[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 409 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. CON. RES. 409

Supporting the awarding of a Membership Action Plan to the Republic of 
    Georgia and Ukraine at the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers in December 2008.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 9, 2008

   Mr. Shimkus (for himself and Mr. Tanner) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
Supporting the awarding of a Membership Action Plan to the Republic of 
    Georgia and Ukraine at the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers in December 2008.

Whereas the sustained commitment of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 
        (NATO) to mutual defense has made the democratic transformation of 
        Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia possible;
Whereas NATO members can and should play a critical role in addressing the 
        security challenges of the post-Cold War era in creating the stable 
        environment needed for emerging democracies in Europe and Eurasia;
Whereas the Government of the Republic of Georgia and the Government of Ukraine 
        have each expressed a desire to join the Euro-Atlantic community, and 
        Georgia and Ukraine are working closely with NATO and its members to 
        meet criteria for NATO membership;
Whereas, on April 3, 2008, the heads of state and government participating in 
        the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in Bucharest stated that 
        ``NATO welcomes Ukraine's and Georgia's Euro-Atlantic aspirations for 
        membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become 
        members of NATO. Both nations have made valuable contributions to 
        Alliance operations. We welcome the democratic reforms in Ukraine and 
        Georgia and look forward to free and fair parliamentary elections in 
        Georgia in May. [A Membership Action Plan (MAP)] is the next step for 
        Ukraine and Georgia on their direct way to membership. Today we make 
        clear that we support these countries' applications for MAP.''
Whereas at the NATO-Ukraine Commission Foreign Ministerial meeting in Vilnius in 
        April 2005, NATO and Ukraine launched an Intensified Dialogue on 
        membership between the Alliance and Ukraine;
Whereas following a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in New York on September 
        21, 2006, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced the 
        launching of an Intensified Dialogue on membership between NATO and 
        Georgia;
Whereas the Riga Summit Declaration, issued by the heads of state and government 
        participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic Council in November 
        2006, reaffirms that NATO's door remains open to new members and that 
        NATO will continue to review the process for new membership, stating 
        ``We reaffirm that the Alliance will continue with Georgia and Ukraine 
        its Intensified Dialogues which cover the full range of political, 
        military, financial, and security issues relating to those countries' 
        aspirations to membership, without prejudice to any eventual Alliance 
        decision.'';
Whereas in January 2008, Ukraine forwarded to NATO Secretary General Jaap de 
        Hoop Scheffer a letter, signed by President Victor Yushchenko, Prime 
        Minister Yulia Tymoshenko, and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Arseniy Yatsenyuk, 
        requesting that NATO integrate Ukraine into the Membership Action Plan;
Whereas in January 2008, Georgia held a referendum on NATO and 76.2 percent of 
        the votes supported membership;
Whereas in February 2008, Georgia forwarded to NATO Secretary General Jaap de 
        Hoop Scheffer a letter, signed by President Mikhail Saakashvili, 
        requesting that NATO integrate Georgia into the Membership Action Plan;
Whereas both Georgia and the Ukraine have been steadfast partners in the War on 
        Terror with troops serving as part of the Multi-national Force--Iraq;
Whereas, on August 10, 2008, Georgian troops withdrew from Iraq to defend their 
        own borders;
Whereas, on August 13, 2008, President George W. Bush stated, ``The United 
        States of America stands with the democratically elected government of 
        Georgia. We insist that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of 
        Georgia be respected.'';
Whereas United States support for the approval of Membership Action Plans for 
        Georgia and Ukraine demonstrates support for the development of 
        democratic institutions in those countries, the process of defense 
        reform and respect for human rights;
Whereas NATO membership requires significant national and international 
        commitments and sacrifices and is not possible without the support of 
        the populations of the NATO member states;
Whereas a period of intensive engagement will begin with Georgia and Ukraine at 
        a high political level to address the questions still outstanding 
        pertaining to their Membership Action Plan applications; and
Whereas NATO Foreign Ministers have the authority to decide on the Membership 
        Action Plan applications of Georgia and Ukraine and have been asked to 
        make a first assessment of progress at their December 2008 meeting: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) Congress--
                    (A) reaffirms its previous expressions of support 
                for continued enlargement of the North Atlantic Treaty 
                Organization (NATO) to include qualified candidates; 
                and
                    (B) supports the commitment to further enlargement 
                of NATO to include democratic governments that are able 
                and willing to meet the responsibilities of membership; 
                and
            (2) it is the sense of Congress that--
                    (A) the expansion of NATO contributes to NATO's 
                continued effectiveness and relevance;
                    (B) the Republic of Georgia and Ukraine are strong 
                allies that have made important progress in the areas 
                of defense, democratic, and human rights reform;
                    (C) a stronger, deeper relationship among the 
                Government of Georgia, the Government of Ukraine, and 
                NATO will be mutually beneficial to those countries and 
                to NATO member states; and
                    (D) the United States should take the lead in 
                supporting the awarding of a Membership Action Plan to 
                Georgia and Ukraine at the meeting of the NATO Foreign 
                Ministers in December 2008.
                                 <all>