[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 59 Introduced in House (IH)]







104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 59

Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Government of the United 
 States should encourage resumption of direct, bilateral talks between 
           India and Pakistan at the earliest possible time.


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 6, 1995

  Mr. Lantos submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the sense of the Congress that the Government of the United 
 States should encourage resumption of direct, bilateral talks between 
           India and Pakistan at the earliest possible time.

Whereas the Shimla Agreement between India and Pakistan in 1972 stipulated that 
        ``the two countries (India and Pakistan) are resolved to settle their 
        differences by peaceful means through bilateral negotiations'';
Whereas the Joint Statement signed by President Clinton and Prime Minister Rao 
        in May 1994, also stressed the ``need for bilateral relations between 
        India and Pakistan to resolve outstanding issues, including Jammu and 
        Kashmir, as envisaged in the Shimla Agreement'';
Whereas tensions between India and Pakistan have escalated and relations between 
        those two nations have begun to deteriorate over the last year;
Whereas Pakistan's decision to ask the Government of India to close India's 
        consulate in Karachi has greatly exacerbated the humanitarian problems 
        faced by families divided by the partition of 1947, and has created 
        another impediment to the resumption of dialogue between India and 
        Pakistan;
Whereas the last round of substantive consultations between India and Pakistan 
        was held when India's Foreign Secretary went to Islamabad for bilateral 
        talks with his Pakistani counterpart in January 1994;
Whereas India's Foreign Secretary offered six separate proposals to Pakistan 
        during that meeting, including recommendations for confidence building 
        measures and other measures designed to improve the climate of relations 
        between India and Pakistan;
Whereas since the last round of talks in January 1994, Pakistan has turned down 
        each of the Indian proposals to resume a high-level dialogue, without 
        preconditions, including an offer made by the Prime Minister of India in 
        October 1994, as well as both oral and written invitations by the Indian 
        Foreign Secretary on several occasions;
Whereas the absence of such a direct, bilateral dialogue between India and 
        Pakistan has exacerbated differences between the two countries;
Whereas the rejection of proposals to renew such a direct, bilateral dialogue, 
        without preconditions, is in contravention of the letter and spirit of 
        the 1972 Shimla Agreement; and
Whereas Her Excellency, the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto, will 
        make an official visit to the United States in April 1995: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of the Congress that--
            (1) the President of the United States and the Secretary of 
        State should reiterate to her Excellency, the Prime Minister of 
        Pakistan, the urgent need to resume a bilateral dialogue 
        between the Government of Pakistan and the Government of India;
            (2) the Congress recognizes and appreciates the importance 
        of such direct, bilateral talks between the two countries; and
            (3) the Congress urges the Government of Pakistan and the 
        Government of India to set an early date for the resumption of 
        such direct bilateral talks.
    Sec. 2. The Clerk of the House of Representatives shall transmit a 
copy of this concurrent resolution to the President, to the Ambassador 
of Pakistan, and to the Ambassador of India.
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