III

Calendar No. 319

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 174

To state the sense of the Senate that Thailand is a key partner and friend

of the United States, has committed itself to executing its responsibilities

under its arrangements with the International Monetary Fund, and that

the United States should be prepared to take appropriate steps to ensure

continued close bilateral relations.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

FEBRUARY 9, 1998

Mr. ROTH (for himself, Mr. BAUCUS, Mr. THOMAS, Mr. LUGAR, and Mr.

MACK) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on Foreign Relations

MARCH 3, 1998

Reported by Mr. HELMS, without amendment

RESOLUTION

To state the sense of the Senate that Thailand is a key

partner and friend of the United States, has committed

itself to executing its responsibilities under its arrangements with the International Monetary Fund, and that

the United States should be prepared to take appropriate

steps to ensure continued close bilateral relations.

Whereas the United States maintains a close bilateral partnership with Thailand and has a profound interest in furthering that relationship;
2

SRES 174 RS

Whereas the friendship between our two countries goes back

farther than that with any other Asian nation dating

back to the Treaty of Amity and Commerce and Navigation of 1833;

Whereas the bilateral trade relationship is robust and promises to grow even more so in time;

Whereas the United States security relationship with Thailand is one of our most critical, and it is in both countries’ interest to maintain and strengthen that relationship;

Whereas the new Government in Thailand has committed

itself to making significant structural reforms to its economy in line with the conditions placed upon it by the

International Monetary Fund, including improving financial and economic transparency and cutting its budget;

Whereas the conditions imposed on Thailand by the International Monetary Fund were developed in August of

1997, when the economic environment in Asia was vastly

different from that existing today; and

Whereas an example of those changed circumstances is the

fact that both Korea and Indonesia provided second line

of defense contingency loans to Thailand in August 1997,

amounting to US$500 million each: Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that—

2 (1) the United States should be prepared to

3 take appropriate steps to help ensure that Thai4 land’s economic recovery efforts will continue unin5 terrupted and to enhance the close political, eco-
3

SRES 174 RS

1 nomic, and security relations between Thailand and

2 the United States; and

3 (2) Thailand deserves praise and commendation

4 from the United States for the measures it has im5 plemented to resolve its financial problems.
Calendar No. 319

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 174

RESOLUTION

To state the sense of the Senate that Thailand is

steps to ensure continued close bilateral relations.States should be prepared to take appropriatenational Monetary Fund, and that the Unitedities under its arrangements with the Interhas committed itself to executing its responsibila key partner and friend of the United States,

MARCH 3, 1998

Reported without amendment