[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 548 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 548

  Expressing the ongoing concern of the House of Representatives for 
   Lebanon's democratic institutions and unwavering support for the 
administration of justice upon those responsible for the assassination 
     of Lebanese public figures opposing Syrian control of Lebanon.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 16, 2007

  Mr. Ackerman (for himself, Mr. Pence, Mr. Lantos, Mr. Issa, and Mr. 
Boustany) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the ongoing concern of the House of Representatives for 
   Lebanon's democratic institutions and unwavering support for the 
administration of justice upon those responsible for the assassination 
     of Lebanese public figures opposing Syrian control of Lebanon.

Whereas on February 14, 2005, former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, along 
        with 22 other people, was assassinated by a massive bomb;
Whereas Lebanon's Cedar Revolution led to the withdrawal of Syrian troops in 
        April 2005, following 30 years of Syrian military occupation;
Whereas parliamentary elections were held in Lebanon in May and June of 2005 
        leading to the formation of government under Prime Minister Fuad 
        Siniora, with a majority of the parliament and cabinet committed to 
        strengthening Lebanon's independence and the sovereignty of its 
        democratic institutions of government;
Whereas Lebanese independence and sovereignty are still threatened by an ongoing 
        campaign of assassination and attempted assassinations of Lebanese 
        political and public figures opposed to Syrian interference in Lebanon's 
        internal affairs, and terrorist bombings intended to incite ethnic and 
        religious hatred, the continuing presence of state-sponsored militias 
        and foreign terrorist groups, and the ongoing and illegal trans-shipment 
        of weapons and munitions from Iran and Syria into Lebanon;
Whereas the democratically-elected and legitimate government of Lebanon, in 
        accordance with the mandate of United Nations Security Council 
        resolutions and the relevant provisions of the Taif Accords, has made 
        efforts, through the internal deployments of the Lebanese Armed Forces, 
        to exercise its full sovereignty, so that there will be no weapon or 
        authority within Lebanon other than that of the Government of Lebanon;
Whereas the Lebanese Council of Ministers, on November 25, 2006, approved a 
        statute for the establishment of a tribunal of an international 
        character according to the terms negotiated between the Government of 
        Lebanon and the United Nations in order to bring to justice all those 
        responsible for the terrorist bombing of February 14, 2005;
Whereas a majority of Lebanese members of parliament sought a vote in favor of 
        ratifying the statute establishing a tribunal of an international 
        character, and 70 of Lebanon's then 127 current parliamentarians sent a 
        memorandum to the United Nations Secretary-General endorsing the 
        establishment under the United Nations Charter of a Special Tribunal to 
        bring to justice all those responsible for the terrorist bombing of 
        February 14, 2005;
Whereas the Speaker of the Lebanese parliament subverted the clear will of the 
        Lebanese people, and a majority of Lebanese parliamentarians, by 
        refusing to convene the parliament since November 2006 in order to 
        prevent ratification of the statute approved by the Council of Ministers 
        to create a Special Tribunal to bring to justice all those responsible 
        for the terrorist bombing of February 14, 2005;
Whereas Hezbollah, a United States Department of State designated Foreign 
        Terrorist Organization, and their pro-Syrian allies have declared the 
        democratically-elected and legitimate government of Lebanon 
        ``unconstitutional'', and are seeking to topple the government through 
        extra-legal means, including, rioting, continuous street demonstrations 
        outside of the Council of Ministers, and obstructing traffic in Beirut;
Whereas the transfer of weapons, ammunition, and fighters into Lebanon in 
        contravention of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701 (2006), 
        has twice prompted the Security Council to issue statements, on April 
        17, 2007, (S/PRST/2007/12) and on June 11, 2007, (S/PRST/2007/17) 
        wherein it expressed deep and serious concern at mounting information by 
        Israel and other states of illegal movements of arms into Lebanon, and 
        in particular across the Lebanese-Syrian border in violation of Security 
        Council Resolution 1701;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full support of the United 
        States, has repeatedly adopted resolutions, notably, Resolutions 
        425(1978), 520 (1982), 1559 (2004), 1655 (2006), 1664 (2006), 1680 
        (2006), 1701 (2006), and 1757 (2007) that, among other things, express 
        the support of the international community for the sovereignty, 
        territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of Lebanon 
        under the sole and exclusive authority of the Government of Lebanon, and 
        demand the disarmament of all armed groups in Lebanon;
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolutions, notably, 1595 (2005), 1636 
        (2005), 1644, (2005), 1664 (2006), 1748 (2007), and 1757 (2007), that 
        underscore the importance of the pursuit of justice in response to the 
        terrorist bombing of February 14, 2005, and if appropriate, other 
        assassinations and assassination attempts since October 2004;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full support of the United 
        States, has sought to assist the Government of Lebanon in extending its 
        authority over all Lebanese territory, including its sea, land, and air 
        borders, through the presence of the United Nations Interim Force in 
        Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon and through technical and personnel 
        assistance;
Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full support of the United 
        States, has strongly supported the demand of the Lebanese people that 
        justice be done to those responsible for the terrorist attack of 
        February 14, 2005, and other terrorist attacks and attempted 
        assassinations since October 2004, establishing and extending the 
        mandate of the International Independent Investigation Commission (IIIC) 
        to investigate terrorist bombings of February 14, 2005, and moving 
        toward the creation of a Special Tribunal of an international character, 
        according to United Nations Security Council Resolutions 1595 (2005), 
        1636 (2005), 1644 (2005), 1664 (2006), 1686 (2006) and 1748 (2007);
Whereas Lebanese Prime Minister Fuad Siniora in a letter of May 14, 2007, 
        informed the Secretary General of the United Nations that, ``the 
        Lebanese Government believes that the time has come for the Security 
        Council to help make the Special Tribunal for Lebanon a reality. We 
        therefore ask you, as a matter of urgency, to put before the Security 
        Council our request that the Special Tribunal be put into effect. A 
        binding decision regarding the Tribunal on the part of the Security 
        Council will be fully consistent with the importance the United Nations 
        has attached to this matter from the outset, when the investigation 
        commission was established. Further delays in setting up the Tribunal 
        would be most detrimental to Lebanon's stability, to the cause of 
        justice, to the credibility of the United Nations itself and to peace 
        and security in the region.'';
Whereas the United Nations Security Council, with the full support of the United 
        States, adopted Resolution 1757, establishing on June 10, 2007, a 
        Special Tribunal try all those found responsible for the terrorist 
        bombing of February 14, 2005, and if appropriate, both prior and 
        subsequent attacks in Lebanon, unless the Government of Lebanon has 
        provided notice that such a tribunal has been established under its own 
        laws;
Whereas the United States Congress has appropriated emergency economic and 
        military assistance to Lebanon at levels far greater than the amounts of 
        bilateral assistance provided in recent fiscal years; and
Whereas it is manifestly in the interests of the United States and the 
        international community to support the full sovereignty and political 
        independence of Lebanon, its democratically-elected and legitimate 
        government, and to insist that justice be done concerning the terrorist 
        bombing of February 14, 2005, and both prior and subsequent politically-
        inspired assassinations and assassination attempts: Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) condemns the attempts by Hezbollah and other pro-Syrian 
        groups to undermine and intimidate the democratically-elected 
        and legitimate Government of Lebanon by extra-legal means;
            (2) condemns the campaign of attempted and successful 
        assassinations targeting members of parliament and public 
        figures in favor of Lebanese independence and sovereignty and 
        opposed to Syrian interference in Lebanon, and bombings in 
        civilian areas intended to intimidate the Lebanese people;
            (3) calls on the Speaker of the Lebanese parliament to 
        convene the parliament without further delay, so that it can 
        fulfill its legislative obligations and pursue the interests of 
        the Lebanese people under the rule of law;
            (4) confirms the strong support of the United States for 
        United Nations Security Council resolutions concerning Lebanon, 
        and the clear and binding mandate of the international 
        community for the arms embargo and disarmament of all armed 
        groups in Lebanon, and particularly, Hezbollah and Palestinian 
        factions in Lebanon;
            (5) condemns Syria and Iran for their ongoing roles in 
        providing arms to Lebanese militias, particularly Hezbollah and 
        Palestinian factions in Lebanon, in blatant contravention of 
        United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701;
            (6) expresses its strong appreciation to Belgium, China, 
        Cyprus, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Greece, 
        Guatemala, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, the 
        Republic of Korea, Luxemburg, Malaysia, Nepal, Netherlands, 
        Norway, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, 
        Sweden, Tanzania, and Turkey for their contributions of 
        military personnel to serve in the United Nations Interim Force 
        in Lebanon (UNIFIL), now manned with 13,251 troops of the 
        15,000 troops authorized in United Nations Security Council 
        Resolution 1701;
            (7) urges the Government of Lebanon to request UNIFIL's 
        assistance to secure the Lebanese-Syrian border against the 
        entry of illicit arms or related material under paragraphs 
        11(f) and 14 of United Nations Security Council Resolution 
        1701, and pledges earnest American support for this action, 
        should the Government of Lebanon choose to do so;
            (8) calls on the international community to further support 
        the mission of UNIFIL and efforts by the United Nations 
        Secretary-General to improve the monitoring of the Lebanese 
        border in order to effectively implement the arms embargo on 
        armed groups in Lebanon required by United Nations Security 
        Council Resolution 1701;
            (9) affirms strongly United States support for efforts to 
        bring to justice those responsible for the terrorist bombing of 
        February 14, 2005, and both prior and subsequent politically 
        inspired assassinations, and for the Special Tribunal for 
        Lebanon established by the United Nations Security Council 
        Resolution 1757;
            (10) endorses prompt action by the Special Tribunal for 
        Lebanon for the terrorist bombing of February 14, 2005, and 
        both prior and subsequent politically-inspired assassinations, 
        under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter;
            (11) pledges continued support for the democratically-
        elected and legitimate Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese 
        people against the campaign of intimidation, terror, and murder 
        directed at the Lebanese people and at political and public 
        figures opposing Syrian interference in Lebanon;
            (12) commends the many Lebanese who continue to adhere 
        steadfastly to the principles of the Cedar Revolution and 
        support the democratically elected and legitimate government of 
        Lebanon;
            (13) applauds the Government of Lebanon's efforts to fully 
        extend Lebanon's sovereignty over the entire country through 
        the internal deployments of the Lebanese Armed Forces, 
        including direct action against the Fatah al Islam group, and 
        encourages the Government of Lebanon to intensify these 
        efforts; and
            (14) re-affirms its intention to continue to provide 
        financial and material assistance to support the sovereignty, 
        territorial integrity, unity, and political independence of 
        Lebanon under the sole and exclusive authority of the 
        Government of Lebanon.
                                 <all>