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[Congressional Bills 105th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Con. Res. 54 Introduced in House (IH)]

105th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. CON. RES. 54

Recognizing the anniversary of the proclamation of independence of the 
Republic of Belarus, expressing concern over the Belarusan Government's 
    infringement on freedom of the press in direct violation of the 
   Helsinki Accords and the Constitution of Belarus, and expressing 
      concern about the proposed union between Russia and Belarus.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 21, 1997

 Mr. Pallone submitted the following concurrent resolution; which was 
          referred to the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                         CONCURRENT RESOLUTION

 
Recognizing the anniversary of the proclamation of independence of the 
Republic of Belarus, expressing concern over the Belarusan Government's 
    infringement on freedom of the press in direct violation of the 
   Helsinki Accords and the Constitution of Belarus, and expressing 
      concern about the proposed union between Russia and Belarus.

Whereas the seedlings of an independent and democratic Republic of Belarus, for 
        which generations of Belarusan patriots had fought and died, are now in 
        danger of being swept away as a result of the policies of Belarusan 
        President Alaksandr Lukashenka and the efforts of Russian nationalist 
        leaders to reunite the newly independent states of the former Soviet 
        Union;
Whereas on March 25, 1918, the members of the Council of the Belarusan 
        Democratic Republic liberated their country from the harsh and 
        oppressive czarist rule;
Whereas representatives of the United Councils of the First Belarusan Congress, 
        meeting in Miensk (Minsk) on March 25, 1918, issued a proclamation of 
        independence of the Belarusan National Republic (BNR), adopted a 
        national flag with 3 horizontal stripes of white, red, and white, and 
        subsequently received widespread international recognition;
Whereas the armed forces of the BNR gallantly defended their independence and 
        were brutally crushed by the armies of Soviet Russia in November 1920 in 
        the Slucak region;
Whereas in 1921 Belarus was divided between Soviet Russia and Poland in 
        accordance with the Treaty of Riga;
Whereas in 1994, the Government of Belarus democratically adopted its 
        Constitution, however, President Lukashenka's actions during November 
        1996 ushered in a de facto 1-man dictatorship;
Whereas the new Constitution allows President Lukashenka to dissolve Parliament, 
        veto its decisions, hire and fire heads of key political that include 
        the Central Bank, Supreme Court, and the Constitutional Court;
Whereas on March 14, 1997, the Department of State issued a statement that calls 
        on the Lukashenka regime to exercise restraint during upcoming political 
        demonstrations recognizing Constitution Day and to observe the 
        international human rights agreements to which it is a party;
Whereas the United States recently reviewed its relations with Belarus and 
        adopted a policy of ``selective engagement'' because President 
        Lukashenka's refusal to implement economic and political reform and his 
        government's flagrant violations of human rights have forced the United 
        States to limit its possibilities for engagement with Belarus;
Whereas the United States will increase contact with nongovernmental 
        organizations and the independent media sources in Belarus and encourage 
        democratic reforms in Belarus;
Whereas although the current Government of Belarus purports to accept dissent, 
        it is time for President Lukashenka's regime to prove its commitment to 
        this pledge;
Whereas the Government of Belarus continues to jeopardize fundamental human 
        rights and democratic tenets;
Whereas Belarus has yet to comply with its commitments to international 
        financial organizations;
Whereas in March 1996 the Russian Duma voted to declare void the 1991 agreement 
        dissolving the Soviet Union; and
Whereas the Government of President Lukashenka has monopolized the mass media, 
        undermined the constitutional foundation for the separation of powers, 
        suppressed the freedom of the press, defamed the national culture, 
        narrowed the educational basis for patriotic upbringing of youth, 
        maligned the Belarusan language, and undercut the ground for all-
        Belarusan unity: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate concurring), 
That--
            (1) the House of Representatives recognizes the anniversary 
        of the declaration of the independent Republic of Belarus;
            (2) the United States press the Government of President 
        Lukashenka to abide by the provisions of the Helsinki Accords 
        and the Constitution of the Republic of Belarus and guarantee 
        freedom of the press, allow for the flowering of Belarusan 
        culture, and enforce the separation of powers; and
            (3) the Congress join with the people of Belarus and 
        Belarusans throughout the world in defending the statehood and 
        democracy of Belarus, sustaining the country's Constitution, 
        and preventing the loss by Belarus of its hard-won nationhood 
        and its opportunity to survive as an equal and full-fledged 
        member state among the sovereign nations of the world.
                                 <all>
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