[Congressional Bills 112th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. Con. Res. 25 Referred in House (RFH)]

112th CONGRESS
  1st Session
S. CON. RES. 25


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 2011

              Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION


 
      Welcoming the independence of the Republic of South Sudan, 
  congratulating the people of South Sudan for freely and peacefully 
 expressing their will through an internationally accepted referendum, 
 and calling on the Governments and people of Sudan and South Sudan to 
  peacefully resolve outstanding issues including the final status of 
                                 Abyei.

Whereas the United States was a witness to the 2005 Comprehensive Peace 
        Agreement (CPA), which marked the end of more than 2 decades of civil 
        war between North and South Sudan that resulted in the deaths of more 
        than 2,000,000 people;
Whereas the CPA provided the framework for the historic referendum held between 
        January 9, 2011, and January 15, 2011, in which the people of South 
        Sudan voted overwhelmingly in favor of independence;
Whereas the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS), as established by United 
        Nations Security Council Resolution 1590 on March 24, 2005, was 
        instrumental in supporting the implementation of the CPA;
Whereas the mandate for the United Nations Mission in Sudan (UNMIS) expired on 
        July 9, 2011, with the completion of the CPA Interim Period;
Whereas the mandate for the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), as 
        established by United Nations Security Council Resolution 1996 (2011), 
        commenced on July 9, 2011;
Whereas, on February 7, 2011, the Southern Sudan Referendum Commission announced 
        that the people of South Sudan voted in favor of succession by a margin 
        of 98.8 percent, and President Bashir, on behalf of the Government of 
        Sudan, accepted the results of the referendum;
Whereas the African Union, the Arab League, the United Nations Secretary-
        General's Panel on the Referenda in Sudan, Sudanese Network for 
        Democratic Elections (SuNDE), Sudanese Group for Democracy and Elections 
        (SuGDE), and the Carter Center were among those to report that voting in 
        the referendum was credible and transparent, allowing the people of 
        South Sudan to freely express their desire for independence;
Whereas several outstanding issues and potential points of conflict remain 
        unresolved between the Government of Sudan and the Government of South 
        Sudan, including the final status of the contested area of Abyei, 
        disputed border areas, popular consultations, citizenship rights and 
        nationality, division of oil resources and profits, currency, 
        international debt and assets, and other matters;
Whereas the CPA parties signed an agreement on June 20, 2011, on temporary 
        administrative and security arrangements for Abyei, including the 
        establishment of a United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei and 
        the redeployment of all military forces of the Government of Sudan from 
        the area;
Whereas fighting in Southern Kordofan over the past month has resulted in deaths 
        and injuries to civilians, the displacement of thousands of residents, 
        and restricted access for humanitarian workers despite the framework 
        agreement for Blue Nile and Southern Kordofan states signed by the 
        Government of Sudan and Sudan People's Liberation Movement-North on June 
        28, 2011;
Whereas the needs for security, development, and democracy-building are great 
        throughout Sudan and South Sudan, and the United States and the 
        international community have invested significant resources in order to 
        provide assistance to the people of both countries;
Whereas more than 2,000,000 refugees and internally displaced persons from Sudan 
        and South Sudan continue to be displaced from their homes;
Whereas lasting peace and stability for all of Sudan cannot be realized until a 
        comprehensive peace in Darfur is secured and an appropriate mechanism 
        for accountability and justice is established for those responsible for 
        atrocities and crimes against humanity;
Whereas the United States has a compelling national interest in the security, 
        stability, and development of Sudan and South Sudan in order to prevent 
        conflict, humanitarian crises, and the establishment of safe havens for 
        terrorists;
Whereas Sudan was the first country to formally recognize the Republic of South 
        Sudan on July 9, 2011; and
Whereas the United States Government formally recognized the Republic of South 
        Sudan as a sovereign and independent state on July 9, 2011: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives concurring), 
That the Senate--
            (1) welcomes the independence of the Republic of South 
        Sudan and recognizes South Sudan as the newest member of the 
        international community;
            (2) congratulates the people of South Sudan for freely and 
        peacefully expressing their desire for independence through an 
        internationally accepted referendum, and notes the Government 
        of Sudan's recognition of the results of the referendum and 
        South Sudan's independence;
            (3) commends the people and leaders of South Sudan on their 
        efforts to reach this historic milestone as well as the members 
        of the international community that assisted them, including 
        the United States, the European Union and its member states, 
        Norway, the United Nations, the African Union and the AU High-
        Level Implementation Panel, the Arab League, the 
        Intergovernmental Authority on Development, neighboring 
        countries, and others;
            (4) calls on the Governments of Sudan and South Sudan to 
        continue high level engagement to resolve outstanding matters 
        relating to the final status of Abyei, disputed border areas, 
        the completion of popular consultations, citizenship and 
        nationality, division of oil resources and profits, currency, 
        international debt and assets, and other matters in order to 
        ensure a smooth transition to two states and to mitigate points 
        of conflict;
            (5) calls on all sides to fully implement their June 20, 
        2011, agreement on temporary arrangements for the contested 
        Abyei area and swiftly establish a cessation of hostilities in 
        Southern Kordofan to facilitate the delivery and resupply of 
        humanitarian assistance;
            (6) welcomes the deployment of up to 4,200 Ethiopian 
        peacekeepers to Abyei and the new United Nations Mission in 
        South Sudan (UNMISS) to provide security and stability in 
        Sudan;
            (7) calls on the Government of Sudan to allow for continued 
        United Nations peacekeeping operations in Southern Kordofan and 
        Blue Nile states to support new security arrangements and the 
        delivery of humanitarian assistance;
            (8) calls on the United States Government and international 
        community, in coordination with the Governments of Sudan and 
        South Sudan, to support peace, rule of law, security, and good 
        governance in Sudan and South Sudan in order to--
                    (A) promote security and stability in both 
                countries, especially in critical areas such as Darfur, 
                Blue Nile, and Southern Kordofan and in Abyei;
                    (B) promote the human and civil rights of all--
                including southerners living in Sudan and northerners 
                living in South Sudan--through laws and regulations 
                fully respected by both governments;
                    (C) encourage the Government of South Sudan to 
                engage opposition parties to foster open political 
                space and vibrant democratic institutions;
                    (D) encourage the Government of Sudan to facilitate 
                the development of multiple political parties with 
                freedom of speech and association;
                    (E) provide technical assistance and expertise to 
                the Government of South Sudan;
                    (F) promote access to humanitarian and development 
                aid for the people of Sudan and South Sudan, with a 
                focus on the critical areas of education, health care, 
                and infrastructure, and paying particular attention to 
                historically marginalized areas, including Darfur, 
                Southern Kordofan and Blue Nile states, and Eastern 
                Sudan;
                    (G) encourage the Governments of Sudan and South 
                Sudan to prevent terrorist groups from using their 
                territories and to continue to cooperate with the 
                United States on counterterrorism priorities; and
                    (H) encourage the Governments of Sudan and South 
                Sudan to continue to work together in a productive 
                relationship that recognizes the mutual need for 
                cooperation and an open flow of people and goods across 
                borders and to refrain from the use of proxy forces to 
                foment conflict;
            (9) urges that the Darfur peace process remain a priority 
        in United States relations with the Government of Sudan and 
        receives appropriate attention and resources, including--
                    (A) continued high level engagement to secure a 
                just and lasting peace in Darfur;
                    (B) a commitment to ensuring humanitarian access to 
                vulnerable populations; and
                    (C) sustained support for the African Union-United 
                Nations Mission in Darfur (UNAMID) and its mandate to 
                protect civilians and move freely without seeking 
                permission from the armed forces of the Government of 
                Sudan; and
            (10) welcomes the anticipated nomination of a United States 
        ambassador to the Republic of South Sudan.

            Passed the Senate July 18, 2011.

            Attest:

                                                NANCY ERICKSON,

                                                             Secretary.