European Parliament discusses report on Turkey’s EU bid

BRUSSELS (AA) – The European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee is discussing today and will vote on an annual report on Turkey’s European Union membership bid.

Some 300 changes have been proposed to the report, including the deletion of sections on Kemalism as well as alterations to sections dealing with terrorist leader Abduallah Ocalan.

Arie Oostlander, a Dutch deputy prepared the report which was criticized before by the Turkish Foreign Ministry.

In the report, Oostlander contends that a strict secularism is a handicap in front of religious freedom. The draft states that despite of a strong opposition, Turkey took courageous steps over the European Union (EU) reforms, but still there is need for more new reforms and they have to be implemented.

On the Cyprus issue, Oostlander says that resolution of the Cyprus issue was key to the future of Turkish-EU relations.

The draft also calls for Turkey’s powerful National Security Council (MGK) to be dissolved.

It says although the Turkish government’s determination, Turkey can’t implement Copenhagen criteria yet and "a clear frame hasn’t been formed which will protect political, social and economic rights and the report criticizes to save 1982 Turkish constitution.

The draft will be sent to the EP’s General Assembly after being discussed in the committee.