PanARMENIAN.Net

EU Commissioner to Arrive in Ankara to "Encourage
Turkish Officials for Progress"
29.09.2006 18:42 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ European Union Commissioner for Enlargement Olli
Rehn will arrive in Ankara on Oct. 2 to encourage Turkish officials to
make more progress on the implementation of reforms before the
European Commission’s annual progress report due on Nov. 8. Rehn’s
impressions from the visit, on which he is to monitor progress in
implementing reforms by meeting representatives of non-governmental
organizations, will play a significant role in the final touches to
the report.

He will also take part in a meeting on "The European Social Model and
Syndicated Rights in the EU Negotiation Process" on Oct. 3. Rehn will
also meet with Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul and other Turkish
officials. He told the Strasbourg assembly late Tuesday that Turkey
has to make more progress in implementing reforms. He noted that
controversial Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK) will most
likely affect the upcoming progress report on Turkey in a negative
light and urged the Turkish government to abolish or amend the
article.

"Despite the acquittal of novelist Elif Safak, freedom of expression
remains under threat in Turkey," Rehn said Tuesday, arguing that the
mere existence of such judicial proceedings had "a chilling effect" on
journalists, writers and activists, reports ABHaber.