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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 171 Engrossed in House (EH)]

H. Res. 171

                In the House of Representatives, U. S.,

                                                          May 12, 2009.
Whereas a brutal conflict marked by aggression and ethnic cleansing, including 
        the commission of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, was 
        brought to an end by the General Framework Agreement for Peace in Bosnia 
        and Herzegovina (commonly referred to as the ``Dayton Peace Accords''), 
        which was agreed to at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base near Dayton, 
        Ohio, on November 21, 1995, and signed in Paris, France, on December 14, 
        1995;
Whereas in the 13 years since the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords, the 
        people of Bosnia and Herzegovina have worked in partnership with the 
        international community to achieve considerable progress in building a 
        peaceful and democratic society based on the rule of law, respect for 
        human rights, and a free market economy;
Whereas political leaders of Bosnia and Herzegovina have agreed to significant 
        reforms of public administration and broadcasting, the creation of 
        state-level law enforcement and judicial institutions, the establishment 
        of a unified armed services and Ministry of Defense, and the creation of 
        an Indirect Taxation Authority;
Whereas the United States has continued to support the sovereignty, legal 
        continuity, and territorial integrity of Bosnia and Herzegovina within 
        its internationally recognized borders as well as the equality of the 
        three constituent peoples and others within a united, multi-ethnic 
        country in accordance with the Dayton Peace Accords;
Whereas the full incorporation of Bosnia and Herzegovina into the Euro-Atlantic 
        community is in the national interest of the United States and important 
        for the stabilization of southeastern Europe;
Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina committed to the shared values of democracy, 
        security, and stability by joining the Partnership for Peace program of 
        the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) in December 2006;
Whereas NATO recognized Bosnia and Herzegovina's progress in achieving political 
        and defense reforms by inviting the country to begin an Intensified 
        Dialogue at the Bucharest Summit in April 2008;
Whereas Bosnia and Herzegovina took the first step on the road toward European 
        Union (EU) membership by signing a Stabilization and Association 
        Agreement (SAA) in June 2008;
Whereas NATO successfully preserved peace and stability in Bosnia and 
        Herzegovina after the signing of the Dayton Peace Accords through its 
        Stabilization Force (SFOR), which was succeeded by a European Union 
        Force (EUFOR) in December 2004;
Whereas the Office of the High Representative (OHR) has similarly promoted peace 
        and stability by facilitating implementation of the civilian aspects of 
        the Dayton Peace Accords, including through use of the extensive powers 
        given it by the international Peace Implementation Council (PIC), with 
        the goal of transitioning to a European Union Special Representative 
        (EUSR) at the appropriate time;
Whereas, these notable accomplishments notwithstanding, the citizens of Bosnia 
        and Herzegovina continue to face significant challenges in their efforts 
        to progress toward Euro-Atlantic integration;
Whereas the Dayton Peace Accords included many compromises imposed by the need 
        for quick action to preserve human life that have hindered efforts to 
        develop efficient and effective political institutions;
Whereas the Council of Europe's Venice Commission has concluded that the current 
        constitutional arrangements of Bosnia and Herzegovina are neither 
        efficient nor rational, and that the state-level institutions need to 
        become more effective and democratic if the country is to move toward EU 
        membership;
Whereas the ``April package'' of reforms, agreed upon by five major political 
        parties in 2006, failed to achieve the requisite two-thirds majority in 
        parliament;
Whereas in February 2008, the PIC stipulated five objectives (resolution of 
        state property, resolution of defense property, completion of Brcko 
        Final Award, fiscal sustainability, and entrenchment of rule of law) and 
        two conditions (signing of SAA with the EU and a ``positive assessment'' 
        by the PIC) that must be met before the OHR is closed; and
Whereas in March 2009, the PIC determined that Bosnia and Herzegovina has not 
        yet met the five objectives and two conditions that will determine when 
        the OHR should be closed and oversight power transferred to the EUSR: 
        Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that--
            (1) it is increasingly urgent that Bosnia and Herzegovina work 
        toward the creation of an efficient and effective state able to meet its 
        domestic and international obligations with more functional 
        institutions, including a state government capable of making self-
        sustaining reforms and fulfilling European Union (EU) and North Atlantic 
        Treaty Organization (NATO) requirements;
            (2) any agreement on constitutional reform in Bosnia and Herzegovina 
        should take as its basis the Dayton Peace Accords, advance the 
        principles of democracy and tolerance, rectify provisions that conflict 
        with the European Charter of Human Rights, include the general public in 
        the process, provide the conditions to enable economic development and 
        the creation of a single economic space, and be consistent with the goal 
        of EU membership;
            (3) continued efforts should be made domestically and at the 
        International Criminal Tribunal for Yugoslavia (ICTY) to achieve justice 
        for victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity, and genocide, as 
        well as to promote reconciliation among ethnic groups;
            (4) the United States should continue to provide assistance to 
        Bosnia and Herzegovina to build effective state-level law enforcement 
        and judicial institutions that can combat and investigate international 
        terrorism, organized crime, and corruption;
            (5) the United States should appoint a Special Envoy to the Balkans 
        who can work in partnership with the EU and political leaders in Bosnia 
        and Herzegovina to facilitate reforms at all levels of government and 
        society, while also assisting the political development of other 
        countries in the region;
            (6) the Office of the High Representative (OHR) should not be closed 
        until the Peace Implementation Council (PIC) can definitively determine 
        that Bosnia and Herzegovina has met the five objectives and two 
        conditions;
            (7) the EU should carefully consider any future plans for the 
        reduction or redeployment of the European Union Force (EUFOR) given the 
        psychological reassurance of security and deterrence of violence 
        provided by its continued presence in Bosnia and Herzegovina; and
            (8) the United States should work closely with and support the EU in 
        the transition to a European Union Special Representative (EUSR) to 
        ensure that the EUSR has the authority and tools to manage effectively 
        post-OHR Bosnia and Herzegovina, including a clear set of EU candidacy 
        and membership conditions with explicit and objective yardsticks and a 
        precise list of benchmarks to increase the functionality of the Bosnian 
        state to be achieved by constitutional reform.
            Attest:

                                                                          Clerk.
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