World Tibet Network News Saturday, May 09, 1998

WASHINGTON, Saturday May 9 (Reuters) - Congress is set to pass legislation imposing sanctions on countries that persecute religious minorities, despite opposition from President Clinton, a Republican lawmaker said Saturday.

Rep. Frank Wolf of Virginia, one of the sponsors of the bill, said he expected the House to take it up on Thursday. "This bill will set up a system to monitor religious persecution around the world," he said in the Republican response to Clinton's weekly radio address.

"When egregious acts are found, limited sanctions will be imposed, unless waived by the president," Wolf said.

The measure does not target specific countries, but Wolf and co-sponsor Republican Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, have named China, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Tibet and the Sudan as among those that persecuted religious minorities.

"Today in China, in Tibet, in Sudan and elsewhere, men, women and children are being persecuted, tortured, imprisoned and enslaved -- simply for their faith," Wolf said.

Clinton has stressed that strict laws requiring the president to impose sanctions harm U.S. diplomatic efforts, run counter to national security interests and deprive the administration of flexibility.

"We consider certain restrictions Congress is considering in pending foreign policy legislation to be infringements on the president's ability to conduct foreign policy because they lead to situations in which Congress mandates certain approaches on handling problems that require deft diplomacy," White House spokesman Mike McCurry said last month.

But Wolf and others in Congress believe a religious persecution bill will be passed this year. Political analysts said it would be difficult for lawmakers to go on record as opposing such legislation.

"If we don't stand up for the religious rights of people around the world, who will?" Wolf asked.

The measure is also opposed by business executives and industry

representatives who see sanctions benefiting foreign companies at the expense of U.S. firms.

There are already laws requiring the president to impose economic sanctions on countries that violate U.S. policies on drug trafficking, human rights and weapons sales.