HC Deb 05 February 2002 vol 379 cc806-7W
Mr. Ancram

To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the principal obstacles are to the opening of Turkey's accession negotiations to join the EU. [32983]

Mr. Straw

As with all candidates for EU membership, Turkey can only start accession negotiations once it has met the Copenhagen political criteria (relating to democracy, the rule of law, respect for human rights and minorities). Turkey has begun to make progress against the EU Accession Partnership which sets out priorities for reform. But it is important that Turkey picks up the pace of reform, notably with regard to human rights.