[Congressional Record Volume 151, Number 33 (Thursday, March 17, 2005)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E464]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




             CONSTRUCTIVE DEMOCRATIC DEVELOPMENT IN TURKEY

                                 ______
                                 

                         HON. ALCEE L. HASTINGS

                               of florida

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 16, 2005

  Mr. HASTINGS of Florida. Mr. Speaker, we spend a great deal of time 
in this chamber speaking about democracy and how to ensure its 
continuance at home and how to instill it abroad. Encouragingly, one of 
our most important friends and allies, Turkey, has worked very hard 
over the past few years to deepen, strengthen and ensure democracy in 
that country.
  Over the past several years Turkey has debated, in the fullness of an 
open legislature, measures covering human rights, foreign investment, 
governance, protection of minority interests, freedom of speech and 
association. A majority of the duly elected members of that body have 
voted in the affirmative to amend old laws and pass new ones. Many of 
these changes have been enshrined as permanent parts of Turkish law 
through amendments to its national constitution.
  There are literally hundreds of changes but among the most important 
are abolition of the death penalty, ability to broadcast in minority 
languages, ability to be educated in minority languages and cementing 
civilian control over the military. While we still look forward to more 
improvements to their democratic infrastructure, Turkey's future looks 
promising.
  Many of these reforms were driven by the demands of the European 
Union. But to be fair, and to give Turkey its due, irrespective of the 
reasons why there was a consideration of the need for reform, no 
reforms would have occurred without the political will of that nation's 
people and government to squarely face these issues, debate them and 
overturn, in some cases, policies that have been in existence since the 
1923 founding of the Turkish Republic.
  Last December 17th, the European Union extended the formal invitation 
to our friend and ally to begin discussions that will lead to eventual 
Turkish membership in the EU--the first predominantly Muslim nation to 
be so considered.
  Muslim nations wrestling with the movement toward democracy. I hope 
all of my colleagues welcome and applaud Turkey's actions.

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