Turkish EU ambition suffers another blow

A key report says Turkish reforms slowed with a constitutional crisis over the election of an Islamist president. With attention distracted by tensions between the ruling AK Party and the military over the election of Abdullah Gul, Turkey did too little to root out corruption, modernize its judiciary, reduce the power of the military and increase freedom of expression. Turkish EU ambition suffers another blow The annual progress report compiled by the European Commission, to be released next week, comes amid preparations for a new committee on the future of the EU which may try to determine where Europe's frontiers should lie and how much further the bloc should expand. Public opinion across the EU is hardening against Turkey's EU membership bid and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France leads a group of countries opposed to full EU membership for Turkey, preferring a looser association with Ankara instead. Sarkozy has proposed the new committee, scheduled to be approved by EU heads of government next month, which Turkey fears will to kill off their membership bid. Anxious to limit the damage to Turkish accession hopes, a draft of the commission's report stresses Turkey's strategic importance as a "unique interface between the west and the Muslim world," a diplomatic and military partner and an energy hub. But it also makes clear that the implementation of reforms was "uneven" and "has slowed down since 2005." The number of those prosecuted for freedom of expression doubled between 2005-6, corruption remains rife and Turkey was found to be in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights in 330 cases. Earlier this year the Turkish military spoke out against Gul's candidacy for the post of president which is one of the central pillars of the secular Turkish state. The crisis prompted fresh parliamentary elections which returned the AK Party to power, allowing Gul - whose wife wears a headscarf - to win the presidency through a parliamentary vote. Though the military "made statements beyond its remit," parliamentary elections were conducted properly, the draft report says. "Turkey now needs to renew the momentum of political reforms," the draft document said. It called for significant further efforts on freedom of expression, civilian control of the military, increased rights for non-Muslims, the fight against corruption and judicial reforms. Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform research institute in London, said the document had come at a difficult time for Turkey. "A number of governments that have been pro-Turkey are now backpedaling or - like Denmark - keeping their heads down and leaving it to Britain, Sweden and the Commission to argue for Turkey" said Grant. "The best prospect for Turkey at the moment is just to keep going and hope that the climate in Europe changes - which it might do," Grant added. Eight of the 35 "chapters" - or subject headings - for negotiations with Turkey are currently frozen because of its refusal to open its ports to ships from Cyprus. There were fears that Sarkozy would block talks in all further issues but, instead, France has hinted that it will prevent the opening of a further four chapters. The commission's study underlines the amount of work needed to meet EU membership requirements. Though the document says that the outcome of the spring crisis "reaffirmed the primacy of the democratic process" it also notes that the military took position on issues outside their remit. "Full civilian supervision of the military and parliamentary oversight of defense expenditures still need to be established," it added. The document says there has been "little progress" in the fight against corruption which is describes as "widespread." The number of prosecutions of journalists, intellectuals and human rights activists for expressing non-violent opinions is on the rise. The number of people prosecuted almost doubled in 2006 from 2005 and there were further increases in 2007. More than half of these cases were brought under the Turkish Penal Code and many of those under article 301 which makes it an offense to insult "Turkishness." Together with the murder of a journalist, Hrant Dink, this has helped create a climate of self-censorship the draft document says. The number of reported torture and ill-treatment cases has declined though they still occur, especially before suspects are detained. Concerns remain about the independence and impartiality of the judiciary. Between October 2006 and October 2007 the European Court of Human Rights delivered 330 judgments finding that Turkey had violated at least one article of the European Convention on Human Rights. The draft takes an even-handed approach on the Kurdish issue saying that Turkey made "no progress in the area of cultural rights." However it notes that the PKK separatist group is on the EU's terrorist list and talks of a "further deterioration of the situation in terms of attacks by the PKK and other terrorist groups. The final version of the document may make a plea to Turkey to avoid disproportionate retaliation. The report, which covers the whole enlargement process, also said that Croatia might be able to join the EU by the end of the decade if it speeds up the reform of its judiciary and the fight against corruption. And it highlights concerns about the Balkans, including organized crime, ethnic tensions and corruption, arguing that measures being taken are inadequate

Turkish EU ambition suffers another blow

The annual progress report compiled by the European Commission, to be released next week, comes amid preparations for a new committee on the future of the EU which may try to determine where Europe's frontiers should lie and how much further the bloc should expand.

Public opinion across the EU is hardening against Turkey's EU membership bid and President Nicolas Sarkozy of France leads a group of countries opposed to full EU membership for Turkey, preferring a looser association with Ankara instead.

Sarkozy has proposed the new committee, scheduled to be approved by EU heads of government next month, which Turkey fears will to kill off their membership bid.

Anxious to limit the damage to Turkish accession hopes, a draft of the commission's report stresses Turkey's strategic importance as a "unique interface between the west and the Muslim world," a diplomatic and military partner and an energy hub.

But it also makes clear that the implementation of reforms was "uneven" and "has slowed down since 2005."

The number of those prosecuted for freedom of expression doubled between 2005-6, corruption remains rife and Turkey was found to be in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights in 330 cases.

Earlier this year the Turkish military spoke out against Gul's candidacy for the post of president which is one of the central pillars of the secular Turkish state.

The crisis prompted fresh parliamentary elections which returned the AK Party to power, allowing Gul - whose wife wears a headscarf - to win the presidency through a parliamentary vote.

Though the military "made statements beyond its remit," parliamentary elections were conducted properly, the draft report says.

"Turkey now needs to renew the momentum of political reforms," the draft document said. It called for significant further efforts on freedom of expression, civilian control of the military, increased rights for non-Muslims, the fight against corruption and judicial reforms.

Charles Grant, director of the Center for European Reform research institute in London, said the document had come at a difficult time for Turkey.

"A number of governments that have been pro-Turkey are now backpedaling or - like Denmark - keeping their heads down and leaving it to Britain, Sweden and the Commission to argue for Turkey" said Grant.

"The best prospect for Turkey at the moment is just to keep going and hope that the climate in Europe changes - which it might do," Grant added.

Eight of the 35 "chapters" - or subject headings - for negotiations with Turkey are currently frozen because of its refusal to open its ports to ships from Cyprus. There were fears that Sarkozy would block talks in all further issues but, instead, France has hinted that it will prevent the opening of a further four chapters.

The commission's study underlines the amount of work needed to meet EU membership requirements. Though the document says that the outcome of the spring crisis "reaffirmed the primacy of the democratic process" it also notes that the military took position on issues outside their remit.

"Full civilian supervision of the military and parliamentary oversight of defense expenditures still need to be established," it added.

The document says there has been "little progress" in the fight against corruption which is describes as "widespread."

The number of prosecutions of journalists, intellectuals and human rights activists for expressing non-violent opinions is on the rise. The number of people prosecuted almost doubled in 2006 from 2005 and there were further increases in 2007.

More than half of these cases were brought under the Turkish Penal Code and many of those under article 301 which makes it an offense to insult "Turkishness." Together with the murder of a journalist, Hrant Dink, this has helped create a climate of self-censorship the draft document says.

The number of reported torture and ill-treatment cases has declined though they still occur, especially before suspects are detained. Concerns remain about the independence and impartiality of the judiciary.

Between October 2006 and October 2007 the European Court of Human Rights delivered 330 judgments finding that Turkey had violated at least one article of the European Convention on Human Rights.

The draft takes an even-handed approach on the Kurdish issue saying that Turkey made "no progress in the area of cultural rights."

However it notes that the PKK separatist group is on the EU's terrorist list and talks of a "further deterioration of the situation in terms of attacks by the PKK and other terrorist groups.

The final version of the document may make a plea to Turkey to avoid disproportionate retaliation.

The report, which covers the whole enlargement process, also said that Croatia might be able to join the EU by the end of the decade if it speeds up the reform of its judiciary and the fight against corruption.

And it highlights concerns about the Balkans, including organized crime, ethnic tensions and corruption, arguing that measures being taken are inadequate