HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.C.R. NO.

11

TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAI‘I

 

 

 

 

 

HOUSE CONCURRENT

RESOLUTION

 

 

URGING THE GOVERNOR OF HAWAI‘I TO INVITE ALL ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION COUNTRIES TO ESTABLISH HONORARY CONSULS IN HAWAI‘I BEFORE THE 2011 ASIA-PACIFIC ECONOMIC COOPERATION SUMMIT.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation, or APEC, is a forum of 21 Pacific Rim countries established in 1989 to promote free trade and economic cooperation throughout the Asia-Pacific region; and

 

     WHEREAS, from November 12-13, 2011, Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit will convene its 23rd annual summit in Honolulu, Hawai‘i; and

 

     WHEREAS, there will be heads of state and officials from the 21 member countries, but Hawai‘i has just four honorary consuls from those member countries; and

 

     WHEREAS, the role of the honorary consul is to undertake and safeguard the interests of the sending country as well as to further the development of commercial, economic, cultural, and scientific relations between the sending state and the host state; and

 

     WHEREAS, the honorary consul would help expedite the processing of visas and provide communications between diplomats and Washington, D.C.; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit can potentially result in the establishment of economic trade relations between the State of Hawai‘i and member countries; and

 

     WHEREAS, having honorary consuls can be instrumental in the retaining of and fostering the growth of such relations; now, therefore,
     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-sixth Legislature of the State of Hawai‘i, Regular Session of 2011, the Senate concurring, that the Governor of the State of Hawai‘i, with the assistance of the Consular Corps of Hawai‘i, is urged to request all Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation-member countries to establish honorary consuls in Hawai‘i before the 2011 Asia–Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Concurrent Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, Director of Business, Economic Development, and Tourism, Consular Corps of Hawai‘i, and the United States Secretary of State.

Report Title: 

APEC countries; Honorary consuls