[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 149 (2003), Part 23]
[Senate]
[Page 31949]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




          CONDEMNING THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
Foreign Relations Committee be discharged from further consideration of 
S. Res. 273 and the Senate proceed to its immediate consideration.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered. The clerk 
will report the resolution by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A resolution (S. Res. 273) condemning the terrorist attacks 
     in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15 and 20, 2003, expressing 
     condolences to the families of the individuals murdered in 
     the attacks, expressing sympathies to the individuals injured 
     in the attacks, and expressing solidarity with the Republic 
     of Turkey and the United Kingdom in the fight against 
     terrorism.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
resolution.
  Mr. LAUTENBERG. Mr. President, last week's double set of suicide 
attacks in Istanbul are acts of cowardice targeting both the structures 
and symbols of Turkish coexistence. I grieve for the families of the 58 
victims and wish the 750 injured individuals a speedy recovery.
  The terrorists who have attacked Turkey in the name of Islam and its 
heritage do not know their history. Throughout the Ottoman Empire, 
Jews, Christians and other minorities were treated with respect and 
allowed to practice their religion freely. Since Mustafa Kemal Ataturk 
founded modern Turkey in 1923, Turkey has been admired by western and 
non-western countries alike as an apotheosis of progressive Muslim 
democracy.
  In Turkey, pride in a rich heritage and faith coexist with a desire 
to globalize and enhance representative democracy and the freedom it 
brings.
  During World War II, as Hitler's troops were marching from the 
Balkans and emptying Greek cities of their Jewish populations, Turkey's 
president, Ismet Inonu, closed its border. The Jews of Turkey were 
spared by the principled leadership of their government, who refused to 
be complicit in murder. In my own travels through Turkey--from Istanbul 
to Idirdne--I have seen the rich fusion of ancient and modern and of 
religious and secular. I have enjoyed the renowned hospitality offered 
to all visitors.
  The terrorists who attacked the synagogues, consulate, and bank in 
Istanbul last week seek to undermine the pluralism, diversity, and 
openness that have long characterized Turkish culture and society. 
Together, we will prevent the terrorists from achieving this aim. 
Americans, and particularly New Jerseyans, are intimately familiar with 
the pain wreaked by a terrorist attack on our homeland.
  We in Washington are prepared to offer assistance and support to 
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his government in the days 
ahead as Turkey shores up security and begins healing from these 
traumatic incidents. The U.S.-Turkish friendship continues to be strong 
and will stand united in the face of the global threat of terrorism.
  Mr. McCONNELL. I ask unanimous consent that the resolution be agreed 
to, the preamble be agreed to, and any statements relating to the 
resolution be printed in the Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The resolution (S. Res. 273) was agreed to.
  The preamble was agreed to.
  The resolution, with its preamble, reads as follows:

                              S. Res. 273

       Whereas, in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15, 2003, two 
     explosions set off minutes apart during Sabbath morning 
     services devastated Neve Shalom, the largest synagogue in the 
     city, and the Beth Israel synagogue, about 3 miles away from 
     Neve Shalom;
       Whereas the casualties of more than 20 people killed and 
     more than 300 people wounded in the bombing attacks on the 
     synagogues included both Muslims and Jews;
       Whereas, on November 20, 2003, two bombs exploded in 
     Istanbul at the Consulate of the United Kingdom and the HSBC 
     Bank;
       Whereas the casualties of more than 25 people killed and 
     450 people wounded in the November 20, 2003, bombing attacks 
     included Muslims and Christians, and Turks, British 
     diplomats, and visitors to the Republic of Turkey;
       Whereas troops of the United Kingdom are part of the United 
     States-led coalition that liberated Iraq from the regime of 
     Saddam Hussein and are now present in Iraq under the auspices 
     of the United Nations Security Council;
       Whereas the acts of murder committed on November 15 and 20, 
     2003, in Istanbul, Turkey, were cowardly and brutal 
     manifestations of international terrorism;
       Whereas the Government of Turkey immediately condemned the 
     terrorist attacks in the strongest possible terms and has 
     vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice at all costs;
       Whereas the United States, the United Kingdom, and Turkey 
     equally abhor and denounce these hateful, repugnant, and 
     loathsome acts of terrorism;
       Whereas, in light of the escalation of anti-Semitic 
     activities, the safety and security of Jewish people 
     throughout the world is a matter of serious concern;
       Whereas, since Turkey cherishes its traditions of 
     hospitality and religious tolerance, and in particular its 
     history of more than 500 years of good relations between Jews 
     and Muslims, the attacks on synagogues, consular premises, 
     and commercial buildings came as a special shock to the 
     people of Turkey and to their friends throughout the world;
       Whereas the United States and Turkey are allied by shared 
     values and a common interest in building a stable, peaceful, 
     and prosperous world;
       Whereas Turkey, a predominantly Muslim nation with a 
     secular government, has close relations with Israel and is 
     also the only predominantly Muslim member of the North 
     Atlantic Treaty Organization; and
       Whereas the acts of murder committed on November 15 and 20, 
     2003, demonstrate again that terrorism respects neither 
     boundaries nor borders: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) condemns in the strongest possible terms the terrorist 
     attacks in Istanbul, Turkey, on November 15 and 20, 2003;
       (2) expresses its condolences to the families of the 
     individuals murdered in the terrorist attacks, expresses its 
     sympathies to the individuals injured in the attacks, and 
     conveys its hope for the rapid and complete recovery of all 
     such injured individuals;
       (3) expresses its condolences to the people and the 
     governments of the Republic of Turkey and the United Kingdom 
     over the losses they suffered in these attacks; and
       (4) expresses its solidarity with the United Kingdom, 
     Turkey, and all other countries that stand united against 
     terrorism and work together to bring to justice the 
     perpetrators of these and other terrorist attacks.

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