III

105TH CONGRESS

2D SESSION S. RES. 277

Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to the importance of

diplomatic relations with the Pacific Island nations.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

SEPTEMBER 15, 1998

Mr. INOUYE (for himself, Mr. AKAKA, Mr. STEVENS, Mr. HATCH, Mr. BYRD,

Mr. THOMAS, Mr. HOLLINGS, Mr. ROTH, Mr. FORD, Mrs. BOXER, Mr.

MURKOWSKI, and Mr. SESSIONS) submitted the following resolution;

which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to the importance of diplomatic relations with the Pacific Island nations.

Whereas the South Pacific region covers an immense area of

the earth, approximately 3 times the size of the contiguous United States;

Whereas the United States seeks to maintain strong and enduring economic, political, and strategic ties with the Pacific island countries of the region, despite the reduced

diplomatic presence of the United States in the region

since World War II;

Whereas Pacific island nations wield control over vast tracts

of the ocean, including seabed minerals, fishing rights,
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and other marine resources which will play a major role

in the future of the global economy;

Whereas access to these valuable resources will be vital in

maintaining the position of the United States as the leading world power in the new millennium;

Whereas Asian countries have already recognized the important role that these Pacific island nations will play in the

future of the global economy, as evidenced by the Tokyo

summit meeting in October 1997 with various Pacific island heads of state;

Whereas the Pacific has long been regarded as one of the

‘‘last frontiers’’, with an enormous wealth of uncultivated

resources; and

Whereas direct United States participation in the human and

natural resource development of the South Pacific region

would promote beneficial ties with these Pacific island

nations and increase the possibilities of access to the region’s valuable resources: Now, therefore, be it

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

2 (1) it is in the national interest of the United

3 States to remain actively engaged in the South Pa4 cific region as a means of supporting important

5 United States commercial and strategic interests,

6 and to encourage the consolidation of democratic

7 values;

8 (2) a Pacific island summit, hosted by the

9 President of the United States with the Pacific is10 land heads of government, would be an excellent op-
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1 portunity for the United States to foster and im2 prove diplomatic relations with the Pacific island na3 tions;

4 (3) through diplomacy and participation in the

5 human and natural resource development of the Pa6 cific region, the United States will increase the pos7 sibility of gaining access to valuable resources, thus

8 strengthening the position of the United States as a

9 world power economically and strategically in the

10 new millennium; and

11 (4) the United States should fulfill its long12 standing commitment to the democratization and

13 economic prosperity of the Pacific island nations by

14 promoting their earliest integration in the main15 stream of bilateral, regional, and global commerce

16 and trade.

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