SR0447 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0447 LRB093 21436 KEF 48193 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Senate of the State of Illinois recognize and honor the 751st year of Lithuania's statehood, and the 86th year of Lithuania's independence as a democracy which was established on February 16, 1918, in Lithuania's historic capital, Vilnius; and

WHEREAS, Lithuania has made significant progress in developing a stable democracy and free market economy during the 14 years since it overthrew, through a peaceful democratic movement, an illegal foreign occupation by the former Soviet Union; and

WHEREAS, The United States never recognized the forced incorporation and illegal annexation of Lithuania by the former Soviet Union in June, 1940, and continued to maintain diplomatic relations with the legal representatives of independent Lithuania; and

WHEREAS, Lithuania has received invitations and is expected to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a defensive alliance of Western democracies, in May of 2004, as well as the European Union, a common market of Western democracies; and

WHEREAS, Lithuanian military units are serving together with American troops in Afghanistan and Iraq as allies in the war on global terrorism; and in Bosnia and Kosovo in peacekeeping missions; and

WHEREAS, The government and parliament of the Russian Federation have consistently opposed Lithuania's re-integration with Western democracies and encumbered Lithuanian-Russian relations by refusing to ratify border treaties, demanding visa-free travel through Lithuania's territory for both civilian and military traffic, undermining Lithuania's full participation in NATO by opposing the basing of NATO troops and equipment on Lithuania's territory, for a very considerable time denying Lithuania's Mazeikiu Nafta oil refinery a reliable supply of crude oil, and imposing double tariffs on Lithuanian imports; and

WHEREAS, The partially-privatized Russian oil company, LUKoil, and the Russian government refuse to open their oil drilling site in the Baltic Sea 22 km off the coast of Lithuania, known as "D-6", to international inspection, and refuse to cooperate with the Lithuanian government in developing an effective plan to minimize the effects of the United States military personnel as part of a broader NATO commitment; we urge Russia to adopt a more cooperative policy towards Lithuania and its ally, the United States; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE NINETY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we urge the government of the Russian Federation and the Russian oil company LUKoil to open up its drilling site in the Baltic Sea, known as D-6, off the coast of Lithuania for inspection by international organizations and Lithuanian authorities, and to develop a comprehensive plan with Lithuania and other concerned states to deal with any environmental pollution caused by the oil drilling and production at the site; and be it further

RESOLVED, That we urge government officials, the judiciary, and the media in Lithuania to address the current political crisis surrounding the office of the President in Lithuania in a forthright and transparent manner that will serve to strengthen democratic institutions and the rule of law in Lithuania; and be it further

RESOLVED, That suitable copies of this resolution be presented to President George W. Bush, each member of the Illinois congressional delegation, the embassies of Lithuania and the Russian Federation, and to the national office of the Lithuanian-American Community, Inc.