Fogg: Their Duty Is To Assist Turkey In Understanding E.U. And In Recording Progress In Accession Strategy

ISTANBUL, March 9 (A.A) - European Union (EU) Commission Representative Karen Fogg said on Saturday that their duty was to assist Turkey in understanding the EU and in recording progress within framework of the Accession Strategy.
A symposium was organized in Istanbul's Armada Hotel within framework of the project ''Freedom of Expression in Turkey with its Legal and Social Aspects'' carried out in cooperation between the Liberal Thought Group and the EU Commission.
Speaking at the symposium, Fogg said that the project was one of the initiatives launched by several non-governmental organizations in Turkey that have been given financial support by the EU Commission in order to strengthen democracy and civil society.
Noting that civil society in Turkey had an important duty in regard to Turkey's Accession Strategy, Fogg said, ''we want to help participation of civil society in the membership process. We have two new proposals. One of these aims at informing people on the EU and Turkey's accession, and the other targets to give information to universities and vocational groups on the EU.''
Stressing that the EU Commission aimed at working with both civil society and the government in order to support accession process and democracy, Fogg said, ''the EU Commission has been holding continuous contacts with the government of Turkey, a country targeting to intensify its efforts to fulfill Copenhagen political criteria and to start full membership negotiations with the EU. Sometimes this dialogue takes places in an official atmosphere such as this week's meetings of energy, transportation and environment sub-committees in Brussels. Also, it could take place in an unofficial activity. We have been working with Turkish officials on extremly sensitive issues like prison reform.''
''Our duty is clear. It is to assist Turkey in understanding the EU and in recording progress within framework of the Accession Strategy,'' she stressed.
Noting that arguments about the EU membership were quite normal in candidate countries, Fogg said that both the European Parliament and the EU Commission had been encouraging social discussions on the EU and its future.
Recalling that the Turkish government had committed itself to fulfill the political criteria, Fogg said, ''it means that existing restrictions in freedom of expression should be decreased. Constitutional amendments adopted in October of 2001 increased the EU's expectations from Turkey.''