IV 

114TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 660 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to support the territorial 

integrity of Georgia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 23, 2016 

Mr. POE of Texas (for himself and Mr. CONNOLLY) submitted the following 

resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to 

support the territorial integrity of Georgia. 

Whereas since 1993, the sovereignty and territorial integrity 

of Georgia have been reaffirmed by the international 

community in all United Nations Security Council resolutions on Georgia; 

Whereas the Government of Georgia has pursued a peaceful 

resolution of the conflict with Russia over Georgia’s territories of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South 

Ossetia; 

Whereas principle IV of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 states 

that, ‘‘The participating States will respect the territorial 

integrity of each of the participating States. Accordingly, 

they will refrain from any action inconsistent with the 

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•HRES 660 IH 

tions against the territorial integrity, political independence or the unity of any participating State, and in particular from any such action constituting a threat or use 

of force . . . and participating States will likewise refrain 

from making each other’s territory the object of military 

occupation.’’; 

Whereas the Charter of the United Nations states that, ‘‘All 

Members shall refrain in their international relations 

from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state.’’; 

Whereas the recognition by the Government of the Russian 

Federation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South 

Ossetia on August 26, 2008, was in violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and contradicting principles of Helsinki Final Act of 1975, the 

Charter of the United Nations as well as the August 12, 

2008, Ceasefire Agreement; 

Whereas the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic 

Partnership, signed on January 9, 2009, underscores 

that ‘‘support for each other’s sovereignty, independence, 

territorial integrity and inviolability of borders constitutes 

the foundation of our bilateral relations.’’; 

Whereas according to the Government of Georgia’s ‘‘State 

Strategy on Occupied Territories’’, the Government of 

Georgia has committed itself to a policy of peaceful engagement, the protection of economic and human rights, 

freedom of movement, and the preservation of cultural 

heritage, language, and identity for the people of 

Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia; 

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•HRES 660 IH 

ties, the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia, and large numbers of internally displaced 

persons; 

Whereas the annual United Nations General Assembly Resolution on the ‘‘Status of Internally Displaced Persons and 

Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, Georgia’’, recognizes the right of return of all internally displaced persons and refugees and 

their descendants, regardless of ethnicity, as well as their 

property rights, remains unfulfilled; 

Whereas the Russian Federation is building barbed wire 

fences and installing, so-called ‘‘border signs’’ and other 

artificial barriers along the occupation line and depriving 

the people residing within the occupied regions and in the 

adjacent areas of their fundamental rights and freedoms, 

including, but not limited to the freedom of movement, 

family life, education in their native language, and other 

civil and economic rights; 

Whereas the August 12, 2008, Ceasefire Agreement, agreed 

to by the Governments of the Russian Federation and 

Georgia— 

(1) provides that all troops of the Russian Federation shall be withdrawn to pre-war positions; 

(2) provides that free access shall be granted to organizations providing humanitarian assistance in regions 

affected by the violence in August 2008; and 

(3) launched the Geneva International Discussions 

between Georgia and the Russian Federation; 

Whereas, on November 23, 2010, Georgian President 

Saakashvili declared before the European Parliament 

that ‘‘Georgia will never use force to restore its territorial 

integrity and sovereignty.’’; 


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•HRES 660 IH 

Whereas, on March 7, 2013, the bipartisan Resolution of the 

Parliament of Georgia on Basic Directions of Georgia’s 

Foreign Policy confirmed ‘‘Georgia’s commitment for the 

non-use of force, pledged by the President of Georgia in 

his address to the international community from the European Parliament in Strasburg on November 23, 

2010.’’; 

Whereas, on June 27, 2014, in the Association Agreement 

between Georgia and the European Union, Georgia reaffirmed its commitment ‘‘to restore its territorial integrity in pursuit of a peaceful and lasting conflict resolution, of pursuing the full implementation of’’ the August 

12, 2008, ceasefire agreement; 

Whereas despite the unilateral legally binding commitment to 

the non-use of force pledged by the Georgian Government, the Russian Federation still refuses to reciprocate 

with its own legally binding non-use of force pledge; 

Whereas the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) 

is still denied access to the occupied regions of Abkhazia 

and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, despite the fact 

that its mandate covers the whole territory of Georgia 

within its internationally recognized borders; 

Whereas the Russian Federation continues to enhance its 

military bases illegally stationed in occupied regions of 

Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia without the consent of the Government of Georgia or a mandate from the United Nations or other multilateral organizations; 

Whereas the Russian Federation continues the process of aggression carried out against Georgia since the early 


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•HRES 660 IH 

1990s and occupation of Georgia’s territories following 

the August 2008 Russia-Georgia War; 

Whereas the Russian Federation’s policy vis-a`-vis Georgia 

and the alarming developments in the region illustrate 

that Moscow does not accept the independent choice of 

sovereign states and strives for the restoration of zones 

of influence in the region, including through the use of 

force, occupation, factual annexation, and other aggressive acts; and 

Whereas the United States applied the doctrine of non-recognition in 1940 to the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and 

Lithuania, and every Presidential administration of the 

United States honored this doctrine until independence 

was restored to those countries in 1991: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports the policy, popularly known as the 

3 ‘‘Stimson Doctrine’’, of the United States to not rec4 ognize territorial changes effected by force, and af5 firms that this policy should continue to guide the 

6 foreign policy of the United States; 

7 (2) condemns the military intervention and oc8 cupation of Georgia by the Russian Federation and 

9 its continuous illegal activities along the occupation 

10 line in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South 

11 Ossetia; 

12 (3) calls upon the Russian Federation to with13 draw its recognition of Georgia’s territories of 


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•HRES 660 IH 

1 Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia as 

2 independent countries, to refrain from acts and poli3 cies that undermine the sovereignty and territorial 

4 integrity of Georgia, and to take steps to fulfill all 

5 the terms and conditions of the August 12, 2008, 

6 Ceasefire Agreement between Georgia and the Rus7 sian Federation; 

8 (4) stresses the necessity of progress on core 

9 issues within the Geneva International Discussions, 

10 including a legally binding pledge from Russia on 

11 the non-use of force, the establishment of inter12 national security arrangements in the occupied re13 gions of Georgia, and the safe and dignified return 

14 of internally displaced persons and refugees to the 

15 places of their origin; 

16 (5) urges the United States Government to de17 clare unequivocally that the United States will not 

18 recognize the de jure or de facto sovereignty of the 

19 Russian Federation over any part of Georgia, its air20 space, or its territorial waters, including Abkhazia 

21 and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia under any 

22 circumstances; 

23 (6) urges the United States Administration to 

24 deepen cooperation with Georgia in all areas of the 

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•HRES 660 IH 

1 ship, including Georgia’s advancement towards 

2 Euro-Atlantic integration; 

3 (7) urges the United States Administration to 

4 place emphasis on enhancing Georgia’s security 

5 through joint military trainings and providing self6 defensive capabilities in order to enhance Georgia’s 

7 independent statehood and national sovereignty; and 

8 (8) affirms that a free, united, democratic, and 

9 sovereign Georgia is in the long-term interest of the 

10 United States as it promotes peace and stability in 

11 the region. 

Æ 


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