[Congressional Bills 110th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 6079 Introduced in House (IH)]







110th CONGRESS
  2d Session
                                H. R. 6079

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, and for other purposes.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              May 15, 2008

    Mr. Schiff (for himself, Mr. Knollenberg, Mr. Pallone, and Mr. 
 Radanovich) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
                      Committee on Foreign Affairs

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 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, and for other purposes.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives 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 resolution, 
        ensuring open borders and commercial corridors, and regional 
        cooperation.
            (2) Turkey's ongoing blockade of Armenia does not promote 
        regional security and prosperity, thereby 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 transportation 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 assistance from crossing 
        its borders,  a violation of  international law, international 
        human rights and humanitarian standards, and Turkey's 
        commitments to the Organization for Security and Cooperation 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 would be advanced if Turkey 
        immediately and unconditionally lifted its ongoing 15-year 
        blockade of Armenia.
            (7) The removal of all blockades and border closures 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 the blockade of Armenia be lifted.
    (b) Sense of Congress.--It is the sense of Congress 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, political, and cultural links with Armenia, Turkey 
should immediately 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 Congress a report 
that outlines the steps taken and plans made by the United States to 
end Turkey's blockade of Armenia.
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