[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 445 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 445

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
States should support a mutually-agreed solution for the future status 
   of Kosovo and reject an imposed solution for the status of Kosovo.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 24, 2007

    Ms. Bean (for herself and Mr. Burton of Indiana) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United 
States should support a mutually-agreed solution for the future status 
   of Kosovo and reject an imposed solution for the status of Kosovo.

Whereas the United States has enduring national interests in the peace and 
        security of southeastern Europe, and in the greater integration of the 
        region into the Euro-Atlantic community of democratic, well-governed 
        states;
Whereas stability of Serbia and its full integration into the Euro-Atlantic 
        community of democracies furthers the stability in the entire Balkan 
        region;
Whereas the people of Serbia forced Slobodan Milosevic out of power in October 
        2000 and ever since have elected pro-European and pro-Western leaders 
        during the following seven democratic elections that have been 
        conducted;
Whereas pursuant to all relevant international agreements and treaties, 
        including the Charter of the United Nations, United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 1244, and the Final Act of the Conference on Security 
        and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Final Act), and international law 
        generally, Kosovo is legally part of Serbia and its state sovereignty;
Whereas the vast majority of Serbs and other minorities live in isolation and 
        extremely poor conditions in Kosovo especially in the central and 
        eastern regions;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 established the United 
        Nations Mission in Kosovo (UNMIK) to bring stability, the rule of law, 
        protection of human rights, and reconstruction to the war-torn province 
        of Kosovo;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 also reaffirms that 
        Kosovo is a part of Serbia;
Whereas since 1999 Serbia has had no political, military, or economic presence 
        in its province of Kosovo;
Whereas since the arrival of UNMIK and North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
        forces in Kosovo, more than 200,000 Serbs and other Kosovo minorities 
        have been displaced from their homes in Kosovo by Albanian extremists, 
        more than 1,500 Serbs have been murdered, more than 100 churches and 
        monasteries have been burned and destroyed, and more than 20,000 houses 
        have been destroyed;
Whereas the current status of Kosovo is contentious for both Serbia and its 
        province of Kosovo;
Whereas any attempt to impose a solution on Kosovo's final status on Serbia 
        could contribute to greater instability and inhibit its economic and 
        political development;
Whereas imposed independence for Kosovo will strengthen radical and 
        nationalistic, anti-Western forces in Serbia and could hinder Serbia's 
        progress toward joining the European Union and NATO;
Whereas in 2005, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed the former 
        President of Finland, Martti Ahtisaari, as United Nations Special Envoy 
        for Kosovo to develop a comprehensive settlement proposal to resolve the 
        political status of Kosovo;
Whereas in March 2007, after 18 months of inconclusive talks, the United Nations 
        Special Envoy for Kosovo submitted to the Security Council a 
        ``comprehensive settlement proposal'' that would result in supervised 
        independence for Kosovo;
Whereas the United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo ultimately failed to reach a 
        solution that would be acceptable for both sides; and
Whereas the United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo was unable to find a 
        compromise solution between Serbia and the Kosovo Albanians that would 
        allow an enduring and stable final status for Kosovo: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved,  That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the United States should support a mutually-agreed 
        solution for the future status of Kosovo for both Serbia and 
        Kosovo through a new round of negotiations if needed;
            (2) the United States should support an outcome that 
        creates an economically viable and politically stable Kosovo, 
        Serbia, and greater Balkan region where the human rights of all 
        persons are protected;
            (3) the United States should insist on fulfillment of all 
        agreed-upon democratic standards in Kosovo set forth previously 
        by the United Nations before supporting final status for 
        Kosovo;
            (4) the United States should, in consultation and 
        cooperation with its allies, vigorously and patiently pursue a 
        United Nations Security Council resolution that endorses a 
        solution acceptable for both parties;
            (5) the United States should restrain from any unilateral 
        action toward Kosovo's independence, especially actions outside 
        the United Nations, to prevent damaging the United States 
        positions in the international community;
            (6) the United States should work together with the 
        European Union in supporting the political and economic 
        development of both the province of Kosovo and Serbia;
            (7) the United States should support the full integration 
        of the province of Kosovo and Serbia into international and 
        Euro-Atlantic institutions;
            (8) the United States should reaffirm its commitment to 
        southeastern Europe, including its participation in the NATO 
        mission in Kosovo to deter and disrupt any efforts to 
        destabilize the region through violence;
            (9) the provincial Government of Kosovo should take full 
        responsibility to reassure, protect, and ensure the full 
        political and economic rights of Serbs and other minority 
        communities in Kosovo;
            (10) the provincial Government of Kosovo should make every 
        effort to develop a cooperative relationship with the 
        Government of Serbia, in recognition of its legitimate 
        interests in the safety of the Serb population, the property 
        rights of the Serb population in Kosovo and in the protection 
        and preservation of the patrimonial sites of the Serbian 
        Orthodox Church in Kosovo;
            (11) the international community should recognize that 
        additional negotiations and diplomacy does not represent a 
        delay of the process and that it is better to find a mutually-
        acceptable solution than to have prolonged crisis and 
        confrontation in the Balkans;
            (12) the international community should recognize that the 
        Government of Serbia currently has legal sovereignty over 
        Kosovo as outlined by United Nations Security Council 
        Resolution 1244; and
            (13) the Government of Serbia should continue toward a 
        prosperous and peaceful future through regional cooperation and 
        integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, including NATO and 
        the European Union, and toward the establishment of open, 
        constructive relations with the provincial government of 
        Kosovo.
                                 <all>