BRUSSELS, Sept 24 (AFP) - A leading European lawmaker lashed out Friday at comments by EU enlargement chief Guenter Verheugen that there is no "systematic torture" in Turkey, highlighting fraying tempers ahead of a crunch EU report.
Hans-Gert Poettering, a leading opponent of the vast Muslim country's hopes of joining the European Union, took issue with the remarks made by Verheugen after talks with visiting Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week.
"This is a very extraordinary statement to say that there is no systematic torture. I would expect from a member of the European Commission to say that there is torture," said the German Euro-deputy.
Verheugen, who is due to publish his assessment of Turkey's EU readiness on October 6, announced after his talks with Erdogan Thursday that "no obstacles" remain against its EU hopes.
He said his concerns over torture in Turkey had been allayed after EU experts studied the question.
"I am very pleased to say that the experts ... came back with a clear message that it is not justified to accuse Turkey of conducting systematic torture," he added.
Verheugen's report next month is widely expected to recommend that the EU start entry talks with the vast mostly-Muslim country, despite criticism that Turkey is simply too different to be integrated into the European Union.
The report will serve as the basis for a decision by EU leaders in December to decide whether to start negotiations. Again, that summit is expected to give the go-ahead despite widespread public concerns.
Verheugen's spokesman sought to clarify the commissioner's remarks Friday, saying Brussels is not disputing that torture occurs in Turkey, but has found no evidence that it is systematic.
"It doesn't mean there aren't cases of torture," said spokesman Jean-Christophe Filori, noting that the European Commission had pointed out cases of torture in previous regular reports on Turkey's EU hopes.
He said there was a "clear line" between such torture and ill-treatment, adding: "We gather that the Turkish government is pursuing a very firm policy involving prosecution of the people responsible for this ill-treatment."
Poettering, head of the biggest party in the EU assembly, the conservative European People's Party, said it was not enough for the commission to say there is no systematic torture.
"It means there is torture. And it is the responsibility of the member of the commission to demand from the Turkish government to stop torture," he said.
Poettering confirmed his party believes it is premature to open EU entry talks with Turkey. "We are united ... The start of negotiations now is too early because the human rights situation is dissatisfying," he said.
Meanwhile Commission chief-in-waiting Jose Manuel Barroso, who succeeds Romano Prodi as head of the EU executive in November, said the EU should send Turkey a positive signal, as long as Ankara meets the necessary criteria.
"I think it is important to keep our credibility. If we said that Turkey could become a member or could (start) negotiating with us if they fulfilled certain criteria, I think now we should give a positive signal," Barroso said.