petroleum Reserve because what I am fearful of is that we will replace a heating oil crisis for a gasoline crisis this summer. And America needs to use its Strategic Petroleum Reserve and your good offices to increase the availability of fuel stocks.

Additionally, I think that our people who work overseas deserve our maximum support, in the sense of security, to make sure that they work in facilities that are secure and safe from terrorist attacks. And to that end, we need to work with all democratic nations that want to fight terrorism. Cooperation between countries, which are improving; in India, the Middle East and elsewhere, to fight terrorism is still an important role for the United States to take the lead in.

We need to understand that American consular activities are part of our economic vitality today. And I have just completed a trip with 15 companies to India. And I can tell you, without Ambassador Celeste, the Foreign Commercial Service and others, we would have not had the success we had. So I want to commend you there.

REP. GEJDENSON:

What's your sense of the situation in Pakistan? Obviously, I think many of us in Congress have felt tremendous frustration: one, obviously first with the coup; second, now, with the assault on the judiciary; the connection at least, with some elements of terrorist operations in the region coming out of Pakistan; and obviously, the connection with the Taliban.

What are the things you are looking for, from the Pakistanis, in cooperation, say, with anti-terrorism activities, as well as a return to democracy?

SEC. ALBRIGHT:

Well, first of all, I think that we have to remember the very important relationship that we have had with Pakistan and one that, unfortunately, has been interrupted by both the nuclear tests, as well as by the action of General Musharraf.

We have consistently urged now General Musharraf to move in terms of some measurable milestones, of a return to civilian government, and we are watching that very carefully; how he reforms the Electoral Commission on the Parties and holds local elections. We want to see some kind of a public show -- and not just show but real action in terms of returning to democracy. And we will continue to support grassroots democracy in Pakistan.

We have made quite clear to them that we are concerned about some of the activities, in terms of terrorism, and we have that under continual review. We have been concerned about the fact that groups like the Harakat ul-Mujahedeen, which we believe was involved in the recent hijacking of Indian Airlines 814, operate in Pakistan and that they have been a transit point for terrorists.

So we are concerned. And we hope that we can see some action, both in terms of democracy and dealing with the terrorist threat.

REP. ROBERT WEXLER (D-FL):

Madame Secretary, on behalf of all the peons at the end of the row, thank you very much for sticking around.

I would like to follow on some of the remarks Congressman Gejdenson started with, and I very much appreciate your acknowledgment of the important relationship historically between the United States and Pakistan. But certainly as you know better than anybody, the linkage between Pakistan's current government and terrorist activity is all but undeniable. Whether it be in the context of enabling terrorist activity or actually allowing it or encouraging it may be debatable.

I was curious if you could share with us what conversations, what deliberations have gone on recently with respect to Pakistan's government's involvement with terrorist activity; what assurances or what assertions they have made to you with respect to their involvement. And in that context, in the context of the president's upcoming visit to India, have you suggested or outlined any benchmarks or criteria that the president will consider in the context of whether or not he should include Pakistan in his visit in that region?

SEC. ALBRIGHT:

Well, let me just say that we, obviously, as I stated earlier, are most concerned about the fact that certain groups operate out of or within Pakistan, and have had discussions with the Musharraf government, as we had had previously with the Sharif government. And it is obviously with our concern about terrorism and the way that it effects the whole region, it is something that has been very important to us, and we have been concerned about Pakistan's support for the Taliban, who are, in turn, closely linked to Osama bin Laden. So we are actively addressing these issues.

We have, as I stated earlier, laid out the importance of the Musharraf government moving back towards some kind of civilian democratic system, supporting local elections, grassroots democracy in Pakistan.

And the president has -- as I've said, there's been no decision made. And, obviously, these are all aspects of our overall relationship. The president is going to India and Bangladesh, and no decision has been made on Pakistan.

REP. STEVEN ROTHMAN (D-NJ):

Thank you. Madame Secretary, it's always a great pleasure to be with you, and thank you for agreeing to stay. I think history will record your service here as secretary of State as being one of the most -- you being one of the most effective and competent secretaries of State we've ever had.

I'm going to list about 10 issues, but I only want to talk about one. Northern Ireland, Armenia, North Korea, Iran, Iraq, Colombia, WEOG, Cyprus, Pakistan, Strategic Oil Reserve to help the Atlantic Coast states bring down the price of home heating oil prices, Cuba. Those are subjects I'm interested in. You know, it's a marvel how you know so much about a hundred times this list, but I suppose that's what it takes to be secretary of State.