00SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 18                                                                                          
01 Relating to establishment of an Arctic council.                                                                         
02 BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF ALASKA:                                                               
03  WHEREAS there are many Arctic issues that are common to the nations of the                                             
04 circumpolar north, and these issues can be addressed most effectively in a multilateral forum                           
05 that promotes cooperation and concerted action; and                                                                     
06  WHEREAS a regional multilateral forum for the Arctic would provide political energy                                    
07 and focus for anticipating and addressing current and future problems of the Arctic,                                    
08 capitalizing on new opportunities for the Arctic, and involving residents of the Arctic in a                            
09 discussion of the issues that affect them directly; and                                                                 
10  WHEREAS the creation of a multinational Arctic council has been proposed to                                            
11 provide a permanent, intergovernmental policy forum for the eight Arctic nations, including                             
12 the United States, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, Sweden, and Canada, and                                   
13 Canada has indicated that it supports creation of the council; and                                                      
14  WHEREAS an Arctic council would be the only existing international institution that                                    

01 is mandated to address and manage the full range of common Arctic concerns; and                                         
02  WHEREAS an Arctic council would be a key body to ensure international cooperation                                      
03 and coordination on sustainable development of the Arctic; and                                                          
04  WHEREAS an Arctic council would ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness in                                         
05 handling Arctic issues, by providing focus and, where appropriate, policy direction to existing                         
06 Arctic-related organizations, creating by consensus additional working groups only where                                
07 necessary, and by influencing and coordinating with other international organizations;                                  
08   BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the establishment of                                        
09 an Arctic  council consisting of the eight nations having territory in the Arctic and urges the                         
10 President and the Congress of the United States to take whatever action is necessary to support                         
11 establishment of an Arctic council and to enable the United States to become an active                                  
12 member of the council.                                                                                                  
13  COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the                                
14 United States; to the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President                         
15 of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S.                                     
16 Senate; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the                                  
17 Honorable Warren Christopher, U.S. Secretary of State; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and                             
18 the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S.                                         
19 Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.