ANKARA - After European Union (EU) Commission's Progress Report regarded with Turkey took place in the press before it was officially announced, Ankara said facts in Turkey were disregarded in the report.
Foreign Ministry Undersecretary Ugur Ziyal and Deputy Undersecretary responsible for the EU affairs Akin Alptuna conveyed their criticisms regarding the report to the EU officials they met.
Ziyal and Alptuna told EU Commission's General Director for enlargement Michael Leigh that political atmosphere in Turkey was disregarded, and that there were mistakes in some of the criticisms.
Ugur Ziyal also invited ambassadors of Denmark, the EU Term President, Germany, Britain, and Charge D'Affaires of French Embassy to a meeting and listed his criticisms regarded with the report.
The officials of the embassies told A.A correspondent that the report appreciated the reforms which Turkey fulfilled in a short time, and defended that the criticisms were rightful.
A high ranking foreign ministry official recalled the criticism that torture continued widely in Turkey, and stressed that, ''they failed to consider whether or not torture was a systematic or separate issue in Turkey. Is it possible to say that torture incidents in Turkey is more than it had been three years ago?''
''Honor killing'' constitutes one of the issues attracting attention in Turkey section of the ''Toward an Enlarged Union'' document that would be announced by the EU Commission.
The document is expected to be announced at 15.30 local time following an evaluation meeting of the EU Commission members on Wednesday morning. The document says, ''there are still legal arrangements enabling reduction of punishments in honor killings.''
The document said Turkey could not fully met the Copenhagen political criteria despite the important steps it took to meet the political criteria. The document listed the reasons as:
''-Despite the reforms, some important restrictions continue with respect to basic rights and freedoms.
-Some administrative arrangements or arrangements in some regulations are needed to implement the provisions included in adjustment bill.
-Inorder to make the arrangements influential, it is important for the administrative and legal authorities to start implementation of the legal provisions in practice and throughout the country.
-The Commission thinks that decision of Higher Election Board, preventing a big political party leader's entering November 3 elections contradicts with the spirit of the reforms.
-Fight against torture, control of civilian government on army, situation of those who are imprisoned because of their ideas that don't include violence, failure to fully implement decisions of the European Court of Human Rights are also considered as issues which were not adequately resulted with respect to political criteria.
-Despite the progress recorded in conditions of F type prisons, there are still problems,
-Despite the change in Foundations Law, religious minorities meet restrictions in legal status, property rights, training and education of religious men,
-Unions are exposed to restrictions,
-Although authority of State Security Courts are decreased, workings of those courts are not still appropriate to the international standards,
-Corruption continues as an important problem. Council of Europe agreements pertaining to the issue have not been approved yet,
-Although a constitutional amendment was made to the establishment and role of the National Security Council (NSC), no change has been observed in function of the NSC in practice.''
The document stressed that Accession Partnership Document was a beneficial means to the pre-accession strategy, noting that it should be updated.
An official said all other candidates several times changed their National Program, stressing that Turkey could update its National Program in case Accession Partnership Document is updated for Turkey.
The document said the EU started to fulfill its financial commitments to Turkey, and noted that, ''Within the framework of the Accession Partnership Document, which will be published at the beginning of 2003, will envisage to increase donation aid to Turkey from 2004 to 2006. Amount of the annual appropriations will be determined by considering the performance to meet Copenhagen criteria, and influential administration of the pre-accession aid.''
The section of the document about 10 candidates (Greek Cypriot side, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Slovakia, and Slovenia) said the candidates fulfilled their commitments in harmonizing with the political and economic criteria in the foreseen time, and that they adjusted with the EU acquisitions to a great extend, and recorded an important progress in reaching an adequate administrative and legal capacity. The document recommended membership negotations to be completed by the end of 2002 with those countries which will be ready for membership as of the beginning of 2004. It also advised membership agreement to be signed with those countries in spring of 2003.
The document said they favored membership of Cyprus to the union following a comprehensive solution that would include the best results for all the concerned sides, and in a re-unified way.
The document said, ''as it was stated in results of Sevilla Summit, EU was ready to include the conditions of such a political solution within membership arragements.
-That the Commission welcomed continuation of role of the U.N. on Cyprus issue, and invited all the concerned sides, particularly Turkey, to expend full support to the efforts that were exerted to reach a comprehensive solution till the end of the year.
-That membership conditions of Cyprus could be adapted in a way that will include elements of this comphensive solution, and in a way to implement EU acquisitions on whole of the island,
-Providing a considerable amount of financial resource to the north sectýon of the ýsland inorder to overcome existing economic difference with the south section of the island, and for the success of the solution. And to make those resources to be used under every condition.
-In case a solution cannot be reached in Cyprus, the decisions that would be taken in December Copenhagen Summit, will be formed in line with the principles revealed in 1999 Helsinki summit.
Speaking to A.A correspondent, an official said Ankara's biggest uneasiness about the document was the Cyprus item.
Ankara evaluated the document, which was prepared for membership of Greek Cypriot side, and which invited all the concerned sides, particularly Turkey, to expend support to the efforts exerted to reach a comprehensive solution by the end of the year. Ankara said it was ''an unfair comment''.
Ankara conveyed the EU ambassadors and Leigh that a progress could not be recorded so far as Greek Cypriot side did not give up its attitude, despite the good will openings made by the Turkish side within the process of direct talks whých started with the initiatives of TRNC President Rauf Denktas.
Ankara warned that willingness of Greek Cypriot administration to carry EU full membership process to the final stage, contradicting with the international agreements, would deepen division in the island, and that it would be a wrong step that would negatively effect stability in Eastern Mediterrenan and in the region. Ankara also stressed that the Greek Cypriot side did not favor to reach a compromise with the accounts to provide EU full membership.
Ankara noted that the comprehensive proposals made by Denktas on September 11 was an important opportunity to reach a comprehensive peace and compromise, and that Turkish side always made proposals to find a solution on the Island, and that Greek Cypriot side has not made any proposal so far.