III 

112TH CONGRESS 

2D SESSION S. RES. 486 

Condemning the PKK and expressing solidarity with Turkey. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 7, 2012 

Mr. LIEBERMAN (for himself, Mr. MCCAIN, Mrs. SHAHEEN, and Mr. RUBIO) 

submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the Committee 

on Foreign Relations 

RESOLUTION 

Condemning the PKK and expressing solidarity with Turkey. 

Whereas, since 1984, the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), 

also known as the Kongra-Gel, has waged a campaign of 

violence and terrorism against the people and Government of Turkey; 

Whereas it is estimated that at least 30,000 people have been 

killed in PKK-associated violence since 1984; 

Whereas the United States Government designated the PKK 

as a Foreign Terrorist Organization in 1997, as a Specially Designated Global Terrorist in 2001, and a Significant Foreign Narcotics Trafficker in 2008; 

Whereas, in 2010 and 2011, the Department of the Treasury 

designated the top leaders of the PKK/Kongra-Gel as 

Significant Foreign Narcotics Traffickers, including the 


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•SRES 486 IS 

head of the PKK/Kongra-Gel Murat Karayilan and senior 

leaders Ali Riza Altun and Zubayir Aydar; 

Whereas, in 2004, the Council of the European Union added 

the PKK to its list of terrorist organizations; 

Whereas President George W. Bush in October 2007 characterized the PKK as a ‘‘common enemy’’ of the United 

States and Turkey, saying of the PKK, ‘‘It’s an enemy 

to Turkey, it’s an enemy to Iraq, it’s an enemy to people 

who want to live in peace.’’; 

Whereas President Barack Obama in April 2009 stated that, 

‘‘Iraq, Turkey, and the United States face a common 

threat from terrorism. . . . And that includes the PKK’’; 

Whereas the Government of Turkey, under Prime Minister 

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has begun to take historic steps 

to resolve sources of grievance among Kurds in Turkey 

that are exploited by the PKK; 

Whereas the PKK has a safe haven in the Qandil Mountains 

of northern Iraq where many PKK fighters are currently 

based; 

Whereas the Government of Turkey has been developing and 

deepening diplomatic, economic, and strategic ties with 

the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq; 

Whereas Prime Minister Erdogan on April 20, 2012, stated, 

‘‘The stance of the Turkish state is clear: once [the 

PKK] lay down their arms, it is [our stance] to completely stop military operations’’; 

Whereas Masoud Barzani, President of the Kurdistan Regional Government in northern Iraq, stated on April 20, 

2012, ‘‘The PKK should lay down its arms. . . . If the 

PKK goes ahead with weapons, it will bear the consequences.’’; 


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•SRES 486 IS 

Whereas the PKK has support networks in countries in Europe, which engage in illicit and deceptive activities to facilitate PKK recruitment, financing, logistical support, 

training, and propaganda, including satellite television 

broadcasting and print media that support the PKK’s 

violent terrorist agenda; 

Whereas, according to the 2011 EU Terrorism Situation and 

Trend Report, published by the European Police Office 

(EUPOL), the PKK is ‘‘actively involved in money laundering, illicit drugs and human trafficking, as well as illegal immigration inside and outside the EU,’’ and 

fundraises in the EU ‘‘using labels like ‘donations’ and 

‘membership fees’, but are in fact extortion and illegal 

taxation’’; 

Whereas the Europe-based satellite television channel, Roj 

TV, was banned from broadcasting in Germany by the 

German Interior Ministry in 2008 and, in January 2012, 

convicted by a court in Denmark for ‘‘promoting terrorism’’ as an undeclared propaganda arm of the PKK; 

Whereas PKK-affiliated television channels continue to operate in European countries, including Sweden, Norway, 

and Denmark; 

Whereas Turkey since 1952 has been a member of the North 

Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO); 

Whereas the armed forces of Turkey and the United States 

have served together as allies during the Korean War, in 

Kosovo, in Afghanistan, and in the 2011 NATO intervention in Libya, Operation Unified Protector; 

Whereas President George W. Bush said of Turkey, ‘‘[Turkey’s] success is vital to a future of progress and peace 

in Europe and in the broader Middle East—and the ReVerDate Mar 15 2010 01:03 Jun 08, 2012 Jkt 019200 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6300 E:\BILLS\SR486.IS SR486

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•SRES 486 IS 

public of Turkey can depend on the support and friendship of the United States’’; and 

Whereas President Obama said of Turkey, ‘‘Turkey is a critical ally. Turkey is an important part of Europe. And 

Turkey and the United States must stand together, and 

work together, to overcome the challenges of our time’’: 

Now, therefore, be it 

1 Resolved, That the Senate— 

2 (1) condemns the continued campaign of ter3 rorism by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) and 

4 expresses solidarity with the victims of PKK vio5 lence; 

6 (2) reaffirms that the PKK is a common enemy 

7 of the United States and Turkey, and all responsible 

8 countries and governments in the world; 

9 (3) urges the PKK to lay down its arms, re10 nounce violence, and pursue peaceful dialogue with 

11 the Government of Turkey; 

12 (4) commends the historic steps taken by the 

13 Government of Turkey to address the sources of 

14 grievance and alienation that have been exploited by 

15 the PKK to justify acts of terrorism; 

16 (5) welcomes efforts by the United States Gov17 ernment to support the Government of Turkey in de18 veloping and implementing a comprehensive strategy 

19 to eliminate the threat posed by the PKK; 


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•SRES 486 IS 

1 (6) encourages the United States Government 

2 to make available diplomatic, military, and intel3 ligence support to the Government of Turkey so that 

4 it can apprehend or eliminate irreconcilable violent 

5 elements of the PKK; 

6 (7) applauds the deepening economic and polit7 ical ties between the Government of Turkey and the 

8 Kurdistan Regional Government in Iraq; 

9 (8) supports greater cooperation between and 

10 among the relevant authorities in Turkey, the 

11 United States, the Iraqi Kurdistan Region, and Iraq 

12 to end the PKK sanctuary in the Qandil Mountains 

13 of northern Iraq; 

14 (9) urges increased intelligence and counterter15 rorism cooperation among the governments of the 

16 United States, Turkey, Germany, and other coun17 tries in Europe to disrupt and eliminate PKK sup18 port networks based in Europe, including PKK fi19 nancing and fundraising; and 

20 (10) urges the European Union and govern21 ments in Europe— 

22 (A) to take measures to ensure the PKK 

23 cannot use their territories for fundraising, re24 cruitment, financing, logistical support, train25 ing, and propaganda; and 


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1 (B) to ban and prevent from operating on 

2 their territory any media, including satellite 

3 broadcasting stations, that is financed, con4 trolled, or coordinated by the PKK or that pro5 motes the PKK’s violent terrorist agenda. 

Æ 


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