I 

109TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION H. R. 3103 

To direct the Secretary of State to submit a report outlining the steps 

taken and plans made by the United States to end Turkey’s blockade 

of Armenia. 

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 

JUNE 29, 2005 

Mr. SCHIFF (for himself and Mr. PALLONE) introduced the following bill; 

which was referred to the Committee on International Relations 

A BILL 

To direct the Secretary of State to submit a report outlining 

the steps taken and plans made by the United States 

to end Turkey’s blockade of Armenia. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 

4 This Act may be cited as the ‘‘End the Turkish 

5 Blockade of Armenia Act’’. 

6 SEC. 2. REPORT RELATING TO THE TURKISH-ARMENIAN 

7 BORDER. 

8 (a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following: 
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1 (1) United States policy toward Turkey and the 

2 south Caucasus has prioritized security, conflict res3 olution, ensuring open borders and commercial cor4 ridors, and regional cooperation. 

5 (2) Turkey’s ongoing blockade of Armenia does 

6 not promote regional security and prosperity, there7 by undermining the short-term and long-term policy 

8 objectives of the United States. 

9 (3) The Department of State has estimated 

10 that the blockade is inflating Armenia’s transpor11 tation costs by between 30 and 35 percent, thereby 

12 stifling its trade and economy. 

13 (4) Turkey’s blockade of Armenia has prevented 

14 United States and international humanitarian assist15 ance from crossing its borders, which is a violation 

16 of United States law, international human rights 

17 and humanitarian standards, and Turkey’s commit18 ments to the Organization for Security and Coopera19 tion in Europe (OSCE). 

20 (5) Turkey is the only Council of Europe (CE) 

21 country and NATO member to engage in a blockade 

22 against a fellow CE country and has been repeatedly 

23 urged by the European Union (EU) to open the last 

24 closed border of Europe. 
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1 (6) United States, Turkish, NATO–Partnership 

2 for Peace, and EU security and economic interests 

3 depend on Turkey immediately and unconditionally 

4 lifting its ongoing twelve-year blockade of Armenia. 

5 (7) The removal of all blockades and border clo6 sures in and adjacent to the countries of the south 

7 Caucasus will provide positive incentives for United 

8 States private investment, increased trade with the 

9 West, and other forms of economic and political 

10 interactions with the global community. 

11 (8) By lifting its blockade of Armenia, Turkey 

12 will be playing a constructive role in continuing the 

13 development of infrastructure necessary for regional 

14 communications, transportation, energy, and trade 

15 on an East-West axis. 

16 (9) If there is to be a resolution of conflicts in 

17 the region and a reduction of tensions along borders, 

18 it is essential that this destructive blockade be lifted. 

19 (b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con20 gress that the President and Secretary of State should call 

21 upon Turkey to comply with the long-standing position of 

22 the United States that in order to restore economic, polit23 ical, and cultural links with Armenia, Turkey should im24 mediately lift its ongoing blockade with Armenia. 
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1 (c) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the date 

2 of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 

3 submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re4 port that outlines the steps taken and plans made by the 

5 United States to end Turkey’s blockade of Armenia. 

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