[Congressional Record Volume 152, Number 134 (Thursday, December 7, 2006)]
[House]
[Pages H8970-H8971]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    TURKEY MUST OPEN PORTS TO CYPRUS; EUROPEAN UNION MUST NOT ALLOW 
                          DEFIANCE TO CONTINUE

  The SPEAKER pro tempore (Mr. Regula). Under a previous order of the 
House, the gentleman from New Jersey (Mr. Pallone) is recognized for 5 
minutes.
  Mr. PALLONE. Mr. Speaker, over the next couple of weeks the world 
will see how serious Turkey takes its accession talks with the European 
Union. We will also learn if the European Union is serious about 
ensuring Turkey complies with promises it made in order to begin those 
talks last year.
  Last month, Turkey's accession talks took a turn for the worse when 
it broke a promise to begin trading with EU Member Cyprus. Back in July 
of 2005, Turkey agreed to open its ports and airports to 10 new 
European members, including Cyprus, as one of the conditions for 
beginning membership talks with the EU. Talks began later that year, 
but to date Turkey has refused to begin trading with Cyprus.
  Turkey simply cannot be allowed to defy established European Union 
conditions without facing penalties. It must open its ports and 
airports to Cyprus ships and airplanes under the conditions it agreed 
to back in 2005. Cyprus is a Member of the European Union, and if 
Turkey is really interested in joining the Union, it cannot be 
unwilling to trade with one of the EU members.
  Fortunately, Mr. Speaker, the European Union has taken note of 
Turkey's

[[Page H8971]]

defiance. Late last month, EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn 
recommended a partial suspension of eight of the 35 policy areas 
included in the EU accession talks. Foreign ministers of the European 
Union will decide next week whether to back those recommendations.
  I want to commend Commissioner Rehn for taking this action and 
strongly recommend that the foreign ministers approve it so that Turkey 
knows that the European Union is serious about living up to the 
promises it made before this process began.
  In response to the European Union's action, Turkey came back with a 
proposal earlier this week that would allow ships from Cyprus into 
Turkey ports only if they are air carrying Cypriot goods. Turkey also 
demanded again, separate from the promises they made in 2005, that one 
of the ports in the illegally occupied north be opened for 
international traffic. The Cypriot Government correctly called this 
latest proposal a mockery of the European Union and the EU official 
said the proposal is not yet suitable to end the stalemate. Turkey 
should not simply be able to renegotiate promises they have already 
made.
  Mr. Speaker, I am also baffled by some editorial pages here in the 
U.S. and around the world and some world leaders, including British 
Prime Minister Tony Blair, who have chosen to take the collective 
opinion that the European Union action was taken only to embarrass 
Turkey and to put another roadblock up in front of it, making it more 
difficult, if not impossible, for them to join the European Union. This 
thinking is dangerous.
  Turkey said it would open its ports and airports to Cyprus and has 
yet to do it. What is the European Union supposed to do, just allow 
this to continue without any penalties? It is not as if the accession 
talks have come to a close. The talks will continue with only eight of 
the 35 policy areas being frozen until Turkey agrees to open its ports.
  This is a fair recommendation that must be approved by foreign 
ministers next week. If the recommendation is rejected, Turkey will 
come away believing that it can get away with breaking promises in the 
future without any penalties, and that is dangerous for a country that 
still must make major strides in human rights and other areas before it 
meets the criteria to join the European Union.
  Some world leaders seem to think that Turkey should not have to make 
some of the same concessions that other countries made in order to join 
simply because of its strategic position in the world. I reject this 
notion. I believe that the relationship between Cyprus and Turkey is 
one that must seriously be addressed by the European Union before 
Turkey is allowed to join.
  Today, Turkey continues its 30 year illegal occupation of the 
northern third of Cyprus. Not one country other than Turkey recognized 
the occupied section as its own nation. Turkey simply will not be able 
to join the European Union without finally conceding this land back to 
its rightful owners.
  I strongly urge the European Union foreign ministers to send a strong 
message to Turkey that it must comply with promises it made before the 
accession talks began. They can do this by passing Commissioner Rehn's 
recommendations next week and not allowing Turkey to renegotiate issues 
concerning Cyprus.

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