Tweet
US LAWMAKERS URGE OBAMA TO BACK TURKEY'S EU BID
Agence France Presse
April 2 2009
France
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- US lawmakers urged President Barack Obama Wednesday
to throw his weight behind Turkey's accession to the European Union
and strongly support the NATO ally's reconciliation with Armenia.
"The United States must remain an iron clad supporter of Turkish
membership in the EU," 29 Democrats and Republicans from the House
of Representatives said in a letter to the president, who is bound
for Turkey within days.
The lawmakers urged Obama to help Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan's government undertake the necessary political, economic and
judicial reforms to join the European Union.
"We believe Turkey's success as a secular democracy that fully respects
the rule of law and guarantees freedoms, civil, religious and human
rights are in the interest of the Turkish people, the European Union
and the United States," they said.
Lawmakers also thanked Turkey for its support in stabilizing
Afghanistan, including hosting three-way talks with Pakistan, and
for US-led efforts to build democracy in Iraq.
They also urged "unequivocal" US support for Turkey and Armenia's
efforts at easing longstanding tensions.
Agence France Presse
April 2 2009
France
WASHINGTON (AFP) -- US lawmakers urged President Barack Obama Wednesday
to throw his weight behind Turkey's accession to the European Union
and strongly support the NATO ally's reconciliation with Armenia.
"The United States must remain an iron clad supporter of Turkish
membership in the EU," 29 Democrats and Republicans from the House
of Representatives said in a letter to the president, who is bound
for Turkey within days.
The lawmakers urged Obama to help Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan's government undertake the necessary political, economic and
judicial reforms to join the European Union.
"We believe Turkey's success as a secular democracy that fully respects
the rule of law and guarantees freedoms, civil, religious and human
rights are in the interest of the Turkish people, the European Union
and the United States," they said.
Lawmakers also thanked Turkey for its support in stabilizing
Afghanistan, including hosting three-way talks with Pakistan, and
for US-led efforts to build democracy in Iraq.
They also urged "unequivocal" US support for Turkey and Armenia's
efforts at easing longstanding tensions.