[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 598 Introduced in House (IH)]







109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 598

 Condemning actions by the Government of Syria that have hindered the 
investigation of the assassination of former Prime Minister of Lebanon 
Rafik Hariri conducted by the United Nations International Independent 
Investigation Commission (UNIIIC), expressing support for extending the 
   UNIIIC's investigative mandate, and stating concern about similar 
  assassination attempts apparently aimed at destabilizing Lebanon's 
            security and undermining Lebanon's sovereignty.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 14, 2005

   Mr. Issa (for himself, Mr. Wexler, Mr. Lantos, and Mr. Ackerman) 
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 
                       on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Condemning actions by the Government of Syria that have hindered the 
investigation of the assassination of former Prime Minister of Lebanon 
Rafik Hariri conducted by the United Nations International Independent 
Investigation Commission (UNIIIC), expressing support for extending the 
   UNIIIC's investigative mandate, and stating concern about similar 
  assassination attempts apparently aimed at destabilizing Lebanon's 
            security and undermining Lebanon's sovereignty.

Whereas on September 2, 2004, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559 
        was adopted by the Security Council as a reaction to Syria's increased 
        influence over Lebanese politics, reaffirming strict respect for 
        Lebanon's sovereignty, and stipulating the withdrawal of all non-
        Lebanese forces from Lebanon and the disbanding and disarmament of all 
        Lebanese and non-Lebanese militias;
Whereas on February 14, 2005, former Prime Minister of Lebanon Rafik Hariri and 
        22 others were killed in a terrorist bombing orchestrated by 
        unidentified assailants;
Whereas on April 7, 2005, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 
        1595, under which the Security Council decided to ``establish an 
        international independent investigation Commission [the UNIIIC] based in 
        Lebanon to assist the Lebanese authorities in their investigation of all 
        aspects of this terrorist act, including to help identify its 
        perpetrators, sponsors, organizers and accomplices'';
Whereas on October 19, 2005, the first report of the United Nations 
        International Independent Investigation Commission (UNIIIC), headed by 
        former German prosecutor Detlev Mehlis, found ``there is converging 
        evidence pointing at both Lebanese and Syrian involvement in this 
        terrorist act'';
Whereas the October 19, 2005, report also asserted that ``[g]iven the 
        infiltration of Lebanese institutions and society by the Syrian and 
        Lebanese intelligence services working in tandem, it would be difficult 
        to envisage a scenario whereby such a complex assassination plot could 
        have been carried out without their knowledge'';
Whereas on October 31, 2005, the United Nations Security Council adopted 
        Resolution 1636, which expressed extreme concern that ``Syrian 
        authorities have cooperated in form but not in substance'' with the 
        UNIIIC, that ``several Syrian officials tried to mislead the 
        investigation by giving false or inaccurate statements'' and that 
        ``Syria's continued lack of cooperation with the inquiry would 
        constitute a serious violation of its obligations'';
Whereas on December 12, 2005, the second report of the UNIIIC noted that 
        ``steady progress'' has been made in the Lebanese portion of the 
        investigation that ``remains to be matched'' in the Syrian portion of 
        the investigation and recommended an extension of the UNIIIC's 
        investigative mandate by a ``minimum period of six months'' since 
        substantive lines of enquiry are far from being completed and ``given 
        the slow pace with which the Syrian authorities are beginning to 
        discharge their commitments to the [Security] Council'';
Whereas Syria's actions to hinder the UNIIIC's investigative efforts include 
        credible reports of the arrest and threatening of close relatives of at 
        least one crucial witness, delay caused by procedural maneuvering, and 
        the report of two witnesses that all Syrian intelligence documents 
        concerning Lebanon have been burned;
Whereas since the assassination of Rafik Hariri, intimidation of the press in 
        Lebanon has increased and a series of attacks and explosions in Lebanon 
        have occurred, targeting political leaders and journalists who have 
        advocated Lebanese sovereignty, including Samir Qassir, May Chidiac, and 
        most recently on December 12, 2005, the assassination of Gebran Tueni, a 
        Member of the Lebanese Parliament and the general manager of the 
        Lebanese daily an-Nahar, which has been a vital editorial voice opposing 
        Syrian political control and influence in Lebanon; and
Whereas Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice on December 12, 2005, expressed 
        outrage at the assassination of Gebran Tueni and stated: ``Syrian 
        interference in Lebanon continues, and it must end completely. The 
        United States will work with its partners on the Security Council and in 
        the region to see that Security Council Resolutions 1595 and 1636 are 
        fully implemented.'': Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the Government of Syria for hindering and 
        failing to cooperate fully in a timely and substantive manner 
        with the investigation of the assassination of former Prime 
        Minister of Lebanon Rafik Hariri conducted by the United 
        Nations International Independent Investigation Commission 
        (UNIIIC);
            (2) expresses support for extending the investigative 
        mandate of the UNIIIC for at a minimum an additional six-month 
        period as recommended by the UNIIIC in order to fully ascertain 
        the responsibility for the assassination of former Prime 
        Minister of Lebanon Rafik Hariri;
            (3) states its concern that insecurity in Lebanon could 
        have a destabilizing effect on the region and harm the ability 
        of the people of Lebanon to strengthen democracy and economic 
        prosperity in their country;
            (4) expresses its gratitude to--
                    (A) chief investigator Detlev Mehlis and the UNIIIC 
                for their continuing efforts to uncover evidence 
                related to the assassination of Rafik Hariri; and
                    (B) those who have freely assisted the UNIIIC in 
                its investigation;
            (5) demands that Syria commit itself to expeditiously 
        fulfill all obligations to cooperate with the UNIIIC and to 
        meet all obligations of United Nations Security Council 
        Resolutions 1559, 1595, and 1636;
            (6) encourages the United States Permanent Representative 
        to the United Nations to use the voice, vote, and influence of 
        the United States in the United Nations Security Council to 
        advocate for the application of punitive measures against Syria 
        that target its leadership--including the enactment of punitive 
        sanctions against Syria under Chapter VII of the Charter of the 
        United Nations--if Syria further fails to cooperate fully with 
        the ongoing UNIIIC investigation and continues to violate 
        Security Council Resolutions 1559, 1595, and 1636; and
            (7) urges the Government of the United States to support 
        the extension of the jurisdiction of the UNIIIC to cover 
        assassinations and assassination attempts in Lebanon since 
        February 14, 2005.
                                 <all>