EP PASSES REPORT ON TURKEY

NTV MSNBC, Turkey
Sept 27 2006

The report said that Turkey had slowed the pace of putting in place
reforms required for the country’s accession to the European Union.

Guncelleme: 16:52 TSÝ 27 Eylul 2006 CarþambaSTRASBOURG – The European
Parliament on Wednesday approved a report criticising Turkey for not
doing enough to meet the membership criteria of the European Union.

After a lengthy debate, 429 EP deputies voted in favour of adopting the
non-binding report prepared by Dutch parliamentarian Camiel Eurlings,
while 71 voted against. A further 125 parliamentarians abstained.

The report calls on Ankara to increase the pace of reforms especially
those dealing with freedom of expression, religious rights, minority
rights, women’s rights, labour unions, cultural rights and independence
of the jurdiciary.

Turkey was also called on to open its ports and airports to Greek
Cypriot ships and planes, with the report saying that Turkey’s
recognition of all EU countries including Greek Cypriot administration
is a compulsory part of EU negotiation process.

Earlier Wednesday, the EP voted to withdraw a requirement for Turkey
to accept allegations that the Ottoman Empire committed an act of
genocide against its Armenian citizens during World War One as a
pre-condition for membership of the European Union.

Most of the EP’s Socialist, Liberal and Green deputies voted in favour
of an amendment to a report on Turkey’s progress in meeting the EU’s
membership criteria removing the making it a condition of Turkey’s
accession that it recognise the so-called genocide. The motion was
carried by 320 votes in favour to 282.

–Boundary_(ID_vJ53zxL/imA2DYpd1NgPYg)–