ANKARA - British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw evaluated on Wednesday the Progress Report of the European Union (EU) for Turkey and said that Turkey made a remarkable political progress.
British Embassy stated that Straw, who made a statement following the announcement of progress reports of EU Commission for candidate countries and approval of Enlargement Strategy Paper, said that they believed that the Commission's report was a fair and objective recognition of this progress, while also noting outstanding concerns. He added that Britain remained strongly committed to Turkish membership of the EU, and continued to be ready to assist Turkey to address these concerns wherever possible.
Noting that he welcomed the Commission's latest reports on enlargement, showing the progress that had been made by both the accession and candidate countries, Straw said that those reports served as a timely reminder that the shape of Europe continued to change for the better, and that those changes would benefit aspiring member states, EU and Britain alike.
Straw said that the ten accession countries have made considerable economic and political progress over the last decade in order to join the EU.
Straw said that he was delighted that the citizens of those countries fully endorsed their accession this year and would soon gain the benefits of years of hard work and reform. He added that those countries would augment the Union in many ways, increasing stability, security and prosperity across the continent.
(GC-AÖ) 05.11.2003