[Congressional Bills 109th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 999 Introduced in House (IH)]








109th CONGRESS
  2d Session
H. RES. 999

   Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the 
                         Ecumenical Patriarch.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                           September 12, 2006

Mrs. Maloney (for herself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Andrews, Mr. Hinchey, Ms. 
Watson, Mr. Doyle, Mr. Crowley, Mr. Ackerman, Mr. McGovern, Mrs. Lowey, 
and Mr. Baca) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to 
                the Committee on International Relations

_______________________________________________________________________

                               RESOLUTION


 
   Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the 
                         Ecumenical Patriarch.

Whereas Turkey began accession negotiations with the European Union on October 
        3, 2005;
Whereas in 1993 the European Union defined the membership criteria for accession 
        to the European Union at the Copenhagen European Council, obligating 
        candidate countries to have achieved certain levels of reform, including 
        stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, and 
        human rights, and respect for and protection of minorities;
Whereas the Government of Turkey refuses to recognize the Ecumenical Patriarch's 
        international status; and
Whereas the Government of Turkey has limited to Turkish nationals the candidates 
        available to the Holy Synod for selection as the Ecumenical Patriarch 
        and has refused to reopen the Theological School at Halki, thus impeding 
        training for the clergy: Now, therefore, be it
    Resolved,  That the House of Representatives--
            (1) calls on Turkey to continue to demonstrate its 
        willingness to adopt and uphold European standards for the 
        protection of human rights;
            (2) based on the ideals associated with the European Union 
        and its member states, calls on Turkey to eliminate all forms 
        of discrimination, particularly those based on race or 
        religion, and immediately--
                    (A) grant the Ecumenical Patriarch appropriate 
                international recognition and ecclesiastic succession;
                    (B) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate the right to 
                train clergy of all nationalities, not just Turkish 
                nationals; and
                    (C) respect property rights and human rights of the 
                Ecumenical Patriarchate; and
            (3) calls on Turkey to pledge to uphold and safeguard 
        religious and human rights without compromise.
                                 <all>