IIA 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. RES. 19 

Calling upon the President to issue a proclamation recognizing the 30th 

anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

MAY 17, 2005 

Mr. BROWNBACK (for himself, Mr. SMITH, Mr. CHAMBLISS, Mr. DODD, Mr. 

FEINGOLD, and Mrs. CLINTON) introduced the following joint resolution; 

which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

JOINT RESOLUTION 

Calling upon the President to issue a proclamation 

recognizing the 30th anniversary of the Helsinki Final Act. 

Whereas August 1, 2005, is the 30th anniversary of the 

Final Act of the Conference on Security and Cooperation 

in Europe (CSCE), renamed the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in January 1995 

(hereafter in this resolution referred to as the ‘‘Helsinki 

Final Act’’); 

Whereas the Helsinki Final Act was the first international 

agreement to accord human rights the status of a fundamental principle in regulating international relations; 

Whereas, during the Communist era, members of nongovernmental organizations, such as the Helsinki Monitoring 

Groups in Russia, Ukraine, Lithuania, Georgia, and Ar-
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menia and similar groups in Czechoslovakia and Poland, 

sacrificed their personal freedom and even their lives in 

their courageous and vocal support for the principles enshrined in the Helsinki Final Act; 

Whereas Congress contributed to advancing the aims of the 

Helsinki Final Act by creating the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe to monitor and encourage 

compliance with provisions of the Helsinki Final Act; 

Whereas, in the 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe, the 

participating States in the OSCE (hereafter in this resolution referred to as the ‘‘participating States’’) declared 

that ‘‘[h]uman rights and fundamental freedoms are the 

birthright of all human beings, are inalienable and are 

guaranteed by law’’ and that ‘‘[t]heir protection and promotion is the first responsibility of government’’; 

Whereas, in the 1991 Document of the Moscow Meeting of 

the Conference on the Human Dimension of the CSCE, 

the participating States ‘‘categorically and irrevocably 

declare[d] that the commitments undertaken in the field 

of the human dimension of the CSCE are matters of direct and legitimate concern to all participating States 

and do not belong exclusively to the internal affairs of 

the State concerned’’; 

Whereas, in the 1990 Charter of Paris for a New Europe, the 

participating States committed themselves ‘‘to build, consolidate and strengthen democracy as the only system of 

government of our nations’’; 

Whereas the pro-democracy revolution in Serbia in 2000, the 

Rose Revolution in Georgia in 2003, the Orange Revolution in Ukraine in 2004, and the popular revolution in 

Kyrgyzstan in 2005 demonstrate the primacy of popular 
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sovereignty and the importance of OSCE commitments 

on free and fair elections; 

Whereas the OSCE and the participating States have undertaken a series of measures aimed at combating anti-Semitism, racism, xenophobia, and discrimination and should 

report on related progress during the OSCE Conference 

on anti-Semitism and on Other Forms of Intolerance in 

Cordoba, Spain, in June 2005; 

Whereas the 1999 Istanbul OSCE Charter for European Security and the November 19, 1999, Istanbul Summit 

Declaration note the particular challenges of ending violence against women and children as well as sexual exploitation and all forms of trafficking in human beings, 

and commit the participating States to strengthen efforts 

to combat corruption, eradicate torture, and end discrimination against Roma; 

Whereas the main challenge facing the participating States 

remains the implementation of the principles and commitments contained in the Helsinki Final Act and other 

OSCE documents adopted on the basis of consensus; 

Whereas the participating States have recognized that economic liberty, social justice, and environmental responsibility are indispensable to prosperity; 

Whereas the participating States have committed themselves 

to promoting economic reforms through enhanced transparency for economic activity, with the aim of advancing 

the principles of market economies; 

Whereas the participating States have stressed the importance of respect for the rule of law and vigorous efforts 

to fight organized crime and corruption, which constitute 

a great threat to economic reform and prosperity; 
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Whereas OSCE has expanded the scope and substance of its 

efforts, undertaking a variety of preventive diplomacy initiatives designed to prevent, manage, and resolve conflict 

within and among the participating States; 

Whereas the politico-military aspects of security remain vital 

to the interests of the participating States and constitute 

a core element of OSCE’s concept of comprehensive security; 

Whereas the OSCE has played an increasingly active role in 

civilian police-related activities, including training, as an 

integral part of OSCE’s efforts in conflict prevention, crisis management, and post-conflict rehabilitation; and 

Whereas the participating States bear primary responsibility 

for raising awareness of violations of commitments contained in the Helsinki Final Act and other OSCE documents: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives 

2 of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 That Congress calls upon the President— 

4 (1) to issue a proclamation— 

5 (A) recognizing the 30th anniversary of the 

6 signing of the Final Act of the Conference on 

7 Security and Cooperation in Europe; 

8 (B) reasserting the commitment of the 

9 United States to full implementation of the 

10 Helsinki Final Act; 
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1 (C) urging all participating States to abide 

2 by their obligations under the Helsinki Final 

3 Act; and 

4 (D) encouraging the people of the United 

5 States to join the President and Congress in 

6 observance of this anniversary with appropriate 

7 programs, ceremonies, and activities; and 

8 (2) to convey to all signatories of the Helsinki 

9 Final Act that respect for human rights and funda10 mental freedoms, democratic principles, economic 

11 liberty, and the implementation of related commit12 ments continue to be vital elements in promoting a 

13 new era of democracy, peace, and unity in the region 

14 covered by the Organization for Security and Co15 operation in Europe. 

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