[Congressional Record Volume 145, Number 60 (Thursday, April 29, 1999)]
[Senate]
[Page S4456]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mr. SMITH of Oregon (for himself, Mr. Thomas, and Mr. 
        Brownback):
  S. 923. A bill to promote full equality at the United Nations for 
Israel; to the Committee on Foreign Relations.


                   international affairs legislation

  Mr. SMITH of Oregon. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce 
legislation requiring the Secretary of State to 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 1999.'' 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 Brownback and Thomas as original 
co-sponsors of this important legislation.
  Mr. President, Israel has been a member of the United Nations since 
1949, yet it has been continuously precluded from membership in any 
regional bloc. Most member states from the Middle East would block 
Israel's membership in any relevant regional group. The Western Europe 
and Others Group, however, has accepted countries from other 
geographical areas--the United States and Australia for example.
  Last year, 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.
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