Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2006-09-26-Speech-2-241"
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"en.20060926.24.2-241"2
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"Mr President, I spent last week in Turkey with members of the Human Rights Subcommittee. We were there to evaluate progress on human rights issues and the effects of reforms on the ground. On balance, Mr Eurlings has done an exceptional job in producing a tough but fair report on the story of Turkish accession so far.
On the Armenian issue, I believe that it should be mentioned in the report, but it should not be introduced as a new precondition for membership, as we should remain committed to the original criteria if we are to stay credible.
I am supportive of the principle of Turkish accession, but recognise that it will be a long, hard road. We need to send a clear message with this report that, while EU membership is achievable, it will require significant and sustained commitment to reform.
The two human rights concerns on which I wish to focus briefly are freedom of expression and the ongoing Kurdish issue, which needs a new approach. On freedom of expression, despite reform packages – and we are now on the ninth – journalists and writers are not free to comment openly and critically on Turkey or its government members. Article 301 of the penal code remains in place to punish those responsible for ‘a public denigration of Turkishness or State authorities’. Prison terms of up to three years can be imposed. Up to 60 such cases are currently being brought against writers by the State Prosecutor. Despite the high profile case of novelist Elif Shafak, which was thrown out of court last week, self-censorship will continue to be forced upon the press until Article 301 is done away with entirely.
On the Kurdish issue, a guerrilla war using terrorism continues in the south-east – a Kurdish area of Turkey – and must be condemned. PKK terrorism and the massive military response in the south-east are inflicting real hardship on the region and its population. A new approach is required that uses diplomacy and politics instead of force."@en1
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