[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 30, Number 39 (Monday, October 3, 1994)]
[Pages 1874-1875]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Letter to Congressional Leaders on the Compact of Free Association With 
the Republic of Palau

September 27, 1994

Dear Mr. Speaker:  (Dear Mr. President:) (Dear Mr. Chairmen:)

    In my letter of July 26, 1994, I reported that the voters of Palau 
had approved the Compact of Free Association with the United States, 
opening the way, 7 years after its approval by the Congress, for the 
Compact to be brought into force.
    Along with my letter, in accordance with section 101 of the Compact 
of Free Association with Palau Act, Public Law 101-219 (December 12, 
1989), section 101(d)(1)(C) and (2) of the Compact of Free Association 
Approval Act, Public Law 99-658 (November 14, 1986), and section 102(b) 
of the Compact of Free Association Act of 1985, Public Law 99-239 
(January 14, 1986), I submitted the Economic Development Plan of the 
Republic of Palau, copies of certain sub- 

[[Page 1875]]

sidiary agreements between the United States and Palau, and an agreement 
between Palau and the United States establishing October 1, 1994, as the 
effective date for the Compact, provided that all lawsuits in Palau 
challenging approval of the Compact had been resolved by that date.
    I have been advised by the Government of Palau that approval of the 
Compact is now free from any legal challenge in the courts of Palau and 
that the time for filing additional challenges has expired. Therefore, 
in addition to the findings and determinations that I reported in my 
July 26 letter, I am pleased to advise you that:
    1. Pursuant to section 101(1) of Public Law 101-219, I have 
determined that the Compact was approved by the requisite percentage of 
votes cast in a referendum conducted pursuant to the Constitution of 
Palau and that such approval is free from any legal challenge.
    2. Pursuant to section 101(2) of Public Law 101-219, the requisite 
30 days in which either the House of Representatives or the Senate of 
the United States was in session have elapsed since my July 26 
notification to the Congress of the October 1, 1994, effective date of 
the Compact.
    3. Pursuant to section 101(d)(1)(A) of Public Law 99-658, I hereby 
certify that the Compact has been approved in accordance with section 
411(a) and (b) of the Compact and that there exists no legal impediment 
to the ability of the United States to carry out fully its 
responsibilities and to exercise its rights under Title Three of the 
Compact.
    4. Agreements have been concluded with Palau that satisfy the 
requirements of section 101(d)(1)(C) of Public Law 99-658.
    5. The period of congressional review provided in section 
102(b)(2)(B) of Public Law 99-239 having elapsed, the United States 
hereby concurs with Palau's Economic Development Plan.
    Therefore, all statutory conditions for implementation of the 
Compact having been met, I have issued the attached proclamation 
terminating the trust relationship between the United States and Palau 
and the entry into force of the Compact of Free Association between the 
United States and the Republican of Palau, effective October 1, 1994, at 
one minute past one o'clock p.m. local time in Palau.
    Sincerely,
                                            William J. Clinton

Note: Identical letters were sent to Thomas S. Foley, Speaker of the 
House of Representatives; Albert Gore, Jr., President of the Senate; 
Claiborne Pell, chairman, Senate Committee on Foreign Relations; J. 
Bennett Johnston, chairman, Senate Committee on Energy and Natural 
Resources; Lee H. Hamilton, chairman, House Committee on Foreign 
Affairs; and George Miller, chairman, House Committee on Natural 
Resources.