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[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 166 Introduced in House (IH)]

109th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 166

   Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the 
                         Ecumenical Patriarch.

_______________________________________________________________________

                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                             March 16, 2005

 Mr. Menendez (for himself, Mrs. Maloney, and Mr. Bilirakis) submitted 
   the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION

 
   Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the 
                         Ecumenical Patriarch.

Whereas Turkey is scheduled to begin accession negotiations with the European 
        Union on October 3, 2005;
Whereas in 1993 the European Union defined the membership criteria for accession 
        to the European Union at the Copenhagen European Council, obligating 
        candidate countries to have achieved certain levels of reform, including 
        stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, and 
        human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities;
Whereas under the terms of the draft European Union constitution, current and 
        prospective member states should have the goal of eliminating 
        discrimination based on any ground, such as sex, race, color, ethnic or 
        social origin, genetic features, language, religion or belief, political 
        or any other opinion, membership of a national minority, property, 
        birth, disability, age, or sexual orientation;
Whereas the Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the Ecumenical Patriarch's 
        international status;
Whereas the Government of Turkey has limited to Turkish nationals the candidates 
        available to the Holy Synod for selection as the Ecumenical Patriarch 
        and reneged on its agreement to reopen the Theological School at Halki, 
        thus impeding training for the clergy;
Whereas the Government of Turkey has confiscated 75 percent of the Ecumenical 
        Patriarchal properties and has placed a 42 percent retroactive tax on 
        the Balukli Hospital which is run by the Ecumenical Patriarchate;
Whereas in October 2004, the European Commission recommended opening accession 
        negotiations with Turkey if Turkey continued to make progress on 
        democratic and human rights reforms; and
Whereas in December 2004, the European Council agreed to open accession 
        negotiations with Turkey in October 2005, conditional upon the 
        continuation by Turkey of reform processes to increase protection and 
        support for human rights and civil liberties: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
            (1) expresses its view that Turkey must prove that it is 
        ready meet the criteria set forth by the Copenhagen European 
        Council prior to the start of accession negotiations with the 
        European Union scheduled to begin on October 3, 2005;
            (2) calls on Turkey to respect European Union laws and 
        demonstrate that it is willing to abide by such laws;
            (3) based on the goals set forth in the draft European 
        Union constitution, calls on Turkey to eliminate all forms of 
        discrimination, particularly those based on race or religion, 
        and immediately--
                    (A) grant the Ecumenical Patriarch appropriate 
                international recognition and ecclesiastic succession;
                    (B) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate the right to 
                train clergy of all nationalities, not just Turkish 
                nationals; and
                    (C) respect property rights and human rights of the 
                Ecumenical Patriarchate;
            (4) calls on Turkey to pledge to uphold and safeguard 
        religious and human rights without compromise; and
            (5) encourages Turkey to continue the advancement of 
        processes and programs to modernize and democratize its own 
        society.
                                 <all>
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