From: ZHAO@HUXTAL.BITNET
Subject:      CCSA: CURRENT STATUS ON S1216
Reply-To: ZHAO@HUXTAL.BITNET
Organization: Indiana University
Date: Wed, 7 Oct 1992 21:37:00 GMT

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          IFCSS/CCSA: CURRENT STATUS ON S1216

*****************************************************************


          TO:       Chinese Students and Scholars Nationwide

          From:     Haiching Zhao, Chairman, IFCSS/CCSA

          Date:     October 7, 1992

     Many students have been anxiously calling to find out the
current status of S1216.  We have continued our low-key lobbying
effort and closely monitored and kept contact with appropriate
government agencies and congressional offices for any up-to-minute
development.  The President has time up to next Monday to sign the
bill into law.  Up to 5:00p.m. today, the word from the White House
is that S1216 is in a pile of more than 100 bills passed by the
Congress in the last two weeks.  It is in the White House and has
not been signed by the President yet.  The following is a brief
report on the current status of the S1216.

     (1) The White House.  We had a meeting at 1:00p.m. on Monday
with a special assistant to the President on Public Liaison.  The
meeting lasted for less than an hour followed with a brief
encounter with the President on the West Side Lawn in the White
House Rose Garden.  Our primary goal of the meeting was to express
our concern and reason for the President to sign S1216, and to hear
from the White House their official stand on the bill.

     We were clearly told by the White House official that the
President is "favorably disposed to the bill", and "he is inclined
to sign it", and that "the bill has gone through various government
agencies including the Justice Department and the Office of
Management and Budget with all favorable recommendations".  He also
characterized the timing of the signature as "it is a matter of
days."

     When Ji Yingquan asked about whether other bilateral issues
such as F-16 sale or MFN bill have complicated the situation with
the bill.  The response was that "as far as the White House is
concerned, they are separate issues thus far,"  which indicates
there is no inconsistency for the President to veto one bill (MFN)
and sign on another (S1216).  This also suggests that our low key
approach on S1216 and high profile push on conditional MFN have
been successful.  He also favorably mentioned the fact that the
White House has not received a out-burst of phone calls on S1216.


     The result of the meeting was certainly positive and
reconfirmed the success of our low key approach on S1216 in the
past.

     (2) I also called two officials that I have been friendly with
from the State Department and the Justice Department.  After they
called around, they came back to me and confirm independently what
we have learned from the White House.

     (3) Congressional offices.  Since last week, we have continued
to visit Republican offices on the Capitol Hill.  Together with the
New York delegation headed by Mr. Diao Fenghe and Mr. Li Jiang, and
the Minnesota delegation headed by Mr. Ji Yingquan and Mr. Guan
Jinhua,  we visited more than 20 congressional offices.  We met
with Senator McCain.  After hearing our plea, he promised to do
anything he can to let the President sign the bill.  Later, we
started to hear the feedbacks from these congressional offices
including Sen. Wallop, Sen. D'Amato, Sen. Packwood, Sen. Brown,
Sen. Gorton, and Sen. Mitchell, that the response from the
Administration on S1216 has been positive.  In addition, when we
met with Rep. Joe Barton, he called the White House and was told by
the Legislative Director from the White House that the President
will sign the bill.

     (4) Our strategy.  We should continue our successful low-key
approach.  Some people have called me today regarding the calling-
in program tonight on CNN with the President.  I have quickly
consulted with several key congressional offices including Sen.
Kennedy's office regarding this event.  The advice was " I would
stay out of it and wouldn't have students calling the President
publicly on this bill."  "You certainly don't want to give the
public an impression that there are a bunch of foreigners beating
up their President."

     So far, everything regarding the bill seems to be smooth.  Our
recommendation for tonight's CNN caller-in program is NOT TO CALL
the President directly.  It is one thing to have an American
university president calling him asking about the bill.  It is
another to have a group students calling him publicly and risking
unintentionally jeopardizing the signature at this delicate moment.

     However, we fully recognize that everybody has the freedom of
speech and can make the call on their own.  If you insist to call
and happen to get through,  PLEASE BE VERY POLITE AND RESPECTFUL TO
THE PRESIDENT.

     We have worked so hard and so long on this bill, and we have
got so close to the final success.  Our low-key approach has been
successful and should continue.  However, we should certainly
reserve the right and maintain the capability to conduct a massive
White House lobbying campaign if there is a need.  We are currently
monitoring the situation very closely and will certainly let you
know of any further development.

/end
Newsgroups: talk.politics.china