Speech #1050006733

Senator HELMS. And my colleague. ILEANA ROSLEHTINEN. chairman of the Subcommittee on International Policy and Trade of the Committee on International Relations. and Senator BOB GRAHAM from Florida. and Senator ROBERT TORRICELLI of New Jersey. and Congressman ROBERT MENENDEZ of New Jersey. and Senator CONNIE MACK of Florida for joining in the letter that I signed as well. a letter to our United States Trade Representative saying. since the Europeans have decided to bring forth this challenge. this illadvised and reckless and irresponsible challenge in the trade organization against our foreign policy to our closest neighbor. the oppressed people of Cuba and our immigration policy with regard to those who knowingly traffic in property stolen from American citizens. it is imperative. and I will refer directly to the letter sent to our United States Trade Representative: "We are writing to emphasize the importance we attach to victory by the United States in any proceeding brought within the World Trade Organization challenging U.S. policy toward Cuba. "We strongly agree with the administrations view that the World Trade Organization was established to manage trade relations between member governments. not diplomatic or security relations that may have incidental trade or investment effects. Therefore. it is imperative that the United States interpose all available defenses. including the national security defense provided under Article 21 of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade. to avoid an adverse WTO decision. "The United States has a strong interest in promoting international trade. It is precisely for this reason that we must do everything possible to prevent the WTO from undermining its own credibility by reaching a decision on a nontrade matter that purports to circumscribe our ability to adopt policies essential to our national security. "We understand. of course. that the United States has a compelling defense on the merits to any WTO complaint challenging our policy toward Cuba and should prevail without invoking the national security exception.