By NNN-KUNA
Brussels : The European Union has called on Turkey to refrain from disproportionate military action in northern Iraq and to respect Iraq’s territorial integrity, as well as human rights and the rule of law.
“Turkey should limit military actions to those absolutely necessary for achieving its purpose — protecting the Turkish population from terrorism,” Olli Rehn, EU Commissioner for Enlargement, told a conference on Turkey in the European Parliament here Monday.
Rehn said he is encouraged by the dialogue between the Turkish authorities and their international partners, particularly the government of Iraq. “Let’s remember that military action is only ever part of the solution to any security problem, and diplomacy must be at the forefront,” stressed the Commissioner.
Speaking at the “Conference on constitutional reform in Turkey,” Rehn said that as a result of reforms and of the gradual opening up of Turkish society, the situation of the Turkish population of Kurdish origin “has improved”.
“The partial loosening of restrictions on local broadcasting in Kurdish has been a step forward,” he said.
Rehn said that the headscarf issue has taken up a great deal of political energy in Turkey. “Now as the way is cleared in the Parliament, Turkey needs to make speedy progress on reforms that enhance fundamental freedoms — and set up a clear and credible reform agenda for the months to come,” he said.
Rehn noted that the freedom of expression “remains an area in which reforms are badly overdue.”