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04.05.2005
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1574355, 00.html
Schröder Criticizes Turkish Democracy
A Turkish journalist protesting threats to press freedom
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder on Wednesday criticized Turkey
for a string of deficiencies in its democracy, urging the country to
correct them if it wants to join the European Union.
"Mistreatment by security forces, limits on freedom of expression and
discrimination against women are incompatible with our common values,"
Schröder said at a speech at Marmara University after official talks
in Ankara.
The German leader also spoke of the "necessity of reform" in religious
freedoms in this mainly Muslim country, specifically mentioning a
meeting earlier in the day with the Istanbul-based spiritual leader
of the Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.
Turkey is under pressure to remove legal obstacles for non-Muslim
religious foundations to fully exercise their property rights and to
reopen a Greek Orthodox seminary in Istanbul closed down more than
30 years ago.
Schröder, who was receiving an honorary doctorate from the university,
called on Ankara to address problem areas before it begins accession
talks with the European bloc on Oct. 3 and urged it to swiftly
implement reforms it has already adopted to achieve European norms.
Turkey "should not diminish its efforts," he said. "Turkey has achieved
many reforms so far but there is still much to do."
Investigating Armenian killings
Earlier on Wednesday, Schröder told reporters after meeting Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the EU is determined to open
accession talks with Turkey on time.
He brushed aside concerns that a May 29 referendum in France on the
European constitution could undermine Turkey's bid.
"No referendum anywhere in Europe will affect Turkey's EU process,"
he said.
Schröder also backed a Turkish proposal to Armenia to create a joint
commission of historians to study allegations that the Ottoman Turks
committed genocide against their Armenian subjects during World War I.
"We want Turkish-Armenian relations to improve," Schröder
said. "Germany is ready to do its best to help in this issue and open
its archives."
Germany and the Ottoman Empire, from which the present-day Turkish
Republic was born, were allies during World War I, when the Armenian
massacres occurred.
Turkey has come under mounting international pressure to recognize
the 1915-1917 killings as genocide; some EU politicians, including
the German opposition, argue that Ankara should address the genocide
claims if it wants to join the European bloc.
Erdogan, meanwhile, denounced an appeal issued by the German parliament
last month calling on Ankara to face up to its history. He said he
"conveyed our serious concerns and expectations" on the issue to
Schröder.
Support in Cyprus conflict
The two leaders said they also discussed the Cyprus conflict, a major
stumbling block to Turkey's EU membership bid. Schröder pledged he
would work for the release of a 259-million euro (335-million dollar)
EU aid package earmarked for the breakaway Turkish Cypriot community
and the activation of measures aimed at easing trade restrictions
imposed on the island's Turkish sector.
The EU promised the aid last year as a reward for the strong support
Turkish Cypriots gave to a UN peace plan, which was killed off due to
an overwhelming "no" by the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot
side. The measures have been blocked, however, because of opposition
by the Greek Cypriots, who joined the EU last year.
© 2005
--Boundary_(ID_hAikhhEBzAc0EO+XWuyYng)--
http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,1564,1574355, 00.html
Schröder Criticizes Turkish Democracy
A Turkish journalist protesting threats to press freedom
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder on Wednesday criticized Turkey
for a string of deficiencies in its democracy, urging the country to
correct them if it wants to join the European Union.
"Mistreatment by security forces, limits on freedom of expression and
discrimination against women are incompatible with our common values,"
Schröder said at a speech at Marmara University after official talks
in Ankara.
The German leader also spoke of the "necessity of reform" in religious
freedoms in this mainly Muslim country, specifically mentioning a
meeting earlier in the day with the Istanbul-based spiritual leader
of the Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I.
Turkey is under pressure to remove legal obstacles for non-Muslim
religious foundations to fully exercise their property rights and to
reopen a Greek Orthodox seminary in Istanbul closed down more than
30 years ago.
Schröder, who was receiving an honorary doctorate from the university,
called on Ankara to address problem areas before it begins accession
talks with the European bloc on Oct. 3 and urged it to swiftly
implement reforms it has already adopted to achieve European norms.
Turkey "should not diminish its efforts," he said. "Turkey has achieved
many reforms so far but there is still much to do."
Investigating Armenian killings
Earlier on Wednesday, Schröder told reporters after meeting Turkish
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the EU is determined to open
accession talks with Turkey on time.
He brushed aside concerns that a May 29 referendum in France on the
European constitution could undermine Turkey's bid.
"No referendum anywhere in Europe will affect Turkey's EU process,"
he said.
Schröder also backed a Turkish proposal to Armenia to create a joint
commission of historians to study allegations that the Ottoman Turks
committed genocide against their Armenian subjects during World War I.
"We want Turkish-Armenian relations to improve," Schröder
said. "Germany is ready to do its best to help in this issue and open
its archives."
Germany and the Ottoman Empire, from which the present-day Turkish
Republic was born, were allies during World War I, when the Armenian
massacres occurred.
Turkey has come under mounting international pressure to recognize
the 1915-1917 killings as genocide; some EU politicians, including
the German opposition, argue that Ankara should address the genocide
claims if it wants to join the European bloc.
Erdogan, meanwhile, denounced an appeal issued by the German parliament
last month calling on Ankara to face up to its history. He said he
"conveyed our serious concerns and expectations" on the issue to
Schröder.
Support in Cyprus conflict
The two leaders said they also discussed the Cyprus conflict, a major
stumbling block to Turkey's EU membership bid. Schröder pledged he
would work for the release of a 259-million euro (335-million dollar)
EU aid package earmarked for the breakaway Turkish Cypriot community
and the activation of measures aimed at easing trade restrictions
imposed on the island's Turkish sector.
The EU promised the aid last year as a reward for the strong support
Turkish Cypriots gave to a UN peace plan, which was killed off due to
an overwhelming "no" by the internationally-recognized Greek Cypriot
side. The measures have been blocked, however, because of opposition
by the Greek Cypriots, who joined the EU last year.
© 2005
--Boundary_(ID_hAikhhEBzAc0EO+XWuyYng)--