[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 117 (Friday, August 2, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S9661]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




REMOVAL OF INJUNCTION OF SECRECY--TREATY DOCUMENT NO. 104-28 AND TREATY 
                          DOCUMENT NO. 104-29

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent the injunction of 
secrecy be removed from two treaties: A Protocol Amending the 1916 
Convention for the Protection of Migratory Birds (Treaty Document No. 
104-28); and a United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification in 
Countries Experiencing Drought, Particularly in Africa, with Annexes 
(Treaty Document No. 104-29); transmitted to the Senate by the 
President today; and ask that the treaties be considered as having been 
read the first time; that they 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 messages of the President are as follows:

To the Senate of the United States:
  With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the Protocol between the United 
States and Canada Amending the 1916 Convention for the Protection of 
Migratory Birds in Canada and the United States, with a related 
exchange of notes, signed at Washington on December 14, 1995.
  The Protocol, which is discussed in more detail in the accompanying 
report of the Secretary of State, represents a considerable achievement 
for the United States in conserving migratory birds and balancing the 
interests of conservationists, sports hunters, and indigenous people. 
If ratified and properly implemented, the Protocol should further 
enhance the management and protection of this important resource for 
the benefit of all users.
  The Protocol would replace a protocol with a similar purpose, which 
was signed January 30, 1979, (Executive W, 96th Cong., 2nd Sess. 
(1980)), and which I, therefore, desire to withdraw from the Senate.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
the Protocol, with exchange of notes, and give its advice and consent 
to ratification.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, August 2, 1996.
                                                                    ____

To the Senate of the United States:
  I transmit herewith, for the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification 
in Those Countries Experiencing Serious Drought and/or Desertification, 
Particularly in Africa, with Annexes, adopted at Paris, June 17, 1994, 
and signed by the United States on October 14, 1994. The report of the 
Department of State is also enclosed for the information of the Senate.
  The purpose of the Convention is to combat desertification and 
mitigate the effects of drought on arid, semi-arid, and dry sub-humid 
lands through effective action at all levels. In particular, the 
Convention addresses the fundamental causes of famine and food 
insecurity in Africa, by stimulating more effective partnership between 
governments, local communities, nongovernmental organizations, and aid 
donors, and by encouraging the dissemination of information derived 
from new technology (e.g., early warning of impending drought) to 
farmers.
  The United States has strongly supported the Convention's innovative 
approach to combatting dryland degradation. I believe it will help 
Africans and others to make better use of fragile resources without 
requiring increased development assistance. Ratification by the United 
States would promote effective implementation of the Convention and is 
likely to encourage similar action by other countries whose 
participation would also promote effective implementation.
  United States obligations under the Convention would be met under 
existing law and ongoing assistance programs.
  I recommend that the Senate give early and favorable consideration to 
this Convention and its Annexes, with the declaration described in the 
accompanying report of the Secretary of State, and give its advice and 
consent to ratification.
                                                  William J. Clinton.  
  The White House, August 2, 1996.

                          ____________________