[Congressional Bills 111th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H. Res. 236 Introduced in House (IH)]
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. RES. 236
Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
March 11, 2009
Mrs. Maloney (for herself, Mr. Bilirakis, Mr. Pallone, Mr. Royce, Mr.
McGovern, Ms. Tsongas, Mr. Brown of South Carolina, Mr. Space, Mr.
Kennedy, Mr. Sarbanes, Mr. Frank of Massachusetts, Mr. Duncan, and Ms.
Berkley) submitted the following resolution; which was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Affairs
_______________________________________________________________________
RESOLUTION
Urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate.
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarchate is the spiritual home of the world's oldest
and second largest Christian Church;
Whereas within the 2,000 year old Sacred See of the Ecumenical Patriarchate, the
New Testament was codified and the Nicene Creed was created;
Whereas Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is one of the world's preeminent
spiritual leaders and peacemakers representing over 300 million Orthodox
Christians worldwide;
Whereas the disappearance of the See would mean the end of a crucial link
between the Christian and the Muslim world since the continuing presence
of the Ecumenical Patriarchate in Turkey is a living testimony of
religious co-existence since 1453;
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarchate has a record of reaching out and working for
peace and reconciliation amongst all faiths and has fostered dialogue
among Christians, Jews, and Muslims;
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarchate co-sponsored the Peace and Tolerance
Conference in Istanbul which issued the Bosphorus Declaration that
stated, ``A crime committed in the name of religion is a crime against
religion.'';
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew stated in Brussels in 2004, ``The
Ecumenical Patriarchate is a supranational ecclesiastical institution .
. . which demonstrates religious tolerance as a beautiful reality. For
we bear respect toward all of our humans, irrespective of their faith.
Without any trace of fanaticism or discrimination on account of
differences of religion, we coexist peacefully and in a spirit that
honors each and every human being.'';
Whereas the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew has called for the admission of
Turkey into the European Union because, ``. . . it may provide a
concrete example and a powerful symbol of mutually beneficial
cooperation between the western and Islamic worlds and put an end to the
talk of the clash of civilizations. This in turn would be a true
strengthening of Europe and the European ideals that converge with the
values of the `pilgrims of the book' spoken of by the current Prime
Minister of Turkey.'';
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 under the terms of the draft European Union Constitution, current, and
prospective member states should have the goal of eliminating
discrimination based on sex, race, color, ethnic or social origin,
genetic features, language, religion or belief, political or any other
opinion, membership of a national minority, property, birth, disability,
age, or sexual orientation;
Whereas the Turkish Constitution secures religious rights for all Turkish
citizens;
Whereas the Government of Turkey has failed to recognize the Ecumenical
Patriarchate's international status;
Whereas the Government of Turkey has limited to Turkish nationals the candidates
available to the Holy Synod of the Greek Orthodox Church for selection
as the Ecumenical Patriarchate and reneged on its agreement to reopen
the Theological School at Halki, thus impeding training for the Orthodox
clergy in Turkey;
Whereas the Government of Turkey has confiscated 75 percent of the Ecumenical
Patriarchate properties and has placed a 42 percent retroactive tax on
the Balukli Hospital of Istanbul which is operated by the Ecumenical
Patriarchate; and
Whereas the European Council has agreed to open accession negotiations with
Turkey, conditional upon the continuation by Turkey of reform processes
to increase protection and support for human rights and civil liberties:
Now, therefore, be it
Resolved, That the House of Representatives--
(1) based on the goals set forth in the draft of the
European Union Constitution, calls on Turkey to eliminate all
forms of discrimination, particularly those based on race or
religion, and immediately--
(A) grant the Ecumenical Patriarchate 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 human rights and property rights of the
Ecumenical Patriarchate;
(2) calls on Turkey to pledge to uphold and safeguard
religious and human rights without compromise;
(3) encourages Turkey to continue the achievement of
processes and programs to modernize and democratize its own
society;
(4) calls on Turkey to respect international law, European
Union laws, and the basic tenets of human rights; and
(5) expresses its view that Turkey must prove that it is
ready to meet the criteria set forth by the Copenhagen European
Council prior to its accession into the European Union.
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