Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Thank you, Ambassador, for taking the time to come to brief us on your journeys in Europe.
There's an old saying that when one door closes, another one opens. While you're battling the propaganda war with IFAW and all those other groups.... There's another saying that you don't let the facts get in the way of a good story, and IFAW and HSUS and those other organizations are very effective at pulling at the heartstrings of citizens in European nations. If Germany, if Holland, if Italy do instruct a ban, the only other legal way to do it is to force it through GATT and WTO discussions in that regard.
But you spoke about like-minded countries. Have you solicited the assistance of Russia, which also has a sealing concern going, or Spain, or Portugal? What is the position of the United States on all of this, as well?