[Congressional Record Volume 149, Number 50 (Thursday, March 27, 2003)]
[House]
[Pages H2456-H2457]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




       QUESTIONING WISDOM OF HUGE ECONOMIC AID PACKAGE TO TURKEY

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Bradley of New Hampshire). 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 this evening to 
speak about what I consider to be a dangerous precedent that is 
included in the supplemental appropriations bill. In the bill that was 
sent to Congress only a few days ago, the President requested an 
astounding $1 billion in aid to Turkey that can be leveraged into $8.5 
billion in loan guarantees.
  Mr. Speaker, I have a number of concerns about this deal which I do 
not believe have been addressed. Over the last few months, I have 
repeatedly questioned the wisdom of providing Turkey with a huge 
economic aid package. In a letter I wrote to Secretary of State Colin 
Powell on February 24, I expressed my displeasure at the size of the 
economic package to be provided to Turkey.
  Estimates on that initial deal ranged from $6 billion to $30 billion. 
Despite the sum of money that was offered, Turkey did not provide the 
bases we were already using to enforce the no-fly zones over the last 
12 years in northern Iraq. It appears that, because of this decision, 
our forces were forced to show their flexibility and ship south to 
Kuwait to engage in combat in Iraq.
  Only last week, after the bombing of Bagdad began, did Turkey even 
grant the U.S. military the ability to have overflight rights, and 
Turkey was the last government in NATO to provide these rights. It 
appears that even though they did this reluctantly, they will still 
benefit from a huge aid package in the supplemental bill.
  Mr. Speaker, I firmly believe this package is inappropriate, given 
the minimum amount of assistance that Turkey is providing to the United 
States.
  I am also not convinced that Turkey will not enter the Kurdish region 
of northern Iraq. Although the President and members of his 
administration have assured the American public that Turkey will remain 
on the sidelines, Turkey continues to amass large numbers of Turkish 
forces along their border with Iraq. These troops' mobilizations have 
led the Kurdish militias to set up defense positions along the border 
as well, creating an unnecessarily tense situation.
  Mr. Speaker, the Turkish government also has not promised to stay out 
of Iraq. They have stated for months that they intend to enter northern 
Iraq to set up a buffer zone to not have a repeat of the refugee crisis 
from the 1991 Gulf War. But after it became clear that the 
administration would be working closely with the Iraqi Kurds to deal 
with the impending humanitarian crisis, the Turkish government switched 
their stories. This past Saturday, Turkish foreign minister Abdullah 
Gul said his government would send forces into northern Iraq to 
suppress ``terrorist activity.''
  Mr. Speaker, the Turkish government has repeatedly called their own 
Kurdish citizens terrorists in the last few years. The Turkish 
authorities have recently banned one Kurdish political party and are 
currently working on banning the other. They have also not fully 
implemented reforms to give their minority populations property and 
language rights, one of the many conditions that the European Union set 
during Turkish entrance talks.
  The tragedy that would occur should the Turkish government enter 
northern Iraq would be immense. Turkey has repeatedly shown its 
inability to govern the Kurds even with marginal respect for human 
rights in its own territory. By calling Kurds in Iraq terrorists as 
they threaten to enter Iraqi sovereign territory, the Turkish 
government is not only risking the outcome of the current conflict 
between the United States and Iraq but the future of the entire region.
  Mr. Speaker, I do not believe that any money should be given to 
Turkey without a number of assurances. Humanitarian concerns aside, I 
also do not agree that the aid package to Turkey will make a 
significant economic

[[Page H2457]]

impact for the Turkish people. The Turkish government's inability to 
implement economic reforms mandated by the International Monetary Fund 
continues to plague their banking and economic systems.
  Mr. Speaker, the supplemental appropriations request will undoubtedly 
pass. No one in this Congress will obstruct the important funds that 
need to get to our brave men and women putting their lives on the line 
in hostile territory.
  However, in order for Turkey to receive their huge economic aid 
package, I believe the Turkish government must fulfill the following 
commitment: that Turkey agrees to allow unfettered U.S. and 
international humanitarian aid transited through and/or being staged in 
Turkish territory in support of the northern Kurds; second, that Turkey 
explicitly agrees not to cross into northern Iraq, as demanded by 
President Bush; third, that Turkey agrees they can provide only 
logistical support to the humanitarian effort in the north; fourth, 
that Turkey agrees to economic and banking reforms, as specified by 
international lending institutions; and, fifth, that Turkey provide 
full minority rights to its citizens, as provided for in international 
and European conventions.
  Mr. Speaker, we should not be willing to provide huge sums of money 
to countries that twist our arms in times of need. I hope we can 
address these needs while debating the President's supplemental 
appropriations request next week.

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