[Congressional Record Volume 143, Number 98 (Friday, July 11, 1997)]
[Senate]
[Page S7314]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           CO-SPONSORSHIP OF SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 29

 Mr. ABRAHAM. Mr. President, I rise today to offer my support 
as a cosponsor to Senate Concurrent Resolution 29. This resolution 
recommends the integration of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania into the 
North Atlantic Treaty Organization.
  Ever since the disintegration of the Soviet Union, there has been 
talk of expanding NATO membership to include countries of Central 
Europe and the former Baltic Republics. These Baltic countries are 
continually striving to transform their political and economic 
institutions in accordance with democratic ideals and free market 
principles. We have seen remarkable achievements in this respect, from 
countries that have endured many years of communist occupation.
  I believe that expanding NATO to include Latvia, Lithuania, and 
Estonia would benefit bi-lateral trade and investment through a stable 
security environment. Furthermore, these countries have made great 
strides in the areas of human rights, civil liberties and the rule of 
law, and have also actively participated in the Partnership for Peace. 
They should be rewarded for these efforts. Most importantly however, 
enlargement of NATO to include these Baltic States would secure a 
principal gain of the cold war by strengthening new free markets and 
democracies in the region.
  Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia are all working very hard to satisfy 
the prerequisites of entry into NATO. As such, I am supportive of all 
efforts to integrate them in the membership of that organization as 
soon as the process permits.

                          ____________________