[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 146 (2000), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18194]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                  COMPLIMENTING PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY

  Mr. SPECTER. Mr. President, I compliment the Palestinian Council, the 
Palestinian Authority, and Chairman Arafat on their decision not to 
declare an independent state which had been proposed for September 13. 
I had urged Chairman Arafat not to declare an independent state when 
that was proposed last year, and I said at that time that if they 
desisted, I would make a statement on the Senate floor complimenting 
them on moving forward.
  I say today that their decision is an important one, a good one, and 
one which will provide a better basis for further negotiations on the 
Mideast peace process.

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