TURKEY NEEDS NEW CONSTITUTION, SAYS BABACAN

Dec 2 2008
Turkey

Turkish foreign minister said on Tuesday that Turkey could not proceed
on its way with the current constitution.

Turkish Foreign Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU Talks Ali Babacan
arrived in the Belgian capital of Brussels to attend the NATO foreign
ministers’ meeting.

Holding a press conference in Brussels, Babacan said Georgian-Russian
relations after the recent clashes in Georgia as well as NATO
membership processes of Georgia and Ukraine would be on the agenda
of the two-day meeting.

Commenting on Turkey’s EU negotiation process, Babacan said chapters
on the "free movement of capital" and "information society & media"
were expected to be opened to negotiation during France’s rotating
presidency of the EU.

"Our reform process does not depend on the opening or closure of
chapters," Babacan said, stating that reforms improving the life
standards of the public would be implemented step by step.

Babacan said there were currently 30 draft laws on EU, all waiting
to be discussed by the Turkish parliament.

Babacan also said that the EU process was "essential" for the Turkish
economy and macro-economic stability. "EU reforms are the guarantee
of Turkey’s long-term political stability," he said.

Upon a question on the studies for the preparation of a civil
constitution, Babacan said that Turkey needed a comprehensive
constitutional amendment.

"This is the truth and we should accept it. Turkey cannot proceed on
its way forever with the current constitution. If we try to continue,
there will be frequent accidents and problems," he said.

Commenting on the rising tension between India and Pakistan after
the recent terrorist attacks as well, Babacan said "more attention
should be paid" to the relations between the two countries in the
upcoming period.

Following the NATO foreign ministers’ meeting, Babacan is expected
to meet with EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn.

Babacan, who will later proceed to the Finnish capital of Helsinki
to attend the ministerial meeting of the Organization for Security
and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), will also hold separate talks with
his Azerbaijani and Armenian counterparts.