IV 
114TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 660 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to support the territorial 
integrity of Georgia. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 23, 2016 
Mr. POE of Texas (for himself and Mr. CONNOLLY) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs 
RESOLUTION 
Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives to 
support the territorial integrity of Georgia. 
Whereas since 1993, the sovereignty and territorial integrity 
of Georgia have been reaffirmed by the international 
community in all United Nations Security Council resolu-
tions on Georgia; 
Whereas the Government of Georgia has pursued a peaceful 
resolution of the conflict with Russia over Georgia’s terri-
tories of Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South 
Ossetia; 
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 Na-
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tions against the territorial integrity, political independ-
ence or the unity of any participating State, and in par-
ticular from any such action constituting a threat or use 
of force . . . and participating States will likewise refrain 
from making each other’s territory the object of military 
occupation.’’; 
Whereas the Charter of the United Nations states that, ‘‘All 
Members shall refrain in their international relations 
from the threat or use of force against the territorial in-
tegrity or political independence of any state.’’; 
Whereas the recognition by the Government of the Russian 
Federation of Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South 
Ossetia on August 26, 2008, was in violation of the sov-
ereignty and territorial integrity of Georgia and contra-
dicting principles of Helsinki Final Act of 1975, the 
Charter of the United Nations as well as the August 12, 
2008, Ceasefire Agreement; 
Whereas the United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic 
Partnership, signed on January 9, 2009, underscores 
that ‘‘support for each other’s sovereignty, independence, 
territorial integrity and inviolability of borders constitutes 
the foundation of our bilateral relations.’’; 
Whereas according to the Government of Georgia’s ‘‘State 
Strategy on Occupied Territories’’, the Government of 
Georgia has committed itself to a policy of peaceful en-
gagement, the protection of economic and human rights, 
freedom of movement, and the preservation of cultural 
heritage, language, and identity for the people of 
Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia; 
Whereas the August 2008 war between the Russian Federa-
tion and Georgia resulted in civilian and military casual-
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ties, the violation of the sovereignty and territorial integ-
rity of Georgia, and large numbers of internally displaced 
persons; 
Whereas the annual United Nations General Assembly Reso-
lution on the ‘‘Status of Internally Displaced Persons and 
Refugees from Abkhazia, Georgia and the Tskhinvali re-
gion/South Ossetia, Georgia’’, recognizes the right of re-
turn of all internally displaced persons and refugees and 
their descendants, regardless of ethnicity, as well as their 
property rights, remains unfulfilled; 
Whereas the Russian Federation is building barbed wire 
fences and installing, so-called ‘‘border signs’’ and other 
artificial barriers along the occupation line and depriving 
the people residing within the occupied regions and in the 
adjacent areas of their fundamental rights and freedoms, 
including, but not limited to the freedom of movement, 
family life, education in their native language, and other 
civil and economic rights; 
Whereas the August 12, 2008, Ceasefire Agreement, agreed 
to by the Governments of the Russian Federation and 
Georgia— 
(1) provides that all troops of the Russian Federa-
tion shall be withdrawn to pre-war positions; 
(2) provides that free access shall be granted to or-
ganizations providing humanitarian assistance in regions 
affected by the violence in August 2008; and 
(3) launched the Geneva International Discussions 
between Georgia and the Russian Federation; 
Whereas, on November 23, 2010, Georgian President 
Saakashvili declared before the European Parliament 
that ‘‘Georgia will never use force to restore its territorial 
integrity and sovereignty.’’; 
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Whereas, on March 7, 2013, the bipartisan Resolution of the 
Parliament of Georgia on Basic Directions of Georgia’s 
Foreign Policy confirmed ‘‘Georgia’s commitment for the 
non-use of force, pledged by the President of Georgia in 
his address to the international community from the Eu-
ropean Parliament in Strasburg on November 23, 
2010.’’; 
Whereas, on June 27, 2014, in the Association Agreement 
between Georgia and the European Union, Georgia re-
affirmed its commitment ‘‘to restore its territorial integ-
rity in pursuit of a peaceful and lasting conflict resolu-
tion, of pursuing the full implementation of’’ the August 
12, 2008, ceasefire agreement; 
Whereas despite the unilateral legally binding commitment to 
the non-use of force pledged by the Georgian Govern-
ment, the Russian Federation still refuses to reciprocate 
with its own legally binding non-use of force pledge; 
Whereas the European Union Monitoring Mission (EUMM) 
is still denied access to the occupied regions of Abkhazia 
and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia, despite the fact 
that its mandate covers the whole territory of Georgia 
within its internationally recognized borders; 
Whereas the Russian Federation continues to enhance its 
military bases illegally stationed in occupied regions of 
Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia with-
out the consent of the Government of Georgia or a man-
date from the United Nations or other multilateral orga-
nizations; 
Whereas the Russian Federation continues the process of ag-
gression carried out against Georgia since the early 
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1990s and occupation of Georgia’s territories following 
the August 2008 Russia-Georgia War; 
Whereas the Russian Federation’s policy vis-a`-vis Georgia 
and the alarming developments in the region illustrate 
that Moscow does not accept the independent choice of 
sovereign states and strives for the restoration of zones 
of influence in the region, including through the use of 
force, occupation, factual annexation, and other aggres-
sive acts; and 
Whereas the United States applied the doctrine of non-rec-
ognition in 1940 to the countries of Estonia, Latvia, and 
Lithuania, and every Presidential administration of the 
United States honored this doctrine until independence 
was restored to those countries in 1991: Now, therefore, 
be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) supports the policy, popularly known as the 
‘‘Stimson Doctrine’’, of the United States to not rec-
ognize territorial changes effected by force, and af-
firms that this policy should continue to guide the 
foreign policy of the United States; 
(2) condemns the military intervention and oc-
cupation of Georgia by the Russian Federation and 
its continuous illegal activities along the occupation 
line in Abkhazia and Tskhinvali region/South 
Ossetia; 
(3) calls upon the Russian Federation to with-
draw its recognition of Georgia’s territories of 
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Abkhazia and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia as 
independent countries, to refrain from acts and poli-
cies that undermine the sovereignty and territorial 
integrity of Georgia, and to take steps to fulfill all 
the terms and conditions of the August 12, 2008, 
Ceasefire Agreement between Georgia and the Rus-
sian Federation; 
(4) stresses the necessity of progress on core 
issues within the Geneva International Discussions, 
including a legally binding pledge from Russia on 
the non-use of force, the establishment of inter-
national security arrangements in the occupied re-
gions of Georgia, and the safe and dignified return 
of internally displaced persons and refugees to the 
places of their origin; 
(5) urges the United States Government to de-
clare unequivocally that the United States will not 
recognize the de jure or de facto sovereignty of the 
Russian Federation over any part of Georgia, its air-
space, or its territorial waters, including Abkhazia 
and the Tskhinvali region/South Ossetia under any 
circumstances; 
(6) urges the United States Administration to 
deepen cooperation with Georgia in all areas of the 
United States-Georgia Charter on Strategic Partner-
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ship, including Georgia’s advancement towards 
Euro-Atlantic integration; 
(7) urges the United States Administration to 
place emphasis on enhancing Georgia’s security 
through joint military trainings and providing self- 
defensive capabilities in order to enhance Georgia’s 
independent statehood and national sovereignty; and 
(8) affirms that a free, united, democratic, and 
sovereign Georgia is in the long-term interest of the 
United States as it promotes peace and stability in 
the region. 
Æ 
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