[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 250 Introduced in Senate (IS)]

  1st Session
S. RES. 250

Commending the people and Government of Romania, on the occasion of the 
 visit of Romanian President Ion Iliescu to the United States, for the 
 important progress they have made with respect to economic reform and 
democratic development, as well as for the strong relationship between 
                     Romania and the United States.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                            October 23, 2003

 Mr. Brownback (for himself, Mrs. Landrieu, Mr. Biden, Mr. Hatch, and 
 Mr. McCain) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                   the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
Commending the people and Government of Romania, on the occasion of the 
 visit of Romanian President Ion Iliescu to the United States, for the 
 important progress they have made with respect to economic reform and 
democratic development, as well as for the strong relationship between 
                     Romania and the United States.

Whereas, in 1995, Romania joined with the United States and the North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization (NATO) to provide assistance to the Stabilization 
        Force (SFOR) deployed to Bosnia and Herzegovina to support peace, 
        security, and freedom in the western Balkans;
Whereas, in 1999, Romania joined with the United States and NATO member 
        countries to provide assistance for Operation Allied Force to use 
        military force in order to halt the genocide, known as ethnic cleansing, 
        that was taking place in Kosovo;
Whereas, after the conclusion of Operation Allied Force, Romania provided 
        support to democracy activists from the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia 
        in their successful efforts to end the rule of Yugoslav dictator 
        Slobodan Milosevic, and also provided support to NATO stabilization 
        forces deployed in Kosovo Force (KFOR);
Whereas, following the terrorist attacks upon the United States in September 
        2001, the Government of Romania immediately expressed its sympathy for 
        Americans and others killed in the attacks and pledged its full support 
        in fighting the war on terror;
Whereas, on September 19, 2001, the Romanian Parliament voted to open Romanian 
        territory and airspace to United States Armed Forces involved in 
        Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan;
Whereas thousands of American aircraft flew through Romanian airspace during the 
        combat phase of Operation Enduring Freedom, and continue to do so as 
        part of peace-building efforts;
Whereas, beginning on June 2002, Romanian aircraft flew Romanian soldiers to 
        serve in Afghanistan as part of the forces involved in Operation 
        Enduring Freedom and the International Security Assistance Force, and 
        over 500 elite Romanian soldiers are currently stationed in Afghanistan;
Whereas Romania stood with the United States as a vital member of the 
        international coalition in Operation Iraqi Freedom by offering 
        diplomatic, political, and military support;
Whereas, in a January 31, 2003, letter to President George W. Bush, President 
        Ion Iliescu of Romania stated that ``Romania can understand that 
        aggressive dictators cannot be appeased or ignored, but always be 
        opposed. Romanians indeed know the value of freedom and living in peace. 
        They have seen the face of evil embodied in communism and deeply share 
        your conviction, expressed in the State of the Union address, that `free 
        people will set the course of history''';
Whereas, on February 12, 2003, the Romanian Parliament voted to open Romanian 
        territory and airspace to United States Armed Forces carrying out 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas hundreds of American aircraft flew through Romanian airspace and landed 
        at Romanian airfields during the combat phase of Operation Iraqi Freedom 
        from May to July 2003;
Whereas thousands of United States soldiers were stationed and transported into 
        the Iraq theatre of operations from Mihail Kogalniceanu Air Base, and 
        the neighboring Black Sea port of Constantza was also used in the fall 
        of 2002 and spring of 2003 for rotating United States Armed Forces and 
        equipment in and out of the Balkans;
Whereas, beginning on March 12, 2003, Romania began deploying military forces to 
        Iraq to assist in building security, peace, and democracy, and over 750 
        Romanian soldiers are currently stationed in Iraq;
Whereas the Government of Romania has spent more than $160,000,000 during the 
        past two years to fund its participation in SFOR, KFOR, Operation 
        Enduring Freedom, the International Security Assistance Force, and 
        Operation Iraqi Freedom;
Whereas, together with Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, and 
        Slovenia, Romania successfully achieved the military, economic, and 
        political reforms necessary to be invited, at the November 2002 summit 
        meeting in Prague of the North Atlantic Council, to join the NATO 
        alliance;
Whereas, in his historic address at Piata Revolutiei on November 23, 2002, 
        President Bush told the Romanian people that ``Romania has made a 
        historic journey. Instead of hatred, you have chosen tolerance. Instead 
        of destructive rivalry with your neighbors, you have chosen 
        reconciliation. Instead of state control, you have chosen free markets 
        and the rule of law. And instead of dictatorship, you have built a proud 
        and working democracy.''; and
Whereas, on May 8, 2003, the Senate voted 96 to 0 to approve the resolution of 
        advice and consent to the Protocols to the North Atlantic Treaty of 1949 
        on the Accession of Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, 
        Slovakia, and Slovenia: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the Senate--
            (1) appreciates the support expressed by the people of 
        Romania for strong and vibrant relations between the United 
        States and Romania;
            (2) recognizes the steps the Government of Romania has 
        taken and continues to take in economic, political, and social 
        reforms, including reforms to improve protections of the rights 
        of minorities and to promote awareness and understanding of the 
        Holocaust;
            (3) commends Romania for its leadership and commitment in 
        promoting regional peace and security in the Balkan and Black 
        Sea regions;
            (4) values the participation of a significant number of 
        Romanian troops and civilian experts in Operation Enduring 
        Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom, the permission granted by 
        the Government of Romania for the United States to use Romanian 
        airspace and territory, and the deployment of Romanian military 
        forces in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation 
        Iraqi Freedom, all of which have been important contributions 
        to the global war on terror and serve as a tangible and ongoing 
        demonstration of Romania's commitment as an ally of the United 
        States;
            (5) supports further cooperation between the United States 
        and Romania in the process of stabilizing and reconstructing 
        Iraq, including the utilization of Romania's experience 
        emerging from a Communist dictatorship and creating a 
        functioning democracy and free market economy; and
            (6) welcomes Romanian President Ion Iliescu to the United 
        States and looks forward to expanded political, diplomatic, 
        economic, and military cooperation between Romania and the 
        United States.
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