BRUSSELS - Guenter Verheugen, the EU Commisioner for Enlargement said on Monday that the new government in Turkey can take steps quickly to abide by EU criteria.
Addressing the European Parliament's Foreign Affairs Commission, Verheugen evaluated the Turkey-EU relations and results of general elections in Turkey.
Verheugen said ''it was a democratic election and we are certainly prepared to cooperate with the next government.''
''I am aware that two parties which are now represented in parliament have supported during the campaign the pro-European orientation of Turkey, and therefore I expect Turkey to continue with political reforms,'' he said.
Verheugen said that he was not very surprised by the election results, adding yet the coming out of such a clear and two-party image can be considered as a surprise. The new government in Turkey can undertake certain things quickly, adding this is not that difficult.
New government should act fast to stamp out torture, free all political prisoners and punish torturers to boost its chances of European Union membership, Verheugen said, adding such changes would be the best way for Turkey to prove it was serious about political reform.
''Turkey can, if it wants, very quickly undertake steps which will lead to making these reforms real. Most particularly I am thinking about the release of political prisoners,'' he said giving the release of Leyla Zana as an example.
Verheugen said that they hoped the new government to continue EU reforms and that the EU Commission would encourage the new government to this end. He stressed that the next stage of Turkey-EU relations would be determined in Copenhagen summit.
Referring to the Cyprus issue, Verheugen asserted that they hoped the full membership of the Greek Cypriot side to the EU to bring together the solution of the Cyprus problem, claiming that if Turkish Cypriots join the EU, they would gain everything, if not they would lose everything.