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Euro Parliament's scathing report on Turkey

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  • Euro Parliament's scathing report on Turkey

    EuroNews - English Version
    September 27, 2006

    Parliament's scathing report on Turkey


    The European Parliament has warned Turkey it must speed up reforms if
    it wants to join the European Union. The message comes in a highly
    critical though non-binding report by EU lawmakers. They accuse
    Ankara of failing to live up to promises it made to start talks last
    October on joining the bloc. This adds to pressure on Turkey to open
    its ports and airports to EU member Cyprus under an extended customs
    agreement.

    The parliament's political groups are deeply divided over the future
    with Turkey. Liberal chief Graham Watson underscored the negotiations
    are likely to drag on: "They (the negotiations) will probably be
    slower than we initially envisaged, because the pace of reforms in
    Turkey is slower than we hoped, and because the speed of developing a
    European Constitution to allow us to take in more members is slower
    than we hoped as well. But let's proceed!" The report cited
    "insufficient progress" on freedom of expression, religious and
    minority rights, women's rights and the rule of law.

    The parliament also reiterated its call on Turkey to acknowledge the
    Armenian genocide, but did not make recognition by Ankara a
    precondition for EU membership. On this subject, Greek socialist
    Panos Beglitis said: "Political pre-requisites here, concerning
    Turkey's European prospects and its adhesion negotiations, must not
    be imposed. That would a major political fault - changing the rules
    in mid-game. Turkey must itself come to terms with its own history."

    Parliament has never tried to veto a country joining the bloc but has
    pressured EU hopefuls to speed up reforms in the past. In its next
    regular progress report on Turkey on Nov. 8, the European Commission
    has promised to take parliament's views into account.
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