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[Congressional Bills 104th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 97 Agreed to Senate (ATS)]

104th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 97

Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to peace and stability 
                        in the South China Sea.

_______________________________________________________________________

                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               March 30 (legislative day, March 27), 1995

   Mr. Thomas (for himself, Mr. Robb, Mr. Simon, Mrs. Feinstein, Mr. 
 McCain, Mr. Simpson, Mr. Kerry, Mr. Lugar, Mr. Roth, Mr. Inouye, Mr. 
Lieberman, Mr. Pell, and Mr. Helms) submitted the following resolution; 
        which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

                June 20 (legislative day, June 19), 1995

Reported by Mr. Helms, with amendments and an amendment to the preamble

                June 22 (legislative day, June 19), 1995

                   Considered, amended, and agreed to

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to peace and stability 
                        in the South China Sea.
Whereas the South China Sea is a strategically important waterway through which 
        transits approximately 25 percent of the World's ocean freight, 
        including almost 70 percent of Japan's oil supply;
Whereas the South China Sea serves as a crucial sea lane for naval vessels of 
        the United States and other countries, especially in times of emergency;
Whereas the People's Republic of China, the Republic of the Philippines, the 
        Socialist Republic of Vietnam, the Republic of China on Taiwan, the 
        State of Brunei Darussalam, and Malaysia have overlapping and mutually 
        exclusive claims to portions of the South China Sea, especially in the 
        Spratly Island group;
Whereas these competing claims have led to armed conflicts between several of 
        the claimants;
Whereas these conflicts threaten the peace and stability of all of East Asia; 
        and
Whereas the 1992 Manila Declaration of the Association of South East Asian 
        Nations, also recognized by the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the 
        People's Republic of China, calls on the claimants to exercise restraint 
        and seek a peaceful negotiated solution to the conflicts: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) reiterates to the claimants in the South China Sea that 
        the United States does not take a position on any individual 
        claim;
            (2) calls upon all of the claimants to refrain from using 
        military force or similarly aggressive action to assert or 
        expand territorial claims in the South China Sea;
            (3) urges the executive branch to declare the active 
        support of the United States for the 1992 Manila Declaration of 
        the Association of South East Asian Nations, and calls upon all 
        the claimants to observe faithfully its provisions; and
            (4) would view with profound concern and disapproval any 
        maritime claim or restriction on maritime activity in the South 
        China Sea not strictly consistent with international law.
                                 <all>
```