EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEBATES TURKEY PROGRESS REPORT, CALLS FOR PROTOCOLS RATIFICATION

Tert.am
12:35 ~U 10.02.10

In its plenary session in Strasbourg this week, European Parliament
today debates the draft resolution on Turkey’s progress report,
to see what changes have been made in country in a year’s time.

The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee adopted this
draft resolution, prepared by Christian Democrat parliamentarian and
rapporteur on Turkey Ria Oomen-Ruijten, on January 27. Voting on the
resolution will take place tomorrow, February 11.

The report draws attention to the obstacles encountered in Turkey’s
ongoing reform process; it includes some striking points regarding
Cyprus, asking Turkey to withdraw its military forces from the island,
so as not to hinder current negotiations.

In addition, the report calls on Turkey to ratify the Armenia-Turkey
Protocols without any preconditions whatsoever.

European Parliament calls for enhanced efforts to intensify the
implementation of legislation in specific areas such as women’s rights,
freedom of religion, freedom of speech and expression, zero tolerance
to torture, non-discrimination and the fight against corruption,
reports The Journal of Turkish Weekly.

The closure of the pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party (DTP) and a
ban on a number of its democratically-elected members is mentioned as
one of the prominent set backs by the report. Attention is also drawn
to the Ergenekon case, as well as the activities of the Kurdistan
Workers’ Party (PKK).

According to the European Parliament’s official website, Parliament
"is also expected to underline the limited progress Turkey has made
towards meeting the ‘Copenhagen’ EU eligibility criteria."

From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress