[Congressional Record Volume 148, Number 94 (Friday, July 12, 2002)]
[House]
[Page H4569]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   IN OPPOSITION TO INCLUDING TURKEY IN THE QUALIFIED INDUSTRIAL ZONE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore. Under a previous order of the House, the 
gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, I come to the House floor today to express 
my strong opposition to H.R. 5002, a bill to include Turkey in the 
Qualified Industrial Zone, allowing duty-free goods from Turkey to 
enter U.S. markets. This bill is not only an inappropriate and fiscally 
irresponsible back-door approach to establishing a free trade agreement 
with Turkey, but also rewards a country that has been illegally 
blockading Armenia, also a U.S. ally in the war against terror, for the 
past 9 years. This bill would send the wrong message to countries that 
are seeking access to our trade markets. It sends the presumably 
unintended message that violating the Humanitarian Trade Corridor Act 
will not be punished but instead rewarded for conducting 
internationally recognized illegal activity.
  Since 1993, Armenia has suffered from the coordinated, dual blockades 
by its neighbors to the west and east. Turkey and Azerbaijan have 
largely choked off the transportation of goods from Armenia, 
eliminating a major east-west shipping route in the Caucuses and 
contributing to the destabilization of the regime.
  These illegal blockades are in direct violation of the Humanitarian 
Corridors Act, passed by both the House and the Senate in 1995. The act 
states that, and I quote, ``recipients of U.S. assistance should not 
hinder or delay the transport or delivery of United States humanitarian 
assistance to other countries.'' Unfortunately there is also language 
in this bill that gives the President the authority to waive sanctions 
if the country that is guilty of prohibiting U.S. assistance to 
reaching a third country is deemed vital to the United States' national 
security. Turkey has flagrantly disregarded international trade norms 
because of this waiver that effectively gives them a free pass to act 
without fear of consequences. This proposed bill represents seriously 
flawed trade policy and sends the message that some countries do not 
have to honor international norms in U.S. law as long as such countries 
fill a national security need. This bill would not only reflect poorly 
on the United States' moral authority in trade policy, Mr. Speaker, but 
also represents dangerous fiscal policy; in effect subsidizing a 
politically unstable and economically irresponsible regime.
  Last week 34 members of Prime Minister Ecevit's ruling party resigned 
in protest of the Prime Minister's refusal to step down as ruler of 
Turkey. Just yesterday two of the highest-level ministers resigned, 
economic Minister Kemal Dervis and Foreign Minister Ismail Cem, 
triggering calls within Turkey for new elections as early as September. 
Minister Dervis is widely recognized as the architect of the colossal 
International Monetary Fund bailouts of Turkey, which saved Turkey from 
immediate financial disaster but has put Turkey in debt to the IMF for 
a staggering $31 billion.
  The $9 billion that were made available for release this year have 
not made any impact on the rapidly shrinking economy and massive 
unemployment in Turkey. We should not reward Turkey and put our own 
economy in further jeopardy without radical reform of Turkey's economic 
and trade policy. Mr. Speaker, the U.S. and international community may 
pour as much money into Turkey directly through fiscally careless 
legislation or indirectly through massive unprecedented IMF loans, but 
there will be minimal net benefits to the citizens of Turkey, and there 
are fundamental changes that are necessary.
  Mr. Speaker, it is time to stop making special concessions for 
Turkey. Their blatant disregard for international norms, whether it is 
trade policy or their abysmal human and minority rights records, no 
longer can be ignored. I do not dispute that Turkey has been one of our 
closest allies in the war on terrorism, but that fact alone should not 
give them carte blanche to operate outside the boundaries of the 
American and European ideals that Turkish officials profess to honor.

                          ____________________