TURKEY NEEDS FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION AND CHANGE OF MENTALITY FOR JOINING EU

PanARMENIAN.Net
15.10.2008 15:24 GMT+04:00

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
backed Turkey’s EU bid on Tuesday (14 October), speaking at the opening
of the Frankfurt book fair together with Turkish Nobel literature
laureate Orhan Pamuk and Turkish President Abdullah Gul.

"Turkey may still have a little way to go here, but we should support
Turkey on this way," the German minister said, German media reports,
with Mr Steinmeier stressing that Turkey’s "integration with the EU"
is important for the integration of the Turkish community in Germany.

Frank-Walter Steinmeier – has a different view on Turkey than
chancellor Angela Merkel, whom he will run against in next year’s
elections.

Some 2.3 million German residents have Turkish origins.

The minister underlined that a critical criterion for joining the
EU is freedom of expression, however, adding that Turkey needs a
"change of mentality" in this area on top of passing new laws.

Mr Steinmeier’s position seems to be at odds with that of German
chancellor Angela Merkel, with the socialist foreign minister set to
run against the conservative leader in next year’s general elections.

Mrs Merkel and the CDU party has consistently advocated a "privileged
partnership" with Turkey instead of full EU membership.

The Turkish president and writer – as well as dozens of other Turkish
authors – were invited to the Frankfurt fair as guests of honor,
EUobserver.com.

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress