[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 7]
[Senate]
[Page 9926]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 34--URGING THE GOVERNMENT OF THE REPUBLIC 
  OF ALBANIA TO ENSURE THAT THE PARLIAMENTARY ELECTIONS TO BE HELD ON 
JULY 3, 2005, ARE CONDUCTED IN ACCORDANCE WITH INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS 
                      FOR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS

  Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself and Mrs. Clinton) submitted the following 
concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign 
Relations:

                            S. Con. Res. 34

       Whereas the United States maintains strong and friendly 
     relations with the Republic of Albania and appreciates the 
     ongoing support of the people of Albania;
       Whereas the President of Albania has called for elections 
     to Albania's parliament, known as the People's Assembly, to 
     be held on July 3, 2005;
       Whereas Albania is one of 55 participating States in the 
     Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), 
     all of which have adopted the 1990 Copenhagen Document 
     containing specific commitments relating to the conduct of 
     elections;
       Whereas these commitments, which encourage transparency, 
     balance, and impartiality in an election process, have become 
     the standard by which observers determine whether elections 
     have been conducted freely and fairly;
       Whereas, though improvements over time have been noted, the 
     five multiparty parliamentary elections held in Albania 
     between 1991 and 2001, as well as elections for local offices 
     held between and after those years, fell short of the 
     standards in the Copenhagen Document to varying degrees, 
     according to OSCE and other observers;
       Whereas with OSCE and other international assistance, the 
     Government of Albania has improved the country's electoral 
     and legal framework and enhanced the capacity to conduct free 
     and fair elections;
       Whereas subsequent to the calling of elections, Albania's 
     political parties have accepted a code of conduct regarding 
     their campaign activities, undertaking to act in accordance 
     with the law, to refrain from inciting violence or hatred in 
     the election campaign, and to be transparent in disclosing 
     campaign funding; and
       Whereas meeting the standards in the Copenhagen Document 
     for free and fair elections is absolutely essential to 
     Albania's desired integration into European and Euro-Atlantic 
     institutions, including full membership in the North Atlantic 
     Treaty Organization (NATO), as well as to Albania's progress 
     in addressing official corruption and combatting organized 
     crime: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved by the Senate (the House of Representatives 
     concurring), That Congress--
       (1) welcomes the opportunity for the Republic of Albania to 
     demonstrate its willingness and preparedness to take the next 
     steps in European and Euro-Atlantic integration by holding 
     parliamentary elections on July 3, 2005, that meet the 
     Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) 
     standards for free and fair elections as defined in the 1990 
     Copenhagen Document;
       (2) firmly believes that the citizens of Albania, like all 
     people, should be able to choose their own representatives in 
     parliament and government in free and fair elections, and to 
     hold these representatives accountable through elections at 
     reasonable intervals;
       (3) supports commitments by Albanian political parties to 
     adhere to a basic code of conduct for campaigning and urges 
     such parties and all election officials in Albania to adhere 
     to laws relating to the elections, and to conduct their 
     activities in an impartial and transparent manner, by 
     allowing international and domestic observers to have 
     unobstructed access to all aspects of the election process, 
     including public campaign events, candidates, news media, 
     voting, and post-election tabulation of results and 
     processing of election challenges and complaints;
       (4) supports assistance by the United States to help the 
     people of Albania establish a fully free and open democratic 
     system, a prosperous free market economy, and the rightful 
     place of Albania in European and Euro-Atlantic institutions, 
     including the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); and
       (5) encourages the President to communicate to the 
     Government of Albania, to all political parties and 
     candidates in Albania, and to the people of Albania the high 
     importance attached by the United States Government to this 
     parliamentary election as a central factor in determining the 
     future relationship between the United States and Albania.

                          ____________________