IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. CON. RES. 272 

Urging the United States Government to initiate a diplomatic surge to foster 

security and stability in the Middle East by engaging international stakeholders and governments throughout the region to curtail destabilizing 

influences, help prevent the spread of violence, address humanitarian 

concerns, and enhance prospects for security, political, and economic 

progress in Iraq. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

DECEMBER 18, 2007 

Mr. FORTENBERRY (for himself and Mr. MCCAUL of Texas) submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 

Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Urging the United States Government to initiate a diplomatic 

surge to foster security and stability in the Middle East 

by engaging international stakeholders and governments 

throughout the region to curtail destabilizing influences, 

help prevent the spread of violence, address humanitarian 

concerns, and enhance prospects for security, political, 

and economic progress in Iraq. 

Whereas United States troops have created significant military momentum, achieved security gains, and the window 

of opportunity made possible by their valor, commitment, 

and steadfast competence must be matched immediately 

by equally vigorous diplomatic efforts; 


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•HCON 272 IH 

Whereas a peaceful, stable, self-governing Iraq with effective 

institutions of representative government is in the best 

interest of all nations and securing the best possible outcome for the Iraqi people depends upon the active commitment of responsible regional and international stakeholders; 

Whereas the United States Government has played a pivotal 

role in facilitating 5 regional conferences of Middle Eastern nations to encourage greater security, economic and 

political support for the sovereign nation of Iraq, and 

these conferences have yielded some successes, including 

the ‘‘International Compact for Iraq,’’ a 5-year national 

plan that includes benchmarks and mutual commitments 

from both Iraq and the international community, all with 

the aim of helping Iraq on the path towards peace, sound 

governance, and economic progress; 

Whereas the United Nations re-entered Iraq subsequent to 

the tragic bombing of the United Nations Headquarters 

in Baghdad on August 19, 2003; 

Whereas the following initiatives have been taken by regional 

governments to help promote stability in Iraq: 

(1) The Government of Egypt hosted a regional 

meeting in Sharm El-Sheikh on May 3 through 4, 2007, 

which led to the adoption of the International Compact 

for Iraq; 

(2) The Gulf States and the United States have renewed security discussions under the framework of the 

Gulf Cooperation Council plus Egypt and Jordan, and 

developed a new Gulf Security Initiative; 

(3) The Government of Jordan hosted and facilitated meetings between United States officials and Iraqi 

leaders aimed at resolving political disputes and created 


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•HCON 272 IH 

the Jordan International Police Training Center 

(JIPTC), which has prepared more than 30,000 Iraqi cadets since 2003 with approximately $100,000,000 in 

United States funding; 

(4) Saudi officials have strengthened border control 

efforts and are seeking to implement a significant border 

security infrastructure improvement program; and 

(5) Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al Maliki and Turkish Prime Minister Recept Tayyip Erdogan signed a 

memorandum of understanding on countering terrorism 

and the Government of Turkey recently hosted a multilateral dialogue on Iraq in Istanbul; 

Whereas ongoing challenges remain to securing a stable Iraq, 

including the propensity of Iran to undermine broader regional stability by providing both weapons and training 

to insurgents seeking to destabilize Iraq; 

Whereas international donors have pledged an estimated 

$18,700,000,000 to $20,700,000,000 in grants and loans 

for Iraq reconstruction but have only committed approximately $4,300,000,000 and disbursed about 

$1,400,000,000 to the United Nations and World Bank 

trust funds for Iraq; 

Whereas there are over 2,000,000 Iraqi refugees throughout 

the region, including an estimated 100,000 in Egypt; 

200,000 in the Gulf States; 54,000 in Iran; 750,000 in 

Jordan; 40,000 in Lebanon; 1,200,000 in Syria; and 

10,000 in Turkey; and 

Whereas 40 nations, including 16 Arab nations, gathered to 

re-launch the Middle East peace process in Annapolis, 

Maryland, on November 27, 2007, which should create 

multiple opportunities to settle disputes throughout the 

region and provide additional momentum for more effecVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:58 Dec 19, 2007 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC272.IH HC272

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•HCON 272 IH 

tive multilateral collaboration to help achieve a genuine 

and durable peace in Iraq: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) recognizes the effort of local community 

4 leaders in Iraq to promote reconciliation; 

5 (2) commends the United Nations for re-engag6 ing in Iraq, and urges further efforts to encourage 

7 all United Nations Member States to embrace the 

8 cause of a stable, secure, and free Iraq; 

9 (3) urges the President, Secretary of State 

10 Rice, and the United States Ambassador to Iraq 

11 heighten their considerable efforts to encourage the 

12 Iraqi Government to build on foundations of regional 

13 reconciliation to make substantial progress on na14 tional reconciliation; 

15 (4) urges the President and the Secretary of 

16 State to prioritize diplomatic efforts to— 

17 (A) engage Iraq’s neighbors to assist in se18 curing Iraq’s borders; and 

19 (B) engage regional stakeholders in an ef20 fort to prevent terrorist organizations or ele21 ments from de-stabilizing the region; 

22 (5) urges the President, the Secretary of State, 

23 and the United States Permanent Representative to 

24 the United Nations to work with their counterparts 


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1 from United Nations Member States, governments 

2 of the European Union, the Secretary General of the 

3 United Nations and the Presidency of the Council of 

4 the European Union to— 

5 (A) promote interest by the international 

6 community in the success of Iraq as an inde7 pendent sovereign nation and enhance the effec8 tiveness of the ‘‘International Compact for 

9 Iraq’’; 

10 (B) urge the nations and international 

11 bodies that since 2003 have pledged donations 

12 to Iraq to fulfill those pledges; and 

13 (C) encourage additional international in14 vestment and trade in Iraq’s economy; 

15 (6) declares that— 

16 (A) the burgeoning number of internally 

17 displaced persons within Iraq and exodus of ref18 ugees from Iraq into neighboring Middle East 

19 countries is a cause for increasing concern; and 

20 (B) the United States should engage the 

21 Government of Iraq, neighboring and regional 

22 governments, and the international community, 

23 as appropriate, including multilateral develop24 ment institutions, the United States High Com25 missioner for Refugees, and nongovernmental 


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1 organization programs addressing the needs of 

2 Iraqi refugees to assess the adequacy of existing 

3 mechanisms and funding levels to assist the 

4 safe movement of Iraqi refugees in the Middle 

5 East region and capacity of regional govern6 ments to absorb current levels of refugee influx, 

7 and to provide recommendations to enhance 

8 such capacities to meet the urgent needs of 

9 Iraqi refugees; and 

10 (7) urges the Secretary of State to direct the 

11 Internally Displaced Persons Task Force similarly to 

12 undertake an immediate assessment of the adequacy 

13 of the United States Government’s contribution to 

14 addressing the urgent needs of Iraqi displaced per15 sons and to provide recommendations to enhance 

16 such capacities to meet those needs. 

Æ 


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