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Verbatim, as delivered

February 28, 2007
Statement of Chairman Tom Lantos at Full Committee Hearing,
"Iraq and U.S. Foreign Policy"

I want to begin by commending both Secretary Rice and the government of Iraq on the initiative for a regional conference which is scheduled to take place soon in Baghdad. As my colleagues know because we have discussed this on numerous occasions, I am passionately committed to dialogue with those with whom we disagree. That is the only way potentially to clarify and, perhaps, to diminish disagreements. Clearly, one multilateral meeting will not solve our problems with Iran or Syria. But it is a first step and potentially of great significance.

As my colleagues will recall, I had the privilege after a 50 year hiatus to be the first member of Congress to go to Albania at a time when not a single American citizen was in Albania and we had no diplomatic relations with that country. And while I certainly do not claim credit, Albania's communist dictator of the time after our meetings gave me a letter to our president requesting the resumption of diplomatic relations. And a few months later I had the pleasure of being at the State Department, witnessing the signing of the exchange of documents reestablishing diplomatic relations between Albania and the United States.

I had the privilege of being the first American official to visit Libya at a time when we had no relations with Libya. And my goal was to work for the establishment of full diplomatic relations with that country. I have been there now six times with six extensive meetings with Colonel Kadhafi, and while again there were many factors at play, we now have full diplomatic and commercial and cultural relations with Libya.

I was one of the first to visit North Korea for two lengthy meetings. And this afternoon, our committee will have as its principal witness Assistant Secretary of State for Asia and Pacific Affairs Chris Hill, who just completed successful negotiations with North Korea.

It has been very difficult to have a dialogue with Iran for a number of reasons. Until this change in Administration policy, our administration opposed dialogue until Iran suspends its nuclear activities. I disagreed with that position, and I am pleased to see that the Secretary of State yesterday made a 180-degree change in U.S. Administration policy by looking forward to sitting down with our counterparts from Damascus and Tehran for a dialogue. I think this is long overdue.

It remains a fact, however, that the government in Tehran has steadfastly refused to issue visas to members of Congress. For 10 years I have been attempting to obtain a visa to visit Tehran, which I last visited under the Shah, and despite considerable help from the then-Secretary General of the United Nations, Kofi Annan, over a decade, the Iranian regime has adamantly refused to issue a visa not only to me, but to any member of the United States Congress. I publicly call on the government of Iran to change its policy, and in view of the forthcoming meeting with our Secretary of State, issue visas to members of Congress who choose to visit Tehran. I will be among the first ones to do so once this visa is granted.

Today, we have the honor of welcoming two witnesses who have made critical, if differing contributions to this nation's Iraq debate. My good friend, our former, most effective ambassador to the United Nations, the Honorable Richard Holbrooke, and Dr. Frederick Kagan of the American Enterprise Institute.

Ambassador Holbrooke is currently vice-chairman of Perseus, a leading private equity firm. But he basically is one of this country's most distinguished and singularly gifted diplomats in our nation's history. He is one of the few people who have served this nation in many places, ranging from Europe to North Africa to Asia, and played the most pivotal role in bringing abotu a successful conclusion of the Balkan war. He is one of the few people to serve as assistant secretary of state in two important, different regions, Europe and East Asia. In both of these positions, he displayed extraordinary wisdom and bold leadership, not only orchestrating, but creating the Dayton Accords that brought peace to Bosnia, and presiding over Sino-American relations when ties were normalized in 1978. He was one of our nation's most successful ambassadors to Germany at the end of the Cold War. And he has been a tireless advocate as a leading businessman in the private sector in the global fight against HIV-AIDS.

We have had a number of former Secretaries testify before this committee - Secretary Perry, Secretary Albright - and we had twice the privilege of having Secretary Rice, our current secretary of state. And we may be seeing the testimony of a future secretary of a future Secretary of State, which I would warmly welcome.

Dr. Frederick Kagan is a scholar in residence at the American Enterprise Institute, an accomplished historian, who has had a distinguished career at West Point. His recent publication, entitled "Choosing Victory, A Plan for Success in Iraq," was responsible, I believe, for shaping President Bush's decision last month to call for a troop increase in Iraq, although the President's plan differs in some respects from that of Dr. Kagan. We are delighted to have you, Dr. Kagan.

I would like now to turn to my dear friend and distinguished colleague, the ranking member of the committee from Florida, Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen.