S.Res. 411 — Introduced in Senate

III 113th CONGRESS 2d Session S. RES. 411 IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES April 3, 2014 Mr. Inhofe (for himself, Mrs. Fischer, Mr. Coburn, Mr. Kirk, Mr. Johnson of Wisconsin, Mr. Chambliss, and Mr. Rubio) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations RESOLUTION Expressing the sense of the Senate with respect to the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the Republic of Moldova. Whereas, since 1992, the Republic of Moldova has been recognized by the international community and the United Nations; Whereas, on March 3, 2014, the United States Government reaffirmed the United States’ strong support for Moldovan sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognized borders; Whereas the annexation of Crimea and violation of Ukrainian territorial integrity by the Russian Federation on the false premise of defending Russians and Russian speakers abroad violates the principles of sovereignty and territorial integrity; Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has threatened to use its supply of energy resources as a means of intimidation in order to influence the Government of Moldova; Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation has been actively issuing Russian passports to the residents of Transnistria; Whereas the Government of the Russian Federation maintains a contingent of Russian troops and a stockpile of Russian military equipment and ammunition within the Moldovan territory of Transnistria; Whereas the Council of Europe, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and the Government of Moldova have called upon the Government of the Russian Federation to remove its troops from the territory of Moldova; Whereas, at the 1999 Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, the Russian Federation committed to complete withdrawal of its military forces from the territory of the Republic of Moldova; Whereas Moldova has been a participant in NATO’s Partnership for Peace Program and has deployed military personnel in support of the NATO-led mission in Kosovo; and Whereas the stability and economic vitality of the Eastern European region is in the national interest of the United States: Now, therefore, be it That the Senate— (1) affirms 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; (2) calls upon the Government of the Russian Federation to take steps to remove its military forces and materiel from within the internationally recognized territory of the Republic of Moldova; (3) supports constructive engagement and confidence-building measures between the Government of Moldova and the authorities in Transnistria in order to secure a peaceful resolution to the conflict; (4) expresses its belief that finding a lasting resolution to the Transnistria issue can only be accomplished by ensuring the freedom of the Government and the people of Moldova to determine their own future without external pressure or coercion; (5) urges the President to consider increasing security and intelligence cooperation with the Government of Moldova; and (6) affirms that lasting stability in Europe is a key priority for the United States and that it can only be achieved if the territorial integrity and sovereignty of all parties is respected.