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PACE OF TURKEY'S REFORMS SLOWING DOWN, EU PROGRESS REPORT SAYS
AP
2007-11-05 12:05:01 -
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union will urge Turkey on
Tuesday to press ahead with reforms crucial for its bid to join the
bloc, singling out freedom of expression, democratic oversight of
the military and rights for Kurds as key areas where more progress
is needed.
In an annual report on the progress in Turkey's membership bid, the
EU's executive Commission will also repeat that Ankara must normalize
its relations with Cyprus and honor a 2005 pact to open its ports
and airports to the island republic.
The pace of reforms Â"has slowed downÂ" since Turkey's membership
negotiations opened two years ago, and Â"significant further efforts
are neededÂ" in the crucial areas, said a draft of the report seen
by The Associated Press.
The talks stalled last year when the EU froze negotiations on eight
out of 35 policy areas, because of Turkey's refusal to open its ports
to trade with Cyprus, an EU member since 2004. But EU enlargement
commissioner Olli Rehn said last month that negotiations in two new
areas could be opened Â"in the coming weeks.
On Tuesday, Rehn planned also to present reports on the efforts of
six Balkan nations to join the EU.
The draft report on Turkey commends the country's government on
solving a constitutional crisis earlier this year, but says the
military _ which has vowed to safeguard Turkish secularism _ still
exerts Â"significant political influence.Â" The draft report calls
for a better civilian oversight of the armed forces.
Abdulah Gul, a former foreign minister in Turkey's Islamic-oriented
government, was elected president in July after months of confrontation
with the secular establishment, with the military threatening to
intervene when Gul was first nominated for the post.
The draft report says serious concerns remain over freedom of speech
restrictions, particularly Article 301 of the Turkish penal code
that make it a crime to insult Turkish identity or the country's
institutions.
Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk and slain ethnic Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink are among those who have been prosecuted under
the controversial article.
The report also mentions the need to improve religious and cultural
rights for non-Muslims, but it lauds Turkey's economic reforms.
The 27-nation EU is divided over whether Turkey, a mainly Muslim
country of 71 million, should one day join the EU. The prospect faces
opposition from some member states, such as France or Austria, and
the accession talks are expected to last at least a decade.
Turkey is under intense pressure from the EU to allow Greek Cypriot
planes and vessels to use Turkish ports and airports, but Ankara has
said it would not agree to any concessions on Cyprus until the EU
keeps to a promise to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots.
Cyprus has been divided between a Greek Cypriot south and a
Turkish-occupied north since 1974, when Turkey invaded after an
abortive Athens-backed coup by supporters of union with Greece The
European Parliament said last month that Turkey's refusal to comply
with the commitments made when it opened its accession talks with
the EU would seriously affect the negotiations.
--Boundary_(ID_GoPpIbRw57STk7bmVoIN tA)--
AP
2007-11-05 12:05:01 -
BRUSSELS, Belgium (AP) - The European Union will urge Turkey on
Tuesday to press ahead with reforms crucial for its bid to join the
bloc, singling out freedom of expression, democratic oversight of
the military and rights for Kurds as key areas where more progress
is needed.
In an annual report on the progress in Turkey's membership bid, the
EU's executive Commission will also repeat that Ankara must normalize
its relations with Cyprus and honor a 2005 pact to open its ports
and airports to the island republic.
The pace of reforms Â"has slowed downÂ" since Turkey's membership
negotiations opened two years ago, and Â"significant further efforts
are neededÂ" in the crucial areas, said a draft of the report seen
by The Associated Press.
The talks stalled last year when the EU froze negotiations on eight
out of 35 policy areas, because of Turkey's refusal to open its ports
to trade with Cyprus, an EU member since 2004. But EU enlargement
commissioner Olli Rehn said last month that negotiations in two new
areas could be opened Â"in the coming weeks.
On Tuesday, Rehn planned also to present reports on the efforts of
six Balkan nations to join the EU.
The draft report on Turkey commends the country's government on
solving a constitutional crisis earlier this year, but says the
military _ which has vowed to safeguard Turkish secularism _ still
exerts Â"significant political influence.Â" The draft report calls
for a better civilian oversight of the armed forces.
Abdulah Gul, a former foreign minister in Turkey's Islamic-oriented
government, was elected president in July after months of confrontation
with the secular establishment, with the military threatening to
intervene when Gul was first nominated for the post.
The draft report says serious concerns remain over freedom of speech
restrictions, particularly Article 301 of the Turkish penal code
that make it a crime to insult Turkish identity or the country's
institutions.
Nobel Prize-winning author Orhan Pamuk and slain ethnic Armenian
journalist Hrant Dink are among those who have been prosecuted under
the controversial article.
The report also mentions the need to improve religious and cultural
rights for non-Muslims, but it lauds Turkey's economic reforms.
The 27-nation EU is divided over whether Turkey, a mainly Muslim
country of 71 million, should one day join the EU. The prospect faces
opposition from some member states, such as France or Austria, and
the accession talks are expected to last at least a decade.
Turkey is under intense pressure from the EU to allow Greek Cypriot
planes and vessels to use Turkish ports and airports, but Ankara has
said it would not agree to any concessions on Cyprus until the EU
keeps to a promise to end the isolation of Turkish Cypriots.
Cyprus has been divided between a Greek Cypriot south and a
Turkish-occupied north since 1974, when Turkey invaded after an
abortive Athens-backed coup by supporters of union with Greece The
European Parliament said last month that Turkey's refusal to comply
with the commitments made when it opened its accession talks with
the EU would seriously affect the negotiations.
--Boundary_(ID_GoPpIbRw57STk7bmVoIN tA)--