§ Mr. Russell BrownTo ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent representations he has made to the Turkish authorities in relation to(a) human rights issues and (b) the possibility of accession to the EU. [164200]
§ Mr. MacShaneBoth my right hon. Friend the Foreign Secretary and I frequently discuss human rights and Turkey's EU accession prospects with Turkish Ministers—most recently in the margins of the spring European Council. The Foreign Secretary also raised these issues with Foreign Minister Gul in Istanbul on 3 March. We repeatedly affirm the UK's strong support for Turkey's EU aspirations and urge Turkish Ministers to press ahead with implementation of human rights reforms.