[Mb-civic] FW: Special office in State Department to spread democracy ?

Sat Feb 12 10:25:08 PST 2005

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From: Samii Shahla <shahla at thesamiis.com>
Date: Tue, 8 Feb 2005 14:11:48 -0500
Subject: Special office in State Department to spread democracy ?

Yahoo
02/07/05

US lawmakers mull special office in State Department to spread democracy

WASHINGTON, (AFP) -  In a move that will give impetus to US President
George W. Bush (news - web sites)'s policy to spread world freedom and
end tyranny, lawmakers are drafting legislation to set up a specific
office in the State Department to spread democracyIn a move that will
give impetus to US President George W. Bush's policy to spread world
freedom and end tyranny, lawmakers are drafting legislation to set up a
specific office in the State Department to spread democracy, officials
say.

  If approved, the legislation would give a shot in the arm to dissident
groups, which would have direct access to Washington, and anger some
governments, including in Asia, which may see it as an attempt to
meddle in domestic politics.

  The "office of democracy movements and transitions" in the State
Department is to serve as a "point of contact for democratic movements
within individual countries," said Lynne Weil, spokeswoman for
Democratic Representative Tom Lantos (news, bio, voting record) of
California.

  She added that Lantos and Republican Representative Frank Wolf (news,
bio, voting record) of Virginia, both of whom co-chair the
Congressional Human Rights Caucus, are jointly drafting the bill that
also would ask Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (news - web sites)
to publish an annual global report on democratic progress.

  The State Department currently publishes annual reports on religious
freedom and human rights, which are used as a key guide by US
policymakers.

  "The bill, which is still being written, is meant to reaffirm that
promoting democracy is a fundamental value of US foreign policy and
ensure that mechanisms are in place to carry this policy out," Weil
said.

  The move follows Bush's pledge in his second term inaugural address
last month to end tyranny and promote democracy across the globe and
putting "every ruler and every nation" on notice that this would be a
test of their relations with the United States.

  Weil denied the bill was in reaction to Bush's address.

  "Well, that coincidence will in the end lend some momentum," she said.

  Congressional staffers said the bill, if approved, would provide
dissident groups easier access to the United States government.

  "We are attempting to create a single address for them," said a
staffer.

  There is currently a bureau of democracy, human rights, and labor in
the State Department which "oversees initiatives and policies to
promote and strengthen democratic institutions, civil society, and
respect for human and worker rights."

  The bureau ensures that human rights and labor conditions in foreign
countries are taken into account in US policy-making process, the
department says.

  In support of these efforts, the bureau prepares and submits to the
Congress annual reports on human rights practices and religious freedom
in countries around the world.

  Many Asian governments have been among those sensitive to alleged
violations cited in the report and analysts say a "report card" on
democracy may draw more fire.

  But it will also compel the United States to "set the record straight"
in friendly but heavy-handed governments in places like Pakistan,
Egypt, Saudi Arabia, maybe even China or Russia, they said.

  ---
  Copyright © 2005 Agence France Presse. All rights reserved. The
information contained in the AFP News report may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without the prior written
authority of Agence France Presse.

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1530&u=/afp/20050207/
wl_asia_afp/usasiademocracy&printer=1

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