•HRES 1198 IH 
Whereas the incumbent, President Filip Vujanovic, was re- 
elected in a free and fair election and in accordance with 
international standards; 
Whereas the conduct of these elections provide further evi-
dence that the people of Montenegro are building a demo-
cratic society based on free elections, human rights, and 
the rule of law; 
Whereas Montenegro is one of 56 participating states in the 
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe 
(OSCE), all of which have adopted the 1990 Copenhagen 
Document containing specific commitments relating to 
the conduct of elections; 
Whereas the OSCE-led International Observation Mission 
deemed the election to be basically in accordance with the 
1990 Copenhagen Document and respected the funda-
mental and civil rights, such as freedom of expression 
and assembly, allowing voters to make informed choices; 
Whereas democratic elections are instrumental in furthering 
Montenegro’s integration into the European Union (EU) 
and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); 
Whereas Montenegro was invited to join NATO’s Partnership 
for Peace program on November 30, 2006, and has suc-
cessfully cooperated with NATO on democratic, institu-
tional, and defense reforms; 
Whereas at the NATO summit in Bucharest, Romania, from 
April 2–4, 2008, Montenegro was invited to begin an In-
tensified Dialogue with NATO, representing an impor-
tant step towards full membership; 
Whereas Montenegro, as part of its Intensified Dialogue with 
NATO, has committed to improving its cooperation with 
NATO on the full range of political, military, financial, 
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•HRES 1198 IH 
and security issues relating to its aspirations for member-
ship; 
Whereas the people of Montenegro in a popular referendum 
on May 21, 2006, voted to support the sovereign inde-
pendence of Montenegro from the State Union of Serbia 
and Montenegro by a margin of 55.5 percent in favor of 
independence with over 86 percent of eligible voters par-
ticipating in the referendum; 
Whereas, in accordance with the expressed will of a majority 
of the people of Montenegro, on June 3, 2006, the Par-
liament of Montenegro declared the independence of 
Montenegro, declaring that Montenegro is a ‘‘multiethnic, 
multicultural and multireligious society . . . based on the 
rule of law and market economy’’; 
Whereas since gaining its independence, Montenegro has un-
dertaken a series of political, economic, and military re-
forms; 
Whereas earlier this year the Council of Europe commended 
Montenegro on its new constitution which was approved 
by more than two-thirds of the members of the Par-
liament of Montenegro on October 19, 2007; 
Whereas, on March 15, 2007, in recognition of the important 
reforms achieved by Montenegro in the area of human 
rights, political reform, and economic reform, the Euro-
pean Union initialed a Stabilization and Association 
Agreement with Montenegro; 
Whereas, on October 15, 2007, the European Union and 
Montenegro signed the Stabilization and Association 
Agreement after it was approved by all 27 EU Member 
States, thereby furthering Montenegro’s prospects for full 
membership in the EU; and 
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•HRES 1198 IH 
Whereas the United States and Montenegro enjoy close bi-lat-
eral relationship based on common values and interests: 
Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) commends the people and the Government 
of Montenegro for the free and fair manner in which 
the presidential election on April 6, 2008, was con-
ducted and acknowledges the broad participation of 
the citizens of Montenegro in that important vote; 
(2) fully supports the decision by the North At-
lantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to initiate an 
Intensified Dialogue with Montenegro and congratu-
lates Montenegro for this important step towards be-
coming a member of NATO; 
(3) congratulates Montenegro for the important 
political and economic reforms undertaken since its 
independence; 
(4) commends Montenegro’s willingness and 
preparedness to contribute to regional and global se-
curity; and 
(5) acknowledges and welcomes the close bilat-
eral relationship between the United States and 
Montenegro and urges the people and the Govern-
ment of Montenegro to continue to embrace the 
principles of democratic government and to take ac-
tions that will encourage respect for human rights, 
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•HRES 1198 IH 
adherence to the rule of law, the development of a 
free market economy, and the growth of a free and 
open society. 
Æ 
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