[Congressional Bills 108th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 81 Introduced in House (IH)]






108th CONGRESS
  1st Session
H. RES. 81

  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the North 
 Atlantic Treaty Organization must begin to plan steps for the defense 
                 of Turkey as requested by that nation.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           February 13, 2003

 Mr. Bereuter (for himself, Mr. Hefley, and Mr. McInnis) submitted the 
     following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on 
                        International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
  Expressing the sense of the House of Representatives that the North 
 Atlantic Treaty Organization must begin to plan steps for the defense 
                 of Turkey as requested by that nation.

Whereas Turkey is considering the assistance it will offer in support of a 
        military operation to enforce United Nations Security Council Resolution 
        1441 to disarm Iraq of its weapons of mass destruction programs and 
        prohibited ballistic missile programs;
Whereas Turkey believes Iraq poses a threat to its security;
Whereas Lord Robertson, the Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        Organization (NATO), has said that Turkey's ``concerns are legitimate 
        and the threat is real'';
Whereas France, Germany, and Belgium repeatedly blocked consensus on approval of 
        prudent planning steps requested by the United States for the defense of 
        Turkey, most recently on February 10, 2003;
Whereas Turkey subsequently invoked Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty, 
        requesting consultations with its allies about the threat to its 
        security posed by Iraq;
Whereas the unprecedented invocation of Article 4 of the North Atlantic Treaty 
        means that this issue is no longer a question of whether authorizing 
        NATO planning would signal a decision to use military force against 
        Iraq, but is rather a question of whether all 19 NATO allies will 
        fulfill their solemn treaty commitments and take steps to reassure an 
        ally that believes its security to be threatened;
Whereas France, Germany, and Belgium have continued to block consensus on 
        consultation and planning for the defense of Turkey, despite Turkey's 
        invocation of the North Atlantic Treaty, despite Turkey's legitimate 
        concerns for its security, and despite the solemn treaty commitments of 
        France, Germany, and Belgium to contribute to the collective defense of 
        Turkey;
Whereas 16 members of NATO have supported the Turkish request;
Whereas the 7 nations invited to join NATO have indicated their support for 
        United States policy in the region, as have the 3 NATO applicant 
        nations;
Whereas the fundamental purpose of NATO is to defend its members against outside 
        threats; and
Whereas the actions of France, Germany, and Belgium will have profound, 
        deleterious effects on the NATO alliance, possibly exposing its core 
        mutual defense guarantee as nothing more than empty words from the 
        French, German, and Belgian governments: Now, therefore be it
    Resolved, That it is the sense of the House of Representatives 
that--
            (1) the United States must honor its treaty commitment to 
        defend Turkey should it be attacked by Iraq;
            (2) the United States must assist Turkey in undertaking 
        prudent planning steps for its defense as requested by the 
        Turkish government in the North Atlantic Council (NAC), 
        regardless of whether such action is approved by the NAC, and 
        regardless of whether such action is blocked within the North 
        Atlantic Treaty Organization;
            (3) the United States should encourage all of its NATO 
        allies to fulfill their solemn treaty commitments to give 
        similar assistance to the Turkish government;
            (4) the United States should encourage the 7 nations that 
        have been invited to join NATO and the 3 NATO applicant nations 
        to demonstrate their willingness to undertake the 
        responsibilities of NATO membership by offering Turkey whatever 
        assistance the Turkish government may require;
            (5) Turkey's invocation of the North Atlantic Treaty on 
        February 10, 2003, means that France, Germany, and Belgium must 
        honor their North Atlantic Treaty commitments and approve 
        Turkey's request that NATO begin planning steps to defend it 
        against a possible attack from Iraq; and
            (6) the continued failure of France, Germany, and Belgium 
        to permit NATO to plan for the defense of Turkey calls into 
        question the core collective-defense commitment of the NATO 
        alliance.
                                 <all>