Helsinki Commission Co-Chairman Cohen Questions Experts on the Russian Threat to the Baltic States
Says “we want to assure you that we are with you”
WASHINGTON – Congressman Steve Cohen (TN-09), Co-Chairman of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe, better known as the Helsinki Commission, today questioned expert witnesses at a Commission hearing on "The Baltics Under Pressure." Senior Baltic legislators from the Parliaments of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia were witnesses at today's hearing.
In his remarks, Co-Chairman Cohen said in part:
"You're all on the edge of Russia and I've visited all your countries…I suspect that if the three Baltic countries were not members of NATO you might have already met Vladimir Putin's armies…He's a dangerous man and we want to assure you that we are with you…
"There's a plaque which we were shown on the wall of the Vilnius town hall and it's a quote from President George Bush that says ‘Anyone who would choose Lithuania as an enemy has also made an enemy of the United States of America.' Our tour guide was very proud to show us that. I was proud to see it. On this issue, Americans are bipartisan…I would say 95 percent of the House and I suspect 100 percent of the Senate supports strongly NATO and our NATO allies and Article 5 and we will be there with you as President Bush was and America is today."
See Co-Chairman Cohen's entire remarks here.
Witnesses at today's hearing were:
- Laima Andrikiene, Chair, Foreign Relations Committee of the Seimas (Parliament of Lithuania);
- Marko Mihkelson, Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee of the Riigikogu (Parliament of Estonia); and
- Rihards Kols, Chair, Foreign Affairs Committee of the Saeima (Parliament of Latvia).
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