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Europe |
Schroeder finds faults in Turkey |
2005-05-05 |
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Wednesday criticized Turkey for a string of deficiencies in its democracy, urging the country to correct them if it wants to join the European Union. "Mistreatment by security forces, limits on freedom of expression and discrimination against women are incompatible with our common values," Schroeder said at a speech at Marmara University here after official talks in Ankara. The German leader also spoke of the "necessity of reform" in religious freedoms, specifically mentioning a meeting earlier in the day with the Istanbul-based spiritual leader of the Orthodox Church, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I. Turkey is under pressure to remove legal obstacles for non-Muslim religious foundations to fully exercise their property rights and to reopen a Greek Orthodox seminary in Istanbul closed more than 30 years ago. Schroeder, who was receiving an honorary doctorate from the university, called on Ankara to address problem areas before it begins accession talks with the European bloc on October 3 and urged it to swiftly implement reforms it has already adopted to achieve European norms. Turkey "should not diminish its efforts," he said, adding: "Turkey has achieved many reforms so far but there is still much to do." Earlier Wednesday, Schroeder told reporters after meeting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan that the EU is determined to open accession talks with Turkey on time. |
Posted by:Fred |
#8 Mexico City ? What does Mexico have to do with Turkey ? Am I missing something ? |
Posted by: Witt 2005-05-05 22:12 |
#7 do we have to march into Mexico City again? They need to study their history a little closer. |
Posted by: bk 2005-05-05 19:05 |
#6 And it's a big 'un - runs right under Istanbul, I believe... |
Posted by: mojo 2005-05-05 13:26 |
#5 Soccer has been a causus beli. |
Posted by: Mrs. Davis 2005-05-05 09:47 |
#4 Well, if you want to see how the EU and Turkey interact, then you have to watch the Champtions League championship from Istanbul on the 25th of May (I believe). It will have the Reds of Liverpool against the Whites of AC Milan. The last time Liverpool played in a CLC was exactly 20 years ago in Belgium at Heysel stadium where 39 people were killed in a tragic accident. 38 were Italians (from Juventas of Turin) and 1 was a local Belgian. The soccer world has changed for the better since then but Istanbul football fans are notorious for taunting and using pyrotechnics (as are the Italians). This should be a good indication of were EU and Turkey really lie in maturity toward each other. |
Posted by: Jack is Back! 2005-05-05 09:33 |
#3 our common values Bwahahahahahaha! |
Posted by: Spot 2005-05-05 08:16 |
#2 With the right perspective, the goalposts may be seen at the vanishing point. |
Posted by: Sobiesky 2005-05-05 01:07 |
#1 Schroeder is just unhappy that Turkey got a free pass on the Armenian genocide and Germany didn't gat a pass on it's genocide, plus all those turks that won't assimilate might be a problem too. |
Posted by: Sock Puppet 0’ Doom 2005-05-05 1:04:15 AM |