WASHINGTON D.C. - Nobody in Europe could understand the closure case filed against Turkey's ruling party, co-chairman of a Turkey-EU joint committee said on Monday.
Speaking at the annual conference of American-Turkish Council (ATC) in Washingon D.C., Joost Lagendijk, co-chair of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliament Committee, said that the case filed against Turkey's Justice and Development (AK) Party was a legal, but a quite political case.
Lagendijk qualified the reforms carried out by Turkey on the way to EU membership during 2003-2004 period as the "golden years" of the reform process.
He said the slowing down of reforms after December 2004 caused a "disappointment" in Brussels.
Lagendijk also said the EU process should not be hindered despite the slowdown in reforms.
He said he hoped that AK Party would not be closed down, noting that, otherwise, the situation would result in the suspension of negotiation talks between Turkey and EU.
Matthew Bryza, USA's Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for European and Eurasian Affairs, attended ATC's conference as well.
Bryza said the continuation of Turkey's EU process would be for the strategical benefit of USA.
There may be certain opportunities missed in terms of reforms, but consequently, Turkish people and political system would decide on the types of reforms to be realized, Bryza also said.
ATC is a business association dedicated to enhancing the promotion of U.S.-Turkish commercial, defense, technology and cultural relations.
The association currently holds it 27th annual conference in Washington D.C. The conference will end on April 16th.
(DO-AÖ)