IV 
109TH CONGRESS 
1ST SESSION 
H. RES. 411 
Urging the Republic of Turkey to comply with all European Union standards 
and criteria prior to its accession to the European Union. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
JULY 28, 2005 
Mr. MENENDEZ (for himself, Mrs. MALONEY, Mr. BILIRAKIS, Mr. RADANO-
VICH, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr. PALLONE, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. STRICKLAND, 
Mr. CROWLEY, and Mr. SCHWARZ of Michigan) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on International Rela-
tions 
RESOLUTION 
Urging the Republic of Turkey to comply with all European 
Union standards and criteria prior to its accession to 
the European Union. 
Whereas the Republic of Turkey is scheduled to begin acces-
sion negotiations with the European Union on October 3, 
2005; 
Whereas in 1993 the European Union defined the member-
ship criteria for accession to the European Union at the 
Copenhagen European Council, obligating candidate 
countries to have achieved certain levels of reform, among 
which is stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, 
the rule of law, human rights, and respect for and protec-
tion of minorities;
•HRES 411 IH 
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 353 
(1974) ‘‘requests the withdrawal without delay from the 
Republic of Cyprus of foreign military personnel present 
otherwise than under the authority of international 
agreements’’; 
Whereas United Nations Security Council Resolution 353 
‘‘demands an immediate end to foreign military interven-
tion in the Republic of Cyprus that is in contravention 
of’’ the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integ-
rity of Cyprus; 
Whereas Turkish troops have been in the occupied areas of 
Cyprus ever since the illegal invasion of 1974 and the 
International Institute of Strategic Studies (IISS) 2004– 
2005 Military Balance Report placed the number of occu-
pying Turkish troops at 36,000, leading United Nations 
Secretary General Boutros-Gali to refer to Cyprus as 
‘‘one of the most highly militarized areas of the world’’ 
(section III, A, 28 of the June 7, 1994, Report of the 
Secretary-General on the United Nations Operation in 
Cyprus); 
Whereas the Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the 
Ecumenical Patriarch’s international status, has limited 
candidates for selection as the Ecumenical Patriarch, and 
confiscated property of the Ecumenical Patriarchate; 
Whereas 1,479 Cypriot and Greek nationals are still missing 
as a result of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974; 
Whereas in February 2001 the European Parliament for-
mally approved the Accession Partnership regulations 
with Turkey, which set out the priorities Turkey must 
address in order to adopt and implement European 
Union standards and legislation;
•HRES 411 IH 
Whereas in October 2004 the European Commission rec-
ommended opening accession talks with Turkey but sug-
gested that a majority of European Union ministers 
could suspend talks if there is a ‘‘serious and persistent 
breach of the principles of liberty, democracy, respect for 
human rights, and fundamental freedoms’’ and areas of 
remaining concern include deficiencies in human rights 
practices, the protection of minorities, and limitations on 
freedom of expression, the press, and non-Muslim reli-
gions, among others; 
Whereas in December 2004 the European Council agreed to 
open accession negotiations with Turkey in October 2005, 
conditional upon the implementation of several pieces of 
reform legislation, and the Council specifically welcomed 
Turkey’s decision to sign the Protocol regarding the ex-
tension of its customs union to all European Union mem-
bers; 
Whereas on May 1, 2004, ten new countries entered the Eu-
ropean Union, including Cyprus, thus acquiring authority 
to veto any country seeking to join the European Union; 
and 
Whereas to date, Turkey has not extended its customs union 
to the ten new European Union member states: Now, 
therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives— 
(1) expresses its view that the Republic of Tur-
key should continue to demonstrate that it is meet-
ing the criteria set forth in the Copenhagen Euro-
pean Council for accession to the European Union 
and should do so prior to the start of accession ne-
•HRES 411 IH 
gotiations currently scheduled to begin on October 3, 
2005; 
(2) calls on Turkey to continue to adhere to all 
criteria for accession to the European Union, and to 
extend its customs union to all European Union 
members, and fully recognize all European Union 
members, including the Cyprus; 
(3) calls on Turkey to respect European Union 
laws and demonstrate that it is willing to abide by 
such laws; 
(4) urges the removal of Turkish occupation 
forces from the northern one-third of Cyprus in ac-
cordance with United Nations Security Council Res-
olution 353 (1974); 
(5) urges Turkey, in accordance with the 
United Nations Security Council Resolution 353, to 
abandon all insistence of the right to intervene in or 
invade Cyprus; 
(6) expresses its view that Turkey should recog-
nize the fundamental rights of all Cypriots with re-
spect to— 
(A) the right to own property; 
(B) the right of free movement; 
(C) the right of free settlement; and 
(D) the right of return for refugees;
•HRES 411 IH 
(7) calls upon Turkey to work and cooperate 
with the United Nations and Cyprus toward the dis-
covery of the fate of every missing person; 
(8) calls upon Turkey to pledge to uphold and 
safeguard human rights without compromise; and 
(9) encourages Turkey to continue the advance-
ment of processes and programs to modernize and 
democratize its own society. 
Æ