[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 530 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 530

   Encouraging The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and 
  Greece to continue negotiations to determine a mutually acceptable 
          official name for the FYROM, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           November 20, 2004

Mr. Price of North Carolina (for himself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mrs. Maloney, 
 Mrs. Emerson, Ms. Lee, Mr. Ehlers, Mr. McGovern, Mr. Andrews, Ms. Ros-
    Lehtinen, Mr. Weiner, Mr. Scott of Virginia, Mr. Bradley of New 
Hampshire, Mr. Van Hollen, Mr. Payne, Mr. Shimkus, Mr. Miller of North 
Carolina, Mr. Etheridge, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Moore, Mrs. Tauscher, and Mr. 
  Udall of New Mexico) submitted the following concurrent resolution; 
     which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
   Encouraging The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYROM) and 
  Greece to continue negotiations to determine a mutually acceptable 
          official name for the FYROM, and for other purposes.

Whereas in 1991 the southern region of the former Yugoslavia declared itself an 
        independent country and recognized itself under the name Republic of 
        Macedonia;
Whereas since 1991 Greece has objected to the adoption and use of the name 
        Republic of Macedonia by such country, maintaining that the name 
        Republic of Macedonia refers to a regional province in northern Greece 
        and that its use by such country implies historical and territorial 
        claims on Greek Macedonian territory;
Whereas in 1993 such country was admitted as a member state of the United 
        Nations under the provisional name The Former Yugoslav Republic of 
        Macedonia (hereinafter referred to as ``FYROM'');
Whereas since 1993 the United States has recognized and referred to such country 
        as the FYROM;
Whereas on September 13, 1995, the FYROM and Greece, under the auspices of the 
        United Nations, signed an interim agreement pursuant to which 
        discussions would be held to determine a mutually acceptable official 
        name for the FYROM;
Whereas on October 24, 2004, Greek Foreign Minister Petros Molyviatis and 
        Foreign Minister Ilinka Mitreva of the FYROM, following talks in Skopje, 
        agreed that it was the desire of both countries to intensify the pace of 
        bilateral negotiations to resolve the issue under the auspices of the 
        United Nations;
Whereas on November 4, 2004, the Department of State announced the unilateral 
        decision of the Government of the United States to recognize the FYROM 
        as the Republic of Macedonia, just three days before a critical 
        referendum in such country that was called for by opposition 
        nationalists, in which citizens voted to implement a decentralization 
        law passed by the Parliament in August 2004;
Whereas the Department of State did not consult with or inform in a timely 
        manner key Members of Congress who are knowledgeable in Hellenic and 
        Balkans issues with respect to the decisionmaking process to recognize 
        the FYROM as the Republic of Macedonia;
Whereas the decision by the United States Government to recognize the FYROM as 
        the Republic of Macedonia has diminished the position of Greece vis-a-
        vis the FYROM in bilateral negotiations to determine a mutually 
        acceptable official name for the country and has encouraged efforts to 
        bypass talks on this issue;
Whereas the decision by the United States Government to recognize the FYROM as 
        the Republic of Macedonia undermines the peaceful and constructive 
        efforts between the FYROM and Greece to negotiate this issue;
Whereas Greece has been promoting peace, democracy, stability and economic 
        progress in the Balkans and has been one of the strongest allies of the 
        United States for several decades;
Whereas Greece is a major trading partner with, and the largest financial 
        investor in, the FYROM; and
Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), the European Union (EU), 
        and the United Nations continue to recognize and refer to the FYROM as 
        such: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),  
That Congress--
            (1) urges The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia 
        (hereinafter referred to as ``FYROM'') and Greece to honor the 
        agreement that they signed in 1995 under which both countries 
        agreed to determine a mutually acceptable official name for the 
        FYROM;
            (2) requests the Secretary of State to return to the long-
        standing policy of the Government of the United States to 
        recognize and refer to the FYROM as such; and
            (3) supports efforts sponsored by the United Nations to 
        determine a mutually acceptable official name for the FYROM.
                                 <all>