[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 4]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages 5409-5410]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




ON THE INTRODUCTION OF A RESOLUTION URGING TURKEY TO RESPECT THE RIGHTS 
           AND RELIGIOUS FREEDOMS OF THE ECUMENICAL PATRIARCH

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. ROBERT MENENDEZ

                             of new jersey

                    in the house of representatives

                       Wednesday, March 16, 2005

  Mr. MENENDEZ. Mr. Speaker, today I am proud to introduce a resolution 
urging Turkey to respect the human rights and religious freedoms of the 
Ecumenical Patriarch, which are being violated by the Turkish 
government.
  The Ecumenical Patriarch is the spiritual leader of 300 million 
Orthodox Christians around the world, including millions of Americans. 
The Turkish government continuously

[[Page 5410]]

violates the Ecumenical Patriarch's religious rights and freedoms by 
refusing to recognize its international status. Training for the clergy 
has also been effectively banned because the Turkish government refuses 
to reopen the Greek Orthodox Halki seminary. Furthermore, the Turkish 
government requires all candidates for the Patriarchate be Turkish 
nationals, thus severely limiting the field. Additionally, the Turkish 
government has confiscated 75 percent of Ecumenical Patriarchal 
properties since 2002 and has levied a 42 percent retroactive tax on 
the Balukli Hospital, a philanthropic institution run by the Ecumenical 
Patriarchate. Meanwhile, Turkey is scheduled to begin accession 
negotiations with the European Union in October 2005.
  Mr. Speaker, the legislation I am introducing today is very simple. 
This resolution calls on Turkey to meet the criteria on eliminating all 
forms of discrimination set forth by the European Union, particularly 
those based on race or religion. This bill urges the Turkish government 
to grant the Ecumenical Patriarch appropriate international recognition 
and ecclesiastic succession, the right to train clergy of all 
nationalities, and demands that Turkey respect the property rights and 
human rights of the Ecumenical Patriarchate. These are simple demands, 
Mr. Speaker. The path of democracy must be laid with the bricks of 
freedom and tolerance--without them, democracy becomes a hollow word 
devoid of promise and hope. We must take a stand for religious rights 
and freedoms. We must call on Turkey to fulfill its obligations to the 
European Union and stop violating the human and religious rights of the 
Ecumenical Patriarchate.

                          ____________________