[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.
                                 <all>