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. 
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE. 
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘End the Turkish 
Blockade of Armenia Act’’. 
SEC. 2. REPORT RELATING TO THE TURKISH-ARMENIAN 
BORDER. 
(a) FINDINGS.—Congress finds the following:
(1) United States policy toward Turkey and the 
south Caucasus has prioritized security, conflict res-
olution, ensuring open borders and commercial cor-
ridors, and regional cooperation. 
(2) Turkey’s ongoing blockade of Armenia does 
not promote regional security and prosperity, there-
by undermining the short-term and long-term policy 
objectives of the United States. 
(3) The Department of State has estimated 
that the blockade is inflating Armenia’s transpor-
tation costs by between 30 and 35 percent, thereby 
stifling its trade and economy. 
(4) Turkey’s blockade of Armenia has prevented 
United States and international humanitarian assist-
ance from crossing its borders, which is a violation 
of United States law, international human rights 
and humanitarian standards, and Turkey’s commit-
ments to the Organization for Security and Coopera-
tion in Europe (OSCE). 
(5) Turkey is the only Council of Europe (CE) 
country and NATO member to engage in a blockade 
against a fellow CE country and has been repeatedly 
urged by the European Union (EU) to open the last 
closed border of Europe.
(6) United States, Turkish, NATO–Partnership 
for Peace, and EU security and economic interests 
depend on Turkey immediately and unconditionally 
lifting its ongoing twelve-year blockade of Armenia. 
(7) The removal of all blockades and border clo-
sures in and adjacent to the countries of the south 
Caucasus will provide positive incentives for United 
States private investment, increased trade with the 
West, and other forms of economic and political 
interactions with the global community. 
(8) By lifting its blockade of Armenia, Turkey 
will be playing a constructive role in continuing the 
development of infrastructure necessary for regional 
communications, transportation, energy, and trade 
on an East-West axis. 
(9) If there is to be a resolution of conflicts in 
the region and a reduction of tensions along borders, 
it is essential that this destructive blockade be lifted. 
(b) SENSE OF CONGRESS.—It is the sense of Con-
gress that the President and Secretary of State should call 
upon Turkey to comply with the long-standing position of 
the United States that in order to restore economic, polit-
ical, and cultural links with Armenia, Turkey should im-
mediately lift its ongoing blockade with Armenia.
(c) REPORT.—Not later than 30 days after the date 
of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall 
submit to the appropriate congressional committees a re-
port that outlines the steps taken and plans made by the 
United States to end Turkey’s blockade of Armenia. 
Æ