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SSSJR 18: Relating to establishment of an Arctic council.

00SPONSOR SUBSTITUTE FOR SENATE 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, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway, Russia, and Sweden; Canada, 13 the Clinton administration, and the administration of the State of Alaska have indicated that 14 they support creation of the council; and

01 WHEREAS Alaska should play a prominent and active role in developing a policy 02 forum for the Arctic; and 03 WHEREAS an Arctic council would be the only existing international institution that 04 is mandated to address and manage the full range of common Arctic concerns; and 05 WHEREAS an Arctic council would be a key body to ensure international cooperation 06 and coordination on sustainable development of the Arctic; and 07 WHEREAS an Arctic council would ensure greater efficiency and effectiveness in 08 handling Arctic issues, by providing focus and, where appropriate, policy direction to existing 09 Arctic-related organizations, creating by consensus additional working groups only where 10 necessary, and by influencing and coordinating with other international organizations; 11 BE IT RESOLVED that the Alaska State Legislature supports the establishment of 12 an Arctic council consisting of the eight nations having territory in the Arctic and urges the 13 President and the Congress of the United States to take whatever action is necessary to support 14 establishment of an Arctic council and to enable the United States to become an active 15 member of the council. 16 COPIES of this resolution shall be sent to the Honorable Bill Clinton, President of the 17 United States; to the Honorable Al Gore, Jr., Vice-President of the United States and President 18 of the U.S. Senate; the Honorable Strom Thurmond, President Pro Tempore of the U.S. 19 Senate; the Honorable Newt Gingrich, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; the 20 Honorable Warren Christopher, U.S. Secretary of State; and to the Honorable Ted Stevens and 21 the Honorable Frank Murkowski, U.S. Senators, and the Honorable Don Young, U.S. 22 Representative, members of the Alaska delegation in Congress.