[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 16]
[Senate]
[Page 21438]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                  WELCOMING THE FOURTEENTH DALAI LAMA

  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, on behalf of the leader, I ask unanimous 
consent that the Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further 
consideration of S. Res. 212 and that the Senate proceed to its 
immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 212) welcoming His Holiness the 
     Fourteenth Dalai Lama and recognizing his commitment to non-
     violence, human rights, freedom and democracy.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. STEVENS. Mr. President, I ask further unanimous consent that the 
resolution be agreed to, the amendment to the preamble be agreed to, 
that the preamble, as amended, be agreed to, that the motion to 
reconsider be laid upon the table with no intervening action or debate, 
and that any statements relating to this measure be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The amendment (No. 1589) was agreed to as follows:

               (Purpose: To make a technical correction)

       On page 1:
       In the preamble, strike:
       Whereas the Dalai Lama has been a strong voice for the 
     basic human fights of all peoples, particularly freedom of 
     religion;
       and insert:
       Whereas the Dalai Lama has been a strong voice for the 
     basic human rights of all peoples, particularly freedom of 
     religion;

  The resolution (S. Res. 212) was agreed to.
  The preamble, as amended, was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 212

       Welcoming His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and 
     recognizing his commitment to non-violence, human rights, 
     freedom, and democracy.
       Whereas for over 40 years in exile, His Holiness the 
     Fourteenth Dalai Lama has used his position and leadership to 
     promote compassion and non-violence as a solution to not only 
     the present crisis in Tibet, but to other long-running 
     conflicts around the world;
       Whereas the Dalai Lama was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 
     1989 in recognition of his efforts to seek a peaceful 
     resolution to the situation in Tibet, and to promote 
     nonviolent methods for resolving conflict;
       Whereas the Dalai Lama has been a strong voice for the 
     basic human rights of all peoples, particularly freedom of 
     religion;
       Whereas the Dalai Lama has personally promoted democratic 
     self-government for Tibetans in exile as a model for securing 
     freedom for all Tibet, including relinquishing his political 
     positions and turning these authorities over to elected 
     Tibetan representatives;
       Whereas the Dalai Lama seeks a solution for Tibet that 
     provides genuine autonomy for the Tibetan people and does not 
     call for independence and separation from the People's 
     Republic of China;
       Whereas the envoys of the Dalai Lama have traveled to China 
     and Tibet twice in the past year to begin discussions with 
     Chinese authorities on a permanent negotiated settlement of 
     the Tibet issue;
       Whereas the successful advancement of these discussions is 
     in the strong interest of both the Chinese and Tibetan 
     people; and
       Whereas it is the policy of the United States to support 
     substantive dialogue between the Government of the People's 
     Republic of China and the Dalai Lama or his representatives: 
     Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
       (1) the visit of the Dalai Lama to the United States in 
     September 2003 is warmly welcomed;
       (2) the Dalai Lama should be recognized and congratulated 
     for his consistent efforts to promote dialogue to peacefully 
     resolve the Tibet issue and to increase the religious and 
     cultural autonomy of the Tibetan people; and
       (3) all parties to the current discussions should be 
     encouraged by the Government of the United States to deepen 
     these contacts in order to achieve the aspirations of the 
     people of Tibet for genuine autonomy and basic human rights.

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