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SENATE RESOLUTION 523

SRES 523 RS

Calendar No. 710

110th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. RES. 523

Expressing the strong support of the Senate for the declaration of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the Bucharest Summit that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of the alliance.

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

April 21, 2008

Mr. BIDEN (for himself, Mr. LUGAR, Mrs. CLINTON, Mr. OBAMA, and Mr. MCCAIN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations


RESOLUTION

Expressing the strong support of the Senate for the declaration of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization at the Bucharest Summit that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of the alliance.

Whereas, prior to the Bucharest Summit in April 2008, the Government of Georgia and the Government of Ukraine each expressed the desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), have committed their countries to programs of reforms consistent with membership in the Euro-Atlantic community, and have worked consistently for membership in NATO; and

Whereas, in April 2008 at the Bucharest Summit, the assembled leaders of NATO issued the following statement: `NATO welcomes Ukraine’s and Georgia’s Euro-Atlantic aspirations for membership in NATO. We agreed today that these countries will become members of NATO. Both nations have made valuable contributions to Alliance operations. We welcome the democratic reforms in Ukraine and Georgia and look forward to free and fair parliamentary elections in Georgia in May. MAP is the next step for Ukraine and Georgia on their direct way to membership. Today we make clear that we support these countries’ applications for MAP. Therefore we will now begin a period of intensive engagement with both at a high political level to address the questions still outstanding pertaining to their MAP applications. We have asked Foreign Ministers to make a first assessment of progress at their December 2008 meeting. Foreign Ministers have the authority to decide on the MAP applications of Ukraine and Georgia.’: Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That the Senate–

(1) supports the declaration of the Bucharest Summit, which stated that Ukraine and Georgia will become members of NATO;

(2) reiterates its support for the commitment to further enlargement of NATO to include democratic governments that are able and willing to meet the responsibilities of membership; and

(3) urges the foreign ministers of NATO member states at their meeting in December 2008 to consider favorably the applications of the governments of Ukraine and Georgia for Membership Action Plans.