III 

115TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 527 

Congratulating the people of Georgia on the 100th anniversary of its declaration of independence as a democratic republic and reaffirming the 

strength of the relationship between the United States and Georgia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 24, 2018 

Mr. PERDUE (for himself, Mr. CARDIN, and Mr. ISAKSON) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Congratulating the people of Georgia on the 100th anniversary of its declaration of independence as a democratic 

republic and reaffirming the strength of the relationship 

between the United States and Georgia. 

Whereas, in 1918, the people of Georgia established the 

Democratic Republic of Georgia; 

Whereas Georgia was illegally invaded and annexed by the 

Soviet Red Army in 1921, leading to 70 years of Soviet 

occupation until 1991, when Georgia regained its independence; 

Whereas the territorial integrity of Georgia has been continually reaffirmed by the international community, interVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 May 25, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR527.IS SR527

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national law, and over 30 United Nations Security Council resolutions since 1993; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s invasion of Georgia in August 2008 resulted in civilian and military causalities, the 

occupation of two Georgian regions, Abkhazia and the 

Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, and the violation of 

Georgia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity; 

Whereas hundreds of thousands of internally displaced civilians were forcefully expelled from the Abkhazia and 

Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia of Georgia in the 1990s, 

and again in 2008, and continue to be deprived of the 

right to return in a safe and dignified manner; 

Whereas the Russian Federation continues to violate the European Union-mediated, August 12, 2008, Ceasefire 

Agreement between Georgia and the Russian Federation; 

Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has intensified steps to separate Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia from the rest of Georgia by continuing its fortification of the occupation lines and constructing barbed wire fences to further divide the population; 

Whereas Georgia remains in full compliance with the European Union-mediated, August 12, 2008, Ceasefire Agreement, and continues its efforts to reach tangible results 

in the Geneva International Discussions; 

Whereas the human rights situation in the Russian-occupied 

Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/ 

South Ossetia has deteriorated, and the Parliament of 

Georgia adopted a resolution on March 21, 2018, in recognition of this fact; 


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Whereas the United States Government supports Georgia’s 

sovereignty and right to choose its own alliances, and recognizes the Georgian regions of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali/ 

South Ossetia as Russian Federation-occupied territories 

within the internationally recognized borders of Georgia; 

Whereas the United States-Georgia Strategic Partnership, 

signed in January 2009, outlines the importance of bilateral efforts to advance cooperation in the areas of education, public outreach, health, and cultural exchanges to 

ensure the strong and enduring people-to-people ties between the United States and Georgia; 

Whereas the Memorandum on Deepening the Defense and 

Security Partnership between the United States and 

Georgia, signed in July 2016, enhances the defense and 

security cooperation and reinforces our shared determination to strengthen Georgia’s resilience and self-defense 

capabilities; 

Whereas relations between the United States and Georgia 

have developed into a strong alliance based on shared values and principles; 

Whereas, since 1994, the Georgia National Guard has had a 

partnership with the country of Georgia through the National Guard State Partnership Program, helping build 

capacity among partner forces and providing deterrence 

against the aggression of the Government of the Russian 

Federation; 

Whereas the Government of Georgia has shown an unwavering commitment to strengthening transatlantic security 

by being the largest non-NATO troop contributor to the 

International Security Assistance Force mission in AfVerDate Sep 11 2014 03:13 May 25, 2018 Jkt 079200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR527.IS SR527

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ghanistan and one of the top overall contributors to Resolute Support; 

Whereas the Government of Georgia has been a leader of the 

region in democratic development and has initiated positive commitments in the areas of judicial reforms, 

strengthening the role of Parliament, and utilizing international election monitoring organizations and transparency; 

Whereas, on August 1, 2017, Vice President Mike Pence visited Georgia to condemn the Russian Federation’s occupation of Georgian territory and attend Exercise Noble 

Partner, involving 800 Georgian and 1,600 United States 

troops; 

Whereas, on November 20, 2017, the Department of State 

made a determination approving a sale of the Javelin 

missile system to Georgia, providing increased capacity to 

meet Georgia’s national defense requirements; 

Whereas, on January 26, 2018, the United States Government condemned the Russian Federation’s ratification of 

an agreement with de facto leaders of South Ossetia regarding a joint military force; and 

Whereas a democratic and stable Georgia is in the political, 

security, and economic interests of the United States: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates the people of Georgia on the 

3 occasion of the 100th anniversary of the first Demo4 cratic Republic of Georgia; 


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1 (2) acknowledges the close and enduring stra2 tegic partnership and strong alliance between the 

3 United States and Georgia; 

4 (3) supports strengthening the defense and se5 curity cooperation between the United States and 

6 Georgia; 

7 (4) supports further developing trade and com8 merce relations between the United States and Geor9 gia; 

10 (5) reaffirms the support of the United States 

11 for Georgia’s accession to NATO; 

12 (6) continues to condemn the Russian Federa13 tion’s occupation of Georgian sovereign territory, 

14 and recognizes Georgia’s regions of Abkhazia and 

15 Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia as Russian-occupied 

16 territories within the internationally recognized bor17 ders of Georgia; 

18 (7) remembers the victims of the August 2008 

19 war between Georgia and the Russian Federation; 

20 (8) condemns human rights abuses by the Gov21 ernment of the Russian Federation in the occupied 

22 Georgian territories of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Re23 gion/South Ossetia, including the recent killing of 

24 Georgian citizens Archil Tatunashvili, Giga 

25 Otkhozoria, and Davit Basharuli; 


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1 (9) reaffirms the support of the United States 

2 for a peaceful, unified Georgia and a secure future 

3 for the region; 

4 (10) reaffirms the necessity of the implementa5 tion of the August, 12, 2008, Ceasefire Agreement 

6 that stipulates the withdrawal of Russian Federation 

7 forces to their pre-conflict locations and establishes 

8 international security mechanisms on the ground; 

9 (11) emphasizes the importance of ensuring the 

10 safe and dignified return of internally displaced per11 sons; and 

12 (12) recognizes the Government of Georgia’s 

13 ongoing efforts to strengthen democracy in Georgia 

14 by implementing reforms that expand media trans15 parency and freedoms, increase government trans16 parency, accountability, and responsiveness, promote 

17 political competition and democratic electoral proc18 esses, and strengthen judicial independence and the 

19 rule of law. 

Æ 


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