IV
104TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. RES. 124
Condemning Turkey’s illegal invasion of northern Iraq.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MARCH 30, 1995
Mr. PORTER (for himself, Mr. SMITH of New Jersey, Mr. CARDIN, Ms.
FURSE, Mr. PALLONE, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. ZIMMER, Mr. HORN, and Mr.
HOYER) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on International Relations
RESOLUTION
Condemning Turkey’s illegal invasion of northern Iraq.
Whereas, as a signatory to the Charter of the United Na-
tions, the Government of Turkey is obligated to maintain
international peace and security, to develop friendly rela-
tions among states based on respect for the principle of
equal rights and self-determination of peoples, and to
achieve international cooperation through the promotion
and encouragement of respect for human rights and fun-
damental freedoms for all;
Whereas the Government of Turkey, as a party to the Inter-
national Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the
International Covenant on Economic, Social, and Cul-
tural Rights, has made additional and firm commitments
to observe and uphold the rights of all peoples;
•HRES 124 IH
Whereas, as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organi-
zation, the Government of Turkey undertook to refrain in
international relations from the threat or use of force in
any manner inconsistent with the purposes of the United
Nations;
Whereas, as a member of the Organization for Security and
Cooperation in Europe, Turkey is obliged to respect the
territorial integrity of other states, and to support the
human rights, fundamental freedoms and the self-deter-
mination of peoples;
Whereas, on March 21, 1995, more than 35,000 Turkish
military troops, with tanks, armored personnel carriers,
and air support, began an invasion of northern Iraq;
Whereas the Government of Turkey declares that the inva-
sion is in response to acts of terrorism by the Kurdistan
Workers Party, also known as the PKK, and constitutes
the hot pursuit of terrorists;
Whereas reports indicate that the Turkish army has pene-
trated 25 miles into Iraq along a 150-mile front, and
that hundreds of ethnic Kurds have been killed thus far;
Whereas independent international observers claim that some
of those killed are innocent civilians, and accuse Turkey
of torturing prisoners, and of forcibly evacuating and de-
stroying villages;
Whereas United States Government officials have suggested
that Turkey’s invasion could last more than three weeks
in duration;
Whereas, in scope, scale and duration, Turkey’s invasion of
Iraqi Kurdistan appears to be an illegal act of aggression
and inconsistent with Turkey’s obligations under the
United Nations Charter;
•HRES 124 IH
Whereas Turkey’s actions jeopardize United States and inter-
national efforts under Operation Provide Comfort in
northern Iraq, and threaten the provision of vital human-
itarian assistance by nongovernmental organizations to
the Kurds;
Whereas the United States Department of State reports that
the general human rights situation in Turkey ‘‘worsened
significantly’’ in 1994, and that in many human rights
cases, the specific ‘‘targets of abuse were ethnic Kurds or
their supporters’’;
Whereas, according to the United States Government, specific
violations of human rights by the Government of Turkey
in its campaign against the PKK include the illegal use
of torture, excessive force, and political and extrajudicial
killings of non-combatants; and
Whereas the Government of Turkey and the European Union
signed a customs union agreement on March 6, 1995,
subject to the ratification of the European Parliament:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives—
(1) condemns Turkey’s invasion of northern
Iraq as an illegal act of aggression and violation of
international law, inconsistent with Turkey’s obliga-
tions under the Charter of the United Nations, the
North Atlantic Treaty, and other international
agreements;
(2) calls upon the President of the United
States to express strong United States opposition to
Turkey’s invasion of northern Iraq;
•HRES 124 IH
(3) urges the United States at the United Na-
tions Security Council to condemn Turkey’s illegal
act of aggression and bring about an immediate and
unconditional withdrawal;
(4) denounces Turkey’s consistent pattern of
human rights violations against ethnic Kurds;
(5) condemns all acts of terror, including those
by PKK forces against Turkish civilian, military and
other targets;
(6) supports the maintenance of Operation Pro-
vide Comfort and the continuation of other non-
governmental humanitarian assistance for the Kurds
of northern Iraq; and
(7) urges the European Parliament to reject the
ratification of the proposed customs union agree-
ment between the Government of Turkey and the
European Union unless the Government of Turkey
complies with international human rights standards.
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