European Commission To Declare Enlargement Strategy Paper 2002

BRUSSELS - The European Commission will officially declare the Enlargement Strategy Paper 2002 and Regular Reports on progress towards accession by each of the candidate countries on Wednesday afternoon.
European Commission President Romano Prodi and European Union (EU) Commissioner for enlargement Guenter Verheugen will give information about Enlargement Strategy Paper 2002 at the European Parliament (EP) and respond to questions of parliamentarians.
Prodi and Verheugen will later hold a press conference.
The Enlargement Strategy Paper 2002 and Regular Reports on progress towards accession by Turkey praises Ankara's reforms while it notes that Turkey has not fulfilled Copenhagen political criteria yet.
The report says that Turkey was encouraged to make basic reforms as it was officially announced as the candidate country in Helsinki Summit at the end of 1999 and states that Turkey has made important and comprehensive reports in the last one year.
Giving examples like abolition of death sentence in peace time and narrowing of emergency rule in Southeastern Anatolia, the report says that these reforms reflect the will of a majority of Turkish political leaders to reach EU values and standards.
The report points out ''it was of significance'' that constitutional amendments and amendments to Civil Code, and reform packages approved in February, March and August of 2002 ''were ratified despite difficult political and economic conditions.''
Stating that Turkey has recorded significant developments in adjustment to Copenhagen criteria, the report notes that however, it ''cannot fully adjusted political criteria.''
In this chapter, the report says that there are still some restrictions in fundamental rights and liberties and states that these restrictions are mainly in freedom of expression, meeting and association.
The report expresses concern that people convicted of ''intellectual crimes'' are still in prisons.
Pointing out that reforms can only be meaningful with concrete implementation, the report says that banning a political leader by the Higher Election Board ''does not reflect reform spirit.''
The report states that reform process in prison system continues and progress has been recorded.
Stating that warnings about preventing torture will be taken into consideration, the report says that some problems in imprisonment conditions in F type prisons still continue.
The report stresses that limitation of detention period is an efficient measure to prevent torture.
The Commission, which accepts amendments to 159th and 312th articles of Penal Code as positive, says that there are still some limitations and some problems have not totally be overcome although some regulations necessary to lift obstacles before freedom of thought and expression have been made.
The report says that judicial reforms continue but claims that despite the change in State Security Courts (DGMs), these courts have not totally be adjusted to international standards.
Stating that ''corruption is still a serious problem in Turkey'' despite steps taken for transparency, the Commission underlines that Turkey has not yet signed conventions of the Council of Europe about this issue.
The Commission claims that despite changes in role and structure of National Security Council (NSC), the effect of these changes has not been seen in practice.
The report which focuses on Turkey's contributions to the ongoing direct talks on solution to the Cyprus issue asks Turkey to encourage Turkish Cypriots to take steps leading to solution and wishes that a solution would be reached by the end of 2002 during which the Greek Cypriot side's membership negotiations would end.
The report which mentions positive developments in Turkish-Greek relations and efforts to find solution to problems between the two countries, reflects the concern felt about the Turkish Armed Forces' influence over politics.
Noting that continuation of reform process in Turkey would take it to full adjustment with the Copenhagen political criteria, the report asks Turkey to continue those efforts and mentions the positive progress recorded in the economy.
European Commission also proposes the EU to increase financial assistance to Turkey for completion of its accession preparations and provide a supplementary source.
Focusing on the commercial relations between Turkey and the EU and on necessity of enlargement of the Customs Union area, Commission expresses that important progress was recorded in fields related to the Customs Union and sectors like banking, communications, agriculture and energy in terms of adjustment with the EU.
The report says that problems of adjustment still existed in some fields and proposes to increase financial assistance to Turkey.
The report which does not mention membership negotiations with Turkey and date for opening of these negotiations says that the Accession Partnership Document would be reviewed and updated by focusing on prior issues and that the document would be presented in the beginning of 2003 by taking into consideration the latest developments.
Regular Reports on progress towards accession by each of the candidate countries will be approved by the Commission in coming hours.