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Chairman Robert Wexler
Hearing of the Subcommittee on Europe
House Committee on Foreign Affairs
March 15, 2007
"U.S.-Turkish Relations and the Challenges Ahead"

I want to welcome everyone for the first hearing held by the Subcommittee on Europe in the 110th Congress. I want to express my deepest appreciation to my colleague, Ranking Member Elton Gallegly, who as Chairman of this subcommittee always acted in a fair and bipartisan manner in an effort to promote American foreign policy interests and strengthen transatlantic relations. It is my intention to lead the subcommittee with the same bipartisan spirit that Mr. Gallegly did and to work closely with him, as well as members on both sides of the aisle, to advance our nation's interests.

As a true trans-atlanticist, I fully expect that this subcommittee will be active, aggressive and deliberate in addressing the difficult challenges facing America and Europe, and will be supportive when opportunities arise to strengthen this historic alliance. One of the most immediate and serious challenges facing the transatlantic alliance lies with that of our ally and democratic partner Turkey. I am passionate about American-Turkish relations because the bilateral relationship is so important to the essential interests of both countries and the history of cooperation is so deep. Turkish military forces have fought side by side with American forces from the Cold War to the Balkan wars and from Korea to Afghanistan, where Turkey has twice led ISAF forces.

As the only NATO country bordering Syria, Iraq and Iran, Turkey has hundreds of its troops on the ground in Lebanon, maintains a strong relationship with Israel and is an essential component to the East-West energy corridor providing America and Europe with a critical alternative energy supply route other than gas and oil coming from the volatile Middle East and Russia.

Prime Minister Erdogan's government remains deeply involved in Afghanistan and is opposed to Iran's nuclear weapons program. Furthermore, Turkish cooperation is essential for our troops in Iraq - a substantial majority of the military assets used by American troops are flown into Turkey and then transported to Iraq. For example, 74% of air cargo into Iraq transits through Incirlik Airbase.

Despite the high-level of cooperation between our two nations, it is undeniable that relations have been strained at times during recent years. Most alarmingly, a recent pew center poll shows that only 12% of Turks have a favorable opinion of the United States.

The myriad of challenges to the US-Turkish relationship, which will be addressed by our witnesses, are multiple, complex and intertwined. The most significant divergence has been in Iraq and particularly as it relates to Kurdish terrorism. Since 2004, the PKK has killed or injured more than 1,500 people in Turkey. Given America's leading role in Iraq, there is a perception in Turkey that America has not done enough to remove the threat of PKK terrorists based in Northern Iraq. Perceived inaction on the American side has lead to a nationalist backlash in Turkey against the US. It is critical that the US and Iraqi Kurdish leaders do more to address the PKK threat.

Another significant challenge facing the relationship in the short term is assisting Turkey on its EU path - including removing obstacles to its accession. While I respect my European colleagues and their concerns about possible membership, Turkey's eventual full inclusion in the EU so clearly benefits Europe's long-term interests, as well as those of the United States. I urge the EU and its members not to close the door on Turkey and create the conditions that will promote further political and economic reform in Turkey.

One of the biggest obstacles on the path to EU accession is resolving the long standing Cyprus conflict. After the Turkish Cypriots voted in favor of the Annan plan to reunify the Island in April 2004, this process has stalled. I am hopeful that the Bush Administration and EU will fulfill its pledges to the Turkish Cypriots to lift their economic isolation and work with the new UN Secretary General to restart negotiations.

In this context, I want to offer my praises to the Greek Cypriot government for its decision last week to tear down a 40 year old section of a wall that has divided Greek and Turkish Cypriots in Nicosia/Lefkosa. I believe this is an important step forward, which I hope will initiate a return to the negotiating table by Mr. Papadopolous and his government.

We have an especially distinguished panel of witnesses this morning, but first I want to call upon the Ranking Member Mr. Gallegly for his opening remarks.