H. Res. 654 

In the House of Representatives, U. S., 

July 22, 2009. 

Whereas the 1975 Helsinki Final Act and subsequent agreements and the work of the Organization for Security and 

Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), as well as its Parliamentary Assembly and affiliated institutions, encompass what 

is referred to as the Helsinki Process; 

Whereas the 1975 Helsinki Final Act included a specific section on ‘‘Questions relating to Security and Cooperation 

in the Mediterranean’’ in recognition of the interrelation 

between security in Europe and security in the Mediterranean region; 

Whereas the long-standing relationship between the participating states of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe and the Mediterranean Partners for 

Cooperation, currently Algeria, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, 

Morocco, and Tunisia, dates back to the origins of the 

Helsinki Process and is rooted in the important geographical, historical, cultural, economic, and political 

links between them and the states of the Mediterranean 

region; 

Whereas the OSCE participating states have declared their 

intention to promote the development of cooperative relations with the Mediterranean Partners and to encourage 

the development of mutually beneficial cooperation in var-
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ious fields of economic activity and have sought to increase mutual confidence so as to promote security and 

stability in the Mediterranean region as a whole; 

Whereas, since its establishment by the 1990 Charter of 

Paris, the Parliamentary Assembly of the OSCE has 

called for enhanced engagement with the Mediterranean 

Partners for Cooperation and their constituent assemblies 

in the pursuit of improved economic cooperation, and security and stability in the Mediterranean region; 

Whereas in the 1992 Helsinki Document, the leaders of the 

OSCE participating states committed to widening cooperation and increasing dialogue with the Mediterranean 

Partners as a means to promote social and economic development in order to narrow the prosperity gap between 

Europe and its Mediterranean neighbors and to protect 

the Mediterranean ecosystems; 

Whereas in the 1999 Istanbul Document, the OSCE participating states encouraged the Mediterranean Partners for 

Cooperation to draw on the expertise of the participating 

states in setting up structures and mechanisms in the 

Mediterranean region for early warning, preventive diplomacy, and conflict prevention; 

Whereas the 2003 Maastricht Ministerial recognized that 

threats originating or evolving in adjacent regions are of 

increasing importance, and therefore the OSCE will intensify its cooperation with its Mediterranean and Asian 

Partners for Cooperation, and also encouraged the Partners for Cooperation to embrace the principles and commitments of the OSCE; 

Whereas the Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation participate as observers in the annual meetings of the OSCE 
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Ministerial Council as well as the regular meetings of the 

OSCE Permanent Council and Forum for Security Cooperation; 

Whereas, the Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation actively participate in the work of the Contact Group within 

the Permanent Council, as well as OSCE yearly events, 

including the Annual Security Review Conference, the 

Economic Forum, the Human Dimension Implementation 

Meeting, and the Annual, Fall and Winter Sessions of 

the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; 

Whereas since 1995, the OSCE and the Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation have organized annual Mediterranean Conferences to provide the opportunity for the 

OSCE participating states and the Mediterranean Partners to exchange views on matters of mutual interest and 

to strengthen their cooperative relationship; 

Whereas in 2001, the President of the OSCE Parliamentary 

Assembly appointed the first Special Representative on 

Mediterranean Affairs, Mr. Michel Voisin of France, in 

order to enhance engagement of members of parliament 

from the 56 participating states of the OSCE with members of parliament from the Mediterranean Partner 

states; 

Whereas since 2001, successive OSCE Parliamentary Assembly Special Representatives on Mediterranean Affairs 

have been appointed by former Assembly Presidents, Mr. 

Bruce George of the United Kingdom, and Mr. Goran 

Lennmarker of Sweden, as well as by current President, 

Mr. Joao Soares of Portugal, reaffirming the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly’s commitment to the Mediterranean 

Partners for Cooperation; 
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Whereas, under the leadership of then-President of the OSCE 

Parliamentary Assembly, Mr. Bruce George of the United 

Kingdom, the Parliamentary Assembly convened its first 

conference dedicated to ensuring peace, democracy, and 

prosperity in the region of the Mediterranean in Madrid 

in 2002; and 

Whereas the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly has convened 

Mediterranean Seminars at its fall meetings since 2003, 

with the active participation of members of parliament 

representing the Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation: 

Now, therefore, be it 

Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 

(1) honors the People’s Democratic Republic of Algeria, the Arab Republic of Egypt, the State of Israel, 

the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, the Kingdom of Morocco, and the Tunisian Republic for their participation 

in the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) as Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation; 

(2) welcomes the representatives of the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation to Washington, DC, 

on the occasion of the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe Seminar on OSCE Mediterranean 

Partner Engagement, July 22–23, 2009; 

(3) encourages the OSCE to re-evaluate its past 

practices and ongoing activities in the Mediterranean dimension in order to further empower the OSCE Mediterranean Partners for Cooperation in the work of the 
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OSCE, and to support the Partners’ leadership on matters which impact their citizens, their governments, and 

the region; and 

(4) encourages the OSCE Mediterranean Partners 

for Cooperation to continue to work with the OSCE participating states to enhance trade, economic development, security, and stability in the Mediterranean region, and to embrace existing OSCE commitments, including those in the Human Dimension. 

Attest: 

Clerk.