S6276 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE May 8, 1995

the President of the United States

would be absent.

But President Clinton’s attendance

at the Moscow summit in no way signals tacit approval of Russia’s brutal

behavior in Chechnya. On the contrary,

President Clinton will make clear, as

he has done in the past, that while we

support the territorial integrity of the

Russian Federation, we strongly condemn Russian attacks on civilians in

Chechnya. The President will, I trust,

also call on President Yeltsin to extend

the current cease-fire in Chechnya and

make it permanent.

Mr. President, another area of profound difference with the Kremlin is

the proposed sale of a Russian nuclear

powerplant and delivery of nuclear

technology and training to Iran. Even

though, legally speaking, Moscow is

correct that its proposed sale falls

within international guidelines, I am

convinced that Iran has embarked upon

a program to build nuclear weapons

and, hence, that the sale would be a

reckless and counter productive act.

Although it is highly unlikely at this

point that Russia can be made to back

down totally, President Clinton—on

site, face-to-face with President

Yeltsin—will be able to press for important adjustments such as preventing the sale of a gas centrifuge plant,

which would significantly increase the

danger of Iran’s being able to produce

weapons-grade enriched uranium. Also,

the President may push for an agreement whereby spent nuclear fuel would

be returned from Iran to Russia.

I have been dismayed at recent bellicose statements by Senior Russian officials against NATO expansion. In Moscow, President Clinton will make crystal-clear to President Yeltsin that Russia does not have veto power over any

actions of NATO, including the alliance’s enlargement.

In addition, President Clinton will

reiterate that NATO has always been a

defensive alliance and that binding

qualified Central and East European

democracies into the alliance’s comprehensive security system will enhance stability in the region and thereby be a gain, not a danger, for Russia.

The President might pose the rhetorical question to Yeltsin whether Russia

would prefer that there be potential

isolated loose cannon countries in the

middle of Europe or fully integrated

members of a defensive alliance led by

the United States. The answer is surely

the latter.

In Moscow, President Clinton will be

able to urge President Yeltsin to sign

Russia up formally as a member of the

Partnership for Peace so that it can

participate on an ongoing basis in a

range of discussions with NATO.

There are other crucially important

outstanding issues to discuss with the

Russians at the Moscow summit. President Clinton will undoubtedly urge

that Russia continue its budget austerity and privatization programs and

other economic reforms.

Several arms control issues will certainly be on the agenda, including

prospects for ratification of START II,

crafting a joint strategy in support of

the indefinite extension of the Nuclear

Nonproliferation Treaty, demarcation

between antiballistic missiles and tactical missile defense, and holding to

the terms of the Conventional Forces

in Europe Treaty.

President Clinton will, I am certain,

explain in Moscow that cooperation on

the issues I have enumerated would

strengthen Russia’s case for membership in important international bodies

such as the Group of Seven Advanced

Industrial Nations.

On the other hand, threatening to

curtail economic and technical assistance to Russia because of disagreements with Russian policy, as some in

the majority party in Congress have

advocated, would be ‘‘shooting ourselves in the foot,’’ since such a move

could only serve to harm the transitions to a free-market economy and

true political democracy in Russia that

are very much in the United States national interest.

Mr. President, the way to move forward in our emerging relationship with

the new Russia is not to sit pouting on

the sidelines. Rather, it is to engage

the Russians in open, frank, even contentious dialog.

Americans can be proud that we have

a President thoroughly versed in all

these highly complex matters and able

to bring the full weight of the Presidency to bear in face-to-face negotiations.

I know that all Americans join me in

wishing President Clinton every success in his vitally important mission.

MESSAGES FROM THE PRESIDENT

Messages from the President of the

fUnited States were communicated to

the Senate by Mr. Thomas, one of his

secretaries.

EXECUTIVE MESSAGES REFERRED

As in executive session the Presiding

fOfficer laid before the Senate messages

from the President of the United

States submitting sundry nominations

which were referred to the appropriate

committees.

(The nominations received today are

printed at the end of the Senate proceedings.)

EXECUTIVE AND OTHER

COMMUNICATIONS

fThe following communications were

laid before the Senate, together with

accompanying papers, reports, and documents, which were referred as indicated:

EC–876. A communication from the Comptroller of the Department of Defense, transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to

obligations incurred in FY 1994 by US military obligations in Haiti; to the Committee

on Appropriations.

EC–877. A communication from the Under

Secretary of Defense (Acquisition and Technology), transmitting, pursuant to law, a report relative to the Foreign Comparative

Testing Program for fiscal year 1994; to the

Committee on Armed Services.

EC–878. A communication from the Chairwoman of the Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program Council,

transmitting, pursuant to law, the Scientific

Advisory Board’s annual report for fiscal

year 1994; to the Committee on Armed Services.

EC–879. A communication from the Secretary of Energy, transmitting, pursuant to

law, a report relative to the Department’s

responses to recommendations of the Defense

Nuclear Facilities Safety Board for calendar

year 1995; to the Committee on Armed Services.

INTRODUCTION OF BILLS AND

JOINT RESOLUTIONS

fThe following bills and joint resolutions were introduced, read the first

and second time by unanimous consent, and referred as indicated:

By Mr. INOUYE:

S. 763. A bill to authorize the Secretary of

Transportation to issue a certificate of documentation and coastwise trade endorsement

for the vessel Evening Star, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Commerce,

Science, and Transportation.

By Mr. GLENN:

S. 764. A bill to amend the Indian Child

Welfare Act of 1978 to require that determinations concerning the status of a child as

an Indian child be prospective the child’s

date of birth, and that determinations of

membership status in an Indian tribe be

based on the minority status of a member or

written consent of an initial member over

the age of 18, and for other purposes; to the

Committee on Indian Affairs.

By Mr. MCCAIN:

S. 765. A bill to amend the Public Buildings

Act of 1959 to require the Administrator of

General Services to prioritize construction

and alteration projects in accordance with

merit-based needs criteria, and for other purposes; to the Committee on Governmental

Affairs.

SUBMISSION OF CONCURRENT AND

SENATE RESOLUTIONS

fThe following concurrent resolutions

and Senate resolutions were read, and

referred (or acted upon), as indicated:

By Mr. DOLE (for himself, Mr. INOUYE,

Mr. THURMOND, Mr. HEFLIN, Mr. STEVENS, Mr. GORTON, Mr. WARNER, Mr.

BUMPERS, Mr. CHAFEE, Mr. PELL, Mr.

HATFIELD, Mr. GLENN, Mr. ROTH, Mr.

HELMS, Mr. MOYNIHAN, Mr. LAUTENBERG, Mr. EXON, Mr. AKAKA, Mr.

FORD, Mr. HOLLINGS, Mr. DASCHLE,

Mr. ABRAHAM, Mr. ASHCROFT, Mr.

BAUCUS, Mr. BENNETT, Mr. BIDEN, Mr.

BINGAMAN, Mr. BOND, Mrs. BOXER,

Mr. BRADLEY, Mr. BREAUX, Mr.

BROWN, Mr. BRYAN, Mr. BURNS, Mr.

BYRD, Mr. CAMPBELL, Mr. COATS, Mr.

COCHRAN, Mr. COHEN, Mr. CONRAD,

Mr. COVERDELL, Mr. CRAIG, Mr.

D’AMATO, Mr. DEWINE, Mr. DODD, Mr.

DOMENICI, Mr. DORGAN, Mr.

FAIRCLOTH, Mr. FEINGOLD, Mrs. FEINSTEIN, Mr. FRIST, Mr. GRAHAM, Mr.

GRAMM, Mr. GRAMS, Mr. GRASSLEY,

Mr. GREGG, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. HATCH,