[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 41 (Thursday, March 17, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E533]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




   URGING TURKEY TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS OF THE 
                        ECUMENICAL PATRIARCHATE

                                  _____
                                 

                        HON. CAROLYN B. MALONEY

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, March 17, 2011

  Mrs. MALONEY. Mr. Speaker, today I am reintroducing legislation 
urging Turkey to respect the rights and religious freedoms of the 
Ecumenical Patriarchate.
  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. Turkey, which began accession negotiations with the EU on 
October 3, 2005, has failed to recognize the Ecumenical Patriarchate's 
international status as the spiritual home of the world's oldest and 
second largest Christian Church including more than 300 million 
Orthodox Christians worldwide. Moreover, 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.
  This resolution calls on Turkey to respect the rights and religious 
freedoms of the Ecumenical Patriarchate by granting it the right to 
train clergy of all nationalities, not just Turkish nationals, and 
respecting the human rights and property rights of the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate. Additionally, the resolution encourages Turkey to 
continue the achievement of processes and programs to modernize and 
democratize its own society and prove that it is ready to meet the 
criteria set forth by the Copenhagen European Council prior to its 
accession into the EU.

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