IV 

110TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION H. CON. RES. 430 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the policy (popularly known as the 

‘‘Stimson Doctrine’’) of the United States of not recognizing territorial 

changes effected by force, should continue to be the guiding foreign 

policy of the United States in diplomatic discourse. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

SEPTEMBER 25, 2008 

Mr. HASTINGS of Florida submitted the following concurrent resolution; which 

was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 

CONCURRENT RESOLUTION 

Expressing the sense of Congress that the policy (popularly 

known as the ‘‘Stimson Doctrine’’) of the United States 

of not recognizing territorial changes effected by force, 

should continue to be the guiding foreign policy of the 

United States in diplomatic discourse. 

Whereas the former Secretary of State, Henry Stimson, declared in 1932 that the United States would not recognize territorial changes effected by force following the seizure of Manchuria by Japan; 

Whereas this doctrine of non-recognition became known as 

the Stimson Doctrine; 

Whereas the United States properly applied the doctrine of 

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•HCON 430 IH 

via, and Lithuania and every Presidential administration 

of the United States honored this doctrine until independence was restored to those countries in 1991; 

Whereas article 2, paragraph 4 of the Charter of the United 

Nations demonstrates a wider application of the Stimson 

Doctrine, stating that ‘‘All Members shall refrain in their 

international relations from the threat or use of force 

against the territorial integrity or political independence 

of any State, or in any other manner inconsistent with 

the Purposes of the United Nations.’’; 

Whereas principle III of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 

states that ‘‘The participating States regard as inviolable 

all one another’s frontiers as well as the frontiers of all 

States in Europe and therefore they will refrain now and 

in the future from assaulting these frontiers.’’; 

Whereas principle IV of the Helsinki Final Act of 1975 states 

that ‘‘The participating States will respect the territorial 

integrity of each of the participating States. Accordingly, 

they will refrain from any action inconsistent with the 

purposes and principles of the Charter of the United Nations against the territorial integrity, political independence or the unity of any participating State, and in particular from any such action constituting a threat or use 

of force.’’; and 

Whereas the principles of inviolability of borders and territorial integrity in the purposes and principles of the 

Charter of the United Nations serve to preserve political 

stability among countries while still protecting the legitimate aspirations of the peoples of the world: Now, therefore, be it 


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•HCON 430 IH 

1 Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate 

2 concurring), That Congress— 

3 (1) reaffirms the continued validity and appro4 priateness of the principles of inviolability of the 

5 borders and territorial integrity of countries as a 

6 vital instrument of the foreign policy of the United 

7 States (popularly known as the ‘‘Stimson Doc8 trine’’); 

9 (2) calls upon the President to declare un10 equivocally that the United States does not, and will 

11 not, recognize territorial changes effected by force 

12 alone; 

13 (3) calls upon the countries of the world to 

14 strive to preserve the principles of inviolability of 

15 borders and territorial integrity as a means of pre16 serving political stability among countries while still 

17 protecting the legitimate aspirations of the peoples 

18 of the world; 

19 (4) condemns the violation of the principle of 

20 territorial integrity that occurred during August and 

21 September of 2008, as a result of Russia’s armed in22 cursion into the sovereign country of Georgia; and 

23 (5) urges Russia to withdraw its recognition of 

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•HCON 430 IH 

1 dermine the principle of inviolability of borders and 

2 territorial integrity. 

Æ 


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