III 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 690 

Expressing the sense of the Senate concerning the conflict between Russia 

and Georgia. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

SEPTEMBER 27 (legislative day, SEPTEMBER 17), 2008 

Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. SMITH) submitted the following resolution; 

which was considered and agreed to 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the Senate concerning the conflict 

between Russia and Georgia. 

1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the Senate that— 

2 (1) irrespective of the origins of the recent con3 flict in Georgia, the disproportionate military re4 sponse by the Russian Federation on the sovereign, 

5 internationally recognized territory of Georgia, in6 cluding the South Ossetian Autonomous Region (re7 ferred to in this resolution as ‘‘South Ossetia’’) and 

8 the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (referred to 

9 in this resolution as ‘‘Abkhazia’’), is in violation of 


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•SRES 690 ATS 

1 the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (referred to 

2 in this resolution as ‘‘Abkhazia’’), is in violation of 

3 international law and commitments of the Russian 

4 Federation; 

5 (2) the actions undertaken by the Government 

6 of the Russian Federation in Georgia have dimin7 ished its standing in the international community 

8 and should lead to a review of existing, developing, 

9 and proposed multilateral and bilateral arrange10 ments; 

11 (3) the United States recognizes significant in12 terests in common with the Russian Federation, in13 cluding combating the proliferation of nuclear weap14 ons and fighting terrorism, and these interests can, 

15 over time, serve as the basis for improved long-term 

16 relations; 

17 (4) the Government of the Russian Federation 

18 should immediately comply with the September 8, 

19 2008, follow-on agreement to the 6-point cease-fire 

20 agreement negotiated on August 12, 2008; 

21 (5) the Government of the Russian Federation 

22 and the Government of Georgia should— 

23 (A) refrain from the future use of force to 

24 resolve the status of Abkhazia and South 

25 Ossetia; and 


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1 (B) work with the United States, Europe, 

2 and other concerned countries and through the 

3 United Nations Security Council, the Organiza4 tion for Security and Cooperation in Europe, 

5 and other international fora to identify a polit6 ical settlement that addresses the short-term 

7 and long-term status of Abkhazia and South 

8 Ossetia, in accordance with prior United Na9 tions Security Council resolutions; 

10 (6) the United States should— 

11 (A) provide humanitarian and economic as12 sistance to Georgia; 

13 (B) seek to improve commercial relations 

14 with Georgia; and 

15 (C) working in tandem with the inter16 national community, continue to support the de17 velopment of a strong, vibrant, multiparty de18 mocracy in Georgia; 

19 (7) the President should consult with Congress 

20 on future security cooperation and assistance to 

21 Georgia, as appropriate; 

22 (8) the United States continues to support the 

23 North Atlantic Treaty Organization declaration 

24 reached at the Bucharest Summit on April 3, 2008; 

25 and 


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1 (9) the United States should work with the Eu2 ropean Union, Georgia, and its neighbors to ensure 

3 the free flow of energy to Europe and the operation 

4 of key communication and trade routes. 

Æ 


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