[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 121 (Friday, September 6, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Page S10024]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




      CONGRATULATING THE PEOPLE OF MONGOLIA ON EMBRACING DEMOCRACY

  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar No. 516, Senate 
Resolution 276.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 276) congratulating the people of 
     Mongolia on embracing democracy in Mongolia through their 
     participation in the parliamentary elections held on June 30, 
     1996.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
and preamble be agreed to, en bloc, and the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table, en bloc.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 276) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, was agreed to as follows:

                              S. Res. 276

       Whereas Mongolia conducted elections on June 30, 1996, for 
     its unicameral national parliament, the Great Hural;
       Whereas Mongolian voters cast their ballots in a peaceful 
     and orderly fashion at 1590 polling places, choosing from 
     among 351 candidates representing 11 different parties and 
     coalitions;
       Whereas the primary issues facing Mongolian voters were the 
     scope and pace of continued democratization and economic 
     liberalization;
       Whereas the former Communist Mongolian People's 
     Revolutionary Party (MPRP) suffered a dramatic and unexpected 
     loss at the polls, and the Democratic Union Coalition won 
     majority control of the Great Hural;
       Whereas the Democratic Union Coalition espoused a policy of 
     strengthening democratic institutions, implementing free 
     market economic reforms, and strengthening the independence 
     of the judiciary;
       Whereas voter turnout exceeded 87 percent according to 
     preliminary reports;
       Whereas an international election observation team led by 
     former Secretary of State James A. Baker traveled to nine 
     different areas of Mongolia to observe pre-election day 
     preparations and Mongolian citizens voting on election day; 
     and
       Whereas the United States election observers judged the 
     election to be free, peaceful, and fair, with the results 
     respected by all sides: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate hereby congratulates the people 
     of Mongolia for--
       (1) overwhelmingly embracing democracy through their 
     participation in the June 30, 1996, elections for the 
     national parliament, the Great Hural;
       (2) conducting free, fair, and credible elections;
       (3) continuing to build on the progress of the past and 
     moving further away from their previous dependence on a 
     communist system; and
       (4) serving as an example to the peoples of East Asia who 
     seek further democratization of their countries.
       Sec. 2. The Secretary of the Senate shall transmit a copy 
     of this resolution to the President with the request that he 
     further transmit such copy to the Government of Mongolia.

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