U.S. Congressmen Introduce Bipartisan Resolution on Georgia

A group of eight U.S. Congressmen, including Ted Poe and Gerry Connolly, Co-Chairmen of the House Georgia Caucus, introduced a bipartisan resolution regarding Ukraine, Georgia and Moldova into the House of Representatives on June 20, reaffirming the United States support to three countries’ efforts “to retain political sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

The proposed resolution notes that Abkhazia and Tskhinvali Region/South Ossetia, “one-fifth of Georgia’s sovereign territory, remain under Russian occupation,” and calls for the withdrawal of “all personnel and equipment belonging to Russian security and armed forces” from the territory of Georgia.

The draft resolution also calls on the Russian Federation to “immediately cease its military support to illegal paramilitary units” and to cease its “destabilizing activities” in the two occupied regions.

The Congressmen then express support to enhanced cooperation between the U.S. and Georgia to assist in “strengthening their capacity to resist the destabilizing activities of the Russian Federation, including in areas of defense and security,” and call on the U.S. government and other international actors “to continue to pressure” the Russian government “to uphold its international obligations.”

The document also reaffirms the U.S. support towards the country’s integration into the European Union, and calls upon the U.S. Department of State “to engage in a dialogue” with Georgia “on best practices to combat Russian meddling” in it democratic processes.

The draft resolution comes two days after the U.S. Senate passed the U.S. National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2019, underscoring the U.S. support to robust “security assistance for Georgia, including defensive lethal assistance,” aimed at strengthening its defense capabilities and readiness, as well as the interoperability with NATO forces.

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