ISTANBUL - Far-reaching reforms undertaken by Turkey in its quest to join the European Union have reached an "irreversible" point, Anatolia news agency quoted EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn as saying here Thursday.
"In my opinion there is no turning back. The reforms are irreversible not only because of the EU (accession process) but because they are also in the interest of the Turkish people," Rehn told a conference in Istanbul, Anatolia reported.
The commissioner stressed, however, that Ankara's reform drive should not lose momentum and called for the proper implementation of the changes on the ground.
Turkey is scheduled to begin accession talks with the EU on October 3, a process widely expected to take at least a decade.
Rehn assured Ankara that it was advancing in the right direction, playing down suggestions that the populous, mainly Muslim nation might never become a member of the European bloc.
"The road is open," he said. "Let's not drift into endless speculations... and focus on the essence of the matter. Let's work on the legal, political and economic reforms."
05/05/2005 16:45 GMT