Reform process in Turkey needs new impulse - Czech minister

On behalf of the Czech EU presidency, Schwarzenberg called on Ankara to implement constitutional reforms and harmonise its legislation with EU norms.

Babacan said there was the will to carry out reforms in his country.

Turkey should ensure the freedom of speech and the freedom of religion for its citizens, Schwarzenberg said.

The EU also demands that Ankara carry out a more intensive fight against corruption and support cultural and economic development, especially in the less developed southeastern regions of the country.

Turkey is a candidate for EU membership and it is seeking to join the EU but some of its member states are against the admission of the Muslim secular country.

Turkey started its accession talks with the EU in 2005 but it has only opened ten out of the entire 36 chapters that each candidate country must close with Brussels.

At today's meeting of the EU Troika in Prague Babacan appealed for the unblocking of some chapters.

He said that all the chapters that had been technically prepared should be open and added that political questions should not influence the enlargement process.

Babacan said he hoped that Turkey would be able to open further chapters during the current Czech EU presidency that will end in June.

Carl Bildt, foreign minister of Sweden that will take the EU presidency from the Czech Republic in July, said that a large majority of the EU member states and members of the European Parliament supported the continuation of the talks with Turkey.

He said there were protests against each wave of EU enlargement but each enlargement was later perceived as a success.

He said that the EU enlargement to include Turkey would mean the strengthening of the EU position on the international scene.

The European Union with Turkey as its member would be stronger, more dynamic and more relevant in the eyes of the remaining world, Bildt said.

Babacan said Turkey's entry in the European Union would turn the EU into a global player that will be better prepared for the 21st century.

He said Ankara would be ready to join the EU only in a few years and that by that time Turkey would look absolutely different than today.

Schwarzenberg and Babacan also said that Turkey and the EU had the same view on the fundamental strategic challenges of the present. They include the peace process in the Middle East, stabilisation of the southern Caucasus and the security situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

It is mainly France that is opposed to the admission of Turkey to the EU, while Britain, for instance, supports its membership.

Autor: ČTK
www.ctk.cz