IV

107TH CONGRESS

1ST SESSION H. RES. 253

Recommending the integration of the Republic of Slovakia into the North

Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

OCTOBER 3, 2001

Mr. STUPAK submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the

Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Recommending the integration of the Republic of Slovakia

into the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

Whereas the Republic of Slovakia came into existence with its

peaceful separation from the Czech Republic in 1993;

Whereas the Republic of Slovakia has demonstrated the maturity of its democracy by the recent peaceful transition

of power;

Whereas the Government of the Republic of Slovakia has

shown a clear desire to continue and progress with improvements in the areas of the human rights, civil society, and a free market economy;

Whereas the Republic of Slovakia has made significant

strides in addressing its human rights record with the

placement of three ethnic Hungarians in the cabinet of
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the government, including the Deputy Premier for

Human and Minority Rights and has stated its determination to conform to the standards of the Council of

Europe;

Whereas the Republic of Slovakia has continually worked to

retain civilian control of its military through participation

with North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces,

and has shown willingness to work with North Atlantic

Treaty Organization forces through activities such as the

Partnership for Peace program, peacekeeping missions to

Bosnia, and United Nations operations to Rwanda and

Liberia;

Whereas members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization

community have been involved in the development of the

military of the Republic of Slovakia;

Whereas one of the stated goals of the Government of the Republic of Slovakia is to ‘‘create all of the conditions necessary for the Republic of Slovakia to become a standard

democratic state and a stable element in the region’’;

Whereas the Republic of Slovakia is geographically located in

a strategically significant position between the Czech Republic, Hungary, and Poland, all three of which were included in the first round of North Atlantic Treaty Organization expansion;

Whereas the North Atlantic Treaty Organization has been a

pillar of peace, stability, and freedom in Europe since

1949; and

Whereas the Republic of Slovakia has stated as one of its

strategic priorities becoming a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization as quickly as possible: Now,

therefore, be it
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1 Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep2 resentatives that—

3 (1) the Republic of Slovakia should be com4 mended for progressing toward political and eco5 nomic liberty and for its efforts to meet the guide6 lines for prospective North Atlantic Treaty Organi7 zation (NATO) members set out in Chapter 5 of the

8 September 1995 Study on NATO Enlargement;

9 (2) the Republic of Slovakia would make signifi10 cant contributions to the North Atlantic Treaty Or11 ganization;

12 (3) extension of the North Atlantic Treaty Or13 ganization to include the Republic of Slovakia would

14 significantly benefit the security and peace of Eu15 rope and the region as a whole; and

16 (4) the Republic of Slovakia should be invited

17 to be a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty

18 Organization alliance at the earliest opportunity.

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