[Congressional Bills 103th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 79 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

103d CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. RES. 79

Expressing the Sense of the Senate concerning the United Nation's arms 
 embargo against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a nation's right to self-defense, 
                        and peace negotiations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

               March 11, (legislative day, March 3), 1993

Mr. Feingold submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Expressing the Sense of the Senate concerning the United Nation's arms 
 embargo against Bosnia-Herzegovina, a nation's right to self-defense, 
                        and peace negotiations.

Whereas Bosnia-Herzegovina was recognized as a sovereign nation by the United 
        Nations on May 21, 1992, and by the United States on April 7, 1992;
Whereas the Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina has been duly-elected, and is 
        committed to peaceful negotiations with its neighboring states;
Whereas the Government of the United States and the United Nations Security 
        Council is committed to maintaining the territorial integrity of Bosnia-
        Herzegovina;
Whereas article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations guarantees the right of 
        self-defense to individuals and states;
Whereas United Nations Resolution 713 (1991) imposed a ``general and complete 
        embargo on all deliveries of weapons and military equipment to 
        Yugoslavia'' on September 22, 1991, ``recalling its primary 
        responsibility under the Charter of the United Nations for the 
        maintenance of international peace and security'';
Whereas the Serbian forces inherited almost the entire stockpile of armaments in 
        the Socialist Republic of Yugoslavia, which was the fifth largest army 
        in Europe;
Whereas the embargo froze an unequal and unjust distribution of force, and has 
        enabled the Yugoslav Army and the Serb militias to wage war in Bosnia-
        Herzegovina;
Whereas Serbia and Serbian-armed forces have launched campaigns of ``ethnic 
        cleansing'' against non-Serbian residents in Bosnia-Herzegovina, killing 
        over one hundred thirty thousand people and transferring more than one 
        and one-half million from their homelands;
Whereas the 1992 State Department Country Report on Human Rights Practices 
        states that ``massive systematic rape, committed by Bosnian Serb 
        military units and prison guards'' has been instituted as policy, and a 
        European Community report estimates than twenty thousand women have been 
        raped by Serb forces;
Whereas the Charter of the United Nations is clearly violated when the 
        Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina cannot defend its citizens from such 
        aggression;
Whereas United Nations peacekeeping troops are not authorized through the rules 
        of engagement to protect victims of military assault;
Whereas the Government of the United States and its allies in Europe are 
        committed to enforcing an eventual peace agreement, but are reluctant to 
        send their troops into Bosnia-Herzegovina for the purposes of 
        peacekeeping;
Whereas the international arms embargo has impeded the right of the Government 
        of Bosnia-Herzegovina to protect its citizens from aggression, to ensure 
        humanitarian efforts to deliver food and other supplies, to develop as 
        an independent nation, and to enforce meaningful peace agreements;
Whereas international diplomatic efforts have not to date produced a peaceful 
        and just solution;
Whereas the negotiating strength of each party is dependent to some degree on 
        equity in access to arms, lifting the arms embargo against Bosnia-
        Herzegovina will assist in self-defense and thereby strengthen the peace 
        process;
Whereas United States Public Law 102-391 of October 6, 1992 states ``because of 
        the United Nations arms embargo is serving to sustain the military 
        advantage of the aggressor, the United Nations should exempt the 
        Government of Bosnia-Herzegovina from its embargo'';
Whereas the United States should not act unilaterally in this regard without 
        unanimous agreement from the United Nations Security Council; and
Whereas the United States should take actions to support the peace process and 
        political resolutions to the tragedy in Bosnia-Herzegovina: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That--
            the United States should work with the member states of the 
        United Nations Security Council to lift the international arms 
        embargo as it applies to Bosnia-Herzegovina in concurrence with 
        article 51 of the United Nations Charter; and
            such action should be taken on a timely basis in a manner 
        to complement to the maximum extent feasible the peace process.

                                 <all>