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EU to give Turkey deadline on ending torture
Turkey will have two years to eliminate torture, establish freedom of religion and assert civilian control over the military if it wants to become a European Union member in 10 years, The Financial Times reported on Tuesday.
"Hurry and hand me that truncheon, wouldja? The deadline's almost here and I ain't near done with this guy!"
The British newspaper said it had seen a draft in which the European Commission will this month give Turkey a checklist of a nearly 150 short-term tasks for becoming an EU member. The draft document is aimed at easing EU voters' concerns about Turkey's potential membership. Turkey within the next year or two will have to "ensure implementation ... of the 'zero tolerance' policy against torture" and "to adopt a law comprehensively addressing all the difficulties faced by non-Muslim religious minorities and communities," the daily said, citing the draft.

It added that during the same period the country must "establish full parliamentary oversight of military and defense policy," "abolish any remaining competence of military courts to try civilians" and "ensure the independence of the judiciary," the daily reported. The draft fills in the gaps left by last month's decision to begin membership talks with Ankara, it said.
Posted by: Fred 2005-11-02
http://www.rantburg.com/poparticle.php?ID=133807