Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2007-10-24-Speech-3-010"
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"en.20071024.4.3-010"2
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"Mr President, let me first congratulate Ms Oomen-Ruijten on her solid report and for proposing a draft that is both rigorous and fair.
The European perspective for Turkey has proved to be a key incentive for reforms in the country. In line with our core principle of conditionality in enlargement policy, the implementation of the reforms on the ground determines progress in the accession negotiations.
However, if we are to use this principle effectively to have serious political leverage to encourage reforms, the European Union itself must stick to its own commitments. We have to keep our word
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All Member States continue to support accession negotiations with Turkey, and it is vital for the Union’s credibility that the process continues in accordance with the Negotiating Framework of 3 October 2005 and the Council decision of 11 December 2006. These were unanimous decisions of all 27 Member States.
We should therefore open further chapters once they are technically ready. At least two chapters – consumer and health protection and trans-European networks – could be opened in the coming weeks. We also encourage Turkey to work to meet the opening benchmarks already defined for 13 chapters.
Last but not least, please rest assured that your contribution will be duly taken into account in our forthcoming progress report concerning Turkey, which the Commission will adopt on 6 November.
Turkey went through an extremely difficult period earlier this year with a severe constitutional crisis and high political tensions. Despite such challenges, it conducted parliamentary and presidential elections in full respect of democratic principles and with a very high level of citizen participation.
The result was that democracy had the last word. The new Turkish Parliament is largely representative of Turkish political diversity and, as Mr Lobo Antunes said, the new Government can now work with the support of a stable majority and a broad popular mandate. Thus the way ahead has been cleared in this regard. Now the time has come to regenerate a new momentum in the reform process.
Therefore the Commission shares the basic approach followed by the draft resolution, which is to identify challenges and to encourage Turkey to meet these policy challenges. This means to support the commitment of the new Turkish Government to strengthen the reform efforts and to encourage it to translate this commitment rapidly into action. This concerns both the reform process and the Ankara Protocol.
The Commission welcomes the fact that the Government has put the constitutional reforms at the top of its agenda, with a view to reinforcing democracy and expanding fundamental freedoms. However, this should not result in any postponement of reforms that are urgently needed today, such as the revision of the infamous Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code and other articles related to freedom of expression or the adoption of the Law on Foundations to ensure freedom of religion.
Further efforts are also needed to ensure democratic supremacy of civil-military relations, to protect the rights of women, children and trade unions, to improve the judiciary system and to enhance the fight against corruption.
Let me say some words on the recent events and the current situation, on which we coordinate very closely with the Presidency and Mr Solana and we have taken due note of Parliament’s views. Turkey faces continual cross-border terrorist attacks from the PKK, which is on the EU list of terrorist organisations. The European Union condemns all terrorist attacks and understands Turkey’s need to protect its citizens.
The EU and Turkey are both committed to the independence, sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity of Iraq. We continue to urge Turkey and Iraq to tackle this problem through cooperation between the relevant authorities and by respecting international law. The recent bilateral agreement between Turkey and Iraq on the fight against terrorism provides a basis for this.
The Turkish authorities are understandably trying to engage the United States as well as the Iraqi and Iraqi-Kurdish authorities in their efforts, with some signs of progress recently. The resolution passed in Parliament last week should be seen as part of that overall political strategy."@en1
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