[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Res. 459 Introduced in Senate (IS)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
S. RES. 459

  Expressing the strong support of the Senate for the North Atlantic 
 Treaty Organization to extend invitations for membership to Albania, 
  Croatia, and Macedonia at the April 2008 Bucharest Summit, and for 
                            other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                   IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

                           February 25, 2008

   Mr. Lugar (for himself and Mr. Voinovich) submitted the following 
  resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the strong support of the Senate for the North Atlantic 
 Treaty Organization to extend invitations for membership to Albania, 
  Croatia, and Macedonia at the April 2008 Bucharest Summit, and for 
                            other purposes.

Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) will hold a Heads of State 
        and Government summit at Bucharest, Romania in April 2008;
Whereas NATO has successfully defended the territory and interests of its 
        members for more than 50 years and contributed to the spread of freedom, 
        democracy, stability, and peace throughout Europe;
Whereas Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia have been preparing for NATO membership 
        for more than 8 years and are undergoing a historic process of 
        democratic and free market transformation after emerging from decades of 
        occupation;
Whereas Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia have made important progress toward 
        establishing civilian control of their militaries and demonstrating 
        their ability to operate with the military forces of NATO nations at 
        Alliance standards;
Whereas Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia continue to make important contributions 
        to the United Nations-mandated International Security Assistance Force, 
        operating under NATO leadership to assist the Government of Afghanistan 
        in extending and exercising its authority and influence throughout 
        Afghanistan, creating the conditions for stabilization and 
        reconstruction;
Whereas Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia have made important improvements in 
        their democratic processes, including--

    (1) embracing ethnic diversity;

    (2) respecting human rights;

    (3) building a free market economy; and

    (4) promoting good neighborly relations;

Whereas NATO conducted military operations against the Federal Republic of 
        Yugoslavia to further the objective of a lasting peace in Kosovo;
Whereas the United States has diplomatically recognized the independence of 
        Kosovo and should support the integration of Kosovo into international 
        and Euro-Atlantic institutions;
Whereas lasting stability and security in Southeastern Europe requires the 
        military, economic, and political integration of emerging democracies 
        into existing European structures;
Whereas Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia can play important roles in NATO 
        activities in Southeastern Europe, through their unique geostrategic 
        position and by deterring and disrupting any efforts by any party to 
        destabilize the region through violence;
Whereas Article 10 of the North Atlantic Treaty, done in Washington on April 4, 
        1949, states: ``any other European state in a position to further the 
        principles of this Treaty and to contribute to the security of the North 
        Atlantic area'' may be granted NATO membership; and
Whereas the Riga Summit Declaration, issued by NATO in November 2006, reaffirms 
        that ``NATO remains open to new European members'': Now, therefore, be 
        it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that--
            (1) the political independence and territorial integrity of 
        the emerging democracies in Southeastern Europe are vital to 
        European peace and security and to the interests of the United 
        States;
            (2) the expansion of NATO contributes to the Alliance's 
        continued effectiveness and relevance;
            (3) the Senate reaffirms its support for continued 
        enlargement of NATO to include qualified candidates; and
            (4) the United States should take the lead in supporting 
        the awarding of invitations to Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia 
        to join the Alliance at the NATO Summit at Bucharest, Romania 
        in April 2008.
                                 <all>