Turkish report 'critical but fair'

EU/Strasbourg reports: The European Parliament yesterday adopted a "critical but fair" assessment of Turkey's progress towards EU accession yesterday, in a bid to avert fears that the parliament would undermine those who are driving reforms in Turkey.

The report by Camiel Eurlings upheld the parliament's view that the pace of judicial and social reforms in Turkey has slowed over the last year. It also expressed the view that negotiations with Turkey are "open-ended" and that the country should recognise the Republic of Cyprus and withdraw its forces from the island.

In a dissenting view, Dublin MEP Proinsias de Rossa said the report was "unbalanced" and warned against driving Turkey away from the EU, "strengthening the hands of those who oppose reform in Turkey".

Green MEP Joost Lagendijk, who chairs the European Parliament's delegation to Turkey, said the report had been "tempered" by a number of amendments, which were fair but tough. He said recognition of the Armenian genocide by Turkey should no longer be presented as precondition for EU accession. Mr Lagendijk maintained this was a crucial point, claiming it would have strengthened the hands of those in Turkey opposed to reforms.

In his report Mr Eurlings welcomed some progress in Turkey, including "the opening of broadcasting in Kurdish" while remaining critical of the "continued intimidation" of civil society representatives in the southeast of the country. Also acknowledged was the recent steps in the fields of combating torture, fighting corruption and extending women's rights.

Despite the recent acquittal of novelist Elif Shafak on trial for allegedly denigrating Turkishness, a number of speakers said they remained critical of continuing barriers to free speech.

Mr Eurlings defended the criticism of Turkey in his report, saying it was centred on the main political reforms the EU wishes to see in place. This sentiment was echoed by the Finnish EU presidency during the debate. "We share the concerns over reforms," Paula Lehtomaki, Finnish minister for Europe, said. "Turkey needs to give fresh impetus to reforms."

"I said that formal recognition of the past is important but not a criterion. I do hope for Turkish accession and I hope my tough but fair report will be seen as an encouragement for Turkey."

The parliament agreed not to make recognition of the genocide a precondition for accession.