[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 477 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 477
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should work within the framework of the
United Nations process and in good faith with Greece to achieve
longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals by finding a
mutually acceptable name that must apply for all internal and
international uses (erga omnes), for the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 11, 2014
Mrs. Carolyn B. Maloney of New York (for herself, Mr. Bilirakis, and
Mr. Sarbanes) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to
the Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia should work within the framework of the
United Nations process and in good faith with Greece to achieve
longstanding United States and United Nations policy goals by finding a
mutually acceptable name that must apply for all internal and
international uses (erga omnes), for the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia.
Whereas, on April 8, 1993, the United Nations General Assembly admitted as a
member the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, under the name the
``former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia'';
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 817 (1993) states that the
international dispute over the name must be resolved to maintain
peaceful relations between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia and regional stability;
Whereas Greece is a strategic partner and ally of the United States in bringing
political stability and economic development to the Balkan region,
having invested over $20 billion in the countries of the region, thereby
creating over 200,000 new jobs, and having contributed over $750 million
in development aid for the region;
Whereas Greece has invested, over the years, over $1 billion in the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, thereby creating more than 20,000 new
jobs and having contributed $110 million in development aid;
Whereas H. Res. 356 of the 110th Congress, urged the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia to abstain from hostile activities and stop the utilization of
materials that violate provisions of the United Nations-brokered Interim
Agreement between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece
regarding ``hostile activities or propaganda'';
Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization's (NATO) heads of state and
government unanimously agreed in Bucharest (April 3, 2008) that ``. . .
within the framework of the UN, many actors have worked hard to resolve
the name issue, but the Alliance has noted with regret that these talks
have not produced a successful outcome. Therefore we agreed that an
invitation to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia will be extended
as soon as a mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been
reached. We encourage the negotiations to be resumed without delay and
expect them to be concluded as soon as possible'';
Whereas the heads of state and government participating in the meeting of the
North Atlantic Council in Strasbourg/Kehl (April 4, 2009), as well as
the heads of state and government participating in the meeting of the
North Atlantic Council in Lisbon (November 20, 2010), reiterated their
unanimous support for the agreement at the Bucharest Summit ``to extend
an invitation to the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as soon as a
mutually acceptable solution to the name issue has been reached within
the framework of the UN, and urge intensified efforts towards that
goal.'';
Whereas the government in Skopje of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia,
through both its policies, activities, and rhetoric over the last few
years, has been violating the spirit and the letter of the Interim
Agreement (IA) of 1995 between Greece and the former Yugoslav Republic
of Macedonia, thus undermining the friendly relations between the two
countries; and
Whereas authorities in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia urged their
citizens to boycott Greek investments in the country and not to travel
to Greece: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) urges the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to work
within the framework of the United Nations process and in good
faith with Greece to achieve longstanding United States and
United Nations policy goals by finding a mutually acceptable
name, that must apply for all internal and international uses
(erga omnes), for the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia;
(2) urges the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia to
abstain from all hostile activities and stop violating
provisions of the United Nations-brokered Interim Agreement
between the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia and Greece
regarding ``hostile activities or propaganda'';
(3) urges the United States Government to work in
partnership with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)
allies to uphold previous NATO Summits decisions, with regard
to the enlargement issue and extend an invitation to the former
Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia as soon as a mutually acceptable
solution to the name issue has been reached within the
framework of the United Nations; and
(4) expresses its view that the former Yugoslav Republic of
Macedonia can be considered for accession into the European
Union only after a mutually acceptable solution to the name
issue has been reached within the framework of the United
Nations.
<all>