2005.12.03. – House RESOLUTION 529

Recommending
the integration of the Republic of Croatia into the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization…

Today is
first time that I read House RESOLUTION 529 and I change my
view . Most text of the resolution is just perfect and my only
disagreement is with text about "cooperation with the International
Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY)" . Croatian
Worldwide Association (CWA) and Croatian
American Association (CAA) are against that resolution .
National
Federation of Croatian American (NFCA) was a "major
contributor in the development of H. Res. 529 and initiated
the campaign to assist in garnering the required number of co-sponsors".
You choose , after you read House RESOLUTION 529 , should you
be campaign for or against that resolution .

Chicago , Dec.
03. 2005.

Ivica Grgic

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Whereas the
United States recognized the Republic of Croatia on April 7, 1992,
acknowledging the decision of the people of Croatia to live in an
independent, democratic, and sovereign… (Introduced in House)

HRES
529 IH

109th CONGRESS
1st
Session
H.
RES. 529
Recommending the integration of the Republic of Croatia into the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
November
2, 2005
Mr. GALLEGLY (for himself, Mr. RADANOVICH, and Mr. VISCLOSKY) submitted
the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
International Relations

———————————————————————–

RESOLUTION

Recommending the integration of the Republic of Croatia into the
North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

Whereas the United States
recognized the Republic of Croatia on April 7, 1992, acknowledging
the decision of the people of Croatia to live in an independent,
democratic, and sovereign country;

Whereas since achieving
their independence, the people of Croatia have built a democratic
society, based on the rule of law, respect for human rights, and
a free market economy;

Whereas Croatia is a
functioning democracy, with stable institutions guaranteeing the
rule of law, human rights, and market economy;

Whereas Croatia has previously
cooperated with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) by
allowing NATO free access to its air space during NATO’s 1999 military
action against Serbia;

Whereas the United States
has shown support for Croatia in many ways since its independence,
including by providing Croatia with economic and military assistance
that has contributed significantly to the continued success;

Whereas Croatia is a
reliable partner of the United States, actively contributing to
the stabilization of South Central Europe;

Whereas NATO’s Membership
Action Plan, which was launched in April 1999, is a program of assistance
that provides both goals and a roadmap for countries aspiring to
NATO membership;

Whereas Croatia was invited
into the Membership Action Plan in May 2002 and has made substantial
progress in attaining the necessary level of reforms required for
receiving an invitation to start accession talks with NATO;

Whereas the United States,
Croatia, Albania, and Macedonia are signatories to the United States-Adriatic
Charter, which promotes Euro-Atlantic integration and commits the
signatory nations to the values and principles of NATO and to joining
the Alliance at the earliest possible time;

Whereas
Croatia’s cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) has improved significantly and Prime
Minister Ivo Sanader has affirmed the Government of Croatia’s commitment
to cooperate fully and take all necessary steps to ensure that the
remaining indictee is located and transferred to the ICTY;

Whereas on October 3,
2005, the European Union decided to open accession negotiations
with Croatia based on the assessment of its Council of Ministers
that Croatia met the political and economic criteria for candidacy
in the European Union, including that Croatia was fully cooperating
with the ICTY;

Whereas Croatia has sent
troops to Afghanistan as part of the NATO-led International Security
Assistance Force (ISAF) in support of the war against terrorism
and has endorsed and is participating in the Proliferation Security
Initiative with like-minded nations across the world to prevent
the flow of weapons of mass destruction, missile systems, and related
material; and

Whereas Croatia shares
the common interests and values of the free and democratic world:
Now, therefore, be it

Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives that–

(1) the Republic of Croatia
has made significant progress since its independence in strengthening
its democratic institutions and respect for human rights and the
rule of law;

(2) Croatia should be
commended for its progress in meeting the political, economic, military,
and other requirements of NATO’s Membership Action Plan, its contribution
to the global war on terrorism, and for its constructive participation
in the United States-Adriatic Charter;

(3) the
Government of Croatia should be commended for the significant improvement
in its cooperation with the International Criminal Tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) and it should continue to take all
necessary steps to ensure that the remaining indictee is located
and transferred to the ICTY;

(4) Croatia would make
a significant contribution to NATO; and

(5) with complete satisfaction
of NATO guidelines and criteria for membership, Croatia should be
invited to be a full member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
at the earliest possible date.

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