EURLINGS: "TURKEY REPORT IS FAIR"

ABHaber, Belgium
EU-Turkey News Network
Sept 27 2006

Parliament adopts tough but fair Turkey Report. Camiel Eurlings MEP

Today European Parliament adopted Camiel Eurlings’ report on Turkey’s
progress towards accession with an overwhelming majority (429 in
favour, 71 against).

MEPs from nearly all political groups in Parliament shared the
conclusion that the reform process in Turkey has slowed down during
the last year. Camiel Eurlings MEP said: "This is a tough but fair
signal. I hope it will be perceived by Turkish politicians and the
Turkish public as an encouragement to restart the reform process."

Debating the report in plenary Eurlings said freedom of expression
in Turkey, and in relation to that issue article 301 of the new penal
code, raised many doubts.

Eurlings said: "The reconfirmation of the sentence of Mr. Hrant
Dink proves that Article 301 has to be changed or repealed. I ask
the Turkish Government and the Turkish people to recognize the need
for this. It is important for the freedom of the Turkish people,
it is important for the image of Turkey in the wider world."

Eurlings also said that much needs to be done as regards freedom of
religion and that schooling facilities should be reopened. Eurlings
said: "Give back the properties to the religious minorities and change
the proposed law on foundations so that seized church property can
be given back, or that there is a good compensation for the minority
churches. For a country that wants to be European, it is very important
that it should be as easy to build a Christian church in Turkey as
it is to build a mosque in the current Member States of the EU."

Eurlings is worried about the situation in south-east Turkey:
"I strongly condemn the PKK and all terrorism; there is never any
excuse for terrorism. But at the same time I ask Turkey to try to
find peaceful interlocutors, try to find a political way and invest
in the social and economic development of the south-east."

Concerning Cyprus this report makes it clear that the European
Parliament wants to see more efforts by the EU in the northern part of
the island in terms of trade arrangements. But, at the start of the
accession negotiations, Turkey accepted hard conditions from Europe,
including the normalisation of the relations with the Republic of
Cyprus, by signing the Ankara Protocol. As the Council did before the
Parliament demands the full implementation of the Ankara Protocol
before the end of 2006. Eurlings: "Big trouble lies ahead with the
negotiations if the implementation of the Ankara Protocol is not
settled this year."

Regarding the Armenian question European Parliament adopted a strong
position. Parliament reached the political conclusion that it is
indispensable for a country on the road to Europe to come to terms
with and recognise the past. This political conclusion was adopted by
a large majority. The fact that this decision, without implying that
it is formally one of the Copenhagen accession criteria, does not
make the position of Parliament weaker but more credible and thus
stronger. I urge Turkey to accept a committee under the auspices
of the UN and to accept its conclusions and in the shortest term to
stop sending people to jail when they express that they personally
recognize the Armenian Genocide.

This report states the position of Parliament very clearly. We are
committed to the accession process of Turkey but we ask a quick proof
that Turkey is committed as well. Only if Turkey restarts reforms in
a vigorous way can the future of the process be guaranteed.