108TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 49
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Whereas the expressions of anti-Semitism experienced
throughout the region encompassing the participating
States of the Organization for Security and Cooperation
in Europe (OSCE) have included physical assaults, with
some instances involving weapons or stones, arson of syn-
agogues, and desecration of Jewish cultural sites, such as
cemeteries and statues;
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Whereas vicious propaganda and violence in many OSCE
States against Jews, foreigners, and others portrayed as
alien have reached alarming levels, in part due to the
dangerous promotion of aggressive nationalism by polit-
ical figures and others;
Whereas violence and other manifestations of xenophobia and
discrimination can never be justified by political issues or
international developments;
Whereas the Copenhagen Concluding Document adopted by
the OSCE in 1990 was the first international agreement
to condemn anti-Semitic acts, and the OSCE partici-
pating States pledged to ‘‘clearly and unequivocally con-
demn totalitarianism, racial and ethnic hatred, anti–Sem-
itism, xenophobia and discrimination against anyone as
well as persecution on religious and ideological grounds’’;
Whereas the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly at its meeting in
Berlin in July 2002 unanimously adopted a resolution
that, inter alia, called upon participating States to ‘‘en-
sure aggressive law enforcement by local and national au-
thorities, including thorough investigation of anti-Semitic
criminal acts, apprehension of perpetrators, initiation of
appropriate criminal prosecutions and judicial pro-
ceedings’’;
Whereas Decision No. 6 adopted by the OSCE Ministerial
Council at its Tenth Meeting in Porto, Portugal in De-
cember 2002 (the ‘‘Porto Ministerial Declaration’’) con-
demned ‘‘the recent increase in anti-Semitic incidents in
the OSCE area, recognizing the role that the existence of
anti–Semitism has played throughout history as a major
threat to freedom’’;
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Whereas the Porto Ministerial Declaration also urged ‘‘the
convening of separately designated human dimension
events on issues addressed in this decision, including on
the topics of anti-Semitism, discrimination and racism
and xenophobia’’; and
Whereas on December 10, 2002, at the Washington Par-
liamentary Forum on Confronting and Combating anti-
Semitism in the OSCE Region, representatives of the
United States Congress and the German Parliament
agreed to denounce all forms of anti–Semitism and
agreed that ‘‘anti–Semitic bigotry must have no place in
our democratic societies’’: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that—
(1) officials of the executive branch and Mem-
bers of Congress should raise the issue of anti-Semi-
tism in their bilateral contacts with other countries
and at multilateral fora, including meetings of the
Permanent Council of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Twelfth
Annual Session of the OSCE Parliamentary Assem-
bly to be convened in July 2003;
(2) participating States of the OSCE should
unequivocally condemn anti-Semitism (including vio-
lence against Jews and Jewish cultural sites), racial
and ethnic hatred, xenophobia, and discrimination,
as well as persecution on religious grounds whenever
it occurs;
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(3) participating States of the OSCE should en-
sure effective law enforcement by local and national
authorities against criminal acts stemming from
anti-Semitism, xenophobia, or racial or ethnic ha-
tred, whether directed at individuals, communities,
or property, including thorough investigation and
prosecution of such acts;
(4) participating States of the OSCE should
promote the creation of educational efforts through-
out the region encompassing the participating States
of the OSCE to counter anti-Semitic stereotypes and
attitudes among younger people, increase Holocaust
awareness programs, and help identify the necessary
resources to accomplish this goal;
(5) legislators in all OSCE participating States
should play a leading role in combating anti-Semi-
tism and ensure that the resolution adopted at the
2002 meeting of the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly
in Berlin is followed up by a series of concrete ac-
tions at the national level; and
(6) the OSCE should organize a separately des-
ignated human dimension event on anti-Semitism as
early as possible in 2003, consistent with the Porto
Ministerial Declaration adopted by the OSCE at the
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Tenth Meeting of the OSCE Ministerial Council in
December 2002.
Passed the House of Representatives June 25, 2003.
Attest:
Clerk.