Turkey report stays on EU agenda

EUPolitix.com, Belgium
Sept 22 2006

The MEP at the centre of a row over Turkish EU has expressed his
pleasure that his report will be voted on in European parliament
next week.

Socialist MEPs had attempted to head off a controversial parliament
report by Camiel Eurlings that criticizes Turkey for inaction in
implementing reforms.

"I am happy that the report will be discussed as scheduled next week,"
the centre-right Dutch deputy told this website.

"It is important that the report is voted on in parliament before the
commission’s report is published on November 8. I am pleased it will
be discussed in Strasbourg in the presence of commissioner Olli Rehn."

Socialist MEPs said the Eurlings report is "unbalanced and biased" and
attempted to use a Thursday meeting of political group and committee
leaders to press for the delay.

Concern among centre-left MEPs – the parliament’s second biggest bloc –
focuses on Eurlings’ demands that Ankara must recognise the Armenian
genocide as a precondition for EU entry.

But despite their fears, the Eurlings report is now formally on the
agenda at next week’s Strasbourg plenary.

Heated discussion is expected during debate on Tuesday – ahead of a
Wednesday vote on the report.