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74–004PDF 2012

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

WITH RESPECT TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEMOCRATIC AND PROSPEROUS REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA AND THE

ESTABLISHMENT OF A PEACEFUL AND JUST RESOLUTION

TO THE CONFLICT WITH GEORGIA’S INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BORDERS

MARKUP

BEFORE THE

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND EURASIA

OF THE

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS

SECOND SESSION

ON

H. Res. 526

APRIL 26, 2012

Serial No. 112–165

Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs

(

Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/ or

http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/

(II)

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS 

ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida, Chairman 

CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey 

DAN BURTON, Indiana 

ELTON GALLEGLY, California 

DANA ROHRABACHER, California 

DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois 

EDWARD R. ROYCE, California 

STEVE CHABOT, Ohio 

RON PAUL, Texas 

MIKE PENCE, Indiana 

JOE WILSON, South Carolina 

CONNIE MACK, Florida 

JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska 

MICHAEL T. MCCAUL, Texas 

TED POE, Texas 

GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida 

JEAN SCHMIDT, Ohio 

BILL JOHNSON, Ohio 

DAVID RIVERA, Florida 

MIKE KELLY, Pennsylvania 

TIM GRIFFIN, Arkansas 

TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania 

JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina 

ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York 

RENEE ELLMERS, North Carolina 

ROBERT TURNER, New York 

HOWARD L. BERMAN, California 

GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York 

ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American 

Samoa 

BRAD SHERMAN, California 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri 

ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey 

GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia 

THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida 

DENNIS CARDOZA, California 

BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky 

BRIAN HIGGINS, New York 

ALLYSON SCHWARTZ, Pennsylvania 

CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY, Connecticut 

FREDERICA WILSON, Florida 

KAREN BASS, California 

WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts 

DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island 

YLEEM D.S. POBLETE, Staff Director 

RICHARD J. KESSLER, Democratic Staff Director 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND EURASIA

DAN BURTON, Indiana, Chairman 

ELTON GALLEGLY, California 

GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida 

TIM GRIFFIN, Arkansas 

TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania 

JEAN SCHMIDT, Ohio 

TED POE, Texas 

GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York 

ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York 

ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey 

THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida 

(III)

C O N T E N T S 

Page

MARKUP OF 

H. Res. 526, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives with 

respect toward the establishment of a democratic and prosperous Republic 

of Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution to 

the conflict with Georgia’s internationally recognized borders ........................ 2

Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 526 offered by the 

Honorable Dan Burton, a Representative in Congress from the State 

of Indiana, and chairman, Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia .............. 10

APPENDIX 

Markup notice .......................................................................................................... 26

Markup minutes ...................................................................................................... 27

The Honorable Dan Burton, a Representative in Congress from the State 

of Indiana, and chairman, Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia: Prepared 

statement .............................................................................................................. 28

(1)

EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH RESPECT TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF 

A DEMOCRATIC AND PROSPEROUS REPUBLIC OF GEORGIA 

AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PEACEFUL AND JUST 

RESOLUTION TO THE CONFLICT WITH GEORGIA’S INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BORDERS 

THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, 

SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND EURASIA, 

COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS, 

Washington, DC. 

The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:30 p.m., in room 

2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Dan Burton (chairman 

of the subcommittee) presiding. 

Mr. BURTON. The subcommittee will come to order. Pursuant to 

notice, the subcommittee meets this morning to mark up a strongly 

bipartisan measure, H. Res. 526, Expressing the sense of the House 

of Representatives with respect toward the establishment of a 

democratic and prosperous Republic of Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution to the conflict with Georgia’s 

internationally recognized borders. 

Without objection, we will consider en bloc the resolution and the 

bipartisan manager’s amendment, Burton amendment 46, that was 

sent to your offices on Wednesday and that all members have in 

front of them. 

So without objection, the resolution and the manager’s amendment are considered read and open for amendment at any point. 

[H. Res. 526 and the amendment in the nature of a substitute 

offered by Mr. Burton follow:]

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Mr. BURTON. All members are given leave to insert written remarks into the record, and I will now recognize members—I will 

start with myself—to make opening statements on this. 

As chairman of this subcommittee, I led a bipartisan delegation 

to Georgia, where we engaged with Georgia’s President, Prime 

Minister, parliamentarians, and various ministers of the current 

government. Our conversations were widespread, and included the 

country’s ongoing democratic and economic reforms, as well as the 

need for greater cooperation between the United States and Georgia. 

Our conversations were not limited to the governing United National movement, but included representatives from the leading 

Christian Democrats Party and the Free Democrats Party, among 

others. 

We must remember that Georgia is a country in transition. It is 

not perfect. It is still in development, and its government is young. 

However, I believe Georgia is moving in the right direction, and its 

democracy will become one of the strongest and most vibrant in the 

region. It is in the best interests of the United States to work and 

partner with the Government of Georgia to encourage and foster a 

strong democracy. 

While in Georgia, I witnessed the progress of reforms, including 

the opening of their market. As many know, Georgia’s annual foreign direct investment is fast approaching 1 billion U.S. dollars, as 

the country continues to attract international investors. For example, the ever-popular Donald Trump was in Batumi just this week 

to announce a major development under his Trump brand of properties. I wonder where that guy gets all that money. [Laughter.] 

Concerning Georgia’s NATO aspirations, it is my belief that 

Georgia is an excellent candidate and deserves to be given a membership application plan or another clear path for entry at the Chicago Summit. Such action will help facilitate additional reforms 

that the country needs to make. 

Although not tied to membership, NATO countries should recognize Georgia’s commitment to Afghanistan, where it will soon deploy the highest troop level per capita of any contributing nation, 

with no caveats. Many Georgian soldiers are deployed in the dangerous Helmand Province, where they fight side-by-side with the 

U.S. soldiers. 

Sadly, just this week a decorated sergeant of the Georgian Army 

lost his life in Helmand Province when an IED destroyed his vehicle, and we wish him and his family and the people of Georgia the 

best regarding his loss, and they have our deepest sympathy. 

This resolution, H. Res. 526, is a representative of a bipartisan 

effort to recognize Georgia and the progress it has made, and symbolizes U.S. support for a young but growing democracy. I want to 

thank Representative Shimkus and Representative Schwartz for 

their efforts in the introduction of this resolution. I want to thank 

Ranking Member Meeks, my good buddy, Chairman Ros-Lehtinen, 

and Ranking Member Berman, and their staffs, for their support 

in this subcommittee’s efforts to move this resolution. 

I now recognize Mr. Meeks for an opening statement. 

Mr. MEEKS. Thank you, Chairman Burton. I want to thank you 

for bringing this resolution to a markup today, and I also want to 

19

thank you for your flexibility on the language. We have had some 

conversation back and forth, and you and your staff have been very 

flexible in working with us as we try to tweak language and get 

what should be appropriate. So it is always a delight working with 

you, my friend, and it is my delight. 

And it is probably no coincidence that we are marking up this 

resolution in the context of a NATO Summit hearing, as Georgia 

is a NATO aspirant, a country with a strong pro-Western orientation, and they have proven themselves very capable and reliable allies in Afghanistan and other conflict zones. NATO members are 

bound by a common adherence to democratic norms. The Georgian 

Government’s efforts to build on reforms made to date, to foster 

greater political competition, labor rights, judicial independence, 

and media access, will be an opportunity for Georgia to prove itself 

when measured by international standards. 

To paraphrase Ambassador-designee Richard Norland’s recent 

statement, allowing opposition candidates to campaign and compete freely in upcoming parliamentary and Presidential elections 

will bring Georgia closer to Euro-Atlantic standards and integration, and facilitate Georgia’s NATO aspirations. 

Now, I want to commend the Georgian Government’s progress on 

government transparency and fight against corruption, political, 

economic, and judicial reforms, and encourage Georgia to continue 

its modernization process. We have got to continue to move. We 

can never be content. There is always room for improvement. And 

we have got to continue to encourage that kind of improvement and 

democratization. 

And so, as a result of that, as a result of what we see happening, 

as a result we see forward movement. I encourage my colleagues 

to support H. Res. 526, in order to strengthen U.S. engagement 

with the Republic of Georgia, by helping Georgia to enhance its security and restore its territorial integrity through peaceful means, 

and supporting the Government of Georgia’s commitment to a policy of peaceful and constructive engagement with the authorities in 

control of South Ossettia and Abkhazia. It is with that that I think 

we can work collectively together, and we can make improvements. 

And we have got to continue, because democracy is always something that is a continuing event. We are still working on our democracy, here in the United States. No one gets it right. So we are 

still progressing and trying to make sure that we continue forward 

with democratization. 

So with that, Madam Chair, I yield back. 

Ms. SCHMIDT [presiding]. Thank you, and the Chair will now recognize herself for an opening statement. 

First off, I want to thank the committee for demonstrating leadership on this very important issue. And it is a bipartisan piece of 

legislation, and toward that end I applaud it. 

But I also want to highlight something beyond just this resolution, and that is NATO itself and the Chicago Summit. Given the 

nature of the global environment in which we live, and this seemingly never-ending list of rogue states with which we must contend, 

I understand the need for and the support and continued existence 

of a strong and vibrant NATO. 

20

In fact, in today’s world, where friendship and cooperation with 

other nations is so incredibly essential to the successful completion 

of many of our national goals and objectives, particularly in the 

realm of national security, our involvement in NATO is as necessary as it was when it was founded on April the 4th, 1949, and 

it is to that end that I look forward to the 2012 NATO Summit in 

Chicago this May. 

But unfortunately, my expectations for the summit are low. And 

I say that they are low because it is what is not on the agenda that 

concerns me. What we have missed on this agenda—intentionally, 

I think, it is off the agenda—is the issue of NATO’s expansion. 

With regard to the matter of membership for Bosnia and 

Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, and Montenegro, the administration has been conspicuously quiet. In fact, it looks like they are 

AWOL. 

Perhaps my biggest concern lies with Macedonia itself, a good 

friend to the United States. Although not a member, Macedonia 

has long supported the joint security goals and objectives of NATO. 

The Macedonian military has supported, like other countries not in 

NATO, missions in Afghanistan, Iraq, Bosnia, Lebanon, et cetera. 

In 2008, Macedonia completed its membership action plan in 

preparation for its entry into NATO. And yet, because of an imprudent decision by a country to unilaterally veto Macedonia’s admission to NATO, ostensibly on the disagreement with what Macedonia wants to call itself, Macedonia remains a member in waiting. Apparently article X of the North Atlantic Treaty, the so-called 

Open Door Policy, is not so open. 

In Macedonia, we have a country that has honored and fulfilled 

its requirements for NATO’s membership, just as we have with 

other countries. We have a country that has provided more support 

for NATO missions, both in talent and in treasure, than many 

NATO members have themselves, and yet we have a country that 

is desirous of supporting NATO’s goals and objectives and is denied 

entry. 

It is not too late, and I hope the Chicago Summit refocuses its 

position and allows for a good dialogue and an expansion for its 

membership. 

I yield back my time. 

Now I would like to recognize Congressman Engel for his opening statement. 

Mr. ENGEL. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. And let me just 

first of all say, I am delighted to be here. I think the subject matter 

is very, very important, and of course the resolution about our 

friends in Georgia, I am excited to support it. I am, coincidentally, 

going to have dinner with the Ambassador, Georgian Ambassador, 

this evening. 

I have always been a long-standing friend and supporter of Georgia, and I am a long-standing supporter of Georgia becoming a 

member of NATO, as are other countries as well, and I hope that 

that will happen. Other countries, as well, such as Kosovo, and others who aspire to get in. 

I think the West needs to expand, just as we expanded NATO 

when the Soviet Union fell. I think it is important that we continue 

21

to expand it, and those countries that want to become part of the 

Western Alliance can become part of the Western Alliance. 

I would be remiss—well, let me just say this. We just met—many 

of us had lunch today with Sali Berisha, the Albanian Prime Minister, who is in town, and we talked a great deal at that luncheon 

about Albania’s successful membership in NATO. And I am delighted that Albania is a member of NATO. 

But as we talk about the Chicago Summit and U.S. policy, I want 

to highlight something that is unfolding with regard to the Chicago 

Summit, and that is Turkey’s apparent blocking Israel from participating in the NATO summit. Israel has long participated in the 

Summit, and has long shown itself to be a very loyal and pro-Western ally of both the United States and NATO. 

Turkey, which is a NATO member and sadly, in my opinion, has 

not acted like one for a long, long, time, or for the past few years 

at least, is blocking Israel because of a dispute with the flotilla incident, where Turkish nationals and others tried to illegally blockade the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which is legal according to international law. And unfortunately, there was a loss of life and Turkey is demanding all kinds of apologies for it, while refusing to look 

at its own culpability in the face. 

And I just want to voice my disgust at the Government of Turkey 

for, at least up until now, blocking Israel from participating at the 

NATO Summit in Chicago. It is an international disgrace. I think 

Turkey’s actions in cozying up to the worst elements are abhorrent. 

I think that Turkey’s policies have just been terrible. 

And you know, many of us yesterday attended the Armenian 

rally here in Washington. And it is 100 years after the Armenian 

genocide, and Turkey still refuses to acknowledge it, which is another disgrace. So I just want to highlight what I unfortunately regard as disgusting Turkish policy. And Turkey ought to immediately withdraw its blocking of Israel from attending the NATO 

Summit in Chicago. 

And with that, I yield back. 

Ms. SCHMIDT. Thank you. And now I yield to recognize an opening statement for Congressman Poe from Texas. 

Mr. POE. Thank you, Madam Chairman. I think the United 

States should reward our international friends, and not reward our 

enemies. 

We have good friends that sent troops to Iraq, and large contributors to our mission in Afghanistan, than even some of our NATO 

members sent. In other words, we have folks that sent people to 

Afghanistan that aren’t NATO members, and our NATO members, 

some of them, did not come up to the plate as well as our nonNATO allies. 

These people, these countries, patrol the ISAF headquarters in 

Kabul, and work alongside our American officers and troops in Afghanistan. If they can protect the tent of NATO, they should be 

able to sleep in the tent of NATO, one would think. There are 

enough countries out there that hate us. We give billions of dollars 

every year to Pakistan, and that doesn’t seem to keep them from 

hating Americans. 

But here we have countries that tend to like the United States. 

They want to be in NATO. They haven’t just talked the talk, but 

22

they have walked the walk and stepped up when the international 

community needed them. They have met NATO’s requirements, instituted tough economic and democratic reforms, but they are still 

not in NATO. They have made the hard sacrifices. They have 

fought shoulder to shoulder with our troops on the battlefield, but 

the door to NATO membership remains closed. 

This isn’t just in our friends’ interest. It is in America’s interest, 

too, that we open the door. We have the opportunity, through mutual defense, to bring peace to unstable regions. Where there is 

peace, we know that economic development and prosperity often 

follows. Trade and foreign direct investments start to grow as relationships are made. From peace to economic growth, there is a lot 

on the line for us and for our friends. 

I am concerned that NATO’s enlargement is not a top priority for 

the United States. It is not even on the agenda of the upcoming 

NATO Summit in Chicago. If our friends do all they need to do, 

and more, to meet NATO’s requirements, and don’t get in, what is 

the message we are sending them? How long can we expect them 

to wait? 

It kind of reminds me of the days when I would ask a gal to a 

dance, and she would turn me down enough times, I quit asking 

her to the dance. That happened a lot, unfortunately. But it is that 

situation. They keep wanting to go to the dance, and we just don’t 

respond in a positive manner. It is time to take those friends in, 

so we can all dance together. The longer we take, the more we are 

risking public opinion turning against NATO membership. They 

will start looking elsewhere for friends that really want them to be 

involved with them. The United States may have lost opportunities 

if we continue to delay, delay, delay. 

There are enough countries around the world that don’t like us. 

It is about time we start rewarding the countries that do actually 

like the United States. 

And I yield back. Thank you, Madam. 

Ms. SCHMIDT. Thank you. Hearing no further requests for recognition, and no further amendments to the resolution, the pending 

question is on the en bloc resolution and the manager’s amendment. 

Before I say that, I would like to say that any other member that 

wishes to put remarks into the record will be able to do so. 

So, hearing no further requests for recognition, the pending question is on the en bloc resolution and the manager’s amendment. 

Are there any amendments? 

[No response.] 

Ms. SCHMIDT. No. Okay. All those in favor, say aye. 

[Chorus of ayes.] 

Ms. SCHMIDT. Any opposed? 

[No response.] 

Ms. SCHMIDT. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it and 

the en bloc measures are agreed to. 

Without objection, H. Res. 526 is amended, and will be reported 

as a single amendment in the nature of a substitute, and the staff 

are directed to make technical and conforming changes. 

I want to thank all of our members and staff on both sides of the 

aisle for the good work and the cooperation that went into this 

23

markup today. And, having concluded our business, the subcommittee is adjourned. 

[Whereupon, at 2:52 p.m., the subcommittee proceeded to other 

business.] 

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A P P E N D I X 

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