Turkey And The Copenhagen Summit

EDM number 249 in 2002-03, proposed by Tony Baldry on 02/12/2002.

That this House welcomes the Prime Minister's continued support ahead of the Copenhagen Summit of Turkey's application to join the EU and looks to the Prime Minister to give unequivocal support for there being a firm date for negotiations to begin the process of Turkey's accession to the EU; notes that Turkey's implementation of the Accession Partnership and its National Programme for the Adoption of the Acquis means the country now fulfils the Copenhagen Criteria, including freedom of expression, the fight against torture, prison reform and the right to broadcasting; commends Turkey on its constitutional amendments of October 2001 restricting the death penalty to cases of war and terrorist crimes in compliance with Protocol No. 6 of the ECHR and the country's approval of 34 other constitutional articles relating to human rights; expresses concern that the European Commission's 2002 Regular Report on Turkey's Progress Toward Accession failed fully to recognise these positive developments in Turkey's application; and calls on the Government to add impetus to the Copenhagen Summit by ensuring that Turkey receives equal treatment from the EU to that accorded to all applicant states.

This motion has been signed by a total of 21 MPs.