Voicing concern about the serious limitations on human rights and civil liberties in Belarus, including lack of compliance with Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) commitments, and urging the President to take these into consideration in his determination of most-favored-nation (MFN) status for Belarus.
Declares that the Congress: (1) voices its concern about the current limitations on human rights and civil liberties in Belarus, and calls upon its government to follow the principles embodied in the 1994 constitution and abide by its commitments under the Helsinki Final Act (including subsequent agreements of the Organization on Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other international commitments); (2) urges the Belarusian President to restore the rights of the Supreme Soviet; (3) urges the President, the Secretary of State, the U.S. Embassy in Miensk, and the U.S. missions to the United Nations and the OSCE to utilize every opportunity to encourage the Government of Belarus to respect its international human rights commitments, including OSCE principles and norms; (4) welcomes the work of the OSCE Advisory and Monitoring Group in assisting in the development of democratic institutions in Belarus; and (5) urges the President not to renew the extension of nondiscriminatory treatment (most-favored-nation treatment) to the products of Belarus if there is not sufficient improvement in its human rights record.
Referred to the Subcommittee on International Operations and Human Rights.