IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. RES. 445 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the United States 

should support a mutually-agreed solution for the future status of Kosovo 

and reject an imposed solution for the status of Kosovo. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MAY 24, 2007 

Ms. BEAN (for herself and Mr. BURTON of Indiana) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that 

the United States should support a mutually-agreed solution for the future status of Kosovo and reject an imposed solution for the status of Kosovo. 

Whereas the United States has enduring national interests in 

the peace and security of southeastern Europe, and in 

the greater integration of the region into the Euro-Atlantic community of democratic, well-governed states; 

Whereas stability of Serbia and its full integration into the 

Euro-Atlantic community of democracies furthers the stability in the entire Balkan region; 

Whereas the people of Serbia forced Slobodan Milosevic out 

of power in October 2000 and ever since have elected 

pro-European and pro-Western leaders during the folmstockstill on PROD1PC66 with BILLS

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lowing seven democratic elections that have been conducted; 

Whereas pursuant to all relevant international agreements 

and treaties, including the Charter of the United Nations, United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244, 

and the Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Final Act), and international law generally, Kosovo is legally part of Serbia 

and its state sovereignty; 

Whereas the vast majority of Serbs and other minorities live 

in isolation and extremely poor conditions in Kosovo especially in the central and eastern regions; 

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 

established the United Nations Mission in Kosovo 

(UNMIK) to bring stability, the rule of law, protection 

of human rights, and reconstruction to the war-torn province of Kosovo; 

Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 1244 

also reaffirms that Kosovo is a part of Serbia; 

Whereas since 1999 Serbia has had no political, military, or 

economic presence in its province of Kosovo; 

Whereas since the arrival of UNMIK and North Atlantic 

Treaty Organization (NATO) forces in Kosovo, more 

than 200,000 Serbs and other Kosovo minorities have 

been displaced from their homes in Kosovo by Albanian 

extremists, more than 1,500 Serbs have been murdered, 

more than 100 churches and monasteries have been 

burned and destroyed, and more than 20,000 houses have 

been destroyed; 

Whereas the current status of Kosovo is contentious for both 

Serbia and its province of Kosovo; 

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Whereas any attempt to impose a solution on Kosovo’s final 

status on Serbia could contribute to greater instability 

and inhibit its economic and political development; 

Whereas imposed independence for Kosovo will strengthen 

radical and nationalistic, anti-Western forces in Serbia 

and could hinder Serbia’s progress toward joining the 

European Union and NATO; 

Whereas in 2005, the United Nations Secretary-General appointed the former President of Finland, Martti 

Ahtisaari, as United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo to 

develop a comprehensive settlement proposal to resolve 

the political status of Kosovo; 

Whereas in March 2007, after 18 months of inconclusive 

talks, the United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo submitted to the Security Council a ‘‘comprehensive settlement proposal’’ that would result in supervised independence for Kosovo; 

Whereas the United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo ultimately failed to reach a solution that would be acceptable 

for both sides; and 

Whereas the United Nations Special Envoy for Kosovo was 

unable to find a compromise solution between Serbia and 

the Kosovo Albanians that would allow an enduring and 

stable final status for Kosovo: Now, therefore, be it 

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

3 (1) the United States should support a mutu4 ally-agreed solution for the future status of Kosovo 

5 for both Serbia and Kosovo through a new round of 

6 negotiations if needed; 

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1 (2) the United States should support an out2 come that creates an economically viable and politi3 cally stable Kosovo, Serbia, and greater Balkan re4 gion where the human rights of all persons are pro5 tected; 

6 (3) the United States should insist on fulfill7 ment of all agreed-upon democratic standards in 

8 Kosovo set forth previously by the United Nations 

9 before supporting final status for Kosovo; 

10 (4) the United States should, in consultation 

11 and cooperation with its allies, vigorously and pa12 tiently pursue a United Nations Security Council 

13 resolution that endorses a solution acceptable for 

14 both parties; 

15 (5) the United States should restrain from any 

16 unilateral action toward Kosovo’s independence, es17 pecially actions outside the United Nations, to pre18 vent damaging the United States positions in the 

19 international community; 

20 (6) the United States should work together with 

21 the European Union in supporting the political and 

22 economic development of both the province of 

23 Kosovo and Serbia; 

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1 (7) the United States should support the full 

2 integration of the province of Kosovo and Serbia 

3 into international and Euro-Atlantic institutions; 

4 (8) the United States should reaffirm its com5 mitment to southeastern Europe, including its par6 ticipation in the NATO mission in Kosovo to deter 

7 and disrupt any efforts to destabilize the region 

8 through violence; 

9 (9) the provincial Government of Kosovo should 

10 take full responsibility to reassure, protect, and en11 sure the full political and economic rights of Serbs 

12 and other minority communities in Kosovo; 

13 (10) the provincial Government of Kosovo 

14 should make every effort to develop a cooperative re15 lationship with the Government of Serbia, in rec16 ognition of its legitimate interests in the safety of 

17 the Serb population, the property rights of the Serb 

18 population in Kosovo and in the protection and pres19 ervation of the patrimonial sites of the Serbian Or20 thodox Church in Kosovo; 

21 (11) the international community should recog22 nize that additional negotiations and diplomacy does 

23 not represent a delay of the process and that it is 

24 better to find a mutually-acceptable solution than to 

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1 have prolonged crisis and confrontation in the Bal2 kans; 

3 (12) the international community should recog4 nize that the Government of Serbia currently has 

5 legal sovereignty over Kosovo as outlined by United 

6 Nations Security Council Resolution 1244; and 

7 (13) the Government of Serbia should continue 

8 toward a prosperous and peaceful future through re9 gional cooperation and integration into Euro-Atlan10 tic institutions, including NATO and the European 

11 Union, and toward the establishment of open, con12 structive relations with the provincial government of 

13 Kosovo. 

Æ 

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