IV 106TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 211 Expressing the strong support of the Congress for the recently concluded elections in the Republic of India and urging the President to travel to India. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 27, 1999 Mr. ACKERMAN (for himself, Mr. GEJDENSON, and Mr. LANTOS) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the strong support of the Congress for the recently concluded elections in the Republic of India and urging the President to travel to India. Whereas the Republic of India is a longstanding parliamentary democracy where citizens may freely change their government; Whereas India has a thriving multiparty system where a broad spectrum of political views are represented; Whereas India recently conducted a successful round of elec tions, involving over 650,000,000 registered voters and resulting in a 60 percent voter turnout and re-election of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee; 2 Whereas India and the United States share a special relationship as the world's most populous lemocracy and the world's oldest democracy, respectively, and have a shared commitment to upholding the will of the people and the rule of law; Whereas the President has expressed his continued desire to travel to South Asia; and Whereas India continues to be a shining example of democracy for all of Asia to follow: Now, therefore, be it 1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 2 concurring), That the Congress— 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (1) congratulates the people of the Republic of India on the successful conclusion of their recent na tional elections; (2) congratulates Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on his re-election; (3) calls on the President to travel to India as part of any trip to South Asia; and (4) urges the President to broaden our special relationship with India into a strategic partnership. 106TH CONGRESS 1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 200 Expressing the strong opposition of Congress to the military coup in Pakistan and calling for a civilian, democratically-elected governmem to be returned to power in Pakistan. IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OCTOBER 19, 1999 Mr. GEJDENSON (for himself, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. ACKERMAN. and Mr. PALLONE) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations CONCURRENT RESOLUTION Expressing the strong opposition of Congress to the military coup in Pakistan and calling for a civilian, democratically-elected government to be returned to power in Pakistan.. Whereas the United States has a vital interest in promoting stability in South Asia, reducing tensions between India and Pakistan, and promoting United States political, economic, strategic, and humanitarian interests in both of those nations; Whereas on October 12, 1999, the armed forces of Pakistan, led by Army Chief of Staff General Pervez Musharraf, overthrew the democratically-elected Government of Pakistan in violation of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; 2 Whereas on October 15, 1999, General Musharraf declared a state of emergency, suspended Pakistan's Constitution, dismissed the national government and the legislature, and declared himself Pakistan's supreme leader; Whereas Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, his brother Shabaz Sharif who was the chief minister of Punjab, and several cabinet members have been placed under house arrest; Whereas the United States has a vital interest in the promotion of democracy abroad and is strongly opposed to military takeovers of democratically-elected governments; Whereas the United States has invoked section 508 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1999, as enacted by division A of the Omnibus Consolidated and Emergency Supplemental Appropriations Act, 1999 (Public Law 105–277), which provides that none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available under that Act may be obligated or expended to finance directly any assistance to any country whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree; Whereas Pakistan's military rulers must understand that the United States will not carry on a business-as-usual relationship until a civilian, democratically-elected government is returned to power; Whereas the Department of Defense Appropriations Act, 2000 (presented by Congress on October 14, 1999, for the President's approval), would grant the President the ability to waive sanctions against India and Pakistan otherwise required under section 102(b) of the Arms Export Control Act (22 U.S.C. 2799aa-1) and section 620E(e) 3 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2375), and would also grant the President, for the first time since the invocation of section 620E(e) of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (22 U.S.C. 2375), the ability to approve commercial and government-to-government military sales to Pakistan;* Whereas Congress believes that the United States should not consider the sale of any military equipment or services, or reinstatement of Pakistan's eligibility for international military education and training, until a civilian, democratically-elected government is returned to power in Pakistan; and Whereas the military has been in control of Pakistan for 25 of Pakistan's 52-year history, and no democraticallyelected head of state there has completed an elected term of office: Now, therefore, be it 1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 2 concurring), That Congress 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 (1) condemns the overthrow of the democratically-elected Government of Pakistan by the armed forces of Pakistan on October 12, 1999, in violation of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Paki stan; (2) further condemns the subsequent declaration by General Musharraf of a state of emergency, the suspension of Pakistan's Constitution, the dis missal of the national government and the legisla |