IV
106TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. CON. RES. 161
Expressing the sense of the Congress with regard to the St. Petersburg
Declaration of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
Parliamentary Assembly.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JULY 20, 1999
Mr. HASTINGS of Florida (for himself, Mr. HOYER, Mr. SAWYER, Mr. SALM-
ON, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. SABO, and Ms. DANNER) submitted
the following concurrent resolution; which was referred to the Committee
on International Relations
CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Expressing the sense of the Congress with regard to the
St. Petersburg Declaration of the Organization for Secu-
rity and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly.
Whereas parliamentarians of the participating states of the
Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe
(OSCE) met in St. Petersburg, Russia from July 6 to
10, 1999, in order to assess OSCE activities and delib-
erate means to further ensure stability and democracy in
Europe;
Whereas the United States delegation consisted of 17 mem-
bers of Congress, including—
(1) Representative Christopher Smith, Chairman of
the delegation;
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(2) Senator Ben Nighthorse Campbell, Vice Chair of
the delegation;
(3) Representative Steny Hoyer, Vice President of
the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly; and
(4) the following members of the Helsinki Commis-
sion: Representatives Matt Salmon, Benjamin Cardin,
and 
Louise 
Slaughter, 
and 
Senator 
Kay 
Bailey
Hutchison;
Whereas the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly adopted the St.
Petersburg Declaration, which included United States-
drafted language on the trafficking of women and chil-
dren, the assassination of Galina Starovoitova, the con-
flict in Kosovo, and the infrastructure of southeastern
Europe;
Whereas the section entitled ‘‘The Situation in Kosovo’’—
(1) supports the OSCE Mission in Kosovo in its ef-
forts aimed at ensuring peace, security, and construction
of civil society in Kosovo;
(2) urges all parties involved in Kosovo to make the
utmost effort to ensure the safe return and resettlement
of all displaced persons and refugees, regardless of eth-
nicity or religious belief, and to work towards reconcili-
ation between all sections of society;
(3) calls upon all the authorities of the Federal Re-
public of Yugoslavia to grant the International Com-
mittee of the Red Cross full, immediate, and ongoing ac-
cess to all prisoners arrested in relation to the Kosovo
crisis, and to ensure the humane treatment of such pris-
oners;
(4) urges OSCE participating states to fully assist
the International Tribunal for the Former Yugoslavia in
its efforts to provide justice for all peoples of the region
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and to ensure that those indicted for criminal acts will
be brought to justice and receive a fair trial; and
(5) encourages all viable efforts designed to create
regional stability and promote good neighborly relations
for the future in the Balkans;
Whereas the section entitled ‘‘Regional Infrastructure in
South-Eastern Europe,’’ authored by Senator George
Voinovich, calls upon the OSCE participating states to
mobilize the necessary resources to assist the people of
southeastern Europe in their quest to achieve lasting
peace, as well as economic and political stability;
Whereas the section entitled ‘‘Common Security and Democ-
racy in the Twenty-First Century’’—
(1) calls upon the OSCE to seize current opportuni-
ties to strengthen peace and security in the OSCE region
and to further promote human rights and the law;
(2) supports the initiatives of the European Union
to prevent and peacefully resolve the conflicts on the Eu-
ropean continent, and to convene a conference on recon-
struction in the Balkans in line with the decisions of the
United Nations Security Council concerning peace in
Kosovo;
(3) welcomes the fact that the principles of the Sta-
bility Pact for southeastern Europe have been accepted
by Russia, which must find the place it deserves in the
pact’s implementation, and acknowledges that it should
be implemented with the full cooperation of international
organizations, including the United Nations, the Euro-
pean Union, OSCE, and the North Atlantic Treaty Orga-
nization;
(4) recommends that efforts be made to attain even
closer cooperation and coordination with the United Na-
tions, the European Union, the Council of Europe, the
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North Atlantic Treaty Organization, and the Western
European Union in conflict resolution; and
(5) calls for greater political participation and rep-
resentation for minority groups in OSCE participating
states, ensuring respect and effective exercise of equal
rights; and
Whereas the section entitled ‘‘The Trafficking of Women and
Children,’’ authored by Representative Chris Smith—
(1) condemns the fact that millions of women and
children are trafficked into the international sex trade, in
gross violation of their fundamental human rights; and
(2) urgently appeals to the governments of OSCE
participating states and countries of origin and destina-
tion to adopt legislation and enforcement mechanisms to
punish trafficking perpetrators, while protecting the
rights of the trafficking victims: Now, therefore, be it
Resolved by the House of Representatives (the Senate
concurring), That the Congress—
(1) commends the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly
for its commitment to furthering democratic prin-
ciples throughout Europe;
(2) urges the United States to recognize and
fulfill its role in the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly and
the principles that have been expounded in the St.
Petersburg Declaration; and
(3) urges all member states and international
bodies of the Organization for Security and Coopera-
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tion in Europe Parliamentary Assembly to adopt the
principles of the St. Petersburg Declaration and to
continue their efforts in securing stability and jus-
tice in Europe and throughout the world.
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