EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT HAILS STEPS FOR TURKISH-ARMENIAN RECONCILIATION
PanARMENIAN.Net
26.11.2008 15:55 GMT+04:00
/PanARMENIAN.Net/ European Parliament’s Foreign Relations Committee
member and the accompanying delegation held a news conference in
Ankara after the reception hosted in their honor.
MEP Hannes Swoboda said Tuesday that they observe a halt in the
reform process in Turkey. Speaking at the news conference Swoboda
said they have a very clear message for Turkey: "Please, continue
the reform process".
If Turkey truly wants to become an EU member, it should carry on the
reforms with determination, said Swoboda.
He praised Turkey’s foreign policy and the steps taken for
normalization of relations with Armenia.
Also speaking at the press conference, EP’s Turkey rapporteur Ria
Oomen Ruijten said she will submit the first draft of the Turkey
report to the EP next week and it will be open to debate next Tuesday.
She said the report is well balanced and unbiased adding that it
could be more critical in certain areas compared to past, while more
positive in the area of foreign relations. Rujiten also said there
is a halt in the reform process and noted that political reforms are
more important than opening of the chapters.
She added that with political reforms she meant reforms about
individual, cultural and constitutional rights and also the judicial
reform, the Anatolian news agency reports