Interesting hearing in SFRC today

ALLEVIATING GLOBAL HUNGER:
CHALLENGES AND
OPPORTUNITIES FOR
U.S. LEADERSHIP
HEARING
before the

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN RELATIONS
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED ELEVENTH CONGRESS
FIRST SESSION
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Time: 9:30 A.M.
Place: 419 Dirksen Senate Building
Presiding: Senator Kerry


Witnesses:

Panel 1:
+The Honorable Daniel R. Glickman
Former Secretary of Agriculture
Washington, DC
+The Honorable Catherine A. Bertini
Former Executive Director
World Food Program
Buffalo, NY
+Mr. David Beckmann
President
Bread for the World
Washington, DC
+Mr. Robert Paarlberg
Professor of Political Science
Wellesley College
Wellesley, MA

Panel 2:
+Mr. Edwin C. Price
Associate Vice Chancellor and Director
Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture
College Station, TX
+Mr. Gebisa Ejeta
Professor of Agronomy
Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN

http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090324a.html

(I haven't watched it, but will) It will be interesting to see given the contacts by non-Obama related people led by Kissinger and by the Obama administration people. )
http://foreign.senate.gov/hearings/2009/hrg090319a.html

I've started to watch - and the "reset" theme is really strong - the first witness already seems tired of it - and I am too. Though part of the problem was converting a good slogan into a gag gift. (My first thought of a red button & Russia - was the cold war fear of "if the button is pushed, there will be no running away. There's no one to save with the world in a grave")

"In recent years, America’s relationship with Russia has reached arguably its lowest and least productive phase in two decades. President Obama has spoken of the need to ―re-set‖ US-Russian relations. I agree wholeheartedly. While it is not yet clear what this new chapter in our relations can bring, it is clear that our common interests demand that we try to work together more constructively.
Our differences are real, but so too is our potential to cooperate and even lead together on global challenges. From Iran’s nuclear program to human rights in Burma to our presence in Afghanistan, there is scarcely an issue of global importance which would not benefit from greater cooperation with Russia. Our challenge will be to ensure that, to the extent possible, we enlist Russia to act not just as a great power but also as a global partner.
<snip>
Nowhere is our shared challenge greater—or shared leadership more vital—than in confronting the threat posed by nuclear weapons and nuclear terrorism. The statesman sitting next to me, Senator Lugar, along with Sam Nunn, sounded the alarm early on that Russia’s unsecured nuclear materials posed a major threat. Nunn-Lugar was the start of a visionary initiative to dismantle excess weapons and secure dangerous materials. It sparked long-term cooperation with Russia that has paid major dividends for national and international security alike. We need more of that kind of vision now to re-build relations with Russia.
We ushered in the nuclear age together—and together America and Russia now bear a special responsibility to dramatically reduce our arsenals. We must make a serious joint effort to move the world in the direction of zero nuclear weapons—with the recognition that, while the ultimate goal remains distant, every prudent step we take in that direction will make us safer.

http://foreign.senate.gov/testimony/2009/KerryStatement090319a.pdf

(When speaking of Lugar, he mentioned that on the day before the Senate honored Lugar because he passed another Senator and now is the thirteenth Senator for all times in terms of the number of votes cast. Kerry speaks of a Gary Hart / Chuck Hagel report on Russia. (Here's a link from American Security Project's site - http://www.americansecurityproject.org/press/international_herald_tribune_panel_flags_state_u_s_russia_relations Chuck Hagel is on the board of ASP and Hart the Chair )

Russia represents significant challenges as well as opportunities for the Obama Administration. Moscow is at the intersection of many of the most important foreign policy issues facing the United States. We have common interests on a number of economic and security issues, including arms control, non-proliferation, anti-terrorism, and global economic recovery. Russia is experiencing severe pain from the global economic downturn that would seem to increase incentives to cooperate on a range of issues. The ruble has plunged 50 percent against the dollar, and the Moscow stock market has dropped 80 percent, amidst a collapse in oil prices.

Although these economic conditions and common interests may create openings, we should be realistic in assessing the prospects for cooperation. Negotiating with Russia will be a far more complex proposition than appealing for a new relationship. Russian actions related to Iran, Afghanistan, and North Korea, for example, have exhibited a reflexive resistance to U.S. positions even when we have substantial commonality of interest. Russia’s repeated use of energy exports as a political weapon and its treatment of Ukraine and Georgia demonstrate an aggressiveness that has made comprehensive negotiations on regional problems impractical. In this context, we should avoid ratcheting between excessive expectations and severe disappointment. Rather, we should recognize that U.S. – Russian relations are likely to be strained for some time. We should consider carefully what initiatives can be advanced in such an environment.

Our most time-sensitive agenda item with Russia is the preservation of the START Treaty. On December 5, the verification regime that undergirds the START Treaty will expire. The Moscow Treaty, which reduces deployed warheads to 1,700, would also be a casualty because it utilizes the START process.{b] In other words, the foundation of the U.S.-Russian strategic relationship is at risk of collapsing in less than nine months. The Bush Administration made little progress on this issue prior to its departure. I know that President Obama and Vice President Biden understand the urgency of the problem. However, everyone involved should recognize that we are dealing with a timeline that leaves little room for error or delay.

I support efforts to negotiate lower U.S. and Russian nuclear weapons levels; reduce Russia’s tactical nuclear weapons stockpile; cooperate on missile defense; and solve the conventional weapons stalemate. But with the December 5th deadline looming, we should carefully set priorities. Solidifying the START verification regime must be the primary focus. Both sides would benefit from a legally binding solution in which a common commitment to the START and Moscow Treaties is retained.

http://foreign.senate.gov/testimony/2009/LugarStatement090319a.pdf

Here are comments on questions:

Kerry First:
Kerry to Kuchins - Asked if the idea he expressed of "Russia contesting our power" is old thinking vs acting in their own national interest. Bush did many things that Russia said they were against before they did them. Other countries respond to things we do unilaterally.

Kuchins - complimented the question and said he had not meant to imply that. He said he understood how Russia could see our actions as ideological (when Kerry pushed him there). Russia sees self as excluded from a US led unilateral security effort.

Cohen (Heritage Foundation) - View of US as principle adversary and though old think it drives Russian actions. Before we look at our foreign policy mistakes - we have to look at a Russia where the son of the Czar was told that there were just two allies - the army and navy.

(Kerry - every major country in the Middle east say it is not in the world's interest for Iran to have nnuclear weapons and there is the rice of fundamentalism - meaning there are common issues.

Cohen - said that relations were at a peak in 2002- 2003, because of a strategic convergence - even as we did things they were against.

Lugar: Following on Kerry's question, the downturn in economy has changed bargain in Russia, where people accepted lost of freedom because things were good economically. This makes working together harder and they may move to use Russian nationalism to keep control. Impact on START - need person confirmed and it may not be easy. This will be rough terrain. Increase of nationalism can cause problems with Georgia and Ukraine. Asks if anyone more optimistic.

Sestonivich: saya he does, but he wouldn't bet a mortgage on it. Says the economic response has been like other developing countries. Thought that they wasted time dealing with corruption. Russians don't expect energy prices to come back soon. Repeal Jackson/Vanik amendment - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jackson-Vanik_amendment
Kuchins: Says that the reason Putin popular is because of the unusually good economy - which is now changed and that changes the drivers of foreign policy.

Cardin: Lubuvitch communittee unhappy because the Sneerson collections is on the black market ( http://lubavitch.com/news/article/2025264/US-Judge-Orders-Russia-to-Preserve-Chabad-Texts.html) and that is a reason not to repeal Jackson/Vanik. Concern of human rights. There is skepticism in Russia - Russia has new security initiative that has support from France. Do these hold out hope?

Cohen: said that Putin more popular because they control the media (and Bush would have been more popular if he controlled media !!) Said the inititive to keep US out, where NATO was to keep the USSR out. We shouldn't support it.

Sestonivich - Was more optimistic and said he is not as concerned with Russia being able to weaken NATO and it has some potential for us. Said Helsinki had that goal, but it instead gave tool to people concerned about human rights.

Cardin: No one will weaken NATO. Gives us the opportunity to work with Russia

Kaufman: Is there potential that economic problem can lead Russia to turn on us.

Kuchins: Certainly a possibility. says the worse situation is if there is a crack down due to social unrest, followed by a sharp upturn in the price of oil bringing money in. But, he thinks it more likely to work for cooperation.
Close:
Cohen: Speaks as a Russian speaker hearing the anti-American bias on TV - ie false claims that the US funded the Bolshevik revolution.

posting them here.

Kerry says that one in seven people in the world, one in three in Africa, are hungry every day. Hunger and malnutrition are the greatest threats to health. Global warming and the financial crisis make this worse. Kerry's opening remarks are incredibly depressing - and necessary. We are not anywhere near the Millennium goal of cutting hunger in half by 2025. He warns of the danger that the financial crisis will cause people to cut the foreign aid budget.

Global Food Security Act of 2009