ANKARA - One detail of US President Barack Obama's otherwise successful visit to Turkey is creating unease among the country's Kurds. Many people object to Kurds being labeled as a ’minority’ because of Turkey’s specific definition of the term. The Daily News asks politicians and intellectuals for their reactions to President Obama’s choice of language
In the historical visit of EU Commission President Romano Prodi, who is the first Commission President visiting Turkey since the signature of the Ankara treaty in 1963, Brussels and Ankara mutually gave warm messages. Addressing the Parliament General Assembly, Prodi said; I can assure you that there will be no further new conditions (for membership to EU).
Ahead of his visit to Turkey on Tuesday, Syrian Head of State Beshar Essad said; We are not only against a Kurd state in Iraq, but also against any kind of state building that attempts to damage the territorial integrity of Iraq. It is a red line for us. Any action that may cause Iraq to disintegrate will have repercussions beyond neighbors.
The European Parliament (EP) adopted the Turkey report, which was prepared by Dutch Parliamentarian Arie Oostlander, saying that, “If the Turkish government realized the reforms with determination, we believe that Turkey shall be ready for the accession talks.” EP removed the expression, which said that Turkey was not ready for accession talks, and placed another expression in the report that, the talks would be commenced with the fulfillment of reforms.