- Title: TURKEY: EU AWAITS WORD ON PENAL CODE REFORMS FROM TURKEY - REAX.
- Date: 18th September 2004
- Summary: (W5) ISTANBUL, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 18, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. GV/MV: PASSENGER BOATS ON THE BOSPHOROUS, PEOPLE DISEMBARKING FROM BOATS (4 SHOTS) 0.40 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) NESIME BUYRUK SAYING: "I think it is right. Why is the EU meddling with us? Are we able to meddle with them? (May be not passing of this law will be handicap to Turkey). We should not compromise too much with the EU." 3. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) AHMET TEKIN SAYING: "I don't believe that Turkey will enter EU. Because of that it does not matter if that law passes or not." 4. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TANER SENGULER SAYING: "As for Turkey, we are in a economic crisis and we are getting credits. Doesn't that mean that they already meddling our regional affairs?" 5. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) HATICE KAHRAMAN SAYING: "Neither bad, nor good. They already had an opinion about us no matter how hard we work? If they want to see as an obstacle, they will make it an obstacle." 6. VARIOUS OF NEWSPAPER STAND 7. MILLIYET NEWSPAPER HEADLINE "EU GAVE US THE DATE!" 8. MILLIYET NEWSPAPER COVER STORY WITH PHOTO "WHY GUL (FOREIGN MINISTER ABDULLAH GUL) IS SILENT ?" 9. VATAN NEWSPAPER HEADING "WHY ARE YOU SHOOTING YOUR OWN FOOT" 10. VATAN NEWSPAPER COVER STORY WITH PHOTO "ERDOGAN (PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN) NO-ONE CAN INTERFERE IN OUR REGIONAL AFFAIRS" 11. RADIKAL NEWSPAPER HEADLINE "EU DIDN'T FALL FOR ADULTERY PLAN. NO PENAL CODE, NO ACCESSION" (W5) ANKARA, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 18, 2004) (REUTERS) 12. RADIKAL NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST MURAT YETKIN READING THE ECONOMIST 13. (SOUNDBITE) (English) RADIKAL NEWSPAPER COLUMNIST MURAT YETKIN SAYING: "Yes we can say that this is a major mistake in Turkey's efforts towards being a member of EU. Turkey has put in a lot of effort for in the last years, but especially this government. Maybe it is more difficult to understand why the prime minister did this now at the very last minute. I hope he is going to correct this." 14. THE ECONOMIST COVER "WHY EUROPE MUST TO SAY YES TO TURKEY" (W5) ISTANBUL, TURKEY (SEPTEMBER 18, 2004) (REUTERS) 15. STATE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE OF ECONOMICS, ALI BABACAN AT A MEETING 16. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) ALI BABACAN, STATE MINISTER RESPONSIBLE OF ECONOMICS, SAYING: "We are not making economic and political reforms just because EU wants us to do. Already Turkey needs those reforms and they are important for Turkey. We make these reforms because we want them." 17. VARIOUS OF MEETING Initials Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 3rd October 2004 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: ISTANBUL AND ANKARA
- Country: Turkey
- Reuters ID: LVA79B9B52Y895S13SG8HVS8IP97
- Story Text: Turkish people appear pessimistic as EU awaits word
of penal code reforms from Turkey.
The European Commission said on Saturday (September
18) it wanted to know from Ankara if its penal code
reforms, including a controversial ban on adultery, will be
in place or changed before a key EU decision on talks next
month.
The Turkish government put its penal code reform on
hold on Thursday after the centre-left opposition blocked
its efforts to include the clause criminalising adultery.
Penal code reforms are a step the EU sees as crucial if
it is to open talks on Turkish EU membership.
"We have a problem of timing," Enlargement Commissioner
Guenter Verheugen told reporters after talks with Turkey's
ambassador to the EU, Oguz Demiralp. "So far our assessment
was based on the assumption that the penal code would be
adopted before the Commission must make its decision."
He said he understood the adoption of the code had been
postponed by Ankara and no new date had been set.
"I have asked the ambassador to get clarification from
his government whether and when the penal code will be
adopted, and whether it will be substantially changed,"
Verheugen added.
The Commission is due to give its assessment on October
6 on whether Turkey is ready to start accession talks with
the bloc, and this has been thrown into question by
Ankara's delays to adopting the code.
In Turkey people on the street seemed pessimistic about
any progress and the EU stance.
"I don't believe that Turkey will enter EU. Because of
that it does not matter if that law passes or not," said
Ahmet in Istanbul. "I think it is right. Why is the EU
meddling with us? Are we able to meddle with them? (May be
not passing of this law will be handicap to Turkey). We
should not compromise too much with the EU," said Nesime in
Istanbul
There were also voices wondering about the timing of
the suggestion that adultery may be made a criminal offence.
"Yes we can say that this is a major mistake in
Turkey's efforts towards being a member of EU. Turkey has
put in a lot of effort for in the last years, but
especially this government. Maybe it is more difficult to
understand why the prime minister did this now at the very
last minute. I hope he is going to correct this," said
Murat Yetkin, a columnist for the Radikal newspaper.
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