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.