John McCain

“ The great strides that it has made in the past decade and a half testify to the universal human aspiration to live in freedom.
This testament is not silent; instead, the people of Lithuania, having achieved freedom themselves, are actively promoting the liberty of others. Through conferences like the one in which we participate today, this country leads not just by example, but by action. I can think of no more honorable role for a great nation that has endured so much. ”

“ There, men who oppose tyranny disappear forever. Wives are assaulted in public. Dissidents are jailed, universities shuttered, visas denied. The media is state controlled, NGO activity is restricted, and political rights are systematically violated. I speak, of course, not of Burma, North Korea or Zimbabwe, but rather of Belarus – a part of Europe, whose capital stands just a three and half hour drive from where we meet today.
Belarus today blocks the road to a Europe whole, free, and at peace. ”

“ But the international community must take more concrete steps to ensure that Belarus has the tools to build a functioning democracy. Other nations, especially those in the European Union, need to follow Lithuania’s lead by dedicating resources to support democracy in Europe. In this vein, the EU’s recent decision to fund broadcasts into Belarus is welcome, as is the dedication of over 1 million euros in democracy program funding.
When the opposition does triumph, it will chart a new course for Belarus’ relations with Europe and the United States. ”

“ Yet while the repression in Belarus is overwhelming, and the abuses too numerous to count, there is no reason to despair. Instead, there is reason to hope. There is reason to hope because there are in Belarus individuals like those standing with us today. Aleksander Milinkevich, head of the Belarus Union of Democratic Forces, is the opposition’s unified candidate in next month’s presidential elections. ”

“ And so to see how far Lithuania has come since the Soviet days is a simply a joy. In the fifteen years since this country regained independence, it has become one of the world's great success stories. We in America count Lithuania as one of our closest friends, and we value its partnership in NATO and other important institutions of the West. ”

“ It is an honor to be in a country filled with such patriots, and I thank you for inviting me and my colleagues to this conference. I have had a special affinity for the Baltic nations since I was a child. ”