Turkey has less than 2 years to meet EU's political accession criteria
22/03/2006
www.financialmirror.com
Brussels - Noting the slowing pace of reform in Turkey, the European Parliament has called upon the Turkish government to take immediate steps to ends its discriminatory and repressive policies.
In its recently adopted resolution on the "Commission’s 2005 Enlargement Strategy Report," the Parliament also called on the European Commission to define the geographical boundaries of the European Union. [...] to formulate a comprehensive enlargement policy before focusing on candidate nations (Macedonia, Western Balkans) and countries in negotiation (Turkey, Croatia).
In the section of the report dedicated to Turkey, the European Parliament states that the [...] criteria have to be fulfilled within one or two years.”
Based on these considerations, the Parliament therefore called upon Turkey "to present as soon as possible a plan, including a timetable and specific measures, to meet these deadlines," [...].
This demand comes in reaction to the slowing down of Turkey’s reforms, which were noted in the resolution. The Parliament also formally asked Turkey "to remove all existing legislative and practical obstacles to full enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms by all Turkish citizens, notably freedom of expression, religious freedom, cultural rights, rights of minorities." [...].
[...]
"We welcome the adoption of this resolution as a true expression of the growing will of the European Parliament to be involved in the Union’s decision-making processes. This measure - like the many previously adopted resolutions on this matter - urges the European Commission and Council to not be satisfied with pledges and prolonged delays, but rather to demand genuine reforms in Turkey," said Hilda Tchoboian, Chairperson of the European Armenian Federation.
"We are working with European democratic movements in order to require that Turkey meet its criteria within the next two years - including its full recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the abandonment of its aggressive policies toward Armenia
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
www.financialmirror.com
Brussels - Noting the slowing pace of reform in Turkey, the European Parliament has called upon the Turkish government to take immediate steps to ends its discriminatory and repressive policies.
In its recently adopted resolution on the "Commission’s 2005 Enlargement Strategy Report," the Parliament also called on the European Commission to define the geographical boundaries of the European Union. [...] to formulate a comprehensive enlargement policy before focusing on candidate nations (Macedonia, Western Balkans) and countries in negotiation (Turkey, Croatia).
In the section of the report dedicated to Turkey, the European Parliament states that the [...] criteria have to be fulfilled within one or two years.”
Based on these considerations, the Parliament therefore called upon Turkey "to present as soon as possible a plan, including a timetable and specific measures, to meet these deadlines," [...].
This demand comes in reaction to the slowing down of Turkey’s reforms, which were noted in the resolution. The Parliament also formally asked Turkey "to remove all existing legislative and practical obstacles to full enjoyment of fundamental rights and freedoms by all Turkish citizens, notably freedom of expression, religious freedom, cultural rights, rights of minorities." [...].
[...]
"We welcome the adoption of this resolution as a true expression of the growing will of the European Parliament to be involved in the Union’s decision-making processes. This measure - like the many previously adopted resolutions on this matter - urges the European Commission and Council to not be satisfied with pledges and prolonged delays, but rather to demand genuine reforms in Turkey," said Hilda Tchoboian, Chairperson of the European Armenian Federation.
"We are working with European democratic movements in order to require that Turkey meet its criteria within the next two years - including its full recognition of the Armenian Genocide and the abandonment of its aggressive policies toward Armenia
Note: Above are excerpts from the article. The full article appears here. Clarifications and comments by me are contained in {}. Deletions are marked by [...]. The bold emphasis is mine.
posted by Vahe Balabanian at 6:55 PM
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