[Congressional Bills 115th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 745 Introduced in House (IH)]

<DOC>






115th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 745

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
    enhanced relations with the Republic of Moldova and support for 
                    Moldova's territorial integrity.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 20, 2018

 Mr. Price of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Olson) submitted the 
 following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
                                Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with respect to 
    enhanced relations with the Republic of Moldova and support for 
                    Moldova's territorial integrity.

Whereas the United States has enjoyed stable and positive relations with the 
        Republic of Moldova for over 25 years;
Whereas since Moldova's independence in 1991, the United States has provided 
        financial assistance to support the people of Moldova's efforts to build 
        a prosperous European democracy;
Whereas the United States and Moldova further strengthened their partnership 
        through the launching of the inaugural Strategic Dialogue on March 3, 
        2014;
Whereas the United States and Moldova continue to broaden and deepen their 
        partnership through advancing shared interests in democracy, good 
        governance, anti-corruption, energy independence, economic development, 
        and security cooperation through the relaunching of the Strategic 
        Dialogue on June 23, 2017;
Whereas Moldova has been urged to fight corruption and improve governance since 
        its independence, particularly in the wake of a 2014 scandal involving 
        the loss of over a billion dollars, and Moldova has moved forward with 
        certain reforms seeking to address these issues;
Whereas efforts to improve governance and adopt domestic reforms are critical to 
        Moldova's ability to secure loan packages from international 
        organizations such as the International Monetary Fund and the European 
        Union;
Whereas the International Monetary Fund has approved a three-year loan package 
        premised on the continuation of reforms focused on strengthening the 
        economy, bolstering economic development, and promoting trade and 
        investment;
Whereas Moldova ratified an Association Agreement containing comprehensive free 
        trade provisions with the European Union in 2014, and the Agreement 
        became fully effective in July 2016;
Whereas the United States Government supports the democratic aspirations of the 
        people of Moldova and their expressed desire to deepen their association 
        with the European Union;
Whereas in a judgment in 2004, the European Court of Human Rights found that 
        Transnistria was formed with the support of the Government of the 
        Russian Federation and considered it ``under the effective authority or 
        at least decisive influence of Russia'';
Whereas the United States supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of 
        Moldova and on that basis participates as an observer in the ``5+2'' 
        negotiations to find a comprehensive settlement that will provide a 
        special status for the separatist region of Transnistria in Moldova;
Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation banned the import of Moldovan 
        wine in 2013 and Moldovan meats and produce in 2014, and has threatened 
        to ban Moldovan agricultural products, curtail the supply of energy 
        resources to Moldova, and impose stricter labor migration policies on 
        the people of Moldova;
Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation maintains a contingent of 
        Russian troops and a stockpile of Russian military equipment and 
        ammunition within the Transnistria region;
Whereas by September 2016, the Government of the Russian Federation had issued 
        Russian passports to an estimated 180,000 residents of the Transnistria 
        region;
Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in 
        Europe, and the Government of Moldova have called upon the Government of 
        the Russian Federation to remove its troops from Moldovan territory;
Whereas in May 2017, the Constitutional Court of Moldova ruled that Moldova's 
        constitutional neutrality means that the presence of foreign troops in 
        Moldova is unconstitutional;
Whereas in July 2017, the Moldovan Parliament adopted a declaration calling on 
        the Government of the Russian Federation to withdraw its troops from 
        Moldova;
Whereas the House of Representatives and the Senate both passed by an 
        overwhelming majority and the President signed into law Public Law 113-
        96, providing for a United States international broadcasting programming 
        surge to counter disinformation from Russian-Government-supported news 
        outlets and ensure that Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine and 
        Moldova have access to independent news and information;
Whereas Moldova has been a valued and reliable partner in promoting global 
        security by participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions in the 
        Central African Republic, Kosovo, and South Sudan;
Whereas Moldova cooperates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through 
        an Individual Partnership Action Plan to improve expertise, 
        interoperability, peacekeeping capabilities, military education and 
        training, and public sector reform; and
Whereas Moldova will hold parliamentary elections in 2018: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to 
        support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial 
        integrity of Moldova and the inviolability of its borders by 
        other countries;
            (2) supports the Strategic Dialogue as a means to 
        strengthen relations between Moldova and the United States and 
        enhance the democratic, economic, governance, and security 
        reforms already being undertaken by Moldova;
            (3) encourages the President, the Secretary of State, and 
        the Administrator of the United States Agency for International 
        Development, to enhance United States partnerships with the 
        Government, private sector, and civil society of Moldova and to 
        focus United States assistance on supporting reforms that 
        strengthen the justice sector, bolster democratic institutions, 
        promote an open and transparent government, foster indigenous 
        independent media and an open information environment, 
        diversify energy supplies, increase energy security, and 
        promote inclusive economic growth by focusing on the rural 
        areas beyond the capital, enhancing investment opportunities, 
        and increasing trade and job creation;
            (4) encourages Moldova to continue implementing crucial 
        reforms to ensure good governance, increase the capacity of and 
        trust in democratic institutions, and strengthen the justice 
        sector through anti-corruption efforts, transparency, 
        tolerance, support for the rule of law, and maintaining open 
        space for civil society to operate;
            (5) reaffirms the importance of and support for free, fair, 
        and transparent elections in Moldova;
            (6) encourages the President to expedite the implementation 
        of Public Law 113-96, especially for populations in Ukraine and 
        Moldova;
            (7) supports efforts to counter disinformation campaigns in 
        Eastern Europe in ways that are consistent with democratic 
        principles;
            (8) affirms Moldova's sovereign right to determine its own 
        partnerships free of external coercion and pressure, and 
        affirms Moldova's right to associate with the European Union or 
        any regional organization;
            (9) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to 
        fulfill its commitments made at the Istanbul summit of the 
        Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe in 1999 and 
        to withdraw its military forces and munitions from within the 
        internationally recognized territory of Moldova;
            (10) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to 
        refrain from issuing economic threats or exerting pressure 
        against Moldova and to cease any and all actions that support 
        separatist movements within the territory of Moldova;
            (11) supports a results-oriented ``5+2'' negotiations 
        process as the only channel for resolving the territorial 
        conflict between the Government of Moldova and the leadership 
        of the Transnistria region;
            (12) supports efforts to resolve the Transnistria issue 
        through a comprehensive settlement that secures Moldova's 
        sovereignty and territorial integrity, while providing a 
        special status for the Transnistrian region within Moldova;
            (13) urges all parties to refrain from unilateral actions 
        that may undermine efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution or 
        jeopardize agreements already reached, and encourages leaders 
        of the Transnistrian region and the Moldovan Government to 
        continue negotiations toward a political settlement; and
            (14) affirms that lasting stability and security in Moldova 
        is a key priority for the United States and that these can only 
        be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of 
        Moldova and all other European countries is respected.
                                 <all>