[Congressional Bills 106th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 54 Referred in Senate (RFS)]

  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 54


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                             April 21, 1999

      Received and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Recognizing the historic significance of the first anniversary of the 
                      Good Friday Peace Agreement.

Whereas Ireland has a long and tragic history of civil conflict that has left a 
        deep and profound legacy of suffering;
Whereas since 1969 more than 3,200 people have died and thousands more have been 
        injured as a result of political violence in Northern Ireland;
Whereas a series of efforts by the Governments of the Republic of Ireland and 
        the United Kingdom to facilitate peace
   and an announced cessation of hostilities created an historic opportunity for 
        a negotiated peace;
Whereas in June 1996, for the first time since the partition of Ireland in 1922, 
        representatives elected from political parties in Northern Ireland 
        pledged to adhere to the principles of nonviolence and commenced talks 
        regarding the future of Northern Ireland;
Whereas the talks greatly intensified in the spring of 1998 under the 
        chairmanship of former United States Senator George Mitchell;
Whereas the active participation of British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish 
        Taoiseach Bertie Ahern was critical to the success of the talks;
Whereas on Good Friday, April 10, 1998, the parties to the negotiations each 
        made honorable compromises to conclude a peace agreement for Northern 
        Ireland, which has become known as the Good Friday Peace Agreement;
Whereas on Friday, May 22, 1998, an overwhelming majority of voters in both 
        Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland approved by referendum the 
        Good Friday Peace Agreement;
Whereas the United States must remain involved politically and economically to 
        ensure the long-term success of the peace agreement; and
Whereas on Good Friday, April 2, 1999, a one-year deadline passed without 
        agreement among all major parties, putting the entire peace process in 
        jeopardy: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That the Congress--
            (1) recognizes the historic significance of the first 
        anniversary of the Good Friday Peace Agreement;
            (2) salutes British Prime Minister Tony Blair and Irish 
        Taoiseach Bertie Ahern and the elected representatives of the 
        political parties in Northern Ireland for creating the 
        opportunity for a negotiated peace;
            (3) commends Senator George Mitchell for his leadership on 
        behalf of the United States in guiding the parties toward 
        peace;
            (4) congratulates the people of the Republic of Ireland and 
        of Northern Ireland for their courageous commitment to work 
        together in peace;
            (5) encourages the Governments of the United Kingdom and 
        the Republic of Ireland with the active involvement of the 
        United States to continue to work together to ensure the 
        forward movement of the peace process; and
            (6) reaffirms the bonds of friendship and cooperation that 
        exist between the United States and the Governments of the 
        Republic of Ireland and the United Kingdom, which ensure that 
        the United States and those Governments will continue as 
        partners in peace.

            Passed the House of Representatives April 20, 1999.

            Attest:

                                                 JEFF TRANDAHL,

                                                                 Clerk.