U.S. GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office

Internet: bookstore.gpo.gov Phone: toll free (866) 512–1800; DC area (202) 512–1800

Fax: (202) 512–2250 Mail: Stop SSOP, Washington, DC 20402–0001

22–259PDF 2006

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING UZBEKISTAN; AND COMMENDING THE

STATE OF KUWAIT FOR GRANTING WOMEN

CERTAIN IMPORTANT POLITICAL RIGHTS

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE MIDDLE EAST 

AND CENTRAL ASIA

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON 

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED NINTH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

ON

H. Con. Res. 187 and H. Res. 343

JUNE 29, 2005

Serial No. 109–125

Printed for the use of the Committee on International Relations

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.house.gov/international—relations 

(II)

COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS 

HENRY J. HYDE, Illinois, Chairman 

JAMES A. LEACH, Iowa 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey, 

Vice Chairman 

DAN BURTON, Indiana 

ELTON GALLEGLY, California 

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California 

PETER T. KING, New York 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

THOMAS G. TANCREDO, Colorado 

RON PAUL, Texas 

DARRELL ISSA, California 

JEFF FLAKE, Arizona 

JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia 

MARK GREEN, Wisconsin 

JERRY WELLER, Illinois 

MIKE PENCE, Indiana 

THADDEUS G. MCCOTTER, Michigan 

KATHERINE HARRIS, Florida 

JOE WILSON, South Carolina 

JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas 

J. GRESHAM BARRETT, South Carolina 

CONNIE MACK, Florida 

JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska 

MICHAEL MCCAUL, Texas 

TED POE, Texas 

TOM LANTOS, California 

HOWARD L. BERMAN, California 

GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York 

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American 

Samoa 

DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey 

ROBERT MENENDEZ, New Jersey 

SHERROD BROWN, Ohio 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

ROBERT WEXLER, Florida 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

WILLIAM D. DELAHUNT, Massachusetts 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

BARBARA LEE, California 

JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York 

EARL BLUMENAUER, Oregon 

SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada 

GRACE F. NAPOLITANO, California 

ADAM B. SCHIFF, California 

DIANE E. WATSON, California 

ADAM SMITH, Washington 

BETTY MCCOLLUM, Minnesota 

BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky 

DENNIS A. CARDOZA, California 

THOMAS E. MOONEY, SR., Staff Director/General Counsel 

ROBERT R. KING, Democratic Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE MIDDLE EAST AND CENTRAL ASIA

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida, Chair 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio, Vice Chair 

THADDEUS G. MCCOTTER, Michigan 

JOHN BOOZMAN, Arkansas 

CONNIE MACK, Florida 

JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska 

JO ANN DAVIS, Virginia 

MIKE PENCE, Indiana 

KATHERINE HARRIS, Florida 

DARRELL ISSA, California 

GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York 

HOWARD L. BERMAN, California 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

JOSEPH CROWLEY, New York 

SHELLEY BERKLEY, Nevada 

ADAM B. SCHIFF, California 

BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky 

DENNIS A. CARDOZA, California 

YLEEM POBLETE, Subcommittee Staff Director 

MATT ZWEIG, Professional Staff Member 

DAVID ADAMS, Democratic Professional Staff Member 

LEE COHEN, Staff Associate 

(III)

C O N T E N T S 

Page

MARKUP OF 

H. Con. Res. 187, Expressing the sense of Congress concerning Uzbekistan ..... 2

H. Res. 343, Commending the State of Kuwait for granting women certain 

important political rights .................................................................................... 8

(1)

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF CONGRESS CONCERNING UZBEKISTAN; AND COMMENDING 

THE STATE OF KUWAIT FOR GRANTING 

WOMEN CERTAIN IMPORTANT POLITICAL 

RIGHTS 

WEDNESDAY, JUNE 29, 2005

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, SUBCOMMITTEE ON THE MIDDLE EAST

AND CENTRAL ASIA, COMMITTEE ON INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS, Washington, DC. 

The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 3:41 p.m. in room 

2172, Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen 

(Chair of the Subcommittee) presiding. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Pursuant to notice, I call up the resolution 

addressed in H. Con. Resolution 187, expressing the sense of Congress concerning Uzbekistan; and House Resolution 343, commending the State of Kuwait for granting women certain important 

political rights, for purposes of markup. 

[The resolutions referred to follow:]

2

1

IV

109TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 187

Expressing the sense of Congress concerning Uzbekistan.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 22, 2005

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself and Mr. ACKERMAN) submitted the following

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of Congress concerning Uzbekistan.

Whereas, on May 13 and 14, 2005, the Government of

Uzbekistan brutally suppressed an uprising in the eastern

city of Andijon, in which hundreds of civilians, many of

them children, were reportedly killed;

Whereas following the May 2005 violence—

(1) the Government of Uzbekistan has reportedly

sealed off outside access to Andijon and has refused to

open the area to a full and independent investigation into

the violence; and

(2) Uzbek authorities have reportedly arrested

human rights defenders and opposition activists in

Andijon and have threatened others with arrest or criminal charges to deter demonstrations against the government;


22259a.AAB
3

2

•HCON 187 IH

Whereas, in June 2005, the United States, the European

Union, NATO’s North Atlantic Council, the United Nations High Commission on Human Rights, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe called

for a credible independent international inquiry into the

recent violence in Andijon and urged the Government of

Uzbekistan to prosecute those responsible for civilian

deaths;

Whereas Uzbek law enforcement and security ministries have

been implicated by witnesses as having been involved in

the deadly crackdown in Andijon;

Whereas these Uzbek ministries have reportedly received

training and equipment from counterterrorism programs

run by the United States;

Whereas United States security assistance to the Government

of Uzbekistan, provided by several United States agencies, has been intended in part to improve the abilities of

soldiers and law enforcement officers from the Uzbek intelligence service, military, and national law enforcement

service;

Whereas, in July 2004, after a Department of State review

of democratization in Uzbekistan, former Secretary of

State Colin Powell determined that the Government of

Uzbekistan was not fulfilling the terms of a 2002 Strategic Partnership Framework agreement that mandated

‘‘substantial and continuing progress’’ on democratization, and Secretary Powell did not certify Uzbekistan as

eligible to receive certain United States assistance;

Whereas by continuing to suppress human rights and to deny

citizens peaceful, democratic means of expressing their

convictions, the Government of Uzbekistan risks fueling


22259a.AAC
4

3

•HCON 187 IH

popular support for violent and extremist movements,

thus undermining the goals of the Global War on Terror;

Whereas President George W. Bush, in his Inaugural Address, stated that the United States ‘‘will persistently

clarify the choice before every ruler and every nation: The

moral choice between oppression, which is always wrong,

and freedom, which is eternally right. America will not

pretend that jailed dissidents prefer their chains, or that

women welcome humiliation and servitude, or that any

human being aspires to live at the mercy of bullies. We

will encourage reform in other governments by making

clear that success in our relations will require the decent

treatment of their own people’’; and

Whereas Congress has repeatedly expressed its desire to see

deeper reform in Uzbekistan and has conditioned certain

United States assistance to the Government of

Uzbekistan on its progress in meeting human rights and

democracy commitments made to the United States:

Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate

2 concurring), That it is the sense of Congress that—

3 (1) the Government of Uzbekistan should take

4 immediate steps to comply with calls for an inde5 pendent international inquiry into the violence in

6 Andijon and the prosecution of those individuals re7 sponsible for civilian deaths;

8 (2) the Government of Uzbekistan should accel9 erate democratic reforms and fulfill its human rights

10 obligations by—


22259a.AAD
5

4

•HCON 187 IH

1 (A) releasing from prison all individuals

2 jailed for peaceful political activism or the non3 violent expression of their political or religious

4 beliefs;

5 (B) fully investigating any credible allega6 tions of torture and prosecuting those individ7 uals responsible;

8 (C) permitting the free and unfettered

9 functioning of independent media outlets, inde10 pendent political parties, and nongovernmental

11 organizations, whether officially registered or

12 not;

13 (D) permitting the free exercise of reli14 gious beliefs and ceasing the persecution of

15 members of religious groups and denominations

16 not registered with the government;

17 (E) holding free, transparent, competitive,

18 and fair elections; and

19 (F) making publicly available documenta20 tion of their revenues and expenditures and

21 punishing those individuals engaged in official

22 corruption; and

23 (3) the President, the Secretary of State, and

24 the Secretary of Defense should—


22259a.AAE
6

5

•HCON 187 IH

1 (A) condition diplomatic engagement with

2 and security assistance to the Government of

3 Uzbekistan based on Uzbekistan’s compliance

4 with calls for an independent international in5 quiry into the violence in Andijon, and the pros6 ecution of those individuals responsible for civil7 ian deaths;

8 (B) continue to raise at the highest levels

9 with the Government of Uzbekistan the concern

10 of the United States for greater respect for

11 human rights and democratic freedoms in

12 Uzbekistan and related conditions for United

13 States assistance;

14 (C) take into account the progress achieved

15 by the Government of Uzbekistan in upholding

16 human rights and civil liberties and imple17 menting political reforms when determining the

18 allocation of United States assistance for and

19 the nature of United States political and mili20 tary engagement with Uzbekistan;

21 (D) ensure that United States assistance

22 does not benefit the security forces of

23 Uzbekistan that have been implicated in viola24 tions of human rights and, in particular, the vi25 olence in Andijon; and


22259a.AAF
7

6

•HCON 187 IH

1 (E) support those individuals, nongovern2 mental organizations, and media outlets in

3 Uzbekistan working to establish a more open

4 society and a transparent, democratic system of

5 government.

Æ


22259a.AAG
8

1

IV

109TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 343

Commending the State of Kuwait for granting women certain important

political rights.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

JUNE 27, 2005

Mr. CROWLEY (for himself, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mrs. DAVIS of California,

Mr. ENGEL, Mr. HIGGINS, Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mrs. KELLY, Ms. LEE, Mrs. MALONEY, Mrs.

MCCARTHY, Ms. MCCOLLUM of Minnesota, Mr. PITTS, Mr. RANGEL, Ms.

ROS-LEHTINEN, Mr. SANDERS, Ms. SOLIS, Mr. WEXLER, Mr. WILSON of

South Carolina, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. ACKERMAN, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin,

Ms. LINDA T. SA ́NCHEZ of California, Mr. SERRANO, Mr. PALLONE, Ms.

WASSERMAN SCHULTZ, Mr. MEEK of Florida, Ms. WATSON, Mr. ISSA,

and Ms. WATERS) submitted the following resolution; which was referred

to the Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Commending the State of Kuwait for granting women certain

important political rights.

Whereas on May 16, 2005, the Parliament of the State of

Kuwait amended Article 1 of the Election Law 35 of

1962, providing female citizens of Kuwait the right to

vote and run in the 2007 elections;

Whereas the rights of women are of paramount importance

in international human rights, to be respected and promoted regardless of historical, cultural, or religious heritage;


22259b.AAB
9

2

•HRES 343 IH

Whereas the active advancement of women’s rights throughout the world is and remains an important policy priority

of the United States; and

Whereas the Department of State recognizes that the Kuwaiti parliamentary vote of May 16, 2005, was an important step forward for the women of Kuwait and the nation as a whole, and the United States views this step as

a positive development on the road to political reform,

serving as a positive example for other governments and

societies in the region that are on the path to political

freedom, inclusion of women, and full democratization:

Now, therefore, be it

1 Resolved, That House of Representatives—

2 (1) commends the Government and Parliament

3 of the State of Kuwait for providing female citizens

4 of Kuwait the right to vote and hold public office;

5 (2) urges the full participation of Kuwaiti

6 women in the political life of their country; and

7 (3) encourages the Government of Kuwait to

8 continue taking positive steps to achieve full mod9 ernization of its political system and lasting demo10 cratic reform.

Æ


22259b.AAC
10

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. I move this recommendation to the Full 

Committee. Without objection, these resolutions can be considered 

as read, and open for amendment at any point. Developments in 

Iraq, as well as Afghanistan, have had ripple effects throughout the 

Middle East and Central Asia. It is imperative that we support 

those who are undertaking the necessary reforms to ensure and 

protect the rights of all citizens, as with the case of Kuwait, highlighted in House Resolution 343. 

Concurrently, we must hold accountable those who continue to 

repress their people, such as the Government of Uzbekistan and 

the situation detailed in House Concurrent Resolution 187. 

So I am privileged to recognize our Ranking Member, Mr. Ackerman, for any opening statements that he might have on either of 

the two bills. 

Mr. ACKERMAN. Madam Chair, I just wanted to commend Mr. 

Crowley for his resolution, recognizing the progress the Kuwait 

Government has made in allowing the participation of women in 

politics, and to thank you for working in a bipartisan way on the 

resolution concerning the recent events in Uzbekistan. 

And I urge and would hope that all of our Members would support both resolutions. And I ask for unanimous consent for them 

to be considered at this time. 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. Thank you. Without objection, thank you, my 

good friend. I have an amendment in the nature of a substitute at 

the desk for House Concurrent Resolution 187, which without objection will be considered as read. 

This amendment contains minor technical changes and updates, 

and the question occurs on the amendment. All those in favor say 

aye? 

[A chorus of ayes.] 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. All those opposed say no. 

[No response.] 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. The question occurs on the motion to report 

the resolution, House Concurrent Resolution 187, favorably as 

amended. All in favor say aye. 

[A chorus of ayes.] 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. All opposed, no. 

[No response.] 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. The motion is approved and the resolution is 

reported favorably. Without objection, the staff is directed to make 

all technical and conforming amendments. 

The question occurs on the motion to report the resolution, 

House Resolution 343 favorably. All those in favor say aye? 

[A chorus of ayes.] 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. All opposed, no. 

[No response.] 

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN. The motion is approved and the resolution is 

reported favorably. The staff is directed to make any technical and 

conforming amendments. And thank you. The markup stands adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 3:44 p.m., the Subcommittee was adjourned.]

Æ