[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 61 (Tuesday, May 17, 1994)]
[House]
[Page H]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: May 17, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
           WELCOMING INDIA'S PRIME MINISTER RAO TO WASHINGTON

  (Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA. Mr. Speaker, I want to take a few moments to 
comment on a historic event that will take place tomorrow in this 
Chamber.
  As you know, the Prime Minister of India, the Honorable Narasimha 
Rao, will deliver the first joint-session address by an Indian leader 
in more than 9 years, and the first to address the Congress by any 
foreign dignitary during the Clinton administration.
  In 1947, India became the world's largest democracy when it gained 
independence from Great Britain. During the first four decades of 
independence, the Government of India has tried to meet the needs of 
India's diverse cultures, an enormous population of approximately 885 
million people now.
  I realize India still faces serious problems with Pakistan over the 
nuclear issue, the problems with the Kashmir and Punjab provinces, but 
I believe Prime Minister Rao's visit to our country is part of the 
democratic process whereby our two governments will make every effort 
to resolve those differences and promote economic growth and prosperity 
which now approaches approximately $6 billion worth of trade between 
our two countries.
  I know our colleagues join me in welcoming Prime Minister Rao to 
Washington, and we all look forward to hearing his vision of the future 
of United States-India relations.

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