[Congressional Record Volume 140, Number 111 (Thursday, August 11, 1994)]
[Senate]
[Page S]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Printing Office [www.gpo.gov]


[Congressional Record: August 11, 1994]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

 
                THE ELECTIONS IN THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

  Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, as many of my colleagues are aware I have 
long advocated according a high priority to human rights in our foreign 
policy. And I am convinced that the institutionalization of the human 
rights priority over the past 20 years has given a much better overall 
foreign policy. It is with that background that I wish to invite the 
attention of my fellow Members to some recent news from the Caribbean.
  On May 16 the Dominican Republic held national elections. The voting 
was observed by delegations from the Organization of American States 
and other international groups. The reports of these observers have 
indicated that there were serious irregularities in at least some of 
the voting procedures. Since then there have been allegations and 
rumors that the United States would ignore the observer reports and, 
look the other way, thereby taking the easy way out in the troubled 
Caribbean area.
  Well, I am very happy to say that these rumors have no basis in fact. 
The State Department and our Embassy have taken a clear stand in 
support of fair elections in the Dominican Republic. Our position is 
entirely neutral, of course. We are not taking sides. But we are 
actively defending the right of the Dominican people to choose their 
own government.
  In that connection I call your attention to the following forthright 
statement made by the State Department on August 5, and ask unanimous 
consent that it be printed in the Record. I congratulate the Clinton 
administration on its commitment to human rights and democracy in the 
Dominican Republic.

       The United States has consistently expressed its support 
     for a peaceful resolution to the questions raised by 
     irregularities in the May 16 elections. It was disappointed 
     that the central electoral board effectively ignored the 
     irregularities when it named president Joaquin Balaguer 
     president. One suggestion for a peaceful resolution of the 
     problem is to hold early elections. The United States 
     believes that new elections are the right idea, and urges 
     Dominican authorities to take immediate steps in that 
     direction.

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