H. Res. 273
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
May 23, 2005.
Whereas the people of the Lebanese Republic have a rich,
proud, and honorable history dating from ancient times
to the present;
Whereas Lebanon and the United States have enjoyed a his-
tory of friendship and cooperation which has been
marked by the immigration of many Lebanese to the
United States where they and their descendants have
contributed greatly to the fabric of American life;
Whereas Syria has dominated the Lebanese political scene,
resulting in a deterioration of Lebanon’s human rights
situation, the manipulation of Lebanese election results
to meet Syria’s requirements, and the imposition of curbs
on Lebanon’s media, once the freest in the Arab world;
Whereas Syria has publicly withdrawn its military forces
from Lebanon, leaving behind, however, an intelligence
structure;
Whereas Congress conditioned the lifting of sanctions on Da-
mascus in the Syria Accountability and Lebanese Sov-
ereignty Restoration Act of 2003 (Public Law 108–175)
upon the Government of Syria ending its occupation of
Lebanon (including the complete withdrawal of intel-
•HRES 273 EH
ligence and all other security-related personnel in Leb-
anon) and upon other factors;
Whereas the international community has, through the pas-
sage of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1559
(2004), reaffirmed its call for the strict respect of Leb-
anon’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and polit-
ical independence under the sole and exclusive authority
of the Government of Lebanon;
Whereas there remains unresolved and as a matter of na-
tional and world concern the assassination of Rafiq al-
Hariri, former Lebanese prime minister, which has justly
been condemned as a terrorist act;
Whereas the international community has begun investiga-
tions into the assassination of Rafiq al-Hariri and it is
the policy of the United States to urge full cooperation
with the investigations;
Whereas the international community is considering further
action to promote Lebanese sovereignty;
Whereas the emancipation of political prisoners and detainees
held in Syrian and Lebanese prisons is a precondition for
national reconciliation and a rebuilding of Lebanon’s
democratic institutions; and
Whereas general elections in Lebanon are scheduled to begin
on May 29, 2005: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Represent-
atives that—
(1) Syria should complete its withdrawal of all re-
maining intelligence and security forces from the Leba-
•HRES 273 EH
nese Republic in accordance with United Nations Secu-
rity Council Resolution 1559 (2004);
(2) Lebanon should allow unfettered access to inter-
national monitors present for the purpose of verifying
compliance with United Nations Security Council Reso-
lution 1559 (2004);
(3) Lebanon should hold free, fair, and transparent
elections to begin on May 29, 2005, in accordance with
all international standards and agreements;
(4) the United States should aid the people of Leb-
anon in their efforts to restore the separation of powers,
the rule of law, and a proper respect for fundamental
freedoms of every citizen; and
(5) it should be the policy of the United States Gov-
ernment to—
(A) support free and fair elections in Lebanon
by encouraging international election assistance and
observers;
(B) support a national dialogue that tran-
scends sectarian divisions and urge the development
of democratic institutions and safeguards to foster
sovereign democratic rule in Lebanon; and