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[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 272 Introduced in House (IH)]

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;
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 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 effective multilateral 
        collaboration to help achieve a genuine and durable peace in Iraq: Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That Congress--
            (1) recognizes the effort of local community leaders in 
        Iraq to promote reconciliation;
            (2) commends the United Nations for re-engaging in Iraq, 
        and urges further efforts to encourage all United Nations 
        Member States to embrace the cause of a stable, secure, and 
        free Iraq;
            (3) urges the President, Secretary of State Rice, and the 
        United States Ambassador to Iraq heighten their considerable 
        efforts to encourage the Iraqi Government to build on 
        foundations of regional reconciliation to make substantial 
        progress on national reconciliation;
            (4) urges the President and the Secretary of State to 
        prioritize diplomatic efforts to--
                    (A) engage Iraq's neighbors to assist in securing 
                Iraq's borders; and
                    (B) engage regional stakeholders in an effort to 
                prevent terrorist organizations or elements from de-
                stabilizing the region;
            (5) urges the President, the Secretary of State, and the 
        United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to 
        work with their counterparts from United Nations Member States, 
        governments of the European Union, the Secretary General of the 
        United Nations and the Presidency of the Council of the 
        European Union to--
                    (A) promote interest by the international community 
                in the success of Iraq as an independent sovereign 
                nation and enhance the effectiveness of the 
                ``International Compact for Iraq'';
                    (B) urge the nations and international bodies that 
                since 2003 have pledged donations to Iraq to fulfill 
                those pledges; and
                    (C) encourage additional international investment 
                and trade in Iraq's economy;
            (6) declares that--
                    (A) the burgeoning number of internally displaced 
                persons within Iraq and exodus of refugees from Iraq 
                into neighboring Middle East countries is a cause for 
                increasing concern; and
                    (B) the United States should engage the Government 
                of Iraq, neighboring and regional governments, and the 
                international community, as appropriate, including 
                multilateral development institutions, the United 
                States High Commissioner for Refugees, and 
                nongovernmental organization programs addressing the 
                needs of Iraqi refugees to assess the adequacy of 
                existing mechanisms and funding levels to assist the 
                safe movement of Iraqi refugees in the Middle East 
                region and capacity of regional governments to absorb 
                current levels of refugee influx, and to provide 
                recommendations to enhance such capacities to meet the 
                urgent needs of Iraqi refugees; and
            (7) urges the Secretary of State to direct the Internally 
        Displaced Persons Task Force similarly to undertake an 
        immediate assessment of the adequacy of the United States 
        Government's contribution to addressing the urgent needs of 
        Iraqi displaced persons and to provide recommendations to 
        enhance such capacities to meet those needs.
                                 <all>
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