[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 20 (Thursday, February 4, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S1284]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 5--EXPRESSING CONGRESSIONAL OPPOSITION TO 
   THE UNILATERAL DECLARATION OF A PALESTINIAN STATE AND URGING THE 
    PRESIDENT TO ASSERT CLEARLY UNITED STATES OPPOSITION TO SUCH A 
                  UNILATERAL DECLARATION OF STATEHOOD

  Mr. MURKOWSKI (for himself, Mr. Wyden, Mr. Mack, Mr. Smith of Oregon, 
Mr. Hatch, Mr. Kerrey of Nebraska, Mr. Fitzgerald, Mr. Helms, Mr. 
Ashcroft, Mr. Schumer, Mr. Torricelli, Mr. Grams, and Mr. Lautenberg) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
on Foreign Relations:

                             S. Con. Res. 5

       Whereas at the heart of the Oslo peace process lies the 
     basic, irrevocable commitment made by Palestinian Chairman 
     Yasir Arafat that, in his words, ``all outstanding issues 
     relating to permanent status will be resolved through 
     negotiations'';
       Whereas resolving the political status of the territory 
     controlled by the Palestinian Authority while ensuring 
     Israel's security is one of the central issues of the 
     Israeli-Palestinian conflict;
       Whereas a declaration of statehood by the Palestinians 
     outside the framework of negotiations would, therefore, 
     constitute a most fundamental violation of the Oslo process;
       Whereas Yasir Arafat and other Palestinian leaders have 
     repeatedly threatened to declare unilaterally the 
     establishment of a Palestinian state;
       Whereas the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian state 
     would introduce a dramatically destabilizing element into the 
     Middle East, risking Israeli countermeasures, a quick descent 
     into violence, and an end to the entire peace process; and
       Whereas in light of continuing statements by Palestinian 
     leaders, United States opposition to any unilateral 
     Palestinian declaration of statehood should be made clear and 
     unambiguous: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That--
       (1) the final political status of the territory controlled 
     by the Palestinian Authority can only be determined through 
     negotiations and agreement between Israel and the Palestinian 
     Authority;
       (2) any attempt to establish Palestinian statehood outside 
     the negotiating process will invoke the strongest 
     congressional opposition; and
       (3) the President should unequivocally assert United States 
     opposition to the unilateral declaration of a Palestinian 
     State, making clear that such a declaration would be a 
     grievous violation of the Oslo accords and that a declared 
     state would not be recognized by the United States.

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