On the other hand, the United States should not hesitate to point out in the annual statement instances where there have been clear and serious violations of human rights. The area where some officials in these countries indicate resentment is where US officials assigned to these countries have publicly criticized their actions. We should, in my opinion, return to the tradition of working quietly and without public fanfare with the leaders of these states to accomplish mutually acceptable goals. This is the way to develop trust and respect. Our very size as the only major power when represented by officials who prefer to aggressively push for policies rather than look for an atmosphere of mutual trust irritates these governments.
Persuasion is the more appealing characteristic, more than threats.
And, in my opinion, persuasion and dialogue within a framework of trust and respect will be more successful in the long term in accomplishing US goals. Trust and Respect Between Governments Trust and respect should be the cornerstone of relationships between governments in the 21st century in Eastern and Central Europe. Here the significant and major powers should be careful about the perception of promoting their core beliefs in the smaller states of Europe. They must avoid giving the appearance of becoming involved in internal matters unless there is, as recently seen in Yugoslavia, a severe ongoing violation of human rights. In the more moderate, internal cases where the human rights situation does not meet the expectations of the major powers, the governments involved should engage in dialogue and persuasion.