WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Jim Risch (R-Idaho), chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, today gave the following opening remarks at a full committee nomination hearing. Witnesses included Amer Ghalib to be ambassador to Kuwait, Brent Christensen to be ambassador to Bangladesh, Benjamin Leon to be ambassador to Spain, Leo Bozell to be ambassador to South Africa, and Morvared Namdarkhan to be assistant secretary of State for consular affairs.
Chairman Risch gave the following remarks:
“Thank you again to each of you and your families. We all know how the families sacrifice to do these things and we appreciate not only you, but your families.
“Mr. Bozell, as you are aware, the U.S.–South Africa relationship is at a crossroads. We must decide whether it can be salvaged or whether to treat the South African government as it has treated us: like an adversary.
“Its corruption is robbing the South African people, its leaders pick fights with Washington, and its deepening ties with Iran, China, and Russia come at the expense of our allies, like Taiwan and Israel.
“It is critical that, if confirmed as ambassador, you engage with the government to advance U.S. interests and challenge the status quo that is bad for South Africans and America’s relationships with South Africa. I look forward to hearing your plans for this important mission.
“Mr. Leon, as you know, Spain has been an important partner of the United States, but I share President Trump’s concerns regarding Spain’s commitment to our shared interests. Spain was one of the first countries to make the gross mistake of recognizing a Palestinian state and has called for an arms embargo against Israel, which only rewards the terrorists that plague the Middle East. Those kinds of actions encourage Hamas instead of deterring them.
“Spain is the only NATO ally that refused to commit 5% of its GDP to defense spending. President Trump has made it clear that Spain needs to get with the program, especially as Russia ramps up its provocations against our common allies.
“And Spain has failed to address the security risks China poses to the transatlantic community, notably by continuing government contracts with Huawei and pursuing closer economic ties with Beijing – both of those are very dangerous. Mr. Leon, I hope you will work with your counterparts in Spain to fix these mistakes.
“Mr. Ghalib, Kuwait is an important partner in a particularly turbulent region of the world. Dating back to the Gulf War, the U.S. has had a vested interest in the security of Kuwait and has maintained a deep partnership with the country including a vital partner in the counter-ISIS mission. Further, U.S. business has been involved in Kuwait for years.
“That’s why it is particularly disappointing that Kuwait has refused to pay U.S. companies for work performed in Kuwait and it has been critical of Israel’s efforts to defend itself against Hamas and Iran’s influence. As America remains a steadfast ally of Israel, the President has nominated you to defend U.S. support for Israel in Kuwait. That will be your solemn responsibility.
“Ms. Namdar, the enormous passport and visa backlogs during the pandemic demonstrated the importance of the work that consular officers do every day on behalf of the American people.
“Consular officers are often the first U.S. officials Americans contact when things go wrong while traveling abroad. And when people from other countries make plans to spend their money in America, consular officers are often the first people they see. Consular Affairs officers are also the first line of defense to protect our country from those who might seek to do us harm.
“You must be responsive to the needs of American citizens abroad and to members of Congress who hear from them and represent them when things go wrong. I hope you will take this responsibility seriously – I know you will.
"Your role will also carry a tremendous amount of charge with respect to how America is viewed on the world stage, and I look forward to hearing your plans to improve the efficiency of America’s consular offices.
“Mr. Christensen, the U.S. was one of the first countries in the world to recognize Bangladesh after its independence in 1971, and we remain one of Bangladesh’s top trade and investment partners.
“The country is experiencing drastic change after the fall of the Sheik Hasina government last year. While making progress on reform, Bangladesh continues to face tremendous challenges, including growing religious extremism.
“Mr. Christensen, if confirmed as ambassador, I hope that you’ll work with your counterparts to promote stability in the country and protect American interests. I look forward to hearing your thoughts on how our relationship with Bangladesh should evolve during this time, as well as your priorities in this role.
“Thank you again to each of our nominees and their families and for your willingness to take on this task. I look forward to a productive conversation this morning and thank you for your time.”
These remarks have been lightly edited for clarity. Witness testimony is available on foreign.senate.gov.
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