III 

116TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. RES. 65 

Congratulating the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of North Macedonia 

on ratification of the Prespa Agreement, which resolves a long-standing 

bilateral dispute and establishes a strategic partnership between the 

2 countries. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

FEBRUARY 11, 2019 

Mr. JOHNSON (for himself, Mrs. SHAHEEN, Mr. RISCH, Mr. MURPHY, Mr. 

TILLIS, Mr. COONS, Mr. BARRASSO, Mr. GARDNER, Mr. RUBIO, Mr. 

CRAMER, and Mr. ENZI) submitted the following resolution; which was 

referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Congratulating the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of 

North Macedonia on ratification of the Prespa Agreement, which resolves a long-standing bilateral dispute 

and establishes a strategic partnership between the 2 

countries. 

Whereas, in 2017, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic 

Alexis Tsipras and Prime Minister of the Republic of 

Macedonia Zoran Zaev displayed great political courage 

and leadership by intensifying efforts to resolve a nearly 

30-year dispute between the 2 countries; 

Whereas, on June 17, 2018, the foreign ministers of the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Macedonia signed the 


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•SRES 65 IS 

Prespa Agreement, in which, subject to ratification by 

the parliament of each country, both parties agreed that 

the official name of the Republic of Macedonia would be 

changed to the Republic of North Macedonia; 

Whereas, on September 30, 2018, the Republic of Macedonia 

held a consultative referendum on the proposed name 

change in which over 90 percent of those voting supported joining the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

(referred to in this preamble as ‘‘NATO’’) and the European Union (referred to in this preamble as the ‘‘EU’’) 

by accepting the Prespa Agreement; 

Whereas, on January 11, 2019, the Assembly of the Republic 

of Macedonia, in accordance with the Prespa Agreement, 

approved constitutional amendments to change the name 

of the country to the Republic of North Macedonia; 

Whereas, on January 25, 2019, the Hellenic Parliament ratified the Prespa Agreement, pledging not to object to the 

Republic of North Macedonia joining international organizations, including NATO and the EU; 

Whereas the Hellenic Republic is an important ally of the 

United States, hosting United States Naval Support Activity Souda Bay on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea; 

Whereas the Hellenic Republic has been a NATO member 

since 1952, and has faithfully met the 2 percent of gross 

domestic product defense-spending goal established at the 

2014 Wales NATO Summit; 

Whereas the Republic of Macedonia made important contributions to the United States-led Operation Iraqi Freedom and to the International Security Assistance Force 

of NATO in Afghanistan; 


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Whereas the Republic of North Macedonia continues to provide soldiers to the Resolute Support Mission of NATO 

in Afghanistan; 

Whereas the Republic of Macedonia joined NATO’s Partnership for Peace in 1995, commenced a NATO Membership 

Action Plan in 1999, fulfilled the terms necessary for accession to NATO by the 2008 Bucharest Summit, and 

was invited, in 2018, to begin NATO accession talks; 

Whereas the Republic of Macedonia was the first western 

Balkan country to sign a Stabilization and Association 

Agreement with the EU, and became an official candidate to join the EU in 2005; 

Whereas, in June 2018, the European Council set out the 

path toward opening EU accession negotiations with the 

Republic of Macedonia; and 

Whereas the resolution of the naming dispute between the 

Hellenic Republic and the Republic of North Macedonia 

paves the way for the Republic of North Macedonia to 

become a member of NATO and the EU: Now, therefore, 

be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) congratulates the Hellenic Republic and the 

3 Republic of North Macedonia for resolving their 

4 nearly 30-year naming disagreement; 

5 (2) commends the leadership and courage of 

6 Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic Alexis 

7 Tsipras and Prime Minister of the Republic of 

8 North Macedonia Zoran Zaev; 


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1 (3) asserts that the agreement between the Hel2 lenic Republic and the Republic of North Macedonia 

3 advances stability, security, and prosperity in South4 east Europe; 

5 (4) supports the integration of the Republic of 

6 North Macedonia into Euro-Atlantic institutions, in7 cluding the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and 

8 the European Union; and 

9 (5) encourages other countries in the region to 

10 follow the example of the Hellenic Republic and the 

11 Republic of North Macedonia in peacefully resolving 

12 long-standing disputes. 

Æ 


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