[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 558 Engrossed in House (EH)]
In the House of Representatives, U.S.,
March 30, 2004.
Whereas since 1949 the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) has played an
essential role in guaranteeing the security, freedom, and prosperity of
the United States and its allies in Europe and North America;
Whereas since 1994 Congress has repeatedly endorsed the enlargement of NATO
through the NATO Participation Act of 1994, the NATO Enlargement
Facilitation Act of 1996, the European Security Act of 1998, the Gerald
B. H. Solomon Freedom Consolidation Act of 2002, the Transatlantic
Security and NATO Enhancement Resolution of 2002, and House Concurrent
Resolution 209 (2003);
Whereas NATO heads of state and government, meeting in Prague on November 21,
2002, invited Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia,
and Slovenia to commence accession negotiations with NATO;
Whereas on March 26, 2003, Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania,
Slovakia, and Slovenia signed accession protocols to the Washington
Treaty of 1949;
Whereas on May 8, 2003, the Senate voted 96-0 to give its advice and consent to
ratification by the United States of the seven accession protocols;
Whereas on March 2, 2004, NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer announced
that all 19 NATO members had deposited with the United States Government
their instruments of ratification of the accession protocols;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia
have reformed their political and economic systems in preparation for
NATO membership;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia
have undertaken defense reform programs that will enable each country to
contribute to NATO operations and are working to meet the financial
responsibilities of NATO membership by spending or committing to spend
at least two percent of their gross domestic product on defense;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia
have contributed to military operations in Bosnia and Herzegovina,
Kosovo, Afghanistan, and Iraq;
Whereas Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia
became members of NATO on March 29, 2004, and are expected to be
welcomed by NATO heads of state and government when they meet in
Istanbul on June 28 and 29, 2004;
Whereas Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia, the remaining countries currently in
NATO's Membership Action Plan, signed the United States-Adriatic Charter
on May 2, 2003, thereby affirming their commitment to the values and
principles of NATO, their willingness to contribute to the peace and
security of southeast Europe, and their desire to join the Alliance at
the earliest possible time;
Whereas in 2003 Congress, in House Concurrent Resolution 209, urged NATO to
invite Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia to join NATO as soon as each of
these countries respectively demonstrates the ability to assume the
responsibilities of NATO membership through the Membership Action Plan;
Whereas the Governments of Albania and Macedonia supported Operation Iraqi
Freedom and are contributing forces to stabilization operations in Iraq
and to the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in
Afghanistan; and
Whereas the Government of Croatia elected in November 2003 has demonstrated its
commitment to implementing reforms and meeting conditions for
integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the defense
reforms necessary for NATO membership, and has contributed forces to the
NATO-led International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan: Now,
therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) welcomes with enthusiasm the accession of Bulgaria, Estonia,
Latvia, Lithuania, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia to the North Atlantic
Treaty Organization (NATO);
(2) reaffirms that the process of NATO enlargement enhances the
security of the United States and the entire North Atlantic area;
(3) agrees that the process of NATO enlargement should remain open
to potential membership by any interested European democracy that meets
the criteria for NATO membership as set forth in the 1995 Study on NATO
Enlargement and whose admission would further the principles of the
Washington Treaty of 1949 and would enhance security in the North
Atlantic area; and
(4) recommends that NATO heads of state and government, meeting at
Istanbul on June 28 and 29, 2004, should agree to review the enlargement
process, including the applications of Albania, Croatia, and Macedonia,
at a summit meeting to be held no later than 2007.
Attest:
Clerk.