[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 36, Number 21 (Monday, May 29, 2000)]
[Pages 1199-1200]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Message to the Senate Transmitting the Honduras-United States Bilateral 
Investment Treaty With Documentation

May 23, 2000

To the Senate of the United States:

    With a view to receiving the advice and consent of the Senate to 
ratification, I transmit herewith the Treaty Between the Government of 
the United States of America and the Government of the Republic of 
Honduras Concerning the Encouragement and Reciprocal Protection of 
Investment, with Annex and Protocol, signed at Denver on July 1, 1995. I 
transmit also, for the information of the Senate, the report of the 
Department of State with respect to this Treaty.
    The bilateral investment treaty (BIT) with Honduras is the fourth 
such Treaty with a Central or South American country. The Treaty will 
protect U.S. investment and assist Honduras in its efforts to develop 
its economy by creating conditions more favorable for U.S. private 
investment and thus strengthen the development of its private sector.
    The Treaty is fully consistent with U.S. policy toward international 
and domestic investment. A specific tenet of U.S. policy, reflected in 
this Treaty, is that U.S. investment abroad and foreign investment in 
the United States should receive national treatment. Under this Treaty, 
the Parties also agree to international law standards for expropriation. 
The Treaty includes detailed provisions regarding the computation and 
payment of

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prompt, adequate, and effective compensation for expropriation; free 
transfer of funds related to investments; freedom of investments from 
specified performance requirements; fair, equitable, and most-favored-
nation treatment; and the investor's freedom to choose to resolve 
disputes with the host government through international arbitration.
    I recommend that the Senate consider this Treaty as soon as 
possible, and give its advice and consent to ratification of the Treaty, 
with Annex and Protocol, at an early date.
                                            William J. Clinton
 The White House,
 May 23, 2000.