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[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 982 Introduced in House (IH)]

111th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 982

 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that France and 
 other member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the 
    European Union should decline to sell major weapons systems or 
        offensive military equipment to the Russian Federation.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           December 16, 2009

Ms. Ros-Lehtinen (for herself and Mr. Shimkus) submitted the following 
   resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
 Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that France and 
 other member states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the 
    European Union should decline to sell major weapons systems or 
        offensive military equipment to the Russian Federation.

Whereas discussions are currently underway between France and the Russian 
        Federation regarding the possible sale of one or more of France's 
        ``Mistral'' amphibious assault warships to Russia as well as a license 
        for Russia to produce further such vessels on its territory;
Whereas a Mistral-class amphibious assault warship is capable of transporting 
        and deploying 900 troops, up to 13 tanks, 16 helicopters, and 4 landing 
        craft;
Whereas a Mistral-class assault warship costs between $600 million and $750 
        million;
Whereas, if the contract now being discussed by France and the Russian 
        Federation is finalized, this would be the first instance in which a 
        member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) sold such 
        advanced military technology to Russia;
Whereas such a military sale by a NATO member state raises concerns, 
        particularly in light of Russia's military invasion of Georgia in August 
        2008, which violated Georgia's territorial integrity, caused tens of 
        thousands of persons to be internally displaced, and inflicted massive 
        destruction by the bombing of Georgian infrastructure, including ports, 
        bridges, and railroads;
Whereas, in violation of its international obligations, including the terms of a 
        French-brokered ceasefire agreement between Russia and Georgia, Russia 
        continues to occupy Georgian territory, has built a permanent military 
        infrastructure in the Georgian region of South Ossetia, has announced 
        plans to build a naval base in the Georgian region of Abkhazia, and has 
        vetoed any monitoring presence in those regions by either the United 
        Nations or the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe 
        (OSCE);
Whereas the Russian Federation has failed to fulfill the commitment it made in 
        1999 at the OSCE Summit in Istanbul to withdraw its military forces from 
        the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova by the end of 2002;
Whereas a number of European countries, particularly some which have only 
        recently joined NATO and the European Union, are now understandably 
        concerned about their own political independence and security in the 
        aftermath of Russia's invasion of Georgia;
Whereas concerns regarding Russia's intentions toward the independent states of 
        the former Soviet region and of Eastern Europe were further escalated 
        when, in September 2009, Russia and Belarus participated in a military 
        exercise in which the two countries reportedly simulated an air and sea 
        attack on Poland;
Whereas some have argued that providing Russia with a Mistral-class amphibious 
        assault warship would enhance that country's ability to potentially wage 
        aggression against its neighbors;
Whereas the Russian Navy's Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Vladimir Vysotskiy 
        recently made the following statement about the ``Mistral'' ship, ``In 
        the conflict [against Georgia] in August last year, a ship like that 
        would have allowed the [Russian] Black Sea Fleet to accomplish its 
        mission in 40 minutes, not 26 hours, which is how long it took us'';
Whereas, when asked where Russia would deploy the ``Mistral'' ship if the deal 
        is finalized, Russia's Prime Minister, Vladimir Putin, stated that 
        Russia ``would use the warships wherever they would be needed'';
Whereas, on November 9, 2009, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev signed into law 
        a bill expanding the use of Russian troops abroad;
Whereas a number of Russia's neighbors, including Estonia, Lithuania, Latvia, 
        and Georgia have raised questions regarding the proposed ``Mistral'' 
        ship sale to Russia; and
Whereas according to Estonian Foreign Minister Urmas Paet, ``Adding new military 
        technology to the Black Sea . . . [would] not be a good idea'': Now, 
        therefore, be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) given Russia's increasingly aggressive actions and 
        rhetoric, the sale of major advanced weaponry and offensive 
        military equipment, such as naval warships, to the Russian 
        Federation could have a destabilizing effect on the Baltic and 
        the Black Sea regions and on other parts of the former Soviet 
        region and Eastern Europe;
            (2) in light of continuing, serious concerns regarding the 
        Russian Government's failure to appropriately enforce the rule 
        of law and protection of human rights within its territory, 
        including the continued failure to halt or properly investigate 
        and prosecute the numerous murders of human rights activists, 
        lawyers, reporters, and others in Russia, the sale of major 
        offensive weapons systems to Russia is inappropriate; and
            (3) the President and the Secretaries of State and Defense 
        should urge France and the other member states of the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union 
        allies not to sell major weapons systems or any offensive 
        military equipment, such as naval warships, to the Russian 
        Federation unless and until that country has--
                    (A) fully and verifiably withdrawn its troops from 
                all of the territory of Georgia and revoked its 
                recognition as sovereign states of the separatist 
                regions within the internationally recognized territory 
                of Georgia;
                    (B) fulfilled its commitments to withdraw its 
                military forces from the Transnistrian region of the 
                Republic of Moldova;
                    (C) ceased any and all actions and policies that 
                currently violate or would threaten the sovereignty and 
                territorial integrity of neighboring states;
                    (D) halted sales of advanced conventional weapons, 
                technology, and materials usable in the construction of 
                weapons of mass destruction to state sponsors of 
                terrorism or terrorist organizations; and
                    (E) taken steps to constructively address the 
                serious concerns regarding the Russian Government's 
                failure to properly enforce the rule of law and human 
                rights within the territory of the Russian Federation.
                                 <all>
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