[Congressional Record Volume 144, Number 141 (Friday, October 9, 1998)]
[Senate]
[Page S12251]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 EXPRESSING SENSE OF SENATE WITH RESPECT TO DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH 
                         PACIFIC ISLAND NATIONS

  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Foreign 
Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of S. Res. 
277, submitted by Senator Inouye, and that the Senate proceed to its 
immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 277) expressing the sense of the 
     Senate with respect to the importance of diplomatic relations 
     with the Pacific Island nations.

  The Senate proceeded to consider the resolution.
  Mr. COATS. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the resolution 
and preamble be agreed to, en bloc; that the motion to reconsider be 
laid upon the table; and that any statements relating to the resolution 
be printed at the appropriate place in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 277) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, is as follows:

                              S. Res. 277

       Whereas the South Pacific region covers an immense area of 
     the earth, approximately 3 times the size of the contiguous 
     United States;
       Whereas the United States seeks to maintain strong and 
     enduring economic, political, and strategic ties with the 
     Pacific island countries of the region, despite the reduced 
     diplomatic presence of the United States in the region since 
     World War II;
       Whereas Pacific island nations wield control over vast 
     tracts of the ocean, including seabed minerals, fishing 
     rights, and other marine resources which will play a major 
     role in the future of the global economy;
       Whereas access to these valuable resources will be vital in 
     maintaining the position of the United States as the leading 
     world power in the new millennium;
       Whereas Asian countries have already recognized the 
     important role that these Pacific island nations will play in 
     the future of the global economy, as evidenced by the Tokyo 
     summit meeting in October 1997 with various Pacific island 
     heads of state;
       Whereas the Pacific has long been regarded as one of the 
     ``last frontiers'', with an enormous wealth of uncultivated 
     resources; and
       Whereas direct United States participation in the human and 
     natural resource development of the South Pacific region 
     would promote beneficial ties with these Pacific island 
     nations and increase the possibilities of access to the 
     region's valuable resources: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) it is in the national interest of the United States to 
     remain actively engaged in the South Pacific region as a 
     means of supporting important United States commercial and 
     strategic interests, and to encourage the consolidation of 
     democratic values;
       (2) a Pacific island summit, hosted by the President of the 
     United States with the Pacific island heads of government, 
     would be an excellent opportunity for the United States to 
     foster and improve diplomatic relations with the Pacific 
     island nations;
       (3) through diplomacy and participation in the human and 
     natural resource development of the Pacific region, the 
     United States will increase the possibility of gaining access 
     to valuable resources, thus strengthening the position of the 
     United States as a world power economically and strategically 
     in the new millennium; and
       (4) the United States should fulfill its longstanding 
     commitment to the democratization and economic prosperity of 
     the Pacific island nations by promoting their earliest 
     integration in the mainstream of bilateral, regional, and 
     global commerce and trade.

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