February 11, 2019 - Issue: Vol. 165, No. 26 — Daily Edition116th Congress (2019 - 2020) - 1st Session

[Pages S1168-S1169]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  SENATE RESOLUTION 65--CONGRATULATING THE HELLENIC REPUBLIC AND THE 
 REPUBLIC OF NORTH MACEDONIA ON RATIFICATION OF THE PRESPA AGREEMENT, 
  WHICH RESOLVES A LONG-STANDING BILATERAL DISPUTE AND ESTABLISHES A 
             STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE 2 COUNTRIES

  Mr. JOHNSON (for himself, Mrs. Shaheen, Mr. Risch, Mr. Murphy, Mr. 
Tillis, Mr. Coons, Mr. Barrasso, Mr. Gardner, Mr. Rubio, Mr. Cramer, 
and Mr. Enzi) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
the Committee on Foreign Relations:

                               S. Res. 65

       Whereas, in 2017, Prime Minister of the Hellenic Republic 
     Alexis Tsipras and Prime Minister of the Republic of 
     Macedonia Zoran Zaev displayed great political courage and 
     leadership by intensifying efforts to resolve a nearly 30-
     year dispute between the 2 countries;
       Whereas, on June 17, 2018, the foreign ministers of the 
     Hellenic Republic and the Republic of Macedonia signed the 
     Prespa Agreement, in which, subject to ratification by the 
     parliament of each country, both parties agreed that the 
     official name of the Republic of Macedonia would be changed 
     to the Republic of North Macedonia;
       Whereas, on September 30, 2018, the Republic of Macedonia 
     held a consultative referendum on the proposed name change in 
     which over 90 percent of those voting supported joining the 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization (referred to in this 
     preamble as ``NATO'') and the European Union (referred to in 
     this preamble as the ``EU'') by accepting the Prespa 
     Agreement;
       Whereas, on January 11, 2019, the Assembly of the Republic 
     of Macedonia, in accordance with the Prespa Agreement, 
     approved constitutional amendments to change the name of the 
     country to the Republic of North Macedonia;
       Whereas, on January 25, 2019, the Hellenic Parliament 
     ratified the Prespa Agreement, pledging not to object to the 
     Republic of North Macedonia joining international 
     organizations, including NATO and the EU;
       Whereas the Hellenic Republic is an important ally of the 
     United States, hosting United States Naval Support Activity 
     Souda Bay on the island of Crete in the Mediterranean Sea;
       Whereas the Hellenic Republic has been a NATO member since 
     1952, and has faithfully met the 2 percent of gross domestic 
     product defense-spending goal established at the 2014 Wales 
     NATO Summit;
       Whereas the Republic of Macedonia made important 
     contributions to the United States-led Operation Iraqi 
     Freedom and to the International Security Assistance Force of 
     NATO in Afghanistan;
       Whereas the Republic of North Macedonia continues to 
     provide soldiers to the Resolute Support Mission of NATO in 
     Afghanistan;
       Whereas the Republic of Macedonia joined NATO's Partnership 
     for Peace in 1995, commenced a NATO Membership Action Plan in 
     1999, fulfilled the terms necessary for accession to NATO by 
     the 2008 Bucharest Summit, and was invited, in 2018, to begin 
     NATO accession talks;
       Whereas the Republic of Macedonia was the first western 
     Balkan country to sign a Stabilization and Association 
     Agreement with the EU, and became an official candidate to 
     join the EU in 2005;

[[Page S1169]]

       Whereas, in June 2018, the European Council set out the 
     path toward opening EU accession negotiations with the 
     Republic of Macedonia; and
       Whereas the resolution of the naming dispute between the 
     Hellenic Republic and the Republic of North Macedonia paves 
     the way for the Republic of North Macedonia to become a 
     member of NATO and the EU: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) congratulates the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of 
     North Macedonia for resolving their nearly 30-year naming 
     disagreement;
       (2) commends the leadership and courage of Prime Minister 
     of the Hellenic Republic Alexis Tsipras and Prime Minister of 
     the Republic of North Macedonia Zoran Zaev;
       (3) asserts that the agreement between the Hellenic 
     Republic and the Republic of North Macedonia advances 
     stability, security, and prosperity in Southeast Europe;
       (4) supports the integration of the Republic of North 
     Macedonia into Euro-Atlantic institutions, including the 
     North Atlantic Treaty Organization and the European Union; 
     and
       (5) encourages other countries in the region to follow the 
     example of the Hellenic Republic and the Republic of North 
     Macedonia in peacefully resolving long-standing disputes.

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