” “The positions of the European Union and Turkey remain distant. The EU Parliament, gathered in Strasbourg, this morning had a discussion on the relations with the Eurasian peninsula, and the two resolutions should be put to the vote today. The military operations going on at the border with Iraq against the terrorist offensive of Pkk have been addressed by many speeches. The main resolution was submitted by the Dutch People’s Party leader Ria Oomen-Ruijten: after highlighting the "positive result of the recent election" in Ankara and greeting the figure of the new president who "reflects the strength of Turkish democracy", she acknowledges the will of Erdogan’s government of speeding up the reform process "to fulfil the obligations undertaken by the partnership for Turkey’s accession to the EU" as well as "the intention of the new Turkish government to adopt a new civil constitution that will protect the fundamental rights and freedoms". But the resolution also highlights delays in such reform process, incomplete freedom of expression, while it "firmly" condemns the killing of father Andrea Santoro and the journalist Hrant Dink.” “
