HCON 425 IH
though the Group of Seven have continued to hold infor-
mal summit meetings and ministerial meetings that do
not include Russia;
Whereas the invitation to President Yeltsin of Russia to par-
ticipate in these annual summits was in recognition of his
commitment to democratization and economic liberaliza-
tion, despite the fact that the Russian economy has been
weak and its commitment to democratic principles has
been uncertain;
Whereas those countries which are members of the Group of
Seven are pluralistic democratic societies with democratic
political institutions and practices, and they have com-
mitted themselves to the observance of universally recog-
nized standards of human rights, respect for individual
liberties and democratic political practices;
Whereas a free news media and freedom of speech are funda-
mental to the functioning of a democratic society and es-
sential for the protection of individual liberties, and such
freedoms can exist only in an environment that is free of
state control of the news media, that is free of any form
of state censorship or official coercion of any kind, and
that is protected and guaranteed by the rule of law;
Whereas the Russian Federation has engaged in a series of
government actions that are hostile and threatening to
privately-owned, independently operated media enter-
prises, particularly those new outlets that have been crit-
ical of government policies and government actions; and
Whereas the continued participation of the Russian Federa-
tion in the Group of Eight must be conditioned on Rus-
sia’s own voluntary acceptance of and adherence to the
norms and standards of democracy: Now, therefore, be it
HCON 425 IH
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That it is the sense of the Congress that the
participation of the Russian Federation in the Group of
Eight must be linked to the Russian Federation’s adher-
ence to the norms and standards of democracy,
including—
(1) the existence of a free, unfettered press that
fosters the development of an independent media
and the free exchange of ideas and views, including
opportunities for private ownership of media enter-
prises, the right of people to receive news without
government interference and harassment, and the
freedom of journalists to publish opinions and news
reports without fear of censorship or punishment;
(2) the freedom of all religious groups freely to
practice their faith in Russia, without undue govern-
ment interference on the rights and the peaceful ac-
tivities of such religious organizations;
(3) equal treatment and respect for the human
rights and the right to own private property of all
citizens of the Russian Federation;
(4) initiation of genuine negotiations for a just
and peaceful resolution of the conflict in Chechnya,
including a full investigation of the conflict and
bringing to justice those individuals, civilian or mili-
HCON 425 IH
tary, who in a court of law are found to be guilty
of violating human rights;
(5) respect for the rule of law and improvement
of civil and legal institutions to implement and de-
fend these rights; and
(6) reform of the judicial system to prevent the
arbitrary detention of citizens and provide for a
speedy trial and equal access to the judicial system.
The President and the Secretary of State are re-
quested to convey to appropriate officials of the Govern-
ment of the Russian Federation, including the President,
the Prime Minister, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs,
this expression of the views of the Congress.
Æ