Jeanne Shaheen

It is fair to say that you will commit to making commercial ties and business advocacy a top priority.

It was, I thought, a great opportunity for those countries who have participated in NATO to point out the continuing relevance of our alliance.

I cannot imagine any specific thing that could help create more stability within the whole Caucasus region than resolution of the Nagorno-Karabakh issue.

We all thank you for taking on these very important jobs and look forward to hearing from you this afternoon.

There is no military solution to the situation, so the issue is how do we galvanize our diplomacy.

But I don't see that is what the illegal parallel structures are providing.

So clearly, this is an issue that is going to require sustained engagement, leadership, and contacts.

So this is, I think, the kind of engagement that we need to continue together with our international partners in the countries of the region to reduce those levels of tension over time.

And if I am confirmed, I will do my best to listen; to understand the interests of all the stakeholders in this issue; and to work with our international partners, with the Congress, and with the government and the people of Kosovo to work…

We continue to object to the presence of Russian troops in the occupied territories, and we strongly support Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

There is a connection between rule of law, and free and open elections, and government values, and participation in NATO.

I think an environment of fear is a complex thing, and without having been there myself, I wouldn't want to ascribe the origins to it.

I want to follow up on the economic question that you asked Mr. Pekala, to Mr. Levine.

Is there a general acceptance now by the Kosovars that those monasteries are important historical and religious--I don't want to use the term 'artifacts'--religious symbols?

We ought to be saying something sooner rather than later.

The enemies of democracy and freedom should not be welcome in a democratic society unless they correct their mistakes.

We will continue to follow what goes on in the Ukraine very closely.

The more we make sure that the regime and the people who are persecuting their opposition in Ukraine should know that they are under watch and their course of action should be changed.

I am here today to answer your questions, Senator Shaheen, but also to plead that America do all that it can to preserve democracy in my country.

So we ought to be directing assistance to them so that they can do the job that we know they can do.

Elections are not only rigged on election night, as you well know.

There needs to be continuity and stability in electoral code in Ukraine.

Ukraine literally and figuratively lies at the crossroads between Europe and Russia.

President Medvedev said that he was going to root out corruption, that he was going to make that a real hallmark of his Presidency.

I would strongly encourage support for that and hope that there would be more funds available should Russian organizations want to avail themselves of it.