,,iii  #aacth ,,congress  #ast ,session 
,s4 ,,res4 #cag  ,,in ,,the ,,senate    
,,of ,,the ,,united ,,states  ,december 
#aa1 #bjac,mr4 ,sessions 7for himself   
and ,mrs4 ,shaheen7 submitted the       
following resolution2 which was referred
 to the ,committee on ,foreign          
,relations  ,,resolution  ,expressing   
the sense of the ,senate on the         
continuing relationship between the     
,united ,states and ,georgia4  ,whereas 
,georgia is a highly valued partner of  
the ,united ,states and has repeatedly  
demonstrated its commitment to advancing
 the mutual interests of both countries1
 including through the deployment of    
,georgian forces as part of the         
,,nato-led ,international ,security     
,assistance ,force 7,,isaf7 in          
,afghanistan1 where ,georgia is         
currently the largest non-,,nato        
contributor and serving without caveats 
in ,helmand ,province1 and the          
,multi-,national ,force in ,iraq2       
,whereas1 contrary to international law 

and the #bjjh ceasefire agreement       
between ,russia and ,georgia1 ,russian  
forces have constructed barriers1       
including barbed wire and fences1 along 
the administrative boundary line for the
 ,south ,ossetia region of ,georgia2    
,whereas this borderization is          
inconsistent with ,russia's             
international commitments under the     
,august #bjjh ceasefire agreement1 is   
contrary to ,georgia's sovereignty and  
territorial integrity1 creates hardship 
and significant negative impacts for    
populations on both sides of these      
barriers1 and is detrimental to         
long-term conflict resolution2 ,whereas 
the peaceful transfer of power as the   
result of the ,october #bjab            
parliamentary elections in ,georgia     
represents a major accomplishment toward
 the creation by the people of ,georgia 
of a free society and full democracy2   
,whereas the ,presidential election of  
,october #bjac marks another step in    
this transition to a free and open      

democracy in ,georgia2 ,whereas         
international election observers from   
the ,organization for ,security and     
,co-operation in ,europe 7,,osce7       
concluded that the election was         
efficiently administered1 transparent1  
and took place in an amicable and       
constructive environment '''4           
,fundamental freedoms of expression1    
movement and assembly were respected1   
and candidates were able to campaign    
without restriction4 ''' ,a wide range  
of views and information was made       
available to voters through the media1  
providing candidates with a platform to 
present their programmes and opinions   
freely2 ,whereas such election conduct  
is consistent with actions that         
demonstrate progress toward a mature and
 free democracy2 and ,whereas1 on       
,november #bi1 #bjac1 ,georgia initialed
 an ,association ,agreement with the    
,european ,union 7,,eu71 making ,georgia
 a member of the ,deep and              
,comprehensive ,free ,trade ,area1      

removing significant trade restrictions 
with the ,european ,union1 and          
signifying an important preliminary step
 towards the signing and eventual       
implementation of the ,association      
,agreement by all ,european ,union      
members states and ,georgia3 ,now1      
therefore1 be it ,that the ,senate--    
7#a7 declares that the ,united ,states  
supports the sovereignty1 independence1 
and territorial integrity of ,georgia   
and the inviolability of its            
internationally recognized borders1 and 
expresses concerns over the continued   
occupation of the ,georgian regions of  
,abkhazia and ,south ,ossetia by the    
,russian ,federation2  7#b7 encourages  
the ,president to enhance defense       
cooperation efforts with ,georgia2  7#c7
 supports the efforts of the ,government
 of ,georgia to protect its government1 
people1 sovereignty1 and territorial    
integrity within its internationally    
recognized borders2  7#d7 reaffirms its 
support for ,georgia's ,,nato membership

 aspirations1 congratulates the         
,government of ,georgia on the steps it 
has taken to further its integration    
with ,,nato1 and commends the           
determination of the ,government of     
,georgia to maintain its troop          
contribution to ,international ,security
 ,assistance ,force and its willingness 
to extend its mission in ,afghanistan   
beyond #bjad2  7#e7 congratulates the   
,government and people of ,georgia on   
the ,presidential election of ,october  
#bg1 #bjac1 commends the ,government and
 people of ,georgia on a peaceful and   
democratic transfer of power1 and       
encourages all parties to work together 
constructively to maintain continued    
movement toward a free and democratic   
society2  7#f7 strongly encourages the  
,government of ,georgia to defend the   
rule of law1 improve the independence of
 the judiciary1 and protect the rights  
of political opposition--all essential  
components of a free and open democracy 
and which can and should be demonstrated

 in the upcoming #bjad local elections2 
7#g7 strongly supports a ,united ,states
 and international election monitoring  
mission for this final phase of         
,georgia's election cycle2  7#h7 further
 encourages the ,government of ,georgia 
to refrain from politically motivated   
arrests and prosecutions2  7#i7 affirms 
that the path to lasting stability in   
this region is through peaceful means   
and long-term diplomatic and political  
dialogue2 and  7#aj7 remains committed  
to assisting the people of ,georgia in  
their efforts to establish an enduring  
democratic society with strong          
institutions within the rule of law4