[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 257 Introduced in House (IH)]
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. CON. RES. 257
Expressing concern regarding arms transfers to Iran and Syria by the
Russian Federation and entities in the Russian Federation and urging
the President of the United States to implement sanctions against such
entities found to be in violation of United States law prohibiting arms
transfers to Iran and Syria.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November 13, 2007
Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Engel, Mr. Pence, Mr. Wexler, and
Mr. Gallegly) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was
referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing concern regarding arms transfers to Iran and Syria by the
Russian Federation and entities in the Russian Federation and urging
the President of the United States to implement sanctions against such
entities found to be in violation of United States law prohibiting arms
transfers to Iran and Syria.
Whereas arms transfer agreements between the Russian Federation and Iran from
2002 through 2005 have been valued in total at $1,700,000,000 and arms
transfer agreements between the Russian Federation and Syria over the
same period have been estimated at over $800,000,000;
Whereas the Russian state-owned arms selling agency, Rosoboronexport, has sold
and delivered to Iran 30 anti-aircraft missile systems (known as the
``Tor M1'' missile), worth over $1,000,000,000;
Whereas Russia has agreed to upgrade Iran's MiG-29 fighter aircraft and Su-24
jets, the latter aircraft having the capability to carry nuclear
weapons;
Whereas reports indicate that Syria has test-fired a Russian-built ``Scud D''
short-range ballistic missile with a range of 440 miles;
Whereas in January 2007, Valery Kashin, chief of the Engineering Design Bureau
(KBM), a leading defense enterprise in Russia, stated that Russia had
met all of its commitments under a 2005 contract to supply Syria with
Strelets antiaircraft missile systems;
Whereas it has been reported that Russia plans to sell S-300 missiles to Iran
and Su-30 fighter jets to Syria via Belarus and that Russia is planning
to provide Syria with Iskander missiles and MiG-29 fighter jets;
Whereas reports indicate that Syria recently entered into an agreement with
Russia worth $730,000,000 for over 50 ``Pantsyr-S1E'' self-propelled
short-range gun and missile systems and that Syria has agreed to supply
Iran with at least 10 of the purchased systems;
Whereas in June 2007 it was reported that Rosoboronexport may start delivery of
5 MiG-31E fighter jets to Syria, under a deal estimated to be worth
$1,000,000,000;
Whereas according to a 2003 unclassified report of the Central Intelligence
Agency to Congress, ``Russian entities during the reporting period
continued to supply a variety of ballistic missile-related goods and
technical know-how to countries such as Iran ... . Iran's earlier
success in gaining technology and materials from Russian entities helped
to accelerate Iranian development of the Shahab-3 MRBM, and continuing
Russian entity assistance has supported Iranian efforts to develop new
missiles and increase Tehran's self-sufficiency in missile
production.'';
Whereas Iran and Syria are the most active state sponsors of terrorism in the
world and reports indicate that they have provided the organizations
known as Hezbollah and Hamas with weapons, as well as financing,
training, and political support;
Whereas Hezbollah and Hamas have been designated as foreign terrorist
organizations by the United States Department of State since 2001, and
as specially designated global terrorist organizations since 2002, with
Hezbollah and Hamas bearing responsibility for the murder of dozens of
United States citizens;
Whereas reports indicate that, during the conflict between Israel and Lebanon in
the summer of 2006, Iran and Syria provided Hezbollah with weapons that
included Russian-built anti-tank rocket-propelled grenades and Russian-
made missiles such as the Kornet AT-14 that were used by Hezbollah to
attack Israel;
Whereas military experts claim that Hezbollah extremists have accumulated 10,000
to 15,000 rockets, mostly Soviet 122mm BM-21 artillery projectiles,
known by the term ``Katyusha'';
Whereas reports indicate that arms continue to be smuggled out of Syria to
Hezbollah in Lebanon; and
Whereas transfers of arms to Iran and Syria by the Russian Federation and
Russian entities therefore pose a threat to peace and stability in the
Middle East: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring),
That Congress--
(1) expresses strong concern over Russia's continued arms
sales to Iran and Syria, which are state-sponsors of terrorism;
(2) urges the Government of Russia to immediately cease the
sale and transfer of arms to Iran and Syria;
(3) urges the President of the United States to use the
authority available to the President to implement sanctions on
Russian entities engaged in arms sales to Iran or Syria under
the Iran, North Korea, and Syria Nonproliferation Act, the
Iran-Iraq Arms Non-Proliferation Act of 1992, and Executive
Orders 13094 and 13882; and
(4) urges the Government of Russia to play a constructive
role in establishing peace and security in the Middle East.
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