Athens News Agency
November 16, 2004

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S FOREIGN AFFAIRS COMMITTEE EXAMINES ISSUE OF
TURKEY’S EU ACCESSION

STRASBOURG (ANA/O. Tsipira) – The European Parliament’s Foreign
Affairs Committee examined the issue of Turkey’s accession to the
European Union in the framework of a discussion which took place on
Tuesday night on the report by Dutch Eurodeputy Kamiel Erlings which
will be put to the vote at the European Parliament in December

Other issues discussed were the issue of Cyprus, the genocide of the
Armenians, the Kurdish question and the situation concerning human
rights in Turkey

Ruling New Democracy party Eurodeputy Giorgos Dimitrakopoulos said
“it is unacceptable that forces of Turkey, a candidate country,
should occupy part of the territory of a member-state, while it is
also unacceptable that its military establishment should give
instructions to its forces for provocative acts against another
member-state.” Dimitrakopoulos further said that on December 17 the
European Council must decide positively on a date for the beginning
of accession negotiations

Main opposition PASOK party Eurodeputy Panos Beglitis, referring to
Turkey, said “this country has carried out an institutional
revolution. It has a European prospect. In other words, we say ‘yes’
to the beginning of negotiations, but without this being considered a
‘blank cheque’. We demand, therefore, respect for the political and
economic criteria of Copenhagen and respect for the acquis
communautaire.” Cypriot Democratic Rally Eurodeputy Ioannis
Kasoulides said on his part amendments which create the impression
that Turkey no longer has any obligations concerning a solution to
the issue of Cyprus because the majority of Greek Cypriots said ‘no’
in the referendum on the Annan plan are very negative.
From: Baghdasarian