[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 483 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 483

     Pledging continued United States support for the sovereignty, 
   independence, territorial integrity, and democratic and economic 
                  reforms of the Republic of Georgia.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            December 8, 2003

 Mr. Hastings of Florida submitted the following resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
     Pledging continued United States support for the sovereignty, 
   independence, territorial integrity, and democratic and economic 
                  reforms of the Republic of Georgia.

Whereas on November 23, 2003, Eduard Shevardnadze stepped down as President of 
        the Republic of Georgia after nearly three weeks of peaceful and 
        bloodless protests following parliamentary elections the opposition 
        contended were rigged;
Whereas the observer mission of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
        Europe reported that recent electoral processes in the Republic of 
        Georgia did not meet the standards of a free and fair election;
Whereas the Department of State issued statements on November 20-21, 2003, 
        expressing deep disappointment that ``massive vote fraud'' had taken 
        place during the November 2, 2003, parliamentary elections in the 
        Republic of Georgia;
Whereas the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Georgia ruled that the 
        November 2 election was fraudulent;
Whereas the political opposition of the Republic of Georgia, lead by Nino 
        Budzhanadze, Mikhail Saakashvili, and Zurab Zhvaniva, successfully drove 
        from office President Eduard Shevardnadze through a bloodless 
        revolution;
Whereas Eduard Shevardnadze, as foreign minister of the Soviet Union under 
        Mikhail Gorbachev, made an enormous contribution to the transformation 
        of world politics, and later, as the President of the Republic of 
        Georgia, Eduard Shevardnadze exhibited wisdom, courage, and nationalism 
        in stepping down from the presidency rather than using force to maintain 
        his leadership;
Whereas in accordance with the Constitution of the Republic of Georgia the 
        Parliamentary Speaker Nino Budzhanadze has become interim president;
Whereas on November 23, 2003, the United States recognized Nino Burdzhanadze as 
        the interim president of the Republic of Georgia, offered its support, 
        and urged that new elections be free and fair;
Whereas on November 24, 2003, the European Union expressed support for the 
        interim government and called for democratic elections;
Whereas interim president Nino Burdzhanadze called for order to be re-
        established and for presidential elections to be held within a 
        constitutionally-mandated 45 days;
Whereas a representative democracy is an indispensable condition for the 
        stability, peace, and development of the Republic of Georgia;
Whereas the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe has pledged up 
        to $6,000,000 to help administer presidential and legislative elections 
        in the Republic of Georgia;
Whereas Congress has earmarked or allocated $1,100,000,000 in aid to the 
        Republic of Georgia, among the highest for the Eurasian region in per 
        capita terms, over the decade spanning 1992-2002;
Whereas the Members of the House of Representatives have pledged to provide 
        further support and assistance to the people of the Republic of Georgia 
        to help them consolidate the democratic process in their country;
Whereas the United States supports a free, democratic, strong, and successful 
        Republic of Georgia; and
Whereas the current political situation in the Republic of Georgia requires 
        urgent attention: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) congratulates Eduard Shevardnadze and the leaders of 
        the political opposition of the Republic of Georgia--Nino 
        Budzhanadze, Mikhail Saakashvili, and Zurab Zhvaniva--for their 
        courage and patriotism in dealing with the recent political 
        crisis in the Republic of Georgia peacefully and bloodlessly;
            (2) urges all political segments, as well as social sectors 
        and institutions in the Republic of Georgia, to strive, through 
        dialogue, to achieve the national reconciliation for which both 
        the people of the Republic of Georgia and the international 
        community yearn;
            (3) calls on the interim government to act expeditiously to 
        conduct free, fair, and open elections; and
            (4) calls on the President to urge the people in all 
        sectors of society of the Republic of Georgia to respect and 
        preserve the free exercise of the essential elements of 
        democracy.
                                 <all>