Turkey objects to 1915, PKK points in EU progress report

Turkey’s EU Minister Volkan Bozkir has warned the European Parliament against approving its latest annual progress report on the country with references to the 1915 events and the PKK terrorist group. 
“If this report is approved with a reference to the European Parliament’s 1915 resolution, it will be declared null and void by Turkey,” Bozkir told reporters in Istanbul on Saturday after meeting with European Parliament Rapporteur for Turkey, Kati Piri. 

Last month, the European Parliament had adopted a resolution that recognized the 1915 events affecting Armenians as "genocide".

In another reference to "unacceptable points for Turkey" in the report, he said: “If there is a reference to removing the terrorist organization PKK [Kurdistan Workers’ Party] from the terrorist list in the report, it will not be possible for us to accept this report.”

The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by Turkey as well as by the U.S. and the European Union.

Thirdly, he added, the report would also not be acceptable to Turkey if it hindered continuation of the negotiation process and implied an end to EU's economic contributions to Turkey. 

Turkey has a Customs Union agreement with the EU, which came into force in December 1995. The union imposes common external tariffs for all industrial and processed agricultural goods.

According to the European Commission website, the EU is Turkey's number one import and export partner while Turkey ranks seventh and fifth in the EU's top import and export markets, respectively.

However, a free trade agreement between the U.S. and the EU might change that equation.  Turkey demands to be involved in the deal -- called the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership -- between the U.S. and EU since its Customs Union agreement with the EU will obligeTurkey to accept the U.S. goods to enter the country without any tariff, while Turkish goods will be taxed...............http://www.aa.com.tr/en/headline/519837--turkey-objects-to-1915-pkk-points-in-eu-progress-report
31/5/15
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Relatred:

• Turkey's EU bid to advance soon (Johannes Hahn)

• Turkey and EU set to sign MoU next week to upgrade Customs Union

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