[Congressional Bills 113th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 543 Introduced in House (IH)]
113th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. RES. 543
Affirming the support of the United States for Macedonia's accession to
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
April 4, 2014
Mrs. Miller of Michigan (for herself, Ms. Eddie Bernice Johnson of
Texas, Mr. Stivers, Ms. Bordallo, Mr. Thompson of Mississippi, Mr.
Pascrell, Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois, Mr. Turner, Mr. Hastings of
Florida, Mr. Connolly, Mr. Smith of New Jersey, and Mr. Bentivolio)
submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Affirming the support of the United States for Macedonia's accession to
the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).
Whereas Macedonia peacefully asserted and achieved independent statehood in
1991, during the course of the former Yugoslavia's violent
disintegration;
Whereas the United States has provided over $1,000,000,000 in aid to Macedonia
since it recognized its independence;
Whereas Macedonia affirmed its commitment to joining the North Atlantic Treaty
Organization (NATO) in 1993, signed the Framework Documents for NATO's
partnership for Peace in 1995, and started its Membership Action Plan
(MAP) in 1999;
Whereas in March 1995, after signing of a Memorandum of Understanding in 1994, a
Vermont State Partnership Program was established between the State of
Vermont and the Republic of Macedonia;
Whereas Macedonia is an active participant as the first state partner of the
Vermont National Guard for the past 20 years, and since 1995, more than
3,000 Macedonians and Vermonters have shared their expertise in more
than 800 events as the partnership has developed, including a joint
military embedment in Afghanistan in 2011;
Whereas during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, Macedonia received and accommodated
400,000 Kosovar refugees, and served as a staging area and main corridor
for logistical support to the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) as well as
leading the KFOR Coordination Centre for logistical support in Skopje
since 2006;
Whereas under its NATO Membership Action Plan, Macedonia, in its 14th cycle of
MAP, has made strong strides on major reforms and reconstruction of its
armed forces towards the goal of building and sustaining a modern,
professional defense force of about 12,000 troops that is fully
interoperable with NATO;
Whereas Macedonia was one of the first countries to offer support to the United
States after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, which has had a
policy of ``an attack on the United States is an attack on Macedonia'',
as stated by the late Macedonian President Boris Trajkovski;
Whereas in Afghanistan, Macedonia, who patrols International Security Assistance
Force (ISAF) headquarters in Kabul, and is the fifth largest ISAF troop
contributor per capita, has contributed troops to the NATO-led ISAF
mission since 2002, and engaged in combat operations side-by-side with
United States troops, increasing troop levels in 2010;
Whereas in the interest of a faithful partnership with the United States,
Macedonia deployed troops to Iraq under the leadership of the United
States Government until 2008;
Whereas Macedonia also contributes to the European Union mission in Bosnia and
Herzegovina and has contributed troops in Lebanon;
Whereas soldiers from Macedonia earned 120 medals awarded by the United States;
Whereas in 2005, in Macedonia, NATO and partner nations conducted a Partnership
for Peace, joint military exercises named ``Cooperation Alliance 2005''
that was aimed to strengthen coordination and cooperation between the
bloc and member countries of its Partnership for Peace Program;
Whereas in 2007, Macedonia successfully hosted the Euro-Atlantic Partnership
Council Security Forum, which was attended by the United States
Secretary of Defense;
Whereas in 2008, the United States signed a Declaration of Strategic Partnership
and Cooperation with Macedonia stating that ``The 2008 NATO Summit
Declaration in Bucharest made clear that the Republic of Macedonia has
met NATO's democratic, economic, and defense standards through its
rigorous participation in the Membership Action Plan.'';
Whereas the 2008 Declaration outlined the importance of close partnership
between the two countries based upon common goals, interests, and
values, in order to enhance their strategic relationship through
intensified consultation and cooperation in the areas of security,
people-to-people ties, and commerce, the United States committed itself
to provide additional assistance to Macedonia to help build prosperity
and strengthen security;
Whereas the United States and Macedonia noted that a democratic, secure, and
prosperous Macedonia, with friendly and constructive relations with its
neighbors is vital to peace and stability in Southeast Europe;
Whereas the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2011 in its final
judgment, without possibility for appeal, and binding on the parties,
found that Greece, by objecting to the admission of Macedonia to NATO
during the 2008 Bucharest Summit, has breached its obligation under
article 11 of the United Nations Interim Accord of September 13, 1995;
Whereas current United States President Barack Obama on April 4, 2009, at the
Strasbourg-Kehl NATO Summit stated ``I look forward to the day when we
can welcome Macedonia to the Alliance.'';
Whereas the North Atlantic Council Foreign Ministers meeting on December 7,
2011, applauded the significant operational support provided to NATO by
aspirant partners Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and
Georgia;
Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the 2012 Chicago Summit
stated ``I believe this summit should be the last summit that is not an
enlargement summit'';
Whereas Macedonia is strategically located in Southeast Europe displaying a
unique gateway for rapid NATO troop deployments to the Middle East and
North Africa in order to maintain regional stability;
Whereas Macedonia has been recognized by the World Bank and the European Union
as an economic reformer, and according to the Heritage Foundation/Wall
Street Journal 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, Macedonia's economic
freedom score is 68.6, making its economy the 43rd freest in the 2014
Index and is ranked 20th out of 43 countries in the Europe region, and
its overall score is above the world and regional averages;
Whereas Macedonia's NATO membership would benefit Greek businesses, which are
one of the most significant foreign direct investors in Macedonia; and
Whereas Macedonia has satisfied all NATO membership criteria per declarations
made by 2008 Bucharest Summit, 2010 Lisbon Summit, and 2012 Chicago
Summit, is active in NATO missions, and obtained the support of the ICJ,
the UK Summit in September 2014 provides a moment of opportunity for the
Alliance to complete Macedonia's transition into NATO: Now, therefore,
be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) supports Macedonia's aspirations to join the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO);
(2) recognizes the cooperation between the State of Vermont
and Macedonia and the joint military partnership between
Vermont National Guard and the Army of the Republic of
Macedonia;
(3) recognizes the significant benefits of closer economic
and political ties between NATO members and Macedonia in its
commitment to foster regional stability and the important
principle of mutual defense of all NATO members, including
Greece;
(4) recognizes the importance of the NATO membership for
Macedonia for its economic growth, strengthening of the
democratic institutions and norms, and bolstering rule of law
in Southeast Europe;
(5) greatly appreciates the efforts of Macedonia in its
commitment and participation with the United States and other
countries in advancing peace, democracy, stability, and mutual
understanding;
(6) urges the Administration and the United States
Department of State to continue to work closely with Macedonia
and to support NATO enlargement by granting full membership to
Macedonia;
(7) acknowledges and supports the progress made by
Macedonia's efforts in the NATO membership process;
(8) calls on the Administration and United States
Department of State to work with Greece and NATO allies to
ensure that bilateral disputes do not impede Macedonia's NATO
accession for the sake of regional stability in light of the
current situation with Ukraine; and
(9) urges NATO members to formally extend an invitation to
Macedonia to join NATO at the NATO Summit in the United Kingdom
in September 2014.
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