DATE=7/14/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-235465
TITLE= CONGRESS-S. ASIA SANCTIONS (L)
BYLINE= PAULA WOLFSON
DATELINE= CAPITOL HILL
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: IN A DRAMATIC RACE AGAINST TIME, THE U-S CONGRESS MOVED
TO LIFT A BAN ON FARM CREDITS IMPOSED AFTER INDIA AND PAKISTAN
CONDUCTED NUCLEAR TESTS IN MAY. THE PAKISTANIS PLAN TO ACCEPT
BIDS TODAY (WEDNESDAY) FOR A MULTI-MILLION DOLLAR GRAIN DEAL.
AND AS V-O-A'S PAULA WOLFSON REPORTS, ONCE PRESIDENT CLINTON
SIGNS THE NECESSARY LEGISLATION, AMERICAN FARMERS WILL BE ABLE TO
PARTICIPATE.
TEXT: MEMBERS OF THE U-S HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ACTED JUST
HOURS AFTER THEY RETURNED FROM A TWO WEEK BREAK. WITH THE
CLOCK TICKING AWAY, THEY JOINED THE SENATE AND VOTED (BY A
UNANIMOUS VOICE VOTE) TO LIFT THE BAN.
REPUBLICAN DOUG BEREUTER COMES FROM ONE OF THE KEY WHEAT
PRODUCING STATES -- NEBRASKA. HE SAYS AMERICAN FARMERS ARE
ALREADY FEELING THE EFFECTS OF THE ASIAN FINANCIAL CRISIS...AND
ARE SUFFERING FROM THE BAN ON FARM CREDITS IMPOSED ON PAKISTAN.
/////BEREUTER ACT////
WE CAN'T AFFORD TO LOSE THOSE PAKISTANI OR INDIAN
MARKETS AT THIS TIME. THERE IS NO REASON WHY THE
ECONOMIC SANCTIONS SHOULD FALL ON THE BACK OF THE
AMERICAN FARMER.
/////END ACT////
PAKISTAN WANTS TO BUY 350-THOUSAND METRIC TONS OF WHEAT WORTH 37
MILLION DOLLARS. FARMERS IN THE STATE OF NORTH DAKOTA -- ALREADY
FACING ROUGH WEATHER CONDITIONS -- SAY THEY NEED THESE KINDS OF
EXPORTS FOR SURVIVAL. DEMOCRAT EARL POMEROY IS THE STATE'S LONE
MEMBER OF THE HOUSE.
////POMEROY ACT////
..AND WITH PAKISTAN REPRESENTING POTENTIALLY TEN PERCENT
OF OUR WHEAT EXPORT MARKET, IT IS VITAL THAT WE DON'T
LOSE A DAY! THAT WE DON'T LOSE ONE SALE!
////END ACT////
CONGRESS IS LIKELY TO REVISIT THE SANCTIONS ISSUE AGAIN BEFORE IT
RECESSES FOR THE YEAR IN OCTOBER. CALIFORNIA DEMOCRAT CAL
DOOLEY IS AMONG THOSE CALLING FOR A COMPLETE RETHINKING OF
SANCTIONS LAW.
////DOOLEY ACT////
IF IT MAKES SENSE AND IT IS IN THE INTEREST OF U-S
FARMERS TO ALLOW FOR THEIR EXPORTATION OF PRODUCTS TO
COUNTRIES THAT ARE SUBJECT TO SANCTIONS, WHY DOES IT NOT
MAKE SENSE FOR US TO ELIMINATE THE SANCTIONS ON THE
PRODUCTION OF ANY OTHER U-S PRODUCED COMMODITY?
////END ACT/////
THE CLINTON ADMINISTRATION IS NOT ASKING CONGRESS TO LIFT ALL THE
SANCTIONS IMPOSED AFTER THE NUCLEAR TESTS, ALTHOUGH THE PRESIDENT
IS EAGER TO SIGN THE FARM CREDIT EXEMPTION.
THE WHITE HOUSE DOES, HOWEVER, WANT THE LEGISLATURE TO GIVE THE
ADMINISTRATION MORE FLEXIBILITY IN ITS DEALINGS WITH INDIA AND
PAKISTAN. CURRENTLY, THESE SANCTIONS CAN ONLY BE LIFTED BY AN
ACT OF CONGRESS. THE PRESIDENT WANTS THE HOUSE AND SENATE TO
TRANSFER THAT POWER TO HIM. (SIGNED)
NEB/PW/PLM
14-Jul-98 6:54 PM EDT (2254 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
