BRUSSELS - European Commission President Romano Prodi said on Wednesday that the Commission's response to Turkey was ''yes.''
Prodi, who held a joint press conference with European Union Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, said that Turkey had reached the level required by European standards.
Recalling that the European Council had asked the Commission to express its view on whether to open negotiations with Turkey in 2002, Prodi said that the Council had also asked the Commission whether Turkey was ready to start full membership negotiations.
Prodi said, ''the Commission's response today is yes. That is to say, its response as regards compliance with the criteria is positive, and it recommends negotiations be opened. However, it is a qualified yes, that is accompanied by a large number of recommendations about following up and monitoring the situation in Turkey, and some specific recommendations about the conduct of negotiations.''
Recalling that it was the EU Council who would make the final decision on whether Turkey had met the necessary criteria and whether to open negotiations with Turkey, Prodi said, ''the Commission has tried to present as objective and precise a picture as possible. Nothing has been concealed, covered up or distorted, neither the positive nor the negative aspects.''
Stating that the whole of Turkish society had been committed to a very far-reaching reform process, Prodi said, ''Turkey has reached the level required by European standards.''
When explaining the reasons of conditional yes, Prodi said that much remained to be done to implement all reforms made by Turkey.
Prodi stated that the report drew attention to the situation as regards torture, women's rights, trade union rights, religious freedom and relations between civil and military authorities, and noted, ''a great deal has been achieved in these areas and progress is clearly visible - especially over the last few years. Nonetheless, much remains to be done.''
Noting that time was needed to implement all the reforms, Prodi said, ''we must also tell our Turkish partners clearly and calmly that any breakdown in this progress towards democracy, human rights, fundamental rights and the rule of law as practiced in the European Union will automatically bring negotiations to a halt.''
Prodi called on Turkey to show the same determination in pursuing further reforms.
Also calling on the European public to demonstrate equal perseverance, Prodi said that Europe had nothing to fear from Turkey's accession.
Prodi stressed, ''the integration of Turkey is only one of the many challenges facing us. The biggest of these challenges are internal ones. We must also consider the opportunities that Turkey's integration will bring us in terms of growth and prosperity.''
(BRC-MS) 06.10.2004