[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 308 Introduced in House (IH)]

113th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 308

 Expressing support to end the 39-year-old division of the Republic of 
                                Cyprus.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             July 19, 2013

   Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself, Mr. Deutch, Mr. Bilirakis, and Mr. 
Sarbanes) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing support to end the 39-year-old division of the Republic of 
                                Cyprus.

Whereas the House of Representatives supports the reunification of the Republic 
        of Cyprus and acknowledges steps taken that hold the promise of ending 
        the 39-year-old division of the Republic of Cyprus;
Whereas in February 2013, the Republic of Cyprus elected President Nicos 
        Anastasiades;
Whereas the newly elected President of Cyprus has expressed his commitment to 
        resume United Nations-sponsored discussions to reach a just and viable 
        settlement based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal federation in accordance 
        with relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions;
Whereas Secretary of State John Kerry and Cypriot Foreign Minister Ioannis 
        Kasoulides met in Washington, DC, in May 2013 and discussed a variety of 
        issues, included initiatives involving several confidence-building 
        proposals;
Whereas the United States recognizes the discovery of significant offshore gas 
        reserves in the Exclusive Economic Zone of the Republic of Cyprus;
Whereas the United States supports the sovereign rights of the Republic of 
        Cyprus and Israel to explore and process energy reserves in accordance 
        with international law;
Whereas this discovery could potentially provide greater energy security for 
        Europe and Israel as well as act as a stabilizing and unifying factor in 
        the Eastern Mediterranean;
Whereas the United States fully supports strengthening the cooperation efforts 
        between the Republic of Cyprus and the democratic Jewish State of 
        Israel; and
Whereas the House of Representatives commends the Cypriot Government for 
        initiating procedures toward establishing membership in NATO's 
        Partnership for Peace (PfP) program: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) will continue to support the security and stability of 
        this volatile and strategically important region of the world 
        through collaborative efforts with our ally the Republic of 
        Cyprus;
            (2) fully supports the resumption of discussions to find a 
        just and viable settlement based on a bi-zonal, bi-communal 
        federation and end the 39-year division of the island; and
            (3) supports the important partnership between the Republic 
        of Cyprus and Israel.
                                 <all>