VIDEO from European Parliament Available on thenewsmarket.com: Need for a Clear EU Message to Turkey

NEW YORK, Feb. 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- See video from  European Parliament at:

http://www.thenewsmarket.com/Releases/StoryDetailPage.aspx?GUID=e8f7a25e-fad7-4c74-8122-8143e4970235&lr=ls#                                                              

Socialists and Democrats in the European Parliament today welcomed a positive vote in the foreign affairs committee on the Commission's progress report on Turkey. They called for the accession process to continue. S&D Euro MPs Richard Howitt and Raimon Obiols, shadow rapporteurs on Turkey, call on the EU to send a clear message to Turkey, saying that as a candidate country for accession, with rights and obligations, it will finally be judged on its own merits. "The negotiation process must go on without confusions or delays, and with a strong commitment for the accession of Turkey in the EU," said Obiols. S&D group calls on the EU to honour the commitments already unanimously made by the European Council to consider Turkey as a candidate country for accession. Simultaneously, the Group calls on Turkey to continue to make progress towards fulfilling the Copenhagen criteria and to meet its obligations to all EU member states, especially under the Ankara protocol. Socialists and Democrats consider the continuation of Turkey's accession process to the EU as beneficial to both the Union and Turkey itself. According to the Socialists and Democrats, the European Union should leave the door wide open for Turkey's membership by continuing the process of accession negotiations. Meanwhile, Turkey should, if it wants to continue its path towards the EU in a smooth manner, fully respond to the Copenhagen criteria and the acquis communautaire. A new constitution resulting from broad consensus in Turkish society is a pre-condition in order to be in line with European standards.

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