When you hesitate, it gives strength dictatorships

At the last 5 to 9 July in the Finnish capital of the session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly, the United States delegation was one of the most active Americans were re-elected to the governing body of the Assembly, participated in the discussion of key topics – Russian interference in the affairs of Ukraine, and the Chairman of the US Helsinki Commission, Congressman -respublikanets Kristofer Smit initiated the adoption of a resolution on Action against trafficking in Human Beings. On the fight against this phenomenon, the aggression of Russia against Ukraine and that the parliamentarian thinks about the foreign policy of the US administration, he said in an interview with the Russian service of “Voice of America” ​​during the session of the OSCE PA.

Daniel Galperovich : Let’s start with the problem of trafficking. As far as it is significant for the OSCE area, and what progress has reached the United States in its decision?

Kris Smit: In 2000, I was the author of the law on protection of victims of trafficking, which was a turning instrument on the protection of victims, prosecution of traffickers, and prevention of the phenomenon itself. This strategy works, although it is not perfect. We are constantly trying to adjust it. Here, in the Parliamentary Assembly, I have asked all the delegations to return to their country, to examine their supply chain, procurement policies and introduce the principle of “zero tolerance”, to be sure – and it should be transparent – that is not purchased any goods or services which It can be somehow tainted by human trafficking. Two years after the first law, in 2002, I spent the second law. It states that any contract for the procurement, which involves the United States – whether the Ministry of Defense, Department of State, Ministry of Health and Social Services, must contain a direct reference, the text in that if it is detected at least some involvement in human trafficking, we will bring those responsible to justice, and the contract will be broken. For corporations, this financial incentive, to say: “Let’s do everything that we were as clean as possible, and will spare no effort to supply chains were too clean.” Of course, if something happens unintentionally, if the company did not know about this and make a reasonable attempt to prevent, it is taken into consideration, but they should try. This applies to the OSCE, to procurement, to carry out European governments, and the OSCE itself, too, is an example: in any procurement we try to make sure that they come from “clean” sources not related to human trafficking, including trafficking in for the purpose of sexual exploitation.

DG : As Chairman of the US Helsinki Commission, you have participated in the general debate of the Assembly on the occasion of Russia’s actions in respect of Ukraine. What is your opinion on how it is being discussed here?

KS: I think the resolution, proposed by Dean Allison [the head of the Canadian delegation to the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE], was brilliant, very well prepared and written, and, fortunately, has received very good support in the Assembly. It is unfortunate that there was no Russian representatives, who should be responsible for what happens. I can not get a visa to travel to Moscow. I tried to go to discuss the issue of human trafficking, but I can not go to Moscow. It was last year, and I’ll try again, but I flatly refused. So when they say that they are not given a visa, they need to look in the mirror. I have never been accused of being involved in any human rights violations, punish me, because I raise human rights issues in relation to Russia and other countries. It’s amazing: there are four countries, which do not give me a visa – Belarus, Russia, China and Cuba. I want to go, I want to raise these issues, as it was in 1980, when I went to the “Perm-35” camp, which contained Mr. Sharansky and some leaders of the human rights movement. Then, in the worst times of the Soviet Union, let me, but now I can not go into the new Russia.

DG Whether the United States can do more to help Ukraine?

KS : Yes. We often say that “differences remain on the shore,” but I am deeply disappointed with the policies of President Obama with regard to Ukraine, as well as China, as well as in relation to authoritarian and dictatorial regimes around the world. He is very weak and indecisive policies on human rights and, in the words of Peter Poroshenko, speaking to the US Congress, and others, too, it is said – it is impossible to wage war, one can not help aggression blankets. Once again, I remember the difficult years of the war in the Balkans. July 11, we will celebrate the 20th anniversary of the events in Srebrenica, when 8000 people were killed. I was in Srebrenica, and held hearings at the time. And this week, I proposed a resolution in the US House of Representatives in the memory of the victims and their families.

Our policy then under Bill Clinton, was totally helpless and weak. In subsequent years, he has finally done something, but in the early years of the war in the Balkans, especially when fighting broke out in Croatia, we were not there. And when I watch the events in Ukraine, for me it’s like deja vu. They need some help, but they do not get it. And look what is happening in the Middle East. Premature withdrawal of our troops from Iraq has created a space for the “Islamic state.” These are serious mistakes that have catastrophic consequences. The president gives an interview, smiling, he said. He is very smooth and eloquent, but it does not change the fact that his policies have led to a vacuum and mistakes. I think this is a very big mistake. And they tried so hard – especially Hillari Klinton – to blacken the presidency of George W. Bush with all this their “perezagruzochnoy” nonsense. Poland was disappointed when we told them that they will not get the protection of the shield, which was promised to them. All of these things provide a deterrence. If you pay enough attention to containment, the probability of war drops, but when you hesitate, demonstrate weakness, it gives strength dictatorships and inspires them to action. That is what is happening now. it gives the force of dictatorship and inspires them to action. That is what is happening now. it gives the force of dictatorship and inspires them to action. That is what is happening now.

DG : Where is the fine line between helping Ukraine and provoking Russia, because Russia – a nuclear power, which does not hesitate to send their bombers across the Atlantic?

KS: They are already doing. I think it is a weakness contributes to the emergence of such cases, and not vice versa. For many years, throughout the “cold war”, we had a theory of mutual assured destruction, according to which no country would receive the least benefit from a nuclear exchange, that it will be complete annihilation. And if you do not take into account the possibility of war because of an error or miscalculation that bothers me, it is very likely that the Russian did not want anything like that. Which, incidentally, can not be said about Iran. I am very concerned about the possibility of nuclear power, and the agreement that President Obama is trying to achieve with them, suggests a very weak capacity for conducting on-site inspections. But Russian recognize and respect the safe containment strategy, and being informed about it, they will act accordingly. But we do not. And so, I think, Ukraine feels abandoned.

Sourse, 11/07/2015