[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 526 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 526

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                    September 19, 2012.
Whereas a democratic and stable Republic of Georgia is in the political, 
        security, and economic interests of the United States;
Whereas the security of the Black Sea and South Caucasus region is important for 
        Euro-Atlantic security, transportation, and energy diversification to 
        and from Central Asia;
Whereas Georgia has been a reliable partner and ally in enhancing global peace 
        and stability with its significant contribution to operations in Iraq 
        and Afghanistan;
Whereas the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partnership, signed in 
        January 2009, outlines the importance of the bilateral relationship as 
        well as the intent of both countries to expand democracy and economic 
        programs, enhance defense and security cooperation, further trade and 
        energy cooperation, and build people-to-people cultural exchanges;
Whereas in October 2010, at the meeting of the United States-Georgia Charter on 
        Strategic Partnership, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated, 
        ``the United States will not waver in its support for Georgia's 
        sovereignty and territorial integrity'';
Whereas successive United States Administrations have supported Georgia's 
        aspirations to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO);
Whereas it was declared by the Heads of State and Government participating in 
        the 2008 NATO Summit in Bucharest, and reaffirmed in 2009 at the Summit 
        in Strasbourg and Kehl and in 2010 at the Summit in Lisbon, that Georgia 
        is a NATO aspirant country, and will become a member of NATO;
Whereas the North Atlantic Council Foreign Ministers, meeting on December 7, 
        2011, applauded the significant operational support provided to NATO by 
        aspirant partners Georgia, the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, 
        Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina;
Whereas the August 2008, military conflict between Russia and Georgia resulted 
        in civilian and military causalities, the violation of Georgia's 
        sovereignty and territorial integrity, and increased the number of 
        internally displaced persons there;
Whereas large numbers of the Georgian population remain forcefully displaced 
        from the Abkhazia and South Ossetia regions of Georgia as a result of 
        the August 2008 military conflict as well as the earlier conflicts in 
        the 1990s;
Whereas since 1993, the territorial integrity of Georgia has been reaffirmed by 
        the international community in 36 United Nations Security Council 
        resolutions;
Whereas the August 12, 2008, ceasefire agreement negotiated by the European 
        Union Presidency and agreed to by the Presidents of Georgia and the 
        Russian Federation, provides that all Russian troops shall be withdrawn 
        to pre-conflict positions;
Whereas the Russian Federation opposed consensus on the extension of the 
        Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) Mission to 
        Georgia, vetoed the extension of the United Nations Observer Mission in 
        Georgia (UNOMIG) and blocked the work of the European Union Monitoring 
        Mission (EUMM) in the occupied Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South 
        Ossetia;
Whereas the United States supports Georgia's independence, sovereignty, and 
        territorial integrity within the internationally recognized borders of 
        Georgia;
Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton stated in Tbilisi on July 5, 
        2010, that, ``We continue to call for Russia to abide by the August 2008 
        ceasefire commitment. . .including ending the occupation and withdrawing 
        Russian troops from South Ossetia and Abkhazia to their pre-conflict 
        positions'';
Whereas the White House released a Fact Sheet on July 24, 2010, calling for 
        ``Russia to end its occupation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia 
        and South Ossetia. . .'' and for ``a return of international observers 
        to the two occupied regions of Georgia'';
Whereas Vice President Joseph Biden stated in Tbilisi in July 2009 that the 
        United States ``will not recognize Abkhazia and South Ossetia as 
        independent states'';
Whereas Human Rights Watch concluded in its 2011 World Report that ``Russia 
        continued to exercise effective control over South Ossetia and Abkhazia, 
        preventing international observers' access and vetoing international 
        missions working there'';
Whereas Human Rights Watch concluded in its 2011 World Report that ``Russia 
        continued to occupy Georgia's breakaway regions of South Ossetia and 
        Abkhazia and strengthened its military presence in the region by 
        establishing a military base and placing an advanced surface-to-air 
        missile system in Abkhazia'';
Whereas the Senate of the 112th United States Congress adopted a resolution in 
        July 2011 affirming the United States' support for the sovereignty, 
        independence, and territorial integrity of the country of Georgia and 
        calling upon Russia to remove its occupying forces from Abkhazia and 
        South Ossetia;
Whereas the United States Helsinki Commission called Russia to cease its 
        continuing, illegal occupation of the South Ossetia and Abkhazia regions 
        of Georgia and allow those who fled their homes during the 2008 war to 
        go back without preconditions;
Whereas the Russian Federation therefore remains in violation of August 12, 
        2008, ceasefire agreement;
Whereas at the April 15, 2011, meeting in Berlin, Germany, between the Georgia 
        foreign minister and foreign ministers of NATO, Secretary of State 
        Clinton stated, ``U.S. support for Georgia's sovereignty and territorial 
        integrity remains steadfast . . . . We share Georgian concerns regarding 
        recent Russian activities that can negatively affect regional 
        stability.'';
Whereas on November 23, 2010, Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili committed 
        before the European Parliament that ``Georgia will never use force to 
        restore its territorial integrity and sovereignty'';
Whereas the Government of Georgia, beginning with the Rose Revolution of 2003, 
        has taken significant steps toward promoting democratic and economic 
        reforms;
Whereas in October 2012, Georgia will hold its seventh parliamentary elections 
        since the country gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, and 
        prospective presidential elections in 2013 to which the Government of 
        Georgia has invited international election observers;
Whereas Georgia has initiated positive developments and commitments in the areas 
        of constitutional reforms, strengthening the role of Parliament, and 
        utilizing international election organizations and transparency;
Whereas the Head of the OSCE/ODIHR long-term Election Observation Mission 
        determined that Georgia's May 2010 municipal elections ``were marked by 
        clear improvements and efforts by the authorities to address problems 
        occurring during the process. It is now time to fix the remaining 
        shortcomings and take effective steps to prevent electoral malpractices 
        before the next elections at the national level.''; and
Whereas recognizing that members of NATO share a common adherence to democratic 
        norms, Georgia can best prepare itself for membership by progressing on 
        its democratic reform agenda and ensuring that upcoming parliamentary 
        and presidential elections are free, fair, and competitive: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) supports strengthened United States engagements with the 
        Republic of Georgia aimed at helping Georgia enhance its security and to 
        restore its territorial integrity through exclusively peaceful means;
            (2) supports the implementation of the United States-Georgia Charter 
        on Strategic Partnership, with a mutual desire to strengthen the 
        bilateral relationship across political, economic, trade, energy, 
        cultural, scientific, people-to-people, defense, and security fields;
            (3) supports Georgia's North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) 
        membership aspirations and to advance further implementation of 
        decisions taken by the allies at the NATO Summits in Bucharest, 
        Strasbourg and Kehl, and Lisbon with regard to Georgia's NATO 
        membership;
            (4) affirms that it is the policy of the United States to support 
        the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of Georgia and 
        the inviolability of its borders, and to recognize Abkhazia and South 
        Ossetia as regions of Georgia illegally occupied by the Russian 
        Federation and calls on the Russian Federation to fulfill all terms and 
        conditions of the August 12, 2008, ceasefire agreement, to end the 
        occupation of the Georgian territories of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, 
        and to withdraw completely its troops from the internationally 
        recognized border of Georgia;
            (5) calls upon the Russian Federation, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Tuvalu, 
        and Nauru to reverse the recognition of the occupied Georgian regions of 
        Abkhazia and South Ossetia as independent and respect the independence, 
        sovereignty, and territorial integrity of Georgia within its 
        internationally recognized borders;
            (6) supports the Government of Georgia's commitment to a policy of 
        peaceful, constructive engagement and confidence building measures 
        towards the occupied territories and encourages it to continue to uphold 
        economic and human rights, ensure freedom of movement, facilitate 
        people-to-people contacts, and to preserve cultural heritage, language, 
        and ethnic identity aimed at reconciling divided communities of the 
        Georgian regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
            (7) urges the Government of Russia and the authorities in control in 
        the regions to allow for the full and dignified, secure, and voluntary 
        return of internally displaced persons and international missions access 
        to the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia;
            (8) recognizes progress on government transparency and economic 
        reforms and encourages Georgia to continue strengthening its democracy 
        by implementing reforms that expand media transparency and freedoms, 
        increase government transparency, accountability, and responsiveness, 
        promote political competition and democratic electoral processes, 
        strengthen the rule of law and judicial independence, and further 
        implement judicial reforms; and
            (9) affirms that a peaceful resolution to the conflict is a key 
        priority for the United States in the Caucasus region, and that lasting 
        regional stability can only be achieved through peaceful means and long-
        term diplomatic and political dialogue between all parties.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.