” “"Regret" for the slowing down of the internal reform process, "great expectations" for the resumption of progress in the negotiated areas for a future accession to the EU. The Council of the Ministers of the twenty-seven EU member states, that gathered in Brussels today, first favourably received Ankara’s "renewed commitment" and will to reforming its economy, democracy and the protection of rights, its civil service, all essential to get closer to full membership of the Community; then, the heads of the diplomacies said they are waiting for "the commitments undertaken to be translated into actual, tangible facts". Such demands include the demand to ensure full freedom of expression and religious worship, the reform of justice, the "protection of minorities and their cultural identities". Therefore, political control over the tasks and actions of the armed force has been confirmed as necessary. Tayyp Erdogan’s government is also asked to take consistent actions in its foreign policy, in order to guarantee "stability in the Middle East": in this case, the EU is particularly interested (as the EU Parliament too had recently stated) in the relations between Turkey and Iraq and in resolving the problems with Cyprus.” “
