[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 91 (Wednesday, June 19, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S6455]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--INTERNATIONAL NATURAL RUBBER 
             AGREEMENT OF 1995, TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 104-27

  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, as in executive session, I ask unanimous 
consent that the injunction of secrecy be removed from the following 
treaty transmitted to the Senate on June 19, 1996, by the President of 
the United States.
  International Natural Rubber Agreement of 1995, which is Treaty 
Document No. 104-27.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I further ask the treaty be considered as 
having been read for the first time; that it be referred, with 
accompanying papers, to the Committee on Foreign Relations and ordered 
to be printed; and that the President's message be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The message of the President is as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, the International Natural Rubber Agreement, 1995, done at 
Geneva on February 17, 1995. The Agreement was signed on behalf of the 
United States on April 23, 1996. The report of the Department of State 
setting forth more fully the Administration's position is also 
transmitted, for the information of the Senate.
  As did its predecessors, the International Rubber Agreement, 1995 
(INRA), seeks to stabilize natural rubber prices without distorting 
long-term market trends and to assure adequate rubber supplies at 
reasonable prices. The U.S. participation in INRA, 1995, will also 
respond to concerns expressed by U.S. rubber companies that a 
transition period is needed to allow industry time to prepare for a 
free market in natural rubber and to allow for the further development 
of alternative institutions to manage market risk. The new Agreement 
incorporates improvements sought by the United States to help ensure 
that it fully reflects market trends and is operated in an effective 
and financially sound manner.
  The Agreement is consistent with out broad foreign policy objectives. 
It demonstrates our willingness to engage in a continuing dialogue with 
developing countries on issues of mutual concern and embodies our 
belief that long-run market forces are the appropriate determinants of 
prices and resource allocations. It will also strengthen our relations 
with the ASEAN countries, since three of them--Malaysia, Indonesia, and 
Thailand--account collectively for approximately 80 percent of world 
production of natural rubber.
  Therefore, I urge the Senate to give this Agreement prompt 
consideration and its advice and consent to ratification to enable the 
United States to deposit its instrument of ratification as soon as 
possible.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, June 19, 1996.

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