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

112th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 526

   Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect 
  toward the establishment of a democratic and prosperous Republic of 
Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution to the 
      conflict with Georgia's internationally recognized borders.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                            January 24, 2012

  Mr. Shuster (for himself and Ms. Schwartz) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect 
  toward the establishment of a democratic and prosperous Republic of 
Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution to the 
      conflict with Georgia's internationally recognized borders.

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 
        will become a member of NATO;
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 minister 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 has demonstrated its overall commitment to 
        democratic and economic reforms;
Whereas Georgia has initiated positive developments and commitment in the areas 
        of constitutional reforms, strengthening the role of Parliament, 
        institutionalizing judicial independence, and utilizing international 
        election organizations and transparency; and
Whereas OSCE determined that Georgia's May 2010 municipal elections ``were 
        marked by clear improvements and efforts by the authorities to address 
        problems occurring during the election process'': 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) views with particular gravity direct threats to 
        Georgia's security and encourages the United States Government, 
        in the event of such a threat, to consult promptly with the 
        Government of Georgia with respect to what support, diplomatic 
        or otherwise, or assistance it can extend to Georgia;
            (3) 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;
            (4) 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;
            (5) 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 end the occupation of those regions and 
        fulfill all terms and conditions of the August 12, 2008, 
        ceasefire agreement;
            (6) calls upon the Russian Federation, Venezuela, 
        Nicaragua, 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;
            (7) welcomes Georgia's ``State Strategy on Occupied 
        Territories'' and ``Engagement Action Plan'', and supports 
        peaceful, constructive engagement and confidence building 
        measures between the Government of Georgia and the authorities 
        in control in the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, and 
        encourages increased people-to-people contacts;
            (8) 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;
            (9) recognizes progress 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
            (10) 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.
                                 <all>