[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 93 (Friday, June 21, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S6666-S6667]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
SENATE RESOLUTION 268--RELATIVE TO THE SUMMIT OF ARAB HEADS OF STATE
BEING HELD IN CAIRO
Mr. LAUTENBERG (for himself, Mr. Brown, and Mr. Lieberman) submitted
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
Foreign Relations:
S. Res. 268
Whereas, Benjamin Netanyahu was elected to the position of
Prime Minister of Israel on May 29, 1996;
Whereas, Prime Minister-elect Netanyahu presented his
cabinet for approval to the Israeli Knesset on June 18, 1996;
Whereas, the guidelines of the new Government of Israel
specifically state: ``The Government of Israel will work to
broaden the circle of peace with all of its neighbors.'';
Whereas, Egyptian President Mubarak has invited heads of
state in Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Jordan, Kuwait,
Lebanon, Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi
Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab
Emirates, Yemen, and the Palestine Liberation Organization to
attend an Arab summit in Cairo beginning on June 21, 1996;
and
Whereas President Clinton has stated his hope that Arab
leaders who attend this summit will ``give Mr. Netanyahu an
opportunity to constitute his government and set a policy and
not presume that we can't pursue peace.''; Now, therefore, be
it
Resolved, That the Senate urges the governments attending
the June 21, 1996, summit in Cairo and other governments in
the Middle East to--
(1) reaffirm their commitment to a comprehensive peace in
the Middle East;
(2) express their willingness to work with the
democratically elected Government of Israel in the pursuit of
a meaningful peace; and
(3) refrain from statements directed against the new
Israeli government that might create an atmosphere in the
region unfavorable to a continuation of the peace process.
Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, it had been my expectation that the
Senate would have already taken up and passed a resolution to express
the sense of the Senate about the summit of Arab heads of state, which
began in Cairo today. It is cosponsored by Senators Lieberman and
Brown.
The resolution is straightforward. It urges heads of state and
representatives of Arab countries attending the Cairo summit and those
which may not attend the summit to reaffirm their commitment to a
comprehensive peace in the Middle East. It urges them to express their
willingness to work with the democratically elected Government of
Israel in the pursuit of a meaningful peace. Finally, it urges them to
refrain from statements directed against the new Israeli Government
that might create an atmosphere in the region unfavorable to a
continuation of the peace process.
The resolution had been cleared by the Senate Foreign Relations
Committee, all Democratic Senators, the Democratic leadership, and
Members on both sides of the aisle. It was poised for approval by full
Senate. However, at the last minute, the junior Senator from Texas,
Senator Hutchison, objected to the Senate taking up the resolution
because of an entirely unrelated matter. As a result, Mr. President,
this resolution on the Middle East was blocked. And that is very
unfortunate because many of the nations meeting in Cairo are countries
intent on destroying Israel. Many are avowed enemies of Israel. Apart
from Senator Hutchison's objection--which, again, is over an unrelated
issue--there appears to be virtually unanimous support in the Senate
for my resolution, and the message it sends.
Mr. President, on May 29, 1996, Benjamin Netanyahu was elected the
new Prime Minister of Israel. Shortly after his election, and before he
established his new government, the Government of Egypt decided to
convene a meeting of most members of the Arab League.
At the invitation of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, heads of state
from 19 Arab countries were invited to meet in Cairo. Representatives
from Algeria, Bahrain, Comoros, Djibouti, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon,
Libya, Mauritania, Morocco, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan,
Syria, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and the Palestinian
Liberation Organization were invited to attend the summit.
While I have no objection to meetings by members of the Arab League,
heads of state and government representatives attending the meeting in
Cairo have nothing to be gained by limiting options for peace
discussions with the newly elected Government of Israel before its
policies have even been officially formulated. They have nothing to
gain by issuing provocative statements and attempting to back the
democratically elected Government into a corner. Restraint--not harsh
rhetoric directed against the new Israeli Government that might create
an atmosphere in the region unfavorable to a continuation of the peace
process--should prevail.
President Clinton has stated his hope that Arab leaders who attend
this summit will give Mr. Netanyahu an opportunity to constitute his
government and set a policy and not presume that we can't pursue peace.
That is sage advice.
While the Arab countries may be experiencing some anxiety in light of
the change of the Israeli Government, it would be a mistake to let
extremist countries like the Sudan, Libya, and Syria dominate the
agenda of this meeting. It would be a mistake to close doors, shut off
options, and establish preconditions for the continued pursuit of
peace.
Mr. President, the world will be watching this meeting very carefully
in the hope that the Arab countries will remain partners with Israel in
the pursuit of a comprehensive peace in the Middle East. The road to a
comprehensive peace is never easy, and all must conduct themselves with
care and diplomacy to avoid potential misunderstandings.
Mr. President, the United States is not prejudging the new Israeli
Government. The Arab leaders meeting in Cairo should not either.
I ask unanimous consent that the text of an outstanding editorial
called ``The Arabs and Mr. Netanyahu'' which appeared in the New York
Times last week be printed in the Record.
There being no objection, the editorial was ordered to be printed in
the Record, as follows:
The Arabs and Mr. Netanyahu
Nineteen Arab leaders plan to meet in Cairo next week for a
show of unity in the wake of Benjamin Netanyahu's selection
as Prime Minister of Israel. The gather is a reminder that
the prospects for peace in the Middle East depend as much on
the conduct of Arab leaders as that of Mr. Netanyahu in the
weeks ahead.
In responding to the new Israeli government, Arab leaders
should avoid inflammatory words and actions as Mr. Netanyahu
refines his course. No Arab interest would be served by
provoking Israel to abandon the peace effort.
Most of the Arab leaders headed for Cairo are involved, at
one level or another, in the new diplomacy of engagement with
Israel initiated by the Bush Administration in the days
following the Persian Gulf war. Jordan and the Palestinians
have joined Egypt in signing formal peace agreements with
Israel. Several other North African and Persian Gulf states
have extended limited degrees of diplomatic recognition.
No fewer than 15 Arab countries plus the Palestinians
regularly meet with Israeli representatives to discuss vital
regional issues like water and economic development. Saudi
Arabia, while it has regrettably shied away from recognition,
has invested its considerable diplomatic and economic weight
behind these regional peace efforts.
The emerging Arab peace camp, so visible at Yitzhak Rabin's
funeral and the antiterrorism summit meeting at Sharm el-
Sheik, should not step forward once again to counsel
restraint. More belligerent voice, like that of the Libyan
leader, Col. Muammar El-Qaddafi, and the militantly Islamic
Sudanese regime, will also be present in Cairo. Groups like
Hezbollah in Lebanon and Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza and
the West Bank may try to use terrorism to force Israel to
break off the peace talks that these groups have always
rejected.
Syria rests somewhere between the peace camp and the
enemies of peace. With Mr. Netanyahu withdrawing the Israeli
offer to return the Golan Heights and suggesting that he is
more interested in strengthening relations with Jordan and
Egypt than with Syria, the Syrian President, Hafez-al-Assad,
is determined to avoid isolation. He hopes the summit meeting
with stiffen King Hussein's resolve to resist any Israeli
offers of authority over areas of the West Bank or Muslim
religious sites in Jerusalem. He also wants Washington to
continue serving as an intermediary between Israel and Syria.
[[Page S6667]]
Egypt would like to reassert its traditional leadership in
Arab affairs by bringing together those countries that have
already made peace with Israel and those that have not.
The Palestinian leadership, for its part, has little choice
but to proceed down the diplomatic road on which it has
embarked. While Mr. Netanyaghu has said he doubts the
finality of Mr. Arafat's break with terrorism, the Israeli
leader has no interest in pushing Palestinians into the arms
of Mr. Arafat's chief rivals, Hamas and Islamic Holy War.
Despite Mr. Netanyahu's promise to expand West Bank
settlements, and his opposition to Palestinian statehood,
there remains much for Israel and the Palestinians to
discuss, including economic and water issues, security and a
timetable for Israel's partial withdrawal from Hebron.
With Mr. Netanyahu forming a government and Arab leaders
regrouping, careless threat or provocative statement from
either side could deepen the mutual distrust that already
exists. Mr. Netanyahu has spoken with care and diplomacy
since his election. The Arab leaders should do no less.
Mr. BROWN addressed the Chair.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. The Senator from Colorado.
Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, today, Senator Lautenberg, the Senator from
New Jersey, submits for himself, myself, and Senator Lieberman a
resolution that deals with the Arab summit that has been called for on
June 21. It calls together a number of Presidents and leaders of
countries in the Middle East. Presumably, included in their discussions
will be the peace process and its progress thus far.
That meeting, taking place in Cairo, is an important meeting. The
resolution that Senator Lautenberg and I and Senator Lieberman have
offered today expresses concerns about that. I think President Clinton
expressed many of our concerns, as well, when he stated his hope ``that
the Arab leaders who attend the summit will give Mr. Netanyahu an
opportunity to constitute his government and set policy and not presume
that we cannot pursue peace.''
I think that is terribly important. I had hoped this resolution would
be considered today and adopted unanimously. Unfortunately, there have
been some problems getting that unanimous-consent process today. I do
not believe it relates to the substance of the resolution in any way.
Our resolution suggests three things, and I believe all Members of
the Senate join in this.
One, that the governments in the Middle East should reaffirm their
commitment to a comprehensive peace in the Middle East.
Mr. President, that is vital. If economic and civil rights progress
is to be made in the Middle East, peace has to be the lubricant that
brings it to the forefront.
Second, we believe that the Government should express their
willingness to work with the democratically elected Government of
Israel in the pursuit of meaningful peace.
Mr. President, we acknowledge and understand that countries disagree
over their policies. But the fact is that Israel has a democratically
elected government. We believe they ought to be respected and given the
opportunity to work with those other leaders for peace.
Third, the resolution calls on Middle Eastern governments to refrain
from statements directed at the new Israeli Government that might
create an atmosphere in the region that is unfavorable to the
continuation of the peace process.
Mr. President, it is in everybody's interest to move ahead with peace
and the peace process. We hope very much that not only the summit that
takes place on the 21st, but the activities of all the governments will
be to that end.
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