IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 409 

Supporting the awarding of a Membership Action Plan to the Republic of 

Georgia and Ukraine at the meeting of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers in December 2008. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 9, 2008 

Mr. SHIMKUS (for himself and Mr. TANNER) submitted the following 

concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Supporting the awarding of a Membership Action Plan to 

the Republic of Georgia and Ukraine at the meeting 

of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Foreign Ministers in December 2008. 

Whereas the sustained commitment of the North Atlantic 

Treaty Organization (NATO) to mutual defense has 

made the democratic transformation of Central and Eastern Europe and Eurasia possible; 

Whereas NATO members can and should play a critical role 

in addressing the security challenges of the post-Cold 

War era in creating the stable environment needed for 

emerging democracies in Europe and Eurasia; 

Whereas the Government of the Republic of Georgia and the 

Government of Ukraine have each expressed a desire to 


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•HCON 409 IH 

join the Euro-Atlantic community, and Georgia and 

Ukraine are working closely with NATO and its members 

to meet criteria for NATO membership; 

Whereas, on April 3, 2008, the heads of state and government participating in the meeting of the North Atlantic 

Council in Bucharest stated that ‘‘NATO welcomes 

Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for 

membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO. Both nations have 

made valuable contributions to Alliance operations. We 

welcome the democratic reforms in Ukraine and Georgia 

and look forward to free and fair parliamentary elections 

in Georgia in May. [A Membership Action Plan (MAP)] 

is the next step for Ukraine and Georgia on their direct 

way to membership. Today we make clear that we support these countries’ applications for MAP.’’ 

Whereas at the NATO-Ukraine Commission Foreign Ministerial meeting in Vilnius in April 2005, NATO and 

Ukraine launched an Intensified Dialogue on membership 

between the Alliance and Ukraine; 

Whereas following a meeting of NATO Foreign Ministers in 

New York on September 21, 2006, NATO Secretary 

General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced the launching 

of an Intensified Dialogue on membership between 

NATO and Georgia; 

Whereas the Riga Summit Declaration, issued by the heads 

of state and government participating in the meeting of 

the North Atlantic Council in November 2006, reaffirms 

that NATO’s door remains open to new members and 

that NATO will continue to review the process for new 

membership, stating ‘‘We reaffirm that the Alliance will 

continue with Georgia and Ukraine its Intensified DiaVerDate Aug 31 2005 02:27 Sep 10, 2008 Jkt 069200 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\HC409.IH HC409

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•HCON 409 IH 

logues which cover the full range of political, military, financial, and security issues relating to those countries’ 

aspirations to membership, without prejudice to any 

eventual Alliance decision.’’; 

Whereas in January 2008, Ukraine forwarded to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer a letter, signed by 

President Victor Yushchenko, Prime Minister Yulia 

Tymoshenko, and Verkhovna Rada Speaker Arseniy 

Yatsenyuk, requesting that NATO integrate Ukraine into 

the Membership Action Plan; 

Whereas in January 2008, Georgia held a referendum on 

NATO and 76.2 percent of the votes supported membership; 

Whereas in February 2008, Georgia forwarded to NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer a letter, signed by 

President Mikhail Saakashvili, requesting that NATO integrate Georgia into the Membership Action Plan; 

Whereas both Georgia and the Ukraine have been steadfast 

partners in the War on Terror with troops serving as 

part of the Multi-national Force—Iraq; 

Whereas, on August 10, 2008, Georgian troops withdrew 

from Iraq to defend their own borders; 

Whereas, on August 13, 2008, President George W. Bush 

stated, ‘‘The United States of America stands with the 

democratically elected government of Georgia. We insist 

that the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia 

be respected.’’; 

Whereas United States support for the approval of Membership Action Plans for Georgia and Ukraine demonstrates 

support for the development of democratic institutions in 


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•HCON 409 IH 

those countries, the process of defense reform and respect 

for human rights; 

Whereas NATO membership requires significant national and 

international commitments and sacrifices and is not possible without the support of the populations of the NATO 

member states; 

Whereas a period of intensive engagement will begin with 

Georgia and Ukraine at a high political level to address 

the questions still outstanding pertaining to their Membership Action Plan applications; and 

Whereas NATO Foreign Ministers have the authority to decide on the Membership Action Plan applications of Georgia and Ukraine and have been asked to make a first assessment of progress at their December 2008 meeting: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That— 

3 (1) Congress— 

4 (A) reaffirms its previous expressions of 

5 support for continued enlargement of the North 

6 Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to in7 clude qualified candidates; and 

8 (B) supports the commitment to further 

9 enlargement of NATO to include democratic 

10 governments that are able and willing to meet 

11 the responsibilities of membership; and 

12 (2) it is the sense of Congress that— 


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•HCON 409 IH 

1 (A) the expansion of NATO contributes to 

2 NATO’s continued effectiveness and relevance; 

3 (B) the Republic of Georgia and Ukraine 

4 are strong allies that have made important 

5 progress in the areas of defense, democratic, 

6 and human rights reform; 

7 (C) a stronger, deeper relationship among 

8 the Government of Georgia, the Government of 

9 Ukraine, and NATO will be mutually beneficial 

10 to those countries and to NATO member states; 

11 and 

12 (D) the United States should take the lead 

13 in supporting the awarding of a Membership 

14 Action Plan to Georgia and Ukraine at the 

15 meeting of the NATO Foreign Ministers in De16 cember 2008. 

Æ 


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