Hearing of the Senate Foreign Affairs Committee - Opening Statement of Sen. Coons, Hearing on Nomination of Nikki Haley for US Ambassador to the United Nations

Hearing

"Let's talk about the U.N. Security Council and some of the challenges we face there and some of the interests that other countries bring to play there. We talked yesterday about the Iran Nuclear Deal, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, and why Russia and China worked with us on imposing and enforcing multilateral sanctions, negotiating to a finished deal and then to enforcing it. And another member asked you earlier about why the U.N. Security Council hasn't been able to make progress in challenging or confronting Assad's war crimes against his own people. Do you have a clear understanding of what might be driving these two issues at this point?"

Gov. Haley: "Well, first of all, with the Iran Deal, the fact that Russia and China were supportive is the red flag that I need to know that there's a problem with the deal. I think that we have to be very conscious of that. I also think that as we deal with Syria, we've got to start seeing something that happens. You can't turn on the TV and see what's happening to children and women, and all of those that are just trying to live being dealt with that way. So, I think that we're seeing terrible things that happen and when again you see Russia protecting Syria, and Russia protecting these issues that are happening, it's dangerous. It's something that we need to be very conscious of, because right now it's not about protecting human life. I think it's very much about making sure they're protecting their own interests, and that's not what America is. We value human life."

Sen. Coons: "So, and these are questions I told you yesterday I'd follow up on again today. Let me make sure I understand your answer. Is it clear to you that the reason the Security Council hasn't acted to confront human rights violations in Syria is because Russia blocks that action?"

Gov. Haley: "Yes, it is clear."

Sen. Coons: "Why does it raise a red flag for you that Russia and China supported the JCPOA, the Iran Deal, if the United Kingdom, and Germany, the EU, and other vital American allies, France, did so as well? Are you questioning the value of our international partnerships with them? And let me ask the follow-up question: If we walk away from it, without giving it a chance to be fully implemented, will we be safer?"

Gov. Haley: "Well, first of all, I think that it is in our best interest to be distrustful of all countries as we move forward, as they are distrustful of us. That is just us protecting American interests. So, when you look at Russia, you should always know that there is an angle that they're trying to do, same with China. They're all playing strategy and that's part of what they continue to do. With the Iran Deal, what I said, as I said to you yesterday, I think it is very important that we look at every aspect of the Iran Deal and see if it is being followed. If it is not being followed, and if we do find violations, then I think we should act and I think we should act strongly."

Sen. Coons: "I think you'll find strong bipartisan partners here in insisting on its vigorous enforcement. I do encourage you to read the details of the deal, because it does have longer terms, more binding consequences than a previous answer you gave may suggest. Let me also, if I could, before we turn to UN reform, ask about Russia and your view of Russia. A number of the recent statements by the President-elect have unsettled a number of our allies and a number of us. He has in some ways suggested that if we reached a much closer relationship with Russia, it could break the logjam at Security Council, it could make progress in the fight against terrorism. Many of our allies ask what's on the table? So, in your view, what should be on the table if there were some closer arrangement with Russia? Would you ever accept recognizing their illegal annexation of Crimea?"

Gov. Haley: "No, I think that we need to make it very clear with Russia on where we stand on Crimea, and Ukraine and Syria, and be strong on that. Having said that, it's very much like we've talk about human rights violations. We may not agree with the country on human rights violations, but we need to work with them on other things. I think what the President-elect is trying to do is see are there are any opportunities to work with Russia, because we can use Russia's help in trying to go against ISIS and we can use Russia's help in trying to help with other threats throughout the world…"

Sen. Coons: "We have vital allies in NATO, such as the Germans, the French, the Brits, who have gone alongside us and fought in Afghanistan. Who have invoked Article 5 of the NATO charter and stood alongside us in the fight against terrorism. I have real trouble with his idea that, in any way, we should trust Vladimir Putin and his Russia at an equal level as Angela Merkel and Germany, and all of our NATO allies…[Trump's] ongoing, steady diminution of the value of NATO, when NATO has been the strongest, most enduring alliance we've dealt with and been a part of. Ambassador Power gave a very pointed farewell speech yesterday, where she laid out the case that Russia is the single greatest threat to the world order today. To the world order we've built, the so-called liberal rules-based world order that the U.N. is one of the highest examples of. Did you read or follow that speech?"

Gov. Haley: "I did not. I have been working towards this committee assignment so I have not had the time to do that, but I will make it a point to do that."

Sen. Coons: "I ask that it be admitted to the record, because I think that it is a very clear-eyed assessment of just how persistent a threat Russia has been to our core values, which I would argue are our core interests: free press, democracy, human rights, and our vital NATO alliance."

Gov. Haley: "Senator, just to be clear, we agreed on that. We agreed on Russia. I know that your concerns on the comments of the President-elect are promptly best suited to ask him, as opposed to me."

Sen. Coons: "He is not in front of me, you are, so forgive me..."

Gov. Haley: "And you're not getting an answer from me on that, so I'm just telling you again in the importance of time."

Sen. Coons: "About U.N. reform, if we were to simply, as some have suggested, in order to punish the U.N. for the Security Council taking a vote which I think we have unanimously opposed, if we were to simply cut funding to the U.N., would that strengthen or weaken our hand in defending Israel to the U.N.?"

Gov. Haley: "As I have said, you can never win with slash and burn techniques. That doesn't work. What is important is that we do strategic types of cutting, if we're going to cut anything at all. So, I don't agree with that. I don't think that that is the way that we can come out strong and show our strength in terms of what we believe in and what we're against. I think it's better to do that with negotiations, than I do think with just slash and burn."

Sen. Coons: "Let me commend to you that the new Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, I think will be a strong partner for you in engaging in thoughtful and systemic reform. And our vital ally, the United Kingdom, does have a multi-lateral aid effectiveness review, a process that they go through to look at the return on investment, as you put it, or the effectiveness of their contributions. They have assessed many of the U.S voluntarily funded programs as having a high impact. I recommend that to you for your reading."

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