European Socialists Back Türkiye's EU Bid After Ankara Visit

Finnish Parliament Speaker Paavo Lipponen, co-chairman of the Party of European Socialists (PES), led a delegation to Ankara in October 2006, meeting with Turkish Parliament Speaker Bülent Arınç at the Grand National Assembly.

Arınç praised Lipponen's longstanding engagement with Türkiye's European Union membership process, expressing gratitude for his ongoing support.

Lipponen said the PES delegation's trip was intended to assess conditions in Türkiye firsthand. He affirmed the party's backing for Türkiye's EU accession and described the country's reform progress as encouraging, adding that the PES hopes to encourage Ankara to press ahead with further reforms.

Lipponen also welcomed Türkiye's decision to contribute troops to the international peacekeeping mission in Lebanon, calling it a positive step appreciated by both the EU and the PES.

Separately, Lipponen and his delegation held a closed-door meeting with Ahmet Türk, leader of the Democratic Society Party (DTP).

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in October 2006, in its own words.