117 HRES 833 IH: Expressing support for Moldova’s democracy, independence, and territorial integrity and strengthening United States and Moldova relations.
U.S. House of Representatives
2021-12-02
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IV
117th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 833
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
December 2, 2021
Mr. Price of North Carolina (for himself and Mr. Pfluger) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and in addition to the Committee on Ways and Means, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
RESOLUTION
Expressing support for Moldova’s democracy, independence, and territorial integrity and strengthening United States and Moldova relations.
Whereas August 27, 2021, marks 30 years of the Republic of Moldova’s independence;
Whereas the United States established diplomatic relations with Moldova on February 18, 1992, and the 2 countries have since enjoyed expanded and positive relations;
Whereas, since Moldova’s independence in 1991, the United States has supported the people of Moldova’s efforts to build a prosperous European democracy;
Whereas Moldova and the United States have partnered to support the people of Moldova with $1,700,000,000 in assistance to help the country improve security and realize their democratic aspirations;
Whereas the United States and Moldova further strengthened their partnership through the launching of the inaugural Strategic Dialogue on March 3, 2014;
Whereas the Strategic Dialogue has focused on advancing shared interests in democracy, good governance, rule of law, anticorruption, energy independence, economic development, and security cooperation;
Whereas Congress and State and local communities have a history of engaging with Moldovan young leaders, civil society, and Members of Parliament through official exchanges;
Whereas Moldova has participated in Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) programs, including an MCC Threshold program completed in 2010 that resulted in significant accomplishments in the judiciary and health sectors and an MCC Compact in 2015 that invested $259,000,000 to improve the country’s road infrastructure and transition to high-value agriculture and resulted in building a main trade artery from Soroca to Chisinau;
Whereas the Republic of Moldova ratified an association agreement containing comprehensive free trade provisions with the European Union in 2014 and the agreement became fully effective in July 2016;
Whereas, in March 2020, Moldova completed a 3-year International Monetary Fund program focused on banking system reforms, financial sector governance strengthening, and macrofinancial stability, and in October 2021, reached a provisional loan agreement worth $564,000,000 over 3.3 years with the International Monetary Fund;
Whereas the United States supports Moldova’s endeavors to increase transparency and hold corrupt actors accountable, particularly efforts relating to money laundering and financial fraud and seeking appropriate redress and seizure of corrupt assets;
Whereas, in November 2020, the Moldovan people directly elected its first female President, Maia Sandu, who campaigned on fighting corruption, reinvigorating economic reforms, supporting judicial independence, revitalizing European integration efforts, and strengthening relations with the United States and the European Union;
Whereas, in July 2021, Moldova held parliamentary elections in which President Sandu’s anticorruption and reform-minded platform was overwhelmingly supported by the people of Moldova;
Whereas, since August 6, 2021, women serve as both Moldova’s head of state and head of government;
Whereas, according to the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights, the most recent elections were “well administered, competitive and fundamental freedoms were largely respected”;
Whereas the Republic of Moldova has consistently and historically carried out well-administered and competitive elections that result in nonviolent transitions of power;
Whereas the United States commends and supports the new Moldovan Government’s priorities of justice sector reform, combating corruption, creating jobs for Moldovan citizens, improving infrastructure and living standards, strengthening relationships with the West and other international partners, and combating the COVID–19 pandemic;
Whereas continued efforts to improve governance, combat corruption, and adopt domestic economic reforms will further bolster Moldova’s ability to secure loan packages from international donors such as the International Monetary Fund and the European Union;
Whereas Moldova’s main trading partner is the European Union;
Whereas, as a member of the European Union’s Eastern Partnership, Moldova’s European integration should be a high priority with the goal of eventual European Union membership;
Whereas the United States Government supports the democratic and European aspirations of the people of the Republic of Moldova, including their expressed desire to join the European Union;
Whereas, in a judgment in 2004, the European Court of Human Rights found that Moldova’s separatist region of Transnistria was created with the support of the Kremlin and considered it “under the effective authority or at least decisive influence” of the Kremlin;
Whereas the United States supports the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and on that basis participates as an observer in the “5+2” negotiations to find a comprehensive settlement that will provide a special status for Transnistria within Moldova’s internationally recognized borders;
Whereas the Kremlin maintains a contingent of military forces and a stockpile of military equipment and ammunition within the Transnistrian region constituting an occupation of Moldovan territory and a violation of Moldova’s territorial sovereignty;
Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe Mission to Moldova, and the Government of Moldova have called upon the Kremlin to remove its troops from the territory of the Republic of Moldova;
Whereas, in July 2017, the Moldovan Parliament adopted a declaration calling on the Kremlin to withdraw its troops from Moldova;
Whereas, on September 22, 2021, Moldovan President Maia Sandu addressed the United Nations General Assembly and called for the Kremlin to withdraw its troops from the Transnistrian region;
Whereas the House of Representatives and the Senate both passed by an overwhelming majority, and the President signed into law, S. 2183, providing for a United States international broadcasting programming surge to counter disinformation from Kremlin-supported news outlets and ensuring that Russian-speaking populations in Ukraine and Moldova have access to independent news and information;
Whereas Moldova has been a valued and reliable partner in promoting global security by participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions in the Central African Republic, Kosovo, and South Sudan, supporting United States efforts to increase international cooperation in combating terrorism, and providing demining units and postconflict humanitarian assistance in Iraq;
Whereas, since 1996, Moldova’s Armed Forces have participated in the United States National Guard State Partnership Program as a partner to the North Carolina National Guard;
Whereas, in 1999, the existing defense relationship between the North Carolina National Guard and the Defense Forces of Moldova led to the creation of the Moldova-North Carolina Bilateral Partnership, which has been formally renewed in 2004, 2010, 2015, and 2019, to facilitate cooperation in the areas of civil emergency operations, expansion of markets, coordination of humanitarian efforts and cultural, scientific, and academic exchanges between the State of North Carolina and Moldova;
Whereas Moldova cooperates with the North Atlantic Treaty Organization through the Partnership for Peace program, including participation in the Defense and Related Security Capacity Building Initiative, a flagship defense reform partnership focused on reforming and modernizing Moldova’s Armed Forces to improve expertise, interoperability, and peacekeeping capabilities;
Whereas the United States and the European Union and other partners have cooperated to support Moldova’s democratic aspirations and deepen European integration;
Whereas, on September 21, 2021, President Biden addressed the 76th United Nations General Assembly stating that the democratic world “lives in the proud Moldovans who helped deliver a landslide victory for the forces of democracy, with a mandate to fight graft, to build a more inclusive economy”; and
Whereas the United States provided more than $7,000,000 in assistance to Moldova for combating COVID–19, including 500,000 United States donated vaccines: Now, therefore, be it
That the House of Representatives—
(1)
recognizes the historical significance of Moldova’s independence and reaffirms the commitment of the United States on supporting the Moldovan people in their efforts to strengthen democratic governance, root out corruption, increase economic prosperity, support energy independence, and ensure stability and security;
(2)
reaffirms that it is the policy of the United States to support the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of the Republic of Moldova and the inviolability of its borders by other nation states;
(3)
supports and encourages increased activity related to the Strategic Dialogue as a means to strengthen relations between the Republic of Moldova and the United States and enhance the democratic, economic, rule of law, and security reforms already being undertaken by the Republic of Moldova;
(4)
supports the Joint Commercial Commission (JCC) between the United States and the Republic of Moldova to strengthen the bilateral trade and investment relationship between the two nations and improve Moldova’s investment climate;
(5)
supports the new Moldovan Government’s anticorruption and government reform efforts that will enhance the work of the JCC;
(6)
encourages the United States Government to engage at a leadership level to enhance United States partnerships with the Moldovan Government and civil society organizations;
(7)
urges the United States Government and European Union and other transatlantic partners to increase cooperation, coordination, and support for the Republic of Moldova for democratic transformation, economic and energy independence and security, and further integration;
(8)
encourages the State Department, United States Agency for International Development, the Development Finance Corporation, the Department of Energy, and the United States Trade Representative to increase and focus assistance on justice sector reform, strengthening democratic institutions, promoting an open and transparent government, combating COVID–19, fostering indigenous independent media and an open information environment, increasing domestic energy development, diversification of energy supplies and energy efficiency, improving transport and communication infrastructure, as well as the promotion of trade and investment opportunities, along with inclusive economic growth focusing on the rural areas beyond the capital;
(9)
recognizes the historic opportunity for the Republic of Moldova to continue efforts to implement crucial governance and economic reforms, including increasing the capacity and independence of democratic institutions, combating corruption, and maintaining open space for civil society engagement;
(10)
reaffirms the importance of free, fair, and transparent elections in Moldova;
(11)
encourages the President to expedite the implementation of Public Law 113–96, especially for populations in Ukraine and Moldova;
(12)
affirms the Republic of Moldova’s sovereign right to determine its own partnerships free of external coercion and pressure, and affirms Moldova’s right to associate with the European Union or any regional organization;
(13)
calls upon the Kremlin to fulfill its commitments made at the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe’s Istanbul summit in 1999 and to withdraw its military forces and munitions from within the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Moldova;
(14)
calls upon the Kremlin to refrain from economic threats, its disinformation campaign against western democracies, and pressure against Moldova and to cease any and all actions that support separatist movements within the territory of Moldova;
(15)
supports a results-oriented 5+2 process as the only channel for resolving the Transnistria conflict;
(16)
supports and encourages efforts to resume negotiations and resolve the Transnistria issue through a comprehensive political settlement that affirms Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while providing a special status for the Transnistrian region within Moldova;
(17)
affirms that lasting stability and security in Moldova is a key priority for the United States and that these can only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Moldova and all European countries are respected; and
(18)
celebrates the contributions that Moldovans and Moldovan Americans have made in the United States.