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year, many of which the internal security forces dispersed forcibly";

Whereas hundreds of Lebanese civilians are believed to have been killed or "disappeared" by Syrian occupation forces or its secret police;

Whereas hundreds of Kurdish civilians were injured or killed in clashes with the Syrian authorities that began on March 12, 2004, in Qamishli, a city in northeastern Syria and, according to Syrian Kurdish sources, security forces used live ammunition against unarmed civilians; and

Whereas human rights and democracy groups in Syria have sponsored a petition urging greater freedoms and the release of all political prisoners, which has garnered more than 6,000 signatures: Now, therefore, be it

Strike all after the resolved clause and insert the fol

lowing:

1 That Congress—

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(1) condemns the consistent pattern of gross violations of internationally recognized human rights by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic;

(2) calls on the international community to adopt a resolution at the upcoming session of the United Nations General Assembly which details the dismal human rights record of Syria;

(3) expresses its support for the people of Syria in their daily struggle for freedom, respect for

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human rights and civil liberties, democratic self-governance, and the establishment of the rule of law;

(4) encourages the President and the Secretary of State to reach out to dissidents, human rights activists, and the nonviolent democratic opposition in Syria, and to assist them in their efforts; and

(5) urges the adoption and pursuit of these and other policies to seek a democratic government in Syria that will

(A) bring freedom and democracy to the people of Syria;

(B) cease the illegal occupation by Syria of the Lebanese Republic;

(C) abandon support for terrorism by Syria; and

(D) live in peace and security with the international community.

Amend the title so as to read: "Resolution expressing the grave concern of Congress regarding the continuing gross violations of human rights and civil liberties of the Syrian and Lebanese people by the Government of the Syrian Arab Republic.".

IV

108TH CONGRESS 2D SESSION

H. RES. 615

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of full membership of Israel in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) at the United Nations.

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

APRIL 30, 2004

Ms. ROS-LEHTINEN (for herself, Mr. BLUNT, Mr. LANTOS, Mr. PENCE, Mrs. JO ANN DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. McCOTTER, Mr. CROWLEY, and Mr. ACKERMAN) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Relations

RESOLUTION

Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives in support of full membership of Israel in the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) at the United Nations.

Whereas the election of member states of the United Nations to the major bodies of the United Nations is determined explicitly on a regional basis;

Whereas Israel has been refused admission to the Asia geographical region of the United Nations-the only member state of the United Nations that remains outside its appropriate geographical region-and therefore cannot be elected to any major body of the United Nations, is precluded from voting in any United Nations major body,

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except the General Assembly, and is thus denied full participation in the day-to-day work of the United Nations; Whereas according to current United Nations procedures the Bureau of every United Nations conference is comprised of one representative from each geographical region of the United Nations and Israel is therefore denied access to this vital apparatus enjoyed by other United Nations member states;

Whereas on May 30, 2000, Israel accepted an invitation to become a temporary member of the Western European and Others Group (WEOG) at the United Nations;

Whereas Israel's membership in the Western European and Others Group is limited and, as such, Israel is not allowed to compete for open seats in the United Nations body and Israeli representatives are not allowed to run for positions in major bodies of the United Nations or United Nations-affiliated agencies, such as the United Nations Commission on Human Rights and the Security Council;

Whereas Israel is only allowed to participate in limited activities of the Western European and Others Group in the New York office of the United Nations, is excluded from discussions and consultations of the Group at the United Nations offices in Geneva, Nairobi, Rome, and Vienna, and therefore, cannot participate in United Nations conferences on human rights, racism, and a number of other issues handled in these forums;

Whereas membership in the regional bloc of the Western European and Others Group includes the non-European countries of Canada, Australia, and the United States;

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Whereas Israel is linked to Western European and Others Group member states by strong economic, political, and cultural ties;

Whereas the Western European and Others Group is the only regional group which is not purely geographical but rather comprised of countries which share a Western democratic tradition; and

Whereas Israel is a free and democratic country and its voting pattern in the United Nations is consistent with that of the Western European and Others Group member states: Now, therefore, be it

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Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Rep

2 resentatives that

[blocks in formation]

(1) the President should direct the United States Permanent Representative to the United Nations to seek an immediate end to the persistent and deplorable inequality experienced by Israel in the United Nations;

(2) United States interests would be well served

if Israel were afforded the benefits of full member

ship in the Western European and Others Group

(WEOG) at the United Nations so that it could fully

participate in the United Nations system;

(3) in accordance with section 405(a) of division C of H.R. 1950, as passed the House of Representatives on July 16, 2003, "the Secretary of

State and other appropriate officials of the United

•HRES 615 IH

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