EU must remain firm and honest friend of Turkey

11.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 25th Oct 2007

The European Parliament and European Commission have both called for the door for Turkey's EU accession to be kept firmly open, while insisting on further reforms and the consistent application of human rights criteria. They also both urge political and diplomatic dialogue to find a solution to PKK violence and Kurdish grievances.

Speaking after the adoption by MEPs of a sensible and enlightened resolution on EU-Turkey relations, London's Liberal Democrat MEP Baroness Sarah Ludford said:

"I welcome the strong statement by the Liberal enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn, that the EU must keep its word about Turkey having the prospect of EU membership. French President Sarkozy is in contrast being deeply unhelpful - and disrespectful to Turkey - in trying to have the EU wriggle out of this commitment."

"MEPs showed we were more constructive than the US Congress by rebuffing attempts to insert references to 'the Armenian genocide' in the resolution. Our call for Turkish-Armenian reconciliation based on a frank and open discussion on past events is in fact the only viable way forward."

"But that means the infamous Article 301 of the penal code must be abolished. Freedom of speech would allow people to choose for themselves if they want to refer to 'genocide' in relation to the Armenian deaths, or 'Kurds' rather than 'mountain Turks'. Turkish citizens are too intelligent and sophisticated to have to suffer an outdated law banning 'insults to Turkishness'."

The European Parliament condemned the violence perpetrated by the PKK but also urged the government to launch a new initiative favouring a lasting settlement of the Kurdish issue. MEPs and Olli Rehn both appealed to Turkey to refrain from disproportionate and dangerous cross-border military strikes.

Sarah Ludford added: "While the Turkish government must come forward with a genuine political offer to the Kurdish people, the PKK ambush killings are inexcusable and risk losing Kurds a lot of sympathy."