[Congressional Record Volume 147, Number 115 (Thursday, September 6, 2001)]
[Senate]
[Page S9193]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


      TENTH ANNUAL MEETING OF THE ASIA PACIFIC PARLIAMENTARY FORUM

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
proceed to the immediate consideration of calendar No. 113, S. Con. 
Res. 58.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the concurrent 
resolution by title.
  The legislative clerk read as follows:

       A concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 58) expressing 
     support for the tenth annual meeting of the Asia Pacific 
     Parliamentary Forum.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
concurrent resolution.
  Mr. REID. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the concurrent 
resolution and preamble be agreed to en bloc, the motion to reconsider 
be laid upon the table, and that any statements relating thereto be 
printed in the Record, with no intervening action or debate.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Is there objection?
  Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The concurrent resolution (S. Con. Res. 58) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The concurrent resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:
       Whereas the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum was founded by 
     former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone in 1993;
       Whereas the Tokyo Declaration, signed by 59 
     parliamentarians from 15 countries, entered into force as the 
     founding charter of the forum on January 14 and 15, 1993, 
     establishing the basic structure of the forum as an 
     interparliamentary organization;
       Whereas the original 15 members, one of which was the 
     United States, have increased to 27 member countries;
       Whereas the forum serves to promote regional identification 
     and cooperation through discussion of matters of common 
     concern to all member states and serves, to a great extent, 
     as the legislative arm of the Asia-Pacific Economic 
     Cooperation;
       Whereas the focus of the forum lies in resolving political, 
     economic, environmental, security, law and order, human 
     rights, education, and cultural issues;
       Whereas the forum will hold its tenth annual meeting on 
     January 6 through 9, 2002, which will be the first meeting of 
     the forum hosted by the United States;
       Whereas approximately 270 parliamentarians from 27 
     countries in the Asia Pacific region will attend this 
     meeting;
       Whereas the Secretariat of the meeting will be the Center 
     for Cultural and Technical Exchange Between East and West in 
     Honolulu, Hawaii;
       Whereas the East-West Center is an internationally 
     recognized education and research organization established by 
     the United States Congress in 1960 largely through the 
     efforts of the Eisenhower administration and the Congress;
       Whereas it is the mission of the East-West Center to 
     strengthen understanding and relations between the United 
     States and the countries of the Asia Pacific region and to 
     help promote the establishment of a stable, peaceful and 
     prosperous Asia Pacific community in which the United States 
     is a natural, valued, and leading partner; and
       Whereas it is the agenda of this meeting to advance 
     democracy, peace, and prosperity in the Asia Pacific region: 
     Now, therefore be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That the Congress--
       (1) expresses support for the tenth annual meeting of the 
     Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum and for the ideals and 
     concerns of this body;
       (2) commends the East-West Center for hosting the meeting 
     of the Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum and the 
     representatives of the 27 member countries; and
       (3) calls upon all parties to support the endeavors of the 
     Asia Pacific Parliamentary Forum and to work toward achieving 
     the goals of the meeting.

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