public statements

Ambassador Stewart's Remarks at 2006 U.S. Midterm Elections Breakfast

Minsk, Belarus
November 8, 2006
(Remarks as prepared.)

U.S. Ambassador to Belarus Karen Stewart delivers remarks to the guests at the 2006 U.S. midterm elections breakfast

"Esteemed guests, friends and colleagues - it is a great pleasure to be here today and I’d like to thank everyone for coming. I realize that this is an odd hour for a reception and I appreciate your company in celebrating with us the 2006 midterm elections in the United States. Hopefully, this will be a great way to start a short week. 

I’d like to express my great pleasure at having the opportunity to return to Belarus. This is a beautiful country filled with some of the most promising, intelligent and kind people that I have had the pleasure of meeting in my years with the State Department. It is truly an honor and privilege for me to serve as ambassador in a country that I know and love. I not only look forward to forging deeper ties with the Belarusian people, but also to collaborating with my diplomatic and foreign colleagues to support the political and economic aspirations of the Belarusian people. 

Over the next three years, one of my primary objectives in Belarus will be to promote democracy and democratic ideals. To that end, we are hosting this breakfast. I think it fair to say that every democracy is a work in progress and as the U.S. Presidential election of 2000 can attest, it is not always a pretty process either. However, the people of the United States had faith in the democratic system established by our founding fathers and eventually a winner was declared.

While all elections are important, the U.S. midterm elections have particular significance because there is a strong possibility that either the Senate or the House of Representatives could change hands. If the Democratic Party were to gain control over the Senate or the House of Representatives, the legislative initiatives of President Bush and his administration could face more challenges. Furthermore, there are numerous key races for state governors and a number of local referenda on controversial topics.

The midterm elections involve every state in the union and include some very interesting candidates. Allow me to list a few examples: an ex-body-builder turned movie star, a former diplomat, many naturalized citizens, an amputee veteran of the Iraq war, and even a 19-year old college student. While it is true and unfortunate that a considerable number of eligible voters in the U.S. do not vote, those who do exercise their constitutional right to participate in the electoral races for a variety of reasons. They are motivated to vote because they feel strongly about a certain issue or any combination of issues, such as the U.S. role in Iraq, the economy, terrorism, gay rights, science and religion, the environment, educational reform, medical insurance, international trade, gambling, and military reform. The list is endless, especially in a country that recently celebrated passing the 300 million mark in terms of population and is increasingly diverse in backgrounds and cultures.  However, it is generally true in the U.S. that the more controversial the issue, the more voters will want to express their views at the voting station.

The U.S. midterm congressional and gubernatorial elections have been very exciting. For many people around the United States, today is a day of celebration; for others it is a day of disappointment. However, whether American voters are happy or sad with the results, these elections remind us all that the defining characteristic of a genuine democratic society is that the will of the people must always prevail.

Belarus recently initiated the process leading up to the January 14, 2007, municipal elections. The United States, European Union, and other members of the international community are closely following Belarusian efforts to ensure the process is fair and transparent. While the United States continues to improve its own democratic system, we remain committed to encouraging and helping countries around the world, including Belarus, to take the needed steps to build vibrant and robust democracies. As I have noted with my own country, it is no easy feat, but I also hope that you all will agree that the benefits greatly outweigh the costs.

Thanks again for coming, please enjoy the food and I look forward to working with all of you over the next three years."