[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 64 (Tuesday, May 19, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Pages S5131-S5132]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of Oregon (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Thomas, and 
        Mr. Brownback):
  S. 2092. A bill to promote full equality at the United Nations for 
Israel; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.


         EQUALITY FOR ISRAEL AT THE UNITED NATIONS ACT OF 1998

  Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, today I introduce legislation 
requiring the Secretary of State report on actions taken by our 
Ambassador to the United Nations to push the nations of the Western 
Europe and Others Group (WEOG) to accept Israel into their group.
  As you may know, Israel is the only nation among the 185 member 
states that does not hold membership in a regional group. Membership in 
a regional group is the prerequisite for any nation to serve on key 
United Nations bodies such as the Security Council. In order to correct 
this inequality, I am introducing ``The Equality for Israel at the 
United Nations Act of 1998.'' I believe that this legislation will 
prompt our United Nations Representative to make equality for Israel at 
the United Nations a high priority.
  I am proud to be joined by Senators Wyden, Brownback and Thomas as 
original co-sponsors of this important legislation.
  Mr. President, Israel has been a member of the United Nations since

[[Page S5132]]

1949, yet it has been continuously precluded from membership in any 
regional bloc. Most member states from the Middle East would block the 
vote needed to join their own regional group. The Western Europe and 
Others Group, however, has accepted countries from other geographical 
areas--the United States and Australia for example.
  Recently United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan announced that 
``It's time to usher in a new era of relations between Israel and the 
United Nations . . . One way to rectify that new chapter would be to 
rectify an anomaly: Israel's position as the only Member State that is 
not a member of one of the regional groups, which means it has no 
chance of being elected to serve on main organs such as the Security 
Council or the Economic and Social Council. This anomaly would be 
corrected.''
  I believe it is time to back Secretary General Annan's idea with 
strong support from the United States Senate and I ask all my 
colleagues to join me in sending this message to the UN to stop this 
discrimination against Israel.
  Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent to have this legislation 
printed in the Record.
  There being no objection, the bill was ordered to be printed in the 
Record, as follows:

                                S. 2092

       Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Equality for Israel at the 
     United Nations Act of 1998''.

     SEC. 2. EFFORTS TO PROMOTE FULL EQUALITY AT THE UNITED 
                   NATIONS FOR ISRAEL.

       (a) Congressional Statement.--It is the sense of the 
     Congress that--
       (1) the United States must help promote an end to the 
     persistent inequity experienced by Israel in the United 
     Nations whereby Israel is the only longstanding member of the 
     organization to be denied acceptance into any of the United 
     Nations regional blocs, which serve as the basis for 
     participation in important activities of the United Nations, 
     including rotating membership on the United Nations Security 
     Council; and
       (2) the United States Ambassador to the United Nations 
     should take all steps necessary to ensure Israel's acceptance 
     in the Western Europe and Others Group (WEOG) regional bloc, 
     whose membership includes the non-European countries of 
     Canada, Australia, and the United States.
       (b) Reports to Congress.--Not later than 60 days after the 
     date of the enactment of this Act and on a quarterly basis 
     thereafter, the Secretary of State shall submit to the 
     appropriate congressional committees a report which includes 
     the following information (in classified or unclassified form 
     as appropriate):
       (1) Actions taken by representatives of the United States, 
     including the United States Ambassador to the United Nations, 
     to encourage the nations of the Western Europe and Others 
     Group (WEOG) to accept Israel into their regional bloc.
       (2) Efforts undertaken by the Secretary General of the 
     United Nations to secure Israel's full and equal 
     participation in that body.
       (3) Specific responses solicited and received by the 
     Secretary of State from each of the nations of Western Europe 
     and Others Group (WEOG) on their position concerning Israel's 
     acceptance into their organization.
       (4) Other measures being undertaken, and which will be 
     undertaken, to ensure and promote Israel's full and equal 
     participation in the United Nations.
                                 ______