[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 61 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 61

  Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the Russian 
 Federation's continued membership in the G8 should be conditioned on 
  its compliance with its international obligations and commitment to 
                  democratic principles and standards.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 25, 2009

 Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Mack, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Burton of 
 Indiana, Mr. McCotter, and Mr. Poe of Texas) submitted the following 
 concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of Congress that the Government of the Russian 
 Federation's continued membership in the G8 should be conditioned on 
  its compliance with its international obligations and commitment to 
                  democratic principles and standards.

Whereas the Group of Eight (G8) is comprised of France, Germany, Italy, Great 
        Britain, the United States, Canada, Japan, and Russia;
Whereas the leaders of the G8 member states gather annually to tackle global 
        challenges, which include strengthening international trade and 
        promoting peace and democracy;
Whereas prior to Russia's participation in the organization, the then Group of 
        Seven (G7) consisted solely of countries with advanced economies and 
        democratic governments;
Whereas after the breakup of the Soviet Union in 1991, Russia undertook steps to 
        implement political and economic reforms;
Whereas the decision to invite Russia to participate and become a member of the 
        G8 was based on the recognition of the Government of the Russian 
        Federation's commitment to pursue continued democratization and market 
        reforms;
Whereas under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, both as President and Prime 
        Minister of Russia, the Russian Federation has reversed its steps toward 
        true democracy and engaged in hostile acts against its neighbors;
Whereas, since Vladimir Putin assumed the office of the Presidency of the 
        Russian Federation in 2000, the Russian Federation has, among other 
        things, cracked down on opposition political parties, suppressed 
        independent media, and restricted activities of human rights 
        organizations;
Whereas, according to a 2007 report on Russia issued by Freedom House, ``Judges 
        [in Russia] often report feeling pressured by federal authorities . . 
        .'', that ``Corruption throughout the government and business world is 
        pervasive . . . [and that the] government's continuing campaign against 
        nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), particularly those with foreign 
        funding, curtailed the activities of human rights groups, and fine-
        tuning of the electoral laws made life more difficult for opposition 
        parties'';
Whereas, according to the Department of State's 2007 Country Report on Human 
        Rights Practices, ``[Russian] government security forces were allegedly 
        involved in unlawful killings, politically motivated abductions, and 
        disappearances in Chechnya, Ingushetia and elsewhere in the North 
        Caucasus.'';
Whereas, the Russian Federation's human rights abuses and failure to address 
        corruption in the North Caucasus have contributed to the increase in 
        violence in the region and have enhanced the opportunities for radical 
        Islamists to recruit followers there;
Whereas, according to a 2006 report issued by the Organization for Economic 
        Cooperation and Development (OECD), the Russian Federation's ``policy 
        seems to have been focused not on market reforms but on tightening the 
        state's grip on the `commanding heights' of the economy'';
Whereas reports indicate that high-level officials in the Russian Federation 
        have benefitted from the diversion of substantial revenues from state-
        owned and state-influenced energy entities and from private energy 
        enterprises that have been subjected to pressures by the government 
        authorities;
Whereas the Russian Federation has consolidated its control over Russia's oil 
        and gas sectors through harassment of domestic and foreign energy 
        companies;
Whereas the Russian Federation has apparently used its influence over its vast 
        energy resources as a political tool in relations with its neighbors, 
        including the Republic of Georgia, Ukraine, and Belarus;
Whereas through its state-owned or influenced energy companies, Russia has tried 
        to gain control over pipelines, storage facilities, ports, and other 
        energy infrastructure in the rest of Europe to further enhance its 
        position of increasing dominance in European energy markets, and in a 
        number of cases where energy infrastructure had been purchased by non-
        Russian companies, subsequently shut off energy supplies to the energy 
        facilities involved;
Whereas the Russian Federation has failed to fulfill the commitment it made in 
        1999 at the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 
        Summit in Istanbul to withdraw its military forces from the 
        Transnistrian territory of the Republic of Moldova by the end of 2002;
Whereas the Russian Federation has, for years, sought to manipulate ethnic 
        conflicts in Georgia and its separatist regions of Abkhazia and South 
        Ossetia, and made numerous efforts to undermine Georgia's sovereignty, 
        including, among other things, providing arms to the separatist 
        movements within Georgia, boycotting Georgia's major export products, 
        violating Georgian airspace, shooting down an unmanned Georgian drone, 
        and shutting off gas and electricity supplies to Georgia;
Whereas prior to attacking Georgia in August 2008, Russia had increased its 
        forces and military equipment in South Ossetia and Abkhazia, and granted 
        Russian citizenship and passports to those living in those Georgian 
        enclaves, thereby escalating tensions in these regions;
Whereas Russia's military invasion of Georgia in August 2008 violated Georgia's 
        territorial integrity, caused tens of thousands of persons to be 
        internally displaced, and inflicted massive destruction by the bombing 
        of Georgian infrastructure, including ports, bridges, and railroads;
Whereas, on August 26, 2008, Russia recognized South Ossetia and Abkhazia as 
        independent states, although they are internationally recognized as part 
        of Georgia's territory;
Whereas, on September 8, 2008, Russia's Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov 
        indicated that Russia will significantly increase the number of troops 
        in Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and, according to a statement made on 
        October 20, 2008, by the chief of the Russian general staff, General 
        Nikolai Makarov, Russia will establish permanent military bases in those 
        separatist regions;
Whereas, on January 26, 2008, Russian officials stated that Russia will soon 
        start building a naval base in Georgia's Black Sea separatist region of 
        Abkhazia; and
Whereas the abovementioned policies and actions by the Russian Federation 
        undermine global security and democracy and weaken economic stability 
        and development and thereby contradict the values, principles, and 
        objectives of the original seven member states of the G8: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) notes the undemocratic nature of the Government of the 
        Russian Federation's actions and policies restricting political 
        and media freedoms and also its failure to respect and protect 
        human rights;
            (2) condemns Russia's violation of the Republic of 
        Georgia's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and Russia's 
        continued failure to withdraw its troops from Georgian 
        territory;
            (3) calls upon the President to urge the leaders of the 
        governments of the other six original member states of the G8 
        to condition Russia's continued membership in the G8 on its 
        adherence and commitment to the values shared by the other 
        members of the organization, including: democracy, respect for 
        human rights, promotion of peace and stability, and proper 
        protection of investment; and
            (4) calls upon the President and the Secretary of State to 
        work with the governments of the six other original member 
        states of the G8 to terminate the Russian Federation's 
        participation in the G8 with such termination of membership to 
        continue until the President, after consulting with the other 
        six member states, determines and reports to Congress that the 
        Government of the Russian Federation has--
                    (A) taken demonstrable and substantive steps toward 
                removing the official and unofficial restrictions that 
                it currently imposes on legitimate political opposition 
                parties and movements, independent media, human rights 
                groups, and nongovernment organizations, and that 
                violate the principles of organizations such as the 
                Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
                (OSCE) and the Council of Europe;
                    (B) taken substantive measures to implement free 
                market reforms and affirmative steps in tackling 
                corruption on all levels, particularly within the 
                government and within the government's highest levels;
                    (C) ceased to use energy as a political tool 
                against its neighbors and has demonstrated a commitment 
                to adhere to proper market-based policies regarding its 
                energy sector, including but not limited to providing 
                legal protections and fairly enforcing those 
                protections in regard to both domestic and foreign 
                investors, and opening up its oil and gas pipelines to 
                investment and operation by non-Russian investors;
                    (D) fulfilled its commitments to withdraw its 
                military forces from the Transnistrian region of the 
                Republic of Moldova;
                    (E) fully and verifiably withdrawn its troops from 
                all of the territory of Georgia; and
                    (F) ceased any and all actions and policies that 
                currently violate or would threaten the sovereignty and 
                territorial integrity of neighboring states.
                                 <all>