[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 53 Introduced in House (IH)]







105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 53

 Encouraging and expediting the integration of Romania at the earliest 
       stage into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).


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                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 20, 1997

 Mr. Solomon submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

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                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
 Encouraging and expediting the integration of Romania at the earliest 
       stage into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Whereas Romania has already undertaken tremendous steps toward further 
        consolidating the basis for a democratic and free market society;
Whereas Romania has shown itself, through the normal transfer of power after the 
        conclusion of the November 1996 elections, to be an increasingly mature 
        and functioning democracy;
Whereas the Romanian Government has made excellent progress toward respecting 
        human rights and civil liberties and has made great strides toward 
        establishing the rule of law;
Whereas the new Romanian Government has demonstrated its firm commitment to push 
        for substantial economic reforms, including further mass privatization, 
        tax relief, increased protection of property rights and foreign 
        investment, and trade liberalization;
Whereas the Romanian Government has exhibited good neighborliness in its foreign 
        affairs by the very significant signing of the basic political bilateral 
        Treaty with Hungary and by its efforts to conclude in the nearest future 
        negotiations with Ukraine on a similar treaty;
Whereas Romania was the first emerging democracy in Central and Eastern Europe 
        to join the Partnership for Peace, and by its active participation 
        alongside North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Bosnia has 
        clearly demonstrated its ability and willingness to operate with the 
        NATO Alliance under its standards;
Whereas Romania's size, geo-strategic location, economic and military potential, 
        and huge popular support for NATO integration render it of immense and 
        key strategic importance to European stability;
Whereas NATO, a voluntary, defensive alliance, has been a force for stability, 
        freedom, and peace in Europe since 1949;
Whereas, at the July NATO Summit in Madrid, the NATO alliance will extend 
        invitations to start negotiations for accession with some Central 
        European candidates that have participated in the intensified dialogue 
        with NATO; and
Whereas Romania has voluntarily applied for NATO membership and determinedly 
        striven to meet NATO eligibility requirements: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) Romania is to be commended for its progress toward 
        political and economic liberty and meeting the guidelines for 
        prospective North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) members 
        set out in chapter 5 of the September 1995 Study on NATO 
        Enlargement;
            (2) Romania would make an outstanding contribution toward 
        furthering the goals of NATO upon becoming a full member;
            (3) extension of full NATO membership (with that status 
        being unvitiated by any potential NATO agreement with any other 
        entity) to Romania would make an exceptional contribution 
        toward stability, freedom, and peace in Europe; and
            (4) Romania should be invited to become a full member of 
        the NATO Alliance at the earliest stage.
                                 <all>