[Congressional Record Volume 141, Number 135 (Friday, August 11, 1995)]
[Senate]
[Page S12412]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]


    SENATE RESOLUTION 166--RELATIVE TO CROATIAN-BOSNIAN COOPERATION

  Mr. DOLE (for himself, Mr. Lieberman, and Mr. Helms) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                              S. Res. 166

       Whereas, on July 21, 1992, the democratically-elected 
     Governments of the Republic of Croatia and Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina signed the Agreement on Friendship and 
     Cooperation;
       Whereas, on March 16, 1994, the Washington Agreement 
     established the Bosniac-Croat Federation of Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina, and provided for the confederal linking of this 
     Federation to the Republic of Croatia;
       Whereas, in the Split Declaration of July 22, 1995, the 
     President of the Republic of Croatia, Dr. Franjo Tudjman, the 
     President of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Alija 
     Izetbegovic, and the President of the Federation of the 
     Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kresimir Zubak, pledged 
     to widen and strengthen defense cooperation to defend the 
     territorial integrity of the Republic of Croatia and the 
     Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina;
       Whereas, the forces of the Republic of Croatia have 
     reestablished government control and authority over three 
     former U.N. protected areas under Serb militant control 
     within the territory of the Republic of Croatia; Now, 
     therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) urges the Government of Croatia and the Government of 
     Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue their military cooperation 
     for the purpose of defending the territorial integrity of the 
     Republic of Croatia and the Republic of Bosnia and 
     Herzegovina;
       (2) urges the Government of Croatia and the Government of 
     Bosnia and Herzegovina to continue and strengthen their 
     political and economic support for the Bosnia-Croat 
     Federation;
       (3) calls on the Government of the United States to: (i) 
     provide full support to the Bosniac-Croat Federation, (ii) 
     uphold as a top policy objective preserving the self-
     government and territorial integrity of the Republic of 
     Croatia and of the Republic of Bosnia and Herzegovina and 
     (iii) oppose any peace settlement that would undermine this 
     objective.

  Mr. DOLE. Mr. President, I rise today to submit this resolution which 
supports the continued political, military, and economic cooperation 
between the Governments of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. I am 
pleased to be joined by the distinguished Senator from Connecticut, 
Senator Lieberman, and the distinguished chairman of the Foreign 
Relations Committee, Senator Helms.
  In my view cooperation between Bosnia and Croatia is vital to the 
interests and future of both countries. While several agreements 
pledging cooperation have been reached since 1992--and as recently as 
July--the past few weeks have demonstrated the tangible benefits to be 
gained by this common approach.
  This resolution urges continued military cooperation in order to 
defend the territorial integrity of both Croatia and Bosnia. It also 
urges that the Croatian and Bosnian Governments remain committed and 
supportive of the Bosniac-Croat Federation. Furthermore, the resolution 
calls on the United States Government to fully support the Bosniac-
Croat Federation and to uphold as a top policy objective the 
preservation of the territorial integrity and self-government of the 
Republics of Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. Finally, the 
resolution calls on the U.S. Government to oppose any peace settlement 
that would undermine this objective.
  I believe that this resolution sends a relevant and timely message to 
the Croatian and Bosnian Governments and I urge my colleagues to adopt 
it.


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