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SNP MEPs have given a cautious welcome to the European Parliament's
decision to back opening EU membership talks with Turkey. Concerns
continue about the human rights situation in Turkey and the regime's
treatment of the country's Kurdish population.
Euro-MPs Ian Hudghton and Alyn Smith backed the move but warned that the
opening of negotiations does not automatically mean that Turkey would
eventually become an EU member. They called for the talks to be a vehicle
for the ongoing improvement of the human and minority rights situation in
Turkey.
Speaking from Strasbourg,
Ian Hudghton MEP
said:
"We've said all along that we have no
objection in principle to Turkey becoming a member of the European Union.
Turkish EU membership could be good for Europe and good for Turkey.
Throughout this process our concerns have focussed on the level of the
Turkish government's willingness to embrace the necessary reforms in
human and minority rights. With this vote in parliament today, and with
Europe's leaders poised to give the green light to opening talks when they
meet in Brussels later this week, the whole debate is entering a new
phase.
The EU must seize this opportunity to use the
accession negotiations as a vehicle for human and minority rights reform
in Turkey. Work to eradicate torture and ill treatment must make rapid
progress. So must recognition of the political, cultural and religious
rights of the Kurdish people, many of whom see opening EU talks as a
positive step forward."
Alyn Smith
MEP added:
"Eventual Turkish membership of the EU could
be very positive indeed for all concerned, but there's an awful lot of
work to do before that could happen as right now Turkey falls short on a
number of points. We commend the Turkish government on the small degree
of progress they've made up to now, but it would be wrong to interpret an
opening of talks as a green light to EU membership.
If he's still in power by then, our own Mr
Blair could have an important role to play in this when the UK takes over
the EU Presidency next year. He must make sure that the whole negotiation
process has the strongest possible focus on the human rights reform
agenda. " |
