[Congressional Record Volume 142, Number 133 (Tuesday, September 24, 1996)]
[Senate]
[Pages S11201-S11202]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE CONCERNING AFGHANISTAN

  Mr. FRIST. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar item 515, Senate 
Resolution 275.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 275) to express the sense of the 
     Senate concerning Afghanistan.

  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection to the immediate 
consideration of the resolution?
  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution which had been reported from the Committee on Foreign 
Relations with an amendment, as follows:
  (The part of the bill intended to be stricken is shown in bold face 
brackets and the part of the bill intended to be inserted is shown in 
italic.)

                              S. Res. 275

       Whereas, prior to 1979, Afghanistan was a peaceful, united 
     country;
       Whereas, the successful fight of brave men and women of 
     Afghanistan resisting the Soviet invasion and occupation of 
     1979-1989 was a significant element in the dissolution of the 
     Soviet empire;
       Whereas the dissolution of the Soviet empire brought 
     freedom to the nations of central and eastern Europe as well 
     as to the nations of central Asia;
       Whereas although many years after the Soviet Union 
     withdrawal, Afghanistan does not enjoy the peace it has 
     earned;
       Whereas the United Nations can play a unique and important 
     role in bringing an end to the conflict in Afghanistan; and

[[Page S11202]]

       Whereas recent meetings between Members of Congress and the 
     representatives of the major Afghan factions indicate a 
     significant desire on the part of all parties to achieve a 
     peaceful resolution to the conflict in Afghanistan and the 
     establishment of an effective government that represents the 
     interests of the Afghan people: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the courageous people of Afghanistan have earned the 
     world's respect and support for their epic struggle against 
     the forces of communism;
       (2) resolving the continuing conflict in Afghanistan and 
     alleviating the accompanying humanitarian distress of the 
     Afghan people should be a top priority of the United States;
       (3) outside interference and the provision of arms and 
     military supplies to the warring parties should be halted;
       (4) a unique moment in Afghan civil war exists where all 
     major factions are searching for a peaceful solution to the 
     conflict;
       [(5) the United States should urge the United Nations to 
     move quickly to appoint a special envoy to Afghanistan who 
     will act aggressively to assist the Afghans to achieve a 
     solution to the conflict acceptable to the Afghan people; and
       [(6) the United Nations should work to create the 
     conditions for a continuing dialogue among the Afghan 
     factions.]
       (5) urges the United Nations Security Council to impose an 
     international arms embargo on Afghanistan to halt the 
     resupply of arms and ammunition to the warring factions;
       (6) the United States welcomes the appointment by the 
     United Nations of a new special envoy to Afghanistan and 
     urges him to aggressively assist the Afghans to achieve a 
     solution to the conflict acceptable to the Afghan people; and
       (7) the United Nations should work to create the conditions 
     for a continuing dialogue among the Afghan factions.

  Mr. FRIST. I ask unanimous consent that the amendment be agreed to, 
the resolution, as amended, be agreed to, the preamble be agreed to, 
the motion to reconsider be laid upon the table, and that any 
statements relating to the resolution appear at the appropriate place 
in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment was agreed to.
  The resolution (S. Res. 275) as amended was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, as amended, and the preamble are as follows:
  [The resolution was not available for printing. It will appear in a 
future issue of the Record.]

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