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“URGING TURKEY TO SAFEGUARD ITS CHRISTIAN HERITAGE” mentioning the U.S. Dept of State was published in the Extensions of Remarks section on pages E2261-E2262 on Dec. 14, 2011.
The publication is reproduced in full below:
URGING TURKEY TO SAFEGUARD ITS CHRISTIAN HERITAGE
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speech of
HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY
of virginia
in the house of representatives
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Mr. CONNOLLY of Virginia. Mr. Speaker, the text of House Resolution 306 could lead to false conclusions about Turkey. Make no mistake: Turkey has taken concrete steps to improve religious freedom through a series of meaningful initiatives. Moreover, Turkey is a secular, modernized NATO ally that provides indispensible military and diplomatic support to the United States and our allies. Its efforts with respect to religious inclusion are welcome and worthy of recognition.
In September, for example, Secretary Clinton praised Turkey's continued progress in enhancing religious freedom, stating:
We have also seen Turkey take serious steps to improve the climate for religious tolerance. The Turkish government issued a decree in August that invited non-Muslims to reclaim churches and synagogues that were confiscated 75 years ago. I applaud Prime Minister Erdogan's very important commitment to doing so.
Long before H. Res. 306 was introduced, the Turkish Government was enhancing religious freedom. For example:
In May 2010, the Prime Ministry issued a circular underlining that Turkey's non-Muslim citizens share with all other Turkish citizens the right to enjoy and maintain their own identities and cultures in parallel with the national identity and culture of Turkey.
The Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Istanbul recently has been permitted to conduct masses at religiously significant venues that had been rendered museums due to disuse.
In November 2010, Turkish authorities returned a former orphanage to the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate following a decision by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR). The attorney representing the Patriarchate declared, ``This marks a first in Europe. Turkey became the first country to implement a decision of the ECHR by returning the property. This should be an example for other countries.''
Since the original text of H. Res. 306 was introduced, Turkey amended its Law on Foundations to state that immovable properties, cemeteries, and fountains (of the non-Muslim community foundations registered in the name of Turkish public institutions) will be returned to the relevant non-Muslim community foundations, upon those non-Muslim foundations' request.
On a larger scale, Turkey has been an indispensible ally and friend of the United States since it joined NATO almost 60 years ago (in 1952). Given Turkey's strategic location and maintenance of the second largest military in NATO, this should come as no surprise. Currently, NATO is installing radar systems in Turkey and Romania as part of the regional anti-ballistic missile defense system. Moreover, when NATO passed Resolution 1973, which enforced a no-fly zone in Libya, Turkey helped lead a NATO-led coalition, after playing a major role in deliberations with the United States and other key allies. Turkey also had a key role in negotiating the release of four New York Times reporters who were captured during fighting in Libya.
With regard to U.S. operations in Afghanistan, Turkey:
Has made available its Konya Air Base and other airports for the deployment of aircraft and allies' cargo aircraft in support of ISAF operations.
Has deployed five Operational Mentoring and Liaison Teams (OMLT) and has also conducted in-place training of 8,000 Afghan National Army
(ANA) members and training in Turkey for an additional 1,000 Afghan troops.
Turkey established two civilian-led Provincial Reconstruction Teams
(PRTs) in Wardak and Jawzjan, and opened a branch of the Turkish International Cooperation Agency in Kabul, from which it runs a number of humanitarian assistance and economic development projects.
Turkey stations over 1,700 U.S. military personnel under the U.S.-
Turkey Defense and Economic Cooperation Agreement. Incirlik Air Base, which houses about 1,500 U.S. military personnel, is a transit point for 68% of air logistical support for Iraq and Afghanistan. Each year, an average of 2,000 American C-17 aircraft and an average of 1,460 KC-
135 refueling tankers fly through the Turkish air base. Turkey's support is not limited to access of its air bases; its Mersin port on the Mediterranean is part of the U.S.'s supply network to Afghanistan.
In a time when several Muslim majority countries are undergoing upheaval, Turkey provides an ideal model to its neighbors. It is a secular, modern, Muslim majority state that is a significant NATO ally. In its domestic affairs, Turkey is again a model for its neighbors. According to the State Department's 13th Annual Report on Religious Freedom,
During the reporting period, the [Turkish] government took steps to improve religious freedom. Notably the government permitted religious services to be held annually in historic Christian sites that had been turned into state museums after decades of disuse.
As a friend of Turkey, the United States ought to continue to recognize Turkey's initiatives on religious freedom and encourage Turkey to continue its progress. This is what allies do.
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