EU Approves revised accession partnership document

At a meeting in Brussels, European Union foreign ministers yesterday approved Turkey's revised accession partnership document. A statement issued by the European Council on Foreign Relations said that the document reviewed priorities in Turkey's accession process, along with conditions and principles. The new document highlights the need for reforms over the next three to four years in the areas of democracy and the rule of law, human rights, citizenship and political rights, economic and social rights, minority rights, cultural rights, the protection of minorities, regional and international obligations, economic criteria and harmonization with the EU acquis. Turkey is now expected to submit a national program to the EU on its reform plans.