Senator Thomas and members of the Foreign Relations Committee, it is my pleasure to join you this morning to present James Kelly to the Committee for confirmation as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs. I would also like to welcome Audrey, Mr. Kelly's wife, who has traveled from their home in Hawaii to attend this hearing. In addition, Ambassador John Kelly and Dr. Mike Kelly are also in attendance to support their brother.

James Kelly is well-qualified to lead the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and I fully support his confirmation. The Bureau plays an important role in promoting the security and long-term interests of the United States in the Asia-Pacific region. This region is vital to American interests, but the diverse nature of regional issues poses many unique challenges as President Bush and his administration have already discovered.

I can think of no one better to help guide the President in the formulation of his Asian policy than Mr. Kelly. He brings seasoned judgment, extensive experience, and keen insight to the State Department. As a military officer, government official, businessman, and academic, Mr. Kelly is uniquely qualified to be Assistant Secretary.

I came to know and respect Mr. Kelly's judgment in one of his most recent positions as President of the Pacific Forum. Established in 1975, the Forum is the Honolulu-based Asia-Pacific arm of the Center for Strategic and International Studies. Mr. Kelly managed the numerous Asia-Pacific policy research projects undertaken by the Pacific Forum. Mr. Kelly also worked as an international business consultant on Asia-Pacific matters, serving from 1989 to 1994 as President of EAP Associates, Inc., of Honolulu. Prior to returning to Hawaii, he worked in Washington as Special Assistant for Asian Affairs and Senior Director on National Security Council for President Reagan from 1986 to 1989, and from 1983 to 1986, as Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Affairs (East Asia and the Pacific). In those two positions he dealt with the difficult political transitions in both the Republic of Korea and the Philippines. He also served in Vietnam with the United States Navy and was the Pentagon desk officer for Iran during its revolution. Mr. Kelly is well versed in the art of crisis management.

In 1979, Mr. Kelly and his family returned to Hawaii and established their home in the Alewa Heights section of Honolulu. Mr. Kelly's wife Audrey is a portrait artist. Her award-winning work includes record and CD covers for well-known Hawaiian musicians. Their daughter Archer is a teacher at Ka`u High and Intermediate School at Pahala on the Big Island. Their son James and his family live in Virginia.

Mr. Kelly is a graduate of the National War College, Harvard Business School, and the U.S. Naval Academy. From 1959 to 1982, he served as a U.S. Navy Supply Corps officer, reaching the rank of Captain. It was the Navy that originally brought Mr. Kelly and his family to Hawaii in 1971 where they lived in Aiea.

Mr. Kelly's extensive experience with Asia-Pacific issues clearly illustrates that he is an excellent choice to lead the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs. As such, I am pleased to lend my full support to James Kelly's confirmation as Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, and I urge the Committee to act favorably on his nomination. Thank you.