IV 

111TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. RES. 1143 

Commending the Community of Democracies for its achievements since it 

was founded in 2000. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

MARCH 4, 2010 

Mr. QUIGLEY (for himself, Mr. SHIMKUS, Mr. FALEOMAVAEGA, Mr. 

CARNAHAN, Mr. CROWLEY, Mr. LIPINSKI, Mr. MURPHY of Connecticut, 

Ms. EDDIE BERNICE JOHNSON of Texas, Mr. MORAN of Virginia, Mr. 

HONDA, Mr. WALZ, Ms. NORTON, Mr. SCHOCK, Mr. BLUNT, and Mr. 

CONAWAY) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the 

Committee on Foreign Affairs 

RESOLUTION 

Commending the Community of Democracies for its 

achievements since it was founded in 2000. 

Whereas the Community of Democracies is a global intergovernmental organization of democratic countries which 

aims to promote democracy and strengthen democratic 

norms and institutions around the world; 

Whereas the Community of Democracies was founded in 

June 2000 at a ministerial conference in Warsaw, Poland; 

Whereas the Warsaw Conference was convened upon the initiative of then-Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and 


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•HRES 1143 IH 

then-Minister of Foreign Affairs of Poland Bronislaw 

Geremek; 

Whereas delegations from 106 countries signed the final declaration of the Warsaw Conference on June 27, 2000, endorsing an agreed list of core democratic principles and 

practices, and committing themselves to the promotion of 

those principles and practices; 

Whereas since the Warsaw Conference, there have been four 

subsequent ministerial conferences of the Community of 

Democracies in Seoul, Korea, in November 2002, 

Santiago, Chile, in April 2005, Bamako, Mali, in November 2007, and Lisbon, Portugal, in July 2009; 

Whereas since its founding the Community of Democracies 

has been guided by a Convening Group, today consisting 

of Cape Verde, Chile, Czech Republic, El Salvador, India, 

Italy, Lithuania, Mali, Mexico, Mongolia, Morocco, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, South Africa, South Korea, 

and the United States; 

Whereas in June 2009, Lithuania assumed the Presidency of 

the Community of Democracies for a two-year term; 

Whereas upon the initiative of the Government of Poland, the 

Community of Democracies established a Permanent Secretariat in Warsaw in January 2009, with the goal of 

strengthening the institution and enabling it to more effectively fulfill its mission of promoting democracy worldwide; 

Whereas the Permanent Secretariat in Warsaw has established itself as a vibrant institution of the Community of 

Democracies, with an active agenda and effective operation; 


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•HRES 1143 IH 

Whereas under the leadership of the Convening Group, the 

Lithuanian Presidency, the Permanent Secretariat, and 

the International Steering Committee, the Community of 

Democracies has mounted recent efforts to promote democracy in such countries as Iran, Burma, and Afghanistan, and passed resolutions, issued position statements, 

and committed itself further to missions assisting democratic advancement in those countries and societies which 

desire it; and 

Whereas on the 10th anniversary of the Warsaw Conference, 

the Community of Democracies will convene in Krakow, 

Poland, to re-launch the Community and adopt a work 

program to advance democracy worldwide: Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

2 (1) commends the Community of Democracies 

3 for its achievements since it was founded in 2000; 

4 (2) applauds the recent establishment of the 

5 Permanent Secretariat of the Community of Democ6 racies and expresses its appreciation to the Govern7 ment of Poland for the support it has extended to 

8 the Permanent Secretariat and for hosting it in 

9 Warsaw; 

10 (3) welcomes the initiative of the Lithuanian 

11 Presidency supported by the Convening Group and 

12 the Permanent Secretariat to re-establish the Work13 ing Groups within the Community of Democracies 


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•HRES 1143 IH 

1 which will strengthen the Community of Democ2 racies and bring additional value; and 

3 (4) endorses the Krakow Conference which will 

4 be held on the 10th anniversary of the founding of 

5 the Community of Democracies, and extends its best 

6 wishes for the success of that conference and for the 

7 Community’s ongoing efforts to promote democracy 

8 worldwide. 

Æ 


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