[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 107 (Thursday, July 10, 2014)]
[Senate]
[Pages S4417-S4418]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




SENATE RESOLUTION 500--EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE SENATE WITH RESPECT 
TO ENHANCED RELATIONS WITH THE REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA AND SUPPORT FOR THE 
              REPUBLIC OF MOLDOVA'S TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY

  Mrs. SHAHEEN (for herself, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Menendez, Mr. McCain, and 
Mr. Murphy) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                              S. Res. 500

       Whereas the United States has enjoyed warm relations with 
     the Republic of Moldova since the Republic of Moldova's 
     independence in 1991;
       Whereas, since the Republic of Moldova's independence, the 
     United States has provided financial assistance to support 
     the efforts of the people of the Republic of Moldova to build 
     a prosperous European democracy;
       Whereas the United States and the Republic of Moldova 
     further strengthened their partnership through the launching 
     of a Strategic Dialogue on March 3, 2014;
       Whereas the Republic of Moldova signed an Association 
     Agreement containing comprehensive free trade provisions with 
     the European Union on June 27, 2014 and ratified the 
     agreement on July 2, 2014;
       Whereas the Government of the Republic of Moldova made 
     extraordinary efforts to comply with the criteria for an 
     Association Agreement with the European Union, including 
     significant legislative reforms to improve the rule of law 
     and curtail corruption;
       Whereas new parliamentary elections are expected to be held 
     in the Republic of Moldova in November 2014;
       Whereas the United States Government supports the 
     democratic aspirations of the people of the Republic of 
     Moldova and their expressed desire to deepen their 
     association with the European Union;
       Whereas the United States supports the sovereignty and 
     territorial integrity of the Republic 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 within the Republic of Moldova;
       Whereas, in September 2013, Russian Deputy Prime Minister 
     Dmitri Rogozin said that Moldova ``would lose Transnistria if 
     Moldova continues moving toward the European Union'' and that 
     ``Moldova's train en route to Europe would lose its wagons in 
     Transnistria'';
       Whereas in 2013, the Government of the Russian Federation 
     banned the import of Moldovan wine and certain agricultural 
     products in anticipation of Republic of Moldova initialing 
     the Association Agreement with the European Union;

[[Page S4418]]

       Whereas, in response to the Republic of Moldova signing and 
     ratifying the Association Agreement with the European Union, 
     the Government of the Russian Federation has banned 
     additional agricultural products and threatened to curtail 
     the supply of energy resources to the Republic of Moldova, 
     expel Moldova from the Commonwealth of Independent States 
     free trade zone, and impose stricter labor migration policies 
     on the people of the Republic 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 Moldovan region 
     of Transnistria;
       Whereas the Government of Russia has been actively issuing 
     Russian passports to the residents of the Transnistria region 
     in the Republic of Moldova;
       Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for 
     Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), and the Government 
     of the Republic of Moldova have called upon the Government of 
     the Russian Federation to remove its troops from the 
     territory of the Republic of Moldova;
       Whereas authorities in the Republic of Moldova's 
     Transnistria region have restricted the access of OSCE 
     Mission to Moldova monitors to the Transnistria region, 
     thereby preventing the Mission from providing impartial 
     reporting on the security situation in the region;
       Whereas the House of Representatives and the Senate both 
     passed, by an overwhelming majority, and the President signed 
     into law the Act relating to ``United States International 
     Programming to Ukraine and Neighboring Regions'', approved 
     April 3, 2014 (Public Law 113-96; 22 U.S.C. 6211 note), 
     providing for a United States international broadcast 
     programming surge to counter misinformation from Russian-
     supported news outlets and ensuring that Russian-speaking 
     populations in Ukraine and Moldova have access to independent 
     news and information; and
       Whereas Moldova has been a valued and reliable partner in 
     promoting global security by participating in United Nations 
     peacekeeping missions in Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Sudan, 
     Georgia, and Kosovo: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States 
     Government to support the sovereignty, independence, and 
     territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and the 
     inviolability of its borders;
       (2) supports the Strategic Dialogue as a means to 
     strengthen relations between the Republic of Moldova and the 
     United States and to enhance the democratic, economic, and 
     security reforms already being implemented by the Republic of 
     Moldova;
       (3) urges the President to consider increasing security and 
     intelligence cooperation with the Government of Moldova;
       (4) encourages the President and the Secretary of State to 
     enhance United States cooperation with the Government of the 
     Republic of Moldova and civil society organizations and to 
     focus assistance on rule of law, anti-corruption efforts, 
     energy security, and improving trade relations and investment 
     opportunities;
       (5) supports increased educational exchanges between the 
     United States and the Republic of Moldova;
       (6) encourages the President to expedite the implementation 
     of the Act relating to ``United States International 
     Programming to Ukraine and Neighboring Regions'', approved 
     April 3, 2014 (Public Law 113-96; 22 U.S.C. 6211 note), 
     especially because it relates to populations in Ukraine and 
     the Republic of Moldova;
       (7) affirms the Republic of Moldova's sovereign right to 
     determine its own partnerships free of external coercion and 
     pressure, and affirms the Republic of Moldova's right to 
     associate with the European Union and any other regional 
     organization;
       (8) urges the European Union to continue to work for 
     greater political, economic, and social integration with the 
     Republic of Moldova;
       (9) calls on the Government of the Russian Federation to 
     refrain from using economic coercion against the Republic of 
     Moldova, cease support for separatist movements in the 
     territory of the Republic of Moldova, and fulfill its 
     commitments made at the Organization for Security and 
     Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 1999 summit in Istanbul to 
     withdraw its military forces and munitions from within the 
     internationally recognized territory of the Republic of 
     Moldova;
       (10) supports constructive engagement and confidence-
     building measures between the Government of the Republic of 
     Moldova and the authorities in the Transnistria region in 
     order to secure a peaceful, comprehensive resolution to the 
     conflict that respects the Republic of Moldova's sovereignty 
     and territorial integrity;
       (11) urges officials in the Transnistrian region to allow 
     OSCE Mission to Moldova monitors unrestricted access to that 
     region;
       (12) discourages any unilateral actions that may undermine 
     efforts to achieve a peaceful resolution, as well as the 
     agreements already reached, and encourages leaders of the 
     Transnistrian region to resume negotiations toward a 
     political settlement; and
       (13) affirms that lasting stability and security in Europe 
     is a key priority for the United States Government which can 
     only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty 
     of all European countries is respected.

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