[House Hearing, 112 Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office]
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH RESPECT
TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEMOCRATIC AND PROSPEROUS REPUBLIC OF
GEORGIA AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PEACEFUL AND JUST RESOLUTION TO THE
CONFLICT WITH GEORGIA'S INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BORDERS
=======================================================================
MARKUP
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON EUROPE AND EURASIA
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
ONE HUNDRED TWELFTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
ON
H. Res. 526
__________
APRIL 26, 2012
__________
Serial No. 112-165
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Foreign Affairs
Available via the World Wide Web: http://www.foreignaffairs.house.gov/
or
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/
______
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COMMITTEE ON FOREIGN AFFAIRS
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, Florida, Chairman
CHRISTOPHER H. SMITH, New Jersey HOWARD L. BERMAN, California
DAN BURTON, Indiana GARY L. ACKERMAN, New York
ELTON GALLEGLY, California ENI F.H. FALEOMAVAEGA, American
DANA ROHRABACHER, California Samoa
DONALD A. MANZULLO, Illinois DONALD M. PAYNE, New Jersey--
EDWARD R. ROYCE, California deceased 3/6/12 deg.
STEVE CHABOT, Ohio BRAD SHERMAN, California
RON PAUL, Texas ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
MIKE PENCE, Indiana GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
JOE WILSON, South Carolina RUSS CARNAHAN, Missouri
CONNIE MACK, Florida ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
JEFF FORTENBERRY, Nebraska GERALD E. CONNOLLY, Virginia
MICHAEL T. McCAUL, Texas THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
TED POE, Texas DENNIS CARDOZA, California
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida BEN CHANDLER, Kentucky
JEAN SCHMIDT, Ohio BRIAN HIGGINS, New York
BILL JOHNSON, Ohio ALLYSON SCHWARTZ, Pennsylvania
DAVID RIVERA, Florida CHRISTOPHER S. MURPHY, Connecticut
MIKE KELLY, Pennsylvania FREDERICA WILSON, Florida
TIM GRIFFIN, Arkansas KAREN BASS, California
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania WILLIAM KEATING, Massachusetts
JEFF DUNCAN, South Carolina DAVID CICILLINE, Rhode Island
ANN MARIE BUERKLE, New York
RENEE ELLMERS, North Carolina
ROBERT TURNER, New York
Yleem D.S. Poblete, Staff Director
Richard J. Kessler, Democratic Staff Director
------
Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia
DAN BURTON, Indiana, Chairman
ELTON GALLEGLY, California GREGORY W. MEEKS, New York
GUS M. BILIRAKIS, Florida ELIOT L. ENGEL, New York
TIM GRIFFIN, Arkansas ALBIO SIRES, New Jersey
TOM MARINO, Pennsylvania THEODORE E. DEUTCH, Florida
JEAN SCHMIDT, Ohio
TED POE, Texas
C O N T E N T S
----------
Page
MARKUP OF
H. Res. 526, Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives
with respect toward the establishment of a democratic and
prosperous Republic of Georgia and the establishment of a
peaceful and just resolution to the conflict with Georgia's
internationally recognized borders............................. 2
Amendment in the nature of a substitute to H. Res. 526 offered
by the Honorable Dan Burton, a Representative in Congress
from the State of Indiana, and chairman, Subcommittee on
Europe and Eurasia........................................... 10
APPENDIX
Markup notice.................................................... 26
Markup minutes................................................... 27
The Honorable Dan Burton, a Representative in Congress from the
State of Indiana, and chairman, Subcommittee on Europe and
Eurasia: Prepared statement.................................... 28
EXPRESSING THE SENSE OF THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES WITH RESPECT
TOWARD THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A DEMOCRATIC AND PROSPEROUS REPUBLIC OF
GEORGIA AND THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PEACEFUL AND JUST RESOLUTION TO THE
CONFLICT WITH GEORGIA'S INTERNATIONALLY RECOGNIZED BORDERS
----------
THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2012
House of Representatives,
Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
Washington, DC.
The subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 2:30 p.m., in
room 2172 Rayburn House Office Building, Hon. Dan Burton
(chairman of the subcommittee) presiding.
Mr. Burton. The subcommittee will come to order. Pursuant
to notice, the subcommittee meets this morning to mark up a
strongly bipartisan measure, H. Res. 526, Expressing the sense
of the House of Representatives with respect toward the
establishment of a democratic and prosperous Republic of
Georgia and the establishment of a peaceful and just resolution
to the conflict with Georgia's internationally recognized
borders.
Without objection, we will consider en bloc the resolution
and the bipartisan manager's amendment, Burton amendment 46,
that was sent to your offices on Wednesday and that all members
have in front of them.
So without objection, the resolution and the manager's
amendment are considered read and open for amendment at any
point.
[H. Res. 526 and the amendment in the nature of a
substitute offered by Mr. Burton follow:]H. Res.
526 deg.
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Mr. Burton. All members are given leave to insert written
remarks into the record, and I will now recognize members--I
will start with myself--to make opening statements on this.
As chairman of this subcommittee, I led a bipartisan
delegation to Georgia, where we engaged with Georgia's
President, Prime Minister, parliamentarians, and various
ministers of the current government. Our conversations were
widespread, and included the country's ongoing democratic and
economic reforms, as well as the need for greater cooperation
between the United States and Georgia.
Our conversations were not limited to the governing United
National movement, but included representatives from the
leading Christian Democrats Party and the Free Democrats Party,
among others.
We must remember that Georgia is a country in transition.
It is not perfect. It is still in development, and its
government is young. However, I believe Georgia is moving in
the right direction, and its democracy will become one of the
strongest and most vibrant in the region. It is in the best
interests of the United States to work and partner with the
Government of Georgia to encourage and foster a strong
democracy.
While in Georgia, I witnessed the progress of reforms,
including the opening of their market. As many know, Georgia's
annual foreign direct investment is fast approaching 1 billion
U.S. dollars, as the country continues to attract international
investors. For example, the ever-popular Donald Trump was in
Batumi just this week to announce a major development under his
Trump brand of properties. I wonder where that guy gets all
that money. [Laughter.]
Concerning Georgia's NATO aspirations, it is my belief that
Georgia is an excellent candidate and deserves to be given a
membership application plan or another clear path for entry at
the Chicago Summit. Such action will help facilitate additional
reforms that the country needs to make.
Although not tied to membership, NATO countries should
recognize Georgia's commitment to Afghanistan, where it will
soon deploy the highest troop level per capita of any
contributing nation, with no caveats. Many Georgian soldiers
are deployed in the dangerous Helmand Province, where they
fight side-by-side with the U.S. soldiers.
Sadly, just this week a decorated sergeant of the Georgian
Army lost his life in Helmand Province when an IED destroyed
his vehicle, and we wish him and his family and the people of
Georgia the best regarding his loss, and they have our deepest
sympathy.
This resolution, H. Res. 526, is a representative of a
bipartisan effort to recognize Georgia and the progress it has
made, and symbolizes U.S. support for a young but growing
democracy. I want to thank Representative Shimkus and
Representative Schwartz for their efforts in the introduction
of this resolution. I want to thank Ranking Member Meeks, my
good buddy, Chairman Ros-Lehtinen, and Ranking Member Berman,
and their staffs, for their support in this subcommittee's
efforts to move this resolution.
I now recognize Mr. Meeks for an opening statement.
Mr. Meeks. Thank you, Chairman Burton. I want to thank you
for bringing this resolution to a markup today, and I also want
to thank you for your flexibility on the language. We have had
some conversation back and forth, and you and your staff have
been very flexible in working with us as we try to tweak
language and get what should be appropriate. So it is always a
delight working with you, my friend, and it is my delight.
And it is probably no coincidence that we are marking up
this resolution in the context of a NATO Summit hearing, as
Georgia is a NATO aspirant, a country with a strong pro-Western
orientation, and they have proven themselves very capable and
reliable allies in Afghanistan and other conflict zones. NATO
members are bound by a common adherence to democratic norms.
The Georgian Government's efforts to build on reforms made to
date, to foster greater political competition, labor rights,
judicial independence, and media access, will be an opportunity
for Georgia to prove itself when measured by international
standards.
To paraphrase Ambassador-designee Richard Norland's recent
statement, allowing opposition candidates to campaign and
compete freely in upcoming parliamentary and Presidential
elections will bring Georgia closer to Euro-Atlantic standards
and integration, and facilitate Georgia's NATO aspirations.
Now, I want to commend the Georgian Government's progress
on government transparency and fight against corruption,
political, economic, and judicial reforms, and encourage
Georgia to continue its modernization process. We have got to
continue to move. We can never be content. There is always room
for improvement. And we have got to continue to encourage that
kind of improvement and democratization.
And so, as a result of that, as a result of what we see
happening, as a result we see forward movement. I encourage my
colleagues to support H. Res. 526, in order to strengthen U.S.
engagement with the Republic of Georgia, by helping Georgia to
enhance its security and restore its territorial integrity
through peaceful means, and supporting the Government of
Georgia's commitment to a policy of peaceful and constructive
engagement with the authorities in control of South Ossettia
and Abkhazia. It is with that that I think we can work
collectively together, and we can make improvements.
And we have got to continue, because democracy is always
something that is a continuing event. We are still working on
our democracy, here in the United States. No one gets it right.
So we are still progressing and trying to make sure that we
continue forward with democratization.
So with that, Madam Chair, I yield back.
Ms. Schmidt [presiding]. Thank you, and the Chair will now
recognize herself for an opening statement.
First off, I want to thank the committee for demonstrating
leadership on this very important issue. And it is a bipartisan
piece of legislation, and toward that end I applaud it.
But I also want to highlight something beyond just this
resolution, and that is NATO itself and the Chicago Summit.
Given the nature of the global environment in which we live,
and this seemingly never-ending list of rogue states with which
we must contend, I understand the need for and the support and
continued existence of a strong and vibrant NATO.
In fact, in today's world, where friendship and cooperation
with other nations is so incredibly essential to the successful
completion of many of our national goals and objectives,
particularly in the realm of national security, our involvement
in NATO is as necessary as it was when it was founded on April
the 4th, 1949, and it is to that end that I look forward to the
2012 NATO Summit in Chicago this May.
But unfortunately, my expectations for the summit are low.
And I say that they are low because it is what is not on the
agenda that concerns me. What we have missed on this agenda--
intentionally, I think, it is off the agenda--is the issue of
NATO's expansion. With regard to the matter of membership for
Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, and Montenegro, the
administration has been conspicuously quiet. In fact, it looks
like they are AWOL.
Perhaps my biggest concern lies with Macedonia itself, a
good friend to the United States. Although not a member,
Macedonia has long supported the joint security goals and
objectives of NATO. The Macedonian military has supported, like
other countries not in NATO, missions in Afghanistan, Iraq,
Bosnia, Lebanon, et cetera.
In 2008, Macedonia completed its membership action plan in
preparation for its entry into NATO. And yet, because of an
imprudent decision by a country to unilaterally veto
Macedonia's admission to NATO, ostensibly on the disagreement
with what Macedonia wants to call itself, Macedonia remains a
member in waiting. Apparently article X of the North Atlantic
Treaty, the so-called Open Door Policy, is not so open.
In Macedonia, we have a country that has honored and
fulfilled its requirements for NATO's membership, just as we
have with other countries. We have a country that has provided
more support for NATO missions, both in talent and in treasure,
than many NATO members have themselves, and yet we have a
country that is desirous of supporting NATO's goals and
objectives and is denied entry.
It is not too late, and I hope the Chicago Summit refocuses
its position and allows for a good dialogue and an expansion
for its membership.
I yield back my time.
Now I would like to recognize Congressman Engel for his
opening statement.
Mr. Engel. Thank you, Madam Chairwoman. And let me just
first of all say, I am delighted to be here. I think the
subject matter is very, very important, and of course the
resolution about our friends in Georgia, I am excited to
support it. I am, coincidentally, going to have dinner with the
Ambassador, Georgian Ambassador, this evening.
I have always been a long-standing friend and supporter of
Georgia, and I am a long-standing supporter of Georgia becoming
a member of NATO, as are other countries as well, and I hope
that that will happen. Other countries, as well, such as
Kosovo, and others who aspire to get in.
I think the West needs to expand, just as we expanded NATO
when the Soviet Union fell. I think it is important that we
continue to expand it, and those countries that want to become
part of the Western Alliance can become part of the Western
Alliance.
I would be remiss--well, let me just say this. We just
met--many of us had lunch today with Sali Berisha, the Albanian
Prime Minister, who is in town, and we talked a great deal at
that luncheon about Albania's successful membership in NATO.
And I am delighted that Albania is a member of NATO.
But as we talk about the Chicago Summit and U.S. policy, I
want to highlight something that is unfolding with regard to
the Chicago Summit, and that is Turkey's apparent blocking
Israel from participating in the NATO summit. Israel has long
participated in the Summit, and has long shown itself to be a
very loyal and pro-Western ally of both the United States and
NATO.
Turkey, which is a NATO member and sadly, in my opinion,
has not acted like one for a long, long, time, or for the past
few years at least, is blocking Israel because of a dispute
with the flotilla incident, where Turkish nationals and others
tried to illegally blockade the Israeli blockade of Gaza, which
is legal according to international law. And unfortunately,
there was a loss of life and Turkey is demanding all kinds of
apologies for it, while refusing to look at its own culpability
in the face.
And I just want to voice my disgust at the Government of
Turkey for, at least up until now, blocking Israel from
participating at the NATO Summit in Chicago. It is an
international disgrace. I think Turkey's actions in cozying up
to the worst elements are abhorrent. I think that Turkey's
policies have just been terrible.
And you know, many of us yesterday attended the Armenian
rally here in Washington. And it is 100 years after the
Armenian genocide, and Turkey still refuses to acknowledge it,
which is another disgrace. So I just want to highlight what I
unfortunately regard as disgusting Turkish policy. And Turkey
ought to immediately withdraw its blocking of Israel from
attending the NATO Summit in Chicago.
And with that, I yield back.
Ms. Schmidt. Thank you. And now I yield to recognize an
opening statement for Congressman Poe from Texas.
Mr. Poe. Thank you, Madam Chairman. I think the United
States should reward our international friends, and not reward
our enemies.
We have good friends that sent troops to Iraq, and large
contributors to our mission in Afghanistan, than even some of
our NATO members sent. In other words, we have folks that sent
people to Afghanistan that aren't NATO members, and our NATO
members, some of them, did not come up to the plate as well as
our non-NATO allies.
These people, these countries, patrol the ISAF headquarters
in Kabul, and work alongside our American officers and troops
in Afghanistan. If they can protect the tent of NATO, they
should be able to sleep in the tent of NATO, one would think.
There are enough countries out there that hate us. We give
billions of dollars every year to Pakistan, and that doesn't
seem to keep them from hating Americans.
But here we have countries that tend to like the United
States. They want to be in NATO. They haven't just talked the
talk, but they have walked the walk and stepped up when the
international community needed them. They have met NATO's
requirements, instituted tough economic and democratic reforms,
but they are still not in NATO. They have made the hard
sacrifices. They have fought shoulder to shoulder with our
troops on the battlefield, but the door to NATO membership
remains closed.
This isn't just in our friends' interest. It is in
America's interest, too, that we open the door. We have the
opportunity, through mutual defense, to bring peace to unstable
regions. Where there is peace, we know that economic
development and prosperity often follows. Trade and foreign
direct investments start to grow as relationships are made.
From peace to economic growth, there is a lot on the line for
us and for our friends.
I am concerned that NATO's enlargement is not a top
priority for the United States. It is not even on the agenda of
the upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago. If our friends do all they
need to do, and more, to meet NATO's requirements, and don't
get in, what is the message we are sending them? How long can
we expect them to wait?
It kind of reminds me of the days when I would ask a gal to
a dance, and she would turn me down enough times, I quit asking
her to the dance. That happened a lot, unfortunately. But it is
that situation. They keep wanting to go to the dance, and we
just don't respond in a positive manner. It is time to take
those friends in, so we can all dance together. The longer we
take, the more we are risking public opinion turning against
NATO membership. They will start looking elsewhere for friends
that really want them to be involved with them. The United
States may have lost opportunities if we continue to delay,
delay, delay.
There are enough countries around the world that don't like
us. It is about time we start rewarding the countries that do
actually like the United States.
And I yield back. Thank you, Madam.
Ms. Schmidt. Thank you. Hearing no further requests for
recognition, and no further amendments to the resolution, the
pending question is on the en bloc resolution and the manager's
amendment.
Before I say that, I would like to say that any other
member that wishes to put remarks into the record will be able
to do so.
So, hearing no further requests for recognition, the
pending question is on the en bloc resolution and the manager's
amendment.
Are there any amendments?
[No response.]
Ms. Schmidt. No. Okay. All those in favor, say aye.
[Chorus of ayes.]
Ms. Schmidt. Any opposed?
[No response.]
Ms. Schmidt. In the opinion of the Chair, the ayes have it
and the en bloc measures are agreed to.
Without objection, H. Res. 526 is amended, and will be
reported as a single amendment in the nature of a substitute,
and the staff are directed to make technical and conforming
changes.
I want to thank all of our members and staff on both sides
of the aisle for the good work and the cooperation that went
into this markup today. And, having concluded our business, the
subcommittee is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 2:52 p.m., the subcommittee proceeded to
other business.]
A P P E N D I X
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