S.Amdt. 5593

SA 5593. Mr. KERRY (for himself and Mr. Smith) submitted an amendment intended to be proposed by him to the bill S. 3001, to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2009 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes; which was ordered to lie on the table; as follows:

At the appropriate place, insert the following:

SEC. __. SENSE OF THE SENATE.

It is the sense of the Senate that--

(1) irrespective of the origins of the recent conflict in Georgia, the disproportionate military response by the Russian Federation on the sovereign, internationally recognized territory of Georgia, including the South Ossetian Autonomous Region (referred to in this section as “South Ossetia”) and the Autonomous Republic of Abkhazia (referred to in this section as “Abkhazia”), is in violation of international law and commitments of the Russian Federation;

(2) the actions undertaken by the Government of the Russian Federation in Georgia have diminished Russia's standing in the international community and should lead to a review of existing, developing, and proposed multilateral and bilateral arrangements with the Russian Federation;

(3) the United States continues to have interests in common with the Russian Federation, including combating the proliferation of nuclear weapons and fighting terrorism, and these interests can serve as the basis for improved long-term relations with the Government of the Russian Federation as it complies with its international obligations;

(4) the Russian Federation should immediately comply with the September 8, 2008, follow-on agreement to the 6-point cease-fire agreement negotiated on August 12, 2008;

(5) the Government of the Russian Federation and the Government of Georgia should--

(A) refrain from the future use of force to resolve the status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia; and

(B) work with the United States, Europe, and other concerned countries and through the United Nations Security Council, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and other international fora to identify a political settlement that addresses the short-term and long-term status of Abkhazia and South Ossetia, in accordance with prior United Nations Security Council resolutions;

(6) the United States should--

(A) provide humanitarian and economic assistance to Georgia;

(B) seek to improve commercial relations with Georgia; and

(C) working in tandem with the international community, continue to support the development of a strong, vibrant, multiparty democracy in Georgia;

(7) the President should consult with Congress on future security cooperation and assistance to Georgia, as appropriate;

(8) the United States continues to support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization declaration reached at the Bucharest Summit on April 3, 2008; and

(9) the United States should work with the European Union, Georgia, and its neighbors to ensure the free flow of energy to Europe and the operation of key communication and trade routes.