IV 

113TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 543 

Affirming the support of the United States for Macedonia’s accession to 

the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO). 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

APRIL 4, 2014 

Mrs. MILLER of Michigan (for herself, Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of 

Texas, Mr. STIVERS, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. 

PASCRELL, Mr. KINZINGER of Illinois, Mr. TURNER, Mr. HASTINGS of 

Florida, Mr. CONNOLLY, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, and Mr. 

BENTIVOLIO) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 

the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Affirming the support of the United States for Macedonia’s 

accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization 

(NATO). 

Whereas Macedonia peacefully asserted and achieved independent statehood in 1991, during the course of the 

former Yugoslavia’s violent disintegration; 

Whereas the United States has provided over $1,000,000,000 

in aid to Macedonia since it recognized its independence; 

Whereas Macedonia affirmed its commitment to joining the 

North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in 1993, 

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ship for Peace in 1995, and started its Membership Action Plan (MAP) in 1999; 

Whereas in March 1995, after signing of a Memorandum of 

Understanding in 1994, a Vermont State Partnership 

Program was established between the State of Vermont 

and the Republic of Macedonia; 

Whereas Macedonia is an active participant as the first state 

partner of the Vermont National Guard for the past 20 

years, and since 1995, more than 3,000 Macedonians and 

Vermonters have shared their expertise in more than 800 

events as the partnership has developed, including a joint 

military embedment in Afghanistan in 2011; 

Whereas during the 1999 Kosovo crisis, Macedonia received 

and accommodated 400,000 Kosovar refugees, and served 

as a staging area and main corridor for logistical support 

to the NATO Kosovo Force (KFOR) as well as leading 

the KFOR Coordination Centre for logistical support in 

Skopje since 2006; 

Whereas under its NATO Membership Action Plan, Macedonia, in its 14th cycle of MAP, has made strong strides 

on major reforms and reconstruction of its armed forces 

towards the goal of building and sustaining a modern, 

professional defense force of about 12,000 troops that is 

fully interoperable with NATO; 

Whereas Macedonia was one of the first countries to offer 

support to the United States after the September 11, 

2001, terrorist attacks, which has had a policy of ‘‘an attack on the United States is an attack on Macedonia’’, 

as stated by the late Macedonian President Boris 

Trajkovski; 

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Whereas in Afghanistan, Macedonia, who patrols International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) headquarters 

in Kabul, and is the fifth largest ISAF troop contributor 

per capita, has contributed troops to the NATO-led ISAF 

mission since 2002, and engaged in combat operations 

side-by-side with United States troops, increasing troop 

levels in 2010; 

Whereas in the interest of a faithful partnership with the 

United States, Macedonia deployed troops to Iraq under 

the leadership of the United States Government until 

2008; 

Whereas Macedonia also contributes to the European Union 

mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina and has contributed 

troops in Lebanon; 

Whereas soldiers from Macedonia earned 120 medals awarded by the United States; 

Whereas in 2005, in Macedonia, NATO and partner nations 

conducted a Partnership for Peace, joint military exercises named ‘‘Cooperation Alliance 2005’’ that was aimed 

to strengthen coordination and cooperation between the 

bloc and member countries of its Partnership for Peace 

Program; 

Whereas in 2007, Macedonia successfully hosted the Euro-Atlantic Partnership Council Security Forum, which was attended by the United States Secretary of Defense; 

Whereas in 2008, the United States signed a Declaration of 

Strategic Partnership and Cooperation with Macedonia 

stating that ‘‘The 2008 NATO Summit Declaration in 

Bucharest made clear that the Republic of Macedonia 

has met NATO’s democratic, economic, and defense 

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standards through its rigorous participation in the Membership Action Plan.’’; 

Whereas the 2008 Declaration outlined the importance of 

close partnership between the two countries based upon 

common goals, interests, and values, in order to enhance 

their strategic relationship through intensified consultation and cooperation in the areas of security, people-topeople ties, and commerce, the United States committed 

itself to provide additional assistance to Macedonia to 

help build prosperity and strengthen security; 

Whereas the United States and Macedonia noted that a 

democratic, secure, and prosperous Macedonia, with 

friendly and constructive relations with its neighbors is 

vital to peace and stability in Southeast Europe; 

Whereas the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in December 2011 in its final judgment, without possibility for appeal, and binding on the parties, found that Greece, by 

objecting to the admission of Macedonia to NATO during 

the 2008 Bucharest Summit, has breached its obligation 

under article 11 of the United Nations Interim Accord of 

September 13, 1995; 

Whereas current United States President Barack Obama on 

April 4, 2009, at the Strasbourg-Kehl NATO Summit 

stated ‘‘I look forward to the day when we can welcome 

Macedonia to the Alliance.’’; 

Whereas the North Atlantic Council Foreign Ministers meeting on December 7, 2011, applauded the significant operational support provided to NATO by aspirant partners 

Macedonia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and 

Georgia; 

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Whereas Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton at the 

2012 Chicago Summit stated ‘‘I believe this summit 

should be the last summit that is not an enlargement 

summit’’; 

Whereas Macedonia is strategically located in Southeast Europe displaying a unique gateway for rapid NATO troop 

deployments to the Middle East and North Africa in 

order to maintain regional stability; 

Whereas Macedonia has been recognized by the World Bank 

and the European Union as an economic reformer, and 

according to the Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal 2014 Index of Economic Freedom, Macedonia’s economic freedom score is 68.6, making its economy the 

43rd freest in the 2014 Index and is ranked 20th out of 

43 countries in the Europe region, and its overall score 

is above the world and regional averages; 

Whereas Macedonia’s NATO membership would benefit 

Greek businesses, which are one of the most significant 

foreign direct investors in Macedonia; and 

Whereas Macedonia has satisfied all NATO membership criteria per declarations made by 2008 Bucharest Summit, 

2010 Lisbon Summit, and 2012 Chicago Summit, is active in NATO missions, and obtained the support of the 

ICJ, the UK Summit in September 2014 provides a moment of opportunity for the Alliance to complete Macedonia’s transition into NATO: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) supports Macedonia’s aspirations to join the 

3 North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); 

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1 (2) recognizes the cooperation between the 

2 State of Vermont and Macedonia and the joint mili3 tary partnership between Vermont National Guard 

4 and the Army of the Republic of Macedonia; 

5 (3) recognizes the significant benefits of closer 

6 economic and political ties between NATO members 

7 and Macedonia in its commitment to foster regional 

8 stability and the important principle of mutual de9 fense of all NATO members, including Greece; 

10 (4) recognizes the importance of the NATO 

11 membership for Macedonia for its economic growth, 

12 strengthening of the democratic institutions and 

13 norms, and bolstering rule of law in Southeast Eu14 rope; 

15 (5) greatly appreciates the efforts of Macedonia 

16 in its commitment and participation with the United 

17 States and other countries in advancing peace, de18 mocracy, stability, and mutual understanding; 

19 (6) urges the Administration and the United 

20 States Department of State to continue to work 

21 closely with Macedonia and to support NATO en22 largement by granting full membership to Mac23 edonia; 

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1 (7) acknowledges and supports the progress 

2 made by Macedonia’s efforts in the NATO member3 ship process; 

4 (8) calls on the Administration and United 

5 States Department of State to work with Greece and 

6 NATO allies to ensure that bilateral disputes do not 

7 impede Macedonia’s NATO accession for the sake of 

8 regional stability in light of the current situation 

9 with Ukraine; and 

10 (9) urges NATO members to formally extend 

11 an invitation to Macedonia to join NATO at the 

12 NATO Summit in the United Kingdom in Sep13 tember 2014. 

Æ 

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