Sweden hopes EU to release positive report about Turkey

Freivalds, who is currently on an official visit to Turkey at the invitation of Turkish Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah Gul, made the remarks during her meeting with Mayor Osman Baydemir of southeastern city of Diyarbakir.

The EU Commission is expected to give Turkey the green light to start entry talks in a progress report due to be published on Wednesday.

Freivalds was quoted by Anatolia News Agency as saying that they appreciated the reform process in Turkey, adding that Sweden was in favor of Turkey’s becoming a member of the EU, and that Turkey’s accession would be beneficial to both Turkey and the EU-member countries.

Freivalds said her talks would focus on future contributions of Sweden to Turkey’s reform process, adding that they were planning to provide a scholarship program on human rights in memory of late Swedish Foreign Minister Anna Lindh who was stabbed to death in a Stockholm department store over a year ago.

Meanwhile, Baydemir said the EU membership was a significant process in regard to human rights and democracy in Turkey. Enditem