Jeff Flake

We cannot afford to lose this critical forest management tool, which will expire on September 30, 2013 without Congressional action.

We believe that this will allow us to move more quickly, and we would greatly appreciate your input as we go along, and your support for this legislation.

OK, assuming that that could rectified, then you would be able to support?

I want to thank Senator Baucus for his support of that legislation, and others on this panel.

But mostly to Chief Tidwell and if we can go with this, stewardship contracting, we've got to reauthorize by September 30.

But I agree with Tom in the sense that the fundamental issue is are there going to be pressures, political and otherwise, so that the security forces feel that they cannot do what they did in 2008.

I do not believe in that environment, even if it is technically capable, it is technically correct, that you are going to see the true expression of the Zimbabwean people.

You sound as if the AU is almost acting as an enabler for this. Is that your assessment?

What would constitute progress enough--sufficient for us to normalize relations, to remove the sanctions?

What organ of the United Nations? Is the Security Council likely to move on this or is this General Assembly resolutions or what exactly are we looking for there?

I have always believed that the United States and others on the outside should listen very carefully to people on the inside.

We will see if these election dates will hold and, if they do, if the outcome will be respected and will be credible.

I am concerned from recent reports that the Zimbabwean Government is not working in good faith with SADC and other international partners to ensure these elections will be free and fair.

If we cannot have the Zimbabwean Government move forward on a rationalization of land, but more important is the transference of land with titles, that I think is going to be bad for not only the economy, but I think on the overall…

With regard to sanctions, what has been the impact and what leverage do we have moving forward?

Arizona Republican Senator Jeff Flake has apologized for his son's behavior online. The senator calls the language unacceptable.

I think this committee is united around the fact that the FLAME Act is not being implemented in the way that we all intended it to.

It's heart wrenching to see some of the impediments that are still there to keep us from treating more of the forests.

Senator Flake is personally monitoring the situation. He has had multiple conversations with the deputy Mexican ambassador this weekend as well.

I can tell you, particularly coming from Arizona, which was the scene for a lot of this, there is a lot of mistrust, and people do not think that anybody is held to account at any time.

One thing that has been disappointing I think to all of us is that regional organizations, in particular SADC and the African Union, have not spoken out more forcefully and more on the side of democracy.

I would love to see more U.S. tourism there, ecotourism.

Thank you. Now I can stage a coup. Chairman Coons is finally gone here.

Good. It is hoped that in the Gulf of Guinea we can, I think we have, move to intercept the issue before it gets as bad as it did off the coast of Somalia certainly.

I thank you all, and I appreciate you coming by my office and I enjoyed the private conversation.