[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 116 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 116

Recommending the integration of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia into the 
               North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             April 26, 2001

Mr. Shimkus (for himself, Mr. Cox, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Wolf, Mr. Borski, 
Mr. Kucinich, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. Schaffer, Mr. Hilleary, Mr. McNulty, 
 and Mr. English) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 
        was referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Recommending the integration of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia into the 
               North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Whereas the Baltic countries of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are undergoing a 
        historic process of democratic and free market transformation after 
        emerging from decades of brutal Soviet occupation;
Whereas each of these Baltic countries has conducted peaceful transfers of 
        political power--in Lithuania since 1990 and in Latvia and Estonia since 
        1991;
Whereas each of these Baltic countries has been exemplary and consistent in its 
        respect for human rights and civil liberties;
Whereas the governments of these Baltic countries have made consistent progress 
        toward establishing civilian control of their militaries through active 
        participation in the Partnership for Peace program and North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization (NATO) peace support operations;
Whereas Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are participating in the NATO-led 
        multinational military force in the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina 
        and Kosovo;
Whereas Lithuania, Estonia, and Latvia are consistently increasing their defense 
        budget allocations and have adopted laws providing that such allocations 
        for defense will be at least 2 percent of their gross domestic product 
        (GDP) by 2002 for Lithuania and Estonia and by 2003 for Latvia;
Whereas each of these Baltic countries has clearly demonstrated its ability to 
        operate with the military forces of NATO nations and under NATO 
        standards;
Whereas former Secretary of Defense Perry stipulated five generalized standards 
        for entrance into NATO: support for democracy, including toleration of 
        ethnic diversity and respect for human rights; building a free market 
        economy; civilian control of the military; promotion of good neighborly 
        relations; and development of military interoperability with NATO;
Whereas each of these Baltic countries has satisfied these standards for 
        entrance into NATO; and
Whereas NATO will consider at its 2002 summit meeting in Prague the further 
        enlargement of its alliance: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That it is the sense of Congress that--
            (1) Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia are to be commended for 
        their progress toward political and economic liberty and 
        meeting the guidelines for prospective members of the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) set out in chapter 5 of the 
        September 1995 Study on NATO Enlargement;
            (2) Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia would make an 
        outstanding contribution toward furthering the goals of NATO 
        should they become members;
            (3) extension of full NATO membership to these Baltic 
        countries would contribute to stability, freedom, and peace in 
        the Baltic region and Europe as a whole; and
            (4) with complete satisfaction of NATO guidelines and 
        criteria for membership, Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia should 
        be invited in 2002 to become full members of NATO.
                                 <all>