*EPF106 06/10/2002
Text: U.S. Seeks Greater Engagement with Laos, Amb. Hartwick Says
(Hartwick remarks 24 to National Laotian-American Symposium) (3236)

The United States is seeking greater engagement with Laos, says Douglas A. Hartwick, U.S. ambassador to Laos.

In a speech to the National Laotian-American Symposium in Washington, D.C. May 24, Hartwick outlined the specific ways the United States is seeking greater engagement with Laos, despite some differences with the Laotian government,

A top priority, he said, is finding the remains of Americans lost during the Indochina conflict. So far, over 150 remains have been recovered from over five hundred men missing during the conflict in Laos. Cooperation from the Laotian government is good, Hartwick reported, and efforts are being made to intensify the searches.

Another priority is cleaning up unexploded ordnance, Hartwick said. The United States dropped more than 2.5 million tons of bombs on Laos during the Indochina war. "The United States will remain actively engaged on this important front," the ambassador said.

The United States is also assisting the Lao to eradicate opium production and eliminate narcotics trafficking. U.S. assistance includes helping poor hill tribes to find alternate sources of income to producing opium and providing technical and material aid and training to Lao narcotics officials to help them deal with the growing trafficking problem.

With its porous borders, rudimentary internal police apparatus, Laos is "a tempting refuge for terrorists," Hartwick observed. He noted: "The Lao people, who suffered their own terrorist attacks in recent years, have joined with the United States in our common war against international terrorism. "

The ambassador said the United States continues to place "a high priority on monitoring the human rights situation in Laos, including religious tolerance."

Despite the poverty facing Laos, the country is "struggling to correct its problems," Hartwick said. "It is in America's interest to encourage this effort." Among American efforts to help is the extension to Laos of normal trade relations, he said. "Once in place, a normalized trade relationship, and the provisions of the Bilateral Trade Agreement we have signed with Laos, will oblige the Lao government to conform to acceptable international standard business practices, abide by the rule of law to attract and retain foreign investment, and respond to a burst of entrepreneurial energy as the Lao private sector seeks to take advantage of new opportunities."

Hartwick also expressed American desire to build a bridge for understanding and cooperation between the two countries via overseas Lao, particularly the 500,000 ethnic Lao, Hmong, Khmu, Thai Dam, Mien and others living in the United States.

Following is the text of Hartwick's remarks:

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U.S. Ambassador to Laos Douglas A. Hartwick
"U.S.-Lao Relations"
Speech to the National Laotian-American Symposium on U.S.-Lao Relations
May 24, 2002
Washington, D.C.

Ladies and gentlemen, thank you.

Let me begin briefly by thanking the organizers of this National Laotian-American Symposium on U.S.-Lao Relations for making this symposium happen. I believe that this symposium is critically important for U.S. -Lao relations. It is also symbolically important that this symposium take place here on Capitol Hill. Congress has traditionally played an important role in shaping our bilateral relationship, and promises to continue to do so. Having a real discussion with give and take about important issues is the American way, and I am so proud that so many in the Lao American community can join in and share their views.

It is an honor for me to be in the company of several distinguished members of Congress who I know are interested in issues involving Laos, and how these issues affect the many constituents they represent. I am also pleased to see here in the audience many friends who have close associations with Laos and have worked so hard to improve our relations. Finally, I am very happy to see many of you who represent the large community of Lao-Americans who contribute so much to the U.S.

Initial Impressions

In my first eight months in Laos, I am struck by how many ways it is a country of superlatives. The warmth of its people, the charm of its culture and the beauty of the country are truly exceptional in the world. I have traveled around much of the country. In my short time there I have already seen nearly half the country's provinces, and I can say that Laos is a breathtakingly attractive country. The people I have met have welcomed me everywhere I have gone and I sense they are proud to be independent, while focused on trying to make a better living for their families.

Sadly, Laos suffers from other superlatives. Laos is one of the world's poorest countries, with an annual per capita income of barely $300. It has among the highest birth rates -- and infant mortality rates -- in the world. Population growth, slash and burn agriculture, and rampant logging are putting pressure on its beautiful forests and "Tama Saat Lao", still pristine but fast disappearing. "Pasason Lao" regrettably still has one of the highest rates of illiteracy in Asia, second only to Cambodia. Lao schools are broken down and overcrowded, teachers are poorly trained and underpaid, and few Lao children will ever go to high school, let alone university. Job opportunities are scarce and so 85% of the population farms, most just barely making enough to support their families, living much as their ancestors lived hundreds of years ago. With such poor future prospects, many young people are turning to drugs or find their way into the hands of human traffickers so busy in the poorest corners of the world. Finally, Laos still ranks number three in the world production of opium. It is precisely Laos' poorest mountain people who cultivate the crop to supplement an income which is otherwise insufficient to see them through the year.

I have also observed its government up close, and I am no apologist for it. The People's Democratic Republic of Laos is an authoritarian, one-party state that does not tolerate dissension, where fundamental freedoms such as religious expression and expression are restricted, and where other fundamental human rights are not respected. Corruption is a serious problem, as even the Lao leadership admits. The government still propagates its tired Communist ideology to a poor struggling population far more interested in pursuit of a better life and opportunity, than in propaganda. The government and society contain many talented and dedicated officials, but their efforts to bring about progress and change are all too often thwarted by a climate of suspicion and resistance to new ideas and individual initiative. Yet it is the Lao people's unfettered dynamism and creativity that are the nation's real answer to rapid and sustained political and economic development. Embracing change and harnessing dynamism are the name of the game in Southeast Asia; no less so for Laos as for any other country. This is what has sustained so many countries in ASEAN and holds the key to Laos's future. Many ASEAN countries are well ahead of Laos in both taking concrete steps and in developing an institutional framework to address human rights concerns, and Laos needs to benefit from this experience.

I must pause to say that I can appreciate the perspective of those who claim that these problems will never be fixed so long as the current government remains in place. And there are many areas where we, the United States, disagree strongly with the policies of the Lao government. But to these people, I would like to emphasize: despite its shortcomings, the US recognizes the government of the Lao PDR as the sole and legitimate government of Laos. The United States is absolutely firm in opposing any effort to violently or through non-constitutional measures change this government. While we welcome peaceful and legal change that would bring about democratization and full respect for human rights, to seek its violent overthrow is against our law. I oppose any action whose aim is that outcome.

U.S.- Lao Relations: Accounting for the Past; Building a Strong Future

Our differences with the Lao government notwithstanding, let me state clearly that as the American ambassador to Laos, I believe strongly that it is in the vital interests of the United States to have a relationship with Laos that enables us to influence the pace and direction of change in Laos with respect to the whole range of issues about which the U.S. is concerned. This means engaging more, and in key ways, not less.

My embassy mission statement is "Accounting for the Past, Building a Strong Future." This is our mantra. This involves many priorities. First, finding the remains of Americans lost during the Indochina conflict is a top priority for the United States in Laos. To date over 150 remains have been recovered from over five hundred men missing during the conflict in Laos. Our cooperation with the GOL in this area is good, and continues to expand as we seek to come to the fullest possible accounting of those missing. We have much more to do, and cooperation could be improved, but we are on the right track.

In another important area, we are one of the largest donors to UXO Lao, the agency whose mission is to clean up the unexploded ordnance remaining from the Indochina war. Vast areas of the country remain contaminated, devastated during the war from ground fighting. The US dropped over 2.5 million tons of bombs. Scores of farmers and villagers and dozens of people are maimed or killed every year from exploding leftover ordnance. There is much, much work that remains to be done to decontaminate rural Laos, and the United States will remain actively engaged on this important front.

With an eye to a better future, the U.S. is cooperating with Laos in other areas as well. We seek common cause in assisting the Lao with their goal to eradicate opium production and eliminate narcotics trafficking in Laos, an effort that directly serves our national interests, as it does those of the Lao people. Laos is now staring in the face the problem that drug abuse, once confined to a small segment of the country's poorest hill tribes, is seeping into the Lao mainstream. Meth-amphetamines now join opium and heroin as drugs trafficked through the country. Meth-amphetamines are rapidly finding their way into Laos' schools and homes. The U.S. provides substantial assistance in developing rural areas in Laos' northern Houaphan and Phongsaly provinces to encourage hill tribes to find alternate sources of income to producing opium. We also provide technical and material aid and training to Lao narcotics officials to help them deal with the growing trafficking problem.

Since the events of September 11, we have worked closely with the Lao on counter-terrorism efforts. Laos is not a country that comes to mind when we talk about international terrorism, but its porous borders and rudimentary internal police apparatus make it a tempting refuge for terrorists. The Lao people, who suffered their own terrorist attacks in recent years, have joined with the United States in our common war against international terrorism. They have done as much as possible within their limited abilities to assist us in counter-terrorism efforts. We, in turn, are interested in assisting the Lao to contain the threat of terrorism along their borders, as well. This cooperation serves American interests.

We continue to place a high priority on monitoring the human rights situation in Laos, including religious tolerance. As we have stated in our Humans Rights Report, there are many instances of human rights abuse, from poor treatment in jails to long-term detention of political prisoners. These abuses need to be corrected. We regularly raise these issues with the government and will continue to do so. On religious tolerance, I have made it a top priority in my many meetings with Lao ministers to remind them that discrimination against those who practice minority religions is damaging to their image and inconsistent with their own Constitution. I am encouraged that many government officials are themselves concerned about church closings and forced renunciations, and have initiated steps to address these problems. But it will take time and careful monitoring. Let me add that I do travel frequently, as do my embassy officers, and we are able to follow up on complaints and get to the truth in many, many cases. This access is important.

Strengthening Our Economic Relations: Looking Forward

Our world is replete with countries that are poor, unstable, and that espouse extremism; many covet their neighbors' prosperity, and have become threats to peace. For all its problems, Laos is not among this group. Slowly and tentatively, we can see a country struggling to correct its problems. It is in America's interest to encourage this effort. The government has adopted an ambitious policy of raising Laos from the ranks of the world's poorest countries by 2020 through a focus on poverty alleviation in rural areas and implementing a number of other sustainable development objectives. Along with this must come a slate of reforms -- bureaucratic reform, promotion of the rule of law, good governance, economic and trade liberalization, educational reform among others. These are all good and worthy goals that, when realized, will contribute significantly to its ability to become a progressive and prosperous country.

How can we encourage Laos' development in a manner that is consistent with American ideals and principles? First, I believe that there is no single larger step the United States could take to inject desperately needed change into the Lao economic and social system than to extend to Laos normal trade relations. Once in place, a normalized trade relationship, and the provisions of the Bilateral Trade Agreement we have signed with Laos, will oblige the Lao government to conform to acceptable international standard business practices, abide by the rule of law to attract and retain foreign investment, and respond to a burst of entrepreneurial energy as the Lao private sector seeks to take advantage of new opportunities.

U.S. investors and consumers will also benefit. Lao-Americans, and all Americans who trade with or invest in Laos will enjoy greater protections. They will be able to open offices in Laos and sell US products to the Lao, thereby helping our economy. And it will help the people of Laos directly, both by giving them a new source of prosperity and a new connection to the US. Many will be able to purchase and enjoy excellent Lao products, such as its coffee, silk and handicrafts, at affordable prices.

Finally, I hope we will be able to augment our development aid to Laos, not to its government, but to its people. Assistance for rural development, for mother and child care, for AIDS prevention and treatment, for education are all things we are doing already and can do more. Our increased participation in these sectors will benefit not only the Lao people but will help us shape in a positive way the development process in Laos as it moves ahead.

Conclusion

I often speak with Lao officials about the importance of overseas Lao, particularly the 500,000 ethnic Lao, Hmong, Khmu, Thai Dam, Mien and others living in the US who represent a potential bridge between our two countries. We need to create the conditions to build that bridge, to enable them to help Laos with their knowledge, skills and capital. The Lao government tells me frequently that it has an open door policy toward the overseas Lao, but I think much more can be done on both sides to make this bridge a reality. As Ambassador, I encourage visits by Lao-Americans to return and see first-hand how Laos is changing, and if possible to contribute to that change. The Lao government, for its part, should make a greater effort to promote and advertise its open door message to encourage overseas Lao to return to visit, to invest and to reconnect. It also needs to listen carefully to what is on the minds of Lao Americans and take these concerns on board as we build stronger relations.

In conclusion, I would like to reemphasize one belief I have come to hold after my arrival in Laos: although a small country, Laos is a country with strong attachments to the U.S. and we share a history of several decades. But while our interests in Laos are changing over time, our connections remain strong and deep. Encouraging a prosperous, stable, developed Laos, which is friendly with its neighbors, respectful of its citizen's rights, participates constructively in international forums and is a partner for trade and investment is in America's interests. I ask you to work with me and make this vision happen. Thank you.


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(Distributed by the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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