109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. J. Res. 19

AMENDMENT

In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

September 6, 2005.

Resolved, That the resolution from the Senate (S. J. 

Res. 19) entitled ‘‘Joint Resolution calling upon the President to issue a proclamation recognizing the 30th anniversary 

of the Helsinki Final Act’’, do pass with the following

AMENDMENT:

Strike the preamble and insert:

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 established a new framework for relations among countries in Europe and the 

North Atlantic region that recognized that respect for 

human rights is 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 Armenia and similar groups in Czechoslovakia and Poland, sacrificed their personal freedom 

and even their lives in their courageous and vocal sup-
2

•SJ 19 EAH 

port 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 pri-
3

•SJ 19 EAH 

macy of popular 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 
4

•SJ 19 EAH 

to fight organized crime and corruption, which constitute a great threat to economic reform and prosperity; 

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

Attest:

Clerk.